Ivy || Draco Malfoy

7

Pansy's giggles and Theodore's whispers in her ear were getting on my nerves. The weather had turned cold and winter holiday was fast-approaching. I had nowhere to go this Christmas but Pansy practically begged me to join her. Her birthday was soon, and I could tell that she was getting anxious. I didn't want to leave her alone in what she describes to be the coldest castle in Britain even during the summer for two whole weeks. Besides, it sounded better than staying here alone.

Another giggle slipped from my best friend's mouth causing me to slam my textbook shut. The noise caused my friends all to look up from their own work. Draco, next to me, closed his own book quietly giving me his full attention.

"What's wrong with you?" Goyle asked.

"I thought this was supposed to be a homework session," I said my eyes narrowing in on Pansy and Theo half-teasing, half-serious.

"Sorry," Pansy giggled as Theo went for her sides to tickle her. I had to try hard not to roll my eyes at them. It wasn't like I wasn't happy that my friends were laughing and having a good time. I want that for them. I just really needed to get this homework done. I was behind and it was starting to show in my schoolwork. I was never behind. I was always top of the class right next to Granger and Malfoy, but Draco and I had slipped down a very slippery slope, all the way to the bottom. I was spending too many nights cooped up next to a vanishing cabinet. Many of my teachers had pulled me aside after class to ask if there was anything I wanted to talk about. I didn't have an answer for them as to why my work was subpar. So it was silent awkwardness as they tell me they know I can do better and to talk to them if there is anything.

"What is going on with you two," Blaise asked with a grumble. I could see that jealousy was starting to get to him. He was realizing that Pansy was not one to wait for anyone and he had lost his chance with her.

"What do you mean?" Theo snuggled his chin on her shoulder to look over to Blaise. The way that she sat on his lap with his arms holding her tight to his chest had all of us questioning. I knew that Pansy was starting to really fall for Theo, but I wasn't going to be the one to spill the beans. It was also not her proudest moment. She was planning a wedding with an apparently horrid person that I would be meeting over Christmas break. It would be devastating for her to be found out. If her parents knew of her late-night soirée with Theo, I didn't even want to imagine what would happen to her.

"They're dating," Draco rolled his eyes, his words almost mirroring what our friends were saying about us only a few weeks prior.

"No, we aren't." Pansy got flustered defending herself. "I'm getting married," she added her voice hallow yet still defensive.

"Whatever you say," Crabbe spoke up rolling up his essay. Clearly our study session was over. I still had a lot of homework left which left me depressed.

"We're just friends, serious." Theo's hands went up in surrender.

"Sure, friends that have been shagging in our dormitories," Draco said with a smirk. He was instigating something, and he knew it. I had already known about Theo and Pansy's antics. I was sure we all knew but just didn't say anything.

"Hey!" Pansy threw a couch pillow at Draco which caught him in the shoulder barely missing my head.

"Leave them alone," I nudged Draco with a smile.

"Are you guys going to Hogsmeade?" Blaise said suddenly looking up from his watch trying to end the conversation about our friends' extracurricular activities.

"Yeah," a few of us all spoke in out of key unison.

"We need to get going before we miss the carriages," he said standing up with a stretch. We all followed suit. As my friends headed back to their rooms to put away their work and collect their bags, Draco pulled me to the side.