Funestus

Funestus

A/N. Guess what, the other day me and my friend Bransgorebabe went hyper on mint skittles!!!! She left the bag behind at the pub, although she denies it, but it was all her fault that we had to walk back to get it but we decided to blame it on Hermione 2001….sorry, just thought I'd share that with you before the little men in white coats come to take me away…..Mwahahahahanehehehehe!!!!!!:}

Chapter Five:

Fifteen minutes later they were sitting in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Jenny had seem quite surprised at being led into a girls bathroom, followed by two boys, but they had assured her that they would not be caught.

'Right,' she started, settling down on a toilet seat, 'Dumbledore's just told me that there's a rumour going round that all the Death Eaters, the ones that let me and Harry escape, are being punished by Vol…sorry Ron…You-Know-Who. Dumbledore also told me that another rumour is that Narcissa Malfoy, you know, Draco's mother, has been taken! Now than, what do you say to that?' she leant back on the toilet seat, her arms folded, and looking very self-satisfied.

'But why did they take her?' asked Harry.

'Use your noodle!' she snapped, obviously not having the reaction she wanted, 'It's like he did to me. He took Lucious' wife to hurt him more or Lucious used reverse psychology to make Voldemort think that it would hurt him more if his wife was tortured, to stop himself from getting hurt! Get my point?'

'But why are you telling us this?' said Ron, 'Why is it so important?'

'Come on Ron!' said Jenny standing up, her eyes glittering dangerously, 'Draco's mother's gone! She could be dead! Look, I know you hate him but he's still a person, he still has feelings!'

'Wouldn't be so sure about that!' muttered Ron, then, giving in, he said, 'OK, OK, you win! What do you want us to do?'

'Yay! Thanks Ronald!' she said, hugging him.

Harry felt a sharp pang of jealousy, which he quickly contained.

'I think we should just keep an eye on him to start. Check he's OK,' said Jenny, breaking away from Ron.

Jenny caught Hermione's disapproving look at her and Ron;

'Sorry Herm! Didn't mean to hit on your boyf but he's just so darn cute!' she said teasingly.

Harry forced a laugh with the rest.

The next day they had double Potions with the Slytherins. Malfoy hadn't said an abusive word to Harry all lesson and they were getting quite worried.

'I never thought I'd ever actually care whether Malfoy was OK or not,' said Hermione, stirring the potion that she and Jenny were working on.

They had been watching Draco, like some crazed stalkers, for the past hour . He had been distant and, as far as they had noticed, hadn't smirked or sneered once. Not even when Neville dropped his crocodile tongues onto Snape's foot, earning himself a yelling at and a detention.

'So Jen, what's the great plan now?' asked Harry, leaning over his cauldron to talk to her.

'We just watch and wait. I think his lack of nastiness concludes something's wrong. We…no, wait, I've got it! Harry, fall over!'

'What!'

'Come on, I know you're good at that,' she said, smiling slyly, 'and you're bound to look stupid, then we can see if Draco laughs or not!'

'Why can't you fall over?'

'Because…well…he hates you the most!'

'And you don't want to look stupid,' muttered Ron, quietly.

'B…but…' Harry continued.

'Fine then!' Jenny snapped, 'You think of something!'

'Let's just watch him, OK?' he said, relieved.

They watched him for the rest of that day and his attitude stayed the same.

He left the Slytherin table alone that night, before anyone else.

'C'mon!' hissed Jenny, 'Now's the perfect time to confront him!'

Before the others could argue, she had got up and started after him. They shrugged and followed her.

'If I didn't know any better,' said Ron in an undertone, 'I'd say she has a bit of a thing for him!

'Do you really think…' started Harry, outraged.

'Draco!' shouted Jenny down the corridor, driving the horrific thought from his mind.

Malfoy turned around at the sound of his name, but when he saw who it was, he tried to sneer.

'What do you want?' he spat.

'Draco we need to talk to you,' she said, elbowing Harry in the ribs, who was glaring at his ungracious tone.

'What?' Malfoy sneered as they reached him.

'Draco, I know about your mother, and I'm sorry…we're sorry' she said softly.

Malfoy had turned pale, paler than usual but he didn't say a word.

'If there's anything we can do…'she started.

'Yeah, there's something you can do! Leave me alone!' he snapped, finding his voice and cutting across her. He stalked off without another word.

'Charming,' said Ron.

'Look we've confronted him, he doesn't care, he doesn't want our help!' said Harry exasperatedly to Jenny the next day whilst they were walking to Charms.

'Perhaps you're right, 'said Jenny sorrowfully, 'but still…'

'I don't know why you even care,' said Harry, who was in a bad mood (A/N. He's not perfect OK, he gets stressed out like the rest of us!!!:}), 'seeing as you were the one who nearly decapitated him at the beginning of the year!'

'Because I know what it feels like to loose your mother!' she said, raising her voice and blocking his path. Ron and Hermione stayed silent. 'And you do too! How could you be so cold hearted and selfish!' She stormed into Charms and sat on the other side of Ron and Hermione, as far away from Harry as she could.

She was right, Harry thought, he was being a bit insensitive, but, all the same, they had tried.

After Charms he told Ron and Hermione to go on ahead, whilst he made peace with Jenny. He went up to her cautiously, seeing as she was swearing, trying to get her Charms book into her bag.

'Here, let me help,' he offered, putting her book in her bag. She watched him suspiciously.

'OK Potter, out with it. What do you want?'

'To say I'm sorry?' he said sheepishly.

She sighed and pushed past him to go out the door but she soon found him blocking her way.

'Budge,' she said, not looking at him.

He moved aside but walked with her down the corridor.

'I don't want to fall out with you again, Jen. I remember what happened last time. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound so…mean but, I guess, Malfoy's never sympathized with me, I just wanted to… never mind…anyway, please forgive me?'

She stopped to face him.

'Aw, you're such a sweetie pie,' she said affectionately, and Harry knew he'd been forgiven.

The next day something happened that Harry would never have dreamed of. Draco Malfoy stopped them in the corridor.

'Look I…' he started, then lowered his gaze to the floor and mumbled something.

'Sorry, didn't catch that,' said Harry coldly.

Malfoy raised his eyes, took a deep breath, swallowed his pride and said;

'I need your help, OK?'

There was a stunned silence.

'Look Potter. You and Jenny here are the only people in this stinking place who know what I'm going through. I need someone to talk to alright?' He said this in a rush, his cheeks starting to take on a pink tinge.

Harry felt his anger ebbing away and, for the first time in his life, he felt sorry for him.

Jenny left Harry's side and took Malfoy's arm.

'Come with us.'

A/N. I know it sounded really lame when Harry said sorry to Jenny but is was the best I could come up with and I'm suitably ashamed!!!!:}

Disclaimer: I own everything….I'm lying…..I own Jenny!!!!:}