Just Hold On

The Great Hall was filled with chattering students, awaiting the annual speech Dumbledore was to be giving any moment and of course, the dinner that followed shortly.

Draco sat between Crabbe and Goyle with Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson seated across from him. This was his close knit of friends. Blaise being his best mate and Pansy, unfortunately, being the only girl he could tolerate.

“Why the long face, mate?” Blaise asked through scrutinizing eyes, arms folded neatly atop the table.

“Another year at this bloody school,” he mumbled, fidgeting with his hands as he stared vacantly down at them, eyes flickering quickly to his left forearm. In all honesty, he was grateful to be back at Hogwarts and knowing him; that meant a huge deal, but he couldn’t let his friends know that. Not even Blaise.

Pansy smirked, “But that means a brand new year full of tormenting that prick, Potter.” At the mention of Potter, Draco felt his eyes slowly lift as he glanced around the large dining hall, finally settling on her.

She was seated beside Cole Sumner, who was captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. A position he could’ve held for the Slytherin team as well, but seeing as he had bigger things to worry about this year than winning the House Cup; he had to give up his title as captain.

“Still haven’t a clue how someone like pothead landed a girl like Danielle Winfield,” Blaise said, shaking his head disapprovingly. “Ten galleons she ends up with Sumner by the end of the term.”

Pansy rolled her eyes, “Oh, please. She’s not even that great looking.” Wrong. Danielle Winfield was the definition of a goddess. Guys wanted her and girls wanted to be her.

“Surprised you haven’t had your way with her yet, Malfoy,” Blaise smirked at the pale blonde before him.

“Why should I waste my time with someone who’s already been tainted by that git?” Draco scowled, but inside; he wanted nothing more than to have his way with her.

“Draco has better taste than that filth anyway,” Pansy added, batting her lashes at him. “Am I right, Draco, darling?”

“Couldn’t have said it any better,” he muttered coldly, eyes falling back on the beauty. Although what he saw caught him completely off guard. She was smiling at him, sending him a quick wink before turning back to Cole who wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pressing his lips dangerously close to her ear, lips moving silently. He watched as her eyes widened, mouth falling open slightly as she quickly turned around. Curiosity got the best of him so he followed the direction she was staring in and couldn’t help but smirk.

“You may just win that bet after all, Zabini,” Draco commented, motioning his head in the direction that caught his attention. Both Blaise and Pansy turned.

Ginny Weasley was tending to the wound Draco had previously inflicted on Potter, judging from the amount of blood that covered the whiteness of the cloth she was holding; he was certain he had broken his nose. There was no way any sane person could mistaken the looks exchanged between Weasley and Potter and the way she placed a hand over his, giving it a tight squeeze.

He averted his attention back to Danielle who stared at the two with a blank expression, lips pressed into a thin line, and jaw clenched. For a moment, he wanted to be there at her side to take her mind off of it, but the thought quickly vanished. What was wrong with him?

“Could’ve sworn she fancied Thomas,” Blaise murmured, his eyes still on the two Gryffindors.

Pansy turned back around, “Whatever. Those two blood traitors are perfect for each other.”

Dumbledore cleared his throat for everyone’s attention, preparing to make his annual speech so it was Draco’s cue to tune everything out. Before he knew it, food suddenly appeared before him, but the sight of it made him sick to his stomach. He took a nervous gulp as he glanced around him, watching as Crabbe and Goyle stuffed their faces.

“You guys are repulsive,” Blaise said with a look of disgust.

The two bulky guys merely shrugged, only shoving more food down their throats.

“Anyway,” Pansy began, “Are we still meeting later, Draco?” She gave him a rather seductive smile.

Draco sighed, forgetting that it was some sort of thing between them to have a snogging session after dinner every year, but he wasn’t feeling up to it this time. Things were going to be different this year and he honestly wouldn’t mind whatever was between him and Pansy to change with it.

His eyes fell on the Ravenclaw table once more, silently cursing himself for getting obsessed with her. She looked upset as she ate her food slowly, exchanging a few words between the two siblings. The corners of her lips pulled up slightly as Cole playfully nudged her shoulder in an attempt to cheer her up, sending this odd sensation throughout his body.

“You okay, mate?” Blaise’s voice broke through his trance, causing him to redirect his attention. “You’re killing the bloody fork.” Draco looked down at his hand, unaware that he was even holding anything.

“Need some help relieving stress, darling?” Pansy purred, reaching over to place a hand over his.

A scowl adorned his pale features as he quickly pulled his hand back, “Get over yourself, Parkinson.”

“What’s gotten into you, Draco?” Pansy asked, hurt evident in her voice.

Draco rolled his eyes, “Has it ever occurred to you that you’re not a priority in my life? I have better things to do than you.” Her eyes widened, watering up the more she stared at him in disbelief, but she eventually tore her gaze away to look at her plate of food.

Dinner went by far too slow for his liking, but the moment everyone began piling out of the Great Hall; he couldn’t be any happier to head back to the common room to relax. As he walked between Blaise and Pansy, he noticed a figure wandering off from the group of students. Narrowing his eyes, he slowed down his pace to get a good look.

“I’ll see you later,” Draco mumbled, waving off to his friends as he trotted down the corridor after her.

He climbed the many steps up to the tower and when he finally reached the top; he felt a rush of cool air hit him. He stood next to the stairs as he watched her lean over the railing, the wind blowing through her hair gently. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she gazed up into the starry night.

“Shouldn’t you be off with Potter?”

She jumped at the sound of his voice, swiveling around with her hand placed over her heart. “Draco? What are you doing up here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” he smirked, making his way casually over to her. Her eyes remained on him as he appeared next to her, resting his elbows over the railing. “Do you come up here often?”

“Every chance I get,” she whispered, averting her attention back to the night sky. “It’s peaceful.”

“You didn’t answer me,” he said, quickly glancing at her. “Trouble in paradise with scarhead?”

She simply mumbled, “No.”

“You’re not a very good liar,” he chuckled.

She stayed quiet.

“Did I hit a nerve?”

She glared at him, “Don’t you have some Gryffindors to pick on?”

“No, just you,” he replied slyly, but feeling as though she wasn’t in any mood to deal with him, he hurriedly added, “I needed to get away from Parkinson.” Pathetic. He mentally cursed himself as she narrowed her eyes at him.

“Understandable,” she chuckled lightly, causing this warm feeling to surf through him, but he managed to crack somewhat of a smile.

The two of them stood in the Astronomy Tower the rest of the night in silence, taking in the breezy night and for once; enjoying each other’s company.