Seven Steps || Drarry

Part 5

Draco didn't see much of Potter that weekend. During meals, Potter hardly looked at him, and when Draco did catch him looking, he immediately ducked his head or looked at his friends.

Monday, Draco was walking behind Potter on the way to class and called out a greeting. Potter's shoulders tensed, but he didn't reply or even look back. When Draco came into potions, he found Potter had chosen to partner with Boot. Walking into charms later that day, Potter was sitting snugly between Weasley and Granger, so apparently engrossed in his textbook he didn't even glance up.

"He's avoiding me," Draco said, dropping his bag on the floor next to Pansy's chair in the Slytherin common room.

Pansy looked up from her notes, suppressing a sigh, "So, Potter then the transfiguration paper?"

Draco slumped into a chair. He took out his books and a pile of notes, his mouth pressing into a thin line, "There's nothing to talk about. It's done," he said flatly.

Pansy frowned faintly, "Draco-"

"He's avoiding me," Draco repeated. His tone wavered, "I can't- I can't force him to-" his throat went tight, and he clenched his hands.

Pansy stared at him and then her expression slowly fell, "Oh- Draco. I didn't think this was serious. You really...care about him?"

Draco turned his head away, "Can you not be a bitch right now?"

"I'm getting there," Pansy snapped. She took a deep breath, "I mean you have to admit, this is- was just like when you had a crush on Blaise and then Theo."

"That was entirely different," Draco muttered, careful not to meet her gaze.

Pansy scrunched up her nose, "The level of melodrama was the same."

"There was no- is-" Draco stopped and sighed, picking up his notes and flipped through the sheets of parchment until he found a clean one, "Let's just... work."

Pansy reached over and squeezed his arm, "The paper isn't due for a week, would you rather drink fire whiskey until we pass out?"

Draco smiled faintly against his will, "I would love that, but I need to get all my assignments done before the week of the full moon."

"The full-? Oh," Pansy tsked, "I forgot you're still doing that. Blech," she rolled her eyes and grabbed her books. "At least it will keep you busy, so you don't have to think about him. He's not worth it, you know."

Draco gave her a look, "He's Harry Potter."

"He's a moron with bad hair and even worse luck," Pansy paused, a frown turning into a deep glower, "I don't want you to like him. I thought you just wanted to fuck him and that would be the end of it. Not this-ugh, I hate it."

Draco picked up his quill and smoothed the feather with his fingers.

"Merlin, really it's just- it's not fair," Pansy went on, "You risk so much. He's not going to lose anything; he's not the one that's going to get hurt, you are."

"I know," Draco said softly, "I knew that from the begining."

"He never even apologised for sixth year. You almost died."

"I was going to crucio him-"

"Like that's even close to the same thing!" Pansy snapped, "Students were lining up to take punishment from you in seventh year-"

Draco flinched and his quill bent in his hands.

"-you could barely cast the stupid spell, it was like being tickled with a feather compared to the Carrows doing it!" Pansy went on.