In His Shadow (Draco Malfoy X Reader) MOVED

Chapter 19: Why Is Everyone So Mean?

Epona's POV:

I walked in the halls making my way to the Goblet of Fire room. I figured I'd go and check out the twins try and get in with their aging potion. I saw a taller boy, who from the outfit he was wearing he was in Hufflepuff. It was my design.

He looked over, and smiled, "Epona Potter, right?" He asked walking up to me.

I blinked, "I know you. Your Diggory. You were at the Quidditch game." 

He chuckled, "Yeah, and please, you can just call me Cedric. Anyways, I just wanted to say, I really love the new uniform. Very comfortable." 

"Thank you! I'm so happy you like it." I beamed. 

He walked with me, "So, where are you headed?"

"I wanted to check out the magic cup of fire. See what people will try and do to get in when they aren't old enough." I laughed.

He raised an eyebrow, "You say it like if you could you wouldn't want to enter."

I shrugged, "You'd be right. I'm not experienced enough for one. And two, I'd just rather stick to making clothes."

He gave me a smile, "You are different."

I looked at him confused, "What?"

"O-Oh! I don't mean it as an insult! I just mean, you're different than your brother. He just seems to want to be-"

"Perfect at everything? Yeah, I know." I waved my hand in the air, "I know my limits. I know what I like. I'm not going to chase being perfect at something I don't really care about, just so other people think good of me. I'm going to do what I want to do, when I want to. Fuck what other people think."

He laughed.

"What?" I asked.

"I would agree to the sentiment. Maybe not the exact wording I would use, but yeah. Took me longer than fourteen to figure that out." He laughed, and I did too.

I walked to the Great Hall for breakfast with him, and waved my goodbyes to hear Seamus talking shit about Cedric. What the literal fuck?

"Gosh, you guys are really full of yourselves aren't you?" The Gryffindors turned to me, "You insult us Slytherins for being assholes, but here you are, insulting someone because they're a Hufflepuff, and better looking  than you'll ever be. Why does it matter which house gets to compete? If we win, it's not going to say "Hufflepuff won-"! It's going to say "Hogwarts Won-"! "

I looked Harry in the eye, "I would've expected the insults from Slytherins. Not from you." I turned to Hermione, "I agree with you, and I would love to help with S.P.E.W. Unlike the people you call friends, who only agreed to join to get you off their backs. All of you need a serious personality adjustment."

I walked away, clenching my fist, realizing how much pain my stomach was in. I went to the bathroom, feeling my legs move quicker. That's when I saw it. And I panicked. I felt my breathing get faster as the pain and my legs started shaking. I-I was bleeding. WHAT THE FUCK?

I heard a knock on the stall door. I looked at it and heard Hermiones voice, "Effie? Is that you?"

"Y-Yeah...." 

"I noticed you holding you lower stomach. Or I mean torso I guess. You've never been on your period have you?" 

I didn't respond and she slipped something under the door.

After that awkward interaction, Hermione invited me to go with her, Harry and Ron to see Hagrid. I put the S.P.E.W pin on my shirt, so that it was showing, but it wasn't in Draco's sweatshirt. 

Soon enough, I had broken off from the trio, saying my goodbyes and following everyone else inside. I felt VERY  emotional and it was messing with me. Like, I feel super angry with the world and just the fact that it exists.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, to see Draco behind me.

"What do you want?" I hissed, and he looked a bit confused.

"I just wanted to give you something." He pulled out a little box of his pocket and handed it to me, "I noticed that there are those hairs in your face that aren't long enough to fit into your ponytail, and they won't stay tucked behind your ears so..."

I opened it to see two silver barrettes with daisies popping out on the metal. I smiled, "Thank you." I looked at him, "H-How do I put them in?"

He smiled then took them out of the box. He got up close to he, tucking the hair behind my ear and clipping it back with the hair clips. 

He was right. Every time I had tried to draw or pin something my hair would get in the way I was considering cutting it all off, but decided against it because I, in fact, like my hair. And the barrettes kept the hair out of my face perfectly. 

I laughed at myself, "And to think I  couldn't see such an easy solution. Thank you, Draco."

"Oh, I had an idea!"

"What is it?" He asked, obviously confused.

"We should have a safe word. For like if either of us is in trouble, we can just say the word and the other will come to help!" I smiled.

He grinned,"And what should this word be?"

I thought for a moment, "Hm....serendipity."

"Serendipity?"  He raised an eyebrow.

"Well, we don't want people to easily guess it. Plus, it can't relate to danger." He nodded in understanding.

We started walking back to the Great Hall when I yet again felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Phineas.

"Oh, hey Phineas. What do you want?" I asked.

He looked at Draco and said, "Can I talk with you? In private." He glared at Draco, and Draco hesitantly left us alone.

I stood there awkwardly, "So, what's up?"

"I know we've only known each other for a month or two, but I really like you, Effie." He looked me in the eye. I felt my palms get sweaty and I messed with the zipper on my hoodie. Again, I'm still getting used to words, but, I think I know what's going on.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"