𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝟐.𝟐𝟎 - 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜

Your wand spun through your fingers as you toyed with it absently in your lap. Your anger-driven stampede had led you all the way to an empty stairwell at the end of the third-floor corridor. There were barely any torches lit and you relied on the moonlight filtering through the stained glass windows to see.

There was no way you were going back to your dorm before you could be sure that everyone else was asleep. Pansy had no doubt told the other girls in your room about what happened and you weren't ready to face their judgemental gazes just yet.

It was well past curfew and the castle was silent. If you held your breath, you could hear the ticking of the clocktower on the other side of the stone wall that separated you from the outdoors. You wondered if word had spread to your parents about what you had done to deserve your new array of punishments.

With a sigh, you tucked your wand back into your robes and leaned onto your elbows. With Dumbledore's Army disbanded, how were you supposed to learn to defend yourself? How would you be inducted into the Order without a sufficient education? 

 "Oh no," you mumbled and ran a hand down your face. Would Harry and the others even want to speak with you after the scene you caused earlier tonight?

Your thoughts were interrupted when a soft scuffling of footsteps could be heard trailing up the stairs. Your first instinct was to stand and run, but then you remembered that whatever punishment awaited you for being out past curfew couldn't compare to the detentions you had lined up for the rest of the year.

Slowly, the faint glow of the Wand-Lighting Charm came into view. You squinted to see past the ball of light and groaned. "What are you doing here, Malfoy?"

Draco lowered his wand, face void of expression. "Nox," he whispered, causing the light to flicker away. After pocketing his wand, he straightened his shoulders and looked down at you. There was a hint of guilt in his steely gaze but it didn't even begin to make up for what he did to you. 

"Just my rounds," he answered. "Inquisitorial Squad duties."

You rolled your eyes. "Didn't think there'd be a need for that now that the conspirators have been caught."

He awkwardly adjusted his tie with one hand, yanking it away from his neck. "What are you doing up here?"

"No offense, Draco, but you're really the last person I want to be speaking with right now," you snapped. You had left the common room for the sole purpose of not coming face to face with him but fate had a funny way of pushing you up against the people you most disliked.

Your response caught him off guard and he blinked at you for a few seconds before shrugging. "I understand," he mumbled, turning on his heel and walking back down the steps. Just when you thought you had gotten rid of him, he froze and turned back around. You could barely see the curve of his nose and lips. "What did Potter teach you in that silly little club of his, anyway?"

You lifted your head from your hands and looked up at him. His shoulders were slumped over and his fingers twitched at his sides. Somehow you could tell that he wasn't as eager to continue his Inquisitorial Squad duties as he had been before.

"Do you want me to show you?" The suggestion rolled off of your tongue before you could stop it.

Draco's head shot up and he eyed you before nodding cautiously. The ghost of a smile passed over your face, though you doubted he could see it in the dim light. "Here, come with me," you stood up and held out your hand. He looked left and right before climbing the steps once more to take your hand in his.

You dragged him all the way to the top of the Astronomy Tower. You had only been there a few times before and as far as you knew, it was the tallest point at Hogwarts. This meant that the chances of being caught by another one of Umbridge's night-watchmen were slim. The Astronomy class didn't begin until midnight on the dot which gave you at least two hours to get your message through to him.

Once you reached the top, you wandered a little ways away from the staircase and whipped out your wand. Draco did the same and watched you expectantly. "Well," he said. "Aren't you going to show me?"

"Not quite. You're going to cast the Patronus Charm."

He drew back automatically in surprise. "You can't be serious, Firethorn."

"All you have to do is focus on a happy memory, the happiest you can think of. The Charm feeds from the positive emotions and channels it through your Patronus. You know the incantation?"

Discouragement flooded his expression and he shook his head. "This is ridiculous," he said as he backed up toward the stairs. "I've got more important things to do."

You jumped after him, grabbing onto the sleeve of his robe before he could walk away any further. You needed him to see for himself how amazing it felt to be in control of something as celestial and otherworldly as one's own Patronus. "Draco, please give it a try, at least. What have you got to lose?"

He went to throw another sneer over his shoulder but stopped short when you made eye contact. It was like a sudden realization hit him and he eased out of your grasp. "Fine," he spat. "But I'm leaving when nothing happens."

With a hopeful smile, you stood back as he rolled his shoulders and lifted his wand into the air. His eyes squinted shut as he concentrated, a soft breath exiting through his mouth. The ghost of a smile passed his lips before they parted so that he could recite the incantation.

 Draco spoke the charm like one would yell a weak insult. At first, nothing happened and your heart sank deep into your chest. But as his eyes fluttered back open, a faint silvery-blue light misted from the end of his wand and took shape right before your eyes.

For a moment, you weren't sure it would hold the shape of an animal at all. Harry had told you that incorporeal Patronuses were common despite not holding the same power of a corporeal one. You opened your mouth to explain this to him when out of the thin blue mist, a long silver ferret appeared.

You squealed out in delight as the small translucent animal sniffed the air before taking flight and scampering around the length of the tower. It left trails of shimmering light in its wake. Draco hadn't taken his eyes off of the ferret since it appeared. You thought back to last year when he had been briefly transfigured into one by Professor Moody and a laugh fell from your lips.

Finally, Draco lifted his gaze to you. He was obviously still in awe over what was happening. You never thought you'd see him so delighted over something that didn't involve the suffering of others. "I didn't think..." he whispered to himself. "I didn't think I would be able to."

The ferret swung past your head and you batted at the blue mist that temporarily blocked your sight. "Why not?"

He shot you a sideways glance before directing his attention back to his Patronus. "No reason," he said defensively. "No reason at all." 

 (A/N: Def coming back to edit this later. I still think it's cute, though. I couldn't decide if I wanted his patronus to be a ferret, a dragon, or a thestral like the reader but I think I made the right choice. Also, I was going to have your patronus be a 'fill in the blank' type thing but I thought that the thestral fit nicely. Happy reading! More chapters out tomorrow or maybe even later tonight.)