IN BETWEEN THE HATE | draco malfoy ᡣ𐭩

eleven | library fight

The morning after the incident that occurred down at The Kings View went on as usual. As Draco picked her up from her dormitory, he couldn't help but notice the coldness in her demeanor. Usually bubbly and bright, she now barely spared him a glance, her silence cutting through the air like a knife. Even during passing time between classes, she didn't bother to engage in their usual exchanges, and Draco's irritation began to simmer beneath the surface.

"It's not my fault she did that," Draco muttered, unable to bear the weight of her silent treatment any longer. He enjoyed the thrill of the arguments they had, and had gotten unusually used to them. But after barely a day, he couldn't hold back anymore.

Amelia ignored him, her focus solely on the paper in front of her.

"Seriously, Anderson," Draco continued, frustration evident in his voice. "What did you expect me to do? Stand up for you?"

The words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of guilt and resentment. As Amelia looked up at him, her glare spoke volumes. She wanted to say yes, to tell him that he should have stood up for her. But beneath her anger, a sense of resignation settled in her heart. Deep down, she knew he didn't have to do anything, but that didn't stop her from wanting him to.

"I don't really care what you do," she replied nonchalantly, returning her attention to her writing.

Draco's jaw tightened, the sting of her words piercing through him. With a heavy sigh, he turned away, the rift between them widening with each passing moment.

The usual lunchtime chatter filled the air as the friend group gathered, eagerly anticipating the end of the day. Mattheo, engrossed in the daily paper, interrupted the conversation with a curious inquiry directed at Amelia. "Hey, Amelia—what went down with Astoria last night?" he asked between bites of his sausage.

Amelia's expression shifted to one of confusion. "How did you find out about that?" she questioned, her brow furrowing.

Mattheo's response was unconvincing, hinting at a fabrication. "Oh—uh—- I heard it through Theo," he muttered, knowing he hadn't spoken to Theo for a while now.

Amelia let out a frustrated groan, dropping her head onto the table in exasperation. "Ugh, really?"

Curiosity piqued, Jade leaned in, prompting Amelia to recount the events of the previous evening. As the group huddled around, Amelia delved into the details, sharing the story with her friends.

"I'm going to rip her head off, I swear to Merlin," Jade seethed, shooting a sharp glance at Astoria a few seats away.

"Yeah, screw her, Amelia... but I wouldn't have minded seeing that," Enzo laughed.

"Shut it, Berkshire," Amelia retorted, not amused.

"So, Draco, what did you do?" Jade turned to Draco, curiosity evident in her voice.

Draco froze, unsure of how to respond.

"He told her to get the fuck away from us. And she listened, scurrying off to her little clique," Amelia answered on his behalf.

"No, he didn't," Mattheo blurted out before catching himself, his expression betraying his slip-up.

Draco's retort came swift and sharp. "And how would you know, Riddle? Were you there?" he snapped, his tone tinged with suspicion.

Mattheo fell silent, realizing he had once again spoken out of turn about matters he shouldn't have been privy to. With a sheepish glance around the table, he clamped his lips shut.

As the conversation died down, and everyone was just trying to finish their meals on time, Draco whispered to Amelia. "Why did you say that?"

"Say what?" she replied, feigning innocence.