NEMESIS || Draco Malfoy

11

And it didn't get much better the nights after that.

Which then, affected my days and the way I carried myself. Mentally, at least.

"You look like absolute shit." I was on my way to transfigurations when Pansy caught up with me, so out of it, I didn't even flinch at her sudden appearance. "Have you slept, like, at all in the past year?" She asked in amusement, though the worried undertone didn't go unnoticed.

I rubbed my eyes before a yawn rattled through my chest, entering the classroom with a shrug. "I'm fine," I forced out, realising that, maybe, it didn't just affect me mentally, and people could genuinely tell.

At the thought, I straightened my back and tilted my chin upwards, shaking my entire body once to wake myself up. I couldn't have that.

My eyes darting over to her as I sat down, I gave Pansy a warm smile, one that had the worry in her features lessen. "I swear on Salazar himself, Pans. I'm okay."

She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms on top of the table before letting her head rest on them, cheek towards the desk to continue looking at me. "How do you explain these, then?" She asked, untangling one arm to poke the dark skin underneath my eyes before retreating it back under her head with a sigh.

"I'm just not sleeping well, is all." I swallowed thickly, hating to bring up what I was about to bring up for the sake of being left alone. "It's just my mother and all that—"

The concern previously displayed on her face turned into pity as soon as the words left my mouth. And while I hated being pitied — possibly more than anything else — I knew it would give her what she wanted to hear;

A reason for me to feel off and act off that didn't have anything to do with the poisoning that was a daily topic in Hogwarts rumours these days, three days later.

"Oh," She mumbled, sitting up to look at me intently. "You know I'm here for you, yes?" She wondered, head tilted slightly as her eyes widened.

I nodded quickly, a tight smile on my lips as I answered with an, "Of course I know."

Pleased with my answer, she turned her gaze straight ahead, McGonagall walking in at the same time, making her sigh.

"Human transfiguration," The professor exclaimed, a few groans being heard throughout the class before we settled down. Compared to Flitwick, and next to Snape, McGonagall was probably the most authoritative of the Professors.

Her nose pointed upward, glasses on the bridge of her nose as she threw us cautious glances over the top of the frame; she took in the silence for a minute. "Very well," She nodded to herself before clearing her throat. "You may take out your essay on the topic that was due today so that I can collect them."

Shuffling and low voices filled the room as we rummaged through our bags, some people not even bothering to look for their parchment; knowing they didn't finish or even attempt to do the homework.

Emerging from under the table with the three pages inspired by Kai's essay, I placed them on the desk before my eyes wandered through the room absentmindedly. Watching with a scowl on my face how Potter — sat in my direct eye line — pulled out his own homework casually.

Diverting my eyes to further roam the room, the first essay's already hovering over to McGonagall's desk all by themselves while others were still digging in their bags for them, my attention fell on Malfoy.

The blonde boy didn't move an inch; no parchment sprawled out in front of him as he tapped his ringed fingers against the wood of the desk rhythmically. He swallowed thickly, Adam's apple bopping with his eyes straight ahead of him.

His bottom lip found itself in between his teeth, nervously gnawing the flesh — probably without even realising. My eyes flickered over to the professor, her head turning in Malfoy's direction at the same time.

Following her gaze, the boy straightened his posture, lip no longer between his teeth and the drumming coming to a halt. His entire body language — previously on full display for anyone to observe — was no longer present. Instead, a cold mask of bitter indifference had taken over his sharp features, eyes levelling with McGonagall's as she approached him steadily.

"Mr. Malfoy," She said as she came to a halt by his table, the rest of the students not even paying attention to the encounter, happy to have whatever time without the professor observing them.

I watched, though. Careful not to blatantly stare at them.

"Your homework?" She asked, looking down at him pointedly as she held out her hand. His arms had previously crossed in front of his chest, and he looked up at her with nothing but an eyebrow quirked.

Not bothering to take out the essay that he surely had.

"Now," She urged.

"I don't have it, professor," He seethed lowly, his nose scrunching up at his own words.

I furrowed my brows in confusion, eyes darting through the room once as I tried to make sense of the words coming out of his mouth.

I didn't know much about Draco Malfoy — didn't want to, really — but if there was one thing I did know, it's that, in all the years I've known him, he never once missed an assignment, failed an exam or forgot his homework.

It just didn't happen; It's not a thing I considered to be possible before today.

"Well, in that case, Mr. Malfoy—" She cut herself off with a sigh, her hand lowering in what could've been either disappointment or annoyance. "Seeing as this is the second time now, do see me after class to schedule a detention."

After the words left her mouth, she turned around to stalk back in front of the class without so much as another look his way.

To my surprise, he didn't even try to argue; didn't try to tell her his father would hear about this — granted, he was in Azkaban now, so it was quite obvious he would, in fact, not hear about it — didn't threaten with his money or insulted the school.

All things we were used to him doing. So much so, it became an inside joke even he laughed at every now and then.

But this time, he didn't even bat an eye, accepting the punishment with a shrug—the only movement his head turning in my direction as soon as the word "Detention" fell.

I froze for a moment, his grey eyes connecting with mine, fully aware of what this must've looked like to him; eyes narrowed, brows furrowed as I watched him from across the room.

Though, looking away now would only make the whole situation worse.

His lips curled upwards into a smirk, then, his brows raising as he wetted his lips absentmindedly.

"What are you staring at?"

I was glad Pansy's voice caught my attention, my head snapping in her direction automatically and breaking the painfully tense eye contact with Malfoy.

Her gaze followed mine, landing on the blonde boy, who, by now, had turned back to look at the front of the class; the drumming of his fingers against the wood picked up again.

Looking back at me, she raised an eyebrow, and I cut her off before she even had the chance to say anything.

"Have you ever seen Malfoy not handing in assignments?" I asked casually, my voice low as I leaned back in my chair and diverted my eyes to look at the professor.

"That doesn't happen."

Exactly.

A/N: Caught Malfoy slackingggg

Hope you enjoyed today's chapter!

See you tomorrow. <3