A/N: This takes place during chapter 3 of Songs of Yesterday, when Haley asks Michael Corner to be her date.


2 - If the dragon had eaten you I wouldn't be hiding behind bloody bookshelfs

There he was again, following the Potter girl around, like he had nothing better to do. Which obviously wasn't the case; there was plenty to do for him. He was a Malfoy after all. He simply chose not to, and instead – well, instead he followed Potter to the library. The way she had watched the Ravenclaw table. You would think, she wanted to sit over there with the know-it-alls! As far as Draco knew, Potter did not secretly wish she was a Ravenclaw…
She had been looking at someone – no, staring like a lovesick moron fit much better.

Who had she been staring at? It had been impossible for Draco to make out who it was from the distance. But at least he knew that it was a Ravenclaw now. I guess, we can scratch Diggory, then, he thought, mentally going through the faces of Ravenclaws that he had cared to remember over the years. Surprisingly, there weren't a lot. There was that blonde that had helped him out the other night, when he had been stuck in a helmet. But no. She was a girl. And Draco didn't think Potter was into girls. Or was she? Anyway, the blonde wasn't in their year. How would Potter even know her? So, who could it be then? There was Cornfoot – a pureblood; and the dark-haired halfblood – Conner, or something? And there was another half-blood – Silverstein, was it? Was that all Ravenclaw had to offer? Bo-ring. Draco yawned.

What was Potter doing now? A bookless gap in the shelf allowed him to glance right at her table. Oh. The walking-disaster was with her now. They were talking about something but Draco couldn't hear what it was. He had to get closer. Before he could get up from his seat, though, he saw a group of students enter the library.

What made him stop wasn't that they were all Ravenclaws or that they were fourth years. No. The fact that was even more interesting was that Potter had hid her face behind a gigantic book, as soon as she had seen the Ravenclaws enter. His target had to be among them! Now he only had to find out, who of them he'd have to curse. He grinned to himself. Cursing people was the best.

He had to pay close attention now. The dark-haired one – Conners? Corns? – was marching to a nearby table with more Ravenclaws. This was getting more boring by the second!

Oh! Potter had jumped up from her seat and walked to the Ravenclaw table, as well. Was this the moment he'd been waiting for? The suspension was growing ever so slowly.

Just as the raven-haired Ravenclaw had reached the table, someone spoke up in a high almost squeaky voice,

"Michael! Hi! I wanted to… hear your opinion on something. Could you come with me for a second?"

Draco grimaced. Had that really been Potter? But Potter usually didn't talk in such a way! She screamed, cursed, declared, hissed. Sometimes her voice sounded sarcastic or mocking and recently he'd heard her whisper and even growl. But never, never in a million years would he have imagined to hear the golden girl squeak.

Draco didn't get a chance to calm down from the shock, because he had to quickly and inconspicuously follow the girl that was hastily disappearing to a different – probably more quiet – corner where no one would eavesdrop on her conversation with the boring Ravenclaw. Don't make a noise or she'll notice you, he thought. Luckily Draco's noble background allowed him to step on the ground in the most soft and elegant of ways. I truly am magnificent.

Ah, there they were. Now, all he had to do was find a convenient shelf where he could see and hear them. Or at least hear them.

"What is it?" Malfoy heard Conners (or whatever his name was) asking. He had an ordinary voice. Nothing special. If Draco pushed the big red book (What To Do If Your Kneazle Hates You) in front of him to the side a bit, he was able to see their faces and most of their upper bodies.

For some unfathomable reason Potter was holding onto Connors arm. Draco frowned. He wanted to pull her hand away. Then she almost shouted something at the Ravenclaw that sounded like a sentence jumbled into one word: Will you follow me? Follow her where to? Draco shook his head. This didn't make sense. It was obvious that Conners couldn't make sense of her words either.

He seemed a little confused. Or perhaps he was massively confused. Draco didn't know. He only had Crabbe and Goyle as a reference point. And those two? Well, he didn't remember the last time he saw them not looking confused. Conners stuttered something that Draco didn't bother trying to understand.

Draco's eyes widened. What was Potter doing, biting her lips? Was she trying to flirt with Conners or something? When he saw her slightly furrowed eyebrows, he calmed down a little. She was probably only nervous.

The following words were spoken with such clarity that it shouldn't have been surprising how clean the cut felt that the words were leaving somewhere near his heart.

"Will.. you.. go to the ball… with me?"

Draco was trapped in this weird stupor again. Where his mind felt clouded and time seemed to stop and there was a something like cotton wool clogging up his ears. He had felt this way the other night, too. When he had found out that Potter… That there was someone at Hogwarts she had a crush on. It hadn't been a nice feeling. To be frank, it had been a quite uncomfortable feeling. This though? This was much worse. Back then he hadn't known for sure. But now he knew. He knew

Focus, Draco, focus! You're a Malfoy! And a Malfoy doesn't let any old Ravenclaw take what he wants! It was hard for Draco to actually derive meaning from the words Conners was saying, since hus ears were still filled with cotton wool. But he was still able to see. And what he was seeing made him almost livid. The prat was touching her. He was touching his favourite Gryffindor! How dare he? Get your filthy hands off her!, he screamed in his mind. And as if the Ravenclaw had heard him, he did exactly that. Oh. He had only been removing Potter's hand from his arm.

Well… at least Draco now didn't have to go and hex his arm off or something. Which didn't mean he wouldn't hex Conners anyway. After all, it had been him who had thoughtlessly told Potter that he didn't like her this way, causing her gaze to fall to the ground dejectedly. It simply wasn't right. Potter never looked like this. She was strong and fierce and proud! Not… not… this.

When the Ravenclaw reached out and touched Potter's face with his dirty halfblood hands, Draco almost lost his patience, already reaching for his wand with a spell ready on his lips. But something stopped him. Or better yet, someone.There was movement behind the shelf opposite his. Long, flowing blond locks. It was the girl from the other night! The Ravenclaw that had helped get him out of the helmet. When had she arrived? She was watching him; shaking her head slightly.

Well, he couldn't just hex him with witnesses around now, could he? With no other options at hand, Draco continued watching the scene in front of him.

"-else that I like. Just now I was going to ask her." So the prat was going to ask another girl out? Draco would be happy about the news that he wasn't interested in Potter, if it weren't for the devastated look on Potter's face that she was so desperately trying to hide. Draco wanted to punch something. Preferably something dark-haired and Ravenclaw!
He had to hold back, though. Mother had told him once that revenge was best served cold.

After a moment of silence Potter seemed to find her voice again. The words were nothing but a soft whisper, so Draco had to concentrate hard not to miss a single one.

"It's fine, I- I hope she says yes."

Draco didn't believe his ears. Had he heard right? This was unbelievable! Not only did Potter let the idiot hurt her but she also wishes the guy a happy ending? She was turning away from Conners now. Did she finally have enough? Well Draco certainly did. And Conners? Oh, he was apologizing again. And telling Potter she was his second choice. Even Draco knew that you didn't do something like this! And especially after rejecting the same person.

"I said, it's fine, Michael."

Draco almost cheered when Potter interrupted the Ravenidiot and finally walked away. Almost. He was a Malfoy after all and Malfoys did not cheer over something like that. They also never got caught, which is why the Slytherin waited until Potter had sat back down at her and Longbottom's table until he followed her.

Once he had reached the table he sat down in the seat across from Potter. He felt his mask settle back onto his face automatically and asked, echoing Longbottom's question,

"Yeah Potter, how'd it go?" He continued on without waiting for a reply, "Michael Corner? Interesting choice, Potter. I'm a little disappointed it wasn't Longbottom, here, though. I have been seriously rooting for him."

What was he saying? And why? Surely it was too cruel to taunt Potter after what she had just gone through? But what else was Draco supposed to do? He couldn't openly say something nice or comforting. Even if he wanted to.

"I'm not in the mood, Malfoy," Potter almost growled at him. Well at least she wasn't on the verge of tears anymore. If Draco couldn't say something nice he might as well distract her from being sad. Without giving his words much thought he simply talked, trusting his mind to do what he was best at: Get a rise out of Potter.

"Come on now Potter, don't be like that. Didn't Corner say you still had a chance, if you got rid of the other girl? I know one or two harmless spells, that would do the trick." And maybe one of his spells would hit Conners the idiot by accident. He didn't look at Potter, instead he was inspecting his fingernails casually.

"All you have to do is ask. Nicely," he added without thinking. As soon as the words were out, Draco froze, only now realizing how much truth was behind them. He imagined Potter asking something of him… Looking at him earnestly with those incredibly green eyes…

He would not be able to refuse them. Draco swallowed thickly. How had this thing escalated so quickly?

But didn't everything that included him and the Gryffindor escalate quickly?

Potter, it seemed, didn't like his suggestion one bit. Draco noticed a dangerous glint in her eyes that hadn't been there before.

"You know what?" Draco had to keep himself from saying, no what?

"First of all, I don't talk to ferrets and second"

Low, Potter, Draco thought feeling his face harden in annoyance. He really wasn't keen on finding out what the second point was about, but the smug grin on Potter's face told him he wouldn't like it any more than the ferret comment.

"I already feel bad for the poor girl that'll have to spend the ball looking at your pointy face. But then again, you could always ask a sister or a cousin of yours. Considering your incestuous pureblood history, no one will be surprised." This was too much. Draco didn't care whether this was Potter or not. She had insulted his family. And he would simply not tolerate that.

Before he got the chance to do anything about it, she had already left the library. Draco was fuming. And with Potter gone there was only one other person sitting at the table. Longbottom. Draco chuckled coldly. Guess, you'll have to do, he thought and pushed the Gryffindor out of his chair, causing him to fall to the ground. There. He felt better now. With a sneer he snatched the book from the table.

"This yours?" Draco asked in a bored tone.

From the way Longbottom swallowed nervously, he could tell it was indeed his.

"Well… not anymore," he muttered gleefully, storing the book under his arm. He had a feeling the clumsy Gryffindor would miss the book sourly. With a smirk, Draco strutted out of the library. He couldn't help it, being mean was so much fun.

...


A/N: Hello dear readers :) And so it continues.. Are there any particular scenes you'd like to see from good old Draco's diva POV? I have one or two more scenes in mind but... if there's something you guys are curious about I'll try to write that ! I'm thrilled people are reading and enjoying this! And reviews and favourites mean the world :)

I'll see you soon! (Cause there'll be an update for Dreams of Today soon! *hint* Yay!)
Feather :)