A/N: There's another song in this chapter. It's called "Magic Works" from the soundtrack of the fourth Harry Potter movie. I recommend you to listen to it when it's mentioned in the chapter. You'll know when to listen :)

8 – If you tell me a secret...

"In dreams begin responsibilities."
― William Butler Yeats, Responsibilities

...

"Draco Malfoy," Haley whispered, her wand pointed at the map that was spread out on the ground before her. A green dot was blinking somewhere near the Entrance Hall. Beneath it the name Draco Malfoy was scribbled in a cursive scrawl.

'5th Year – Slytherin

(most probably an pretentious douchebag like his obnoxious father)'.

The additional information appeared beneath it, signifying what the Marauders thought about him. The Marauders. Her fathers group of friends had called themselves like this during their own years at Hogwarts. And before sending his daughter off to her first year of school, James had told her about a magical map, he had created with his friends.

Unfortunately, the map had been lost to Filch, so her dad had instructed her to retrieve it from the caretaker's office. Haley had found no trace of it, which had caused her dad and his friends to create a new, refined map. The so-called Magnificent Marauders' Map, which she was now holding in her hands. It was really handy. Besides showing the outlines of the whole castle and its secret passages, the map also showed the castle's inhabitants and their whereabouts. She only had to whisper the name of the person she was looking for and a blinking light appeared above the dot with that person's name. Super easy.

And where was her own name? Right… there. In the middle of the hall in the dungeons that lead toward the portrait behind which the Slytherin common rooms were hidden. On top of the map sat a blueberry cupcake that she had sneaked from the kitchens. The smell was wafting into her nostrils in a way that was highly distracting.

She couldn't eat the cupcake! Then her whole plan would be ruined. Her whole clever plan of waiting in the dungeons at nine o'clock when she should be up in her own tower, doing her homework or getting ready for bed. But no, she was down here in the cold, waiting for that prat of a Slytherin because her naive little brother had given her the idea that sweets solve everything. And apparently, she was stupid enough to actually give it a try.

According to the map, the boy was now walking down the staircase that lead into the dungeons. He would be here in a few moments. And seeing as it was almost curfew, the hall was unsurprisingly deserted. Why on earth had she thought this was a good idea? As if Malfoy would suddenly leave her alone in exchange for a cupcake.

But maybe… if it was true what she had found out in his last dream. If he really had a crush on her… even planned to ask her to the Yule Ball… A shudder went down her back. She still didn't know what to make of this particular piece of information. Malfoy, liking her? This was simply absurd, wasn't it?

The green dot with his name had reached the end of the stairs and was now moving down the hall. He only had to walk to the end and cross the corner. Then he would see her. Crouched on the damp ground and curled into a ball of nerves. She couldn't let him see her like this.

Haley whispered an almost inaudible "Mischief managed marvelously," and made the writing on the map vanish. Then she pushed her treasure into the inner pocket of her robes, picked up the cupcake and jumped to her feet. Not a second too early it seemed, as not a second later a figure rounded the corner. Quickly, the girl reached for her hood and pulled it over her face. The figure seemed lost in their own thoughts, walking past her without giving her a second glance.

Haley's heart raced. Should she take that as a sign and just slink back to her dorm? But she had come all this way… Her dad's map was burning hotly in her pocket. It seemed to be silently judging her. What would the Marauders' comment below her own dot be in this moment? She imagined something like this:

'5th Year – Gryffindor

(honestly, what was the Talking Hat thinking? Gryffindor? Such a disappointment)'.

Haley bit her lips dejectedly. She hated feeling like a failure. Like the Hat really did something wrong, putting her into Gryffindor. What would her dad think of her now? Before she could sink deeper into the circle of self-doubting, someone cleared their throat loudly. Malfoy turned around in alarm, looking straight at her hooded face. Oh, she realized. That was me.

She cleared her throat again, feeling her face heat up. Then, taking a deep breath, she raised her hand to remove the hood. For a long moment the boy only watched her in obvious surprise. Then an amused smirk appeared on his face and he stalked over toward her.

"Haven't heard your voice all day. Does it still sound like you swallowed a banshee?"

Haley's hand clenched to an angry fist. But she forced herself to stay calm and not raise to his bait. She had a plan after all. Even if the outcome was more than uncertain.

"Don't worry, Malfoy. My voice is perfectly normal again. You know, hot milk with honey really does work wonders."

"Worry," the Slytherin spat. "Who said anything about being worried? Are you dreaming?"

Not at the moment, Haley thought, biting back a grin, If you only knew.

"Brought me a snack, did you?" Malfoy remarked, glancing toward the blueberry cupcake in her right hand.

"Actually, I did," she retorted, her voice sounding much more confident than she felt. "Here." She held out her hand, the cupcake sitting in the middle of her palm.

For a second, there was confusion crossing over the boy's features. But before long it was replaced with a mocking grin. "You need to try harder if you're trying to make me laugh."

"I'm not. This is for you," Haley said, the words sounding wrong addressed to the Slytherin. "It's a peace offering." She added when the boy simply stared at her.

He snorted, tilting his head to the side. "A peace offering?" He scoffed disbelievingly. Haley nodded.

"If you really think a lousy muffin is going to stop me from messing with you, you're much more deluded than I would have given you credit for." He taunted her, raising a mocking brow. "Do you really think I'd accept food from you after the little incident with the treacle tart yesterday? If I didn't know you were so foolishly soft-hearted, I might accuse you of trying to poison me."

Huh? What was that? If Haley had been more focused on the words he was saying – which she absolutely wasn't – she wouldn't have noticed the almost warm tint in the boy's voice when he had talked about her soft heart. Had she just imagined that?

"It's not poisoned, I swear," she assured him, storing away the sound of his voice for later. There were more important things at hand.

"I'll try it for you," she offered, breaking a small piece off and throwing it in her mouth. It was a really good cupcake. Almost too good for Malfoy. No. Definitely too good for him. "See? Still alive," she informed him with a grin.

The boy snorted. But he snatched the treat out of her hand nevertheless. Was this a good sign?

The Slytherin inspected the cupcake from all sides. "What else are you offering?" He drawled lazily. She had to suppress a yawn at the sight of him. Wait? What? Offering? She furrowed her brows.

Malfoy sighed. "You know, in order for me to leave you alone you're offering me this… muffin and… what else?"
It's not a muffin you idiot, it's a cupcake, she wanted to correct him but for some reason she didn't think that would help her exactly.

"If you stop bothering me I'm going to…" She made a dramatic pause for effect. Malfoy rolled his eyes. "I'm going to keep your secrets."

Malfoy's brows furrowed in confusion. "You're going to what?"

She tapped a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Or more like… I won't tell everyone about your darkest secrets."

The Slytherin sneered at her. "Have you gone mad? What are you talking about?"

She had him. She had him now! "Oh, didn't you know," she revealed. "I have the ability to look into people's minds. You know, mind-reading, legillimency… whatever you'd like to call it." She grinned, feeling like one of her brother's cats, after getting a mountain of cream.

The boy seemed to consider her for a moment. Then he chuckled to himself. "Yeah right." He spread out his arms in a gesture, suggesting an invitation. "Let's hear it then. Let's hear one of the scandalous things you have seen in my mind," he challenged. This was the moment. Should she tell him that she knew about his crush right now? Or would it be better to start with something smaller?

"I…" She started, trying to recollect something interesting from his dreams. "I know… your favourite drink."

"Oh, really now," he scoffed. "That's nothing you couldn't have found out through watching me."

"Hot chocolate. With a teaspoon of Firewhiskey," she said triumphantly.

Malfoy narrowed his eyes at her. "That's not… who have you been talking to?"

Haley shrugged. "Told you I could read minds."

"As if," the Slytherin sneered. "You're merely a disgusting snoop."

"Fine. I'll tell you another secret." She crossed her arms in front of her chest. Malfoy nodded his chin at her expectantly. Was it time for the big reveal now? Or was it better to wait? She couldn't even prove her assumptions about him… He would never admit she was right. Not even if she really was right, which she wasn't even sure about in the first place.

"You're secretly a fan of the Weird Sisters. Even put up a huge poster, am I right?" she said, settling for something less scandalous.

"Me? A fan of the Weird Sisters? I haven't heard anything this funny in ages." The boy replied with a laugh but Haley could swear that there was a flush of pink rising up his throat.

"You want to hear another secret?" The Gryffindor taunted.

"No." Malfoy answered a bit too quickly. Was he scared what else she might know about him? "It's late, Potter, and frankly you've wasted enough of my time." He seemed tired all of a sudden. And slightly irritated. When he took a step in her direction Haley wanted to move backwards but she couldn't because of the wall behind her.

"Don't come closer," she warned, holding up her hand.

Malfoy stopped but there was an ugly grin on his face. "You can have your peace offering back," he drawled, glancing at the cupcake in his hand. "This is what I think of it."

Before she could do anything to stop it, the Slytherin raised his hand and squashed the cupcake against her forehead, smearing it all over her hair. Haley closed her eyes and balled her shaking hands to fists. She wanted to scream. But she had the feeling that would only amuse him further.

Malfoy chuckled. "What a shame. Now you've wasted such a lovely cupcake," he taunted, almost sounding sad. Haley opened her eyes, glaring at him, only to see that he was plopping a stray blueberry into his mouth. "Mm, blueberries," he remarked, not the slightest bit bothered by her glare.

"You're disgusting," she growled lowly. Her skin felt taut like a bowstring that was stretched almost to the point of breaking. If he did one more thing, she knew she was going to snap.

Suddenly all the amusement vanished from the boy's face. He seemed unusually serious like he was endlessly tired in that moment.

"You think this is disgusting?" He questioned. Then his gaze hardened to grey steel. "Trust me, you don't want to find out just how disgusting I can be. A piece of advice, Potter: Don't stick your pretty little nose where it doesn't belong."

With that he turned away from her and strode down the hall. Haley watched him vanish behind the next corner with her mouth gaping open. These last words Malfoy had said had made three things irrevocably clear.

One, whether he had a crush on her or not the boy was definitely hiding something.

Two, he was incredibly afraid that she or anyone else might find out about his secret.

And three, if she found out what he was hiding and could actually prove it, she had him. He would never dare to harass her again. A grin spread slowly across her face. It seemed like she had to go visit the dream corridor again tonight.

...ooo...

"Aaaaahhhhh!" Simon hits the red punching bag with an ear-splitting scream. He varies between his right and left fist as he punches the innocent bag again and again. "Aaaaahhhhhh!"

With a final scream, he stops and sinks against it. There is the face of a familiar boy pinned to the red fabric. Baz, Simon's raven-haired quidditch rival.

"Are you done tormenting that poor punching bag?" I ask my brother, while I'm lounging on his bed lazily.

"I hate him, I hate him, I hate him so much!" Simon replies, punching the punching bag one last time, before tearing off his boxing gloves and throwing himself on the bed. So, basically on top of me. "Get off, you klutz."

"Humph," says Simon, not moving an inch. Rolling my eyes, I shove him off me and sit up against the headboard.

"What's wrong, dearest brother?" I ask after a moment. He mumbles something unintelligible into his pillow.

"I don't speak gibberish," I reply impatiently.

My brother lifts his curly head from his pillow and says. "I said, I don't wanna talk about it." Then he buries his face in the pillows again.

Well, then. I asked. If he doesn't want to tell me, it's not my problem. I sigh. "Hey Simon?" I ask after a while.

"Hm?" He mumbles softly.

"Do you think… do you think it's okay to reveal someone's secrets if the person has been a real jerk to you?"

"Hm?" He sounds like he might be frowning. I sigh again.

"You know, if the person really deserves it, would it be so wrong to reveal an embarrassing secret about him? To.. to get back at him?"

Simon suddenly lifts his head up again and stares at me angrily. "No. It's not okay!" His blue eyes look suspiciously wet. Has he been crying?

"It's not okay to reveal other people's secrets. It's not okay! Okay?" He sits up as well, his chin is wobbling slightly. "Is that what you think I should do to Baz? Revealing one of his secrets because he blabbed one of mine? I don't even know anything useful about him!"

"Is that why you've been this angry? Baz found out something embarrassing about you?" Now the picture on the punching bag actually makes sense.

"I – well, he – ugh," my brother stammers, hiding his face in his hands. That poor child makes a mess of his words on his best days. I wonder where he gets it from.

"So, quidditch." He tries again. "I confused Baz' bag with mine. He took my bag and found my diary. And then… I told him to give it back but he didn't want to. So, we fought about it and then it fell to the ground."

"And then?"

"Well, I… he picked it up and read the stupid page out loud..."

"So?"

"It was a poem," Simon mumbles lowly, obviously embarrassed.

"A poem. That's scandalous," I reply mockingly.

"Well, I – it was a poem I wrote… about… about Agatha."

"Agatha?" The name sounds vaguely familiar. Is she one of Simon's friends? He nods without looking at me.

"I still don't see why you're this upset. Is your poem that bad? Do you think he's going to tell her about it?"

"Agatha already knows!" My peace-loving brother exclaims. "She was there. She – she heard all about how much I like her hair and her laugh and her lovely eyes and her-"

"Hold on a second," I interrupt him. "You've got a crush on this girl?"

Simon nods like it's something that should have been obvious. Which it kind of was now that I think about it. Wow, my little brother's first crush… I have to record that somewhere.

"And she knows about it because Baz read the poem you wrote about her out loud?"
Another nod.

"And now you're heartbroken because she rejected you?" I ask sympathetically.

Simon shakes his head. "She didn't reject me."

"Then what-"

"I ran away before either of them could say another word," he admits sheepishly.

I can't help it. The mental image makes me chuckle. "Simon. Why would you run away? I'm sure it would have been fine-"

"You don't understand," he interrupts me again. "Those words were private. They belonged to no one but me. He didn't have the right – I never wanted her to find out like that. It felt so awful to have her find out like that. I wanted to tell her myself and… in my own time. Now I can't do that any more." He finishes with a sad pout that tears at my heart. What can I say to make him feel better?

"She's never going to talk to me again. Probably won't even invite me to her birthday party," he whines.

"Simon." I say gently, taking his hand. "I'm sure she'll still talk to you. And if she doesn't then she's not worth your time anyway."

"B-but I like her. So, so much." Simon argues passionately. I try not to roll my eyes. My little brother is barely ten years old and already thinks he's in love. It's kind of adorable.

"I know. Just talk to her. I'm sure she'll understand. If you like her so much she has to be somewhat kind at the least, am I wrong?"

Simon shakes his head, but there is still a sad tinge to his wide blue eyes. "I just wish it could have been my own decision… telling her, you know?"
I nod absently.

"If I ever find out about the girl Baz likes, I should do the same to him," he grumbles, contradicting his own words from before. "Or maybe I'll just pretend to. That way I won't have to sink to his level." He glares at the picture that is pinned to his red punching bag darkly. For a second, I wonder if it's really that gratifying to punch the stupid bag. I imagine Malfoy's face pinned to it instead of Baz'.

"You want to try punching that, too?" Simon asks as he notices my gaze.

"No, I…" Suddenly I wonder how much time I might have left before waking up. "I – I need to go to the bathroom," I make up quickly.

"Oh, okay," Simon sounds disappointed. "Could you bring me some ice cream on your way back?"

"Sure," I reply, while getting up. I'm sure he'll forget about the ice cream in a moment anyway. I drop a light kiss onto his curly head and whisper, "You should write your sister from time to time." Hopefully, he'll remember this.

Then I slip out of his room and find myself in a hall with familiar doors. The dream corridor is deserted as always. Closing the door behind myself, I turn left and walk down the hall until I reach the door with the Weird Sisters poster on it. What might be waiting behind it tonight?

After I played the guitar solo, Myron Wagtail nods in a satisfied way and I open the door. I don't enter right away, though. I need a disguise… But whose face should I wear this time? An image of my mum as a fairy appears in my mind. That's it! I'm going to try turning myself into a tiny little fairy. Mum had been as small as my thumb hadn't she? So maybe it's enough if I imagine myself to be as small as… my palm! My eyes are closed tightly and once I open them again everything around me seems frighteningly huge. It worked!

I slip through the door that magically closes behind me. The room is barely lit and all around me are tall silhouettes that must be furniture. They look like beds. Is this a dorm room? The disadvantage of being small is that my fairy feet are small too and it takes ages to get from one point to another. I can't even see much from down here.

Wings would be handy by now. I close my eyes and imagine big wings to appear on my back. Not the dragon wings that I saw on mum the other night but brightly coloured butterfly wings. I open my eyes and look at my back. My wings are beautiful!

Now, I only need to figure out how to fly. It looked so easy when mum did it. I concentrate hard on fluttering my wings and lifting my delicate body from the ground. Nothing happens. I try again, flapping my arms up and down for good measure. But just like that time when I tried to fly with Hedwig it simply won't work. I growl in frustration. Why doesn't it work? Fine, I don't need wings. I can just walk.

I stomp past the bed that is currently blocking my view only to find a strange sight awaiting me. Draco Malfoy, lying on his bed in his pyjamas. What a sight. He's lying on his stomach with his feet dangling in the air and there in his hands… is a cupcake. A blueberry cupcake. He's just looking at it with a – dare I say it? – giddy smile on his face.

A surprised gasp slips out of my mouth. It's not loud. And he definitely shouldn't have heard it. But somehow he did as it seems. (Maybe because this is a dream?) The boy turns his head, looking for the source of the noise.

"Who's there?" He asks. The room seems to be empty beside the two of us. I quickly hide behind the nearest bedpost but too late. He already spotted me.

"Oh, just a butterfly," he mumbles and turns back to his cupcake again. His lips are moving but I can't hear what he says from my spot. I need to get closer.

Then an idea strikes me. A broomstick! I'm sure I could fly with a broomstick. As soon as the idea crosses my mind a broom the size of a toothpick appears on the ground next to me. Merlin, I'm so brilliant. Sticking out my arm over the broom, I whisper "Up," and it zooms up into my hand. I mount the broom with familiar ease and as I rise into the air I pat my shoulder for being so smart.

Without making a noise, I land on the foot of Malfoy's bed next to his legs. His mumbling is still too quiet to understand. I uncomfortably feel like a mouse trying to steal past a sleeping cat. He looks like a giant. Then, when I have almost reached his shoulder I notice the pattern of his green pyjama top. There are kittens all over it. And they're moving. I try to stifle a laugh but I can't manage it. Malfoy turns his head toward me, his eyes are like two moons and they're full of suspicion.

"You're not a butterfly after all," he mutters. Then he sits up swiftly, crossing his legs underneath him. His nimble fingers pick me up by the back of my shirt. Oh, the humiliation.

"Are you a fairy?" He asks, inspecting me closely. Doesn't he realise who I am?

"Put me down!" I demand, struggling to get free. He raises his other hand and drops me onto his palm.

"You look like my Haley," he whispers, a soft smile on his lips. My Haley? I send him the darkest glare I'm capable of.

He chuckles. "Funny. Now you even glare at me like she always does." I cross my arms in front of my chest.

"But you know…" Malfoy's eyes flick to the side in a way that seems almost shy. "She gave me a present today. A blueberry cupcake." He says it like it's a secret and nervously chews his lips. "I think she might like me," he whispers and his whole face starts to glow with a childlike happiness that makes me think of my little brother. It's adora–

What in Merlin's name did I just almost think about Draco Malfoy? I have to stop myself from actually gagging.

"You know, it would be nice if you were the real Haley, then I could thank her..." He admits.

Did I hear that right? Malfoy? Thank me? I don't think I can pass up that opportunity.

In a split second I imagine being big again. For a second I see my body growing bigger and bigger, reminding me of Alice in Wonderland who ate a cake and grew until her arms reached out the windows and her head burst through the roof… Fortunately, my body stops growing once I've reached my original size.

That's one thing I would have never imagined. Me sitting on Draco Malfoy's bed in his dorm room next to him. I suppress a shudder.

"You wanted to thank me?" I say in a casual tone, not even looking at him.

"Oh," the boy says dumbly. "Is – is it really you?" He asks, sounding confused.

"Of course, why wouldn't-" From the corners of my eyes I notice him gesturing at something behind me. Oh right. I've still got my butterfly wings.

"What? You've never noticed them before?" I say arrogantly, rolling my eyes.
Malfoy shakes his head, his eyes are so wide, they might pop. He bites his lips again. "Can I touch them?" He asks. He deserves a slap for such an incredulous suggestion.

"No," I reply, narrowing my eyes to slits. He seems disappointed. At least that's what his pout seems to say.

"Why not?" He asks petulantly, his fingers crawling across the blanket toward me. Why does he even want to touch my stupid wings? It's not like they are made of silk or anything. His eyes are full of curiosity as they flick all over my extra limbs. If he wants to so bad… Suddenly I'm struck with an amazing idea.

"Fine," I relent. "You can touch them." Malfoy raises his hand eagerly. I hold up my own hand like a shield. "But first… you have to tell me a secret," I whisper, leaning closer to him. "Something you've never told anyone else before."

The boy watches me for a long moment. Then he snorts, looking away. "All right. I'll tell you a secret," he agrees. Wonderful. This is going better than I imagined! "But in return for that…" he looks back at me, a smirk splitting his face in two. "I get a kiss."

I'm pretty sure my heart just stopped. He can't be serious, right? He can't be…

I chuckle hysterically. "That's ridiculous, I'm sure we can agree on something else…" I babble. But the boy shakes his head and crosses his arms in front of his chest. "Those are my conditions."

What a sly fox. I shouldn't have underestimated him.

"Fine," I find myself agreeing, forcing a grin on my face that probably looks like a grimace. The boy smirks back at me in an annoyingly smug way, before placing his hand on my shoulder and leaning uncomfortably close to me. I push his face away and clamp my lips together.

"First the secret," I say, already regretting my mindless decision. It's okay, it's just a dream, I try to reason with myself. He won't remember it anyway. No… but I will.

Malfoy sighs impatiently. "Well, what do you want to know?" He asks indecisively.

"Surprise me," I reply with a shrug. He seems to think for a moment.

"I know!" The boy exclaims then, surprising me so much that I almost fall off his bed. "I'm allergic to strawberries," he blurts out like it's something exciting rather than… well kind of sad. Strawberries are so delicious!

"What kind of secret is that?" I ask, frowning in disappointment.

"It's something I've never told anyone before." He sounds almost proud. "And now, I believe you owe me a kiss."

The boy's grey eyes are gleaming with mirth, before he closes them and puckers his lips slightly. This time I actually do shudder. I can't do it. He can't seriously expect me to kiss him! His eyes are still closed… Maybe it's enough if I kiss him very lightly and definitely not on the mouth. You can do this, Haley. You gave him your word. You can do this!

Sucking in a deep breath, I lean in and quickly touch my lips to his cheek. There, I've done it. Before Malfoy gets the chance to turn this into a real kiss I turn my head and look away.

"That wasn't a kiss," the boy complains. "That wasn't even a peck."

"You never mentioned what kind of kiss you wanted!" I fire back, still feeling terribly embarrassed. For a moment we both stare at each other angrily.

"You broke your word. That wasn't a real kiss," he finally says with a glare.

"Well, that's all you get for such a lousy secret!" I retort hotly.

"So, if I tell you something better you'll give me a real kiss?" He asks, twisting my words.

"I might."

"Yes or no?"

"Fine!" I spit, cursing myself for giving into his childish demands.

A delighted smile lights up the boy's face. "Wonderful," he says. Then he looks up at the canopy of his bed, appearing to think.

"It doesn't count if you make it up," I grumble in annoyance.

"I'm thinking, don't interrupt," he replies, not even sparing me a glance. I feel like a trapped animal in this stupid dormitory. And the most stupid thing is I'm the one who trapped myself in the first place.

"I think, I've got something," Malfoy says, after a short silence. He looks nervous. Is it something embarrassing?

"What is it?" I ask eagerly. Hopefully he doesn't notice it.

"So...it's a bit embarrassing…" he begins, biting his lips. "I kind of like the Weird Sisters."

"Doesn't count, I already knew that," I reply dryly.

"That's not the secret…" He argues. "Actually… well I'm sure you can't guess my favourite Weird Sisters song?"
When has this turned into a guessing game and why wasn't I informed?

I sigh. "That's easy. It's 'Do the Hippogriff'," I answer.

Malfoy smirks at me. "Wrong," he says. I get the feeling he's enjoying this immensely. This is weird. I was so sure it would be that song.

"This is stupid. Just tell me." Honestly, I just want to know his stupid secret. Malfoy drops his gaze to his fingers.

"You know, I actually… wanted to show you."

Show me? Is there a CD player hiding beneath his pillows? But the boy only sends me a boyish little smile and gets up from his bed. A moment later the scenery changes completely. The beds are gone and we find ourselves in a huge meadow.

It appears to be night but the sky is alight with countless twinkling stars and fairy lights. And by fairy lights I mean actual fairies that are glowing in all imaginable colours. Floating in between are fireflies and somewhere close by I hear crickets chirping. It's beautiful. And oddly romantic. But I would never admit that out loud.

A few metres in front of me two lanterns illuminate a bar stool that's placed in between them. And from the left Malfoy marches past me, heading toward the stool. In his hands he carries the acoustic guitar I've already seen, leaning outside his dream door. Is that what he meant by showing it to me? He wants to play the song for me? The boy takes a seat on the bar stool, slings the guitar strap across his shoulder and looks up at me with a shy grin.

It's weird just standing there, while he's sitting down. Just as I think this, an armchair appears next to me that I promptly sink into. A single strum down the strings alerts me to the boy in front of me. He plays a few chords, his gaze fixed on his left hand, before launching into a familiar intro.

Isn't that…? I probably know every significant Weird Sisters song. And this one is not an exception. What surprises me is that… it's a ballad.

"And dance," the boy sings, accompanying his voice with lingering chords. "Your final dance."
The slow pace of the song really complements his voice that still sounds closer to a boy's than a man's. More youthful and soft than deep and husky.

"This is
Your final chance."

He continues to sing. This is already the second time he's sung to me... He's still not looking up from his fingers though. I'm still wondering why this is supposed to be his favourite song. Or was that a lie?

"To hold
The one you love."

At the end of this verse a fairy plucks some of the strings, adding a lovely melody. Woah. I want a fairy like that, too!

"You know you've waited
Long enough."

After singing that last part, the boy finally looks up from the guitar and right at me.

"So believe
That magic works"

Right, that's what the song is called. Magic Works. Am I imagining this or did I just see a flash of sadness cross over his features? And didn't his voice catch? For some reason I feel goosebumps running up my arms.

"Don't be afraid
Of being hurt"

Or was he simply lost in his thoughts for a second?

"Don't let
This magic die"

Now the singing is filled with renewed passion. I'm probably reading too much into this.

"The answer's there
Oh, just look in her eyes"

With this last line, he gets up and hands his guitar to someone behind him that has just appeared out of nowhere. It's Myron Wagtail! My dear friend! I barely stop myself from waving at him. Like the professional he is, he seamlessly continues the song where Malfoy left off.

"And make," he sings, while the blond walks straight toward me. "Your final move."
He stops in front of me, his eyes never straying from mine.

"Dance with me," he says but it sounds more like a question. What does he think he's doing?

"Mmm, don't be scared"

He reaches for my wrist and pulls me up by the hand.

"She wants you, too," Myron sings and I want to yell, No, she doesn't!

"It's like the Yule Ball..." Malfoy mutters as he walks a few steps backwards, pulling me with him. "I still remember you... slow-dancing to that song," he reminisces. "With another boy." He seems annoyed at his own words and a little… jealous?

"Yeah, it's hard…"

"I watched you the whole night," he admits quietly. "And then hearing that song..." he chuckles darkly. "It seemed to be mocking me."

"Mocking you?" I ask quietly.

"Yes," he replies. "I've always liked the song but sometimes… I really hate it." There is definitely something in his eyes. Something sad… or even pained. "I just wanted to dance with you," he's almost pleading now. "Just once."
The intensity in his eyes nearly takes my breath away. Maybe that's why I'm not shrugging his hand off mine.

"You must be brave," Myron continues to sing, it almost seems like he's cheering him on.

"Why didn't you?" I ask foolishly. I'm not even sure what exactly I'm asking. And why.

"I couldn't. I – I wasn't brave enough," he whispers, frowning slightly.

"Don't let this moment slip away"

What the heck? Now, Myron is definitely cheering him on! There is a determined glimmer in Malfoy's grey eyes now that rivals the stars around us.

"Dance with me," he repeats simply, hopefully. I don't answer. But I don't protest either when he interlaces our fingers and slips his left arm around my waist.

"Now believe
That magic works"

As the chorus repeats in the background, I try to make sense of the situation I'm currently in. Why in Merlin's name did I think it was a good idea to dance with him?

"You looked so beautiful," the boy whispers dreamily. "In your green dress robes… and with those lovely flowers in your hair."

I gape at him speechlessly. How on earth does he remember this so well? And then, as if there had been magic in his voice I see my shirt and jeans turn into the dress robes I wore that night. And my long auburn hair flows across my shoulder in an artfully messed up braid that's adorned with little snowdrops.

"Just like this," he says with a warm smile. Did I just describe his smile as warm? I should take to my heels and run. Now.

"Don't be afraid
Afraid of being hurt"

I don't know who I'm more annoyed with. Myself, Malfoy or the stupid song. I liked this song once! Funnily, Malfoy is wearing dress robes now as well. Are we re-enacting the Yule Ball now? With him as my date instead of Neville? This is so messed up.

"Beautiful," the boy breathes again and suddenly I'm reminded of Neville for real. Isn't this the same way that Neville used to look at me? Affectionate and… loving? But no… there's something different in his sparkling grey eyes. Something… that's not necessarily bad.

"No, don't let
This magic die"

"Isn't it funny?" The boy asks, as he waltzes around the meadow with me. It doesn't seem to bother him that my arm hangs limply at my side instead of resting on his shoulder.

"What?" I grumble moodily. I'm desperately trying to come up with a plan to turn this around and squeeze some more secrets out of him.

He chuckles to himself. "I've been dreaming of this for so long… and now you're finally here… in my arms."

"You dreamed of this?" I reply mockingly. It's so sad that he can't appreciate the irony.

He nods. "In my imagination I go back to that night and dance with you and hold your hand and-"

"And?" It's probably the most stupid thing I could have asked. But there is this weird electric tension in the air that makes me almost doubt that this is a dream. It feels too real. Too intimate. The dark night… the fireflies… the music… the dancing…

"Oh, the answer's there
Yeah, just look in her eyes"

His grip on my waist tightens almost imperceptibly. Then he takes a deep breath, his eyes boring into mine. "And I look into your impossibly green eyes…" he pauses, looking back and forth between my eyes like he's searching for something. "And then I do this," he whispers, before pulling me against him and leaning down to kiss me.

And leaning down to kiss me…

Kiss me…

Kiss me?

No, that's not possible. Malfoy can't kiss me! Why would he? But this feels like a kiss. And now his other arm is wandering down to my waist, pulling me closer…
With all the will power that's still hiding somewhere in my body I reach for his chest and push hard.

"And don't believe that magic can die
No, no, no, this magic can't die"

Myron belts out this line with a passion that seems more than appropriate for the situation. Malfoy is breathing hard and his eyes are wide as they stare down at me, filled with a sudden realisation.

"So it was a dream after all," he says with a resigned smile. "Knew it was too good."

One look at the fading colours tells me that my time is up. He is about to wake up.

"So, dance
Your final dance"

Myron sings, while I frantically look for the dream door. The fairies and the fireflies are already gone. Damn it. I don't want to be stuck in here again!

Malfoy's body is translucent now. "I don't want to wake up. Stay," he pleads, reaching out his hand toward me. Then I notice it. Something flickering around his wrist. A watch. But that watch looks suspiciously like… a door? Of course! I was only as big as his thumb when I came here. So, maybe that's why the door is so small?

"Cause this is
Your final chance"

The song ends as I take the boy's hand and will myself to be tiny enough to fit through the door that's disguised as a watch. The hand that I've been holding just a second earlier is dissolving to nothing now. My seeker reflexes make me reach for the door handle, just as it begins to tumble down as well. Even the door is fading now. I tear it open mid-fall and hurl myself through it with the last bit of strength that's left in me. Although I heavily land in a heap on the floor of the dream corridor, I'm immensely relieved. Who knows for how long I would have been stuck in the nothingness of Malfoy's not-dream this time?

A tall shadow falls over me. I barely muster up the energy to look up.

"What are you sitting on the ground for?" The little girl with the white hair and feather dress asks in confusion.

"Hedwig?" I ask stupidly. I'm still not all there.

The girl rolls her eyes at me. "Didn't we establish that last time? What are you doing on the floor?" She asks again impatiently. I look down at myself. "I fell." I say in a small voice.

"Get up then," she suggests pointedly. I blink up at her like I'm the owl instead of her. With a sigh she grabs my arm and pulls me to my feet.

"Humans," she mumbles, before fixing me with an inquisitive look. "Have you found what you've been looking for?" She asks, looking like an ordinary curious little child.

"I..." I begin to say but I don't really know what to tell her. "Should we really talk about this here?" I question instead, gesturing toward the whole corridor. Hedwig looks at me briefly before grabbing my arm again and pulling me down the hall.

"Where are we-?" I protest weakly. A little girl shouldn't be this strong. We end up in front of my brother's dream door.

"But I've already been there tonight."

Hedwig ignores me. I think I like her much more as an owl. She opens the door, causing the little bell above it to chime and pulls me into Simon's dream.

"Hey, did you bring the ice cream?" My brother asks, from his spot on the bed. Did he even change his position? The door falls shut behind us and Hedwig turns to me once more.

"So?" She asks, clucking her tongue like she sometimes does when she wants another owl treat.

I wish she wouldn't ask. I'm so confused. I haven't even made sense of all the images and emotions that are swirling around in my mind.

"I think," I say at last. "I might have found out his secret." My face heats up and I have to avert my eyes.

"Whose secret?" Simon asks, looking over toward us skeptically.

"And?" Hedwig presses, gripping my arm and searching my face. I can't really escape her eyes since she's shorter than me.

"It's like we suspected." I reply, my voice sounds like it's coming from far away. "I think – no, I'm pretty sure actually… That he-" I stop myself. I can't say it. Saying it would make it real.

"That he?" Hedwig echoes, her eyes morphing into bird's eyes momentarily.

"That he's in lo- that he has feelings for me. Non-platonic feelings," I whisper, trying to make it sound as meaningless as possible.

The girl blinks up at me, owlishly. Then she shakes her head like she disagrees.

"You thought that was the big secret?" She asks incredulously. For such a little girl, she is surprisingly intimidating.

"I-it's not?" For a moment I'm flooded with a strong feeling of relief and a tiny hint of disappointment. I chalk it up to hurt pride. "You mean he's not… into me?"

Hedwig throws her arms up in frustration. "Of course he's into you. Even a mole would see that."

"Then what-?" I ask but the answer is right there in front of me. "There's something else," I realise, glancing at Hedwig in astonishment. "You know what it is. Tell me!"

She grins at me cheekily. "I told you, if you want to know the secret, you need to find it out yourself," is all that she says.

"But-" I protest. I don't get why she won't just tell me.

"What does she mean by that, Haley? Are you trying to expose someone's secrets?" Simon interrupts angrily. "But we talked about this! How could you do this to me? I thought you were my sister!"

The look of disappointment and betrayal on my brother's face almost breaks my heart. I turn to Hedwig for help. But the room is empty except for me and Simon. Typical. Throwing a bomb in front of my feet and then leaving me alone with it. I would give anything if I could finally wake up now. It feels like I've been dreaming for hours. Although I've technically been sleeping I've rarely felt this tired in my life.

…

A/N: I need to stop writing these freakishly long chapters. It takes forever to edit them! Anyway, I really like this chapter. It might be one of my favourites :) What did you think of it? Are you tired of Draco's antics yet? Do you want to be serenaded by him, too? And the most important question of all... what do you think Draco might be hiding besides his more or less obvious crush?

Let me know what you think!

Thank you so much for reading! Feather :)