Dubitatio
n. doubt, hesitation, wavering.
days come, and they go, and they blend all together until finally, silver blue find their way staring at the last place he remembers being before it all became a blur. it comes back in waves, chest tight and throat threatening to constrict him of his breath. he has to remember to breathe, because it’s not how it was seven months ago. nothing will ever be the same.
but that doesn’t stop the memories that flash into his head. that churn his stomach into a pit and makes him physically ill, long and slender fingers burying into the sleeves of his house robes. his friends, his classmates ... death eaters ... family ... dead.
for a lost cause, if that.
he takes a deep breath, reminds himself again that this is all over, and walks towards the main corridor for the first day back to school. the first year students see no trace of the war this school has dealt with. they don’t remember every crack and fallen pillar, and the blood ... all the blood. they smile and they laugh and he catches sight of one, a girl with blond hair. she reminds him of himself, only eight years ago. how he misses how it was back then.
inside he starts to see familiar faces. professors nodding to the students and welcoming them back. they crowd around and they coo at how great hogwarts is, and without paying much attention draco bumps into someone and meets the gaze of the chosen one himself.
‘’ --------- potter, ‘’
it’s instinct, really. but there isn’t ... malice in his voice. if anything it almost sounds like relief, breathy and quiet. he fixes his robes out of habit, something to do with his hands. because while they wouldn’t be considered friends in the sense of the GOLDEN TRIO, it’s been a long way from where they were in previous years. he’s thankful for the work harry had done for his parents sentencing, even if he’s never really said it yet.
‘’ see you’ve managed to make it on time, hm? ‘’
@cursed-and-chosen