CHAPTER 6
Eli stormed into the hospital wing with his anger like boiling hot water. Madame Pomfrey gave Maeve a look of sympathy as he passed by and stood at the foot of her bed. His chest was heaving as his eyes wandered around her. He spotted the small cuts and bruises around her arms and cheek. The worst part was her right wrist bandaged with thick gauze. Apparently the force of Malfoy's weight as he held on to it managed to sprain it a little.
Maeve shrunk a little more into her bed and covered her face with the white linen blankets, not ready to face his wrath of worry.
"Maeve Ophelia Whitlock, don't bother hiding from me." Eli gave her a warning. She slowly peeked open to catch a glimpse of him. He was wearing his white button down untucked and his tie askew. His arms around his chest.
"I'm okay." She offered quietly.
"We know why I'm pissed off right now."
"Then blame him!" It was Maeve's turn to point a finger in Malfoy's direction. He was in a bed right next to her with a sprained arm and a few bruised ribs. Nothing that can't be fixed with a few potions and rest. They won't even have to spend the night at the hospital wing.
"Oh give her a break Mr. Whitlock, she was courageous. Without her help, Mr. Malfoy would end up with far more severe injuries." Malfoy scoffed and opened his mouth to say something that would probably result in more bickering but Madame Pomfrey cut him off. "You hush that mouth. You and I both know Ms. Whitlock saved your life or you might end up worse than Mr. Longbottom over there."
Neville Longbottom groaned at his name being mentioned. He was on the furthest bed away from them with fat bandages wrapped around his head. His eyes were closed like he was in deep pain and he clutched his casted right arm protectively. His left foot was also suspended in the air.
"What did I say about speed, Mae?" Eli stepped closer now hovering over her. He pulled on the sheets and placed it neatly around her waist. "What did I say about getting on a broom?"
Maeve sighed and played with her fingernails, anything that would avoid looking directly into eyes. "Even the greatest Seeker plays with careful precision, speed and bravery."
"And were you careful today?" Eli finally sat down beside her.
"I didn't think, I just reacted. He was going to fall to a really great height. I couldn't let a friend fall like that, I had to help."
With her reply, Eli's gaze softened and he ruffled her hair. Maeve smiled. She knew her brother wont stay mad for long. She was one of his weaknesses.
"Mother and father are going to chew me out on this." He sighed. "Be more careful next time, yeah?"
Maeve sat up as best she could and opened her arms for Eli to embrace her. There was always a calm she felt whenever her protective brother would watch over her. He was the one who taught her what a best friend truly meant, even if his annoying jokes would intertwine with his love for her.
"Oh but Eli, you should have seen how fast I went! I bet I broke our record!"
"Not fast enough to be a Seeker that's for sure." Malfoy mumbled loud enough for them to hear.
Call it instinct or pure reflexes when it comes to him, Maeve picked up the closest item her hand could reach, which in this case was a small loaf of bread on her beside table and flicked it across. It hit Malfoy straight on the side of his face. Chocolate sauce sticking onto his face, splattering his cheek then his bedsheets.
Madam Pomfrey ran over to grab Malfoy's wrist which in turn was holding a comb that was ready to fly from his grasp.
"Merlin's beard, the two of you need to stop this!"
"Madam Pomfrey, she clearly started it!"
"I do not care who started it, Malfoy, just stop it all at once. No fighting in my wing." She gave Maeve her angry look, "and you too Ms. Whitlock."
Eli sighed and looked between his sister and Draco Malfoy. Maeve saw his eyes turn into slits and there was a change in the atmosphere around them. She did not know what his problem was with him, or maybe it was with the Malfoy's in general. Sure, Maeve hated the dimwit too. He was an incorrigible, unpleasant and off-putting person she had ever met in her 11 years of life and that meant something to her. Even so, she didn't quite understand why Eli had this much animosity towards them. Not to mention the difference in his behaviour she noticed about him this year.
Not wanting to make the mood worse, she held onto her brother's hand and eluded his attention, "I'll write to mother. Tell her not to get grumpy on you."
He gave her one of his handsome smiles, "She can get grumpy all you want. I'm just glad you're okay.
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Draco examined Maeve Whitlock as she slept on the bed beside him. They were both due to be released from the hospital wing soon, they were just waiting for Madame Pomfrey to give them the all clear. She told them to rest while they're here and specifically said 'Not a word from us both.'
He took the chance to study her sleeping form. On Salazar he didn't know why he did it but something about her drew him in. Her dark brown hair was almost black without the sunlight, but not as jet black as her brothers. The stubborn curls pool around the pillow she rested on, some stuck onto her chubby cheeks. She was in no way small, much taller than the other girls in their year. There was a faint scar on her left hairline and Draco wondered if she had an accident when she was younger. Then again judging by her irritating personality, she was not the type of girl that seemed calm and put together.
She was supposed to be one of those blood traitor children that does not even deserve an ounce of his time and recognition, yet her presence managed to light a fire in him. Every time her face would appear and her name was mentioned, Draco was always prepared for a fight. Ever since the beginning when she declined his offer of friendship, he knew nothing good would come after it.
His gaze wandered to her defensive brother too, who was asleep as he sat on a stuffy wooden chair right by her side. He never left her side. Draco eavesdropped on them talking and laughing, hearing him saying he will wait and escort her back to the common room. He huffed, it was not like she couldn't walk there herself. Plus, he was going to the same common room anyway. Her Hufflepuff friend who had the stupid cat came over, along with the Ravenclaw with the frizzy hair. They came bringing balloons and chocolate frogs before leaving for their last class. Draco only placed a pillow over his head, trying to drown out their chatter wanting to take some rest.
Deep down he knew it wasn't that their conversation disturbed him. He was jealous. He was always jealous of all his friends with much more friends that seem to care. He was jealous of the fact that people had siblings that could take care of each other... and he was always all alone. Not that it really mattered. His father told him all they needed in this life was status and gold. Richest can get you anything, even people.
Still, when Maeve Whitlock defended him to her brother and called him his friend, it pulled a chord in his heart. Did she actually mean it? Or was it a slip of her tongue? All they did was bicker and cause bodily harm towards each other. Is that what actual friends do? Then again Draco didn't really know what real friends actually act around each other. The closest person he has was either Blaise or Theo, and they both didn't come to see him today.
He turned around so that he faced the opposite direction, not wanting to look at her anymore and closed his eyes. Hoping when he woke up, everything would be clear. Maeve Whitlock was just another hurdle he had to get rid off and he needed to do it fast.
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"Mae cut it!" Esmeralda spoke a little too loud, gaining Madame Pince's attention for the fifth time they were there. Her preposterous stare made them quiver and look down again at their books. Esmeralda, Tessa and Maeve were revising for their charms exams. Draco Malfoy and his parade of slimy Slytherin boys sat a few benches behind them and they kept sending flying sharp paper arrows that jab into the girl's head. It started because Maeve accidentally sent an exploding feather his way during the levitating charm class. She swore it was an accident but felt contempt that it landed inches away from his face. They followed them to the library in retaliation.
Maeve lifted her wand, ready to do something, anything but Esmeralda was quick. She stood up and grabbed Maeve's wand and her chair scraped the wooden floor in the process. The loud creaking noise was not left unnoticed by Madame Pince who now was closing in on them.
"Now look at what you did, Esme!" Maeve whispered harshly.
Madam Pince rolled up some parchment paper that resembled the color of her skin and smacked all three heads respectively. It didn't really hurt them physically, just their pride. Not to mention Malfoy was now snickering like an idiot.
When the librarian finally left them alone, Esmeralda glared at her friend, "You can't let him get to you, Mae."
"Malfoy is annoying though I agree." Tessa chimed in and Maeve shook her hand. At least one friend understands her.
"I just don't get you two. What is it that makes you both so infuriated with each other?"
Maeve has thought about that before and her friends won't understand. She knew their hatred ran deep into their family blood. It's mostly his problem. The fact that Malfoy didn't fancy her dad, when the rest of his family appeared to be just fine. Sometimes it made her overthink of all the possibilities that could happen. That maybe deep down Lucius Malfoy was a bad person, and he was using her father for his own good. Maybe Eli knew a secret about the Malfoys, a terrible secret that would shake her life to the core.
"My mom says that sometimes boys tease you because they like you." Tessa wiggled her eyebrows. "Or maybe it's the other way around."
"Well at least we know that's not it." Maeve laughed at her face. She spared him a glance and cursed internally. Maeve didn't know why but she would catch herself looking at him and sometimes she swore he was looking at her too.
"Hmm..." Tessa hummed. "We'll see about that."
A little inside into their heads in this chapter. And Eli is such a cute brother! Hope you liked it! Hugs and Kisses, Genevieve 🌻