Chapter Nine- Making a Difference
Eliza and the twins met early the next morning and ironed out their plan. She had to admit that the twins had some good ideas but they needed a little help refining them. Soon they had ironed out the plan and were walking down to breakfast.
That night at dinner an owl flew into the Great Hall. Eliza watched Fred and George who were sitting at the Gryffindor table as if nothing interesting was happening. . The owl flew directly to Professor Umbridge and dropped a small box in front of her. She looked at it, slightly confused but opened it carefully. She read the note and smiled before peaking down into the box.
Eliza finished her differ hurriedly, knowing she had to be in Umbridge's office for her detention soon. When she arrived the box was sitting on Umbridge's desk. Eliza took her seat and began her lines as usual. As she wrote she saw Umbridge peek into the box a few times before she shrugged and opened it, taking one of the chocolates from inside.
Eliza watched, from the corner of her eye as she continued to write her lines. Umbridge had popped the whole thing into her mouth and was chewing happily for a few moments. She was eyeing the next chocolate when it began.
It started slowly at first, with a few drops of blood dripping from her nose. Umbridge frowned as she swallowed the chocolate and pulled a handkerchief from her drawer and dabbed at her nose. Then it increased, blood streaming down her face and she tried to stop it with the handkerchief.
"Professor, are you all right?" Eliza asked, putting the quill down on the desk.
"Oh, yes. I'm quite all right," she said, although her voice was muffled through the handkerchief. She took out her wand and waved it at her face and muttered an incantation. But this only made things worse; blood was spilling from her nose alarmingly, covering her hands and soaking the handkerchief.
"Professor you should go to the hospital wing, that looks serious," Eliza said standing.
"Yes, I think I shall. You may go Miss Turner," she said as she hurried out of the room clutching at her bleeding nose.
After she had gone Eliza crossed the room to the box of chocolates and took the remaining sweets out of the box. She wrapped them carefully and placed them in her pocket before replacing them with ordinary chocolates the twins had purchased at Honedukes. Eliza strolled out of Umbridge's office and met the twins in a classroom on the sixth floor where they were waiting or her.
"Well? Which one did she get?" Fred asked eagerly.
"The nosebleed Nougat," Eliza answered pulling the left over chocolates from her pocket and giving them to Fred.
"And? Tell us everything!" George said smiling.
Eliza described the effects of the candy and the twins smiled eagerly at each other. Their plan had gone off without a hitch.
"How long do you think she'll be out?" Eliza asked.
"Oh, I'm hoping at least a day or so. Without the antidote she could be bleeding for a while," Fred giggled.
"Isn't that dangerous?" Eliza asked.
"Don't worry Madame Pomfrey has potions to replenish lost blood and there are some spells we found that will decrease the flow," George assured her.
"Well done," Fred said clasping her on the shoulder and heading out of the room.
"Really, we couldn't have done it without you. Great idea to take the others out of her office. If we'd left them there and she may have been able to link them to us," George said kindly.
"Hey, I'm glad to help. I'll see you at the meeting right?" Eliza asked.
"Yeah, of course. Thanks again." George touched her arm gently and Eliza smiled up at him.
They looked at each other for a few moments, George's hand still on Eliza's arm. George smiled again before he leaned forward and pulled Eliza into a close hug. She rested her head on his shoulder and they hugged for a few moments. She looked up at him and smiled before she kissed his cheek.
"Good night George,' she whispered and she left the classroom and made her way back to her dorm.
The twins were right and Umbridge spent a full day in the hospital wind. Eliza received note stating that she would serve her detention another night.
That night Eliza went to the first DA meeting in the room of requirement. Although she already knew the disarming spell, it was still nice to practice with other students again. After she left she checked her watch and ducked inside an empty classroom. She pulled the mirror from her bag and held it up. "Stephanie," she whispered and once again her two best friends were reflected in the mirror.
"It is so good to see you guys," Eliza said setting the mirror on a shelf and sitting cross-legged on a desk in front of it.
"Did you get yours?" Stephanie asked excitedly.
"Yeah, I did," she answered pulling a small jar from her bag. Eliza showed them the leaf inside.
"Okay we can do this you guys," Brittany said with an encouraging smile.
"So how are things with you guys?" Eliza asked as she smiled at her friends.
"Good, we are so ready for Christmas break. You're still coming to visit aren't you?" Stephanie asked.
"Yeah, I will. I know you guys get out on Friday, but I am done with my midterms on Thursday. I will hang out with Mom and then Floo over Friday night," Eliza explained.
She stopped talking and held up her hand to silence her friends. She listened closely before she shoved the mandrake leaf into her bag and moved a book in front of the mirror. She had just hidden it when the door the classroom opened. Draco walked in, wearing his trademark sneer before his eyes fell on Eliza. His expression softened slightly.
"What are you doing in here?" he hissed shutting the door behind himself.
"Nothing," she lied crossing her arms across her chest.
"Umbridge has us patrolling the halls looking for Potter's little club. It's not safe for you to be wandering around," he said with a frustrated sigh.
"Well they all went in about a half hour ago so I'm not sure you'll find much action tonight," Eliza retorted rolling her eyes at him.
"I told you not to get involved with Potter. You're already in enough trouble as it is," Draco said running a hand through his hair in exasperation
"I told you that you need to stop bossing me around," she growled.
"Why do you have to constantly…" he began, but Eliza interrupted him.
"Ruin everything? Yeah I get it. Listen, if I'm such a bother then why do you keep showing up?" she argued.
"I'm sorry that I care about you!" he sighed.
"I'm sorry that's such an inconvenience to you," she spat back.
They starred at each other angrily for a few long seconds before Draco sighed and shoved his wand into his pocket. He wearily rubbed his face before looking around the room.
"Who were you talking to anyway?" he asked.
"Who said I was talking to anyone?" she said nonchalantly.
"I heard you talking to someone," he said.
"I was just reading out loud, sometimes it helps me think," she lied.
He raised his eyebrows at her and folded his arms across his chest, obviously not believing her. She simply stared resolutely back at him when she heard it.
"She was talking to us!" Stephanie shouted from behind the book.
Eliza roller her eyes. Drama Queen she thought. Draco looked in the direction of the voice. Eliza sighed and waved for him to come over. She sat back down on the desk and moved the book from in front of the mirror. She glared at her friends who were looking curiously as Draco sat next to her.
"Traitors," she spat. "Draco these are my friends Stephanie Miller and Brittany Thomas. Losers, this is Draco Malfoy."
"Well it's nice to finally put a face to the name. Liz has told us so much about you," Stephanie gushed.
"Has she now?" he asked raising an eyebrow at Eliza who rolled hers again.
"Any ways. I should be off to bed if the thought police are patrolling the corridors," Eliza said wanting to keep the conversation short.
"I'll walk you to your common room," Draco said standing.
"I think I can find it on my own," Eliza said gathering her things.
"I told you it's not safe for you're to be roaming the halls. Honestly, Umbridge is pissed after what happened last night. She nearly blamed you, but I talked her out of it. She knows it was just Potter and his friends trying to hide their little meeting. If you won't let me help you get out of detention you have to at least let me help you avoid another one," he argued the exasperation clear in his voice.
"Ugh you are so frustrating. When are you going to understand that I don't want to be protected?" Eliza hissed.
"If you don't let me walk you I'm just going to follow you there," he said simply smiling at her knowing he had won.
"Aww how sweet," Brittany said.
Eliza turned and glared at the girls. Who just chucked. "Good night Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Make sure you take your vitamins," she said looking at them pointedly
"We will! Love you Liz. See you again next week," Stephanie said with an angelic smile.
"It was really night to meet you Draco. Don't let her fool you. She's a big softie," Brittany said with a wink.
"It was a pleasure to meet you both. I hope I get the chance to see you again," Draco said offering them a dazzling smile.
Eliza rolled her eyes and the girls giggled again before disappearing. She sighed and wrapped it in a cloth before carefully placing it back in her bag.
"How did you communicate the time to meet?" Draco asked. "Umbridge has been reading all the mail."
Eliza eye's eyebrows furrowed at this new information, but she didn't want to argue with him. She pulled the necklace from under her shirt and showed it to him. "When we want to talk we put a time and date on this and the others can see it on theirs," she answered.
"That's amazing," he said,
"Listen, Draco, I get you're trying to look out for me. But I really don't need it. I just don't want you to feel like you owe me something," she said grabbing her bag and pulling it over her shoulder.
"Are you saying you don't want to be together anymore?" he asked, his pale grey eyes searing hers desperately.
"Well considering I 'ruin everything,'" she said with a shrug.
"I was just upset because you seem to have a knack for telling me things I don't want to hear," he sighed. He stepped towards her and took her hand. "I want to be with you and no one else."
"And I've told you I can't be with you as long as you're her lackey. Can't you see how terrible she is?" Eliza asked desperately.
"If course I do. But how else are we going to know what she's doing if we don't try to stay on her good side?" he asked.
Eliza looked up at him in confusion. "What are you saying?"
"Listen, I'm not helping Potter, but if you insist on getting mixed up in all his drama then I need to be able to protect you," he said. "I'm trying here," he added in a whisper.
Eliza looked at him carefully but his eyes shone with emotion. She sighed and squeezed his hand. "I guess you can walk me back to my common room," she said smiling at him.
"Perhaps we can even hold hands?" he teased with a wink.
"Don't push your luck," she laughed. But she let him intertwine their fingers. They walked quietly along the dark halls for some time before either of them spoke.
"You must miss your friends," he said quietly.
"I do, they are like sisters to me," she said softly.
"So what things did you tell them about me?" he asked. Eliza could see from the moonlight filtering through the window that he was smirking.
"Oh, nothing. Just that you're pig headed and bossy. And that you can be rude and a spoiled rich kid," she said She grinned over at his pale face to see that he was looking down at his feet gloomily. "But I also told then that you are loyal and sweet, that you are charming and handsome, and that you really go above and beyond for the people you care about," she added encouragingly.
"I do care about you," he whispered earnestly, "More than I've ever cared about anyone before."
Eliza opened her mouth to speak but they heard a noise at the end of the hall. Draco put a finger to his lips and pointed for her to hide behind a large statue of a wizard in armor. She hurried behind it and held d her breath as she heard footsteps approaching.
"Good evening Malfoy," came the sweet high voice and Eliza pressed herself silently against the statue.
"Good evening, Madame High Inquisitor. Are you feeling better?" Draco said in his cool voice he reserved for people he was trying to impress.
"Yes, I am thank you. Have you seen anything this evening?" she asked.
"Not a thing. Perhaps Parkinson heard wrong," Draco suggested.
Umbridge tapped her heel on the floor. "Perhaps. Well, keep at it for a short while longer. I'll have a word with Turner during her detention tomorrow about the little incident yesterday."
Eliza felt her heart drop into her stomach as she silently clapped a hand over her mouth to stop the moan of terror from escaping. She stood behind the statue frozen in fear and feeling the anxiety crashing over her.
"I'm sure she had nothing to do with it Madame Inquisitor. She is a great student. I'm sure it was one of Potter's little friends trying to distract from all the good work we are doing," Draco said casually.
"Yes, Turner could have been a great addition to our team if she hadn't been caught dueling in the halls," Umbridge said.
"I'm afraid that may have been my fault," Draco said softly.
"Your fault? Whatever do you mean boy?" she asked; the surprise evident in her voice.
"Well you see I've got a crush on Eliza and I had been talking about her in the common room that day. Well, Pansy has always fancied me and I suppose she heard me, she's always been the jealous type." Draco explained.
"Oh, well I am glad you have come forward with this information. Carry on with your duties and look for my patronus should anything change. Good work, as always, Mr. Malfoy,' she said.
"Good evening Madame Inquisitor," Draco said politely.
Eliza heard the sound of Umbridge's heels clocking down the hall. She was too filled with fear and anxiety to move and she jumped when she felt a hand on her arm. She turned to see Draco looking concerned with his hand on her arm.
"It's all right, she's gone," he whispered.
Eliza let Draco pull her into his arms and she held onto him tightly as he smoothed her hair and whispered soothingly to her. Draco led her back to her common room quietly with his arm wrapped around her shoulders comfortingly.
"Get some sleep Eliza," Draco said brushing the hair from her forehead and tucking it behind her ear.
"Thank you, Draco," she whispered pulling him into a tight embrace.
"I will always be there to keep you safe," he whispered into her hair.
She pulled back and smiled at him before planting a small kiss on his cheek. She walked up to the common room entrance and answered the riddle before turning to wave at Draco. He waved back and the door closed behind her.
Wearily Eliza climbed up the stairs to her dormitory. Once she was alone in the bathroom she took the small jar containing the mandrake leaf from her bag and she sighed. This better work this time she thought as she placed the leaf under her tongue.
