Draco's Hufflepuff | Emerging

Eighty: Dark Mark

**

Saturday, 14th June, 1997

Things between Patrick and I were still frosty, and it didn't matter how many times I apologised or tried to talk to him, he didn't care. Word of our argument had gotten out and the pitiful looks I received had been replaced with judgemental and snotty ones.

Even my own friends seemed to be avoiding me. It was entirely my own doing, and it was the least I deserved really, but that didn't stop it from stinging. The Slytherins were definitely looking at me more and were exchanging quiet words whenever I was around them, but they never spoke to me.

What made everything worse was the fact I still looked out for Draco everywhere I went. Every single room of the castle I walked into; he was always the first person I looked for. Even my own common room, I hoped he would somehow appear in here.

Everyone was in Hogsmeade for the day, I suppose they were out in their couples doing sweet relationship stuff. I couldn't blame them for not inviting me, because I would only bring them down in one way or another.

It was as though I had a barrier around me, and it was silently telling people not to go near me. It certainly felt that way.

My school work and my grades had slipped even more, and after receiving detention with Professor Flitwick, I had gotten two more. One from Professor Snape, and with Professor Sinistra. Each for abysmal work and a bad attitude.

Although, luckily, Remus got me out of my detention with Snape, and he said he'd sit with me instead. Snape seemed to accept it with no issue, which I was surprised about.

Professor Lupin did warn me, however, that he couldn't cover for me again, because he didn't think Snape would be as accepting the next time, and that I would have to start picking up my grades a little. We actually ended up having a really nice conversation, and it was the first time in a while that I didn't feel judged or loathed.

**

As I was wandering around the castle mindlessly, needing to get away from my own thoughts for a while, I got to thinking about everything I had gone through this year.

When we started our sixth year, I was under the illusion it was going to be easier and much simpler than the second half of my fifth year. Draco and I had seemed to work things out, and even though we started out as a secret, we were still together. Sort of.

More so when we became proper boyfriend and girlfriend, that was supposed to be it for us. We struggled through those months of uncertainty and shame, but we got through it at the other side.

Then it got taken away from us, and even though I still didn't know the full extent of the circumstances that led it to, I was sure something happened to Draco. I knew his mind wouldn't change about me so drastically.

I had no idea that my sixth year, and penultimate year of Hogwarts would be so drama-filled or intense. I had gone through my time at school with very little happening to me, and now, it was as though I was the centre of attention most of the time.

I was quite happy being forgettable and invisible, hidden away to most people. But that was my life pre-Draco, and he had the tendency to change my life in the ways I least expected. He was the sole reason a lot of people even knew my name, let alone that I existed.

Everyone around me was falling in love and I wanted to be happy for them, I really did. Hannah and Seamus were inseparable. Susan and Lisa were the sweetest couple ever – I'd never known Susan to smile so much before. The worst was Leanne and Megan, because their boyfriends were in Hufflepuff too, so they were inescapable.