Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to J. K. Rowling. Any text from her books is italicized.
Draco's Curse
Chapter 4
The next day, Draco was sitting down at breakfast when he noticed that Granger and Weasley were still glaring at each other. He really hated that red-haired bastard. He had such a beautiful girl right at his fingertips, and he alienated her for petty reasons. The blood traitor didn't have to worry about his parents not approving of her, and he certainly didn't have to worry about his father maybe killing her if he so much as touched her. He had everything, and he threw it away, Draco fumed silently to himself. What a bastard. He watched as Weasley again upset her to the point where she rushed out of the hall, tears flowing freely down her face. He put down his fork and followed her quietly. She was sitting under the tree again, holding her knees to his chest. Tears were coursing down her face. She looked pitiful. He had the urge to go back in and kill the goddamn blood traitor, right then and there, but before he could move, she looked up and spotted him.
"Malfoy?" she said softly, raising her tear-stained face to see him. He nodded. "Weasley again?"
"Yes. I don't understand how he can be so awful. I know Crookshanks hasn't done anything to Scabbers, but he insists he killed him. He won't listen to me, and he insulted me to Lavender yesterday... Harry's just as bad. He knows I'm right, but his friendship with Ron is more important to him..." She was rambling, but he didn't mind. She needed someone to talk to, and he liked listening to her. He sat down beside her, and she smiled tearfully at him. "I don't get you, Malfoy. You insult me all the time, you hate me and my friends, or anyone of my birth for that matter, and yet you're being so nice! I just don't get it."
He was silent as he contemplated this. She was all too right... He should be staying away from her, for both their sakes. He thought quickly. How could he stay away from her? How could he leave now? He jumped up and put his coat on. "You're right, mudblood," he sneered at her. "I shouldn't even sully my ears with your foul words!" Her eyes widened and once more filled with tears as she stared up at him. "But..." she whispered slowly. "But... I thought..."
Though it pained him more than he could ever admit to do so, he spoke again, cruelly, coldly. "Thought what? That I would be the friend of a filthy mudblood like you? That I would comfort you when the blood traitor hurts your feelings? Well think again, Granger. I'm not some fluffy, sweet Hufflepuff! I'm a Slytherin, and don't you forget it." He walked away quickly, and though he could feel her wounded stare boring into his back, he did not turn.
Author's Note: Please review! I need to know what you think before I can update... Sorry it's so short, but this was the best place to end it. The next one will be longer, I promise.
