SALEM ᵈ ᵐᵃˡᶠᵒʸ

vii. Therapy Sessions

UNWINDING is always the best way to relieve stress, and what better place than in the Astronomy Tower.

After McGonagall confronted us and the trio bid me a goodbye, a heavy weight felt like it rested upon my shoulders after everything that just happened. So I took the secret shortcuts to reach the seventh-floor corridor and made my way to the tower, making sure to cast a warming charm on myself.

In a way, I've always looked at it as my safe place whenever I wanted to be alone and let all my feelings out, or to simply just think and enjoy the peace. But there were moments where a lot of other things happened in there that wasn't peaceful at all; mostly because of Draco Malfoy — he always seemed to show up during the most inconvenient times, yet despite all of that I still found the place comforting.

Weird how my mind works sometimes.

It was because of that reason I wasn't surprised at all when I spotted him by the terrace overlooking the school entrance below.

I halted by the landing, not bothering to stay quiet to hide my scoff.

"Oh," I said drily, "it's you again. I'll take my leave then—"

"You know it's a big space, Lovett, if there's room for an entire classroom here then I'm positive there'll be room for you," he remarked without looking over his shoulder.

I rolled my eyes at his comment, about to go down the stairs until I realized the meaning behind it.

"What?" I asked appalled.

"What?" he mocked, finally turning around to face me. "What, are you deaf again?"

"No. It's just—you just asked me to join you," I stuttered, not taking his jab into consideration as my mind ran with bewilderment.

"Yes?" he scoffed as if I were stupid. "I'm aware."

My lips parted and I widened my eyes at his response. I stared shamelessly, trying to come up with the most logical reason but came up empty-handed.

"That's a joke, right? Y-you're joking."

He rolled his eyes once again. "I know how much you like coming here anyways, and frankly I don't want to leave or deal with you so just shut up and find your corner."

My eyebrows rose to my hairline.

"Are you sure you're Draco Malfoy?" I asked.

Draco turned away to gaze at the falling snow outside. I blinked, once then twice and forced myself to finally tear my eyes away to glance back at the staircase.

I bit my lip, contemplating about my choices. If I go back the only place where I would be alone was in my dorm (which I'm not complaining about), but my legs ached from walking so much in just a span of an hour that I reluctantly claimed the other terrace that was closest to me.

I instantly sighed with relief when I sagged down and sat on the floor. I dared a glance at Draco, seeing him copy my move and sitting cross-legged in front of the view.

I pursed my lips at the awkward silence and fidgeted with my thumbs, wondering how exactly I was going to unwind if I was surround by all this tension.