Misfire » Cedric Diggory | Draco Malfoy

68 - Jealousy

''Ron... he- he's just...,'' Harry said to Chantal with Hermione hiding her face in his shoulder. Chantal didn't need words to understand that she was crying and that Ron Weasley had been the cause of that.

''Sorry...'' was all that Chantal could manage to get out. She still felt drunk having run through the hallway and as soon as she opened her mouth to speak, she realized just how much she felt the alcohol in herself.

''He's been a real... git lately,'' Harry added.

Chantal nodded. She didn't have anything to say. It seemed that both Harry and Hermione needed each other at that moment and her presence would do them no good.

''I'm... sorry to hear that, guys. I'd let you join the Slytherin party if it were up to me...'' Chantal managed to let out a joke and saw a small smile appear on Hermione's hidden face.

The girl wiped her cheeks with her grey sweater and looked at Chantal.

''I guess I figured out that I won't be asking him to the ball,'' Hermione sniffled and Chantal giggled a bit.

''Suppose that's a good thing...''

Feeling that there was nothing more she could add, Chantal turned to her right to leave the two friends behind. She had already taken a few steps toward the door which she noticed was bedazzled by a flock of blue small birds. The feathers were still floating around. Ron had really messed it up.

Being alone in the Hogwarts hallways, drunk and slightly sweaty, Chantal felt her head was about to explode. She wondered what had happened. What had happened to everything? She sat on the cold floor, perfectly in the middle of it, and imagined herself a few years back. They had such different activities on their minds. Silly crushes and worries about grades, which, of course, she still had as a Seventh-year student.

She felt herself become cold as she had been sitting on the floor for a few minutes. The November air at Hogwarts was not kind to its students anymore. Normally she'd put something, a jacket or jumper, on the floor before sitting down. Chantal let herself get cold.

''Where... where could have he gone to?'' she sighed and shook her head.

For a split second, Chantal felt ashamed. She had come all the way up to the top floor just to feel more alone than ever. She wondered why she didn't see any of the Gryffindors here like Harry and Hermione a few corners back. She stood up to go back before the coldness would swallow her even more.

''Draco... Draco...'' she found herself whispering his name.

She had decided not to bother the portraits anymore and took the long way back to the Slytherin Common Room. Having already walked out into the Entrance Courtyard, she picked up her pace and ran over the Viaduct bridge as quickly as possible. The doors seemed heavier than usual and Chantal had to put all of her physical power into opening them.

As she stumbled over her feet, still managing not to fall, her eyes landed on Draco. Even though it was dim in the Viaduct Entrance, she could instantly recognize him.

''Hey,'' she smiled, fixing her hair.

Draco was standing at the end of the staircase.

''Hi,'' he said in a low voice, standing still.

''Where were you off to?'' Chantal asked, taking a few steps toward him.

''I went for a walk,'' Draco replied, almost hissing back.

To a quite drunk Chantal, his tone only aided to amuse her. It seemed like Draco had nothing else to say.

''Not going to ask where I went?'' Chantal's eyes found Draco and he looked away, scoffing.