Speech Is Silver, but Silence Is Golden

The hallway was full with students chatting happily, joking and wandering towards the Great Hall for lunch. I was stuck in the crowd, waiting for the seventh graders to move towards the staircase so I could escape through the secret passage behind the tapestry leading to the dungeons.

But before the crowd even reached the first step, I felt a hand grabbing my shoulder. Turning my head I saw the pale, long fingers and closed my eyes shortly. I was pulled backwards quickly, causing me to stumble. My back hit the stone-wall and then I was pulled into a dark niche, staring at Draco, who was hovering slightly above me, the head he was taller than me allowing him to watch the crowd.

His palms were pressing against the stone-wall on both sides of my head, keeping me in place, though I didn’t struggle. I knew it was no use and felt too dashed at having been unable to avoid him as my initial plan had been.

Suddenly it seemed the crowd was moving quicker and it didn’t take long for even the last tardy people to find their way towards the Great Hall.

Draco smirked and turned his head to look at me. I had to put my own head back, to catch his gaze. We were quite close, his breath hitting my face and I felt bitter humiliation surge through my limbs, leaving me hot with irritation.

The smirk on his face vanished as he saw my defiant gaze. For a second I thought he felt uncomfortable, being looked at like that. Then he began talking, the smug tone of his voice too familiar to ignore.

“You were avoiding me.” He stated bluntly. I lowered my eyes. There was no use in denying the obvious. I had spent my time in the dorms, had made sure that he was occupied with Quidditch or Prefect Duties when I had studied in the library and had escaped quickly from the classes we shared. I doubted there was actually anyone who hadn’t noticed that I had avoided him.

“I appreciate your guts.” He whispered and I stared at him surprised and confused. He was smirking, gloating about my failure, which left me once again feeling humiliated. But this time it wasn’t as bad, because appreciation was glinting in his eyes. He was intrigued with me and that thought alone caused a small smile to appear on my lips.

The smile froze when he leant forwards, his mouth directly next to my ear and whispered. “Next Hogsmeade Weekend. Be read by two p.m..” And then he pulled back and vanished, leaving me standing there wide-eyed, watching his sleek blonde hair disappearing.

---

I raised my eyebrows skeptically, as I walked into Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop. The cramped, steamy little place which seemed to have been decorated completely with either frills or bows, smelled like coffee and sugar. There were golden cherubs floating around, throwing pink confetti, trying to create a cozy atmosphere.

I felt out of place, but followed Draco obediently as he pulled my arm softly, making his way past the tables which seemed to be occupied by couples only, which was pleasant because they were occupied with themselves, and unpleasant as well because of the same reason.

I was glad when we reached a table in a secluded corner and opened my cloak before sitting down. I sent Draco a quick smile and slid over, sitting at his right. In that moment Madam Puddifoot arrived at our table, smiling warmly and asked. “What can I get you, m’dears?”

I raised one eyebrow, then forced a smile on my face and ordered a coffee. Madam Puddifoot nodded and took Draco’s order as well before she vanished.

Not knowing what to say, I watched the people in the café. They mostly seemed to enjoy the coziness of the place. Hand-holding was a common sight to see, low murmurs filling the otherwise nearly silent space.

The first person I spotted was Potter. Cho Chang, a black-haired Ravenclaw girl, sat at his table and she was talking with him. Potter didn’t seem to feel very comfortable. He was shifting on his seat, avoiding eye-contact with his girlfriend.

I averted my eyes when our coffee arrived and thanked the woman with a small smile. As I took a sip, I noticed out of the corner of my eye how Draco raised one eyebrow at the cup.

I hid a smile and lowered my own cup, asking innocently. “Is something the matter?”

He looked at me, his grey eyes still smitten with whatever was bothering him. Seeing my barely contained grin, he pointed towards my cup.

I followed his finger with my eyes and as I saw the cliché pink heart pattern for the first time. Allowing the grin to play on my face I was relieved that Draco apparently found the place just as ridiculous as I did.

The grin died on my face as I saw Pansy Parkinson and two other Slytherin girls enter the café.

“It seems like nearly everyone is here.” I stated to change the topic and lift his slightly sour mood. He nodded lost in thought, staring at nothing in particular. I wondered what was occupying his mind, but minded my own business. Settling for watching the Slytherin girls, I took a sip of my coffee. They were giggling loudly, disturbing the intimate atmosphere. But the loudest and shrillest giggle ceased as Pansy spotted Draco. And me next to him.

Her eyes narrowed and even across this distance I could see how she shot me an angry glare. Averting my eyes quickly to my cup, I poured some sugar into it, needing something to occupy myself with.

Draco’s voice resounded next to me and I looked up at him.

“Even Potter.” He said without looking at me. I followed his gaze to the table where Potter sat. The atmosphere there seemed to have changed. Potter’s shoulders were stiff as he was staring at his escort.

However, Davies, a Ravenclaw boy, distracted me as he began to kiss a blonde girl rather intensely. His hand cupped her cheek as he leant across the edge of the table.

Draco murmured something, breaking my concentration and I threw a glance at him. Apparently his murmur hadn’t been directed at me and I glanced back into the café again. Surprised I saw how suddenly every couple seemed to be kissing. Potter and Chang were the exception.

But the black-haired girl seemed to grow colder with every passing second. And then she shot up from her seat, saying loudly enough for me and the whole cafe to hear. “I’ll see you around, Harry.” Her words were trembling as if she was crying. With stiff, angry steps she left the café, leaving Potter sitting there like an idiot, stares directed at him.

Everyone was staring now, the kissing having stopped. I watched as Potter slowly rose from his seat and then left as well.

“Seems as if Potter’s date was a success.” I stated sarcastically, turning my attention towards Draco, for the first time today, ignoring everything around us, even the evil stares from Pansy. He turned his head towards me and smirked maliciously but refrained from saying anything.

---

The coldness hit my cheeks like tiny needles and I narrowed my eyes. In Zonko’s it had been warm, the air stuffy and sweet. But the coldness didn’t bother me as much as it usually would have. Draco’s hand was once again intertwined with mine and he was talking with Blaise, who was continuously throwing glances at me and our hands, while talking.

I glanced around the street, watching groups of people on their way back to the castle or to the Three Broomsticks. Some were carrying bags from Zonko’s, much the same as the one I was holding in my free hand.

Draco suddenly addressed me and I looked up at him, blinking to process his words, as Blaise left, throwing one last glance at our hands.

“I have to go now.”

His voice was calm, dark and smooth. I nodded jerkily, blushing slightly. Draco smirked and pulled me into a deserted passage behind Zonko’s. He pressed me against the wall and I felt reminded of our previous encounter. Only this time, his hands weren’t pressing against the wall. One was resting on my waist, the other one playing with a strand of brown hair, held back by a dark blue hairband.

The smirk on his face broadened as my breath hitched, seeing him draw closer. His eyes were staring at mine before he titled his head to the side. My eyes fluttered shut, the dark lashes brushing against my cheeks.

He was so close now that I could feel his nose brushing against my cheek. Our breaths mingled, and I felt my stomach tingle with anticipation. My lips were slightly parted, as I waited for him to close the distance.

As he did, he let go of the single strand and rested his hand on my shoulder. The touch was soft and light. He broke contact twice, pulling his lips back right after they had closed around my bottom lip, before breaking away, his face hovering close to mine. I leant further upwards, eyes still closed, trying to kiss him, expecting more, but he only chuckled lightly and lifted his head.

My eyes snapped open, widened in wonder, and I stared at him confusedly, grinning and stepping away from me, leaving the deserted passage without another word.