Merely Misunderstood

Chapter Thirty-Six

Everyone had read the Sunday Prophet by Sunday afternoon, and the news that You-Know-Who was back spread like wildfire.

It was official now — and the Ministry of Magic confirming it made it feel that much more real.

I was sitting in the Slytherin common room, feeling oddly morose, as the Slytherins around me gossipped and theorized about what had happened at the Ministry Friday night.

"Ugh, I'm so sick of sitting here!" Draco exclaimed from across from me, and I looked up at him in surprise.

We hadn't spoken much since Friday, and I could tell there was a strange tension between us, but I wasn't exactly sure what it was from.

All I knew was that Draco was oddly detached, and I had no idea why — every time I tried broaching the subject, he conveniently found a distraction. I was starting to wonder whether I'd done something wrong.

"I'm going outside. Anyone coming?" Draco asked dejectedly, standing up. Crabbe and Goyle shot up immediately, but it wasn't their company Draco was hoping for.

He glanced down at me, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. I was surprised he was looking directly at me for once.

I shrugged, tilting my head casually, although my heart was racing from the eye contact alone. "Yeah, I'll catch up with you," I told him, "I'm just gonna wait for Mirah."

"Okay," Draco said, looking slightly disappointed, and before I could say anything else, he turned and headed out of the Slytherin common room, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.

I sighed, slumping back into the cushions of the black sofa I sat on.

"What's going on between you two?" a voice asked from behind the sofa, and I tipped my head back to see Mirah. She vaulted over the back of the sofa, landing beside me as I sighed.

"To be honest, I don't know..." I answered in a mumble, frowning at the spot where Draco had just disappeared from the common room.

Mirah peered at me curiously, searching my face for a better answer before sighing, crossing her arms. "I hope you haven't had a row," she said worriedly, "I really like how you two are when you're together. You're both so happy, and the way he looks at you is just adorable," she giggled, "you seem like you're meant to be together, you know?"

I turned away from her, trying to hide my blush. "Thanks, Mir," I mumbled awkwardly, and she chuckled, already aware I was blushing.

"What I'm trying to say is, if there's something bothering you, you should probably just talk to him about it."

"How d'you know there's something bothering me?" I asked testingly, and she raised an eyebrow, giving me a look that said, "Really?"

I sighed, contemplating her words for a long moment. I knew there wasn't anything bothering me... I was mostly sure it was the fact that something was bothering him, and it was putting me off.

Either way, Mirah had been able to tell something was off before I'd figured out what it was, which meant it must be worse than I thought.

I raised my eyes to the ceiling, my shoulders slumping. "Yeah, you're right, as usual," I shot her an exasperated look out of the corner of my eye, and she laughed.

"You're welcome," she said haughtily, shoving me off the sofa, and I knew she was urging me to catch up with Draco.

"What about you?" I asked, backing toward the exit.

"I'll go find Cori and Raylee, and then we'll catch up with you!" she then shooed me off, and I turned and exited the common room, shaking my head toward her exhausting personality.