The Healer- A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction

Chapter 33

I accidentally published Chapter 35 as Chapter 33. This is the correct Chapter 33. Enjoy!

I woke up to an empty bedroom.

My roommates didn't wake me up with their loud clamoring like they usually did. I was late to transfiguration because of it- and when I arrived, I had to sit in the seat that no one else wanted, because it was behind a particularly tall Ravenclaw 5th year. Penny, Evelyn and Greta didn't speak to me whatsoever, even when the four of us were grouped together for potions. They carried on as if I didn't exist.

I had considered many times in years past to cease being friends with them, and now that my wish had come true it surprised me how much it actually stung. I was reminded of the bitter irony of it every time Greta almost said something to me but didn't- like she was attempting to break the old habit of talking to me. She was the only one who seemed to have even an inkling of trouble ignoring me. I thought she might crack at one point when she was struggling in potions, but she remained astutely silent, even when her cauldron bubbled over.

That's the thing about Slytherin girls. We're stubborn as mules.

It wasn't just my friends who were acting differently- the girls in each of my classes would cast me wary glances, peeking curiously over their books at me and then whispering to each other. It may have been my imagination, but it was almost like they were sizing me up, determining if I was some kind of secret succubus or veela. But the boys were the worst. They seemed to be looking at me more intensely than before, like they were evaluating what it was about me that made Draco intrigued, and whatever it was, it attracted their eyes to me like sharks drawn to blood. I longed desperately for someone to talk to- Greta perhaps, because she seemed like she would be the easiest to break. But when potions class was dismissed, Penny whisked Evelyn and Greta away before I even finished cleaning my cauldron.

"Good work today, Miss Thorncroft," Slughorn said to me as I finished putting my things away. I nodded and said a subdued thanks. Slughorn had never complimented me personally before, and I had the icky feeling that it was because he was now also aware of my association with Draco. I was suddenly a student of interest.

To my chagrin, Draco was outside of the potions classroom. He looked casual enough- he was wearing a form-fitting Slytherin sweater over a white collared shirt, with his black-pants clad leg propped up against the wall, and a book open in his hand. But no matter how casual he looked, it was obvious to me and everyone else in the potions class that he had been waiting for me. My face flushed furiously as I strode over to him.

Draco glanced up from his book, pretending like it was a coincidence that we had run into each other in the dungeons.

"Why are you here?" I whispered to him, keeping my voice low so the students walking by couldn't hear. "It's embarrassing."

Draco looked at me with a snide smile. "Oh- did you assume I was waiting for you? You're mistaken. I was just reading my book."

"Uh-huh. What's it about, then?"

Draco's eyes shifted to the side. "Arithmancy."

I glanced at the spine of the book before Draco closed it. "Hm, I didn't realize Newt Scamander wrote books on arithmancy. I'll leave you to it, then," I said cheekily, turning away from him and striding down the corridor. Draco followed me with a dark chuckle.

He caught up to me easily thanks to his long stride. "Do you have somewhere to be?" he asked.

I realized then that my course was mindlessly set back to the Slytherin common room, where I usually spent this free period with Penny, Evelyn and Greta. I stopped in my tracks, and Draco looked at me curiously as I stared blankly at the ground.