#aoo3

It sent you through an overwhelming spiral of thoughts and confusion and you so desperately wanted a friend to talk to, but you knew that Mauve and the others would immediately disapprove.

Anything Draco did was a red flag to them.

Still, that did lead to your most important question; why did Draco do what he did? He couldn’t seriously have had any real interest in your ribbon. It just all seemed like he was...toying with you, but if so, why would he waste his time toying with you in the first place ?

All of these questions received no answers for days until you had finally deemed your endless hours anxiously dwelling on it enough and decided to find your own answers.

Thinking back to the first day you had interacted with Draco, you grabbed your sketch book and pencil pouch and headed to the astronomy tower after dinner, waiting to see if you would run into the Malfoy boy.

Thankfully the universe seemed to be in your favor, because you did.

“Finch,” he greeted upon seeing you, his infamous smirk on its proper place. “Been running into each other more lately. I think you’ve become a bit obsessed,” he teased as he made his way towards you with slow steps.

You clutched your sketchbook to your chest, silently pretending it was a shield of sorts to encourage you to hang onto what little courage you had.

You then took a breath and began.

“We need to talk,” you stated cautiously, not knowing how this would turn out. “I need you to be honest with me.”

Draco frowned, clearly not a fan of your words. “Talk? About what?”

“About what happened a couple days ago. About the umm...” you weren’t sure why, but the words you were looking for escaped you so you chose to point to the top of your head where your hair was done up in a ponytail once more.

Draco stared at you, confused, before giving out a scoff, eyes twinkling in amusement. “Oh, your ribbon? Why, want it back? Has no one taught you about sharing, Finch?” and you clutched your book tighter as he once again placed himself inches away from you.

He really wasn’t a fan of personal space, it seemed.

“Why would I have to share my ribbon with you?” you questioned, feeling silly and small in his presence.

“Because I wanted it. Simple as that,” he answered, eyes looking at you as if to challenge him in saying something else about the subject.

You had no plan to do so.

“Ok...” you said, disappointed that that was all he had to say on the matter.

This was definitely not going according to your plan. Then again, you weren’t even sure you had one in the first place.

His eyes then flickered to the sketchbook you were holding to your chest. “What’s that you’re always bringing up here with you?” he asked nosily and your cheeks immediately flushed.

“It’s, umm...it’s a sketchbook. I like to draw in my free time.”

“Oh really? Well then you’re going to have to share that with me,” he said, moving as if to grab the book but you immediately stepped back, shaking your head with wide eyes.

“Oh no, absolutely not,” you blurted out, taking Draco aback at your sudden outburst.

He frowned once again. “And why not?” A ghost of realization then hit his face and he smirked knowingly. “Oh, I get it. It’s filled with drawings of me. Am I your muse, Finch?” he taunted, lifting his brows.

You unfortunately couldn’t control a small laugh from escaping, nerves setting in as you knew now that you had to explain. “No, actually, I’m...quite terrible at drawing and I’m terrified of you looking at them because...well, they’re really bad,” you confessed, and placed a hand over your mouth to contain the rest of your nervous giggling.

Draco eyes you now like you were completely mad.

“So, you’re telling me you spend your time doing something you’re horrible at?”

You bit your bottom lip, trying to figure out a way to explain it to him best. “Well, yes. Have you never done something not because you’re good at it or you have to, but simply because you enjoy it?” you asked, and the very blonde boy remained starring at you oddly.

“No, actually, that sounds bloody ridiculous and like a terrible waste of time.”

You subconsciously pushed your bottom lip out, your expression resembling a small pout, as you stood there awkwardly, eyes avoiding his. Feeling the weight of the book on your chest, you looked at it for a moment before handing it towards him, wondering what was possessing you to do so.

He looked at your offering with furrowed brows, eyes asking you the same question.

“Just pass through it. No point in not letting you see it now that you know that I’m awful at it. You might find some amusement in it. Just, please, be prepared. I wasn’t being hard on myself, I really am crap at drawing.”

He snatched the book from your hand then, an action you thought was a bit too dramatic, and opened the book, eyes analyzing every page as he flipped through it.

You stood there, watching him pass through the book as you chewed on your bottom lip nervously. You were never usually this bold, letting someone (especially someone like Draco Malfoy) go through your sketchbook knowing very well how terrible your sketches were. Yet, you felt that the only way the tension between you two would dissipate was to be honest and open with him, like how you wanted him to be with you. Maybe then he’ll tell you the real reason why he took your ribbon...

How silly of you to still be hung up on such a little thing.

“Wow, you weren’t wrong. You really are shit at drawing,” he commented midway through his flipping.

You blushed, embarrassed, but also found his blunt honesty amusing, and couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle. “I know. It’s a good thing art isn’t part of our curriculum. I would absolutely fail, without a doubt,” and you felt your chest swell up at hearing him laugh along with you.

“Honestly,” he said, handing the book back to you once he finished. “You know, you’re very strange.”

“And you’re very judgmental,” you quickly threw back, causing Draco’s eyes to widen slightly, not expecting your response.

You raise a brow at him, lips forming into a soft smile. “You only think I’m strange because you don’t understand what I’m talking about,” you elaborated before leaning down to sit on the floor.

You patted the spot next to you, looking up at Draco as you did so, but the boy shook his head with a frown.

“Are you mad? I’m not sitting on the floor. I’ll get my pants all dirty,” he said in disgust.

You playfully rolled her eyes, looking up at him from your lashes. “They won’t be, but if they are, I promise I will clean them for you. Just...please sit with me?” you asked, eyes silently pleading with him.

He stood there stubbornly, arms crossed against his chest and you were sadly made aware of what his answer would be. Just as you were about to tell him to forget about it, however, he sat himself on the floor next to you with a huff.

“There. I’m sitting. Now what?” he asked begrudgingly and you had to keep yourself from grinning.

You opened up your sketchbook to an empty page before handing it over to him, along with a pencil. “Take this and just...go with the flow,” you instructed.

He looks at you like you told him the most insane thing possible.

“You want me to sit here and draw?” he questions in disbelief.

“Mhm,” you said, smiling sheepishly at him. “Just one drawing. It could be of anything you want. A bird. A flower. Even a stick person. I just want you try it out for yourself.”

“I’ve drawn before, you do know that right?” he scoffed, finding the task you had assigned him to be entirely ridiculous.

“Doodling while taking notes in class doesn’t count,” you pointed out.

With a heavy sigh and a roll of his eyes, Draco took the book and pencil from your hands and began to do as he was requested.

It was a funny sight, you admitted to yourself, seeing the boy draw with a frown etched on his face. He looked very unamused at first, but as he continued moving his pencil throughout the page, the frown on his face softened and a more concentrated look falls on his features. You smiled softly to yourself, trying to keep your eyes away from the page he was working on, wanting to see it only when he finished.

After a couple of minutes, Draco cleared his throat and handed the book back to you.

“Personally, I don’t think I did too bad,” he admitted, eyes on the page you were now able to see.

A snake graced the middle of the once empty page and you were surprised to find that it was a very well drawn one. Lips slightly parted in surprise, you noticed he had even shaded in the scales.

“Don’t think you did too bad?” you repeated, eyes taking in the details he was able to add from memory.

Draco immediately frowned once again, taking your tone the wrong way. “Well it’s at least loads better than your pitiful attempts,” he spat out.

At that, you immediately looked up at him, shaking your head. “No, I mean that in a good way. As in you did way better than just ‘not too bad’. You actually did a wonderful job,” you admitted sincerely.

You were aware of Draco’s infamous temper. The way he’d snap at the drop of a pin, especially if it was dropped in a way he didn’t like, had him labeled as a simple hot head by others. And although that could be true, you understood why he reacted in such a way; he was taught his whole life that people could be cruel, so he needed to be cruel first.

You knew all about the Malfoy family, namely Draco’s father, Lucius. You remember the day you went back home after your first year at Hogwarts, how you gushed to your father about your new school and your new friends and the new boy you really wanted to befriend.

You father had recognized the name ‘Malfoy’ immediately, and frowned as he looked at you in concern.

“You have to be careful with that boy. I can’t judge him, because I’ve never met him personally, but if he’s anything like his father, then he’s not someone you want to surround yourself with.”

You were snapped back to reality when Draco spoke once again.

“Really? That good?” he asked, looking his drawing over.

You nodded. “Yes. I guess you found something you’re naturally talented at.”

He looks up at you, expression unreadable. You feel your face warm up at the sudden intimacy you felt, realizing how close he sat next to you and how you could notice the different shades of gray in his eyes.

Clearing your throat, noticing how flustered you were becoming, you closed your sketchbook and put your pencil away. The sound of the pouch zipping fills the silence and you feel even more awkward until Draco finally speaks up.

“Are you going to go on the trip to Hogsmeade tomorrow?” he asked, causing you to turn your attention back to him.

“Oh, umm...yeah. I am,” you answered, attempting to play it cool despite your still blushing self.

“Perfect. You’ll join me then,” he said, standing up and dusting his pants off. Your eyes widened but Draco didn’t acknowledge it, simply stating “I’ll see you tomorrow, Finch,” before exiting the tower.

You remained staring at the spot Draco had been, processing the entirety of your latest exchange, feeling your heart race a little at the realization that he had just formally asked (well, demanded) to hangout tomorrow.

.....

What in Merlin’s beard just happened?

♡

“He was even white, just like his hair! It was bloody hilarious,” Milton chimed in, letting out a very unflattering snort.

Your eyes widened, and although you tried to, you were unable to keep your face straight. The thought of Draco as a ferret was too funny to act like it wasn’t.

“No way! Isn’t that like, against the rules? I’m pretty sure a professor can’t use transfiguration on a student, especially as a punishment,” you noted, putting a hand over your mouth as you tried to control your giggling.

“Oh yeah, McGonagall was furious, but it was too good. He even forced him to go into Crabbe’s pants!” Mauve answered and you just about lost it then and there, clutching at your side with the rest of the giggling Hufflepuffs.

“He’s gonna be scrubbing himself till Christmas. I can’t even imagine what that must have felt like,” Augustus said with a shudder.

“He made a very cute ferret though, didn’t he? For the first time he looked rather sweet and harmless,” Mauve added.

“I say he should spend the rest of the year as a rodent. See if maybe that humbles him,” Milton teased as the rest chorused in favor.

You shook your head at this, finally able to regain your composure.

“Come on guys. He’s not that bad...” you said and immediately regretted it once they all directed their attention towards you.

“Not that bad? Y/n, do you not remember the countless of times that boy has terrorized the students here? Not including the barbaric way he treats Harry and his friends, mind you,” Mauve said, looking at you as if you grew another head.

“Yeah, remember how last year he casted that dreadful Bat-Boogey Hex on me? I had bats flying out of my nose for an entire night! Our bed chambers turned into a bat sanctuary and never mind the fact that I had my exams the following morning,” Augustus complained, clearly still upset about it.

You grimaced, imagining the scenario in your head.

“And how he talks back to the professors and flaunts his status in front of everyone. Do you know how tired I am of hearing him say ‘my father will hear about this’? I’ve started hearing it in my sleep!” Milton adds in frustration.

You recoil at their gazes and could feel the judgement radiating off of them. You weren’t a fan of this kind of attention.

“I’m aware that he’s done terrible things, but...”

“But what?” Mauve interrupts. “He’s different on the inside? Seriously Y/n, it’s almost as if you’re in love with him,” she says with a roll of her eyes before turning back to face the rest of the group.

You remained there, focused on keeping your face blank when you felt Mauve’s eyes back on you again. You noticed your friend’s eyes widen and her mouth part, looking as if she caught on to a secret she wasn’t supposed to know.

“Will you excuse us for a second,” Mauve announced to the others, grabbing hold of your hand as she pulled you away from the group.

“You’re in love with him!” Mauve stated in shock, trying to keep her tone hushed.

“What?! No, I’m not! I am not in love with him,” you quickly assured her, shaking your head rapidly.

“But you definitely like him! You can’t lie to me, we both know you’re terrible at it. You seriously have feelings for Draco Malfoy!” she spat out in exasperation, looking as if she were going to be sick.

You could feel the heat rising on your face, completely embarrassed. This was exactly the reason why you kept your feelings to yourself.

“Mauve, please...”

“Listen,” she said, cutting you off, “I honestly think that it’s a terrible choice on your end, but it’s your choice nonetheless. If you have feelings for Malfoy, then there’s nothing I can do but respect that. But please, Y/n, do keep in mind who he really is. Don’t let your feelings romanticize him for your benefit, because in the end there’s a pretty high chance you’ll only get hurt and disappointed,” she warned, eyes softening in concern.

You silently processed her words, instinctively biting your lower lip.

The words Mauve had said weighed heavy on your chest.  You were grateful your friend cared enough to say what she did, but you didn’t understand why it was even necessary in the first place. You weren’t in love with the boy, and even if you were, nothing was ever going to happen with him. You were just pining from afar, as pitiful as that sounded, but you were quite content with that.

You just wish your friend understood.

Mauve’s words continued to replay in your head for the entirety of the day, even after classes were finished. As your friends ate and conversed during dinner, you remained quiet, lost in the ghosts of the words Mauve had recited back in the courtyard.

“Don’t let your feelings romanticize him for your benefit, because in the end there’s a pretty high chance you’ll only get hurt and disappointed.”

That was the line that haunted you the most.

————————————————————————

The day of the first challenge for the Triwizard Tournament had started with giddy excitement from the entire school. You had been dressed from head to toe in Hufflepuff pride as you and the other girls in your dormitory, Mauve included, got ready together, enthusiastically adding yellow glitter to your faces and yellow ribbons in your hair.

Walking out of the castle building to where your section would be located, you felt someone tap you from behind. Turning around to see who had done it but finding no one in sight, you furrowed your brows in confusion before turning forward once again and coming face to face with Draco Malfoy.

“Hello, Finch,” he stated, a mischievous smirk taunting you from his lips.

You instinctively swallowed.

“Hello, Malfoy,” you responded back, eyes looking up at him, unsure.

He tilted his head, silver-gray eyes scanning you.

“I see you’re dressed for the occasion. Rooting for Diggory, I see. Although, if you really were loyal, you would wear those ‘Potter Stinks’ buttons he had his lackeys pass around,” he said with a dark chuckle.

You nervously adjusted the yellow ribbon tied to your ponytail, clearing your throat before responding.

“Actually, Cedric wasn’t a fan of those in the first place. He told everyone to stop wearing them, which I think was the right decision. We want to see him win without the need to put any of his competitors down,” you answered, quite confident in your statement despite the nervousness you felt around him.

He raised a brow at this.

“Is that so? You really believe that he’ll win this?”

Despite the smirk disappearing from his face, you still felt like he was taunting you.

You nodded. “He’s been working really hard for this. He’s determined to win and he can do anything he sets his mind to. I think anyone can,” you answered sincerely.

He remained quiet after that, gaze still transfixed on you. Nervously, you played with your ribbon once more and caught his eyes following your hand movements.

“That’s a pretty ribbon you got there,” he commented.

Your eyes widened slightly, surprised at his choice of words and the sudden subject change. “Oh, t-thank you.”

He stepped up closer to you, a little too close, and your breath immediately hitched in your throat.

“Mind if I...” he trailed off as he raised one hand, purposefully grazing it against your cheek as he reached for the ribbon, causing you to nearly sputter out a strange sound of surprise at the sudden feel of his skin on yours.

Even though it was just for second, you could feel how cold his skin was against your cheeks and a shiver ran down your spine. He was so close to you at that point that you could breathe in his scent; old wood, green apple, and some very strong cologne. You could feel his hand toying with your ribbon as his eyes stayed locked on yours.

“...keep it?” he finished, and in one swift movement, you felt him pull at it, smoothly untying it from your hair as he dangled it in front of your face, nearly brushing your nose with it.

You were frozen then, unable to process what had just happened.

With a wink, he walked away, but you couldn’t figure out a way to get your legs to work just yet. Instead, you stayed standing in place, eyes fixed on the yellow ribbon hanging from his hand.

♡