The Stars Aligned

Chapter 14

November 22, 1995

My cut had healed nicely, with only a faint pink scar left over to commemorate the whole event. Draco had checked it every day since that night, doing a full analysis to ensure nothing was infected and then casted multiple healing charms.

He stuck his wand between his teeth as he unwrapped the bandage, his grey eyes narrowed and scanning my palm. His immense concentration meant he didn't see the blush rising to my cheeks, which happened whenever he put his wand in his mouth and tilted his head to the side.

"Your song," he muttered, his eyes still focused on my wound.

"What do you mean?"

Draco glanced up through his eyelashes, the firelight filtering through them and dancing across his pupils. His fingers rose swiftly and removed the wand from his mouth, and he lowered the tip to my hand. "'Your Song' by Elton John. I like that one."

I hummed softly. "I like that one too."

He murmured a few spells, and the faint glow emerged from his wand and settled into my open palm.

"Pansy likes Elton John too," I said gently.

A bulge moved down his throat. "I know." His eyes flicked to mine briefly before going back down to my hand. "I think Crowded House is pretty cool too, though," he added, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly, and I smiled.

___

November 23, 1995

I entered the Great Hall for dinner, and Harry and Ron were standing up and waving me over, eager to tell me something. Probably to ask me to do something else for them. More homework, I supposed. I curled my fists, and my eyes flicked over to the Slytherin table, where my other friends were. Friends who didn't demand things from me.

I didn't have much control over my body when I walked over and sat next to Blaise at the end of the bench, across from Draco. A sentence came to a stop on his lips, and his eyes were wide with astonishment.

Blaise could not contain his surprise as he onced me over. "Looks like Granger decided to be bold today."

I shrugged casually, popping a green grape in my mouth and chewing. ""You're my friends, what's wrong with sitting with you at dinner?"

Pansy smiled delicately, her eyes flicking to Theo for a moment, an unspoken communication passing between them. "Nothing, I'm not complaining."

Theo's eyes suddenly lit up, and he leaned across the table with enthusiasm. "Oh, guys, have you listened to Tiny Dancer by Elton John?" Pansy beamed, and he continued, "It's so-"

"What. The. Hell. Are you doing."

I flinched and looked up, and Ron was towering over me, his face almost as red as his hair and trembling with rage.

I gulped. "Ron, it's fine-"

"No, it's not fine," Ron sneered, panting heavily. "You chose to sit here with these arseholes?"

"Watch it, carrot." Theo snapped behind me, anger rising in his tone.

Ron shifted his glare to Theo, growing even redder. "You watch it, Nott."

"Ron," I urged, shaking my head. "That's enough."

His eyes flipped back to mine, the whites bulging out of his head. "I don't think it is. How dare you abandon us?" He looked shocked, furious. "How dare you pick our enemies?"

"They're not my enemies," I protested. "They're my friends."

He took a small step back, as if stunned that those words even left my mouth. "Do you hear yourself? It's like they brainwashed you."