Star-Crossed Enemies (Draco Malfoy)

twenty

It wasn't easy getting myself off to sleep last night. The Quidditch boys stayed downstairs in the common room all night. Most of them were completely plastered and couldn't remember what they were celebrating. Their shouting and yelling kept me up well into the morning and when I finally made my way down to the common room, they were all passed out on the couches. I laughed to myself, they looked like flat pancakes, aimlessly thrown on a counter-top. It was half past four in the morning and I flicked one of the lanterns on by the main couch. I was careful not to disturb Oliver Wood and Cedric who were occupying the seat in front of me. My original plan was to sit by the fire until I got tired enough to fall back asleep, but my curiosity overtook me. Draco was passed out in the Rochelle chair by the dorm and his back was slouched on the floor below him.

I couldn't help but notice how peaceful he was. And how shitty he'd feel when he woke up. There was a little note peeking out of the top of his bag, which was left unzipped. Indulging in my nosiness, I slipped it out from the bag, and examined closer. I turned the letter around and saw a wax seal. It was forest green, with a gold rose imprinted in the hardened wax. It was the same type of stamp that was used when he sent me the prank letter. Could this be for me? Obviously I had to open it. I took it up to my bed, and pulled at the wax, which came off in one piece. The note opened and there were so many words on that piece of paper. I started from the first line,

Dearest Adela Grimm,

I am well aware of the situation our friendship is currently in. I know I am not the good guy now. But I also know that you have not been willing to give me a chance. A chance to explain, or rather, a chance to show you what is truly going on. It is too hard for me to admit with words, so I will write it. Your transfer to Hogwarts has caused me to feel certain ways. Things I'd never felt ever, not even when I was a boy. I have never been good at feeling. All I know is that there are feelings that exist for you. This is not a joke, like last year's letter. I have yet to apologize for that as well. Just, take my thoughts into consideration, and please do think about giving me a chance.

Wishing you happiness,

Draco x

I looked up from the letter, tears welling up in my eyes. I felt like a complete ass for how I'd just blew him off. Since last Christmas all I'd done was ignore him. Draco Malfoy wanted a second chance. He was probably going to give me the letter last night, before I pushed him away. I was tired now. I slipped the letter back in his bag, arranging his things as they were before I took it out. I fell asleep right after that.

I was out for quite a while before my first year dorm mate woke up in a fit. She'd had a nightmare that her owl flew away. I skipped breakfast and didn't even bother meeting up with Hermoine. My stomach was still in knots from reading that letter. How was I supposed to approach Draco? What was he going to say to me?

All of those thoughts faded away when I walked into Herbology. Today will be better. I prayed, walking over to Neville and Ron. Neville once again took over the lesson and showed Ron and I how to use Gillyweed for underwater breathing. He ate a handful of the smelly seaweed and dunked his head in a bucket. The boy stayed underwater for a full 20 minutes, while still trying to spit facts at us. Needless to say, water went everywhere.

Soon enough I was back in Transfiguration, with Diggory. But when I walked in, he wasn't in his seat. I figured he got too shit-faced and took a break day. Great, more desk space for me. This class, I successfully turned a feather into a dandelion.

"Where is Mr. Diggory, Ms. Grimm?" Professor McGonagall pointed to the seat next to me.

"Um, he's just feeling a bit sick and needed a mental break day." I responded. My conscious felt wrong telling her what he was really sick from. I didn't want to build anymore unwanted tension with Cedric then I already had.

I hated the walk from Transfiguration to Potions. Sometimes Hogwarts could really feel like a maze. I surprised myself when I made it to classes on time. When I got there, though, I was in for an even bigger surprise.

Snape had grouped us up in tables of four. Harry was a new transfer in the class, and since he was also a Hufflepuff, was put with me. To my dismay, sitting across from us was Draco and that nasty Slytherin, Pansy Parkinson. Just lovely.

I couldn't bring myself to look up from my textbook. The thought of facing Draco, knowing what was sitting in his bag below us made me sick. I felt my cheeks start to burn up, and my palms were sweating. Why did I have to get anxious at the worst moments?

"Em, Adela? Did you hear me" Harry prodded from the seat next to me. "What? Sorry, can you say that again?" I stuttered, trying to stop my eyes from lingering to the seat across from me. "Yeah, I said do you want to get started on the Amortentia Potion?" I froze in my seat. I was really getting anxious now. "The what?" I responded. "I said, do you want to get started on the Ageing Potion?" He repeated, clearly annoyed at my lack of hearing.

"Hear much, Grimm?" Pansy joked from the other end of the table. "Listen much, Parkinson?" Draco retorted, pointing to their cauldron which was overflowing with mystery liquid. "Shit, I put in unicorn hair instead of newt spleens!" She squealed, afraid to touch the spewing juice.

"Just, pass me the bananas." Harry said. I let him do the work, I was feeling quite ill and just wanted to get some sleep.

I excused myself from dinner early, with plans of exploring the castle grounds to burn off some steam. My nerves were still lingering from the day's encounters. Being alone felt like the cure-all remedy. I found someone's lost rat between Hufflepuff and Slytherin and accidentally knocked over a book pile in the library. Madam Prince gave me a long lecture on book etiquette.

Before I went back to my dorm, I stopped by the Ravenclaw common room. I was unable to figure out the riddle, no wonder I wasn't placed with them. I was admiring the paintings near the doorway when a woman appeared from the hallway behind me.

I whipped around and saw her. But she wasn't a woman at all. I could see right through her to the other side of the corridor. And she was floating!

"Riddle, it's you! It's really you!" The woman exclaimed, wrapping her cold, airy body around mine. I couldn't feel her, it was only a freezing sensation that made my chest tingle. "I'm sorry, who are you, miss?" I asked, almost scared of her presence.

"You even have his eyes..." She drifted off. "I'm Rowena Ravenclaw. One of the four founders of Hogwarts. I also happen to be a ghost, if you couldn't already tell." She cocked her head to the side, examining my face. "Who's eyes do I have? Do I know you, Rowena?" I pried.

"Oh, dear, I've been waiting for you to enter these walls. You don't know how long it's been." Her words began to terrify me. I started backing away, trying to make my way back to my common room. "My girl, my darling girl! You look just like him! Remember who you truly are!" She emphasized before fading away into the atmosphere around me.

I tried to push the encounter out of my head. Too many things had already happened today and I really didn't need another cryptic message. I climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep, once again wishing that tomorrow would be better.