the chase (draco malfoy)

chapter fourteen

The rest of Christmas break goes by way too quickly and before I know it I'm boarding the train back to Hogwarts. I never thought I'd feel sad about leaving my parents house to go back to school but the last two weeks with Draco have been magical. It felt as if we were in our own bubble, and I fear that when we're back at school that bubble will pop.

I don't see Draco as I board the train and find a compartment to sit in. The train is nearly empty. Classes don't start until the day after tomorrow, but I wanted to get a head start on this semesters work. 

I settle into my empty compartment and stare out the window. Just as the train is about to leave the station I hear noises coming from outside my compartment and look to see Draco and his friends clowning around right outside. His eyes meet mine as his friends continue without him. He reaches for the handle to open the door just as one of his friends calls out to him.

"Malfoy, you coming?" Calls Blaise, another Slytherin boy. 

"Yeah," he says, "be right there."

And without a word to me, he turns and leaves. I sigh. Bubble popped.

...

I settle into the couch in the common room after a long day of traveling. I've missed it here. 

The door to the common room opens and Cedric walks in. It's refreshing to see him again.

"Cedric!" I jump from the couch and wrap him in a hug. "How was your holiday?"

Cedric joins me on the couch and tells me about how he and his father spent his break. I'm so relieved that our friendship still comes so naturally even though we didn't work romantically.

I tell Cedric about my time with Draco and what happened on the train. 

"Annie, I'm going to be honest with you," he says, "I don't think Malfoy is a nice guy. I don't want to see you get hurt."

I nod. At the beginning of this year, I would have agreed with him. But now I've seen a different side of Draco. 

"I promise I won't let him hurt me, Cedric." I say, holding up my pinky finger. He chuckles and raises his, locking our pinkies together. 

"You're a special girl," he says, his finger still intertwined with mine, "don't let him, or anyone, take that from you." 

...

The first week of the new semester goes by without incident. Draco and I haven't talked since we got back, but I'm sure he's just busy with new classes. Hannah got back the day before class started, and she spent the day filling me in on her relationship with Neville. I chose not to share about my relationship with Draco. I know Cedric will keep my secret as long as I need him to. 

Harry, Hermione, Ron, and I sit at a table in the library, studying for upcoming exams. Hannah, Neville, and Cedric sit at the next table over. 

"Are you two ready for the final task?" I ask Harry and Cedric.

"Hard to prepare when you have no idea what's coming next. No clue this time." Harry says, casually flipping through his potions book.

"We've got plenty of time between now and then," Cedric chimes in, "the first task isn't until the first Saturday of May." 

I feel a tap on my shoulder and turn around to find a Slytherin first year clutching a piece of parchment. 

"This is for you," he says nervously. I thank him and take the note.

Meet me outside the Slytherin common room at 10. 

D