The rest of the unusually warm February passes into an unusually warm March, but the atmosphere around me still feels as frigid as December. Tara and Hugh have continued to give me the silent treatment and although I've been seeing the rest of the group as much as possible, it's not the same. Fred and I have continued to meet up in secret as much as possible. I would have to say that he's the only reason this last month has been pleasurable at all. The sex has been mindblowing and we've turned our prank planning sessions into when we have sex. It's the best perk that has come from Umbridge not figuring out our prank yet.
Today is Sunday which means a DA meeting and also the ability to avoid everyone until then. I look over at Tara's bed and see that once again she's gone. I sigh dejectedly and get up to throw on some old jeans and my quidditch jumper before going into the bathroom to brush my teeth and fix my hair. After throwing my hair into a low messy bun I walk to the Great Hall to grab a quick breakfast. Once I finish my breakfast, I head out to the grounds to go sit by our normal spot. I walk out to the tree and see Tara and Hugh laughing at the base of our tree. I'm about to turn around and go back inside when they spot me.
"Oh look," Hugh says. "The blood traitor is here. Let's go before my new shirt gets filthy."
"Yeah let's go Hugh," Tara drawls. "It's positively filthy over here now." They stand up and leave, Tara bumping my shoulder roughly as she goes. I have no idea how my life has gotten so messed up in so little time. I blink back tears rapidly and set my stuff down by the tree so I can do some work. NEWTs are coming up and my revision schedule has me working nonstop. I pull out my revision materials and get to work.
I work for a few hours before my rumbling stomach makes me beg off from work in search of food. I head back into the Great Hall and snag a sandwich and some fruit before going to my room to study. I decide after another couple of hours of work that I'm getting nowhere in my revisions so I leave my study cave and search the halls for Draco. I'm missing him more and more lately and I feel like something is up with him. I find him fucking about outside with his idiot friends. Blaise and Theo see me and nudge Draco so he turns around.
"Hi D," I say as I get closer. "Can we go talk?" He rolls his eyes.
"Now you wanna talk?" He retorts, his face hardening. His expression is so close to Lucius' it makes my breath catch a little.
"Please," I plead. Something about my face must make him change his mind because his eyes soften a little.
"Fine," He says. "But make this quick. I'm meeting Pansy in a little." I nod my head in agreement and we walk together to an empty classroom off of the main hall.
"Okay what," Draco asks sharply.
"Are you okay?" I ask softly, putting my hand on his arm. "You seem off." Draco's face is blank for a moment before he bursts into laughter.
"Are you fucking with me right now?" He laughs, pulling his arm away from my hand sharply. "We've barely spoken in weeks and you're asking me how I am?"
"Draco I-" I start to say before he cuts me off.
"You weren't there!" Draco shouts, his pale face growing red with anger. "Over hols, I needed you and you weren't there! You were off god knows where while I was stuck there with him...," He cuts himself off and shakes his head almost as if he's clearing his thoughts. And it occurs to me that he's probably using Occlumency to clear his thoughts.
"What do you mean, D?" I ask, concern leaking into my voice.
"Nothing," He spits. "Nevermind. Just leave me be for a while. You just don't understand." And with that he turns around and walks out of the room. I feel tears start to drip down my cheeks and furiously wipe them away. I sit down heavily on the desk behind me and replay my conversation with Draco over and over in my mind, as my head rests in my hands. I hear the door open but can't be bothered to look up from my position on the desk. Soft footfalls approach me and I feel the person sit down next to me. An arm wraps around my shoulder and I finally look up. I find a pair of emerald eyes looking at me.
YOU ARE READING
Ardent Adversaries
Fiksi PenggemarOlivia Dawson has lived with the Malfoy's almost all her life. They graciously took her in when she became orphaned. During her last year at Hogwarts, the new DADA teacher, Dolores Umbridge, gives her detention with the one person she hates more tha...
