Her Protector (Draco Malfoy)

Chapter Three

I look into the compartment eagerly, searching for him. I spy the platinum-blond hair and almost squeal with excitement. Finally! I'd waited all summer to see him. My hand moves to the door, ready to throw it open and hug Draco, but a question stops me in my tracks.

"What are you going to do about Williams?" Blaise Zabini asks, throwing something in the air and catching it swiftly.

"Dump her, I s'pose," Draco grunts. My heart drops, pain filling me instantly. "I hate to break her heart, though."

"You two never dated," Pansy Parkinson reminds him. "I don't think you'll break her heart."

"I'll still hurt her," he sighs.

"She has her friends," she points out. "Even if she is hurt, which I genuinely hope she isn't, she has friends that will help her. Hell, Finnigan still fancies her."

Draco's expression darkens, "You don't think she'll go out with him, do you?"

Pansy and Blaise share a look, but Pansy is the one to speak, "That's her decision once you tell her it's over."

"You don't want a repeat of last year, do you?" Blaise questions, referencing the time that I jinxed the blond twice.

He sighs again, "No, I don't. Not being able to speak was dreadful."

"How's your dad?" Pansy asks, changing the subject from me.

As the three engage in a new conversation, I'm forced to come to a realization: Draco only cared about me enough to discuss hurting me for barely five minutes. Did he ever care about me? Or did he just want to play with my feelings? I shake my head, walking away. I'd known he was playing a game since the third week of third year.

I go back to my compartment, finding Harry, Hermione, and Ron discussing who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher might be. I enter and sit next to Hermione, my face conveying my pain.

"Oh, Elaira," Hermione whispers. "What happened? What did he say to you?"

"Nothing," I mutter. "He didn't have to say anything. I happened to overhear a conversation about me where Malfoy stated he'd be ending things with me." I shake my head, putting my head in my hands, "How was I so stupid to think that he'd change for me?"

Hermione puts her arm around me, "For what it's worth, he really did seem like he was changing."

"Another cruel game of his," I sigh, fighting back tears. I sit up, "Whatever. It's probably for the best, anyways. We wouldn't have lasted long." I snort, "A Gryffindor and a Slytherin?"

"A Malfoy and a Gryffindor?" Ron retorts, laughing a bit.

"No, no, a Malfoy and a half-blood?" Harry jumps in, causing us all to laugh.

They always did manage to make me feel better.

Even though I'd overheard the conversation, I knew Malfoy would confront me soon enough to tell me the bad news. Unluckily for him, I made it as difficult for him as I could. I made sure I was with someone at all times, since I knew he wouldn't dare approach me when I was with someone now that he wanted to dump me. But still, he found a way, as he always did.

I leave Professor McGonagall's office, thanking her for her time. I'd asked her to go over a few things from today's lesson with me, which I was kind of surprised she'd agreed to considering she'd taken points from me for not paying attention at all. It wasn't all my fault. Malfoy kept distracting me. He kept trying to pass me notes, so I would pretend that I was paying attention, but then I'd be so focused on paying attention that I wasn't actually paying attention.