when a fire starts to burn | draco malfoy

CHAPTER 13

The morning after the incident I had woken up determined to not let anyone know what had happened. That meant plastering on a brave face and pretending that everything was fine. I thought if I were able to fool my friends and make them believe that everything was fine, I would be able to convince myself of it too. After all, I had made a pact with myself that I wouldn't let myself be seen as weak. I didn't want to see myself as weak.

So I roll out of bed and down to the dining hall with Hermione, Harry and Ron, as if it were your average Friday morning. I deliberately sit with my back to the Slytherin table. I didn't want to let any accidental eye contact with two certain people ruin my mood.

I'm able to successfully evade any close encounters with Pansy and Draco in my morning classes, but unfortunately, I'm not so lucky in Astronomy. Since Sinistra had seated Draco directly next to me, I had debated skipping. But after reminding myself of my new pact, I decided to set my fears aside and attend.

Step one of not being seen as weak is not evading your enemies.

"Are you looking forward to the Yule Ball?" I ask Neville as we make our way to class together. Making conversation with him would help distract me from the nerves erupting in my stomach the closer we got to the classroom.

Neville grins sheepishly. "I would be more excited if I could muster up the courage to ask someone."

I frown at the boy. Everyone was quick to write off Neville, which I thought was a shame. Not many people ever looked deeper than the awkwardness and missed the polite, well intentioned boy.

"Is there someone you have in mind?" I ask.

He shrugs. "Well, I was considering asking Ginny Weasley. But I'm not sure how Ron would feel about that, seeing she's his little sister and all..."

"I think that's a wonderful idea!" I exclaim, giving the boy a smile. "And don't worry about Ron. I'm sure out of anyone that could ask Ginny, you'd be one of his top choices."

Neville's face lights up and he blushes as we finally make it to the Astronomy classroom. "Perhaps I will. Tonight."

I give Neville one last reassuring smile before we walk to our separate seats. Draco isn't here yet, so I quickly make my way to the front, pull out my Astronomy book, and begin flipping through the pages. I try to distract myself by looking at the pictures, but everytime I go to turn the page, I catch a glimpse of my shaking hands.

I sigh, frustrated with myself about how nervous I am. It's not like anything is going to happen. Draco is likely to completely ignore me, like usual. I take a deep breath and try to level my breathing. I would hate for Draco to see that I'm so worked up.

My eyes shoot open when I hear the scrapping of the seat next to me from being pulled out from under the desk. My few minutes of solitude are now gone.

I try my hardest not to look at the boy next to me, but I catch a glimpse of him as he begins to pull his textbook out of his bag. He looks the same as always - polished, unbothered, and arrogant.

I wonder if he has any idea the anxiety and anger that are consuming me. As soon as he had sat down, I had felt the same anger I had felt last night in the hallway, bubbling in my stomach. I didn't realize that his sheer proximity to me would reignite those feelings.

Pieces of the conversation come flooding back -

Easy to push around.

Don't fight back.

Pathetic.

I shake the thoughts from my mind and Professor Sinistra finally begins her lecture. I try my hardest to pay attention to what she's saying but I can't keep my mind from wandering to last night.