golden longings

XXXI

***

The sound of the book crashing onto thre floor was the loudest sound that had clung thought the hallway in hours. Which made it appear all the louder. A very short silence followed, that appeared amplified by the previous sound.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy!"

Ten years of friendship and still, Draco could count the times Pansy had hissed at him so furiously on one hand.
Which was why the sudden loud sound, that followed suit after his book crashed onto the stone floor, startled Draco so much. Along along the use of his full name. They usually avoided it, and with good reason. So if Pansy used it, he knew she was upset.

He jerked his head, along with his entire torso, in the direction of her voice, almost dropping the rest of his books in the process.

The tapestry right in front of him was pulled away hastily and with no regard for the fabrics well-being.
Which prompted the pictured fairies to verbally take offence, screaming about the sudden interruption of their dance. But they were awarded no regard from their perceived aggressor as Pansy climbed up into the alcoven.

The space was crammed. It was large enough to comfortably fit Draco. In no way was it large enough to fit two people entirely comfortably.
But that became the least of his worries the moment he laid eyes on Pansy.
To describe her glare as furious would have been an understatement.

Her lips were pressed into a thin line and her eyes slightly squinted as she adjusted to the low light.
But they were still glowing. And Draco  believed to see a red tint to her entire face, even in the dim light that surrounded them.
"What in Salazar's bloody name do you think you're doing you selfish prat?"

A sharp pain shot through his arm as he recieved a jab from her elbow.
He would have given her an answer had he not been too stunned to speak. Her sudden intrusion had interrupted him in deep thought and Draco took some time to adjust to interaction, as he had spent the previous hours entirely without it. And a little extra time to adjust to her aggravated state.

The tears that had threatened to flow from the corners of his eyes had evaporated. His eyes were wide open, staring straight at Pansy.
"Im-"
Was all he got out before she cut him off again.
"You're what? Sorry? You better damn be, as you should!"

Draco had suspected that he should have notified her about his absence. He had been aware that she would grow worried. He had, however, had no idea that it would be to such an extent that angered her that much upon discovering him. It was beyond anything he anticipated.
"It was just..."

"It was just selfish? Inconsiderate? Unnecessarily stupid? What, what was it that I wouldn't already know?"
Draco was at a loss of words. He opened his mouth repeatedly, only to close it again just as often, as he discovered that words utterly failed him.
Pansy seemed to deliberately mistake his struggle for a response as an invitation to keep going.

"What the fuck were you thinking? I was worried sick. In fact, everyone has been looking for you for hours. Do you have any idea what we imagined, what I pictured?"
"No."
He answered truthfully, as well as with the only word he felt able to form.

For a little while, she resorted to simply glaring at him, silently. Until her emotions seemed to break through her reproachful silence and she resumed to yell.
"I didn't think so. Did you even care to consider, even for a second?"
Once again, his mind supplied him with the only one sufficient one-word answer.
"No."
But that time, Draco added something. And without being interrupted.
"I apologize."

For a moment, she glared at him again. But as the moment stretched out, Draco saw her features soften slowly, the furious glow slightly fading from her eyes. Her skin becoming a little closer to it's natural taint.
"I thought Merlin knows what happened to you, you idiot."