Manipulation; Draco Malfoy

6 - H O G S M E A D E

Evangeline Carter

The next day Char, Oliver, and I headed over to Hogsmeade. It was our little tradition, every Saturday we would grab a Butterbear at the Three Broomsticks. We began walking in the small village, I'll never get over how beautiful it is. There are many cottages, shops, plants, and enchanted candles hanging in the trees. Char and Oliver are arguing about god knows what, but I can't help but admire the place. Even though I've been here a million times.

My mind wandered off to Malfoy, he could have just left me on the floor but instead, he brought me back to my dorm. Why the bloody hell was I with him in the first place? I hope I didn't embarrass myself. I don't understand him, maybe he's not so bad after all.

We finally got to our destination, the place was warm and a little crowded already. I instantly look at a familiar face, Malfoy. He's sitting next to Pansy Parkinson. She's whispering something in his ear while giggling. I want to take that smile off of her bloody face again. Also, what the bloody hell is so funny that she won't stop giggling?

He looks over at me and catches me staring. He quickly puts his hand on her thigh, moving it up and down.

"Eva!" Yells Char.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I've been calling your name for like three times already! C'mon, let's go sit down." Oliver looks at me, knowing exactly why I was distracted.

As soon as we sat down I felt someone's eyes on me. I look over across the table and see Elliot. He quickly looks away embarrassed that I caught him staring, I smirk.

The waiter comes up to us, "What can I get for you all today?"

"Three butterbeers please." Says Oliver with a smile.

"Three butterbeers coming right up!" The waiter says with an enthusiastic voice. "By the way, don't worry about the check. The lovely boy over there offered to pay for you all, he said he fancies a girl named Eva!"

Oliver, Char, and I look over at Elliot, he smiles at me. "THANKS DUDE!" Yells Char, sending him a high-five through the air. "Free drinks for having a pretty friend? Eva, I'm taking you with me everywhere now." Says Char while laughing. The waiter brings us our butterbears.

"You have to go talk to him!" Says Oliver.

"No she doesn't, she doesn't owe him anything. No one forced him to pay." Char says while smacking Oliver in the back of his head.

"You have to stop doing that, I'm gonna have a bloody neck brace by the end of the year!"

I laugh at them. "Can you guys go anywhere without arguing!?"

"Nope." They both say as they sip into their free drinks.

After a couple of minutes, I look over and see that Malfoy and Pansy are gone, he's probably shagging her. "Eva, we have quidditch practice," says Char. "And this time for real, come on we'll walk you to the library.

They both walked me to the entrance. "I'll see you guys later, have a fun practice!"

"I'll probably come back with a bloody cast, Char throws me off of my broom every chance she gets!" Oliver groans.

"Oh quit whining drama queen," Char says, and with that, they're both walking away.

As soon as I walk into the library I see Malfoy. However he isn't alone, people are gathering around him and Pansy. Pansy had a book in her hands that looked oddly familiar.

Wait a minute, that's my old diary, the one my therapist told me to write in. What the bloody hell is she doing with it?

I see Hermione in the corner, "Malfoy, don't let her do this. Eva trusted you!"

"Shut the fuck up mudblood." He spat.

"Malfoy, what's going on?" I questioned.

"Go on Pansy." He looks over at me with an emotionless face. He must have gotten it the day he was in my dorm with Oliver.

Pansy begins reading, "Dear Diary, it's been five months since my father's suicide. I finally stopped cutting myself, and I'm starting to eat for the first time in a while. I haven't showered or cleaned in days, I don't have the energy to wake up, and life is exhausting. I have been ignoring Charlotte and Oliver for weeks now, I don't want them to see me like this, I don't want to be a burden to them. Lately, that's all I've felt like, a burden to everyone. Maybe if I didn't exist the world would be a much better place~"

Hermione interrupted, "OKAY STOP IT!"

As soon as Pansy stopped reading Malfoy's face dropped, his face filled with regret as if he hadn't read it before.

Pansy begins walking up to me with a smirk on her face. "Emo much?"

"Give it back," I say with my voice trembling. I'm trying my best to be strong right now, but I simply can't. Tears are now streaming down my face. My privacy has been invaded.

"Haven't you ever thought maybe that's why your dad killed himself, because of you? You annoyed him, shit if I was your dad I would have done the same thing." She said laughing.

"That's enough," Malfoy said, looking over at Pansy. I can hear everyone laughing at me, I feel humiliated. I grabbed my book out of Pansy's hands and stormed off the library and into the nearest bathroom. I couldn't stop crying, the pain never ends. Maybe Pansy's right, what if my dad did kill himself because of me? It's all my fault, everything's my fault. My head hurts, everything hurts, I just want the pain to end.

I was wrong to think that maybe Malfoy had a little good in him. That's the reason he brought me back to my dorm, he wanted to humiliate me in front of everyone and he succeeded. It was his plan all along, he's cruel and has no soul.

Malfoy comes into the bathroom, watching me as I cry sitting on the floor hugging my knees. I didn't have the energy to fight with him right now. After what felt like hours he just sat there, hearing my sniffles, he didn't say a word. Although it was silent, a thousand words were said. I was still extremely angry with him, but his presence comforted me. I couldn't read his face, he just stared off with an empty expression. After I had no more tears left it was silent, there was still distance between us. The only noise left was our beating hearts.

He looks over at me. "You done?" I nod my head yes and he walks out. What the hell? What was all that about, why did he stay? Was he trying to be nice?