SHE'S A MALFOY

ELEVEN

Evan's apology seemed heartfelt. I understood his reluctance to hurt me, but I still wished he had spoken up earlier. His explanation made some sense, though it didn't entirely ease my frustration. After everything that had happened that day, I was far from cheerful. But today was a free day, and tomorrow I'd start lessons with my mother. I hoped she wouldn't be too harsh. She mentioned that she had someone who could help us learn things similar to what we would have covered in school so we wouldn't fall behind.

I took a bath to relieve some stress, followed my usual routine, and used some oils to freshen up. Afterward, I went out to the garden to admire the new decorations Mom had put up. She was a big fan of making everything look elegant, so there were new fountains and roses in various parts of the garden. I sat down on the grass and began to play with my powers, creating a gentle wind that moved the leaves around. Suddenly, I saw a shadow appear in my field of vision and directed the wind toward it.

"Ouch!" The voice was unmistakably Evan's.

"Sorry! I guess I didn't hear you sneaking up and thought it was someone else," I said, chuckling.

"How do you do that?" Evan asked as he stood up and sat beside me on the grass.

"Well, remember when Colette got hurt really badly?" He nodded. "Well, I did that and so did the others. I don't understand how the only ones who know are your brother and now you. He found out because I was testing someone else, and well, yeah," I explained, scratching my neck.

"What else can you do with them?" he asked, curiosity evident in his voice.

"Uh, I know I can manipulate wind and use telekinesis," I said.

"Okay, so let's try fire," he suggested eagerly.

I gave him a skeptical look. "Are you sure about that?" I asked. He quickly changed his mind. "Yeah, water first," he said excitedly.

We headed to one of the fountains and began experimenting, but I soon grew tired. "What if we take a break? I'm exhausted!" I sighed in frustration.

"Fine, let's try again tomorrow. Let's go inside; I'm starving!" Evan took my hand and pulled me inside.

"Hello dears, good morning," Mom greeted us from the kitchen window.

"Morning, Mother. Is there anything for breakfast?" I asked.

"I suppose Polly made something. Sit down at the table, and I'll make sure she brings something," Mom replied before heading off to handle things.

We sat down and discussed the best Quidditch players and positions. I was firmly on the side of the Holy Harpies—Dad used to take Draco and me to their matches when we were younger. I even had a shirt from them, though it no longer fit. Evan said he preferred the Ballycastle Bats, which I thought was a poor choice, but to each their own. We decided to have a little Quidditch game later, so we changed into more comfortable clothes. Mom also mentioned that there would be guests arriving, but I wasn't particularly concerned.

We gathered the equipment and brooms from the closet and ran outside.

"Whoever throws the Quaffle furthest goes first. If they don't, they're the keeper, okay?" I said. Evan nodded, and I wondered if he thought he could beat me. He threw the Quaffle with such force that it nearly reached the other rings on the opposite side. We marked the spot with a rock and picked up the Quaffle again.

"Okay, my turn," I said, taking aim. My throw landed a few centimeters past his mark. I laughed, while Evan made a face of annoyance.

"Ready to lose, Evan?" I teased. We were playing a game where the one with the most points won, with only a keeper and a chaser. I was going to be the chaser.

"If I win, what do I get?" Evan asked.

"I'll buy you ten chocolate frogs," I offered.

"Deal! And if you win, I'll buy you some ice cream," he said, extending his hand to seal the deal. I was eager for those ten chocolate frogs.

We started the game, with Evan blocking some of my shots. I needed to create distractions to keep him guessing, so I faked shooting to the right and went left, doing tricks to make him move more. I ended up scoring 150 points. "Suck it up, Rosier," I taunted. Evan scored 140 points in the final round, so I teased him about losing. He made some impressive shots, but not enough to win.

Suddenly, we heard applause from the garden, and I saw a familiar face—my dear old friend.

"Zabini?!" I exclaimed, running to hug him. He initially tried to push me away with his hand.

"Ew, you're all sweaty!" he said, though he hugged me back with a smile. "I missed you too," I said, grinning.

Miss Zabini and my parents were good friends. I had met Blaise when I was younger at one of our parties. He used to help me escape the endless questions from the women there and would comfort me with chocolate, which earned him my affection.

"You've been practicing a lot. How do you not get tired of it?" Blaise asked, chuckling.

"Because I love it, and I played on the Beauxbatons team. I wasn't supposed to be playing since they don't usually accept girls, but I was made for breaking rules, not following them," I replied.

"Mmm, that makes sense, considering I've lived with her for a few years," Blaise said. "I'm Evan Rosier, by the way," he added, extending his hand.

"I'm Zabini, Blaise Zabini," Blaise introduced himself as they shook hands.

"Hey! Don't copy my introduction," I teased. Blaise laughed and ruffled my hair. "I didn't expect you to visit," Mom said. "This is wonderful. I have so much to tell you." Blaise was always into drama and had a knack for gossip, so I knew he'd have plenty to share.

We all went up to my room and talked about France and the situation with Draco. Blaise was upset about what had happened to me and promised to knock some sense into Draco if he got the chance. It was hard dealing with the drama, but at least I didn't have to put up with annoying people anymore. We ended up having a playful pillow fight after I 'accidentally' knocked the pillow.

Later, Mrs. Zabini came by to greet me and comment on how much I had grown. She was a lovely lady with a great fashion sense and owned several boutiques that brought her considerable wealth. I used to say I would model for her when I grew up—something that seemed like a little girl's fantasy. She had to leave, but promised to take us out for ice cream soon. She seemed to like Evan's company, which was unusual for her.

"I'll send you a letter later so we can plan another meet-up. I don't have much work next week, so see you soon, darling," Mrs. Zabini said before leaving with her family. The day ended on a positive note, and I felt a sense of relief and contentment.