A Child Of Darkness : A Draco Malfoy fanfic

06 - Strangers to Friends

"Crucio!".
A maniacal laugh and the smell of burning wood.
"Crucio!".
Burning pain and a scream masked by the roaring flames.

The girl woke up with a gasp. Drool left the side of her lip moist and she swiftly wiped it on her sleeve.
She looked around the hall and thankfully no one paid any attention to her.
Eleonora pushed her books away.
She buried her head in her palms, a hiss leaving her lips at the searing pain in her head - like someone was banging at it from the inside with a large hammer.
Rubbing her forehead, the girl let her vision clear as her head attempted to rid the pain.

"Hey".

Fawley looked up at the familiar voice, instinctively smiling at the individual before her.

"I've been looking for you". He leaned forward across the table, balancing himself on his hands.

"Come on. There's something I have to show you".

Eleonora raised her brows, a smirk dancing across her lips. She did not notice the pain in her head had gone away. Instead, it was replaced by the memories from her day at the lake.
The brunet boy, the devious pixies and the accidental bath they had both taken in the cold waters of the lake.

"Well we haven't got all day, little one", the boy teased, nodding at her still seated.

Fawley smiled at the senior boy. She swung her legs over the bench, feet finding hard wood as she quickly shoved her books and papers into her bag.

She didn't have to make the trip around the long table as the boy effortlessly jumped over it to her side, leaving the students seated shocked at his gesture.

"Come on man. Feet off the tables", a boy complained.
The brunet patted the seated boy with a smile.
"Don't pretend you don't do it."

He turned to the girl, the smug smile permanent on his face. "Shall we get going?"

"Where to?", Eleonora spoke. She crossed her arms and looked him up and down. "I don't even know your name".

"Cedric", the senior boy answered. He mirrored her action and lowered his head to her level. "I'm surprised you don't know it".

His smile triggered a similar one on Eleonora's face, her eyes lighting up at his humour.
"Are you the one they say walks around with the pride fit for a king?"

Cedric chuckled at her words. He straightened his back as he continued to look at her.
"She jokes", the boy teased.

Fawley smiled back, extending her arm as she did so.
"Eleonora. But I guess you know me".

The boy took her hand, shaking it with a firm grip as a smirk tugged on the corner of his lips.
"Who has a pride fit for a king now?".

•••○◇○•••

Making their way out of the great halls and across the school grounds, Eleonora found herself following the boy along familiar paths. Their short journey was filled with plenty of conversations to spare, the girl finding certain solace in the older boy.

They made their way down the hill, approaching the familiar hut by the edge of the woods. A group was already present, their attention on a rattling cage that was visible even from a distance.

"Hey Hagrid", Cedric spoke as they neared the half giant. The teacher turned around at the voice, his smile wide as he greeted a star student. Hagrid's face, however, fell when his eyes met the infamous girl and Eleonora felt her heart drop at the sight. No words were spoken and the half giant turned back around to the group as if Eleonora was merely a ghost.

"Why am I here?" Eleonora couldn't help the bitterness in her voice as she asked Cedric. The boy smiled, giving her shoulder a squeeze. He moved so that the two could see what the cage held and the girl's eyes grew wide.
"Pixies?"

Cedric nodded. He moved to stand inbetween the girl and the group, almost bending down to her level. "What's the use of taking the pixies back to their homes if the girl who had caught them in the first place isn't there to do it?".

Eleonora peeked around the boy to glance at the cage. The group had already started walking into the forest and the cage had been covered with a cloth. A girl was making her way towards the duo and she smiled upon making eye contact with Eleonora.

"Come on Cedric. Let's get going". She called them over.
The two followed behind as they made their way into the forest, quickening their steps to keep up with the group.

The girl moved to walk beside Eleonora, the older student glancing at her expectantly.
"You know. It's common courtesy to introduce yourself to a senior", the girl teased, her brow arching up with humour.

Fawley's eyes grew wide, a chuckle escaping her lips as she swiftly extended her hand towards the senior. "Eleonora"

"Nice name. I'm Beatrice". She took her hand in hers. "You can call me Bea".

Eleonora smiled gratefully at the older girl and Cedric snaked his hand around Fawley. "Elen right here is the one who caught the pixies".

"So I've heard", Bea smiled. "For the millionth time already Diggory".
She punched the boy in his arm making him withdraw his hand.

Eleonora on the other hand turned to the boy with wide eyes, the nickname catching her off guard.
She didn't hate it.
It was merely surprise and the fluttering in her chest that made her falter in her steps.

But her response went unnoticed as Cedric patted her back and kept walking deeper into the forest.

"Elen", the girl whispered it to herself.

The name brought back memories -friends and unnecessary bullies back in France.
'Eleonora' didn't seem to roll off their tongue as easily as it did for her. 'Elen' was what they eventually settled for both when in adoration and in hatred.

The trio eventually caught upto the group, following them a few steps behind.

"You must be mad to bring her with you. Have you no shame?"

The words uttered by students in Hogwarts always continued to surprise her, no matter how accustomed she thought she was to them. And it was no exception at that moment.
Eleonora immediately halted in her steps as the senior boy turned around to look at her.

"Piss off Conan", Bea spat. Her words synchronised with her action as she moved closer to Elen and wrapped her arm around the younger girl.

She gave her class mate a nasty glare. "Are you forgetting we're here because you're the one who let these creatures loose in the first place?"
Bea groaned, kicking loose soil at the boy. "I could have spent this time practicing for quidditch".

"Doesn't change the fact she's a mur-".

"Conan". Cedric's voice was firm and hard, as he spared no time in taking steps towards the boy threateningly.
"Hey dick head", Bea spoke up. "Turn your arse back around and keep walking before I kick you where the sun doesn't shine".

Eleonora's brows shot up at the unexpected choice of words but she couldn't help the creeping smile at the sight of the confused senior -no doubt also surprised by Bea's defense.

But the boy left without another word, a stream of profanities spilling from his mouth as he jogged to catch up with his friends.

Cedric watched the boy until eventually he turned to his friend and offered her a high five.
"Well you got that sorted Bea. You continue to impress me". 

"Never liked him anyway". Bea adjusted her blue tie and uniform before resuming to walk - urging the other two to follow.

"You didn't have to do that". The words were almost a whisper as Eleonora spoke but they didn't fall on deaf ears.

"I didn't do it because I had to - but because I wanted to. I always detested those who ramble on without knowing precise details". Bea wrapped her arm around Eleonora, a warm smile lighting up her eyes and highlighting her rosy cheeks.
"Come on. The sooner we get rid of these beasts, the sooner I can get to quidditch. Ravenclaw is hopeless without me".

"I thought you wanted to be here", Cedric asked.

"Well, Conan didn't have to know that."