Draco Malfoy lay in his bed, buried in his covers. He'd been plagued by
nightmares and now he couldn't fall back to sleep. He'd take a walk but
that was against the rules and he didn't feel like breaking them what with
being a prefect and all. Instead he slipped under his covers completely,
his head disappearing under the thick fabric. He created a small light and
finished his book from under his pillow. It was a grim tale of a child
abused in every way and eventually murdered by his own parents but at least
it was someone else's sorrow instead of his own. He'd barely started this
book but when it was time to get up and ready for the day he'd finished it
completely and had started going over the notes he'd made for their Defense
Against the Dark Arts class. They had a test today and he wanted to ensure
he did well.
He rose and dressed quickly and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. As usual he was one of the first students there and he picked at the items on the table, not eating much but drinking a fair amount of juice. He watched the students file in and wondered about each of them. Before long Crabbe and Goyle sat on either side of him causing a soft sigh of annoyance to escape Draco's lips.
His lackeys prattled on about whatever amused their small brains this time but Draco's interest only piqued when the Gryffindor Trio walked in. Amazing how they'd grown up. The Weasel was tall and lanky as always but now his muscles were wiry and his hair darkened into a rather pleasant auburn. Harry was broad in the shoulders and truly handsome. Hermione was tall and well proportioned, not being terribly thin nor overweight either and scandalously attractive. He watched them like he always did. He watched their easy interaction and affection and he felt wistful for friends like them. He got lost in his reverie and before he knew it, Crabbe and Goyle were pestering him that it was time for classes. He didn't bother to rise until The Trio did and he followed them at a discreet distance.
They paused at the door to one of the classrooms. Harry and Ron had Muggle Studies while he had Transfiguration with Hermione and his stupid followers. Hermione stayed to chat a moment before hurrying to class. Draco didn't stop to regard them, in fact, dropping his gaze as he passed The Trio. He did watch when Hermione jogged past them however. He resented Crabbe and Goyle and their brainless following of him. He didn't want to be a leader at all let alone the leader of such a pitiful, pathetic pair.
Hermione was already seated with Susan Bones in the front desks. As usual, Draco sat behind the Muggle-born witch and his idiots behind him. He was grateful they sat with each other instead of arguing over who got to sit with him. Pansy sat beside him and inwardly he wanted to run away and hide but outwardly, he smiled with deceiving charm. "Hullo Pansy. You're looking positively..." He paused searching for something to say. "Delicious today." He dragged his tongue over his lower lip to emphasize the comment he didn't actually believe.
He continued to flirt unabashedly with Pansy until Professor McGonagall entered the room. He noted with secret satisfaction that Hermione was utterly disgusted with his and Pansy's exchange. He tore a piece of parchment and scrawled something in his infinitely patient and neat penmanship then tossed it on Hermione's desk when McGonagall's back was turned. He smirked when she opened it and saw her shoulders stiffen in response to the note's words. Jealous, Mudblood?
Hermione never did reply and the class droned on. He thought for a moment that he was dreaming when it was announced that class was over but that Hermione rose and Pansy began to speak again told him otherwise.
He sighed softly and wished the Slytherin slag would just leave but he knew she wouldn't so he gathered his things and slipped them into his bag. With a cheeky smirk, he handed his bag to Pansy to carry and to his disgust she didn't even protest.
It was lunch time before he saw the Gryffindor Trio again. As he had this morning, he watched them faithfully, regarding them with his silent reverie.
He rose and dressed quickly and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. As usual he was one of the first students there and he picked at the items on the table, not eating much but drinking a fair amount of juice. He watched the students file in and wondered about each of them. Before long Crabbe and Goyle sat on either side of him causing a soft sigh of annoyance to escape Draco's lips.
His lackeys prattled on about whatever amused their small brains this time but Draco's interest only piqued when the Gryffindor Trio walked in. Amazing how they'd grown up. The Weasel was tall and lanky as always but now his muscles were wiry and his hair darkened into a rather pleasant auburn. Harry was broad in the shoulders and truly handsome. Hermione was tall and well proportioned, not being terribly thin nor overweight either and scandalously attractive. He watched them like he always did. He watched their easy interaction and affection and he felt wistful for friends like them. He got lost in his reverie and before he knew it, Crabbe and Goyle were pestering him that it was time for classes. He didn't bother to rise until The Trio did and he followed them at a discreet distance.
They paused at the door to one of the classrooms. Harry and Ron had Muggle Studies while he had Transfiguration with Hermione and his stupid followers. Hermione stayed to chat a moment before hurrying to class. Draco didn't stop to regard them, in fact, dropping his gaze as he passed The Trio. He did watch when Hermione jogged past them however. He resented Crabbe and Goyle and their brainless following of him. He didn't want to be a leader at all let alone the leader of such a pitiful, pathetic pair.
Hermione was already seated with Susan Bones in the front desks. As usual, Draco sat behind the Muggle-born witch and his idiots behind him. He was grateful they sat with each other instead of arguing over who got to sit with him. Pansy sat beside him and inwardly he wanted to run away and hide but outwardly, he smiled with deceiving charm. "Hullo Pansy. You're looking positively..." He paused searching for something to say. "Delicious today." He dragged his tongue over his lower lip to emphasize the comment he didn't actually believe.
He continued to flirt unabashedly with Pansy until Professor McGonagall entered the room. He noted with secret satisfaction that Hermione was utterly disgusted with his and Pansy's exchange. He tore a piece of parchment and scrawled something in his infinitely patient and neat penmanship then tossed it on Hermione's desk when McGonagall's back was turned. He smirked when she opened it and saw her shoulders stiffen in response to the note's words. Jealous, Mudblood?
Hermione never did reply and the class droned on. He thought for a moment that he was dreaming when it was announced that class was over but that Hermione rose and Pansy began to speak again told him otherwise.
He sighed softly and wished the Slytherin slag would just leave but he knew she wouldn't so he gathered his things and slipped them into his bag. With a cheeky smirk, he handed his bag to Pansy to carry and to his disgust she didn't even protest.
It was lunch time before he saw the Gryffindor Trio again. As he had this morning, he watched them faithfully, regarding them with his silent reverie.