Tangled Up

by TFK-fan118

The cliched coming of age story, starring Draco Malfoy, meets the skeptic mind of his mate. Besides the skepticism, she seems to be quite the dense little witch and she finds him unattractive, swatting away his attempts at affection. What's a Veela to do?

6. Temptation

"You're late again, Miss Colman."

Kylie sighed heavily as she placed her bag down. She sat down without a word and blew the hair out of her face. She was not in the best of moods at the moment. And it showed clearly by the indifferent expression on her face. Obviously, the Ravenclaw student expressed that she did not care for the fact that the stern teacher deducted points. Actually, she never cared when points were deducted. Her fellow housemates, however, did care. They glared in her direction for a moment before realizing that Kylie did not and would not respond.

"Now, as I was saying… Today we will be doing things a little differently today. We will discuss the race known as Veela," Professor McGonagall resumed talking to the class. Confused murmurs filled the class as the professor went behind her desk. One student looked absolutely miffed at the topic. His grey eyes glanced in the direction of the one who came in late. It was she who stepped up and asked what everyone was thinking.

"Yo, obaa-chan…! What does Veela have to do with Transfiguration?" Kylie asked, crossing her arms. "It seems weird that you, of all people, are straying from the set curriculum."

"Well, this is a special day, Miss Colman. You, as well as the entire glass, should celebrate," McGonagall said. "This lecture does not require note-taking." A few high fives were exchanged among the students. "However, you will need to pay close attention. I will not tolerant sleeping during my lecture." Everyone knew this remark was directed at Kylie, who looked quite insulted. The teen witch then glowered at the older witch.

"It's not like you let anyone sleep in your class anyway," she murmured. Her desk partner nudged her in the ribs, causing Kylie to wince. "Not funny, Cho-chan!"

The pretty Ravenclaw beside Kylie nearly hissed. "Be silent…! We can't afford to lose more points because of your apparent stupidity!" Kylie merely glared back, opting to keep quiet for now. There would be plenty of time to annoy the perfect Ravenclaw once lunch came. With a huff, both girls returned their attention back to the professor. McGonagall cleared her throat. The Headmaster had suddenly asked her to change her teaching schedule for the sake of two individuals. Although, she could see why he was a bit worried—there had been no progression between the two—but someone else could have put it into their schedule. Transfiguration was much more important than Veela… in her opinion at least. She believed that only the Veela and the mate should know, and judging from the irritated expression on young Draco's face, he was in full agreement. However, the Headmaster had ordered her to do so, and so she would.

"First off, does anyone know anything concerning Veela?" she asked, scanning the room for hands. Immediately, she found one. Of course, it was Hermione Granger. A small smile cracked McGonagall's face. The Gryffindor female seemed to always know something an average student wouldn't. Her personality was refreshing. "Yes, Miss Granger…?"

"Veela are said to be a race of half-human, half-magical creatures. They are something akin to Sirens, which are of Greek myth," Hermione explained. "I heard that these creatures are extremely beautiful women, who entice the opposite gender with supernatural charms. It is said that no man can resist these gorgeous beings. However, when angered, they can transform into something quite deadly—similar to Harpies in appearance. In this state, they can shoot fireballs from their hands."

"Correct, Miss Granger." McGonagall gave a nod of approval. "I'm afraid that is not all the information concerning Veela entails." The girl instantly looked interested. The one who should have been interested rolled her eyes, looking as if she would fall asleep at any moment. The older witch mentally sighed before continuing. "To reproduce, Veela are known to cross-breed with humans. The offspring will gain the beauty and charm from their mother, and the magical abilities from their father." A hand went up. It was Hermione. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"You said the magical abilities are from the father—what happens if the father is… a muggle?"

"There has been no evidence of a Veela ever cross-breeding with a muggle," McGonagall answered, stoically. Hermione frowned. "Veela choose their human partners based on their genetic makeup." A Slytherin male snorted. "Genetic makeup, Mister Jackson. It may seem arbitrary to the intended mate of Veela, but it is quite precise. Instincts take over completely when the mate is found. You could call it… destiny." Many girls in the room sighed dreamily—as most teenage girls would—while the boys snorted. It did not come as a surprise to her that Kylie let out a snort as well. The girl was like a brick wall. She was skeptic of many things, fate seemed to be included. "Many years ago, Hogwarts housed both a Veela and her mate. Unfortunately, their union did not come for years after graduation."

"Why not…?" Cho asked, curious.

"Not now—I will explain afterwards. The mating ritual is specific. It is common for the intended mate not to know they are being courted until after the fact. To acquire their mate, the Veela has to work hard. Reason being is that the mystical charms they are born with have no effect on their mate. Once the attraction starts for the Veela, there is no going back. It takes absolute willpower not simply take the intended. They restrain themselves for the purpose of first courting their mate."

"How romantic…" A girl cooed. Many boys rolled their eyes. "Why couldn't Veela be men?"

"The courting period pauses for a time to allow the Veela to change to fit the… physical needs of the mate. Only the outer appearance changes, though. Next comes the transformation of the mate, himself. These transformations are to ensure that they both meet their expectations and cause their attraction to grow more intense. However, this does not occur until the intended mate initiates personal contact with the Veela."

This tidbit of information was not explained prior to this class. Because of that, Draco Malfoy perked up. Personal contact… The words echoed in his head. If that was true, things wouldn't progress with Kylie until she- His thought was cut off. The Slytherin student's hand shot up in the air. His desk partner looked at him weirdly, but he did not care. He had to confirm his suspicions. McGonagall nodded in his direction, signaling that he could ask away. Draco dropped his hand. "What do you mean personal? What sort of contact?" The old woman took her time in answering, much to the Slytherin's chagrin.

"A kiss must be initiated by the intended mate in order for the transformations to take place." Grey eyes widen a fraction. "This kiss could be a simple one—a kiss to the hand would suffice. After that, it is absolutely vital that the Veela and mate have skin to skin contact every day." This was directed solely at Draco, and he knew quite well.

"Why is that?" Hermione asked.

"The Veela could literally tear herself apart because she does not have the contact. Her intended becomes something like a drug. This, unfortunately, almost occurred with the Veela who attended this school. By chance, the two were friends at the time, so skin to skin contact was not abnormal."

Draco felt his energy slipping away. He was more than a little relieved. Fortunately, nothing close to that ever happened to him. Kylie and he shared a room, so it had been easy to touch her—with her knowing or not. This was more information that he knew not of. His father had left things out in his explanation. Was it his intention to do so? He could not say. His father was a very hard man to read. Only his mother seemed to know what was going on in that head. At any rate, Kylie had kissed him. It was during the holiday break. He remembered that day clearly. Draco's grey eyes glanced over in her direction. He had been extremely lucky unlike his great grandmother. Just in first period alone, they had brushed hands a total of twenty times… not that he was counting. If what McGonagall said was true, shouldn't he have changed by now? There was that fleeting change moments after the kiss, but it only lasted seconds. "Of course… I nearly forget that I am only part Veela. Father did say there would be a few variations."

"If the Veela and her mate were already attracted to one another, why did it take so long for their union?"

Again, the professor felt the need to have a dramatic pause. Kylie blew the bangs out of her face again, waiting for the answer. She was a bit curious about the topic as well, though she did not show it. It was a bit intriguing to her. Humans behaving like animals… She did always like animals better. "The intended mate was… promiscuous and rambunctious. Although, the attraction between the two was natural, he had many partners while attending Hogwarts. He took advantage of his transformation to gain these partners." The old witch pursed her lips together. Kylie guessed that she taught this guy before. That must have been the reason. The contempt she held in her voice was all too clear. She had heard that tone numerous times from various teachers. She assumed that this mate did a lot of flirting in her class.

Kylie raised her hand, drawing the attention of the entire class. Having her hand up for a subject like this was like an invitation to a debate. Groans filled her ears, yet the Ravenclaw student calmly waited for McGonagall to notice her hand. The popular teen beside her tried, in vain, to bring the girl's arm down. She gave up with a heavy sigh after the professor called on Kylie. "Not to sound disbelieving-" Cho released a snort, as did many Ravenclaw students who had the pleasure of sharing other classes with the witch. "-But I don't believe this. First off, I know that Veela are very attractive, so why didn't this guy jump the girl's bones as soon as she started showing interest in him? The two could have had their little union like that!" Kylie snapped her fingers for emphasis. "Secondly, why wasn't any other guy trying to jump her bones? Rape would have been definite."

"Miss Colman!" McGonagall seemed embarrassed and infuriated at the same time.

"No, no, no, no, no—you know I'm right! Teenage boys' hormones are already outta control and here strolls in a gorgeous sample, all ripe for the taking? I'm pretty sure a few tried." Kylie crossed her arms. "And another thing, if this guy was her destined mate or whatever, I'm sure that she would have been possessive. Like Hermes said-" The witch in question bristled lightly. "-Veela turn into these freaky monster things that throws balls of fire when angered. And last time I checked, jealousy and anger goes hand in hand. SO why exactly does anyone not hear about burned bodies, murder, and psychopathic girlfriends when talking about the history of Hogwarts?" Silence was her answer. "And romantic…? You think it's romantic?" Kylie scoffed at the very notion. "If it's fate, then there's no romance involved! MC Gonagall said it herself—the two change to please the other. That is the most selfish thing I've ever heard! I definitely wouldn't be happy with a change in appearance in myself just because some guy doesn't like the way I look now! And I'm pretty sure most girls—well, most reasonable girls—would feel the same, right?" Again, the room was quiet. Draco had to stop himself from looking the part of a hurt Veela. "Yeah… I thought so. Now, can we please stop talking about something irrelevant and get back to Transfiguration? I actually like this class… a little bit."

After docking 30 points, Professor McGonagall continued with the lecture.

0~0

Draco scanned the table, looking for Kylie. She had hurried off before he could catch her attention after class. That was usual. She was always in a hurry since she knew lunch was next. Spotting her sitting alone, he quickly made his way over. He sat opposite of her. However, Kylie did not look his way. She stared at her food, frowning. "Itadakimasu!" Relief washed over his body as the witch broke into a smile and began eating. She had to be the only one who was so serious about eating. The Slytherin called her name, causing her to look up. "Oh, Draco, what's up?" she asked.

"Where's Sarah?" he asked.

"Not here yet. I think she had to talk to her professor about something."

"Perfect," Draco thought. Now was a time to question Kylie. He had wanted to know for a long time. This was his chance. Grey eyes stared at the witch for a moment. The teen opened his mouth. "Kylie… What do you think of me?" She looked up again, knitting her eyebrows together. What a cute face, he thought. Mentally, he shook his head. He couldn't get distracted now. All this time, Kylie had never done anything. That is to say, she had never behaved the way a normal girl would in his presence. Albeit, Kylie wasn't exactly what some would call normal, she was still a female. It was odd that she hadn't stumbled over words, blushed, or tripped over herself whenever he smiled at her. Most girls did those actions. Kylie hadn't as so much as batted an eyelash. Although they had been living together for a semester, he still did not know what she thought of him.

"What do I think of you…?" Kylie repeated. A nod from Draco told her to go on. "Hm… Well, you're nice…"

"Please don't spare my feelings. I want to know the truth."

Kylie shrugged and put her fork down. "You're weird," she replied, bluntly. A pang in the wizard's chest caused him to grimace. "But then again, I suppose I'm weird, too. It's okay, I like weird." A warm feeling make Draco smile.

"So then… You do like me?"

"Of course I do." She looked annoyed. Draco smirked. The source of her annoyance probably had to do with him not letting her eat.

"Alright, one last question. How do I look to you?" Kylie scratched her ear. It was something she did when nervous. He narrowed his eyes and repeated his question, saying it was fine to speak the truth.

"Well, you don't have the worry about me falling for you if that's what you want to know!" Kylie finally blurted out. Draco could literally feel his heart constricting. "You have blond hair—I'm not attracted to that at all. I'm not really feeling the haircut either. You have a 'bird chest' and no abs. You're much too skinny for my taste, too. There's barely any muscle on you. Oh, and your hands are so delicate… like girl hands. Hell, I'd rather have your hands than mine. All in all, your body is not what I call my ideal type." It was as if each word she spoke morphed into a dagger and pierced his heart, digging through his back and front. "So like I said, you don't need to worry about me falling for you. You're too scrawny for me. There's no way I'd fall for you, Draco!" Her last statement was like a boulder crushing the life out of him. She even had the gall to give a brilliant smile as she said the last sentence.

By now, Kylie was wondering why it looked as if Draco was trying desperately to keep his upright position. Before she could question his strange behavior, however, Sarah seemed to come out of nowhere. The apathetic teen sat quietly by her side. She raised an eyebrow, spotting Draco. She turned her emerald green eyes to Kylie. Her friend shrugged, and then paid attention to her food. Sarah glanced back at Draco. "He looks… crushed."

"He does, doesn't he?"

"What did you do?"

"What did I do?" Kylie's tone was incredulously. "He told me to tell him what I think of his looks and I told him the truth. You'd think he'd be happy that I'm not attracted to him." Draco abruptly stood up and moved briskly away, grumbling something under his breath. "What's his major malfunction…?" Sarah only shook her head, feeling a little sorry for the blond. "Anyway, today in Transfigurations, we learned about Veela mating rituals for some reason. Don't you find that's odd?"

"Yes, that is quite odd," Sarah affirmed, sipping her beverage. "I take it you did not consider this to be true?"

"Of course I didn't! There were way too many factors that did not make sense!" Kylie ranted. "Honestly, it'd make a decent fictional fantasy—maybe a comedy, but that's it. I won't believe that it's true."

"It sure looks like it." Inside her mind, however, Sarah tried to remain calm. She thought that something had happened over the holidays between the two, bringing them closer together. The teen twitch mentally scowled. It would appear that even if something may have happen, they were still at a standstill. Sarah tucked a strand of her reddish brown hair behind her ear. She had half a mind to just shout at Kylie. However, she knew that even something like wouldn't get through to her. She had hoped that Draco Malfoy would come to the conclusion that he needed to attack her. Sadly, it didn't look like that would happen. And with Kylie's—probably—harsh words on his appearance, it wouldn't be happening anytime soon. Her friend had a knack for being blunt especially if someone asked her to be. Poor Draco did not look a bit like what Kylie wanted in a man. Sarah knew that her friend wanted muscles, dark hair, and most importantly, abs. Also, her type had to be able to fight—not just brawl fighting either. The reason she was such an advocate about that body type is because she grew up with it. Her father and older brother both had the body type, so in Kylie's eyes, that was appealing. Draco definitely wasn't built like those two were. And until he transformed, he wouldn't be getting any action, as Kylie liked to say. "But still… I do wonder what his plan is."

"You say something?"

"No, go back to your gluttonous ways."

"Har… Har… Har…"

0~0

Draco Malfoy was not in the best of moods. "Did she have to be so bloody bold with her words?" The Slytherin teen clenched his teeth as he tried to listen to the lecture on… whatever it was Professor Sprout was going on about. It was a bit hard to concentrate at the moment. It had been two periods ago, but Kylie's callous words ran through his mind. The bad thing was that she did not realize what she was doing to him. He gripped his head, closing his eyes. It was all maddening. Truly, how much longer would he have to endure this? And the headache he currently had was doing much to help either.

Suddenly, a hand was placed on his shoulder, pulling him out of his thoughts. His head snapped up and turned. Kylie was giving him a concerned look. "Draco, I've been trying to get your attention for two minutes. Is something wrong?" The wizard closed his eyes for a moment. His hand reached up and gripped hers. Pulling it down, he told her he was fine. "You're lying." She glared as she pressed her fingers against his forehead. "You're sweating. Your face is flushed. You keep grabbing your head. And your speech is slow. Something is definitely wrong with you." Kylie took her hand away. Odd… He felt more miserable than what she described as soon as she pulled away. The witch raised her hand. "Sensei…!" she called, interrupting the professor. Sprout was the only one who allowed Kylie to call her that, he recalled. "Something is seriously wrong with my lab partner. Could I take him to the hospital wing?"

He did not hear the woman answer, but he did feel Kylie lift him off of the stool. With a grunt, she moved his arm over her neck. "For skin and bones, you're pretty darn heavy." Damn, his eyes were becoming blurry. He barely heard Kylie tell the professor that she would be back later to pick up their things. He had no way of knowing when they reached the hospital wing. His senses felt like they were all out of balance. But he did feel his back hit a soft surface. What was this? It felt like he was getting worse. Panting heavily, he could hardly hear the conversation between Kylie and Madam Pomfrey. Whatever they were talking about, the teen witch did not seem to like it. "YOU WANT ME TO WHAT?"

Draco winced at her shout and turned over. His ears were ringing. That noise—it was screeching. An apologetic tone entered his ear. It was slightly soothing, but was not enough to quell his entire body of whatever symptoms he was having. "Fine," Kylie grumbled. "Gimme!" The Slytherin felt a hand touch his shoulder, turning him on his back. "Sorry about this." Sorry…? What could she possibly be apologizing for? Draco cracked opened his eyes to see Kylie moving forward with a determined expression. He almost did not register the joining of their lips. And even if he did, the enjoyable feeling was put out by the disgusting liquid that entered his mouth. A strong hand held him down as Kylie continued to transfer the foul liquid from her mouth to his.

After what seemed like eternity, the horrible punishment finally came to an end. The ordeal took a lot out of him, but he did feel better. "There, young Draco should be all better in just a few hours." This time, he actually heard Madam Pomfrey. "You may stay with him if you'd like." Again, he cracked his eye open to see the older woman's departing back. She, however, turned and winked at him. Startled by the gesture, Draco could only try to look confused. He groaned lightly as he sat back.

"Damn hag…" Kylie murmured. "I'm sure she could have conjured up a straw or something. She probably did it on purpose…"

"K-Kylie…" His voice was hoarse. What the bloody hell was happening to him?

"What the hell is happening to you?" The witch crossed her arms. She looked annoyed, but there was a glimmer of anxiety in her eyes. "You think it was something in Herbology?"

"I'm not sure."

"Hm… Well, at any rate, you'll be fine in a couple hours." She stood. "I guess I'll go back to class now."

A hand reached out and grabbed her wrist, preventing Kylie from going further. She turned slightly to see Draco sitting up in bed, refusing to let go. It was the most pitiful sights she had ever laid eyes on. After Sarah made her seen the damage she had done to her 'bully,' she had thought she saw it all. Nope, this was definitely more pathetic… and that guy actually shat himself. Kylie stopped to think about it. "Actually, I feel sympathy with Draco. Maybe that's why I think it's more pathetic." The teen witch sat beside Draco's exhausted body. "Fine, I'll stay, but only for a few minutes." She noticed the tiniest of smiles on his face. The guy looked more pathetic than before. After a few moments went by, an eyebrow twitched. "So…" She turned her head to glare at him. "You gonna release me or not?"

Naturally, the Slytherin did so. Kylie mentally sighed as she returned her head back to its original point. That is what he usually did whenever she commented on prolonged touching. "Forgive me." The teen witch grumbled to herself. Why the hell was he talking like that? "Perhaps it was something to do with class."

"No, I already thought about that. It couldn't have been. After all, no one else got sick," Kylie explained. "And besides, I noticed your face before class started."

"My face…?"

"Yeah, you were already sweating. I thought you had run to class, though, so I didn't think much of it." Her roommate did not respond. "Draco…?" She turned, only to find his eyes closed. A scowl appeared on her face. "This is why I don't like magic!" The witch stood. "You never know when medicine knocks out a person!" With a huff, the Ravenclaw student began to stomp away.

The witch was so busy comparing the wonders of science to the tricks of magic that she did not notice the person in front of her until it was too late. She plowed head first into the person, causing both teens to release grunts. "Hey, are you blind? I was walking-" The witch froze. Staring into the green eyes of this certain wizard did not bring about pleasant thoughts. In fact, in her mind's eye, the top of her head exploded like a volcano. Her face broke out into a cold sweat. And her body trembled uncontrollably. Of course, this was all in her mind, so she appeared perfectly normal on the outside. "H-H-Harry Pot-Potter…!"

"Ah… It's you."

"Huh…?"

Instantly, Kylie's surge of negative thoughts was gone, and in their place was confusion. His reaction was strange. Her brown eyes widen a bit when the Chosen One smiled at her. That was even stranger. Could her eyes have been wrong? Did she really see a glare on his face? No—it couldn't be. Not when he was smiling right now. How weird, she thought. "I didn't expect to you here, Colman," Harry laughed. "Actually, I haven't seen you in quite a long time." Kylie chuckled nervously.

"Yeah… what a coincidence. Actually, I was just leaving. Draco-" She noticed the twitch of his upper lip. Jeez… Those two were just too much. "-fell ill during Herbology class, so I brought him here."

"Oh, I see."

"What about you?"

"Ah, Ron ate something he wasn't supposed to."

The name went in one ear and out of the other. Kylie had no idea who this 'Ron' was. Did he expect her to know? Oh wait—she remembered. Ron was 1/3 of the Golden Trio, or the Meddlesome Trio as she liked to call them. "Wait… I didn't see him. Are you sure he's still there?" Kylie asked, rubbing her chin with her index finger. Harry nodded his head, so the witch shrugged. "Well… I gotta go. See ya later, maybe!" She walked pass him, yet she did not go far. Harry's next question threw her off and made her stop.

"Do you care for him?"

Slowly, Kylie turned her head. Her body tensed. There seemed to be a dark aura coming from him. Very odd… Maybe being the famous wizard he was finally gotten to him. "Mah… Didn't we already have this conversation before?" Kylie scratched her ear. With small sentences, he told her that things change over time. "Well…" Her brown eyes shifted from Harry's back and to the floor several times. "I guess… I do… care about him… a li-little bit." What the heck? Why did she feel nervous? "Draco's not as bad as you make him out to be, though. He's actually been quite nice since I've met him even though it was bizarre at first. Maybe if you'd try, you guys could be friends, too." The Gryffindor chuckled, but it was mocking.

"Friend…?" He turned to face her. "I have no intention of being his friend."

"I'm… sorry… to hear that… Then you're just going to hate him forever?" The situation was quickly becoming awkward. A faint blush became visible. "What have I walked into…?" Kylie thought, watching as Harry covered his face with his hand. If anything, the situation was becoming more and more uncomfortable. The Gryffindor wizard must have noticed because he smiled again probably to break the ice. "Uh… I guess I'll go now. Bye-bye." Kylie turned and walked away.

She was unaware of the piercing eyes that watched her go.

0~0

The Ravenclaw student clenched her teeth, forcing her eyes to stay open. "Come on, Colman! Just a few more paragraphs and I'll be done!" She gripped her quill, careful to keep the feather from touch her nose or upper lip. The things were dangerous to those with sensitive noses. "Why did McGonagall ask me to write an essay on this, anyway?" she thought, furrowing her eyebrows. "If only I had gone straight to class after dumping Draco off…" Kylie stopped writing again. She gazed into the candle's fire. "I wonder…" She held her chin up with her hand; her elbow was pressed against the desk. "Is Draco alright yet? He hasn't come back and it's almost midnight."

Kylie shook her head and narrowed her eyes. Sure, she did care for him—she hadn't been lying to Harry about that. However, just how much did she care? Hm… "How big of a friend is he? He's no way near Sarah, I'm sure." The Ravenclaw dropped her quill and sank into her chair. She rubbed her forehead, wondering why she was even thinking about it. Honestly, she had been randomly thinking about Draco during classes. It was slightly frustrating. If this occurred once or twice a day, then it would not be a problem. She wouldn't think much of it. After all, she was currently living with him. But it has happened much more, and they were not fleeting thoughts either. It was at least fifteen minutes during class time. The witch squeezed her eyes shut. "Chikuso…!" she murmured. The witch scratched her head rapidly. "This is all Dragon's fault!"

"Excuse me? How are your frustrations my fault?"

Her lips parted, hearing the familiar voice enter her ears. She turned slowly. Kylie was greeted by the sight of a smirking Slytherin, who was sitting on the edge of the bed. "Draco-!" Her face flushed in embarrassment. "You weren't… supposed to hear that…" The witch stared at the male for a moment, slightly puzzled. Before, he looked ghastly—pale as ghost. Now, he looked completely healthy. Not to mention that he appeared slightly more mature in the face. The young Malfoy closed his eyes, smirk still on his face.

"But I did…" His voice was low, warm… enticing. Kylie quirked a brow as the thought entered her mind. How peculiar, she thought. Closing her eyes, the witch turned away. What the heck was thinking about anyway? "Kylie…" Brown eyes snapped open in surprise. Draco had appeared right in front of her! His face was inches away from hers, causing the Ravenclaw to become stiff. He slowly pushed the chair away from the desk, not breaking eye contact. How he managed to get in between the desk and chair remained a mystery to the startled witch. "You said something wrong. You deserve a punishment, Kyle-lee-chan."

Kylie glared, and then turned her head, breaking the contact. "Hottoite-yo! Baka!" His hand grabbed her, forcing her to look back at him. Draco shook his head, signaling that he was not going to obey. Kylie had to refrain from growling at him. "Let me go!" Again, he shook his head. "I'm about ten seconds away from decking you in the face!" It was then she noticed the slight longer length of the Slytherin's incisors. "What the heck happened to you?" Draco's smirk widened.

"Don't try to change the subject. Your punishment—I'm about to initiate it," he said. Kylie instantly forgot her intrigue and became angry again. However, before she could let out a string of insults, Draco picked her up and flung her over his shoulder. Startled, the witch could only gasp in shock. How was he able to caring her like this? It shouldn't be possible for someone like him. The person who gets punched by nerdy girls, the person who screams over a simple scratch from a Hippogriff—he shouldn't have the strength to carry her like this! The Slytherin teen even looked comfortable as if she weighed as much as an infant.

The Ravenclaw witch was so distracted by the sudden difference in strength that she didn't realize she was outside until the cold wind hit her face. "Hey…!" She began to struggle again, but Draco kept his grip firm. "Why are we outside? We're gonna get into trouble!" Without warning, the young wizard reached up and gave a sharp slap to Kylie's behind. She was so shocked that no sound came out when she opened her mouth to scream. Draco rubbed her bottom soothingly as if to apologize. Kylie was three seconds away from foaming at the mouth.

"It's fine. I am a prefect, so normal rules don't apply to me." The tone in his voice was smug. He set her down on her feet. She glared up at him. Wait… Up…? When did he gain three inches to his height? "You're lucky you're so cute to me… otherwise, I would punish you severely." Kylie hurriedly looked away for witnesses. It had been a while since she used her secret, which did not involve magic, and this guy was begging for her to. That's when she realized they were on the Suspension Bridge.

"Why did you bring me here? I have a paper to finish, you know!"

Instead of answering, Draco moved to his left and picked up a broom. It was his flying broom. Kylie recalled seeing it once or twice before. He held his hand out to her. "Kylie, co-"

"No!" she interrupted. "I won't!" The Slytherin narrowed his eyes. The witch crossed her arms. "I am no good at flying, so I refuse." Draco moved closer to her.

"I will be with you."

"I don't care! I'm not going! And that's final!"

Too bad the witch did not notice the handle of the broom between her legs. Draco smirked. The handle was also in between his legs. "Sorry, but you don't have a choice in the matter." The two shot up in the air. It was so fast that Kylie could barely breathe, let alone scream her head off. Instinctively, her hands gripped the handle of the Nimbus 2001. Brooms weren't meant for two riders—especially racing brooms, and especially in these positions. Kylie swallowed the lump in her throat as she felt the wind suddenly cease. They had stopped moving up, but she was still did not open her eyes. "You won't fall, I promise." A hand on her shoulder calmed her down, but only slightly.

"P-Put me do-down, Draco!"

"What are you—scared of a little height?"

"Yes…!" she breathed out.

Draco frowned. He hadn't meant to scare her. Kylie did not seem to be afraid of anything. Well, she was not afraid of administrative figures—that much was certain. He had no idea. He had never meant anyone who was afraid of flying. He saw that her knuckles were turning white from clenching the broom. His hand gently rubbed her shoulder to comfort her. "Alright, I'll put us down…" His broomstick slowly began to descend. However, they would not be landing on the bridge. Their destination would be the Paved Courtyard. "… If you kiss me." Her brown eyes sprang open. "I won't repeat myself." Kylie's body was literally shaking. Sweat began to form as well. Even so, she leaned forward. She was so full of fear that she was willing to do something against her will. Again, his eyes narrowed. The thought hurt, but if Kylie really did not want to kiss him, then he shouldn't make her. When her lips were centimeters from his own, Draco laughed out, causing her to stop and open her eyes. "How loose are your lips? We're already on the ground."

Just as he said that, Kylie's feet touched the group. Slowly, her hold on the handle loosened. She closed her eyes, trying to get her breathing back to normal. What a dirty trick, she thought. With haste, she moved away from the Slytherin teen. She hugged her body and shuddered. Had she really been about to give away a kiss to him? Of course… It was logical. To choose to replace fear with relief was human nature. "But still… He didn't have to force me into that! I don't care if he is a friend; I'm going to use it!" Kylie thought. She felt his hands on her shoulders. He pulled her close.

"Daijoubu…?" he questioned, unaware of her dark thoughts. Kylie jerked away and swatted at his hands. "Gomen ne…" The witch turned to face him.

"I don't care if you use Japanese words… I'm still going to do it," she murmured, placing a hand on his shoulder. Draco looked confused. Kylie grinned. She would use his bewilderment to her advantage. "It's been awhile since I've used this!" She pushed her bangs away from her forehead and reared her head back.

Draco's face never stood a chance.

0~0

Sarah Simmons was confused. This did not happen often hence her apprehension. The reason for her confusion was Kylie. As the girl's best friend, she believed that she knew Kylie extremely well. However, her friend's behavior was strange. Sarah was sure she took care of Pansy to ensure that neither she nor her followers even looked at Kylie. Plus, Draco Malfoy also had something to do with Pansy keeping away from the rather thick witch. "Hm… No, that's not it." Sarah silently sipped on her Green tea as she watched her friend. It was not fear. It was odd… Kylie never had such an expression on her face. She looked absolutely demonic with that smirk on her face. It looked similar to what Sarah, herself, tried to keep locked up.

Kylie was usually the passive one out of the both of them. It was rather strange to see such an expression from her. She was almost afraid to ask. "May I ask why you look like you've seen hell… and liked it?" Sarah finally set her cup down. Kylie's brown eyes shifted from her food. The Ravenclaw witch actually started laughing… sinisterly. Now, she was really confused. "Kylie…?"

"Dragon did something dumb yesterday night." Her grin grew as held up her bangs. "Let's just say he won't be doing anything like that in the future."

The green-eyed witch allowed a tiny smirk to appear on her face. Inside, however, she was laughing. "So Draco Malfoy has done something to incur the wrath of Kylie Colman?" Sarah almost chuckled out loud. It had been such a long time since Kylie used that secret weapon of hers. That head of hers is one of the many reasons why Sarah befriended the witch. "I take it we won't be seeing him today then?" Draco was not very strong. He didn't look it at least. The last person—a muggle—who got the treatment actually got amnesia. Her head was dense mentally speaking and physically. Anyone on the receiving end of her head butt would not be able to function properly afterwards.

Well, that is what Sarah thought… right before she saw Draco Malfoy walking over to them. Incredible, she thought. The very thought of someone being just fine after a direct hit from that forehead was farfetched. Though, the witch was never there when Kylie used her secret weapon, she was sure that the victim ended up comatose. His grey eyes locked with hers. Sarah was ashamed to say that she momentarily stopped breathing. That face of his seemed different from the last time she saw it. He smirked, and then held his finger up to his lips, silently telling her to keep quiet about his presence. The witch narrowed her eyes. Neither help nor hither his plans—it is what she said. Now, she almost regretted it.

Once Draco was sure that Sarah Simmons would not intervene, he placed his arms around his target's neck. The reaction was instantaneous. Her body shivered, and then tensed. "What a very bad thing for you to do, Kylie," he whispered, teasing her ear with his breath. "On top of the hit, you actually left me in the cold. Cruel…" Kylie struggled in his hold while stammering out his name. "Now, I really will punish you." The witch let out a screech, and before he knew it, she was gone from his arms. Draco looked to his left. He could practically see the dust that had been kicked up thanks to Kylie's hasty departure from the Great Hall.

"I see, I see…" The Slytherin turned his attention toward Sarah. "You've undergone a transformation." The witch moved a strand of hair behind her ear as she stared up at him. Draco sat down in the place Kylie once was. He nodded to confirm her statement. "No wonder you seem so much more confident in yourself. Having the person you like's ideal body type would make anyone confident." Draco could not say he liked the look on the witch's face as she spoke. It made him feel quite uncomfortable. "However, your sudden courage will only succeed in scaring Kylie off."

"Meaning…?"

"Meaning she won't fall for you. Meaning you two will not bond. Meaning you will eventually die while Kylie has a family of her own."

Her words were like physical strikes to his body. She had said it as if that really was his fate. His gritted his teeth. "I no longer care what others think or advise me to do." Draco actually glared. "I've tried advice from various people who say they know her well, but… in the end, it's futile. I'll catch Kylie by myself. Besides, this matter doesn't involve anyone other than Kylie and myself." He stood, signally the conversation was over. He turned his back to Sarah. "It's already been a semester. I can no longer be hesitant." The Slytherin prefect then walked away from the table.

Sarah watched him go with her impassive expression. She could not very well see his body, but his face and actions proved that he had changed. She did not know who all gave him guidance with this situation, but apparently it hadn't worked. The Ravenclaw witch suspected that Draco Malfoy must have lost his patience sometime ago. As of now, he would not listen to anyone and attack the problem head-on. How moronic, yet… "He's gotten quite cool." Sarah hid a smirk behind two fingers. Most students couldn't and wouldn't stand up to the likes of Sarah Simmons. They knew how merciless the witch could truly be.

The stoic look returned when someone stopped in front of her. Sarah recognized the witch as Hermione Granger. The Gryffindor was smarter than most. One would think the witch would end up in Ravenclaw. Hermione placed her hands on the table and looked into her green eyes. Then again, she was braver than most as well. Or perhaps it was stupidity, Sarah mused. She raised a brow. The Gryffindor prefect slowly breathed in and out through her nose. "Pardon my intrusion, but… we need to talk. It concerns our respective friends." The Ravenclaw narrowed her eyes. She did not like the sound of that.

Getting involved with just one of the Golden Trio did not bode well for her.

0~0

Severus Snape pulled the proper ingredients from the shelves—enough for his first period class. Today, his classes would hopefully brew the Strengthening Solution. He knew most would not be able to. He would need to come up with a proper punishment—alternative assignment for those who could not brew the potion properly. With a mental sigh—he had to do so every morning—Snape turned with the ingredients in his arms. "Master P." The vials clattered against the floor as the Potion's Master pressed his back against the shelf in surprise. "May I ask a favor?"

The professor placed a hand over his chest. It was only one of his students. Her presence was odd considering it was still minutes before class started. Generally, Kylie Colman was the last one in the room. Seeing her now was peculiar. On top of that, she seemed to be in a fit of despair. Or rather, it appeared as if the witch was running on her last bit of energy. Her eyes were hidden from view by her bangs. "Miss Colman, I wasn't expecting to see you… this early." Snape dropped down to pick up the vials. Fortunately, none were cracked or shattered. "What is it that you want?"

"May I ask a favor?" she repeated, not bothering to help him. With a sigh, the Head of the Slytherin House stood, vials back in his arms. He silently walked around the teen witch. Footsteps told him that she followed after him. Snape set the glass bottles down on his desk before turning to face her. He raised an eyebrow and nodded his head. "I think someone slipped some type of potion in Dragon's food. Either that or he drank something weird himself." Snape nearly rolled his eyes. Much time had passed, yet the girl still did not call the young Malfoy by his proper name. Then again, she refused to call him by his proper name from the very first day they met.

Finally, her words sank in. Also the tone—it seemed a bit dreary for a person such as her. "You believe Draco has consumed a potion?" A nod was his answer. "And why do you believe this?" She did not answer right away. However, he did notice her body tremble and her hands clench. "Come now… I don't have all day." Still, she did not lift her head.

"He's… acting strange. Yesterday, he got sick all of sudden, and then we he came back to our room…" Her voice nearly became a whisper. "He was just acting weird, okay? And-And-And he has this weird fascination with touching my shoulders—my shoulders!" Kylie finally blurted out. Snape let out a sigh of disbelief. "I—because of what he did to me, I was to believe that a potion or spell had something to do with his behavior! If I could ask—could you please watch over him today in class to figure out the symptoms and create an antidote?"

"Do you honestly expect me to-"

"Onegai, sensei!" Kylie latched onto his clothes. She finally looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "You don't know how freaky he has become! I can't take it! I won't be able to concentrate!" His attempts at pushing the girl away were unsuccessful. "Please, Master P! You're the only professor I trust!" At that time, Snape stopped trying to push the young witch away.

"Alright… Alright! If it will stop your adamant efforts," he gave in. The wizard had heard voices outside the door. Soon, students would be filing into his room. How awkward it would have been if they were seen in such a position. Kylie pulled away from him. "I will watch him."

"Arigatou…!"

Again, Snape had to resist rolling his eyes. Honestly, that language of hers was a bit irritating. How did she expect others to know what her words meant? Though, he did catch the gist of it. His dark eyes watched the girl trot over to her seat. She seemed to be a bit less lifeless. What could possibly make her become overemotional? The girl was rather worse than normal. However, before he could analyze further, students began to walk into the room, conversing with one another. Seriously, he had not time to dwell on the girl's problems. Snape walked over to his desk, telling his class to quiet down. The bell chimed, signaling that class would begin now. With a flick of his wrist, Snape closed the doors to his classroom. Whoever was late would not be getting in. "Settle down, settle down," his voiced drawled out to his class. "Today we will be brewing-" The man stopped. His eyes just happened to catch something quite peculiar.

Not only was Draco Malfoy staring at Kylie Colman—he did so all the time—but he was also rubbing his fingers against the back of the witch's hand. The Ravenclaw student's lips were pursed. She wore a look that clearly said 'Help me, Master P!' This scene was strange because one, Draco only stole glances and light brushes against her skin, and two, Kylie never noticed. His dark eyes examined the boy's face. It was somehow different. For some reason, he appeared to have a larger skull and bone structure. Other than that, even with the uniform, Snape could tell that his shoulders and chest were broader. Also, his Adam's apple was slightly more prominent than before. The older wizard narrowed his eyes, focusing on the physical contact between his two students. Draco's hands were noticeably larger than Kylie's, unlike how they were yesterday. If Snape did not know any better, he would assume that it was the work of a potion. However, he did know better. Draco Malfoy had undergone his transformation. Severus Snape frowned tightly.

Pretty soon, the girl would no longer be safe.

The professor cleared his throat, looking away from the odd pair. "As I was saying—you may collect the ingredients for the Strengthening Solution. Do not work on anything other than the potion for I will know if you do. There will be major repercussions for insubordination. I have other business to attend to at the moment." He walked down the aisle. "Draco and Miss Colman—come with me."

Kylie literally jumped from her seat to follow after her dark professor. Another second by Draco's side and she would have to release the hounds… or freak out and runaway—whichever came first. "I am forever in your debt, Master P!" Kylie mentally gave the Slytherin Head a bow of gratitude. A few moments of Draco Malfoy not trying to stare into her soul through her eyes was heaven. What a horrible day this was turning into. Her roommate was supposed to be knocked out for a least a day. The witch furrowed her eyebrows as she followed Snape down the hallway. "Perhaps my weapon isn't as deadly as it used to be." She continued to ponder the effectiveness of her forehead, unaware that her professor had stopped. The witch crashed into his back, causing Snape to turn to her with a raised eyebrow. "S-Sorry…" she murmured. The Potion's Master turned back around. It was then she noticed they were at the entrance to the Headmaster's office.

"Wait here," Snape ordered.

"Wh-What…?" Kylie began to protest. The man glared down at her, causing the witch to shrink back. "Sumimasen…" The witch bowed her head. Her teacher could be scary when he wanted. "But why the Headmaster…?"

"You will know when the time comes," Snape answered. He turned his back to her again, and then whispered something she could not hear. The stone gargoyle began to move, allowing the Head of Slytherin entry to the office.

She was now alone with Draco Malfoy.

The thought sent chills through her body. Recently, her roommate had become quite scary. It was almost as if he was purposely trying to give her a heart attack. Kylie breathed slowly through her nose. "Calm down," she thought. "Once Master P figures out what potion was consumed, everything will return to normal." Snape was most likely in there discussing antidotes with She placed a hand over her heart. It had returned to its normal beating rate. "I have to endure this for a bit longer." A sudden draft entered her right ear, causing Kylie to cringe. Realizing who it was, she panic and moved away hurriedly. She pressed her back against the stone wall, holding her violated ear. "What was th-that for?"

However, Draco did not answer her question. He merely smirked and moved towards her. Kylie, at that moment, wanted to sink into the wall. "Why did Professor Snape call on us?" he asked. The witch nervously shook her head and shrugged. "You're lying." The young Slytherin moved closer. The Ravenclaw witch immediately felt her body stiffen. How could Master P leave her like this? "I know when you're lying, Kylie." His voice was deep. It was difficult to admit how much it excited her. Mentally, the witch rapidly shook her head. Draco lifted a finger and dragged it down her cheek. Kylie bit her lip. "You won't tell me?" The witch pushed her lips together, indicating that she would not speak. Draco showed his teeth, expressively teasing her. Kylie swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'll make you open that sweet mouth of yours."

To her surprise, though, he backed away. Kylie breathed a sigh of relief. He was only messing with her. How could she forget? It was just a game to him. Over the years, Draco Malfoy has played with a lot of students. This was just another variation. That is what she thought until she saw him toss away his robe. "Eh…? What the heck are you doing?" Once again, he did not answer. The same smirk was still in place as he began to unbutton his shirt. It was then she lost all ability to speak and could only open and close her mouth like a fish out of water. Once he was finished, Draco tossed his House-colored tie over his shoulder. Kylie blinked, stunned at what she saw.

He had on a black vest. Still, she could clearly see the muscle underneath. What used to be a skinny boy, with barely anything working for him, had turned into something extraordinary. He had the body of a god! "Baka…!" Kylie narrowed her eyes. There was no way Draco had the body of a god. It was impossible! "Calm down… It's your own eyes… Most likely, I would be the only one to think like that. Dad has the body of a god, my older brother—demigod. Draco Malfoy… somewhere below that." Even so, her fingers twitched at the magnificent specimen in front of her. "Get a grip, Kylie! It's just a potion!" The witch slid against the wall, trying to get away. Her roommate watch her like a hawk would its prey, which caused her to freeze.

Suddenly, he was in front of her; arms pushed against the wall on either side of her, preventing escape. Kylie awkwardly looked away from that predatory gleam in his eyes. Her fingers twitched again. It was her damned mind. It was that curious spark that wanted to see what else had changed about the Slytherin teen. It was that inquisitive nature that made her want to reach out and-

"Touch."

"Huh?"

"Touch," Draco repeated in a whisper. Kylie slowly turned her head to face him. He licked his lips. "Touch—I know you want to. Do it." He watched her slowly, hesitantly lift her hand. Lightly, her fingertips touched his torso, causing the young wizard to relax and move his body forward. Becoming bolder, Kylie used her palm to move against his chest. Her brown eyes finally looked away and focused on his body. Draco shuddered against her skin. Euphoria is what it felt like. He sucked in a breath, feeling both hands on his toned stomach. The only thing separating the skin to skin contact was the thin layer of clothing.

Quickly, he grabbed her wrists. If she continued further, he would not be able to stop himself. "I'm… I'm sorry," Kylie murmured, dipping her head. Draco released her wrist. She was apologizing for some reason. How was it that she was able to say that so freely now? So he hadn't been the only one to change? Draco moved his hand smoothly against her cheek. Kylie's breath hitched as her face moved to closer. The Slytherin teen slowly leaned forward, dropping down slightly. Noticing her eyes widening, Draco smiled. His lips were inches away from hers. Their breaths mingled together, making the probability of sharing their lips increase. His focus shifted from her eyes to her lips several times before he eased in slowly. "Dr-Draco…!"

A sharp intake of breath from the witch made the young wizard grin. He had lifted her body, forcing her to grab onto his shoulders. Just to show off, he spun around a few times before returning to the original spot. Kylie gasped, still trying to keep her grip on him. "I've become this way for you." Draco pushed her against the wall, making her wrap her arms around his neck and her legs around his abdomen. Satisfied that the wall would support her, he removed one arm from her waist. His hand reached up. His thumb stroked her bottom lip, causing pants to come from the witch. Draco furrowed his eyebrows. She was reacting more than usual. But then he smiled. "Kylie, be mine forever."

"Eh…" Her eyelids lowered as well as her head. "Draco—m-my body…" He silenced by pulling her forward. This time he would do it. This time… He would kiss her. Kylie completely closed her eyes. She was becoming submissive. Soon would come the time where he would take her—make her completely and utterly his. "I… can't…" Closer and closer the two teens became, yet before contact was made a voice interrupted.

"Draco…!" The Slytherin growled, turning his eyes to right. "Release her now!" The young wizard sneered at the old coot. "Do as I say!"

"No—she's mine!"

"It is vital that you put her down now," Snape stated. "Otherwise…" He let the sentence hang. Draco glared, knowing what the otherwise could bring. Slowly, he sat Kylie down on her feet.

It appeared as though she was having a hard time remaining standing. "Kylie…?" Draco held her up. "Daijoubu?"

"I… I… can't…" Blood trickled down her nose, causing alarm from the three males. The witch must have felt the liquid because her fingers touched her nostrils and stared at the blood on her fingertips. "Masaka… I thought this only happened in-" Kylie never finished her sentence.

THUD

"I fear we were too late. It has begun," Dumbledore murmured.

0~0

Thank you all who review and/or favor this little story of mine.