golden longings

VI

~
Once again, he adjusted his sleeves nervously, as well as his collar and took one last deep breath.
He would open the door and step out, go downstairs and leave with his friends. He had conjured an image of himself doing all those things up in his mind, he had learned that this way he was more likely to actually do things.

"Just do it. It's not that hard." He spoke quietly and to himself, hoping that the sound of a voice would make him steady and more confident.
And it did. He fixed the upper button of his shirt once again and reached for the door knob. One more step and he would be outside, with no chance of going back.

He knew that once he left the room, he would have to go through with going, even if it included socialising with a lot of people that hated him.

The door swung open and Draco stepped out of the dorm room. It didn't take him ling to rush down the stairs to the common room, where Blaise and Pansy already sat on the sofa, only waiting for him.

"There you are." If he wasn't mistaken, Pansy sounded relieved.
They had probably assumed he wasn't going to come.
"Indeed, here I am. Now are we going to leave or what?"

He got two smiles and two nodsin response and they got up and climbed out of the portrait, first Pansy, then Draco, and lastly Blaise.
Draco had mentally started to go over reasons they they bad been invited again, but Pansy interrupted him.

"I don't know about you guys, but I really appreciate the gesture that they invited us." Draco murmured some form of agreement. But she wasn't done.
"But I'm scared. That they will still hate me."

It was almost like she spoke a harmless version of Draco's thoughts.
"I know Pansy."
Blaise, who had been slightly behind them, caught up.
"Does 'they' by any chance reffear to a specific someone?"

For his part, the comment took away a little of the tension, but Pansy stiffened next to him.
"Don't get too exited" Draco and Blaise exchanged mischievous look. It almost felt like the old times.

"You definitely don't have to worry about your looks, that's not gonna be a problem." And he meant it, she looked good. She had put on some red lipstick and a short skirt. The look suited her well.

"Was that a try at a compliment?" Even if she tried to play it off, a slight blush appeared on her cheeks.
"Maybe, I'm not gonna tell as long as I'm sober."
"Too bad, I would've loved an elaboration on that." Of course, Blaise had to say something about that.

Draco glared over at him.
"I'll be happy to elaborate on it, right after you elaborate on what happened to your hair." He smiled confidently, knowing very well what had happened to Blaise's hair, he had charmed it in place in the morning, and it had worn off over the day.
But it appeared that Blaise himself hadn't noticed until Draco said something.

"Okay you guys, stop it." Pansy was waving a flask under their noses.
"We'll all have a little sip and then try to be nice, we don't need them to think we are actually fighting."
Really, Draco wasn't surprised that he wasn't the only one who wanted to conceal any possible weaknesses, but he was glad that Pansy admit it First.

In the corner of his eye he saw Blaise subtly nod and did the same. For an oblivious Hufflepuff or Gryfindor their playful fights very well might look like am actual argument, he thought.

They had already taken a set of stairs, only one more was left. The new common room wasn't as far from the room of requirements as the Slytherin rooms had been. From the Slytherin dorms he had had to walk all across the castle to get there.

In his chest he felt his heart pounding, getting stronger the closer they came to the room.
When they entered the corridor that led up to the wall where they would find the door, all he could hear was the blood rushing through his body.