Delicate

late night talking

Months had passed, and Delia was in her element at Hogwarts. She had her friends and was receiving excellent marks so her mother couldn't be disappointed in her. She was lounging on one of the deep emerald couches in front of the fireplace in the common room, nose in a book, when the portrait flew open. She peered over the top of her book to see the familiar white blonde hair of Draco Malfoy. "Something wrong, dear?" She smiled a little and put her eyes back on her page. Draco let go of some of his anger at her joke and picked her feet up to sit down before placing them back in his lap. Delia sighed dramatically and closed her book to look at him.
"Potter's up to something, darling; I'm going to find out what."
"Still holding a grudge, Draco?"
"He disrespected me, Delia; you know what happens, and nothing I've done so far has done much." She did know. She had seen her mother and her friends' parents when they had been disrespected. Enough people knew the kids' names that they wouldn't dare, but Potter thought he was some exception.
"What shall we do about it?" Draco smirked at her. He knew he could count on Delia; well, he always could, they were the same. They threw ideas around for a while. Curses, jinxes, and other things came up, but it would also lead to them in serious trouble, and they couldn't have that.
"What if we catch them breaking school rules?"Delia had a mischievous grin on her usually poised face. The thought that this is why they aren't left alone for long because of things like this crossed her mind, but she was having fun. Draco pondered this.
"Darling, you might actually have a brain up there." She faked a laugh at his joke and grinned at him. He thought she looked better when she was like this, unrestrained, mischievous, and somehow, still completely perfect. Delia liked seeing Draco this way too; he seemed lighter than he usually was.
"We'll have to follow them around a little gather intel to try to catch them doing anything."
"No need, Lightwood, I've already stumbled upon something; tomorrow night I need you to meet me down here. We'll be catching them breaking curfew." The next day came and went. Delia was making her way to the common room to meet Draco. She was a little giddy at the thought of getting even. You don't disrespect her friends and get away with it. "Finally, Darling, I was going to send a search party for you."
"I am horribly sorry for my tardiness, dear; how could I ever earn back your favor for me?" The two laughed together and began their descent downstairs. First, they went out to the pitiful gamekeeper's hut to verify they were actually there; they peered through the window and were delighted to see all three of them there. Their glee didn't last long; the oaf had spotted both of their bright hair in the moonlight. They still had time to beat them to the castle and fetch McGonagall so they ran as fast as they could. They were standing smugly behind McGonagall when they made it back inside, keeping their cool as best they could.
"And to ensure it doesn't happen again, all five of you will be serving detention tomorrow night." That snapped the two cheerful Slytherins back into the conversation.
"I'm sorry Professor, but I thought you said the five of us." Draco and Delia were nervous now.
"That's right, Mr. Malfoy, seeing as you and Ms. Lightwood are both also out of bed no matter how good your intentions were." The Slytherin duo were no longer giddy; they were terrified.
"My mother will hear about this." Delia snorted and turned away, dragging Draco with her back to their dorms.
"Can you believe that woman!" Delia was fuming. Her mother would make sure she never got in trouble again when she returned from the school year. She could feel her composure slipping and did her best to maintain it in front of Draco. "Honestly, darling, I wouldn't worry too much; father says that woman will do anything to hurt Slytherin house." Delia looked thoughtful for a moment; surely, she could frame it as a teacher out to get her and send her mother's wrath the school's way.
"Maybe you've got a brain up there after all, dear." Draco smirked a bit at her repeating his previous joke. He liked Delia of course, they were friends, but sometimes she had a way of making his heart beat a little faster, and that, he didn't like. It made it hard to be alone with her, but when it came down to it, there's no one he'd rather have on his side. Delia Lightwood was a wildfire; bright, beautiful, and enchanting, but dangerous all the same. Draco wondered if she ever thought about him sometimes. He thought of her fairly often, but he was sure she didn't and envied her for it. She could go through her perfect life with her perfect hair and never have anything plague her the way the things did him. "Worried?" He had to taunt her for making him think of her. Delia scoffed at his question.
"Of course not, but you know my mother."He nodded because he did know her mother, not the extent of everything, but he knew enough. His father was the same to him.
"We'll make sure they know we were doing a good deed."She smiled at him, a real smile that met her eyes and didn't have a hint of malice or mischief behind it. She noticed he was one of the only people to get that from her, decided she didn't like having that reaction to him, and put her mask back on. She looked at him again, slightly admiring him before bidding him goodnight and making her way to her bed. Pansy was awake when she entered, and she had to suppress a groan. Delia wasn't sleeping soon. "Having some late-night fun, Dels?" Pansy made a terrible attempt to stifle her giggle.
"Helping Draco get even with Potter and his filthy friends, Pans, no big deal."
"How'd it go then?"
"We got them detentions, but we got it too. McGonagall got us saying we were also out of bed." "Merlin, Dels, what's your mom going to say? What's his dad going to say?"
"We're spinning it to them as we were doing good, and the school is being unfair; might be our best bet." Pansy just nodded and got up to embrace her friend. She knew more of what went on in the Lightwood household than anyone else. Delia was close to crying at her friends care for her, but quickly composed herself.
"Let me change, Parkinson."Pansy obliged and removed herself from her friend and promptly returned once she'd changed.
"Do you want me to help you draft the letter?" "Let's just sleep for now, please." When Delia awoke the next morning, Pansy had stayed, and she couldn't help but tear up.