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Read on: Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Roses are red, violets are blue...Turns out, I'm not a poet. JK Rowling is the genius to this world. I'm just on a long Holiday visit.

It was early Saturday morning, three days after his incident, that Draco awoke from another nightmare. It was good to know that in this one, the Dark Lord killed him quickly and didn't pull the flesh from his bones piece by piece.

Still, dreaming of his death certainly wasn't pleasant. Especially when he could have died just three days earlier, by the hands of the Dark Lord's nemesis no less.

Draco ran a hand down his face as he sat up. He could hear, Crabbe and Goyle's snores and wondered how he had managed to go six years sharing a dorm with them. They were big. They were loud. They were smelly.

But they were his family approved, friends. There wasn't any shaking them off. He was stuck with them. The upside was that they were easy to boss around.

Though Crabbe is beginning to be a problem...

Draco sighed as he pulled back the curtain of his bed to see that, Blaise Zabini was already up reading a book by the light of his wand. Draco squinted against the light, though how little it was.

"Morning," Blaise said without looking away from his book. Draco had never really had a problem with Blaise. He wasn't someone he would necessarily call a friend, he was sure Blaise would have said the same. When Blaise didn't have his nose turned up at you, Draco found he was suitable company. Don't get him wrong though, he and Blaise have had their fair share of arguments.

Draco found it odd that they weren't friends, yet Blaise was somehow Angeline's closest friend. He wasn't even sure they considered themselves that at all. Draco knew that they seemed to frustrate the hell out of each other. Angeline would say something, Blaise would roll his eyes and say something that usually led Angeline to roll her own eyes and retaliate in someway. A burning within, Draco made him hate that...

"Morning," Draco said finally as he stood from his bed and went to his truck to grab clothes and change.

"I'm surprise you're even in here at this hour," Blaise voice floated to him. Draco peered at him from around his bed once he was successfully changed. Blaise glanced over the top of his book at him almost curiously.

"It's seven in the morning," Draco said. Blaise shrugged slightly.

"That's my point. You're usually gone by now or you never returned."

"You care, why?" Draco questioned as he closed his trunk. Blaise scoffed.

"I don't, Malfoy," Blaise said. "I'm not, Jensen," he added snapping his book shut.

"What does she have to do with anything?"

Blaise lit the lamp by his bed and distinguished his wand as he swung his legs over the side of his bed as Draco sat upon his own. "She worries and for some bloody reason she cares about you," he said. "A lot more than I suspect she would like to admit."

"She told you this?" Draco asked. Angeline didn't tell anyone anything just to hear herself talk. She preferred to figure out other people, just for the sake of not talking about herself. But Draco felt like he knew far too much about her. Things he noticed that others hadn't. She told him things simply because some part of her trusted him. Perhaps there were things that he did miss, things that she told Blaise. And that annoyed Draco more than anything.

"Of course not," Blaise said. "It's written all over her face. You have some effect on her apparently."

"I have an effect on her?" Draco asked crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't see why you are telling me any of this. You think I haven't noticed how she is? I don't care if she cares or what she thinks about me. Because I don't care about her."

Blaise shrugged for the second time as he stood from his bed, throwing the book onto his pillow. But Draco didn't missed the smug look that appeared on his face. What's that for? "You know," Blaise began as he crossed the room to the door. "She said the same thing, about not caring. You really aren't that much different from one another. Both of you scared."

Before Draco could retort Blaise was out the door and gone. Which was just as well, because Draco realized for the first time he had been for a loss of words.

"You and I are no different, Draco."

Draco cringed as Angeline's voice echoed into his head. What did she or Blaise know anyway? They were plenty different. She was destined to defy her parents. He was destined to follow in his father's footsteps. She was too kind. He was a bully. She was persistent...well...so was he if not just a little bit more.

They were different. She was different. And that was what intrigued him the most about her.

You shouldn't be thinking about someone you don't care about...

Suppressing a growl he grabbed his wand from with-under his pillow and stowed it in his pocket, and left the room. On his way out, he revoked his initial thought about Blaise Zabini...He was no longer suitable company, just another nuisance he'd have to put up with for just a little while longer.

It was after all, it was Blaise's fault she was even on his mind at all.

Angeline groaned and threw her quill down on to the table. She sat in the library writing her, extra ten inches Lethifold essay for Snape, only seven more inches to fill. Despite not getting detention she still found it unfair, she'd rather have had detention in truth. She'd even clean trophies with out magic. Perhaps she should have did a little more than punch Pansy a few times, maybe claw her eyes out for one and break more than her nose. Angeline shook head of the morbid thoughts.

What's wrong with you? Since when have you tried to hurt someone intentionally?

To distract herself, Angeline looked out the window and stared at the clear blue sky, liking how nice it must have been out. From her seat she could hear the commentary of the Quidditch Final. At last minute she had decided not to go down to watch the game. She hadn't been in the mood to watch, Ravenclaw lose to Gryffindor.

It was going to happen, with Harry Potter or not. This was the year of the Lion...

"Demelza Robins of Gryffindor, scores! 200 Gryffindor!"

Point proven. Angeline thought looking away from the window. Running a hand through her hair she packed up her unfinished essay and material back into her bag. There was no point in her working any longer, she didn't have the attention span.

Hefting her bag onto her shoulder she left the Library, with every intention of going back to the common room, in hopes of going to her room and getting some type of sleep. She knew however that there would be no use. Draco still managed to stay in every one of her thoughts.

She couldn't get away from him.

People were constantly bringing him up.

He was on her mind. In her dreams. In her classes (though she couldn't help that one).

Angeline turned the corner only to fall backwards and hit the ground with a hard thud. She looked up through her hair at what or who she had ran into.

And he is also directly in front of me. She said staring up at the very wizard she had been avoiding for three days. Three excruciating days. She hated herself on how much she really missed his company. She hated herself more on how she seemed to depend on it.

Draco coughed "It's entirely your fault, I'm looking past that and being a gentleman and offering help, the least you could do is accept it." Angeline realized he had offered her his hand. After a seconds hesitation she placed her hand in his and allowed him to help her up. She let go of his hand immediately once she had gained balance.

"Thanks," she mumbled as she brushed herself off just so she didn't have to meet his eye and walked around him to continue her walk back to the Common Room. But the sound of his foot steps made her realize he wasn't walking in the other direction but he was still behind her. She turned and met his eye this time. "Can I help you with something?" She asked.

Draco stopped in front of her and shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm going to the Common Room, Jensen. Is that suddenly a crime?" Angeline looked him over. He was as pale as ever. Not as pale as he had been when she was talking to him in the Hospital. Meeting his eyes, she thought she saw something she hadn't seen in his gray eyes in months. Joy.

What's he got to be so happy about?

"Funny, because I swear you were going the other way," she said turning away from him and walking away.

"You act like I can't change my mind," Draco said falling into sync with her with no effort at all.

"It's just that, I can't leave you alone if you're by my side," Angeline said glancing over at him. Draco rolled his eyes. "What?"

"I don't understand why you suddenly want to give me what I want."

"You're ungrateful as ever." Angeline mumbled. "How about this, you leave me alone."

They both stopped at the staircase they were standing on began to shift. At the same time they turned and faced one another. Angeline felt they were far too close, and she was proven right when Draco reached over and lifted a strand of her wavy hair off her shoulder. She watched in shocked silence as he stared at it and played with it between his fingers.

"I wouldn't say, ungrateful. I'm plenty grateful. I've been thinking lately and I'm curious as to why you run away from things." Draco said thoughtfully as he began to twirl the hair around his finger. He looked away from the hair he was twirling and into her face. Apparently he saw something on her face because he smirked. "You don't fool me, Angeline Jensen." he said unwinding the tress and letting it fall back on her shoulder. At exactly the same moment the stairs stopped moving.

"W-what are you talking about?" she stammered, but Draco was already heading down the stairs. Angeline followed at a much slower rate after him because one of their few schoolmates not at the game was heading up the stairs. She caught up to him on the landing and waited for him to answer. She knew he heard her question. "Do I have to speak to you in French for you to answer me, Malfoy?" she questioned.

Draco looked at her briefly. "Vous savez le français?" he questioned. Angeline glared at him.

"Of course I know French. We only had the same tutor..."

"Yes, and you were terrible," Draco said not looking at her. Out of frustration a string of profanity flew from her mouth, all French. Draco looked at her, an eyebrow raised. "Impressive. But I'm sure our tutor didn't teach us that." he stated. Angeline rolled her eyes.

Three days. She had been doing so well for three days. And three minutes set her back. Because Draco Malfoy was the biggest and hardest puzzle to ever be laid out in front of her. And the more she thought she had him figured out, the more layers she found, the more turns she had to take. And she loved every single minute of it, even though she knew he hated it. Though the more she knew, the more he would close up, and the more she just wanted him to be okay. For she knew under that thick mask of his, he was hurting, he was in pain...Why did she care so bloody much? Why did she have to keep going back for more?

He was a Malfoy. He was a Slytherin...He'd cut her up without hesitation.

Well damn it, she was a Jensen. And she was a Slytherin too, no matter how much she hated it. There was a reason she was put there.

And that's why she went back for more...Stereotypes. There was another Draco under all that. He was more than just a Malfoy or a Slytherin. She knew this, because she was the same, she was more than a Jensen and she was way more than a Slytherin. That's why she kept digging. That's why she enjoyed his company when he wasn't around others. That's (part of) why she had to stop...and cut ties with him...because in the end, he'd be gone just like everyone else she cared for...Then where would she be?

"Malfoy," she began as they reached the entrance to the Common Room.

"What?"

Angeline looked over at him. "What did you mean about, me not fooling you?" Draco looked thoughtful again.

"You just don't," he said before he spoke the password and the entered the Common Room. Angeline sighed and followed.

She took one giant step three days ago...and here she was two steps back. Facing the same problem she had before.

How to stop thinking about Draco Malfoy. And more importantly how to stop caring about Draco Malfoy.

He's always going to be on your mind...Who are you fooling, Angeline? She questioned herself with a small sigh. Apparently no one...Not Draco and definitely not yourself. No matter how hard you try.

But realization hit her as she sat herself down onto her bed, Draco didn't fool her either. No matter how many layers or how thick his mask was...he wasn't fooling her. Not completely anyway.

Draco was in a pleasurable mood when he had bumped into Angeline, or rather when she had bumped into him, earlier during the Saturday afternoon. It wasn't because he was happy to see her, no, she was probably the last person he wanted to see at that moment. The reason he had in a wonderful mood was because of the Vanishing Cabinet. It was working.

Well, it was working far better than it had been say, a week ago. He had placed an apple into the cabinet, the apple disappeared and reappeared seven out of the ten times without returning with chunks of it missing. It was a huge improvement. Now all he need it to do was to get it to work continuously without it having the apple reappear with chunks missing.

But it didn't explain why he'd teased the end of her hair while they waited for the staircase to stop moving. He didn't know why he had done it either to be honest. It just happened and he let it go. Still, he didn't regret running into her and having that short conversation with her. If anything it actually heightened his good mood.

As Draco sat in the Great Hall pushing the food on his plate around, he wondered why he did these things to himself. Angeline was giving him what he wanted, yet he goes and grabs her attention. Knowing full well she'll seek out the answers.

It's because without her, you're just a tad bit crazier.

Not true, he told himself. He didn't need her. He didn't need anyone. And that too wasn't the complete truth.

"Draco, why are you so quiet?" He definitely didn't need, Pansy.

"Thinking," Draco replied glancing at her. Angeline had did a number on Pansy's face. Though her broken nose had been mended nothing could be done about the bruising that ran down the side of her nose or the bruise under her right eye.

"About what?" Pansy asked. Draco glared at her. He would never hit anyone of the female species, but he definitely thought that Pansy's left eye could use a little bruising. He wondered if Angeline took payments...

"Things," Draco responded. Only to get a pout out of Pansy.

"You never talk to me anymore," Pansy complained. "You don't tell me anything. And you're always too busy doing other things. Then when you're not busy, you still don't have any time for me." Draco rolled his eyes and was about to retort when someone scoffed. He and Pansy both looked at the source. Sitting on Pansy's side of the table on the opposite side of Daphne Greengrass, Angeline sat there, Blaise sitting across from her next to Goyle. "Got something to say, Jensen?" Pansy questioned threateningly. Draco pondered at how threatened Angeline felt, by the look that was on her face he would say not at all. Besides how threatened could she be, when she knew very well she could just hit her again.

"Not really, Parkinson," Angeline said. "Just couldn't help overhearing your rant. You're pathetic when it comes down to it. Pathetic Pansy Parkinson is what they should call you." Blaise failed to hide his chuckle.

"What did you say?" Pansy asked leaning around Daphne. The latter looked extremely uncomfortable.

"I just think you're delusional is all. Is it really that hard for you to see that he doesn't want anything to do with you?" Angeline asked. "Save yourself some heartache and let him be."

"You're one to talk. You're jealous as always at what I have with Draco." Angeline rolled her eyes and before they rested on Draco. Draco wondered what she was searching for as her green eyes searched his gray ones.

"Forget it, you're right." she said her eyes slid back to look at Pansy. "I'm jealous of your one-sided relationship." she added with a small eye roll. "And forgive me for questioning the love you have for one another." she said bitingly. And with that she turned back to the food on her plate that she had somehow turned to mush.

Pansy had turn red in the face as she opened her mouth.

"Oh, Pansy, let it go." Daphne pleaded pushing the girl back into her seat. "Don't let her get you so worked up. It's what she wants." If Angeline was listening, she made no indication that she was.

Draco turned back to pushing things around his plate. Tension hanging in the air, no one around them talking at all.

"You care about me, right, Draco?" Pansy questioned only a few seconds later. Draco met her stare with a hard glare, the girl flinched and leaned back. "Never mind," she squeaked and sat back.

Pushing his plate away, Draco stood and left the Great Hall, fully aware that he was being watched on his way out. Not that he gave a damn.

A few weeks had passed when Draco had practically holed himself in the Room of Requirements. But the result was the same as it had been a few weeks prior and the elation he had felt before was gone. It was late as he left the Room and was on his way back to the Common Room. As tired as he was he wasn't at all in the mood to sleep. How could he sleep when he literally had only four weeks before the end of the term? He was a good as dead if he didn't get it finished within the next two weeks...

Upon reaching the bare-wall that served as the entrance into the Slytherin Common Room. Draco couldn't go in. He figured if he was going to stay awake he might as stay awake somewhere else. He turned on his heel and started for the disused classroom down the hall.

Opening the door, he was surprised to see Angeline sitting on one of the desk her legs swinging back an forward, she was shooting small sparks of different colors from the end of her wand. He was shocked to see her there because for the last month she hadn't been in the room. She hadn't heard him come in, and as the door closed behind him, she jumped before she composed herself and she stared at him curiously.

"I can leave," she said. "If you want to be alone." Draco simply shook his head. He actually didn't want to be alone. Angeline shrugged and continued to shoot sparks. Green then blue. Purple and orange.

Draco leaned against the desk opposite her and continued to watch as she shot sparks of many colors. He wondered how long she would keep it up before she became bored with it. Or rather how long she had been in the room idly playing with different sparks.

"Do you care about her?" she asked suddenly. The sparks hadn't stopped as she questioned him.

"About who?" Angeline rolled her eyes.

"Pansy," she stated as though obvious.

"No," he answered honestly.

"Did you ever?" Angeline asked.

"What does it matter to you?" he questioned. "You don't even like her."

"It doesn't matter if I like her or not. I just asked you a question." Draco studied her before he looked out the window behind her. The moon was shining bright through it giving them more than enough light.

"No," he finally answered.

"You say it with such ease..." Angeline commented. "Why not tell her to her face then when she asked you?"

"Regardless she'd still be all over me." Draco answered. Angeline nodded but said no more. They sat in silence again, Angeline had gone back to her color show her mind off somewhere else. He pondered on where her mind usually went when she was like this. Most often than not there was twinge of sadness that hung over her.

"I'm determined to leave you alone...yet I'm determined to know more about you." she said suddenly. "I've created a paradox." She said with a small laugh.

"I'm not helping," Draco stated.

"You're right about that," she mumbled. "It's completely maddening all of this." They stared at each other before Angeline looked away. "Our...so called friendship is a paradox as well..."

Draco didn't agree with her out loud. But he knew she was right. They were constantly like this. It was as though they couldn't stay away from each other no matter how much they both seemed to know they should.

"Are you suggesting we find a middle ground?" Draco asked. Angeline stopped her color show and raised her eyebrow at him.

"I don't think that exist when it comes to us." she said. Draco shrugged. "But name your terms."

"You have to leave me alone when I tell you to. We can't act like we like each other." Angeline smiled at his terms. But before she could agree of disagree they both heard the sound of what sounded like footsteps and voices.

"We should probably hide..." she suggested jumping from the desk. She glanced around the room before her eyes landed on something. She sighed and Draco thought he heard what sounded like a curse before she grabbed his hand. "Come on," she said dragging him toward what looked like a small supply closest. She opened the door and they both coughed as dust flew onto both of them."In to the closet, Malfoy." she commanded. Draco turned his nose up at her.

"It's filthy."

Angeline growled as she pushed him in to the small area and stepped in after him. She pulled the door closed just as the door to the classroom opened.

"You're standing on my foot," Draco hissed. In the complete dark Angeline reached up and placed her hand over his mouth. As un-Malfoy like as it was he was tempted to bite her. She instantly stepped on his foot harder as though in warning.

"I was sure there was someone in here," the voice was unrecognizable to Draco's ear, so he was sure it was prefect. Draco could hear the prefect walking around the room looking for anything out of place. He had stopped directly in front of the closet and Draco felt Angeline tense against him. "I guess not," the prefect mumbled. There were more footsteps and then the soft click of the door closing.

Angeline relaxed and dropped her hand from his mouth. Draco hadn't realized just how close they were until then. He could feel her breathing. "Stay still," she said pushing on the closet door. It didn't budge.

"Great," Draco drawled. "You manged to get us stuck."

"Oh yes, you're quite welcome, Draco." she retorted dryly. Draco could barely move his arms, which he had wrapped around her waist. There was no way he was going to be able to get his wand out of his pocket.

"Jensen, give me your wand," he said.

"I'm capable of opening a door," she shot at him. Draco rolled his eyes in the dark.

"Then do it," he snapped back. "And stop standing on my bloody foot!" A pain shot up his foot as she pressed as much weight as she could onto it.

Angeline fidgeted slightly before she stopped. Draco could tell her wand was pointed at the door, and before he knew it the door flew open and both of them tumbled out of it in a tangle of limbs.

"Ow," Draco said. Coughing as Angeline had fallen onto him. She was shaking and hadn't moved to get up. "It was just a fall, Jensen. Are you really crying?" That's when he heard her laugh. She half lifted herself to look at him, not rolling off of him or attempting to get up.

"Broken my fall once again," she said. She had a bit of dirt on her cheek and flecks of it throughout her hair. "Draco Malfoy, useful. The Daily Prophet needs to know about this."

"Shut up," Draco said laying his head back onto the hard floor. He was already dirty from the closet what did it matter? Angeline laughed again but still made no move to get up, Draco let her be. She moved a little but she didn't get up. She had calmed herself and pocketed her wand before looking down at him only to giggle.

"If you could see yourself," she said with a big grin.

"You're one to talk," Draco replied but a smirk had graced his lips before he chuckled slightly. "This isn't how I wanted to spend my night."

"What do you mean? With me?" she asked. "Oddly enough...I wasn't expecting to be with you."

Draco shrugged under her. At that moment she shifted again and his gray eyes met her green ones. Draco wasn't sure which of them moved forward all he was sure of was that her lips were touching his. And before he could really register what was really happening she pulled away, panic flashing through her eyes.

"That shouldn't have happened," she whispered softly. "Why did that happen?" she asked. Draco could only stare at her. She seemed to be having some sort of internal battle with herself. As though compelled by some outside force, Draco reached up and touched her cheek softly, just where the dirt was. Angeline froze at his touch. His hand trailed down to her chin and he tilted it back down slightly toward him. She was still having that internal battle with herself, but Draco ignored it and pressed his lips to hers.

Her body stiffened automatically, but Draco knew all too well how to wane her or any girl into relaxing. He was curious, and this was a side of Angeline he was very curious about at the moment. He tasted her gently, his lips moving slowly against hers. It surprised him how quickly she seemed to relax. He teased her lips with his, undemanding, tender...things that weren't associated with Malfoys... With a soft sigh it seemed as though her walls were coming down and before he knew it her hands were no longer resting on his chest, but around his neck pulling him from the floor and closer to her.

He deepened the kiss, teasing her mouth open and sliding his tongue inside to touch hers lightly. Angeline inhaled sharply and yanked at his hair. Draco couldn't help but smirk against her mouth, she apparently didn't like surprises. He sucked, nibbled, and tasted every part of her mouth; her lips, her tongue, her teeth. What shocked him the most was at how unyielding she was. He knew she wanted dominance by the way she continued to yank at his hair, and the way she bit his lip, but he wouldn't give it to her. He wasn't sure when it had happened but one of his own hands was tangled in her dark tresses, and he tugged when she would jerk.

Almost too soon, Draco thought, she pulled away panting for air. She untangled herself from him, pulling his hand from her hair a lot rougher than she probably intended. Her green eyes searched his again as she tried to put some distance between them, he wondered if she was seeing the he was seeing in hers. Lust, confusion...anxiety.

His heart was pounding far more than he thought it should have been. He didn't understand at all what had just happened, let alone why he continued it the he did.

"That shouldn't have happened," she said breathlessly once her back had hit leg of the desk. Her chest rose up and down as she tried to get her breathing under control. Merlin knows he was having trouble doing so. "We—We can't. You shouldn't have kissed me, Draco!"

"You kissed me back, Angeline," Draco replied leaning his back against the desk across hers. Angeline closed her eyes briefly as she ran a hand through her hair only to wince slightly when she caught a tangle.

"It just shouldn't have happened," she said weakly. "You're messing with me, aren't you?"

"Hardly," Draco said.

"Then why'd it happen?" Angeline snapped. "That can't happen again!"

"Who said it would," Draco snapped back. Angeline lowered her head into her hands.

"You make my life so difficult," she said through her hands. Draco scoffed.

"Really and how's that?" Draco questioned. He was tired of playing all these games with her. She was the most complicated person he knew. But then again she would probably say the same thing about him.

"By just being you," she said raising her head and resting it on her knees. "That...that kiss was..."

"Amazing?" Draco suggested smugly. "I get that a lot," he added. She glared at him.

"I can't do this with you. I can't pretend I—" she broke off and clenched her eyes and fist closed. "I can't be like you and just kiss someone, like that and say it means nothing." Draco watched her as she seemed to be beating herself up whatever it was she had been battling with, prior to him kissing her and the fear he had seen many times before seemed to be ten times as evident.

"So are you going to tell me?" Draco questioned. Angeline met his gaze slowly in question. "About what you're afraid of. I told you, you couldn't fool me, Angeline...It's written all over your face."

"I'm not scared," she threw at him.

"I think you should share," Draco prompted. "I mean we've just shared our tongues." She glared at him again. "So what are you scared of?"

"Nothing," she said.

"Yes you are," Draco couldn't help but be reminded of their childhood together when they would argue over silly little things. Only difference, this wasn't very silly. His heart still hadn't gone back to a normal beat, nor could he get the feel of her lips moving against his to go away. Was it wrong that he wanted to kiss her again, though every fiber of his being was screaming for him to let it go. That it was a one time thing.

In your situation...yes, it is a bad thing.

"I'm not scared. I'm bloody terrified!" she said.

"Of what?" Draco questioned. He watched in slight amusement as both her hands were on the side of her head pulling her hair in frustration. She had apparently said too much, she took a deep breath and straightened up. Determination was suddenly set on her face.

"You first," she challenged. "What's got you scared?" Draco was thrown off. He should have seen it coming. She knew how to get him to stop asking. It was to get him to answer the same exact question first. And had it been any other time...she would have won.

"Death," he answered. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the complete truth. If it had been anyone else other than her, they would have left it at that but she just stared at him, challenging him to try again. "That's it, Angeline. Death."

"You keep calling me, Angeline..." she mumbled. Draco blinked. Had he really?

"It's your name," he stated slowly as though talking to a child.

"I know, it's just strange for you to use so many times." she said. Draco continued to watch her. Was this her attempt to change subject. If she had been talking to anyone other than him, it might have worked.

"What are you scared of?" he asked again. "I've told you, now it's your turn to enlighten me." Draco said.

"I can't tell you," she said. Draco saw that her eyes had glazed over with unshed tears and memories. But she was stubborn and wouldn't let them fall. "I can't tell you." she repeated.

"Be fair," he said. She growled as she looked at him.

"Since when have Slytherin's been fair?" she questioned him. "Every single person I have ever cared about has left me for some reason or another. The people that make me happy leave me the most upset. They end up leaving me alone..."

Draco considered her as she seemed to fight to keep the memories away and to keep those tears as nothing but glassy shields. "So which are you more afraid of. Caring for people, or being alone?" he asked quietly.

"Caring for people," she whispered. "Which is why I can't possibly have anything to do with you. I can't care. If I care, you leave and I'm left wondering what if and where are you and why was I so stupid to have trusted you. I'll trust you more than I should and you'll take that trust and rip it to pieces. I know that much about you. It's not even you specifically...it's from experience I suppose." Draco knew she was right. He would do something that would defy her trust. Hell wasn't he already doing that? Angeline already had so much trust in him, that he suddenly felt sick with himself.

She won't want anything to do with me when my mission is done...but she's somehow important enough to me for me to...

"Then don't care." Draco said suddenly. Angeline laughed, no real humor to it.

"That's the thing, I've tried!" she said.

"Try harder," he retorted. Angeline rested her head against the desk her eyes never leaving his.

"Why do you care?" she questioned.

"That's the thing...I don't."

She seemed to be thinking things over as she ran her hand through her hair, again catching a tangle. "It's too late though...I already do care about you..." she admitted grudgingly. Draco leaned his head against the desk keeping his eyes trained on her.

"Well then...Don't get attached to me."

That might be too late too...I already feel like—He cut the thought of short as she spoke again.

"Don't get attached...Our middle ground, huh?" she questioned lightly.

"Our middle ground." he repeated closing his eyes trying to get his heart to stop beating as fast as it was...this couldn't have been normal...

What would your father say?

It's been done. The kiss has happened. And their both confused as to what happened. Hell I would be to if I suddenly had a full blown snog-fest with someone I shouldn't be having said snog-fest with. ;) I hoped you liked it. I told you it was going to happen, just needed patience and here it is. I liked the kiss a lot, but it didn't really bring them close did it? I sort of left it hanging. What will they do? I'm good at keeping them apart. But I can't just put them together and be done with it. Their sixteen verging on seventeen...Emotions are tricky...

Quick Note: it's late May at the end of this chapter. So it's about, May 28th, 1997. Just to give a little timeline.

Question of the Chapter:
1) Where do you think is up ahead?

2) What do you think Lucius Malfoy would say if he knew what Draco was doing with Angeline right now?

Review?

Take care,
TR