I had tried thousands of times, probably more to read again after that night, nothing worked. I had tried sitting in the exact same spot and in the exact same position, no luck. Same circles of ink appearing on my page. I was truly going crazy, this couldn't be just in my head there had to be something else.
I cracked my neck while phasing back and forth in my room, It's surprising that I haven't walked a hole into our floor. There had to be something different? Something in my mind perhaps. No, I was doing the exact same thing as last time. Just like Malfoy told me.. then it hit. Malfoy. He was there the last time it worked, now that he isn't it wasn't working. It can't possibly be the reason why though, could it? No, or maybe. I suppose I was very adamant when he was demanding me to read, maybe that is what needs to be done. Having someone demand me? It couldn't be it because the person who demands the most from me is myself. There's only one option to test out left.
2 knocks, no answer. I knocked one more time. Last time now, If he doesn't open I'll go back. But then I heard steps and my heart was racing again.
"Noire" he said flatly, he looked very disappointed about who he had found knocking on his door.
"Malfoy, may I?" I asked and he grunted before moving to side allowing me to step in.
"So what I came here for, or at least what I think I came here for-"
"Be quick about it will you" he said and crossed his arms while holding the same bored look he always has.
"the other day when you asked me to read, I could. Now I can't. I've tried everything. Sitting In the same place in the same clothes, same mindset. Everything" I explained quickly while rethinking why I was even telling him anything at all.
"So?" He said and rolled his eyes.
"So I need you to stand here so I can test a theory I answered and grabbed a book from his shelve.
He raised an eyebrow in intrigue but didn't respond.
I quickly opened the book and looked through the pages. It was true, I could read. Everything was exceptionally clear and the words were aligned beautifully.
"I can read it" I said and looked up at him in shock
"which means?" He responded with a little smirk
"I can only read when you're here, what curse have been put on me" I said but mumbled the last part.
"What an impeccable theory Noire, now leave" he said and leaned towards his wall.
"What? No. I have to catch up on all classes now that I know how" I said without even realizing who I was speaking to.
"leave Noire, now" he said again, even more firmly.
"Fine, Malfoy" I sighed and walked out slamming the door shut behind me. I suppose I was being over dramatic but I couldn't help it. There was so much to read and so little time. I walked back to my dorm room and grabbed all of my school books then went into the common room to sit at the same couch as always. I tried new methods like drawing inside the book to see if it would affect the circle, it didn't. Whatever I wrote or drew on the pages would just morph together again. I spent half an hour just experimenting with anything I could put my mind to when I saw Malfoy walk in, he didn't look at me at all but walked over and sat on the opposite end of the couch. The circle floated away and the words aligned.
"Just because I am sitting here does not mean you should read into the situation, is that clear" he said putting emphasis on the word read.
I nodded and looked back onto my pages, I could see him letting his gaze linger for a moment before looking down in his own book again.
I was having a great time with all of my books, reading, taking notes just processing information. Hours and hours went by, I didn't check or care to see what time it was, I was reading my way through everything I could have possibly missed through the these months. The embarrassment each time I couldn't hand in essays, assignments and so on. I must have drifted of in the middle of all the reading because I suddenly jumped at the sound of a book slammed together.
"I'm going to sleep." Malfoy stated and walked away with quick and steady steps. I blinked a couple times trying to properly wake myself. I decided that there was no point in bringing all the material back to the dorm, if I was to sit here tomorrow. Not to assume Malfoy would take time from his "busy" schedule to sit with me again but I can hope.
Some days went by with the same arrangement, he would sit there, without me asking him surprisingly and let me read and figure out things. I started reading books about ink circles and issues with reading, there was nothing helpful and none of it applied to the situation I had. It was all linked to other things like mental block and patterns, but I knew that couldn't be the case with me. The more I researched into mental blocks the more obvious it became that it wasn't the problem. I was overwhelmed with information from all the books in the library, and random ones found in the common room, none told me anything about solving the issue.
"Are you running a marathon or reading?" Malfoy asked annoyed one night that I was In particularly sighing a lot.
"I can't figure it out" I said held onto my head
"I don't understand, I've read every book on mental blocks, it doesn't seem to be the issue" I explained
"How compelling" he answered dull
"I guess it could be a spell, something on the school or me perhaps. But I wouldn't know where to start.. connection spells, or perhaps it is a binding one to all books at the school" I thought out loud
"Merlin, do you ever just relax" Malfoy rolled his eyes
"I can't, it's driving me crazy" I mumbled and saw him smirk, he didn't even try to hide it
"It's not funny Malfoy" I said and he raised his eyebrows in response
"Perhaps I can ask someone, someone who knows a lot about spells.. like-"
"Me"
"Don't flatter yourself Malfoy" I huffed
"Have at it then, figure it out" he said and looked bored again
"Fine, any ideas?" I asked and he looked completely blank.
"Likely a binding spell" he said while holding his gaze on the pages of his book.
"Who would cast a spell like that? There's nothing in it for anyone to make me loose my reading abilities" I mumbled and crossed my arms
"Perhaps you did it yourself, do you think about me a lot" he smirked and raised an eyebrow.
"Shut up, this is the last thing I would do" I assured him.
"happen you did it subconsciously" he mumbled under his breath.
" I know I didn't" I responded.
"I'll just keep reading"
and so I did, I went through even more books. They were filled with boring repetitive content that I had seen thousands of times already. I drifted of again while in the middle of "binding spells and mentality" when I woke up It was morning and I was still at the couch in the common room, the only thing different was that I now had a blanket over me, and that Draco was gone.
