NEMESIS || Draco Malfoy

55

The next few weeks didn't get much better.

And it wasn't just due to Dumbledore still being very much alive— continuously so.

Malfoy played a big part in the equation. A bigger part than he'd probably assume. And in ways he couldn't possibly fathom. Not even I could, really.

Yet, I noticed how his presence had become a lot more tolerable— I was okay with it, almost. In my mind, I encouraged it, even.

I started to notice when he was around, which was a lot more, now that I wasn't spending any more time with Kai, and all of it with Pansy and the rest.

That included Malfoy.

And I started to notice when he wasn't around. Arguably, that was worse.

The amount of time he was taking up in my mind for all the wrong reasons wasn't welcome. Quite the opposite, if I was being honest with myself. It was unacceptable. So much so, I couldn't just sit by and watch myself grow annoyed with myself rather than him.

And so, the next time I got the chance, I decided to do something about it— had my father apparate me out of Hogsmeade and into Diagon Alley for an hour of light shopping.

Coming back with something that sure would get rid of any trace of Malfoy in any area of my life— anyone's life, for that matter.

Because I still owed him for that Black Ivy; a courtesy of Pansy and me not to let him get away with almost murdering the both of us. He called it a 'taste of what's to come', and I made sure it was.

As long as I hadn't come up with a new plan regarding Dumbledore — and I would rather think of anything else at the moment — I had time to focus on him.

I sighed, eyes dragging down to the small, matte black gift box stood on my bed before me; my own body leaned against the back of it as the gift itself hovered above me in the air.

My wand lowered slowly, controlled, and the black chess piece followed suit— halting right before my eyes, rotating slowly.

The queens matte black colour, the velvety sheen and golden accents decorating it made the piece as unique as it could get.

It was a find I'd expect in some fancy store — one that wouldn't even bother opening its doors in Diagon Alley. But to find it in Borgin and Burkes, of all places, was a blessing in disguise as well as the reason why I wouldn't touch it.

With a faint smile on my lips, I guided the cursed piece into its matching gift box, my eyes closely following the movement of it up until the door forcefully fell open, hitting the wall behind it as it swung open.

My brows furrowed as my eyes widened, the hand holding my wand falling to my side as the chess piece fell the last few inches into the box with a thud.

With my eyes still on the door, I reached for the equally black lid and, with a moment of struggle, placed it onto the box itself a little too forcefully— sealing it from Pansy's curious eyes as she skipped into the room and onto my bed with an explanation still to escape her lips.

It never would.

Seeing as my wand was still in my hand, I quickly flicked my wrist to push the door she had left open shut. My brows raised in expectation, waiting for her to say anything as she took first me and then the box in front of me in, brown eyes glimmering in curiosity when they batted open again.

"What's that for?" She wondered, interest lacing her voice as she threw herself backwards, her upper body hanging off the other side of my bed as the box had already found a place between her hands.

She eyed it cautiously, tilting and turning it with an impressed look on her face. It was only when she went to open it, fingers already hooked underneath the lid, that I snatched it back out of her hand.

"My sister's birthday," I lied quickly, rolling my eyes as I leaned over to my nightstand to place the box on top of it. "It's coming up—" I muttered absentmindedly, cutting myself off as my head cocked back in her direction. "You should know that."

"Of course I know that." Her voice had gotten a little higher, a dry snort an attempt at covering up the fact she forgot, just like she did last year. And still, she waved me off, another attempt at covering her lie casually.

"Of course," I mocked, nudging her leg with mine as a laugh escaped my lips.

A few incoherent grumbles made their way to my ears, though she was too quiet to identify her words properly. And it was quiet for a few moments afterwards before she heaved her body into an upright position again, her face a little red as she looked back at me.

"When is it again?" She asked, holding onto my sheets as she swayed back and forth slightly, her voice nothing more than an ashamed whisper as the blood accumulating in her head slowly made its way back down again.

I huffed in amusement, patting the girl on the back. "The same day it was last year."

My words coerced a frustrated groan out of her, her head falling back in annoyance, resting on my thigh as she looked up at me with a frown on her face. The sight of it made another laugh escaped my lips, shaking my head as I diverted my gaze off of her.

"19th of March, Pansy," I sighed, a small smile on my lips before my eyes fell back onto the gift box on my nightstand. "Speaking of—" I cut myself off as I gently manoeuvred her head off my thigh, a whine slipping past Pansy's lips as I got up. "I've got something I need to take care of."

Picking the box up from beside her, I rushed towards the door in a hurry.

"With your sister's gift?" Her tone was questioning, unsure of what I had planned and clearly intrigued by whatever it was.

Though, all I muttered was a "Yes, with my sister's gift," before I closed the door behind me and made my way over to Malfoy's dorm.

It wasn't hard to slip into the room — unlocked door and empty dorm almost making it too easy as I placed the box on his nightstand.

On the bottom of it, it read;

With love,