PRECEDENT : Draco Malfoy II

52

At this time of year, we feel decently safe in the boathouse. The few times someone has stumbled here while we hid, it was always in the early fall or the beginning of summer. It is far too cold to be outside for anyone sensible.

Still, I didn't manage to dress warmly enough. After ten minutes of studying, I started shivering. Nearly convulsing. Draco pulled off his jumper and passed it to me. We are working on alchemy, the pair of us. Only five other students are in the class, including Millicent Bullstrode, Blaise Zabini, and Cleve Lace, and Lisa Turpin. One of the others is a Hufflepuff guy named Wayne Hopkins, but he's really odd and I've never spoken to him before. Neither Draco nor I could really use the practice in alchemy, but we figure he can say he's helping me as part of an extra credit package for our professor and no one would think twice.

Really, I'm not paying attention to my notes. I am flipping through my charm textbook. Finally, I take off the jumper. I grit my teeth so they don't chatter.

"Giving up already?" he asks.

I shake my head, rub my arms once. If I give up, he'll leave. I know it.

Instead, I cast a charm at the green material. At the end, I shift the wand movements to my sigil. Two lifelines, one after the other then joining together.

The sweater glows ambient light before it fades. Then, I put it back on. As I do, I smile. It's charmed so that I can wear it without the fabric shifting to return to my size. It will still grow to fit Draco. Actually, it should grow if he gives it to anyone else, but not me.

"I hate how it shrinks to me," I say, before I look over at him. "I'm glad you don't wear it around your friends."

"Lucky you," he leans over and kisses me. He's wearing a black jumper of his that I'm sure he brought just because he knew I would end up stealing his.

I sigh, "all of this would be easier if you taught me occlumency."

Draco stands up. He's going to leave. I match him, finding my footing. One of my legs is asleep. I teeter on it, resting against one of the shelves that hold the boats.

"No."

"I can handle it," I tell him. "My mind is fine."

"It's not..." he cuts himself off. "I don't know legilimency, and it can be quite painful when done incorrectly."

I furrow my brow and bite my lip. He never talks about the aunt that taught him occlumency. I only know of her existence because she taught it to him. It is late January, and this is the first time I've seen him since Christmas break. Wearing the perfume he bought me has been nice, but he was right. I'm glad he didn't buy the Weasley product.

Finally, I step closer to him. He turns away, yet his feet stay in the same spot. When I meet him, I reach my hands up and fiddle with the collar that pokes out of his black jumper. A flash of light against his skin. He's tinged green.

"It's not safe, Marty," he whispers.

"I've never quite minded hurting for your expense," I muse.

He starts to pull away. My fingers curl around his neck, forcing him closer to me. He's tall. He towers over me now. I twist my head up.

"You do not decide who suffers on your behalf," I tell him. It's a promise. "I'm tough."

Draco shakes his head. I step back from him, darting over to our textbooks. I grab his wand off the ground and hurry back to him. I press the wand into his hand, and with my other, I make him wrap his fist around the wood. Then, I bring the wand up to my temple, holding his hand in place.