***Thanks for reading! This is a suuuuper long one, hence the wait (sorry about that) A lot goes down in this chapter. Please REVIEW! I want to know what you guys think!***
Fire and Rain
Chapter four
Jenn strolled down the buzzing corridor the following morning with an uncharacteristic pep in her step. She confidently swayed her hips and swung her arms at her sides as she trotted into the Great Hall for breakfast. Several of her classmates craned their necks to peek at her and she smiled brightly back at them, batting her thick black eyelashes as she did so. She took a seat at the Gryffindor table beside Harry and grinned widely at the golden trio.
"Morning," she chirped cheerily.
"Morning," Hermione replied, a skeptical edge in her voice.
"What's got you all chipper this morning?" Ron asked crankily at Hermione's immediate right while he rubbed his tired blue eyes.
"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" Jenn beamed, ignoring Ron's question.
"Are you feeling alright?" Harry asked, eyeing her up and down briefly.
"Peachy," Jenn smiled again.
"Who are you, and what have you done with my Jennelle?" Harry asked as he theatrically pressed the palm of his warm hand against her forehead.
Jenn giggled and playfully swatted his hand away, her heart fluttering at his possessive words; what she wouldn't give to be his Jennelle. She shook her head, grinning still, and took a generous bite out of a slice of buttered toast. Her green eyes lazily surveyed the dining hall and she noticed countless pairs of eyes intently focused on her despite the fact that she had elected to return to her normal attire consisting of the ugly pleated skirt, plain button down shirt and her infamous black and white Converse sneakers. She smiled bashfully and felt heat rise in her cheeks at the immense attention, waving her fingers at a particularly attractive boy at the Ravenclaw table. The stranger winked back at her before turning back to his friends, and Jenn focused back on her breakfast, allowing a veil of black hair to conceal her beautiful face.
Feeling a set of eyes scorching through the top of her skull, she swallowed a mouthful of eggs and lifted her gaze in search of the predator. Staring back at her from across the hall were the eyes she had grown far too familiar with. Jenn had honestly believed he would ignore her, pretending their endeavor in that blackened alcove had never occurred. She was shocked to find his eyes trained so carefully on her that he could probably see the few strands of hair that blew around her face as she inhaled and exhaled, and she stiffened beneath his fierce gaze, a chill creeping steadily up her spine. As she looked into those icy blue orbs, the scene flashed in front of her again. So vividly that she could almost feel his soft hair between her fingers, and feel his moist lips moving against hers. She could taste his minty tongue gliding against hers, intertwining in an intricate knot within her mouth. Jenn held his stare as long as she could, focused on keeping her face from betraying her emotions and she parted her lips, allowing an awkwardly shaky breath to pass through.
For a moment, she caught herself wondering if Hermione's words had any truth to them. She wondered if her bushy-headed friend was right, and Jenn did not truly fancy Harry anymore. Perhaps she was more in love with the idea of him than she actually was with him himself. Jenn furrowed her brow as she contemplated the possibility, biting down on her bottom lip lightly. Had she really been lying to herself all this time?
"Jenn? Hello! Are you in there?"
Harry's elbow prodded her ribs and Jenn nearly fell off the bench. He raised his thick eyebrows in question and Jenn glanced around at her friends' confused faces.
"What was that?" Jenn asked, raising her coffee mug to her glossy lips.
Hermione watched her through narrowed eyes, a wrinkle forming between her eyebrows in concentration. Jenn avoided her watchful stare by focusing her emerald eyes on Harry's profile, watching the strong muscle in his jaw tighten and relax as he chewed.
"Hermione asked how your detention went last night," Ginny's voice spoke softly.
Jenn hadn't even noticed the younger girl sit down with them. She was far too distracted by the blue eyes gazing at her from beneath the green and silver banner. Jenn fought the temptation burning inside of her like the blazing embers of a fire to glance his way once more.
"It went…exactly as expected," Jenn muttered grumpily.
"Let's see it," Ginny urged, an angry glint shimmering in her bright brown eyes.
Jenn glanced around at her friends, their eyes wide with a dangerous mix of curiosity and disgust. She reluctantly placed her palm against the cool wood of the table and flexed her short fingers, displaying her maimed hand for them to see. Ginny gasped audibly and an odd snort of repulsion erupted from the back of Hermione's throat. Ron choked on his pumpkin juice and began sputtering uncontrollably, tiny droplets dribbling down his chin. Harry's fingers latched around Jenn's so quickly that she jumped a little bit, and he tugged her hand towards him.
"Jennie…" Ginny said in wonder.
"She's gone too far," Harry growled through his straight teeth unable to tear his eyes from Jenn's hand.
"She did the same to you, Harry. What makes me any different?" Jenn asked, squeezing her fingers around his the slightest bit.
"Because you're…I'm…you don't," Harry stammered.
"I'm what?" Jenn asked with a small frown tugging at her lips as Harry dropped her hand. "I'm not fragile, Harry."
"I know you're not. But you're Jennelle. You're not supposed to be treated this way," Harry said sadly as he gently stroked around the gash in her skin with his thumb.
"And you're Harry. You don't deserve to be treated this way either," Jenn replied.
"But I'm used to it, Jenn," Harry mumbled gloomily.
"Was it really painful?" Ron asked curiously.
"Yes," Jenn answered honestly, fully aware of the grimace crossing Harry's face as she did so. "But I'm fine."
"We're lucky Neville's found a spot for our meetings," Ginny said as she pushed her auburn hair out of her face.
"He has?" Jenn asked, a new excitement coursing through her veins.
"Yeah, he found the Room of Requirement," Harry replied, his eyes flashing towards her hand.
"Wicked! When are we starting, then?" Jenn asked, tucking her hand beneath the sleeve of her robe.
"Soon. Tomorrow night, maybe," Harry suggested.
The others nodded and Jenn smiled dazzlingly.
"If Umbridge catches us…" Ginny whispered.
"We'll be dead," Ron finished grimly.
"Come on, you lot. We'd all have matching tattoos," Jenn joked.
She playfully ruffled Harry's messy hair with her finger as she snickered, but her joke did not strike any laughter amongst the group. Instead, their sad eyes were trained on her face waiting for her radiant smile to falter. She shifted her eyes before her smile could fall from her painted lips and she surveyed the room for a distraction. She tried to catch Jack's eye from his seat at the Hufflepuff table, but his bronze eyes were focused fiercely on Harry. Jack grinded his teeth together as he glared at The-Boy-Who-Lived, and he stabbed his fork through a piece of breakfast sausage. He must have felt eyes on him, for he turned his hateful stare towards Jenn, softening his eyes immensely. She wrinkled her eyebrows, silently questioning the look that had been etched on his handsome face, but he only smiled back.
She pursed her lips together and turned away from his bright grin. She was confident in glancing towards Malfoy, feeling certain that he would be looking her way. To her dismay, his blue eyes were trained on Harry as well. His glare, however, put Jack's to shame. He glowered so violently at Harry that Jenn could not fathom that he did not feel Malfoy's eyes scorching his face. Jenn watched Malfoy's pale nostrils flare at the end of his pointed nose. The muscle in his strong jaw twitched repeatedly as he clenched his teeth together. His eyes darted to Jenn's, but his loathing stare did not cease. He threw daggers at her, one after the next, until his attention was pulled away by a small brunette at his side.
Jenn watched the brunette nuzzle her nose into the crook of Malfoy's pale neck. She pecked his throat with her thin pink lips and brushed his blond hair off his forehead. Malfoy sneered down at the girl and whispered something in her ear, smirking in satisfaction as she giggled and batted her thin eyelashes at him. His icy eyes swiveled towards Jenn and he smirked cruelly back at her.
"Jenn!" Ginny cried.
"Bloody hell, what'd that fork ever do to you?" Ron asked while Harry cautiously pried the silverware from Jenn's trembling fist.
Jenn shook her head to herself and glanced around her circle of friends. Ginny was grinning almost identically to her brother, each staring in amusement at the fork in Harry's hand that had been bent into a silver ninety degree angle. Harry raised his eyebrows at her before allowing a bark-like laugh to pass between his lips. Jenn glanced up into Hermione's brown eyes, cowering under her thoughtful stare. The blonde pursed her lips and tugged her eyebrows together in deliberation. Jenn chewed the inside of her cheek and leapt to her feet, suddenly eager to be far away from her friends, Hermione in particular.
"Off to class! Have a good day, everyone," Jenn smiled and waved at her friends.
Having left breakfast so early, she expected to arrive at Transfigurations before anybody else. But as she found herself being tugged into a broom cupboard by her wrist, she could only hope she arrived to class on time. She stumbled over a couple of brooms and her own two feet, straight into the sturdy chest of her capturer. She lifted her eyes as they adjusted to the darkness of the cupboard and glared up at him.
"What do you want?" Jenn spat, steadying herself and stepping away from him quickly.
She moved as far away from him as she could, but even then, only an inch of space was left in between herself and the Slytherin Prince. She pressed her back against the uneven brick wall and waited for him to speak. But he only glared down at her, watching the anger flare in her emerald eyes.
"Why did you drag me in here, Malfoy?" Jenn asked dully.
He held his tongue and stepped closer, his unwavering eyes locked on hers. She held her breath as his fingers tugged her rucksack from her shoulder, dropping it to the floor beside his with a heavy thud. His fingers boldly slid their way around her waist and Jenn caught herself wondering if this was really happening…again. Was Draco Malfoy really shut away in a broom closet with her? Was he truly trailing his fingers along the curve of her waist and swaying their weight as he shifted closer to her. Her brain worked hard to convince her that it was not real, and that she was simply having some sort of bizarre fantasy.
But his calloused fingers caressing the soft skin of her neck felt far too familiar for it to simply be a dream. She could not possibly be imagining his lips continuously pressing against her jaw, slowly making their way down her throat. No, she was absolutely positive she was not dreaming, and that Draco Malfoy, her sworn nemesis, was snogging her for the second time in twenty-four hours.
"Why are you in here with me, Malfoy?" Jenn breathed in his ear as he continued to suck and nibble the skin of her neck.
"You were staring, Rivers," Malfoy said against her neck. "All through breakfast."
"Not at you, Malfoy," Jenn remarked.
"Yes, you did look awfully comfortable at Potter's side," Malfoy spat before biting down on the thin skin covering her collarbone.
"And you appeared to be quite cozy yourself," Jenn said bitterly.
She could have sworn she heard him chuckle against her neck, and when he pulled away to look at her, the ghost of a smile was still playing at his lips.
"With Parkinson, you mean?" he scoffed. "I'm sure you're aware of our history, Rivers."
"Vaguely," Jenn admitted bitterly as she recalled the rumors she had heard of Malfoy and Parkinson's scandalous rendezvous.
"Intimidated are we?" Malfoy smirked triumphantly.
"Not in the slightest," Jenn defended, a thin eyebrow raised involuntarily.
"No? Why is that, Rivers?" he inquired, pressing the front of his body to hers, molding them together.
"You're in here with me, Malfoy," she smirked up at him.
His eyes narrowed a bit and his fingers dug into her hips, pulling her as close as he possibly could. Jenn flashed a wicked smirk at him before allowing him to capture her lips in an intense kiss. Much like the night before, his kisses were hungry and lustful as he pinned her against the stone wall. Although she was losing breath quickly, Jenn continued to kiss him back with just as much force. She pulled at his silky blonde locks, clutching a fistful at the nape of his neck. She arched her back as his hands groped her sides, feeling the heat from his body radiate onto hers.
Their lips moved steadily in sync to the fast paced rhythm Malfoy had created. Jenn skillfully tilted her head from time to time, changing the angle of their movements. It didn't take long for his tongue to glide against her bottom lip, thriving for entrance. Jenn smirked through the kiss and declined, satisfied when a deep growl rattled in the back of Malfoy's throat. He pushed his body against hers harder and nipped at her lip until she could not suppress her pleasure any longer. A soft moan, an airy sound completely foreign to her, slipped from Jenn's mouth into Malfoy's, and he expertly slipped his tongue between her lips.
She had, unknowingly, released a floodgate of sound with that audible breath. As their tongues danced around each other's in exploration, they left her mouth one after the next. The burning sensation in her abdomen felt strange and unusual, something she had never experienced before. It wasn't painful, exactly. No, pain was not the correct word to describe the hot sensation bubbling inside of her. It was uncomfortable. She felt as if her body was yearning for something, as if it needed something to quench its thirst.
The more he kissed her, the more she enjoyed it, Draco could hear as much. The breathy moans leaving her swollen lips etched into his memory, and he yearned to hear them again. Listening to her pleasure sent him into frenzy and he was desperate to hear more. Every breath she breathed had a different sound, a new pitch, singing a wonderful song just for him as her trembling fingers clutched his strong biceps.
Jenn's fingers absentmindedly dragged down Malfoy's hard chest to his equally rigid abdomen. She felts the ripples of his muscles beneath her fingertips. The burning grew more intense. Without thinking, she began loosening his tie from his neck and she clumsily fumbled with the buttons of his school shirt. He clutched her to him, harder than before, before pulling away suddenly. Jenn's staggered breathing came out in huffs similar to his as they simply stared at each other for a moment.
She watched as he fastened his tie once more and closed to two buttons Jenn had shockingly managed to pop open. He ran his thick fingers through his hair a couple of times, smoothing down the tangled mess she had made, and he wiped the corners of his lips. His eyes flickered towards her and Jenn looked away bashfully and began tidying herself up, as well.
She adjusted her grey skirt around her smooth thighs, tucking in her white button down once more. She combed her fingers through her raven curls, sweeping her fringe out of her striking eyes. All the while, she was fully aware his eyes were fixed on her, and she pulled her lip between her straight teeth. She watched him bend down to grab the strap of his bag, swinging it over his shoulder. Jenn almost let a smile grace her lips when he handed her rucksack over to her.
He nodded his blonde head towards the door and Jenn stepped towards it carefully. She opened it just a crack and peeked through the opening until she was certain the coast was clear. She hopped out of the broom cupboard, patting down her hair one last time, and hurried towards McGonagall's classroom. Jenn sat down in her seat feeling a bit lightheaded and ran her fingers through her long hair. She twisted a lock around her finger and attempted to slow her breathing to a normal rate, but her efforts were futile. As soon as Draco Malfoy swept into the room and took the seat beside her, her breathing practically stopped. She ignored him as he smirked to himself, seeming to have noticed Jenn's frazzled demeanor. Jenn closed her eyes and focused all of her attention on her breathing until Professor McGonagall morphed from her cat-form into her human skin.
"Settle down," the professor commanded, and her students fell silent instantaneously. "Today, we will be working on vanishing spells."
The class whispered and murmured to each other in excitement. Professor McGonagall allowed the chatter for a moment before tapping her wand against her large desk to get the students' attention. Once all eyes were on her again, she continued on with her lecture about the complex spell.
"You will each be expected to perform a vanishing spell on the practical portion of your O.W.L. examinations. Vanishing objects is among the most difficult O.W.L. materials, so you would do well to remember what I teach you. Anyone who hopes to pursue a career as a Healer or Auror, and those who expect to take my class as sixth year students must receive no less than an 'E' on their Transfiguration O. ," Professor McGonagall said.
Jenn felt her anxiety peak. Although she had excelled in Transfigurations since she had first stepped foot in McGonagall's classroom, she was never any good at taking tests. Being an Auror was the only aspiration Jenn had for herself. She could not picture herself being a Healer, or a Ministry official, or even a professional quidditch player like Noah. She had dreamed of being an Auror since she was a little girl. The idea of serving justice and catching the evil men and women who caused misfortune to innocent people thrilled Jenn. She had been told many times by Dumbledore and even Professor Lupin in third year how talented she was, and that the Auror office would be lucky to have her working with them.
"I would like for you all to work in partners to vanish snails," Professor McGonagall said, and with a wave of her wand, a single snail appeared on each of their desks. "Vanishing invertebrate objects is far easier than vertebrates. Good luck."
With that, the class began pulling their wands from the backpacks and prepared to try the spell that was written neatly on the blackboard. Jenn stared at the word and said it over and over in her head until she was sure she had it right. She glanced at the grey snail on the table and wrinkled her nose as is left a slimy streak behind it. She raised her wand, pointing it at the slimy creature and thought of the incantation.
"Hurry up and do it already, Rivers," Malfoy growled beside her.
She glared at him, her concentration broken, and pointed her wand at him instead.
"Shove it, Malfoy, before I make you vanish," she threatened, though she was fairly certain she would not be successful if she tried.
He smirked at her and gestured towards the little critter gliding incredibly slowly across the mahogany desk. She focused back on the snail and aimed her wand carefully. She rehearsed the incantation in her mind before parting her lips slowly.
"Evanesco," she said, before she could blink, the snail disappeared before her eyes.
Jenn stared in surprise at the spot the snail had sat and smiled to herself in satisfaction.
"Dumb luck," Malfoy muttered under his breath.
"Excellent, Rivers," Professor McGonagall said proudly. "Ten points to Gryffindor."
Jenn bowed her head in thanks and smirked cockily at the pouting blonde occupying the seat beside her. He glared at the empty tabletop until Professor McGonagall waved her wand and provided them with another test subject. Jenn rested her elbow on the table and angled her body to face Malfoy's. She watched him with a smirk on her lips as his eyes flashed between the snail and the cursive on the blackboard. He pointed his wand at the snail and spoke the incantation softly, but nothing happened. The snail continued to slither slowly across the table's surface. Malfoy glared ferociously at the little creature, a sneer pulling at his lips, and he gripped his wand tighter in his pale fist. He growled the incantation and, again, the snail remained where it was.
Jenn watched him become more frustrated by the minute as he attempted the spell one last time before he slumped back in his chair, bitterly mumbling about how stupid the class was. He locked his strong arms over his broad chest and pursed his lips together angrily. He didn't dare look at Jenn while he let his frustration consume him. He was humiliated. How had she managed to vanish the snail on the first try, when he couldn't even do it on the third?
"You have to be calm when performing the spell, Malfoy," Jenn said carefully.
"I was calm the first time I tried, wasn't I?" he snapped, turning his glare onto her.
"Yes, calm and doubtful. You weren't confident in your abilities when you attempted to vanish the snail the first try," Jenn noted. "Shocking, actually, considering you're the most arrogant person I've ever met."
He scoffed and rolled his blue eyes, focusing back on the slimy thing on the desk.
"You have to be sure it's going to vanish and speak the incantation clearly and confidently. You can't lose your temper if it doesn't work right away, either," Jenn continued calmly. "Why don't you try again?"
Malfoy glanced at her, softening his gaze a fraction, and sighed in annoyance. He raised his wand and focused on the snail. He did his best to ignore Jenn's watchful eyes, but his best was not enough. As he parted his lips to speak the incantation, he glanced over at her quickly, catching her emerald eyes surveying his face. He felt his muscles tense under her stare and forced himself to turn back to the snail as the words left his lips.
"Evanesco," he said clearly.
He gave an irritated growl and pushed his fingers through his blonde hair. Jenn pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and watched him with sympathetic eyes. She glanced around the room, watching McGonagall help the other students. Some of her classmates were standing around their desks and performing the spell on their feet. Jenn decided it was worth a shot and rose to her feet.
"Up, Malfoy," she commanded.
"Why," he groaned, staring up at her through narrow blue eyes.
"I think it might help you, give you better control," she explained. "Come on, just give it a try."
He rolled his eyes before reluctantly standing up. He stood beside her and aimed his wand at the snail once more. He clutched his wand tight in his large fist, feeling the wood leave a slight imprint on his palm and he glared at the snail.
"Wait," Jenn said. "Stay still."
She was surprised he obeyed her wishes, but took advantage of his compliance while she could. She stepped behind him and laid her small hand over his forearm as she peeked around his shoulder. She lowered his wand a fraction of an inch before sliding her finger to the warm skin of his hand. She wrapped her fingers around his fist and he felt a surge of heat jolt through his entire body. Jenn glanced up at him, watching his eyes grow slightly nervous.
"You have to relax," she said, her silky voice just barely above a whisper.
She felt his body tense even more despite her requests and she sighed to herself.
"Relax, Malfoy," she urged quietly. "And stop glaring at the poor thing. You're trying to vanish it, not kill it."
He breathed deeply as he stared down at her. The top of her head barely passed his shoulder as she stood beside him, so close he could feel the heavy fabric of her skirt brushing against his pant leg. His gaze softened considerably as he watched her glide her fingertips across the back of his hand. She unexpectedly glanced up at him and smiled.
"Much better," she said before turning back to the snail. "Now, take a deep breath, memorize the incantation, and say it with conviction. You can do this, Malfoy."
He surprised himself by listening to her and he did exactly what she said. Just as the words left his lips, the snail was gone from sight. He blinked rapidly, convinced his eyes were deceiving him. But it was truly gone. He had done it. And Jennelle Rivers had helped.
"I told you," she said, raising an eyebrow at him.
She smiled up at him again. He glanced away from her emerald eyes and down to their hands.
"Your hand," he breathed, his crystal blue eyes wide.
Jenn glanced at her hand, the ugly scarlet gashes bared for all to see. She hastily released her grip on his hand, a cold sensation sweeping over his flesh. Malfoy kinked his eyebrow at her before stowing his wand into the pocket of his robes and taking his seat once more. Jenn followed suit and sat down gracefully beside him. She crossed one leg over the other and let her Converse dangle above the stone floor. The two sat in silence while McGonagall walked around the room assisting the other students with their vanishing spell. Jenn watched in boredom as the others continuously failed to perform the spell correctly before her eyes fell on the blonde boy beside her.
His blue eyes were watching her thoughtfully. Jenn faltered under his gaze and shifted her weight in her seat, angling herself towards the front of the room. She thought that catching him staring would deter him from looking at her, however his gaze only grew more intense as she turned away from him. She felt like she was under observation, and Jenn was careful not to make any movements for the rest of the class period.
"I want a foot long report on the spell we worked on today. Tell me about the benefits of such a spell and when it would be useful to know. You may include your experience with the spell if you wish. I want it on my desk by Monday morning, no exceptions," Professor McGonagall instructed before dismissing her students.
Jenn left the classroom in a hurry, eager to get away from the piercing stares Malfoy was throwing at her. She was glad to have left the Transfigurations classroom before Malfoy, relieved she didn't have to worry about being tugged into a random broom cupboard or a deserted corridor before class. She entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and sat down beside Jack.
"Good morning, Jenn," Jack smiled brightly.
"What was all the glaring about this morning?" Jenn asked bluntly.
"Sorry?" he asked in confusion.
"You were obviously glaring at Harry during breakfast," Jenn stated plainly.
"Oh, that," Jack mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "It wasn't anything person, Jenn, honest. Harry's a good bloke, I just…"
"Yes?" Jenn pressed him to continue.
"I've just noticed how close you are with him. I guess I got a bit jealous," he said sheepishly as his cheeks flushed crimson.
Before Jenn could respond, the toad cleared her throat, calling for the class' attention. Unfortunately Umbridge decided to spend the lesson lecturing her students about negotiations, claiming that there was 'no good use for a jinx.' Jenn forced herself to bite her tongue and swallow her arguments. She didn't quite fancy another night in Umbridge's torture chambers anytime soon. Thinking about the detention she had severed and the carvings in her skin reminded Jenn of her recent encounter with Malfoy. She had shown him her wounds prior to Transfigurations class, so why was he so surprised? Jenn supposed the corridor was dark the night that she had initially shown him, but why would he care? For the first time since Jenn has known him, she saw some sort of concern floating in Draco Malfoy's eyes.
Before long, the class was dismissed and Jenn was exiting the classroom with Jack at her side. He walked silently beside her and Jenn felt the awkward tension building between them. She liked Jack, he was a good friend, but she had not considered him anything even remotely more than that. Hermione had told her this was happening, but Jenn hadn't seen it herself. Now that Jack basically admitted it aloud, Jenn had no choice but to acknowledge it.
"Jack," she began.
"Don't bother, Jennie," he interrupted. "It's okay."
"What-"
"I know you don't fancy me back," he said, struggling to keep the sadness from his deep voice. "I see the way you look at Harry."
Jenn tore her eyes away from his and focused on the floor that propelled beneath them as they walked together.
"I'm sorry," she said softly. "You're a great guy, and I love spending time with you. I just…"
"It's fine. I understand what it's like to admire someone from afar for so long that nobody else even crosses your mind," he said with a meaningful glance at her.
"Yeah," Jenn said stupidly. "I hope this doesn't change anything between us."
"Not at all," he said lightly. "Come on, let's go eat."
Jenn nodded and continued walking beside him towards the Great Hall, ignoring the hoard of Slytherin girls they passed along the way. Jack smiled one last time before heading towards the Hufflepuff table and sitting down beside his friends. Jenn smiled back and made her way over towards her own table beneath the scarlet banner. She sat down beside Ginny and rested her head against her folded arms on top of the table. Hermione, seated across from her, raised her eyebrow and swallowed whatever she had been chewing.
"Alright, Jenn?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.
"I think I just drove a stake into mine and Jack's friendship," Jenn confessed grimly.
"What happened?" Ginny asked as she patted Jenn on the back.
"He told me he liked me," Jenn mumbled as she picked her head off the table.
"And…? I'm not seeing the issue here," Ginny pressed.
"I don't see him that way, and he knows it," Jenn groaned, cradling her face in the palms of her hands. "He knows I fancy Harry."
"How?" Hermione asked in surprise.
"I don't know. He said something about the way I look at him. Do I look at him like a stalker or something?" Jenn asked frantically.
"No, not at all," Hermione assured her. "Why don't you just tell him, Jenn? It's been years."
"You think I don't know that? It's complicated, Hermione, we've gone over this a hundred times," Jenn said bitterly.
"It's really not as complicated as you make it out to be," Hermione said nonchalantly.
"Yeah? How come you haven't told Ron yet, then?" Jenn snapped.
"Blimey! You fancy Ron, Hermione?" Ginny asked in a hushed whisper.
"What? No! I didn't say that," Hermione rushed.
"We all know it, Mione," Jenn rolled her eyes as she tossed a ripe strawberry into her mouth.
"Harry's not mean like Ron is though, Jenn. If you tell him and he doesn't feel the same, he wouldn't cut you out or anything," Hermione argued.
"I'm not willing to chance that," Jenn grumbled.
"I think it'd be worth it," Hermione said, desperate to have the last word.
"Wow, it's just like I imagined," Jenn breathed.
"That's kind of the point, Jennie," one of the Weasley twins teased.
"Oh, shut up. You know what I mean," she chuckled, shoving the twin away from her playfully.
The Room of Requirement. Jenn, the twins, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville stood in the room, basking in all of its glory. It contained bookcases lining the walls and several cushions sporadically placed around the large room. Jenn strolled further inside, envisioning the amazing lessons they would hold here beginning in just a few hours.
"Nervous, Harry?" Jenn asked quietly while the others discussed the upcoming meeting.
"A little. I don't know how to teach," Harry admitted.
"You'll be great," Jenn encouraged.
"I hope so," Harry smiled down at her.
The group waited for the rest of Dumbledore's Army to join them. An hour later, every member who had signed up was standing in a large cluster staring at Harry expectantly. Jenn stood beside a quaking Neville as they waited for Harry to speak.
"Thank you all for coming," he began nervously. "Tonight, we're going to be working on a simple disarming spell."
He searched the crowd for some sort of response, but everyone remained silent and attentive. His eyes found Jenn's and she smiled dazzlingly up at him, nodding her head reassuringly. She saw Ron a few people down from her give Harry a subtle thumbs up before Harry continued.
"Disarming your opponent is the best way to buy yourself some time in a duel. To get out of a tight spot, you can disarm your enemy and fire another spell that they can't block," Harry explained. "It's simple, really. You just aim at your target, flick your wrist, and say, 'Expelliarmus!'"
As he spoke, he performed every step for the group to see, pointing his wand at a dummy. As the incantation left his lips in a shout, the dummy's wand flew from its grip and clattered to the floor. Some of the members gasped in surprise and whispered to each other in amazement. Some whooped and clapped loudly at Harry's success with the spell.
"Right, well, I want you lot to partner up and practice the spell on each other," Harry instructed.
Dumbledore's Army did as he told them and rushed to get into position with their partners. Jenn was about to partner up with Neville, but fingers quickly captured her wrist and spun her around gently. Jack's topaz eyes sparkled as he stared down at her with a bright smile on his lips. Jenn smiled back and allowed him to pull her to a vacant spot in the huge room. She stood across from him as they raised their wands.
"Ready?" Jack asked cautiously.
"Ready," Jenn replied.
They each waited for the other to make the first move. As Jack opened his lips to shout the incantation, Jenn yelled it first and smiled when Jack's wand shot out of his hand. Jack glared at her for a second and she smiled innocently back at him.
"Better luck next time, Summerby," she teased.
Jack smirked at her before firing the spell at her without warning. Jenn's wand soared out of her hand and she glared at the grinning Hufflepuff.
"I thought Hufflepuffs were supposed to be nice," she said.
Jack grinned at her and got back into a defensive position as she readied herself. The meeting carried on this way for two hours. By the time Harry called it a night, everyone except for Neville had performed the spell with much success. Jack, having performed the last disarming spell, handed Jenn back her wand which she snatched with a pout.
"Better luck next time, Rivers," he mocked, ruffling her long hair.
"Watch it, Jack, she might bite your head off," Fred Weasley joked as he casually draped his long arm over Jenn's shoulders.
She did her best to ignore the jealous glint gleaming in Jack's bronze eyes. Jack managed a smile and turned back to Jenn.
"I'll see you tomorrow for the Hogsmeade trip, right?" he asked hopefully.
"Yeah, I'll meet you at the carriages in the morning," Jenn agreed with a smile.
"Fantastic," he grinned as he turned to walk away. "Great lesson, Harry!"
Jack clapped Harry on the back on his way out. Jenn smiled to herself, happy that everything seemed to be as normal as they had been before Jack's confession.
"Got a date, Jennie?" Fred asked teasingly.
"Our ickle Jennie's growing up, Fred," George wiped a fake tear from his eye.
"Piss off, the both of you," Jenn growled at the boys, pushing Fred's arm off of her. "It's not a date."
"He sure thinks it is," Hermione added, stepping over to Jenn and the twins.
"It's not. He knows it's not a date," Jenn said uncertainly.
"Maybe I should cancel. Say I'm sick or something," Jenn said, pacing around her dormitory the following morning.
"Jenn, you can't cancel last minute like that," Hermione argued.
"Hermione's right, Jenn, he'd be crushed," Ginny agreed.
Jenn groaned loudly and rummaged through her dresser drawers for an outfit to wear. She tugged a pair of tight dark denim jeans over her legs and stepped into a pair of knee-high black boots with a small heel. She slipped a pretty black shirt over her head, fussing with the loose ruffles until they hung perfectly over her torso. She pointed her wand at her head and her raven hair hung pin straight to the middle of her back. Jenn ran her fingers through her hair, tousling her layers around a bit, before applying a thin black line along her eyelids. After polishing her lashes with mascara, Jenn let Hermione and Ginny drag her downstairs to the common room.
She plopped down on the couch to wait for Ron and Harry and nuzzled her face into the deep purple scarf wrapped around her neck. Jenn rubbed her hands together before tucking them into the warm pockets of her black coat. Hermione leaned against the stone of the fireplace, the golden flames bouncing off her sandy blonde hair. Her brown eyes danced around the common room while she waited, and Jenn couldn't help but notice how beautiful Hermione had become since they met four years ago. She wasn't obviously pretty, but she had a very subtle and natural beauty about her that Jenn admired.
"Ready, you two?" Jenn heard and she looked away from Hermione.
Harry and Ron bounded down the stairs, each wearing a heavy sweater and their Gryffindor scarves. Harry smiled at Jenn as his feet landed on the common room floor and Ron fought his eyes from continuing to glance at Hermione. Jenn grinned at both of the boys as she rose to her feet and Hermione pried herself off the mantle.
"Yes, let's go," Hermione said with a light smile.
They four walked shoulder-to-shoulder in a long line stretching across the icy corridors once they exited the Gryffindor tower. They strolled along in a comfortable silence and Jenn did her best to ignore Harry's arm brushing against hers with every step they took.
"First quidditch match is next week," Jenn noted. "Nervous, Ron?"
"He'll be fine," Harry answered before Ron could beg to be taken off the team. "The team looks great this year, especially with Ron as keeper."
"That's great. I expect we'll be taking the Cup this year, then," Jenn smiled proudly.
"I hope so," Harry smiled back.
"First blood match just has to be against Slytherin, doesn't it? Couldn't be the Hufflepuffs," Ron muttered bitterly. "Really, Harry, I don't think I'm cut out for this."
"You'll be fine, Ron. You did fantastic at tryouts," Hermione encouraged lightly.
Ron's ears burned scarlet and he smiled bashfully at her compliment. Jenn and Harry exchanged a knowing glance behind their friends' back and continued walking to the grounds. They trudged through the foot of snow covering the frozen ground and made their way towards the carriages that would take them to Hogsmeade. Jenn escorted her friends to a carriage, but did not climb in with them. Instead, her emerald eyes searched for Jack through the falling snowflakes.
"Aren't you coming, Jenn?" Harry asked from his seat.
"She's waiting for her date," Hermione teased, earning a harsh glare from Jenn.
"Date?" Harry asked with a confused stare. "What do you mean date?"
"Jack's taking her to Hogsmeade this weekend," Hermione replied casually.
"On a date?" Harry repeated, and Jenn's heart soared at the slightly jealous tone in his deep voice.
"It's not a date," Jenn said softly. "At least, I didn't think it was when he asked me to go."
"You can be so thick sometimes, Jenn," Hermione chuckled. "There's lover boy, now."
Jenn followed the nod of Hermione's head to see Jack flashing his straight white teeth as he fought against the snow around his feet. Jenn smiled back and waved her fingers to him before turning back to her friends.
"I guess I better go. Maybe we'll catch up with you lot later on, then," Jenn suggested, and Hermione nodded down at her.
"Have fun," Ron teased, flinching when Jenn threw a wad of wet snow at his face.
Jenn glanced at Harry who stared at his hands in his lap with an unreadable expression on his face before walking to meet Jack. She waited at the next carriage for him to reach her. When he did, he threw his arms around her and hugged her tight to his chest. If Jenn had not been led to believe this outing was something more than friendly, she would not have thought anything of the embrace. But thanks to Hermione, she felt awkward in Jack's arms. When he finally released her, Jenn forced a smile and allowed him to help her into the carriage.
"So I thought we'd start the day at Zonko's and then make our way towards Honey Duke's and then we could finish off with lunch and butterbeers at The Three Broomsticks," Jack suggested as he sat down in the seat across from her.
"That sounds great," Jenn smiled. "Would you mind stopping by the quidditch shop? I want to pick up Harry and Ron's Christmas gifts while we're here."
"Sure, what'd you get them?" Jack asked, and Jenn could easily see the sparkle in his eye had somewhat deflated.
"I got Harry some practice snitches and new gloves. And I may have gone a little overboard on Ron, but I ordered him a new broom," Jenn said.
"A new broom? That's a bit much, no?" Jack asked with a light smile.
"Ron made the Gryffindor quidditch team as keeper. So, to show him how proud I am of him, I thought I'd spring for a new broomstick. It's a lot, but I know he'll appreciate it," Jenn nodded her head to herself as she spoke.
"You're a great friend," Jack observed. "So what do I get for Christmas?"
Jenn laughed as Jack wiggled his eyebrows at her.
"What would you like for Christmas, Jack?" she asked.
"I don't care, as long as it's from you," Jack smiled.
Jenn mirrored his smile and moved her eyes from his. The carriage came to a slow stop, and the pair stood up and hopped out of the cart. Jenn's boots stomped through the snow and she was extremely grateful when they hit the streets of Hogsmeade that had been removed of all snow and slush. She walked beside Jack towards Zonko's and thanked him when he held the door open for her. Jenn wasn't the least bit surprised to see the Weasley twins talking animatedly to Zonko towards the back of the store. The boys' eyes were wide and bright as they listened to whatever it was Zonko was sharing with them.
Jenn shopped around the store with Jack hot on her tail the entire time and she struggled to hide her annoyance. Despite her growing irritation, the trip to Zonko's wasn't entirely wasted. Jenn had decided to buy Fred and George a ridiculous amount of fireworks, in the hopes that they'd make good use of them perhaps by torturing Umbridge with them somehow. After she paid for the loot, Jack took the bag off the counter and carried it for her. Perhaps there was a time when Jenn would have found the action sweet, but it just irked her now. He was trying way too hard for her affection, and Jenn was losing her patience quickly.
By the time they arrived at Honey Duke's, Jenn was nearly ready to ditch Jack completely. She cursed herself for being so compassionate as she remained by his side.
"Would you like any sweets or anything?" he asked as he filled a small bag with different kinds of fudge.
"No, thank you, I'm alright," Jenn declined with a smile.
"Okay, I'll be quick. I just want to pick up some things for my sister. She loves this stuff," he rolled his eyes with a smile gracing his lips.
"I didn't know you had a sister," Jenn said.
"Yeah, her name's Ashley. She's six," Jack said as he began filling a second bag with taffy. "She's a terror, a right monster if you ask me."
Jenn laughed and Jack chuckled as he recalled memories with his baby sister.
"But you love her, nonetheless," Jenn stated firmly.
"Of course, she's the only sibling I've got," Jack smiled sadly. "She had a twin brother, but he didn't make it."
"That's awful. I'm so sorry," Jenn said sincerely.
"Ah it's alright. It made me appreciate Ashley even more," he said, a sad smile on his face. "Anyway, let me pay for all of this and then we can head off. You sure you don't want anything?"
Jenn shook her head and Jack headed towards the busy register. She smiled to herself, recalling the way Jack's copper eyes gleamed when he spoke of his sister. Perhaps Jenn was wrong about him, and he wasn't pushy or overbearing. Maybe Jack really was just that nice of a person. He was a perfect gentleman the whole day, he didn't make any uninvited advances, he opened doors for her left and right, and he offered to buy her whatever she wanted. So why was Jenn so determined to keep him at arm's length?
"Want lunch, now?" Jack asked once he returned to her side.
"Sure," Jenn accepted.
The pair strolled through the snow-covered village, the cold breeze nipping at their noses all the way. When they finally reached The Three Broomsticks, Jenn was not surprised in the slightest at how packed it was. Jack spoke quietly to the hostess, who led them to a table towards the back of the pub. She placed a menu down on the table, flashed Jack a flirty smile, and strutted her way back to her station.
"She likes you," Jenn said nonchalantly as her eyes scanned the menu.
"Nah," Jack denied.
"She does, I could tell," Jenn assured him.
"It does not matter," Jack dismissed.
Jenn could see on his face that he wished to say more, but decided against it. Jenn breathed a silent sigh of relief and continued to decide what she wished to eat for lunch. When the waitress arrived, a thin blonde woman no more than five years older than them, Jack ordered two butterbeers and fish and chips. Jenn ordered the same and shifted her weight in her seat to remove her jacket and scarf. She felt eyes on her as she slipped the coat from her arms, but when she peeked across the table at Jack, she found his eyes were focused intently on something to the left of her. Jenn subtly turned her head over her shoulder and understood the angry vein jutting out of Jack's throat.
Draco Malfoy's striking blue eyes of ice stared into her emerald eyes with an intensity she had never known before. He trapped her in his gaze for much longer than she had intended, and when she turned back to Jack, he was seething. He gritted his teeth together as he continued to glare at Malfoy, hoping to intimidate him, which Jenn knew was impossible to do. Against her better judgment, Jenn glanced back to the Slytherin surrounded by his mediocre friends. His attention was, now fixed on Jack, and he glared steadily at the Hufflepuff, a blonde eyebrow raised on his forehead in a challenging manner. Jenn could feel Jack bouncing on the ball of his feet, shaking one leg as he tried to remain as calm and in control as possible. Eager to diffuse the tension, Jenn slid her hand across the table and gripped Jack's quaking fingers without thinking.
He jumped as her frigid fingers closed around his hot ones, and his anger seemed to melt away quickly. He folded her fingers inside of his and smiled at her, any trace of fury his eyes had held morphed into a mixture of wonder and desire. Jenn managed to smile back at him before the waitress came back with their orders, giving Jenn a much needed excuse to pull her hand from Jack's.
They ate their meals with light conversation and Jenn managed to fight off the urge to glance back at the rowdy Slytherins. Jack paid the bill, despite Jenn's forceful protests, and they exited the pub. Jenn was extremely aware of Malfoy's presence as well as his penetrating stare following her as she left with Jack. Jack stuffed his hands inside the pockets of his black hooded sweatshirt and Jenn burrowed the lower half of her face into her scarf.
"It's getting pretty late," Jack noted. "We should start heading back."
"I wanted to go to the quidditch shop," Jenn reminded him.
"Oh, right," his teeth chattered.
"You can go back to the castle. I won't be long," Jenn smiled.
"I shouldn't leave you here alone," Jack said, glancing around the much less crowded village nervously.
"I'll be fine, I'm a big girl," Jenn chuckled lightly. "Go on, I'll see you when I get back."
"You're sure?" he asked.
"Yes, go," Jenn replied.
She waved as Jack turned to walk towards the carriages. Jenn turned on her heel and walked towards the quidditch store. She tucked her hands inside her pockets for warmth and blinked through the heavily falling flakes of white snow. There weren't many people left walking around Hogsmeade, Jenn noticed, and it seemed as though all of her classmates besides the Slytherins in the pub had gone back to the castle already. She strolled at a leisurely pace along the empty streets, the quidditch shop finally coming into view, until she was yanked into a dimly lit alleyway.
"Damn you, Malfoy! Stop doing that!" Jenn cried, smacking his bicep.
"You went on a date," he stated obviously.
"What's it to you, Malfoy?" she asked, adding her infamous eyebrow raise.
He glared down at her, a piercing stare she didn't hesitate to mirror.
"You really are thick, aren't you?" he asked through his teeth.
"Excuse me?" she growled.
"I thought you'd catch on, but apparently I overestimated your intelligence, Rivers," he spat.
"I'm not stupid, Malfoy. But I will admit, I have not the slightest idea what you're going on about," she seethed, balling her fingers into fists at her sides.
"How do you not get it?" he raised his voice in exasperation. "You'd have to be part troll to not understand what I've been trying to get across."
"I don't have to deal with this, Malfoy," Jenn said calmly as she turned around and began to leave the alleyway.
"Wait," he said, lowering his voice again as he caught her wrist in his hand.
"What?" she asked dully, allowing him to gently spin her around to face him.
He stared down at her, his eyes searching her beautiful face as he tried to work the words together in his head. Draco knew he had to find the right words for her, or they'd mean nothing. After all these years, after treating her the way he had, he had to perfect it, or she'd never give it a chance.
"What are we doing, Malfoy?" Jenn asked with a heavy sigh. "Staring across rooms, glaring at my friend, tugging me into deserted places…what is it all about?"
"I thought I made it perfectly clear that I wanted you," Draco muttered beneath his breath.
"You had made it perfectly clear you hated me before that," Jenn countered.
"Things changed," he said simply.
"Why?" Jenn asked stupidly.
"I honestly don't know," he said sincerely. "I feel different, now."
"What do you feel?" she asked quietly, suddenly nervous to hear the answer.
Draco paused for a moment as he looked down at her. He was not a sentimental person. Never had he ever been a sappy, emotional kind of guy. He seldom spoke of his feelings, at least not his true ones, and when he did he's build a barrier around himself, forbidding anyone to come all the way inside. But as Jennelle Rivers stood before him, staring up at him with curious, accepting eyes, he wanted nothing more than to tell her every feeling he had ever felt. He longed to open his frostbitten heart to her and invite her inside to warm it back to life. He felt her eyes breaking through the walls he had built just by looking at him, but he couldn't let her all the way in.
"If this is some sort of joke, it isn't funny," she said, her temper rising.
"I'm not joking," he defended.
"Then what are you trying to say? What do you feel?" Jenn asked, clearly losing her patience.
"I feel weak to you. I feel like I have no control over anything involving you. It's like I put up this barricade and you just bound right through it. You came out of nowhere, these feelings came out of nowhere, and I don't know what to do about them," Draco rushed.
Jenn stared up at him, attempting to keep her jaw from hitting the floor. Draco Malfoy had feelings for her? Actual feelings? She watched him shift his weight from one foot to the other and he refused to look her in the eye. His hands had been tucked safely inside the front pockets of his black trousers and he kicked through the fluffy snow with the toe of his black shoe.
"All I know is that it is much less than pleasurable to see you on dates with such prats," he mumbled when she said nothing.
"It wasn't a date," Jenn argued. "And Jack isn't a prat."
Draco shrugged, deciding he had already said too much. He didn't dare to look at Jenn as she tried so desperately to catch his eye. She needed to see his eyes to see the truth. She would be damned if Draco Malfoy thought he could pull one over on her. She refused to be the butt of some twisted joke of his.
"How do I know you're being honest?" she asked plainly.
"You don't believe me?" he asked, bringing his eyes to hers.
"You aren't exactly known for your honesty and morality, Malfoy," she said fairly.
"I'm not known to share my feelings either, Rivers," he countered.
"I want you to mean it," she admitted softly as she blinked snowflakes from her eyelashes.
With no words left in him to say to her, Draco took two quick steps closer to her and closed the gap between them. Both of his hands cupped her face as his lips molded with hers. Jenn laid her palms against his strong chest, feeling his heartbeat pounding beneath her fingertips. This kiss was unlike any of the others they had shared, or even any others Jenn had experienced before. It wasn't hungry and lustful. This kiss was filled with passion and desire, desperation to be accepted.
Draco's large hands held her pink cheeks as he pulled away slowly. He leaned his forehead against hers, their noses brushing together ever so slightly, as he gazed down into her emerald eyes. He searched for some kind of response or reaction, an answer he desperately needed to hear. But she was quiet. Jenn's eyes danced between his and his lips as hers remained slightly parted and trembling. She felt her heart banging in her chest as if it were trying to put out the fire that had been set to it. Draco held his breath as she continued to stare up at him until she clutched the front of his sweater and pulled him towards her again. Draco's fingers knotted themselves in her long straight hair and Jenn let herself melt into him as their lips moved in perfect harmony.