"I hate you, too." - Draco Malfoy Fanfic

Chapter 11

"We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are."

-Sirius Black

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Faye's words had been a punch to Draco's gut. He hadn't believed that he cared as much as he suddenly found himself caring. He hadn't thought he'd regret so much of his behaviour, and yet, he did. Eden had always been a strange creature in Draco's eyes. She'd been a beautifully intangible being--but now? Now she was real. Now she was human. 

He couldn't stop asking himself what had happened between Eden and her father. What kind of trauma dwelled in the depths of her mind. Not only this-- but the way that Faye had spoken of her so fondly suddenly had an effect on Draco. 

Faye had portrayed Eden to be some kind of outlandish fairy who enjoyed running off under the moonlight to find other peculiar folk--but when Draco watered down the exaggeration, he could almost see it. 

He couldn't pretend that her friends weren't odd. He couldn't pretend he hadn't seen the strangely shaped mugs and abundance of sweaters with eccentric designs on them. That he hadn't noticed that she was never at meals during the Great hall. She was never at Hogsmeade or in the common room. The only time he saw her was in class or in the library where she'd be reading fictional books. It all suddenly made sense--How she pined for the unusual.

And yet, Draco only found himself even more drawn to her. He wanted to know more and his curiosity only increased as he sat in the common room later that night--Eden entering with damp hair and a towel in one of her arms. She'd been swimming. It was barely the beginning of spring, it was still freezing and there was no where he could think of that people regularly swam at. No pool. Nothing. 

"Did peeves get you with a bucket of water?" Draco snickered as she floated past him. Pansy looked up in surprise, so did Blaise. They hadn't seen or heard her come in. Eden didn't bother to answer. 

"I asked you a question." Draco was louder this time, his tone held a warning despite his relaxed posture. Eden ignored him again, making her way up the steps. "Your bells don't work, by the way." He grinned, and this time Eden paused. 

"What?" She frowned, turning to face him as he pulled himself off the couch and swaggered over to her. "They don't ward off evil spirits, apparently." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "After all, I got in."

Eden eyed him suspiciously for a moment, before her gaze eyes slid to upstairs--as if she could determine the truth in his words with one glance. "Interesting." She hummed, and Draco was surprised at her lack of enthusiasm. He shouldn't have been, but he was. 

"The Ravenclaw girl is nice company. Pretty eyes--like twin sapphires." He kept his grin plastered on, no matter how much it wanted to slide away. "I wouldn't call them sapphires. They're not that dark, it's more of a sky blue." Eden straightened as Pansy leapt off the couch and decided to join Draco.

"I suppose they look darker with the curtains drawn." Draco shrugged, and Eden stepped down a step so she was eye level with him. "I know you're trying to scare me." She leaned in to his ear. "But I also know you didn't find what you were looking for." She whispered, pulling away from him. "Oh, but I will, Astrid." He glared.

"Don't be jealous, Pansy." She pouted, her eyes flickering to a space behind him. "After all, he'd be moaning Parkinson not Pansy. You're not missing out on anything" She chuckled lightly before spinning around and heading up the stairs. 

"What was that supposed to mean?" Pansy spoke up after Eden had gone. "And why do you call her Astrid and not Albero, anyway? Why don't you call me Pansy?" She demanded. "I already told you-" Draco began.