all I knew was you

chapter three

Araminta squinted. She thought she was dreaming and blinked a couple of times to see the same person standing in front of her. No- It couldn't be.

"Yes- actually." She croaked out. Struggling to find words to say. She stayed where she was, nervous to take a step. Why was she nervous?

"Oh- right then- here you go," responded the white blonde-haired boy as he held out his arm, motioning for her to take it.

She crept towards him until she was close enough to touch him.

"Thanks," Araminta stuttered as she reached for the scarf.

"Not so fast," the boy asserted as he pulled the scarf out of her reach and tilted his head. 

"I kind of like this scarf. I mean the colour, it's a nice green. Ironic. Gryffindor girl wearing the colours of Slytherin. "That takes guts."

Araminta jolted back. She felt unsteady.

The boy spoke up again. "Do I make you nervous, DuPont?" He looked at her with fox-like eyes.

"No Malfoy, you don't scare me in the slightest," expressed Araminta, finally gaining some control over her mind's scattering thoughts. 

Araminta was never one to come across as uncertain, but she had been caught off guard. 

At least, that's what she told herself, anyway.

"Oh really? I don't" responded Draco.

"No, you don't. So if you don't mind I would really like my scarf back," Araminta reached for her scarf again, only for him to pull it away further.

He wasn't that much taller than her. A few inches, maybe. But enough to still intimidate her.

"C'mon Malfoy, my friends will be here any minute looking for me," Araminta begged.

He heckled. "Since when did you need your friends to come rescue you. As far as I was aware, you were somewhat - smart."

He was right. Araminta ranked no lower than third or fourth in all of her classes. Except for the one year in D.A.D.A when she ranked fifth. 

She wasn't thrilled about that.

"Well, I actually have friends who care about my safety and wellbeing. As far as I was aware, you don't have any of those." She retorted.

Araminta regretted saying that. This was one of the first proper conversations they had had, besides the few snotty remarks he had said about her poor chopping of the gillyweed in Potions. She had always ignored him. 

But if he wasn't playing nice, then she wasn't either.

"Oh, not very friendly." He spoke back, eyebrow raised. "And to think I was this close to giving it back to you," gesturing with his fingers. A grin plastered on his face.

"You think this is soooo funny, don't you. This is what you live for. Moments to pull people's strings," Araminta groused. 

She was mistaken about what she thought of him this morning on the train. He was still the same annoying, immature boy he was before. He hadn't changed.

"Hey c'mon now I was only- ,"Draco began.

"Do you know what, I don't have time for this," Araminta interjected. "You can keep the bloody scarf," she scolded as she pushed past him in a huff.

"I never liked it anyway. It was too.... green," turning around to face him one last time before storming off toward her dormitory.

"Where's your fight, DuPont?" Draco trumpeted after her, twisting his body to follow her movements, still clenching onto the scarf.

Araminta didn't reply. She didn't even turn around. Kept her long strides and merely lifted her hand to flip him off from behind.

She didn't have time to play games. Especially ones that involved Draco Malfoy.

When she arrived back at her common room, Poppy and Helena were still up, playing cards by the fire.

"You're back," Poppy yawned as she drew a card from the deck. "Did you find your scarf?"

"No, it wasn't there," Araminta responded sluggishly.

"Really? I swear you were wearing it at dinner," Helena questioned, staring intently at her hand of cards, eyebrows quirked.

"Yeah, me too. But I guess not." Araminta shrugged, struggling to keep her eyes open.

"Oh well. It will turn up somewhere. I can come with you to lost property tomorrow if you would like." Poppy conferred, lifting her arm to support her chin, her blonde strands falling to her face.

"Yeah I guess," Araminta shrugged.

"Wanna play a round with us?" Helena questioned.

"Thanks for the offer. But I think I might join Freeda back in the room. I'm so tired, I think I might collapse," Araminta answered, rubbing her eyes as she trudged in the direction of their room.

"Yeah, get some rest Min. Poppy and I will be up after this round," Helena reassured.

"Goodnight Min, sweet dreams." Poppy added.

Araminta could only do so much as muster a small smile at her friends before retreating to her room.

She changed into a grey oversized t-shirt and navy blue silk pyjama bottoms. The first comfortable articles of clothing she could find and slipped into bed as quietly as possible as to not wake up Freeda, who Araminta could tell was fast asleep by her heaving breathing.

As Araminta pulled the covers over her shoulders to drift into her own slumber. She thought of a face. The face of a boy. All grey-blue eyes and white-blonde hair. 

She tried to shake the thought from her mind and think of something else. Anything else.

She briefly wondered what he smelt like before she finally shut her eyes and dosed off.

She didn't dream that night.