Chapter Sixteen

"What were Occlumency lessons like?"

Seohyun paused in the essay she was writing for Astronomy. She shook several strands of hair from her eyes as she glanced over at Draco, who currently lay flat on his back, the book for Transfiguration he was reading resting, opened, on his forehead.

It was nearing the end of term, and for its final weeks they had been meeting in the little secluded space by the lake regularly. They didn't always speak much, but it was comforting, and Seohyun always enjoyed their time together. She thought Draco enjoyed it just as much as she did, even if he didn't vocalise it. It was reassuring, at least, to be with the one person who understood him, who bothered to care.

When they did talk, it was of little things. Her favourite Korean food. Draco's first instance on a broomstick. When Seohyun was roped into joining a prank with her friends, which resulted in another girl having a permanent fear of mice. Little things, spoken at irregular intervals, but heard with rapt attention from the other person each time.

And Seohyun was finding she very much liked this Draco Malfoy.

"Fun, actually," she said. A blush came to her face and she giggled. "Though embarrassing, when people managed to access some particularly private memories."

"Such as?"

Draco twisted on to his stomach, holding himself up on his elbows. His eyes issued a challenge.

Seohyun's face was completely red as she stammered, "My first kiss."

"You've had a boyfriend, then?" Draco raised an immaculate eyebrow.

She snorted. "Hardly. It happened two years ago. It was young love. Stupid crushes based on nothing, a kiss, and then we dated," she put air-quotes around dated, "for a week. It was still a clumsy kiss. Neither of us were very refined."

She laughed, satisfied with the way his face dropped slightly. No doubt he had been holding out to hear information that was a little bit juicier, or at least more interesting, than what she had just reported.

"What was his name?" he asked eventually. He drew each word out, grinning the entire time.

"Yah!" Seohyun hit his arm and swore in Korean, warmth once again flooding her cheeks. "You don't need to know that, Malfoy!"

"I have a whole box of sugar mice in my dorm. I'll give them all to you for the name."

Seohyun's mouth watered at the idea of sugar. Candies. Her ultimate weakness. I should not have revealed that to Draco Malfoy.

She struggled with herself momentarily, torn between her determination to not tell him, and her yearning for something sugary. Her Honeydukes store of sweets had depleted within a week – and after the incident with Katie Bell, which hadn't yet been resolved, all future Hogsmeade visits had been cancelled.

"Nam Taeyung," she disclosed, with a heavy sigh. She glared at Draco. "No wonder you're in Slytherin."

He smirked in response, very self-satisfied. Seohyun threw her book at him, which he deflected with a lazy flick of his wand. This only caused Seohyun to scowl deeper, which, in turn, fuelled his amusement.

"Prick," she muttered, and he snorted.

Seohyun returned to her work, tapping the end of her quill against her page as she thought of what else she could add to her homework.

"Would I be able to read that memory now, if I tried Legilimency on you?" he asked conversely.

"No. I was one of the best Occlumens in my year. Not top, but close. Only myself and six others could keep our Headmistress out."

He shook his head. "Is there anything you can't do, Seohyun Park?"

"My homework, while you're invading my personal life."

He chuckled at this.

"You said that it's not due for another week," he pointed out.

"And I still have Defence and Ancient Runes homework to do, too." Seohyun sent him a pointed look. "So shut up, Malfoy."

He smirked, but didn't speak for the rest of their time together.

Seohyun managed to finish her essay by the time they wandered back to the castle. She allowed Draco to speak again and they talked naturally, just as any friends would talk together. Seohyun wished more people would see Draco like this – a boy, who didn't have a choice, and was actually human, no matter what he led other people to believe.

Hermione and Luna were walking out of the Great Hall as the two ambled back into the castle. Upon seeing Hermione, Draco said a quiet goodbye to Seohyun and turned toward the Slytherin common room. Hermione glared daggers at the back of his head the entire time.

Seohyun sighed and folded her arms, preparing herself for the highly predictable talk she knew was talking.

Sure enough, Hermione said with a lightly clipped tone, "You seem to be speaking with Malfoy an awful lot lately, Seohyun."

Luna said nothing. Her misty eyes travelled between the two others, as though only mildly interested by the proceedings.

Seohyun closed her eyes. "Yes, Hermione. I know you disapprove -"

"Because he's a prick!"

"I know you haven't had the best dealing with him in the past, Hermione. But trust me, things are different now. He isn't the person you believe him to be."

Hermione crossed her arms. "How so?"

Seohyun bit her lip. "I can't tell you that, Hermione."

Hermione sighed in despair, looking at Seohyun helplessly.

"Seohyun... You're a good friend, but Malfoy..." She pursed her lips. "People are noticing, you know. Talking behind your back."

"Are they now?"

Seohyun was suddenly full of white-hot rage.

"Then let them!" she yelled. "Let them be exposed to the fact there can be inter-house comradery, that there doesn't need to be pointless division between us based on the colours on our robes! I wish everyone here could attend Areum Academy – basically everyone got along there, there was no pointless division, just a sense of unity as being one student body! I don't care what other people think, Hermione, I really don't.

"I like Draco. I have reasons why. That's all that should matter, for it's my life, and no one else has a say in who I should be friends with!"

"Seohyun -" Hermione protested, but she was already leaving, her footsteps so forceful they echoed off the walls. The only sound that matched it was another set of footsteps, Luna's, as she dashed to catch up to Seohyun.

"Don't worry what people think," she said sincerely. Seohyun slowed her pace; it was hard to be angry when Luna was around. "They're narrow-minded – it's why they don't believe in Wrackspurts and Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, either." She patted Seohyun on the shoulder. "Just be yourself, Seohyun."

Seohyun took in her friend: a mass of dirty blonde hair, spectrespecs keeping it back, a Butterbeer cork necklace and radish earrings. Luna was so bright, a skip to her step – she was so Luna, pure and simple. There was no other way to describe her, really. She truly was herself, and she was so happy, unflinching when people thought she was unusual.

Seohyun cracked a smile.

"Thanks, Luna. I'll do that."