A/N: I can't believe I wrote another chapter so quickly. This chapter is kinda building up for the next one.
Chapter Nine
"But it's freezing," Celina whined.
"You can freeze to death for all I care. I'm not putting my arms around or holding your hand or anything like that!" Draco said, for what felt like the tenth time.
"I've been staying up late doing your homework then doing…you know…" She quickly looked around to see if anyone was close by. "Well…you know…It's not easy ya know."
Draco scoffed. "What do you want? A treat? You already get paid, so calm down."
"But I want a date. Don't you think it's better if we act like we're on a date?" she slipped her arm through his. "It'll be more natural and we'll be less conspicuous."
"Che, do what you want then." He didn't have time to worry about what she was doing now. He had to keep an eye out for his mother.
Celina smiled up at Draco. "You're looking better than you did earlier this week."
"And you look slightly worse," He gazed down to take a closer look at Celina. It had only been a few days since he's been having her do his homework and work a bit on the cabinet at night, but he noticed she was starting to get bags under her eyes.
She frowned. "You noticed? That's terrible. That means I didn't put on enough make-up this morning."
"You wear make-up?"
Celina hit him playfully on the shoulder. "Of course I do, it's natural for girl to want to look pretty for her date."
"I'm not your date." He said bluntly. He wasn't paying much attention to her anymore. His eyes were quickly scanning the small crowd of people moving this way and that, until he found the familiar he was searching for. Slipping away from Celina, he approached the woman and tapped her on the shoulder.
She made a small jump before turning around. "Oh Draco!" His mother enveloped him in a hug. "Are you doing well?"
"Mother!" He smacked her way before it could get anywhere near his cheek.
His mother chewed at her bottom lip and then noticed Celina. "Celina!" She smiled and took her hands in her own. "I hope you're doing well."
"Very much, thank you Mrs. Malfoy." She smiled politely. "We should all go inside the Three Broomsticks. That's a popular place here, right Draco?"
"Wait a minute I…" Draco tried to protest.
"But…don't you think it's strange that your mother had come all this way and you won't even share a few drinks with her? You're such a cruel son."
Draco gave in. He didn't want to cause a scene at the street. "Fine, but mother…did you bring what I asked for?"
Mrs. Malfoy pursed her lips before digging into her bag and pulling out a small parcel. "I don't like the thought of you using this Draco. Please be careful."
"I know. I know." He handed the parcel to Celina. "Take it." Celina frowned, but obeyed, tucking the parcel into her own bag. When she looked up, she could see a slight grin hidden on Draco's face. "Shall we go to the Three Broomsticks then?"
All Celina did was nod and follow after Draco and his mother. She couldn't lie to herself; she was a bit nervous. She had no idea what was in the parcel. Was it something very dangerous? Draco's mother seemed so worried for him to have it, but if it was something that could harm Draco, then his mother wouldn't have given it to him, right?
Celina's thoughts soon left her as the three of them entered the Three Broomsticks. She could feel her frosted skin melt the moment she stepped through the doors. The place was quite crowded, since it was rather cold outside and all. She recognized some people from her classes, some people she had seen walking in the halls, and of course the random assortment of strangers. It was a light, cheerful atmosphere, and that too was enough to make her feel warm on the inside. "You two find some place to sit. I'm going to get us some drinks." Draco said, heading straight away to the bar.
"Alright." Celina nodded. "Shall we go then, Mrs. Malfoy?"
As the two women settled down at a table, Mrs. Malfoy intiated conversation. "How has Draco been at school?"
Celina wasn't surprised that she would want to talk about her son, since he wasn't there. "He's been rather cold to me since the beginning of the school year. I guess it makes sense though, since I was placed in Gryffindor."
"Gryffindor?"
Celina nodded. "Surprising right? It makes things a little difficult for Draco and me."
"I would think so, but you haven't had too many major problems right?"
"Not really I guess…to be honest I'm not too sure. Draco doesn't like to share everything with me."
Mrs. Malfoy looked slightly worried. "He hasn't told you anything?"
"He doesn't really trust me, and I don't blame him. It makes sense that he's conscious."
Mrs. Malfoy began to chew on her bottom lip again. "Even after I told him to trust you…he doesn't even listen to Snape anymore and…"
Draco set the three butter beers on the table hardly. "Will you calm down?" He asked his mother. "And you," He pointed at Celina. "Stop saying pointless things."
"They're not pointless. I was only answering her questions…"
"And adding pointless commentary. All you had to say was yes or no…"
"Who in the world carries a conversation like that? By only saying yes or no? No wonder you don't seem to have many friends."
Before Draco could say another word, his mother cut in. "Let's not argue in the middle of a public setting."
Celina smirked and Draco rolled his eyes. "Just hurry up and finish your drink Mother. People will start wondering why you're here."
Mrs. Malfoy sighed for what Celina felt was the hundredth time today, before quickly downing her butter beer and leaving the Three Broomsticks. "I don't see why you treat her that way," Celina remarked off-handedly.
"What I do isn't really any of your business, is it? Besides, she needs to stop bothering me all the time. I'm not a child anymore."
"Of course you're not…but you still shouldn't treat her like that…" She muttered under breath.
Draco frowned. "Well what about your mother then? I doubt you're any better than me with the way you behave."
"You're right. If my mother came in through those doors, I wouldn't give her the time of day. She did abandon me as a child after all…"
"She…she what?" Draco wasn't sure if he heard Celina correctly.
"She left me to my grandmother and took off somewhere shortly after I was born." Celina repeated. She didn't look Draco in the eye, and Draco started to feel uneasy. "No need to be so uncomfortable Dray, you didn't know." She took a sip of butter beer before continuing. "But now that your mother is gone, we can have more time to ourselves." Celina winked.
All feelings of uneasiness were gone in an instant. "We're not on a date Elvira. Now hurry up and finish your butter beer. I want to get back to the castle."
Celina sighed. "It's all work and no play with you, isn't it?"
Draco ignored her. "And leave the parcel here."
Her eyebrows furrowed together. "Why? Didn't we just get it from…"
"Just do it. I know what I'm doing."
Celina grinned. "Whatever you say, Master."
After Celina finished her drink, the two went outside. To her surprise Draco took her hand in his, but only for a couple of moments before he released it again. In her hand was a galleon. "What am I supposed to do with this? I already got this month's payment you know."
"I'm aware of that…" Draco walked a little closer to her so that he could whisper. "It's like a way for me to contact you when I need you. It's more efficient than sending you notes…"
"But I love getting your little love notes…"
"You'll know that you've gotten a new message when the galleon gets hot. So keep it with you at all times."
"Of course I will. It's gift from you after all." Celina smiled.
Draco stared her down. He couldn't tell if she was taking this seriously or not. After a few moments of staring, he began to walk ahead and back towards the castle, with Celina following leisurely behind.
"Celina! Oi, Celina!"
Celina spun around to see certain Slytherin run up to her. "Long time no see Blaise."
"That's for sure. You missed Slughorn's dinner thing last night!"
Celina was trying to keep herself from laughing. "Are you angry?"
"Wha-, no. I just…I…it was a complete bore. Of course I'd be mad!"
She was grinning full force now. "Am I your only friend in the Slug Club?"
"The only reason why I'm in the Slug Club is so I can get a connection with Slughorn. You stay in his good books and he's sure to hook you up with a job after you finish schooling."
"You completely dodged my question." Celina commented.
"Anyways, I think it's best you watch yourself."
"Watch myself from what? Is Slughorn going to come drag me down to one of his dinner parties? Or are you going to me dragging me there so you won't have to be by yourself?"
"No and no," Blaise glared for a moment. "I'm talking about Draco."
"If this is about my relationship to Draco, then I already…"
Blaise shook his head. "This is something different. How should I say this…" He had a bit of a puzzled look on his face before continuing. "There's this rumor going around that you and Draco are really going out."
Celina blinked. "And the problem is…?"
"It's true?" Blaise asked, his eyes wide open in shock.
She laughed. "I wish…no, of course not. You've seen how Draco and I've interacted. We're not very couple-like, if anything it's a one-sided relationship."
"Well loads of people were talking about seeing you two together at the last Hogsmeade trip. Apparently you two were really close…"
"I guess so…" She started slowly. "…but we aren't going out."
"That's not the way everyone sees it. I mean, Draco hasn't even said anything against the rumors. Normally he'd be on it like that."
"But we both know that Draco isn't under normal circumstances this year, is he?" Celina said darkly.
"You have a point there. I'm starting to wonder if he has even heard the rumors at all…"
"Anyways, I don't even see what the problem is here. So what if there's a rumor going around. It's not hurting anybody so…"
Blaise shook his head gravely. "Then you don't know Pansy Parkinson that well."
Celina gave Blaise a blank look. "Who the heck is Pansy Parkinson?"
"Uh…" Blaise struggled to find a way to describe her. "She has black bob-cut hair….and…oh! Do you remember when we were on the train? The girl's lap Draco put his head on…that's Pansy Parkinson."
"So…she's his girlfriend?"
"Not exactly…" He scratched his chin. "To be honest, I don't really know the truth behind their relationship really. But whenever she's talking about Draco you can kinda tell she thinks he's hers."
"Really?" Celina mused over this newly found information for a minute. "Thanks for the info Blaise, but honestly, I have other things to worry about." Just as she stuffed her hands in her pocket and felt her galleon heat up slightly. She sighed. "Speaking of which, I gotta go. Draco dearest is expecting me."
