in the dark | d malfoy

chapter twenty-five

i was driving myself crazy the next few days.

however much i wanted to deny it, i liked draco. and i wanted to know him, not just have make out sessions whenever he felt like it. i didn't get a chance to talk to him, however, due to dumbledore's army starting back up. hermione had caught me after class, letting me know where it would be held, and the next day i had trudged up the long hallway, staring in confusion at a bronze door placed in the hall, one i had never seen before.

the inside was magnificent. i started bringing alfie and jan along to meetings, and the three of us were learning quickly. today, i was planning on going to the meeting, but i was stopped by alfie as i started to exit the common room. she was coming back from the quidditch match, which i had skipped to do potions homework.

she bit her lip hastily. "i don't think there will be a meeting today. might as well stay here." i raised an eyebrow. "why? harry doesn't cancel meetings." alfie gave a huge sigh. "well... actually, i'm not sure how it happened, but...umbridge banned harry from quidditch. uh, forever."

my eyes widened in shock. "what do you mean, forever? does she even have the authority to do that?" fury blazed through me. jan appeared behind me, having been resided in an armchair across the room before now. "bout time. harry's been driving her crazy for months. detention isn't stopping him."

i scowled at her, and she shrugged. alfie was biting her lip as she took a seat on one of the couches, letting out a sigh. "i heard it was malfoy's fault, too. he started a fight."

i rolled my eyes. "of course he did. he's a git." jan laughed. "i thought you had a crush on him?" i scowled some more, dropping into an armchair next to alfie. "what makes you think that? i don't admire him in any way. he's an asshole."

well, one of those things was true. he certainly was an asshole. and a git.

-

the months sped by quickly, christmas rapidly approaching hogwarts. i chose to stay for the holidays, declining jan's invitation to spend it with her family. it was nice to have a break from studying and the D.A, however much i enjoyed it. the castle was almost empty this year, even harry and his friends had left.

on christmas morning, i headed down to the great hall alone, and with a trill of surprise, i noticed draco sitting alone at the slytherin table. i stalked over, taking my seat beside him, and he stared up at me in shock. "what do you think you're doing, katherine? if you hadn't noticed, this is the slytherin table. for slytherins. and if i'm not mistaken, you're a wee hufflepuff. so you should probably hop right over-,"

"oh, shut your mouth, draco," i said, scooping some food onto my plate. "most everyone is gone for christmas, anyway. no one cares. none of your snake friends are here to see you with me, so you needn't be embarrassed."

he gritted his teeth. "katherine, i don't see why you want to sit with me. we aren't-,"

"friends, sure." i finished his sentence, making a stony look appear on his face. "but you make out with me quite a lot for someone you don't want to be associated with, so if you're not gonna put a label on it, you're gonna have to let me sit with you."

draco stared at me in surprise for a second, then sighed, piling food onto his own place. "fine, king."

i smirked, and ate my food in pleasant silence, with draco malfoy sitting next to me, his big mouth shut for once in his life. once i had finished, i jumped up, pulling him to his feet. he groaned. "what now?"

"we're going for a walk. come on. it's christmas! do you want to go to hogsmede with me?" i asked, a flirty tone in my voice, and i grabbed his arm tighter, pouting my lip. "please?"

he sighed, wrestling me off of him. "you're lucky you're cute, katherine. i don't take hufflepuffs on dates very often."

"is this a date?" i asked, trying not to let my face light up too much. draco smirked at my flustered expression. "do you want it to be?"

"i thought you didn't want to be associated with me?" i trilled, and draco sighed, looping his arm through mine as we headed down the grounds towards the gate. "well, unfortunately for me, you seem rather set on being my friend. so, as long as you don't tell anyone, sure." he gave me a real smile, and my heart fluttered.

we settled down at the three broomsticks, much to draco's displeasure. "people could see us together here," he groaned, and i grinned. "that makes it all the better. maybe people will think you're a nice person if they see you with me."

draco shook his head, taking his drink from the bartender. "or they'll think you're evil. maybe the more accurate response." i raised my eyebrows at him, and he sighed, looking into my eyes. "why are you here? i mean, not at home?"

i stared at him curiously. "i don't have a home. i'm sure you remember my mother's death, causing me to be brought here." i stifled a laugh, and draco rolled his eyes at me. "how is that funny? you shouldn't joke. i meant, why aren't you at a friends? aren't you staying with one of those hufflepuffs?"

i smirked. "jan. yes. she's one of my best friends, not just one of those hufflepuffs. we aren't as bad as you think, you know." draco raised his drink to his lips, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "if you're all this positive, i'd think you are."

i scowled. "we aren't positive all the time. you know my mother was a slytherin." draco nodded. "i heard snape mention it, yes. must be where you get your mouth from. you're awfully mean to me sometimes, katherine." he gave me a teasing pout, and i rolled my eyes. "only when you're mean first. what else am i supposed to do? put up with it?"

draco shook his head, his eyes glinting. "i'm sure if you simply put up with it, it wouldn't have nearly the same effect on me. your mouth is one of the many things i like about you, king."

i raised an eyebrow. "do you mean my sass? or my kissing technique? you seem to be awfully attached to that as well."

draco flushed, and i grinned, praising myself for getting to him. he smirked back at me. "you don't mind, katherine. you're too in love with me to care."

"mmhmm. right." i let a small smile stay on my lips as i took another sip of my drink, watching the blond boy out of the corner of my eye as we settled into a comforting silence.

-

a/n

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