Serpent On Fire | DRACO x OC | HERMIONE x OC

The Fog

When life became a little too unbearable, Io buried it all and compartmentalized it until she felt nothing. It was a burden feeling everything so intensely, and at times like this, the only thing she could do was study. She meant it when she told everyone she would work on her DADA assignment, so that's exactly how she spent her Saturday morning, in the common room next to one of the windows, scribbling away.

Io never liked it when she was unkind. And while she never stretched herself thin to be friendly, she knew for certain that she wasn't cruel. Leaving Harry behind thinking that their friendship had been permanently tarnished didn't sit well with her, but her mind said otherwise. She had no reason to forgive other than childish loyalty, but who was she, really, without that immense dedication to those she respected? It could have been a mistake, but all logic told her to walk away - if only for a moment. When the time came, she and Harry would find themselves talking again, just as they had been before.

Aster woke up late, but spared no effort to dress up for her trip to Hogsmeade with their friends. By now, she and Pansy had gotten past their cordial agreement, and were comfortable enough to link arms as they walked out of the castle. Blaise and Theo trailed just behind them, unamused at the girls' gossip.

Saturdays at Hogwarts, especially in the spring, were very quiet. Students either slept all day, finding time to go to the library eventually, or they walked the grounds, admiring the scenery and enjoying the warm fresh air. Io liked that the common room was empty. It gave her solace not having anything to distract her.

As she finished scribbling the last paragraph of her essay, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Draco stepped around, sitting in front of her. He had no casual clothes, it seemed, still wearing a white dress-shirt and black slacks. "Are you finished?"

"Just about." Io dotted her last 'I' and set the parchment to the side. "And you?"

"I finished it on Wednesday."

Io chuckled, standing up to put her work safely in her bag. "So you lied, and chose to spend the day here instead of at Hogsmeade?"

Draco smirked. "Does it matter? Is that not admirable of me, choosing to be here with you and not with them?"

"I suppose it is." Io brushed past him and up into the girls dormitory. Draco followed after her, leaning against the doorframe as she put away her things. "I don't think you're allowed to be in here."

"Are you going to snitch on me?" He cocked his head to the side. "I thought you'd be touched."

Io rested against her bedpost. There was a kind, yet devious grin on Draco's face, and she'd never caught him smiling this much since they met. "I guess I am. You seem to be in a good mood, so I need to take advantage of that."

"I take it now that you're done with your assignment, you're free?"

Io nodded, taking his hand in hers. "Draco Malfoy, are you asking me to spend the day with you?"

He rolled his eyes, nudging her head back playfully with his finger. "Don't get used to it, Visage. Just come with me."

Draco held her hand as they walked through the castle. It was a new feeling - whether it was happiness, Io didn't know, but it was something out of the ordinary. She often wondered how Draco acted before she got to Hogwarts. From Harry and his friends having such a negative opinion to their own company saying he had been different all year, the difference must have been stark. Io would look at Draco's face, always sullen and relaxed. Seeing him pleasant and, well, happy today was nice, though she didn't know how long it would last.

It wasn't until they reached the Grand Staircase that Io realized he was taking her up to the Astronomy Tower. When she attempted to go further, Draco stopped, tugging her back.