Forbidden [d.m.] || rewritten

chapter 7

- year three -

The welcome back feast this year had a much different atmosphere to it than the last two years. Perhaps it's because Harry fainted on the train ride year or maybe it was because there was a bloody serial killer after us. I couldn't point it out in that very moment, but I shrugged it off and continued listening to Dumbledore ramble on about how we should all be extra cautious this year.

Nonetheless, I couldn't have been more grateful to be back at school. Harry and I were anticipating this all summer. After we blew up our Aunt Marge, we had a sick feeling we'd never be coming back here, but it seemed the stars were aligned for us to be at Hogwarts. That old hag, Aunt Marge had the nerve to say that I belonged to the streets and I was nothing more than a crazy witch, like my mother was at my age.

Amidst the scattered chatter coming from the tables and Dumbledore announcing his staff changes, I hear a hushed voice lingering in my ear. Harry and I peered over our shoulders as we sat across from Ron and Hermione and scowled once we saw who it was.

Draco Malfoy. Was it possible he changed that much in three months?

Clearly his father put him through lots of Quidditch practice over the summer holiday. His shoulders had gotten a lot broader and I could guess he grew exponentially since last term. Oddly enough, his hair was different. It was, in fact, styled the way I told him I liked it at the end of our first term. Coincidence? I think not.

How could one grow to be so... annoyingly attractive?

He had this irritating, boyish aura to him that almost made you swoon. Good Lord, I think this whole 'being tracked down by an Azkaban escapee' is getting to my head. Something I wouldn't let Malfoy ever get in either.

"Potter." He sharply whispered again, trying to grab the attention of either me or Harry. "Is it true that you fainted? I mean, you actually fainted?"

I felt second-hand embarrassment when I saw his stupid friend, Theodore Nott, mimic a dementor's behavior. The four of us shrugged him off and turned back to face the Gryffindor table without muttering a word.

I put my head in my hands, groaning in exhaustion and hoping Dumbledore was almost done with his speech. This one might break his record of longest welcome speeches ever. Though I felt the chills creep down my spine at the mention of the notorious killer after Harry and I. Inconspicuous glances were shot at us from all around the room and you could hear the faint whispers proliferating around the hall.

Harry practically tensed up from beside me, but Fred Weasley put a smile on our faces when he took a load of mashed potatoes and plopped it onto his brother's plate, sending bits of white onto George's face.

Thankfully the food appearing on the table was the sign that Dumbledore's speech was over and we could finally get on with dinner. Alas, chitchat filled the room and hands were reaching across the table for food.

"Did I hear Harry fainted on the train?" I heard a familiar voice and a finger lightly nagging at my robe, and turned around to face Ginny Weasley standing in the aisle.

Oh, how sweet. She was worried for him.

I nodded, but put a hand out to reassure her. "He's perfectly fine, though. No need to fret. Just a bit peaky, but he's alright."

I caught Harry's attention, lips curled up into a snide smirk. "Look, Harry. Ginny's come to see if you were alright," I said in a tone of amusement. "Isn't that thoughtful?"

He sent me a pinched expression, but turned his attention to the ginger-haired second-year with a smile. "Hi, Ginny. I'm quite alright, as you can see."