Complications

Chapter 6

The two weeks since the tree-falling-in-front-of-the-shed-and-trapping-us-in episode have been fairly uneventful. Draco’s shoulder is almost fully healed – the dittany seems to be doing its job properly. We haven’t spoken as openly as we did that day in the shed, but there is a new air of comfort between us, like knowing each other’s secrets has brought us closer. I don’t doubt that it has.

I find myself thinking of Draco often. Wondering how he is, what he’s doing, what he’s thinking about, how he plans to evade the Death Eaters that want him dead. I worry about him more than I do anything else, which is becoming particularly difficult to hide around my parents. They asked almost no questions as to why I was in the shed in the first place; my excuse that I was looking for something to help with a DIY craft project I found online seemed to be enough explanation.

My parents like me to embrace the Muggle world while I am at home, and that means surfing the internet, spending hours in front of the television and listening to music, much like any other Muggle teenager would spend their time. I find myself growing restless, though, discontented with the slow and mundane Muggle way of life. It is in these moments of mindless boredom that I find my mind wandering to Draco. I wish I could spend the rest of the holidays in that shed with him; at least that would put me in the same room with someone who understands my love of magic and the sluggish Muggle pace I can’t stand.

The one element of Muggle life that so seamlessly crosses over to the wizarding world is books. My books seem to be the only things that keep me from going insane. They, unlike the movies and TV shows my parents are so enthralled by, succeed in taking me to entirely different worlds, worlds where even my experiences with magic pale against the experiences of fictional characters. They are so real in my eyes, so 3-dimensional and personal and alive that I find myself crying and laughing and gasping in horror at the things they react to, the things they live through. If anything can make me forget Draco and my worries over him, it would be my books.

So that is what I am doing now, curled up in bed with my absolute favourite book. Written surprisingly vividly for a textbook, A History of Magic fits perfectly in the crook of my arm. I find myself lying down, my eyes so close to the book that the words are almost blurred, my nose inches from the pages. There is nothing like the comfort of reading an old book in the dwindling hours of the day as time speeds past. I am so immersed that it takes my window catching on fire to bring me from the book.

I look up in horror as the window is literally engulfed in flames. I fling the book to the floor, throw off the covers and spring out of bed, reaching for my wand but not really knowing what to do with it. In my panic and shock, every single useful spell has promptly vanished from my mind.

Then the fire is gone, and so is my flyscreen, leaving just the glass in place. I can see the charred remains of the screen still attached to the window frame, and beyond that, I can see Draco. He stands with his arms folded, hopping from one foot to the other in an effort to ward off the chilling autumn air. I notice his wand in his hand, and the sudden fire makes perfect sense. I glance down the hall to be sure my parents haven’t been alerted to their daughter’s window magically catching on fire. The coast is clear, so I climb onto the bed and slide the window open. The freezing air hits me immediately, shocking me for a moment.

“What on earth are you doing?” I hiss, leaning out the window so he can hear me.

He shuffles towards me, and I think he’s going to whisper some irritatingly snarky retort – but then he balances an ice-cold finger under my chin, tilts my face towards him and kisses me.

The kiss is slow and gentle and so unexpected my thoughts pretty much stop there. All I can think about is our conversation in the shed, the sharing of secrets that seemed to open up a door between us. Of course I expected it to lead to some kind of friendship, but never did I expect it to lead to... this. And least of all did I expect myself to enjoy kissing Draco Malfoy.