Chapter 10:Learning To Trust
Karina waited outside the manor, leaning on the car. She had changed over the summer alot. She didn't look the same, her hair was much darker (thanks to her father's genetics), her eyes didn't change as often as they used. She didn't feel the same, things had gotten much more complicated this summer. But it was a good summer overall. "Geneviera, will you hurry up?" Leonid said as he walked out the manor. Seconds later Karina's mother came out of the manor. Karina got into the backseat of the car, her father and the driver were in the front. Geneviera sat down next to Karina and the car went off to the station.
She had spent the entire drive over, being quiet and just staring at the window. "Karina come now, you don't want to be late" Leonid said as they got out of the car. "Yes father" She said as she walked into the station. "Now Karina, you know the rules, behave and study as much as you can since this year you have your O.W.L's." Geneviera said as they stood at platform 9 3/4. "I know mother, I plan to" Karina said. "I should be getting on the train if i want to get a seat." She said eager to get away from them. "Very well" Leonid said as he walked over and hugged her tightly. "Be careful, I love you!" He said. "I love you too!" She said. "Karina" Her mother said as she embraced Karina. "I love you!" Geneviera said. "I love you too mother!" Karina said and with a final wave, she got on the train. She found herself an empty room and sat down.
She watched her parents leave and suddenly missed them. Minutes later, she heard the door slam and saw several people walk in. "Ron leave her alone!" Hermione said. Ron stood over Karina and asked "Okay what was going on with you and Malfoy in Diagon Alley?". Karina looked around the room. Ginny and Hermione looked angry at Ron. Harry, Fred and George all looked eager to hear Karina's answer.
"Not that it's any of your business but, Draco's mother and mine are old friends, they went to hogwarts together and still remained good friends so Draco and I are bound to be in the same room every once in a while." She said as she looked at everyone. "Oh" Ron said. The answer seemed to calm them down. "See I told you Ron that nothing was going on" Hermione said. "Sorry" He murmured and sat down. Everyone sat in silence for a minute until Hermione said "So aside for your outing with Malfoy, How was your summer?".
"It was fine, I finally got to see my father, and I got myself a new broom, a firebolt." Karina said. "Why would you need a new broom? Your old one seemed to work fine". George said.
"Yeah but I wanted something faster since I'm going to try out for the quidditch team." Karina said. Everyone looked up suprised at this announcement.
"Where'd you learn to play quidditch?" Fred asked. "Oh, my father taught me over the summer" She said.
They spent the rest of the train ride talking about Quidditch which had bored Hermione. They got off the train, excited to be back.
"Oi!watch where you're going!" Ron said as someone bumped into to him. They turned to see who it was. "Why don't you watch it, weasely?!" Draco said sneering. He noticed Karina standing there. "Harper" Draco said with a nod towards Karina. Karina nodded back and said "Malfoy".
"ooh you don't sound so happy, Harper, What?Weasel-bee here yell at you again" Draco said smirking. "Shut up Malfoy!" Ron said hotly. Karina just rolled her eyes and said "Let's go guys, this is a waste of time".
They left and went up to the school. Karina was happy to be back at school. Near the end of dinner, she saw Draco staring at her. After all her friends left, she left. But she didn't head back to the common room instead she went to the room of requirment. The corridor was dark and illumanted by a few torches. She walked quietly. Draco where the hell are you? She thought as she walked around quietly.
All of a sudden, something grabbed her and covered her mouth. "Shh, it's just me" Draco whispered. He let her go and she turned to face him. "Draco,what.." She said but he simply dragged towards a wall. "Wait, let's get in here first" He said quietly. "In what?" She whispered looking around the corridor. Suddenly a door appeared on the previously blank wall. "Come on" He whispered. They went into the new room. It was empty except for a couch, a fireplace and a coffe table.
"What the hell?Draco what is this place?" She asked looking around the room in amazement. "It's called the room of requirement, it can become anything you need." He said as he lit a fire in the fireplace.
Karina sat down on the couch and watched him as he walked over and sat down next to her.
"So how was your first day back?" She asked smiling. "It was fine, it would've been better if Zabini hadn't stopped and interogated me about you." He said playing with her hair.
"What?" She asked. "Yeah he saw us at Diagon Alley" Draco said. "You're calm about this? What did you say to him?" She asked as she leaned againest his chest.
"I told him that me and you were together at Diagon Alley because our mothers were old friends." He said putting his arms around her. "Basically the same thing I told the Gryffindors." She said.
"Yeah, Look's like this Umbridge woman is going to make things tough around this school" He said. "Probably the ministry is trying to take control of the school." Karina said.
"She'll probably make it difficult for people to sneak around." Draco said. "So what if she does? We can still sneak around" Karina said fiercly.
"It might not be that easy." He said. "Fine then if we can't sneak around the school then we can sneak around at Hogsmeade." Karina said.
"Alright, at least that way she can't really control anything" Draco said.
"What time is it?" Karina asked. " A little before 10, why?" Draco said.
"I need to go, the last thing i need is the gryffindor's getting suspicous." Karina said getting up. Draco pulled her by her hand and she leaned her head down. He kissed her. "Good night" He whispered.
"Night!" She said softly and she left. He watched her leave.
Seeing each other certainly proved to be a challenge. For the past 2 weeks since they came back, they had only been alone three times. Karina walked down to the Pitch, her firebolt in her hand.
"So you're really trying out?" George asked. "Yes, why not?" Karina asked.
"Rough game quidditch" George said. "Yeah well I can handle it." Karina said.
She got on her broomstick and rose up into the air. She looked around and saw several gryffindors in the stands, along with some Ravenclaws. Then she saw Draco sitting there with Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle. He nodded towards her. She nodded and smiled at him. Harry looked over at where Karina was staring at. He saw Draco. What's going on?Why is he here? Harry thought, confused.
The tryout started. Karina flew faster than most of the team except Harry who also had a firebolt. She scored 3 times already. When she looked over at Draco and saw Pansy leaning in a bit too close to him. Pansy was stroking his hair. Karina suddenly felt something hit her and she flew to the ground.
"Karina!" the quidditch team yelled as they got down to the ground and ran over to her. Karina got up and said "I'm fine, I must've zoned out". She saw Draco and the slytherins coming over.
"Wow Harper! You ride really well! But next time maybe you should learn to pay attention and then you won't get knocked out" Pansy said sarcastically as she cackled. Karina drew her wand before anyone could even notice and she yelled. " Furnunculus!". All of a sudden, Pansy's face was covered in boils and already had pus oozing from them. The quidditch team roared with laughter.
"Maybe if you were paying attention Parkinson, you would've been able to avoid my spell" Karina said. She walked away from them, furious.
Karina walked down to the Great Hall for dinner. She had spent the entire afternoon, sulking. "I heard you didn't get on the team" Ginny said as they ate dinner.
"Yeah I zoned out and forgot that I was in the middle of tryouts" Karina said.
"If it helps, you're a brilliant flyer, it's just you missed the final goal cause you zoned out." Harry said.
"It's okay" She said as she got up.
"Where are you going?" Ginny asked.
"I'm gonna go back to the common room, I'm not that hungry anyway" Karina said. She walked out of the great hall and went up the stairs. She got on the sixth floor but was pulled into a classroom by someone.
"Hey! What the..Draco?" Karina said as she realized that it was Draco that had grabbed her. "Sorry about that" He said closing the door.
"What do you want?" She said crossing her arms. "Karina about today at the tryouts.." Draco said.
"I really don't want to hear it" She said. "Well you're going to, listen, Pansy wouldn't get away when I told her to, she thought i was being coy or something" Draco said.
"Whatever" Karina said turning around to leave. "Karina you need to understand, I'm not interested in Pansy." Draco said.
"Are you mad at me?" He asked quietly. She turned to face him and said "No I'm not mad, I just want to kick Pansy's ass". He laughed.
"Listen you need to know that I swore I wouldn't get close to any girl, and you have to trust me, I mean I trust you." He said as he took her hand.
Karina just stared at him. She knew he trusted her and that he wouldn't do anything with some girl. "Fine" She said. He smiled and hugged her.