The rest of term is a blaze of warm days spent trekking across the grounds with my closest friends, enjoying the good weather and the absence of exams. Everything's gone back to the way it always has been, minus DADA classes and Lucius Malfoy as school governor. Apparently there was some scandal with him and threatening the other members of the board.
Lucius Malfoy's son has changed. I recognize him from the incident with him and Hermione earlier in the year as well as several similar incidents, and he rode in the boat with me to get here our first year. He used to swagger about the castle with great pomp and arrogance, but, now, he droops in his walk and aura. I know how much Fred and George dislike him, but it's hard for me to do the same when he sulks the way he does.
One day, I walk up to him as he sits on the large stone steps up to the entrance of the castle, gloomy as ever. Fred and George are gone hunting down the Giant Squid at the Black Lake with Lee, so I've spent the day alone.
"Hi, I'm Audrey," I introduce myself, sitting beside him.
"Yes, I remember you," he scoffs. "You were the rude girl who didn't talk on the way here last year."
"Sorry about that," I laugh. "I was so nervous, I was just trying not to shake with anxiety. That's not how I usually am. I promise."
"Is that so? How are you usually?" he looks up at me from under long blonde lashes.
"I don't know. Pretty normal, I guess," I chuckle lightly.
"Far from it. You hang around the Weasley twins, after all," he scoffs once more.
"So? You hang around Crabbe and Goyle and the other Slytherins," I recall. "Does that mean you must be a bad person?"
"Sometimes, I think so," he mutters under his breath.
"No…," I sit and think for a minute before standing. "I don't think so. I think you're actually a nice guy, Draco Malfoy. You're just too afraid to show it."
Then, before he has a chance to react, I hold out my hand for him to shake. "Nice to meet you, Draco."
"And you, Audrey."
Then, I head to the Great Lake, pushing the odd conversation and the mysterious boy out of mind as soon as I spot the boys.
"Hey, Rey! Squid you consider going out with me?" Lee makes an awful pun.
"In your dreams, Jordan," I chuckle before walking up to George, who stands at the edge of the shore beside Fred.
"Can I have a hug?" I ask, putting on my best puppy dog face.
"Of course, Rey!" he gives me a surprised look at the odd request. "How come?"
I wrap my arms around his skinny waist, burying my face in his chest before bracing myself. Then, I shout, "So, I can do this!" I push the unsuspecting redhead into the clear blue water, laughing aloud when he stumbles backwards and falls in. He flounders for a moment, a shocked look on his face, before running up onto the shore and embracing me in the wettest hug ever. Growling playfully, he picks me up over his shoulder and heads back into the water shoulder-deep before dropping me in.
I howl from the bitingly cold temperature of the water and splash. Being much shorter than him, I'm unable to touch the bottom at the depth he brought me to. I cry out and grab for him. Laughingly, he grabs my waist and lets me cling to him, arms wrapped tightly around his neck and legs around his waist. Before I know it, he's pulling me out, near crying from laughter.
"Don't mess with me, Sweetheart," he coos as he drops me onto the warm sand. "I'll be right back with towels," he sighs and kisses me on the forehead, my teeth chattering, before heading to the castle to get them.