𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒐𝒚 // 𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒐 𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒇𝒐𝒚 [under editing]

8

Filthy mudblood
Year 4

[Elizabeth]

I sat next to Hermione and across of Harry and Ron at the Three Broomsticks, catching up over Butterbeer. Harry and Ron took turns to fill me in past year's event (Sirius Black, Professor Lupin, Peter Pettigrew) which i had missed due to studying and hanging out with Draco secretly. They almost seemed practised at it, Ron knew when he was expected to chip in, nod empathetically and gasp dramatically even though he already knew what happened while Hermione contradicted them on trivial details.

Not being in Gryffindor has definitely caused me to miss out on a lot and i would be lying if i said we didn't drift apart which was sad. I still appreciated them for including them for including me -telling me stories about how they saved Hogwarts and letting me watch them during Quidditch practice.
However, i grew closer to Justin and Cedric since we're housemates. Hannah and Susan still being my best friends. I didn't know where to place Draco.

Over the years, i've realised that Draco only associated himself with pure-bloods because he despised muggleborns and barely tolerated half-bloods. I've heard him calling Hermione and Justin 'mudblood' before and sometimes he tells me about pure-blood supremacy, forgetting that i'm a muggleborn. Despite all that, i've always found it strange how he didn't treat me the same. He was kind and friendly but never wanted to make our friendship public probably because of his 'reputation' and i could understand that, i didn't want to embarrass him for associating with a muggleborn like me.

—
I adjusted to being a forth year and the new classes that came along with it (i took Ancient Runes and Muggle studies) Muggle studies was the easiest out of all my classes, for obvious reasons. I was the top in Muggle studies but everyone did well mainly because the class consisted of mostly muggleborns and a handful of half-bloods. All pure-bloods avoided Muggle studies because of their pure-blood supremacy which meant that i had one less class with Draco.

I looked at my watch anxiously as i climbed the stairs as fast as i could, almost tripping. I had woken up late today which has never happened before and now i was going to be late for Professor Mcgonagall's Transfiguration class. As i was almost reaching the classroom, a large figure bumped into me and i fell backwards dropping all my books. I was certainly late now.
I looked up to see Crabbe and Goyle staring down on me with a smirk. I had a feeling it wasn't an accident. I gathered all my fallen books and got onto my feet, fixing my robes.
"I'm sorry." I muttered, hoping they would leave me alone. As i was about to leave, someone pulled me backwards by the hood of my robe causing me to fall backwards the second time and of course dropping all my books again.

"Why so clumsy ?" A high pitched voice said. Pansy Parkinson. Crabbe, Goyle and a couple other Slytherin students crowded around me, laughing.
"Leave her alone, Pansy !" said Daphne, reaching her hand out to help me but was pushed away but Goyle.
"Mind your own business, Greengrass." Parkinson scolded her and Blaise pulled her towards him not allowing her to interfere because he didn't want her to get hurt because of me.

"Whats going on." Said a voice i know to well and he pushed through the crowd of Slytherin students. Draco. I looked down, not wanting him to see the state i was in -my knees scraped and elbow bruised.
"Draco.. i was just-" Pansy tried to explain but was pushed aside by Draco. I could feel his eyes on me, processing the situation.
"Pansy was just putting the mudblood in her place, Draco." Said Goyle, defending Parkinson. It seemed like a thing they did quite often.

He kneeled down, inspecting me. His eyes were darker than usually and he wore a frown.
"Draco.." I said, tears threatening to spill but i couldn't give them the satisfaction.
"How dare you say his name, filthy mudblood !" Parkinson said so loudly she was practically yelling.
"What's gotten into you, Draco ?" Crabbe asked pulling him back up.

Draco looked around at all the other Slytherins, they watched intently expecting him to join in and throw insults at me like he normally did with other muggleborns. Other muggleborns.
"Do you like the mudblood ?" asked Goyle. Of course not.
Draco hesitated, "Of course not." he said softly.
"Go on, then." Goyle taunted.

Draco looked at me in the eyes. His blue eyes which twinkled under the light, now filled with sorrow and pain. If eyes could talk, his would be saying 'I'm sorry'.
And then, all of a sudden, he switched.
"What are you staring at, filthy little mudblood !" He sneered, making sure everyone in the crowd could hear.. even those who weren't in the crowd.

"What's going on !" Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle's smirk was wiped off when Cedric and a pair of familiar looking ginger-haired twins came pushing through. The Slytherins dispersed quickly, intimidated by the 6th years. Crabbe and Goyle dragged Draco away as he turned around to look at me one last time before disappearing into a crowd of students who were now filling the hallway to get to their next class.
"Are you okay, Beth ?" Cedric asked, helping me up.
"Yup i'm fine, thank you." I said, putting on a fake smile.
"No you're not" Said one of the twins. "You're injured !" Added the other twin.
"Lets get you to Madam Pomfrey." Cedric said bringing me to the Hospital Wing where i once spent my day talking to Draco about nothing and everything. The twins carried my bag and books.

—
"Knock, knock."
"Who's there ?"
"Owls go."
"Owls go, who ?"
"Thats right !" Fred said and giggled as Madam Pomfrey applied ointment to my knees and elbows then putting on band-aids. George took out a marker and started doodling on them.

"Thank you guys." I said to Cedric, Fred and George.
"I should've been there sooner." Cedric said, blaming himself for failing to protect me.
"All that matters is that you were there for me." I said, tip-toeing to envelope him into a hug.
"Hey, how about us ?" Fred said and i embraced them both, whispering "You're my heroes".

They walked me back to the Hufflepuff common room and left for class.

I sat down to do my essay homework, which Cedric had kindly collected for me while i was in the Hospital wing.
"Beth !" Cried Hermione as she entered the common room with Harry, Ron and Ginny.
"How did you-" I was going to ask but was cut off by Hermione hugging me followed by Ginny.
"We met Cedric on the way. He told us you were injured by.. Slytherins" Harry explained.
"He also told us the password to Hufflepuff common room. Strawberry cheesecake, really ?" Ron said and i giggled.
"Hang on.." I said noticing something looking at Ginny and Ron.
"Is fred and George-"
"Our brother ? Uh huh." Ron answered and i remembered seeing them at King cross station on the first day.