BANALITY : Draco Malfoy

58

My body is so incredibly tired today. While I cannot say that staying up so late was a mistake, I am absolutely reaping the consequences this morning. Ginny made a full English breakfast, probably as some sort of apology for excluding me, so Harry came knocking to come and get me. I have time to shower beforehand, and the cold wakes me up.

I drink earl grey tea and apple juice with breakfast. The last time I had tea was at Mad Goodbye, and then it was mixed with whiskey. I suppose the fact that I do not like tea all that much might be more controversial in other settings, but no one bothers me. They let me drink my juice in peace.

"You seem tired," Ginny raises an eyebrow at me.

"Nightmares were worse last night," I point out, shrugging. In reality, I slept for peacefully than usual.

"We should tell Hermione," Harry offers. "Did you remember them?"

"No," I never remember them, so at least that isn't suspicious.

Ginny stabs her sausage with her fork. I'd rather that she calms down since they are going to be trying to force me out of the house on Monday. Well, they are going to want to force me out of the house. If all goes according to plan, I will be leaving here tonight.

After breakfast, Harry and I move back to practicing defence. He is just as enthusiastic as ever, which I suppose is because he enjoys teaching.

"You should be a professor," I offer.

Harry smiles. He continues trying to teach me to cast a Patronus charm. There is a wisp of light after the fourth attempt, but it doesn't turn fully incorporeal even, and I cannot replicate it. Eventually, he brings Ginny into the room, who reluctantly allows me to practice disarming her and Harry at the same time.

I can do them both, but not if they either of them is actively defending.

After lunch, I begin go through most of my routine. I play the cello and practice spell work. Specifically, I look into using the Imperturbable Charm to quiet my journey tongiht and how I can extend it instead of casting it on the fireplace itself. Once I'm feeling decently confident, I let myself take a nap. No one comes to check on me, so at least I feel a bit better. Then, soon enough it is dinner, which we eat without Draco. I'm beginning to think I won't see him before I leave.

Once dinner is eaten, Harry and Ginny go for a walk. I suppose that means Draco is around to check on me. Regardless, I take the opportunity to use my oil pastels. I picture the scenery in my head from the night we were on the jazz cruise. I try my best to shape the boat in the water and the river's edge. It's hard to make the lights seem like a soft glow. The tiniest bit of black taints everything. There is more dark than light.

Even still, it was a beautiful night.

Since the canvas it quite small, I've done most of the bare bones of the drawing within two hours. Even though I am distracted, I hear footsteps enter the front room behind me. I don't look up. When a shadow towers over the canvas, I put my pastels down.

"You're blocking my light," I don't turn my head.

The shadow of Draco's head turns to the side. I can feel him move in, and his breathe on my ear, "interesting."

"I never said I was good," I adjust myself in the chair, trying to get a better look at the painting. "You know I've been shit for years."

"I never said that your art is bad," his voice is smooth. "I said you insist that your art is bad."