Awkward would be a nice way of describing Harry and Nat the next morning. Hermione still didn't know what Harry did but she was still mad at him for making Nat cry and because of this ignored him. Ron stuck with Harry as the strange boys vs girls game started. It lasted a good week. Eventually Hermione was told what Harry had done and started to glare at him. Harry cursed when all the sixth year Gryffindor girls started to glare at him as well.
Ron tried to remain supportive but also had his budding relationship with Hermione to think about. Natalia took to hiding in a back corner of the library. She hated that Hermione and Ron were forced to take sides. It was easy enough to go unnoticed in the library, especially where Nat liked to hang out. In a small cubby just before the restricted section. However, on her third day there Malfoy spotted her. She looked up and groaned in annoyance when she saw him standing there.
"What Draco?" she grumbled.
"Alone today are you?" he said sitting down in the chair next to her.
"Looks that way." Nat sighed putting down her quill and looking at Draco.
"Had a row with your boyfriend?" he asked.
"You would know Draco. I'm mad at you too." Nat said crossing her arms.
"At me? For the betting you mean?" Draco asked leaning forward.
"Yes." Nat said curtly. "Of course I am. No girl likes to be treated like a piece of meat."
"Fair enough." Draco shrugged.
Nat scoffed and ignored him going back to her work. Malfoy got up and left. Nat thought he was gone and sighed in relief but soon after that Malfoy was back with his homework and took to working beside her. Nat shook her head and ignored him.
Harry was hanging out by the lake, near his favourite tree. The same one that his father and his friends used to hang out under. It was almost October. The air was chilly. Harry stuck his hands in his pockets and looked out over the lake. He head someone walk up behind him and he turned.
It was Ginny.
"Thought I'd find you here." she said softly walking up beside him. "How are you?"
"Brilliant." Harry grumbled out. "She won't even look at me Gin."
"You were being very thick." Ginny said shyly. Harry sighed.
"Yea I was." he agreed. "what am I doing Ginny. Why do I keep hurting girl's feelings?"
"I think it's cause you don't mean to. Which makes it worse." Ginny said. "Last year when you turned me down. I was really shook up about it."
"I'm sorry." Harry mumbled.
"Well I'm over it now." Ginny laughed.
"Yeah, you and Seamus. You make a good pair." Harry smiled.
"Yeah, I like him a lot." Ginny smiled back. "More than I liked you even."
"That's good."
"It is isn't it." Ginny agreed looking at her feet. "Harry I realized after some tears that what I felt for you really wasn't anything other than a little girl with a crush on a Quidditch star. It wasn't anything special, but I didn't know better did I?"
"I suppose not." Harry said. "Ginny do you have a point?"
"You don't get this cut up about a crush Harry." Ginny said turning to face him. "She's cried every night. She can hardly look at you without getting upset. You mean something to her, and it's special. And it doesn't take a genius to see that you're just as cut up about it."
"I just don't know what to say Ginny." Harry said. "She hates me now."
"And she'll keep hating you Harry. For as long as you let her." Ginny said. "It's curfew soon. We should get going."
"Yea." Harry agreed and the two made their way back to the Gryffindor common room.
When they got there Harry started looking for Natalia. Hermione said that she hadn't seen her. She and Ron were doing some homework together. Harry thanked them anyway and went to his bed. After getting changed into his pajamas he started planning just how he was going to make himself up to Natalia.
Natalia of course was in her cubby in the library. She swore softly when she realized it was already close to curfew. She was deep into her work today, as Malfoy didn't stop by. She was grateful for that but it also made her nervous. She stood and stretched then started to pack up her stuff as the warning bell chimed. After tossing some books on the counter to be re-shelved she exited the library. She was passing the first of many empty classrooms when a hand grabbed her, covering her mouth and pulled her into the empty classroom. Nat's bag fell off her shoulder as a result. When the door was shut she was pressed against the wall next to it. She opened her eyes finally to look at whoever had grabbed her. Her eyes widened.
"Hello Natalia." Draco said with a sick grin. "Fancy meeting you here."
Nat exhaled hard through her nose and Malfoy grinned and locked the door with his wand and then cast a silencing charm.
"Draco what are you doing?" Nat hissed once her mouth was free.
Malfoy grabbed her upper arms and forcefully moved her to the top of a desk then pushed her to the wall closest. The desk made an awful noise but Malfoy didn't flinch. He slammed his hand down on top of Nat's right thigh. Nat cried out in alarm and the sharp pain that it caused.
"How long did you think I'd play games Drake?" Malfoy said roughly.
Something in his eyes wasn't quite right, and his breath smelled weird and it made Nat's fear rise even more. Malfoy's hand moved from her thigh up under her skirt to the waist band of her leggings and slipped his hand under them. His other hand was clamped over Nat's mouth. She was starting to cry.
"You're just as smooth as I dreamed." Malfoy said softly then quickly started kissing Nat who was now too weak with crying to fight back. Malfoy's now free hand went down to copy his right one. With both hands under Nat's leggings he pulled them down a little. After another harsh kiss he spoke.
"I can have you whenever I like." he kissed her neck and down to her chest.
His fingertips dug into her skin and he pulled her closer to him. Roughly pressing his pelvis hard against her as he kissed up her neck. Nat shut her eyes tightly and turned her head away from Malfoy's face. Malfoy touched her face gently with his left hand and she flinched. He took two steps back and looked at her. She opened her eyes slowly. Malfoy gave her a strange look.
"You're mine." He said and then wiped his mouth and took the charms off the classroom then exited.
At sobbed once after he left and slowly got off the desk and pulled up her leggings. There was a rip on the left side where Malfoy pulled his hand out too quickly so he could touch her face. She sobbed again and pulled the skirt down so the rip was covered and then after a huge inhale and exhale she wiped her eyes and stuck her head out of the classroom. Seeing no one she started to run back to the Gryffindor common rooms. Hermione and Ginny were on opposite sides of the common room but both saw Nat rush through. They looked at each other and then without a nod or words they both turned to follow Nat.
"Oi, what you say now Potter?" Seamus called. Everyone looked over at Harry.
"I really couldn't say Seamus." Harry said softly. Everyone shrugged and then went back to their conversations.
Natalia had already pulled off her uniform when the two girls joined her in the room. Nat tried to pull on her shirt quickly but her shirt was inside out. She sobbed when she felt Hermione take her shirt from her. Ginny was picking up her uniform. Nat sat down on the bed.
"Nat. What happened?" Hermione said as she turned Nat's shirt right side out.
"I-I was- from the – luh – library – an - Draco." Nat sobbed. She was completely incoherent but "Draco" was picked up by Hermione.
"Malfoy? What did he do?" Hermione said kneeling in front of Nat.
"Herm." Ginny gasped and showed Hermione the ripped leggings. Hermione took Nat's face in both hands and made her look at her.
"He didn't!" She said. Nat shook her head and sobbed.
"I though he was going to. But-but he stopped." She said. Ginny put the leggings down and crawled behind Nat to hug her from behind. Hermione dropped the sweater and hugged Nat as well. Nat pressed her head against Ginny. Hermione kissed Nat's forehead. "You can't. You can't tell Harry."
"Screw telling Harry Natalia! We've got to tell McGonagall!" Hermione scolded. Ginny nodded in agreement.
"You can't tell!" Nat said tears in her eyes. "Please."
"We'll get Madam Pomfrey." Ginny said. "We need to make sure you're alright. Please Nat, let us do that at least."
"Oh. Okay." Nat sobbed rubbing her eyes clear of tears. Hermione nodded at Ginny who exited the chambers to go get Madam Pomfrey. Hermione picked up Nat's sleeping shirt and helped her into it.
"Ginny!" Ron and Harry called together when they saw her come back into the common room. Ginny stopped in front of them. "What's wrong with Nat?" Harry asked.
"She's um. Not feeling well." Ginny said and she gave Ron a meaningful look that made him pulled at Harry's shoulder.
"C'mon Harry. You can ask her yourself in the morning." Ron said pulling Harry away. Ginny whispered a thanks to her brother and then continued out of the common room to go get Madam Pomfrey.
"Ms. Weasley!"
Ginny stopped in her tracks. 'Damn. It.' Professor McGonagall. "Sorry professor but one of the girls isn't feeling well. I was just going to grab Madam Pomfrey."
"She is so ill she cannot take herself to the Hospital Wing?" MacGonagall asked quite concerned. "What is the matter."
Ginny sighed at the concerned look of the old witch. She took a step towards her and lowered her voice. "One of the girls. Well a boy tried to force himself on her. She's really upset and crying so much. I think she's embarrassed. We wanted her to go to you but we only got her to agree to see Madam Pomfrey."
"Yes well. I'd still like to speak with her." MacGonagall said. "Sexual assault is not tolerated at Hogwarts and I especially do not take well to my girls being attacked!"
"Please professor. I'm sure she'll be ready to talk later, but right now I just want to get her help." Ginny begged.
"Alright Ms. Weasley. But do have Madam Pomfrey forward a copy of her report of the student to me." MacGonagall said.
"Of course professor." Ginny said and then turned on her heal to keep on running to the Hospital Wing.
Madam Pomfrey was ready in a instant after Ginny explained the situation. On their way to the Gryffindor common room Ginny also told the nurse that MacGonagall wanted a copy of the report. When they reached Nat Pomfrey shooed all the other girls out of the room except for Hermione whose hand Nat refused to let go of.
"What is going on Ginny?" Seamus asked as she joined the group of 6th year boys who were gathered around the fireplace.
"The girls are saying it's Natalia. What's the matter with her?" Dean added. Ginny sat down next to Seamus who put his arm around her.
"I'm. I'm not allowed to say." Ginny said looking at Harry. "She'll tell whoever needs to know when she's ready."
"She's not dying or anything is she?" Ron asked.
"Of course not!" Ginny said with a sigh. "Look guys I'm not going to say anything. Nat needed to see Madam Pomfrey so I went and got her."
The boys all sighed in defeat and the conversation changed to Quidditch. Harry half listened but only watched the stairs. He waited until Madam Pomfrey exited and stood to talk to her. However the nurse just walked directly out of the common room after telling them all to head to bed. Harry excused himself and then walked to his bed.
A good part of the night was spent staring at his ceiling, then he remembered his Marauders Map and dug it out. He quickly found Nat's dot, Hermione was directly beside her. Whatever happened tonight, Nat needed some help getting to sleep. He saw Ginny's dot walk to join them and after watching them all settle together sighed and then rolled over to fall asleep.
