PRECEDENT : Draco Malfoy II

40

On Draco's birthday, we sneak out late in the night to the Prefect bathroom. It's so late that I felt drowsy sneaking through the halls, my yawns louder than my steps. The water is warm, putting at ease the chill in my spine from the risk of all of this. We cannot easily hide if we are caught out here. When he told me to bring a bathing suit to him after Easter, I'm not sure why I did. No part of me thought we'd end up in here, together, even at this late hour in the evening.

He's more bothered by it, it seems. All of this was his idea, and while I am floating on my back in the pool, he's off to the side, leaning against the edge of the bath. I glance over at him and my stomach dips. My hair is soaking, and I'll have to use a charm to dry it before we leave. My wand is beside him, and I suppose that is another way we are exposed.

He doesn't know I'm much better at Defense Against the Dark Arts now than I was last year. While I'm not good enough to hold my own against any accomplished dueller, I'm better than I was. In the weeks since the club's discovery, I haven't mentioned I was a member. His stupid squad has been bothering a bunch of the other old members, but not me.

I didn't mention that I can cast a Patronus Charm, nor that my Patronus is a phoenix. Magical animals are rare. I'm still trying to make out what the significance of it is.

He sighs.

"Would you rather the Great Lake?" I ask him, standing upright on the bottom of the pool.

He shakes his head. Sometimes, I worry that we are so used to hiding that he doesn't shut it off even when we are alone. He hasn't been as upset since the night he nearly broke a bone in his foot. It's his birthday.

"Is it because I didn't buy you a birthday present?" I smile, wading over toward him. "I told you I wasn't going to get you a gift to make up for the one I got you at Christmas."

The jumper is on the floor behind him, folded neatly on top of his trousers.

Draco rolls his eyes, slightly grinning, "not everything in my life is about you."

"Could've fooled me," I smirk.

He splashes me. I shriek, before grabbing my throat. We've put silencing charms upon silencing charms on the room, wards upon wards to lock out people who might try to come inside. There's music playing from his wireless. I don't want to have to contain my own joy around him.

"It's my friends," Draco answers. "I think you'd get along with them."

"And that's a problem?" I reach him, propping myself up next to him on the edge of the pool.

He faces the water, bright and blue from a charm he put on it to light up the otherwise dark room. I stare at the blackness of the rest of the room, at the small crack of light where the door is behind him. I can only glance at him out of the corner of my eye, and I do only just so I can listen to him without getting distracted.

"Obviously," Draco says. "I just... I hadn't thought about how much easier it would be if we could all hang out until today."

The thoughts never crossed my mind. I scan his face. The way his brow knots, the harsh look in his eyes as he looks forward. I don't understand how they miss them. Parkinson is nothing but an irritant. Zabini is so quiet I don't know what there is to miss. Nott is obnoxious, Crabbe is an idiot, and Goyle creeps me out more than the others. I had always assumed he was friends with them entirely for appearances. Clearly, not.

It's strange. I wouldn't want him to meet the people in my house. They aren't really even my friends, but I can't imagine them getting along.

I put my hand on his beside the pool.