Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter. The only character I own is Angela Barry. Everyone else belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Rating: PG

Genre: Drama/Angst

Summary: Angela Barry and Draco Malfoy have been dating for a while, but something is not right. Set during OotP.

Dark Purple

I stormed into the Ravenclaw common room, my face livid. A couple of first years squeaked in fright at my appearance, quickly gathered their things and left. Luna Lovegood came walking down from the girl's dormitory. As usual she looked like she had wandered in by accident. I scowled at her but she didn't seem to notice. I walked quickly past her into the dormitory. Entering the sixth years room, I flopped myself face down on the bed, hot, angry tears coursing down my cheeks.

Cho Chang's voice drifted down from where she stood above me.

"Angela? Angela what's wrong?"

I sat up, swiping hard at the water on my cheeks. "Nothing," I said sullenly.

Cho sat down next to me. "Well I know that's not true. Come on Angela, tell me. Maybe I can help you."

I gave her a sideways glance. "Well . . . you know how Malfoy and I are dating?"

She nodded.

"Well, I think that was the worst decision I ever made. It's horrible! I don't know why I keep dating him!"

Cho looked thoughtful. "What's happened?"

"We meet, we snog for a while, we eat and/or talk for a while, we snog some more, we fight, I slap him, we both walk away only for him to ask me to go out again where we do the same thing all over!"

Cho nodded slowly. "It seems to me that your relationship at the moment is more physical than anything else."

"I know that, but why is it making me so confused? I used to think that that was enough for now and that the more time we spent together, the deeper our relationship would get. I thought that I was in love with Malfoy. Only now that I'm spending more time with him, I'm realizing how much of a pathetic jerk he really is."

Cho nodded again. "That's how it happens sometimes."

I frowned slightly. "Not with you and Cedric. You two never fought."

Cho tilted her head to one side, a small sad smile gracing her pretty face, her eyes filling with tears. "Cedric . . . Cedric was something special."

That familiar ache in my chest returned. "Yeah," I said softly. "Yeah he was."

There was silence. Cho started to cry quietly. I suddenly felt horrible. What was I doing complaining about me and Malfoy? At least I had a boyfriend who was still alive. I put my arm around her.

"I'm sorry Cho, I shouldn't have mentioned him."

Cho shook her head, sniffing pitifully. "No, I'm sorry. I've been falling apart recently. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"I do. Cedric's gone, and you and Harry didn't work out. You have perfect reason to be upset. You make my problem seem insignificant."

Cho dried her eyes. I handed her a tissue. After she had blown her nose and calmed down, she turned to me. Tear tracks were still visible on her cheeks, but her face was solemn.

"Angela, I think you might need to break up with Draco Malfoy."

I started. "What?" I squawked. That was not the advice I wanted.

Cho nodded. "The relationship is obviously not going well. I think you should part ways as they say."

I ground my teeth together. I didn't want to break up with Malfoy. He would not take it well and I did not want an enemy right now. Malfoy helped me forget my grief over Cedric, our bantering helped develop my wit, he was my first kiss. There was no way I wanted all that to disappear.

But even while one part of my brain was arguing with Cho, the other was agreeing with her. Malfoy got on my nerves. He insulted my friends, he's cowardly and pathetic. A great kisser, I'll admit, but somehow I knew he's been using that as an advantage to get me to stay. I bit my lip. Cho was right. It would break my heart, and make Malfoy furious, but I had to break up with him.

After classes the next day I took a deep breath then went to find Malfoy. He found me first. Grabbing my arm he pushed me against the hallway wall and started kissing me fiercely. I couldn't help myself. I kissed him back. After a few minutes of snogging, we finally pulled apart, breathless. Malfoy went forward for another go but this time my brain kicked in sooner and I held him off.

"Malfoy, we need to talk."

Malfoy frowned. "Are you about to lecture me again about why I helped Umbridge? I told you before; I didn't know she was planning to use the Cruciatus Curse."

I shook my head. "It's not about that." I took another deep breath. "It's about . . . us."

Pale eyebrows shot upwards. "Us?" Malfoy said. There seemed to be a slight warning in his tone. I ignored it.

"Malfoy," I paused, gathering courage. "Malfoy, I can't go out with you anymore."

Silence.

"What?"

I bit my lip. "I can't go out with you anymore."

A cloud came over Malfoy's face. I took a hesitant step back.

"It's because of him, isn't it?" He asked, his pale cheeks turning pink in anger.

I was suddenly confused. "What are you talking about?"

"That Diggory boy. That Hufflepuff Champion. That dead pretty boy of yours. You can't get over him can you?"

My mouth dropped open in shock and anger. "How dare you—What are you—this has nothing to do with Cedric!" I sputtered.

"Then what is it about?" He crossed his arms and glowered at me.

"It's about you!" I cried. "You're an arrogant git! That's why I'm breaking up with you. Not because of Cedric!"

The pink in his cheeks darkened to deep red. "So I'm an arrogant git am I?"

I nodded vigorously. "And you always will be Malfoy. I see that now."

"I'm not your perfect dead pretty boy! You shouldn't expect me to be."

"THIS ISN'T ABOUT CEDRIC!" I bellowed. "AND STOP CALLING HIM THAT!"

A few students stopped to stare at my heaving form and Malfoy's maroon face. His jaw tightened, making his pointed chin more pronounced.

"Fine then. We're finished. But don't expect me to accept you when you come crawling back later."

"Trust me Malfoy," I growled between gritted teeth. "That will never happen."

He gave me a contemptuous look and swaggered away. As soon as he left I burst into tears. Even more students stopped to stare. I turned and ran back to the dormitories. Had he been right? Had I expected him to be like Cedric? I was too confused and disoriented to figure it out. All I wanted to do was cry. And so cry I did.