Home To You (a Draco Malfoy Love Story)

The Depths of October

After the dramatic turn of events that had unfolded a few weeks prior, Draco was ready to settle back into his new routine with Mel. However, after hearing about how Harry Potter had berated Mel and tried to end their relationship, he was more pissed at Potter than ever. Though Mel and Potter hashed out their differences and he apologized, Draco was less willing to let it go - old habits die hard. He was also struggling with opening up now that their "status" was official. Something about the word "boyfriend" - something he had only ever been to Pansy, and haphazardly at that, was extremely stressful. Mel was beginning to expect things of him, like holding hands in the hallways or spending small amounts of time with her friends that he wasn't sure he could deliver. But he really cared for her - more than he would like to admit, if he was honest with himself. They were so different in the ways they approached life. Where Draco shied away from intimacy and closeness, Mel leaned into it. He chose his words carefully and cautiously, while she was present, and talked freely.

"Draco!" Mel said, approaching him at the Slytherin breakfast table. Again, while crossing over to the Slytherin table in the Great Hall was not against the rules, it was certainly uncommon, and always earned them the stares of most people in the room - professors included. She squeezed herself next to him on the bench. "Good morning, everyone," she said brightly. Goyle and Nott stared at her openly, while Pansy turned red and Zabini, who truly thought the situation and how uncomfortable it made Draco was hilarious, quickly responded. "So I was thinking," Mel said, "This weekend is the first that we can go to Hogsmeade, and I've never been... do you want to come with us?" She asked.

"You know, I don't really... do Hogsmeade," he said, "it's not really my thing."

"It will be fun! It's the beginning of October, and it will be so nice to go somewhere else..." she said, "and Luna, Neville and Ginny and I already have plans, so you should definitely join us." Draco grimaced and Zabini spit out a bit of his tea onto the table.

"Come on Draco - when are you going to have another chance to spend time with Longbottom?" he asked. "Go with your lovely girlfriend and her friends." Mel smiled, encouraged by Zabini's sarcastic but nevertheless positive response.

"Come on Mel - Ginny, I can do. But Longbottom? I mean..." he said, knowing it would upset her but not able to humiliate himself in front of the table. "I need to stop by the dormitory before class... I'll see you later," he said, quickly gathering his things and walking away. He didn't turn around because he couldn't bear the look of disappointment and hurt that was certainly on her face. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her return to the Gryffindor table, looking dejected.

Thirty minutes later, he walked into Transfiguration - which, of course, he had with Mel - and walked up to their bench, which was front and center, as usual. He could tell she was mad when he sat down, but decided to try to ignore it. "Hey there," he said, placing his books on the table, "do you know what we're working on today? I think it's probably something related to color change, since we talked about that the other week..." he rambled, waiting for her to turn and look at him.

"Not sure," she said curtly. She opened her book and began to read - but really, to ignore him - and Draco felt frustrated. There was only so much he had to give - and admitting he was going to spend time with Looney and Longbottom was too much for him to bear. McGonagall walked up to the front of the room, saving him from the awkwardness.

"Good morning, students. Today we're going to be switching gears - I know times are getting harder, and darker, and I want to be sure you have skills that can help you if you ever get yourself into a tough spot - not that I'm advising that," she said, looking in the way of the Trio. "Today, we're going to be turning everyday objects - and I have a bucket of them up here - into things that are essential. Fire, for one - to light a lantern, to keep you warm, will be our first task of the day. Now, this is a bit tricky, so don't be frustrated if you can't get it today." She said, demonstrating how to produce a small fire. "Now, come get a few items up here, and start practicing. Use your fire-proof bench covers please!" Mel rose from their table, selecting a few items, some for her and some for Draco. Even mad, she couldn't really be mean to him. The unfortunate situation for Draco, however, was that Mel was significantly better at Transfiguration than he was. She usually took the first few minutes to figure out how to do it, successfully transfigured her item, and then showed him how to do it. Today, though, it seemed he was on his own. Mel quickly unrolled her fire-proof mat, and placed a bent dorm key on it. Without any of her normal cautiousness when it came to magic, she glanced at Draco, glanced at the board, and waved her wand over the key - not gently, but quickly and harshly. The key wiggled, then suddenly burst into an inferno. Unlike the small fire McGonagall had demonstrated, this burned quick and hot, and felt more dangerous. Everyone else in the class, who had been struggling with their fires, glanced up. Mel sat, admiring her blaze, and then carefully cast Aguamenti to put out the blaze. It sputtered down, into a tiny flame, and then with another wave of her wand, she miraculously turned it back to the bent dorm key. There was silence.