Empire (D.M)

Part thirtyeight

January dragged on, making her long for warmer days. Draco kept his venomous facade up, glaring angrily at her from the other end of the classroom.

She spent her days playing wizards chess with Noelle in the Slytherin common room, trying not to think about Draco. Noelle of course won every time, perhaps it was because the girl with the brown curls was smarter or perhaps it was because she was distracted.

"Tired Alice?" Ezra asked as he walked up to where her and Noelle was sitting.

"Mhm" she mumbled, yawning.

"Check mate" Noelle said, eyeing her "again"

Noelle won again, of course.

"Come on you two, let's go eat dinner" Ezra said, nodding his head towards the hidden passage in the stone wall.

She got up, following Ezra with a tired yawn. Noelle skipped alongside them. Marlize and Theo joined them, walking out of the passage.

"Where's Blaise and Draco?" Noelle asked as they walked along the cold corridor.

"They're already in the great hall I suppose" Theo shrugged, looking at them "they left twenty minutes ago"

They walked up the stairs and made their way into the great hall, sitting down at the Slytherin table. Blaise greeted them, Draco sat quiet.

Ezra piled food onto his plate, complaining about how hungry he was. Noelle was slicing her baked potato into smaller pieces as she sat talking to Blaise. The table before her was filled with plates upon plates with delicious food, but none of it seemed especially appealing to her.

"What's up with you?" Ezra asked, eyeing her with concerned eyes as she picked at her potatoes, pushing them around on her plate with he fork.

"I'm fine, I'm just not hungry" she said, looking up at Ezra "don't worry about it"

Ezra nodded his head, turning his focus back to his food. Ezra was as hungry as always, shoving potatoes and sliced carrots into his mouth.

After dinner she went to bed, feeling exhaustion wash over her. Her and Draco being on bad terms really seemed to take a toll on her, and as she tossed and turned in her bed she couldn't help but feel like she needed to do something to try and mend their relationship.

After all, they did this all the time. They had been friends since birth, they fought time and time again but they always made up. And this time couldn't be too different.

Her chance came the next Friday evening. Everyone was sitting in the Slytherin common room relaxing after class, and Draco was for once not absent.

"Draco" she said, walking up to the leather couch where he was sat next to Theo "may I speak with you?"

"Go ahead" he spat, glaring at her "speak"

"In private"

Draco glared at her for a moment, scoffing as he turned his head to the left.

"Fine" he spat, standing up "my room"

He began walking, his assertive steps echoing through the stone corridor leading to the boys dormitories. She followed him, quick on her steps as he turned a corner.

"What do you want?" he asked sternly as they walked into his room.

"To be friends" she said, closing the door behind her "like we used to"

"Hah so what? You miss me? You miss being with me?" he said, letting out a amused laugh "did Adrian Pucey not want to fuck you again?"

"That was a one time thing" she sighed, looking at him "a spur of the moment kinda thing... besides it's none of your business"