The Malfoy Diaries (A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

f o r t y - o n e 💛

On the first day of March, Aria walked down the hall until she found Lupin and Harry having a conversation nearby. 

"They would be so proud of you, Harry. You know that, don't you?" Remus asked, with a kind smile upon his face. 

"I'd like to think so, Remus," Harry said, as he started to look a little brighter in mood. He met Remus with a warm smile. 

Aria wandered over to them and greeted them with a sweet smile. 

"Hey Aria," Harry said. 

"Hi Aria. It's good to see you again," Lupin said. 

"You too, sir," Aria replied. 

Lupin then told Aria that she could drop the formalities. It wasn't exactly as though people were sticking to social conventions during these dark, dark times. 

"How's the defense charms coming along, Lupin?" Aria asked him. 

Lupin informed both she and Harry that most parts of the castle were protected. Everywhere was protected, apart from the Forbidden Forest. 

"You must keep away from the Forbidden Forest by any means necessary," Lupin told them, as his eyebrows creased together slightly in how serious he was about this instruction. "The death eaters are able to access it at present and if they can get to the forest then what's to stop them from getting to you, too? You must be incredibly careful." 

"We will be, Remus," Harry assured him with a warm tone of voice and a charming smile. 

Aria had always noticed that charming nature about Harry. He was always able to inspire people. That was why although as crazy and as down to chance as it had been for him to become the chosen one, she was glad that it was him. He was a brilliant friend, too. When Draco had been not the friendliest of students to Aria in her earlier years at Hogwarts, Harry had always been there for her. That was something that Aria would not soon forget. 

When Harry glanced in Aria's direction, his emerald eyes warmed slightly, filling Aria with comfort. For the first time in a while, she thought that they might all actually be alright, despite the circumstances. Aria had always been one to believe that friendship was an incredibly powerful thing. It could bring light even in the darkest of times and Aria was well-aware that these were very dark times indeed. That wasn't going to stop her from having hope, though. Not even for a moment. She knew that she had become closer with even the most unlikely of individuals since the war had begun. She had got closer to Draco Malfoy, of all people. She just hoped that things would continue to be on the up with him. She had a feeling that being allies with  a Malfoy may come with its advantages. Her main concerns lay in what his parents would think of her, though. After all, they were death eaters. It wasn't as though they were suddenly going to be incredibly welcoming of a half-blood Hufflepuff at their residence. More to the point, Aria had stolen Draco's diary. Well, alright, she had returned it but that didn't change very much. She needed to remain as stealthy as possible. She needed to make sure he never knew her secret. 

"I admire you, Harry," Aria told him, as the two of them began to head in the direction of the Great Hall. 

"You do?" he asked. 

"Yeah. So much is going on but you manage to seem so relaxed and...warm. I don't know. You've seen such terrible sights but you keep going. It's pretty impressive. That's one of the things that makes me so glad to call you my friend, Harry. I'm really glad to have you around," Aria said, with a smile of sincerity. 

Harry beamed back at her after her statements and then stepped forward to pull her into his chest. 

"Hey, I wouldn't be this way without you," he said. 

He was so kind that it really wasn't any wonder why he was one of Hogwarts' most likeable and popular students. 

As soon as Harry and Aria entered the Great Hall, they caught sight of a familiar red-head nearby. 

Ron Weasley wandered over to the two of them with a bright smile upon his face in greeting. 

"Hey Harry, hey Aria!" he said with his excitement. "Fred and George have been experimenting with their sweets again! It's bloody brilliant. They made confidence gobstoppers. They make you feel confident about...well, anything!" he said. 

Across the hall, Aria caught the gaze of one Draco Malfoy, who was smirking about something or other. He looked as though he was looking at her, though, which strangely enough led a blush to develop on Aria's usually pale cheeks. She rubbed at her face a little self-consciously and then reached a hand out. 

"I want one," she said. 

"One what?" Ron asked. 

"One of the gobstoppers, Ronald. Come on," Aria said, as some impatience crept into her tone. 

Ron smirked in his own amusement, this time around. 

"Deal," he said, as he passed her one. It was green. 

Ugh, Aria thought. The colour green had always reminded her of Draco. It was the colour of Slytherin and so she linked it to Draco by association. She paused for a moment, though, as she placed the gobstopper within her mouth. Maybe all wasn't so bad. After all, Draco wasn't so bad anymore. She couldn't believe she was even thinking such things but it was true! She and Draco were almost, and she couldn't believe she was thinking it, friends! 

"Brilliant, Ron," Harry said with a grin, as he took a red gobstopper. 

Aria watched, with some alarm, as Harry's entire face turned the colour of beetroot. 

From across the hall, she heard Draco begin to chuckle loudly. 

Aria rolled her eyes as she gently placed a hand upon Harry's arm. 

"We should go," she said simply. 

Harry gave a nod in his agreement, as she led him out of the hall. 

She caught Draco's gaze on the way out and detected something in his eyes. She couldn't believe what she thought it was, but she also couldn't deny the possibility of Draco looking jealous.