it's me again.

[y/n].

The girl who's currently pacing around the school's corridor in boredom, waiting for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to meet me for our next class. We usually walk together, so I don't know why they're so abnormally late, and it's kind of freaking me out a little.

Considering this bloody school has a dungeon, a snake chamber, a restricted third floor, and a hidden room, it's extremely possible that they might have died along the way.

"Well, isn't this unusual?" A snarky voice said from behind me, "I never thought I'd catch you alone outside of the Room of Requirement."

pleasekillme (that wasn't a spell, although it would work perfectly in this situation).

Spinning around awkwardly, I stopped pacing to stare at the Slytherin-boy that had somehow crossed my path. Unlike a few hours ago, this time he was wearing his uniform robes, a leather satchel hanging off the tip of his shoulder.

Personally, I think he looked better in his grey sweats and green t-shirt.

Not that I was thinking about that, anyways.

"I actually have a life outside of meeting you places," I frowned, "what are you doing here, anyways?"

Classes started in ten minutes, and I'm pretty sure the courtyard wasn't anywhere near whatever class he had. Slytherin studies were supposed to start on the left side of the school in the morning.

This was the right side of the school.

"Why do you care?" He shrugged, "I just thought I'd stop by."

"And do what?"

"Does no one ever say 'hello' to you, [l/n]?" He scoffed, "I'm offended you'd think I had anything else in mind."

Accio bucket, because I'm about to melt into the ground in embarrassment. Of course I didn't think he'd mean anything else, but I was just suspicious of him. Really, really, really suspicious.

Of him.

"I don't care if you say hello, Malfoy," I scowled, "I'm more focused on figuring out what Moody's up to to care how you approach me."

Draco frowned, "'is everything about this task to you?"

"Everything involving you."

"Loosen up a little, darling, not everything we do has to be work related."

Darling?

I don't curse, but I definitely feel like my stomach is swearing at me in a jumble of curses and threats. I didn't get butterflies, like many would think, I got sharp knives that would stab me if I ever thought about something reckless.

It's called trust issues; and I have them because Draco Malfoy is a bully. He's been a bully for the last four years, and just because we got paired up for a job, doesn't erase everything he's done.

"As suspicious as Moody is, I quite enjoyed seeing you as a ferret," I said, changing the subject, "how did it feel to be trapped in my hands?"

Draco didn't even hesitate.

"The same way you feel when you're trapped under mine," he smirked, acknowledging the first day in the Room of Requirement, "although you might enjoy it more."

"Piss off, Malfoy," I hissed, "I don't enjoy anything about you."

Well....I'm not going to lie to myself.

Just a tiny fragment of my mind likes to betray my morals, and I've been spending more time observing Draco as of late. Like the way his eyelashes would bat as he smirked, the crease in his lips as he spoke, and the endless glaze of his eyes (I really do mean endless, it's as if he's always hiding something).

Draco was a class-A jerk, but I would be wrong to admit I didn't find him attractive.

"What are you doing after school?" He asked abruptly, cutting me out of my thoughts.

If I wasn't more shocked I accidentally started daydreaming about the boy in front of him, I would have answered quickly.

But I didn't.

Instead, my eyes widened at the thought of Draco Malfoy asking about my personal life, and I almost choked on my tongue. Whenever we spoke, it was either about Harry, or about....never mind. It usually was always about Harry.

I blinked, not sure how to respond.

Draco noticed.

"Oh, relax, it's not like I'm asking you out on a date," he scoffed, "I have standards, remember?"

Ouch.

"Oh, let me guess, such high standards that you needed a vial of Amortentia to get a girl to fall for you?" I shot back, my ears starting to burn, "how did it go by the way? Did you snog a Beauxbaton yet?"

For the first time in three years, I saw Draco blush.

He shifted his stance, glancing off to the side in embarrassment, his gaze cast downward. Biting his lip, he let the color drain from it's usual pink look, and let it go with an exhale.

"I actually haven't..." He muttered, his voice hushed to a whisper, "...kissed anyone yet,"

He was messing with me, right?

I blinked, furrowing y brows, "with the help of the potion, or just in general?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yeah, it kinda does—"

"Well, it's not like I go chatting up every blasted girl in this school, okay?" He spat out, his defensive tone suddenly coming back into place, "unlike what you might think, I actually have some pride in my love life."

"Which is obviously nonexistent," I smirked, "considering you haven't kissed anyone yet."

That seemed to set him off.

"It's not like I'm planning on kissing you," he scoffed, "so keep your nose out of my business, and stop assuming you have the right to joke about it."

Oh.

I didn't realize he took it in a harsh way. Maybe I damaged his pride a little, or maybe I was just intruding into subjects I shouldn't have been, but either way, he seemed hurt by what I said.

"I really didn't mean anything by it," I said quickly, "I was just trying to lighten the mood—"

He didn't care.

"Just...shut up," he mumbled, rolling his eyes,"and let's actually talk about the important things."

"Like what?"

"Getting Mcgonagall's bloody task done," he said, "we clearly can't be seen together in public, and we rarely have time to leave classes to go to that room to talk."

I nodded my head, "why don't we make rules then?"

Draco became stiff, "what?"

"Rules."

"I heard you the first time."

"So you know what I mean, then. We need rules..." I restated, before coming to a pause. "No, you break rules way too often. Let's make requirements instead. "

Draco seemed hesitant, but then nodded his head in confirmation.

"Fine," he shrugged, "what's the first one?"

"Don't tell Harry."

He narrowed his eyes at that, "second one?"

"Don't tell Harry."

"Third?" He scoffed, "let me guess, don't tell Harry. "

I shook my head, "no, don't tell anyone."

"Makes sense."

"I know," I frowned, "but besides that, I suppose we'll need to do more research on Moody."

Draco gave me a look, as if to say 'why are we talking about work again', but I brushed it off. I wasn't here to make friends with him. I was here to get my job done, and never speak to him again.

"Library then," I suggested, "I'll meet you there after lunch."