diggory | d. malfoy

4 2

YEAR SIX, CHAPTER FOURTY TWO

DRACO'S CHANGE
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Draco was different this year, he didn't have his usual cheeky smirk written across his face, instead it was replaced with a dull lifeless look. He was unreadable, Francesca couldn't tell how he was feeling.

She was seated next to him on the Hogwarts Express, fiddling with her fingers as Draco and Blaise talked aimlessly. Pansy was sat across from the couple, staring out the window at the bright orange sunset.

All of a sudden the compartment went pitch black. Francesca gasped at the sudden darkness as everyone in the compartment began to chatter loudly, wondering what had happened. Francesca reached out for Draco only to find he was gone.

"Draco?" She called, squinting her eyes and she coughed from the dust inside of her lungs.

The black dust faded away and light returned to the compartment. Francesca found Draco standing in the middle of the walk way, a panicked look on his face. He looked back at Francesca and sighed in relief to see her unharmed in her seat.

"What just happened?" Draco asked, glancing over at Blaise. "Blaise?"

Blaise was also tense. "Don't know," he responded.

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Relax, boys. The lights went out is all," Pansy said. "Come, Draco. We'll be at Hogwarts before you know it."

Draco sat back down next to Francesca, she scooted closer to her boyfriend, stroking his hair gently.

"Hogwarts," Draco sneered. "What a pathetic excuse for a school." Francesca furrowed her eyebrows at his words, letting go of his hair, her hands retuning to her lap. "I think I'd pitch myself off the Astronomy Tower if I thought I had to continue on for another two years," Draco said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Pansy asked.

"Let's just say I don't think you'll be seeing me wasting my time in Charms Class next year," Draco said.

Pansy glanced over at Francesca with a confused look, Francesca simply shrugged, it was the first she had heard of it. Blaise snorted at his friends words.

"Amused, Blaise? We'll see just who's laughing in the end," Draco said, glaring at his friend.

Blaise shook his head and turned to look out the window, deciding not to comment on what Draco had just said to him. Francesca on the other hand was confused.

"What do you mean you'll see who's laughing?" Francesca asked, staring at her boyfriend in confusion.

Draco glanced over at her, his hard look softening at the sight of Francesca. His beautiful girl who had changed so much over the Summer, in a good way.

"Don't worry about it, love," Draco said. Francesca felt butterflies swarm through her stomach at the pet name he had called her and she smiled, resting her head on his shoulder.

Once they arrived at Hogwarts Francesca and her friends stood up, getting ready to exit the train.

"Are you coming?" Francesca asked.

"You three ago on, I want to check something," Draco said. Francesca nodded, standing on her tip toes to plant a kiss on her boyfriends lips before leaving the train with her friends.

Francesca didn't know what Draco was checking in the compartment and he wouldn't tell her either, so she decided not to push it. It didn't really matter anyway.

Once inside the Great Hall Francesca tuned out what Dumbledore was saying, she did hear about a new Professor joining them but she was sure they would be just as cursed as all the others had been throughout the years.

Once dinner was over the Slytherin's went back to the Common Room. Pansy was excited to finally see her private dorm, and she gave all of her friends a tour of the room.

"We can have sleepovers!" Pansy exclaimed.

After the tour of her dorm Francesca headed back down to the Common Room where she told Draco to wait for her. She found him seated near the fire, staring into it.

"Do you have a single thought behind those eyes?" Francesca asked with a warm smile.

Draco looked up at her, smiling weakly. "Just thinking about you. How perfect you are," Draco said as he stood up, pulling her into a hug.

Francesca sighed happily, nuzzling into him. "I love you, Draco," Francesca said, pausing for a moment, hoping that he would say it back.

There was a long silence and Francesca grew anxious, she didn't let go of him, scared to see his reaction to her words. Draco pulled her off of him, cupping her face and kissing her.

"I love you too," Draco said. "Come with me." He grabbed her hand, leading her up the stairs of the boys dormitory, steadying her as the steps turned into a slippery slide. "Hold onto the railing," Draco said as she almost fell back down to the floor.

After a while of struggle Francesca and Draco managed to get up the slide and walked down the hall to Draco's dorm. It looked the exact same as Pansy's, for now. Francesca knew that Pansy would change the furniture around and decorate her dorm to the brim.

"I'm having deja vu... this looks just like Pansy's," Francesca chuckled, turning around to look at Draco. "It's getting late, I need to go to sleep," Francesca said.

"Stay here," he replied, walking towards her. "Sleep with me."

Francesca smiled and nodded, slipping out of her robes and uniform, stealing one of Draco's t-shirts to use as pyjamas. Draco admired her as she slipped into his shirt that was way to big for her, even doing the most mundane tasks she always looked amazing in his eyes.

She pulled his bed back, getting under the covers and patting the spot next to her. Draco was quick to change out of his uniform and lay down beside her.

Francesca played with his blond locks, twirling hair around her fingers, as she examined his face. Francesca noticed how drained he looked, he looked like he was anxious, sad and angry all at once. He was pale, more pale than usual, and she was worried.

"Is everything okay, Draco?" Francesca asked.

"Everything's fine," Draco replied, his eyes shutting, he didn't want to talk about it.

Francesca sighed and closed her eyes also, snuggling closer to him. It was the best nights sleep Draco had gotten in weeks.