No Choice (Dramione/Veela)

Chapter 12: The Friend

I glanced over at Malfoy again. Perhaps reading my mind, she said, "Us, at least. Female veela's are naturally "attractive", literally. It's why all the guys follow me around, drooling, not even knowing why. Guy's don't get that, I guess."

I nodded, and she continued, now watching Malfoy up in the sky. "I almost feel sorry for them. Here they are, falling hopelessly and unconditionally in love, and it's not like you have any obligation to feel the same."

I stared at my feet, and Ama went back to her book, obviously not aware at how deep her comment sunk in with me. Sensing my lack of comfort, she changed the subject with a laugh. "It won't be bad, promise. Veela's get very protective of their mates, take it from me. I punched a girl named Lavender in the jaw once when she got a little too touchy-feely with Dean," she laughed.

'Wait," I stopped her, "Dean Thomas?"

She nodded, looking out dreamily over the quidditch pitch. I laughed, and she looked back at me, frowning. "What?" She asked.

I raised my hands, "No, it's just that I'm a friend of Dean's. He's great."

She smiled. "So," she continued, "The best advice I can give you is just to, let yourself love him back. Take it from me, he's only gonna want the best for you."

"Not the easiest advice to follow," I mumbled, "why are you talking in future tense?" I wondered.

"Oh he's not in love with you yet," she said, like it was a simple matter, "I can tell."

She watched me. "I can't read you, though," she admitted.

I sighed, returning to my notes, quill in hand. "We have an... interesting past," I explained, not taking my eyes off the parchment.

She nodded. Meanwhile, I looked back up at Malfoy. I could sense his contentedness, he really must love this sport.

By the end of the practice, two hours later, me and Ama had almost finished with our project. "It's perfect," Ama said, "You're such an amazing student!"

I smiled at her. While we had worked we talked and laughed about memories and our fellow students, and I would definitely say we were friends. The quidditch team had gone back in about twenty minutes ago, so we started packing up as well.

She looked up at the sky, pausing. "Looks like rain, doesn't it?"

As soon as she said it, by sheer bad luck, I felt a raindrop land on my forehead. "Yep," I answered, giggling.

As the rain intensified, we ran faster along the stands, trying to get out of it. "Quick!" I exclaimed, "Shove all the parchment into my bag!"

At this point we were both laughing loudly while trying save out report. When it was safely in my bag, I hugged it all to my chest. By now, it was pouring. We took refuge under a canopy. "We can't make it without everything getting soaked!" She admitted.

Our laughter died down as we tried to think of something. "The rain really picked up fast, didn't it ladies?" A voice called from behind us.

I turned quickly, and Ama after me. It was Blaise Zabini and Malfoy. Zabini smiled flirtatiously at Ama, and Malfoy smiled in a more friendly way at me. I looked at my feet, but then remembered what Ama had said and I smiled back at him. I could tell he was surprised.

"Yeah it did," I agreed with what he said about the rain, "We have this report in my bag," I held it up, "and it'll get ruined if it gets wet."

Malfoy seemed to jump at that. He handed me an umbrella he was holding. Then I was surprised, and I stared at it for a split second before Ama elbowed me. I took it, rather gratefully. "Thanks," I said, and he smiled again.

"Me and Blaise will use this one," he pointed to the one in Blaise's hand, "You use that one," he paused and looked skeptically at Ama, "both of you can."

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Draco's POV

After practice, me and Blaise were changing back into our street clothes when he glanced out the window. "It's pouring, dude," he said.

I looked back out the window. "I hope they have umbrellas," I mumbled, mostly to myself.

"Who?" Blaise asked, hearing my comment.

"Gr- Hermione," I corrected myself, because it sounded better using her first name, "And... that girl."

"Amabel?" Blaise asked, in a dreamy yet manly way, of course.

"What's so great about her?" I spat.

Blaise shot me a questioning glare.

"You haven't even met her, mate," he said, "Why do you detest her already?"

I shrugged. I actually didn't know why. "I'm ready to head back. I hope you have umbrellas for us, hair product isn't waterproof. Or cheap," I said.

Blaise laughed, and held up two umbrellas. He threw one to me, and I caught it easily. "Showoff," Blaise muttered, and I smirked.

"Let's go," I said, leading Blaise out of the locker room.

"This way," I told Blaise, leading him back towards the stands.

"But the castle is that way..." Blaise said in a 'duh' tone.

I scoffed at him. "The girls are still here," I said, "this way."

He either believed me, or he didn't want to go back to the castle alone, but he followed me hesistantly anyway. "I trust your sixth sense," he said, laughing.

Sure enough, there they were, cracking up in laughter under the protection of the canopy by the stands. Their laughter died out eventually, and that's when we approached them. I was gonna say something witty that I was still trying to think of, but Blaise beat me to it. "The rain really picked up fast, didn't it ladies?"

He smiled at the blonde one (I had already forgot her name because I didn't care to remember it), and I smiled at Hermione, taking a chance. She looked down at the ground and I could feel my face fall, but then she looked up and smiled back and I almost took a step back in surprise. Her and Blaise started talking, but I didn't pay attention. I was too buy admiring how her hair was shining from the raindrops in it.

Wait, she just said something about her bag getting ruined in the rain. I almost jumped at my chance, and before I could start flushing out of embarrassment I held out the umbrella I was holding against my leg. Get it together.

She stared at it, almost in disbelief, for a split second before taking it with a grateful smile. I was inches away from blushing, but luckily she turned away before I did. I told her she could use it until we got back, and reluctantly explained that it was for Ama too, which was stupid because obviously they would share.

We walked back 'together' you could say. I could see Hermione and the girl talking with one another, and was watching them when Blaise nudged me. "You're staring," he smirked.

"I am not," I mumbled.

"Why don't you ask her out!" He whispered, "Don't tell me you don't like her."

I glanced back over at them. I wasn't about to disagree with him. Why didn't I?

"You're Draco Malfoy!" He said, trying to be encouraging, "Don't tell me you're scared."

"No," I scoffed.

Was I? I didn't think so. "I'll ask her when we get back," I mumbled.

Blaise slapped me on the back. I smirked back confidently. I had asked girls out many times before and was always successful, but as we approached the castle the only thought in my mind was, how the hell am I gonna do this.