Chapter Four
From that point on Draco went from being someone who I was learning to tolerate to someone I wished would drop off the face of the Earth. It wasn't as if I cared what he and his less-than-intelligent entourage thought, but even I could only take so much harassment. Apparently, for whatever reason, the rumor Malfoy had started about me liking him became quite popular not only in Slytherin but throughout the Houses. Unfortunately, this contributed to the careless decision that would possibly doom Hogwarts and the Wizarding World to a fate worse than the blonde-headed prat's comments.
Two weeks, and seven howlers from Malfoy-groupies later and I was at wit's end. It was also about the same time that Tara decided to thrust herself back into my life, while sitting not too far from Draco no less.
"So, I hear you like Draco Malfoy," she said in an annoying sing-song voice.
Loud snickering and outright laughter. Several heads turned now that would normally ignore Malfoy or non-substantiated rumors (about a prefect anyway).
"You're missing a few words from that sentence," I said.
"What?" Tara asked.
"I said your sentence is incorrect. What I would like is for Draco Malfoy's head on a pike. I would settle for seeing him publically tormented by ravenous ferrets. Either option would be acceptable," I said, making sure it was loud enough for Draco to catch easily but not so loud as to be obvious I was projecting.
Tara gasped loudly. "That's awful! How can you not like him. He's so cute," she said and stared dreamily in his direction. Either the girl had no sense of embarrassment or she really didn't think anyone was listening.
At least that caused Draco to attempt to leave and look casual about doing it. If he wasn't aware of her obsession, he was now. Well, at least there's one good thing about Tara: Malfoy-repellent.
"You can go right ahead and nab him if you want," I said, finally able to eat without Malfoy bothering me.
"I wish!" Tara said. "He'd never want me."
"You don't know that," I said and thought but that's a good guess.
Tara beamed, "You think so?"
"I try not to think about what goes on in the hollow chasm that is Malfoy's cranium," I said and realized that she was not going to grasp that sentence. So I simplified, "I try not to think about what Malfoy thinks."
"Oh," Tara said. "Well I do."
"I know."
"Do you want to hang out?"
"I have prefect duty," I said. "And I have a lot of homework. When I find a hole in my schedule I'll tell you then. Sound ok?"
I had no plans of finding a hole. Ever.
"Great!" Tara said. "Well I have to go…do stuff…"
I should have pressed her because it was clear she was up to something but I figured it was something akin to adding objects to her Malfoy shrine so I nodded as she got up and left.
"I have to give you credit for 'a hollow chasm that is Malfoy's cranium'," Draco said, a smirk on his face as we headed out to prefect duty. Apparently it was too late to have the pairings rearranged for the semester. "But really Raven, you don't need to try so hard to hide your undying love for me."
I literally gagged. Then I responded, "How did you know I even said that?"
He smiled and said, "I have my ways."
"Money does make things easier," I said.
He glared, "I have more than that."
"And a larger ego than is deserved."
"That's not all that's large," he said and winked.
I refused to dignify that with a response though the scathing cut-downs begged to be let loose on the boy. It was when we were about to part ways that he actually went to caress my arm.
The next thing he knew his arm was twisted hard behind his back and his face was pressed hard against the corridor's stone wall.
"I don't know what you think you're trying to prove, Malfoy,but touch me again and I'll break your arm," I said.
And I had to give it to him, despite my hold, he somehow broke out of it and backed me against a wall. Leaning down over me I realized how tall he was as his palms slapped the wall on either side of my head. I pulled out my wand and raised it and he quickly slapped it out of my fingers and it clattered along the floor.
Which caused me to laugh. The whole thing was just so…silly and out of place for the intensity it had begun with. As soon as I laughed Draco actually smiled (not smirked for once) and it reached his eyes as he laughed back. It was almost as though we had both passed some sort of test though what that was I wasn't sure. Perhaps it was just the test to make sure we weren't going to kill each other, at least not tonight. He stood up straight and, to my surprise, retrieved my wand and handed it back to me.
"You're not so bad for a…" Draco began but stopped suddenly.
"A non-full-blooded-witch?" I asked.
My family had pure blood running through it heavily, but we were not without muggles and half-bloods, even if it was several generations back.
"Yes," he said, suddenly uncomfortable.
"Well, you're not so awful when you're smiling," I said.
"Or when you're laughing," Draco said.
"Oh look, a real compliment," I said. "I knew you could do it."
Draco rolled his eyes but said nothing and we continued on our route a bit before breaking off for our separate patrols in silence.
When we met up at the end of our shifts Draco was smirking again.
"What now?" I asked.
"Just thinking," Draco said.
"Should I congratulate on your new-found ability?"
"Do you have to be so defensive?"
"Do you have to be so offensive?" I countered. I sighed. "This is stupid. We don't have to like or even talk to each other but this arguing is getting childish."
"Really? I enjoyed it," Draco said and then closed some distance so that we were walking closer together. His arm wasn't touching mine, perhaps because of what had happened the last time he touched me.
"You would," I said. "You enjoy watching people squirm. It's what your good at. It's what your father was good at before you."
He stopped and I refused to look back or stop walking. I knew it was a low blow but it was true and I was tired of being the butt of all his new jokes. I didn't want him fake-flirting, or to get any more howlers (and yes there hard been one more since dinner sent already), and I didn't want his buddies snickering everywhere I went. There was only so much I could pretend not to care about.
"I was trying to be nice to you," he said, his voice void of emotion.
I finally turned. "You have an odd way of showing it Draco Malfoy. I could deal with you before. Sure, you were annoying, especially when it was "my father this" and "my father that." To top off the jerk-meter you also openly bullied students, making Slytherins look like every stereotype the other houses want to see.
"Just because you've grown up a little in the last five years doesn't change the facts though. You're still a manipulative boy who likes to feel as though you are so much better than everyone else. Now because of a stupid rumor that you started, I am constantly harassed. I can deal with living in obscurity, in fact, I enjoyed it.
"And now for whatever reason, after starting a false rumor about my supposed feelings for you (which are all negative by the way) you feel the gross need to play with me. What does your fake flirting accomplish? More fuel for the fire? You could just make something up, no one believes me at this point anyway," I finished, breathing heavy.
"Kept that in for a long time?" Draco asked coolly.
I didn't respond.
"You didn't live in obscurity," Draco finally spoke again. "Everyone knew who you were, even before you became a prefect. Seemingly without much effort your marks rival Hermione Granger and without being nearly as obnoxious as she is about it."
"Aside from that," I said and then waved my hand as if to brush off the half-compliment. "And after all that, that's what you pick out?"
"Yes," Draco said. Then after more tense silence, "A couple of weeks ago you said you understood what it was like to be me, to know this pressure."
"I didn't quite say that," I interrupted.
Draco gave me a stern look, as if to make sure I wouldn't keep stopping him. "I didn't believe you then and you've proved I shouldn't."
"Understanding something and condoning it are two different things Draco," I said, my voice gentler than before. "I can understand why you behave the way you do. That doesn't make it right."
Draco nodded.
"Look, we have to work together. I know there's no reason for you to do so but I would ask that you stop fanning the flames of this rumor you created about me. Personally? I could care less what everyone thought, but howlers are annoying and I'd like to retain some credit for the next three years," I said.
"You're wrong," Draco said.
"What?"
"You're wrong. You do care what people think, even if you try to hide it. You've put a great amount of effort in appearing to be aloof but knowledgeable. You work at least as hard as Granger for same grades and less recognition. The one friend who isn't too busy snogging, annoys you and is beneath you to be friends with. You pretend to be hard, to not care about what people are thinking or feeling and yet you're always aware of it. That girl…that Hufflepuff is terribly annoying and you don't have to put up with her but you do because you're all she has and as obnoxious as she is you can't find the heart to tell her to shove off.
"Also, you do have something against me, the kiss, but you didn't mention it because you wouldn't use it unless you absolutely had to," Draco said as he closed the distance between us. "You're not the only one who can accurately assess a person. I just don't usually bother."
I was surprised and unnerved by his insight. "Then why bother now?" When he didn't respond straight away I added, "And please don't use some cliché response like "because you're different.""
Draco laughed. "I won't."
"Are you going to answer?" I asked.
"Maybe, when I've made sure that I've accurately sized up the situation first," Draco said.
"What is that supposed to mean? Since when do you talk in riddles?"
"Is this less of a riddle?"
Draco Malfoy cut off the rest of the distance between us and pressed his lips to mine.
