by my side¹ - d. malfoy

Two

DRACO WAS minding his own business until he saw Thomas Higgs trying to kiss a girl again. This time, it was a girl he didn't know, causing him to go over faster.

Thankfully, Higgs didn't like him very much, causing him to give up pretty quickly. But Draco finally got a good look at the girl after Higgs ran off. Draco presumed he went to go find his mom or something.

"You look terrifying," Draco told the girl, dragging her to a different area.

The girl glared at him, not saying anything.

She was only a couple of inches shorter than him. She had raven black hair. However, the tips of her hair were a bold ice-blue color that blended into the black. Her eyes were gray with a hint of green, or so he thought. She was still glaring at him.

For some reason, she looked familiar to him. But he didn't know where he could possibly know her from.

"I didn't need your help," she mumbled as they stopped.

"Oh really?" Draco retorted, expecting a thank you and not a complaint. "You looked like you were struggling quite a bit."

"Oh, shut up," the girl replied, rolling her eyes and folding her arms. "I'm exhausted. I was woken up by a Merlin about an hour ago. I'm still not fully awake."

Draco couldn't tell if she was joking or not, but he decided to keep talking.

"If you don't want to deal with any other situations like that, you can come sit with me and my friends," he suggested. "Most people do not mess with us."

The girl just laughed at him, causing him to feel a little offended and not used to the feeling.

"I appreciate the offer, but I can take care of myself, and I already have someone to sit with," she said bluntly. "But thanks again, from what I've heard, it's a rare pleasure to have a Malfoy ask you to sit with them."

"Who are you?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow. That was sediment that only wizarding families higher up would say.

"Laura Pickering," she shrugged, "and you?"

"Draco, Draco Malfoy," Draco replied. He didn't like that she was taking control of their conversation.

"Ah, that's which one you were," Laura nodded, seemingly putting the pieces together. "I knew you were a Malfoy, but I'm glad I know which one now."

"What's your blood purity?" Draco asked, starting to get ticked off.

"I'm a Pureblood," she answered, to his surprise.

She didn't seem like a Pureblood. She acted far from any Pureblood Draco knew. Yet, she knew things only a Pureblood would know. He didn't have a choice but to believe her.

"How come I've never seen you then?" he asked, folding his arms.

"Merlin, so many questions," Laura sighed. "Who are you, Vogue?"

Draco narrowed his eyes at her. He was losing his patience with her and fast.

"You didn't answer my question, Pickering," he said, spitting out her last name.

"Woah, calm down," Laura said, frowning. "My last name is precious to me. You don't need to say it like that. But if you want to know so badly, I'm American. I'm from the land of hot dogs."

"Why don't you take me seriously?" Draco asked, clenching his fist. He hated her attitude and the way she was talking to him.

"Because you've been asking a million questions," Laura said bluntly, then begrudgingly added, "But thanks for helping me out earlier."