Pros & Cons

3. The Grapevine

Draco awoke to an aqua light illuminating half of his face through the gap in his forest green bed curtains. He turned to his nightstand to check the time - it was six in the morning, why the fuck is he awake. The answer came in the harsh grunts from across the room.

Nott was snoring again.

He didn't see much point in trying to fall back asleep, considering Nott was probably only going to get louder. He swung his legs round to the edge of the bed and rubbed his eyes with the side of his hand and waited a few seconds until he was fully awake.

Ow, shit. Now he was sure he was awake - that incessant, neverending pain in his left forearm made sure he was always aware of his pathetic existence.

Draco headed into the bathroom and leant forward on the sink with his hands either side of the basin and splashed his face with the icy cold water. The relief was quick and minimal but it was a form of pain relief nonetheless, so he stuck his entire forearm under the tap - cooling the burnt, marked skin.

He was so ashamed of his mark, it's ironic isn't it? The only thing his family had ever been proud of him for was the single thing he was most ashamed of.

Fuck irony.

He splashed his face with the water once more and looked at his reflection in the mirror, he looked like shit. He knew he did. He knew other people thought it too, even Parkinson had backed off slightly since they started school again. He watched the water droplets trickle from his brow, down the bridge of his nose and eventually fall off the tip of his nose. Draco liked to think the water droplets represented his tears - god forbid he produce any real ones.

He was getting too deep into his own head so he shook himself off and headed towards his dresser.

He dressed himself in his black suit, he didn't want to wear his uniform. He wasn't like everyone else anymore, so why the fuck would he dress like them? His black suit also made him feel safe, his white school shirt was too dangerous; what if it got wet? Then everyone would know. No, his suit covered everything he hated with no chance of it being accidentally revealed.

"Morning" Nott sang as he ruffled Draco's hair

"Piss off Nott"

"Calm down princess, may I say you look extremely sexy in that suit - but are you seriously going to wear it all year?"

Draco glared at him and stalked off to the bathroom to fix his hair.

****

Violet was late to breakfast this morning, she had been writing a letter to her mum letting her know how she was doing but by the time she was done there was only fifteen minutes left of breakfast.

She burst through the doors of the great hall, her tie still untied slung around her neck.

"Gardner! You missed the timetable handouts" McGonagall marched towards her with a flimsy piece of paper in her hand "Here's yours"

"Thank you, Professor" Violet smiled and started to walk toward where her friends were sitting.

"And Gardner-"

"Yes, Professor"

"Smarten up before you head to your first lesson" McGonagall tutted with a smile before leaving the hall. Violet smiled sweetly back before walking to her friends table and sitting next to Hermione, opposite Ron and Harry.

"I thought you were only going to be five minutes, where have you been?"

"No matter 'Mione I'm here now. Could you-" Violet gestured towards her tie as she picked up a piece of toast. So Hermione tied Violet's tie while she ate her breakfast - just like a mother would with her daughter. They had always had that kind of relationship, ever since first year.