Houses Competition Y2, Head of House, Ravenclaw, Drabble, Prompt: "Nothing can be that important", WC: 410

Finally, back to writing! I hope you all enjoy this little one, with plenty more to come!

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"Granger, what are you doing?" the drawling voice of Draco Malfoy disrupts my moment, his supercilious walk indicating that he's clearly followed me from somewhere on his laughable destructive path of doom. I scowl in spite of myself, tears burning their vicious tracks down my cheeks, furious that he's caught me unawares like this. I wipe my nose noisily, trying to hide the fact that my voice is cracked and my heart is pounding like a freight train and I'm seconds from crawling miserably into the nearest person's lap. Which would be him. Ew. "Granger, why - oh." His tone drops flat.

"Go away," I utter, embarrassed. He's stood there like an idiot, frozen as if someone has petrified him. For a moment, I'm convinced they have. I even check. But no, he's clearly just waiting for an opportunity to make a comment, leave me more distraught, and find Pansy to laugh it off.

"Why are you crying?" he asks, swallowing thickly. For once, Malfoy looks completely awkward.

"Please, don't bother with asking." I cough, a frog stuck in my throat and the build up of snot getting to me at last. It dribbles. Gross. "I know you don't care."

"Granger... Uh, Hermione." I raise an eyebrow. "Yeah, it felt weird for me too." Malfoy laughs awkwardly. What the hell is going on. "Look. Whatever it is, it's not important. Whatever it is - whether it's grades, the ginger one, or Potter - that's making you upset. Nothing can be that important."

"Says the man who cares about nothing."

The words are out before I can stop them, and yet he doesn't look annoyed. He doesn't look particularly understanding either, his face lit with the burning candlelight, a glorious orange across his sharp features. Some things are important enough to cry over, and I know that. Maybe Draco doesn't get it in the same way. But there are things that are worth the fight, and the aggravation, and the miserable, ridiculous, embarrassing tears.

"Touché," Draco says, smirking. "But there are some things I care about."

My tears abated, waiting, he adjusts his tie almost self-consciously. Then, he frowns, and leans close, wiping away a tear. As if we were caught in a movie.

I'm embarrassed and angry, but also perhaps a little awed.

"Trust me Granger, he's not worth it."

And Draco Malfoy walks away.

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