Chpt 25

I woke up mid morning on Saturday Seamus still asleep behind me. "And what's this?" Harry asked grinning like he knew what was up.

"Malfoy being a jerk." I sneered.

"What'd he do, I swear I'll choke him." Harry suddenly exclaimed.

"What is up with you guys and choking?" Harry merely shrugged his shoulders. I sighed and got out of bed stretching in the process. I told Harry the whole story and Ron walked in halfway through.

"I'll choke him." Ron said at the end.

"Seriously!?" I asked/exclaimed.

"What?" Ron asked.

"I'll tell you later." Harry mentioned. I grumbled, I was still in his shirt.

"I really don't want to go back to the dungeons." I whispered.

"I'll see if Hermione has anything." Harry said disappearing Ron right behind him.

"I feel so hopeless." I said laying back on Seamus's bed. "And hungry." I said as my stomach growled loudly. Seamus laughed and I smiled as Harry and Ron came back in.

Harry came back and handed off some of Hermione's things. I practically tore Draco's shirt from my body..

"Uhh she also had these." Ron said holding up an old pair of multi colored nikes. I smiled and placed them on my feet. I went into the bathroom and ran my fingers through my hair. I looked at my unfamiliar reflection, no make up, untidy hair, and my top wasn't hugging my body. I was back to before Hogwarts and it felt good. I was back to my old self. I wasn't trying to impress anyone, I was me.

"Alright let's go get food I'm starving!" I exclaimed. The guys smiled and we headed down.

As soon as we got off all of the stairs Draco and Ranee emerged from the dungeons, hand in hand. I nearly started to cry right then and there, instead I held my tears in as Seamus's hand rubbed my back attempting to sooth me. I looked away from them and held my head high. I sat down at the Gryffindor table with everyone and ate steadily. I laughed at their jokes and enjoyed their company, but I couldn't help, but look at Draco and Ranee. Did she know he had already eaten breakfast? Or how he hated eating before quidditch? Guess not seeing as she was feeding him a strawberry. He hates the seeds in them anyway. Draco looked in my direction and I had to admit it was as if he was expecting me to save him from her. I merely smirked at his torture and started peeling an orange. I was almost done when I felt two shadows over me. I turned and saw Pansy's, I mean mine, I mean Ranee's minions.

"Ranee says just because you're no longer in charge doesn't mean you're not welcome. In fact she still wants you there as her beta." I could be near Draco. Was my first thought, then my second thought was that Ranee would be constantly dangling him in front of my face. She wanted me around so she could constantly keep me down. I smirked and gave them my answer.

"No." I said.

"Excuse me?"

"No, my answer is no, no I will not return there. I am happy where I am now."

"You're kidding right?"

"Look how many times can I say no?" I asked.

"Fine your loss." the other snapped. I merely shrugged my shoulders and returned to my orange.

"That was good." Seamus said, "she's angry." I stole a glance toward the Slytherin table and saw Ranee frantically talking to them her forehead wrinkled in anger. I tried not to laugh at her anger and Draco's sad face. He looked at me and I looked back. Hoping the anger in my eyes would somehow form lasers. It seemed to work because he got up and left. I made him leave first. Whenever you break up with someone it's always the small victories. As he approached the door, he stopped and then stalked towards me.

"Ah shit." I said putting my orange down, I was never going to eat this thing. He came right over as I turned and grabbed my forearm.

"Can we talk?" I saw Seamus grab Draco ready to go, Harry and Ron got up too.

"I'll handle it." I said and got up and followed, him. He dragged me down to the hallway that lead to the dungeons and into the broom closet where at one point we spent hours in. "What?" I snapped.

"Lillian, you have to know I still like you."

"Yeah because that's so obvious." I snapped.

"Lillian."

"Malfoy."

"What so we're on a last name basis?" He asked.

"Yes, I guess we are." I stated.

"Lillian." He said pleading with me.

"Well what did you think Malfoy? You used me. You and Ranee used me."

"I never used you. My interest was always genuine."

"Go to hell."

"Lillian why won't you listen to me?"

"Because I know it's not true!" I screamed. "I know what you felt for me was real, I know that trust me, but it started off as you using me, and then turning to something worse."

"And what's that?"

"Infidelity Malfoy. You could've ended it this morning, you could've told me the truth, but you only went back to her because she let you in her skirt!" Malfoy looked shocked. He didn't know how to react at my sudden rage and understanding. I had tears streaming down my face at this point. "You went back to her because you couldn't wait for me." He just looked at me and had nothing to say. "I hate you Draco Malfoy." I spat storming out of the broom closet.

Revenge is Sweeter, (then you ever were). The perfect song for my life. After that argument life was just a blur, Malfoy tried for another week to gain my forgiveness telling me it was all Ranee's fault. Then I heard it while I was getting a drink of water and doing my potions homework in the corner of the common room. "Yeah I hear he gave her a promise ring can you believe it, Ranee and Draco?" I spat my water out of my mouth and all over my essay, causing the ink to start to run.

I had to talk to Malfoy, I had to know. I instantly had the opportunity as he entered the common room. I got up and walked right to him. "You gave her a promise ring?" I asked frantically.

"Yes Fitzpatrick, but what do you care?" He snapped.

"Malfoy, it's been a week since..."

"Sine what? Our breakup, well I've moved on unlike you." He said before pushing by me and sitting down with Blaise and Flint. I went back to my essay, but I could feel his eyes occasionally in my direction, but they weren't looking at me as they once did.

I knew his apparently close relationship to Ranee would drive him crazy, but that only made me happy. Seeing him in mental anguish would make me just about as happy as it gets. Unfortunately we were still partners in potions, so the entire time I dealt with him and Ranee passing notes and making faces to each other. Potions was once a time when we would hold hands beneath the table. He would whisper random things in my ear, try to distract me from my work, kiss me when Snape left the room. Now he wouldn't even accept my help on the actual subject.

And suddenly one day Bryton was there. It was a chilly spring day and I made my way to the gardens once more. He beat me there. "Hey." I said as I sat down.

"Hey." He said back. Then we sat in silence.

"I'm sorry." He suddenly said.

"For what?" I asked.

"For everything bad I did."

"I'm sorry too."

"For what?" He asked.

"The truth was I did kiss Malfoy while we were dating, but I didn't want to accept it."

"Oh." He said. "I just wish we'd stayed friends, dancing with you was amazing."

"I wish we had a second chance." I finished.

"Yeah." He said.

"Do you think It would work?"

"I don't know." I honestly answered.

"Neither do I."

"You know what would work?"

"What?"

"Friendship." I answered. "Truth is I miss dancing with you too." I said smiling. "Let's be those obnoxiously close friends that people think should just date and get it over with." I said laughing.

"But we already have dated."

"Which means they'll be really confused." I said. We both laughed and stayed outside for awhile.

Bryton gave me a piggy back into the great hall. I laughed the entire way, especially when he almost fell at the end. I sat down at the table still laughing and grabbed some food and instantly felt his gaze. He was looking right at me. I dared to look up and he looked pissed and unhappy. He saw me looking and I could feel the sadness in his eyes. He was genuinely miserable with Ranee.

Draco_

I don't know what was worse the fact that she ung out with Potter and his cronies, that Bryton was back in her life, or that she could be happy without me, when I was clearly miserable without her. She was the happiest she'd been in months and I couldn't help, but feel happy that something had finally cheered her up. But I was also devastated it wasn't me. She was finally done with me now. I stood no chance.

Leila_

He knew. He knew we were done. And that made me satisfied beyond belief he knew that I had moved on.