Denying Draco

18 - Bathroom Business

Word quickly spread over the next few days about Katie being cursed by some mysterious object she'd somehow acquired in The Three Broomsticks. She was in the hospital wing recovering from it, but thankfully had been very lucky.

Poppy had spent most of her time since it had happened in the dormitories, feeling anxious and uncertain about wandering around Hogwarts when there was clearly something sinister happening. She attended her classes and returned to the Gryffindor common room in between. She hadn't seen Draco at all; he had skipped classes again and she wondered if it was down to the embarrassment of everyone talking about how she'd beat him in a duel.

She also hadn't heard anything from her mother after not turning up at King's Cross Station on Sunday evening and she wasn't sure if this was good or bad. She also avoided visiting her uncle incase he was going to make her listen to her mother and go home, so she kept herself to herself and focused on studying for the NEWTs.

Another day of classes ended and Poppy headed to the Great Hall in the hopes of grabbing something quick again and heading back up to the common room. As she paced through a corridor, realising that she was alone, she picked up her speed and her eyes widened as she heard the sound of slow footsteps behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she looked around but couldn't see anyone, facing forward and hurrying again around the corner to the next corridor. The footsteps seemed to pick up speed and she darted into the doorway of the girls' bathrooms on her right, hovering just inside the door as she waited for whoever it was to pass. She was breathing heavily, worried that there may be an intruder in the school and she prayed that some other students would appear soon so she could leave the bathroom and walk with them.

She listened out, and there was silence in the corridor, no sounds of footsteps or anything else. Maybe it was just me imagining things, she thought to herself. Shaking her head and stepping out the door again to continue on to the Great Hall.

As she stepped into the corridor, a figure to her left slid in front of her and forced her back into the bathrooms, shoving her hard and causing her to drop her books to the floor.

'Draco!' she cried, as he forced her back towards the cubicles. 'What the hell are you doing, Draco?' She shoved his chest to push him away from her and glared up at him as he stopped. 'What the fuck is wrong with you following me around like that?'

'Don't tell me you were hiding in here?' Draco taunted.

'Of course I was, I thought someone was following me!' Poppy cried. 'I was obviously right! What do you want?'

'We need to talk,' Draco stated, leaning against the cubicle door behind her as he studied her face carefully. 'About what happened in The Three Broomsticks.'

'You mean Neville and Seamus?' Poppy questioned and sighed. 'They were just messing with you, Draco. Everyone heard about the duel.'

'No not Neville and Seamus, you think I give a fuck about what those two idiots think of me?' Draco snapped.

'Speaking of our duel...' Poppy tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyes as she focused on his reaction. 'Where did you learn the spell Sectumsempra?'

Draco frowned back and quickly shook his head. 'Listen, I'm not here to talk about the fucking duel or what anyone is bloody saying about it. I'm here to talk about you and Potter!'

Now it made sense to Poppy. 'Harry?' she asked, shrugging her shoulders. 'What about him?'

'What were you thinking going on a date with him?' Draco asked. 'Are you really that desperate?'

'Desperate for what?' Poppy asked, furrowing her brows. 'I went for a drink with a friend.'

'Don't bullshit me.' Draco snarled and let out a heavy breath from his nostrils.