Even at Our Worst

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October 13th, 1996

My ears perk as I walk past the Gryffindor table, my mind drifting away from what Pansy's saying about her and Vaisey's date yesterday.

"It was absolutely horrific—" Someone mutters.

"She's in a complete coma, they don't know if—" I hear the next group of people say.

I begin to walk slower, tuning in to the conversation. Pansy quiets as well. She leans into my shoulder, turning her head to me as though she's whispering something. I tilt my ear towards her as well, covering up our eavesdropping.

"— of course, now Potter's going to have to find another chaser. Katie was one of the best we've had—"

"Harry, you have to tell someone what you suspect about Malfoy."

Pansy and I both halt, meeting each other's eyes when we hear Hermione's voice. We slowly turn our heads toward the Gryffindor table. Pansy's hands drop to her hips, a scowl coming across her face. We stand now behind Potter and Weasley's backs, Hermione sitting across from them, leaning in with a sense of urgency.

I meet her eyes and raise my brow. "Suspect what about Malfoy?"

"Nothing, we—" Hermione begins innocently, her panicked eyes flitting between Potter and Weasley as they turn over their shoulders to look up at us.

Pansy's hip knocks into mine as she sinks into it. I imagine she's giving all of them a death glare to rival my own when she says, "You'd do yourselves some good if you gossiped in private."

"You'd do yourselves some good if you stopped eavesdropping," Ron says. He claps Harry on the shoulder, rolling his eyes as they turn them back to face Hermione.

"What happened to Katie Bell?" I ignore Ron, keeping my eyes locked on Hermione's.

"She—" Hermione starts hesitantly.

"Why don't you ask your boyfriend that?" Harry spits out, earning him a silencing glare from Hermione.

"Excuse me?" I scoff. I take a step closer to their table— my anger flares. I hate when people call him my boyfriend as though they know our situation. With his current obligations, we've hardly been able to make anything official. It sends pain through my chest, a constant reminder that the odds are stacked against us, that right now we can't just be a regular couple. It's not safe for either of us. "I'm not sure what you're implying—"

Harry stands up abruptly, turning to face me. Funnily, we're about the same height, leaving us glaring at each other nose to nose. "I'd just be careful about the company you keep, Burke."

"Piss off, Potter," a sharp voice comes from over my shoulder. Seconds later, I feel a hand on my waist gently pulling me away from Harry. I sink into it, calming at the familiar sensation of Draco behind me. Pansy looks anxiously at him, sensing a fight in our future.

"I know what you did," Harry narrows his eyes at Draco.

"Do you, now?" Draco laughs. His hand moves to my lower back as his other rests on Pansy's shoulder. He begins to walk us away from the group, shaking his head. With a smirk, he turns back to look at Harry. "I'd like to see you prove it."

A few heads turn to us when Draco's voice raises. I elbow him in the side, giving him a warning glare. Too much attention, my eyes tell him. I see his eyes soften in understanding. He gives Potter a final, menacing nod, before turning on his heel and rushing Pansy and me over to the Slytherin table.