Protection, Love, secrets

Chapter 3- Confusion

It was the next day and I was drained by the sleeping spell. It lasted until 3pm and when I woke up it took me a few minutes to recall everything that happened the following day.My mind kept replaying the image of Draco outside my room. Why was he there? Wasn't he supposed to be asleep in his room?

I waited for my mother to come in and pick out my outfit but she never did. The manor seemed quieter  than usual . I rolled out of bed and got dressed into a tight black skirt and a smart white blouse. I brushed my hair as usual and put on some makeup.

As I left my room I paused and heard silent sobs. I suspected it was the house elf but as I came closer to the sound it became clear to me who was crying. I stood outside Dracos door and listened for a few seconds. He was crying. I hadn't heard him cry since we were kids.

I knocked on the door and waited for a bit to allow him to wipe his tears away.

" Dray? " I said quietly

I walked in and saw him stand up from his chair.

He looked at me with tears in his eyes. Without hesitation I walked up to him and hugged him . He hugged me back tightly and I had to loosen his grip so I could breathe. I chuckled and he laughed back.

" Not so tight" I said whilst giggling.

It reminded me of when we were younger and we'd be told by our mother to hug each other when one of us had upset the other. However, for the first time we weren't hugging because we'd been told to but because we wanted to. This made me smile even more.

" What's wrong" I finally said. We both sat on the end of his bed.

"I wish I could tell you" he replied after a long pause .

I didn't want to push him anymore so I left it  and hugged him once more.

" I'm here if you need anything " I said smiling.

He nodded . I could tell he was fighting a new flood of tears from approaching so I stayed with him as he cried.

Once he stopped I decided to ask about last night.

" Draco, how come you were dressed up last night ?" I said trying to create eye contact with him.

No reply

"I saw you wearing a suit and your hair was combed, I know you were going somewhere" I said , hoping for a response.

Draco then looked at me with sympathetic eyes.

" Please never let mother and father stop protecting you " he finally said.

I paused and looked at him confused. I was about  to ask him what he meant when father walked in the room.

" Come now Arabella, let Draco be , he doesn't need you pestering him " he said looking at me with a stern face .

I walked out the room and glanced at Draco once more before following my father to the drawing room.

Something was wrong, father never usually cared about whether me and Draco were together or not.

" How was last night" I said softly

" Fine" he said bluntly

I decide to stop the conversation from going any further and leave it at that.