Snakes With Money (Draco Malfoy x Reader)

Chapter 3

Year One

It had been a week since that frightful night. That slippery snake, Malfoy, had successfully given you a nickname for the entire school to go by.

"Piss Pants Puff" was your declared name. Your house, Hufflepuff, and most of Gryffindor didn't use it because it was so wrong, but when people were frustrated they carelessly threw around the saying. You spent almost every night since crying, and your friends Hannah and Suzie stayed up to try to comfort you. You had grown very close to the two, as they were very loyal in nature. After all, they were Hufflepuffs.

But you were honestly struck by "Piss Pants Puff".

"Seriously?" You made a face at Hannah after hearing the name used for the fifth time that day, "They couldn't have picked something better. ANYTHING better? Malfoy had the entire first night to come up with something clever and all he could think of was 'Piss Pants Puff'?!"

Hannah chuckled, "Obviously he couldn't implore the help of the Ravenclaws."

She was referring to the third day of the Hogwarts year. After Malfoy was turned down by Harry, he went in search of another powerful pawn and landed the clasp of Terry Boot. Terry Boot had some pure-blood lineage, but that didn't mean he liked Malfoy more than anyone else. Boot shut Malfoy down before he could even put his hand out. It was comical.

Anyway, you were currently on your way up to the owlery to get your owl settled in. You had kept him in your room for the entire first week, much to your roomates' dismay. It wasn't that he was bad, he was just watchful.

You didn't know what to name him, yet, since you had only gotten him the day you left for Hogwarts. You smiled at the memory of meeting him.

He was isolated in a cage that dangled high up from the ceiling at the pet store, and when you looked into his eyes you just knew it was meant to be. He cocked his head to the side and then to the other side and you suppressed a giggle at his cuteness.

"You don't want that one, there, darling," The pet store lady scolded from behind your shoulder.

You jumped, you never heard her approach you. But when you processed what she said a crease formed in your brow, "Well, why not?"

"Because he's a nasty one. Always biting the kids," The woman shook her head in dismay up at the majestic looking barn owl.

Your father came up to you with his bright smile, then. "Did you find something you like, (y/n)?"

You couldn't explain it, but something was drawing you towards the owl. You decided that the owl was mean to the other children before you because they were rude and obnoxious to him. "Him," You jutted your chin up to the barn owl, "I really like him."

"Well alright then," Your father put an arm around your shoulders and steered the two of you towards the counter to pay for the owl.

A cold wind snapped you back to the present, though, and you hurriedly scuttled up the stairs towards the owlery.

"I didn't think early fall could ever be this cold," You shivered while talking to the bird. It's almost as if he was agreeing when he cooed back.

Once towards the top of the tower, you let him out of his cage, knowing he would fly close to you. The Tyto bird swooped elegantly from the cage and curved from the sky to come back towards you. You smiled warmly up at him and walked towards the entrance of the owlery.

Before you could enter, though, a certain snake-symboled robe wearer knocked into you, causing you to plop down right on your butt and almost go tumbling down the stairs you had worked so hard to climb up.

"Right where you belong, you filthy mud-blood," Spat an annoyingly smug voice.

Anger ripped apart your confused expression. It had only been a week of life at Hogwarts and you already wanted to end it. That foul Draco Malfoy was to blame. Always flaunting his family's lineage like he was so much better than everyone else.

When he called you a mud-blood the first time it had really cut deep. Derogatory terms like that weren't normally heard in civilized conversation, and anyone bold enough to speak them definitely had some confidence issues. Otherwise, why would they feel the need to prove they're better than others?

But the way he looked at you is what sold it. His eyes, his face, his whole posture just wreaked of disgust and contempt for you. You never even did anything wrong. That stupid boy made your blood boil and your eyes water. Still, you tried to be a better person than him, so you plastered a sickly sweet smile to your face and raised your head.

You shaded your eyes from the sunlight with your hand and peered into the shadow above you, knowing fully well who it was. Draco Malfoy had a smirk on his face and moved his body like he was about to exit the owlery, but something awesome happened that stopped him in his tracks.

A barn owl dove down and tried to take a small chunk of his ear. A part of you felt insanely guilty and you even wanted to help Malfoy. But another, much stronger part of you cheered your owl on as Draco squealed like a little pig.

It felt nice to have him pay for all the terrible things he had done to you within one week.

He flailed his arms frantically and almost tripped down the stairs. He muttered threats like "my father will hear about this" or "you just wait, you stupid Hufflepuff" or "I'll rip that owl right out of the sky one of these days" as he bolted away from you. You stood and cackled for a good two minutes.

"Take that you loathsome albino!" You shouted after him... well, once he was out of range.

With complete glee running through your veins, you turned to your owl. He was perched on the railing next to you, and you stroked his feathers in appreciation.

"You sure are a good judge of character, huh?" You grinned, only to gasp with realization. "That's just it! Judge! Do you like the name Judge?"

The owl just stared unblinkingly at you. Your face fell, "Well I guess not then..."

You let your mind wander in thought until, "Aha! I've got it! You're a tyto owl, so what about Tudge?"

The tyto owl cocked his head to both sides just like he did when you first met him. Your arms went up in victory, "Yesssss!"