Chapter 2 - Life Gets Difficult

As expected the detention with Snape was horrible. He kept me for three hours doing sod all except cleaning the odd cauldron. Why he had to keep me there for that long was beyond me. I knew he could sense that I was angry at being kept there for so long, I cursed him in my mind. Even though I was angry, I was still frightened about being in the same room as him, I thought I saw him once or twice out of the corner of my eye looking at me in a not-very-teacherly way. I knew that it was my imagination getting the better of me, but it was still quite scary.

At half-past eleven he finally let me go. I moved as quickly as I could so that he wouldn't be able to call me back. I made it to the Room of Requirement with plenty of time to spare. I found Draco already waiting for me; he turned when he heard my footsteps.

"Cassie, you came. I didn't think you would," he whispered.

"Neither did I. Snape kept me for longer than I expected," I said back.

Draco took my hand and walked passed the wall three times, soon a door appeared and he opened it. The room was quite small and only had to chairs and a fireplace in there, the fire wasn't lit, but there were loads of small candles scattered around the place.

"Draco, what the bloody hell is this?" I inquired.

"Just a room where two friends can sit and chat," Draco answered as he pulled me through the door, "without prying eyes."

"You asked me to come here... for a chat?" I said closing the door behind me. Draco was still holding my hand; I was now beginning to like it.

"Of course... Why, did you think I asked you for something else?" He asked with a grin as he pulled me over to the chairs. I sat down and reluctantly pulled my hand from Draco's grasp and put it in my lap. He sat down in the chair opposite.

"So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" I asked, for some reason I couldn't look at him.

"Well... I need your help actually," he said, "with a girl."

"Oh," I tried not to sound disappointed, but I think I failed completely.

"Yeah... You see, I really like her," he replied, I could tell that he was looking at me, but I didn't meet his eyes.

"I imagine you'll have no trouble... You're a fantastic bloke Draco, and you're looks aren't that bad either," I chuckled a bit and was surprised that he did too.

"You really think that I'm fantastic?" He asked inching his chair closer to mine.

"Yeah, when you aren't calling me names and teasing me," I said with a small smile.

Draco was so close that his knee was now touching mine. "How do you girls work? Why are you all so confusing?"

I looked at him. "Some of us aren't as confusing as others," I stated quietly.

"Oh?" He said raising his eyebrow.

"No, some of us are quite easy to work out," I said looking at my shoes.

"And how do us men work you girls out?" He asked leaning forward a bit.

I thought for a moment before answering. "Talk to us." I said grinning.

"About what?" Draco asked.

"Seriously Draco, you're nearly 18, you should know all about this..." I said suddenly feeling irritated. "You were with Pansy for God knows how long!"

"I know, but this girl is different," he said.

"Who is she?" I asked.

"That, my friend, is a guarded secret," he smiled at me, the smile reached his eyes.

"Well, whoever this girl is, I hope she realises how lucky she is," I smiled back. "I know I would."

"You would, eh?" Draco said smiling mischievously.

I just shrugged and looked over Draco's shoulder at the non existent fire. "You know, the best thing for you to do is just talk to her. I'm not an expert on relationships, as you know I have no love life... Just speak to her; I'm sure something will develop."

"Yeah, I guess I'll try that."

I stood up ready to leave. "Keep me posted, won't you?"

Draco nodded. "Where are you going?"

"I have to go, Snape kept me hanging around for no apparent reason... Rosie'll be wondering where I am as well," I replied, "she'll probably be snoring by the time I get back, though."

"Oh... Well I catch up with you later then?" Draco said also getting to his feet.

"Yes," I said. "You can tell me all about this unknown girl."

Draco smiled and looked into my eyes, and then he did something that he had never done before. He hugged me. I was quite gobsmacked to be honest with you. Somehow he had completely changed since the Dark Lord had been killed. It was like he was able to live his life how he wanted to live it, not how the Dark Lord wanted him to live it. I returned the hug but pulled away rather quickly. I didn't want him to think that I fancied him. Because I didn't, he was just my friend. I think...

When I eventually got back to the common room, it wasn't as empty as I thought it would be. William was sitting at a desk reading. He turned around when I entered the room and raised his eyebrows.

"I saw you talking to Malfoy today," he said getting up from his chair.

"Yeah?"

"Cass, please don't do anything stupid," he said putting his hand on my shoulder. "I know you may think that he's changed, but he is a Malfoy."

I shrugged his hand off my shoulder. "Will, please, just except that Draco and I are friends."

"If that's all you are..." he said before going up the stairs to the boys dormitories.

What was he talking about? Of course that's all we were. I mean, can you imagine if Draco and I were, like, boyfriend and girlfriend? It would be a nightmare, not to mention, wrong. But why would it be so wrong? It's not like he's sickened by the fact that I'm Muggle-born. I'm just worried about what his dad would say if Draco said that he was going out with me. No, Draco needed a nice Pureblood girl.

I walked up the stairs to the girls' dormitory, as I expected Rosie was flat on her back snoring. How the other girls put up with it was beyond me, I nudged her and she rolled over with a snort.

I changed into my pyjamas and lay down in bed. Who was it that Draco was talking about? I did mean it though, whoever this girl was that Draco was after, she should realise how lucky she was. It wasn't everyday that someone as attractive as Draco Malfoy would chase after you.

I just wish that girl was me.

When I got up the next morning, I was thankful that it was Friday. All I had to do was go to lessons, then go to my detention with Snape then I could come back to the common room and sleep... How wrong I was.

I made it as far as detention with Snape, and then things just got worse. For some reason Snape had it in for me. I don't know whether it was because I was a Gryffindor, or because I was Muggle-born. He just seemed to hate me. I always thought that Harry Potter was exaggerating when he said that Snape was mean to him, but seriously he's not. Snape is a massive arsehole! He tried to rile me up so that I would retaliate so that he could give me another detention, but I didn't I kept my mouth shut and got on with writing my lines. I could see that this was annoying Snape to no end, so it just made me determined to do it even more.

I hadn't seen Draco all day, which was partly my fault as I was trying to avoid him. I couldn't talk to him about this girl he was going on about so I felt it safe to just stay out of his way. I honestly don't fancy him, but the thought that he wanted to talk to me about his love life with this other girl just made me feel sort of... Jealous.

William had been giving me odd looks when we were sitting at the table in the Great Hall that morning. It was like he was trying to tell me something with his eyes, I completely ignored him, after what he insinuated earlier I didn't really want to talk to him either. Rosie on the hand, was talking enough for the both of us. Honestly, she didn't shut up. She seems to be oblivious to the tension that surrounded her. I wish I was more like her. She doesn't worry about boys or schoolwork and she never had to worry about teachers hating her. It was like water off a ducks back to her.

Anyway, as I was saying. Detention was a nightmare, until Snape finally let me go, unable to get a rise out of me. I left equally as quiet as I had been throughout the whole two hours that I had been in the room with him.

Someone was loitering at the end of the corridor; I couldn't see who it was until I got closer. That's when I realised that it was Draco. He seemed to be stalking me now.

"Another detention?" he asked as we walked up the steps to the Entrance Hall.

"Y-yeah," I answered with a yawn. The late nights seemed to be catching up with me. "Spoken to her yet?"

"Not properly," he answered. "Haven't had a chance today."

"Been too busy, eh?" I asked.

"She seems to have been the one that was too busy," Draco said, now staring at me as we walked across to the marble staircase.

"Maybe she's just shy," I stated. "You should make the first move."

Draco stayed quiet until we reached the top of the staircase. "I'll have to make the first move, you say?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "Definitely."

Draco nudged me, I wasn't expecting it so I fell into the banister. "Why did you do that?" I said rubbing my side.

"She wouldn't like me doing that then?" He asked.

"If you were trying to put her off!" I laughed.

He pulled me behind a tapestry that was concealing a hidden passageway. He turned and faced me. I'd never realised how tall he was until now, I found it quite scary because I knew that if he really wanted he could hurt me, I knew he wouldn't though. Call me what you want, but I knew why he had pulled me in here, but it still shocked me when I felt his lips touch mine. They were so soft and I soon found myself melting against them, I felt my bag slip from my hand and land with a dull thud on the ground. Draco pulled me closer to him, and I slid my arms around his neck. I suddenly realised what I was doing and pushed him away.

"Err... She'll definitely like that," I said turning away from him and wiping my mouth. I could feel my cheeks burning.

Draco walked up behind me and put his hands on my shoulders. My breath caught in my throat. I tried to compose myself before I turned back to him.

"She's a very lucky girl," I said before I stepped away from him.

"Cass..." Draco trailed off.

"I'll see you later Draco," I said and left Draco standing in the passageway on his own.

What was that? I couldn't believe that Draco had just kissed me. Me of all people. I hurried up to the common room. There was still a small amount of people in the common room, including Rosie and Will who were chatting in the corner. I was glad that they didn't see me. I ran up the stairs to my dormitory and slid underneath my bed covers.

How was I going to look Draco in the eye again? I turned over and watched as the snow fell onto the window sill. I felt so tired, but I knew that I wouldn't sleep. I heard the door open and close.

"Cass?" Rosie whispered.

I couldn't be bothered to talk to her, so I didn't move.

I heard the door close again and sighed. Why did life have to be so difficult?