*Though I always spell check, please don't mind any errors I'm sure are lurking in these paragraphs. I was up very late for the New Year and I barely slept.
After about five or seven minutes of eating in silence, Draco stood up and pulled out his wand. I stood up and gasped, fumbling for mine in my pants, believing he was about to try and jinx me. Draco cocked a brow and looked at me like I was odd for about five seconds and I watched the dishes float into the sink past me, where they proceeded to wash themselves.
"What's this? Weren't you worried about exposure?" I asked, crossing my arms and narrowing my eyes at him.
"No one's home," he said matter-of-factly, his mouth pulling into a tight grim line, "I'm just cleaning up after myself." He slowly pocketed his wand and left the kitchen. I sat back down to finish my food. The house was somewhat large, but not so much that I wouldn't have had to run into Draco every now and then. I thought it was going to be a very anxious week, having to deal with being in the same house as the likes of Draco Malfoy. The Graysons were very busy themselves, apparently both doctors at a hospital. They were often gone very early and back very late at night, but at least there wasn't much to worry about in terms of being caught doing magic. I sat on my bed, producing little sparks of owls that flew about and dissipated right before they could go out the open window, something Fred had taught me to do once when he and George opened their joke shop. For a moment I was gripped by sadness and had to close my eyes. I could hear the twins laughing, see their eyes flashing with mischief. I sort of wanted to go home. I felt rather lonely. I heard footsteps and sat up from against the wall on my bed. The door was ajar, enough so that I could see as Draco walked past my room and went somewhere, the sound of a door closing promptly. The same Russian Blue that had scratched Draco yesterday paused at the door.
"Here kitty," I said playfully. It slowly but surely entered my room. It looked around, and then jumped up onto my bed, stretching and looking at me before turning its gaze around the room. I didn't try to pet the cat, for fear I'd get scratched as well. He seemed friendly enough and made himself comfortable at the foot of my bed, where he proceeded to take a nap. I was beginning to get very bored. I wished there was something to do. I flicked my wand and caused a few tiny fireworks to materialize. It was always more fun when George would do it. I thought about sending an owl home, but I didn't think it would be practical to have one fly overseas just to send a letter. I heard another door close and saw something move past again. I knew it was Draco, as no one else was home at the time. It was nearly one in the afternoon, and a pretty warm day. I decided I'd had enough sitting around all day. I wanted to do something. I decided to check out the yard and garden out back. I stepped out of bed, placing my feet into my sandals and left my room. I walked down the stairs and turned the corner down a long hallway. The back door was already open, except for the inner screen which kept bugs out. I had noticed from dinner the previous night that the Graysons had a swimming pool in their yard, but I hadn't thought to ask about using it. I approached the door and stepped outside. It was bright and sunny, so I squinted to see. I looked at the green yard in front of me, just beyond the porch steps. I walked towards it, stepping out of my shoes. I descended the steps and found my feet in the grass. It was a nice yard and had plenty of room to walk about. I closed my eyes and turned my face up towards the sun for a minute, just thinking. I was nearly blind when I stopped, squinting and turning my back towards the light as I walked back to the porch. I reached the top step and glanced to my left at the swimming pool, and over by the pool were a few long chairs, on one of which Draco was laid out in a pair of shorts and nothing else. He was on his back, his eyes closed. He had a long torso and legs, blinding blonde hair in the pits of his arms that were on display due to the fact that he was resting his hands under his head. He nearly blinded me with his pallor, and I decided I'd better go back into the house. As I was thinking about what a fool he looked like, his eyes popped open and he just watched me walk back into the house in silence. I wished he'd get burned out there, shaking my head to myself as I closed the door. It was all very strange. I just didn't want to be out there with him. It was already awkward enough. I thought him rather pretentious and rude. I didn't want his aura clouding mine. I went to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water. I drank it and then filled it again. I must have sat there and drank nearly seven glasses. I went back to my room and the cat was still there resting on the bed.
"What's your name?" I asked. He looked up at me, and I wished he could talk. It would have been nice to have some legitimate company. I sat back and produced more sparks. The cat watched in amazement, reaching for a shining ember with his paw. I grinned.
"You like that, don't you?" I asked. I produced a little mouse made of smoke and watched the cat jump onto the floor in pursuit of it until it finally vanished into thin air. I did this a couple of times out of boredom, but the cat appeared to be enjoying himself. He paused and sat in front of me when I lay down and stopped playing with my wand.
"You want another?" I asked. The cat licked its lips and I produced another fake mouse. He chased it about the room again until it disappeared. I left the room to use the bathroom. When I came back, the cat had gone somewhere else. I lay back and eventually fell asleep in the heat. It had a way of doing that to me. I thought I might wake up and find myself back at home in England, but instead I woke up to the sound of somebody knocking on my door.
"Well, are you going to want dinner or not?" Draco asked from outside. I blinked awake. It was sunset. I must've taken a longer nap than I'd intended to.
"Johnson," he said, knocking louder. I pulled open the door and shoved past Draco to go to the restroom down the hall once more before meeting the Graysons downstairs for dinner. The rest of the week went on mostly the same as it had that day. I spent most of my time in my room or in the kitchen, looking at magazines called Vogue that Mrs. Grayson had lying around, and decided that my Muggle wardrobe needed updating. Whenever I found Draco in a room, I'd merely leave and find another empty place in the house. He didn't seem to want a reminder, either, that we were in the same house. We mostly stayed out of each other's way. When the day came that Draco and I were to move in on campus, the Graysons politely saw us off, helping us each bring boxes into the buildings we were staying in. The Graysons helped me move in first, and I watched Draco sweat in the heat like a dog as he helped them. I felt some sort of satisfaction knowing I wasn't going to have to help him move any of his things in, the prat. Draco didn't say a word to me as he placed a final box on the floor of my single dorm room and turned to leave, nearly bumping into Mr. Grayson.
"Oh, sorry, mate," he said cheerfully, and I rolled my eyes at his fakeness once more. Mrs. Grayson brought in a rucksack I had in the backseat.
"Where would you like this, Angelina?" she asked me kindly. I rushed over and took it, knowing it must have been heavy.
"I'll take that. Thank you so much," I said to her and to Mr. Grayson, who smiled, walking over to the window.
"You gonna want this open? It's kind of a scorcher today," he said.
"Sure, that would be fine," I said. I watched him open my window and look out over the campus of the University of Massachusetts. It was rather large and I knew one of the first things I was going to have to do was find out where the heck everything was.
"Well, we probably won't be seeing you again until…Columbus Day? I think the campus is closed that day. If you want to spend the weekend back at our house—any weekend—feel free to call and my wife or I can come pick you right up," said Mr. Grayson.
"Thank you so much, sir," I said, shaking his hand. He shook his head.
"Oh, call me Ted," he laughed.
"It was our pleasure," said Mrs. Grayson, shaking my hand as well.
"Thanks, Dr—Dustin," I said, correcting myself. Draco grinned from where he stood in the doorway. I knew he'd have liked nothing more than to choke me, and I laughed on the inside…
I was eating dinner in a dining hall called Berkshire, which was well crowded. I felt like such a stranger in the sea of Muggle college students. I was beginning to wonder if I'd make any real friends here, as I wasn't sure whether I wanted to stay in the country for good. It was nice to try Muggle foods and people watch. I kept my wand on me at all times, but made sure I didn't just casually pull it out for small things, lest I expose magic or myself to a building full of unsuspecting Muggles. The campus was so large that I never thought I'd actually see Draco around, but as I scanned the room, my eyes landed on the back of a tall figure at the hot water machine. Draco was automatically recognizable, the way he stood to his full height and had his nose somewhat in the air, as if he thought he was better than everyone. I stopped looking at him and continued to eat my dinner. After about a minute, I looked up again and Draco wasn't standing by the drink machines. I nearly choked on a forkful of broccoli when I looked up to find his cold eyes peering down at me, somewhat menacingly.
"Well, don't have a bloody heart attack, Johnson. I was only going to ask if I could sit here. This place is packed," he said in a displeased manner, looking around the hall, which was, in fact, packed. I sighed, relaxing.
"Whatever, Malfoy. Just try not to look like such a prick. I don't want anyone to think we're friends," I said, a bit harsher than I ever knew myself capable of being. Draco ignored my comment and put his plate down on the other side of the table. Conveniently, there was only one seat left at my table, which Draco now occupied. He placed a mug of hot tea beside his plate and reached for a napkin. As he did so, I couldn't help noticing this ornate ring on his right hand, and how pale the skin was. He was a filthy rich bastard. He looked like he would have been about zero degrees to the touch. However, it wasn't so strange sitting there as I ate; it wasn't the first time we'd been forced to eat with each other, as we had several times at the Grayson's dinner table, but it was the first time he had to be so damned close. The table was clearly built for two, and I felt that I was unnecessarily close to Draco, closer than I would have liked to have been. He cleared his throat and blew a spoonful of tea before tasting it, nearly spitting it out, making a foul face, and dropping the spoon back into the mug.
"What kind of fake…? They call this shit tea?" he asked no one in particular.
"Made a bloody massacre of earl grey," he muttered, getting up and walking back towards the drink machine. He thought he was too good for everything, and that nothing here was good enough for him. And then I wondered why he hadn't just gone to Harvard, like Mr. Grayson had suggested. Something told me that even if he hadn't gotten in normally, his family could have paid their way in. It made me sick to think of the corruption. I was proud to be of Gryffindor house. I valued what I learned at Hogwarts. Draco shortly returned to the table with a glass of water, which he proceeded to drink as if to rid the taste of the tea. His Adam's apple moved slowly as he swallowed and I thought of slitting his throat for a moment. I shook my head and rid myself of negative energy. I was disappointed that the Graysons were no longer there to witness Draco's true nature. He was a pretty good actor, and I found it to be scary. I felt so much apprehension towards him, but I knew nothing was likely to happen in a place full of Muggle witnesses. I finished the rice that was on my plate, not looking up at Draco while I ate. When finally I finished, I found him looking at me with narrowed eyes. I cocked a brow.
"What the devil are you looking at me like that for?" I asked. I didn't wait to hear any answer from Draco. I just wanted to get out of there. I picked up my plate and glass, and headed towards dish return. I was neither full nor hungry, but I just wanted to get away from Draco. I spared a glance back at the table to find him still watching me with narrowed, suspicious eyes, and I thought that if one of us should be suspicious of the other, it was me of him. I made it back to my dorm, which was conveniently right next door to the dining hall. It was called John Quincy Adams tower. I recalled from some of my research on Muggles that it was a former president of the United States. I walked inside after swiping in with my ID, and got into the lift. These lifts weren't like the ones at the Ministry that could go all over the building as opposed to simply up and down. I felt a bit of curiosity, wondering which dorm Draco was staying in, merely so that I would know how best to avoid him. I assumed he was staying in one of the neighboring dorms or I might not have bumped into him at the dining common.
"Wicked!" said George, scaring me out of my wits as he apparated into sight. I almost jumped out of my skin, and was thankful that I happened to be the only person in the lift at the time.
"Are you out of your mind?" I asked George as he smiled, looking around and taking in the sight of the lift.
"What?" he asked distantly, acclimating to his surroundings.
"Suppose I weren't the only one in here. What would you have just done? Exposed magic," I said reprimanding him. George shrugged nonchalantly.
"Relax, Angie," he said, "Would've just as soon made them forget what they saw with a flick of my wand." I shook my head, but laughed.
"What are you doing here?" I asked as the lift finally reached the top floor where I was staying and George pulled me into a hug.
"Coming to visit. I didn't get the chance to see you off from the airport," he explained. I remembered my flight from England the previous week. Not even my parents had been able to see me off, due to work. I had left the country with no more than a hug and goodbye from my best friend Katie. I already missed home. The lift doors began to close and I pulled out of George's hug to stick my foot between them so they wouldn't close.
"I haven't got a roommate," I said, walking towards my door and pulling the key out of my pocket. George's arms found their way about my waist and I couldn't fight a smile. I remembered the last time we'd fooled around; it was right before I'd broken the news to George that I was coming to the States for school. I recalled him not having been pleased with the idea, asking me why the hell I'd want to start school all over again when I had a perfectly well off job at home. He'd told me I was being ridiculous, only trying to pursue an unrealistic, boring life when I should have stayed in the wizarding world where I wouldn't have to hide the fact that I was a witch. I recalled how much I hated to argue with him…George wasn't my boyfriend and I wasn't his girlfriend, but we'd just sort of been brought together a while after Fred passed away. If I had asked myself during fifth year whether I'd ever date one of the Weasleys, I would have laughed. I never would have pictured myself with George, or Fred, but after Fred died the bond between George and I sort of grew. And I guess it grew beyond what a normal friendship usually would have constituted. George pulled me in against his frame and I pushed the door open. I didn't even bother to turn on the light as George whisked me up off my feet…
When I woke up, George was gone. Suddenly I wasn't feeling very happy. I sat up in bed, and then the door began to open. I was just about to find my wand when George appeared. I relaxed. He was already dressed.
"…Where'd you go?" I asked, yawning and stretching. George sat down on my bed and looked around the room at the boxes I had yet to unpack.
"Just to the loo," he said, "It's much different than the lavatories at Hogwarts," he said, looking around the room in the daylight. I found the clock and gasped.
"What?" George asked as I jumped past him out of bed.
"I've got class in twenty minutes," I said, struggling to find something clean to wear. I wasn't going to have time to shower, so I just grabbed my wand and muttered a quick spell to make me look tidy. I rummaged through the box that contained school supplies and filled my rucksack.
"You've got to go? So soon?" George asked, standing up and pushing his hands through his disheveled hair. I glanced him up and down.
"Well, you looked like you were ready to leave," I said. I guess we hadn't quite made up completely. George rolled his eyes, and it made me somewhat angry.
"Yeah, I've got to go," I said emptily.
"Angie," he said, and I paused at the door.
"What?" I asked exasperated.
"You might want to put that away first," he said, pointing to my wand.
I sighed and put it in my backpack.
"Make sure you lock the door," I said before leaving. I thought it would've made me happy to have a visitor, but instead, I found myself holding back tears as I rushed down several flights of stairs. I wished George hadn't showed up at all.
I made it into a nice cool building by the name of Thompson, sweating bullets as I rushed to the classroom. I checked the time on the cell phone that was in my bag. I was just about two minutes early. Relieved, I walked down the aisle and took a seat, dropping a notebook that fell out of my backpack. I sighed. Somebody picked up my book and as it was being handed to me, I couldn't possibly have mistaken the pale hand. I looked up into Draco's face. He looked almost as surprised to see me as I was to see him.