A/N: It's a new fic :)
As always, I own only my original ideas. Enjoy!
Something had always fascinated him about her, Katrina Zabini. She always stood as the polar opposite of her twin. Quiet where he was loud, pensive where he was quick to anger and guarded where he was open. He remembered their first year.
Blaise had been quick to strike up friends with everyone around him, his loud eager chatter putting others at ease. The boy had even befriended him, overeager as they both were to be beginning their formal magical education. Blaise had been there when Potter had rejected him, the dark boy had taunted Potter cruelly in response. And she'd stood by her brother, nothing betraying her emotions and he had been fascinated. His fascination only grew when, upon their return to their train car, she had unleashed her quiet fury on Blaise, much to the elder twin's displeasure.
Over the years Draco continued to watch her. She'd never seemed interested in popularity like Pansy or Daphne, for the most part, keeping to a small group of friends and her brother. And while it was undeniable that she was brilliant, she didn't seem to care that others knew, unlike the insufferable Granger girl. He had only ever seen her laughing around the school a handful of times, her face usually a cool mask of indifference when outside of their commons.
He watched her now, in the Slytherin Commons, the warm glow of the fire bringing her dark skin to life as she listened somewhat attentively to a story her brother was telling. His face was animated, arms gesturing wildly, everyone in the room was enraptured in the tale Blaise wove about Quidditch. Her nose crinkled in disgust as her brother made some lewd gesture to Nott, the other boy snickering in response.
If he was being honest with himself she didn't just fascinate him. She enthralled him. There was something about her that he wanted to touch, to hold, to revel in. Over the years she never really seemed to date anyone, not that a few hadn't tried. Blaise simply wasn't someone you trifled with.
He could still remember how Blaise had broken Adrian Pucey's hand in 4th Year when he'd caught wind that the older boy was claiming that he'd slept with her after what was apparently, only an innocent kiss. That he'd 'Fucked her right good in the commons.'
He shuddered when he remembered the chilling way Blaise had looked at Pucey. He didn't have a doubt that the boy would have done much worse if she hadn't intervened, stepping between the two and shoving her brother gently to get his attention.
Blaise's eyes had snapped to her furiously, and though she was a few inches shorter than the tall boy she held her ground.
"Pucey is not worth it," she said as if it was simply beneath Blaise to consider the older boy's words.
"He called you a whore, said that, that -" Blaise stuttered in rage, not being able to put into words his feelings.
By then a small crowd had gathered around the three, Pucey on the floor howling in pain, the twins staring each other down.
"Fuck you Zabini, she's a worthless bitch," Pucey ground out.
She'd spun around quickly, magical energy snapping around her cloud of coily curls.
She was a thunderstorm.
She never said anything, didn't mutter any hex or curse but there was no doubt, as her wand snapped quickly towards Pucey's body, boils covering every inch of the boy's, that she'd had enough.
"It would do you well Pucey," she said cooly, her tone not betraying her rage while her onyx eyes glinted dangerously, "to respect your betters."
Pucey had screamed in pain before quickly passing out.
As if sensing the dangerous climate in the room their housemaster had swept in.
"And just what, might I ask, do you two think you are doing?" Snape drawled, watching the pair before him.
Draco knew the older man had a soft spot for Katrina. Everyone knew. But it was clear to all that Snape still attempted to at least appear impartial.
She turned from Pucey now, addressing the housemaster directly.
"I was stopping Blaise from killing Pucey," she said. As though it was the plainest thing in the world.
"Hmm." Snape intoned.
"Be that as it may Ms Zabini, you will refrain from hexing your housemates."
Her eyes never wavered, posture never shifted, she never bowed to his will but a small smile twitched her plump lips upward ever so slightly.
"Yes Professor."
"Hn. Mr Flint, bring Mr Pucey with me to the infirmary, will you. Ms Zabini, do attempt to stay out of trouble."
With that Snape had left the room, Marcus Flint levitating the limp body of his bumpy friend sullenly behind the Professor.
When Pucey had made an appearance again most of the boils had been removed and his broken arm had been mended but a few choice boils had remained which ever so often would cause Katrina's eyes to light up with barely contained amusement.
Then there had been Terence Higgs.
He sneered at the memory. Higgs had been the exception. Higgs started hanging around her more often, she and the two girls she was close with seemingly unperturbed by his presence. Then one day, sometime in their fifth year, as their class had filed out of Potions, Higgs had been there, the older boy leaning up against the wall by the classroom door. Higgs had grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her to his chest, smirking before kissing her.
Draco had never been more angry, never so filled with blind rage. Never more acutely aware of how much she affected him.
Their romance, if you could call it that, primarily consisted of Higgs kissing her any time he could get his hands on her. In the halls, at breakfast, in the commons. Until one day, curiously enough Higgs and Daphne Greengrass were seen in the commons with matching grotesque horns from their heads. No one saw Katrina with him again after that.
He refocused his attention on her now. Her head thrown back in laughter, her brother and her clearly sharing a moment as the two cackled.
"Honestly Blaise, you're such an ass."
Her eyes danced with mirth, a barely perceptible flush blooming on her dark cheeks.
"I live to please." He said making a dramatic bow while seated.
She shook her head at him then, her usual cloud of curls bouncing around her.
"Tell them about what happened at dinner tonight Blaise."
It was Theodore that had egged him on. Unable to resist, the dark-skinned boy launched into another tale.
Draco's attention never left her. He watched as she withdrew into herself again, before standing and quietly exiting the commons, without the attention of anyone. Anyone but him.
He waited a full minute before following her, keeping to the shadows and slowly creeping behind her. She showed no indication that she knew that he was there and for that he was grateful.
He was surprised when finally they came to the Astronomy Tower. He paused in the shadow of the door when she simply sat on the balcony, dangling her feet off the edge, her head propped up by her hands on the rail.
She was beautiful and he was transfixed.
"You should join me Draco."
He almost jumped out of his skin at her invitation. He regarded her carefully as she made no move to face him. He stepped into the light and slowly ascended the stairs. He didn't know what to say as he stood near the centre of the room watching her back. He'd never been in a situation alone with her and in the face of his recent musings, he wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to be at the moment.
"I'm afraid of falling," her voice was quiet. And deep, he realised for the first time.
"Why should you be afraid of such a thing? You're a witch." He'd said it before he'd realised that he was saying it, but, considering it now, he found it a fair enough assessment.
She laughed then, turning her head to look back at him. The husky sound caused his heart to beat wildly in his chest.
"We all have fears Draco. I am no more in control of mine than you of yours."
He regarded her more seriously then, as she turned back to look over the grounds.
"I suppose not. But falling seems particularly pedestrian."
She laughed again. He'd never heard her laugh so much, never been in the presence of her joy so often.
"I suppose it is," she said quietly, "but there's something about the weightlessness of it, the lack of control it-"
She unfolded herself from around the railing now, returning to her full height. Facing him properly she tilted her head slightly.
"It's like a cold hand crawls up the base of my spine and squeezes my heart. It's like I can't breathe and in that moment - falling - there is no amount of magic I can conjure to save me."
He stared at her, silver eyes meeting black. He was acutely aware of that feeling. Had felt it several times in his life. He knew what she meant. That it defied logic, it defied reason and despite ability, despite magic... fear still gripped you.
He didn't know what to say. Didn't know how to tell her about his fears. Tell her that he understood. That he too fell prey to emotions that betrayed his magical ability and so he said nothing.
She smiled then, watching him fight with himself.
She closed the distance between them, to stand less than a foot away. She tilted her head up slightly, her tall frame leaving little difference in their heights.
"What do you fear Draco Malfoy? What pedestrian things still your heart?"
His heart hammered in his chest as he watched her. She was too close. He couldn't think straight with her dark eyes looking up at him, their depths sparkling with mirth.
"Nothing."
"Is that so?"
She took a step back and he cursed himself for not saying something else, anything else.
He watched as the mask of indifference seemed to slide back over her features although the mirth didn't quite fade from her eyes. He felt his heart squeeze when he realised any moment they had been sharing had practically evaporated.
She turned then to leave the room.
Pausing at the door she looked over her shoulder at the immobile blond boy behind her.
"I wish I too could be fearless."
And then she was gone.