Draco Malfoy and the Girl Who Hid

25

Theodore was noticeably absent from dinner that evening. The Great Hall had a rolling spread of rumours.

In fact, he was missing the next day. Draco heard from Daphne and Miles that Theodore had gone to the hospital wing and was sulking their refusing to come back to the common room even though Madame Pomphrey had told him that he was free to go back and that his jaw was fine.

Theodore was not stupid, and he certainly was not a snitch. When he was asked what happened to his nose and jaw, he was quick to respond that it was quidditch incident.

But he could not avoid everyone for ever. That Friday, Theodore returned to class. Student were stood in huddled around the outskirts of the clearing as they waited for the care of magical creatures professor.

Theodore kicked the dirt beneath his feet, not listening to the animated conversation the Crabbe was impressing on them.

He was extremely aware when Yn materialised, hands awkwardly behind her head as she finished braiding her hair.

Luna was beside her explaining something to her. Seamus jogged by shouting a joke at them and Yn spluttered, dropping the three sections of her braid.

"Seamus, Yn doesn't want to hear your dad jokes. You'll make her regret coming back." Ron bellowed where he stood with Harry and Neville.

"I'm not that easy to scare Weasley," Yn restarted her braid.

Theodore accidentally looked over to where Draco was scowling at him. He waited until the attention was off Yn and he slipped away towards her.

Luna was the first to notice him. She abruptly stopped talking, causing Yn to follow Luna's gaze towards Theodore.

"Avery," Theodore gulped, glancing over his shoulder.

"Nott," Yn frowned at Draco, assuming this was courtesy of him.

"I... errr," Nott looked to his feet. "I want to apologise for..."

Yn tapped her foot waiting. She scoffed that he didn't even really understand what to be sorry for. "Just forget it," Yn turned back towards Luna. Luna blankly stared at Theodore waiting for him to leave.

Theodore began retreating, only to thud straight into Draco.

Draco seized Theodore by the shoulder and shoved him forward again. "You can do better than that," he gruffly added. In the scuffle, Draco's hair swooped into his eyes. Moreover, eyes were on them now.

Almost the entire class were watching on.

"Speak," Draco barked. Draco looked dead on at Yn.

"I'm sorry. I behaved poorly. It was inappropriate. It won't happen again." Theodore's word ran into each other, like he was tumbling down a steep hill.

"And," Draco, spat through his teeth. Still his eyes never moved from Yn.

"And..." Theodore winced as he spoke. "I deserved the bloody nose you gave me."

Yn disapprovingly shook her head at Draco. He did not seem to comprehend that he was drawing unwanted attention to her. She did not want to be the problematic one. Fat luck she was having with that.

Luckily, they were far enough away that the rest of the class could only see the conversation and not hear it, aside from Luna. But the intrigue was there.

Yn sighed, glad that he was done talking. "Honestly, Theo I may have reacted a little harshly, punching you was not the answer." Yn glared at Draco. "So I apologise. I have a bit of a temper. I didn't mean to physically hurt you. But, that said, I don't condone what you did do. Don't do it again to me or anyone and we'll be all good. I'll stay out of you way you stay out of mine. How does that sound?" You gave him a friendly pat on his arm for the purpose of the onlookers. "I won't acknowledge any of the rumours if you don't."

This sent a tremor through the class as they reconsidered all the gossip they had heard. It appeared at all odds that Yn and Theodore Nott were on good terms.

Theo agreed and shuffled away.

"Luna? Can you give us a minute," Yn politely asked.

"Of course," Luna skipped away.

Yn waited for Luna to be out of earshot and just to be sure she edged further away, Draco falling in step behind her. Then she ripped into Draco, "Can you stop."

Draco stopped abruptly, "Stop what?" He asked in surprise.

"I don't think you get," Yn had a tendency to talk with her hands and she was doing it then and Draco leaned back unsure if she was going to whack him. "But I need you to like back off. I'm not in need of your protection. I have made it this far without you."

"I'm just trying..." he began.

"Too hard," she added. She noted the deflation that Draco was trying to mask. "Look I know you mean well. At least I think you do. But I think you may be misinterpreting something here."

Draco cocked his head in confusion.

"I have a boyfriend," she announced.

That sent a ripple through Draco. His heart rate spiking. But he tried to remain unphased. He sniffed nonchalantly. "You are the one that may be misinterpreting Yn. Just because I have been a little friendly. It was only because my mother raised me that way, to respect a lady. I'm not interested in you in that way."

"Okay good," she inhaled, trekking back towards the group.

"Who is he then?" Draco couldn't help himself. "Do I know him?"

An "Ugh," escapes Yn's lips and she rolled her eyes, continuing to walk away.

"You have stayed away from the wizarding community," Draco theorised. "Is it a muggle?" He said in horror.

Yn was disgusted at his reaction. "And if he was," she threatened, brusquely stopping short of him

"That is repulsive," he says. "Not to mention you are one of the sacred 28. You cannot be serious." He could almost laugh at the thought. "How dare you even think to taint a power like yours like that. You have a gift. You have our ancestor rolling in their graves. What would your mother think?"

Hurt flashed in Yn's eyes at the mention of her mother. "It's not really any of your business Draco." Yn stalked off, sulking beside Daphne. Draco mentioned her power and that bothered her. She had always been good at hiding it, but he seemed to be able to get under her skin easily.

"What's wrong with you?" Daphne asked.

All the girls turned. All of them expect Pansy, who had trotted over to Draco when he returned. Yn only shook her head.

Draco's reaction had pissed her right off. That was the problem. They were feeding bullshit to these kids. They were in their heads brainwashing them to think that they were superior because they were purebloods.

And this had nothing to do with her boyfriend. Who actually was not a muggle? He was a pureblood. Not that that mattered to Yn.

Although her status with him was complicated. She had not been wholly truthful to Draco. She did have a boyfriend. Sort of. Only she had broken things off with him shortly after moving in with Lucinda.