𝑵𝑰𝑲𝑶𝑳𝑨 𝑷𝑶𝑻𝑻𝑬𝑹 ⭑ 𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑪𝑶 𝑴𝑨𝑳𝑭𝑶𝒀

FOUR: The Interveiw

When I entered the common room, everyone immediately fell silent and turned their heads to me. I stood there for a moment, exchanging their glares. Until my eyes met Draco's, and my glare softened. His eyes were full of anger, and maybe even hatred. I felt an actual pain in my chest, like his eyes were shooting arrows. He turned away from me, not wanting to look at me anymore. I walked straight past them and back to my dorm, throwing my face in my pillow. I'm not a crier, but I am a screamer. So I screamed into my pillow. After I'd yelled out some anger I realised I may be being a little dramatic. Sure, the whole school hates me, but I never really cared what they thought of me anyway. I didn't like most of them much myself. But the look in Draco's eyes is what had hurt. It wasn't a way I'd ever seen him give me, not even in first year when he hated how much time I spent with Harry. His eyes were hard with disappointment and betrayal. The image was planted in my head, and I never wanted him to look at me like that. Though something told me it was the only look I'd be getting from him from now on. I'd never been one to care if guys liked me or not, and I'd definitely never screamed into a pillow over it, but Draco was different. I wasn't sure how, for he irritated me more than any other. But I know what I felt, which right now is annoyance. How did me and Harry always end up in such a mess? I mean, the first two years we probably brought it on ourselves for being nosy, but last year the trouble had come to us, and it had somehow found us again this year too. It was starting to be rather enraging.

"Did you do it?" I turned to realise while I was deep in thought Daphne had entered the dorm. I sat up against my bed as she sat on hers beside me. I shook my head at her rather grumpily. "You know, if you did I-"

"I didn't do it, Daphne," I interrupted, only after realising how snappy it sounded. I looked up at her and opened my mouth to apologise. But she shook her head and smiled at me which told me she didn't take it personally.

"I get it," she assured. "I mean it must be frustrating, if you didn't do it and everyone thinks you did." I looked back down at my lap and nodded weakly. I saw Draco's stare again and looked up at her.

"Draco. How pissed off is he?" I asked, but my voice was small and stupidly weak. I wasn't sure I even wanted to know, but I asked anyway. She gave me a pitiful smile.

"He'll get over it," she whispered. I gave her an unsure cock of my eyebrow and she tilted her head at me. "He will, he cares too much to stay away from you. We've already witnessed that. He's just mad because he thinks you put your name in and didn't tell him. I suppose all the comments about not wanting him to do it left him feeling some betrayal." I let out a sigh in defeat.

"But I didn't do it," I muttered. I was aware how childish my sulking probably came across, but that was how I felt right now - child-like.

"Just talk to him, worst case he acts stubborn for a few weeks. I hope he's not stubborn enough to let such an amazing girl go so easily." I looked up at her, and she gave me a subtle smile, which I returned before she rolled over and went to sleep.

***

I woke up late, probably due to not getting the best sleep, my mind wouldn't turn off. I went down to the common room but nobody was there, so I assumed everyone was already at breakfast. When the events of the day before came back to me, I debated crawling right back into bed and burying myself in the blankets. Instead, I held my head high and pretended I didn't notice the many stares I received on the way to the great hall. But before I get there I bump into Harry, who takes my arm and leads me away.

"You don't want to go in there, trust me," he said, pulling me down the corridor. I frowned and yanked my arm away from him.

"I'm not going to cower away because of some ridiculous gossip," I snapped, and he turned to face me.