Wonder // Draco Malfoy

54. Goodbye for Now

We all stare in silence as Dumbledore speaks. Banners with Cedric's face smiling back at us are displayed throughout the room as we grieve. Where the Durmstrang students are, there are a few murmurs of how there aren't any banners of Lev. I try to ignore it, but Marcus doesn't seem so successful. His hand is in a fist, gripping his cloak as he sits next to me.

"And let us never forget the bravery of our friends," Dumbledore says. His eyes turn to Marcus and he nods slightly. "There is nothing more pure in life than the friendship of such fierce friends."

Rue links arms with Marcus and he rests his head on hers. Once Dumbledore finishes his speech and dismisses us, we clap and make our way to the courtyard outside to say goodbye to our friends.

Marcus is the first to get up, Rue hurrying behind him as he marches out for some fresh air. It's difficult to hear how happy everyone else is currently, given that I watched someone die and one of my closest friends had to kill him to protect me.

"Valentine!" Hermione greets. We embrace each other in a hug and when we pull away, I can tell she's wanting to ask me something. "Ron told me you're staying at the Burrow this summer."

I smile at her; a part of me is happy to not have to spend the summer helping my father with cases, but the other part is crushed that I won't be able to see Draco at all. I'm not sure if I'll even be able to write to him. "Yes! I think Marcus and Rue might join, too," I reply.

Harry and Ron awkwardly walk behind her. Ron greets me with a small wave and a half-smile and Harry smiles. "Hi, Valentine," Harry says. Marcus and Rue approach from behind me, too, and the six of us look at each other for a moment. I know they're wanting to ask about what happened, but I understand - I also want to ask Harry what happened with Cedric.

"Erm, we'll see you this summer?" Ron says. I laugh at how awkward he is, and he blushes at my response. "Fred hasn't stopped talking about it."

"You don't know the half of it, Valentine," Hermione adds in exasperation. "We can talk about it when we see you next. Right now I think there's someone else who needs your attention."

Hermione nods and I follow where she's referring to. Draco stands alone, leaning against a pillar and staring at me. His eyes are sunken again and his cheeks look hollow. He looks absolutely miserable.

"I'll see you on the train," I say. Marcus and Rue agree and we say goodbye to each other. I approach Draco and stand before him. We're in the same place we stood what seems a lifetime ago in the rain, talking about our families. "Draco, I-"

"I'll find a way to see you," Draco interrupts. I close my mouth in shock; I thought he had completely given up on the idea of seeing me this summer. "If it's the last thing I do in this lifetime, I will see you. That pesky Weasley boy will not have the entire summer with you, I'll make sure of it."

I wrap my arms around him and practically melt as his arms hold me tighter to him. "You understand you belong to me, right?"

I nod against his chest, hearing his rapid heart beat under my ear. "Draco, I don't think I could go a week without you," I whine. We have continued to share a bed until we had to start packing, but I think that will only amplify how much I miss him when I'm gone.

Professor McGonagall calls for the students to get to the train as our luggage has already been packed. Draco and I pull away from each other and his cold hands hold my cheeks as he looks down at me. He places a light kiss on my forehead and fully pulls away. "I'll see you, Valentine, don't worry."

-

The rain begins to pour more heavily as we approach the train station. Ron has already informed me (as awkwardly as ever) that I will immediately lodge with his family. When he left, I groaned and Rue assured me that it won't be long before they're there, too.

My owl, Val, chirps lightly in her cage as she looks around the small room on the rain. Martin is in the overhead, squished between Rue and I's bags and purring loudly. "Do you think Draco will actually manage to see you?" Marcus asks. His focus is still on the window, which you can barely see the lightning strikes from the fog covering it.

"His father seemed pretty adamant about Draco never seeing you again," Rue says. She looks as if she doubts Draco's words. I can't blame her since I can't fully trust that they'll come true. I believe that he wants to see me; that he wants to defy his father and find me. But I don't know how likely it is to happen. "And what if your own father stops in to visit and finds Draco, or you gone to visit him?"

I sigh and lean back in my seat. "I wish his parents never came," I groan. I rub my face with my hands and sit properly. "My father would've loved him the moment he found out he came to the maze to find me. His father just had to ruin it."

"We'll find a way, we have to," I say.

-

Rue and I hug as students swarm around us to find their families. Marcus and I hug after, tighter and longer than usual. "We'll see you soon, okay?" He says. I nod my head and we say our final goodbyes.

"Don't worry, I've got your owl."

I turn and see Fred smiling at me. George is next to him, carrying Martin in his carrier. "I've got your cat. He can be used as weights, you know," George jokes.

We make our way to the rest of the Weasley's. It seems that Harry has already left with the Dursley's as he isn't with Ron or Hermione. "Oh dears, come here!" Mrs. Weasley greets. She hugs the three of us as we join here. Although everyone is happy to see me - including Mr. Weasley, who shakes my hand - I feel as if I don't belong.

Hermione smiles reassuringly at me as we follow the group out of the train station. "It's not that bad, you know," Hermione says. We're far enough behind the group to not have anyone overhear us. It would be difficult given the loud nature of the twins. "I think you'll love the burrow."

I nod my head to let her know that I heard her, I just don't know what to say. To her, this is home. Or a version of home where she feels welcomed and that she belongs. But I feel like a puzzle piece that's being jammed into the missing square of the wrong puzzle.

"Fred is crazy about you, Valentine. You're all he talks about in the Gryffindor common room. Well, when he isn't scheming any pranks."

Fred sneaks a peak to us and quickly looks back to his family, who are now throwing our luggage in the trunk of a car. "I can't do that to Draco, Hermione. I know he seems different on the outside, but ... I just can't be with anyone else."

We exchange a look and duck to get into the car. There's conveniently two seats open - one next to Ron and one next to Fred. Hermione quickly takes the seat next to Ron and I inwardly grown and sit between Fred and Ginny, who looks rather sad to be going home.

Fred and George still have my animals, both of which are looking at me curiously. They're not used to all of the commotion; they're not used to being packed tight in a group of redheads.

Mr. Weasley begins the drive back to the burrow and I remain silent for most of the ride, each moment traveled cutting the inward wound deeper until the realization of how far Draco is seeps in.

A/N
Sorry this chapter took so long! I have so much going on in my personal life that I haven't gotten the chance. This is a bit of a filler, but it's just setting up for life at the burrow. :)