Bejeweled: A Draco Malfoy Fanfic

05. Wait, Maybe Draco Actually Does Have Feelings

"Love me like my demons do." - Akif Kichloo

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The next couple of weeks proved to Ivy that Draco and Dean were not the only ones willing to get their hands dirty on their mission to collect the five pearls. Students were willing to do anything just to be granted one wish - even the Hufflepuffs had grown violent. News had quickly spread about Seamus's death, and from what she heard in the corridors between classes, a few other students had died as well; most of them killed by desperate classmates who ambushed anyone they found wearing jewelry of any kind. Corridors were almost always completely empty, especially after dark. Anyone who did happen to be roaming the corridors always had a friend with them - a safety precaution.

She still found herself stealing glances at the Slytherin table. Sometimes Draco would catch her staring, and their eyes would meet for a second, but she always turned away. She feared him. Other times, he wasn't at his table at all. Sometimes he skipped Potions, and would often come running in late, out of breath with his hair in a mess, and his robes untidy. She could've sworn he was bleeding once, too.

At last, the Christmas Holidays had arrived, and only a handful of students were left at Hogwarts, Hermione being among the others who returned to their homes. During this time, Ron introduced Ivy to Wizard Chess, while Harry explained to her the rules of Quidditch. Both were unconcerned about the growing fear surrounding the Hunt and its bloodthirsty participants, and Ivy had not told them she was among the students participating. They were enjoying their holiday break, after all, and she didn't want them to worry.

Since most of the students had left, Ivy figured this would be her golden opportunity to find a pearl. She reminded herself of the encounter with Draco in the corridor with Dean and Seamus. How many more students were going to die so that evil people like him could be granted a vile wish? She had to put a stop to it.

After dinner one evening, Ivy excused herself from the Common Room to start Hunting. She wasn't exactly sure where she was going, or where a pearl might be, so she figured she'd just do some exploring in places that seemed likely. After a short while, she decided to look outside on the grounds, and made her way to the Entrance Hall.

Right before she opened the oak doors at the entrance, she heard small footsteps coming from across the corridor. She flattened herself against the wall, concealed in the shadows. A small, dust-colored cat came into view, stopping every few paces to sniff the ground. It was followed by a disheveled looking old man who was holding a lantern and scanning the corridor. Ivy groaned, realizing who the two were: Argus Filch and Mrs. Norris. She had heard countless stories about the sadistic caretaker and his tattle-tail cat who prowled the school, searching for troublemakers.

Mrs. Norris suddenly stopped in her tracks and peered into the darkness, her lamp-like eyes glued right to the spot where Ivy was standing. She held her breath, praying for the two of them to leave.

"What is it, my sweet? Found a student, perhaps?" asked Filch with a greedy smile.

There was a sudden crash coming from the floor above, and Mrs. Norris, startled, turned and dashed towards a spiral staircase on the other end of the corridor.

"Peeves! Aha!" Filch shouted as he ran to follow her. "Dumbledore won't be able to save you this time, no, no! How I've waited for a moment like this!"

Ivy breathed a sigh of relief.

"Do you always hide in the shadows like that, Stillwater?" Draco murmured, stepping into the light.

He had been standing on the other side of the oak doors, right across from Ivy. She huffed in annoyance. She had narrowly escaped Filch only to be cornered by the very last person she wanted to see.

"What do you want?" she snapped. "Go away." She turned to open the door, but Draco was too quick for her. He grabbed her arm in a tight grip.

"I-... I want to talk to you."

Ivy snatched her arm away and pushed him back, hard, in the chest, sending him stumbling backwards. "Well I don't want to talk to you. Now get away from me!" She pulled out her wand and aimed it straight at his chest.

"Going to kill me, are you?" he mocked. "Is that what I get for keeping Filch busy while you try to sneak out of the school?"

Ivy froze. "That was you?"

"Maybe." Draco raised his eyebrow. "You can put the wand away now. We both know you're not going to do anything."

Ivy swallowed and raised her wand higher. "Don't test me, Malfoy."

Draco smirked and walked up to her, taking hold of her arm and raising it so that her wand was level with his throat. "Go on, then. Concentrate, hard." Ivy stared into his cold, blue eyes, searching for a trace of fear. Why was she more afraid than he was?

"Get on with it!" he snapped. She waited a moment, and lowered her wand.

"The next time you pull your wand on me, Stillwater, I expect you to use it." He turned and opened the oak door, not breaking eye contact, and motioned for her to step outside. "Well? Are you just going to stand there?"

A moment's hesitation passed, and she finally sighed and walked through the doors outside, greeted by a chilly wind. A short conversation with Draco wouldn't kill her, surely. Hopefully. What did she have to lose?

Draco followed and the two of them descended the marble steps in silence. The Hogwarts grounds were deserted. The black lake was still, there was no sign of life in Hagrid's hut, and the Quidditch pitch loomed eerily in the distance. Ivy realized she was foolish to think of coming here to search for a pearl.

Draco was staring out at the horizon, and she hung back, giving him space. Uncomfortable with his silence, she tried to make conversation. "It's a beautiful d-"

"You're Hunting, aren't you?" Draco asked quietly. "That's what you wanted to come here for. To look for one of these." He held out a pearl necklace and a pearl bracelet, waving them slightly as if to tease her. She recognized the familiar glow that seemed to radiate off of them. He had two pearls. Three were still out there. Ivy resisted the urge to lunge out and grab them.

Finally, she regained her composure. "So what if I am?"

Draco turned to face her. "Are you insane? You realize how much danger you're putting yourself in?"

He sounded alarmed, and Ivy read something in his eyes that she had never seen before: worry. But surely she was imagining things. Since when had Draco Malfoy worried about anyone other than himself?

"Why does it matter to you?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head. "It's not the same. People are dying, don't you understand? You could die!" he hissed.

"Don't pretend to care about me, Malfoy. What is with you today?" 

"I..." his voice trailed off. "I don't know," he whispered. "I don't even know why I came out here." He turned away and walked towards the marble steps to the castle entrance. "Stay out of my way, will you? You'll only get yourself hurt."

"I'm Hunting for those pearls too, Draco. Even if I have to kill you, I won't let you win."

Draco paused, his foot rested on the first step. He looked over his shoulder and smiled a sad, pained smile. "I know. I'll be waiting."

Ivy didn't see the tear that trickled down his cheek as he closed the oak doors behind him.

a/n: not me being jealous of my oc??? Might have to kill her off or sum idk 👩‍🦯