Underwater Calls

As September quickly turned into October, Laura could definitely see the changes around Hogwarts. The dark clouds that hung around everyone weren’t easy to miss. Everyone watched the Golden Trio, wondering what was to happen next, why there were still there. Everyone watched Draco Malfoy, wondering if he was to betray the school again, the good side of the Wizarding World. And everyone watched the professors, and the calm tension that was there.
Oh yeah, Laura thought sourly. It was a lovely atmosphere all around.
She was sitting by the Great Lake again, and watching the sky as she aimlessly twisting her wand between her fingers, making a silky wisp of silver dance around her hand and wrist. The sun was setting, the sky a murky purple enlightened by oranges and pinks. She watched the clouds move and change, as if dancing a waltz.
She loved being alone. Even though she couldn’t imagine a day without the people she adored and loved, being alone gave Laura the sense of who she was, who her mind was. The chance to breathe alone, the acceptance of independence.
She loved isolating herself with her own thoughts.
“Im so tired of being here…” she murmured as she watched the birds flying so far away above her. Her eyebrows creased as she frowned; trying to remember the rest of the words to something she was certain she hadn’t known before. Where the hell had that come from? Just like the dream a few weeks ago, it was very foreign yet familiar to her. Suddenly, she remembered that dream she had had, and her frown deepened. Where were all these thoughts flowing from all of a sudden?
“What are you doing out here all alone Moon? Hasn’t anyone warned you that curfew’s nearly up?” a voice said behind her, and she jerked upright, her wrist flicking out, causing the silver wisps to dissolve into the air. Turning her head around, her amber eyes met the flash of cold that belonged to Draco Malfoy.
He hadn’t bothered her in a while, she thought as she got up and dusted off her school robes. He didn’t make snide remarks like the years before, or sit next to her in the Common room like this year, but he had been watching her. She didn’t know since when, but she had always felt his eyes on her whenever he had stared. And for the last few weeks, the feeling had hardly ever had the chance to disappear.
“Well, it’s quite obvious that I would have realised when the clock chimed,” she stated, her voice cold and patronising. But Draco could care less. He knew that it was typical Laura behaviour.
“Then let’s get going,” he said, strolling alongside her as she began to head for the castle. She threw a look over her shoulder, eyebrow raised, mouth turned down. But he smirked at her, easily keeping pace just a step behind her.
“What are you doing out so close to curfew if it’s such a bother to you?” she snapped, trying to gain some ground. He looked in his element, his hair slightly messed, his eyes shining with mischief and his mouth turned up in a smirk, knowing that he had achieved whatever he wanted to achieve. And she guessed that was to annoy Laura when she was peaceful.
Bastard had achieved that.
“Why, looking for you of course. What kind of person would I be if I didn’t watch out and care for the safety of fellow house mates?” he said, batting his eyelashes and putting a hand over his heart. Against her will, her mouth began to form a smile, the laughter threatening to push past her lips. She didn’t know what had gotten into him, but she sure did appreciate good old sarcasm and irony when it was thrown her way.
“And obviously, you’re like the perfect humanitarian out here Malfoy. What would we be without you?” she played along, annoyance still present in her voice but the discomfort gone. He knew exactly how to make her feel comfortable now, and he knew through Siobhan that she appreciated good humour.
And by God, he never knew it would flow so easily to him.
They headed for the stairs that led down to the dungeons, walking side by side, silence a comfort between them as they realised that they weren’t bickering. Or tense.
“So, why were you alone at the Great Lake? Without your two gorgeous specimens of best friends?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. Laura laughed slightly as she rolled her eyes.
“Well, Rosabella forced Siobhan to study, and I had done enough of that during free periods, so I decided to just go and… daydream I guess,” she shrugged, uncomfortable with her choice of words. But it was true nevertheless.
“Something none of us get to do much anymore,” he said softly that she wouldn’t have heard it if she wasn’t waiting for a response. Looking up at him, she silently questioned him with her eyes. And as he stared into them, pools of soft honey with butterscotch, he was unable to resist the urge to not say a word.
“Face it Moon – we’re not starry-eyed children anymore. I know where I stand and you know where you stand. The Wizarding World isn’t a place for dreams at the moment – it is a world of war,” he stated with passion, and Laura then knew that maybe Malfoy wasn’t the power hungry jerk she thought he was. Maybe there was compassion underneath it all.
Underneath the sleeve of his left arm, even though there was a mark, maybe it wasn’t as scarred as she thought it was.
But she would never be sure if his soul was clean. She would never know if his soul was burdened with the murder that had taken place mere months ago.
As they reached the entrance of the Slytherin Common room, they stood side by side as the heavy metal door slowly granted them entrance. Allowing her to step through first, he followed behind, not saying a word as they both contemplated what he had just stated.
And they both knew it was true to its form, and clear as the sky that nothing was ever settled in their world.
“Well, good night Malfoy,” she said as she turned to face him fully, a small smile on her face as if she knew the wonders and secrets of the world.
“Night, Moon,” he said as they parted, him heading for the staircase of the boy dormitories and her to the girls. They turned to look at each other, and then turned back as they caught each other staring. The tension hung in the air, as they both stalled on the stairs. Draco hesitated as he heard her foot step up on the stairs, and turned around again to see her slowly heading up them. Then, banishing all sense aside, took three strides over to where the staircase that led to the girls dormitories and grabbed her by her arm, yanking her down to him.