Hello there! I know this one took quite a while... Anyway. Hopefully you'll all like it. And I'm also aware that this story is getting quite long (Chapter 30's next T.T) And wellll, I shall try to speed it all up before you all get bored which means chapters will probably be longer and will take more time to be posted :D
Chapter 29
Pansy Parkinson was in a terribly foul mood. It was only eleven in the morning and she'd have wagered that she'd walked about the entire length of the bloody castle. And with Adrian Pucey to boot!
"Wait… Why don't we have the brooms again?" Adrian asked as they made their way down to the kitchens.
Pansy growled in frustration. "For the nth and final time Pucey, we just say that we met Snape on the way and he's told us that we do not need our brooms and that they will only be a hassle for us."
"But… Won't that be cheating?"
"Pucey, just let me do all the talking. Your job is to firmly suggest that we have lunch out in Hogsmeade. Understand?" Pansy barked.
Pucey nodded.
"Good."
Pansy straightened herself up. They had arrived outside the kitchens, with the portrait of the fruit bowl. Pansy raised a hand to tickle the pear when Susan Bones appeared out of nowhere and said, "There's no use. The cupcake's been found."
Pansy looked like she wanted to kill somebody. Susan Bones suddenly looked very afraid and was smart enough to have run off. As well she should be, Pansy thought with a huff. How is Draco supposed to love me now?
"I told you we should have gone earlier…"
"Not," Pansy breathed in and prayed for patience. "another word."
Pansy looked around the corridor for a moment then growled. "Where are they?" She demanded angrily.
"Iuno."
"They were supposed to be here! Waiting for us!"
"Maybe they thought we took too long and decided to look for us."
"Ugh! Draco could never be that stupid. Never! It must be Greyson's idea." Pansy growled.
Adrian felt the blood boiling in him. In the entire morning he'd spent with Pansy Parkinson, all he'd gotten from her was rage, anger, and more rage. She clearly was not pleasant company and it was no wonder why she barely had any friends.
Just as he opened his mouth to say something, Pansy cut him off by shrieking, "Drakie!"
Ashley, Draco, and Adrian all winced at the sound of her voice echoing off the walls of the basement.
Is it too much to hope that she becomes mute? Draco thought as he stared at the creature ogling him.
"What took you so long?" She asked, trying to pout and inch closer to Draco at the same time.
"We got lost." Draco said gruffly, pushing her aside.
"I bet Greyson was doing all the directions." She said scornfully, glaring at Ashley who in turn, rolled her eyes at Pansy.
"So where are those bloody brooms?" Ashley asked impatiently.
"Snape said we didn't need them. We bumped into him on our way to the Slytherin common room." Pansy answered quickly. "But enough about that! I'm hungry!"
"You're always hungry." Ashley muttered. Pansy didn't seem to hear her.
Draco cocked an eyebrow at Pansy. "Wait, what about the cupcake?"
"Bones said it's gone." Pansy seethed. "But we tried Drakie, we really did!" She added in a sickly sweet voice.
"It's alright. We found something else anyway." Ashley shrugged. Pansy turned to glare at her. Ashley held out the crystal mirror for Adrian and Pansy to see.
"What is it?" Pansy asked snidely.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you've never seen a mirror before." Ashley answered in a sickly sweet voice as she looked Pansy up and down. "Oh, wait. Now I understand why." She added with a smirk.
Pansy fumed. She could just feel the steam going off her ears. Draco was chuckling in the background while Pucey was trying to stifle his laughter.
"I know what a mirror is, Greyson!" Pansy snapped. "So you better not be holding one or else it'll break." She spat contemptuously, trying to grab the mirror from Ashley's hand. But Ashley was too quick for her. Swiftly, Ashley kept the mirror so Pansy wouldn't get a hold of it and do something stupid like look at her reflection.
Ashley didn't seem the slightest bit moved by Pansy's comeback. "Well then, it's best that you're not holding it, eh?" She smirked wider. "Your sheer size and undoubted beauty will probably force it to disintegrate." Ashley added sarcastically.
Pansy had nothing to say to that except a few sputters that were just tumbling forth from her mouth and so, she shut her lips tight and glared at Ashley. Draco was laughing out loud, not even trying to conceal his enjoyment at Pansy's expense.
Adrian, on the other hand, seethed. The green-eyed monster was rearing its ugly head for the first time, now that he noticed how well Draco and Ashley seemed to complement each other.
"Let's go to Hogsmeade!" Adrian Pucey blurted out quite suddenly. All three heads turned to him. Draco and Ashley looked puzzled. Pansy looked demented—her one eye was twitching and her eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets.
Doesn't this boy know how to do ANYTHING? Pansy thought.
"What for?" Ashley asked flatly.
"Lunch." Adrian shrugged, ignoring the looks Pansy was trying to give him.
"Why can't we just have lunch here?" Draco frowned.
"I don't like the Great Hall food. I feel like going to Hogsmeade for lunch." Adrian shrugged. And somehow, the way he did it was so casual and yet so assertive. It was the first time any of the three of them had ever seen that side of Adrian Pucey before. In fact, Draco even doubted Pucey knew that side of himself existed.
Huh... So the Sorting Hat wasn't mental when it sorted Pucey into Slytherin after all... Draco thought, a tad bit amused as the four of them started to make their way to Hogsmeade.
After arguing on which place was best for lunch, the four of them decided to have lunch in a small quaint shop at the end of High Street.
The waitress that welcomed them into the shop led them to a table that had two seats on one side and two on the other. Ashley took first pick and Draco followed her, realizing that if Pucey took the seat next to Ashley (which he undoubtedly would) then Draco would have to be left seated next to Pansy and heaven only knew how long he could survive with that.
He smirked, also feeling something tingle all over his body as he sat next to Ashley and tried to hide how giddy he actually felt. Merlin, I feel absolutely gay. I think I need to take in more testosterone or something.
"Ugh. Why do you want to sit beside her, Drakie?" Pansy whined as she took the last seat—the one beside Pucey.
"Because I don't want to sit beside you." Draco answered in a mutter as he scanned the menu.
"What was that, Draco darling?" Pansy asked in that sickly sweet voice that could only belong to her.
Ashley, however, heard him and tried to hide her laughter by coughing. She turned to the waitress with a smile and ordered a strawberry milkshake a double cheese burger and extra fries.
In front of her, Pansy Parkinson growled as the waitress turned to her to take her order. "I'll have a salad." She muttered under her breath, closing the menu rather forcefully. After the waitress had finished jotting down their orders, she left for the kitchen.
There was a moment of awkward silence. Curse all Hogwarts professors for this abysmal grouping, Draco thought to himself as he stared at each face around the table.
Ashley looked highly uncomfortable.
I'd like to believe it's because she's sitting beside me. I do have such wonderful effects on women, after all.
Ah Draco, conceit is healthy.
That's what I always say.
Pansy looked highly irritated while Pucey just looked...blank. Of course.
Suddenly, Draco felt something brushing against his ankle. What the? Draco looked at Pansy immediately, ready to snap at her for trying to play footsy with him but realized by the expression on her face that it wasn't her. She looked absolutely frustrated, just staring at her table napkin with chin in hand and quite honestly, Draco didn't think pugs were too good at multi-tasking or subtlety.
Draco peeked under the table. It was none other than Adrian's foot. What the f***? Draco looked up to search the expression on Adrian's face and realized that the footsy wasn't for him. Thank Merlin. A whole day with Parkinson and Pucey I could deal with...but a whole day with Parkinson and a gay Pucey is a whole different story altogether...
"Oi Pucey, you missed. Try a little to the right."
Immediately, he felt Pucey's foot retract as his face turned beet red. Ashley threw a questioning look in Draco's direction to which Draco merely smirked.
"I need to go to the little women's room." Pansy announced, quickly standing up and accidentally knocking her chair backwards causing the entire shop to stare at her. She glared them all down like only a well-trained pug could.
"Pucey, don't you need to go to the boy's room as well?" She asked pointedly.
"Since when did you command Pucey around?" Ashley asked.
"Since when did you care?" Pansy snapped but didn't wait for an answer. "Pucey, don't forget to pick up my chair!" And with that, a very irritable Pansy Parkinson turned on her heel and disappeared into the women's room. Adrian Pucey followed suit like a lovesick puppy.
Well that was odd. Draco thought to himself, highly amused. Perhaps there are certain benefits with being groupmates with such complete freaks. A show. I also never knew Pansy Parkinson could be such a demanding one... Hah, guess you really do learn something new every day.
Draco turned to Ashley, who still looked uncomfortable in her seat. I know just the thing to cure all that awkward tension.
"So I was thinking..." Draco drawled.
Ashley turned to him with a raised eyebrow.
Draco cleared his throat, trying to sound diplomatic. "I was thinking that we should make life a little bit more interesting."
"How much more interesting?" Ashley asked curiously.
"Let's have a bet. On who gets to drink the Veritaserum Potion."
"Why don't we just play a muggle game and get it over with?" Ashley muttered.
"Because that's no fun." Draco whispered with his face only a few inches apart from hers. She was staring right into his stormy gray eyes but caught herself before she could completely lose sight of everything else.
"Fine. I'm listening." Ashley broke the gaze and decided to stare at his nose instead. This is so weird.
Draco smirked inwardly, knowing he had an effect on her. He didn't know why it made him so thrilled exactly. But it did. And as of that moment, Draco didn't care much for hiding how he felt or trying to suppress it. There would be time for mulling things through... later.
"Let's race to the pitch." said Draco.
Ashley didn't seem impressed by his idea. "What?"
"Let's race." Draco shrugged. "First one who arrives, wins."
"You do realize, don't you, that we're one team... We'll arrive as one..."
"Yes, but Greyson, we won't actually all arrive at the same time. Some of us will come first, some will come later."
Ashley smirked. She had to admit she hadn't been thinking about it that way. "Alright Malfoy. Last one to the pitch drinks the Veritaserum. Deal?" Ashley held out her hand.
Draco took it. "Deal."
And Draco knew that in that moment he had just eased Ashley into her comfort zone.
Adrian Pucey was humming some random off-beat tune he made up in his head as he lazily made his way to the boys' room when someone had grabbed him from behind and quickly dragged him into the women's room instead.
"It's me, Pansy!" A hideously familiar voice whispered into his ear. Adrian immediately relaxed as Pansy released her grip on him.
"Erm..." Adrian backed up uncomfortably. The women's room was awfully small and tight and hot and it was awkward, having him and Pansy both there at the same time...alone...
"Now's not the time Pucey!" Pansy snapped irritably. "Can't you see them flirting? It's practically right in front of you, for Merlin's sake! We have to put our plan into action immediately."
"But Pansy...don't you think hexing Cornish Pixies into mutilating Ashley is too...extreme?" Adrian asked hesitantly. "I mean... it's not as if she's even really doing any flirting..." Sometimes I think you've invented this whole romance between them all in your head, Adrian wanted to say but was thankfully smart enough to realize he shouldn't.
"Nothing is too extreme when it comes to Ashley Greyson." Pansy spat bitterly. "Now remember the plan, stick to it, do anything else and you'll regret it, alright?" Pucey barked.
Adrian wanted to protest against her but thought it was best not to. He could see a certain mad gleam in Pansy Parkinson's eyes and he didn't particularly want to be the brunt of her next target.
"Now go out first, act like nothing's wrong!" Pansy opened the door and practically pushed Adrian Pucey right out. Adrian stumbled but regained his composure. He stood and looked at his reflection in the mirror, taking a deep breath. You can do this, he thought to himself as he started to make his way back to their table.
Pansy had returned shortly after Adrian did and once again, there was an awkward tension filling the air. Pansy had opened her mouth to say something but was thankfully cut off by the food arriving. Pansy looked disdainfully down on her salad as the smell of Ashley's deliciously fattening food wafted in front of her. Pansy looked at Ashley with a disgusted expression on her face.
"It's so unfair," She ranted, pointing her fork resentfully at Ashley, not even trying to at least adopt some table manners. Ashley looked at Pansy with a questioning look on her face as she sipped at her milkshake. "how girls like that get to keep their figure even though they keep throwing down trash into their systems while girls like me have to constantly keep watch of what we eat." She finished huffily.
Ashley merely shrugged and scoffed before continuing her meal.
"But it's okay," Pansy sighed blissfully. "At least girls like me have a little meat in our bodies. It makes us look healthy and glowing. Unlike you, Greyson. You look malnourished." Pansy added with a sneer.
"A little meat? Ha!" Ashley snorted.
"I don't know how anyone can stand you." Pansy glared at Ashley. "I certainly know now why Angel can't."
Ashley glared at Pansy. Now she'd gone too far and struck a cord and Pansy Parkinson knew it judging by the well-rehearsed smirk plastered across her face.
Ashley put her hand on her wand which she had stuffed into her pocket. Another hand circled around hers, exerting just a bit of pressure. Ashley looked down at that hand and realized it was Draco's.
Draco and Adrian had been watching the entire thing fold quietly in their seats. The only difference between the both of them was that Draco had realized that Pansy had hit a cord while Adrian merely sat in his seat, dumbfounded.
Everyone knew about the Greyson sisters not exactly being in the best of terms. It had been that way ever since. No one had bothered to question it or mention it because it was never a topic any of the sisters made light conversation of. Their estrangement was a touchy subject.
In fact, Ashley rarely spoke of Angel to Seth and Callie—her two best friends in the entire world.
"Let go of my hand." Ashley looked up and caught Draco's gaze. Her eyes were flashing fire.
"Don't." Draco's eyes were a steely gray but there was something also...calming about them.
Draco felt Ashley's grip on her wand loosen and took his hand off of hers.
From across the table, Pansy Parkinson saw the entire thing unfold and soon enough, all she could see was red. She stood up and was about to lunge across the table at Ashley but in one swift movement, Adrian Pucey held her with a vice-like grip.
She struggled in his arms, growling that she wanted to give Ashley Greyson a piece of herself.
"Too bad you're just too big!" Ashley countered. Draco held her back as well, just in case she decided to strike.
"Let's get out of here." Draco muttered, clearly very embarrassed. The entire shop had their eyes on their table. Draco threw some money on the table and led Ashley out, followed by Adrian and a struggling Pansy.
Once they were outside the shop, Draco led them into a forested area nearby so as not to create a scene in the middle of the streets.
"Parkinson, what the bloody hell is wrong with you?" Draco snapped furiously, his eyes turning into slits.
"Nothing." Pansy answered defiantly as Adrian let go of her. "Not anymore." Then, with one swift movement, she took out her wand from her hand, swished it in the air, and muttered an incantation. An abnormally loud rustling sound echoed through the leaves and in a few seconds, a swarm of Blue Cornish Pixies had appeared.
Their eyes looked dazed, as though they were under a spell or some sort of hex or charm. And as suddenly as they appeared, they lunged forward, heading for Ashley.
Draco pushed Ashley aside and took his wand out but Adrian Pucey was quicker than him. By the time Draco had his hand out and ready to use it, Adrian already had Pansy's wand and was already muttering the counter incantation.
As quickly as everything had begun, it was over. The Blue Cornish Pixies had snapped out of their daze and all fluttered back into the trees.
Ashley and Draco looked absolutely shocked. They didn't know Adrian had it in him after all. Pansy looked absolutely furious. She didn't know Adrian had it in him as well.
"PUCEY, YOU USELESS GOOD FOR NOTHING—RUINING MY PLAN! I THOUGHT WE WERE IN THIS TOGETHER!" Pansy shrieked.
"Not anymore, Parkinson! You took several steps too far!"
Pansy glared daggers at him and in one quick movement (Who knew she could be quick?) she grabbed her wand from Adrian, aimed it at Ashley, and yelled "Sectusempra!".
Luckily, Ashley had ducked and the spell had hit a tree instead.
Before Draco and Adrian could even react, Ashley had her wand out and was yelling, "Furnunculus!". Ashley proved to have good aim too because she hit her target.
This time, Adrian quickly caught hold of both of Pansy Parkinson's arms as Draco took hold of Ashley's waist and took her wand.
Both girls struggled. Pansy shrieked for a second time as boils started appearing randomly on her face.
"Let go of me! Let go of me! WHAT'S HAPPENING TO MY FACE?" She continued to shriek. Birds flew out of the treetops. "I want to kill that stupid girl for stealing my Drakie away from me and brainwashing him! The slut!"
"You're just jealous, Parkinson, because you're a fat blob and that's all you'll ever be!"
"Calm down, Ash." Draco whispered into Ashley's ear. Draco felt Ashley's body relax slightly. But only slightly.
"I think we should split up. We'll meet back at the entrance to the village in two hours." Draco suggested to Adrian.
"I think you're right." He responded.
Draco nodded and led Ashley away, hearing Pansy's screams of protest behind them.
"Well now she's finally done it. She's gone and cracked." Ashley muttered, her voice hard.
"It's Parkinson. What else is new?" Draco shrugged.
"Stupid mental pug. She needs to talk to a professional about her stupid issues."
"If any professional would be willing to take her." Draco mumbled and said nothing more. He wanted Ashley to just let it all out. If she wanted to rant her heart out, he'd listen and hang on to her every word, he realized with awe.
"Why would she want to kill me of all girls? Heaven only knows I'm not even one of your girls."
Draco was silent. He didn't have a ready answer to that.
"It's not like we're together." Draco added with a cough that sounded like an awkward laugh.
"Or like each other..." Ashley added just a tad bit thoughtfully.
Both of them kept silent after that. Because really, was what Ashley just said true?
I'm not even so sure if I was telling the truth or not. Ashley thought to herself glumly. And oh Lord, please say I was. Because I don't think I could take it if I fell in love with Draco...again.
Draco could see Ashley from his peripheral vision and somehow, no matter how hard he tried to avoid her or not think about her, it just seemed to happen.
This silence is killing me. Draco thought, trying to keep his thoughts from going anywhere but down the avenue that Ashley Greyson filled in his mind.
The silence stretched on, then, "Do you know why Angel and I never got along?" Ashley asked softly. She thought perhaps someone ought to know, other than herself and her sister. This question brought Draco out of his thoughts.
"No." He responded with a shake of his head. He looked at Ashley's face. Her expression seemed far away.
"Well... my sister's never liked me. Ever since we were kids and sometimes...I can't help but think that it's my fault. Remember when we were kids and we'd never let her play with us? She was so in love with you back then and I guess she always had it in her head that I was keeping you from her."
"It's not your fault. When we were kids, I enjoyed playing with you much more than your sister. Your sister can't hate you for that." Draco realized this was a sensitive topic. He had never opened up to anyone before in his life and he knew Ashley had never spoken about this topic to anyone in her life as well.
"But I think she does." Ashley whispered. "You know when she was coming to Hogwarts for the first time, I was so excited. I thought maybe finally we could be friends. But then she wouldn't even look at me. At first, she wouldn't even acknowledge that I was her sister to her new friends."
"You're lucky you have siblings." Draco shrugged. He didn't know why he was sharing this to Ashley Greyson of all people—the one person in the entire world he'd have turned to last to reveal his secrets. "I know it never seemed obvious to anyone, especially when we spent holidays together, but my father's always been pushing me to excel in everything. And he accepts no less because I'm his only child. I'm his only chance at getting everything and anything right."
Draco's voice sounded gruff to Ashley, as though he found these words uncomfortable to say out loud.
No wonder he's such an ass all the time, Ashley thought sadly, feeling sort of sorry for Draco Malfoy.
They both sat side by side by a remote fountain off a random street, not saying anything. Somehow, it felt...comfortable. It wasn't awkward at all, despite their avoiding one another for the past weeks.
"You know, I really do hope Pucey takes Parkinson to a mental ward or something." Draco muttered.
Ashley laughed. "I hope she'll stay there. Merlin only knows she needs professional help." Ashley snorted.
"Well, you know the effect I have on girls." Draco smirked.
"And pugs apparently. That retarded pug nearly killed me."
"Thrice." Draco grimaced. They were both determined not to go near the issue of why the said pug had chosen Ashley Greyson as her target.
"Apparently she's no good at it either because I'm still well and breathing."
"Which is good." Draco said so fiercely that Ashley looked up at him and caught his gaze. Something passed between them, something he wasn't quite sure of.
Draco looked away when he realized that Ashley Greyson really wasn't just another conquest and he stopped his conquest of her because he cared about her. More than he was ever willing to let himself care about another living breathing human being.
Ashley coughed. "Erm... I think we should..um...it's getting late..." Ashley stood up awkwardly.
"Yeah...yeah." Draco responded. They both made their way back to Hogwarts in silence.
As they neared the entrance of Hogsmeade village, they caught sight of Adrian Pucey standing there, waiting for them.
"You alright?" Pucey asked Ashley. Ashley nodded.
"Where's Parkinson?" Draco asked coolly.
"Took her to Madam Pomfrey." Adrian responded with a casual shrug. "Just thought she might need some head examinations or something of the sort." He added lightly.
"Best thing you've done today, mate." Draco patted Adrian's shoulder to the boy know how much he approved of that action.
Adrian turned to Ashley with glazed eyes. "Ash, I really need to talk to you."
"There's really nothing to talk about, Pucey. Parkinson's a crazy bitch, you took care of that, so all's well."
"But Ashley, I just... I just want you to know that I'm really sorry. For agreeing with Pansy's plan at first. And that I never meant you any harm, really. I just...actually, I don't really know..."
Ashley smiled weakly. It was the first time she'd ever heard something remotely mature come out from Adrian Pucey's mouth. Besides, I've lived through this whole Pansy killing me thing ordeal three times. I think the anger's wore out after like, the first. In fact, if a falling piano fell on me right now, I wouldn't even be surprised that it was Pansy's doing.
"It's really alright. Thanks for stopping her though." Ashley managed a smile.
"Sure." Adrian responded breathlessly.
"Well, this is all touching and great, but I think we need to be in the pitch in five minutes so if we can all just speed up the pleasantries, all would be real well. I don't quite fancy getting butchered by any of the professors at Hogwarts—not that they actually would touch this handsome face of mine—and I really would like to get this entire day over and done with." Draco broke the moment—if one could call it that.
"Right. Shame though that we only got two items." said Adrian with a frown.
Draco shrugged nonchalantly. "At least we got something so we won't look too pathetic when we get back."
"And that has to count for something considering one of our members is mentally unstable." Ashley added.
When the three of them were nearing the pitch, Ashley and Draco looked at one another. The bet was at stake here.
"Ready to lose, Greyson?" Draco whispered.
"You wish Malfoy. I'll have you know I run faster than both Ashton and Ashbrooke combined."
"Too bad both of your brothers combined doesn't equal a Malfoy." Draco smirked, before breaking out into a full speed sprint towards the pitch.
Ashley broke out into a run after him. She caught up pretty quick too, and proved herself faster than Draco. She reached the pitch just milliseconds before Draco did.
"Ha! I win! In your face, Malfoy!" Ashley cried out happily while doing a sort of victory dance.
Draco, panting, rolled his eyes heavenward. "You were...just...lucky..." He said in between breaths.
"Aww, is little Draco all tired out already?" Ashley cooed, smirking.
Draco glared at her. "Oh shut up, Greyson."
Ashley only smirked wider. It was exactly six now and pretty much everyone had arrived at the pitch. Most looked absolutely battered and exhausted.
Ha, and we still look all clean and presentable. Look at Harriet Cartwright. HAHA she looks so ugly!
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
What? It's true.
Of course you'd notice.
Do you think Draco noticed too?
So you care now, do you?
Of course not! I'm just curious.
Curiosity killed the cat.
But I'm not a cat.
Really? Could've fooled me. You look just like one.
F you.
After the professors had collected the items from the students, it was announced that the winning team was none other than Harry Potter's.
Stupid Pothead, Draco thought disgustedly. There was nothing he hated more than a victory by Potter.
"I can't believe our last bonfire's going to be lit by that stupid Pothead." Flint said disgustedly. He had somehow managed to make his way beside Draco.
"I know. We all know he only won because we didn't bother trying."
"So how was your day with Greyson?" Flint asked eagerly.
Draco looked at him with a cool expression on his face. "How did you think it went?"
"Since you're all still alive, I take it everything went well." Flint grinned crookedly. "By the way, what's this I hear about Parkinson?"
"Just the usual." Draco said lightly.
Flint shrugged in reply to that. As the people slowly dispersed from their groups to meet up with their friends, Draco stole quick glances at Ashley Greyson as she made her way to Ivenson.
Damn it, what the hell just happened a while ago?
"Draco, aren't you excited? We're starting Hogwarts in the fall!" cried a cheerful eleven year old Ashley Greyson.
"I can't wait! I wanna go to Hogsmeade!" Draco grinned excitedly.
"Ashton says you can't go unless you're in third year." Ashley said knowingly.
"Yeahh, but Ashton's not the Draco Malfoy. I can get anything I want." Draco grinned smugly. "And don't worry Ash; I'll be sure to take you with me." Draco promised his best friend.
"So you're promising me that you're first time into Hogsmeade will be with me?" Ashley cocked an eyebrow.
"Yep! Whether you like it or not!" Draco stuck his tongue out at his best friend playfully.
"You pinky swear?" Ashley held out her pinky.
Draco took it and locked his pinky with hers. "Pinky swear."
Ashley smiled and so did Draco. "Now, c'mon, let's play Quidditch! I wanna be on the Slytherin team!" Draco said happily.
"You wish! I bet I'll get in before you do." Ashley stuck her tongue out playfully.
"That just goes to show how much you know! They don't let girls in on the team." Draco said smugly as he took his broom and mounted it. Ashley glared at him.
"That's not fair." She said huffily as she took her broom and mounted it.
"It's okay. Once I become team captain, I'll make sure you're on the team too!" Draco grinned.
Ashley's frown turned into a bright smile. "Really?"
"Yeah. Promise! Pink swear!" Draco held out his pinky.
Ashley cheerfully locked her pinky with his. "Pinky swear." She whispered, grinning happily.
"Best friends forever, alright, Ash?" Draco smiled boyishly.
"Pinky swear." Ashley grinned as Draco locked his pinky with hers once again.
Draco awoke from the dream with his heart doing multiple palpitations. This dream wasn't just the kind of dream that had fiction and fantasy written all over it. This dream was a distant memory from his childhood. The childhood he wanted to forget.
The childhood he shared with Ashley Greyson, the only girl in his life that he could honestly say had come close to even touching his heart. And damn her and the rest the world if he would ever admit it.
Draco sat up in his and ran his hands through his messy platinum blonde hair. He looked at the closed door that separated his and Ashley's room and suddenly wondered what she was doing. What is wrong with me? He thought to himself angrily.
Jesus, what is wrong with me and my attraction to this girl?
Ahh, so now you've admitted that you're attracted to her.
Yes! Bloody hell, I'm bloody attracted to Ashley Greyson and Merlin only knows why. There's nothing special about that stupid wench. Why is she always in my damned head?
In love with her, are we now?
No!
Sure… Don't forget that there were many things left unsaid. Especially after you guys fought back in first year…
That was NOTHING, okay? It was a long time ago. I don't feel that way anymore!
Oh really?
Yeah, really.
Then explain why you wake up in the middle of the night to find yourself thinking about her and only her.
Aw, who asked you anyway?
Erm, you did actually.
The voice in his head was right. Ashley Greyson just kissed him today. And somehow, even with the whole swearing to himself that he'd avoid her at all costs thing going on, the idea sat so well with Draco that it kept him in a good mood throughout the rest of the batch bonding activity until he fell asleep that night, staring up at the ceiling and thinking about how her lips felt against his.
The worst part about all of this was that Draco didn't have an explanation at all for why he was feeling this way or exactly what he was feeling.
"Ashley Greyson, this seriously can't be happening." Draco shook his head. "I seriously can't be falling for you again." Draco Malfoy growled, his eyes set into a hard glare.
"It's too gay." Draco added with a bitter grimace. And yet, a part of him was dying to say he was done fighting it. As crazy as it might seem and as big a risk as he'd ever taken in his life... Whatever happens between me and Ashley from here on... well, let it happen...
In her room, Ashley lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling. It was late and she knew should be asleep but all she could do was replay the events of today in her head repeatedly. There was just...something about how she and Draco were with each other.
"Draco, I wanna see unicorns, and flying ponies, and pixies, and fairies!" A younger Ashley grinned happily, her hands behind her head.
She and her best friend, Draco, were lying by a meadow and staring at the clouds. It was a few days before their first year at Hogwarts and they were spending the last of their summer at the Malfoy Manor. The Greyson family had decided to pay their dearest friends a visit before another school year started.
"Gosh Ash, you're so gay." Draco chortled.
Ashley laughed. "Whatever! Just because I actually have dreams!" Ashley rolled on her side to face her best friend and stuck her tongue out at him.
Draco laughed. "Do you think Hogwarts is gonna be scary?" Draco's eyes twinkled mischievously.
"Maybe." Ashley shrugged. "Why?"
"Because you get scared easily." Draco said promptly.
"I do not!"
"You do too." Draco said softly.
"Fine." Ashley muttered.
"But I promise to protect you, Ash. You're my bestest friend ever!" Draco smiled boyishly and Ashley found her heart doing summersaults.
Ashley had so many memories of herself and Draco when they were kids. We used to be best friends back then, Ashley thought sadly.
And though she hated to admit it but Draco was her childhood sweetheart. But a simple little fight had changed it all. She knew there were so many things that were left unsaid to one another. And for the next few years, she didn't really care.
She didn't even think it would creep back up again. But it was. It was creeping back up now. All those unsaid things were just bubbling beneath the surface and Ashley knew it was only a matter of time now.
I'd be damned and Merlin's mistress before I ever admit any such feelings to that stupid prat. Ashley thought with a grimace.
Next chapter: Pleasant little surprise at Double Potions for you all :D
I really hope you guys enjoyed that and didn't get bored with it! It's a really long one, I just realized. Leave a review and lemme know :)
