Chapter 13
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, it all belongs to JK Rowling…I'm merely an obsessed fan with ideas stuck in my head.
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Leila tried to force Draco off her, but it was no use because he easily overpowered her. His height gave him an unfair advantage as she struggled to fight him off. She tried to scream for help but Draco's hand covered her mouth and muted her screams. With her back to him, he held her tightly against him with his other arm. Draco leaned in close toward her ear to speak to her.
"If you promise not to scream and to give me some of your time, I'll let you go," Draco whispered.
She attempted to stomp on his foot but he quickly moved his foot causing Leila's foot to crash on the stone floor. She tried to howl in pain but the sound was muffled by the hand Draco still held over her mouth. She knew that Draco meant business, so she had to do as he said. Leila stopped squirming and stood still, letting Draco know that she was done fighting him. For now, at least.
"Promise not to scream?" Draco questioned.
Leila slowly turned her head toward Draco and narrowed her eyes at him.
"I'll take that as a yes," Draco said.
Leila licked his hand and he removed his hand from her mouth. He wiped it against his pants while Leila glared at him with her arms folded across her chest.
"That's disgusting," Draco muttered.
"I thought I told you to leave me alone," Leila sneered.
"You were in Dumbledore's office, right?" Draco asked.
"What's it to you?" Leila asked.
"C'mon," Draco said.
He grabbed her arm and led her back to the gargoyle leading to Dumbledore's office.
"Say the password," Draco commanded.
"Why?" Leila hissed.
"The sooner you say the bloody password, the sooner I'll be out of your hair," Draco said.
"Acid Pops," Leila muttered.
Draco grabbed Leila's arm and led her up the spiraling stone stairs. They were just outside the door when Leila attempted to pull away, which caused Draco to jerk and turn to look at Leila.
"No, we can't be up here. Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore are up here. I don't want to get in anymore trouble, especially not with you," Leila hissed.
"Trust me will you?" Draco said.
"Why exactly should I do that?" Leila hissed.
For a moment he mulled over what Leila said, but he shrugged his shoulders before he forced her into Professor Dumbledore's office. Leila quickly wracked her brain to make an excuse as to why she and Draco were barging in unwelcomed and unannounced, but neither Snape nor Dumbledore were inside.
"That's odd, they were just here," Leila mumbled.
Draco looked around the room oddly, as if he was looking for something. Leila stood in the middle of the office with a scowl on her face and her arms folded across her chest. She wanted to do nothing more than leave him while he wasn't looking; but the second she took a step to do so, he motioned her to step over to the pensive. Leila grudgingly took several steps closer to him, but stopped a few steps short of standing beside him.
"You forced me to break into Dumbledore's office for a pensive? Pathetic," Leila scoffed.
"You wanted me to show you, and this is all I could come up with," Draco said.
"I thought you'd given up," Leila muttered.
"Give me a chance," Draco said.
"Because that worked so well last time," Leila sneered.
"This was your idiotic idea," Draco hissed.
"Oh, so now I'm idiotic?" Leila hissed.
"I didn't say that," Draco shouted.
She took a step to go, but Draco snaked his arm around her waist and held her back. A growl escaped from Leila's lips as she flung her head toward him once again, with her eyes flaming.
"You're wasting my time," Leila hissed.
"You won't believe what I tell you, so I'll give you some of my memories," Draco said.
"What will your memories change?" Leila asked.
"They'll show you that…well, you'll just have to decide that for yourself," Draco said.
"And what if I don't want to see them?" Leila retorted.
Draco didn't say anything. Instead he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He seemed to do that a lot around her. She frustrated him and he frustrated her. It was the only way the universe seemed right. Leila sighed and took a few steps forward.
"Fine, but don't expect this to change anything," Leila gave in.
Draco attempted to smile, but it didn't quite get there.
"Is there anything know beforehand?" Leila asked.
Draco simply shrugged his shoulders. He dug in his pocket for his wand. He put his wand to his temple and closed his eyes. He extracted his memories and placed them into the pensive. His icy eyes looked into her emerald ones. Leila gulped and took a step forward. He nodded and she placed her head into the pensive.
For a moment she felt like she was falling. She landed in an unfamiliar place. The place seemed fairly ornate, so she could only guess that this was Draco's house; if you could even use the word house to describe it. From what she saw the place looked huge. Around her she could see children playing. Two young boys, maybe about seven or eight, were playing a game of Wizard's chess. Leila instantly recognized one of the boys as Draco. It was impossible to miss the platinum blonde hair on his head. There were two girls in the room as well. She felt like she recognized them, but couldn't quite place names to them.
"Can we play something else?" A young girl with a pug-face whined.
That was definitely Pansy Parkinson. The whine easily gave her away.
"Nott and I are playing Wizard's chess. You girls go play something else," Young Draco drawled.
"But your Mum said that we have to play together," Pansy whined.
"I don't want to play something else," Draco sneered.
"Why don't we play house?" the other girl suggested.
"That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard, Greengrass," Draco said.
"No, I want to play. Me and Draco can be the Mum and Dad," Pansy said.
"You and Draco are always the Mum and Dad," Daphne whined.
"That's because we're going to get married someday, right Draco?" Pansy smiled.
Draco ignored her and moved his knight. Theodore snickered.
"Why do you get to marry Draco?" Daphne asked.
"Because you're marrying Theo," Pansy explained.
Theo paled and it was Draco's turn to laugh.
"I'm not marrying, Daphne," Theo said.
"And why's that?" Draco smirked.
"Because I'm going to marry Leila," Theo stated.
"Leila who?" Draco asked.
"Leila Potter," Theo smiled.
Pansy gasped and Daphne looked at him on the brink of tears. Draco just stared at Theo with his mouth wide open.
"No one knows what happened to her, maybe she's dead," Pansy remarked.
"She's the Girl-Who-Lived; of course she's not dead," Theo retorted.
"And what would she want with you?" Draco sneered.
"I dunno," Theo mumbled.
"Exactly, she wouldn't want you. She'd want me. You'll see someday," Draco smirked.
Pansy began to whine and the scene began to change. They were on the Hogwarts Express. Draco was in a compartment with Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, and Zabini. He stood up and looked around.
"Crabbe, Goyle, c'mon," Draco said.
"But Malfoy?" Crabbe whined.
Draco merely raised an eyebrow and Crabbe groaned.
"What're we doing again?" Goyle asked.
"We're looking for Leila Potter, you imbecile," Draco said.
"But why?" Crabbe whined.
"Just do it," Draco commanded.
Crabbe and Goyle walked to the opposite end of the train than Draco. Draco went in and out of compartments looking for her, not knowing what she looked like. Apparently, he had an obsession with her even before Hogwarts. It looked like Draco had given up, because he returned to his own compartment. He slumped in his seat, not ready to give in to defeat. Blaise mentioned finding the trolley lady, so Draco decided to follow him. He walked a ways and ran into someone and was soon on the floor. Leila smiled at this memory. She knew the rest of it, because the girl he ran into was her. She watched her younger self help Draco off the floor. That was probably where everything changed; a mere moment of kindness. If she hadn't helped him up, they might not be in this situation. She watched as Draco followed her to the bathroom.
"What don't you understand about using the bathroom?" Leila asked.
"You never told me your name," Draco said.
Young Leila opened the bathroom door and went in. She peeked her head back out to find him still standing there.
"I'm Leila, Leila Potter,"
Since she had gone to the bathroom, she had never seen Draco's facial expression. She stood there now seeing his smug facial expression. The scene changed again to second year, when she had snuck Ron and Harry into the Slytherin common room. Leila rolled her eyes; he would want her to remember this. Leila watched the younger versions of herself, Goyle (Harry), Crabbe (Ron), and Draco trying to determine the heir of Slytherin. She watched as Harry and Ron began to lose their covers. Leila cringed, knowing what was coming next. Her younger version kissed Draco on the cheek and ran. Draco sat there with a look of shock on his face. The scene began to change. It was third year. Leila could tell because they were seated in Professor Lupin's Defense class. Draco was seated next to her younger self. She was taking notes, when a note slid in front of her. It was from Draco. The note addressed to her, asked her to accompany him to Hogsmeade.
"No," Leila hissed.
"You know you like me," Draco smirked.
"I know there's a fine line between love and hate, but you're blurring it way too much," Leila said.
"Didn't know you loved me," Draco smirked.
"Try hate," Leila glared.
"Leila, you can't deny what we have," Draco said.
"You're right. I'll stop denying that we have nothing!" Leila hissed.
Draco chuckled and attempted to poke Leila with his good hand, but she swatted his hand away. He tried it again, but this time he grabbed her hand. She tried to pull her hand away, but couldn't. He rested their entwined hands on the desk.
"Malfoy," Leila hissed.
"Aw...You want to hold hands?" Draco teased.
"Let go of my hand!" Leila hissed.
"I don't think I will," Draco said.
"What do I have to do for you to let go of my hand?" Leila groaned.
"Come with me to Hogsmeade," Draco smirked.
"Number one, I'd much rather die than go with you to Hogsmeade and number two, I don't have a signed permission slip. Sorry, no can do, actually, I'm not really sorry," Leila said.
"Then it looks like you're stuck holding my hand," Draco said.
"How long before Parkinson kills me?" Leila asked.
"I'd say about five minutes," Draco said.
"Really? That long? I'd give it less than two,"Leila said.
"I'll make you a deal, you win and I let go of your hand. I win and I'll let go, but you'll sneak down to Hogsmeade with me," Draco said.
"Whatever, as long as you'll let go of my hand," Leila rolled her eyes.
Draco smirked and Leila again rolled her eyes. Leila watched the clock. A minute had passed. She then looked at Draco and smirked at him.
"What?" Draco asked.
"Parkinson!" Leila shouted.
Pansy instantly shrieked at the sight. The whole class turned to look at them. Leila pulled her hand free from Draco's hand.
"I win. No Hogsmeade date for us," Leila smiled.
"You cheated," Draco whined.
"Never said that I couldn't," Leila smirked.
The scene around Leila swirled. The scene was of the Quidditch World Cup, after the Irish had won. The Death Eaters were out celebrating, by tormenting the Muggles. Draco leaned against a tree until he saw Leila running by herself. She tripped and fell in the midst of the chaos.
"Damnit," Draco muttered.
He quickly ran after her.
"Leila!" Draco called.
Her younger self looked up at him with a scrape across her cheek. He continued toward her. Leila, terrified, stayed on the ground where she was curled up in a ball, hoping that she wouldn't be noticed. She lay there with her eyes closed tightly. Maybe if she couldn't see them, they couldn't see her. When Draco finally reached her, he bent over and shook her shoulder.
"Leila, c'mon," Draco commanded.
"What are you doing?" Leila asked.
"Saving you apparently,"Draco said.
"I don't need you to save me," Leila responded stubbornly.
"It's looks like you do," Draco responded. "Now, let's go before something happens to you."
"What exactly is going on?" Leila whispered.
"Nothing that concerns you, if you'll quit being so stubborn," Draco said.
Draco offered her his hand to get up. She locked eyes with him, for a moment letting down her defenses. He gripped her wrist and pulled her to her feet. Once she was up, he carefully placed his hands on her arms. Leila, too frightened to care, let him. She stood there trying to process what was happening.
"Who are those people?" Leila asked.
"You don't know?" Draco asked.
"Would I be asking if I did?" Leila sneered.
Draco bit his lip.
"What aren't you telling me?" Leila asked.
"Nothing," Draco said.
"You're lying," Leila said.
"Leila," Draco sighed.
"Malfoy, who are these people?" Leila asked.
Draco never answered; instead Harry came running toward them yelling at Malfoy for attempting to hurt his sister. The scene changed again. Leila could see Draco moving toward her dressed in his fancy dress robes. She was shivering and Draco offered her his coat. She knew how this scene would end. Her first kiss. Their first kiss. She watched the chaste kiss between them and Draco walk away. She followed Draco as we went back into the castle.
"Malfoy, where the bloody hell have you been?" Blaise shouted.
"Around," Draco drawled.
"Well, Pansy's looking for you," Blaise said.
"Let her," Draco shrugged.
"What have you been doing?" Blaise smirked.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Draco smirked and walked away.
The scene began to change again. Leila could see herself and Draco patrolling the corridors.
"Hogsmeade?" Draco asked.
"You ask me every time we have a Hogsmeade weekend, and my answer is the same every time," Leila groaned.
"Well, it's only a matter of time before you eventually give in," Draco smirked.
"Not likely," Leila said.
"One Butterbeer," Draco said.
"Wouldn't you much rather be snogging Parkinson?"Leila asked.
"Not as much as I'd rather be snogging you," Draco smirked.
"Ew," Leila gagged.
"Didn't say that when I kissed you last year," Draco said.
"I was emotional and had a lapse in judgment," Leila said.
"Seemed to me you rather enjoyed it," Draco smirked.
"Excuse me while I go vomit," Leila retorted.
"I'll leave your brother alone!" Draco shouted to Leila as she began to walk away.
"For how long?" Leila asked turning around.
"Dunno, you haven't agreed yet," Draco shrugged.
"You're pathetic if you think you can get me to agree to go to Hogsmeade with you, with a bribe," Leila hissed. "Actually, you're pathetic enough to think that it will ever happen!"
"Is that a yes, then?" Draco smirked.
The scene quickly changed to that snow filled Hogsmeade afternoon. Draco was throwing snowballs at the ickle-firsties with Crabbe and Goyle. A scream was heard and Draco saw Leila fall into a pile of snow. He laughed and walked toward her.
"Let me guess, you're falling for me," Draco drawled.
Leila didn't answer. Instead she was holding her ankle, trying to hold back the tears. Draco took a few more steps closer to Leila as she turned her back toward him so that he couldn't see that she was on the verge of tears.
"No smart-alecky retort from you?" Draco asked.
"I hurt my ankle, ferret. I don't have time to yell at you," Leila hissed.
Draco bent down to her level as she took her boot off. Her ankle was already swollen, probably broken. He reached for her ankle but she swatted his hand away. He reached for her again, but with her good foot, she pushed him away, causing him to stumble and fall on his arse into another snow pile. While he was trying to pick himself up, Leila began to crawl away from him in the snow.
"And where are you going?" Draco asked.
"To see Madam Pomfrey, where do you think I'm going?" Leila hissed.
"I could help you, you know," Draco said matter-of-factly standing back up and brushing the snow from his clothes.
"I'm fine, crawling through the snow," Leila said.
"Stubborn are we?" Draco asked.
"Just leave me alone, ferret," Leila sneered.
"Don't call me that," Draco muttered.
Leila rolled her eyes and tried to stand up. She began hopping on her good foot toward the castle. She made it about four hops before falling face first into another snow pile. Draco began to laugh, but attempted to stifle his laugh.
"Shut up, ferret," Leila groaned.
"You should be nicer to me, considering I'm the only one available to help you from freezing your arse off,"Draco said.
"So says the ferret that is only capable of one thing, being an arse," Leila said.
'But I pull it off so well," Draco smirked.
"You know what; I'm just going to find Fred. He's probably still at Zonko's. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to help me get back," Leila said.
Leila turned back toward Hogsmeade, but before she could take one hop Draco had picked her up.
"Put me down!" Leila hissed.
"Can't have you getting in trouble with one of those Weasels," Draco said.
"I said put me down!" Leila hissed.
"I don't think I will," Draco drawled.
Leila narrowed her eyes and sat in his arms. He smirked as he carried her up the path back to Hogwarts. The scene began to swirl. She was standing in what she assumed was the Slytherin boys' dormitory. It looked almost like her dormitory except Draco and Theo were there.
"What the hell were you thinking, Nott?" Draco roared.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Malfoy," Theo responded.
"You sure as hell do know," Draco shouted.
"Why don't you remind me what this is about?" Theo said.
"Stay away from Leila," Draco hissed.
"She's not yours, Malfoy," Theo insisted.
"She could be if you wouldn't go snogging her whenever you damn well please," Draco said.
"Someone's jealous," Theo smirked.
"No, I just don't want you touching what is mine," Draco hissed.
"Just give up, Malfoy. Leila Potter is not, has never, or will ever be interested in you," Theo smirked.
Draco narrowed his eyes and punched Theo. Theo was coming at Draco when the scene suddenly began to change. She and Draco were in the Defense classroom. She was pulling Draco by his tie. She surprised him and herself by kissing him. He then walked out of the room and Leila could feel herself floating out of the pensive.
Draco was leaning against Professor Dumbledore's desk playing with a green apple. He would toss it into the air and then catch it. He didn't notice at first when Leila appeared. Leila cleared her throat. Draco missed his catch and the apple went crashing to the floor. He picked it up and set it on the desk. He walked forward to where Leila was standing.
"So?" Draco asked.
"You've always been a prat?" Leila commented.
"That's all you got out of that?" Draco asked.
"And that you've been obsessed with me since before you even actually met me, it's rather creepy," Leila said casually.
"I knew this was a mistake," Draco muttered.
Draco turned to go, but Leila grabbed onto his arm.
"You can't keep walking away," Leila said.
"What else do you want from me Leila? I don't let people in. You know that," Draco said.
"You use and manipulate people. What makes me so different?" Leila asked.
"Because for some reason unknown to me, I let you in. I don't know why, but I care about you. I care what you think about me. I care…" Draco began.
Leila silenced him by jumping into his arms and pressing her lips against his. He quickly responded and braced himself against Dumbledore's desk. Leila ran her fingers through his hair with every heated kiss. Leila broke away. Draco closed his eyes, breathing heavily. Leila watched him until he opened his eyes. When he opened his eyes, Leila was instantly drawn to them.
"Why me, why not Pansy?" Leila asked.
"Pansy has nothing on you," Draco whispered.
"How can I believe you?" Leila asked.
"I've stopped seeing her. I want this," Draco said.
"But why?" Leila furthered.
"After everything you saw, you still need me to say it?" Draco questioned.
"Yes, I do," Leila answered.
"Leila you know I've fancied you for quite some time. I'm through with Pansy and I fancy seeing what happens between us," Draco said.
"Why do I let you in so easily?" Leila groaned.
"So is that a yes then?" Draco questioned.
"What do you think?" Leila grinned.
Draco leaned down and kissed Leila. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Leila broke away again.
"What?" Draco asked.
"As much as I enjoy doing that, we should probably let our hearts catch up to us. Besides, we have to patrol in five minutes," Leila said.
Draco sighed. Leila grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
"This is going to work," Leila said.
Draco nodded and headed for the stairs. Leila grabbed the apple he had forgotten on Dumbledore's desk. She slipped the apple in her pocket and followed Draco down the stairs. After the two had left, Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore emerged from a room adjoining the office.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Professor Snape asked.
"Love can change a person, you know that Severus," Professor Dumbledore said.
"Those two aren't in love," Professor Snape hissed.
"Not yet, but if given the chance to blossom…" Professor Dumbledore began.
"This is going to end badly," Professor Snape said.
"Have you been furthering them along?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
"I've been giving them detention almost daily if that counts," Snape grumbled.
"Good, very good," Dumbledore said.
"I don't understand, why Potter?" Snape asked.
"As Mr. Malfoy said, she's the only person he's let in before," Dumbledore smiled.
"Matchmaking doesn't suit you, Headmaster. What are you hoping comes from this? This will only prove to be a distraction for Mr. Malfoy," Snape drawled.
"For now, but he knows his priorities. I just don't want to see him corrupted beyond repair," Dumbledore said.
"So bring Leila Potter down with him? That hardly makes sense," Snape hissed.
"I have a feeling that Miss Potter and her moral compass is exactly what Mr. Malfoy needs right now, Severus," Professor Dumbledore finished.
The two teenagers headed for their patrol completely unaware they had an audience. When Draco and Leila's patrol was almost over, Leila's stomach grumbled. She had skipped dinner yet again. But, she remembered the apple in her pocket and took it out, about ready to devour the small morsel. Draco looked at her with his eyes wide with curiousity.
"Where'd you get that?" Draco asked.
"You left it on Dumbledore's desk. I figured you wouldn't mind," Leila said.
Draco's eyes widened and he snatched the apple from her. He quickly brought the apple behind his back as Leila scowled at him. She attempted to reach for the apple, but then he held it above his head so that she couldn't possibly reach it.
"What was that for?" Leila asked.
"You didn't go to dinner. An apple is hardly a sufficient meal," Draco commented.
"I believe I told you that," Leila said.
"Exactly, you should take your own advice. We can go to the kitchen if you like," Draco suggested.
"Fine by me," Leila shrugged.
Leila led Draco to the bowl of fruit portrait, and had him turn around again. She tickled the pear and pushed into the kitchen. Dobby immediately greeted them and ushered them inside, well by them: Leila.
"Miss Leila!" Dobby said excitedly.
"Hey Dobby," Leila smiled.
"And Master Draco," Dobby said hesitantly.
Draco seemed to ignore the elf. Leila sat at one of the tables and told Dobby what she wanted to eat. Draco walked about the kitchens, until he came to another House-elf he recognized: Kreacher. Kreacher, belonged to the House of Black, which his mother was a descendant. He had seen Kreacher a few times last year, when he had been spying on the Order for his mother and Auntie Bella. Draco looked over to Leila who was chatting animatedly with Dobby. He then quickly turned to Kreacher and spoke lowly.
"Take care of this. I want nothing left of it and tell no one that it came from me," Draco whispered.
"Yes, sir," Kreacher said.
Draco handed him the apple and walked back to Leila, who was eating a sandwich. She washed it down with a goblet of milk. Draco sat down beside her, trying to avoid looking at Kreacher. The less suspicious he looked around Leila the better.
"What was that about?" Leila asked.
"Nothing, I just realized that I recognized that elf," Draco shrugged.
Leila looked over at Kreacher and then back to Draco, attempting to connect the dots.
"Kreacher? But…" Leila began.
But she shook her head at such a preposterous idea. As she was about to take another bite of her sandwich, Kreacher began screaming and flailing.
"What's going on?" Leila asked.
She walked over to where Kreacher was. He was hovering midair, while his little arms and legs were flailing while his body continued to thrash. Her immediate reaction was to cover her mouth with her hands, but her senses quickly came to her and she reached her hand for the House-elf.
"Keep your filthy hands off me you half-blood," Kreacher hissed.
"I'm trying to help you, what happened?" Leila asked.
Kreacher sealed his lips. Draco stayed at the table and watched.
"Draco, we have to do something," Leila shouted.
"Like what?" Draco asked.
"I don't know," Leila panicked.
"Unless we know what happened, we're of no help," Draco said.
"You're right. Dobby, go get Professor Dumbledore," Leila said.
"But what about you, Miss Leila?" Dobby asked.
"Dobby, I need you to not tell anyone we were here, otherwise I'll get in big trouble and I won't be able to come visit you," Leila rambled.
"Anything you ask, Miss Leila," Dobby bowed.
Leila and Draco quickly left the kitchen, Draco pushing them to walk faster to get farther away from the kitchen. He led them toward the dungeons, where their common room was they made it to the dungeons, Leila pulled Draco aside into an abandoned corridor. A smile was plastered across her face as she grinned up at Draco, who was rather sullen.
"I really want this to work," Leila said.
"As so I," Draco whispered.
"We'll just keep it between us for now, until we think others can accept us," Leila said.
"I'm not sure Auntie Bella would ever accept us," Draco mumbled.
"Harry either," Leila muttered.
"So for now…" Draco began.
"It's us and no one else," Leila said.
She kissed him, making him want more, and then she walked away, back to the common room. Draco didn't follow her; instead he had other business to attend to. So Leila walked inside the Slytherin dungeon, ignoring her fellow Housemates, heading straight for her dormitory where she could sort through the events of the night.