Draco Malfoy and the Girl from Mahoutokoro (Book 1, Year 4)

7 Cookies and Krums

7

Cookies and Krums

Draco was too exhausted to go to the great hall for dinner, so he walked up to the seventh-floor corridor, finding a nice little spot on a stone step between the large arched marble pillars, and near the window to sit. Mizuki followed him without saying anything, sitting down on the step next to him. The air was chilly, but the light from the sconces on the walls added a little warmth color-wise, the flames casting shadows that danced across the walls.

Mizuki took out their Arithmancy homework and began working on it. Draco was thankful that she didn't ask any questions and that she was with him. More than she could ever know, and more than he wanted to admit. He took out the homework from his bag and began working on it too. A companionable silence filled the air between them, and before long, Mizuki finished her portion. She worked on her other homework while Draco finished his.

Once he was finished, he handed them to her.

"Give me yours, I'll check them."

They exchanged papers and began checking and correcting each other's homework. Mizuki's didn't need many corrections if at all, and he was surprised. He didn't know why he was surprised; she was sorted into Ravenclaw after all. He looked up, noting how she was furrowing her brow in concentration as she worked out some of his numerical assignments. He felt the corner of his mouth tugging upward, but he repressed it, keeping his mouth drawn downward.

He watched her until she was finished until she looked up and their eyes met. There it was again, that feeling like she was seeing past the defenses that he had tried erecting, never allowing anyone inside to see who he really was underneath all the pomp and poisoned words.

"I made a few corrections," she told him, breaking the silence and moment between them; and not a moment too soon because Draco had started to panic, believing that, with just one glance, she was able to see past everything that he had worked so hard to conceal.

He took his papers back, looking down at them, keeping his eyes on the paper so that she couldn't look at him like that again. He handed hers back, and she looked them over. She smiled at him.

Smiling at me! Draco Malfoy, pompous git pretending to be someone I'm not.

"Are you alright? You look a little pale."

"I'm fine."

No, you're not, you liar. How long will it take her to take one look at the real you and leave you like everyone else would if they knew what you were really like? Weak. Pathetic.

Mizuki ignored him and reached into her backpack to pull out some cookies that she had stored in there, wrapped in a napkin from this morning. She liked to snack when she was studying. She unfolded the napkin and held her hand up to him, offering him some. He glanced sideways at her, taking a cookie from her. He held onto it mutely like it was some triumphant gift from Merlin himself as she ate hers. Her stomach growled loudly, and he saw her cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"I didn't eat lunch," she informed him.

Draco nodded his head. It was way past dinner time now. The only option they had now was to go to the kitchens to get food, but he didn't want to get up. He didn't want whatever moment this was to fade into a mere memory. He was too afraid to end it because what if they never had another one like this again? What if he said or did something else to make her hate him?

It's only a matter of time before you do. You're a failure. Ask your father.

Before he could decide anything, Mizuki went back to work once she finished eating her cookie, as if that was enough to fill her up. Draco ate his, then continued with his homework, enjoying the company as he worked.