Fire & Ice - A Draco Malfoy fanfiction

Chapter 25 - I had to stop thinking about it, stop watering the soil

Character is how you treat those who can do nothing for you.

- Nelson Mandela

Malfoy hadn't talked to me once since that odd moment in the hallway a couple days ago and it was infuriating. Why did he have to be so impossible? I genuinely thought we were getting somewhere here, but then he had to be an absolute arse again.

And why? What in the world had I done now for him to be so rude again? All I knew was that I was not going to let him.

We were sitting in the Astronomy Tower and he was all the way on the other side of the room, but I couldn't help but glare his way every few seconds. I couldn't get it out of my head.

He looked up and his eyes met mine. He stared for a while before a frown appeared on his face and he looked down. I just needed to know what was up with his mood swings.

At the beginning of the school year, he was an absolute arsehole. Then he burned my arm and was tolerable for a full 24 hours, before returning to his usual unpleasant self. Then we had that fight about how I was a disgrace and again, he turned tolerable, for longer this time. Up until the Ministry's Christmas ball ... when he kissed me.

I hadn't thought about that kiss for a long time. I still didn't know what that meant and probably wouldn't find out anytime soon.

After that he turned into an arse again, but then he stood up for me and helped me with Adrian and his stupid bet. But now he was an arse yet again. This boy was infuriating.

And then my mind went back to that kiss. Why had he done that? Just out of nowhere?

What if ...? No, that could absolutely not be the case, but then why did he kiss me during the Ministry Ball? Even though it was impulsive, there had to be at least some foundation to it.

There was only one way to find out.

"Hey, can you pass me the star chart?" Daphne asked, shaking me from my string of thoughts.

"What?" I mumbled, noticing her pointing at the chart in my hand. "Oh yeah, sure."

"You seem out of it. Everything okay?" she asked. We had been partners for the second semester of the year and I didn't mind one bit. She was my best friend.

But I couldn't do that to my best friend. I wanted to test my theory so badly, but I absolutely couldn't do that to her.

"Here you go", I said and smiled, pushing Draco out of my brain and focused on the Astronomy task.

The seed had been planted in my brain and I had to make sure it didn't grow. I had to stop thinking about it, stop watering the soil.

"Oi, Eleanor!" I heard when Daphne, Tracey and I were walking down the staircase of the Astronomy Tower. It was late and I really wanted to go to bed, but as I recognised Benji's voice, those plans could wait.

"Benji, how have you been?" I smiled at him. I hadn't spoken to him in such a long time.

"Nothing much, but I noticed that you looked more like you again, so I thought we could hang out again sometime", he said.

"What do you mean, more like me?" I frowned.

"You know, less Snow Queen. I was a bit scared to talk to you", he joked. "But seems as if you've melted."

Just allow yourself to melt.

I pushed those thoughts away and smiled at him.

"Well, I'm in dire need of sleep right now, but I've got some time tomorrow. In the Courtyard at four?"