Bad Blood | Draco Malfoy

s e v e n

During dinner that day, Malfoy glances over at me every few seconds.  Why, I don't know, but Tracey and Blaise seem to notice too.  "He's been staring at you for at least two minutes," Tracey whispers.

          "He's been talking about you too," Blaise adds on, sipping his pumpkin juice.  "I was with him in the common room and he kept going on about how 'weird' your Boggart was."

         My mind goes back to a few hours earlier when Draco seemed to have shown a little sympathy for me.  Something I would have never expected.

         "What was your Boggart, anyways?"  Tracey asks.

          "Trace," Blaise nudges her.  He gives her a look and she hangs her head.

          "It's okay," I say quickly.  "But I'd rather not say."  My eyes drift back to where Malfoy sits.  It takes me a second to spot him because he's still looking at me.  What do I do?  Smile?  No, there's no point.  I furrow my brow at him, the corners of my lips downturning.  He shoots me a disgusted look and then turns back to his friends.

          I knew it wasn't going to last long.

          On October 31 our first trip to the school's local village, Hogsmeade, takes place.  I've heard from Tracey and Blaise that it's pretty good.  I'm sitting in the common room with a book on my lap when the pair flop on either side of me, grinning goofily.  It takes me a few seconds to acknowledge the pair sitting beside me, and when I do I smile back.  "What do you guys want?"  I ask.

          "Aren't you coming to Hogsmeade?"  Tracey asks.  "We're all going as a group."  Tracey nods to a pack of Slytherin's by the common room door.  One of them is looking at us carefully - well, me mostly.  I add up everything about him (the haughty looks, blonde hair and grey eyes) and recognise him as Malfoy.  I rip my eyes away from him and then respond to Tracey.

          "No thanks, I'll be alright back here."

          "But this is our first Hogsmeade trip," Blaise says.  "Come on Mira, it'll help you settle in."

          "I'm already feeling 'settled in'," I say, which is kind of true as I'm getting used to the school - maybe not the faces, but the directions of classes.  I just don't want to go, especially not with Malfoy.

          "Please, Mira!"  He begs.  "It'll be fun, I promise."

          "Leave her," a cold voice snaps.  Definitely Malfoy.  "She's a bore anyways."  I turn my head and glare at him.

          "Draco!"  Tracey hisses.

          "What?"  He says like he's claiming innocent.  "If she isn't going to come with us, clearly she's too boring for our own good."

          "And clearly, you're too stuck up your own arse to know that I'd rather make out with the squid in the Black Lake than go to Hogsmeade with you, Malfoy."

          "Damn," I hear Blaise murmur.

          "Look," I glance between Tracey and Blaise, "if you want me to come just bring me back some Pink Coconut Ice and I'll consider the next trip."

          They sigh, nod and wave goodbye before following after Malfoy and his group. Malfoy looks back at me before he walks out of the common room, a small smirk etched onto his thin face. "What are you looking at?" I snap.

He doesn't say anything. His smirk grows wider and he walks into the small corridor leading out of the common room. I roll my eyes and plant them back on my book, eating up the story.