Chapter 7: A Day's Work

Hermione, Luna, and Roxanne all sat at the same table at the library. Books and paper spread were spread across the entire surface. Hermione was scratching out an essay furiously. Luna was reading her herbology book with a surprising amount of interest. Roxanne had essays spread around her but her eyes were on a platinum haired man sitting on the opposite side of the library. Draco was chewing his bottom lip.

Roxanne snorted. She was about to stand up when someone fell into the chair across from her. She looked from Draco to the red headed girl sitting in front of her.

"I'm Ginny Weasley." She held out a hand.

Roxanne smiled. "I know that. I'm Roxanne. Roxanne Garniar."

"I know that, too."

Roxanne raised an eyebrow, sliding her eyes over to Hermione. The brunette witch was watching them with careful eyes.

"You're dating that boy." Roxanne said nonchalantly. "Harry Potter."

Ginny laughed. "Yes, that boy. And Hermione's dating that boy's best friend and my brother."

Roxanne grinned. "Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger? So the rumors are true; you should've told me before, Hermione."

Hermione blushed. "I just assumed you knew."

Luna spoke without looking up from her book. "Roxanne may be perceptive but she isn't particularly good at putting the pieces together."

"I'm no Luna Lovegood." Roxanne quipped back.

Ginny's laugh was loud. Hermione hid her smile behind her hand. The librarian glared fiercely at their table. Roxanne looked down at her work, fiddling with her quill. Ginny watched her.

"Hermione, I like her."

Roxanne raised one eyebrow. "I am sitting right here."

"I can see that." Ginny stood. "Now, you might want to tell your boyfriend to stop looking over here. I feel a bit uncomfortable."

She left. Roxanne's gaze went to Draco at once. He looked away quickly. He drummed his fingers against the table he sat at.

"I'll be right back."

Hermione and Luna looked at each other and then they watched Roxanne walk across the dimly light library. She slid into the seat across from Draco.

"See something interesting, Draco?"

He looked at her and smirked. "I'm just surprised to see you talking to Weasley."

Roxanne shrugged. "She spoke to me first and I'm quite charming when I speak to friendly people. Anyways, do you want to sit with us? You look pathetically lonely."

Draco glared at her. "Just because I am not friends with Gryffindors and Ravenclaws does not mean I'm…" He trailed off when he saw her raised brows and small smile. He scowled. "Fine, I'm lonely, but I won't go sit with you."

She pouted slightly. "Your choice, I suppose. I will see you back in the common room?"

He nodded.

"Au revoir, monsieur."

Draco watched her walk back to the table. Hermione tossed a book to her and Luna looked between Draco and Roxanne, a small smile on her face.

Draco was sitting in the Slytherin common room.

Thinking.

He was thinking so much, in fact, that his head hurt.

He wanted to trust Roxanne and he wanted Roxanne to trust him, but telling her things and letting her in was against every instinct in his very being. The things he saw and the things he was forced to do would terrify Roxanne and she would not stay by his side. More than anything, he did not want her to leave. He wanted her by his side at all times.

"Hey. Are you alright?" A cool hand pressed against his forehead.

He jumped in surprise. Roxanne was kneeling in front of him, concern etched in her face.

"I'm fine." His voice was hoarse. "How long have you been here?"

"Just now. You seemed … what's the word? Devaste. Broken. Sad." She pushed some of his soft hair out of his eyes.

"I'm fine, honestly."

Roxanne stood up and sat beside him on the couch. She tucked her legs under her. "What's wrong?"

He clenched his jaw. His fists curled against his thighs. Seeing this, Roxanne reached out and took one of his hands. Her fingers were cool as they opened his hand.

"You can tell me anything."

He cast a silent silencing spell around the couch so that no one could hear what they were saying. "I can't tell you everything."

"Why not?" She demanded gently.

He swallowed and looked away from her. "If you knew the truth, you would run from me."

She sighed softly. "Have you ever thought that there is more to me than you know? I have faced worse things than you, Draco Malfoy. Nothing you could say would scare me away."

"Are you entirely sure about that?"

"Yes." She said stubbornly. "I asked you to let me in; I will not abandon you after gaining your trust. No matter what you did in the past, you are different now."

"How can you have such blind faith in someone you do not know?"

She smiled. "It is not blind faith. It is trust."

She couldn't have known how much those three little words affected him. He looked at her profile. "Thank you." He said softly.

She turned and smiled at him. She patted his cheek softly. "Ce n'est rien. Bonne nuit et doux reves." "It is nothing. Good night and sweet dreams."

She went up to her dormitory. Astoria was sitting on the bed next to hers, a small smile on her face. Roxanne was wary at once.

"What's going on?"

"Since when have you been dating Draco Malfoy?"

"I'm not." Roxanne said, lying on her bed with a sigh. "We are just friends."

"So sitting on a loveseat under a silencing spell is something that friends do?"

"We were talking! There is nothing wrong with that!" Roxanne was losing her patience.

"He'll leave you soon if you don't shag him." A cold voice said from the doorway.

Roxanne turned to see a girl who looked like an older version of Astoria. "Daphne Greengrass, I presume."

The beautiful girl rolled her eyes. "Draco only speaks with girls to sleep with them. If you don't let him into your knickers soon, he'll abandon you like he did all the others."

Roxanne cocked her head to the sound, a Malfoy-worthy smirk on her face. "How long ago was it he rejected your advances?"

The older girl's expression darkened. "Shut your mouth, whore!"

Roxanne stood slowly. Astoria scooted back onto her bed, folding her legs under her. Daphne stepped back slightly as Roxanne advanced on her. The French girl was a good six inches shorter than Daphne.

"If you ever speak to me like that again, I will not tolerate it."

Despite her fear, Daphne smirked. It shook slightly. "You have no right to threaten me. I am the Slytherin Queen here. You're just a bloody slag who can't keep her hands off of Draco!"

Roxanne's smirk curled her mouth. She continued to step forward and Daphne continued to retreat. They were in the common room now. Daphne's eyes slid over the faces of those who she knew. No one stepped forward to help her.

"You are queen?" Roxanne mocked. "You're a spoiled, belittling, bully who thinks trivial school spats are important. You think you're so important but you are little more than dirt beneath the world's feet."

"You have no right to speak to me like this!" Daphne cried.

"J'ai le droit." Roxanne said coldly. "I have every right."

Draco watched from his spot on the loveseat. He knew Roxanne well enough to know that she only spoke French when she was angry. He guessed that right now, she was very, very, angry.

"Impedimenta!" Roxanne flicked her wand up.

Daphne's legs seemed to have a mind of their own. She fell backwards. Roxanne stood over her.

"Engorgio!"

Roxanne laughed and deflected the spell easily. "Serpensortia." A large black snake fell onto the floor and slithered forward. It raised itself up next to Daphne. A scarlet frill flared around its head and hissed, revealing dripping poisonous fangs.

Daphne screamed. Her face was pale and she shook.

Roxanne smirked. "The Queen of Snakes, you say? You're scared of snakes."

"Expelliramus." Daphne gasped.

"Stupefy." Roxanne shouted.

Daphne's eyes rolled back in her head. Roxanne pocketed her wand. Everyone stared at her. She raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were Slytherins, aren't you supposed to break the rules?"

Draco covered his laugh with a cough. Roxanne smirked and turned back around to return to her bed.

"She deserved that." Astoria said from her bed. "It does her good to be kicked down every once in a while. Keeps her humble."

"That is considered humble?"

Astoria laughed. "For Daphne, yes."

"Interesting."

"Are your days always this exciting? I mean, your first day you faced Zabini, you befriended Granger and her friends, and now you've faced down my sister."

"All in a day's work."


French Translations

Au revoir, monsieur: Goodbye, good sir.

Devaste: Devestated.