𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐍 | Draco Malfoy

8: Friends

Cedric had become a close friend, too. He knew her stance on blood purity, something she hadn't even brought up to Daphne and Theo yet, in fear that they'd disagree. He was witty enough to keep up with her, but far kinder than she was. He was a golden boy that deserved to be commemorated with some sort of peace award for the sheer amount of patience he seemed to have.

Then there was Harry, who's name alone would most definitely send her grandma packing and on the first train down to rip Madeline away from Hogwarts. He needed a friend, and she didn't have much else to do. Besides, the boy really wasn't as pretentious or stuck-up as she thought he'd be. There were a few more people that Madeline would consider acquaintances, such as Fred, Neville and Tracy, but overall she was quite happy with her Slytherin trio, thank you very much.

Her mother had yet to reply, of course. She was busy with her new job in Beauxbatons, as well as the owls taking longer than she'd like to deliver the letters. Although December was still a short while away, Madeline couldn't wait to see her mother again. The prospect of the Christmas break seemed more inviting as the days went on.

She was startled out of her pondering when an annoyingly familiar voice spoke from behind her.

"What the hell are you doing up?"

Madeline looked over her shoulder and groaned, seeing none other than Draco Malfoy standing by the entrance to the boys dormitories, clad in dark pants and a cashmere grey long-sleeved jumper.

"Actually Malfoy, I was hoping to catch you crawling back into the hell-hole you came from."

"Real witty," Malfoy rolled his eyes, sitting on the couch opposite Madeline in silence.

Madeline furrowed her eyebrows at the boy, "What are you doing?"

"Goyle's snoring woke me up," Draco shrugged, "Oh, and I'm waiting for my hell-hole."

Madeline snorted, turning her face away from his as she stared into the fire, "You'd be funny if you weren't such an ass."

"Thank you?"

"You're welcome," Madeline smirked, the two falling into another long stretch of silence.

"Why are you friends with Potter?"

Madeline turned to look at the boy in confusion, "Pardon?"

Draco shrugged, leaning back, "It's not doing you any favours with the rest of the house."

"Well, I don't have many good options here, do I? Or did you briefly forget the fact that you were an absolute ass to me within forty-eight hours of me joining Hogwarts?"

Draco shrugged, "He's a Gryffindor."

"Unlike you lot, I haven't been brainwashed into thinking house rivalries last forever. There's a whole other world outside of Hogwarts, Malfoy," Madeline huffed, "Also, he's really not that bad, and he kind of needs someone on his side with this whole tournament thing. He's certainly better than the likes of you."

Draco scoffed, "Potter needs help on the tournament he entered himself in?"

"Oh come on, be logical for one fleeting moment in your life," Madeline snapped, "The boy has survived death one too many times for him to chance it again with something as frivolous as this. He didn't put his name in the Goblet. And even if he had, it wouldn't have picked two Hogwarts champions. Someone put it in to mess with him."

Draco paused for a few moments, staring at the girl. Madeline eventually turned away, looking back into the fire. He seriously got on her nerves. The way he seemed to be above everyone else made her skin itch. If only she could wipe that incessantly proud look off his face...