Communication - Draco Malfoy

Chapter Two: The Great Hall

        Draco was in a much better mood after his peaceful snooze, and Elinor thanked her lucky star for it. She didn't want her best friend to be a little melancholy with a feast occuring. It would defeat the purpose of going to the feast.

        Shuffling to her house table, she stops to hug Draco tightly. He wasn't really one for affection, but he hugged her back all the same. Sitting down next to one of her roommates, Prudence, Elinor trained her eyes to the Headmaster. 

        But, first, the Sorting. Elinor boredly listened as the list went on, clapping at the correct times, but really she was watching Draco, and his facial expression. She didn't really believe him when he told her he was feeling fine. She could see it in his face.

        "Staring dreamily again, El?" a honey-smooth voice whispers. Jerking her head around, Elinor rolls her eyes at the caramel skinned, curly-haired girl behind her. 

        "No, Felicity, I'm not." she huffs, transferring her eyes back to her plate of apple hat. Felicity slides onto the bench next to Elinor. 

        If Elinor could use a few words to describe Felicity, friend certainly wouldn't be one of them. Frenemy, was more like it. "You sure? It looks like it. I could talk to him for you." she smirks, before stealing the bowl of cream and sauntering back to her seat. 

        Prudence, her green eyes wide, auburn hair pulled back, follows Felicity with her eyes. "I believe she is trying her hardest to make you seem like a git."  Elinor shrugs, casting her eyes downward. She didn't want to talk about it. Felicity wasn't the bulk of her problems. Felicity didn't matter. At least, that's what she told herself. 

        "Is it really that obvious that I care about Draco?" she frowns to herself, hoping she didn't seem like a lost puppy. 

        After dinner, Elinor decides to be the last to leave. She did it every once in a while, to clear her mind and pull her thoughts into coherent bundles. Now, she felt like all of her thoughts were spinning around uselessly. They certainly weren't doing her any good. She jumped when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

        "Elinor." 

        It was just her name, and she knew exactly who she would see when she turned around. Draco was standing there, same pale face, same pale eyes, and she offers him a half-smile. He jerks his head back, signalling for her to follow. Elinor hesitates. They were supposed to be going to their common rooms.

        "Oh, Elinor, don't be such a little prat." She still makes no move towards him. She wasn't one to break rules or disobey school orders. "C'mon..." he whined, holding a hand out to her. He was different towards her, gentler. It probably had something to do with the fact that they had been friends since they were seven. Elinor always found it amusing when Draco whined, so she slides her hand into his and lets him lead her through the hallways. When he stops, she raises an eyebrow, incredulous. 

        "The Owlery?" she inquires. Draco shrugs, dropping her hand and crossing to one of the lower windows. Elinor could see her own owl, Artemis, snuggled under her wing. 

        "I like the fresh air from the windows." he mutters. Elinor stands behind him, hesitantly putting her hand on his shoulder. He takes a half step to his left, and she stands next to him in the space he provided. And then, a question surfaces "Do you remember the day we met?"

        Elinor shrugs. "Sure. It was October 26th, my birthday. I was seven, and shy. I had no friends. So my father told me that we were going to be visiting someone on a Ministry business call."

        "I remember." Draco turns his body towards her. "You looked rather sickly, I recall." He picks up a lock of her red hair and lets it fall. 

        "That's because I was sickly. There was always something wrong with me." 

        "I liked you, though. You were very energetic, even though you were quite shy." He smiles over at her, then. He had protected her from that day on. When they would play outside and other kids in the wizarding neighborhood would poke fun, Draco was the first to speak up. Elinor knew that Draco wasn't very friendly to other people, but she always ragged on him for it. There were just some things that weren't okay.

        "Speaking of something being wrong..." She pauses. Draco had made a sudden movement, pulling one of his sleeves down as far as it would go. She cranes her neck to look into his face, and suddenly a mask has taken over. His face is blank, expressionless. He clears his throat.

        "Draco. I am really starting to worry about you. All this strange behavior, you avoiding me-"

        "I'm fine." He snaps, closing his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he waits a moment before speaking again. "Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself. I don't need help. I don't want...I don't want you to get hurt." This surprised her. Hurt? What could possibly hurt her?

        "You've kept me from injury before." Watching him, he looked so small in the pale moonlight, even though he was taller than her. 

        "Elinor. Please." His voice strained, he turns his back to her, walking a few steps ahead. "You should get to bed. I know how much you want to go to that awful Care of Magical Creatures tomorrow."

        "It's not awful...it's just a little dysfunctional." Indignant, she walks past him to the door. "And I will, thanks. Good night, Draco."

        He didn't reply.  He just stood there, watching her as she left. Her flash of red hair turning the corner, he sighs.