The Brightest Black - A Dramione Fanfic

Summertime

The Slytherin common room was a bit on the subdued side. Almost all of the exams were finished, but seventh years still had a week left for their NEWT exams and they were threatening to curse anyone that interrupted their study time.

Draco was entertaining himself by reading a practically ancient tome on spell invention. It was very obscure, but he was beginning to see how one went about creating spells.

It certainly wasn't easy, but it was distracting.

He was ensconced in one of the armchairs near the fireplace as the seventh years were using almost all of tables. Gregory and Vincent were nearby, sitting on a couch and imitating the mountains he knew people called them.

He didn't know how they could sit and do nothing for hours.

They were a bit put out with him, since he'd disappeared on them all day yesterday.

But he couldn't exactly tell them what he'd been up to.

Currently no one at Hogwarts had heard about Black or Potter. Though it had been noted that the-boy-who-lived was missing.

Draco hoped that was because Black had woken up. And not for other, more tragic reasons.

"Draco."

He looked up to see Pansy standing in front of him, a small, happy smile on her face.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Tracy Davis watching them, so he affected his most bored expression, "Yes?"

"I thought you'd like to know, Hermione has been cured."

The quiet murmur that had pervaded the sitting area quickly disappeared. Draco could feel multiple pairs of eyes on them

Some friendly, others curious, but most were actively judging him.

Morgana take Pansy! Why did she have to tell him this in public?

He kept looking bored, "So?"

She stared silently at him, her eyes wide in disbelief.

"So? So?!! What do you mean, so?!?" Her voice got louder and higher pitched with each word, drawing even more eyes.

"Just that. Why should I care?"

It took a second, her staring at him, and then he saw a spark of realization in her eyes before it was quickly smothered.

Bless her.

She crossed her arms and frowned, "You don't care that your cousin is healed? That she isn't going to die?"

He shrugged and closed his book, keeping his finger in to mark his spot. "She's only my cousin through adoption. We're barely related."

"Draco Lucius Malfoy! That is a terrible thing to say!"

He scoffed, "What? You start hanging out with Potter and Pals and you get to judge me now?"

"You're a Malfoy! You are all about taking care of family!"

"I repeat, she's barely family. She's adopted."

"Then you wanted her dead?"

He shrugged, "I couldn't care either way."

Her face turned red and she spun on her heel. He watched as she disappeared down the passageway leading to the girls' dormitory.

As soon as she was out of sight he opened his book back up and began reading. Or, rather, pretending to read. Inside of his head he was dancing with joy and he felt practically weak with relief that she was alright.