Restricted | Draco Malfoy

25

Draco and I were back to how things used to be at school within the first 5 minutes of our arrival back. Only now things were even worse than they ever had been. No speaking at all, not even a smile or a nod hello. I was a complete stranger in his eyes, and I reciprocated the feelings easily because of how shitty he made me feel every day.

It had been about 2 weeks now— possibly even 3. I had lost track of our last conversation at this point. My friends quit asking me what happened between us while we were gone, Blaise and Aria quit trying to fish answers out of me and Draco both, and I just acted like I had no idea what they were talking about. Like nothing had ever happened between us at all.

During our classes, Draco does all of our work by himself. He doesn't even give me the opportunity to touch anything so we don't have to communicate with one another at all. There was only one day where I had cracked and tried to give him my attention: I tried wishing him a happy birthday at the beginning of the month, but he completely ignored me as I said it like my voice traveled through one ear and out the other. That was the day that stung the most. The rest were a dull type of pain that was easier to ignore.

But time does heal wounds, and I was already feeling like my old self again— slowly but surely. I was happy. And I felt as normal as I probably could feel. I haven't had any bad dreams since I stopped talking to Draco, and that was when I had gained a sense of hope that it was all working. Maybe if I just accepted that I couldn't be around him anymore, I would be fine. No one could harm me.

I was eating dinner with my friends when Dani popped the question that ended up leading to one of the worst moments of my life. "So, who do you guys have winning the tournament tomorrow?"

Each of us looked up from our plates when she had broken the little bit of silence we had been sitting in. My answer should've been different than the one I ended up giving, but I was a fucking moron nowadays.

"Harry." Maggie said without hesitation.

"Are you sure?" Dani asked. "I feel like he'll choke. He's just so young compared to the others." She shook her head as she scooped up a spoonful of her food.

"I think he'll come in second." I said, picking at my food with my fork, not really eating. I didn't have much interest in the conversation at the time.

"Oh, brother... Don't even tell me who you think is going to win." Aria looked at me in disbelief. I glanced up at her, and I didn't see any issue in what I had said.

"Well, it's really what I believe." I shrugged. "He's already won every other challenge, what makes you think he won't win this one?" I asked. "I'm just being realistic about it."

"We aren't cheering for him because he's a no good piece of shit, remember?" Ari asked. "Any of this ringing a bell? Crying for a couple days? Not leaving your room? Screaming at him in front of multiple people? Christ, Malfoy even beat the shit out of him." She exaggerated, thinking I was delusional. I rolled my eyes when that name burned my ears.

"Oh, come on. Give the guy a break. He apologized to me, and I don't even see him around anymore. He's one step away from eternal glory, and you don't think that he's going to WIN?!" I questioned, trying to plead my case to all of them. They all just stared at me with blank expressions on their faces.

"I think he will end up pulling it off, that's all I'm saying." I shrugged, looking back down at my plate that sat in front of me.

"I'm gonna put my money on Fleur." Blaise said suddenly to break up the conversation. Maggie burst out into laughter at his statement.

"I'm serious!" He said with confusion on his face. He didn't understand what was so funny about the statement, and we all held in our chuckles.

"Bro, she hasn't come close to winning a single task! Shut up!" Maggie shouted back as she laughed even harder now. An idea crossed my mind suddenly, and a smile pulled at my lips.