The balmy days slid gently through May, and Quidditch was more talked about than exams at this point. Interest in the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw game was running extremely high throughout the school, for the match would decide the Championship, which was still wide open.
If Gryffindor beat Ravenclaw by a margin of three hundred points then they would win the Championship. If they won by less than three hundred points, they would come second to Ravenclaw; if they lost by a hundred points they would be third behind Hufflepuff and if they lost by more than a hundred, they would be in fourth place and that hadn't happened in two centuries.
The run-up to this crucial match had all the usual features: members of rival Houses attempting to intimidate opposing teams in the corridors; unpleasant chants about individual players being rehearsed loudly as they passed; the team members themselves either swaggering around enjoying all the attention or else dashing into bathrooms between classes to throw up. She had experienced all of this before, but never as a player.
Jace was one of the players to swagger about- she never saw him without at least five girls clustered around him. Fallon, pretending to be above it all, tried to tell him off whenever he loudly booed Ginny and Audrina in the hallways, but it was better knowing that he was joking than Roger Davies, who she was fairly sure would tear her in half.
As a result of the chaos she saw less and less of Draco, so little that she wondered if he had thought about revealing his secret in the Room of Requirement. It was a couple days before the match and she sat listlessly eating her dinner, moving her food around her plate, unable to eat, sick of studying .
"I hear he's not going to make it." Lavender Brown said, passing by, gossiping with a sixth year Hufflepuff Audrina didn't know.
"Who?" She said loudly in mild alarm, first thoughts going to her team members and if an attack had occurred. Lavender gave her a dirty look.
"Haven't you heard? Potter and Malfoy got into some sort of duel and it got pretty ugly. I guess," her voice dropped into a gossipy whisper, "That Potter cut him open and he lost a lot of blood." Audrina stared at her then shoved her out of her way, sprinting for the hospital wing.
She burst in and shoved her way through the crowd blindly, uncaring of who she was pushing aside. Draco was lying in bed, his face pale, as Madam Pomfrey fussed over his chest. She collapsed against the nearest person, who, upon looking up, found to be Dumbledore.
"Rina, I'm fine." Draco said wearily and she straightened up, sitting on his bed, and pushing his hair back.
"Lavender Brown told me you weren't going to make it." She told him, trying to sound jokingly and failing miserably.
"That'll be the rumors." He said tiredly.
"Was it Harry?" She asked him, fire lighting in her belly.
"Indeed." Snape sneered behind her and she clenched the sheets.
"Rina," Draco started, likely recognizing the look in her eyes. "Wait, Rina, don't," She stood up sharply.
"Where is he?" She demanded of Dumbledore.
"I believe he is getting a stern talking to from Professor McGonagall." He told her, glancing at Draco's hand on her wrist and back at her.
"If you leave, I promise that I personally will haul you back here and it won't be pleasant." She threatened Draco and he chuckled dryly.
"Can't be worse than this." He muttered, as Madam Pomfrey clucked and forced some liquid in his mouth. After a moments hesitation Audrina ducked and kissed his forehead. Then she turned and stalked out, ready to lay in wait for Harry's arrival back at the common room.
The rumors where indeed flying, though apparently her running out of the Great Hall was attributed to her concern about Harry and less about Draco's injury. In the common room it was all anyone could talk about and though Ginny kept glancing her way she didn't dare approach. Everyone was fretting about Harry missing the last game, but Audrina had other worries.
When Harry arrived back in the common room, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione rushed him. Audrina hung back, listening as he explained that he had used a spell from the Prince's book.
"I told you there was something wrong with that Prince person," Hermione said, evidently unable to stop herself. "And I was right, wasn't I."
"No, I don't think you were," said Harry stubbornly.
"Why?" Audrina asked quietly, moving forward. Harry glanced at her as though he just noticed she was listening. "How isn't she right? You almost killed someone today, Harry."
"Audrina, it wasn't like that." He said dismissively and she drew her wand, pointing it at his throat, hand steady. Ginny and Ron both jumped but Hermione just watched grimly.
"Audrina, what in the bloody hell are you doing?" Ron demanded and she ignored him.
"Did it feel good Harry? To see his blood go everywhere? Did he cry out in pain? Did you like seeing him cry? Did it make you feel bigger, better?" She asked calmly and Harry's eyes darted to look at Ginny, who was holding her hands over her mouth, eyes flickering between Harry and Audrina.
"Audrina, no, I didn't know, I had no idea," He spluttered and she shrugged indifferently.
"Of course not. Cause he's just Malfoy. A Death Eater. He doesn't have anyone that loves him. He doesn't love anyone. He doesn't wipe away tears from someone's face or hug them when they're sad. He's just Malfoy." She spat and the realization of what she was saying and meant was beginning to settle in on their faces.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, bewildered and she raised her wand even higher. Ron and Ginny both jumped forward but stayed a ways back from them, both confused.
"Touch him and you hurt me. Do not hurt those I love Harry Potter. It will not end well for you, I can promise you that much. I am too much a Black to learn to forgive easily." She said quietly and his eyes went wide. She lowered her wand and stepped back. All four of them were staring at her in shock.
"You… And Malfoy?" Harry asked, eyes wide.
"Audrina!" Ginny blurted out, looking at her in disbelief and anger. "You're saying Harry's the bad guy here?"
"I'm saying that for him to stand here and try to justify himself using that spell is almost as bad as using it." She said coolly.
"I'm not defending what I did!" said Harry quickly. "I wish I hadn't done it, and not just because I've got about a dozen detentions. You know I wouldn't've used a spell like that, not even on Malfoy, but you can't blame the Prince, he hadn't written 'try this out, it's really good' — he was just making notes for himself, wasn't he, not for anyone else…"
"Are you telling me," said Hermione, turning her attention away from Audrina, "that you're going to go back — ?"
"And get the book? Yeah, I am," said Harry forcefully. "Listen, without the Prince I'd never have won the Felix Felicis. I'd never have known how to save Ron from poisoning, I'd never have —"
"— got a reputation for Potions brilliance you don't deserve," said Hermione nastily.
"Give it a rest, Hermione!" said Ginny, and Harry looked up gratefully. "By the sound of it, Malfoy was trying to use an Unforgivable Curse, you should be glad Harry had something good up his sleeve!" Ginny didn't look at her and Audrina felt like simultaneously hitting her and agreeing with her.
"Well, of course I'm glad Harry wasn't cursed!" said Hermione, clearly stung. "But you can't call that Sectumsempra spell good, Ginny, look where it's landed him! And I'd have thought, seeing what this has done to your chances in the match —"
"Oh, don't start acting as though you understand Quidditch," snapped Ginny, "you'll only embarrass yourself."
They all stared: Hermione and Ginny, who had always got on together very well, were now sitting with their arms folded, glaring in opposite directions. Ron looked nervously at Harry, then snatched up a book at random and hid behind it. Audrina got up and left, not wanting to be a part of this anymore.
She made her way back to the hospital wing and sat next to a sleeping Draco, carefully straightening his sheets. She slumped in the chair, feeling exhausted. She rubbed her eyes to try and stop the tears that were gathering. It did no good and they fell unbidden.
"You know, I don't think any other guy in this school can make you cry like he can." A deep voice said and she looked up, startled. Blaise was standing behind her, looking down at Draco indifferently.
"I don't know, Zambini, if you told me I was pretty I might cry tears of joy." She retorted, sitting up straight.
"You don't need to do that, you know." He commented, reaching down and taking one of the candies that had already been delivered to the hospital wing from Draco's mother.
"Do what?" She asked, confused.
"Turn into a stone cold ice queen anytime someone in green is within ten feet of you." He explained, pulling up a chair opposite of her and sitting in it regally, as only he could.
"I thought only Slytherins could be ice queens." She said, watching him warily. He paid her no mind, just looked at Draco.
"I think you're a Slytherin, deep down." He said quietly and she glared furiously at him. "Or at least, I know you've got a little bit of Slytherin in you. You are a Black, after all."
"Then you don't know me at all." She said hotly and he finally looked up at her, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't? Then how did I know you'd be here? Where's your best friend? She's not here." He pointed out.
"You know there's no way a Gryffindor would sit at a Slytherin's bedside." She scoffed.
"And yet here you are." He said quietly and she was silent, looking at Draco, fast asleep.
"What else do you want, Blaise?" She asked tiredly.
"I just wanted to stop in and see if my best friend was alright after a vicious attack by a fellow student. Is that something that really needs questioning?" He said and she rolled her eyes.
"If you know me then I know you. And there's no way you'd allow yourself to be in the hospital wing unless there was some reward for you." She informed him and he allowed a small smile.
"Ice queen, down to your last breath. Perhaps it was for the candy?" He suggested and she narrowed her eyes. "Alright, you win Black. Draco asked me to come and talk to you. He figured you'd come back here." He told her.
"Why?" She asked in confusion.
"Because I am his best friend. And I know him better than you." He said and she knew from his tone of voice this was a statement of fact, not a challenge. The two lived together and she knew that Blaise was one of the few people that Draco actually did respect.
"Why do you need to talk to me?" She asked him and Blaise glanced at Draco then sighed.
"Because the way Draco talks about you. He loves you, Black. He doesn't say much but the things that slip out are hints enough."
"He's told you about us?" She asked, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. It was impossible to imagine Draco gushing about her at all, least of all in the Slytherin common room to his friends. Blaise let out a snort of laughter and she looked at him, affronted.
"No. He never uses your name, not directly. But it doesn't take a genius to work out that it's you when he does mention things. Of course, Crabbe and Goyle are idiots so it's highly likely I am the only person to have figured out it's you." He said thoughtfully and she nodded at his point.
"What does he say?" She asked, before she could help herself. Blaise turned his dark eyes on her.
"That he hopes he lives through this. That he didn't have a reason to before but he does now. And that changes everything for him." He said flatly and shivers went down her spine. Her stomach disappeared and she leaned forward to grab Draco's hand immediately. Blaise stood up. "Goodnight." He said quietly and disappeared.
She stared at Draco in horror, wondering what he could possibly have to do that made him question his own life. She wondered what the Death Eaters could possibly need a little boy for. That's all he was, a little boy. He wasn't sure he would live. He wasn't sure he wanted to live. And now she was the reason that he was living. She put her head on the bed.
"What are they making you do?" She asked sadly.
"Ms. Black, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave, visiting hours are over." Madam Pomfrey called and she nodded, standing. As she went to push the doors open, they opened for her and Dumbledore was waiting for her, a small smile on his face.
"Sir, I'm sorry." She said automatically, scooting over so he could enter the hospital wing.
"Not at all Audrina, you are just the person I wanted to see." He said warmly, offering her his arm. "May I escort you to your common room?" He offered and she nodded, taking his arm.
"I don't know if I really want to go back there." She commented, just to fill the silence as they walked.
"Why is that?" He asked calmly.
"I may have threatened Harry." She admitted and he chortled.
"Always one for confrontation, aren't you?" He said with amusement. "Though if I dare say I can see why you might." She looked up at him in astonishment and he was smiling, though not looking at her. They walked in silence nearly all the way back to the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"Sir." She said hesitantly as they neared the painting. "About what you told me, this summer, and then again this winter, about trying with Draco…" She trailed off and he gave her an encouraging nod. "I'm trying, I just don't know how much good I'm doing." She said desperately.
"Audrina." He said quietly, facing her. "You've done a world of good. Imagine if you hadn't set out to help him. I've seen the power of love many, many times before. And I think it is a mistake of those who think themselves old and wise to underestimate the love of the young." With a nod and a wink he left her standing outside, more confused but slightly reassured.
When she walked into her dorm room, she hesitated in the doorway. Hermione and Ginny were both on their respective beds, talking quietly. She coughed loudly and they both looked up at her.
"Just start yelling and get it over with." She said, crossing her arms and looking at both of them. She was sick of hiding Draco and the fact that she liked him so much, sick of the rumors that were sure to start, already sick of the whispered gossip behind her back.
"You threatened Harry and that's not alright." Ginny started and she nodded, looking to Hermione.
"We're very angry with you." She said and Audrina nodded again, looking towards Ginny.
"But we have to say we know why you did it." Ginny said and her mouth dropped open. That was something she wasn't expecting.
"You've been our friend for a long time, Audrina." Hermione started, sighing. "But we forget that you have a different family and you had them for eleven years, rather than the five that we've known you."
"And we forget that you're a little bit crazy for the people that you love because we've always been the people that you fight for, not with." Ginny said quietly and Audrina bowed her head at her point.
"I'm still very upset with you for saying that to Harry." Hermione reminded her quickly.
"And I'm still mad you thought you could hide the fact that you've been seeing Malfoy for so long." Ginny added.
"It's not like I could tell you two!" She shot back irritably and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"I think we can all collectively agree that he's only a little bit worse than McLaggen." She said and Ginny and Audrina both looked at her in disbelief. "Just trying to lighten the mood." She said defensively.
"Just don't bring him around." Ginny grumbled, throwing her books off her bed and pulling the blankets over her head.
"Not likely, not now or ever." Audrina snorted and sat down.
"But if you ever threaten Harry again or if Malfoy ever does hurt Harry-" Hermione started and Audrina shot her a look so cold she stopped her sentence midway and quietly got up to get ready for bed.
AN: A little bit of the duel from Draco's side... Please leave me reviews, they really are my favorites!