Pawns | A Draco Malfoy Love Story

A Bet

I ate my cereal with a shaking hand the next morning. I slept so poorly last night that I was now cold and shivering. Harry didn't notice my usual behaviour because he was too busy telling Hermione about how he would try to sneak into the Room of Requirement today. She got a little snappy with him and told him to focus on Slughorn, but he didn't care to be lectured.

I sat on the opposite side of the table than I usually do so that I could scan the Slytherin table without having to turn my head. I saw Draco walk by and take a seat next to Pansy. I stared at him until we locked eyes.

He looked a little tired but he was handsome as usual. I gave a weak smile and he returned it before Pansy put her hand to his cheek to turn his head so he could focus on her. It made me just as sick as watching Lavender spoon feed Ron.

Draco swatted her hand away immediately, but in his politeness he payed attention to what she was saying.

I told my friends I'd see them after class and grabbed my belongings to head out. Draco lifted his head to my direction and saw me leaving. I watched from my periphery as he lifted his leg over the bench and started to follow me out.

Our synchronized exit was fortunately discreet because a small crowd was entering the room at the same time.

Once outside of the Great Hall, I started to walk slower to give him a chance to catch up. I moved around a large pillar and he followed.

"Hey," he said at a whisper.

"I need to talk to you today," I said, equally quiet.

"Okay," he said, sounding a little nervous. "When?"

"Um, during the class after lunch," I said, knowing that Harry would be tied up at that hour.

"Okay," he said. "Fourth floor? It's quiet."

"Yea, good," I agreed. "Okay see you then," I said, pushing myself off the pillar and walking away without looking at him.

I started walking to transfiguration and Ginny had arrived from the opposite side of the hall.

"Sup?" she said.

"Ugh," I grunted, indicating my morning displeasure.

"I see that the old you is back," she said as we walked in to the class to take our seats.

"You mean the me that hates morning?"

"Precisely," she agreed, opening up her textbook and throwing her long hair over one shoulder.

Transfiguration went by super slowly, and so did the next class after that. For lunch Ginny and I sat with Luna and flipped through the Quibbler - also super slow.

Finally, I was excused from my third period class and I made my way to the fourth floor. I kept looking around to make sure that no one there, especially Harry. I fidgeted with the sleeves of my cardigan and smoothed out my skirt as I walked.

I reached the hallway and I didn't see him right away. I got more nervous at the idea of just standing here. It was like waiting to get caught. I chewed my lip unintentionally, fighting the use to leave this spot and take a lap around the floor to find him.

Finally, I saw him turn the corner. I rushed up to him and he looked concerned, wondering why I'd summoned him. As I hastened towards him, I got a good look at him. His eyes were red and slightly puffy. He had dark circles under his eyes and his skin didn't have the same type of paleness- he looked somewhat sick.

"Are you alright?" I asked, completely caught off guard by his appearance. He still looked attractive, in a sort of beat up way, but he definitely didn't look the same as usual.