Green Eyed Monster | Draco Malfoy

68. The Best Kind of Gift

Chapter 68 - The Best Kind of Gift

Were I not to have seen it myself, I never would have believed that Draco Malfoy would come from the castle to watch the Express pull out of Hogsmeade. But he had - and I knew that he had done it for me. He had not walked to the station with me, he didn't say a word to me, and there hadn't been a romantic goodbye - but when I made sure to find a compartment with the window facing where he leaned against the station wall, he did give me a sad grin and winked when I rolled my eyes at him.

Yes, he was definitely here for me.

Hermione found me not long after I had strained my neck from watching him the entire time we were pulling out of the station. Luckily she was the only one to attempt taking a seat in my compartment with me - lucky for both our sakes, I guessed. Part of me was upset that she was leaving me alone with Ron and Harry for the winter break, but I don't think that she would have been able to stay near Ron for the holiday just so that she could be forced to examine all the 'bruises' on his neck. She didn't really speak to me much on the ride, either - not that I could find it in me to mind. There wasn't much to be said: we were both miserable and not where we wanted to be. Hermione wanted to be with Ron, I wanted to be with Draco.

It was still so strange to think, such a foreign and impossible concept. But it was still wonderful to think, wonderfully forbidden and tempting. I couldn't help but wonder if I'd ever be able to say it...over my own boundaries and who I kept in my company.

Hermione nearly hugged me goodbye on our way out, until she saw me flinch away from her. She didn't look hurt by it, luckily, but her goodbye was short and curt so perhaps it had been harder on her than I meant it to be. I couldn't help but not want to be touched and even if - as of last night - I had begun to make some exceptions. If someone was going to be touching me, I knew it wasn't going to be anyone I would be seeing over this holiday. Still, I felt badly when Hermione rushed off before I could return her goodbye, even if it was thanks to my brother and his favourite dunce coming to the compartment door. Ron immediately frowned after her.

"It's weird Hermione isn't coming for the holiday, isn't it?" Ron asked while Harry helped heave my trunk from the top of the compartment. "Why do you think she isn't?"

"It's a real mystery," I mumbled sarcastically, rolling my eyes toward my brother. He flashed me an identical look of annoyance while he handed my trunk over to me. "Maybe it's because she hates you - or, even more strangely, maybe she hates how you publicly maul your girlfriend whenever she's ten feet from you."

"Lavender and I don't-" he stopped, considering what I said with a grimace. "Do we, really?"

"Please tell me you're trying to be ironic," I drawled, waiting for him to respond. When he seemed lost in thought - which was the first brain function I had seen in months - I decided to leave him to it and get off the train. I was in a rotten mood: speaking to morons would certainly not improve it.

After hauling my trunk down the Express' rather unnecessary stairs I was both excited and horrified to see the large gathering of people who were waiting for us. The Weasleys had come for our gathering: the twins, Bill, Mr and Mrs Weasley. I was also surprised to see another redhead there - one that I didn't recognize and because of that, I knew exactly who she was. Nymphadora Tonks had decided to dress up for the occasion, it seemed. She looked nearly undetectable with her matching ginger hair and blended in with the Weasleys so well that it almost felt like we didn't have a guard at all. But I could never be too hopeful because with this gathering there would be no avoiding Fred Weasley. I could feel my face going red when he caught my eye - I was just glad he had the courtesy to give me nothing more than a wry grin.