Love used to be just a word | Draco Malfoy

- TWENTY -

14th of October, 1997

Two days had passed since Malfoy and I went to Hogsmeade. I was staring at the black quill in my hand and wondered how he was doing. He seemed to have disappeared from the schoolgrounds again and, as per usual, I probably didn't want to know what he was up to. After being spotted together in public, rumors of me and Malfoy being back together were spreading like wildfire. Instead of my usual spot in the library, I'd moved to the archways looking over the gardens for a change of scenery. I had been avoiding the Gryffindor Common Room the best I could, mostly to get away from the glares from my fellow students.

Ignis jumped up and sat down in front of me, staring at me with his green eyes with a look that warned me someone was approaching. I sighed and patted his head with a small smile, before the figure plopped down on the opposite side of the archway, facing me. I looked up to see Ginny staring down at me with a look I couldn't place, and I sat upright, leaning against the cold stone wall. What does she want? She had been avoiding me like the plague and this is the first time since any of this started for her to search me out herself. "Let me just cut to the chase. Are you really dating Malfoy?" she asked outright, his last name rolling off her lips with venom.

Do I tell her the truth, or do I lie?

I bit the insides of my cheeks, contemplating my next move. Even I wasn't too sure what was going on between me and Malfoy. We weren't officially dating, although everyone believed this was the case due to neither of us ever denying the rumors of our relationship. Perhaps friendship would describe our current status best, but why don't I feel the need to get the rumors of us dating out of the way? 

Do I want to date Malfoy?

"And don't lie to me this time. These rumors about you and Malfoy flaring up again so soon after you told me you were just using him don't make any sense. If anything, it just confirmed Harry was the one that kissed you," she spat in anger. The way my fellow Gryffindors acted around me lately was quite an interesting change to say the least. I never thought I'd see my friends hate me that much. Though - to be fair - Harry, Ron and Hemione had been my only real friends.

Friends that left you behind.

I ignored my subconscious as I looked at the garden. People were walking around, idly chatting to each other. Others were hurrying towards their next class. "You're aware I don't owe you any explanation, right?" I asked as I turned back to her. "Really? You say that to me after all we've been through?" she asked. I would lie if I said the hurt expression on her face didn't sting at least a little bit. "We never got along too well, did we? There was this certain boy we both liked that was kind of in the way of us being actual friends," I said with a sad smile. She looked at me knowingly – perhaps we would've been great friends if it wasn't for that fact.

"Nevertheless, you did save my life once in the Department of Mysteries. So, perhaps I do owe you one," I stated, remembering Ginny cursing a Death Eater that was trying to attack me from behind on that particular night. "I didn't lie about me being the one that kissed Harry. The one he loves is you. It has always been you. That's why he pushed me away," I continued, the lie rolling off my lips so naturally I almost scared myself. "You want to know why they left me behind? I would be a liability. I did, however, lie about the fact that I only used Malfoy. I didn't use him – and it definitely wasn't to get revenge like I told you before. Some things just happened the way they did," I finished, never averting my eyes from hers.

Ginny took a deep breath, almost as if she was getting ready to go off on me, but she just sighed and rested her head against the stone wall behind her. "So, you kissed Harry?" she asked, the tone in her voice sad. "Yes." "And now you're dating Malfoy?" her voice was now almost a whisper, while she stared at me from underneath her eyelashes. I didn't reply – what was there to say? "Make it make sense, Blackwood." Ginny saying my last name instead of my first hurt more than expected, but I kept a straight face nonetheless.

"Seems like you girls are having a nice chat, mind if I join you?" The familiar perfume made me clench my fists as the figure sat in between Ginny and me. "Oh, don't fall silent just because I joined you! I just wanted to make friendly conversation you know," a smirk found its way on her lips as she looked at Ginny. Ignis meowed at Parkinson as if he was happy to see her and I looked at him a little offended. 

What in the bloody hell is she doing here?

"What do you want Parkinson?" Ginny asked before I could, and the girl giggled. "Aw, don't like me very much, do you? Well, the feeling is mutual. So leave, will you?" Parkinson asked waving her hands for her to go away. "You think I-" Ginny started, but the dark haired girl turned her back to the youngest Weasley and faced me with a smile. "Hey, you know what I heard today in the hallways? Apparently Belby was caught snogging Edgecombe!" she exclaimed in her usual gossipy voice. "Ew, really?" I asked with a scrunched-up face. I wasn't sure what Parkinson was trying to pull, but I was gladly taking this opportunity to get away from Ginny. "Exactly what my first response was, can you imagine that pig snogging you? I bet he'll eat half your face off with his appetite," she giggled and Ginny huffed in annoyance before storming off.

"Finally," Parkinson rolled her eyes as she scooted back to where Ginny was sitting. "Gross, this seat is warm," her pug-like face turned into one of disgust, but she didn't move. "Anyway, how are you holding up?" Pansy asked, averting her eyes to the gardens outside. "No offense, but since when do you care?" I asked with a frown on my face. "None taken. I was supposed to keep an eye out for you. In that regard, you should stop frowning, unless you want wrinkles at a young age." she answered as her eyes found mine again. "Keep an eye out for me?" I asked with confusion laced through my voice.

"Draco assigned me to keep an eye out for you while he's away."