Green Apples and Parchment

Chapter Fourteen

Classes had resumed, and so had Snape's partner assignments. I didn't know how to act around Draco anymore. We still hadn't talked about the Yule Ball. I was following his lead and pretended it never happened, but I couldn't stop replaying that night in my mind. I stared across the library desk at Draco.

"What's your problem, Connolly?" Draco looked up at me with a sneer on his face. 

A light blush colored my cheeks. "Problem? What problem? I don't have a problem." I quickly looked back down at my books. 

He scoffed. "Yeah, and I'm Harry Potter. Seriously, what's wrong with you? You've been acting strange lately."

"I was just, uh, thinking."

"Thinking?" Draco said slowly as he raised his eyebrows. 

"Yeah, thinking. About... school. And stuff." If you thought about it, it technically wasn't a lie. 

"And you have to stare at me to think?"

I blushed again. "I wasn't staring at you, I was just staring near you."

Draco looked amused. "How the hell do you stare near someone?"

"Don't tell me that you've never stared off into space."

"I have, but I can tell that's not what you were doing. You're lying." 

"No, you can't. Because I'm not."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Are you kidding me right now, Connolly?" His voice was creeping away from amused towards annoyed.

"What? I haven't done anything." I felt the beginnings of anger in my stomach. 

He scoffed. "You always do this, and it drives me insane."

I clenched my jaw. "I've already told you that I don't know what you're talking about."

"How thick do you think I am?" Draco asked.

"Pretty thick, actually."

Draco laughed coldly. "Of course you do. Because you think you're always in the right, so all your actions and feelings are justified, right?"

My hands clenched into fists. "Says the boy that can't even decide what he feels."

"Don't act like you know me."

"I never said I did. But you're more transparent than you think you are, Malfoy. I'm just either the first to look close enough, or the first to call you out on it." I spat.

"You're just mad that I'm the only one that can see through your 'nice girl' facade. You say a few thank you's and you think you've got the whole school wrapped around your finger. But not me."

"It's called human decency. Look it up. Not everyone is trying to manipulate everyone else."

"Maybe not everyone, but you are. We're similar in that way, don't you think, Connolly."

"No, I don't. I don't think I'm anything like you, and I'm more than happy about it."

"Keep telling yourself that." Draco scoffed, rolling his eyes. 

"Oh, I will. Because, unlike you, I have the capacity to care about other people. You're just a broken boy that takes out all his issues on other people. Did mummy and daddy not teach you how to deal with your feelings in a healthy way?" I was surprised by the venom in my voice. 

He slammed his book shut and leaned on the table. "Shut your mouth."

I scowled, leaning closer to him. "Make me."

We stared at each other for a few moments, hatred apparent on both of our faces, before Draco chuckled softly. "You've got a lot of nerve, Connolly."

I shrugged, unwilling to simply let go of our argument. "Go big or go home, I guess."

He abruptly stood up. "Astronomy tower. Midnight." Draco said, then started to walk away.

"I'm still mad at you, Malfoy. What makes you think I'll come?" I called after him. 

"You'll come." Draco said without looking back. 

I hated that he was right.