𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 | 𝐝.𝐦.

sixteen

"Malfoy," she speaks it like a breath impelled out of her chest.

The boy in the black suit has a faint smile ghosting over his features. Odd, again, because he shouldn't be smiling at her - let alone feign one to please her eyes, there was never a need to, and that should apply in this present day as well.

He has his hands shoved in his pockets as usual, as though to hide a bunch of ghastly fingers.

She tries not to look him in the eye, allows her gaze to drift along the corridor. "What are you doing here?" she asks.

"I could ask you the same thing," he says curtly, "Didn't see you at the feast."

"Well, I was just heading there," she replies, wondering to herself why she bothers to. She doesn't owe him anything.

He shakes his head briefly. "Don't bother. The feast's almost coming to an end - everyone's starting to leave."

"Oh," Betty mutters without feeling disappointed.

She doesn't have that big of an appetite anyway, and she knows now, that there is a secret, abundant stash of vanilla crackers and cinnamon tarts in the Ravenclaw cabinets, - all thanks to Luna - she could always sneak in to snack on those.

"How's Weasley?" he asks, though he doesn't sound very concerned. his tone implies that he's only looking for something to drag their talk with.

She tosses a look over her shoulder at the door. "Um... he's alive. He actually woke up a while ago."

Malfoy's brows lift in astonishment. "For the first time?"

She nods awkwardly. "Yeah."

"And you were the first one to see him?"

Another curt nod.

"Not Potter or Granger?" he probes further, but Betty doesn't really believe he's that curious. He's never shown any care for her bunch of friends, only resentment and disgust.

"No," she answers, biting on the inside of her cheek, "They're both at the feast. I was the only one with him in the infirmary."

His lips tilt downward in mild regard. "I see."

Betty surveys the corridor for anything that might save her from this absurd encounter with Malfoy - they were acting stranger than usual, there wasn't tension developed from animosity nor was there friendliness in the air between them - and it frightens Betty so, sends a shiver down her spine.

And then, right on time, the doors a far distance away from her, yet distinctly visible, opens and a throng of colourful students come flooding out, filling the hall's exit. Amongst them, Betty thinks she sees Harry, Ginny, and Hermione nudging past people, in a hurry to get to the hospital wing. Malfoy seems to notice that too, as he is gazing over his shoulder.

Relief washes over Betty.

"Um... you should probably leave, Malfoy. Everyone's starting to return to their common rooms - and Harry and the others are coming our way to visit Ron," she informs him, as if she is dismayed to say so, "They can't see us together or they might get suspicious."

"I don't think it's that big of a deal," Malfoy denies, returning his attention back to her, "The most Potter'll do is get into a scuffle with me - and I think I can handle a little insults from Scarface."

Betty furrows her brows at him. "Don't you think it's time you abolish that nickname? It's like - what - three years old."

"Exactly," the boy says in a comedic tone, "The longer it sticks, the more original it gets."