These Dark And Hollow Nights

Chapter Two: The Right Choice

 Chapter Two: The Right Choice 

Draco Malfoy had thought Ronald Weasley to be many things—poor, stupid, and even a blood traitor—but he had never expected him to be a cheater. He was the last person on earth Draco expected to cheat, and especially not on Hermione Granger. He had received that morning’s paper, and felt slightly sick looking at the image of Weasel kissing that Brown girl. Lavender, he thought her name was. He had expected to feel nothing but emptiness, perhaps a little annoyance at seeing the Weasel’s face on the front page again, but instead he felt anger. Pure, cold-blooded rage, and it surprised him. He had no idea why he would have such a reaction.

The worst thing was, sitting at the desk in his room at the Leaky Cauldron, drinking yet another glass of Firewhiskey, Draco still felt the anger coursing through him as he looked at the image yet again. And now he understood why he was so angry. Weasel had cheated. On the Mudblood Draco had been under the impression he was head-over-heels in love with.

‘I drank too much,’ he muttered, setting the glass down. ‘Why do I even care? I ought to be congratulating him.’

But he didn’t feel like congratulating the Weasel. In fact, if he looked at the Weasel’s face again, he might actually be sick.

Draco pulled out his wand, got up from the desk, and walked over to the fireplace. He had been able to afford a nicer room with a fireplace, and he threw the Prophet into the empty, unlit fire.

‘Incendio,’ he said.

He watched the Prophet burn with some satisfaction, and imagined what it would be like to watch the Weasel burn. Very fun, he thought to himself, if it didn’t get me landed in Azkaban again.

He shivered at the thought of Azkaban, and immediately pushed the thought out of his mind. He didn’t like to be reminded of the four months he’d spent in the prison, freezing. He was just lucky that Dementors no longer guarded the place. But it was still miserable, and he was grateful when he was released a month ago. They’d released him, but he still had to show up for his actual trial in a few days. He reached for the letter on the desk, which he’d already read six times. He opened it, and began to read it a seventh time.

Dear Malfoy,

Of course Harry, Ron and I will come to your trial. I’m not too sure about Ron, and if you’ve read the papers, you’ll know why. But Harry and I will be there on the 25th. Sorry about your father.

Best wishes,

Hermione Granger.

He smiled, ever so slightly. He had sent nothing but a quick “OK, see you there”, in reply. She had not replied in return, but he knew he’d see them there. He’d sent the letter regarding his trial to Granger, rather than Potter, because he knew she would reply right away. Plus, he admitted, he wanted to shock her. Draco Malfoy, sending a letter to a Mudblood. It was unheard of, honestly.