OCEAN EYES | Draco Malfoy

Chapter 8: Different

Nessa Black

It was a draining week. I visited the Hospital Wing on several occasions, but Pansy was sleeping every single time, or she just pretended to be sleeping. The latter one was pretty probable, to be honest. No one in our friend group dared to discuss the incident. I guess we all had our assumptions but were too afraid to say them out loud. I had several private conversations with Bella on the matter but we didn't come to a conclusion about how we should address the issue once Pansy gets discharged. Draco was pretty absent during the whole week. He didn't skip classes but barely ate with us in the Great Hall. To be sincere, he has visibly lost some weight and he had an almost constant tired look on his face. He even fell asleep during Defense Against the Dark Arts class this week. I saw Snape passing by him and slapping him on the back side of his neck to wake him up. We didn't quite have any private conversations since our interaction in the Hospital Wing.

And as I think of Draco, a platinum-blonde head suddenly swings behind the nearest corner in the dim light of the hallway.

'I will go check something, okay?', I turn toward Joshua Avery, the other sixth-year Slytherin prefect. A tall and thin brunette with dark eyes. Pretty smart but bad-tempered. Add a superiority complex and you will have Joshua Avery himself.

'Sure', he nods.

'If you need help, just scream or something.'

I chuckle at his remark and head toward the direction I saw Draco seconds ago.

I sort of feel guilty about following him once again, but I still haven't forgotten about the promise I made to Narcissa. What's more, he shouldn't be so careless, walking around the school at this hour when all the prefects are patrolling. Granger and Weasley will be the first to report his violation of Hogwarts' rules. And they're somewhat in their right to do so, as Draco was at the center of the disclosure of the Dumbledore's Army last year. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. Fair enough. They may annoy me, but I am all about justice.

I follow him closely. Thank Merlin I'd learned that steps-muting spell back in year four. We're already on the seventh floor when Draco suddenly turns around. I am quick enough to hide behind the nearest armor. My heartbeat goes to 200 in a matter of seconds. My ears are cautiously waiting to hear his steps getting closer but to my surprise, they don't.

Instead, he continues walking toward the opposite side of the corridor and suddenly disappears.

'Great, Nessa. You've risked so much for zero results', I whisper to myself.

I have no other choice. I have to return and find Avery before it gets too suspicious. He doesn't lose a chance to tease me.

I find him on the fourth floor. He loves patrolling this part of the castle, which leads to the Gryffindor Tower. A typical pure-blood Slytherin.

'Did you find anything?', he asks me as I get close.

I shake my head.

'No, nothing.'

'Fine', he nods. 'I guess we're done for today.'

I agree and we both head to the dungeons. I decide to stay for a while in the common room. I hope that Draco will eventually show up. I have a weird need for talking to him or just being near him without other pairs of eyes being glued to us.