It was a stormy day at Hogwarts and you had just escaped another one of the Weasley twins' newest pranks, very nearly avoiding the splash zone of a wide angled spell. Rounding onto an abandoned corridor, your footsteps echoed down the almost silent hallway save for the soft drops of water rolling off of the thick paned windows.
Autumn was fading into winter as the days got colder and rain became a more common event. The gradually advancing cold drafting through the long, wide hallway forced you to tighten your robes around you as you hurried back to your common room. Just as you were at the end of the walkway, a familiar voice called out, causing you to stop in your tracks.
"I was wondering where you had scampered off to..." the drawling voice slid across the room sending chills down your spine.
"W-what do you want?" Clutching a old, worn novel from the library to your chest, you turned to face him. It always seemed to amaze you at just how small your voice can get.
Smirking and strutting over to you, Draco ran a hand through his platinum hair before bringing it down and snatching the book right out of your hand faster than you would have expected to be possible.
"Wait!" you cried violently, trying to grab back the book, but he was too fast.
Cracking it open and calmly flipping through the pages while simultaneously holding you back seemed to be a newly acquired skill of his.
"What is it you are reading today?" His head fell into a curious tilt as he scanned the pages, "Another love story?"
Last week the boy had caught you scurrying around campus with an old romance novel and had made it a point to patronise you about it ever since.
After you gave up on attempting to grab your stolen book, you sunk sadly into yourself, regretting ever checking the book out of the library.
Glancing down at you his smile fell for a moment as you tried not to cry while staring at your feet and clutching your arms. He grunted something about potions before shoving the book back into your arms and strutting off.
Dumbstruck for a moment, you didn't know what to think. Never once in all of the years of teasing had he ever relented and left so quickly and so abruptly. Deciding it was better not to question it, you ran back to your common room and knew it was better not to think about it too much.
—-
Bright and early the next morning, many of the students were pleased to find that the clouds had cleared, which allowed the sun to shine down on the school that brisk day.
To your surprise, you didn't see Draco that whole day, not even in the dining hall for dinner that night. Once again you tried to brush off whatever was weighing on your mind as you made your way to the library to return your book later that evening.
The flickering of candles sent a calm eerie glow cast across the different passageways as you weaved your way to your destination. The sooner you got rid of the book the better at this point, you were beginning to think it had scared Draco. He was probably telling all of his friends about how weird it was, you thought sadly.
As you made your way closer to the library, Blaise stepped out in front of you with a few of his Slytherin friends by his side, before stopping at the sight of you. All of them exchanged looks with one another and then presented mirroring smirks and made their way to where you stood.
Noticing what was happening, you looked around frightened before quickening your pace to the library, attempting to get within the sights of a professor to ensure your safety.
