The Broken Blonde

Chapter Thirteen

It was the beginning of a new term and I saw floods of students coming back from their break, I mostly spent my time studying and exploring the school more since I never really got the chance too. I kept attempting to find the room of requirement but failed eventually leaving me with no hope.

The first few lessons wasn't anything special, everything gradually got back to normal, I got on top of my work now understanding it rather than focusing on whether or not I was going to get a paper ball thrown at my back that day.

One person completely slipped out of my mind, not having thought of him once through the autumn break. That was until I saw him take a seat next to Blaise. As soon as I laid my eyes on him, I got a feeling in my stomach, but I couldn't distinguish what that feeling was.

He looked paler than usual; he was always very light but his features were more prominent. Sunken in eyes, looked like he hasn't slept in weeks, his sharp jaw line stood out more and his lips chapped and bitten. Something felt off, he kept more to himself which wasn't Draco at all he usually made himself known. His leg shaking, bouncing up and down of the floor and his hands constantly fidgeting.

I could tell he was stressed about something, though his mannerisms never changed. He was just as ill-tempered and snobby as before, every so often shooting me sharp stares. I noticed teachers puling him out the classroom often mostly questioning him and why his grades where slipping. I knew this as I could hear most the conversations as I sit near the back in all of my lessons.

He would give the same reason to every teacher; he was focused on something more important but would try and improve them when he could. I found this suspicious as though he acted like he could care less he actually was very clever and was often at the top of some of his classes.

I was sitting in History of magic when we got the task of doing a project, the only problem being it was in partners. In my head I was planning to pair up with Hermione that was until he told us he was going to pick our partners. My heart sunk and I knew that no one wanted to get paired with me, so I sat just waiting for my name to get called out.

It was getting near the end and all of the people I was friends with have already been picked out. I put my head on the desk already dreading who I was going to be stuck with. I heard Malfoys name which was when my name got called out with it. I took my head off the table and looked straight at Draco, my face went bright red and he rolled his eyes clearly having the same mind set as me.

It reached the end of the class and as everyone left, I went up to the teacher asking if I could swap partners in which he was adamant that I'd help Draco bring his grades up. He clearly had no idea how much we hated each other, I gave him a look off disappointment and I began walking out.

I got to the door and saw Draco waiting outside, this was just what I needed.

"You cant seriously think I wanted to work with you out of all people, I mean I would rather be working with that filthy mud-blood Granger"

"Don't flatter yourself Draco. I'd doubt she'd want to work with someone as stuck up as yourself"

He turned away and began to walk off, his head turned looking back at me, "Well. You coming? I don't have all day." I rolled my eyes and trailed behind him, we got to the library and took the seats at the back.

I got my books out and began questioning what he wanted to do for the project, his answers were blunt and I didn't have much to go off. After that there was silence, I tried making small talk, but I got nothing out of him.

"What's the matter with you?" I said taking my eyes off my book and onto him.

"Nothing to do with you." He refused to make eye contact and brushed me off.

"I heard what they've been telling you. About your grades."

"I told you to keep out of my way Ceradwin, you already know enough that could get you into a lot of danger, so I suggest you stop digging yourself deeper."

"If you never have made me your little toy to pick on then I wouldn't have bothered to even bat one eye at you." I looked back down at my book and scanned the page trying my hardest to shift focus back onto the project.

"You made it too easy for me." I was furious, he couldn't possibly be blaming this on me.

"Do you know how it feels? Oh of course you don't, you have a rich happy family that spoil you rotten, friends that basically do whatever you order them too and you still manage to complain." My face began to heat up.

"Who are you to presume things, you know nothing about me." He stood up causing the table to shift and stormed off leaving me sat alone.

It was a few hours later and I was walking back to the dorms when I saw Draco sitting on the couch, fire blazing. Everyone else must have been in bed so I approached him and sat down.

"If you'd just explain why, I'm not asking for much." His eyes latched to mine; his face looked exhausted.

"Leave Y/n, I mean it" He looked back, his eyes getting lost in the fireplace.

His hand gripped the couch, you could see his veins showing how tense he was, I placed my hand on top of his and he glanced back up at me.

"Fine, but I'm only trying to help." I took my hand away and walked back up once again with no answers leaving me still confused.

I got into bed and stared up at the ceiling, there was something about him. The more he pushed me away the more I was drawn towards him.