What the Room Requires

Chapter Fifteen

I felt my cheeks heat up.

“I was…I was being supportive,” I said. “Harry was the new Gryffindor Quidditch captain.”

“You went to watch him sit on his broom?” Draco questioned.

“Yes!” I cried, my cheeks getting even hotter.

“Sounds incredibly interesting,” Draco commented flatly. “Must not have had enough homework to do.”

“Ronald was also trying out that day,” I quipped. Draco frowned at me.

“Ronald?” He was confused. Then his brow cleared. “Oh, you mean Bean-Pole Weaselby.”

“What—Don’t call him that,” I snapped. “That isn’t nice.”

“I don’t care.”

I stared at him. His countenance had blackened, adopting a malice I hadn’t seen in a long time.

“What’s the matter with you?” I asked. His eyebrow twitched, and he didn’t look at me.

            “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

            “Yes, you do,” I insisted. “Why are you so nasty all of a sudden?”

            He met my eyes directly, cold.

            “Look, it can’t be a secret that I don’t like your friends,” he said. “Why would that change?”

            “Because…Well, because they’re not as horrible as you seem to think,” I said, increasing my speed as I walked, trying to come up with a way to convince him. “Harry is a loyal friend, and he has your back in an instant should you ever need him. And Ronald—Ronald is funny, and happy, and a brilliant Quidditch player—”

            “Oh, he is not—” Draco rolled his eyes.

            “And he’s a fine friend,” I pressed on, my voice rising. “Honest, easy to get along with, easy to have fun with, and I love his company.”

            Draco was staring at me now, his brow furrowed, his eyes keen. I stopped, suddenly realizing that I’d spent a lot more time describing Ron than Harry.

            “What?” I asked, though I knew that I was blushing hard. Draco looked at me like I was transparent, then stepped closer to me. I started to sweat. His eyebrow twitched again.

            “You fancy him.”

            My eyes flashed.

            “What? I—No. No, I don’t.”