Draco's Hufflepuff | Emerging

Seventy-Three: Blindsided

**

Saturday, 12th April, 1997

It had recently occurred to me that it's coming up for a year until mine and Draco's first kiss, and it's now been over a year since Draco and I were left alone for those life changing eight weeks.

I had to force myself to attend a Prefects meeting yesterday, but I might as well have not been there, because I didn't contribute to the discussion whatsoever. I just sat there, nursing a freezing cold cup of tea, that remained un-drunken, just thinking of Draco still in the Hospital Wing.

Patrick and Olivia were speaking to Justin, Ernie, and Susan and it was the only part of their conversation that I paid semi-attention to. Justin had enquired about whether the trip away was going to repeated again for the fifth-years, and apparently it wasn't.

I wasn't sure if it was just the way I thought or because I was so out of my mind heartbroken, but it felt like it was fate. Like everyone going away last year was the world's way of bringing us together because we belonged together. It made me think that maybe it was meant to be, and that's why it wasn't going to happen this year as well.

So much had happened in the past twelve months, my life had been flipped upside down and I was a whole new person. If you would have told me this time last year that I would be in the position I was, I would not have believed you whatsoever.

I mean, how could I?! Draco came out of nowhere and his love blindsided me. I tore down his icy, impenetrable walls, and we fell in love, which I could never have predicted. It was beautiful, and I still don't regret a single thing.

Did I wish we had more time? Sure.

Do I miss him like crazy? Of course.

Would I go back and do things differently? Maybe.

Is any of this fair? No.

Did I want us to get back together? Without a doubt.

But do I regret falling in love with Draco Malfoy? Not a chance.

**

"There you are, Mads, I've been looking all over for you," Hannah took a deep breath as she slumped down beside me in the common room,

"Where else would I be?" I pulled my lips into a tight line, hoping I didn't sound as snotty as I thought I might have,

"What are you doing?" Hannah asked absentmindedly,

"Just sitting here, thinking of-" I paused for a moment, "Just thinking of some stuff,"

"Like what? You know you can talk to me," Hannah said, with a genuineness to her tone,

"Some of the weird things Draco said to me when we were still together. I don't know, like on Valentine's Day, he said my gifts were to remind me of when we first fell in love. Oh, and when he walked me back after our detention, it was so he could spend time with me whilst he still could. I don't know, did I just miss so many signs we were over, and I ignored them because I love him so much?" I pinched my eyebrows, rambling slightly. It was the most amount of words I had said in quite some time,

"Oh, babe, you don't want to do that. Don't think of that sort of stuff, you'll make yourself go crazy. Even if there were signs, you wouldn't have noticed them, because you wanted to be with him," Hannah cooed.

She rubbed my arm, and she kept her tone kind and calm. I was surprised she hadn't starting talking shit about Draco yet and berating him for everything.

"I know, I know. I just miss him," I shrugged my shoulders,

"It'll get easier, I promise you," Hannah hugged me sideways and comforted me,