In My Dreams [Draco Malfoy]

chapter five: beauxbatons and durmstrang

INDIGO

Over the next several days, it became painstakingly clear that the back-to-school blues had hit Hogwarts School with full force. Like a hurricane that wreaks more and more havoc the longer it stays, I watched their morale plummet and energy drain, as if it had never been there in the first place.

By Thursday morning, however, while Gryffindor and Slytherin House drudged through the week, both Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff House had revived themselves completely. In place of the fatigue and post-summer mourning came excitement, eagerness, and relief. The weekend was almost here, and with it would come the Start of Term party between the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs.

After three days of getting up early for lessons, talking about weed became Stephen's favorite way of pep-talking himself.

"I may not understand all this rising and moon sign shit," he began, "but, sometime tomorrow night, I'll be high as a kite and that is something to look forward to. Right?"

He was sprawled out on the carpet before the common room fireplace, while Aria and I sat on the couch, looking at our friend with worried expressions.

"I want to say yes," Aria began, "but you sound like you're trying to convince yourself."

"I have to keep my willpower up somehow, don't I?"

"And it's gotten so bad, the only way you can do it is by thinking about weed?" I asked.

"Can you blame him?"

I turned my head. Su Li was making her way down the last couple of steps from the Girls' Dormitory. Her hair was pulled half-up-half-down today, and it was cold and damp in the tower, so she had donned a Ravenclaw crested cardigan identical to my own.

"I already have a calendar counting down to Winter Break," she said.

"Don't even make me think about Winter Break, that's so far away!" Stephen cried, covering his face with his hands dramatically.

"It'll be okay, guys," I said, "just two more days until the weekend. We have the party tomorrow night, and, when Saturday comes around, you'll be allowed to sleep to your heart's content."

"You should get up now though," said Aria. "You'll fall asleep if you lay back down, and we have Charms."

Stephen sighed then sat up. "If I must."

We were on our way down the spiraling tower stairs when I turned to Aria.

"When are the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students supposed to arrive again?" I asked.

"According to McGonagall," she began, "sometime during the end of October."

"Oh, so we still have quite a bit of time," said Su Li.

Aria nodded. "Yes, we do. Enough time to get our grades to an enviable high, anyway, and make sure they regret looking down on us."

I smiled. It was no secret that Hogwarts was often held far below the other European schools. But Aria, in her stubborn way, was determined to prove them wrong.

"Says you," said Stephen. "The only class you ever get anything less than an E in is Potions, and that's because Snape is a git."

Aria glared. "So? That doesn't mean we can't all do our best!"

"Alright, then what do you plan to do?" asked Stephen. "You're aiming for all O's, so how are you going to convince Snape into coughing it up?"

Aria said nothing but continued glaring.

"Don't worry, Aria," I said, looping my arm with hers. "You'll figure something out."

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