dark side • draco malfoy

6 | The Curse {edited}

"Thank Merlin it's the weekend," Ginny sighed happily, twirling as she walked along the snow-covered path to Hogsmeade.

"You're only saying that because you've got a date, Gin!" I teased, nudging her shoulder.

The first Hogsmeade weekend had finally come, and feather-light snowflakes were lazily drifting down from the sky as we trudged along. It was a beautiful day.

"A date? With whom?" Luna inquired in her usual, dreamy-sounding voice.

"Dean," I answered smugly, staring straight ahead.

"Dean? Dean who?" Neville frowned.

"Dean Thomas, of course. How many Deans do you know, Neville?" I asked with a laugh, making Luna giggle beside me.

"Good point. But blimey, Ginny — I had no clue he was into you," Neville said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Well he won't be into me if this one doesn't shut her mouth!" Ginny jokingly pointed at me, and I pouted.

"Fine. Have fun though!" I smirked at my friend as the four of us entered The Three Broomsticks. It was at this point that Ginny walked over to the corner table where Dean was sat, and Neville, Luna, and I found an empty table on the other side of the room.

"I'll go get us some drinks," Neville offered, standing up and walking over to where Madame Rosmerta stood at the bar. I shrugged off my coat, and plopped down onto the wooden chair in front of me, wiggling my toes inside my boots in an attempt to get them to warm up faster.

"How are you Luna?" I asked the Ravenclaw girl across from me. "We hardly talk these days."

"Well, thanks. Daddy just wrote to me, informing me that he has successfully relocated the Nargle colony that was living under our staircase at home. Maybe now I won't always trip on the third step whenever I'm at home. How about you, Ivy?" Luna asked.

"I'm great. A little stressed over the essay that Flitwick assigned us yesterday, but other than that, I'm good," I replied, glancing over at Ginny and Dean to see them laughing over something and seemingly enjoying each other's company.

As I looked away, I saw a flash of white-blonde hair from across the room, and frowned as the person disappeared into the shadows as quickly as he had appeared.

It was Draco Malfoy.

Merlin, that boy was always up to no good — I just knew it. I suppose you could call it a sixth sense.

"Here's your butterbeers, ladies," Neville announced, placing the glasses in front of us and taking a seat beside Luna. "What did I miss?"

"Oh nothing much. I was just telling Ivy how my father managed to relocate the Nargle colony under-" I zoned out as Luna began to retell her story in better detail, and surveyed the rest of the room slowly as I sipped my warm butterbeer.

My eyes landed on the door opening, and in walked Harry, Ron, and Hermione with rosy noses and cheeks from the frosty air outside.

As Ron made his way over to Madame Rosmerta for drinks, Harry and Hermione searched for a table. I quickly realized that every table in the pub was full, and caught Harry's eye to wave him over.

"You guys can sit with us if you want. It's only the three of us," I offered to my two classmates as they squeezed their way through the crowded tables to get to us.

"Sure, thanks Ivy. I had no idea The Three Broomsticks would be so busy today. If I had, we probably would've come earlier to get a table," Harry chuckled as he sat down next to me and Hermione took a seat beside Neville.