"I hate you, too." - Draco Malfoy Fanfic

Chapter 32

I am a victim of introspection 

-Sylvia Plath

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The snow-coated ground sparkled in the golden sunlight---an unusually bright day for mid-winter as Eden, Francesca and Faye trekked through the pure white and into the The Three Broomsticks for Butterbeer. Already Eden was regretting accompanying them to Hogsmeade. It wouldn't be the first time since she took Draco's advice and decided to spend more time with her friends, but today was different. 

A few nights before, Draco and Eden had snuck out of the castle to skate across a frozen lake in the forbidden forest. It had been dark and freezing and they had both decided that the next time they decided to go ice-skating it would be on a warm, bright, winter day. Exactly the kind of day it was now--except that Draco was doing detention at the castle and Eden was stuck at a table in the middle of town. 

"I'm so excited for Christmas." Francesca breathed into her hands, her breath dancing around her gloves in peculiar little swirls. The Three Broomsticks had been decorated with fake snow, acorns, garlands and a large Christmas tree near the centre of the room. "It's our last at Hogwarts." Faye added, and the mood immediately dropped a tad. Not that Eden was feeling wonderful, anyway. 

Eden had been considering journaling or something to do with magical creatures, but she had no idea how to accomplish either as a career and she wasn't sure they'd be financially beneficial. Francesca was changing her mind every two seconds on what career she'd pursue--currently it was becoming Minister of Magic-- and Faye wanted to be an Arithmancy Hogwarts Professor, which required years and years of experience and qualifications before you could even be considered for the role. 

"If only you'd gone for becoming a Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor--they'd accept you on the spot." Eden joked. "I think they'd pick up someone off the streets, if it came to it." Faye grinned and Francesca let out a cheerful laugh--returning that warmth to that chill day. 

Faye and Francesca continued a rather confusing conversation on the qualifications of becoming Minister of Magic--which was really just Faye trying to explain to Francesca that it wasn't as easy to achieve as she believed and her totally not understanding--whilst Eden spun her half-full glass of butterbeer. The froth on the top was almost gone and little golden sparkles that were barely visible floated to the bottom of the cup each time she held still. Her thoughts kept drifting back to that night on the ice, and the hopes that when she'd get back to the castle it'd still be nice enough to skate before dark. 

Faye's attention was still wholly on Francesca as she explained the role of the Minister of Magic--and yet, Eden somehow felt she was being observed by her Ravenclaw friend. It was a feeling she had come quickly accustomed to and the only way she was every able to describe it was to say it was like being in one room, whilst an instrument plays in another. To hear the keys through the thick walls surrounding her and to know that it was a piano that played without having to actually see the piano at all. 

Eden quickly drank the remainder of her butterbeer, double-checking she wasn't doing anything unusual or out of character. She had absolutely no doubt Faye could somehow see her every move, hear her every breath--perhaps even hear her every thought. Even with the conversation she was engaged in. "But there are loads of Ministers. They change all the time." Francesca was saying. 

"Yes, but there are also loads of Wizards in England. Think of the number of Wizards and divide that by however many Ministers we've had in the span of ten years. It's a very, very small percentage." Faye was explaining softly, her words slow and understanding as the little wheels in Francesca's mind churned. "Oh." It seemed to dawn on Francesca as she did the maths. "What am I supposed to do now, then?" She frowned.