𝐮𝐧𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 | 𝐝.𝐦

𝟐𝟗

Draco Malfoy | February 1996

"I did speak to her," Draco told Snape. "A few times."

"When?" Snape questioned.

"Does it matter?" Draco was in Snape's classroom, giving the usual update on his progress. "I spoke to her, and that was that."

Snape wasn't a father figure to Draco... more like an older friend he could talk to when he needed. Snape listened, Draco talked, Snape gave advice when he was asked for it.

Draco often talked to Snape when he needed to because he felt more comfortable and trusting with Snape rather than his own father when he needed to talk about things a boy would usually talk to with their father.

"Malfoy, you're to give me updates on your progress, so that I can inform the Lord," Snape drawled, "So I suggest you drop the attitude and tell me your progress."

Draco internally rolled his eyes. "The first other official encounter I had with her was when I purposely got injured, so I could be assisted by her at the Hospital Wing since she used to help out on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays."

"Hence the broken arm you had during those few classes." Snape nodded, standing in front of the boy. "That's dedication. Did she speak to you?"

"She asked me how I was feeling and the other stuff a Healer is supposed to ask their patient," Draco said, leaning against the desk with his hands buried in his trouser pockets. "Then I asked her why she's avoiding me, and she ignored me. But eventually, she said that I scare her."

"You scare her?"

"I scare her."

"Why?" Snape's brows knitted together.

"I'm supposed to know?" Draco scoffed in disbelief. "I've been trying to figure that out for the past two weeks. She's feral, that one."

"Don't be contemptuous."

"Sorry. Not feral. Uncanny, more like."

He remembered the way Kaimana's face flushed red when she blurted out that he scared her. He remembered the way her big, dark eyes went big when she blurted it out. And then he remembered how anxious and nervous she looked when she said it.

"Did you talk to her anytime after that?" Snape pressed on.

"She avoided me a lot after that, and then I spoke to her briefly again when I saw her in my common room with her mates," Draco said, keeping his voice low. "Her fetus was running to me, and then Clover picked her up before the thing could get to me. Then she apologized, and then the fetus was saying stuff. And then Clover left I think fifteen minutes after because I'm sure that I made her uncomfortable when I was talking to her baby. And she continues to avoid me."

"You talked to the baby?" Snape raised a brow.

"She called me Aco."

"Aco?"

"No. Aye-co. Not ah-co."

"Have you spoken to Valencia since then?" Snape asked, looping his fingers in front of him.

"No." Draco shook his head. "As I said, she's been excessively avoiding me."

"So she never told you anything more about why she's scared of you?" Snape pressed on.

"Nope."

"And you're sure you haven't done anything vile to her?"

"No," Draco droned, his head lolling to his side in annoyance. "I would remember if I did."