Pros & Cons

11. The Party

!!TW: Sexual Assualt, PTSD, Anxiety!!

Draco's term was going worse than shit; The cabinet was doing fuck all, he'd tried to send a bird through it but it died; The death eaters had found out about the Katie Bell incident; His mother was sending non-stop letters about how important this all was. He knew how important it was. He knew his life was on the line.

To add to it Gardner wasn't speaking to him, he was aware he'd asked her to leave him alone but they'd argued loads and she'd never held up the silent treatment this long.

He wasn't sure why it bothered him so much.

Maybe because he felt like she wasn't ignoring him simply because they'd argued. He hadn't even said anything bad this time - he was sure there was something else behind it.

Surely she doesn't know about... the mark.

No she can't. She was so sure I didn't curse Katie.

Draco liked that she didn't think he was capable of cursing Katie, like she saw something redeemable in him. Even if he knew that wasn't possible.

He'd tried his hardest to get her to speak throughout the past two weeks without being too upfront, he decided he'd gone a little too far when he trapped her in the library last week.

Violet was roaming the bookshelves looking for a Transfiguration book McGonagall had suggested. She spotted it on a bookshelf in the far corner of the library, it was late at night and the rain was pelting against the large windows. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was someone watching her but whenever she turned there was no one in sight.

Once she reached the shelf she leant forward onto her tiptoes to reach the book but, alas, it was just out of her reach.

But then she felt a toned build press against her back and an arm reach over her shoulder and remove the book from the shelf. She didn't need to turn to know who it was; the cologne, the mint, she knew exactly who it was.

"'Theories of Transubstantial Transfiguration'? How boring"

She turned to face him but he hadn't backed up and was towering over her with his arm resting against the bookshelf, locking her in place. She made a grab for the book but he simply lifted it above her head.

"You've been awfully quiet recently Gardner" She didn't respond and just turned her head to look out of the window to her left. Malfoy grabbed her chin and turned her face back to look at him. "You'll speak when spoken to - or weren't you taught good manners?" He rasped, glaring down at her.

"You asked me to leave you alone. Remember." she simply glared at him.

"Well I didn't mean-"

"I'm just fulfilling your wishes" she made a grab for the book while he was mid-sentence and ducked under his arm, swiftly leaving the library.

He knew he should just leave it and let her ignore him but she had gotten completely under his skin and he needed to speak to her. Badly.

*****

The next two weeks were hard for Violet and the golden trio. Hermione never wanted to be around Ron because wherever Ron went Lavender would always trail behind. Hermione and Violet spent much more time with Ginny and often spent their weekends at the Three Broomsticks.

Violet had been avidly avoiding Malfoy, he had told her to leave him alone after all, but it was mostly because she didn't know what to say to him after her dream two weeks ago. But despite all her attempts to avoid him, he actually seemed to be seeking her out.