𝙀𝙐𝙋𝙃𝙊𝙍𝙄𝘼 ➣ 𝐷. 𝑀𝑎𝑙𝑓𝑜𝑦✔

𝟏𝟐 | 𝑭𝑨𝑵𝑪𝒀 𝑨 𝑺𝑬𝑪𝑹𝑬𝑻?

"𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗖𝗛𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗠𝗔𝗦 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞, 𝗘𝗟?" 𝗜 question the girl beside me, burying my face into my scarf to keep the cold from nipping at my nose too harshly. I can feel the sting already as it's barely January and it's below freezing.

"It was good," she replies with a smile, looking over at me. "I got to see my older brother Danny on Christmas; he came over from his studies in America."

My eyebrows shoot to my forehead. "I didn't know you have a brother."

"He's eleven years older than me so I don't see him much, only once every couple years. He's more of the quiet, shy type."

A small snort passes through my lips as I mutter to myself. "Makes me wonder where you came from."

Eleanor must have heard me because I feel her smack my arm playfully, the both of us letting out laughs. "How was your Christmas, Lenora? Did you get to see your dad?"

"I did, actually," I reply. A slight breeze stings my cheeks, making me wish I hadn't forgotten my hat back in the dormitory. I ignore the pain and continue. "He finally managed to get a day off work. Granted, I only saw him Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but it's better than nothing, you know?"

Eleanor just nods. The silence that follows is a comfortable kind, and it makes me feel at peace. Seeing my mom again for Christmas had been a relief. Seeing her again makes me feel safe, especially with everything that's been happening; with the chamber of secrets and the petrified students and all. Dumbledore had sent a mass of letters to all the parents talking about what's been happening, and that they have a choice of letting their children return back to school or not for the rest of this year. With much convincing, my mom let me come back. And I am thankful it didn't take very long to do so.

"Welcome back, Kane. Where's your boyfriend at?" I look up, meeting Theo's brown eyes with a smile. Blaise stands behind him, and I hug them both having missed them over break. I'm about to ask how their Christmas was when Theo's sentence actually registers in my mind.

I give him a weird look. "I'm sorry, but what boyfriend?"

"You know; Malfoy."

My mouth instantly falls open in shock and I snap my head to Eleanor, sending her a deadly glare. "Eleanor, I've told you already. He's not my boyfriend."

All three of my friends snicker as the girl shakes her head. "Yeah, tell that to the charm bracelet around your wrist. You know, the one you never take off?"

When she points to my wrist, I hide it under my robes with hot cheeks. I'm thankful for the cold now, making my flushed cheeks normal for the situation. "It wasn't-- It's not-- Malfoy and I are just friends, alright? Friends give gifts sometimes; and besides, how did you even find out it was from him?"

"It's pretty obvious when you think about it, Lenora," Theo explains with a small shake of his head. "The three of us didn't even know about your birthday until you told us, and the only other person you really talk to is Malfoy."

"Which means Malfoy is the one that gave it to you," Eleanor adds quickly with a sly smirk.

I scoff at her and narrow my eyes. "If you're so keen about Malfoy and I, why don't I tell them about your little crush on--."

The brunette girl covers my mouth with a hiss, her bright blue eyes dark with warning. I quirk a brow at the girl, whose hand hasn't left my mouth. "Don't you dare, Lenora. I swear to Merlin you'd better keep your mouth shut."

When I don't reply, Eleanor slowly takes her hand away from my mouth, Blaise and Theo looking at us like we're insane. I just shrug it off and they seem to take the bait before saying they'll catch up with us later. We wave them goodbye before making our way to the Great Hall to study. It takes only a few minutes to walk into the warm castle, the sting in my cheeks already starting to dissipate.