Wotcher!
First I liked to thank; ninjaa michaela x, vampire-angel1996, annouska, and L.A.H.H. for reviewing last chapter! Your reviews mean a lot to me! Also thanks to everyone that added this story to their alerts/favorites! Again it makes me happy! And I hope this doesn't disappoint any of you!
Second...Well there is no second just that I worked really hard on this chapter!
Without further ado here's the next chapter!
Disclaimer: Once more I do not own any of this...except for Angeline.
The second week of November brought the first Quidditch match of the season; Slytherin versus Gryffindor. Angeline always liked Quidditch, but she hated that the idiots in her house refused to let a girl be on the team...there hadn't been one in years. Nevertheless she still would support her house during their games, even if they cheated from time to time (all the time really), she'd still wear her green and silver.
At breakfast there was a buzz of excitement like with any Quidditch game being held. Angeline found it ridiculous that her housemates would hiss and boo every time a member of the Gryffindor team would enter the Great Hall, but then again that was was just the aspect of a competitive sport.
There was more hissing and booing as Harry Potter and Ron Weasley walked into the Great Hall. From the Gryffindor table there were cheers which if Angeline hadn't been sitting at the Slytherin table was sure the Gryffindors over powered the hisses and boos with their cheers. Angeline looked up at the ceiling and saw the clear, pale blue sky: a good omen, but for what team?
"This is horrible," she heard Daphne Greengrass say as she sat down at the table across from her. Angeline didn't have too much of a problem with Daphne, but she'd like her a lot better if she didn't hang around with Parkinson so much. Regardless of that fact, she didn't understand why she was talking to her right now...
"What's horrible?" Angeline questioned.
"You haven't heard?" Daphne asked. Angeline fought the urge to roll her eyes.
"Obviously not," but she didn't fight the annoyance from dripping into each word.
"Vaisey isn't playing, he's the best goal scorer," Daphne said. (But not the best flier, Angeline thought.) "He was hit with a Bludger yesterday during practice...Why haven't you heard this yet?" Angeline shrugged her shoulders.
"Had detention last night with Flitwick, got in late," Angeline answered.
"And Draco won't be playing either, says he's sick,"
"He says he sick." Angeline repeated skeptically just as Parkinson sat down next to Daphne.
"Are you talking about Draco, Jensen?" Pansy questioned.
"We were, Daphne was telling me about how our team has temporarily lost two players," Angeline said. "Malfoy must be terribly sick to miss the game against Gryffindor."
"Poor thing is in bed, he didn't want me to stay and take care of him," Pansy said.
"I wouldn't want you to take care of me either," Angeline said before she could stop herself. Pansy glared at her.
"Why are you even talking to this useless twit, Daphne?" Pansy snarled. Daphne said nothing as Angeline and Pansy glared at one another.
"The best insult you can think of, Parkinson?" Angeline asked. "I must say, you're losing you're touch." With one final glare Pansy stood from the table her nose in the air.
"Come on, Daphne, they're starting to head to the pitch," Angeline watched Daphne rise from her seat and follow Pansy out of the Great Hall.
"Someone needs to put her in her place," Angeline said to herself as she watched them exit the Great Hall.
"Then why don't you do it?" Angeline jumped as she turned to her left and looked at Blaise Zabini.
"What could I possibly gain from that?" Angeline asked as she studied him. She never had a problem with him, he was just as 'antisocial' as she was maybe more, and she attended the Yule Ball in the fourth year with him (though neither of them really had a choice but to attend so went with each other). Angeline however she didn't like his personal views on Muggle-borns...Which lined up with the stereotypical Slytherin...lines she did not fit.
And he's very much aware of this. So why put up with me?
"Satisfaction," Blaise stated simply. Angeline looked over at him as they stood to leave for the pitch. "Don't think I haven't noticed that twitch in your wand hand whenever she's around. Not to mention the clenching as well...I have a feeling that if you don't use your wand, you'll definitely use your fist."
"I don't think violence would solve anything," Angeline said once they were both seated in the stands. Blaise looked at her.
"Perhaps, but you can't avoid the inevitable." Angeline gave a humorless laugh just as the whistle was blown on the field.
"And what's that? Attacking Parkinson?" Blaise shrugged as he looked out on to the field as the game had just started.
"Maybe you can avoid being like your parents, Jensen, but you can't avoid being their daughter. And you can't avoid your own feelings. You can only distract yourself with other people's problems for so long. Especially, Malfoy's..."
"Someone like you talking about feelings? And my well being?" Angeline asked. "Must have fallen and bumped your head, Zabini. I suggest taking out that mirror of yours and checking for some bumps."
Commentary had started and it was done by, Zacharias Smith. In Angeline's opinion the biggest prat in Hufflepuff, maybe the whole school. She sure was going to miss, Lee Jordan's commentary...
"Well, there they go, and I think we're all surprised to see the team that Potter's put together this year. Many thought, given Ronald Weasley's patchy performance as Keeper last year, that he might be off the team, but of course, a close personal friendship with the Captain does help...."
Immediately there was a greeting of jeers and applause all around Angeline. She rolled her eyes. Insane, she thought Harry Potter to be, she had a feeling that, he wouldn't put people on his team just because they were friends.
He after all held, tryouts. She thought bitterly as she glared at the Slytherin Captain, Urquhart as he flew toward the Gryffindor goal posts.
"And here comes Slytherin's first attempt on goal, it's Urquhart streaking down the pitch and—" There seemed to be a pause in the air as the Quaffle flew toward Ron Weasley.
"—Weasley saves it, well, he's bound to get lucky sometimes, I suppose...."
Angeline rolled her eyes. That wasn't a lucky save, anyone could see that.
"You're missing the point here, Jensen," came Blaise's voice after the missed shot. She glared at him for ruining her focus on the game.
"Then be ever so kind to point it out," she growled back.
"Someone like Draco Malfoy isn't going to help you any. You don't want to be like your parents it's evident every time someone even mentions the Jensen name. And Malfoy's destined to be just like his own. He'll land in Azkaban just like his father." Blaise said.
"Please, he's harmless," Angeline said. Blaise rolled his eyes.
"And here I thought you were observant." he drawled just as there was an eruption cheers from the Gryffindor side as Ginny Weasley made a goal.
"You act like you weren't there in that compartment and didn't hear everything, Malfoy said." Angeline felt that same unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach that she felt when Draco talked freely on the ride to Hogwarts.
"You yourself didn't believe him, Zabini. You know as well as I do, that he's mostly talk." Angeline tried to reason.
"Thought so, there's still the possibility that he is all talk. But you must have noticed Malfoy's strange behavior lately. Missing this game for example. He lives for any moment he can get to cause Potter bodily harm without getting in trouble."
"He's sick," Angeline said. Blaise gave a frustrated sigh.
"You believe that just as much as you believe you can fool a goblin with leprechaun gold." Blaise said.
"Why are you telling me all this, Zabini?" She asked a little annoyed.
"Because you obviously find the bloke to be some kind of difficult puzzle. Malfoys aren't difficult to figure out, Jensen. You just want to believe there's more to it because of your own personal problems."
Angeline looked away from him then, just as there was an eruption of the once, Slytherin favorite, but since then the Gryffindors had adopted, "Weasley Is Our King," which in truth she was guilty of singing when it was first written. And felt so much guilt after that game. Now her mind was swimming with everything that Blaise had just told her. It reminded her of the conversation that she had with Draco after their first Potions class. But her mind didn't dwell on it for too long.
"And I think Harper of Slytherin's seen the Snitch!" said Zacharias Smith through his megaphone. "Yes, he's certainly seen something Potter hasn't!"
Gryffindor was only a hundred points up. Slytherin had a solid zero, but if Harper could catch the damn Snitch the game would end giving, Slytherin the win.
She watched in anticipation with the rest of her housemates as Harper neared the Snitch. He was feet from it and his hand outstretched. But something was said that none of their ears could hear as Harper did a double-take and fumbled the Snitch, letting it slip through his fingers. Angeline sighed knowing this was the end and it wasn't a Slytherin win. Harry had caught the fluttering gold ball.
There was a great shout that almost drowned out the sound of the whistle that ended the game. But the action didn't end there. While the other Gryffindors were meeting in hugs, Ginny Weasley sped past them all and with an almighty crash, she collided with the commentator's podium. The crowd shrieked and laughed, as the Gryffindor team landed beside the wreckage of wood under which Zacharias was feebly stirring. Angeline couldn't help but laugh at the Hufflepuff. Serves him right. Ginny Weasley deserved a song for herself now. That was brilliant.
Why couldn't things just be simple?
Angeline sat in the common room after dinner her mind racing with so many thoughts. Without a Quidditch game to distract her, her thoughts ran wild...She knew she wore a look of utter discomfort as she thought of what her and Blaise were talking about. When he passed her on his way to his room she made sure to glare at him, one that he merely rolled his eyes at before disappearing.
She sighed as she couldn't think of anything to ease her mind. So theory upon theory popped into that head of hers. All of them theories about Draco Malfoy and the cause of his rare behavior.
Her first theory; Draco's strange behavior came from worry about his mother all alone at Malfoy Manor.
It was possible. Very possible. She'd been to Malfoy Manor more than once in her life and she knew just how big it was. Imagining a mother alone without her husband in such a large home would make it very sensible for a son worry.
If it were me in this situation I could care less...
Her second theory; he was worried about what Azkaban was doing to his father.
Granted, Angeline didn't like, Lucius Malfoy much and he had made it very clear the last time she saw him that he didn't like her, but Draco idolized his father so it would make sense that he worried about him.
If it were my father...again, I could care even less...
Then her final theory which tied into that of her second. Draco was acting the way he was because everyone knew his father was in Azkaban and why he was put there. And there was that unspoken thought amongst the students and some adults that, Draco himself would be a Death Eater.
I'd act a little odd too if everyone knew about my family business and expected me to be just like my father...Which I don't ever plan to.
Angeline nodded to herself. All that made sense to her. Draco being a Death Eater didn't.
Sure he shared his parents hatred of anything not pure-blood, but surely, Draco was no Death Eater. For crying out loud, he was only sixteen he had no idea what he was getting into. It all may seem all appealing considering they type of environment his parents put him in, but what kind of life would that be. Draco wasn't stupid, she knew this. He wouldn't throw away his life for something so evil...
"Would he?" Angeline questioned out loud.
"Talking to yourself, Jensen? What would mummy and daddy think about that?" Pansy's high pitched voice asked. Angeline looked up at her and glared. Standing faithfully behind Pansy was Millicent and Daphne. Both girls would rather be commanded by the silly pug than be it's enemy. Angeline on the other hand rather liked being the enemy and for the first time in her life she was actually delighted to see Pansy. She needed a distraction. And one came for her...
And what better distraction than a dog?
"Mummy and daddy personally think talking to ones self isn't so bad. They say it's far better than barking at everything that moves...I heard your neighbors begged your parents to put their damn dog to rest already, came to shock to them when your parents said it was their daughter barking up a storm." Daphne laughed, just to cover it with a cough when Pansy's red face glared at her. "What's wrong, Parkinson? Oh, I've upset you. If I'd know it were true I wouldn't have been so careless to have said anything at all."
Pansy whipped her head around fixing Angeline with the glare now.
"You better watch your back, Jensen!" she screeched. Daphne and Millicent followed after their friend.
Unlike some people who were unpredictable, Pansy Parkinson wasn't one of them. Angeline knew at the very moment, Pansy was trying to do something to her bed. Angeline didn't care what, because she was one step ahead of Pansy...
"Three..." Angeline mumbled, "...two..." A smirk slowly made its way onto her face. "...one..." On cue there was a loud shriek and immediately following suit was Pansy as she came running out of the dorms. Millicent and Daphne right behind her, obviously amused but trying very hard to hide it. Pansy's skin and hair rapidly was changing colors. The entire common room roared in laughter. Pansy glared and stormed her way over to Angeline who was trying very hard not to laugh.
"What did you do to me?" she shrieked. Angeline chuckled a little unable to take it any longer. "Fix me now!"
"Oh darling, I only set up the spell to keep people from my stuff, you only brought it upon yourself."
"Fix me now!" Pansy yelled. Angeline could only smile and shook her head.
"Unless you want me to turn you a permanent shade of puke green, I suggest you go to the Hospital Wing. I'm sure Madame Pomfrey can get you back to some sense of normal. But I'm pretty sure no matter what she does you'll be a tinge green or orange all depending on when you get down there...Regardless the color will last for the next two days."
"Just wait until Draco hears about this!" Angeline rolled her eyes as Pansy stormed out of the common room. The moment she was gone, Daphne outright laughed while Millicent still looked highly amused.
"You do realize you'll have to watch your back," Millicent said as she and Daphne slowly made their way to the exit. Angeline shrugged she felt so much better after that.
"Parkinson doesn't scare me...you can tell her that if you wish." She said.
"Come on, Millicent, Pansy's going to throw a fit if we don't go after her." Daphne said pulling Millicent with her.
Zabini was right...Sure I didn't do it personally, but it felt great. And I'm satisfied for the time being.
Feeling, for lack of a better word, cheerful, Angeline stood from her place on the couch to play a game of Wizard's Chess with a third year boy whose name slipped her mind. Her mind wasn't racing any longer and what better way than a game of chess to keep it that way.
It was late when Pansy stormed into the common room, a tinge orange like Angeline had predicted. Daphne and Millicent had returned hours prior and had just recently gone to bed. Pansy glared at Angeline and stormed toward the dorms, probably to tell Draco, not that he would care any. Angeline was positive that he found her annoying too.
"That girl doesn't seem to like you," mumbled the third year boy she had been playing chess with. His name which she learned was, Malcolm Baddock
"And what gave it away?" Angeline asked handing him the bag of chocoballs they were sharing.
"You mean you didn't notice the foaming at the mouth?" Malcolm questioned lightly. Angeline cracked a smile.
It wasn't long after that, when Angeline sprawled out on her favorite couch in front of the fire. Mostly everyone had gone to bed around this point, but Angeline wasn't ready to go to bed. For one she knew Pansy would try to ambush her the moment she walked into that room. And second she was just too awake.
She no longer felt as cheerful as she had hours ago. As she watched the flames of the fire her thoughts were slowly going back to her theories about Draco Malfoy...She didn't care what Blaise said, there was more to Draco and her theories barely touched the surface. She felt like Draco wasn't as shallow as he appeared to be.
Her mind didn't go far when her legs were pushed to the floor and someone sat right where they had been.
"Tell me, Jensen," Draco started, "why, you thought it was a good idea to turn Pansy orange." he said looking at her annoyance very evident on his handsome face. Angeline sat up and glared at him for causing her discomfort. On top of that it was bad enough he was constantly in her thoughts, but now he was there sitting no more than a foot away.
"I personally think she looks better orange," Angeline said. Draco didn't look very amused. "Are you more annoyed I turned your girlfriend orange or that she complained to you about for almost two hours straight?"
"She's not my girlfriend," Draco said rolling his eyes.
"Is she aware of this?" Angeline asked. Draco sighed.
"Who puts a jinx on their bed to keep people from messing with it?" he asked.
"Someone with serious trust issues," Angeline replied easily. "Seems it paid off, hm?"
"I'd say...It was brilliant." Draco mumbled. Angeline raised an eyebrow. Did he just say something she did was brilliant? "Tell anyone I said that and you're dead, understand?"
Empty threats. Draco couldn't kill a fly.
There's nothing about him that screams, Death Eater...
"Yeah my lips are sealed." she said. "Sorry you had to deal with her...Seeing as you were ill, you'd think she'd back off a bit. Which reminds me...Are you feeling better?"
"Much," Draco replied a little too quickly for Angeline's liking. She nodded absently.
They sat there in silence the only sound was that of the crackling fire. She took then to actually take in his appearance. He didn't look like someone who just wanted to get out of bed and walk around the common room some. He was dressed as though he was going some where. He himself was growing paler...She saw him everyday, but she never really took in just how pale he was becoming.
"You still seem a little bit stressed...I remembered a while ago, I suggested that you get some sleep. Did you get any while we were all at the game?" she asked after a few moments.
"Some," Draco answered after awhile. Angeline tilted her head, she had a deep feeling that he was lying, but she ignored it.
"That's good...I wish you weren't ill today and could have played in the game."
"Who knew Angeline Jensen was a fan of mine...then again how could she not?" Angeline rolled her eyes.
"It's just not a Gryffindor versus Slytherin game unless you're out there...Don't think I fancy you or something." she said. "I'm sort of shocked to see that you didn't try to get the game postponed. Harper's a lousy Seeker in my opinion. Attention span is no good."
"That's why he's on reserves."
"Even better reason to kick him off the team. There are better players in our house." Draco raised an eyebrow.
"Oh yeah? Who?" Angeline shrugged. "You're talking about yourself, aren't you?"
"I'm no Seeker," she said. Draco studied her.
"Perhaps Beater, then?" Draco questioned. "Surely you're not built for it, but I think you've got some pent up anger you want to get out. And that'll make up for it, I'm sure."
"Chaser actually...What makes you think that?" Angeline asked. "You know, think that I have pent up anger?" she clarified. Again he studied her and scoffed.
"Go get some sleep, Jensen," he said looking away. "You look like something the hippogriff dragged in."
"How lovely...Great charm you've got there, Malfoy." Angeline replied but stood up to go to bed anyway. "No wonder girls find you so irresistible."
"Naturally," Draco drawled.
"You're so full of yourself, you know that?" Angeline asked amused. Draco merely shrugged. "Good night, Draco...Stay out of trouble." She said heading towards the dorms.
"Jensen," Angeline turned and looked at him. He was standing and facing her now his hands in his pockets. "Have you stopped trying to solve other people yet?"
Angeline only stared at him.
"I take that as a no then. And you should really stop doing it. You'll only be disappointed in the end."
"What?" she asked him.
"Good night, Angeline." Draco said turning on his heel and exiting the common room. She was going to follow him but she was roughly pushed from behind.
"Move," Crabbe and Goyle were the ones that pushed her as they too headed out of the common room. She watched the exit disappear and thought about following again...but changed her mind.
"Why is he so shady?" She asked herself as she headed to the dorms.
Entering her room she quietly headed toward her trunk and changed quickly before going to lay on her bed. Laying on her side she stared at the green canopy curtains.
Draco and Blaise both had pointed out how she used other people's problems to avoid her own on two separate occasions. And today they both pointed out that she saw people as a puzzle. It sort of angered her, because it was the truth...and the truth hurts.
But she couldn't stop not now at least. It was what she was so used to doing, for years. She spent her time studying her fellow school mates learning more about them than they'd want people to know. There were a few though that she couldn't figure out, because they weren't interesting enough or they were just too hard of a puzzle. And those were her favorites. Draco Malfoy was her favorite puzzle this year. Because she thought she had him figured out years ago, but he made her see him differently the moment she sat on the train with him at the beginning of term and the more she thought about him the more thoughts popped into her head.
Angeline ran a hand through her hair. All her thoughts lately went back to Draco. Every single one of them. Everything Blaise said only made her think of Draco. Something Blaise obviously didn't want her to do. And neither did Draco for that matter. And from there it only made her ever running mind run faster.
Draco's behavior would make anyone suspicious. And Blaise shared a room with Draco which may have made him suspicious...And where were Crabbe and Goyle going? They did anything Draco told them to do. Better question...where was Draco going? Why was he usually out when everyone was sleeping? She never believed he was sick, but that didn't mean anything did it?
She was going drive herself insane like this!
Whatever, the main thing is...Draco Malfoy is not a Death Eater...Right?
Angeline sighed as she turned onto her stomach."Right..." she mumbled into her pillow. Sleep taking a lot longer to come to her than she would have liked.
Malcolm Baddock is a legit character, I didn't make him up. And he is a third year if my math is correct...Anyway he was sorted in 1994 and placed in Slytherin, Fred and George Weasley hissed at him. Other than that, nothing else is quite known about dear Malcolm, so I decided to throw the poor forgotten character a bone.
Uh...I think that's it. Any questions? Just ask me! I always reply! :)
You know what to do! Go on now! Review!
Weasley is my king,
Twilightraver
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