The Late Bloomer (Soft Draco Malfoy fanfic)

Chapter 27: Dual

Two days. Two days to go until everyone returns from their Christmas holidays. Two days and no more awkward waves at Draco in the common room. Two days and no more of being alone. Two days.

I sat at the Slytherin table, alone as usual. I was getting fed up of the whole Christmas period, it wasn't fun at all. I hadn't even opened my presents on Christmas day. I stood up from the table leaving my half eaten breakfast and marching out of the hall. I was getting really frustrated with the silent and uneventful days.

I was walking past a corridor, minding my own business and then the next moment I was on the floor and my face was covered by bushy brown hair. "Oh I'm so sorry!" The girl said as she stumbled off of me. I stood up and brushed off my green jumper and black jeans. I looked up to see none other than Granger.

"You need to watch where you're going!" I told her angrily. "It was an accide- No, you know what I am so tired of your attitude towards me and my friends." She said reflecting my anger. "My attitude towards you and your friends? You people are the ones that started this feud. That ginger weasel is the one that stood on me and I didn't hear a single apology from him and all you did was stand there!" I shouted back.

I admit it was quite a pathetic reason but it was like there was this common hatred between the four of us, even if nothing major happened. "Oh, Luciana, get off your high horse! It was an accident!" She bellowed back.

I stood with a smirk on my face. "Oh you seem to be involved in a lot of accidents. Is that what your parents said when you were born?" I asked in an innocent voice with a smirk on my face. She turned red with anger and I could see tears start to well in her eyes. "Ooh, sorry. Did I hit a nerve?" I asked giggling.

"Silencing!" She shouted as she pointed her wand at me. I tried but I could talk and so I punched her straight in her knows before grabbing my wand out of my pocket. I thought in my head 'deletrious', the incantation to dismiss all prior incantations and I could speak again.

I was angry, as she stood clutching her nose I raised my wand to her and shouted "densaugeo!" Her teeth grew larger than they already were and I started laughing harder than I ever had.

People started to gather round, the other two of the trio ran over as they noticed what was going on. That Weasel kid decided to get gobby. "I'll give you something to laugh about, Jones!" He shouted at me. I turned around and he had his wand pointed at me, making me laugh harder.

"Rictusempra!" He shouted, instantly making my whole body feel as though I was being tickled. Inside I was angry but outside I was laughing from being tickled. Through my laughter I managed to shout "Levicorpus!" Making Weasel boy to hang in the air by his ankles. I took off my own tickle jinx and finally the anger was shown on my face.

Potter pointed his wand in my direction about to cast a spell at me. "Expe-" "Petrificus totalus!" I cut him off and watched as he became completely still and fell to the floor.

I heard someone cast a spell to my side. "Liberacorpus." She said as she pointed her wand to Weasel boy. I noticed her teeth were now back to their original size and her and Weasel boy were stood side by side with their wand pointed towards me.

"Harry!" She gasped before casting the counter curse. I turned to see Scarhead looking angrier than ever. As he cast his spell I heard the familiar cold voice cast one at me at the same time. "Protegeo!" The voice said a split second before Scarhead shouted "Confringo!"

McGonagall walked over to us and looked angrier than ever. I noticed the cold voice that had protected me belonged to Draco, who was now standing by my side.

"Just what do you five think you're doing?" The teacher screeched. "Dualling in the halls? Casting spells at eachother?" She bellowed. "I expect to see you all in detention every night next week." She told us. We all nodded as we stared at the ground.

"And Potter if I ever see you cast a spell like that at someone again, I will expelled you myself." She told Harry who muttered an apology.

It was then that I realised what he had said. 'Confringo.' The spell to explode an object into flames.

"You tried to explode me into flames." I screeched as I stared at him, my anger rising once again.

"That will be enough for today, Ms Jones. Mr Malfoy, will you please escort her to the dungeons?" The teacher asked, more like told.

We walked silently down into the common room.

"Thank you." I said as we sat on opposite sofas. "For what?" He asked, confused. "For protecting me from Potter and his gang of idiots." I said with a light laugh. "Its okay. I'm sorry I could get there sooner." He said with a sorry expression. "Its okay." I told him with a genuine smile.

"Can we talk?" He asked me. "We're already talking." I told him matter-a-factly. "No, I mean... about the party." He said sadly. "Urm... I mean... okay." I stuttered.

"I thought it was you!" He blurted out. "What? How could you think it was me?" I asked, slightly shocked and a bit angry. "Pansy, she took polyamide potion to look like you." He told me. "What? How? You need someone's hair to be able to do that." I said in disbelief. Then, it clicked.

Flashback

"Stay. Away. From. Draco." Pansy said slowly. She grasped my hair and I let out a shocked sigh and pushed her away.

I laughed in her face. "Who do you think you are telling me what I can and cannot do. Have you forgotten who I am?" I laughed. She tensed and stepped back.

Present

"Ohhh. Thats why she grabbed my hair. I thought it was quite an overly muggle way to fight." I said as I realised. "Wait, so you really thought it was me?" I questioned in a soft voice. "Yes, Luce. I really thought it was you." He told me. I felt slightly warmer at the use of his nickname.

I couldn't refrain myself from what I did next. I ran straight over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. "I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you, Draco. I'm so sorry." I told him, my voice muffled by his sweatshirt.

"Its okay, Luce. I understand why you didn't." He told me as I pulled away and sat next to him on the sofa.

"I should've trusted you Dray. Its just the wait it looked... I- I just reacted." I said softly as I hugged my knees to my chest. "Dray?" He questioned. I giggled slightly at the nickname I'd given him.

"Sorry, I-" I started. "No, don't worry. Dray is so much better than Drakie." He interrupted with a smirk. "Whats wrong with Drakie?" I said with a high pitched voice, pretending to be hurt.

"Everything is wrong with Drakie." He told me shaking his head. "Oh but its your best nickname Drakieeee." I whined. He playfully glared at me and I burst into laughter.

"Okay, fine. How about Dracula?" I asked trying not to burst into laughter again.

He looked at me as though as I was apart of another planet. "Like the muggle vampire." I explained, laughing at his expression. He made an face of realisation as I continued to laugh.

"Okay, fine. Dray then." I told him as I calmed down. He smiled in satisfaction.

I leaned on his shoulder and sighed. "I've missed you, you know." I told him as he leaned his head on mine. "I've missed you too, Luce." He told me. I smirked as I spoke "how could you not? I'm bloody amazing." I told him.

"Oh, of course. Not lost your big head, I see." He chuckled. "Hey, at least my head isn't the size of the UK, unlike your ego." I said as I laughed.

We spent the rest of the day catching up and just joking around. We sat together at meals as if nothing had ever happened. I spent the day with a permanent smile on my face, as did he.

I wasn't alone anymore.

I felt at home.

I felt content.