they were just kids [draco malfoy]

Year 4 - 62

Draco had decided to keep a closer watch on Ninomae. Once or twice more he had followed her down to the forest where every time the girl had disappeared into thin air just the same as she had done before.

The blonde had written to his father questioning him if there were other means of travel that would work similarly to apparition but without a sound. He also did some reading, after which he wrote his father again, this time asking about whether or not Hogwarts had any portals around it. Lucius Malfoy had found it a rather curious matter about why his son would be interested in all of that, but he had told him all he knew anyways. Which, if you really think about it, was nothing...

Draco's original plan had been to find out and then confront Ninomae about it when he already had all the facts down, but everything kept leading to dead ends.

So he decided to retort to his usual methods - talking or bullying the information out of her.

It was their History of Magic class, the last lesson of the day and Draco had decided to corner the girl just after it. But then he saw Ninomae stand up when even half of the lesson hadn't passed yet (shortly after their attendance had been taken), grabbing her bag and sneaking away, giving a small wink in Daphne's direction.

Something within Draco told him the girl was sneaking off to the forest again and so he went with his instinct of going to confront her in the act. Besides, he could always use the information she was out of class as a threat. It was only a win-win situation for him.

Draco rushed out of class, earning a suspicious glance from a few of his classmates. He knew Ninomae would be heading for the door by the Old Man's portrait so he took a shortcut in order to startle her and meet her right before she had reached it.

The blonde boy speed-walked down the corridor, taking a few lefts until he was finally hidden behind a big column, hearing the faint sound of Ninomae's steps as she unmistakeably approached him.

Draco pulled out his wand, waiting patiently, and just as the girl was passing him he whispered a 'Serpensortia'.

A snake shot out of Draco's wand as it landed right in front of Ninomae's legs. The girl couldn't hold back a surprised scream as she jumped back.

Astrid could hear the faint sound of laughter somewhere near her and although she understood it was sort of a prank, that didn't change the fact the snake was very much so real and very much so hissing at her as it approached her. The memory of seeing the Basilisk crossed her mind and she almost felt like crying. Snakes had become a forever fear of hers after seeing the grand beast.

"Go away," the girl whined as she backed away and to the side trying to pass it. "Go away, go away, leave me alone."

To her great surprise, the snake complied, lowering its head and slithering away down the hall. Astrid had come to stand in a spot where she could see behind one of the big columns and she wasn't surprised to see Malfoy standing there, his wand in his hand. Though what she was surprised to see was the boys perplexed and almost terrified expression, his mouth hanging slightly agape.

"Piss off!" she spat angrily, her heart still beating a mile a second.

The girl scoffed angrily, before turning on her heel and restarting her journey to the hut where she was sure she'd find her peace and comfort.

"This makes so. much. sense," the voice of the blonde boy made her stop in her tracks once more. Astrid turned back around to face him.

"What does?"

"How did I not think of this? This makes so. much. sense," Draco ran a hand through his hair, still staring into nothing; his expressions somehow shocked yet triumphant and understanding. "That's what you were hearing in the second year!" in the given moment Malfoy was grinning like a small child.