Th next morning, Serena avoided Draco and Blaise. She had planned to apologise to Draco for how she acted but her stubborn Slytherin pride doesn't make it easy for her. Every time she is about to approach them or even glance at them, Blaise will wave or smile but Draco would either avoid her gaze or look at her with hate, which made her even more frustrated with him and herself.
She was now sitting at the Great Hall, Blaise and Draco sitting far from her but she was looking angrily at him. If someone saw the way she was looking at him, one would think she's trying to curse the boy. "Why is he even that mad at me? I mean I was still technically right! He was acting so immature with Tri--"
"Serena, you're alone today" Tristan suddenly sat across from her. Surprised, she asked "Tristan! What are you doing here?"
"Well, it looked like you needed some company unless you want to be alone I could go"
"No it's not that, it's just you're sitting on the Slytherin table."
"Yes, this is the first time for me. But if you didn't notice, after the war, house unity is coming back. You or I could sit anywhere we like"
"I guess you're right. How's your arm?"
"A lot better than yesterday. I can now go back to quidditch practice"
She shook her head. "As much as I enjoy watching quidditch, I don't know why you enjoy playing it. It's absolutely barbaric!"
Tristan laughed. She heard his laugh from afar before but now she's been hearing it close. "And you still enjoy watching it?"
She smiled at him. "You players are the one getting hurt, not me"
He laughed once again. "I think you're the barbaric one! Enjoying yourself when we get hurt"
They both laughed again. And from the corner of her eye, she saw Draco and Blaise leave. There goes her chance to apologise to him.... Again.
They continued talking about random topics when a blonde Gryffindor sat beside Tristan, the same blonde she's seen flirting with Tristan too many times. There were plenty of students who flirt with Tristan but this blonde was just too obvious and usually exaggerated.
"I was wondering where you were when I didn't see you at our table" the blonde beauty had said while placing her hand on his shoulder.
"I was just here chatting with Serena. Serena this is my friend Dimitria Levinne, Dimitria this is my Slytherin friend, Serena Collins. She let her hand out for her to shake so she did. "Dimitria? Are you Russian?" Serena asked. Besides the name she also had a hint of the accent.
"Yes! My mother is Russian and My father is British" She said, all too happily.
Serena smiled back, 'no wonder she looks like a goddess' Serena thought.
"I've never had a Slytherin friend before," she said bluntly.
"Uh...." Serena didn't know how to react. She felt like there was more to what she said but didn't bother asking.
"Were you a death eater? Do you have death eater friends? Why did you believe in what Voldemort said?"
Serena was getting a bit annoyed. She was clearly judging her by her house. It was also clear in Serena's face that she wasn't amused by her questions so Tristan cleared his throat. "Dimitria, Serena's not like that. Not all Slytherins fought for Voldemort"
"Oh, okay then" was all Dimitria said. Unable to hide her annoyance to the chit any longer Serena excused herself and went to her classes.
---------------------------------------------
The day has passed without Serena ever confronting Draco. She decided to wait for him in the common room, hoping he wasn't already in the dorm rooms.
It was getting late and curfew has passed, she stood up to retire to her bedroom but when she reached halfway the stairs, she heard the common room door open and heard the voices of Draco and Blaise enter.
"There you are!" She exclaimed. Both confused at her since both thought she was furious at Draco. "Hey Collins, you were waiting for us?" Blaise asked.
"Uh, actually I've been waiting for you" She looked at Draco. His expression was blank but his eyebrow was shot up.
"You guys really are hurting me you know. You've been ignoring me too much" Blaise clutched his chest. Pretending to have a heartache.
Serena placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry but I do have to talk to Malfoy alone. We'll catch up tomorrow, Blaise" She smiled and Blaise grinned when Serena called his name.
"Well, well, I do like this progress in our friendship Col-- ehem-- Serena" Blaise was obviously teasing Draco but Serena didn't notice and Draco had an annoyed look in his face. "But okay, I'll leave you with Malfoy. Don't take too long though, I get lonely at night" he teased again with a wink and then he strutted towards the boys' dormitory.
"I'll make sure to kill that git in his sleep" Draco was glaring after his friend. He now looked over at Serena who had her head down. He decided to leave her and follow Blaise but she grabbed his hand and went out of the common room.
Serena led Draco to their secret corner again. "If you brought me back here to finish our argument last time Collins, then save your breath cause I--"
"I'm sorry!"
"Huh?"
"You heard me!"
Draco was looking at Serena who had her head down and her arms crossed. She was acting like a child and he wanted to laugh so badly but thought the better of it. "Are you serious? You're apologising to me?"
She nodded sheepishly.
He was now smirking. "It's good to know you aren't stupid Collins"
Her head shot up and looked at him furiously, her eyes turning dark, "Don't.Push.It." She warned.
He lifted his hands as if to say 'I surrender'. "Okay, apology accepted"
She looked at him expectantly, her arms crossed.
"What?!" Draco asked.
"Aren't you going to apologise?!"
"For what?! I didn't do anything! I didn't hex the guy! Maybe I did get carried away a bit and acted like an arrogant prick towards you and I apologize for that, fine! But You can't force me to like him just because... Just because you do" he didn't know why it was suddenly hard for him to say the last part.
Serena dropped her arms to her side letting out a defeated breath. "I guess you're right. I over-reacted last time, I guess I can't expect you all to get along". She paused for a while then asked, "so are we friends again?"
"Hmmm... If you agree to be my eternal slave and call me The Great Mister Malfoy, then sure" Draco said with a smug look but when he looked at Serena her face was NOT amused at all. "Kidding! Yes, we are friends" he tried to save himself.
"More like frienemies" She smiled, and so did Draco.
They were silent, both were thinking how they felt relieved to be on better terms again and while both won't ever admit it, deep down they knew they missed each other.
"I have a gift for you," Serena said after the silence. She took out a small box from her robes.
"We should fight more often if you give me gifts every time you're at fault" he smirked.
"And what makes you think I'll be the one whose always at fault? You're no saint Malfoy" She placed her hands on her hips.
"True, but I am perfect which means I have no faults"
"And there he goes with his narcissism. I doubt I should even give this gift to you"
But before Serena could place the box back in her robes Draco snatched it away from her hands. He observed the tiny box, turning it around. It was black with a green ribbon on it. He looked at her quizzically, "you're not proposing to me, are you? I mean I am flattered but we're far too young..."
"Malfoy!"
He laughed, she noticed how she rarely hears him genuinely laugh. He sounds like a playful, innocent boy when he does. "Okay, I'll shut up now," he said still smiling at the tiny box.
"The smartest decision you've ever made, I'm sure"
He snorted. He decided to ignore her condescending statement, too excited to open the gift but when he reached to open it..
"Wait! Open it when you're in your room please"
"Why?"
"Just do it there"
"Fine"
And without a word more, they went back to their common room smiling.
When Draco arrived at his bedroom Blaise was waiting for him like a mother or an overly paranoid girlfriend.
"That took long," He said, looking at him with a curious look but Draco didn't answer.
"What did you talk about?"
Still no answer. Blaise noticed the small box and he edged over to the side of his bed.
"What's that?"
Still no answer. Seriously he was about to hit the deaf fool! But then Draco opened the box, away from his face in case something dangerous came out, but when nothing did, he looked inside and saw blackness. He thought it was empty but when he reached down his whole hand went into the tiny box and then his arm. Blaise's eyes grew wide in shock. It looked like the box swallowed his whole arm up until his shoulder but he saw Draco struggling to pull something out.
"Blaise grab hold of the box and pull the opposite way" Draco ordered him, which he quickly stood, grabbed the box and pulled.
Both pulled with all their might. "What the hell is in this box?!" Blaise asked but Draco was too busy pulling whatever he was trying to pull out.
And finally, they pulled it out. Draco fell on the floor and so did Blaise, both breathing heavily from their efforts. When Blaise saw what it was he was utterly confused but Draco was laughing hard, practically rolling on the floor. A sight Blaise is not used to seeing.
"Mind telling me what that is? And I swear on Salazar's grave if you give me the silent treatment again, I will hit you and then hex you" Blaise asked, standing up.
"Are you blind? It's an elephant!" He said, still laughing.
Blaise looked at him annoyed.
"It's a long story" Draco's laugh was now dying down but he was still grinning from ear to ear.
"Well, I'm not sleepy"