Look Behind My Eyes
It was impossible. It was forbidden. It was meant to be.
Chapter 6: Something Unexpected
Draco's Point of View
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Draco strode down the hallway, heading away from the library, towards the Slytherin Dungeon. So Granger & Co. was going to Hogsmeade. Maybe he'd go too. That wouldn't be stalker-ish. I'm perfectly entitled to go to Hogsmeade.
Draco grabbed a black cloak to wear over his muggle clothes as well as a money sack full of galleons. Oh yes. It was nice to be rich. His mom was dead, and since his father (curse that man) was wanted by the Ministry, he was the legal heir of the Malfoy fortune and had inherited everything that his father hadn't ran off with. Not to mention the hefty reward he had been presented by the Ministry as thanks for the part he'd played in Voldemort's defeat.
Draco was just about to leave the Slytherin common room when a familiar slick voice called, "Where are you running off to, Malfoy?"
Draco rolled his eyes. Blaise and he had the weirdest friendship. "Off to Hogsmeade. Want to come, Zambini?"
"Nothing better to do," said Blaise, running a hand through his chocolate hair in a manner similar to his best friend. "Shall I invite Pansy too?" he asked, already heading over to where Pansy sat with some other girls.
"No, actually, why don't we keep it just the two of us," said Draco.
Blaise raised an eyebrow. "Well alright then." The two Slytherins exited their dormitory. They arrived in Hogsmeade. The weather was pretty nice, though a wind was making it a tad bit chilly.
"Want to go to Honeyduke's?" suggested Blaise. "Mandy's birthday is coming up, so I'll get her a little something."
Mandy Driandes was Blaise's off-on girlfriend. They had been together for an all-time high of one whole month, ever since the memorable we-won-the-war-even-though-we-now-have-a-new-tyrant-to-deal-with-but-we'll-just-ignore-that-because-we-want-to-have-a-party party. Mandy was a Slytherin 6th year. "Sure, Honeyduke's sounds good," agreed Draco.
The pair walked into Honeyduke's. Blaise bought Mandy (inventively) a heart-shaped box of chocolate, as well as some of her favorite honey coated pecan balls. Draco picked up a rainbow lollipop as a souvenir for Pansy, and a caramel chocolate bar for himself.
Draco broke his chocolate bar in half and shared some with Blaise as the two of them wandered aimlessly around the town. As they did, the passed the golden trio, who were loitering outside the Three Broomsticks, chatting with some Hufflepuffs. Draco grabbed Blaise's arm and pulled him away from them, into a small bookstore where they could easily see the trio through the glass.
"What's your problem?" asked Blaise, jerking his arm free from Draco's as Draco peered through the glass. "Are you mental?"
Draco sighed. "I'm starting to think so," he admitted as he ingested another square of chocolate caramel.
"So, which one is it?" asked Blaise, as he joined his friend pressing his nose against the glass. "Hannah Abbot? I dunno mate… She's alright, I suppose, but you could do way better, and besides, she's kinda soft, even for a Hufflepuff."
Draco shook his head. "Not Hannah? Well, is it Bria? I guess she's pretty cute, but a 5th year is sort of young, don't you think? And besides, I thought she was with that 6th year Gryffindor Colin. Not that you couldn't win her over, because you totally could."
"Blaise!" Draco cut in, interrupting this monologue. "Will you cut it out?"
"If you would answer my question," Blaise sulked. Those Slytherins sure knew how to pout.
Draco moaned and rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine, but I am only telling you this because we are bet friends, and understand I'm not even sure about it myself." Blaise gestured for Draco to continue. "You probably won't approve, and don't tell anyone, because if Pansy finds out they'll be hell to pay." Blaise nodded. "You know, I think this is crazy. I don't like her. It's just, I don't know…"
"Draco!" It was Blaise's turn to interrupt a rant. "I understand. Will you just spit out her name?"
"Hermione Granger," Draco mumbled quickly before he lost his nerve.
One thing could be said for Blaise. He was eternally cool. His expression barely changed. "My, your taste has changed. I'm not even quite sure how to reply to that. Well, I suppose I'll try to be rational. What do you like about her?"
"I don't know," said Draco. "She isn't bad looking. With those honey brown eyes, and her hair that looks like chocolate with streaks of caramel…"
"Refresh my memory. Are we talking about Hermione or my chocolate?" cut in Blaise.
"Very funny," Draco sneered before continuing. "And she's got a real attitude, and of course she's smart and witty."
"You did not just say witty. Dude, that is such a second year word. But anyways, what do you dislike about her?" said Blaise, sounding quite like Dr. Phil.
"Well, she is so stubbornly loyal to Potter and Weasley, plus she's a little cocky at times, and not confident enough other times. And, well I know the war changed things and all, but the way I was raised, it's just that she… She's, well…"
"A muggleborn?" completed Blaise with a look of understanding.
"Yeah…" Draco mumbled, looking down, ashamed.
"Hey man, it's okay. If it's meant to be, it'll work itself out," said Blaise. Draco was glad he had chosen to confide in Blaise rather than Gregory, who would've teased him eternally.
"You're right. Plus, this probably won't go anywhere. It's just a passing crush because of the whole Head Boy- Head Girl thing."
"Right," said Blaise, not convinced, but still loyal.
"Well, let's go then," said Draco, and the two friends turned to leave the shop. As they did, they pivoted right into a man standing directly behind them. He was average height, but Draco could see his well-defined muscles even beneath the man's loose navy blue robes. The man had a short beard, but was otherwise bald.
"Oh, sorry to startle you," said the man. "I'm Finn Talman, I'm the shopkeeper of this bookshop. I was just coming over to ask if you tow needed help with anything."
The man did not look like Draco's idea of a bookkeeper, and his voice couldn't quite be called friendly. "No, we were just going," said Blaise, finding a hold on his friend's elbow and dragging him out the door.
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"That Finn guy was weird," said Draco once he and Blaise were safely sipping Butterbeers in the Three Broomsticks.
"Definitely. I didn't hear him come up behind us at all. I wonder how long he was there…" said Blaise absently.
"Well, I think I'll go back to Hogwarts now," said Draco, draining the rest of his mug and standing up.
Blaise winked at a group of Hufflepuff 6th years who all blushed and giggled. "Alright, I'll join you in a couple hours."
As he exited the pub, Draco watched his friend stride over to the girls. "Can I buy you a drink ladies?" No doubt his friend would stay entertained. Blaise's almost subconscious flirting with younger girls was one of the reasons he and Mandy were so off-and-on. Draco shook his head. Zambini lived to tease girls.
Draco made his way up the hill towards the school. Only about 50 feet from the school entrance, he encountered a tight knot of witches and wizards all dressed in navy blue robes. As he passed them, he received a unanimously suspicious group glare. Strange to see non-staff members this close to the school, what with the tightened security and all. Maybe that group was here to teach the 6th years to apparate, or something.
Draco stopped at the intimidating iron gates to be inspected by Filch. After giving him a quick wave with a stealth detector and asking him if he'd encountered anything suspicious, Draco Malfoy was checked back into Hogwarts and readmitted into the castle.
On returning to the castle, Draco decided to idle away the rest of the Saturday in the company of his fellow Slytherins. Though these first couple weeks had been undeniably awkward, what with everyone missing the presence of the 7th Slytherin in their year. Vincent Crabbe had fought on Voldemort's side of the Final Battle, and had been killed along with his parents. His younger sister, Terri, however, had refused to join Voldemort and was still a 5th year at Hogwarts. Hmm… thought Draco. I should talk to her some time. We're in the same boat. Though I bet it's harder for her because she isn't legally an adult yet.
Draco had just reached the portrait of the snooty, high-class wizard that guarded the Slytherin Dormitory when it him. Snape's dead. Dead. Snape is dead. Draco wanted to just lie down right then and there. But not only would the prompt unwelcome questions, it was also very likely that he would be stepped on by Slytherins departing the dormitory. In the interest of his mental and physical health, Draco decided to break down somewhere more secluded.
He reached the owlery and found its only occupant a 2nd year Ravenclaw boy. As he caught sight of Draco he started, and scurried away quickly. So quickly that he failed to securely attach his letter and parcel to his owl's leg. Draco picked up the letter and parcel, which had fallen to the floor. He was about to reattach them when the name on the envelope caught his eye. Finn Talman.
What on earth could that little 12 year-old be sending to that weird bookkeeper? Draco wondered. Before Draco could satisfy his curiosity, a very irritated barn owl pecked his finger. Draco swore and the owl took advantage of his lax grip to swoop away with its charges.
Pushing that out of the way, Draco hefted himself up to one of the open windows and perched on a sill, dangling his legs out, exactly as was forbidden. Draco hung his head, allowing his white-blonde hair to obscure his eyes. Snape. His confidant, his friend. His mentor, his protector. His Godfather.
Hell, when Potter's Godfather had died, he had gone absolutely postal. And everyone was comforting and soothing and concerned. No one even knew about Draco's lost, and when people did find out, there would be no comforting, except from perhaps a few select Slytherins. Quite the opposite. Potter thought he had it so bad. No one made snide comments about his late godfather. No one said "'bout time" when they found out about the death of the declared innocent Sirius Black. Potter had had a whole freaking support group and he still when insane.
But Draco would endure his pain by himself. As he always had. When his father would beat him. When his mother would neglect and abuse him. When the (first) Dark Lord himself had given Draco the task of murdering Dumbledore. When he had to fight against his own parents, and he himself destroyed two of Voldemort's four remaining horcruxes. And when he returned to school, he had endured the stares, the glares, the mean notes and comments. Sure Professor McGonnagall had made a speech at the starting banquet, but that didn't stop the taunts and jeers.
Draco slapped his hand. Stop wallowing in self pity, he commanded himself. Draco sighed. He jumped down from the window, because he had been up there for at least an hour, and he was getting sleepy. It wouldn't do for him to kill himself falling off a tower after he had worked so hard to stay alive.
Draco didn't feel like faking a smile for his friends quite yet, though, so he decided to rest for a while more in the owlery. Draco dozed off leaning against the tower wall. He mercifully fell into a dreamless slumber.
At about 6:30 the next morning, a certain 7th year Gryffindor notorious for early rising entered the owlery to mail a letter. She sent the owl off and was about to leave when she noticed the slumped blonde boy. She walked over to make sure he was just asleep and not dead. Securing this she turned to leave, but for some unknown reason turned back to look closer at the sleeping Head Boy.
He looked peaceful, more peaceful than he ever did during his waking hours. The ever-present worry line on his forehead was absent. His breathing was even and tranquil. The Head Girl was not known for spontaneous rash actions; quite the opposite. But something must've been different because that morning the Head Girl threw rationality into the wind and leaned down, her face inches from the unconscious Draco's.
She closed her eyes and all was still for a moment. Then, ever so gently she pressed her lips onto his. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, depending on the personal opinions and wants of specific individuals, the previously sleeping platinum blonde chose that moment to return to the conscious world.
"Bloody hell Granger!" Draco practically shouted as he gave her a hard shove and knocked her over backwards. She hit the stone floor with a thud.
Draco's still sleep-clouded brain struggled to make the gears turn. "Were you… kissing me?" he demanded of the heap of a girl in front of him. He said it with the tone that suggested that to him, a kiss from her was as despicable as a kick. What the hell was that? Here I had just decided not to like her… But anyways, what was she doing?!?
Draco was annoyed to find his heart beating quickly and his breath fast.
Hermione pushed herself up from the ground at looked at him with an expression that suggested almost… fear? Was the mudblood afraid of him? Sure he had proved his aptness as a wizard when he had destroyed two horcruxes, defeated several Deatheaters, and helped corner the (first) Dark Lord. But for god's sake, he wouldn't hurt a girl, even if she was annoying and loud.
However, Draco did nothing to ease her anxieties. "Well?" he demanded even more harshly, definitely shouting this time.
"N-no," stammered the usually quite eloquent Head Girl. "I just came up here to m-mail my letter and I saw someone over in the corner and I just b-bent down to see who it was," she finished, rushing with a definitely nervous tone.
Draco scowled at her. Bull. She had kissed him and they both knew it. "Look Granger, you can't just go around snogging whoever you want. If I wake up with you on me again, I seriously think I might hurt you."
"Then maybe you shouldn't sleep in the Owlery!" retorted Granger angrily, some of her embarrassment leaving to be replaced by matching dislike.
Draco dropped his eyes and muttered, "I bet Potter didn't sleep well either the night after Sirius died.
With his peripheral vision Draco saw her hard expression melt away. "I'm… I'm s-sorry," she said and spun to leave.
"Granger!" Draco called after her.
Granger turned, seemingly hesitantly, to face him again. She was practically flinching. Maybe I shouldn't've yelled at her, he thought guiltily. "We'll have a prefect meeting today at 2. Tell Weasley and the Hufflepuffs. I'll tell the others." And with those parting words, Draco got the hell away from the owlery before his stupid heart exploded from his chest.
Passing a mirror, Draco decided he didn't look to ruffled and could proceed directly to breakfast. Well, after a quick combing of his hair. In the Great Hall he informed the Ravenclaw prefects as well as Pansy of their afternoon meeting. He sat unusually quiet as he ate his pancakes. What was that Granger? Why'd you do that?
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Author's Note: Surprising eh? I haven't been getting much feedback, but I'd like some help here. Am I moving too fast? Don't worry, they won't be madly in love tomorrow, or anything that sudden. Love the input. And rest assured, the mysterious book written by the first Draco Malfoy will pop up again.