"TAKE MY HAND" A Draco Malfoy Love Story

START OF SOMETHING NEW

"Draco, what are you doing here?" I asked, surprised to see him roaming around like this.

"Have you seen Crabbe and Goyle lately?"

"No. Why you lost them somewhere?" I said jokingly.

"They have been acting really strange. Crabbe said he had stomach ache and they both just took off all of a sudden."

"It's not news to me; I mean the amount of trifle the two were stuffing yesterday was making me sick. I don't know where they were putting them. They are probably lying half dead in their dorm." I said, making a twisted face remembering the way they were stuffing the cakes.

He laughed it off and continued, "I wanted to show you this." Saying he held a clipping of Daily Prophet towards me. There was the news of Mr. Weasley , Ron's father being charged with a fine of fifty galleons for misuse of Muggle artefact, whereas he was himself the head of the department. It was hilarious.

"Isn't it funny?" he asked me, eyes gleaming with hope.

"It is." I said with a snicker. He caught my fake laugh.

"What's up with you Flo? You don't find it funny?" his face was contorted now with curiosity.

"I am sorry Draco, I just.....I just can't stand to see Justin lying petrified all day. I am little upset." I said. Draco opened his mouth to say something funny about it but I glared at him at the same time so he shut it. 

"Do you want to come to the Slytherin Common room with me and talk about it?" he asked, with a caring voice. I looked at him bewildered. Hearing something good like this from him was the last thing I expected. He hated Muggle-borns like his father taught him too, but he wasn't cruel like him. He never cared about them true, but he never wanted to see any of them petrified like that. 

That was the reason I couldn't stop talking to him, no matter how annoying he was sometimes. He was a huge softy on the inside, which only I knew. He never dared to show that to any of his other Slytherin friends.

"No; I think I will go to sleep now. Thanks for asking." I smiled at him.

"We are best friends right? You are not supposed to thank me." Then he placed his hand on my shoulder and led me towards the Hufflepuff Common room. He has never done it before, walked with me to my common room. I started to blush again.

"All right, you can go now Draco. I can take it from here." I said, as my cheeks began to redden visibly.

"Are you okay? Your cheeks are red again." He asked, staring at my face with bewildered eyes.

"Yes I am fine. It's all that walking. I need to shed off my coat and sweater. It's getting hot now." I swayed my hands in front of his face, to break his abrupt stare. He didn't seem convinced, though he decided to not press it further and bid me good-night before turning towards the dungeons.

I let out a sigh and entered the Hufflepuff Common room after tapping the barrels in rhythm. Ernie and Hannah were still awake. They were saying something when I entered and looked up at me.

"You guys are still up?"

"Where have you been?" Hannah asked me.

"I was in the Great Hall."

"No you weren't. You left soon." Ernie said.

"I went to the Hospital wing to see Justin and then came back again. I was really missing him. I thought all five of us will be celebrating Christmas together."

"I heard you talking to Malfoy while coming this way." Ernie said again, this time with furrowed eyes and brows.

"He is my friend. I met him while coming back."