PRECEDENT : Draco Malfoy II

28

I fixed the attunement. At least, I brought it to Professor Flitwick when I still couldn't get it to work, and the ball spun to him while we chatted. My spellwork was impeccable, the runes well-carved. He fiddled with it for so long that my mind wandered. Mandy had said something particularly rude that morning, and my mind wandered to her. The Sagum didn't swing.

So, we figured out that it does work. Professor Flitwick was thinking of me. The issue is one of range now. The Sagum only has a range of three metres, which still means it's effectively useless. At least, if it wasn't useless, I would know when to expect communications from Draco. Maybe Terry as well, whom I've gotten more creative about turning down this week.

During potions, while Draco and Pansy hand out supplies, Draco slips me a note.

Same time. Same place. Same night.

He is so cryptic. I wonder if he wants me to eat the paper to keep it out of enemy hands. I mean, I don't want anyone to know that we talk, but it truly isn't a situation with that high of stakes.

On Thursday, just past eleven, I head out of the tower. The other Ravenclaws in my year are at a table in the common room sitting together. I don't look at them, hoping it doesn't look like I'm sneaking out. Confidence can get you into a lot of places, at the very least.

In the hallways, I'm much more careful. Still, I get to the prefect bathroom shortly after. I walk in as I did last time.

"Lumos," I flash my wand to the side.

Draco stands where he stood last time. Same. My neck cranes up just slightly to see his face as he steps closer.

"Boggart behaviour," I shake my head at him.

"You're late," he turns away and walks deeper in.

Even though he moves away, I catch it. The fraction of a smile on his face. Breathing in deeply through my nose helps me to maintain my composure. I don't want him to catch the grin on my face. It's wider than I should be. The worst part is, for the first time, I don't feel the need to ask myself why I'm here. It's, unfortunately, so clear.

Draco whispers an incantation and a few of the oil lamps on the wall ignite. The room is brighter this time than it was last. The room isn't bare either. There is a picnic blanket on the ground, a bottle of liquor and glasses, and a wireless. All of this is insane. A picnic on an, albeit clean, bathroom floor. Owning a wireless isn't all that common; they are a fairly expensive item in the wizarding room. The Ravenclaw Common Room has one, but we bicker so much about what channels to pick that I rarely hear it.

"Daddy buy you that?" I ask, gesturing to it.

He glares at me, "is that really what you want to ask me?"

When I don't answer he keeps walking to the blanket. Using a corkscrew, he opens the wine bottle. Draco pours each of us a cup.

"I don't have any other questions," I point out. "I know you are trying to get me drunk."

He shrugs, "the wine isn't for you. I just need to drink something after listening to Pansy's grating voice for the last two hours."

"That's why you brought two wine glasses," I roll my eyes, stepping forward.

Draco sits down on the blanket. Against my better judgement, I join him. He offers me some wine and I nod. My eyes turn to the wireless as I begin to turn it on.

"You know, you look like the kind of person who has never heard any music besides classical," I tell him. "Maybe opera."

"You might be trying to be insulting, but I'll take it as a compliment," he passes me the glass.