Belong (D.M)

Part seventeen

The snow outside of Hogwarts had melted and flowers in an array of different colours had began to come alive on the grounds of the school. The trees were once again coated in green leaves and the water of the black lake were no longer frozen solid.

She sat on a stone bench outside school one early morning, waiting for him to finish his Quidditch practice. The fog rolled off the tall hills in the distance, and the sun was beginning to rise slowly. She hoped for a clear day with no rain.

After half an hour she saw him walking along the pathway from the Quidditch pitch, dressed in his Slytherin robes. He was walking alongside Crabbe and Goyle, laughing loudly at something. She watched him, and he did not seem to notice her. She wanted to talk to him, she somewhat craved his company, but she did not want to approach him as he was next to his friends, she remembered what he had told her about them not understanding.

So she stayed put, sitting on the stone bench as he walked on by, making his way towards the castle.

After a while she walked up to the school, joining Hermione, Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor breakfast table. They looked concerned, which was starting to become a regular look for them.

"Are you alright?" she asked, gazing at them as she picked up a slice of bread and began spreading butter on it "you all look worried"

"Umbridge has been interrogating students with harsher methods, I fear it's getting quite out of hand" Hermione sighed, taking a bite of her eggs. Ron and Harry slowly nodded their head as to agree with Hermione.

The rest of the breakfast felt oddly quiet, at least between the four of them. Chatter and loud clinks of glasses against the wooden table filled the great hall, but neither Ron, Harry or Hermione uttered a single word.

During potions class professor Snape seemed utterly displeased to be there, barely even paying any attention to Malfoy, his favourite. Umbridge had stormed in to ask him a few questions during class, something that he did not seem to appreciate in the slightest. As I result he let everyone go early. Ron and Hermione went to the library and Harry went back to the dorms to rest.

She however, lingered around the dungeons, trying to catch a glance at him. He was once again with his friends, prancing in the middle of Crabbe and Goyle with Pansy Parkinson swooping around his feet. When they were all looking away, putting their potions books back into their book bags, she threw a piece of a dried up ingredient at him. It hit the back of his neck, causing him to immediately lift his hand to rub the area. With a infuriated look upon his face he turned around, ready to call out the one who had thrown something at him. However, his angry expression melted away as he saw her sitting at a desk, smiling slightly towards him.

"Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy go ahead to the common room without me" he said, looking back at his friends "I have to ask professor Snape a few questions"

His possé nodded, leaving the dark room. And he turned around to face her, leaning his back against a wooden desk.

"Hi Ellie"

"Hi Draco, I've been looking for you all day"

"Well you found me" he shrugged, looking at her "here I am"

"Obviously" she laughed, taking a step closer to  him "how did Quidditch practice go?"

"Quite alright" he shrugged, flinging his black leather book bag up on his right shoulder "how was madam Pomfrey's last night?"

"Quite boring without you there to complain after falling off your broom"

"Oh well you see Ellie..." he trailed, taking a step closer to her "I am an excellent flyer"