the valerian in your thoughts

chapter ten

April 1992

Callie felt lucky that Zabini kept his mouth shut about what had happened today; she still felt as if showing that much assistance was bad. She had just acted out of mercy for her house, after all, she wanted Slytherin to win the House Cup with her help. Malfoy and him were quite a burden when it came to this goal of hers. Zabini, however, had made no intention of sharing their story, and only was at Callie's side more often than usual. It appeared that he had taken a liking that Callie had called them her 'friends' in front of Weasley.

Malfoy was as quiet as he was not at the same time, so everything went as it usually did. He was healing again, though,  his arm hadn't nearly been as injured as he had pretended from the start. The following days, all Malfoy did was talk, or boast about Buckbeak's upcoming beheading as if he was the one to swing the scythe. And when he was finally freed from being bandaged, he went back to causing trouble with Crabbe & Goyle as if it had never been any different.

And Callie didn't feel any different. The only casual change was in Malfoy's obvious excitement about Buckbeak's upcoming beheading, which was declared at his father's indignation about the latest accident. It bothered Callie much more than she would like to admit; Malfoy's own stupidity should be no reason for a creature to be killed mercilessly. And Granger was spotted crying in front of Hagrid's hut more frequently. She has had quite the heart for the animal, or might just be upset as well that it would be killed because of Malfoy's narcissistic acts. Callie had seen her once after watching the Slytherin Quidditch team train, yet she didn't believe the girl to be capable of changing anything, or that she had the courage to take revenge.

Yet that all changed another week later, when Callie was met by Malfoy, his nose bleeding, body shaking full of anger and curses spilling from his trembling lips. As he had stormed into the common room, everyone had taken their chance to escape but Callie. She watched him in silence as Malfoy went to the boys' dormitories and soon left it again to come back with tissues that he held against his nose. Callie herself had frozen in motion with her glass bottle against her lips at the surprise to see him this distraught.

The tissues soon turned red, and his curses turned louder.

'Fucking mudblood.', he had repeatedly hissed on his run back and forth.

As he took a seat close to Callie, of whom he had taken no attendance, she sighed at the sight of his infuriated face and put her bottle in her bag.

'I suppose this was Granger's work.'

Draco winced slightly.

'Get out of here.', he murmured annoyed while cleaning his face. It was much easier when having two free hands again.

She gave an annoyed look back at him.

'I wanted to, but if it was her, I don*t think I will now.', she said stubbornly and went on, 'Now, tell me. Why did you let a muggle-born hit you?'

Callie changed her posture and closed her book to face Malfoy directly. Now, she sounded more interested than taunting.

Malfoy sighed.

'The mudblood went crazy, I'm telling you.', he mumbled, looking into the fire, 'All over Hagrid's bloody brute.'

'Ah, I see.', Callie sighed, standing up and walking over to him, 'Well, I am glad that at least someone in this castle put some sense in you. Now, come here.'

She meant to grab the tissues, yet Malfoy grabbed her hand mid-air and squeezed it with his eyes in slits. Her smirk disappeared.

'Do not touch me.', she hissed, and he let go again.