Learn to Love » Draco Malfoy x Reader

XV

"Any idea what's been bothering Draco?" Theo asked.

He was laying on his back on my bed, holding a book above his head that he was pretending to read. I shifted in my chair to turn around to look at him. My homework could wait a few moments.

"What are you talking about?"

"You tell me," he shrugged. "Since you got back from the ball, he's been moodier than ever. And for him, that's saying something..."

"Has he? He's seemed the same more or less, to me," I replied.

Well, that was somewhat a lie. He'd been the same as he was the night of the ball, anyway.

I'd seen him regularly since the ball. Apart from prefect duties, we still had classes together and were often together in the Slytherin common room at the same time or doing some other shared activity.

Typically, he would try to make some sort of conversation, but if it didn't naturally flow, he didn't push or try to get me to talk. In a way, it was disappointing since I liked the progress we were making. It was short lived, but sweet.

The conversation, however, was oddly polite for him. He didn't make snide remarks, no insults... perhaps a distasteful comment here or there about a student or someone breaking the rules, but never about me, or surprisingly even my friends. I could only assume that it was his way of trying to break that barrier that we put up the night of the ball, despite the fact that I told him I forgave him for his outburst.

It wasn't a lie, either. I genuinely did forgive him for being short with me at the ball. I couldn't really care about one minor setback after the rather large and enjoyable breakthrough we had over the course of the whole weekend.

"He's definitely not been the same," Theo shook his head, sitting up and turning to face me. His shoulders slumped, giving him a relaxed look. His hair was a bit messy as well from lying down.

"'Moodier than usual'," I echoed, "with you, or people in general?"

"Both, I guess. Especially during quidditch, I've noticed during our practices that he has way more aggression than usual."

I looked at him quizzically, to which he elaborated by explaining that Draco had been at fault for multiple teammates being knocked off their broomsticks, causing arguments, and injuring a few people, all in addition to pushing himself to work harder than before. It was very unlike him. Typically he was aggressive, but not to his own teammates or causing stirs on practice time.

"I've been with him plenty of times since we got back and I haven't seen any of that. Quite the opposite, actually."

"He might be bottling it up around you. Blaise has noticed it, too. We talked about it during lunch today... there's something up with him."

Seeing how he's behaved (around me, anyway) I could tell he was certainly capable of being tame and polite when he wanted to. It wouldn't surprise me that he had the ability to act that way, but I couldn't figure why he would bother being pleasant around me and even nastier than usual to everyone else, according to Theo.

"His father must have spoken to him, then," I huffed, trying to return my attention to my homework again. This attempt was proven feeble when Theo quickly caught my attention again.

"Huh? Since when does Lucius care about how Draco treats everyone else?"

"You should've seen him at the ball. Draco was practically shaking when his father made it clear he was disappointed in him, and for something so miniscule."

Theo shrugged. "Maybe he does want him to be nicer to you. You are his wife, after all."

I visibly cringed at that. "Say it a little louder next time? I don't think all of Hogwarts heard you."