It was abnormally hot, and after the long winter, the sun brought a refreshing stream of smiles throughout the Slytherin common room. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle decided that the day would be better spent outside by the lake by one of the many trees found on the shore line, despite the nagging voice they all had, telling them that the mountain of homework would just get bigger by the day. When they got out there, they saw that many other students had the same idea.
Draco leaned back against the thick, rough bark of the tree and ran his hand through his hair and felt that beads of sweat had already started to form at his hairline. There was no breeze, and the humidity quickly brought a migraine or wavering images. Students all around tried to lay in the shade, fan themselves with papers, and had cold cloths that they constantly dabbed on the base of their neck, but nothing seemed to work. The day outside instantaneously turned into a bad idea, but the thought of walking back to the castle seemed like too much of an effort.
"This is no fun. It's too hot out," Goyle complained. Draco opened his eyes to shoot back a witty comeback something along the lines of 'of course it is, you bloke,' but he was too exhausted to try. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the tree, trying to forget about the perspiration that was running down his back in rivelets.
"Oh look, the hero is out." Crabbe snorted. Draco looked up and saw Harry Potter walking towards a tree fifteen feet from theirs, and it seemed as if Harry and his friends did not see Draco yet. "Lets go give him a friendly hello!" Crabbe added. Goyle seemed to jump at the idea, but Draco did not. He was much too hot and miserable to get up, let alone tease anyone, but he gave in.
"Oh look, the heros of the school." Draco sneered. Draco didn't like starting everything, but Crabbe and Goyle looked at him as the leader of the group, so he had to.
"It was such a nice day, why must you ruin it?" Hermione questioned, raising her eyebrows.
"Yes, I can see that this nice day is doing wonders for your wild tangle of what you call hair." Draco shot back as Crabbe and Goyle silently laughed behind him. "It looks as if it has a brain twice the size of Rons', so that is equivalent to half a normal brain." Crabbe and Goyle shook with even more silent laughter.
"Why don't you stop picking on my mates and start worrying about your own. It looks as if they have both been hit with the cruciatus curse, the way they're jerking around and all." Harry said, looking bored. He was casually hanging on to a tree branch, his hair plastered to his temples and forehead. "Or maybe they are sending a silent cry for help. Maybe they're imitating what happens when you hit them with the curse, and they want me to catch on so I can help them? Being friends with you must not be so great, I guess."
"Well if they were doing that, it would be most unfortunate for them, because you never seem to catch on to anything!" Draco screamed and marched away, Crabbe and Goyle trailing behind.
Draco was directly hit with a wave of guilt. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the three of them were already engaged in a conversation. They looked happy. They seemed as if the pressure of O.W.L.s was not weighing them down, but as if it was a mere piece of homework that was due next week. Draco wished, for just one second, that he could go off with them. That he could get help on his essays and studying from Hermione, that he could pig out with Ron at the Great Hall at the Halloween Feast. That he could talk in the common room with Harry about quidditch; that he could fall asleep next to Harry...
Draco shook his head. He did not wish to fall asleep next to Harry.
When Draco got back to the castle, he told Crabbe and Goyle that he did not feel good, and went to lay down. He was so tired, but could not fall asleep. Every noise was too loud, every light was too bright, and when an owl flew in and hooted in his ear, he screamed. He viciously grabbed the note tied to the owls' leg and sat up to read it.
Sixth floor, behind the corner next to the painting of the lady with fruit. 8:15 pm
The note did not say who it was from, and Draco had absolutely no idea who its sender could be. Behind the lady with fruit? Such an odd and secretive place to meet. Draco shrugged, he would go if he was not busy. With so much studying to do, why waste such precious time?
By the time 8:00 rolled around, Draco was well into reviewing his notes for Charms, but curiosity got the best of him. He closed his books and put his things in a bag, then quickly left the common room and made his way to the sixth floor. The halls were exceptionally empty, as if the sender told everyone to stay clear of the path from the Slytherin dormitory to the painting of the lady with fruit. Draco did not even know if such a painting existed, but he was determined to find out.
When he got there, after finding out that it actually was a real painting, he waited. No body showed up, and when the clock struck 8:20, he started to walk away, when two hands grabbed him from behind and forced something into his mouth. Instantly, his nose started to gush blood.
"Malfoy!" A voice screamed. Fred weasley.
"What did you give me, you git!" Draco screamed, holding his robes up to his nose, desperate to stop the bleeding.
"It is a Nosebleed Nougat!" George said happily. "You can buy them for sev-"
"A what?" Draco was furious.
"Calm down, we have a cure. But we wont give it to you until you apologize to Ron."
"Give me the cure or I will have to report you! I am a prefect you know!" Draco sneered. "Five points from Gryffindor, both of you!"
Fred and George pulled out a map from their pocket and said, "Ron should be coming around the corner any minute now."
As if on que, Ron Weasley walked out from behind the corner and stood dumbfound at the scene. His mouth hung open, but he didn't say a word, besides a small 'oh my.' He shook his head and blinked profusely until he finally said, "Do not include me in this." And turned to walk away. His face was flushed red.
"This is about you little bro!" George smiled.
"No! Please, no!" Ron started running. His footsteps grew quieter and quieter until they faded completely.
"He doesn't want this to happen!" Draco said angrily.
"I will give you this if you promise not to tell." Fred said, holding up a small purple chew.
"And why should I not tell? You forced me to eat your magic candy, and now my nose wont stop bleeding! I bet I could pass out! Just you wait until my father hears abo-"
"Fine don't take it, Madam Pomfrey does not have a cure, though." Fred smirked and walked away.
"Wait!" Draco said quietly. He was mad that he was having to rely on a Weasley for help. But blood was still pouring out of his nose. Fred handed him the purple chew. Draco was hesitant, but took it, and instantly, his nosebleed stopped, but it left a nasty stain down his front. Draco glared at the Weasley twins.
"A simple thanks would do no harm, you know." George smiled, again, showing all his teeth. The brothers walked off, and five minutes later, so did Draco. The whole time he walked back to the Slytherin dorms, he did a silent prayer that he wouldn't run in with any teachers, and he did not. He quickly changed and washed off, then went to bed. Even though he was enraged at what the Weasleys did, something inside him knew he wouldn't tell.
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