Draco Malfoy,

My mother greeted us with open arms after not seeing her for merely six months, and it was more than wantable. The safety of home, the welfare of being close to her again, brought an indescribable comfort, '' My son,'' She smiled, hugging me close before she turned to my best friend, '' Blaise,'' She smiled, holding him just as tight,

Her eyes flickered between us, concerned to why I was home, when I was supposed to be with my father, doing the dirtiest of deeds for the dark lord, '' Not that I'm not more than pleased to have both of you here—,'' She held, her hands moving to stroke a warm hand over my shoulder,

'' But may I ask why you've decided to come home, Draco — I thought we agreed for you to—,''

'' Are you aware of what she's done, mother?'' I blurted out, earing a shocked look to mount her face by cutting her off, '' Do you know what she's done?''

My mother stared emptily at us both before she snatched us by the arms, dragging us into the kitchen. Her sudden move made me questionable, confused as to why she didn't want to have this conversation out in the foyer, '' She's here, Draco,''

My breaths hitched, my mind dizzy in query — not grasping who my mother talked about, '' Who is—,''

''Leiah,''

My head snapped to look at Blaise, standing just as startled as I did, eyebrows furrowed before I shook my head in denial, '' No. It's not possible, this morning she was in her room—,''

My mother pushed a finger to her reddened lips, hooded eyes stared through mine, '' She arrived a few hours ago, she didn't want to be alone—,''

My temper failed me the second I caught onto my mother's words, the frustration of her once again disobeying me started to tear within, '' Where?'' I snapped, hewing my mother and Blaise off, '' Where is she?''

My mother's eyes flickered to Blaise's, his face turned in grimace, feeling awkward to the situation, scratching the back of his head before he walked past us, seating himself on one of the kitchen chairs, '' This is going to be a long night,'' He mumbled, his head tucked into his hands, sighing loudly, '' Let him see her, Narcissa —, we can talk about this later,''

My mother nodded, brushing some crumbs off the counter, '' She's in her room,''

I stormed up the stairs, severe steps echoed throughout the hallways as I heard my mother shout after me, but nothing was able to calm me down — because yet again, she did precisely when I told her not to, and even if she was in the loss of her memories of us, she still knows about her father, about all the death eaters seeking to hand her over to him, and to leave school, tended to be more than reckless,

Without hesitation, I booted her door open, only to stumble into an empty room, her bathroom just as deserted — she wasn't here, my body flinched by the sound of something dropping to the ground, further down the hallway, from my room,

I shoved my door open, and the second I did, relief washed over me; there she was, picking up a book from the floor, her head flung around by the sound of the squeaking door. The mesmerizing eyes grew wide as her hands clenched around the spine of the book, '' Draco?'' She breathed out, her voice was heavenly, and the moment I watched her perfect self standing in my room, almost in the exact spot she stood when she first told me she loved me, caused my heart to ache,

_____

Leiah Riddle,

His face softened the instant I looked at him, the crease of anger, the fumes of hatred calmed, '' I thought you—,'' I nearly heaved, scared that he'd caught me here, in his room, holding a book of his, but Draco didn't move a muscle, he stood completely still, holding his breath,

The act of him made me timid, almost shy to the expression climbing his front, '' Draco, are you—,'' My words broke through the trance he looked to be in, marching up to me with quick steps, snatching the book right out of my tensed grip,

'' I thought I told you to stay in school,'' He endangered, spitting his vocals at me, '' But you never listen, do you?'' His eyes flashed in anger, nostrils flaring,

'' You have no idea—,''

He hushed, lips pressed into a firm line not to speak ill, not to shout or yell at me for being disobedient, the blue eyes searched mine, and with that, his face sunk, the fierce eyes turned soft,

'' I'm sorry. I just... I can't be at school alone anymore—,'' I whispered, feeling small to his length, '' It doesn't feel right anymore,''

Draco sent me a slight nod, blonde strands of hair messy over his forehead as if he had rushed his hands through it, tugging it back, '' I understand,'' He mumbled, still standing close, too close, '' But next time, you need to tell me where you're going, it's not safe—,'' The words fleeing his lips caused my blood to boil, the mystery he kept me in, the dark he refused to let me out of triggered me,

'' What is it to you, Draco?'' I snapped, brows frustratingly furrowed, '' You came into my room this morning, acting completely strange — telling me that you'll always come back for me and that you missed me,''

'' I'm not a fool, Draco. Something happened. Blaise has been acting more than suspicious for the last couple of weeks as well, and nobody is telling me anything,'' I shot the book in his hands a swift look, making him look down at it, his eyes shut close, almost as if he hurt by looking at it,

'' Forgettable spells?'' He doubted me, shaking his head as his eyes flayed open, holding the book up for better view, '' And why is that — that you require to read such a book?'' His blue eyes bored through mine, with the same spite they did in the common room that night when he decided to beat Blaise up and then leave, but even if the blue hues shredded mine, it was this flash, a light in them, that ached in feeling,

'' I told you—,'' I held, taking a step back, '' I told you that something isn't right and no one is telling me anything — not even Narcissa is being honest,'' My tongue trembled on my words, my mind clouded with all the loose threads surrounding me.

The blonde boy didn't answer. He bit his lower lip, running his tongue on the inside of his cheek,

'' For example — where were you? You just disappeared, Draco, one day you beat both Blaise and Cedric up for merely looking at me, and then, you just left — why would you do that?''

My words hit more than a nerve; his eyes prickled in tears as he turned around, pacing back and forth in his room, his heels stamping impatiently, his hands stretching his jawline,

'' Something is missing, Draco — I feel like a big part of my life just vanished, and here I am, all by myself when everyone around me keeps lying,'' My voice broke in despair, eyes pooled by the thought popping up in my head, he hasn't been here, he has no idea to what I've been through,

'' Do you even know—,'' I whimpered out, the aching tones scoring through my vocals halted him, making his eyes level mine, '' Do you know that she died?''

Draco rose his head further, his jaws dropped, his shoulders sunk, his entire self completely diminished, as if he'd seen a ghost, as if a memory of something terrible flickered his mind, he tried to hide the agony flushing within, but to no use, in some way — I was able to see right through him,

'' I—,'' He stuttered, not knowing what to say or what to do, '' I heard about it, and believe me when I say this, Leiah. I'm more than sorry for your loss, she was..'' He held, shoeing up to me again, his eyes still firmly locked in mine,

'' She was truly amazing, and I can't begin to understand how hard that was for you,'' He looked at me, from inches away, in a way he'd never done before — almost as if he was able to feel my pain.

The mark, inked into my arm stung at the thought of her, making me cringe at his closeness — his eyes moved to watch my skin, and when he noticed the scratch marks, the scars of nails,

His hand wrapped around my wrist, bending it up between us, the rings cooled over my heated skin, " I assume you heard about this too? Since it was your father how gave it to me," I snarled, his jaws clenched together, eyes broad. The look of him, glaring at him as he stared on the mark inflicted a lingering feeling over me,

The feeling of familiarity became overwhelming, " What are you not telling me, Draco?" I quieted down, his fingers slightly loosened, letting go of me entirely in silence.

He refused to tell me, and I could see that on the look he held, that this was something deeper, more challenging for him than it was for me, but even then — it made me more than upset. I know that Draco doesn't owe me anything, but still bored somewhere within — I hoped that he'd at least been honest with me,

'' Well—,'' I yanked away, still glaring at him, '' If you're not telling me about this — I'll just have to find out by myself,'' I snatched the book out of his hand, marching my way past him out the door. The cursing underneath his breath as I left tore through me, yet not,

It was frustrating, wrenching to have the truth on the tip of your tongue but not being able to speak it, to be kept in the dark of your own mind, to feel as if months and months of memories had just been ripped away,

I made my way through the manor, feeling the chilled air soaring against my flushed skin, upset beyond despair with the blonde boy who disapproved me of reality. '' Narcissa— I think it would be better for me to go back—,'' I gasped, my eyes snapping to my best friend, hunkered down on a chair next to her, '' Blaise?''

He smiled, pushing his chair back to great me, warm, comforting arms wrapped around my trembling figure as he hugged me, '' I heard you snuck out, after all,'' He mumbled, quietly to avoid Narcissa's attention, '' You shouldn't do that, not when Malfoy is back,''

My face twisted as I arched back from his hold, feeling the fabric of his shirt shrugging against my cheek, '' I'm not staying. I came down here to tell you that I will be going back to school—,'' I held, clocking Narcissa's eyes, glinting in the strokes of evening sun bursting through the kitchen windows, '' I'm sorry, Narcissa, but I don't think it was a good idea of me to—,''

'' You're not going anywhere, alone,'' His voice came hoarse from behind, '' Right? She's not going anywhere until we've figured this out,'' I spun around in Blaise's arms, eyeing the visibly shaking boy down, '' Right?''

Eyes rolled, feeling my whole body tense at his demeanor, '' How many times am I supposed to tell you this, Draco, ''

'' You don't get to—,''

" No, you don't get to,"

Narcissa cleared her throat, hewing both Draco and me off in the heat of the moment, '' That's enough, from the both of you. No one is going anywhere,'' She stated, sternly, ''Leiah, come with me, will you?'' His mother stood tall next to me. Her hand placed on my lower back to walk me upstairs,

_____

Narcissa nervously fixed the pillows resting on my bed, her hands stroked over the soft fabric, easing every wrinkle, but she stayed quiet, not a word, barely a breath left her red lips — she kept her eyes on my bed, still mending the setting,

'' Narcissa,'' I called out for her, across the room,

She slammed her fists into the cover, shaking her head, '' I know you to be reckless at times, dear,'' She spoke, placing her hands over her hips, '' But I never believed you to do this, what you have done is of a serious matter, Leiah,''

'' I don't know if there's a way to fix this, to bring your..'' She held, her lips instantly pressed together as if she was going to speak more than allowed to. That intrigued me even graver — the fact that she knew about it but still haven't told me,

I shoed closer, my eyebrows rising in curiosity, '' To fix what, Narcissa?'' My voice came out harsh, queer, making her eyes snap to mine, '' I did something, that much I understand, but I can't—,'' I asked her as her face clenched, her sights grounding, '' I can't figure out what, what did I do to feel this way, like something is missing,''

She took a seat on my bed, patting it for me to sit next to her, her curls hanging off her shoulders, the top of her hair tangled into a gracious bun, '' I didn't know until Blaise informed me about what you did and even if I feel the need to be upset with you for making such efforts without talking to me—,''

'' I was here to watch you lose yourself in your misery, and I wouldn't wish that upon my worst enemy,'' Her eyes stared emptily across the room as I slipped down next to her, my heart pounding, every flush of blood burned,

'' No—,'' I breathed out, my mind twirling the truth I knew rested within, '' Tell me I didn't—,''

" Who?"

" Who did I..."

The dark-colored eyes flickered to mine, her eyelashes battling the tears urging to fall, lips parted to speak, '' You did. You asked Blaise to use a forgetfulness charm on you, but I think you know that''

I did. I did know that something had been erased from my mind, that this leak of time in my head couldn't occur by itself,

I nodded at her words, shutting my eyes closed as she sucked in a harsh breathe, '' But of course, you don't know what—,'' Her hand moved to laze on my thigh, giving me the comfort she kenned I needed,

'' It's Draco, Leiah,''

'' You chose to forget about Draco,''

_____