Unexpected Love

Chapter 7

That day was over 2 years ago. I was now in my 3rd year at Hogwarts. End of term exams had finished and it was almost the end of the term. The end of the year feast was in just 2 days.

I was sitting in the Great Hall with Daphne and Pansy, eating dinner and discussing our exams. 

"I'd have to say that Divination was the hardest exam. We didn't learn anything all year," Pansy said. 

"I agree, but Herbology was hard too," Daphne chimed in.

"I mean, we all passed right," I asked.

Both girls nodded at me from across the table before glancing up and behind me.

I felt a hand grasp my right shoulder and before I knew it, Draco Malfoy was sitting down beside me. 

"Hey, Natty. Pass all of your exams," he asked me. 

Draco Malfoy was the only person I let call me by that nickname, I hated it from anyone else. He started calling me it one day during first year and noticed how much I hated it, so he continued to call me it.

It grew on me eventually, only because he was my best friend and he had been since our parents introduced us. All of my other friends called me Lia instead of Natalia. 

"Yes I did. How about you," I responded.

"Of course I did. Father would kill me if I didn't."

"Wow, that's surprising."

Draco lightly shoved me and said, "Oh shut it. You know I get better marks than you."

"Barely." 

I had a light smile on my face as Draco had a full on grin while we bantered. He glanced over at Pansy, who looked a little jealous.

"Got a problem, Parkinson," he said with a sneer. His demeanor completely changed, he was only acting the way he was before because it was me. 

Pansy was hopelessly in love with Draco and she had been since the moment she laid eyes on him. Draco, of course, knew this but he was not interested in her at all, he found her quite irritating. 

I had told Pansy multiple times that Draco didn't feel the same way as she did, but she didn't really believe me. 

Draco didn't say anything else after acknowledging Pansy and began to eat dinner. 

"Did you guys hear that Buckbeak is being executed tonight" Daphne asked us. 

"That bloody bird," Blaise asked while taking a seat on the other side of Draco.

"Yes, my father made that happen. That stupid oaf of a teacher shouldn't have even brought the bird here," Draco said.

"Buckbeak shouldn't be executed, though. You were just being idiotic like usual," I said to Draco. 

Draco scoffed and rolled his eyes at me. "Or maybe, Hagrid should keep his bloody bird on a leash."

"No, you shouldn't have insulted it."

"No, it's not my fault."

"Yes it is. You were just annoyed of Harry being able to ride the bird so you decided to be the dick that you are and insult Buckbeak because you can't handle not being in the spotlight."

I got up from the table and left the Great Hall, not wanting to be around Draco. I wandered the halls of Hogwarts, having no particular destination in mind before I ended up at the Slytherin common room. I walked inside and went up to my dorm, grabbing a book before going back down to the common room. 

I sat by the fireplace and began to read the book I had checked out from the library.

It wasn't long before students started to pour into the common room now that dinner had been over. 

I quickly got up and decided to take a stroll out to the courtyard where I knew no one would be because of the curfew. 

As I was passing the Great Hall, I bumped into Ron, Harry and Hermione. 

"Oh hello, Lia," Hermione said a bit frazzled.

"Hey guys," I replied.

I had become friends with the trio back in first year shortly after Halloween and I had grown pretty close to them. Although I loved my Slytherin friends, it was nice to have friends in other houses. 

"Listen, we're sneaking down to see Hagrid before Buckbeak gets executed, care to join us? I know you really liked Buckbeak," Harry said to me. 

"Yea, of course. I'm so not ready for this," I said sadly.

"Neither am I," Hermione said.

We began the walk to Hagrid's Hut, the feeling of dread overwhelming us.

We walked through the courtyard in silence before reaching the path that would lead us down to Hagrid's. 

Directly in front of the path were Draco, Crabbe and Goyle, just my luck. 

Hermione started walking towards the three of them as I hesitantly trailed behind her.

"Ah! Come to see the show," Draco said. 

"You! You foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach!"

I widened my eyes at Hermione's words as she lifted her wand and pointed it directly underneath Draco's chin. 

"Hermione no! He's not worth it," Ron said.

I stood there, staying silent so I didn't have to pick a side. 

Draco stood there, basically on the verge of tears before Hermione withdrew her wand.

He began to laugh as Hermione turned around but quickly spun back towards him and punched him in the face. 

I let out a gasp and shouted, "Hermione, why would you do that?"

Draco and his goons ran away, back towards Hogwarts.

"That felt good," she said.

I rolled my eyes and then turned around to follow Draco.

Even though he was a blithering idiot, he was still my best friend.

I ran through the halls of Hogwarts, going straight to the Slytherin common room where I knew he would be.

"Draco," I said while walking towards the fireplace where he had been sitting. 

"What do you want Rosewood?"

"I came to see if you were alright."

"I'm fine. Now leave."

"No."

Draco turned around and faced me.

"Just leave Natalia."

"No. I don't care how bruised your ego is or how mad you are, but I'm not leaving."

"You're so damn stubborn."

Draco sighed and took a seat on one of the many couches and patted the seat next to him, beckoning me to sit there.

I sat down next to him and laid my head upon his shoulder hesitantly.

"You're so utterly stupid sometimes, you know that," I whispered.

"I know, Natty."

"You deserved that slap from Hermione."

"I know. Sometimes I can't help but make fun of those bloody Gryffindors."

"At least we get the whole summer without them."

"Yep. Just you and me."

 I smiled at Draco's comment, I couldn't wait to spend the summer with him. 

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