YEAR 7 | Draco Malfoy

26.0 the trance

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

Claire watched the person in front of her with caution.

"Go ahead." Blaise said without looking up, not minding her presence.

After she fled the Potion's classroom this afternoon he wanted to offer her his company in any way he could.

The protective feeling he got towards her hadn't faded but only increased with Theo's behaviour.

"I wanted to thank you for earlier." Claire started. "I suppose you know what I mean."

Blaise looked up at her this time and nodded slowly, melting a little like a brother under the gaze of her big brown eyes.

Sometimes he thought of her as a fawn.

A small creature that was born into the wrong family and raised around the wrong people.

When he was younger he'd watch Claire come back to Hogwarts after a holiday, crying her eyes out.

She never seemed happy coming from home and he felt for her.

Blaise's mother did everything in her power to make him feel loved, despite her own interesting love life.

Now that she was quietly sitting across from him he saw that particular little girl again.

"Are you planning on going home for Christmas break?" He dared to ask her.

The question floated through the air, light as a feather but the impact it had on Claire was heavy.

"I don't think I have a choice." She answered honestly.

Blaise pressed his lips together and looked down at his homework again.

"How has it been at home? Is your mom still..."

He stopped for a second.

"Insufferable? Yeah." She admitted and swallowed a big lump in her throat.

To prevent an awkward silence to enter their conversation, Claire returned the question.

"Are you going home for Christmas?"

Blaise his eyes lit up and a small smile crept upon his lips.

"Yes, my mom want's me home."

The girl smiled with the boy in front of her and felt a warm feeling enter her chest.

It wasn't something created by her own happiness but seeing Blaise talk about his family in such a manner made her feel warm nonetheless.

"I can ask her if you could stay with us for the holiday." He opted.

Claire's face dropped instantly.

"I doubt she'd want a death eater's daughter in her home." She admitted.

Blaise didn't have an answer.

He wasn't sure if his mom would be able to see through that.

"The thought still means a lot to me." Claire smiled. "Thank you."

She looked down at her homework again and didn't feel like doing any of it.

It was an unfamiliar feeling but she didn't blame herself.

"I'll let you get to work." Claire said and quickly gathered her stuff.

Blaise didn't protest and watched her exit the common room with a heavy heart.

On the other side of the castle, Draco Malfoy was wandering around without a purpose.

His mind was filled with worries once again.