CHAPTER FIVE

Day Five

I skipped the next day of memories. I didn't want to look at Granger's face ever again, and I had been exceptionally effective at accomplishing that goal thus far. Of course, everytime I'm close to accomplishing something, a Gryffindor always fucks it up for me.

"Why weren't you in counseling yesterday, Mr. Malfoy?" Headmistress McGonagall asked me with a cocked eyebrow and a stern look.

I was simply minding my own business, not causing any trouble, at the Slytherin table, eating my supper when McGonagall walked over.

I didn't respond right away and, I don't think I planned to, until Blaise cleared his throat loudly.

"Ask Granger. I'm sure she would love to tell you how she attacked me in class on Wednesday." I responded coldly before returning to my plate of food.

"Well I didn't ask Ms. Granger. I asked you. So, please, enlighten me."

I stared up at the stern face of the Headmistress, wondering why the gods hated me so much.

"He's just been through a lot, Headmistress." Daphne jumped in. "He wasn't feeling well after sharing a really sincere memory with everyone, and then he was bombarded with really personal questions. Besides, he already shared his memory. Why does he have to go if he's recovering? Isn't that the point of counseling, Headmistress, to find a way to cope and move on? That's what Draco was doing by taking a mental health day."

McGonagall narrowed her eyes at Daphne's seemingly innocent smile.

"Perhaps just let Professor Franklin know next time you decide you need a 'mental health day', Mr. Malfoy." She nodded to all of us and walked away, unsatisfied.

I blew out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, "Thanks, Daph. I owe you."

She gave me an oh-so-Slytherin smirk before replying, "You know, I feel like all three of you boys owe me more favors than you can possibly return in this lifetime."

"Honestly, that's probably true." Blaise laughed before wrapping an arm around Daphne's shoulder and pulling her closer, "What would we do without you, Daph?"

"I don't know, Blaise." She said with a sarcastic glint in her eyes before shoving his arm off of her, "Why don't you go ask Tracy? She seems really interested in our conversation."

We all glanced down the table to find Tracy Davis glaring daggers at Daphne and clutching her fork so hard it might disintegrate.

"What's that about, mate?" Theo asked, completely oblivious to the sudden tension between Daphne and Blaise.

"Nothing," Blaise responded quickly before snatching his bag up and standing, "I'm going to head to class, I'll see you guys there."

He evaded our stares and rushed out of the hall without a backwards glance.

"Lovely," Daphne whispered under her breath, "Just lovely."

"You can do better than Blaise, love." I reassured her, "He's a pig. You know that."

"I know. I just thought he'd change eventually." She spared Tracy another glance before sighing, "I'm going to grab a couple things from my room before class. Save me a seat, okay?"

I gave her a small smile, "Of course."

As Daphne walked out the doors of the Great Hall, she almost ran into Granger, who was on her way in. Instead of simply brushing past each other, as you'd expect of the two people who never previously talked to one another, they engaged in a conversation. I couldn't hear what they were saying from my spot beside Theo at the Slytherin table, but it looked friendly and not at all forced, as I'd expect. Granger's laugh filled the air, which confused me further. Since when were Granger and Daphne friends? And, also, I'd just failed to reach my goal.

I found myself in the middle of Blaise and Daphne in the Great Hall for counseling. Blaise was pretending like nothing happened and was making jokes left and right, making Theo laugh outrageously. Daphne, on the other hand, was silent, deathly silent. I kept glancing back and forth between her and Blaise, not quite sure what to say. Daphne must have felt my unease, because she placed her hand on mine and gave me a half-hearted grin.

"So," I began, gathering all of their attention, "Did any of you go yesterday?"

"I did," Theo said, "Mine was about my mum."

Theo's mother died when he was relatively young, like six or seven years old. Ever since, his father was a complete monster. Without his mother around, Nott Senior took out all of his anger on Theo. He didn't talk about it much, but I know it really affected him. I've never seen any more relieved than Theo when his father got the Kiss after the war.

"I went, as well." Daphne spoke up, "Mine was about Stori and my parents before shit hit the fan."

Astoria, Daphne's sister, is two years younger than us, and bitchy as hell. Daphne thinks she uses her attitude to mask how she really feels about her parents favoring Daphne. Daphne earns better marks, has better Pureblood manners, and doesn't try to sleep with every guy in Europe. Astoria's resentment towards her sister really began flourishing when Daphne started dating Blaise, Astoria's lifetime crush. Since then, things have been more than icy amongst all of the Greengrasses.

"I haven't gone yet." Blaise said somewhat nervously. "I'm trying to go second-to-last, so I can put it off for as long as possible without being the last memory."

"Why not just be last?" Theo asked.

"Because everyone remembers the last one, Nott." Daphne sighed, "And you know how much Blaise hates to be remembered."

"Ha. Ha." Blaise responded dryly.

"Good afternoon, everyone!" Professor Franklin's cheery voice rang throughout the hall, "Today is the last day for memories! Are there any volunteers for first?"

"Blaise would like to go first, Professor. He hasn't stopped talking about his memory all morning." I called out, irritated with Blaise at the moment.

I could feel Blaise's eyes glaring into the side of my head and felt him punch me in the shoulder before he walked up to the front of the class.

"Ready, Mr. Zabini?" Professor Franklin asked.

"It's now or never."

We all drank from the vials and were transported to…

Malfoy Manor.

Better yet, we were in my room of Malfoy Manor.

"Drake, I'm going insane!" Blaise, at age fifteen, raved as he ran his fingers through his hair.

There I was sitting on my bed with a snitch in hand, tossing it up and down, looking amused.

"What's wrong, mate?"

"My love life is what's wrong. I'm so fucked."

"Your love life?" Younger me snorted. "What love life?"

"Daph and I have been getting dinner together lately."

Younger me raised an eyebrow quizzically, "Okay? Daph and I get dinner together all the time. You don't see me freaking out about it."

Blaise huffed loudly, "No, Draco, you don't understand. You and Daphne are just friends, right?"

"Correct."

"Okay, well I don't think it's normal to want to snog the hell out of friends. Do you?"

"Woah, Blaise. This is moving a little bit too fast for me." Younger me joked and moved back from Blaise.

"Draco, stop! This is serious! I think I'm in love with Daphne!" Blaise shouted at the top of his lungs.

My bedroom door swung open. There stood Daphne with a watery smile.

"Have long have you been standing out there?" Blaise asked worriedly.

"Long enough to know that you're not making moves on Draco. And you want to snog the hell out of me." She laughed, ignoring the obvious elephant in the room.

"And what else, Daph?" Blaise asked, slowly moving towards her. In the background, younger me slyly creeped towards the closet and hide inside of it, not wanting to intrude on the moment.

"Um, I must've missed the rest of the conversation." She looked down at her feet with a forced chuckle.

"Daphne, look at me." Blaise whispered and placed a hand under her chin. "I'm in love with you."

"Oh, so you don't 'think' so anymore?" She retorted with an amused look.

Blaise threw his head back and let out a laugh, "Kiss me, Greengrass."

"Will do, Zabini."

They shared a heated snog, prompting a loud cough from the closet.

"By the way, Zabini," Daphne said after the pair broke apart, "I know I love you."

The memory faded away, leaving a shy looking Blaise at the front of the classroom.

I quickly checked on Daphne who was trying to hold back tears. Her fists were clenched on her lap and she looked ready to sprint out of the room at any given moment.

"Go ahead and explain, Mr. Zabini." Professor Franklin ushered Blaise to speak after he failed to do so on his own.

"This memory signifies happiness for me, because it's the first time anyone ever told me they loved me." He spoke, staring directly at Daphne.

That was all it took for Daphne to launch out of her chair, grab her bag, and race out of the hall.

As if that whole predicament wasn't surprising enough, Granger and She-Weasley ran out after her.

Blaise slowly made his way back to his seat, staring at the doors as he did, "Now you guys see why I didn't want to do this."