The D.A. had already begun to scatter as I dashed out of the Room of Requirement

I had a choice to make: go by the shortest possible route and risk being caught with the others, or go a long, roundabout way that would put more distance between myself and Umbridge.

Definitely the latter. I sprinted down the hall, turning to my right, and then to the left, randomly going through doors and hallways to get away from Umbridge and her damn Inquisitorial Squad. I had turned onto a long stretch of mercifully deserted hallway when-

"AAAAAHHHH!" I yelled. As my feet unexpectedly flew out behind me, I went from a dead sprint to a headlong dive. My knee, mid-stride, dropped onto the floor with a sickening crack. My arms did nothing to stop me from ungracefully plummeting down from my 5'8' height. I rolled once, twice, and then skidded along, feeling floor burns form on every available patch of exposed skin.

I rolled onto my back, and sat up. My elbows stung, the raw skin an angry red. The knee that I had landed on was bleeding a bit, and my chin felt numb. I immediately regretted wearing a skirt today, which left my legs, now covered in bruises and floor burns, bare.

I heard hurried footsteps stop right behind me, and I turned, expecting the worst.

"What the hell are you doing?" Draco stood over me, his expression betraying his displeasure.

"I should ask you the same thing." I glared at him.

"You shouldn't be-" He began furiously, but I stopped him.

"Well, I am, so go call Umbridge, tell her you've gotten another of those horrible Ministry traitors." I said, attempting to inject venom into every word.

"I don't think you're horrible!"

"Well, what have you been telling that Parkinson cow? At least I know what she thinks of me." I stood up; wincing at the sore feeling I had pretty much all over.

"I don't care about Pansy." Draco said, sounding exasperated.

"Why don't you tell Pansy that then?"

An unexpected ache alerted me of another floor burn; even my stomach area hadn't survived the fall unscathed. My shirt must have rucked up as I slid; I inspected the burn with distaste.

Draco glanced at it, apologetic. "Are you… all right?"

I looked back up at him, eyes narrowing.

He gave me a look of frustration. "Look, I didn't know it was you, I'd have-"

He broke off, looking behind him. I heard it, too. There were voices and footsteps; Umbridge was drawing closer. He paused, seeming to hesitate.

"You're really gonna do it, aren't you?" I was disbelieving. Draco wouldn't go so far as to turn me in. At least, I hoped he wouldn't. We'd been dating for about three months now. Admittedly, it had been low-key because if word got around- a Slytherin and a Ravenclaw, together! We just about ignored each other in public, mostly to save his damn Slytherin pureblood ego, but this?

"Shut up," He warned me, grabbing my arm and pulling me down the corridor, away from the approaching danger. We turned onto another, and then stopped about halfway along.

"What are you doing?" I hissed.

"You owe me for this." He whispered, as Umbridge called out:

"Mr. Malfoy? Did you catch anyone else? See if there are any in the boys' bathroom- Miss Parkinson has just gone into the ladies'!" Her tone disgusted me. She was eager to make us pay for what we had done, for going behind her back and taking matters into our own hands.

I turned to him, to ask, or maybe demand, why he was going through all this trouble, that maybe our relationship wasn't going to work out if this was what it took, that-

Draco suddenly kissed me, fleeting and light. Then he pushed me away, murmuring into my ear, "Go; get out of here."

He ran back around the corridor, and I heard him say confidently, "Nothing over there, Professor."

She sounded disappointed, saying, "Check the bathrooms. Hurry!"

I hurried away as quietly as I could, continuing my sprint to Ravenclaw Tower. I was a little more sure of Draco's true feelings now.