My Father Can't Hear About This | Draco Malfoy

Hogsmeade

A week passed since the Draco encounter after dinner. He hadn't spoken to me since. We'd pass in the halls, have a couple classes together, he'd mumble 'filthy mudblood' under his breath when he was around his peers, but other than some blank stares, I received nothing from him. No emotion, no real or direct words whatsoever. 

~

My classes for the day had just finished. Cedric met me in the hallway after my last class. 

"So.. how was potions?" He seemed so intrigued by how my day is going.

"It was alright. Nothing too interesting happened today." I respond. Draco had skipped out on this class today. Maybe he just didn't feel like speaking to me today.

"That's still good." Cedric commented, smiling down at me with those deep brown eyes. Hermione was coming up to me at this time.

"Eleanor!" She caught my attention. "This is a last minute plan. Do you want to head to The Three Broomsticks with me, Ron, and Harry? It's Friday after all." 

"Of course. Let me head to my dorm to change and I can meet you at the gate!" I was excited to finally hang out with them again, especially Hermione. I look at Cedric. "I'm sorry, Ced. We can catch up later though." He nods and says bye to me and my sister. 

I hurried over to my room to not keep them waiting. It was the coldest day of the year so far. It was actively snowing outside, I could see from my window, so I knew I would need to dress extra warm. I dug around in my dresser to find warm clothes. I decided to put on some jeans, a dark green long sleeve with my extra heavy long black winter coat. To top it off, I added a dark gray scarf and some warm fuzzy boots. I snatched my winter hat from my dresser and headed out the door. 

Once at the gates of Hogwarts, we made our way down to Hogsmeade. Sometimes it felt weird that I was a Slytherin hanging out with the Gryffindors. It sometimes felt like others in my house, or other students in general, would look strangely upon us for being in such different houses hanging around each other. But my excuse was that one of them was family, so it was okay to hang around them. And if they didn't mind, then I didn't mind. 

"Wow it is so cold. I'm ready for some butterbeer." Ron piped up on our way down the hill. 

I also couldn't wait to get some butterbeer. Being so stressed not just with school but with this Draco situation had me on edge, and I was just ready to be out of the castle walls for a moment. 

We made it to The Three Broomsticks. Inside, we found ourselves a table with benches. I sat next to Harry, with Hermione directly across from me and Ron beside her. 

"Butterbeer for all of us, please." Hermione chirped to the man taking our order. 

I found Ginny snogging someone in the back corner and mentioned it to Ron. I don't think he was fond of me in that moment since I just pointed out his younger sister was touching tonsils with a boy. He even threatened to leave after seeing that. Harry wouldn't stop staring at the bar area, to which I noticed Professor Slughorn. Or at least I recognized him from the back of his head somehow, and his mannerisms with the way he spoke to the man in front of him.

Whatever conversation the four of us were having, my focus was interrupted when I spotted white hair in my peripheral. I looked up to see him. Draco, in all his glory. His white hair stood out against the all black suit he was wearing. 

We made eye contact and he slowed to a halt. I saw his gaze move from me, to Harry, me, to the back of Hermione and Ron's heads, then back to me. Once he got a look, he continued walking out the front door, shutting it behind him. Man, that boy is strange. By the time that encounter was over, Professor Slughorn was over at our table visiting Harry. How much of this conversation did I miss while staring at Draco?