Chapter 12
"Mr. Zabini you'll be next to Miss Granger, Potter by Miss Greengrass, Miss Weasley next to Mr. Malfoy please, and Nott by Weasley. . . These will be your seats for the time being—"
Weaselette muttered under her breath to no one in particular,"Your joking."
Draco concealed a grin as McGonagall ordered them to take out their books and a quill.
"What's the matter Weasley. . . You don't find my presence alluring?" He whispered back.
The ginger made a strangled sound but gave no retort back, for she had locked eyes with Granger, who looked absolutely repulsed, sitting next to Blaise as he stuck the tip of his wand in his ear, and examined the wax.
Again Draco couldn't help but smile. He loved seeing Granger uncomfortable.
"Now, please turn to page 394 and at the bottom you'll see a list of instructions and wand movements for the following transfiguration process. Read these over and preform them with your partner," said McGonagall. "Work for perfection, once you think you've got it come to my desk and demonstrate it for me. Due next class is a roll of parchment explaining what could go wrong if the spell is preformed incorrectly. Off you go now!"
Nothing spectacular happened that whole day. After Transfiguration, which had ended in no less than fifty different arguments between him and the She-Weasel, was Herbology with the Ravenclaws. Sprout had put them right to work, wasting no time to have them tend to several plants and pluck seeds from the middle of some nasty flower, which Draco couldn't seem to remember the name of. After an hour of nearly losing three fingers he made his way to Ancient Runes. Filled with several chatting Hufflfepuffs, a sprinkle of Gryffindors (Granger being one of them), and a handful of studious Ravenclaws, Draco was the only Slytherin.
Without much of a choice he sat at the back of the class, alone at his table. He didn't really mind though, on the contrary, Draco preferred it. This way he wouldn't have to make pointless small talk with some random prat. Perhaps this year he would actually learn something and not get distracted. He blamed Blaise for most of his negligence.
Lunch came and went, sending him to his last class for the evening; Divination. Draco had never liked that class much, Trelawney was always off her rocker, predicting student's death here and there, her great buggy, bespectacled eyes, peering deeply into theirs, with her multicolored necklaces and shawls hanging from her bony frame. What made it worse was the thick, perfume filled air, making it nearly impossible to breath.
Draco was glad when the old coot dismissed them for the day, sending them off without an ounce of homework. He made his way down to the dungeons, waiting for Blaise, Astoria, or Theo to show up.
He sat back on the jet black, leather couch, tapping his foot impatiently against the stone floor. Two or three other Slytherins entered the common room, brushing mindlessly past him as if he were part of the furniture.
"So then I told him to piss off but being the bloody git that he was, he didn't listen. In the end I gave him a nice big pair of ears to match his nose — oh hey mate."
Theo and Blaise sat across from him on the opposite couch. The cushions made a soft poof as they did.
"Where's Asty?"
Theo glanced behind his shoulder looking thoroughly surprised, "Coulda sworn she came in right after us. . ."
Blaise rolled his eyes at his friend's incompetence and shook his head, "She had to talk to Flitwick about some rubbish I'spose."
Draco shrugged and asked the two how their classes went. They responded with the same dullness as he did. Getting bored with the topic, they switched to Quidditch; who didn't love Quidditch?
Their arguments and opinions brought them all the way to dinner. It was finally when Astoria had showed up and had enough of their bickering that they stopped for her sake.
"Thank you," she said exasperatedly and sneakily tore a chunk of bread off from Blaise's plate. He saw and slapped her hand away, stealing the bread back and shoving it quickly in his mouth.
She grinned then took a hearty sip of Pumpkin Juice, her gaze wondering across the table to him. "Draco your plate has been empty this entire time! Please just eat something."
"I'm not hungry," he said. Astoria gave him a pointed look. "Really I'm not!" He insisted.
It was true; Draco didn't feel the slightest bit hungry at all, he hadn't eaten anything all day. The sight of food made his stomach churn.
"Just have some—" Astoria began.
"I did something stupid last night. I forgot to tell you lot," he interrupted. Part of him actually wanted to tell his friends what he was about to say, but the other half wondered if it was a good idea. What would they say when they heard what he had done? "Last night, just as Granger and I finished our rounds, we went to check on her little friends up in Gryffindor Tower—"
"Eugh, gross," offered Blaise.
"And I suggested a truce."
Astoria's eyes widened, Blaise choked on his chicken leg, and Theo did a spit take.
Uh oh.
Several students from the other table glared at them for disrupting their meal.
Draco sneered back; after they turned away he sighed, "Alright Asty . . . you first."
She clapped Blaise hard on the back as he continued to choke. "Well. . . I personally think it's a great idea," she said slowly. "I think we're all just shocked to hear that you were the one who offered it."
Draco nodded, seemingly content with her response and turned to his other friend, "Blaise?"
Blaise was clawing at his throat and motioned to Astoria. "What she said," he wheezed.
Draco snorted. Blaise was always so over dramatic.
"Theo?"
With water stains down his front and beads dripping from his chin, the other boy looked at him in awe. "I think your barking mad," he said.
"And whys that?" He asked, genuinely curious.
Theo looked baffled that his friend couldn't see what was wrong for offering up a truce with the students they had hated for years.
"Well where to begin. . ." He sputtered and ran a hand through his hair. "They're Gryffindors, they're all goodie goodies, they're ugly, stupid, suck at Qudditch, terrible snoggers—"
"Believe it or not mate, but those aren't very good reasons," Blaise croaked.
Draco sniggered. He felt mildly appreciative that Blaise and Astoria were on his side. Truthfully, he didn't give a damn about what Theo thought, but seeing his reaction was always amusing.
"So what did they say?" Astoria asked after several minuets.
Maybe it was the way she shrugged or how her voice came off as nonchalant as possible, or perhaps it was the way she pushed the pudding around in her bowl that made Draco wonder if Astoria and even Blaise were keen to put the past behind them. To make up with the rest of the school. To be treated as equals.
"They said they'd think about it."
Astoria slumped forward and chewed on the inside of her cheek. She looked longingly across the hall, her gaze settling on the group of Gryffindors.
Draco would never confront her about it, but sometimes he caught her staring yearningly at the other students. He knew Astoria didn't have many other friends beside Blaise, Theo, and himself and wondered if she missed having another girl in the group.
But Parkinson was long gone. They knew that for sure.
"What if they say no?" She asked suddenly.
Draco snorted, "Well it'd be stupid of them not to."
"And why is that?" She glared accusingly at him. "Draco what did you do?"
"I told them they could all make me do one thing."
"Why the hell would you do that?" Blaise asked.
"Because I figured that I'm the one they all loathe, so if they take out all their anger on me then that's that and no more rivalry. The rest of you Slytherins won't have to suffer as much as I will. "
"Awe Draky how sweet of you," cooed Theo.
"Whose 'they'?" Astoria asked.
"Potter and Company," he grumbled. "Trust me Astoria, it'll be for the best."
-•-•-•-•-•-•-
"I know what I want," she said suddenly.
"Huh?"
"In return for a truce. I know what I want." Granger said.
Oh boy, he thought. Please don't let it be another punch in the face.
"Enlighten me Granger," Draco said quite reluctantly.
The Gryffindor and himself had just finished their rounds and thankfully they were nearly to the seventh floor.
Granger took a deep breath, "No more name calling!" She blurted. "Or rude and degrading comments to anyone."
Draco stopped dead in his tracks. Granger looked at him rather nervously, her cheeks tinged slightly pink. He sniggered.
"What?" She asked slowly, stopping as well.
"Oh nothing. . . I just thought it'd be much worse."
Hermione tutted crossly and folded her arms against her chest. She continued to move up the corridor. "Think it's going to be easy for you?" She asked once he caught up with her. "Not to insult anyone? It's like your language, isn't it?"
"Excuse me Granger, but I have complete faith in myself," he spoke confidently as they rounded the corner.
Granger chuckled. "That's not saying much Malfoy — ridikkulous."
Lupin smiled, amused by their bickering, he swung open the portrait door.
-•-•-•-•-•-•-
Yay! Another chapter done! I hope you all keep reading and enjoy the story!!
P.S.
Who else saw Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?!?? Personally, I freaking loved it!! Rowling slays again!