Useless | Draco Malfoy

Memory 9

February, 1998

Boy did Eden hate February. She's despised it ever since she was rejected by her 4th grade crush... That was before Hogwarts. Before the shit hit the fan and her life became so much harder to deal with.

The 10th of February was here. Still Eden had no way of paying.

It wasn't her fault though. No one was hiring the girl!

They thought she was too inexperienced and again, the issue of not having any schooling or prior jobs to put on her resume was a big issue. No one would hire someone who didn't even attended middle school.

Leaving this room today would be horrid because Edenknew she would need to face the lady whom she needed to pay, but she did need to eventually.

There was no more food in her fridge. 

No snacks in her cupboards. 

Nothing.

After an hour of contemplation, Eden threw on a white shirt and some blue jeans and headed out the door.  Her hair was not an issue.  Maybe the owner would not even notice her without her famous braids.

Finally leaving the room, she walked down the hall and down the steep staircase.  It was looking to be good.  Maybe she wouldn't see her after all...  She was very wrong.

"Eden dear!"

Crap...

She made it to the sidewalk and somehow still got caught.

Eden turned, smiling fearfully at the person she owed so much money to. 

"Oh I'm so glad that you were able pay it all off.  I knew you had it in you!"

"P-Pay?  I'm sorry what did I pay off?"

The lady laughed and put a hand on the girls shoulder, patting it roughly.  "Don't be ridiculous!  You paid off what you owed me.  A boy came and dropped it off this morning.  He had bright bright hair, looked like bleach but when I asked him he said it was all natural!  Would you look at that.  There he is.  Well,  I'll let you go off to wherever you were going.  I'll see you around."

"Yeah... Of course."

Why would he do this!  She specifically told him not to do something like this.

"Malfoy!  Why?"  She smacked his shoulder and looked up into his eyes as he shielded them from the morning sunrise which was hiding just behind the clouds.

"Because you were going to be homeless had I not stepped in and done anything.  Just accept the gift."

"No no!  I haven't seen you in weeks and then you-  You just pay off my debt?  What's the catch?"  She crossed her arms across her chest and still, confidently looked into his cold blue eyes which looked even bluer with the sun hitting them.

"The what?"

"You heard me.  The catch.  What is it.  You never do anything nice without a catch."

His infamous smirk returned to his lips as he looked away from her and began to walk, conveniently, in the direction of the grocery store which gave Eden no choice but to follow him.  "You're right Abella.  There is a catch."

"Oh!  Just wonderful-"

"The catch is that you stay out of trouble.  No more stepping into battles like you did at the burrow."

That was seriously his only wish?

"That was like a month ago Malfo-"

He shushed her by putting a finger to his lips and looked over at her as he continued to walk.  "I don't care.  With things getting more serious.  I don't want you stepping into places you're not supposed to be.  He's looking for Potter."