Summer Holiday

Chapter 15

The air grew thick as the two of them existed in silence, neither one of them speaking first. Draco's hand remained clutched on the staircase railing and his stance was wide as he stared at Sophie clutching her book.

Sophie tried gauging any sort of feeling from Draco's face, but she was puzzled by his expression. His brows weren't relaxed, but weren't furrowed either. His eyes looked hostile, but calm all at once. His posture wasn't slouched, but wasn't tense either. The only indication he gave of any sort of uneasiness was his white knuckles on the staircase railing.

Draco watched as the shy smile on the corners of her lips faded as her eyes traced his entire body. Her fingers nervously began to fidget with the book in her lap and she began to shift her feet under the blanket. Her lips began to part slightly as if she was going to speak, but shut before any words escaped. Crickets could be heard loudly chirping from outside Grimmauld Place as they both declined to speak first. Neither one of them moving.

"Can't sleep either?" Sophie spoke softly, but not too soft for Draco to hear. She watched as his eyes twitched only slightly, if she wasn't watching closely she would've missed it.

A few seconds had passed and Draco still hadn't answered her question. She rubbed her lips together and awkwardly glanced around the room.

Draco remained still.

Sophie tucked some loose strands of hair behind her ear. She rolled her shoulders and relaxed them. Her eyes drifted up to see Draco in the same stance still watching her warily from the staircase. Sophie chewed her cheek and closed the book in her lap.

"Sorry I haven't been to dinners the past few days. I've been........." Sophie paused as she chose her next words carefully. "Busy. For lack of a better word."

Draco finally broke his trance. He rolled his eyes and scoffed. His hand glided off the railing as he shook his head and began walking towards the kitchen.

"If you're looking for the pitcher of water I actually have it out here." Sophie called after him.

Draco froze in his tracks. He stared forward for a couple seconds while the silence built between them. He turned his head and looked towards the living room. There it was. The pitcher of water sitting on the coffee table beside her.

Draco rolled his jaw then ran his tongue along his teeth as he exhaled. "Suddenly I'm no longer thirsty." He spoke dryly.

Before Sophie could even get a word out, Draco was at the top of the stairs and out of sight.

Sophie sat on the living room couch with the book in her lap stunned. She always knew that Draco Malfoy was unpleasant and at school he was known as a bully, but she thought it might've been an act. Surely Sirius wouldn't be okay with him staying there if he hadn't changed his ways. She shook her head and furrowed her brows.

Whatever. Fuck him.

She flipped the book on her lap back open and settled in for the night.

****************

The following evening Sophie was settled in at the window seat with a blanket and a muggle CD from her collection playing on her radio. Almost everything from her fathers house had been retrieved for her, but she was happiest about her CD collection.

The sun illuminated her eyelids as she soaked up the sun with her eyes closed and listened to her music. A light tapping on her door made her lift her head and open her eyes.

"Come in!" She called.

The door creaked open slowly and Kreacher poked his head in. "Master Black would like me to inform Ms. Verilia that dinner is ready."