Dispassionate (Draco Malfoy)

Chapter 4

April headed to her first lesson, Defence Against The Dark Arts. Teaching the class was a jittery man who trembled and stuttered on his words, Professor Quirrell. As April entered the room, she instantly noted that students weren't paying attention. Sitting at a dark oak desk by herself, she got out her book and quill. She faced Quirrell with eager, mossy eyes.

"T-today, class, we will be learning a-about the W-Wand-Lighting Charm, also k-known as Lumos," he spluttered out as all of the pupils took their seats. No one was listening apart from April and Hermione Granger, who was sat a few desks away from April with an equally as irritated and prepared gaze.

"Class!" Quirrell snapped. Many turned to face him; some even dared to laugh. April watched as a chuckle escaped the blonde boy's lips. He was sitting on top of his desk, his chair thrown aside. She'd been watching him since she'd first seen him but unfortunately had not encountered a situation where she could introduce herself.

"Mr Malfoy, do you have s-something to s-s-say?" Quirrell hissed like a snake. The blonde boy's grey eyes snapped up. April noticed that the colour of his eyes were like dishwater, or a rainy sky. She found herself thinking that it probably reflected how he felt inside. When he laughed, his face lit up, but when he wasn't showing any strong expression, he almost looked sad.

"No, Professor," Malfoy, as April learned, replied calmly. He sat on his chair instead of his desk and looked ahead of him patiently.

"You're giving up like that, Draco?"

The name caught April's attention fast. Instantly, it became clear. The name suited him so well. Draco Malfoy, one of the only people, let alone boy, who had managed to spark interest within April Lockhart's frozen heart.

"All you h-have to do is s-say 'Lumos'. If it is correctly incanted, your w-wands will light at the tip," Quirrell announced, pulling out his own wand and demonstrating. A few of the students followed his steps. This included April. A sly smile caked itself onto Hermione Granger's mouth as she was declared the first witch or wizard to correctly perform the spell but was wiped off when April followed her footsteps seconds later.

"W-well done!" Quirrell chirped, nodding in both Hermione and April's directions, "10 points to Slytherin and Gryffindor!"

The lesson continued on for a short while before ending. On her way out, April's arm was grasped by somebody. She winced in shock.

"Good job."

April was unsure of exactly who had said it but she saw the blonde boy, or Draco as she now knew him, heading in the direction of her next class, Flying. Following him, they eventually reached an outside area. She stood beside him as she lined up with the Slytherins, the Gryffindors opposite them. Draco turned to give April an odd stare and in response, April gave him a smirk that matched the one she often saw him give people.

Moments later, a woman with short hair and acid yellow eyes approached the group and yelled out, "Good morning, class."

The class replied. She began to speak again straight away, "Welcome to your first flying lesson. Well, what are you waiting for? Everyone step up to the left side of their broomstick. Come on now, hurry up. Stick your right hand over the broom and say, 'up'!"

There was a chorus of 'up's and Harry Potter's broom flew right into his hand. April zoned out, focusing on her broom. If there was one thing she wasn't going to do at Hogwarts, it was letting Potter beat her. After all, Dumbledore himself said that April was capable of doing things that would perhaps even be unimaginable to Potter at that stage.

Draco's broom flying up caught April's attention. A smug grin made its way onto his face and April just looked proud as hers flew into her hands seconds later. April was busy focusing on getting on her broom as Madam Hooch, the instructor, had told them to when she heard the commotion. Neville Longbottom had somehow managed to go soaring into the air uncontrollably. Before April knew it, Madam Hooch was rushing to Neville's aid and Draco had engaged in a conversation with several people.

He laughed, "Did you see his face? Maybe if the fat lump had given this a squeeze, he'd have remembered to fall on his fat ass."

April shook her head in disbelief. Draco was tossing a Remembrall up and down in his hand. Potter stepped towards him slightly and said in a voice that was an attempt to be threatening, "Give it here, Malfoy."

Draco smirked, "No. I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find." Draco jumped on his broom and skirted around the group of both Gryffindors and Slytherins and then made them separate so he could pass through. "How about up on the roof?"

Draco turned back after soaring even higher into the air, "What's the matter, Potter? Bit beyond your reach?"

April was focused on Draco not falling off the broom. He was a little shaky, she could tell, but he definitely had a firm grip on the broom. Perhaps he was even a little scared. Harry Potter had jumped on his broom and was shouting at Draco, but April couldn't hear what they were saying. Draco threw the Remembrall into the distance and Potter chased after it. Draco landed back on the ground safely.

The lesson ended soon enough and April still wanted to know if it was Draco who had caught her arm on the way out of Defence Against The Dark Arts. Spotting him leaving the class, she ran up behind him and asked confidently, "Draco Malfoy, may I speak to you?"

He turned, a dark eyebrow raised in an almost snobby way. When he noticed April, his eyebrow fell into a confused expression, "Sure."

She led him aside and Draco eyed her.

"On the way out of Defence Against The Dark Arts, someone grabbed me and told me I did a good job. I saw you walking off. Was it you?" April interrogated him without faltering. Maybe it was thanks to her subdued emotions.

"Me?" Draco retorted, amusement clear in his eyes, "Of course not. Why would I praise you?"

He walked off but April knew there was something more to it than what he'd said.