Pawns | A Draco Malfoy Love Story

"No Depressing Talk"

Back in the common room I plopped on the couch to join Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny. Hermione was knitting and Ron was questioning why she continued to do so even after the house-elves never took any of her products. She narrowed her eyes like he offended her and continued knitting, saying the it was a relaxing hobby.

"How was your day," I asked the group at large, settling down with a pillow on my lap.

"Fine," both Ginny and Hermione said.

"Harry and I found something out today," Ron said.

"Oh yea?" said Hermione, "what?"

"We were in the bathroom when Moaning Myrtle came in and she let slip that there's a boy who she talks to that comes to the bathroom everyday and cries."

"That's horrible!" said Hermione.

"Did she say who?" asked Ginny.

"No," answered Harry. "She didn't give a lead on his identity, only that he's 'sensitive, hasn't got anyone to talk to, and not afraid to show his feelings and cry,'" he said, repeating her exact words.

"Awe, I feel bad for the guy," I said. "Too bad we don't know who he is.

"He goes in there to cry often?" Hermione asked.

"Yea, apparently," said Ron. "When we walked into the bathroom it was actually him who she was expecting."

*

"Hi" I said, sitting down next to Draco way later into the night. I heard the door shrink back down to nothing as I cozied myself beside him.

I was feeling a mixture of exhaustion and excitement. It was so long since I got a private moment with him. I'm sure I looked tired, but Draco looked it even more so. While the warmth of the fire gave him a nice pink glow in his cheeks, his eyes were red again.

"How are you," he asked me gently.

"Great," I said smiling and nudging him. "You?"

"Not bad," he said, retuning the smile. "It's been a little while."

"Yea it has," I agreed. "I hope you weren't too confused when I didn't show up last Friday. I really thought Blaise would have given you the note, you said he does favours for you."

"I can't believe he didn't," he shook his head in disbelief. "That won't happen again".

"Don't worry," I began. "Like I said, I don't think I'll be going to them anymore. I think Blaise made it clear that they don't listen to 'people like me'."

"Don't worry about it, Arabella. Don't take anything they say to heart," he said, putting his hand on my leg. I grabbed it and squeezed.

"Okay, no depressing talk tonight," I said, clapping my hands together and breathing in. "Tell me about your week."

"Hmm, what's to tell?" he sighed, thinking. "Class is alright. Oh, I went to Hogsmede to practise Apparation.

"Oh right!" I said. "Yea Hermione and Ron went to that too. So how was it?"

"Not too bad. It's a weird feeling at first but you get used to it after more tries."

"Ever worried you'll get splinched?" I asked.

"It was a concern at first," he chuckled. "But I'm less worried now that I've done it a few times successfully."

"Wow I can't wait to learn, it'll beat going everywhere on foot."

"You can fly," he suggested.

"Not good for winter."

"Portkey?"