My Damned Lover: Third Year

Chapter 25

"HAHAHAHA!" 

"Bloody hell, Seraphina! I told you not to laugh!" 

"It's just... I never imagined you'd suggest we come here of all places..." 

Seraphina looked up and chortled. So this is Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. It's so... pink. If Harvey saw this place, he'd probably buy it just for me. Better keep it on the low. She grinned at Draco and lightly elbowed him. "Thought you would never step foot in here. Pansy asked you last time, but you said no." 

"That's because it was Pansy. I wouldn't go anywhere with her." Especially after what she did last time. God, she's lucky I didn't kill her. I'm so fucking glad she went home for the holidays. I was supposed to go back, but I... 

Draco glanced at Seraphina and saw her peek into the windows with a look of awe. One corner of his lips hitched upwards as his heart melted with foreign feelings. I couldn't. Not this year. Not when she's here, too. 

Seraphina looked at him and grinned. "So are we going in or what?" 

Draco swung open the door, and they went inside. It wasn't that packed as usual, and Seraphina assumed it was because most of the students had gone home for the holidays. They were lucky enough to grab a table by the window, and she took a good look around the place. "It's very... pink." 

Draco glanced around, and his upper lip curled upwards in disgust. This definitely wasn't his place. He looked across from him, and his expression softened. Seraphina looked like a little kid on Christmas morning as she examined the frilly tablecloth and china sugar bowls. Maybe I picked the right place... 

They ordered tea and cake, and she had fun trying all the different types of sweets Draco had ordered just for her. 

Seraphina noticed something hanging from his neck and did a double take. Her eyes widened, and she pointed to it. "That..." 

Draco glanced down at the tribulant, the exact same one she was wearing around her own neck. 

"Why are you so surprised? You know I gave that to you," Draco said nonchalantly. 

"Yeah, but... why are you wearing one, too?" 

"You don't know how a tribulant works, do you?" He raised an eyebrow, and she frowned. He sighed and explained, "Tribulants come in pairs,and they glow a certain color when the other one is in danger. Ours is green, of course." 

Seraphina had so many questions, and she asked the first one that popped into her head. "Why not red?" 

Draco blinked at her before doubling over with laughter. 

Seraphina suddenly grew embarrassed, and Draco smirked at her. 

"You're really something else, Seraphina Blakewood." 

Seraphina waved the comment away and took a sip of her tea. "So why a tributant?" 

Draco rolled his eyes. "It's called a tribulant." 

"I have trouble pronouncing difficult words, okay? So sue me," she snapped. 

Draco's was serious, and her own face shadowed with darkness. Did she say something wrong? 

"I don't want to see you... so helpless again." 

Surprise flickered in her eyes. He looked uncomfortable and almost... pained. 

"I thought if I gave you a tribulant, I could prevent you from being in that situation. Or at least minimize the time you have to suffer." 

Thump. Thump. Thump. 

Seraphina didn't know what to say. All she knew was... that was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her. She was probably the only one at Hogwarts, except for Hermione, who hadn't had a crush on anyone. There was no mistaking her guy friends were charming. Neville was sweet, Fred and George were popular, and Harry was the chosen one. But she had never even imagined dating any of them, and she never even used the word "crush" before. But perhaps, this was the first time she would be able to experience what a crush even was. And who knew, out of all people, it would be because of Draco Malfoy, her biggest enemy at school? 

Draco glanced up at her, and Seraphina looked down at her lap with flushed cheeks. How the hell am I supposed to explain this one to Harry, Ron, and Hermione? This is just great... 

"Seraphina," Draco called, making her look up. "Do you want more tea?" He pointed to the empty teapot, and she smiled amiably with a nod. He waved a hand, and soon, a woman came by with a pink teapot. 

"Oops!" She swayed, and her eyes widened as the tea sloshed around. 

Draco grabbed Seraphina's right wrist and swung her arm out of the way just before the hot liquid splashed onto the floor. 

Seraphina stared at Draco in shock, and her mouth dropped when she saw that the tribulant around his neck was glowing green. "It really works?!" 

"I bloody well hope so. It wasn't easy to get," Draco muttered as he shot the woman a glare. She cleared her throat, mumbled an apology, and left to get a different teapot. 

Seraphina cleared her throat and pulled away from Draco. "I almost went to Madame Pomfrey's again." 

After a brief pause, she shook her head. "I don't know why I'm getting into so many accidents this year. It's not like I'm the Chosen One. That's Harry." She laughed but stopped when she noticed Draco had stiffened. He was avoiding her gaze, and she wondered if it was because she had mentioned Harry. 

The woman came back with a teapot and gave them a complimentary cake. 

"Free food!" Seraphina pointed out. Draco snapped out of his daze and broke into a soft smirk. She took a bite and glanced at him. Her gaze fell on his necklace, and she suddenly felt bad for not getting him anything. She paused before taking out a box of glacial snow flakes and pushed it towards him. 

"My gift to you. Merry Christmas." 

Draco started to grin now. "Being cheap now, are we? I get you jewelry to protect you and you get me candy I don't even like. That doesn't sound very fair to me." 

"Trust me. You'll become obsessed with them like me once you have a taste." 

"Why do you like these so much anyways? I just don't understand." He grimaced at the box. 

"Well, when I first came here, I didn't really know anyone. I mean, besides Harry, Ron, and Hermione. But everything was so foreign because I was used to the muggle world. I really missed my dad, and I was getting homesick." Seraphina continued, "This is kind of embarrassing, but one night, Professor Mcgonagall caught me crying in the common room. She gave me a box of these and promised they'd make me feel better. They did, but more than that, she stayed next to me all night long. She reminded me of my own grandma who passed away. Hence, that's why she's my favorite professor." She looked up and paused. 

Draco was looking at her with an unreadable expression, and she wondered if that was really sadness in his eyes. 

"I guess Mcgonagall isn't that bad after all," he agreed. 

"Way better than Snape," Seraphina added. 

Draco smiled before opening the box and taking a bite. She leaned forward and excitedly asked, "What do you think?!" 

"It's... not bad," Draco admitted, and Seraphina grinned. "I bet I'll catch you swiping boxes off the shelves next time." 

"Don't hold your breath," Draco muttered, but they made eye contact, and he smiled warmly at her.