I sat at the Gryffindor table with the other third of out trio, as usual, except Ron was on my right instead of in front of me. We ate and talked as if nothing had even happened between us. They were serving dinner stuffs for breakfast which was odd to me, but I chose not to question the school's ways. Harry and Ron had steaks with fries on the side while I had barbeque hot wings.
It was delicious. Something about the silverware made me look twice, though. It wasn't our normal utensils, or at least the steak knives Ron and Harry used weren't. Usually, they were plain and simple, but Harry's was fancier silver, while Ron's glowed a sickish green. I had finished my food and started my search around the room for familiar faces. I saw Neville with a Herbology book, most likely from Professor Sprout, Romilda Vane looking slyly toward Harry for the millionth time, and I saw Luna again, with a very brightly colored headband in her pale hair.
That bit took me by surprise, because she rarely ever failed to make a bold statement. I forgot about Luna when my eyes settled on him, his perfect blonde hair framing his face, his smile illuminating the room even more. I shook my head and pushed out the thoughts of Draco as being more than a new friend. I stole a glance at Ron and he looked at me curiously.
"Ron, I-I- uh," I tried to stammer.
"It doesn't matter to me," he said lightly.
While he said this he waved his hand, and creepy steak knife, around. He returned to eating, but his knife was gone, and it made him look around curiously. I was curious as well, but I had little time to think on it, because the next thing I knew, the knife landed with a THUNK. I looked toward the noise, and what I saw horrified me.
It had landed right between my knees and into the bench. Just then I felt a sharp sting and then blinding pain in my inner arm and thigh. I looked toward those places and saw blood seeping and soaking my shirt and trousers.
I awoke with a jolt as I sat up. The bells had not woken me seeing as how it was still early and dark. I was soaking with sweat and I scrambled to remember my dream. Something about a creepy-looking knife, Ronald waving it around, and losing it in the process. But there was a part that was seared into my memory; the knife landing between my knees, the blinding pain, and blood on my clothes. It was a jumble up to then. Hastily I looked at my arm, but there was no mark. I pulled up my PJ pant leg, and there was nothing there either.
But, it had felt all too real to be just a dream. Maybe this was why I had that foreboding feeling before bed. I had spoken too soon, because there it was again, that familiar pang of uneasiness that plagued me. I knew the danger had yet to pass and all I could do was wait and see what it would end up being. Of course I wasn't unfamiliar with danger, being Harry's friend meant I had faced plenty of it, sometimes it was life-threatening. I didn't know what kind I faced this time, or if I even needed to worry about it.
I glanced at the clock on my bedside table. It was only 2:47 a.m. There were still about five hours till breakfast. Laying back down and resting my head on my pillow, I decided that a few more hours wouldn't kill me. But the quiet of the room would. I slid out of bed, shoved my feet into my comfiest slippers, and headed toward the common room. The grandfather clock down the stairs bonged out the hour.
I caught my breath and quietly made my way downstairs. My breath hissed out as I reached the bottom. No one was around, and the fire had dimmed. I sat in the heavy armchair and stared at the dying embers. Suddenly, I felt as if I could no longer bear the silence in the common room.
"Accio Invisibility Cloak," I whispered, "Accio Marauder's Map."
Instantly, the two items floated down the stairs that led to the boys' dorm. I knew that to sneak around I would need to know who was also out there, and something to hide me from them. Especially with Filch and Mrs. Norris prowling the corridors for wayward students. I shrugged into the cloak and said the words to reveal the map.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
The ink slowly came into view. I could see that Professor McGonagall was pacing Dumbledore's old office. Filch was down in the Great Hall with Mrs. Norris at his side. I saw my own footprints with my name beside it standing in the common room. There was another person awake but in another Hogwarts House. It was Draco Malfoy, and he was pacing his common room. Maybe he's having a bad dream as well, I thought.
As if he could read my thoughts, Draco stopped pacing and turned toward his common room entrance. He stayed like that until I moved toward my own. I opened the painting and headed to the Astronomy Tower. I glanced at the map once more just in time to see Draco leaving his dorm too. My heart started to speed up and my breath quickened. I went as quickly and quietly as I could possibly go. If I wanted to dodge him, as I needed to, I'd have to be sneaky.
I was constantly watching his footprints, along with Filch and Mrs. Norris', as I went along. Filch hadn't moved, neither had Mrs. Norris, so I assumed they were both asleep. But Draco's moved every time mine did, like he was following me. I doubted he had a way of knowing that I was out there. Finally, the door to the Astronomy Tower stairs came into view. With one last look at the map, I opened the door, walked through it, and closed it behind me.
I padded up the stairs, the cloak still around my shoulders, and I saw that no one was there. There was a small space to sit near the railing. I slipped off the cloak and folded it so it could sit on my lap. Suddenly, I heard footsteps echo on the stairs and I froze. It must have been Draco, no one else had moved on the map. I stowed the map under the cloak so he wouldn't see it. There was a sharp intake of breath and I knew he had seen me.
"Bloody hell," I muttered.
"What are you doing up?" he asked me.
"I should ask you the same thing, shouldn't I?"
"I asked first."
I sighed and stood up. I pulled his arm till he followed me to where I had been sitting. Sitting back down, I tugged at his arm until he finally sat. He got situated and ended up pressed firmly against me left half. My heart thumped so wildly I was sure he heard it. Ignoring his closeness, I proceeded to tell him why I was here.
"I had a nightmare and couldn't sleep, so I thought coming up here would allow me to get some fresh air and clear my head."
"You just basically told me why I was here, too," he said when I finished.
"What does that mean?"
"I have this nightmare, but I can't see who's in it beside myself. Well, there are others, only they're a blur."
I glanced sideways at me. I looked at him expectantly, trying to make him elaborate. When he wouldn't, I waved my hands to say I wanted to hear more. Finally, he gave up and told me the rest.
"Alright, don't give me that look. I'm almost always in the Great Hall, and we're all eating. I look at all the other tables, but all I see are blurry figures laughing and talking. It's like all the sounds are muffled too. I see a person look toward me but I can't tell who it is."
I suddenly got a recollection of what my dream had been. Draco's sounded strangely like my own. I didn't want to hear more, but couldn't bring myself to stop him.
"I know this person but I can't put a name, or gender for that matter, to them. But I smile at them, and then they turn to the person beside them. I don't know why, and I can't explain it, but I felt terror and pain all at once. The person I smiled at screams and it's clear as day that they're a girl. She clears just a fraction and that's enough for me to see she's bleeding something awful. After that, I'm drowning in a pool of blackness. It drags me under and I can't breathe."
He shuddered violently. I reached out and touched his arm. Draco looked at me, the fear leaving his eyes, and the tension left his arm. I leaned against him and stroked his arm. I rested my head on his shoulder, and in turn he laid his head on mine. It felt so right sitting there with him. I scooted closer to him and rubbed my face into his shirt. He smelled wonderful, and I felt like I could stay this way forever. I felt the sudden need to be kissed, by him to be exact. But I shook it off.
"You said you had a nightmare before. What was yours?" he asked me quietly.
"I was sitting in the Great Hall with the trio. They were serving dinner foods for breakfast. I saw different people, including you. You smiled at me and I smiled back. I looked at Ronald. He had this evil looking knife in his hand. He waved it around while he talked. Then he lost it. I heard it land and it landed in the bench between my knees. My arm was bleeding as was my leg."
I looked up to judge his reaction to the similarities between the two dreams. All I saw was the return off the tension in his arm. He sat stiffly.
"Then it all went black and I woke up."
Draco took my chin in his fingers and gently raised it so I could look straight into his eyes. They were a beautiful deep blue. I caught my breath as he searched my eyes for something. I measured the distance between us and realized we were only a few inches apart. He seemed to find whatever it was he was looking for because he relaxed, but didn't move away from me or release my chin. He leaned forward and let go of my chin. I noticed I was moving forward as well. With only centimeters apart, he put his hand on the side of my cheek.
Our lips brushed together. My heart raced wildly, my mind went blank. My only thought was Draco and me together in the tower. Finally, his lips met mine and it felt like we were the only two people in the world. I couldn't help but compare this kiss to Ron's. Ron's was ordinary, but Draco's held passion, love, and a certain sizzle that I didn't think could be matched. The kiss lasted longer than necessary. It left me breathless and wanting more.
"Wow," I whispered, "that was amazing."
"I'm sorry, I-I don't know what came over me. I don't mean… It's just… I love you."
Hey! Sorry that it took so long. But here's Chapter 7! If you leave a review, please, tell me if you like it. Also, could you include which way you want the story to go! Like if you think Ron and Hermione is the way it should go let me know! But please, no extra characters. Lavender will be in the story soon. I won't be writing for a couple weeks b/c I have to have a surgery.
3 Victoria_B14
