The Journal of Regulus Arcturus Black

Chapter 21. Draco's nonchalance

The Christmas holidays ended with a very sluggish lull. Draco rather enjoyed the Malfoy Family Yule and the way he could flaunt his wealth and status. He spent his Christmas with the other Slytherins, having conversations about the rest of the year and certain students who were still worried about their exams.

"I mean seriously, O.W.L.s aren't even that hard. They're really just a jumping point for your N.E.W.T. level classes."

"Says the one with the highest O.W.L. scores in Slytherin."

"...touché."

Draco was still a Prefect and continued to help the younger years nurture their powers. He spent Christmas morning with Kreacher by his side. The house-elf helped clean away any wrapping paper and filled Draco's belly up with delicious traditional dishes.

"Kreacher, please," Draco whined. He was lying on his back, head resting against a few colourful tissue papers whilst he opened Millie's present.

"Kreacher will mades sure Draco is complete with all desserts!"

Draco rolled his eyes, "you're just trying to make me fat." He arched his brow, scrutinising the peach coloured book cover and weird abstract shapes embossed on the cover. "Milliecent Bulstrode..." he muttered. "What in the world—" Draco's cheeks coloured as soon as he opened the book and skimmed through the first paragraph. Sitting up from his tissue paper filled floor, Draco slammed the book shut and slid it under his bed. "What the actual fu—"

Draco got an array of presents from his friends and a few owls. Blaise and Theo were having a grand time in Basilicata, where the Zabini's owned a lovely villa.

Draco didn't know much about Blaise's particular upbringing or what connections he had in Italy other than familial. But Blaise did boast a lot about the Italian Magical Ministry so he supposed that the Zabini line had some sort of power play there. Theo was explicit in his letters back that Draco 'does not disclose anything' to Blaise about his silly little love thing.

Which was stupid.

Because Theo was a pretty adamant believer of platonic bonds. The New Year came and then the coming months leading to February slowly let the sun shine through; the snow melt away into muddy, grey slush that threatened to slip students up especially during their Hogsmeade trips.

They still managed to find their usual seats in the Peacock the next time they decided to spend their Valentine's day there.

"Ah if it isn't my favourite customers!"

Draco snorted, bending down to kiss against the owner's cheeks, "I think we're your only customers Debby," he said.

"Yeah," Pansy lifted her veil and folded it into a triangle before tying the fabric around her neck. "Got our table ready?"

"Even better," Debby said, giving them all a cheeky wink and motioning towards a new table that was built into the side of the room. All the Slytherins gasped, running over to their seats. They all sat down grinning, running their hands over the wood and giving compliments at the design whilst also noticing the way their knees didn't bump into each other anymore.

"This is so cool," Millie grinned, turning to the corner where a little bookshelf full of classical magic literature was perched. "'The Manningtree Witches' by A.K. Blakemore. 'The Vampire Conductor' by Simone Pearson, 'The Witch of Blackbird Pond' by Elizabeth George Speare and 'The Viscount's Daughter and her Werewolf Counterpart' by Annette Morrison." Millie turned to Pansy who snorted and grabbed that book.

"That was a good one," she sighed wistfully.

Theo shrugged, "the writing pace was slow and the Viscounts retelling was repetitive."