Battle Scars {Draco Malfoy}

Chapter Thirty Two

Clara pulled out her cap, and then her coat as she stood in the girls' dorm where Abby was hanging off her bed, watching her.

"So...is this a date with Draco?" Abby grinned from the bed her hair spilling over the bottom of it.

Clara fumbled with one of the buttons of her peacoat, suddenly, before looking at her.

"Wh-what did you say?" she turned to her completely.

Abby's smile grew bigger. "I was asking if this was a date with Draco that you're going on?"

"N-no." Clara said shaking her head profusely. "We're just going to Hogsmeade to go do some Christmas shopping."

"But you guys are going to be alone, and it's only going to you two there...that sounds like a date, Clara."

"Abby, you and I hang out alone all the time but that doesn't mean we're dating..now doesn't?"

"No, but I'm not a cute boy who's interested in you." Abby pointed out. "There's a big difference right there."

Clara didn't say anything, but Abby could see the girl's cheeks become redder and redder, as she struggled to button up her coat.

"You're looking mighty flustered, Clara." the younger girl laughed.

"Alright, that's it, I'm leaving." Clara said throwing her hands up in defeat and going to leave out of the dorms when Abby called out after her.

"Have fun! Oh, and try not to snog his face off completely! It's only your first date!"

Draco waited patiently for Clara to arrive near the Entrance Hall. He tucked his hands into the pockets of his coat, as the area before the doors was quite drafty and cold. He glanced around wondering what was taking Clara so long as she was normally so punctual with her timing. He heard muttering down the corridor and saw the girl walking in his direction, however, she wasn't looking up as her eyes were focused on the button of her coat that she just couldn't seem to get.

He walked over in her direction and watched her with an amused look until she realized someone was watching her. As she looked up, she jumped slightly before pressing her hand over her chest.

"Merlin, you scared the hell out of me." she said.

"Sorry, but you were also pretty occupied by that button there." he said pointing to the unbuttoned part of her coat.

"Right...well my hands don't want to cooperate properly this morning it seems." she dropped her hands to her sides.

"I'll help you." he said.

She stood completely still as he neared her to help her button up her coat fully. She swallowed hard at how close he was standing to her. 

"Are you really that cold?" Draco suddenly asked her.

"What do you mean?" she said looking at him.

"Clara, you're shaking."

So, apparently she wasn't standing as still as she thought she was.

"O-oh, sorry."  she wanted to kick herself up and down the corridor for being so silly around him. She had let Abby's words get to her back in the dorms. "I don't handle the cold very well."

"Are you sure you want to go to Hogsmeade, I mean, it's colder out there than it is in here by far."

"I'll be fine." she reassured him. " Besides we'll be walking around so I'll warm up. Come on."

The two made it to the village, and Clara found herself warming up as she thought she would. But she was still nervous walking beside Draco and it was becoming obvious. Draco stole glances at her, wondering why she was so quiet during their trip. He wondered if she was remembering their last trip in Hogsmeade that had ended on such a horrible note, perhaps she was afraid it would happen again.

"Um..." He was also horrible at conversation. Back during his first few years in school, it was easy bringing up conversation. The topics normally involved choosing a student of the school and making fun of them until they ran out of things to say.

He cursed himself for ever doing those things in the first place. Because it wasn't just like he had said those things in private with his friends. Him and his friends had said it in the faces of those poor students without a care in the world. Never caring about how those words had hurt those people. He peered over at Clara who was looking forward. He caught sight of her hand nervously running over the outer edge of the pocket of her coat.

He was afraid to say anything in case he said the wrong thing but the longer they walked in silence, the awkwardness increased.

"Professor Lupin's daughter is getting married this month." Clara suddenly blurted out.

He turned to her with a confused look.

"Sorry," she said, " I wasn't sure what to talk about and some people in the Hufflepuff household were talking about it earlier today in the common room."

"Oh that's okay...did you know her while she was in Hufflepuff?"

"Not really." Clara admitted." She was older and she seemed to just hang around her friends mostly. But she did greet me a couple of times...she always seemed really nice. She's very much like Lupin in those respects...but I guess that would be obvious..she is his daughter after all. A lot of people take after their parents-"

Clara watched his expression dropped before she bit her lower lip for a second. "But not everyone is like their parents...some people turn out to be just unique and become their own person entirely-"

"You don't have to change what you said to make me feel better, Clara. I know what you meant and it's true. A lot of people do take after their parents. Even if they don't like it all that much."

"But people can change. They don't have to be like their parents if they don't want to be." Clara told him softly. "At least that's what I believe. Everyone is entitled to their opinion of course."

She continued to ramble making Draco chuckle quietly to himself, but she caught his smile.

"Wait a second, what's so funny? I'm talking too much again, aren't I? Sorry I-"

"You really need to stop apologizing." Draco said. "You don't have anything ot be sorry about ever, yet you're the only person at this school who is constantly apologizing."

"I really want to say sorry again..." she said looking at him.

"Don't be sorry." Draco said taking her hand in his, shocking the both of them. "J-just be you."