BORN TO DIE    ╱    DRACO MALFOY
꒷꒦ · ˚.‧ . written by ella . . . © -lostgardens
102 ━━━━━ ❛ train boy's name game ❜

Another morning, it was, with Olivia jumping awake at the early hour of four a.m., clinging tightly onto Mr. Snake, the only one that had never left during her slumber. Her chest was rising and falling heavily as she took in deep breaths, covered in a thin layer of sweat. She looked around the room quickly, taking in her surroundings to ease her mind slightly. Pansy was still sound asleep in their bed, looking almost perfect—not a hair out of place, her features soft.

Oh, so the routine continued once more.

Feeling a tad bit of relief at the realization that she was just in her room, though she knew she should be used to the actions as they happened each and every night, she laid back down on her bed. Her eyes found the clock, just to be sure that it was, in fact, four in the morning per usual. And, with no surprise, it was.

It was there, in her bed, that she rested for about thirty more minutes, with Mr. Snake pulled even closer to her side, before she got up and quietly made her way to the bathroom, leaving her stuffed bear in her place on the bed and clutching her wand in her hand. She entered the bathroom, flicked her wand to light the candles, and closed the door so as not to disturb Pansy's sleep and to give her some privacy. The same as always.

In the bathroom, she stripped from her pajamas, then focused on herself in the mirror. The only thing on her was her necklace that Draco had gotten her, her mother had taken and given to Narcissa, and that Draco had gotten fixed and brought back to her the night he snuck into her room (she still didn't believe Bobbin or Trinky would let him into the manor without permission, which made her curious how he managed it), the bracelet Lucas had given her for the first birthday she had while attending Hogwarts, and the bracelet that she matched with Pansy. She was thin, as always, with her ribs and hipbones slightly prominent. Pale, as always, with her skin almost blinding when clashed with her dark hair. Her eyes were slightly bloodshot as always, due to her lack of sleep.

The small scars she had received over the years were clear on her skin, as always, including the one from when she'd been stabbed. They'd never discovered who had done that, an action that had been long forgotten by most without any thought, despite the fact that she'd almost died, not only from the stabbing itself but also from the strange infection it later caused. On her arms, she saw the ones from where the dragon had held her down in the Triwizards Tournament. That felt like a lifetime ago. On her back, which she studied as she turned and moved her hair out of the way, were the three marks left by Buckbeak in her third year. Over the rest of her body, there were small scars from cuts she'd gotten over the years from running after the Golden Trio when they went into danger.

Sometimes she questioned why she did that.

The first, however-many times, she hadn't even considered them friends.

So why had she risked her life so many times for them?

She'd been attacked by a dementor for the second time in under a year after following them under the Whomping Willow in an attempt to aid Weasley, which led them to an escaped prisoner and someone that should've been one but was disguised as a rat instead. She'd helped them with Dumbledore's Army, which led them to go to the Department of Mysteries and face off with Death Eaters and Voldemort, and she ended up with a prophecy she didn't want and couldn't find answers to. She'd gone with them to the Quidditch World Cup, which led her to being hit with the killing curse when she'd sought to find Harry with Hermione and Weasley during the aftermath of the Death Eater attack.

Why had she done that?

Her main goal that night had been to find her brother, and when she knew he was safe, she should've left it be; she should've let the other two go after their friend. Not follow them into the danger. But she did, and she almost died because of it.

She was tired of almost dying.

She was tired of death.

Cedric. Sirius. Two innocents, who had died for no reason at all. Two deaths she could've stopped if only she had been quick enough and not a coward.

Clearing her mind as best as she could, clearing her throat as she felt tears pricking her eyes, Olivia turned to the shower and twisted the handle, letting the water fall from the showerhead. It took only a second for the water to warm to her liking, and she stepped in.

Luckily, she had already unpacked her bath essentials the prior night, so they were already in the shower. She let the water run all over her as she tried to wash away the nastiness she felt. Then she washed her roots with her rosemary shampoo before rinsing them out, then repeated the steps when softening her ends with her conditioner of the same scent. Next was her body, which she cleaned with her ginger-scent body wash.

When she was finally fully rinsed, she stood there for a moment longer before she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. She wrapped her soft towel around her body before entering the room. It hadn't been long, and Pansy loved to sleep, so she wasn't surprised to find her best friend still looking sound in her bed. The time was only five o'clock. And thirty minutes was rather long for a shower for some, but she had needed it desperately, so she didn't mind.

She went over to her wardrobe as she had unpacked everything already, which she usually didn't do, and searched for her uniform. When she gathered all she needed to wear for the day that was in her wardrobe—her white button-up, her skirt, and her gray Slytherin jumper—she went over to her dresser to grab her bra, tie, underwear, and sheer black tights. But right as she went to head back to the bathroom to get changed, she realized that it was the same thing she'd been doing for years. The same routine. She was tired of it, and she didn't want to do it anymore. So, taking one step at a time to change it, Olivia turned back around and reopened her drawer. Putting her tights back inside, she grabbed black knee-high socks instead.

It was small and a meaningless difference, but it made her feel better. It was something new. She'd never worn knee-high socks with her uniform (or really ever; she only had them just in case), always her sheer black tights.

A wash of satisfaction fell over her, and she turned back around, finally heading for the bathroom once more. She entered, closed the door again, and got dressed. Then she brushed her teeth and hair and put on some makeup, trying not to let her eyes linger on her face for too long—trying not to study everything about herself for too long. On the way out and back into her room, while she placed her dirty clothes into the shared hamper she and Pansy used, and after blowing out the candles with a wave of her wand, she realized that only fifteen or so minutes had passed. And that meant that it was only fifteen minutes until the clock struck six, and she had over an hour and a half until breakfast began.

Pansy was destined to wake soon; she knew that. Her best friend always needed that set amount of time to wake herself up and get ready for the day, and so she decided to change up her routine just a tad bit more, not sneaking out like she usually did and wandering the corridors until the start of the day. Instead, she walked over to her bed, grabbed her bag in front of it, and sat down. She moved Mr. Snake to her side as she placed her wand inside and dug through the belongings of her bag until she found her book. She pulled it out, setting the bag next to her leg, and began reading.

She stayed like that until Pansy woke up.

The girl groaned when her eyelids fluttered open, not seeming to want to get up. Olivia only focused on her for a second, remaining quiet as she let her wake up. She knew that Pansy could be quite grumpy if she wanted to be, so she just focused back on her book and continued reading while Pansy tossed her covers off of herself, still seeming not to have noticed her best friend. She muttered things under her breath, amusing Olivia, who tried to keep her composure, wanting to see how long it took her to realize she was still there. The girl continued to mumble nonsense under her breath as she rubbed her eyes with the heels of her palms and got up from her bed. Olivia watched as she walked over to the bathroom and entered, closing the door behind her.

About five minutes passed before the door swung open again and a more awake Pansy exited. It was then, finally, that her eyes caught on to Olivia sitting on her bed and reading her book. "Oh, bloody hell!" she shouted, startled by her best friend's presence and slapping a hand over her heart. She squeezed her eyes shut as Olivia focused on her, staring at her with amusement. Her chest was rising and falling quickly as she obviously tried to calm herself and her breathing. Then she inhaled deeply through her nose and exhaled through her mouth before peeling her eyes open again. "Olivia," she breathed out, seeming and sounding like she hadn't just been scared half her wits as she fixed the girl with a soft but slightly tense smile. "You're still here?"

"I am," Olivia replied, reluctantly feeling the corners of her mouth turn up.

"I don't know if you noticed or not; you probably didn't because I kept calm, but you startled me a bit. I didn't expect you," Pansy admitted, walking forward and speaking as if the shouting, jumping, and slapping her hand over her heart hadn't given her away at all. "Usually you're gone by now. You know, when I wake."

"I couldn't tell," Olivia said, shaking her head as she spoke of Pansy's being startled. Then she softly smiled, which was returned as Pansy seemed amused by her going along with the version of events she was telling. "And I know. But I thought I would change up my routine so you were not stuck walking to breakfast with the boys alone anymore."

"Oh, thank Salazar for that," Pansy sighed in relief, walking over to Olivia's bed and plopping down next to her legs as she gave her a pointed look. "Years of friendship, and you think they'd be a little less annoying." Her grin was full of excitement with whatever thought crossed her mind. "I can't wait to see their faces when they realize that you're not roaming the corridors all by your lonesome." She clapped her hands together as she stood up from the bed. Her back turned to Olivia as she began heading to her wardrobe. She opened the doors and then glanced over her shoulder, finding her best friend's eyes. "It's going to be so odd having you with us."

After that, Pansy took her time getting ready, doing much of what Olivia had done. Then the two girls gathered the things they'd need for the day, put on their shoes (Olivia opted for black Mary Janes when she saw that was what Pansy was wearing—another change), and then they headed down to the common room.

"I like your socks, by the way," Pansy told Olivia with a kind smile as they walked down the stairs. She looked down at the black socks just as Olivia did, then found her eyes as her brows furrowed slightly. "You haven't worn them before, have you?"

"I have not," Olivia answered. "And thank you."

"I didn't think so." Pansy smiled again, eyeing her knowingly. "Another change in your routine?"

Olivia nodded with a hum.

When they stepped off the last step, the boys were already waiting for them near the couches. Well, they were already waiting for Pansy, with the thought that Olivia would be long gone by then. They were talking when Lucas focused on them with surprise, alerting the others to their presence, and as their eyes landed on both girls, the shock was clear in their expression, just as expected.

Olivia and Pansy simply kept walking over to them without missing a beat, smirks on their faces. Olivia made it a point not to look in Draco's direction and went to Lucas's side. She was still determined to keep her distance, no matter how much she didn't want to. It was for the best.

"Fancy seeing you here," Theodore teased, throwing his arm over Olivia's shoulders.

She looked up at him with mirth, seeing his smirk and fully aware of Draco's eyes fixed on them, then shook her head as she looked away. "I decided that I should start heading to breakfast with you lot," she confessed, looking around at others. "This is our second-to-last year at Hogwarts, after all."

"Draco's last if we're going based on his depressing talk on the train yesterday," Theodore added, focusing on the boy he spoke of. "Right, mate?"

The others looked to Draco, waiting for his answer and remembering how he spoke of not having to continue for another two years. Olivia still wondered what that was all about.

As her eyes landed on the blonde, all she saw was his blank expression, while he just stared at her. She could see right through his carelessness. He was trying his best not to be jealous about Theodore's arm around her shoulders that she made no effort to remove; it was obvious to her. He always was when it came to other boys around her—Harry, Theodore, hell, even Weasley (the other two she could understand, but she would never touch the ginger even if she had to so she could survive).

"Yeah," Draco finally replied, his eyes still on Olivia's.

Silence fell over them, and it was a bit tense, with the two just staring at each other. Then Pansy clapped her hands and, in a strange accent, said, "Come on, my dears. We must feast." This caused Olivia to focus on her with a slight smile. Pansy looked over everyone, her expression growing a bit more serious. "No, but actually, I will harm someone if I don't eat soon," she added, her voice returning to normal.

"Come on then," Blaise ushered, smiling at his girlfriend. He raised a hand for her to go before him. "Lead the way, darling."

Pansy smiled back at him and then walked forward, with him following behind. Theodore, who had finally taken his arm from Olivia's shoulders, went after them, passing by Draco, who was focused on him and watching his every move. He met his friend's gaze, slowing down as he passed him before looking forward and hurrying along to catch up with Pansy and Blaise. Olivia and Lucas watched the interaction closely, then they walked forward while Draco followed, with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

They weren't that far out of the common room and down the dungeon's corridor when Draco said Olivia's name, walking just a step behind her and Lucas. When she turned to look at him, he gave her a questioning look. "May I speak with you?"

Before she could even protest, Lucas walked away and caught up with the three in front of them, sending her a knowingly amused glance over his shoulder. She narrowed her eyes at him, giving him a look of sarcasm, to which he just turned around and faced the others. Sighing, she focused on Draco, who had now taken Lucas's spot next to her, and said, "I suppose."

He paused for a moment, just staring at her like he was studying her as she looked away from him. They were walking side by side, and Crabbe and Goyle were still behind them, like bodyguards. "I thought we were all right," he said, seeming confused with her attitude.

"We are," she replied, not meeting his eye.

"Then why do you seem disappointed with me wanting to speak with you?"

She shrugged, shaking her head. "I'm not."

"All right," he muttered, looking ahead with his hands in his pockets.

They fell quiet once more as they walked up the stairs and into the main corridor. Draco's eyes were on the back of Theodore's head, seeing the boy making jokes with Pansy. "Why does he do that?" he asked, causing her to look over at him with confusion. "Nott," he elaborated, finding her gaze. "Why does he always flirt with you?" He sounded like he already knew the answer and was seeing if she, herself, knew it.

"That's just who he is," she answered.

And that was the truth.

Well, at least, that was what she thought was the truth.

Neither said anything else after that.

Despite her saying that they were fine, there was clear tension between them. And it wasn't the good kind. Things had changed after that night in her room, for better or for worse. They both knew it—her more than him. That was why it was best for her to distance herself. It was the same cycle. They were fine, then they'd argue over something or hurt each other; they wouldn't speak, and then they'd kiss and make up, and everything would be fine again, until it wasn't. She didn't think it'd ever be different, and she was tired of it. No matter how much she wanted to fall back into the same routine, she couldn't let herself do it. And that was going to come with many difficulties and challenges in her future. She knew that; she just hoped she could be strong enough to face and power through them.

When they finally reached the Great Hall, Pansy pushed through the doors, and they all entered, being met with the usual chatter of everyone—most who'd returned and were catching up with their friends about what they'd missed over the summer, and the rest first-years getting to know their new housemates. A few glances were cast in Olivia's direction, but she ignored them. It was the same as usual, though the ones she got from her housemates might've been due to the fact that their parents thought of her as a blood traitor, and no doubt they did too. She and her friends simply sat down in their usual spot, just as they'd done each year before.

Olivia never realized how repetitive their lives were until then.

How had they gone on doing the same thing day in and day out for years?

Olivia was in between Pansy and Lucas, and Blaise, Theodore, and Draco were across from them, with Crabbe and Goyle by their leader's side. Breakfast was as usual; they filled their plates, ate in between chatting, and then Olivia stood up from the table before the others were done. "I'm going to walk around for a bit," she told them. Frankly, she tried her change in routine, but she missed the silence of the corridors before everyone was out of the Great Hall, crowding them as they headed to their classes.

"Already miss being by your lonesome?" Pansy asked teasingly, with a small smile.

"Very much so," Olivia replied, smiling back. She also missed her boots and tights, but that was besides the point. She grabbed her bag, placing the strap on her shoulder as everyone watched her moves, then walked away, needing to get her timetable before she could leave since Snape hadn't already handed them out. Making her way over to the wizard, she realized that he was just about to start giving out the timetables, standing at the end of the Slytherin table, his expression flat, with a stack of parchment in his hands.

When she came to a stop, she boredly said, "Hello, professor."

He looked at her blankly.

"Do you have my timetable?" she asked, knowing he wasn't one for friendly conversation. He'd rather the one speaking just say what they want to say instead of trying to be nice to him beforehand. Their weekly meetings had proven that quite well, which she was sure were going to continue now that Umbridge was no longer there to tell them not to.

He continued to stare at her, not giving her any sign that he'd heard her. Then he looked down at the stack of parchment and slowly began flipping through it in search of hers. When he finally found it, he stopped and pulled it from the group sharply. She watched him closely, trying not to rush his rather slow movements. His eyes found hers as he finally went to hand her the timetable. But when she reached for it, he snatched it away, keeping his face flat as she looked at him with confusion. "And why should I give this to you now and not make you wait until I reach the others?" He quirked a brow.

She planted a smile on her face. "Because I am your favorite student?"

"I do not have favorite students," he replied with his monotone voice, speaking the words slowly. "And even if I did"—he looked her up and down with a small hint of disgust, noting her socks and new shoes she was wearing before focusing on her eyes again, seeing her smile beginning to disappear—"you certainly wouldn't be one of them, Miss Mallard."

Olivia gave him a look of offense. After all they'd been through? All of the talks they'd had? It was bloody hurtful to hear him say such a thing. Right to her face, nonetheless. She placed a hand over her heart dramatically. "And here I was going to say that you were my favorite professor and that it is a shame you're no longer the potions master since you made the class more enjoyable with your lack of emotions and monotone voice."

He still just stared at her with complete boredom as he handed her the timetable.

She snatched it from his hand and whipped around, quickly making her way to the other side of the Great Hall, passing her friends in the process. They watched her as she exited through the double doors and went into the corridor, disappearing from their sight when the doors shut behind her. Not really in the mood or having the time before lessons started to walk all around the school like she'd done plenty of times before, she decided to go to the Astronomy Tower.

And there she went.

As she walked down the corridors, turning corners when needed, she was annoyingly aware of her surroundings. She was also annoyingly aware of how much she disliked the Mary Janes she was wearing. How did Pansy and most of the girls in the school do this every day? She missed her boots greatly, but she was trying to switch things up, so she was going to have to stick with them. Perhaps the Mary Janes would be more comfortable once broken in and worn more.

A chill crept down her spine, but she ignored it.

It was probably nothing, maybe just the draft that was coming in from the open parts of the corridor. That had to be it. It was what she was going with either way.

Not a second later, she was reaching the bottom of the steps that led into the Astronomy Tower, and she felt a bit more relaxed being back there. Oh, how she'd missed the tower. She walked up the stairs, not wanting to waste another second looking at the morning sky. She made her way over to the railing after she came to the top of the stairs. For some reason, she was acutely aware of her wand that was in her pocket. It was so odd how focused she was now that she was back at Hogwarts. She was paying attention to every little thing—things she hadn't even thought to notice before. It was brilliant and annoying all at once.

It was only a few minutes that she'd been up there when, all of a sudden, she heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. Her instincts screamed at her to draw her wand, so she did, trusting her gut. She whipped around, pointing her wand and ready to send a curse if needed at whoever was coming to join her, just as they stopped at the top of the stairs.

It was a boy.

Not Draco, Theodore, Blaise, or even Lucas.

But it was a boy she recognized.

The one from the train.

Her eyes narrowed on him as he held his hands up in surrenderance with a shocked look on his face. It was then that she realized she was still aiming her wand at him. Slowly, she lowered it, certain that he wasn't going to do anything to harm her, but still, she kept it by her side and gripped tightly in her hand.

He seemed to be quite keen on it as he dropped his hands and walked further into the tower. "My apologies," he began, coming to her side. She noticed his dark curls and deep brown eyes, which went well with his tanned skin. He was handsome, but not someone she could see herself going after. Not that she would or was even thinking about it. She was more into too-pale, too-blonde boys, unfortunately. "I didn't expect anyone to be up here during the morning."

"No one usually is," she admitted, only slightly relaxing. Even as she studied his face, she still could not place him besides from the train. He must've been new, but Dumbledore hadn't mentioned any new students the night before. "Aren't you the boy from the train?"

"The one you threatened?" He raised a brow. "Yes, I am," he replied with a small nod. He seemed almost amused that she recognized him so easily. Her memory was quite good, and anyone who knew her knew that, so clearly he didn't know her beyond her name, which he made quite clear on the train. "You remember me."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't be too happy. I always remember the faces of people I know I'm going to despise," she retorted, feeling... not annoyed but odd because of him. She couldn't explain what it was, but it was something. "Especially the ones who grab me." She was quite serious about that. Who did he think he was, grabbing her? Or anyone, for that matter.

He looked surprised by her words, raising his brows and lifting his chin. "Ah, so you despise me?" He took a step closer, his brows knitting like he was confused, but the amusement was clearly trying to break through. "But how could that be? You don't even know who I am." She could tell he was fighting back a smile.

"That's correct," she said, keeping her face flat. Then she looked over him again, studying his face better. "I haven't seen you around. Are you new?" She paused, then raised her chin pridefully. "Or are you simply unworthy of my attention?"

He grimaced, placing a hand over his heart, acting as if she'd wounded him. "Ouch," he muttered, and then a smirk played at his lips as he dropped his hand to his side. He reminded her too much of Theodore, but at least Theodore was tolerable and charming. "I am new here. I only arrived yesterday," he explained. "I used to go to Durmstrang."

"You went to Durmstrang?" She quirked a brow, not believing him. He didn't seem like he would have gone to Durmstrang of all places. The boys she'd met from that school a couple of years prior had been nothing but brutes, and he most certainly was not one.

"Just for a couple of years," he admitted, looking out at the Black Lake. He faced Olivia again, her eyes not having left him. "I grew up right outside of London and was homeschooled before that."

"Ah, I see." She nodded, then looked him over again, mainly focusing on his robes. Green lapels and a Slytherin crest embroidered on the chest. "So you're Slytherin," she stated, meeting his gaze from where she had been staring at the snake crest.

"Don't tell me my robes gave it away," he said sarcastically, holding back a grin.

She just looked unhumored, staring at him like Snape stared at everyone. "Very funny."

Many people would say that Olivia didn't have a sense of humor, but that wasn't the truth. She did; they just didn't understand hers. But what she hated most was when people tried to use humor as a way to make her feel like an idiot when she clearly wasn't anything of the sort. That was what she didn't find amusing or take too kindly to.

After a long, semi-awkward pause, full of nothing but silence while Olivia stared into his soul, not even blinking, the boy, whom she still didn't know the name of, cleared his throat. His smirk was no longer at play as he looked away from her and around the scenery in front of them.

"Well, look at the time." Neither of them had a watch. He focused on her again, pressing his lips together in what was supposed to be a smile. "I'd better be going now," he said, taking a step back from the railing, and her eyes followed him with every move he took, not leaving his. It was clear that she was making him uncomfortable, and she was glad for it. He turned around, peeling his gaze from hers, and went to the stairs. One last look was offered over his shoulder as he focused on her and saw that she was still staring at him with that unsettling look in her eyes.

"I didn't catch your name," she told him.

"I didn't throw it," he replied, followed by another second of silence as he seemed to think.

Her eyes didn't leave him as she continued to try and figure him out.

He smirked, seeing her eyes slightly narrow. "I want to play a little game," he admitted, causing Olivia to feel a sense of confusion.

"A game?" She stared at him as if he were spewing nonsense.

He nodded with an answering hum. "I want you to try and figure out my name for yourself. See how well those skills you possess really are," he explained, confusing her even further.

She'd just met this boy and already disliked him, and he wanted her to play a name game with him? What was he getting at? She wasn't sure what his motive or motives were or why he seemed so interested in her, but she never turned down a challenge, even when she had too much going on and knew that she should turn it down for the sake of her sanity.

With a lift of her chin, signaling her confidence, Olivia said, "Fine." Her tone was rather stern, almost speaking her words through her teeth. "But, until then, which will be rather soon, I'll refer to you as Train Boy, all right?" It wasn't really a question; she was going to anyway, whether he agreed to it or not.

"Fair enough." He curtly nodded, then his eyes dragged down her body, like he was examining her with curiosity, not checking her out like he was interested in her physically, before finding her gaze once more. "See you later, Olivia Mallard."

And with that, he left.

She stood there, her attention on where he had just been, trying to understand what had just happened. There was something about that boy that she just couldn't quite place, and she was dying to know what it was. It was driving her mad. She felt a bit at a disadvantage with him knowing her name and her not knowing his, but it was fine. She would soon enough. If he wanted to play a game with her, then she, as sure as Merlin's beard, was going to play along.

Her determination in mind, she tucked her wand back into the pocket of her robe, having almost forgotten she'd been holding it, and exited the Astronomy Tower. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she looked around the corridor, seeing that Train Boy was nowhere in sight. It couldn't have been more than a minute since he'd left. How'd he get away so fast? Either he was a wicked fast walker or he'd sprinted down the corridor.

Shaking the thought from her mind, she knew that she needed to get to class, so she pulled out her timetable from her bag and began studying it. Her first class of the day was none other than Defense Against the Dark Arts with none other than newly appointed (to the position of DADA master) Professor Snape. She put the timetable back in her bag, now having memorized the majority of it, and began walking in the direction of the classroom.

When she turned the corner, she was met with a swarm of students. She let out a small groan, knowing that the first-years would be pushing their way through, eager to get to their first ever class in an actual magical school, while the other students, who had been through the same routine many times before, would be dragging their feet, not really caring about school as much anymore. She, on the other hand, was a mixture of both, wanting to get to class while pushing past the rest of the students but also not wanting to have to deal with it all anymore.

She just had two more years.

If they would make it that long...

She pushed through the crowd, trying her hardest to get by. Some pushed her back, turning to give her an earful, then realized that it was her and backed off. Luckily for them, she was in a giving mood and decided not to hex them like she so badly wanted to. It was quite the feat getting through everyone and finally coming upon the door of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, but she did and walked inside.

She saw that the majority of the seats were already filled by her chattering classmates, but Snape was not there yet. She would usually opt to sit next to Pansy, seeing as the girl saved her spot every time, but she wasn't there yet. And, as Olivia walked over to find a spot for them to sit for once Pansy did arrive, her eyes landed on the back of the head of someone familiar. Well, someone newly familiar. Curiosity getting the better of her, Olivia raised her chin slightly and made her way over to him. He was sitting alone, and if she were going to learn his name, she had to at least be around him some.

She was meant to be changing up her routine, and he certainly was helping her with that.

Coming to a stop by his side, with only the empty seat next to him in between, Olivia's eyes trained in on the new boy. "Hello, Train Boy," she greeted, looking down at him and smirking just slightly.

He found her gaze; his brows raised a hint before he realized it was her, and his expression turned a bit amused. "You're seriously going to call me that?" he asked, almost chuckling.

She nodded, confirming with a hum. "Yes. Well..." She shrugged. "As I said before, just until I learn your actual name, which I will do," she replied, giving him a pointed look at the end of her declaration with a point of her finger in his direction.

He raised his hands defensively. "I have complete confidence in you."

"Good," she said sternly, dropping her hand to her side. They both went silent for a moment as she looked over him and the empty seat in which she stood next. "Mind if I sit here?" She gestured an offering hand at the seat, not even giving him a second to respond before she was pulling the strap of her bag off of her shoulder and sitting down next to him. "Thanks."

"By all means," he muttered.

While they waited for the bell to ring and for the rest of the students to pile in, they were quiet, both facing the front of the classroom as he read, and she just sat up straight with her eyes focused on the desk in front. Olivia knew when her friends had walked in because she heard them talking, and then they were silent, and she felt burning gazes on the back of her head. One being more intense than all of the others combined.

A bit of shuffling, and then the sound of the seats behind her and Train Boy were being dragged out and occupied. She knew who was behind them, not even having to look over her shoulder, but she did anyway. Her eyes landed on Draco and Theodore, the former with his eyes trained on her and the latter with his eyes on the new boy, then they switched. She simply offered a small smile and faced back forward, not missing the eyes of Pansy and Blaise, who sat behind Draco and Theodore.

A moment later, the door of the room swung open, slamming violently against the wall behind it, and everyone turned to face who had just walked in. It was Snape, of course. His cloak swayed behind him as he stalked to the front of the room, giving a full-on performance, just as he always did, while the door harshly shut again. His expression was one of boredom as he blew past the students, not even sending a glance in any of their directions as they followed him with their eyes. When he finally did reach the front, he whipped around to face them.

He was so dramatic, and Olivia couldn't help but love it.

Defense Against the Dark Arts, however, was a chore. Not only was the man's voice going to put her to sleep, but the constant rant about various creatures that she already knew most of the things about was entirely gruesome to hear. And not having Pansy beside her to mutter jokes back and forth during the course of the lesson didn't help that.

But eventually the class ended, the bell rang to signal that, and everyone stood. Olivia gathered her things and exited the classroom alongside Train Boy. She wasn't sure why she was walking with him besides trying to learn his name. Perhaps he would slip up in their conversation. If they even began to have one, that was.

They weren't speaking, just in silence. Olivia was just about to open her mouth when someone brushed past her and turned to stand in front of them. She didn't even get a second to blink or focus on them before she was running into the person's chest. Looking up, her eyes landed on Draco, who was staring at her with a hint of confusion before his eyes went to the boy next to her, and his look turned into one of jealousy. She really hated when he stood in front of her and gave her nowhere to go other than into his chest. It was bloody annoying.

"May I speak with you?" he asked as he had earlier that morning, and she watched as he practically had to rip his eyes from the other boy. His eyes bored into hers as she glared at him. He didn't seem to mind, giving another side glance to Train Boy. "Privately." He refocused on her; his face almost turned into a bit of a scowl.

She fought back a smirk, looking him over slowly. Then she shrugged, turning her head away from him as she let out a breath of boredom. "I suppose." Her attention went to Train Boy after that, seeing him still staring at Draco. "Go on," she told him, a small smile on her face as he looked at her. "I'll find you later."

The boy lingered for a moment, his attention going back to Draco, who was glaring at him, and then on her again as he nodded. Then he finally walked away.

Olivia watched him while Draco stared at her, still sneering, until he was lost in the crowd. She turned back to Draco, lifting her hand offeringly. "Shall we?" She raised her brows, waiting for him to move as he just stood there. Then she felt him grab her bicep and pull her in the opposite direction that Train Boy had gone.

She was going to be late for her next lesson. Both of them were. But she was curious about what was so important that it couldn't wait until later. Later, she would be keeping her distance again, so perhaps it was best for him that he ambushed her. She could've been doing that right then, but one interaction wouldn't hurt anything, would it?

As she and Draco found themselves in an empty part of one of the corridors, now that most of the students were either in their next lesson or heading to it, he pulled her into an alcove in the corridor, giving them the privacy he'd requested.

Before she could even open her mouth to speak, his lips were on hers.

She knew that it would be wise to push him away, but she couldn't help but not want to.

Just as she'd felt the prior night, where the carriages usually were, when Luna and Harry had caught her snogging him—him snogging her—his lips were so soft, she couldn't help but kiss him back. He inhaled deeply through his nose when she put her arms around the back of his neck and pulled him closer to her. She felt his hand fall to her hip, and he slowly walked forward, guiding her backwards until her back hit the stone wall. One of his hands was tangled in her hair as the other moved from her hip to rest on the side of her neck, his thumb dangerously brushing against the front of her throat. She felt his tongue brush against her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth, allowing it inside.

She recalled a time when they hadn't kissed like this, and she was glad to not go back.

His hands drew away from her hair and neck as he pressed his mouth deeper into hers and pushed her against the wall. They moved down the front of her body, brushing against her breasts and stomach over her robes before settling on her hips, pulling them forward and into his as he pressed against her. His mouth worked with hers, kissing her intently as her fingers threaded in his hair. Then he moved his lips down her jaw and neck as she kept her eyes closed and her fingers in his soft hair, gripping the strands.

Olivia felt lightheaded, letting out soft breaths.

They shouldn't be doing this. She knew that.

Distance was for the best.

But he put his mouth back on hers, and it felt too good to let go.

Then he pulled back, and she stumbled forward, following him, not wanting to end their kiss. Her eyes were closed tightly as she breathed heavily as she ached for him, and he just watched her with his eyes dancing all over her face. Just as she opened her eyes, his hand gently grasped her face, his thumb and fingers lightly pressing into her cheeks as he turned her head up so she'd meet his gaze.

"Who was that boy?" He asked lowly, bringing his face closer to hers. Her brows narrowed in confusion as she stared at him, seeing him glance to her mouth. "The one you were just with?"

"He's new," she replied, trying not to bask too much in his jealousy. She sort of liked the feeling of his fingers digging into her skin. It was almost possessive. And despite not being an object for him to possess, it was a bit thrilling knowing that he got so irritated and territorial when it came to her being around other boys. "I just met him this morning, and I don't know his name."

His sneer just deepened.

A small smirk played at her lips, one that she did her best to fight. Her eyes ran all over his face, taking in the tension in his features, the heat in his eyes, and the furrow of his brows that put a little crease between them. She placed her bottom lip between her teeth, not letting her smirk grow, and he focused on the action. "Are you jealous, Draco?" she inquired, knowingly.

His narrowing eyes found hers quickly.

"Well, you shouldn't be," she continued, leaning closer and standing taller. Her lips brushed against his as she stared right into his eyes. "Because we're not together," she whispered, finally letting her smirk break through, pushing his hand away from her face. She took a step back, keeping her eyes on his before she brushed past him and walked out of the alcove. Readjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder, she could feel his eyes on her as she went down the corridor and around the corner.

It was the truth; they weren't together.

They never had been, not officially at least.

She wasn't sure they ever would be.

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

Later in the day, during her free period, Olivia sat in the common room, studying. Others sat around the room, using their free time to relax and hang around with their friends. But hers were nowhere in sight, so she was there. No one had tried to disturb her peace, and the judging looks she had received were minimal, despite knowing that most of her housemates thought of her as a blood traitor. (So be it; it did not matter to her.) Her mind was focused mainly on the material she was reading and the notes she was writing. But then, a familiar and already-getting-on-her-nerves boy walked over to her.

"Are you truly studying during your free time?" He asked, his tone almost teasing, and she could hear the smile in his voice.

"I am," she answered boredly, not even glancing up from what she was doing. "This is one of the places where I focus best. The noise helps a bit."

He could tell that she wasn't particularly interested in a conversation after standing there for a moment in silence, not even getting a small look in his direction, so he simply sat down in the seat across from her. And then, another quiet moment and no attention to him, he got bored and picked up one of her books.

That was when Olivia finally looked up, having noticed the moment in her peripheral vision. Her eyes narrowed on him as she quickly set her quill down and snatched the book from him. "This is not yours," she said harshly, about to follow up with the fact that she was protective of her books as she glanced down at the book to make sure it wasn't damaged. But she read the title instead, and her heart dropped at the sight of it.

The Tale of the Crestgroves—the book that she had hidden away in her enchanted box for the rest of the summer after she had taken it from her father's study, having not wanted to risk being caught with it on the off-chance her parents discovered that she'd replaced it on the shelf with a duplicate. She hadn't gotten around to reading it yet, and she was going to be damned if this boy was going to get that chance before her. She had no clue as to what lay inside, but she wanted to be alone when she found out.

"It's mine, and I didn't tell you that you could read it," she added when she finally looked at him again. Then she began packing up her things, including the book. She closed her inkwell before placing it and her quill inside her bag. She gathered her parchment, stuffing the stack of it inside the book she was using for notes, making them a temporary bookmark before putting that in her bag as well, followed by the Crestgrove book.

Train Boy just watched her do all of this. Then he watched as she slung the strap of her bag on her shoulder and began walking away from him without another word. All she heard from behind her was, "I thought you said this was a place you focus best?"

"It was."

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

━━━━ ella's speaking !
just want to make it clear that olivia will make some confusing choices during this act, and really throughout the rest of this fic. she is just a teenager and doesn't have everything figured out, and she is also full of emotions that she can't completely make sense of, especially when it comes to draco! just wanted to put that out there.

thank you for 44K & 45K!!

i'm so sorry for the lack of updates. i will be honesty, i have been too distracted prewriting this fic to edit chapters 😭 but on that note, i started writing act seven, which i'm so excited for!

also, i'm super happy that i finally get to introduce train boy as he has been an oc of mine for well over two years now (from one of the original versions of this fic), which is crazy to think about.

make sure to comment and vote 🫶🏻

kisses.

━━━━━━━━━━ born to die,
© -LOSTGARDENS, nov 2024

word count: 8217. written: 8.8-9.24. published: 11.21.24.