Summer Holiday

Chapter 31

Classes had just ended. Sophie and Bronson were in the library together chatting.

"Are you planning on going to Hogsmeade whenever they let us go?" Bronson asked Sophie as he ate an apple.

"Maybe. Could be fun. Are you going?" Sophie began putting some books back on the shelves.

"Yeah. I told the Patil twins I'd go with them." Bronson responded.

"Oh that sounds nice." Sophie smiled at Bronson.

"I wish I could go with Theo." He whispered to her.

"It is a bummer, but one day you'll be able to." Sophie smiled again.

"Well what about you?" Bronson asked as he followed her around the library.

"What about me?"

"Any boys you fancy and want to take to Hogsmeade?"

Sophie's cheeks flushed red. "Bronson!"

"So there is!" Bronson excitedly leaned forward. "I knew you've been holding out. Who is it?" He whispered to her.

Sophie felt herself growing warm. She looked across the library and found Draco intensely staring at a book while he wrote on some parchment with one hand. His white hair was slightly messy, like he had been raking his hand through it. His tie was loose and his eyebrows were curled into a concerned expression. Once again, she found him alone.

"Well? Who is it then?" Bronson asked again.

"No one." Sophie glanced at Draco one more time. She returned to sorting the books in her hands and lifted her head. "I don't have time to fancy anyone." Even though Sophie was trying desperately to convince herself she only thought of Draco as friends, part of her wished things could be normal. She felt herself wanting to talk about her confusing feelings with somebody, and she knew Bronson would make an excellent listener, but she also knew she needed to keep this to herself.

"Yeah yeah. You said that last year too. We should find you someone." Bronson offered.

"No thank you. Fred was enough heartbreak for a lifetime."

"Whatever you say." Bronson took another bite of his apple.

"I'm gonna head to the pier. Meet you there later?" She asked hoping to end this topic of conversation.

"Yeah. See you there." Bronson responded as Sophie grabbed her books and headed out of the castle.

The sun was setting and the air was cool as the season transitioned into fall. The lake was glimmering orange and yellow hues while Sophie and Theo sat at the pier each working on their homework.

"If I have to write one more essay on potions I might just pitch myself off the astronomy tower." Theo said in frustration.

"You're being dramatic. It's not that bad." Sophie spoke without looking up.

"Easy for you to say. You're smarter than me. You actually understand what's going on."

"No, I just do my assignments in a timely manner. You wait until the last second." Sophie replied.

"Sorry I have a life." Theo rolled his eyes.

Sophie laughed. "Yeah. Sure you do."

Theo nudged Sophie with his hand and she smiled in return.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Theo spoke.

"Sure." Sophie closed her books and set her quill down.

"Bronson told me that you guys caught Malfoy and Parkinson snogging." Sophie's smile faded. "What do you think about Malfoy and Parkinson together?"

Sophie shifted nervously for a moment. Had Theo caught on that she was developing some sort of crush on Draco? "Um. Well, really they're kind of perfect for each other." Sophie forced out.