11:40 AM

I was astonished when I saw Draco make tea for the both of us. I guess, ever since he separated from his parents, he had learned everything himself. Believe me, I knew, speaking from experience and all. I stood by the kitchen entrance and watched him make it. His cloak was very loose on him, but I could still delineate the shape of his body. I imagined myself grabbing him from behind and clinging to him like butter on bread. Suddenly, I broke out of my fantasy as something sharp stung my ribs. It felt like a thousand knives had been thrown straight at my rib cage. The pain was unbearable. I screeched, falling to the floor and curling up into a ball to prevent more pain from invading my body. Draco's mug cluttered from his hand when he looked around, and ran to me instantly. I could feel his hand brush against my shoulder, his eyes only focused on me for the first time. I didn't drift away from his gaze, even with my condition, but the longer we locked our eyes, the easier the pain felt, until it alleviated fully. Draco reached for my hand and pulled me to my feet.

"Okay, what was that all about? Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think it was heartburn."

"Are you sure? You were screaming your head off."

"I'm sure. Maybe I should just take a seat in the living room and wait for you."

"That's a good idea. Go." He motioned me towards the living room and I went without saying anything else. So, what Hermione said had come true. If this was to happen every hour, I had to watch it and make sure I didn't scream from the pain. I probably would scare him off.

I looked around. It was a dull place Draco was living in. The flat looked almost a century old, with the plaster and white pain chipped off the walls of the living room. There were black gashes on the ceiling that looked like it had been burned. There wasn't anything in the living room except a couch and a lamp. No windows and no light shining from outside. How could he live in this dump?

"Here you go." Draco came in, interrupting me from my observations. He saw me do it and said, "Yeah, I know it's pretty bad, but that's all I can do with the fucking wage I make right now."

"Doing what, exactly?" I asked, a bit scared to know the answer.

"I sell items, you know, Potions, special amulets used for protection, plants, some of the things are illegal so I make big bucks sometimes. Depends on the costumer, really."

"What about Lucius? Doesn't he give you money?"

Draco snorted derisively, "He said that if I moved out, I would be on my own financially. I had to move out. I couldn't keep on taking his god damn orders all my life. I gotta be my own man."

"That's just how I feel."

"So you got your own flat too, eh?" Draco sat next to me rather closely that I could feel the vapor coming out of his tea.

I took a sip and answered, "Yeah. It's actually far away from here."

"Is that so? Now, would that be the reason for not coming to visit us? The distance? The last time I checked, you knew how to Apparate."

"Hey. It's not like you came either."

"I didn't know where you were, and when I asked around, no one else did either. So you can't blame me for not coming around. And lotsa people come here so I'm sure they could have told you if you asked."

"I did. I asked Vincent today, and he told me, and that's not the only thing he told me."

Draco laughed again, "So you know I'm a Death Eater, right? What of it?"

"Well, it's just that-"

"Look, I know you don't follow all that, so it's just best we don't get into that conversation."

I looked down at my cup and blew on the tea, trying to make it cooler, "Fine then. So what else have you been up to, besides doing your Death Eater duties? Got any girlfriends, girlfriend, I mean?"

"It's funny you should ask that, since before, I've always had one or sometimes two. But right now, no, I don't. I can't even take care of myself, living in this trash bin, how am I supposed to follow another girl's tail and try to do her."

"Ugh. Draco." I said, disgusted at his last comment.

"What? Isn't that what being boyfriend and girlfriend is about? You bang her and then it's over. You move on to the next one."

His negative attitude put me in a bold mood, "Then why didn't you ever try anything on me?"

"See, I was going to, but you took me off guard that year when you told everyone we had sex. It was supposed to be me who told everyone those things, not you. You were too rash, and I decided not to go after you. You're lucky."

No I'm not, I thought inside. But then again, if he had, I would have been just another toy to him.

"Am I? I guess so, but at least now your playing days are over. Planning to get married?"

"What is this, an interrogation?" Draco asked, raising his eyes at her.

"If you want it to be. So, you planning to get married?"

"Hell no. What's the point?"

"Oh, I don't know…for love, commitment, companionship-"

"Being trapped to one woman forever, being ordered around, having to do extra work around the house-"

"Care for each other-"

"Be a slave-"

We both stopped and started laughing. There was a warm feeling inside me when I did, and I didn't want it to go away.

"No, but seriously," I said, sitting straight up again, "Don't you want kids, a wife, a dog-"

"A dog?" He said, cackling madly.

"Oh, you know what I mean. Why waste your life in nothing when you can fulfill it?"

"My my my, you sound like a shrink."

"That's right. Why do you think I'm in doctor training right now?"

"Yeah right." Draco said, not believing me.

"I'm serious. I'm going to be a doctor. That's why I'm here today, to cure you."

"Really? You just don't seem the type to-"

"Yeah, so everyone keeps on telling me." I didn't reveal the fact that I had resigned today. I felt like I couldn't tell him about my fate. I needed at least one person who could look and talk to me like a normal person, not like talking to a dying woman.

"But why? What motivated you to it?"

"Hmm…well, I want something out of life and want to help people, since I was never helped myself. I want to make a change in the world."

"Whoa, look at you," Draco pointed, "sounding like a natural leader. Just remember that I get free visits to your ward when I'm old, alright?"

"Got it." I smirked, gazing at his blue eyes. They seemed hidden under his eyelashes and needed to come out and shine to bring out the rest of his face with light.

He glanced at his watch and said, "Oh, man. That bites. I gotta go to someone's house for special orders. I'm sorry."

"It's alright." No it wasn't, but here was my chance to ask him to dinner, "Uh…Draco?"

"Hmm?" He hummed, getting to his feet and picking up his mug from the floor.

"Do you want to meet up for dinner later, maybe at this restaurant I know? You don't have to, I was just thinking-"

"Are you kidding? I would love to." Draco answered, patting her arm and then going to the kitchen to put his mug away. I followed him and did the same.

"Then tonight it is." Draco said, signaling for me to leave.

"When should I come here?"

"How about…7:30?"

"Got it. See you later then." He waved, and I waved back. With one hand, I attempted to open the door, but it wouldn't budge, still keeping my eyes on him, I tried harder but it wouldn't open.

"Eh, sweetheart. How can the door open when you're standing stuck to it?" He pushed me aside gently and pulled the doorknob. The door came flying towards me. We both laughed awkwardly, and I could feel the color rising to my cheeks. And with that, I was off, with my heart and mind feeling a little better than before.