[1] Gasoline ✗ Draco Malfoy

nine

Chapter Nine;

The chatter and laughter of students seemed to fuel an electricity that hung in the air as people hurried to the Hogwarts Express, eager to go home for the holidays, see their families, and have a break from studying. Seohyun found herself caught in the atmosphere: she felt intoxicated by it, for wherever she went there was someone telling their friend what they were doing for Christmas, and celebrating the chance to not do homework every day.

Breakfast was a rowdy affair, especially on behalf of the younger years, who were talking at the tops of their voices. Seohyun was glad to be seated with Luna that day; her friend's gentle voice was the perfect counterbalance to the restless youths on the other end of the table.

Seohyun excused herself early from breakfast; the train was due to depart soon, and she still had a fair bit of packing to do. With a sigh she pushed herself up from the table and began to trek toward Ravenclaw tower.

She didn't notice Draco Malfoy stand at the same time she did; she hadn't even realised that while she'd been eating and talking about the probability of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack existing with Luna, he had been staring at her the entire time.

He caught up to her soon after they left the Great Hall behind them. Seohyun gasped at the sudden hold around her wrist, and was even more surprised to see that it was Draco who held her.

"Draco," she stammered, but he shook his head and pulled her toward an empty closet. His grip, however remained gentle, and he wasn't exactly dragging her – more like showing her the way. Seohyun could have wrenched her arm free in an instant though she had a suspicion of what had brought this on, and wanted to be able to speak to him about it.

The closet was mostly empty, apart from a few brooms stacked against the corner. There was plenty of room for the both of them to stand comfortably. Seohyun stood against a wall as Draco closed the door behind them, leaving it slightly ajar so a stream of light could illuminate the cramped space.

As Draco moved toward her Seohyun breathed, "Draco, I -"

He cut over her at once.

"Yesterday, what you saw..." He spoke in an urgent voice, his words blurring together slightly in his haste to get them out. He ran a hand through his hair. "You can't tell anyone. Ever."

She pulled her hand free from his grasp, moving it instead to lay it upon his shoulder. "I wasn't going to," she said softly. "Trust me, Draco, I would never tell anyone your secrets."

He stepped closer. "Swear it."

In the dim light, Seohyun could make out just how anxious his was, how his eyes were unable to focus.

"I swear," she murmured. "I promise, Draco, this is between you and me. But what -"

He pushed himself back, resting a hand on the doorknob. "It doesn't matter."

"It does."

Seohyun stepped in front of him, blocking his complete access to the door.

"Please tell me how I can help, Draco, or how someone else can help, please -"

Draco hesitated and opened his mouth. Seohyun sent him an encouraging smile. Her heart hammered fiercely in her chest – please open up, Draco, please, just let me know what's troubling you, let me know how I can get you the help you so obviously need.

He moved his eyes down to gaze at her face, surprising sadness and regret in his expression. "No one can help me, Seohyun."

And with that, he moved her to the side and vanished, stalking down to stairs toward the Slytherin common room. Seohyun watched him go, her stomach twisting in uncomfortable knots.

"I'd think you'd be surprised how wrong you are," she whispered, her voice lost to empty air.

+++

There was nothing like home – which, really, was South Korea, but her house in England was a close second.

Her parents smothered her in hugs before they led her into the kitchen, where a Korean feast was awaiting her. Seohyun's mouth watered at the genuine Korean food. She had missed her favourite foods while at Hogwarts and dug into the meals at once, savouring in the tastes of home.

Though she missed her friends, there were some things only her home could offer her. Seohyun snuggled under blankets with her mother during the day, playing Korean dramas and movies on their television while her father was at work. When he returned, Seohyun would help cook dinner and play card or board games afterward. Korean music continued to play from the radio, and it was nice to slip back into speaking her first language, and not struggle to think of how to phrase things in English.

When she wasn't with her parents, Seohyun was in the art room designed specifically for her. All her paints and chalks and inks and pens littered every surface of this room, with proper canvases and easels. Every day, Seohyun would manage to get paint all over her hands and clothes and have charcoal smeared over her cheeks, her fingers – she was messy each day, and she loved it.

She drew freehand, copying from memory Slughorn's party, the faces of her friends, or she grabbed photos of her home country and replicated them on paper.

She also found herself drawing Draco Malfoy's face a lot.

Whether it was because she couldn't get his face out of her head; red-eyed, or at the Christmas party, or when he cornered her before she clambered on the Hogwarts Express – she couldn't stop thinking about the blonde boy, the way he appeared to be sicker by the day, how he'd even missed a Quidditch match for some unknown reason.

Seohyun sighed as she finished her latest sketch of the blonde. His eyes remained downcast, and he had attempted a smirk though, in the drawing, it came across as half-hearted and forced. Seohyun thought she recalled him wearing that expression once and subconsciously transferred it on to paper.

She sighed, her fingers hovering over the pencil sketches.

No matter what Draco might say, he was not okay – and no matter what her friends said, he was no monster.

He'd told her not to bother. But Seohyun thought otherwise. 

Draco Malfoy was someone who needed help – and if he couldn't get it from anyone else, she'd make sure she'd at least try and give it to him, whether he accepted it or not.