Poison Ivy || Draco Malfoy

9 - Weekend Breaks

It was to my complete and utter surprise at the welcome feast when Draco took the empty seat next to mine.

In all honesty, I didn't know how I was going to be able to eat. His close proximity made my heart hammer so incredibly much, especially combined with the scent of his expensive, earthy cologne; that there was only one thing I wanted to eat, and it wasn't the food on my plate.

He didn't say two words to me; just ate in complete silence whilst Pansy rabbited on in my other ear, not seeming to notice or even care that Draco was present.

Despite his continued silence, I found his presence almost comforting as we listened to Snape announcing the upcoming horrors of what we were to face over the course of the year.

When we were forewarned that the Cruciatus Curse was to be used as punishment if we didn't behave ourselves, Draco moved his shoulder ever so slightly that I could almost have been certain that it brushed against mine.

When Snape finally dismissed us and Pansy shot off to join Daphne and Millicent, I found myself desperately wanting to say something, anything to him.

"Will you be playing Quidditch this year?" I asked, sticking to a safe subject as we both rose to our feet at the same time.

He looked down at me, startled, and then back over his shoulder as if making sure I wasn't addressing someone else.

"I don't think that would be a great idea... under the circumstances," he muttered wryly.

"Oh," I said, struggling to think of how to answer that. "That's a shame."

I inwardly cursed myself as I felt my cheeks flush. Clearly he was alluding to his previous years antics. I had no idea if I should broach further upon the subject.

"It is what it is," Draco shrugged as he pushed his chair back under the table.

We walked side by side as we left the Great Hall and I was desperately trying to think of something else to say; something that would convey my sympathy towards him.

"It's your birthday today, isn't it?" Draco said before I could think of anything.

"Er, yes," I said, feeling slightly flustered, having not expected this. "My seventeenth."

"Well, happy birthday, Ivy," his voice was soft; silky almost, as he spoke my name.

Ivy, I don't think he'd ever called me that before. I couldn't wait to get back to my dormitory so that I could replay it over and over again in my head.

"Thank you," I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me. "It kind of sucks having my birthday on Hogwarts day to be honest. No one cares, and you can't really celebrate it."

I saw something flicker over Draco's features.

"If it's any consolation," he said, as a peculiar sadness swirled in his silver eyes, "no one even mentioned my seventeenth except for my mother."

I felt so completely blown off guard by this admission that I froze in my tracks. He stilled too, and when he looked down at me questioningly, I had to stop the urge to throw my arms around him and cry.

Because I had remembered his seventeenth birthday. He had been in the hospital wing recovering from the Sectumsempra Curse. I had whispered happy birthday to him as I sat and watched him sleep.

Obviously I couldn't tell him this without looking like some kind of stalkerish freak.

"I'm sorry," I said, instead. "That was no way to spend your seventeenth."