The Malfoy Diaries (A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

t w e n t y - t h r e e 💛

A few weeks had passed by since Aria's last conversation with Malfoy. 

Of course, Aria wasn't too sure why she was even paying any attention to the durations between she and Malfoy having conversations, or what could be considered conversations, but she had been paying attention for a little while now. 

The fresh white snow that fell from the sky above created fluffy and glistening scenes outside on the Hogwarts grounds. Aria's honey eyes focused on little snowflakes and she watched the snow for a little while to take her mind away from her thoughts. 

Aria hadn't initially expected that it would come around so quickly, but Christmas really had sneaked up on all of them. 

"It doesn't feel like Christmas," Ron grumbled, as they all sat down in the Great Hall. 

"Well, you won't be saying that in a minute," Hermione said simply, as she placed a present down in front of him. 

"Thanks, 'Mione," he said, as he smiled towards the present that she had gifted him. "I suppose I just miss our house. I miss my family," Ron said, "And with Fred and George out fighting Death Eaters with Bill and Charlie, I can't help but be a little restless." 

Hermione gave an understanding nod at that statement, as she placed a hand on Ron's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. She was determined to put a smile on Ron's face again and so began to chat away to him about other matters in the hopes that it would take his mind off all of the frets he had. Of course, Hermione had her own frets, too. However, she had used the obliviate charm on her parents for a reason. As long as they didn't know what was happening to her or about the return of the Dark Lord, they should be alright. She had planned to return their memories to them as soon as she could, though. She just really hoped that she would survive. 

"Hi Aria!" Cho said, as she walked towards their table with a Ravenclaw scarf secured around her neck. "I brought you all some things. I thought that we could all do with a little joy in these times." 

With that being said, Cho began to hand out the sweets and gifts that she had recently got from Hogsmeade. Due to Voldemort's return looming over them all, many of the shops in Hogsmeade had closed for now because it was dangerous to stay open. However, Cho had managed to find a few shops that weren't closed and so was able to get presents for all of her friends. 

"Thank you so much, Cho," Harry said, as a grin made its way onto his face. He had a pile of presents stacking up in front of him, which initially he hadn't expected, all things considered. Nevertheless, he was overjoyed that all of his friends had been so thoughtful. He admired how strong and kind they managed to be even in the darkest of times. Harry had always thought that his friends were the light that Dumbledore had spoken about in one of his earlier years at Hogwarts. No matter how dark things got, he had always known that he could count on Ron, Hermione, Aria, Ginny and the others to look out for him. He only ever wanted to return the favour, but he knew that truthfully, the main way he was going to look out for his friends was through defeating Voldemort. The whole subject played on his mind all the time, but Ginny did offer some solace from his nightmares. 

They all chatted away for some time, until Aria's attention turned to the huge doors of the Great Hall and she noticed Draco Malfoy enter the scene. He looked around at them all with concern evident in his gaze. He wasn't too sure what he was going to do. He needed to sit down somewhere, but it seemed entirely hopeless. And he was far too stubborn to begin to even consider talking to the others. He didn't think that they would exactly want to talk to him, anyway. 

Then again, as he thought on such a subject, he was taken by surprise when Aria stood up from her table and walked over to him. 

"Come on, Malfoy. It's Christmas," she said. 

Draco felt tempted to frown at that, but he sighed instead. Christmas hadn't felt like Christmas in a long, long time. 

"Stop being so stubborn for once and come and sit with us," Aria said. 

Draco looked as though he wanted to run right out of the Great Hall, but he soon forced an unemotional expression onto his face and nodded. 

"Fine," he said. 

Hermione glanced towards him with wonder, as he and Aria rejoined their table. However, nobody else commented on it. 

As he shifted on the bench, Draco appeared slightly uncomfortable to be there. 

Aria believed that much was understandable, though. Malfoy had never exactly been thrilled to be placed in unfamiliar situations. The autumn dance had proven that much. 

Part of Malfoy still wanted to get up and leave but his iron will wasn't about to let him do  that. He would stay, even if it pained him. 

If he was being honest with himself, he didn't mind sitting with Aria half as much as he had initially expected to. There was a sort of brightness, a sunshine within the Hufflepuff girl that he had grown a little reluctantly too attached to. He would never admit such a thing out loud, though. Never. 

"I got you something, by the way," Aria said, which caused Malfoy's ears to perk up. 

Harry almost choked on his mead. 

"You got Malfoy something?" he asked out loud. 

Hermione plonked him over the head with her book. 

"Cease and desist," she said. 

Harry's green eyes widened slightly at that. 

"You sounded like Snape right then," he said. 

Hermione's eyebrows creased together in her annoyance. 

"Don't make me plonk you over the head again, Harry," she said. 

The honey-coloured eyes of one Aria Honey widened in her surprise, and Malfoy felt tempted to laugh despite himself at how shocked she looked. 

Nonetheless, as soon as Aria caught his gaze, he quickly looked away as though he had never noticed such a thing in the first place.