I Am Not Nothing

Chapter Nine

Year 4

Like every year, the Malfoy's would take Draco and me to Diagon Alley to get school supplies. After the stone in our first year, the Chamber of Secrets in our second year, and last year's werewolf professor being a friend of mass murderer, Sirius Black, I had no idea what this year had in store. All I knew was that my father had to go to Hogwarts a week early to help with some school business.
Now, I was on the train, thinking about the past three years, starving while the others got candy and were talking with each other.

"I heard the Dementors are gone and so is Black. Just poof! Gone! I think Black stole Buckbeak and flew away to live another day. Two dangerous creatures together, free! I'm over it by now anyway." Parkinson piped over the boys' rambling, "Now turning it to Draco, how was your summer?" She asked.

This was her eighth question to him in the past fifteen minutes.

"His summer was fine, as well as mine and Goyle's. I don't care about Crabbe's, I don't care about Zabini's and I sure as Merlin don't care about yours, now shut up and eat your fat bars." I snapped at her, motioning to her candy bar.

"What has gotten into you?" Parkinson asked.

"Not your problem, Parkinson! Shove off!" I exclaimed.

Draco grabbed my hand. I could feel him staring at me as I glared at Parkinson.

"Do we need to step outside and talk?" He whispered in my ear.

I broke my glare with Parkinson and looked up at Draco. I sighed and stood up with him. We walked just out of the compartment, closing the door behind us.

"What's going on with you? You're more snappy than usual." He asked me.

"Fifteen minutes, eight questions directed for only you to answer? The innocent smile she gives you every time she looks at you? Why does it look like I'm mad?" I asked him.

It was a no brainer, but he looked stumped.

"She likes you, Drakie! How stupid do you need to be to not see it?" I exclaimed.

Draco scoffed and shook his head.

"She hasn't seen me at all over the summer and she's curious! She's a friend. That's it, Rava." He smiled, pushing a strand of curly hair behind my ear.

"That's it? That's all it will ever be?" I asked him.

"I promise." He assured me.

I sighed and nodded. I ran my fingers through his un-gelled hair. He smiled down at me. I raised to my tip-toes and kissed his cheek.
No, he and I weren't together. He was like a brother to me, so a kiss on the cheek meant nothing but a sibling-like love. Like Goyle, who I wasn't afraid to hug and talk to like an older brother, like Draco. These boys were closer to brothers than my "sister" could ever be to being my sister.
Draco and I walked back into the compartment and took our seats.

"What was that?" Parkinson asked.

"Nothing. Keep you nose out of other people's business." I snapped at her.

She rolled her eyes and looked out the door of the compartment, staying quiet for the rest of the ride.

"So, Goyle, what are your goals for this year?" I asked the boy on the other side of Draco.

"Try to get better grades than last year while having more fun than last year." He shrugged, leaning against the wall behind him.

"What about you, Draco?" I asked.

"Get Potter in as much trouble as I can, make him hurt as much as I can, have as much fun as I can, you know the usual." He said, clearly bored.

"Well, my plans are to hopefully get Auzilen to transfer by the end of the year without my father finding me." I told them.