Six.
Normally weekends at Hogwarts rolled by slowly. Fridays turned into Saturdays and faded into Sundays. And then it was time to begin the process all over again. The past weekend, however, had been slightly different. After Amelia's timely tumble, Edgar, Elliot, Emmeline and Kingsley constantly fawned over her as if she were broken china. She had asked time and time again for them to leave her be, that she was perfectly fine, but they all insisted she get rest and take it easy. Of all of her friends, Xeno was the only one who listened.
Despite her best efforts, Amelia found herself confined to the Ravenclaw common room among her friends who worked diligently on their schoolwork. Amelia had already finished hers but had yet to start on her lessons for her meetings with Malfoy. She tried to make up excuses in order to receive permission to go to the library to gather information. But Edgar refused to let her out of his sight. "You're still shaken, Lia." He had said. "We can't take any chances."
To make matters worse, Elliot had brilliantly suggested that Kingsley spend the evening with the Ravenclaws and keep his girlfriend company. Amelia resisted the urge to punch him in the face. It wasn't that she didn't want to spend time with him. She just had other obligations to attend to. How professional, she thought, would she look, showing up to the library empty handed. But she digressed. Kingsley was her boyfriend, and she had to get used to that.
"Alright." Kingsley said, carrying a stack of various board games in his arm, setting them onto the table while he made himself comfortable beside Amelia. "We have Wizard Chess, Trivial Charms; How Much Do You Know About Your Favorite Subject?, Guess That Potion!, and, my personal favorite, One Hundred and One Tea Leaves That Will Change Your Life." He said, flashing a bright smile.
"Tough choice." She mused, looking over the selection. "Board games are not my forte, Kingsley."
"No problem." He said happily, draping one arm over the back of the couch behind her. "We could always talk." He suggested.
"About what?" she asked curiously, folding her hands in her lap, hoping that the subject matter would not get too heavy.
"Us." He said plainly, threading his fingers through hers.
Amelia had expected him to say something along those lines. They hadn't discussed their relationship since it had begun. There wasn't anything to discuss, really. They were an item, a couple, and all sorts of odd names that caused Amelia to feel cliché. Casting a look at Emmeline, Amelia asked a silent favor. Immediately understanding her friend's meaning, Emmeline rose to her feet.
"It's a but late." She said stretching. "We should probably head to bed, yes?" Emmeline cast looks of the same favor to Nathalia and Cordelia who, as girls who frequently used codes and facial expressions to explain themselves, understood the sentiment.
"Yes." Cordelia agreed.
"It had been a long day." Nathalia nodded. "C'mon Edgar, let's go."
"I really have to finish this, Thalia." Edgar said, rubbing his eyes.
"Yeah." Elliot added, indicating his papers. "Delia, I just want to get this done."
"But these papers aren't due until next week." Cordelia said in reference to the scattered papers.
"You go on ahead." Edgar said, waving his hand.
"Edgar." Nathalia said sternly, nodding her head in the direction of Amelia and Kingsley.
Almost instantly, Edgar understood what his girlfriend meant. Tapping Elliot on the shoulder, the two retired to boys' dormitory. Likewise, Cordelia and Nathalia headed for the girls' dormitory. Emmeline flashed a thumb's up at her friend when the Gryffindor wasn't looking. Amelia rolled her eyes and returned the grin.
Once Emmeline had departed, the common room was empty, save Amelia and Kingsley. For what Amelia felt ashamed to admit was the first time, she took the time to really look at Kingsley's features. The caramel of his skin tone and how it complimented the flecks of honey in his amber eyes. His hair was teased into the air, the dark strands falling in tight curls around his face. His jawbone was strong and his lips curved into a soft smile. Amelia grinned lightly, tracing his fingers with her own.
"What?" he asked, wondering if something was wrong. Kingsley would never deny his flirtatious past – in fact, for a period of time, he was quite proud of it. He had the affection and attention of at least three girls at a time and he loved every moment of it. He wouldn't trade it for anything. But over the course of his sixth year, he had decided that it was important to find someone to foster a relationship with.
Of course it was cliché – his best friend's sister. But Amelia was his match. Everyone he asked thought so – especially Edgar. The Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain nearly did cartwheels when Kingsley expressed interest in Amelia. However, she also intimidated him. She was independent, headstrong, and very outspoken – all attractive qualities to Kingsley. But it made for a tough approach. Kingsley was almost about ready to give up when Edgar suggested that he spend some time at the Bones' home over the summer holiday, and not just to play Quidditch. 'Break bread with my family!' Edgar has said, but of course, he had meant something along the lines of, 'Chat up Lia.' During said break, though, Kingsley learned something very important about Amelia Bones.
She did not shy away from him. From what he had seen over the years, if she crossed the path of someone wearing something other than blue, she could not be bothered. But she was different with Kingsley. He knew that it could very well have been because he was Edgar's best mate, but it was also a window of opportunity. It was exactly why he decided to approach her on the train nearly three weeks ago. He intended to have a relationship with Amelia Bones and the feeling seemed mutual. He was not in love with her, but he hoped that one day he would be.
"Nothing." Amelia said, shaking her head.
Kingsley looked at the face he had almost memorized. How her bottom lashes swept the navy of her eyes, the way her nose wrinkled when she felt flushed or nervous, how her cupid's bow lips parted into an 'o' shape. He knew every detail.
"So," Amelia said, resting her head on the back of the velvet couch, "how exactly did you get into Ravenclaw Tower?"
"Well," he said charmingly, "I would say that a little bird let me in, but an eagle is hardly a small bird." He said as Amelia laughed and tapped his shoulder lightly.
"Of course. I should have known." She said, rolling her eyes. "But honestly, as a Prefect I should really escort you back to your end of the castle." She said in mock seriousness.
"Amelia Bones breaking the rules? On my account? Should I feel honored?" Kingsley said putting his hand over his heart playfully.
"I don't neglect my duties for just anyone, you know."
"Well then, I should revel in this once in a lifetime moment." Kingsley stated with a nod.
"Are you going to keep dodging my question?"
"Not at all. I was hoping that you'd make more of an effort to pin me down to get what you wanted." He grinned, winking.
"It's really not all that important." She said, raising her eyebrows.
"Edgar let me in." he explained. "Said that it'd be good for all of us to spend some time together."
"My brother, the family man." Amelia rolled her eyes.
Kingsley mulled over the word 'family' in his mind. 'Yes' he would have liked to say, 'he wanted to get the whole family together.' But he resisted. It was far too early for that sort of talk.
"He's a good man."
"Yes." Amelia agreed. "My parents raised my brother's well."
"Hey," Kingsley said brushing her hair away from her eyes, "They didn't exactly fail with you."
"Such a gentleman." Amelia said sweetly under the touch of his fingertips.
Grinning softly, Amelia unconsciously shifted in her seat inadvertently moving closer to Kingsley. At the change in position, Kingsley felt a little bolder and moved his arm from the couch to her shoulder. Amelia did not object.
"So, you wanted to talk about us. Unless there is something strange and incestuous going on that I'm not aware of, Edgar is not a part of us." Amelia joked.
"Lia." Kingsley said shaking his head, "Your logic fascinates me."
"Thanks, I guess." Amelia said uncertainly.
"No, no. I mean, you just have such a … different way of working things around in your head. It's entertaining." Kingsley mended.
"Good. And hey," Amelia added, "Don't think that you're going to skirt your way around this one. Answer the question this time."
"Refresh my memory."
"Kingsley!" Amelia giggled, lightly shoving him but keeping their fingers intertwined.
"Alright." He sighed with a smile. "I was just trying to buy a little time to figure out what would be the best way to ask you for a proper date." He shrugged.
"Kingsley Shacklebolt." Amelia decided. "You are the most discursive man that I have ever met."
"Should I be offended by that?"
"No, not at all." Amelia said shaking her head. "At least, not in this situation."
Kingsley looked at Amelia, waiting in anticipation for her answer. But it seemed that she had no intentions of making it easy.
"You little hypocrite." He joked. "You tell me to stop ignoring questions and here you are, leaving me hanging."
"I beg your pardon? I am most certainly not a hypocrite."
"Oh, no?"
"No, not at all."
"Alright." He grinned.
"Yes, right. I was simply weighing my options. The pros and cons." She said innocently.
"You're something else." He said, shaking his head. "So, what's the verdict?"
"Of course. I would love to go out on a date with you." She said cheerfully.
Without even thinking, Kingsley lifted his hand to the side of her cheek, running his thumb along her jawbone.
"I suppose I'll have to make this date unforgettable." He smiled.
"That should be easy." She said, wrapping her fingers around his hand. "You have a tendency to make all moments unforgettable."
"You don't get out much, do you?"
"No, not at all." Amelia said with a grin
Kingsley gazed at Amelia with soft eyes and a young passion. The Ravenclaw returned the look with expectance, as if she knew it was supposed to be this way. Leaning in closer, Amelia closed her eyes, feeling Kingsley's breath drawing nearer. Breathing in the scent of him, Amelia was reminded of cinnamon and smoke. Likewise, Kingsley inhaled the too familiar fragrance of Amelia; ivory and spring. Just inches from each other, Kingsley cupped her face in his hands, appreciating her beauty. It was Amelia, however, who closed the gap, surprising both herself and Kingsley.
His lips were warm and inviting, a comfort she would revel in. The kiss was light, soft. If she would ever wholly love him she didn't know. She did know, however, that she felt comfortable with Kingsley, and would no longer pass up on the opportunity to be with him.
–––––––––––––
The only good thing about Mondays for Amelia was that Emmeline was in each of her classes – Transfiguration, Double Charms and Potions. By the time that Kingsley had left the night before, Emmeline had already been asleep, which meant Amelia had to wait on girlish gossip until the following morning. The only thing that made this particular Monday loathsome was that she had her first meeting with Malfoy in the library at seven, a mere ten hours away, and she still had nothing to teach with.
"You certainly went to bed late." Emmeline grinned as she fell into step beside Amelia on the way to breakfast.
"How would you know?" Amelia asked, arching an eyebrow.
"I tried to wait up for you, but when the clock chimed at eleven thirty, I gave up." Emmeline declared. "So what happened?"
"Nothing." Amelia shrugged. "We were just talking."
"Amelia." Emmeline said sternly.
"Emmeline." Amelia said with the same tone, trying to conceal her grin.
Emmeline searched Amelia's face for a sort of guilt – anything that would give her answers to her best friend's moonlit antics. When Amelia finally couldn't hold back her smile any longer, Emmeline gripped her friend's arm.
"I knew it! Amelia Bones, I knew it!" Emmeline cheered.
"I hate you." Amelia managed to say through her laughter.
"Why do you hate Emmeline?" Edgar said, Elliot, Nathalia and Cordelia on either side of him.
"Emmeline, you shut your mouth-" Amelia began.
"I have absolutely no idea." Emmeline said innocently.
"Could this have anything to do with-" Cordelia started.
"Of course." Nathalia nodded.
"How do you know?" Cordelia asked.
"Just look at her." Emmeline stated plainly.
All five Ravenclaws looked at Amelia, who tried to keep her lips pursed together, but failed miserably, which was what caused the females of the group to nod with a collective 'oh.' Elliot and Edgar, however, exchanged looks of concern.
"Lia?" Edgar began. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Yeah." Elliot continued. "You look a bit off."
At the males' reaction, the girls burst into laughter. They clearly had no idea what was going on. Emmeline had one said that 'men were completely ignorant when surrounded by women.' Something about their brain not functioning properly if they were surrounded by more estrogen then testosterone.
"Would someone tell us what's going on?" Edgar said, feeling left out.
"Ask your sister." Emmeline said, folding her arms across her chest, nodding to the bright eyed brunette.
All eyes were once again on Amelia and she felt highly uncomfortable discussing the circumstances of the previous night with her brothers. With the exception of Emmeline, whom she told everything, she kept personal matters to herself. It was just how she felt it should be. But they were waiting for an answer and in all honesty, she was quite proud to say that she had done more than just study with a member of the opposite sex.
"Okay." She sighed, grinning. "Last night . . . with Kingsley." She began, Edgar and Elliot looking noticeably uncomfortable. "We . . . he thought my head was a lollipop."
Laughter erupted from the group, revelation falling over the Bones boys.
"Is that all? Merlin, you had me scared to death." Edgar chuckled. "Well, good for you. When I see Kingsley I'll have to give him a pat on the back." He said before departing, Nathalia, Elliot and Cordelia in tow.
Amelia raised her eyebrows in confusion at her brother's statement. Pointing at her old brother, she remarked to Emmeline,
"Don't you find it the least be bit strange that he's so jolly about all this?"
"He's happy for you, Lia." Emmeline shrugged.
"Happy is one thing, but I'm starting to get worried that he's going lock Kingsley and myself in a chamber and tell us that we can't come out until we've procreated."
"Amelia!" Emmeline exclaimed. "That's horrible!"
"I know." Amelia agreed.
"He just thought you waited a little too long in the whole 'dating game,' that's all." Emmeline said simply.
"You're lucky Amos hunted you down last year or you'd be on the chopping block, too." Amelia joked.
"Oh, c'mon. You're exaggerating a bit, aren't you?"
"Emmeline." Amelia said tonelessly, resting her hand on Emmeline's shoulder. "I pray you never know that pain."
At breakfast, the Ravenclaws, plus Kingsley and Amos gathered to indulge in a meal of fluffy pancakes, German and Ukrainian sausage, apple and orange juice and, Amelia's personal favorite, toast with strawberry spread. The table was with filled with light chatter. Even Rita Skeeter seemed to be in an uncommonly good mood – she sat at the far end of the table, hunched over her notebook, a broad smile on her face as she nibbled on a piece of toast.
"All I'm saying," Amos said loudly, "is that it's anyone's game this year."
"C'mon, mate." Kingsley argued. "Your logic is fair, I'll admit but think about what you're saying. 'Hufflepuff wins the House Cup' just doesn't sound proper."
"Neither does Gryffindor." Edgar said, taking a sip of his orange juice.
"At this rate, Slytherin will win it." Amelia whispered to Emmeline.
"What?" The three captains all said in unison.
"I'm sorry, but while you're spending all your time arguing, Malfoy is a shoe in for the win." Amelia explained.
"She has a point." Emmeline said to Amos.
"This is not arguing." Edgar said in his own defense. "This is strategizing."
"Really?" Amelia said, not expecting an answer as she exchanged glances with Emmeline. Gathering her books and taking a final sip of apple juice, Amelia rose from her seat as Emmeline did the same. "Let me know how that works out for you. In the meantime, we have to get to Transfiguration."
"We could walk you." Kingsley offered, Amos nodding at his side.
"That's alright. We'll see you at lunch." Emmeline said.
Emmeline kissed Amos lightly on the cheek before elbowing Amelia discreetly to give Kingsley the same kind of favor. Amelia was never found of public displays of affection but that was in part because she could never take part in it. Now that she had the opportunity to engage in such behavior, taking it in was becoming increasingly easier.
"So." Emmeline said as the two girls made their way to Gryffindor Tower. "Are the rumors true?"
"What rumors?" Amelia asked, slightly confused. When one inquired about secrets and scandals, they were usually seeking out Hogwarts resident bigmouth – Rita Skeeter.
"About Kingsley."
"Oh, right." Amelia nodded. Because Kingsley had flaunted his romances in the past, many 'legends' about him also etched themselves into the halls and ears of students. Thus far, he had been hailed as 'the best snog a girl could receive,' 'faster than the Golden Snitch,' and a 'remarkable lover.' It only now occurred to Amelia that she would be stamping fact or fiction on said rumors due to the fact that the females who spread the aforementioned rumors only did so to put their own name on display; namely Griselda Marchbanks and Bertha Jorkins, both Gryffindors.
"Well?" Emmeline insisted.
"I'm not sure what you want me to say." Amelia hesitated.
"Okay," Emmeline said pausing, "Then answer me this; did you spend half he night snogging him?"
"Yes . . . but that doesn't necessarily mean that I enjoyed it."
"Lia." Emmeline grinned. "What else could it mean?"
"That I was being polite?" Amelia offered when Emmeline erupted into laughter. "It's not like I really have anything to compare it to."
"What about Caradoc?" Emmeline questioned.
"That doesn't count. We kissed a few times. It was different. So," Amelia said, turning back to the topic of Kingsley, "How am I supposed to know if it was any good?"
"Would you do it again?" the Ravenclaw asked bluntly. When Amelia's cheeks flushed with pink, Emmeline grinned. "Then I have my answer."
"What about Amos?"
"What about him?"
"I dunno." Amelia said sheepishly. "I just wonder what the differences are."
"Would you like to swap beau's and find out?" Emmeline teased.
"No!" Amelia said quickly.
"Well would you look at that. You're protective of Kingsley."
"No, I'm not. That's just a terrible idea." Amelia corrected.
"Don't worry. I have no intentions of stealing him. Amos may not be a world renowned kisser, but I like him just fine."
"You're terrible, Emme." Amelia said, shaking her head, laughing at her friend as she remembered the jokes they had throughout the years. Now that Amelia thought about it, she considered Emmeline as more of a sister than anything else. Speaking of which, Amelia thought to ask, "So, have you heard from your parents?" By 'parents,' Amelia actually mean Elizabeth Vance.
"No." Emmeline said quietly, shaking her head. "But I'm expecting something within the next few days. My dad is supposed to go to New Castle tomorrow night." A glimpse of solace could be seen in Emmeline's eyes. Her father's trips away from home meant only one thing – peace for Emmeline and her mother, even if it was only temporary.
"That's great, Emme. You'll have to tell me the second you hear from her." Amelia said hopefully. "My mum would love to stop by. It's been ages since she's been to your house."
"Yeah." Emmeline agreed. "It has been a while, hasn't it?"
When it came time to talk about her parents, Emmeline was uneasy. Of course, she confided in Amelia, but it was hard to talk about. To see the wonderful family her best friend came from was hard to take in. Amelia's parents were Hogwarts sweethearts and had known each other for almost all of their lives. Amelia was wealthy; though Amelia did her best not to flaunt it, Emmeline could never compare with the lavish birthday and Christmas gifts her friend presented her with. It wasn't intentional, but it made Emmeline feel ten times smaller. Nevertheless, she trusted Amelia and only Amelia with her darkest secrets.
"I've been meaning to tell you," Emmeline said suddenly. "Amos wants me to spend the winter holiday with him." Emmeline's face brightened up at the idea.
"Really? That's great!" Amelia said, happy to see the ever-present excitement on her friend's face.
"Yeah." Emmeline said quietly. "I'm – I'm going to tell him no."
"What?" Amelia asked puzzled. "Why? I would have thought you wanted to spend time with him."
"No, no, I do. But," she shrugged, "I'd rather spend time with you."
"Really, Emme, you don't have to do that-"
"I know. But I want to." She said softly. "I'd chose my best friend before any boy." Emmeline concluded with a sheepish grin.
Deeply flattered by her friends sentiments, Amelia enveloped Emmeline in a hug.
"Me, too, Emme." Amelia said, briefly looking the girl in the eye before embracing her again. "Me, too."
When classes had ceased for the day, Amelia hurried to the library to find as many books as she could on the subject of Charms. Deciding that Malfoy couldn't have fallen too far behind, most of the material she chose was for fifth years and above. She distinctly remembered the small professor mentioning that the Slytherin's O.W.L. scores were low. That, she assumed, would be the safest place to start.
By the time she finished her amateur preparations, it was five o'clock and dinner was being served. Madame Prince had already left for the evening so she couldn't leave the material in her care. Sally Pederson, a seventh year Hufflepuff, took over for the librarian in the meantime. Amelia hardly trusted her; Sally lusted after Amos, like most Hufflepuff girls did, for years and resented Emmeline for having caught his eye. Sally was notorious for making snide remarks at Emmeline and even Amelia. If she left the books with her, Amelia could almost guarantee they would be put back on the shelves when she returned. It was too much to drag all of the material to Ravenclaw Tower only to retrieve it and bring it back to the library. The only option was to bring it to dinner. Thankfully, she had brought books to dinner with her before so it wouldn't raise suspicion. However, the ever-observant Elliot was in rare form and had curious habits of a five year old.
"Why do you have so many books?"
"I have an essay due." Amelia replied calmly.
"On what?"
"It's a wide subject range."
"Why didn't you leave them with Madame Prince?"
"She wasn't there."
"Why is it all OWL material?"
"I need information from years past."
"Couldn't Madame Prince help you narrow it down?"
"Like I said, she wasn't there."
"Well, where'd she go?"
"Bloody hell!" Amelia said, exasperated. "I'll fill a missing person's report in the morning!"
Quickly shutting his mouth, Elliot fixed his eyes to his plate and seemed too preoccupied with his peas to answer Cordelia's whispered, 'why did you do that?'
"Are you alright?" Kingsley asked Amelia, rubbing her shoulder lightly.
"Yeah. I'm just a little stressed out
"You sure? Is there anything I can do?"
"No, no. It's alright, really. You know, I think I'm going to head up to the library now. Just to get all of this done – or started, at least." She said, standing.
"But you've hardly eaten." Kingsley objected.
"I'm not really that hungry, honestly." She mended as she gathered her books in her arms.
"At least let me help you." Kingsley offered.
"No, really, Kingsley. You stay here and finish dinner. Don't rush on my account. I'll just . . . see you tomorrow." She said, kissing him lightly on the cheek before departing through the doors of the Great Hall.
The trek to the library wasn't far, but with nearly twenty pounds of books in her arms, the journey was a bit tiresome. From the Great Hall, she climbed three flights of stairs and walked the full length of five corridors. Rounding the final corner, Amelia spotted her destination and a wave of relief washed over her. That is, until a large figure stepped out from the alcove, blocking her path. She would have walked around him had he not been the very person she had set out to meet.
"Malfoy." She said, somewhat startled.
"We have to talk." He said firmly.
"Alright . . . but it'll have to wait until I can put these books down in-"
"We're not going to the library." He declared.
"Pardon me?" she said, confused. "I thought we agreed-"
"Change of plans."
"Why are you waiting until now to tell me this?" she said indignant under the weight of the texts.
"Your weekend was eventful. I hardly had a chance to get a word in without your public displays of clumsiness, and late night shags with Shacklebolt." He said with a grim smile.
"Bravo, Malfoy. That's the most I think I've ever heard you say at one time. You didn't use all your brain cells stringing that one together, did you?"
"If we weren't in a public place I'd have half a mind to slap you clear across that smug face of yours." He said through gritted teeth.
"It's good to know that you'd stoop to the level of hitting a lady."
"First of all, you're hardly a lady. Second, gender aside, you're still beneath me."
Amelia glared at Malfoy with a fiery stare, but she had no one to blame for her current state but herself. It was clearly going to be a temperamental partnership.
"Then tell me. Where do you propose we go?" she asked, struggling to carry the books.
"The seventh floor." He said, seemingly agitated.
"You're out of your bloody mind. What's wrong with the library?"
"Do you not use your common sense, Bones? This is a private matter."
"Oh, right." She said mockingly. "It's okay for people to suspect it, you just don't want them to know you're daft."
"Mind your tongue." He said sternly.
"Or you'll what? Strangle me?" Amelia prompted as he rolled his eyes at the snake reference.
"I refuse to stand here and argue with a child. Follow me." He said before adding, "At a distance."
"Of course – someone might see us." She said in a childlike manner just to agitate him even further.
Malfoy ignored her comment and headed for the stairwell that would take them to their ideal place of study. It had occurred to him before that the library was way too public, but he couldn't think of an alternative right away. That is, until Walden MacNair, his second in command began bragging about his latest conquest. While the Slytherin didn't mind his dorm mates listening to him when his four poster rocked violently into the wee hours of the morning, when taking on Amycus Carrow's sister, Alecto, he wanted some privacy. Which was what led Malfoy to believe that the Room of Requirement would be perfect.
Casting a glance over his shoulder, he watched as Amelia struggled to carry her load of books. Balancing the text under her weight was becoming a daunting task and he couldn't stand to hear her complain under her breath any longer.
Turning around, Malfoy approached her briskly, snatching the top five books, evening out the pile of ten.
"You're too damn proud to ask for help." He snorted.
"And you're too damn proud to offer help."
When he turned around, Amelia debated on whether or not to utter a 'thank you,' but decided that his unconditional rudeness matched with her snobbery leveled out the playing field. She did however, fall into step beside him with the intention of getting some answers.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll find out."
"What's the big mystery? There's not a student in sight." She offered. "What, are you planning on tying me down in some unused room, getting the answers to the questions on the N.E.W.T.s that you probably stole and leaving me for dead?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. It was unlikely, but her mood was already sodden.
"Bones." He said matter of factly as they climbed the stairwell. "I will never, ever tie you down."
"You're disgusting." She said, shaking her head. She debated on pressing the matter but saw no point, as he would only say vague things to confuse her.
After climbing the final stairwell, they came to a corridor that Amelia was not familiar with. She had never gone beyond the basic locations in the castle, and had never really planned on it, until now. Malfoy stopped in the center of the hall and stood facing the opposing wall, which was blank, not even a portrait hung against the stone.
"Brilliant, Malfoy." She said with a roll of her eyes as he paced back and forth. "You say a library is too public and now you're suggesting a corridor. Not only is it right in the middle of foot traffic but also it's right out in the open. Great idea."
Malfoy paced back and forth a total of three times asking in his own mind for a place to practice and study charms when he finally turned to address Amelia. The otherwise blank wall behind him began taking the shape of a door, granting the two a safe and extremely private place to study.
"Bones." He said, holding his hand up to keep her from speaking. "If you kept your mouth shut for five minutes, would it explode from all of that hot air trying to get out?"
Amelia snapped her mouth shut and let her gaze rest on the blond. She would have retorted back coldly if she had not seen the door scaling the wall behind him. 'Of course.' She thought. They were on the seventh floor. She nodded her head in approval as she realized they were standing in front of the Room of Requirement. Even though Amelia concluded that his idea was sufficient and a much better place of study than the library, she refused to let him win.
"Ladies first." She said mockingly, nodding for him to enter the room.
Malfoy turned his gaze down on Amelia, his lips contorted into a careful smirk. He was amused by her insults and how much she thought that bothered him. She could call him anything she liked – it wouldn't faze him. The only thing that Amelia had said that rubbed him the wrong way was the remark about his father. If there was anything he would not stand for, it was being compared to Arabaxtus Malfoy. He thought about making her pay for it twofold even now, but the last thing he needed was expulsion on his record. That, and if he added fuel to the fire, it would only give her more of an incentive to bring up Malfoy Senior. The one thing he did have to say about the Ravenclaw was that, unlike almost everyone else, she wasn't scared of him. He had to give her credit for not cowering each time he got close to beating the daylights out of her. He wouldn't, of course, but inwardly, he tipped his hat to her.
Ignoring her snide remark, Malfoy swung the heavy wooden door open to reveal a room that looked somewhat similar to the Ravenclaw Common room. Once again, books lined the wall from ceiling to floor and several ladders were attached to the bookshelves themselves for easy access. A podium with an index stood in between the two cherry wood desks and included a listing of all the books inside the room along with their main contents. Two brown leather couches were positioned adjacent from each other, a coffee table with a tall stack of books at the center of the sitting area. Candles were lit in various areas of the room, throwing both light and shadows across the room. There were no windows, which bothered Amelia. In their place, however, were floor length portraits of landscapes, giving the room an outdoor feel.
Malfoy sauntered over to the farthest desk and set his books down and began flipping through the pages. Imitating the Slytherin, Amelia placed her books on the opposite desk and walked over to the podium. She began flipping through the text, occasionally pausing and running her fingers over the lettering. After repeating said act at least five times, she turned behind her and pulled eight books from the homes off the shelf and dropped them on Malfoy's desk with a loud thud.
"Christ." He muttered. "Do we really need all these?"
"We have three hours to kill." She said pointedly. "This is probably the best place to start. I'm hoping to get through these before the month is out." She said, scanning the walls of books.
"You're out of your bloody mind. That's in one week." He said, reading the spines of the texts she placed in front of him.
"That's a total of twenty-six hours." She sad as if that explained her logic. When Malfoy raised his eyebrows, she added, "That's three hours per week day, five per weekend."
"You'd better be an excellent teacher if you expect me to give up my time." He grumbled.
"Because that would be put to better use." She rolled her eyes. "This isn't exactly an elective for me, either."
"Right." He nodded. "You'd rather run off with 'The King.'" Malfoy scoffed, using Amelia's boyfriend's infamous nickname.
"If I have anything to say about it, you'll be passing by Halloween." She declared.
"I already have a copy of 'Advanced Charms; Fifth Year.'" He said, indicating the version he pulled out of his satchel and the copy in the pile she brought from the library.
"The subject," she said leaning on the desk with both hands, "is called 'charms.'" Reaching for his own book, Amelia swiftly flipped it open to reveal several inappropriate drawings. "Not 'The Anatomy of Narcissa Black.'"
"I still don't understand why we need so many damn books." He huffed.
"Look at your grades, Malfoy." She said pointedly. "I'm being generous."
"You want me to read all of these?"
"That's the general idea." She nodded. "How else to do you expect to pass the tests?"
"You're administering tests." He shook his head. "I didn't sign up for another class."
"I made a promise to Professor Flitwick that I would help you." She said, moving around the desk to stand beside him, enabling her to look him in the eye. "I keep my promises, Malfoy."
"That's a promise you made, Bones. It has nothing to do with me-"
"It has everything to do with you!" she exclaimed. "You can fool a lot of people, Malfoy. Flitwick into thinking your motivated, The Headmaster into thinking you really want to excel in your studies. But I know who you are and you can't fool me."
"You know me?" he said, folding his arms across his chest as she nodded. "Really? Then who am I?"
"You don't care about school. You never did. All you care about is your family's approval, and you hardly pay attention to that anymore. The only person you give a damn about is yourself and how far you can make it with Him." Malfoy's eyes widened and then narrowed at her mention of the Dark Lord. She had his attention. "You thought I didn't know about Him? Being the daughter of a pair of Aurors has its benefits, especially when they want to prepare me for my future. I'm not an idiot. There'll most likely be a fallout."
"A war." He corrected.
"A war." She nodded. "And you . . . you want to be a part of that. You want to be His most trusted; his second in command, reaping in all of the benefits. Not only that, but you'll have the coveted approval of your family." She smirked. "I can just see it now; you in a mansion with a disgusting amount of power," she scowled, "Narcissa at your side. All the while, muggles and half-bloods are dying. And your father claps you on the back and says, 'that's my boy.'" Amelia narrowed her eyes, shaking her head as she continued. "The whole lot of you are despicable, Malfoy." She said his name with repulsion. "You really think that you can make them proud? Let me tell you something, help you out." She said knowingly. "It doesn't matter how many muggles you kill or how many times you put those convincing lips of yours to His arse, you will never, ever, have that man's approval because to people like him, you're not a son, you're just a trophy."
Malfoy looked down at Amelia with a hidden confusion. 'How in the hell,' he wondered, 'did she nail it on the head?' He spoke to no one about his personal life. No one. Even if he did, the last person to possess such knowledge would be a sixth year female Ravenclaw. But he kept his amazement hidden, as he was exceptionally good at concealing his emotions. 'But perhaps,' he thought, 'she knew that, too.' Instead, he cocked his head to the side and asked,
"And what leads you to believe all that?"
"It's simple, really." She shrugged, looking at him square in the eye. "Being a housemate of Rita Skeeter has its benefits. She has a sort of . . . infatuation with your family."
It was true. The blonde haired Ravenclaw spent countless hours placing together the Wizarding World's most peculiar family. Not peculiar in the true sense of the world. They were fairly normal. Mother. Father. Son. High in wealth and social power for reasons Amelia never understood – neither Arabaxtus nor his wife appeared to have any sort of steady income. Yet whenever she visited the Ministry to see her parents, he was always there. But what was the most interesting about them was that they were very public on their views regarding blood purity. It was curious, Rita thought, for people so influential to be so outspoken with such an unpopular opinion. That is, unless they had a valid reason to back up their beliefs. And so, for the past five years, Rita paid uncontrollably close attention to the family and would express it to anyone that would listen, the listeners usually being Ravenclaws who had no choice. How Rita got her information, Amelia didn't know, though she seemed to have a breakthrough the previous year, garnering information ranging from their holidays plans to the interior design of their house. Amelia felt that such details were better left a mystery.
Malfoy almost laughed. An infatuation. He should have expected no less from the school's Mouth. Regardless of how she got her information, it was still correct. Moreover, Amelia was in a position that gave her a certain amount of power over Malfoy – something that truly worried him. Standing up straighter, he dropped his arms to his sides.
"You once made the request of me to refrain from insulting your family." He said evenly. "I ask that you pay me the same courtesy."
"I would if it were on the same basis." She replied fairly.
"What's that?"
"I don't want my family's name in your mouth because I respect and honor them." Amelia shook her head. "You're just ashamed of yours."
Amelia's tone was indifferent but it was the fact that she even had the nerve to say it at all that set Malfoy off.
"I've had just about enough of you, Bones." Malfoy said, enraged. "Let me tell you something; Rita Skeeter is a cockroach who tells anything to anyone that will listen because she's a greedy attention whore. She can say as she likes but you're a fool for believing it. Everything she said was a lie but your opinion on the matter is not something I value and going to such lengths to convince you of such would be a complete waste of time." He seethed. "My values are of no matter to an ingrate like you."
Amelia would not admit that his insults stung. She already decided that displaying any sort of emotion in front of him would not work out in her favor. Instead, she concluded that she would not hear anymore.
"I will not stand for being verbally abused by a man who makes no effort whatsoever to be a decent human being. I've had enough of this." She stated, turned on her heel and grabbed her messenger bag, beginning to fill it with several of the books she brought with her.
It put Malfoy in a hard position. He would finally be rid of the one person he did not wish to spend time with, but on the other hand, the small professor would undoubtedly find another way to help the seventeen year old. It was a toss up – either way he lost and either way he would have to do something he didn't want to do. He sighed lightly and grabbed a textbook that she had missed. Approaching the frustrated female, he shoved the book into her hands.
"You missed one." He said indifferently.
Amelia turned the book over in her hands. It was a copy of Jonathan Abrams Charming Your Way; A Step by Step Guide to Getting the Most out of Your Favorite Subject. She had checked the book out of the library weeks ago for her own personal use. It was one of the more helpful books she had red as it was used by Professor Flitwick himself. He used it to create many of his tests, a fact that only Ravenclaws were aware of. Amelia knew Malfoy was not a fool - he must have known that he was handing her the answer - a blueprint for passing.
"Did you suddenly grow a conscience?" she said sarcastically.
"You're dating Shacklebolt." He said pointedly. "With this in your possession, and you in his, I'm not taking any chances. His laundry list of bedmates isn't private, you know, and I don't fancy disease. I care more about my health than cheating." He remarked and turned to walk away, leaving the ocean eyed Ravenclaw dumbstruck.
He had pulled the last straw with his remark. As if attacking her family and beliefs wasn't enough, he favored pulling Kingsley into the mix. She could have let it go and dubbed him immature, but she was not one to keep her mouth shut and would not do so for Malfoy.
Gripping the book tightly in her hands, Amelia lifted the text over her shoulder and with all of the energy she had in her body, she hoisted the book in Malfoy's direction. It traveled the fifteen-foot distance between them hitting the seventeen year old between the shoulder blades.
Almost instantly, Malfoy reached into his robes and pulled out his wand. Amelia hardly had time to process his action before he uttered an incantation that sent her flying backward, the small of her back colliding with the nearby desk.
As the brunette sunk to the floor, clutching her stomach where the spell hit her, Malfoy balled his hands into fists. He had not planned on reacting the way he did – it was just second nature. The last thing he needed was a dead girl on his hands – he would have to be more careful about his temper.
Against his better judgment and out of a sort of sympathy, Malfoy sulked to where the injured girl lay, trying to pull herself up off the floor. Upon feeling his hand on her shoulder, Amelia shoved him away, furious.
"Don't. Touch. Me." She said firmly.
Had it been anyone else, she would have apologized for her rudeness – heaving a book at the back of someone's head wasn't the most polite thing she had ever done. However, she was not anticipating a full on attack. A quick remark maybe, a threat even, but not a physical challenge.
"I-" he began. There was hardly a way to justify his action. It was impulse. He was being assaulted – he had to defend himself. But Amelia cut him off.
"I don't want to hear it!" she exclaimed. "I don't ever want to hear what you have to say because you're a self loving ass who can't even think for himself."
"What the hell does that mean?" he prompted, his temper on the rise.
"You think that was an accident?" she said, referring to his hexation. "There's only once place you could have learned to react like that-"
"Don't-"
"I don't have to say it! He and your father have all these goddamned ideas planted in you – the lot of you. The whole Slytherin house. You're all the same. Just as desperate for acceptance, just as pathetic." She spat.
"Do not compare me to them, Bones." He said harshly.
"Why not, Malfoy? Why should you be any different? Wait," she smirked, "That's right. You're their leader. The King Cobra himself."
"I'm not anyone's leader."
"The hell you are! Who is it they all seek advice from? Who is it they shake in fear of? Who is it they go to with all their damn problems?"
Malfoy stood silent. She was right and she knew it. His entire sixth year had been about gaining their respect so that he could maintain control of the Slytherin house. And now he had it. But that did not mean he wanted it. And he certainly did not want to be lumped into the same category with them. They were lustful, mindless children who had no real goals. They were doing exactly what they were told without even considering the consequences. He had considered them but it hardly mattered what he thought. He was a Malfoy, and therefore, none of that mattered.
"I'm not like them, Bones." He repeated, taking a step closer, so that he was inches from her face as he glared down on her.
"No?" she taunted. "Then why don't you prove it."
Malfoy gripped her by the shoulders, his hands strong around her bones, giving the both of them the impression that he could break her at any moment. Malfoy thought he saw a flicker of fear and uncertainly across her features but she quickly masked it with stubbornness and indignance.
"What are you going to do, Malfoy? Kill me?" she scoffed. "Go ahead – then you'll be just like your father."
Malfoy would have liked nothing more than to beat her senseless for what she said. But he had already shown enough of his true colors tonight. In the same instance, he shook her away and she jerked back, ready to head for the door. He should have just let her go and considered his other options. Surely there was someone, anyone else that could help him, or do the work for him. He had enough money and could bribe even the wealthiest student. But that wasn't an option. He needed the credibility, not just the grade. And it might be nice, he thought, to escape the trappings of his life even for just a few hours each day. The latter was a thought that he brushed away quickly – he hardly let himself think what he wanted anymore. Instead, he reached out and took her by the forearm, pulling her close to him, their breath inches from the other.
"Please." He said, though it was almost a whisper.
She knew how hard it was to admit needing help – she had just as much pride as he did. The look on his face was what made her forget everything that had just happened. He looked like a lost child, grasping at ends to try to please, to accommodate, to find a way out. Without being dramatic, she considered the idea of staying. If there was anything that Malfoy didn't have to do in her presence, it was prove something. She wasn't one of his minions, so the brutal façade could come crashing down. Of course, she didn't expect his shell to soften, but for the first time, she caught a glimpse inside.
Without a word, she nodded and he gently released her. Grabbing her bag, she set up her things on the table once more and began to make a list of topics to go over throughout the week; everything from levitation to conducting charms without words. By candlelight, Amelia wrote and Malfoy read. He asked the occasional question, but other than that, the room was thick with silence. Diligently, Amelia made notes and lists of books to check out. She decided that immersing herself in the project would be worth it. Stealing a glace at the Slytherin, Amelia watched as he made notations and fact checked them from time to time. He was serious; it seemed, about working hard. Amelia sighed as she turned back to her work. Maybe she thought just maybe we can work this out.
Breath by Breaking Benjamin (from which the story gets its name)
