Secret Love; My Escape

Chapter 2: Hand me a Quill

The school year fell into a slow, monotonous rhythm after that first night. I think I heard the "You're seventh years now, therefore you have to be responsible" speech a gazillion times and each time the teachers would end it with a pointed look to me.

Don't know what they're on about! I am responsible... when it matters... I mean here it was, a gorgeous, sunny afternoon where I could be flying in the gorgeous sunshine... and I in the library working on Snape's Stupid Defence Against the Dark Arts essay on Inferi. I hated that man with a passion.

My cat Yahtzee yowled from the floor at my feet. "I know, I want to be outside as well Yah, but I have to get this essay done" I sighed and scooped her up in my arms.

"Losing the plot are we Vanderbilt?" I hear Malfoy drone from across the mostly empty library. "Talking to a cat is the first sign of madness you know"

I sighed and rolled my eyes. The few people that were in the library looked at us both warily. Malfoy-Vanderbilt fights were legendary, fifth year being the worst of them all.

"At least my cat has a brain Malfoy" I shot back. "Unlike you... shouldn't you be in the dungeons working on your tan?" I said smoothly.

"Har har" He said dryly. "I'm doing homework" He answered the question simply. I raised my eyebrows and looked at him warily. He never answered a question simply.

"What are you up too?"

"Nothing? I just thought this year I should try and actually beat the mudblood in classes... it being final year and all, father would be – WHAT THE FUCK!" He exclaimed, jumping up as hundreds of tiny spiders crawled over his hands.

I pocketed my wand and narrowed my eyes. "Don't call Hermione a Mudblood" I said hotly. "She's better than you in every way, Death Eater, and don't you forget it" I turned back to my own work, still fuming about what he called Hermione. Merlin! He was such a git!

"Careful Rosalie" He said coldly, shaking his hands free of spiders. "I could give you detentions for attacking me". I grumbled something under my breath but didn't push it further. Last thing I needed was him giving me a crappy detention. Knowing him it'd be something like Juicing Bototubers or cleaning the toilets.

I looked up a few minutes later when I heard Yahtzee meow.

And Malfoy laugh.

"What the – YAHTZI!" I exclaimed. The little traitor was prancing all over the git's work. She looked over at me, her big, amber eyes blinking questioningly. "Get back over here" I pointed from her to the desk. She rubbed up against Malfoy one more time before springing from table to table.

"Oh come on Vanderbilt, she was just having a pat" Malfoy reasoned with a slight chuckle.

"A pat from you" I threw the cat a dirty look and she ducked her head to rub against me. I reminded myself to sanitize my hands later.

"What's wrong with me? I'm not too bad to look at am I?" He leant back on his chair and smiled that stupid 'I'm a sex beast' smile. I rolled my eyes and pretended to vomit.

"Careful Malfoy... that big head of yours might make you topple over backwards" I looked back at my work.

"Psh, hah, ugh... WOAH!" I heard a crash and looked up again. Then I laughed. He had fallen backwards off his chair and was now hurrying to sit up and fix his hair. I stood and rolled up my parchment.

"Told you so... Have a good day Malfoy" I said airily over my shoulder as I passed.

He grumbled something unintelligible and I laughed again.

"You should have seen him... hilarious" I did my impression of Malfoy falling off the chair again at dinner time. I caught his annoyed expression over the House tables. I laughed again and flashed him a thumbs up. He glared at me and stabbed something on his plate. I swear I saw that small smirk touch the corners of his lips.

"Damn we should have gone to the library Hermione" Ginny laughed. Hermione agreed. As my friends started talking again I glanced back at the Slytherin table. Malfoy wasn't smiling anymore, nor was he glaring at me. He was sitting alone like he had for the past 4 weeks and not talking to anyone. To be honest I hadn't seen him talking to his friends since school started, let alone people. He didn't even talk in classes.

It was bizarre. To me he seemed perfectly normal... like the way he flipped me off as he left the Great Hall just then... but he wasn't normal. There was something wrong.

Oh god listen to me, it sounds like I actually care about the asshole. I rolled my eyes as he left and turned back to my friends conversation. I didn't care what happened to that git.

"What are you doing?"

"Sitting"

"Why?"

"Because I need to do my potions homework and there are no other seats"

I looked around the room and saw the git was right. The only available seat was next to me. The work load for the 7th years start of term was intense and the library unusually packed.

"CRAP!" I exclaimed, seeing he was right.

He chuckled slightly as he sat next to me.

"Do not talk to me" I ordered, turning back to my essay.

"Why?" Malfoy asked, opening his potions book and taking out a quill.

"Because" I said shortly "I'm concentrating on this stupid essay and I need to concentrate" I savagely erased a line of my essay that didn't work and almost burned a hole in my page.

"Oh have we got a temper problem?" Malfoy sounded delighted. If I wasn't in such a bad mood I would have snorted. As if he didn't know about my temper problem already.

"Shove it Malfoy. So not the time" I shot him a glare and then looked back over the 'Cursed Objects' section of my essay.

"Touch isn't required for a cursed object" Malfoy's voice was very close to my ear and I jumped a mile. "Oh and tell me to shove it again and you can have a detention tonight in the dungeons"

"Merlin's pants dude, don't fudging scare me like that" I turned my head and just saw the side of his, his white blonde hair inches from my eyes. The smell of his aftershave wafted into my nostrils and I couldn't help but be mildly surprised. Never thought he'd smelled good... you think that after all the times I'd belted him or attacked him or sat on him I'd notice something like that but no... I only notice when he's craning his neck over my essay and talking to me.

Oh crap he's talking... "What?" I asked, turning to look at where he was pointing on my essay.

"Touch isn't required for a cursed object. It can be a simple proximity spell" He repeated as he sat back in his chair. I bit my lip and poured over the text book again, scanning the pages for that tidbit of information.

"How do you know?" I raised an eyebrow.

He pointed to himself and smirked. "I'm Draco Malfoy".

"Good point" I agreed and bent over my parchment again. "So where are your silly little friends?" I murmured.

"Around" He grunted. "Who knows?" He added quietly. I don't think I was meant to hear it... but I did anyway.

"Awh, trouble in paradise? Lovers spat?" I teased. "Crabbe decided he loves Goyle more than you" The sneer I received would have scared the pants off most people and sent them running in the other direction. Good thing I don't scare easily.

I chuckled at my wit and he looked back at his parchment without another word. I studied his profile. He still looked pale and thin. He also still had purplish rings under his eyes from lack of sleep. I wondered vaguely what was wrong.

"See something you like?" He narrowed his eyes at his book but didn't look up.

"Noooo... I was just remembering how ugly you are. Pale skin and platinum blonde hair, not a good mix" I sighed and shrugged my shoulders. "Although, it almost seems as if something is wrong..."

"Nothing's wrong" He snapped.

I shrugged. "Fine. I didn't even ask, I was just making observations" I sniffed.

"Well don't. It's none of your business" He snapped again.

"Oh now who has the temper problem?" I smirked. He shot me another withering look and I grinned.

I turned back and concentrated on my essay. I actually got a fair bit done which surprised me. Every so often Malfoy would glance over and correct something but I mostly finished my essay by the evening.

"Oh look at this boys... Draco Malfoy's finally found where he belongs... in the gutter with the rest of the scum" A sneering voice made me glance up from re-reading my essay.

Blaise Zambini was standing in Malfoy's usual space between Crabbe and Goyle. His arms were even folded like Malfoy's usually were and the famous smirk was on his face.

"Hey Malfoy, you got a tan" I chuckled to myself. Blaise gave me a strange look (one that I often got from people) and looked back to Malfoy. "Wait a second, I'm not SCUM!" I exclaimed, realising he'd insulted me.

"Get out of here, Blaise" Malfoy grunted, not looking up.

"Tell me, how does it feel to be disgraced? On the brink of war and you failed to do one thing that could have changed everything" Blaise shook his head. Malfoy's eyes flashed ice-blue and he finally looked away from his work. His temple pulsed as he clenched and unclenched his jaw and I wondered if he'd punch his best friend.

"I didn't fail" He said through clenched teeth. I realised they were talking about the attempted murder.

"Well you did, but it obviously worked out better for you. I mean now you're Dumbledore's new chosen one, life must be fantastic" Blaise rolled his eyes. "Good job on getting chosen as Head Boy by the way. I expect your father is so proud... if he even knows, I mean Azkaban is –" There was a sickening crack as Malfoy's fist connected with Blaise's face. Everyone in the library looked around as Draco shook his fist, Blaise fell backward onto the floor in a dead faint and I stared with an open mouth.

"Well that was..." I started to say in shock.

"ROSALIE VANDERBILT!" Professor McGonagall cut me off however, and swooped down on me like a bee on a flower.

"What!" I exclaimed, looking around with wide eyes.

"How dare you hit Mr Zambini!" She exclaimed.

"But – " I tried to argue my innocents.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor" She interrupted me.

"I didn't – " I continued to defend myself. For once I really didn't do it!

"and detention. I'll sort something out with Professor Snape" She shot me one last glare before she swished her robes and ushered Blaise out of the doors.

"Stupid old Bat" I swore under my breath. I turned and glared at Malfoy. "YOU!"

"I'm so sorry" He was still shaking his hand. "I think I broke a knuckle..."

"You're going to have a lot more broken if I have to do that damned detention" I glared at him, feeling my own hands ball into fists.

"Vanderbilt I'm sorry. If she didn't let you talk then she damn well wouldn't have let me" Malfoy rolled his eyes. "I'll work something out with Snape ok?" He sighed.

I raised an eyebrow. "You're going to do something nice for me?"

"Well... I guess so" He raised an eyebrow. We stared at each other for a minute.

"Are you feeling alright Malfoy?" I asked.

"I think so" He sat back down and examined his hand. I glanced down at Blaise on the floor.

"Quick, give me a quill. I love drawing mustaches on people when they can't fight back" I grinned delightfully.

"That's so not a good idea" Malfoy shook his head. I sighed and tapped my foot impatiently.

"Oh! I bet he has a quill on him!" I leaned over the passed-out boy with the swelling lip.

"Stop it Vanderbilt" Malfoy chuckled. "That looks illegal"

I rolled my eyes. "Spoilsport" I muttered. "Hey! This is the longest we've ever gone without having a really bad fight... or me punching you in the nose" I commented.

"Yeah it is, isn't it" He nodded, without looking up. I picked up my bag and slung it over my shoulder.

"Don't think too much about it" I said, smacking him in the side of the face with my bag.

"OI!" He exclaimed.

"Fix my detention" I flipped him off and called over my shoulder as I left the library.

Plea's Note:

Here it is, part two! Sorry it's so late.. I made it slightly longer to compensate for the lateness. Hope everyone enjoys it! Don't forget to review!

xo

Plea