In My Dreams [Draco Malfoy]

chapter twenty-three: the eagle in the snake den

INDIGO

"You're going to the match?" Aria asked.

Aria, Stephen, Su Li and I were sitting at the Ravenclaw Table on the morning of the first Quidditch match, Gryffindor v. Slytherin. Normally, we would avoid this event, as things tended to get political really quickly. Half of the people dining in the Great Hall were already adorning their red and yellow face paint, and heckling the Slytherin Team. Granted, they weren't responding well; they could have just gone about their business and continued eating, but many got into arguments and threatened to hex the hecklers later (when Umbridge wasn't watching).

I was still watching this happen when I finally responded to Aria's question. "They invited me," I said. "Besides, someoneought to support them, don't you think?"

"Their reputation isn't completely unwarranted, Indie," Stephen pointed out.

"And she, more than anyone, won't dispute that," Su Li countered gently. "After all, there's been multiple times when she told Malfoy he was out of line. But she's right. Someone ought to support them, even when they're not always making the right choices..."

For the first time, I broke eye contact with the heckling at the Slytherin Table. I now looked at Su Li, feeling extremely warm towards my friend. "Su Li, you really are such a mum friend."

She hardly acknowledged this, reaching out to give my hand a reassuring squeeze. "We trust you to make good choices."

"Merlin," Stephen groaned, "now you really do sound like my mum."

I smiled and stood, reaching across the table and kissing her on the forehead. They all laughed at the gesture, which had been my goal, especially because I was planning on making them shit themselves in a moment.

As I walked to the Slytherin Table, I let the hecklers direct their boos at me, then took out my wand and turned my comfortable grey knit sweater green.

"OH, TOO FAR—!" I heard Stephen exclaim, only to be cut off (most likely) by Su Li.

But the Slytherin Table had erupted with cheers as I came to sit with Blaise and Nott, many of them clapping or giving me begrudgingly respectful nods. However, Malfoy, for once, was nowhere to be seen.

Nott looked at me in amazement. "You really do look good in that color, Costa."

For once, this was a compliment from Nott that did not sound like a brazen pick-up line.

I shrugged, not entirely sure what to make of the situation. "Figured I'd show my support," I said. "Is Malfoy not eating breakfast? Before a game?"

They both shook their heads.

"I guess he came in early and went out to practice before the match," Nott said.

Normally, I would think nothing of it. I didn't keep superb tabs on my close friends either, so simply not knowing where they were wasn't out of the realm of possibility. But there was something so odd about them not knowing where one of them was. It seemed they were always together, or, at the very least, in the loop when it came to each other's whereabouts. But I brushed the thought to the side...

"That's right," I said, going with it. "I forgot he's a morning person."

Blaise frowned. "How the bloody hell do you know that?"

I still hadn't told anyone about what happened after the party two months ago. I probably never would share that with another person, other than Malfoy, and I hardly discussed the matter with him at all... With this in mind, I lied. "I went to the Library to do some early studying the one time, and he was already there."