𝗦𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗡 ➣ draco malfoy (enemies to lovers)

𝟐𝟏- 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝗰𝗲

𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 sibling fashion, young Serena and Oliver Wood would always actively go out of their way to bother each other— fighting, clashing, and arguing until their hearts gave out.

Serena remembered many a time when her parents would lose their tolerance for their disobedience, and tell both her and Oliver that they were "on thin ice."

It was such a ridiculous phrase— one that wizards stole from muggles decades ago— "on thin ice." Yet, it never ceased to make Serena immediately fall silent, knowing in her little juvenile mind that if that ice cracked, it meant her parents' patience would officially be exhausted, and punishment would soon arrive.

On thin ice.

A phrase she could fully interpret now that she's older, and use years later to describe her current situation with Draco Malfoy.

The initial cause of Serena being on thin ice was stealing Malfoy's ring, but the genesis of that ice starting to crackle and spider web beneath her feet was agreeing to go to the dance with his best mate.

It was only a matter of time until that ice broke completely, and following with it the inevitable plummet into a never-ending depth of darkness, that only Malfoy himself could inflict upon her with his animosity and hunger for revenge.

Returning to the castle from Hogsmeade, eating dinner in the Great Hall, and even sleeping in her bed that late night, Serena sensed that adrenaline-pumping feeling of impending doom taking over her body — the same feeling she would have when she was that little child getting scolded by her parents, knowing the thin ice she's on was soon to break.

Yet, even 18 hours after her encounter with Theo, even once the sun rose above the alpines the next morning, Malfoy was still nowhere to be found. The ice Serena was on was thin, but nevertheless still solid.

'How can one person be so insufferable, yet equally impossible to stay away from?'

For someone who claims that she's impossible to stay away from, Malfoy does a pretty damn good job at keeping his distance.

And Serena was starting to grow seriously paranoid.

"I'm happy to see that my best friend is still alive. An idiot, but at least she's still breathing," Flynn chided as he met Serena outside the Gryffindor common room, the portrait of Elizabeth closing the entrance shut and watching the pair with curiosity. They both slept in and missed breakfast that morning, an unsurprising occurrence.

The only reason Serena's even meeting up with Flynn now is because she got word that Professor McGonagall is hosting a mandatory dance lesson for fourth-year Gryffindors and older, and Flynn promised to escort her down there. For "safety purposes".

Before even coming up with a response, Serena inspected the entirety of her surroundings for any suspicious activity— any sighting of a tall blond head waiting in the shadows to strike like the snake that he is. She monitored every moving staircase, every large painting on the stone wall staring back at her. She found nothing in return.

Serena rolled her eyes as her attention fell back on the disgruntled brunet. "I already know you aren't supportive of my decision to go with Nott. You told me a million times on our way back to the castle from Hogsmeade yesterday. There's no need to remind me,"

"I just— I can't help that I'm worried, Serena," Flynn admitted, his brows furrowing apprehensively. "Your method of getting Malfoy to stop bothering you is baiting him and provoking him with his ring and his best mate? How does that make any bloody sense at all?"

A small, defiant grin bloomed across her mouth, "I'm just returning the favor for the years of torment he's inflicted upon me."

"He's going to kill you!" Flynn emphasised, frustratedly throwing his hands up in the air.