Hide & Seek

Chapter 9 - Malignity

Chapter 9
MALIGNITY

malignity
(n.) the state or character of being malign; malevolence; intense ill will or spite

This chapter is dedicated to @Glitter_butt for being the sweetest soul and reminding me why I love writing. To make others happy.

DRACO watched as a droplet of rain landed on the wooden floorboard in front of him, soaking up the water almost immediately as if it was never there in the first place.

Everyone wants to be found.

Gemma's words clung to the silence that fell over the two of them. Draco could feel her eyes boring into the side of his head, as if her stare was the key to unlocking the complex puzzle that was his mind.

He cracked his neck in irritation, keeping his focus trained on the rolling hills of the castle grounds in front of him. Of course the stupid witch tried to make a silly Muggle game into some sort of falsely deep analysis. He almost scoffed at her naivety.

Games were for children.

Gemma let out a huff, and he knew she'd turned back to observe the view as well. He ground his teeth, still annoyed at her for interrupting his escapade. He'd skipped Defense Against the Dark Arts to purposefully avoid the annoying girl now sitting next to him, knowing he was going to be forced to be in her presence later on that day.

That, and the annoying sound of Weasley's voice was enough to make him want to jump from the very tower he was sitting in.

Draco had been suffering from a major headache all morning, not even bothering to attempt to make it to breakfast. He'd barely gotten any sleep, dreams he was glad he couldn't remember keeping him from slipping into a slumber.

The decision to not attend his classes had been made before the sun came up, and as soon as he'd managed to pull on some clothes and slip from the Slytherin dormitories, he made his way up to the only place he knew could potentially soothe the throbbing between his temples.

The Astronomy Tower had been Draco's go-to hideout since he was a first year. Unless there was a class being held under the doming ceiling, it was rare anyone else found their way up to the out-of-the-way observatory.

The mid-October air was always crisp and cool, the perfect sedative for the dull tension that wrapped around the base of Draco's neck. That paired with the blissful quiet and not-horrendous view was almost what he would consider peaceful. Although, he would never admit it out loud.

Still, he found himself climbing the familiar winding stairs to the tower whenever he needed to escape the scrutinizing eyes of his classmates. It usually helped, when he went uninterrupted.

He glanced at briefly at Gemma, whose untamed hair was whipping wildly against her cheeks as a result of the increasing pace of the wind. His brows set low on their own accord, that familiar pinch of disgust nipping at his abdomen.

Draco didn't think it was possible for him to loathe someone more than the wretched girl. Sure, he hated Potter. Couldn't stand Weasley. And Granger was about annoying as it could get.

But Bane, that girl was something else entirely.

She'd turned him into a bloody ferret for Merlin's sake.

No matter what he said, no matter how hard he pushed her, she fought back. And maybe that's what bothered him so much. The others got these looks on their faces when he insulted them, looks of defeat, hurt. Satisfying looks that brought him amusement.