Magic | Lily Potter x Draco Malfoy

22 | Expect the Unexpected

DRACO

It's three o'clock in the afternoon on Sunday and I'm standing behind the clock tower, where I said I'd meet Lily. 

A few times I hear footsteps and talking and laughing, and I must admit I got a little excited, thinking it was her. 

It wasn't. 

Now it's 3:05 and I've made up my mind: if she doesn't show up within the next three minutes, I'm going back to my dorm. 

I check my silver wristwatch. It's now 3:06. 

Another minute. 

3:07. 

Another minute. 

3:08. 

It's been 3 minutes. 

With a sigh and one last glance around, I push myself off of the wall I'm leaning on and shove my hands into my pockets. So much for that. 

I've just reached the bottom of the staircase when I get the fright of my life. 

"Draco! I was worried you weren't coming!" Lily says, emerging from behind the staircase. 

"Bloody Merlin! I thought you  weren't coming!" I say, quickly trying to steady my breathing. 

"I've been here for ten minutes!" she says. I notice she's wearing a red Gryffindor quidditch jumper. Hm. Personally I think green would suit her better. 

"Me too!" I say. 

Lily smiles at the ground and shakes her head, causing her red hair to fall out of place and shimmer slightly in the dim light.  

"Right, well, anyways," she says, looking back up and meeting my eyes. "What should we do?" 

"Er . . . I thought we were just going to stay up here." I tell her. 

"Stay here? And do what?" 

"Uh . . . I don't know, I haven't thought about it much." 

That's a lie. In fact, this has been on my mind since we 'got together'. 

"Hmm. See, I was thinking we could sneak out of the castle, grab a couple brooms from the broom shed outside, then fly around the castle grounds." 

I'm really surprised. I guess it shows on my face, because Lily wrinkles her nose in that playful smirk of hers. 

"What?" she asks cheekily. 

"I just didn't think you were the type of person to . . . y'know, sneak out and break the rules." I say. 

"Well, I'm usually not," she says, twirling a strand of red hair around her finger, "but there's a lot you don't know about me." 

Well that's new, I think. I try to maintain a neutral expression, though I must admit I'm rather unsuccessful. All the muscles in my face are telling me to smile. 

"Well?" Lily asks, a smirk on her face. 

"Hmm?" I reply. 

"Are you coming with me or not?" she asks. 

"Oh. Yeah. Yeah." I say stupidly. 

"Right, then let's get going," she says. 

I follow her down the series of long, twisting staircases.

"So," Lily starts, "how's quidditch practice going?" 

"Alright," I answer as we reach the bottom of the stairs and begin to walk  down the sunlit corridor. "I mean, Urquhart's got us training at least three times a week ― Flint wasn't much better, mind you, but he's left school now. I've barely got enough time to do my homework."