firecracker ???

1-11

"Potter's up to something," he muttered. "Always sniffing around things that don't concern him. Always trying to impress someone."

"You mean Lyra?" Theo said. He smirked when Draco snapped his head around.

"She's not interested," Draco said sharply.

"She did roll her eyes at him," Daphne offered.

"But she didn't hex him," Blaise added lightly.

"Do you want her hexing people?" Pansy asked Elestara.

Elestara gave a shrug. "It depends. Some people ask for it."

Inside the common room, they collapsed onto the floor near the fire.

Theo tossed a sugar-dusted éclair to Elestara, who caught it one-handed.

"I still say house points should be awarded for aesthetic presence," Blaise said.

"Elestara would win in a landslide," Daphne replied.

"Thank you," she said dryly.

"Draco would lose for tie-straightening alone," Theo added.

"That's house pride," Draco said.

"It's vanity," Pansy corrected.

"And if we win Quidditch tomorrow, you'll all thank my vanity," he huffed.

"Because you're watching from the stands?" Elestara asked.

Theo snorted. "He's been polishing that green rosette for three days."

"Still doesn't match his complexion," Pansy muttered.

Draco threw a pillow.

They laughed louder than usual, energy buzzing in anticipation of the match. Even Draco's sulk seemed half-hearted.

As the girls made their way toward the dorms, Elestara lingered behind, sipping pumpkin juice from a conjured goblet.

Draco didn't join the others as they wandered off toward their dorms. Elestara remained by the fire, her legs tucked beneath her and her expression unreadable. He crossed the room slowly and dropped onto the couch beside her, his movements more tired than usual.

"You're sulking," she said without looking at him.

"Am not."

"Are too. You've got your sulking posture on."

Draco glanced sideways. "Didn't know I had a posture."

"You do. Right shoulder hiked up. Mouth doing that miserable little twist."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. Maybe I am."

"Over Potter again?"

"He looked at you."

"He said hi."

"He lingered."

She smirked. "So did you."

Draco huffed. "I'm being serious. You didn't think they were serious earlier. About the third floor."

Elestara tilted her head. "I thought they were joking. Like some overdone Gryffindor ghost story."

"They weren't. Potter said someone might be trying to steal what the dog's guarding."

She went still. "So they're actually planning something. Brilliant."

"They're reckless. They're stupid. But Potter isn't wrong often, and that's what makes him dangerous."

She looked over at him. "You're really worried."