can you manage? *dramione*

Chapter 7: Hufflepuff vs. Slytherin

Trying to keep with my routine schedule of, now, waking up at 3:30 in the morning, I was awake in bed with nowhere to go.

Malfoy hadn't come to practice last night. I was hoping he'd have calmed down and gotten in the extra practice before the game this afternoon, but sadly that wouldn't be happening.

I stretched my arms as I swung my legs off of my bed, feeling my back crack in the most satisfying way. Placing my feet on the stone floor, I quickly retracted them, forgetting how cold it is this early in the morning, and grabbed the pair of socks I keep in my nightstand. Once the socks were slipped on, I went over to my desk where I had started writing clearer notes to remind Malfoy of right before the game.

I picked up the paper, lightly reading over some of the bullet points;

- Loses sight of the snitch

- Isn't centered when reaching for snitch

- Speed decreases significantly when he gets close to snitch

What's going on with him?

I shook my head to myself.

What's wrong with me?

All I can think about is Malfoy. Whether it be him smirking at something I said or the night at the party when he offered a small amount of comfort when I didn't even know where I was.

Sometimes it felt like I was only around him, or the other slytherins. Daphne had started sitting next to me in Charms class, which earned me a confused look from Neville, who had to sit in another spot.

Pansy had started giving me her tight "friendly" smiles when we passed each other in the hallways. She even walked with me to a few practices.

Harry had pulled me aside during breakfast one morning, asking if everything was alright...

"Of course Harry, don't be ridiculous" I laughed, looking around us, trying to find a way out of this conversation.

Harry readjusted his glasses, "No one sees you anymore, not even Ginny!" He sighed, and moved closer, "If it's because of Ron-"

"It's not Ron. Nothing is wrong Harry, I've just finally started to take time for myself" I said, ending the discussion.

He knew I wasn't going to budge or admit anything, so he just nodded in defeat.

I hated lying to the others, but it kept me away from unnecessary conflict, making sure my mind stays focused.

I was reluctant at first with the slytherins. Over the past 7 years, they had done nothing to earn my respect or effort towards them. Yet, I don't know when that changed.

Adrian was the first to kindly approach me, but he didn't have anything to apologize for. I had hoped for some type of apology from Crabbe and Goyle, but after getting to know them, I learned it would never come. Not because they hated me, or wanted my filth out of their sight, but because they were too dumb to notice their past actions.

Always the followers, never the leaders. They even seemed to enjoy my company at times during practice. Once, Crabbe even thanked me for fixing his bat handle when the grip had worn down.

Yes, I shouldn't make basic human decency a big deal, but coming from the minions who made my childhood a living hell, I couldn't help but notice the change, a small change, but a change for the better.

Nott and Zabini were quite a pair as well, also having earned my respect enough to where I now feel comfortable occasionally calling them Theo and Blaise. They had actually asked me to call them that over their family names, saying they didn't want the names to be associated with me for my own sake, but I'm still having a hard time getting out of the habit.