𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐆𝐨

𝐗𝐋𝐕

I cared not for the Mind-Healer, even after all this time. I was rather surprised that Hermione was the one who didn't want me to go, considering she was the one who first recommended it to me at the beginning of the year.

"I'm just glad he's happier," Neville said at last.

Hermione seemed almost offended my this, quickly stating, "Oh, I am too, of course! I just meant that he didn't tell anyone... not even us."

"Well, considering everyone's reaction yesterday, he had every right to be apprehensive about it," he said, "I'm sure, given time, he would've told you about Malfoy."

"It's even just that... he didn't even tell us he was gay in the first place! I mean, he would've have had to have known that I wouldn't have care, right?"

"I don't think it's a trust thing, Hermione."

"I know," she sighed, "I guess, looking back, it was kind of obvious that he and Malfoy had something going on."

Had we really been that blatant about it?

"Do you think Ron will ever warm up to the idea?" asked Neville.

She sighed again, heavier, and with more breath this time. "Honestly, I can't say. He's such a great friend to Harry, but his family's Pure Blood. Not that they're all that traditional, but I guess they still think the same way on some things."

"That's sad."

"It is sad."

I didn't want to listen to anymore after that. I left promptly, without a sound. Like I was never there in the first place.

I stepped on the floor boards that I knew didn't creak as I made my way back down the hallway, opening the door slowly as so it didn't squeak.

"Good. You're up."

Draco was awake, but still curled up in his bed. He had the comforter wrapped around under him and tightly over him, as if to keep out all of the gossip.

He grunted as I laid down next to him, causing his covers to tighten around him in a constructive manner.

"Guess what?" I asked him.

Again, he grunted.

"Goyle's gone. Expelled."

He perked up at this, crooking his neck to catch full sight of me.

"Mcgonagall had enough of him, I guess. She caught wind of your secret too. Guess she didn't like that either."

Draco laid his head back down on his pillow.

"Good."

I paused. I thought about Pansy, the way she looked at Draco and the way she made a point to leave only when he sat down too.

"Pansy helped, you know," I said.

"Good for her."

"You don't care?"

"Why would I?"

I shifted onto my side to get a better view of him. He tilted his head to return the favour.

"You were friends, weren't you?" I asked.

Draco only scoffed. "She's nothing but an attention whore. I owe her nothing."

"That's a bit harsh, isn't it?"

"Of course you would think so," he retaliated.

I sighed, wondering if it was something I said, or my presence alone, but I hoped it was just the mention of his old friend.

"You know what she did?" he asked, but, thinking it was rhetorical, I didn't reply. "After the Yule Ball, she went around telling everyone that I slept with her."

"It thought it was 'cause you're both–"

"It was. But that detail was completely unnecessary." He paused for a moment, seeming to contemplate whether he should continue to me or not. "I had a thing with a fellow from Durmstrang at the time... he wouldn't speak to me after he heard about that."

I had to suppress a surge of jealousy at the mention of Draco's past flings—serious or not.

"I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"It's fine. I wasn't really that into him anyways. Not when you came to the ball looking actually cleaned up for once."

I laughed at this, all traces of jealousy leaving my system.

"Is that your way of telling me I looked handsome?" I asked through my remaining laughs.

"Call it what you want. You look nice in a bow tie."