Draco's Hufflepuff | Emerging

Seventy-One: Sectumsempra

A/N: There are descriptions of blood/blood loss, very mild gore, and vomiting in this chapter. There is also a threat of violence and mentions of death.

**

Wednesday, 2nd April, 1997

"Dirty slag!" someone taunted from behind me,

"Do you think she's infected with something?" another person mocked,

"Skanky bitch needs to go and take a long walk off the top of the Astronomy Tower," a third person laughed cruelly.

The entire time I was walking back to the common room to spend my free period, a group of nasty fourth year Gryffindors were following me, being spiteful, nasty, and malicious. I was lucky that I'd never been properly bullied, but this was the closest I had got.

It was common knowledge that I was still in a bad shape after breaking up with Draco. If it were me, and I knew that someone was hurting, mocking them would be the absolute last thing running through my mind.

"You should be ashamed of yourself – disgusted, even. As if you let yourself get involved with a Death Eater," the first Gryffindor belittled me, their tone vicious and mean,

"You're nothing more than a filthy slut, you know. Just do everyone a favour and leave Hogwarts already, you don't deserve to be here," the second person scoffed, gaining a snicker from the rest of the group,

"Now, come on, guys. Leave her alone. For all we know, she could be a Death Eater too, and we don't want to provoke her anymore," another person said with a fake and degrading sympathy,

"That's a good point. It wouldn't surprise me, two disgusting Death Eaters together," the first Gryffindor laughed unpleasantly.

I glanced back at them, my lip quivering, and my eyes glassy. I knew I should have said something to them and stuck up for myself, because they were just immature and insensitive fourteen- or fifteen-year-olds, but I couldn't speak.

When I made eye contact with them, they all gave each other knowing looks, chuckled slightly, and then shrugged their shoulders, walking back the other way.

**

Being the coward I was, I ran straight to the Prefects bathroom instead of my common room, because I knew I was less likely to run into anyone there. I was supposed to be meeting up with Hannah, so I would have to apologise to her later when I saw her next.

I slammed the toilet stall shut behind me and sat down on the lid of the toilet, which I knew was a little gross, but I just needed to get some composure back and steady myself.

I put my head in my palms and took a deep breath, the words of the younger Gryffindors on a loop in my mind.

Did they have a point? Was I disgusting? I sure felt like a piece of shit at that moment, but I didn't know if that was just my own thinking. Did anyone else agree with them? The thought of Draco or myself being Death Eaters made me feel nauseous. That's the last thing I'd do.

I'd like to think that anyone who really knew me would agree with me and stand up for me. I hoped they'd know that I thought myself being on You-Know-Who's side was simply unforgiveable or inconceivable.

**

The door to the Prefects bathroom opened suddenly and I froze. As I wiped my face dry, I could hear someone snivelling and breathing heavily, and it was slightly comforting to know someone else was feeling rubbish too.