A Touch in the Dark~A Draco Malfoy Love Story

Chapter One

Draco Malfoy had never really bothered me and my friends.  He always had his sights set on Harry and his friends.  But as I look at him from across the Hufflepuff table, I can see a mischievous smirk on his face as he stares at me.  I feel goosebumps rise on my skin, and I quickly look down at my food and start eating again.

It was the first night at Hogwarts, the first night of my fourth year.  I was sitting beside my two best friends, Cassie and Logan.

"Katrina?  Katrina, are you alive?"  Cassie snaps her fingers next to my ear, and I jump in surprise. 

"S-sorry.  I was just... thinking about Charms class."  I lie.

"I swear, you're so focused on your studies, everyone thinks you should have been sorted into Ravenclaw."  Logan says, wiping his mouth with a napkin. 

I blush.  Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to be in Ravenclaw, but I love my house, Hufflepuff. 

"I think we'll have a good team this year for quidditch, what do you think Cassie?  Should I try out?"  Logan asks.

"If you worked on your flying skills over the summer, sure, go ahead and try out."  Cassie said, a goofy grin on her face.  Logan had been obsessed with quidditch ever since his first year.  He had tried out last year, but hadn't made it on the team.  He vowed he wouldn't give up though, and if I knew anything about Logan, he was a hard worker, and he wouldn't give up till he got what he wanted-to be on the quidditch team. 

Dessert was served then, and I grinned at the chocolate pudding- one of my favorite sweet foods.  I tried my best not to scarf it down. 

I let my eyes wander over to the Slytherin table again.  There was Draco, laughing with his friends. 

I had always thought Draco was handsome, but his personality sure wasn't.  Too bad.

Soon, Draco looked up at me, and I quickly looked away, biting my lip nervously. 

I stayed quiet the rest of the feast, then walked with my friends to the Hufflepuff dorms.  I stopped to tie my shoes, and when I looked up, my friends, and most of the Hufflepuff house were out of sight.

"Shoot."  I say, about to start following them, when I heard footsteps behind me.  I turned around, and saw Draco Malfoy. 

"Fancy meeting you here, Katrina."

"Well, it is a hallway inside the school that we both go to, so..."

Draco grinned.  "I like that remark.   Now, how come you were looking at my during the welcome feast?  Have my handsome looks caught your eye?"  He smirked.

I glared at him.  "No.  I'm tired, and sometimes when I'm tired, I stare off at one place for a while without realizing it."  This was the truth, but not about this time.

He laughed.  "That's the worst excuse I have ever heard for anything.  Maybe it has something to do with you only being a half-blood, eh?  Seems only pure bloods can come up with the best excuses, hm?  Maybe it has something to do with you being a Hufflepuff too? Your house isn't known very well for your smarts."

"Shut up.  Your dorm isn't even this way, go to your own dorm.  I'm leaving."  I turn and walk quickly away from him, not letting myself show him how angry I was by his remarks.

"I'll see you around school then!"  He calls from behind me, and I could hear a sneer in his voice, but I just ignore him and keep walking.

***

I walk into the Hufflepuff dorm.  Everyone is chatting and laughing with each other.  I look around and find my friends.  I walk over to them.

"Hey, where have you been?  We didn't mean to leave you behind."  Cassie says, taking a bite of a chocolate frog.

Chocolate frogs were my favorite.

"Well, I ran into Draco."

My friends both gasp loudly. I didn't think my comment warranted such a loud gasp, but that's just how my friends were.

"Draco Malfoy?  What did he say?"  Cassie leans in, intrigued.  Logan just looks up from the trading card Cassie had given him from the chocolate frog package.

"He just insulted me, calling me a half-blood and saying that Hufflepuff are dumb pretty much."

Logan scoffed.  "Leave it to a Slytherin to say such a thing."

"Honestly, most Slytherin I meet are really nice to us.  Draco just likes being unpleasant and awful." I say.  Cassie nods.

I sigh, setting my lips in a firm line. "I'm just gonna leave it alone.  I'm not going to let him bother me."

"It kinda seems like he was able to bother you though...".  Logan said.

Cassie hit him on the arm.  Sometimes Logan didn't know when to shut his mouth.

I visit with my friends and some other Hufflepuffs for a while, then head up to bed.  Tomorrow starts the first day of my fourth year at Hogwarts.