Entranced (Draco Malfoy)

•eighteen•

Harry Potter watches Pansy Parkinson smile at Dove Taylor before leaving her compartment. Before the door can slide shut completely, he's unable to help himself in sliding into the compartment, eyeing the slot where Dove and Draco Malfoy's luggage is. 

"What in the--" Dove starts, looking up at the Slytherin with clear shock in her eyes.

Harry freezes, thinking he's been caught. His heart begins to race as his mind fumbles for an excuse. He puts his hand on his Invisibility Cloak, ready to rip it off.

"She was nice," Draco interrupts her before she can finish. Harry almost sighs in relief but manages to catch himself. "To you. She, a Slytherin, was nice to you, a Hufflepuff, and my girlfriend." 

Harry frowns. Why does he always have to call the girl his girlfriend? It may be true but... He stops his thinking, knowing it's unfair. 

"Something's not right," Dove mutters, putting her hand on her boyfriend's cheek. "I think we're in more trouble than we realize."

Harry sits on the seat in front of them, hoping no one else comes into their compartment. What does she mean by that? Why would they be in trouble in the first place? Is his friend not telling him something? She wouldn't keep something from him... would she? 

Draco sighs, resuming stroking Dove's hair, "I know. I'm sorry, Dove, I truly am."

"I've already told you not to apologize," she scolds softly. "We're going to be okay. But we have to be honest here. Pansy and Blaise's behavior was weird. Could we have been slightly sexist in assuming the task-holder was a man?" 

"I honestly didn't know Pansy was capable of kindness," he mutters, causing her to giggle childishly. "But just from that, it's definitely a possibility. They were both acting weird." 

The train jostles a little bit, Harry's hand smacking the seat. Dove jumps, her head hitting Draco's painfully.

"Ouch," she groans. "Sorry, love, that startled me."

"Clearly," he says dryly. "Get up a moment. I don't think we're alone." 

She stops, her eyes narrowing at the empty space in front of her, "Harry, do not tell me you're using a rude object to spy on us." 

Guiltily, Harry pulls the Invisibility Cloak off of him, "Sorry," he mutters. "I had to make sure you weren't--"

"Are you assuming we're conspiring with the Dark Lord?" She gasps. "Harry, he killed my best friend!"

Both Harry and Draco's gazes drop, remembering the kind Hufflepuff that had been Cedric Diggory. Harry can still remember how worried Cedric had been during the Second Task when he couldn't find Dove anywhere. They'd had such a strong bond. 

"I'm sorry," he repeats. "I don't know who to trust, and it definitely seems like you're keeping secrets."

"Harry, truly, this isn't your business," she says as kindly as she can. "This is seriously just a me and Draco thing." She turns to look at her boyfriend and then back to Harry, "Look, maybe we can tell you in a few weeks, but right now, we can't."

"When did you become a 'we?'" Harry asks slightly rudely.

"Back off, Potter," Draco says, almost a sneer. The tolerance they'd held over the summer was fading -- and quickly. "She said she can't tell you. We were a 'we' far longer than you've been in the picture. Now if you'd excuse us, we were having a discussion before we realized you'd been spying on us." 

Harry feels his face warm, and he's quick to mutter another apology before almost running out of the compartment. He should have known it was a bad idea to spy on Dove. He needs to get over her. He just isn't sure how. 

"Oh, hello, Harry," Ginny Weasley says, suddenly right in front of him. "Have you seen Luna or Neville?" 

Harry is slightly taken aback. She looks... good. Really good. He blinks a few times, his face heating up again.

"Uh, yeah, I was just sitting with them before the Slug Club," he stutters. "Do you want me to take you there?"

"Sure," Ginny agrees.

Meanwhile, in Dove and Draco's compartment, a steamy interaction is going on. Only a knock on their compartment door stops them. Dove jumps up again, embarrassment clear on her face as she stands and opens the door.

"Hannah!" Dove squeals, throwing her arms around her friend. "Oh, how I've missed you, my sunshine!"

"Look at you," Hannah says in clear surprise. "You've changed! I love it!"

"Where's Megs and Susan?" 

"With Ernie and Justin," she responds hurriedly. "I wanted to come see you. Hello, Draco."

"Hi, Hannah," he says, with a hint of warmth. "Why don't you come in?" 

"Thanks," she smiles, sitting across from the couple. "How were your summers?"

"Amazing!" Dove says excitedly. "We obviously were with each other every day, but it was awesome. I wish you could have come to our dock party." 

"Me too," Hannah says, slightly upset. "I can't believe no one else could come either." 

"Well, Megan and Susan were both on vacation, Justin was grounded for being caught snogging a muggle girl, and Ernie was practically on house arrest because of You-Know-Who's appearances," she says primly.

"Bloody hell," Draco sniggers, "How do you remember that? It was well over a month ago."

"This brain absorbs information at the speed of a spell," she utters cockily. 

The three share a laugh before talking about things that some would consider unimportant, but for the first time since Diagon Alley, Dove feels as if everything might be okay. 

But then again... something is lurking in the dark, and it wants to hurt her and Draco.