Origami // Draco Malfoy

Chapter 6: Piertotum Locomotor

The origami bird I had folded about half an hour ago was now flying with smooth speed, slaloming in between the green pendant lamps of the Slytherin common room. I was surprised by how little time it had taken me to learn the spell. Draco really wasn't lying when he said it was a basic charm. All I had to do was say the incantation Piertotum Locomotor, and the piece of paper came to life and flew out of my hands. For a moment, I felt quite ridiculous having created an entire plan to get him to teach it to me. But when I saw the bird swimming through the air, I didn't care. I couldn't stop myself from smiling when I saw it make its way towards the big chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Two sets of eyes were carefully following its movements. At least I thought there were two until I felt Draco's stare pierce through my skin, which instantly made me feel uncomfortable. I lost focus for the smallest fragment of a second, but it was long enough to make the bird swoop down into the crackling fire. As it hit the hot flames, a small spark ignited, and its paper wings evaporated into smoke. We were quiet for a bit as we watched the last remnants disappear. A feeling of remorse rose up in me. Even though it was just paper a moment ago, I felt guilty for accidentally killing it. It was moving like a real bird after all.

               "Well..." Draco started, breaking the awkward silence. "Your aim is terrible but at least you made it fly. Guess that's something for you."

               I brushed off my sad feelings because I didn't want to appear too fragile around him, "Aren't you mad that I now know more than you again?" I asked teasingly.

               "Nah," he said, dismissing my question. "Enjoy your brief flash of wisdom while it lasts."

The sides of my lips curled up against my will and a bit of air escaped through my nostrils. He may have meant it sarcastically, but I was going to take him up on that. I was in fact going to enjoy every single bit of that "brief flash of wisdom". Learning new things had always given me a certain rush. In a way, I felt like I had to gain every piece of knowledge that I could gather. I would stay up late at night, hidden away underneath my bedsheets, reading up on charms, potions, and even curses. Because if I knew one more spell, it would mean I was one step closer to...I don't know. To saving my parents? Which is ridiculous, because I had already lost them. I knew that.

Draco stood up from the desk he was sitting on and walked towards the door, signalling for me to follow him. It was clear he wanted me out of the common room. I wasn't sure how much longer he could keep up being somewhat kind to me. He was probably already sick of having to look at my face for this long. Then I remembered students were probably heading back towards their dorms right now and I couldn't be seen inside of another House's common room. I quickly jumped out of the black leather sofa, which was surprisingly comfortable, and followed him. As we reached the entrance, I stood still and looked him in the eye.

               "Why did you decide to teach me the charm?" I asked.

               He hesitated for a bit. He opened his mouth as though he was going to say something but decided not to. I didn't back off though and kept up my gaze "I pitied you," he then said. His look was as cold as ever.

               "Oh really? Why did you pity me?"

               Draco placed his hand on the wall behind me and leaned forward, "You're a bad actress, Willows. You couldn't pretend to be nice to me for the life of me. I knew you just wanted the charm. Being the helpful and kind gent that I am, I just wanted to put you out of your misery."

               "And make me do your homework for the rest of the semester," I could hear my breath shaking and I was trying my hardest not to stutter. But I wasn't going to give in to his ridiculous displays of superiority.

               "That was just a plus," he smiled smugly.

               "Well, I'm only helping you anyway," I said as I grabbed the door's silver handle. "So, guess you got the bad end of the bargain."

               "I guess so."

I struggled to open the common room's heavy door. You would think you could just use the password to get out of a common room in the same way you would get in but I guess that would be too logical for a place like Hogwarts. Nothing made sense; from heavy doors to moving staircases, to Dementors infiltrating a Quidditch match. Despite being a self-proclaimed gent, Draco just looked at me, visibly enjoying watching me grapple the unusually heavy brick door.

               "You still helped me. You actually did a nice thing, you know," I told him when I finally managed to push open the door.

                "Whatever, Willows. Don't think in the slightest this makes us friends." But he couldn't hide the smile that had formed on his face.

And while I walked back to the Ravenclaw common room, surrounded by students coming back from their dinner, I couldn't hide mine either.

.⋆✲*☾*✲⋆.

Luna didn't look up when I entered the dormitory. She was laying in her bed, which she had decorated with a photo that showed her and her mother, Pandora, hugging. She lost her mother after one of her experiments had gone wrong. Luna saw it happen. She was only 9. Although an unfortunate similarity, our mutual lack of motherly presence made me feel closer to her somehow. I felt like she could understand me. I doubted Luna actually noticed me come in at all. Instead, she was terribly busy reading. Surprisingly, she wasn't holding the latest copy of The Quibbler. This time, her hands were clutching onto a thick hardcover book. I could faintly make out the words "History of the Scamander Family" printed in yellow squiggly font on a dark brown cover.

               "Remarkable, aren't they? The Scamanders," Luna finally looked up from her page.

               "I didn't know you were into wizarding history?"

               "I'm into everything," she looked down at her book, clearly mesmerised by the contents of it. "Did you know they are almost all magizoologists? I think that's what I want to become later. Maybe I can finally find the Crumple-Horned Snorkack!"

               "That seems perfect for you, Luna."

               She sat up straight, closed the book, and rested it on her now crossed legs, "Do you know what you want to become later?"

               The question caught me off guard. I spent so much time learning without really thinking about my future. What was I going to do with all that knowledge? "Not really," I answered eventually.

               "You don't have to. Sometimes things just happen."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I stayed silent. She didn't seem to care though. Silence with Luna was never awkward. Actually, I couldn't really tell if every moment was awkward with Luna or none of them were. If they were awkward, it was the best kind though. I sat down on my bed, which was unlike Luna's bare of decorations, and thought about the messy day I had experienced. I couldn't wait to go to sleep and finally end that rollercoaster of emotions. I was almost ready to turn off the lamp on my nightstand when Luna started talking again.

               "I didn't see you at dinner today."

Uh oh.

               "Oh, I was studying for Charms class."

               "Is Professor Flitwick giving you lots of assignments too?" She asked, not really doubting my lie. Well, I wasn't actually lying. I was learning a charm.

               "Just wait until your third year. You'll drown in homework," I turned off my lamp and tucked myself into bed, "Goodnight."

               "Oh, I'm not worried about it," she said, completely dimming the room by turning off her own night light. Before we both drifted off to sleep, Luna added, "I know how to swim."