brewing hatred (d.m)

A Hogsmeade Surprise

The autumn air was crisp, leaves swirling in golden and red shades around the cobbled streets of Hogsmeade. Ariana pulled her cloak tighter around herself as she walked alongside Daphne, Theo, Pansy, and Blaise. The group had decided to spend the day in town, and it was hard to ignore the excitement that buzzed through the streets. Students filled the shops and cafés, laughter spilling out from Honeydukes and The Three Broomsticks.

Draco, as usual, trailed behind, his hands stuffed into his pockets, his pale features set into an aloof expression. Ariana had been trying her best to ignore him all day, the lingering tension between them from their last argument still hovering in the air. Though, if she were being honest, the tension was more than just from bickering—it was something deeper, something neither of them had fully addressed.

"We should grab Butterbeers at The Three Broomsticks," Theo suggested, grinning as he rubbed his hands together. "Nothing warms you up better."

"I'm in," Pansy agreed, already making a beeline for the pub.

Daphne and Blaise followed, and before Ariana could protest, she found herself being ushered inside with the rest of the group. The pub was packed with students, the warmth of the roaring fire immediately washing over them as they found a table near the back. It was a snug spot, away from most of the noise.

"I'll grab the drinks," Ariana offered, needing a break from the group—and more specifically, from Draco's constant, icy presence.

She slipped away toward the bar, pushing through the crowd until she reached the front. As she waited for her order, she felt a presence at her side. Turning, she was met with a familiar face—Andrew from Ravenclaw.

"Oh, Ariana," Andrew drawled, his smirk wide and self-assured. "Fancy running into you here."

Ariana fought the urge to roll her eyes. "It's Hogsmeade, Andrew. Everyone's here."

"Well, yeah, but I was hoping I'd see you," he said, leaning in slightly, his voice low as he added, "I've been thinking about you, you know."

Ariana felt her irritation spike. She had thought the rumors Andrew had started would fizzle out by now, but his persistence was becoming unbearable.

"I'm not interested, Andrew," she said firmly, turning her attention back to the bartender, hoping the conversation would end.

But Andrew didn't take the hint. Instead, he leaned closer, his tone playful but with a hint of arrogance. "Come on, Ariana. I hear you've been asking around about me. No need to be shy. We could—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a shadow loomed over them. Ariana glanced to her left and saw Draco standing there, his expression dark and unreadable. His cold, gray eyes flicked to Andrew, and a muscle in his jaw twitched.

"She said she's not interested," Draco said, his voice low but laced with warning. "Do you have a hearing problem, or are you just that thick?"

Andrew's smirk faltered for a second, and he straightened, his confidence wavering under Draco's glare. "Malfoy," he sneered, trying to regain his composure. "This doesn't concern you."

Draco's eyes narrowed, and he took a step forward, effectively cutting off Andrew's path to Ariana. "I'm making it my concern."

Ariana's heart skipped a beat, but it wasn't from Andrew's advances. It was from the sudden surge of protectiveness she saw in Draco. His usual smugness was gone, replaced with a quiet intensity that caught her off guard.

Andrew huffed, clearly realizing he wasn't going to win this. "Fine. Whatever. She's not worth the trouble anyway."

He shot Ariana one last disdainful look before slinking away into the crowd, leaving her standing there with Draco, who was still glaring after him.

Ariana, unsure of what to say, broke the silence first. "You didn't have to do that."

Draco finally turned to look at her, his expression softening slightly. "Yes, I did."

She blinked, surprised by the sincerity in his voice. For once, there was no teasing, no arrogance—just honesty. The air between them felt charged, and Ariana wasn't sure if it was the warmth of the fire nearby or something else entirely, but her pulse quickened.

"Thanks," she said quietly, feeling awkward now that they were standing so close. "I can handle myself, though."

"I know," Draco muttered, his gaze flicking down to meet hers. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to let some idiot harass you."

Ariana's cheeks flushed, and she quickly looked away, not sure how to respond. This was a side of Draco she hadn't seen before—a side that wasn't all ego and sharp words. It was confusing, and it made the tension between them even more difficult to understand.

She cleared her throat, trying to shake off the strange feeling in her chest. "I should... get the Butterbeers."

Draco smirked, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. "Don't worry about it. I'll help."

Before she could protest, he signaled to the bartender, paying for their drinks without a second thought. Ariana opened her mouth to argue, but Draco silenced her with a simple, "It's fine. Let's just get back to the table."

They carried the drinks back to their group, but as they sat down, Ariana couldn't help but notice how Draco chose the seat next to hers—closer than usual. She tried to ignore it, focusing on the conversation around her, but every now and then, she felt his knee brush against hers, sending a strange warmth through her that she couldn't quite explain.

The group was laughing, making jokes about their upcoming classes and teasing Theo about his crush on a Gryffindor girl, but Ariana found it hard to concentrate. Every time she glanced in Draco's direction, he seemed to be watching her out of the corner of his eye, a small, secret smile playing on his lips.

And for the first time, Ariana couldn't shake the feeling that something between them had shifted.

As they left The Three Broomsticks and wandered the streets of Hogsmeade together, the day felt lighter, more fun. They stopped at Honeydukes to stock up on sweets, laughing as Theo stuffed his pockets with Fizzing Whizzbees. Blaise made a point of getting Ariana's favorite chocolate, claiming she had "good taste." Pansy kept teasing Daphne about a cute Ravenclaw boy who'd smiled at her, while Daphne blushed furiously, swatting at her.

But the entire time, Draco stayed near Ariana, his presence always just a little too close, his gaze lingering a little too long.

At one point, as they strolled past the Shrieking Shack, Draco bumped her shoulder lightly, giving her a small smirk.

"Don't let Andrew ruin your Hogsmeade day," he said, his voice low so only she could hear. "He's not worth it."

Ariana raised an eyebrow, trying to keep her voice casual despite the fluttering in her chest. "And you care about my day being ruined because...?"

Draco's smirk softened into something more genuine. "Because I do."

Ariana blinked, caught off guard by the honesty in his answer. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but before she could, Theo called out, waving them over to look at some enchanted trinkets in a shop window.

As the group gathered around, Ariana felt Draco's hand brush against hers for just a second—so brief she could've imagined it. But the warmth that lingered on her skin was real enough.

And for the rest of the day, she couldn't stop thinking about it.