THE FURIES ▸ Draco Malfoy

Chapter Six: MOIRAI

"That's your problem. You don't give things chances," she said, turning to him. "Just because it's a muggle book doesn't mean it isn't worth reading. I'm interested in it because it's interesting."

He rolled his eyes. "Fantastic reasoning."

"They remind me a lot of myself," Mia confessed, glancing down at the script in the book and frowning a bit.

Draco snorted. "Really? A book called 'The Furies' reminds you of yourself? I never would have imagined after watching you kick the cabinet because you were so furious with it. It's stupid, useless text, Romy. I don't give chances to things that are undeserving of them. Father taught me that, and as far as I'm concerned, muggles deserve none of my time...that includes their books. You're wasting precious time doing idiotic things when you should be more focused on the Dark Lord's mission."

Mia slammed the book shut, annoyed as she glowered at the blonde boy across the room. This was one of the things that she absolutely hated about Draco. He didn't have deep conversations; he deflected with spite and brute humor to pretend he didn't have the heart for an intellectual talk with someone else. Not that she was running around Hogwarts hoping to gauge a discussion out of every stranger, but she didn't like his consistency to block out any attempt to connect with her beyond what was necessary. She knew everything about him already. He may as well give into learning more about her, as well. If not that, then respect her enough to stop being such an arrogant ass around her.

"Both you and I know that Lucius Malfoy is not deserving of the pedestal you set him on. This...this anger that you have festering inside of you, don't direct it my way, Draco. Direct it towards the damn cabinet. Direct it towards Potter, or Parkinson, or Snape, but you need to stop directing it my way because I am not them. I'm not on the Dark Lord's side right now. He is not the one I need to have my back within these walls. I am on your side. The least you could do is pretend that you're on mine, as well. How many times do we have to have this conversation before you start treating me like I'm more than some imbecile you're forced to chat with?"

Draco's brows raised in surprise, and his lips parted like he was ready to begin an argument with her that they both knew would have no clear winner. But he didn't. He stopped, something he had never done for anyone else, and he recounted that her words were not said to make him angry. He let out a dark exhale, glaring at Romy for a few minutes before letting his shoulders settle and his annoyance die. 

"Why does the book remind you of yourself?"

Just like that, Mia and Draco were back to civility with one another. She watched him for a bit, narrowing her eyes before giving in. "They're misrepresented. Horribly. People saw them as these ancient, wicked spirits who have nothing but evil riddled in their souls. That wasn't who they were. They just believed in vengeance, and because of that, they were considered ugly inside and out...ever since I came back this year, everyone has been avoiding me like I had dragonpox over the summer and developed horns on my forehead. They're avoiding us all. Me, you, Theo, Crabbe, and Goyle—it's not fair."

"I didn't peg you as someone who cares about what other people think," Draco said in surprise. "If anything, I would think you liked the way that people fear you."

Mia shrugged. "I don't care. I just don't like being looked at like a murderer when all I want is justice. There's a difference between revenge and retribution. I'm not innocent. I know that...but it does make it more difficult to pretend I'm a normal student when the rest of the world is reminding me that I will never be one. It doesn't bother you? The stares? Not even a little?"