He was resting his head on the common's room table when Astoria Greengrass approached him. Her green eyes searched his face before she smiled shyly at him. "Astoria." Draco tried to smile back but his smile only turned out to be a grimace.
"I assume you're well?" She asked politely.
He shrugged noncommittally. "To be honest, I don't know how I'm doing."
"I saw what happened earlier." She said quietly. "I do hope it's not something detrimental."
"Oh, no, it's not. It's just what I ate earlier, thank Merlin." He blinked languidly. They had been on friendly terms ever since his sixth year started. He wanted to think she was befriending him because of his galleons and dashing good looks but the girl simply wanted to have a chat and a boy friend. Notice the space between the two words?
Not surprisingly, the girl was amiable and had most of the merits he expected of her as a pureblood maiden. "Well, you sounded like you were dying." She teased. "I hardly think your state was innocuous."
He rolled his eyes. "I assure you, milady, that I'm fine." She raised a delicate brow. He flinched. "Perhaps just a bit tired."
She patted his shoulder. He noticed her touch was longer than usual. He ignored it. "You better rest then. I'm off to my quarters to practice on charms." She feigned a sigh. "... and listen to my sister's adventures with her Ravenclaw boyfriend."
"Goldstein, isn't it? The one related to that Salamander guy?" He had to breathe a sigh of relief. He was damn relieved that Daphne quickly moved on. However, he was quite offended that she replaced him with a less sexier version of him and a Ravenclaw.
"It's Scamander, you cad." She replied. "And yes, it's Goldstein. Salazar knows how I hate to listen to her. Astoria, oh how I loved how his hands molded into mine. Oh, little sister! Anthony gave me flowers this morning! Tulips, sister! Tulips! How did he know my preference? I swear," she smirked tiredly. "I will camp out and transfer to your dorm if she ever confides to me again."
"Greengrass," he mocked. "Is that an excuse to see me sleep?"
"Why, Malfoy! Such a heavy accusations! I would never!" She pretended to gasp.
He chuckled lightly and quietly and her eyes sparkled. "I better rest." He stood up.
The girl looked disappointed. "Yes, yes, you better rest. See you in a bit though." Then she was gone.
He scratched his nape and glanced upstairs, where his dorm was residing. He had no plans to rest. At least, not yet. He could hear his bed beckoning him to lie down and close his eyes but no! It will not prevail.
He rubbed his eyes.
Merlin, he sounded like a posh arsehole inside his head.
Draco groaned, remembering that he had rounds with Ernie MacMillan and he'd most likely endure an hour of infuriating incessant blubber. Really, he found it pathetic. But it was better than having Weasley as a partner.
"Let's get on with it, if you please, MacMillan. I'd also appreciate it if you keep your babbling to yourself." He drawled, hands inside his pockets.
"Malfoy, you're early." The Hufflepuff chirped.
He shot him a withering glare. "Well? What are we waiting for?"
"Hermione." The dirty blond-haired boy answered. "She'll be my replacement since I have detention with Filch tonight."
He tried hard to keep his jaw firm. "What?" He sputtered. "Granger? Are you kidding me, MacMillan? Why her?"
"She volunteered, you see." He said, matter-of-factly.
Fucking Granger and her charity, he thought crossly. "If that's the case, she's late."
"As a matter of fact, I arrived just in time, Malfoy." A feminine voice interrupted his musings. He gulped. "You can proceed to your detention now, Ernie. I got this." She said to the Hufflepuff who muttered his thanks and disappeared.
He turned around to see Granger, still in her Gryffindor robes. Her bushy hair was tied into a ponytail and wisps of it escaped. With her hair out of the way, he could see the tiny adorable freckles on her nose and the light in her brown eyes. He clenched his hand inside his pockets before he nodded.
"Good evening." She greeted professionally.
He greeted her in return.
They started patrolling. An awkward silence hung around them but she seemed oblivious and continued doing whatever her thing was.
Meanwhile, he was sweating all around. His neck was sweating. His palms were sweating. Merlin! Even his armpits were sweating! Goddamnit, Hogwarts was hot tonight. He regretted not shedding his robe off. He shot a glance towards the Headgirl who appeared all right with the temperature and even had the gall to rub both of her arms and shiver.
"You cold?" He asked quietly.
"I'm quite alright." She assured him.
"Warming charms usually do the trick." He offered though he wished she'd decline.
"Thank you." She replied gently, looking at him shortly. "But I'd manage."
He kept silent for a while before he spoke, "You didn't turn up this afternoon, Granger. Been busy, haven't you?" He insinuated. She blushed and looked away.
"I-I..." she cleared her throat. "I lost track of time."
"You lost track of time?" He said, beyond amused. "You've forgotten our academic meeting to simply snog your boyfriend?"
She glared at him hotly and raised her cute button nose in the air. "Snogging my boyfrined is hardly your business, Malfoy." She replied, narrowing her eyes.
He smirked at her behavior. "Right."
She pinched the bridge of her nose, as if exasperated at his teasing, before shaking her head. "Perhaps, we could talk about potions now. If that's okay with you?
He casually tipped his head in agreement. "Fire away, princess."
She gaped at him before she composed herself and started talking. "Since we're tasked to record the progress of the potion we're told to create, if you don't mind, I'll collect the ingredients and brew the potion myself—"
He cut her. "While I stand there and watch you do our project?" He sent her a bored yet irritated look. "What do you think I am, Granger? I'm not useless like Longbottom or Weasley. I excel at Potions. Better than you, might I add." He didn't want to admit he was offended by her assumption. It was bloody selfish and presumptuous of her to think that he hadn't the ability to brew a potion as simple as Draught of Living Death!
If you had Severus Snape as godfather, don't be surprise.
She huffed. "It's my contingency plan, Malfoy. Let me finish. I thought about it considering your hatred towards our arrangement which might result in your lack of cooperation."
He paused walking and whirled to properly look at her. A pure look of vexation etched on his pale face. "What the fuck makes you think that I won't cooperate?" He spat. "I am capable of brewing that damned potion even without your help, Granger. Thank you very much."
She sniffed. "Fine, then, you can accompany me tomorrow to collect the herbs and ingredients needed for the potions." She jabbed her finger on his chest. He backed away, looking amused as ever. "Don't be intentionally late.
He snickered. "Not planning to."
"Good." She looked satisfied with his answer.
"Ugh, Malfoy! You git! Stop that!" Hermione squealed as the blond launched another ball of mud towards her.
It was a cold day outside Hogwarts and the two were wearing their mufflers and sweaters.
He laughed and continued his digging. "Not my fault you're in the way. You're stepping in on the pile."
She flicked her hair haughtily and glared at him. "At least, I've found enough Valerian Sprigs!" She explaimed, pride in her tone.
"Or we could've just get them in the Hogsmeade Apothecary."
"That's not allowed, Malfoy." She frowned and brushed her brown fringe away from her face. He stared at her rosy pink cheeks before looking down at his shovel. He felt his cheeks heat.
Merlin, she's so cute. Help me.
Clearing his thoughts, he growled. "This is unheard of. A Malfoy digging..." he scrunched up his patrician nose in disgust. He could almost imagine his Grandfather Abraxas rolling in his grave.
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh put a sock in it, Malfoy. I told you I'd be the one collecting all these. But no..." She continued muttering. Draco rolled his eyes and grinned as he found a Valerian Sprig.
" ... eight, ... nine! Done!" He counted, triumphantly, slapping his hands together and rubbing off the dirt. Hermione dropped her own shovel and smiled at the sprig he was holding.
"Brilliant! Now, where's the basket?"
"Here." He handed it to her. Their gloved fingers brushed but the blond still managed to widen his eyes in trepidation. Hermione casually fixed all the ingredients and scourgified their mess.
"So, umm, may I ask a favor, Granger?" He asked distractedly. She hmmed while checking the basket if something was missing.
"You tutor other students, right?" He inquired.
Hermione looked up. "If time tends to be magnanimous, yes." She replied.
"Can you," He bit the inside of his cheeks. "Can you tutor me for a few weeks? I'm failing behind a bit in History of Magic." Which was a half-lie. If bloody Binns weren't such an unstimulating educator, then he wouldn't have slept during his unimaginative lectures.
She was taken aback, to say the least.
Draco felt lurching his stomach again. "I mean, it's quite alright if you—"
"No!" She hurriedly said and bit her lip. "Sure. That would be lovely. Library? Every night after dinner, would that be alright?"
He must'd looked like a fool in front of her. Flustered and flushed. He gulped and nodded coolly. "Great."
Was it selfish of him that he felt victorious having her time stolen so she'd have less time with her pathetic excuse of a boyfriend?
Once upon a time, there was a Prince and a Princess. They returned side by side to the big castle.
And no, there was no happily ever after.