once a black, always a black
He sits in the library, staring at the back of her head and wishing he stood a chance.
He doesn't, of course.
He should.
It makes him angry. He should. The Blacks used to rule this place, back in the good old days.
He can hardly believe that he, sixteen years old, is thinking of good old days. His mother would be laughing at him by now.
But it's true. The Blacks had their pick of almost the whole school, or at least the "worthy" ones, like his Grandmum would say.
He imagines Grace's face. "Scor," she'd tell him, using her big-sister voice. "Scor, Scor, Scor. Just ask her out. It's not that hard. "Hey, go with me to Hogsmeade?" will suffice. Come on, get your act together!"
He'd tell her his philosophy.
"Scor," she'd tell him, "Scor, Scor, Scor. Once a Black, always a Black."
Once a Black, always a Black.
Toujours Pur.
His face screws up, like he's just tasted a lemon.
Once a Black, always a Black.
She's not a Black in any way, with the fiery red hair and warm brown eyes. She's not a Black in the least. He begins to color in the margins of his book, his head leaning on his hand. It's hopeless.
She stands to go, laughing at something her friend has said.
She sends a quick glance his way, smiles, and then begins to walk out.
"Hey, Lily!" he calls, for some reason feeling courageous.
"Yeah?" she asks, turning, that smile still on her face.
"Um…could you come here?" He's not bold enough to shout it across the Library, and he'd rather not get one of Madam Pince's famous glares.
She walks up to him, telling her friends to go ahead. "Yes?" she repeats.
He can't help but smile at her bright and sunny demeanor. There's no backing out now.
"Go to Hogsmeade with me." It's not a question, he realizes belatedly.
She doesn't seem to mind. "This weekend?"
"Yeah."
"Alright. I'll see you in Fortescue's." She grins again and waves at him, and then walks out of the Library gracefully.
He can't help but jump into the air, pump his fist up, and say, "Yes!"
Once a proud, forward Black, always a Black.
A/N: For the Black Challenge. This took me WAY too long to write, but it was quite enjoyable. Grace is my imagined-elder Malfoy sister, who once had a thing for Louis but who eventually went on to bigger and better things, though that's hard…
