Chosen || Draco Malfoy

21 - Brilliant

"Harry - what the fuck is this room?"

Harry responded with a soft chuckle, carefully watching me as I gawped around at my surroundings in awe.

The room was equipped with everything I could possibly need to teach Defence classes.

"And best of all," Harry grinned slyly, "this particular room is impenetrable to those who aren't a member of the DA. So Umbridge can search all she likes, but she'll never stumble upon us."

'Dumbledore's Army' (Harry's idea which I presented as my own) had hit a snag when Umbridge put out these shitty decrees, one of which forbade the formation of groups without express permission from the bitch herself.

But Harry, being the hero even in death, saved the day, it seemed.

"Is that... you?" I asked, squinting at one of the walls which was plastered in photos of what appeared to be Harry.

Smiling, laughing... living Harry.

"Uh- um-" Harry stumbled nervously as he removed his glasses to give them a wipe, trying to hide his blush. "They sort of just appeared out of nowhere. I guess the room feels it's what's needed."

I raised my eyebrows. "Well, I suppose it can't hurt to remind people why we're doing this."

Feeling an odd sort of ache in my chest, I turned away from the sight of them, blinking away the stinging sensation behind my eyes.

"Cece, are you okay?" Harry's concerned voice asked me. "You're... shaking."

"Just a bit apprehensive," I lied, quickly tucking my trembling hands in my pockets.

"You'll be fine," Harry said kindly, stepping up beside me, his green eyes glinting into mine. "You'll be brilliant, in fact."

His reached across, as though to take my hand, but of course, it simply slipped through mine as though nothing was even there. I closed my eyes and tried to conjure up the memory of when he held my hand on the night of the third task.

"You were the last person I touched, you know."

My heart stilled. Slowly I nodded, trying to swallow down the horrendous lump in my throat which Harry's words had caused.

"I often wonder if that's why it's you who I have this special connection with." Harry continued. "Because we do, you know..."

My eyes flew open, shocked.

I looked at him, my mouth opening to speak, but was interrupted by the door flying open as Ron and Hermione entered.

"Oh good, you're here already," Hermione beamed, her face bright and shining as people swarmed in behind her, the room quickly filling with excited chatter.

"We got more recruits!" Ron cried jovially. "In fact, every single non-Slytherin has signed up! Isn't that great?"

I actually felt the colour drain from my face as more and more people filed in, the room practically bursting at the seams. How the fuck was I going to teach all of this lot?!

"Don't worry," Harry murmured into ear, nothing but stillness where his breath should have been. "I'll be by your side, guiding you at all times."

I threw him a grateful smile before turning back to the eager learners.

Right, I thought with a new determined air. Let's get this shit on the road, then.

******

I'm not going to lie; I was fucking awesome.

They all hung onto my every word, and I even managed to get Neville to successfully disarm Hermione ("Well, it was hardly a challenge when my back was turned!").

Harry, true to his word, remained by my side the entire time, suggesting spells to use, and offering tips on the best way to demonstrate my technique. It was as though he were the one teaching the class, but through me.

We made a good team.

And the icing on the cake was that everyone in the school stopped avoiding me and calling me a liar. I was once again popular amongst all bar the Slytherins, with everyone always eagerly stopping me in the corridor to ask when the next meeting was going to be.

Even Susan and Hannah started talking to me again. But I was rather cool with them in return. If they thought they could just slot right back into being my best friends again after their shoddy treatment of me, they could think again.

"What do you mean you're going with Ron and Hermione?" Susan gasped when she 'generously' declared that I could start walking down to Hogsmeade with her and Hannah again.

"I mean," I gritted, looking over my shoulder at her stunned face whilst I brushed my hair in the mirror, "that I've already agreed to walk down with my friends."

"But they're- they're-" Hannah spluttered stupidly. "Gryffindors!"

"So, the fuck what?" I muttered. "At least they know about friendship and loyalty."

Slamming my hairbrush down on my bedside table, I pushed past them both, leaving the dormitory without looking back.

Jealous cows.

*****

That bitch was up to something.

Draco would watch her out of the corner of his eye with careful interest during Umbridge's classes. She would sit there, her course book open, a smug expression upon her face as though she was having one up on Umbridge just by simply being there.

His hand itched to reach out across the space between their desks and slap her. Hard.

He would get so pent up during these lessons that he would often have to take himself away afterwards and have a long hard shower in the prefect's bathroom. On occasion he persuaded Pansy to take 'care' of him, but she seemed increasingly reluctant to continue their private encounters.

She complained he was getting too rough, and she wanted more kissing and cuddling and less fucking.

Screw that, Draco thought, he'd rather jerk it off himself than have to whisper sweet nothings in her ear.

But when it was announced there was to be a Christmas party right before they broke up for the holidays, Draco reluctantly agreed to take Pansy, even though he couldn't think of anything more loathsome. It was like the fucking Yule Ball all over again.

He briefly wondered who Cecilia would be going with. No doubt they'd be queuing round the block now that she seemed to have found her popularity back once again.

Something inside of him stirred, and he found he wanted to punch something.

*****