yellow - D.M

Chapter twenty nine: reasons

"The first time that you kissed me
Boundless by the time I cried
I built your walls around me"
-song: Mystery Of Love by Sufjan Stevens
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      "HE ASKED YOU?" Draco asked as he sat next to Ophelia by the lake. "I mean no offence but I thought you hated potions." It was the first Sunday of the school year, and the first week of classes had gone somewhat successful.

The new potions teacher -Professor Slughorn- had asked Woodlock to an 'invite only' dinner party. "Oh I do," she scrunched up her nose "I don't know how on earth I managed to get an O on the owls," she chuckled "I guessed on almost every question."

"Are you going to go?"

"Yeah," she sighed and grabbed his hand "I don't want to though." she began to fidget with the silver rings on his fingers "I'm not sure why he asked me in the first place." She let out a soft laugh.

"Cause you're Ophelia Woodlock that's why." He looked at her and smirked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked him with a small smile.

"You're like the fucking princess of Hufflepuff," Ophelia laughed at him "Everyone knows who you are, and you're too nice for your own good," he smiled at her as she laughed "it doesn't matter if you suck at potions, the other things cancel it out."

"You are insane."

He shook his head "I only speak the truth." she rolled her eyes.

"I miss having charms class with you." She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Why, so you could cheat off me again?"

She scoffed and hit him in the arm "Oh shush."

They sat in silence for a moment before Draco checked his wrist watch "I should probably get going."

Ophelia frowned "Why?" she raised her head from his shoulder and looked at him.

Draco bit his bottom lip and looked away from her "I have stuff to do." he began to stand up.

Ophelia looked at him with knotted brows "Stuff?" she questioned.

He turned around to face her "Yeah," he muttered, knowing she would most definitely ask what he was doing, though he knew he couldn't tell her. He looked at her as she still sat on the ground.

She let out an annoyed sigh "You're not going to tell me are you?" he shook his head. Ophelia rolled her eyes and raised her arms, signaling for him to help her up. "Is it bad?" she asked as he held up her hands and lifted her from the ground.

"No," he watched as she dusted off her jeans. "Just something for charms class, it's an essay." He smirked at her, knowing well that she would be annoyed that he said that.

"Bullshit," she laughed "Just because we don't have that class together anymore, doesn't mean you can use it as an excuse." she gave him a smile.

"Watch me." His smirked widen. "But seriously I do have to go." he kissed her on the cheek and began walking away, still facing her though. "I'll talk to you later," he said "You know, like after I finish this the charms essay." she laughed as he turned around, though it died down as she watched him actually walk away.

Her teeth tugged at her bottom lip as she looked at the ground. It was no secret to Ophelia that Draco had been acting weird since the start of the school year. He had been having random outbursts of anger, he always seemed to be spacing out, and he would just leave at random moments because he claimed he had "stuff" to do.

And Ophelia -being the person that she is- didn't want to bother him with "why" questions all the time -ever since what had happened on the train- sure she was curious, and occasionally would ask, she just limited herself on how many times she would do so. She didn't want him to think she was being "clingy" again. Him calling her that really bothered her.

Over the past sleepless nights for the Hufflepuff she had limited the reasons of him acting like this, to three options;

-He was cheating on her -that one seemed unlikely to Ophelia though-

-He was getting bored of her

-or he was just having family problems

Maybe she was just being paranoid, but those thoughts ran through Ophelia's mind like a movie.

She kicked a rock and looked up at the lake. She ran her fingers through her long hair while taking a deep breath. Her hand began to fidget with her necklace. 'Maybe I'm the problem' she thought 'Maybe he just doesn't like me that much anymore' she shook her head, trying to get rid of that thought.

-

Ophelia smiled as she bumped shoulders with Draco as she walked up to him in the hallway "How was your Charms essay?"

He looked at her with a confused face "Wha-" he started, though he quickly realized what she was talking about "Oh that, yeah it was good."

"Hm, I'm sure it was." she looked at him with slightly squinted eyes "Can you be honest?" her hand hugged the strap of her bag "I thought we didn't lie to each other."

"What do you mean."

"Cut the bullshit Malfoy," she said "I know you weren't working on a paper yesterday."

"Ophelia," he warned "Stop asking so many questions, not everything is about you, or has to do with you."

She clenched her jaw "Yeah," she mumbled. She cleared her throat "No, I know that, sorry," she looked down at the ground for a moment "I'm gonna go to class now." she rambled while walking ahead of him.

'I need to stop bothering him' she scolded at herself as she squeezed past people in the very crowded corridor. She continued to stare at her shoes, watching them hit the floor with every step. Her face was red with embarrassment.