Scorched and Bruised ; Draco Malfoy

☾｡✩˚𝓢𝔀𝓮𝓮𝓽 𝓞𝓷 𝓨𝓸𝓾˚✩｡☽

As the moon dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with the first hints of dawn, Star found herself stationed outside Professor Snape's office. Which soon led her to find that he was in fact not a morning person, but it also could've been the sound of her singing echoing down the empty corridors.

Having anticipated the frenzied rush of sixth-years finalizing their N.E.W.T. schedules the next morning, she'd planned ahead and gotten hers before anyone else. Patience wasn't her strong suit, except when it came to Draco. She was well aware that her knack for losing her temper could land her in detention on the very first day.

After that, Star had found herself immersed in her brand new textbooks while situated in the library until the final half-hour of breakfast. Since her second year, Oceana had been the one to purchase all her school supplies; something Star would remember and be forever grateful. However, in her first year, she made do with worn supplies from school and hand-me-down books from a quaint shop in Diagon Alley.

That year, she had only scraped together fifty dollars from her unaware parents and another twenty-five from pickpocketing strangers. It was far from sufficient for the exchange rate of wizarding currency. While Hogwarts tuition was covered, the expenses for the essentials remained a financial burden.

She had even lacked sufficient galleons for a wand, she resorted to stealing one—without an ounce of remorse—from an unsuspecting witch who appeared affluent enough to spare it. However, the wand didn't quite attune to her right, yet she persevered and made it work.

Now her own wand was crafted from Cedar and a phoenix feather. It stood proud at thirteen and a half inches, and with hard flexibility. Ollivander had quipped, 'I wouldn't want to cross you!' and she hadn't been able to suppress a smile at his words. They had given her pride and filled her with a sense of being seen.

Star snapped out of her studying-induced trance when her stomach growled insistently. She always went over the textbooks as many times as she could before classes in preparation. With a sigh, she stood and allowed her mind to drift back to Draco, who constantly occupied her thoughts.

The feeling of his hand across her cheek still left her with ecstatic bliss. While she took care to heal the redness across her face (erased due to the curious eyes of friends and students) she made a deliberate choice to leave the cut lip untouched. Having that physical reminder of him filled her with contentment.

Deciding to go on a search for Draco in the Great Hall, she gathered her things. If she couldn't find him there, she'd resort to hunting him down across the school and put off eating for later; Star knew that she could always steal food from the kitchen during break. Over the years the kitchen elves had warmed up to her, treating her kindly, and they'd let her take some snacks for herself whenever she wanted.

Lightly humming to herself she made her way out of the library when she noticed that Cas had spotted her and proceeded to jog his way over.

"Fancy meeting you here, gorgeous," he offered with a smile, not even breathless.

Star mirrored his grin, "I like your dimples."

"I like yours," he winked. "Did I interrupt you from something? Mind if we walk?"

"I was actually on my way to hunt down Draco."

His warm radiance seemed to falter at the sound of Draco's name. He frowned, "You know... why waste your time on a guy that doesn't even look at you?"

'He does. I know he does.'

Star shrugged, "Runs in the blood, I guess."

Cas shook his head, "Don't joke around. He hurt you, Star."