Heir to Riddle

Chapter 22

"Well?" Hayden asked, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at Draco.
The other Slytherins had vacated the area, most of them packing for Yule break. Draco and Hayden were both already packed, too excited to go home and get away from everything.

"Nothing," Draco sighed, flopping into the seat across from him, leaning his head back. "I am so ready to have a break, though." Hayden raised an eyebrow, tilting his head.

"I'm going to make you research a way," he pointed out, and the blond groaned. "He expects nothing less than exceptional from you."

"I know," he choked out, covering his face with his hands. "That's the problem. Nobody actually lets me just...do poorly, or whatever. You know?" Hayden sighed, tilting his head.

"Everyone has some kind of pressure like that," he told Draco, looking at the chess set on the table. "Everyone." Draco looked at him, frowning.

"Even you?" he asked quietly, and Hayden nodded, smiling slightly.

"It's not much—father tries not to put too much on me—but it's still there. Always," he paused, his tongue darting out to wet his lips as his brows furrowed, "always there. In the background." Draco nodded slowly, leaning back in his chair again.

A few moments of silence passed, but was broken when Crabbe and Goyle stumbled in. Draco jumped slightly, smoothing his hair over as Hayden looked up at the two lazily.

"Would it kill you to knock?" Draco snapped, and for a split-second it looked like Crabbe was going to retort angrily, but Goyle elbowed him and the expression disappeared. Hayden tilted his head, putting his ankle up on his knee as he studied the two bulky boys. Goyle nervously met his eyes, but looked away before he could get a good reading.

"S-sorry," he stuttered, and Hayden flicked his wrist.

"What are you two doing in here?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in a chilling impression of his father. Draco shivered, resisting the urge to cower from him. "We specifically told everyone to leave when we came in." Crabbe made to scowl, but quickly fixed his face.

"Crabbe uh, he forgot his book," Goyle excused, and Crabbe nodded. Draco narrowed his eyes, looking at Crabbe.

"I didn't know you could read," he muttered, and Hayden snorted.

"Well then, grab your book," Hayden challenged, tilting his head.

Crabbe gulped, glancing around and picking up the nearest book while Goyle half-dragged him out of the room.

Fortunately, it wasn't anybody special's book.