familiar ; draco malfoy

CHAPTER NINE (R)

~ mature content ~ viewer discretion is advised ~

The following day, Ramona decided that she had to talk to him, no matter what it took. There were very few things that could deter her from such a decision and adrenaline fueled her body for the entirety of the morning, leaving her mind buzzing and hands shaking. Seeing him the previous made her feel warm inside- a kind of warmth that she hadn't felt before.

There was no possibility of sleep coming to her that night, the picture of him hopping around the common room fresh in her mind. Each time she replayed it, a smile stretched her lips and, as if cramping up and staying that way, she couldn't rid herself of it.

Seeing him like that made her feel as if he was human; for only a moment, he wasn't sneering nor sulking nor brooding. He was just a man that stubbed his toe. That moment was enough to put her at ease around him. The fact that he was just another person was hard to grasp once you saw him, but it was different now.

She didn't see him at breakfast. And she didn't see him during classes. Nor did she see him in the hallway, or the common room once she came to gather the rest of her books. Not that that was unusual, considering that he barely showed up anyway. None the less, she scanned each room she walked in, each hallways she passed through.

Potions was the last class of the day; a class Ramona excelled at and one she had always had a knack for. Pansy was staring at her from three tables away, the perpetual sneer directed towards Ramona was as potent as ever. Pansy made very little effort to hide that the curly haired witch wasn't one of her favorite housemates. The fact didn't bother Ramona too much since she took Pansy for an arrogant, entitled shrew- minimum interaction was preferred on both sides.

Even though Ramona knew Draco wasn't going to show up, she couldn't help feeling anxious as her gaze kept traveling to and from the door. She needed to talk to him.

Only moments before the class began, a white head of hair entered through the wide open door. Snape's class was the only one that Draco bothered to show up to once in a while, though he was so quiet it was easy to forget he was there. 

Draco sat as far away as he could, avoiding Ramona's vicinity at all costs. He took someone's seat; mumbling something in a curt, low tone, and the person granted him their spot immediately and rushing over to the only empty one before Snape came in. Though there was little choice on their part, since no one wanted to argue with Draco.

 Ramona tried to subtly turn around and glance at him. When she did, he was already staring at her. And he made no effort to hide it. He was sat right behind Blaise who, seeing their exchange, rolled his eyes at Ramona. Blaise precisely knew from her look then what she was about to do and he wanted no part in it.

"Don't," he mouthed. Ramona barely acknowledged him, eyes returning to the icy blue gaze she could never escape.

But then there was Pansy. Bloody Pansy who's head blocked Ramona's view of Draco.

"Draco," she whisper-yelled, leaning out of her chair.

"Draco!"

He glanced towards her, annoyance plastered on his face. He raised his eyebrows in response, one of his eyes almost twitching.

"Are you free tonight?"

Ramona didn't like the sound of that. So she turned back around in hopes of minding her own business- but her curiosity got the better of her and hear ears perked up, focusing on their voices.

"No," Draco answered, his eyes traveling between Ramona and his desk. He tried to keep his gaze on his desk but they'd flicker to her curly head of hair ever so often, summoning her to turn around.