And Let Us Begin

As we stepped foot onto the grounds of Hogwarts, I took a deep breath in, letting the air settle in my lungs before releasing it back to where it came from. Something about the air made my body relax and I felt at ease. Eden gripped my arm, pulling me towards the entrance to the castle. My feet stumbled at first, but I soon corrected them and walked beside her.

“Have you seen Charlie Storm this year?” Eden whispered in my ear as we crossed the threshold.

I looked at her puzzled, “No. Why?”

A strong grin advanced on her lips before she leaned in again to tell me her thoughts. “He sure has grown up, if you know what I mean.” Her giggle echoed through the hall as the grin played on her lips to match.

“You my dear friend are one dirty, little girl. Do you know that?”

She shook her head yes at me while mumbling a “Mhm” in response.

The two of use took our usual place at the Slytherin table, waiting for the sorting ceremony to begin. Owen and Jude took their place across from us, a few other friends filling the spaces that surrounded. As I looked down the table, I saw Draco sitting not far from Eden and I. His head turned, but quickly I looked away before he had noticed I was glancing at him.

>>>>

Dumbledore’s speech was shorter this year than it had been in the past, but none of use complained. However, I stayed back to help with the first years considering I was head girl.

“All Slytherin first years, come this way!” I shouted, gathering all of the newly appointed young Slytherins.

“You know Ryann, I’ve missed you over the summer,” Draco whispered next to my ear as he stepped beside me.

I was taken off guard at his statement, losing my footing as I walked backwards. I landed right on my rear in front of all of the first years that had gathered around. Every one of them let laughter escape their lips, loosening their minds and bodies from the tension they held at the sorting. My gaze went from Draco’s feet all of the way to his eyes. A smirk played at his lips as he stared down at me.

Gathering myself together, I pulled myself from the ground and to my feet. “Thanks Malfoy,” I snapped before turning back to the first years. “Okay, quiet down! Quiet! Now that we have all had a little laugh, you need to follow Malfoy and me to the dungeons.”

I picked up the pace, seeing if Draco would keep up with me; he did.

“You didn’t miss me?” he asked casually as we made our way down to the dungeons, the first years trailing at our feet.

I sneered at him quickly and then turned my attention back to the hallway. “No,” I paused, “and even if I had that stunt you just pulled threw that out the window.”

He began to chuckle, the memory of the recent events playing in his head, “Aw come on Ryann, it was a harmless joke. What? Big, bad Lily can’t take a joke?”

The more he talked, the more infuriated I became. It was the first day back at Hogwarts and our last year, but of course Draco had to be Draco. “Harmless? I fell on my ass and now I will probably have a bruise!” I told him, my voice rising a little higher than I expected it to. I could hear a few of the first years giggling behind me, but I ignored it and kept on walking.

“Do you really bruise that easily?”

“I could,” I huffed out.

He leaned close to my ear as we continued down the hallway and whispered “I can kiss it if that makes you feel any better?”

My feet stopped, I was frozen in my tracks. “You-could…what?” I chocked on my words.

Draco just smirked at me, continuing on his way.

“Oh fuck, this year is going to be exciting,” I thought to myself as I followed behind him.

>>>>

The sun had gone down and I could see the stars sparkle across the sky. I had yet to tell Eden what Malfoy had said to me earlier. Part of me wanted to keep it to myself and the other part was screaming to let it out. I had no idea why it was bothering so much, but it was.

“What ya thinkin’ about?” Eden asked, her eyes staring into mine. She plopped down on the my bed, crossing her legs Indian style.

Shrugging my shoulders, I replied with a quick “Nothing.”

She laughed, “Yeah right, in the 7 years I have known you do you really think I don’t know your facial expressions?” Her eyebrow rose at me, a questioning looking in her eyes.

I let out a loud sigh, placing my face into my duvet. “Look, what I tell you needs to stay between you and me, got that?” I told her sternly.

Eden shook her head, “Cross my heart.” Her finger made an X across her heart, swearing to keep my next words a secret.

Taking a deep breath, I let the words spill out of my mouth quietly “I think Malfoy has a crush on me. He has been acting really odd. He made me fall on my bum earlier and told me he’d kiss it.” My eyes traveled up to Eden’s and I could tell she thought I was crazy.

She tried to hold back her laughter, but it didn’t last. “Ahahahaha!!!”

“Keep it down,” I hushed her, my hand finding its place on top of her mouth. The door to my room was open and a few 3rd years looked in, confusion and curiosity plaguing their faces. “What are you looking at?” I snarled and quickly ran down the stairs.

“Malfoy? He never likes anyone. His mission in life is to shag everyone in the world and all he cares about is himself,” she scoffed at me.

“Ergh, okay, don’t believe me. It is just...weird.” I let it go for the night since there was no convincing Eden of my views. Maybe she was right, maybe he didn’t and he was just trying to get me into bed. Maybe, just maybe it was because a small part of me wanted to be the one that tamed Draco Malfoy.

No, that couldn’t be it.