Rivals | D.M

20. The Common Room

Draco's POV

Aster lying over Blaise like that sent me into a fury I didn't know I was capable of. One minute I was standing on the opposite side of the common room listening to Goyle drone on about lunch and the next minute I was storming out. I thought about ripping my wand from my pocket and jinxing him so that Aster would never be able to look at his ugly head again but I stopped before I exposed myself and decided that turning away and stewing in my own anger would be best. I mean, it was what I usually did anyway.

This time, it was a different sort of anger. It wasn't derived from irritation or anxiety. It felt like my heart was being pulled in every direction possible in my chest. The sight of her that close to another boy made me want to throw myself off the top of the astronomy tower.

She saw me see her. Her big eyes were wide and confused. I turned away as soon as she sat back down next to him, not sure if I could stomach any other interaction between the two.

Something between us changed today, it wasn't just playful anymore. It felt real, it felt odd. I didn't know what to think about it, I was still just as confused as before.

Aster's POV

Blaise continued to tragically lose game after game of exploding snap, before Harper finally came trapezing through the portrait door with her usual bouncing steps.

The shock of seeing her in a completely different mood to before washes over me before I school my face into a look of boredom.

"Where ya been Harps?" I ask, trying to be nonchalant while scanning my cards.

She pops herself down in front of the pile of cards in the middle of Blaise and myself.

"Had detention with Snape" she mutters.

I look up and find her staring blankly at the pile of cards. She notices my stare and immediately shifts her features to a sort of pleasant but Harper-esque way. All bright smiles and crinkled eyes. It would describe why she was in that part of the castle as Snape had just walked by Draco and I moments before but his office wasn't in that direction?

"Why did you have detention?" Blaise asks for me.

"Didn't do his homework" she mumbles, before shifting her legs underneath her.

"We did the homework the other night?" I question her.

Her eyes shift only slightly, and my mind wanders back to when Blaise mentioned her odd behaviour lately. Why hadn't I remembered to ask her? Before I do get to ask if she's ok, she quickly asks about my parents.

"Did you hear back from your mum?" she asks, her small fingers twiddling with a rogue card.

"Not yet, it's been days since I sent them that letter"
I try to sound nonplussed but my anxiety about my parents has been slowly building in my chest over the last few days. They probably write to me once a week, but I would have thought to have heard from them if I sent them such an urgent and anxiety-riddled letter.

"I'll send them another if I don't get a reply tomorrow" I add. Harper nods, her eyes still glued to the card in her fingers.

"Have you heard anything around the school?" I ask Harper.

She chirps up at the sound of relaying gossip.

"Montague was apparently sent home because his mum is sick" she says, her voice hushed, "but I think it's more than that. I heard his dad was running from the dark lord and his mum got caught in the crossfire".

I look up at her, my eyes wide in shock. Harper looks deviant but not happy, like she thrives on this type of gossip.

"That can't be true," Blaise replies, his tone serious but I catch a hint of concern.