Draya Malfoy

5 - Mudbloods and Murmurs

"Guess what? Harry Potter and Ron Weasley missed the train!"

I looked up sharply as Daphne skipped in regaling this troublesome news. "What? Why? How?"

"Apparently they never made it onto the platform." Daphne gushed, her cheeks glowing red with excitement. "Everyone reckons they've run off together."

"But-" I spluttered, sitting up, "why would he do that? What about Quidditch? What about winning the house cup? Does he not care?"

The compartment fell silent and I realised that everyone was looking at me.

"What?" I said defensively.

Blaise coughed into his fist, hiding a smirk. "Sounds like someone cares to me."

I immediately scowled, throwing myself back in my seat. "Piss off. I couldn't give a toss about Potter. I'll be happy if I never saw him again."

"Whatever," Theo chuckled, his bloodshot eyes creasing at the corners.

Pansy frowned, looking at me. "You wouldn't go there, would you, Dray? Anyway, rumour has it that Weasley's little sister has a huge crush on him."

"Oh yeah, I heard that too," Daphne nodded eagerly. "She's only eleven but you can tell she's going to be stunning. And she's his best friend's little sister so they're practically married already."

"Aw, never mind, Dray," Theo smirked, playfully nudging his foot against my shin. "You can always go for one of the Weasley's - there's plenty to pick from, after all."

"Will you all please just shut up," I sneered. "The only reason I might be displaying some regret is because I am going to miss the chance to thrust my shiny new broomstick in his smug face. It makes his look like a mouldy old twig."

I spent the rest of the journey in a sulk. Crabbe and Goyle kept asking if I needed to be escorted anywhere but I didn't see the point.

*****

"Guess what?" Daphne gushed as she came skipping over to the Slytherin table for breakfast the following morning. "Harry Potter and Ron Weasley crashed a flying car into the Whomping Willow!"

Her cheeks were glowing, clearly pleased that she was once again the one bringing the gossip to the group.

"And they survived?" Pansy asked, wide eyed.

"Clearly," I drawled just as the two Gryffindors themselves entered the Great Hall to a large round of applause.

As I watched them strut over to the cheering Gryffindor table, I pushed my toast aside, having suddenly quite lost my appetite.

"Show offs," I muttered bitterly.

"Man," Blaise said, giving a low whistle, "they're like... immortal."

He soon ate his words when they received a Howler from Ron's mother embarrassing them both to the point that they looked as though they wished the earth would just swallow them whole.

I smirked.

*****

"Welcome to the team, Malfoy."

I peered up from my copy of 'Hairstyles of the 90's', letting the magazine fall to my lap. Marcus Flint swaggered towards me, a shiny black broomstick in his hand.

It looked oddly familiar...

"Um, don't you want me to tryout?" I asked.

"Nah," Marcus shrugged, his eyes glinting brightly down at his broom. "I'm sure you're good enough."