Status: slow updates.
Expectations
I Wish I Could Tell You
School was school. Hazel had fallen into a routine of going to class, going to meals, going to the library, and going to sleep. Her group of friends had noticed the change in her, but most people were afraid to say anything. She tried talking to Dumbledore, but it was almost like the Hogwarts headmaster was avoiding her.
"Don't think I haven't noticed your mood change." Hazel looked up from the book she'd checked out of the library, her eyes meeting Draco's. They hadn't gotten a chance to talk much since term started. He'd been running off every chance he got, and she could tell that he was tired. There were bags forming underneath his eyes, like he wasn't getting much sleep. She patted the empty spot next to her, turning her face back to the Black Lake.
"I could say the same for you." For majority of the time she'd known Draco, he like to torment people that weren't directly associated with him. Hazel had been an exception since their first year. She understood him more than most people, and though she didn't always agree with the things that he did, she knew that he wasn't actually a bad person. He was a victim of circumstance, and no one could blame him for that. In fact, she blamed his parents for the way he treated the rest of the student body.
"I don't know what you're talking about." He sat down next to her, plucking the book from her hands. He flicked through the pages before marking her place and putting it down on the other side of him. He leaned his back against the bark of the tree, turning his head to stare at the brunette beauty. He often wondered why she tolerated him. He knew he wasn't the greatest person, and she associated herself with the Golden Trio. She was supposed to hate him by default, but she didn't.
"You've been awfully quiet since school started. I was almost sure that someone was going to be walking around with their pants on fire by now thanks to your doing." She cracked a small smile, but it wasn't returned. Draco's face was set into a deep scowl, unfazed by her soft features.
"I've got other things to worry about." He wished he could tell her more, but his life was on the line, and he didn't want to risk it. She reached for his hand, locking their fingers together. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he leaned his head on top of hers, listening to the wind whistle through the branches.
"What's going on, Draco?" She was worried about him, and she knew that he more than likely wasn't going to tell her what he was dealing with, but she thought that it was worth a try.
"I wish I could tell you, Hazel." And he meant that. He desperately wanted to tell someone what he was dealing with, but he couldn't. The only person he had to confide in was Snape, and he felt like that was a bad idea within itself. His head of house had always given him a bit of a bad vibe, but his mother trusted the professor, so he had no choice but to do the same.
"I know what that's like, to have a secret that you can't tell anyone. It's a heavy burden to bear, so I won't bug you. Just know that I'm here if you need anything, okay?" He appreciated Hazel. Most of his friends wanted to know everything that was going on, but she didn't pry. He didn't like the thought of losing her, but he knew that it was going to happen eventually. She'd tolerated his antics since they were 11, but he had a feeling that she'd never be able to forgive what he was planning to do.
"I care about you a lot." His heart started pounding as he waited for her response. She lifted her head, staring up into his eyes.
"I care about you, too, Draco." She knew that was the nicest thing she was ever going to get out of him. She knew how much the words meant. Draco didn't care about a lot of people, and she knew that she was special to him, just like he was special to her.
"Hazel, I'm not coming back next year." He knew he wasn't going to be able to talk to her once he stopped going to school. With what was being planned, he would be lucky if he ever got to see her again. This was his last year to really spend time with her, and he planned on taking advantage of it whenever he could.
"Why not?" He tried his best to answer her without revealing too much. The Dark Lord had eyes and ears everywhere, and being reprimanded wasn't on his list of things to do.
"There are some things that I need to take care of, and I know once all of it is over, you're not going to want to speak to me again. I just want you to know that you are the best part of my experience at Hogwarts." She was starting to get worried. This sounded very much like a goodbye. It was still the beginning of the year. They had eights months of school left. Him saying bye now meant that something bad was going to happen. With Dumbledore's death looming over her head, she couldn't help wondering if Draco's would follow shortly after.
"There's nothing you could do that would make me want to stop talking to you. You can be a wanker sometimes, but I know your heart. Whatever you're worried about, it's going to be fine." He wanted to believe that, but he knew better. Nothing would ever be fine where he was concerned. He was going to spend the rest of his life in fear of being executed if he didn't do exactly what he was told.
"Well, in the event that it's not, I just wanted you to know." He really wanted to change the subject. He could see the anxiousness in her eyes, and when she was anxious, she started to ask a lot of questions. "Did Slughorn invite you to be a part of his elite club?" He was happy when he saw her walk into Advanced Potions the first day of term. He hadn't been sure how he was going to make it through that class, but he was okay now.
"He offered, but that's not something I want to take on. My mom suggested I take the class because I'm not sure what I want to do once I get out of school. She said it would open up a lot of job opportunities, but I'm sure I don't want to work in the Ministry." It was a well thought out plan, but Draco was sure there wasn't going to be much of a Ministry left when everything was said and done.
"She's right, you know."
"Of course she's right, but that doesn't mean I wanted to take the bloody class. It's more work for me." Hazel sighed unhappily, tilting her head back to stare up at the leaves. The sky was starting to darken, and she knew that they were going to have to go in for dinner soon. The few people that were out were already starting to head back toward the castle, but she wanted to stay outside for a few more minutes.
"Work has never been an issue for you before." The only reason it was an issue now was because her gift was coming out in full force, and she couldn't always control when she saw things. It was becoming a distraction, which was why she needed to talk to Dumbledore. There had to be a serum or something that could suppress her visions. One day soon, someone was going to figure out that she wasn't simply daydreaming.
"I know. Are you trying out for quidditch this year?" It was one of the few things that seemed to bring a bit of light to the entire school, but with Umbridge being in charge last year and the Triwizard Tournament taking place the year before, the sport had been scarce over the last few terms.
"I wish, but I don't have the time." Quidditch was something Draco genuinely enjoyed, but he'd be avoiding the pitch in favor of the Room of Requirement for this school year.
"Draco, I'm scared for you." Hazel could see that something was deeply wrong, even if he wasn't going to admit it. He cracked a smirk, trying to calm her nerves, but she wasn't buying it.
"Don't be. Like you said, it'll be fine. Come on. Let's go inside. I'm hungry." It was a complete lie. He hadn't had much of an appetite over the last few weeks, but he pulled her along anyway, trying to distract her from the questions he knew were burning in her brain. He wasn't going to drag her into his mess.
"Don't think I haven't noticed your mood change." Hazel looked up from the book she'd checked out of the library, her eyes meeting Draco's. They hadn't gotten a chance to talk much since term started. He'd been running off every chance he got, and she could tell that he was tired. There were bags forming underneath his eyes, like he wasn't getting much sleep. She patted the empty spot next to her, turning her face back to the Black Lake.
"I could say the same for you." For majority of the time she'd known Draco, he like to torment people that weren't directly associated with him. Hazel had been an exception since their first year. She understood him more than most people, and though she didn't always agree with the things that he did, she knew that he wasn't actually a bad person. He was a victim of circumstance, and no one could blame him for that. In fact, she blamed his parents for the way he treated the rest of the student body.
"I don't know what you're talking about." He sat down next to her, plucking the book from her hands. He flicked through the pages before marking her place and putting it down on the other side of him. He leaned his back against the bark of the tree, turning his head to stare at the brunette beauty. He often wondered why she tolerated him. He knew he wasn't the greatest person, and she associated herself with the Golden Trio. She was supposed to hate him by default, but she didn't.
"You've been awfully quiet since school started. I was almost sure that someone was going to be walking around with their pants on fire by now thanks to your doing." She cracked a small smile, but it wasn't returned. Draco's face was set into a deep scowl, unfazed by her soft features.
"I've got other things to worry about." He wished he could tell her more, but his life was on the line, and he didn't want to risk it. She reached for his hand, locking their fingers together. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he leaned his head on top of hers, listening to the wind whistle through the branches.
"What's going on, Draco?" She was worried about him, and she knew that he more than likely wasn't going to tell her what he was dealing with, but she thought that it was worth a try.
"I wish I could tell you, Hazel." And he meant that. He desperately wanted to tell someone what he was dealing with, but he couldn't. The only person he had to confide in was Snape, and he felt like that was a bad idea within itself. His head of house had always given him a bit of a bad vibe, but his mother trusted the professor, so he had no choice but to do the same.
"I know what that's like, to have a secret that you can't tell anyone. It's a heavy burden to bear, so I won't bug you. Just know that I'm here if you need anything, okay?" He appreciated Hazel. Most of his friends wanted to know everything that was going on, but she didn't pry. He didn't like the thought of losing her, but he knew that it was going to happen eventually. She'd tolerated his antics since they were 11, but he had a feeling that she'd never be able to forgive what he was planning to do.
"I care about you a lot." His heart started pounding as he waited for her response. She lifted her head, staring up into his eyes.
"I care about you, too, Draco." She knew that was the nicest thing she was ever going to get out of him. She knew how much the words meant. Draco didn't care about a lot of people, and she knew that she was special to him, just like he was special to her.
"Hazel, I'm not coming back next year." He knew he wasn't going to be able to talk to her once he stopped going to school. With what was being planned, he would be lucky if he ever got to see her again. This was his last year to really spend time with her, and he planned on taking advantage of it whenever he could.
"Why not?" He tried his best to answer her without revealing too much. The Dark Lord had eyes and ears everywhere, and being reprimanded wasn't on his list of things to do.
"There are some things that I need to take care of, and I know once all of it is over, you're not going to want to speak to me again. I just want you to know that you are the best part of my experience at Hogwarts." She was starting to get worried. This sounded very much like a goodbye. It was still the beginning of the year. They had eights months of school left. Him saying bye now meant that something bad was going to happen. With Dumbledore's death looming over her head, she couldn't help wondering if Draco's would follow shortly after.
"There's nothing you could do that would make me want to stop talking to you. You can be a wanker sometimes, but I know your heart. Whatever you're worried about, it's going to be fine." He wanted to believe that, but he knew better. Nothing would ever be fine where he was concerned. He was going to spend the rest of his life in fear of being executed if he didn't do exactly what he was told.
"Well, in the event that it's not, I just wanted you to know." He really wanted to change the subject. He could see the anxiousness in her eyes, and when she was anxious, she started to ask a lot of questions. "Did Slughorn invite you to be a part of his elite club?" He was happy when he saw her walk into Advanced Potions the first day of term. He hadn't been sure how he was going to make it through that class, but he was okay now.
"He offered, but that's not something I want to take on. My mom suggested I take the class because I'm not sure what I want to do once I get out of school. She said it would open up a lot of job opportunities, but I'm sure I don't want to work in the Ministry." It was a well thought out plan, but Draco was sure there wasn't going to be much of a Ministry left when everything was said and done.
"She's right, you know."
"Of course she's right, but that doesn't mean I wanted to take the bloody class. It's more work for me." Hazel sighed unhappily, tilting her head back to stare up at the leaves. The sky was starting to darken, and she knew that they were going to have to go in for dinner soon. The few people that were out were already starting to head back toward the castle, but she wanted to stay outside for a few more minutes.
"Work has never been an issue for you before." The only reason it was an issue now was because her gift was coming out in full force, and she couldn't always control when she saw things. It was becoming a distraction, which was why she needed to talk to Dumbledore. There had to be a serum or something that could suppress her visions. One day soon, someone was going to figure out that she wasn't simply daydreaming.
"I know. Are you trying out for quidditch this year?" It was one of the few things that seemed to bring a bit of light to the entire school, but with Umbridge being in charge last year and the Triwizard Tournament taking place the year before, the sport had been scarce over the last few terms.
"I wish, but I don't have the time." Quidditch was something Draco genuinely enjoyed, but he'd be avoiding the pitch in favor of the Room of Requirement for this school year.
"Draco, I'm scared for you." Hazel could see that something was deeply wrong, even if he wasn't going to admit it. He cracked a smirk, trying to calm her nerves, but she wasn't buying it.
"Don't be. Like you said, it'll be fine. Come on. Let's go inside. I'm hungry." It was a complete lie. He hadn't had much of an appetite over the last few weeks, but he pulled her along anyway, trying to distract her from the questions he knew were burning in her brain. He wasn't going to drag her into his mess.