DRIPS OF FANCY - draco malfoy

↳ 𝑐ℎ𝑝．19

Alvena sat by herself on the train ride back to Hogwarts, the rhythmic sound of the train's wheels against the tracks doing little to soothe her. It had been a difficult break, one that seemed to amplify everything she had been trying to avoid facing. Now, on the way back, all she had left were her thoughts. She kept her gaze out the window, hoping the passing landscape could somehow distract her from the raw ache in her chest.
When the train finally pulled into the station, the weight of returning to Hogwarts settled heavily on her shoulders. She stepped off the train, her expression hardening as she made her way toward the Great Hall. The familiar faces, the whispers, and the tension that seemed to follow her made her feel like she was walking through a haze.
Dinner had already begun when Alvena arrived at the Great Hall. She slid into an empty seat next to Blaise and Mattheo, her eyes scanning the room. As she expected, she saw Draco and Pansy seated together, exchanging soft words, and on the opposite side, Theo and Daphne were deep in conversation. The sight of them together made something twist in her stomach, but she quickly turned her gaze away, unwilling to dwell on it.
Blaise, ever observant, glanced at her with a knowing look. "You look different," he said, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "I like it."
Alvena raised an eyebrow and smirked back. "Glad you do." She winked at him, the hint of mischief returning to her expression.
Mattheo, who had been watching her with an appraising look, nodded. "Yeah, you do look different. In a good way, though. What happened?"
She leaned back in her seat, her posture casual, but her eyes darkened slightly. "I just decided to honor my family more," she replied coolly, her tone deliberately neutral. She avoided meeting Draco's gaze, but she could feel his eyes on her from across the room. The connection was palpable, and it made her skin crawl.
Dinner passed in a blur of conversation, but Alvena's thoughts kept drifting back to the boy who had once promised her so much and then broken it all. She couldn't allow herself to think about that now, not in front of anyone.
After the meal, Alvena made her way to the Slytherin common room. She could feel the weight of everyone's eyes on her, the curiosity and judgment hanging in the air, but she ignored it. She moved with purpose to the staircase, heading for the dormitory to grab her things.
Pansy intercepted her just before she could leave. "What are you doing?" she asked, an eyebrow quirked in suspicion.
Alvena didn't miss a beat. "Upgrading my living area," she said with a sharp edge to her voice. "It's about time people saw me for what I really am."
Pansy's lips parted, ready to retort, but before she could, Daphne stepped forward, clearly eager to get her words in. But she stopped mid-sentence when Opphiuccus, Alvena's ever-present snake, slithered out from beneath her robes, his eyes gleaming with malice.
Daphne shrieked, stumbling back. "What in Merlin's name is that thing?!"
Alvena couldn't help but laugh at her reaction. "It's a snake, Daphne. Not a dragon." She shrugged nonchalantly, the tension in the air suddenly shifting as she walked past them.
"Don't let it bite you," she said over her shoulder, her voice laced with humor.
She left the common room and walked down the hall toward the dungeons, needing space, needing to breathe. But just as she turned a corner, she collided with a solid chest.
Draco.
He looked at her for a moment, confusion in his eyes. "What happened to you?" he asked, his gaze scanning her appearance with a furrowed brow. "You look... different."
Her eyes narrowed. She wasn't in the mood for his questions. "None of your business, Malfoy," she replied, her voice icy.
Before she could turn and walk away, Draco stepped forward, his hand reaching out to grab her arm. "Hey, I just wanted to—"
Alvena snapped, her anger flaring up suddenly. She spun on her heel, drawing her wand with swift precision, pointing it directly at his throat.
"I'm a Blythe, Malfoy," she said, her voice cold and cutting. "It's time people start seeing it. So please, don't anger me."
For a moment, Draco didn't move, his eyes flickering between her angry face and the wand at his throat. His usual arrogance seemed to drain from him as he took a cautious step back, holding his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright," he muttered, clearly unnerved.
Without another word, Alvena turned on her heel, her steps echoing in the cold dungeon hallway as she walked away from him, leaving him standing there, silently seething.
She made her way to the heir's room deep in the dungeons, the door clicking shut behind her. Alvena tossed her bag onto the bed, exhausted from the emotional toll of the evening. She wanted nothing more than to collapse and forget everything.
Scarlet, her ever-quirky companion travel through the canvas around to land in the one near the bed. Alvena shrugged it off, too tired to give her much attention but the painting cleared her throat loudly on purpose to gain her attention.
"I don't have time for your nonsense today, Scarlet," Alvena muttered, sitting on the edge of the bed. Her fingers ran through her hair, and she let out a long sigh, trying to release the weight of everything that had happened.
Opphiuccus, still coiled comfortably around her neck, hissed softly, as if in reassurance. The snake's cold, steady presence was comforting. He didn't speak, but there was a kind of understanding between them, one that Alvena didn't need words to understand.