The Hufflepuff (Draco Malfoy)

17

"So you mean to tell me he hasn't brought it up? Not once?" Hannah asked.

"Nope. Not once. He's been out of the hospital wing for a week now and it's like he didn't even tell me he liked me."

"Maybe the medicine got to him and he didn't actually mean to tell you," Hannah suggested.

Sophie didn't admit it, but she was disappointed in her best friend. It's been three weeks since the incident and Ernie was cleared from the hospital wing after a few days of recovery. A week after he was healed, Sophie broke up with him. She said she couldn't be with someone who couldn't trust her and that they were too young for something so serious anyway. It wasn't messy and their friend group remained intact; but, she couldn't really look at him the same after seeing Draco laying the way he was the day after the incident.

She had visited the blonde boy everyday between class and quidditch practice. The flowers and gifts had piled up next to his bed and Sophie liked to smell them while he slept. A majority were roses; classy white and red. But, one bouquet stuck out to her, and not just because it was her name written on the little card. The bouquet stuck out because it was different from the rest. It had big orange lilies and red Gerber daisies. There were a few purple and yellow flowers dispersed throughout as well. One day, Draco asked her to read the cards aloud to him and heat rose to her cheeks at the thought of reading her own note. Her note was personal. And while Draco knew her better than anyone and he was the intended reader, she would rather pass out on the floor next to him than read what she had written. So, when she had finished all the "get well soon"s and "thinking of you" notes, she was sure to make a point that those were all the notes.

"Wait, Soph, I think you missed one." He pointed out. "Who's the big, bright one from?"

"What big, bright one?" She knew exactly what he was referring to though.

"Look, the one in the back. It sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the rest. You're not blind, Soph."

"Ohhh, that one." Sophie smiled, but on the inside, she was panicking. She frantically scanned the table of flowers for an answer. Suddenly, it came to her. She slyly tucked the little card behind some of the greenery, away from Draco's view. "It doesn't look like there's a card with it." She faked a frown. "It's a pity. The bouquet is quite pretty." She turned to Draco who had a crease between his brow.

"What kind of imbecile wouldn't put a note with their bouquet?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's from a secret admirer," Sophie offered. She even waggled her eyebrows a bit for effect.

"Well, I can't say I'm shocked." He smirked up at her, a gleam in his still-swollen eye. "I mean, I am the most sought-after bachelor in Hogwarts." The smirk never left his face as Sophie scoffed.

"Please, Draco. You're not a bachelor, you're a child."

"But that doesn't mean I'm not sought-after. The girls in the hallways drool over the great Draco Malfoy. Richest, most handsome lad here, among First Years and Seventh Years alike."

Sophie had to laugh at her friend's arrogance. The funny thing was, he wasn't wrong. Girls did pine after him, no matter how arrogant or whiny he may come off as. If Sophie didn't know him in such a personal manner, she would be completely turned off by the boy who constantly threatens his father on anyone who even mildly inconveniences him. Before Sophie could make a remark, Draco continued.

"And have your parents not given you the talk yet?" Sophie blushed.

"Um, that's a little personal and I don't know what it has to do with this conversation, but yes." Draco's eyes widened and he broke into a fit of laughter.