Common Ground ⌁ Draco Malfoy [2/4] ✔

24

Emma sat quietly in the Slytherin common room that evening, the hollow feeling in her stomach becoming overtaken by anger. She should have gone to sleep as it was eleven o'clock and she had classes the next day, but she couldn't handle the frustration anymore. She knew she would not blurt out what she already knew, what Harry knew, but that was not the only thing bothering her. 

She sat with one leg crossed over the other by the fireplace, her arms crossed, and her eyes constantly glancing over at the clock. At last, the door burst open and in stumbled Draco and Goyle, who were arguing with each other. 

"You didn't even come back!" Draco was saying. "I was in there for hours before you - oh, hi, Freckles."

Goyle gave Draco one last look before stomping up to the boys dormitory. Emma stared at Draco, noticing how much thinner he had gotten, and how his complexion was paling even more if possible. Was he taking something? A Potion to get him off? These were the silly questions racing through Emma's mind, no matter how much she wanted to believe he just wasn't getting enough sleep. 

"Ooh, you don't look too happy," he winced, stopping himself from sitting next to Emma. "You look like you just swallowed a grey Flavour Bean."

"It's not funny, Draco," she scowled as he laughed. "I'm really annoyed with you!"

"Why?" he raised an eyebrow. "What have I done?"

"It's what you haven't done."

Draco looked confused for a moment, before he started to blink slowly on purpose. "OK...what haven't I done? I didn't make any promises."

"Not lately you haven't, 'cause you keep disappearing all time, don't you?" Emma fired. She tried her best to stay angry, since seeing the way he looked always made her forget about it, let him off the hook, or just feel guilty. 

"What are you getting at? Why are you all of a sudden angry at me?" he seethed, throwing his bag on one of the armchairs. Emma glared at him. "You were fine just this morning!"

"All of a sudden?" Emma let out a humorless laugh, and crossed her arms again. "Oh no, Draco. I've been angry at you for quite some time now."

"What - why have you-?"

"You know, I used to think you actually liked me," she started, ignoring Draco's look of utter bewilderment. She stood from the armchair she was sitting on and began to talk loudly, as Draco had started to stammer, "But now I'm beginning to think that you just like to snog me; use me as practice for kissing. Oh, don't look at me like that! It's practically the only thing we do together after you've disappeared for hours, skipped breakfast, or even Quidditch!"

Silence lapsed upon the two, but for Emma it felt like satisfaction, for Draco, she was sure it was awkward, uncomfortable. His head was slightly lowered, but his eyes were on her, distant looking, as though he was thinking of what to say. But she knew that he knew she was right. That she had the right to feel this way even if it wasn't true. 

"I didn't intend to make you feel that way, like I'm just...using you," he started quietly. "'Cause I'm not. Really, I'm not."

Emma exhaled quietly, looked away uneasily before facing him again. "So, are you going to tell me what you've been doing, where you've been going, or are you going to keep me guessing?"

"Why does it matter, where I've been going?" Draco said. "I've been here in the castle, just doing extra work for Slughorn with my Potions and talking to Snape about our essays."

Emma huffed, knowing too well that he wasn't going to tell her the truth. "I knew it," she mumbled. 

"Want some of that candy floss stuff?" Draco changed the subject, moving over the armchair to sit beside his bag. "I can bring some down if you -"