PRECEDENT : Draco Malfoy II

32

Christmas is rapidly approaching, and with only one trip left to Hogsmeade, I prepare. My idea for a gift for Draco, I think, is clever. We've only seen each other once in private since then, in the prefect bathroom again. We were there so late that I fell asleep. He had to wake me from my slumber, jostling me slightly. Every second we spend together I find us at a greater risk of getting caught. By Professor Umbridge, who is getting more intense with every day as she interrogates our teachers, by Filch who seems to do whatever she says rather than what our headmaster says, or even by his prefect partner Pansy.

We've come to a stalemate on her. He's still with her in public. They are never too close when I'm around, but from the rumours I hear the pair still enjoy each other enough. It's an issue we've tacitly understood. He shall not say a word about Terry and I won't about Pansy and that is how we will do things.

Two days before the train is going to come, I slip him an invitation. It is snowing hard, and the snow is dry and heavy. With the whipping wind, people aren't going to be hanging outside. It's pure luck, since otherwise they might build snowmen or have snow fights even in spite of Professor Umbridge's harsh demeanour.

I get to the boathouse first. As I do, I cast insulating charms on the place, hopefully to help keep the heat in. Perhaps the greenhouses would be better, but someone might actually spot us together inside its walls. I'm acutely listening, and when I hear footsteps I don't turn my head.

When he arrives, part of me still fears it isn't him. As if some sort of betrayal from him will happen, or one of his friends will catch me. I'm more afraid that someone else will arrive instead of him than being caught in the act. If someone comes, I can pretend I'm looking for a place to study quietly, or a change of scenery outside of the library. Surely students aren't supposed to be here, but the wide doors are usually open and not locked.

The Great Lake occasionally gets foot traffic, but a first-year fell in the waters in September. Professor Dumbledore had to negotiate with the merfolk and it was a rather tenuous two hours he was stuck. No one has come in a while. It's him. It has to be.

The footsteps change from the sound of crunching snow to the tiled floor. I only glance at the shoes. It's Draco.

"You never call me," he points out.

I stand from my spot, satisfied with the warming charm. I take off my winter cloak and throw it into one of the boats, shrugging, "I'm aware."

"Did something happen?" he asks.

I only gave him the note in our last class. Dinner has since passed, but there are three more hours before we are sequestered in our towers. With the quick hour turn around between passing him the note and my arrival here, I could see why he'd think it was urgent. His draw is set and his eyes stare at me, unsearching.

"Does something need to happen for me to want to see you?" I ask.

He begins to unbutton his cloak, "no. You just... you're patterned."

I almost laugh, "patterned?"

Draco straightens his back as I step closer. I almost miss how he use to flinch away. Almost. His shoulders are back, his eyes flickering from the buttons on his cloak to me. Maybe he feels that I repeat myself, but this feels different. It always feels like we are going somewhere different.

"Yes," he grins.

"Are you saying I'm predictable?" I ask, taking his cloak as he shrugs it off his shoulders. I throw it into the boat next to mine.

"Never," Draco looks down at me. "You just have certain paths you take. If you want me, you find me. You don't invite me places."

Standing next to him, I notice he's two inches taller than me. Last June, we were the same height. I haven't grown a bit in the last year, I doubt I'll grow more. The thought makes me smile.