Draco's Hufflepuff | Diminishing

**

Friday, 27th February, 1998

Draco and I were back in the library, and I was so completely aware that we were in the exact desk we had spent so much of our time together back in our fifth and sixth year.

As quite a lot of us hadn't completed our Herbology essay in time, Professor Sprout allowed us a few days extra to finish it. She had booked all of the pairs allocated slots in the library to work.

When Professor Sprout had told me that mine and Draco's time slot had been Friday between 8:00pm and 10:00pm, I nearly begged her not to. I was on the verge of tears as I asked if I had to go with him. She looked at me with sympathy and simply nodded her head sadly.

I had felt sick all day and I avoided speaking whenever I could. With each hour that turned, and 8:00pm drawing closer, the knot in the pit of stomach grew tighter and stronger.

A part of me wished I would have threw up, so then I would have a viable and reasonable excuse to not go into the library. My D.L.M kept burning and stinging as well, as though it was getting excited or something.

When I was up in our dorm room half an hour before walking down to the library, taking my robe off and trying to calm myself down, I straightened my hair and sprayed myself with perfume. I wanted him to fucking notice me, and I hated it.

Hannah and the girls had been so sweet and tried their best to make me feel better, and whilst I did appreciate it, nothing was going to help. I just needed to get through these two hours, and I could finally breathe again.

**

The library was silent as we were the only two in here. Madam Pince had errands to run and trusted us both not to make a mess or ruin anything in there. The only thing that was getting destroyed was my sanity.

Draco had moved closer to me, and it was as though the entire world had stopped spinning. I glanced over at him and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, trying to act as casually as I could.

"Better light here. I can see the text better," Draco cleared his throat, as though answering the silent question of why.

I knitted my eyebrows at him and nodded my head sharply, not knowing what else to say. The lighting was no different from where we were sat.

I turned the page in our Herbology textbook and skimmed through the information on Dittany. I really had to force myself not to look up at Draco and ignore the fact we were sitting impossibly close to one another.

Something had shifted between us, and I couldn't pinpoint what that was. I wanted to say it was the argument with Carrow, but things had been different for a while, I just hadn't noticed it.

"So, we find ourselves back here," Draco remarked,

"Yep," I said simply, my tone clipped, trying to not let on that it was all I had been thinking about,

"How've you been?" Draco asked, it was almost as if he was nervous,

"Fine," I said, not even looking up at him, forcing myself to sound nonchalant.

I could barely breathe. All I wanted was for 10:00pm to come so I can run back to the common room and be away from Draco. I never thought I'd feel like that about him.

"Are you seriously with Longbottom?" Draco asked, his eyes searching my face, like he was waiting for a certain answer,

"Would it matter if I were? That is none of your business anymore, Malfoy," I said indifferently, trying to look away from him,