"Mine," he mumbled against her neck whilst placing more kisses. "My best friend. Not Weasley's. Not Labonté's. Mine."
***
Fourth year brings changes in the feelings of Draco Malfoy and Nia Perez for each other: butterflies, jealousy, possessiveness...
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***
D.M.
A month had passed since Draco had a proper conversation with Nia. Well, three weeks. They had finished the project within the first week of her avoiding him.
After their first study session, they never met up in Nia's dorm. The next morning when he woke up, Nia wasn't next to him. In fact, she was nowhere in sight, and hadn't been until dinner.
Their group sessions were moved to the library, and they would go there every evening to do the theory part of their project — list the ingredients, figure out the right instructions and make sure there aren't any imperfections, except the first day of her ignoring him.
Then Friday evening, Nia had requested Snape to let them brew their potion in his classroom before dinner and promised him they would clean everything before leaving.
Fortunately, for Nia, Snape agreed as long as they didn't use his ingredients, and they didn't. The Hufflepuff supplied them with all the needed ingredients. She had asked her mother to get them some from Hogsmeade, which she surprisingly agreed to gladly, and the rest were the ones she already possessed.
Whenever Draco tried to talk to Nia, every single time, she would find an excuse; either she's going to study with Granger or with Longbottom for Herbology. Speaking of studying, they stopped their study dat— their study meetups too. She also used the excuses; helping Cedric figuring out what the first task was, or helping the twins with a prank, even if she never took part in those before.
Practically anything to get her away from him.
She would talk to everyone normally, but him. Hell, she even talked to Zabini, Nott and Parkinson. She got close with his mates whilst they got further away.
Draco also realized that all her friends were avoiding him as well — even Lovegood, his own cousin, was ignoring him. She would send small smiles, but that was it. Not any of her loon— unique comments. She Weasley would give him the coldest stare whenever they'd cross paths until he would look away. The twins weren't pranking him at all like they would every now and then, or even pick at him. The whole Weasley clan was trying to kill him with their eyes.
Some Hufflepuffs — mostly boys — looked at him in disgust just like they looked at Harry for stealing their glory. He also no longer had access to the Hufflepuff common room since Nia wasn't talking to him and he couldn't remember the password.
He tried to threaten a first year to help him get in, but Nia had caught him and gave him the most disappointing stare she'd ever given him. Unfortunately for the blond, it was her little brother's friend.
Draco even tried to talk to Granger to find out what was going on.
***
The Slytherin pulled up a chair and sat in it, waiting for Hermione to notice his presence.
