Lucid Dreams
FREYA FOUND HERSELF walking the school grounds alone during the afternoon once classes had let out a week or two after Winter break had ended, for Harry was taking private Dementor-related lessons with Professor Lupin and for the moment Will Francis Granger was a disgraceful waste of space owner of a stupid rat murder attempting tiger of a cat and the person responsible for getting Harry's firebolt taken away.
If she were honest with herself, which she tried not to be when faced with conflicted inner emotions, she knew that Will was right to tell Professor McGonagall about the broom. He was right in thinking it was the right thing to do. That he did the right thing only because he cared for Harry-like any proper best friend should...
But at the same time, she couldn't bring herself to forgive him just yet. Not because of the broom situation and not even for his pets attempted murder on hers, but because of Harry's expression that kept replaying in her head when she thought of that awful Christmas night.
Because Harry Potter's voice had shaken in a way, he had so obviously been willing it not too when he was trying to keep the present, he'd been so happy to get.
"I am serene," she said softly to herself as she walked her lonely walk throughout the grounds. "I am calm...I am at peace...I am..."
She stopped in front of a tree, falling to lean on it as she put her head in her hands and groaned.
"I am irritated! I am bored! I am so bloody conflicted, and my friends are absolutely no help because they're the reasons why I feel such an aggravating way!" She said all this in a monotone as she slid down the tree and put her legs to her chest, resting her head on her knees. "I, Freya Jem Weasley, am so-"
"Annoying? If you were going to say annoying, then for the first time I believe we can agree on something." Her head shot up and with her face already beginning to burn, she looked up at Draco Malfoy who looked down at her from the tree, an irritating smirk on his face. "Let's shout for the Dementors to sing a happy song, Hissy Fit-for the impossible can happen."
Freya scowled at him.
"You know, I'm not even surprised you're up in that tree, Malfoy. My mum warned me that's where the worst snakes hide."
"And I'm not all that shocked that even without an audience you take it upon yourself to be so foolishly loud," Malfoy raised a brow. "My father mentioned how when lions are alone, they lose all their pride. Really though, you're more of the omega in a wolf pack, Weasle-pup. Where're the other dogs that you follow?"
"If you're referring to Will and Harry, Harry's studying something right now."
"I'm almost rendered speechless; didn't think he had the brain capacity. And Granger?"
"Who knows, who cares?" Freya scowled, shaking her head as she got up, "I don't even know why I'm still here since you ruined what could have been a perfectly nice and calming spot by being in it."
"Actually, you were the ruiner." said Malfoy, pointing to himself. "I was here first."
"You know what? You have a point. This ground was contaminated even before I got here, so if you'll excuse me, I'm going to find a part of the grounds that isn't snake infested." said Freya irritably as she turned. She'd begun to walk away when she heard a thump behind her and looking back, she saw Malfoy dusting himself off on the ground. "What the bloody hell are you doing? Are you planning to hex me from behind for my last comment? Because I'll have you know that I've got a new wand from last year and a new list of curses in my head."
Malfoy stared at her for a moment and then huffed out a laugh as he put his hands in his robe pockets. "Believe it or not, Weasley, I was just jumping down to walk back with you."
Freya blinked. "Walk back to the castle with me? Like, side by side? As in, walking together calmly through the grounds and that's it?"
Malfoy's lip twitched as he looked at her in bemusement. "Yes, Weasley. That's what I meant by walking back with you."
She was flabbergasted. "WHY?"
"Well, for one, I want to go back to the castle. It's cold out here." said Malfoy, "And two, and this reason is ninety-nine percent the reason why: because I know it'll annoy you."
"Damn right it will!"
"Great, there's the confirmation!" Malfoy grinned with a shrug, "How can I do anything but walk with you now?"
She growled in frustration. "Whatever. Whatever! I came out here to find some peace, but I guess that's not happening. Don't talk to me on the way back, Malfoy."
She began to stride off, him following alongside her.
"You know why I came out here, Weasel-pup?" he asked after a moment where she'd finally slowed, seeing her efforts at lengthening the distance between them were futile. "Weasle pup is sort of funny, now that I think about it. Omega Weasel is one I could use too. Hissy fit is brilliant of course but it doesn't slide on the tounge as easily, you know?"
"Didn't I say," Freya started through gritted teeth, "to not talk to me?"
"Like either of us thought I'd listen," he scoffed as she rolled her eyes and he asked again, "Anyway, again, do you know why I came out here?"
"To get a tan?"
"I came out here because I was bored and because I was a bit unhappy about something. I came out here in hopes of finding something interesting that would make me feel better."
She scowled, "And what? Did you find another fantastic beast to accuse of wrongdoing all because of your own stupidity?"
Something flashed across Malfoy's face as his lips thinned. "No. Rather, I didn't find that something at all."
"And this is where you tell me it's because I came along?"
"Actually, yes. You came along and I didn't have to find something interesting enough to feel better anymore. Because you found me."
They reached the doors to the halls of the castle, and he glanced at her with a peculiar expression as she looked back with furrowed brows, confused and startled and still not very much understanding as to what just happened with what he had just said. Freya felt very much like they were at a really dangerous standstill, so much more dangerous then when she stood toe-to-toe with Draco Malfoy as he insulted her family and she threatened to curse him, both holding wands out at the ready...
It seemed so much more alarming because she was sure that just now Draco Malfoy had said something kind and sweet and surprising, and she had no idea what the bloody hell she was supposed to do with that.
Suddenly, Malfoy's face split into a smile that she'd never before seen on his face as he tilted his head. "Why do you look as though you wish to hit me?"
"Because I do want to hit you," said Freya truthfully. "I think you hit your head coming down from that tree, Malfoy, and that another hard-hit will make you normal again."
He gave another huff of genuine laughter that made Freya's stomach feel all weird as he shook his head.
"You're a really stupid girl, Weasley. I'll make sure to make fun of that fact tomorrow."
She frowned, "What's tomorrow?"
Malfoy sighed.
"The day when we both wake up and realize this nice thing, we've been having was nothing...nothing but a dream."
She blinked and turned to him, for some reason feeling as though she needed to see his face expression but found herself looking at his back as he had walked away-already stroking off to the dungeons that led to a common room that wasn't hers.
Because he was a Slytherin.
A Slytherin she hated and loathed beyond measure because he was an arrogant prat who was going to end up just like his vile father, the father who her father despised as well.
He was, to put it in dramatic terms, an enemy.
Even if, just for a moment, he had felt like a friend.
* * *
Draco really had come outside for a distraction. His father was keeping him notified about the situation with the Hippogriff Buckbeak and it seemed as though his father was winning and if his father won...
Well, it troubled Draco. Knowing he was practically one hundred percent responsible if that living creature died. He had to leave the common room because the others had heard the news, and he couldn't stand pretending that it made him powerful that he had some hippogriffs life in his hands.
Because if he were truly powerful, he'd get his father to stop it.
But Draco Malfoy despite the part he was able to play up was only ever just a pawn.
Sighing, he rubbed his face exhaustively as he closed his eyes and an image of Freya Weasley scowling at him appeared in his mind...
And for just a moment, he allowed himself to smile.
Ah, Draco...
You're breaking all the rules today...