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2nd year
“What does she even know about Quidditch, Merlin, the stupid bint. It’s not like Potter’s that great. She had no right, none!” Malfoy raved quietly to himself, staring out from the dungeon exit to the Quidditch Pitch. “She doesn’t know anything. I earned my spot, those brooms were a gift! How dare she…”
“Excuse me, Draco? Are you okay?” a sweet voice chimed behind him.
Startling slightly, Draco flushed and peered over his shoulder. “What? What do you want?” He replied, discreetly wiping traitorous tears from his windburnt cheeks.
“I heard someone crying and thought they might need help. Are you okay?” she replied.
“I wasn’t crying. How dare you assume that! Malfoys do not cry,” he all but shouted at her.
“Hmm, it must have been someone else! Since I’m here, would you like some hot cocoa? It’s got cinnamon sprinkled on top.” She proffered two steaming mugs, clearly being kept warm by an elfin warming charm.
Draco eyed the mugs warily. It did smell delicious, and he did love cinnamon sprinkled on his cocoa. “Fine, Abbott. You can stay,” he replied, snatching one of the mugs and taking a greedy sip. Humming in contentment at the warmth that immediately spread through his body, he turned back to Hannah. “If you’re expecting a thank you, don’t get your hopes up.”
Hannah snorted out a laugh in reply, rolling her eyes lightly. Draco smirked over the rim of his mug, taking another deep swallow.
The two spent a few minutes of surprisingly peaceful companionship while they drank. “Do you want to talk about it?” She tried again gently.
Draco huffed in irritation, “the filthy mudblood doesn’t even know what she’s talking about…” he started, launching into his rant.
3rd Year
“She slapped me! Who even does that? Who just slaps another person?!” he raved, hand gingerly tapping the purpling handprint adorning the side of his pale face.
“Well, young man, Miss Granger seems level-headed. Surely you wouldn’t have said or done anything to antagonize her.” Madam Pomfrey intoned, with a suspecting lift of her eyebrows.
“Of course not! Once my father hears about this, she and her stupid little friends will be on the next train out of here,” he insisted.
“Quite right,” Madam Pomfrey replied, no longer listening to the spoiled boy’s ranting. “Alright, young man, you’re free to go. And do please try to keep out of trouble.”
Draco hopped off the bed and headed towards the doors of the infirmary, stroking his cheek again lightly. “Bloody outrageous,” he muttered.
“What happened this time?” an all too familiar voice inquired. Just outside the doors sat Hannah Abbott, nose deep in a herbology text. She looked up, smiling sweetly at him.
“What? Nothing happened. Why would something happen? Why are you even here? Don’t you have a hugging circle to attend or something?” he snapped back.
Hannah chortled. Tucking the book back into her bag, she raised her hands out to Draco and wiggled her fingers. Rolling his eyes, he grabbed the little witch’s hands and helped her off the stone floor.
“Was it Hermione or Harry this time?” she gave him a knowing look, brushing the dust from her skirt.
“The mud…oof!” a sharp elbow was suddenly lodged in his ribs.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Draco! I didn’t mean to hurt you!” Hannah gasped in feigned surprise.
Eyeing her warily and rubbing at his now tender rib, he continued, “Granger, of course, it was Granger. Potter doesn’t have it in him to throw slaps.”
“Oh my, why don’t we go see if the kitchens have any of that chocolate cake leftover from last night, and you can tell me all about it,” she said, starting down the hall.
“But won’t you be late for feelings ‘show and tell’ in your common room?” he snarked back.
Hannah hummed in reply, “no, I think I’ll be right on time.”
Cake did sound good, he thought. Shooting Hannah another moody look, he acquiesced and allowed her to drag him to the kitchens. “She slapped me, Abbott. Who slaps a person?”
4th Year
“She’s never going to forgive me. I cursed her...okay, it was just a jinx and yes... her teeth do look better now, but I CURSED her, Abbott!” Draco wailed, shoveling blueberry tart into his mouth at an alarming rate.
“And why would you be worried about her forgiving you, Draco?” Hannah inquired, lips twitching in amusement.
She’d found him loitering outside the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room not 30 minutes earlier. When he’d seen her, all he’d said was, “blueberry tart, now,” before stomping off towards the kitchen entrance.
Draco grumbled in reply to her question.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that,” she said.
“Because she’s beautiful and brave and kind and Merlin she’s perfect and she’s going to hate me forever and I CURSED her!” Draco said, pounding his head on the countertop with each word as though to emphasize his emotional pain.
“I truly expected it would take several more years for you to admit that, Draco. I’m proud of you.” Hannah said, grabbing his hand gently, giving him a genuine smile. “Now,” she continued, “how are you going to fix this? Do you intend to escort her to the Yule Ball?”
“WHAT?!” Draco screeched, “I can’t do that! Father would murder me! She’s still a muggle-born.” Groaning again, he let his head flop back to the countertop. “It’s hopeless,” he signed, turning his head towards Hannah and opening his mouth.
Hannah laughed and shoveled another bite of the blueberry tart into his prattish mouth. “Okay, damage control then and perhaps a long-term plan to win your witch’s affection? You know you’re going to have to start playing nice with Harry and Ron for this to work.”
Draco groaned again in reply.
“Well then, let’s get started planning, shall we?”
~~~~~
Later that night, as Draco was getting ready for bed, belly full of tart and brain full of Hermione, a realization hit him. “Theo,” he turned to his roommate, “I think I’m friends with a Hufflepuff .”
Theo shuddered, “nosey buggers, aren’t they? Can’t stand them.”
“Yeah, they’re the worst,” Draco replied with a frown.
“They always seem to have pudding, though,” Theo replied, casting a sidelong glance towards Draco.
“Yeah, pudding,” Draco said, brow furrowed. “I supposed I’ll keep mine for a little while longer then, yeah?”
“Yeah,” Theo nodded sagely, “yeah, me too,” he agreed.
“Well, enough of that, goodnight, Nott,” Draco said gruffly, clearing his throat a few times.
“Yes, goodnight Malfoy,” Theo replied. Both boys climbed into bed and tugged their curtains shut.
Across the room, Blaise chuckled to himself and muttered, “even Malfoy needs a Hufflebuddy,” before casting a quiet Nox , plunging the room into darkness.