It was maybe a half an hour after Hermione left that Draco got his thoughts back in order. Sadly, and slowly, Draco had begun to realize that even a small friendship with Hermione was nigh on impossible. Dare he do something unexpected? Something rash? Even if he decided on something so randomly spectacular, surely, Hermione would know, wouldn’t she? Would it work? Distantly, Draco heard a low rumbling from his stomach. He realized that he had been ignoring his appetite for thirty minutes. Adjusting his book bag, Draco left the classroom. Draco unfortunately had only twenty minutes until the end of dinner, so he quickened his pace, hoping that eating would make him feel better. At long last, Draco reached the entrance to the Great Hall.
The teachers stopped eating and chatting to stare as the doors to the Great Hall burst open, revealing a quite disgruntled and tired Slytherin. The student’s talking slowed to a halt as Draco entered. A moment later, when he had sat down at the Slytherin table the talking erupted once more. Looking forward to a hasty dinner, Draco reached for a roll of bread. Unfortunately, just as he was about to take it, a cool, icy voice interrupted.
“Mr. Malfoy, may I inquire as to why you were so late?” it said. Draco recognized this voice all too well, and forcing an evil smile to challenge her own icy voice, he said.
“I was delayed, Pansy, quite an unfortunate event.” Hoping this was enough of an encounter for her, he turned back to start his dinner. Again, he was interrupted when Pansy’s thin arm slipped through his. Draco fought to keep his face blank of annoyance.
“My poor Draco. Who has kept you from me?” Pansy simpered, “No matter, I’ve you next to me now.” Draco had come to dinner, hoping to find peace and fill a rather empty stomach. Sympathy from a woman he had absolutely no care for was not his idea of peace. Draco got up, trying to act as natural as possible.
“I’m tired, Pansy. I’m going to lie down.” Draco said and grabbed a bread roll before he made his way out.
“I’ll be waiting for you.” Pansy called, blowing him an unseen, but heard, kiss. Draco cringed as the Great Hall doors closed behind him with a thud.
Pansy Parkinson was an embarrassment to the female race. You’ve heard of obscenity, near-nudity, but nothing is worse when one is next to such a girl like Pansy. She had a serious infatuation with Draco and would do anything to be the focus of his attention. She was evil, black blood pumped through her veins, a monster hidden behind a beautiful façade. She had few friends, and all of them were next in line to be as evil. Pansy would hex a student if she didn’t like the way they looked at her, or the way they looked. She would hex a girl if she had too many gorgeous features.
She threatened and gossiped, backbit and cursed, until there was no one in the school left to do anything more to. Pansy Parkinson was so awful, that even Draco’s father, Lucius Malfoy, advised Draco to always be on her good side. Draco was not afraid of her because Pansy would never hurt him. Good looks go as far as the eye can see, and that is not very far. Her eyes, like septic oceans glittered their fermented surfaces every time Draco entered the room, yet he had nothing positive to say about her. She was such a hopeless case, Draco never thought twice about trying to help her see the goodness in life. If anything, Draco could keep her tame, keep her as tranquil as possible, but by herself she was a monster. He would give her a smile, approach her with a light conversation, sometimes even accepting small outings with her. He knew what made her tick, and he knew what made her stop. Keeping her under control was like heaven for Pansy. Draco would give her kisses and hugs when she asked. Luckily, Pansy didn’t know it was to keep her off of everybody else’s backs. Draco wanted to retch every time he kissed her or hugged her. If she knew what Draco’s true feelings were...well, let’s not go there. Draco came at last to the Slytherin portrait and muttered “Snakes Tails.”
The portrait creaked noisily open and Draco went inside. Avoiding anyone who was in the common room, Draco went silently into the dormitory that felt like the last safe place in the castle. Draco threw off his cloak and school attire, put on some pajamas and crawled into bed. It was still very early for it, but Draco didn’t care. He was so exhausted from everything that his eyes fell shut and he drifted off into dreams that held a few hours of desperately needed peace. Dreams that let him break the rules of boundary and be with a Hermione that wanted to be with him in return. A Hermione that didn’t exist in the real world; the Hermione in the real world thought him vile, a Hermione that would never see the real Draco.
Hermione and Draco encounter in the next chapter!