1 Part 9
1.1 TWO WEEKS LATER…
"So, how do you feel about starting school next week?" Draco said to Star as he walked her home after practicing Quidditch, (as had been their near- daily ritual since the window episode) their brooms over their shoulders.
Star shrugged, her eyes downcast.
"Excited? Worried? Nervous? Scared? Draco supplied.
"I dunno…uh, well, sort of nervous, I guess." she shrugged again.
"Well, don't worry," Draco looked at her innocently. "Just be your usual, charming, sun-shiney self, and everyone will just love you!" He laughed, dodging Star's broom as she swung it at his head.
"Don't worry about that, Draco," Star said, adopting Draco's innocent expression. "I mean, there's no way anyone at Hogwarts can be even half as obnoxious as you."
Draco dropped his broom and clutched at his heart, as though mortally wounded. He staggered around, emitting a series of apoplectic wheezing gasps, before finally collapsing spread-eagled to the ground, twitching.
Star watched this rather interesting display serenely. She approached the still form, prodding it with her toe. He didn't move. Shaking her head amusedly, she muttered "Boys!" and stepped over Draco, who was suddenly revived, and grabbed Star's ankle, bringing her crashing down on top of him.
Draco hurridly pushed Star off himself, pretending to be angry. "Arghh!" he cried. "What's your problem?? Here I am, lying down, minding my own business, when you just come up and jump on me!" He winced exaggeratedly, as he rubbed the spot on his ribs where Star's elbow had jabbed him when she fell. "You don't do that to people, okay? You could've really hurt me!"
1.1.1 Star's jaw hung open in an expression of mingled fury and disbelief. "Why, you lying, little—!"
She trailed off as she saw Draco shaking with silent laughter. She stared at him, bewildered, then closed her mouth and made a sound of disgust as she finally caught on. After a moment, she laughed, too.
"I have to go," she said, picking up her broom and standing up. She left Draco where he lay.
"Hey, Star!" Draco called after her, raising his head so he could see her better. She turned around.
"What?"
Draco took a breath. 'Here goes'. "You know the party I'm having at my house the night before school starts??"
"Yeah,"
Another breath. "D'you want to go with me?"
Star studied him. Her expression was indistinguishable from Draco's distance and vantage point.
"Sure, okay."
Star turned again and disappeared into her house. Draco heaved a huge sigh of relief, letting his head fall back to the earth.
1.1 TWO WEEKS LATER…
"So, how do you feel about starting school next week?" Draco said to Star as he walked her home after practicing Quidditch, (as had been their near- daily ritual since the window episode) their brooms over their shoulders.
Star shrugged, her eyes downcast.
"Excited? Worried? Nervous? Scared? Draco supplied.
"I dunno…uh, well, sort of nervous, I guess." she shrugged again.
"Well, don't worry," Draco looked at her innocently. "Just be your usual, charming, sun-shiney self, and everyone will just love you!" He laughed, dodging Star's broom as she swung it at his head.
"Don't worry about that, Draco," Star said, adopting Draco's innocent expression. "I mean, there's no way anyone at Hogwarts can be even half as obnoxious as you."
Draco dropped his broom and clutched at his heart, as though mortally wounded. He staggered around, emitting a series of apoplectic wheezing gasps, before finally collapsing spread-eagled to the ground, twitching.
Star watched this rather interesting display serenely. She approached the still form, prodding it with her toe. He didn't move. Shaking her head amusedly, she muttered "Boys!" and stepped over Draco, who was suddenly revived, and grabbed Star's ankle, bringing her crashing down on top of him.
Draco hurridly pushed Star off himself, pretending to be angry. "Arghh!" he cried. "What's your problem?? Here I am, lying down, minding my own business, when you just come up and jump on me!" He winced exaggeratedly, as he rubbed the spot on his ribs where Star's elbow had jabbed him when she fell. "You don't do that to people, okay? You could've really hurt me!"
1.1.1 Star's jaw hung open in an expression of mingled fury and disbelief. "Why, you lying, little—!"
She trailed off as she saw Draco shaking with silent laughter. She stared at him, bewildered, then closed her mouth and made a sound of disgust as she finally caught on. After a moment, she laughed, too.
"I have to go," she said, picking up her broom and standing up. She left Draco where he lay.
"Hey, Star!" Draco called after her, raising his head so he could see her better. She turned around.
"What?"
Draco took a breath. 'Here goes'. "You know the party I'm having at my house the night before school starts??"
"Yeah,"
Another breath. "D'you want to go with me?"
Star studied him. Her expression was indistinguishable from Draco's distance and vantage point.
"Sure, okay."
Star turned again and disappeared into her house. Draco heaved a huge sigh of relief, letting his head fall back to the earth.