Letters I Can't Send

32

Y/n's POV

We walk silently through the hallway, down the familiar corridors to the Room of Requirement. We don't say anything. I'm thankful.

I watch the Room of Requirement reveal itself from the wall. It never fails to amaze me. Inside the all too familiar room, I set the bag I had been carrying down on a little table, examining the room. It looks just as it did before for us, a dim room with now windows, only candles to light up the space, a long, deep red rug in the center of the room, faded, like its been walked upon far too much. A table with hard chairs, some books on their shelves on the walls. The space is just about the most comforting place I've been in for weeks. I take a moment to close my eyes and remember the feeling of safety.

Draco clears his throat and I come back to reality. Right. Tutoring.

I turn toward him, hands clasped behind me.

He takes a step toward me and I step back.

He takes the hint.

"So, I have a list of charms that will be on the test, you must know these by tomorrow to get a passing grade," I say, gesturing to a slip of paper I put on the small wooden table beside us.

He follows my gesture and picks up the list, eyes glazing down the letters I wrote. "This is all?"

"Were you expecting more?" I spit. He sets the paper back on the table and stares at me. I stare back at him, gaze hard. 

"Let's get this over with," he brushes past me to the middle of the room and pulls out his wand. I sigh to myself. As long as we're cold, as long as we're bitter with each other, I have nothing to worry about.

Whatever pleasant moments we had before—like kissing on the train, or in some room, even when his snobby girlfriend could find out. Like him caring about me, our bickering, me letting my guard down for him—is gone. Now, he's just Draco Malfoy, the boy who is just the same insufferable little brat I have to tutor, nothing more.

"Okay, let's start with the locking charm—colloportus," I take my wand from my back pocket twirl it to fit my grip. I turn my head to notice a box, a few feet away on the floor. I step toward it and kneel in front of it. The Room of Requirement really is amazing. I stand on shaky legs to face Draco.

"I'm going to try on a box?" he asks, sneering at the small box behind me at my feet.

"You're going to lock the box," I state simply. "Watch," I spin around and point my wand to the box, saying in a hushed tone, "Colloportus," and the box makes a click sound. I kneel in front of the box again, the hatch is secured in the latch. I smile a little.

I turn around to see him watching me—like I told him to do. I wish I hadn't told him to do that. "You're turn," I say, stepping aside to let him have a go.

He aims his wand at the box, jaw set in concentration.

After a moment when he doesn't say anything, I peer at him. "You have to actually say the incantation for it to work," I say cooly.

I see him roll his eyes. "Yes, I know that, Ellis. I'm thinking," he keeps his gaze focused on the small box a few feet from him.

I scoff. "You've been thinking for quite some time," my arms cross over my chest as I watch him, amused.

He scoffs as well and whips his arm down to face me with a scowl. "Would you be quiet and let me lock the damn box?" he says angrily.

I put my arms up in defense. "You're the one taking forever, Malfoy," I smirk, then come to my senses. I immediately stop smiling and look away.