Disclaimer: I own nothing except my own characters.

Note: Draco is an idiot, Oliver is very determined (not in the good way) and Burnner is becoming a little scary.

34: Holiday Kisses and Best Wishes

I expected morning practice to be the toughest practice yet. It was the last practice before break and the only one so close to Oliver seeing me on an actual date with Fred. I assumed it would be similar to tryouts but Oliver seemed overly laxed about practice. Several times he seemed to forget what play he was doing and at one point he merely gave up trying to block my shots into the goal. Even though I knew he liked me, I knew Quidditch came first. Katie offered to take the lead but Oliver shrugged her off, paid attention and shouted directions but this only seemed to last ten minutes.

Usually I would've remarked how long and stressful the practice was, but today, as we headed back to our house, I couldn't help but think how painful it was. Part of me wondered what exactly Burnner told Oliver and the other part wanted to believe nothing more than the fact that he was playing me. "I should talk to him…" I said anxiously as I looked over at him as Hermione helped me bring my luggage down. "I just…" I trailed off. I didn't quite feel bad, but I didn't want him to be all upset about everything during Christmas break.

"It wouldn't hurt to talk, I mean, if anyone asks, you're just wishing him a Merry Christmas" she said as the last suitcase thudded down the last step.

"Yeah" I replied as I looked over at Oliver again. "I'll meet you outside" I told her. I looked around once more, but I knew the only students left in the common room now were the ones who were staying for break.

"Hey" Oliver said as I approached him.

"Just wanted to say Merry Christmas" I said quickly. He gave me a little smile and then looked down.

"Yeah, you too" he said quietly.

"Listen, whatever Burnner told you isn't true, don't believe anything that woman says" I told him, my words coming out quicker than I could stop them.

"It's not that I don't—or do—believe her, I just…" but he trailed off, taking a deep sigh as he did. "It bothered you; it bothered you seeing me with Hilary. I know it did, I saw it, you almost left. And yeah, you don't want to admit it, but obviously that means something; and that's how I feel everytime I see you and Fred together. It bothers me so much I can't stand to be around. And I guess I was all put out because you won't even acknowledge your feelings for me" he explained. I stared at him for a long minute as he stared back.

"I don't have any" I finally replied, my voice near a whisper.

"Of course you don't, my mistake" he said, sighed, and then shrugged. "Train is gonna leave soon, you better head down" he said as he started for the stairs, but stopped, gave me the lightest peck on the cheek and continued toward the stairs. "Tell your friends I said Merry Christmas too" he added.

I stupidly remained where I was for what felt like a good two hours, but eventually I got a jolt and practically ran all the way to the entrance but was stopped just as I opened the doors. "Tammie!" a cheerful voice exclaimed as I felt a wave of anger come over me. I tried my best to control myself as I turned around to see Burnner walking toward me. "You must be on your way out; you're a bit late, don't want to stay behind this Christmas" she said happily as she smiled down at me. I shrugged as I kept my fake smile on.

"I was just talking to Oliver, whatever you said to him, it didn't work" I told her, the urge to defend myself greater than the part of my brain saying to be quiet.

"Of course it did" she said, her voice still loud and jolly. "But if it makes you feel any better I had nothing to do with Draco; granted if I did, it would simply be to guide him in finding better company than Hennings" she said with a little wave of the hand and a roll of the eyes.

"He can be friends with whoever he wants" I mumbled, my smile fading.

"I never said he couldn't, friends are fine, it's when they think there's more there that it becomes a problem. Take the Weasley twins for example. They both feel there's an actual relationship with you and Melinda, yes?" she asked but didn't wait for me to respond. "But we both know there isn't, otherwise Melinda wouldn't have fallen silent at Draco and Pansy's mere presence and you would've be more caring about Fred's feelings" she explained as I felt myself grit my teeth.

"Why can't you just leave us alone? We didn't do anything to you" I said, wondering if my plea would get her to back off.

"That's exactly how I want you and Melinda, alone" she said, her voice dropping several tones and she leaned down to whisper. "You wouldn't even begin to understand what's been done even if I wrote it in a book. But I will make it my life's duty to see it to you that you both are alone" she said coldly as she glared me. "I will break you two from the Weasleys and I will make sure every relationship you—and Melinda—have will be pushed to the breaking point. And then I'll break you" she said icily, her expression still hard as she straightened up.

"But why?" I exclaimed. "We've done nothing to you" I shouted at her, ignoring the few students who passed.

"Because you're all the same and you deserve this, you and Melinda" she spat out as Professor McGonagall approached.

"Allen! What are you still doing out here, go on, you'll be late" she said as she looked at Burnner who had managed to recompose herself into her jolly cheerful mood. "Is everything alright here?" McGonagall asked.

"Fine, I was just saying goodbye" Burnner said. I stared at her a long minute before nodding in agreement.

"Good bye" I said to her as I nodded at McGonagall who merely shooed me along. I looked back once but she was already far enough away. I was glad it was so cold out; my shaking could easily be taken for being cold rather than every single nerve building with more and more anger. Mostly at Burnner, but Oliver too. Had he known Burnner's real intention he wouldn't have tried anything. I wondered if maybe he did, if maybe he was trying to tell me something, but I shook my head, no, he was just a selfish idiot who thought a simple peck would get him what he wanted. I didn't have any feelings for Oliver, nothing happened, he's an idiot; that was it. I kept telling myself until the carriage stopped.

"Cutting it close there" Fred said as I rushed to the train to join him and the others. I tried to match his smile with one of my own but the effort alone made me feel slightly sick. "C'mon" he said giving me a little push into the compartment Melinda, Hermione, Ron and Harry were in. "We're not staying of course" Fred added as he nudged his brother, George, who I didn't even see standing by the window closest to Melinda.

"Course not" I said trying to keep my voice level as possible but I couldn't help but wonder what my face was saying. "Hey, what were you telling Lee?" I asked, just remembering I still hadn't asked him.

"A secret" Fred replied with one of his typical mischievous grins. It was hard not to feel the twinge of pain, what did Burnner mean? Why was she so determined to get to us? Why go through all this trouble? "I'll probably come around when the trolley comes around" he said after a few minutes of us standing there. I absently nodded, I couldn't very well tell him. Not now, especially not now. I'd have to tell him eventually, maybe. I'd tell Melinda certainly, but not now either. She loved the holidays and probably just the name Burnner would ruin her spirit. "So, I'll see you later?" Fred asked as he gave me a kiss.

"Course" I said as I leaned into him as he wrapped his arms around me, my stomaching flipping; I wanted nothing more but to stay like this with him for the entire train ride, forget Draco, and Burnner and Oliver but at the same time all I could think about was Burnner's words, she was determined, she knew how to get what she wanted. I couldn't let her hurt Fred. Then again, I already hurt him. Twice. I tried not to flinch as he let go. I wouldn't—couldn't—hurt him again and surly if Burnner got to him she'd hurt him. I'd stop that, at any cost.

"Great" he said as he went over and gave his brother a punch in the arm—who had been whispering with Melinda. I took in the sight of Melinda and George, they looked so happy, Burnner clearly hadn't gotten to them, I thought stupidly, that wasn't true, of course she had. She knew she had. George nodded, patted me on the shoulder and headed out after Fred. I stared after them for a moment, I wouldn't let Burnner hurt George either. Which meant I had to tell Melinda. I looked back over her, she still had the goofy smile, she was still happy with George. I couldn't tell her yet. She looked up at me, still smiling but it turned into more of a questionable look. I didn't give her a chance to answer because my eyes caught Ron pulling out a stack of cards. "Oh good! Let's play" I said grabbing the cards from him as I shuffled through them. I knew I looked even more suspicious—to Melinda—I felt it, but the others probably just saw it as me not wanting to make my interactions with Fred awkward.

An hour later I got up to use the bathroom; on my way down, I couldn't help but think how proud I was for not saying anything to Melinda. Yet. I opened the door and nearly fell backwards at seeing Melinda leaning against the opposite wall. "Jeez, you scared me" I hissed to her as she raised an eyebrow.

"So, are you gonna tell me what's wrong or do you I have to force it out of you?" she asked waving her wand at me.

"Eh, save it for seventh year when I can actually be blamed for my actions" I joked as I waved at her trying my best not to linger on the topic.

"Oh, so, who do you blame now for your actions?" she joked back as she pushed off the way and we made our way back toward our compartment.

"Draco" I said in a matter-of-fact tone as she laughed.

"Speaking of, I think he was looking for you when we got in the carriages" she said looking around a little. I wondered if Burnner said anything to him.

"Did you tell him I got eaten by a dragon?" I asked hopeful.

"He—"

"Doesn't talk to you, right, right" I interrupted with a roll of the eyes. "Have you considered, you know, talking to him?" I asked, the thought just occurring.

"Of course I have; in fact I have whole conversations planned in my head with him" she told me as I raised an eyebrow at her.

"So, why not have one with him?" I asked but she shrugged.

"What's the point?" she said but quickly revised herself upon seeing my expression that probably looked like it was going to strangle her. "I mean, if he acts like he doesn't care—even if he does notice me—then why talk to him? Why make the effort if he's just going to act all snotty and receive it with the careless attitude he treats everything else?" she asked. I started to say something but she continued talking. "I want to say something and believe me, him showing up with Pansy does bother me. Who treats girls like that? Why would I even like someone like that?" I shrugged, started to speak again, but she spoke first. "But it's like, I still want to try, see what happens. You know? Like, after you said he wanted to see me, something is still there and I want to know, and I just think maybe, maybe if I push a little I'll know; but as friends. Obviously" she concluded. I looked at her for a minute, my lips pressed tight together in case she was planning on saying something else but she remained silent.

"So talk to him, I mean, it's gonna happen eventually, and it's better to do it now, I don't want to think what could happen if he thinks you're ignoring him all break" I told her. She nodded, started to respond but her eyes got big as she looked past me. I didn't need to turn around to know it was Draco but I did anyway. He was with Crabbe, but once he saw us he mumbled something to Crabbe who glanced at us, shrugged and walked back the way he came.

"Hey Draco" I said cheerfully but he wasn't looking at me. I looked over at Melinda but she wasn't looking at him.

"Hi" he said as he finally moved his eyes to me as Melinda moved her eyes to him. I tried my best to hide my smirk, of course the whole situation would've been funnier if Melinda were single, I thought to myself.

"It's snowing" Melinda said suddenly as her eyes moved to window. I looked out too and nodded but noticed Draco was looking at Melinda again but looked back at me as soon as she turned back to us.

"Yeah" I said letting out a deep sigh. "Well, I'm gonna go back to my compartment and take a nap, Draco, I'm assuming I'll see you when we arrive" I said nodding at him as I started to move away, Melinda turning with me. I gave her a look but she shook her head, only slightly. I rolled my eyes and gave her another look but again she sort of frowned and shook her head. I raised an eyebrow a smirked a bit, which must have did something because she rolled her eyes and turned back to face Draco.

"Um" she said looking down but back up just as quickly as Draco's neck started to turn red. "Thanks for the birthday present" she said kindly. I gave a look that neither her and Draco saw, of all the comments to make, she made that one.

"Oh, yeah, it was nothing, but you liked it?" Draco asked, his words quick and his voice almost as kind as when we had our first discussion in Potions class.

"I haven't gotten a chance to actually open it yet…" Melinda said looking down for a split second. "But I'm sure I'll love it" she quickly added.

"It wasn't like it wasn't anything special" Draco commented as Melinda was finishing her sentence. I rolled my eyes again; and I thought that morning's Quidditch practice was painful? I asked myself.

"Well, still, um, thank you" she said with a little nod and smile before turning and quickly making her way back to the compartment, not even bothering to wait for me.

"Nice job" I said sarcastically as I shook my head after Melinda as Draco relaxed his posture and stared after her.