Jade got to London accompanied by Rabastan Lestrange. Bizarre and awkward but she didn't even dare to speak her mind or refuse when Raven informed her about it. Rabastan seemed like he wanted to talk to Jade but didn't know what to say. Jade saw him trying to say something but then closing his mouth and shaking his head a few times.
"How's school?" he finally asked.
"Eh, not bad."
"Heard you are a good Quidditch player, your brother told me about it," he said. "Both my nephew and niece got to be captains of the team. Makes me proud."
"You like Quidditch then?" Jade asked, having a conversation with her uncle for the first time in her life.
"Yes, played for three years in Hogwarts. But then things went another way..." he muttered, trailing off.
Rabastan seemed alright. She knew that he had killed people and tortured some. And from time to time he looked a bit mad, being locked up did that to you, as Rodolphus and Bellatrix also seemed like they had lost their sanity. But unlike them, Rabastan was trying to build a connection between Jade and him, which Jade at first found strange and suspicious but then she appreciated the gesture.
And it seemed like he truly cared as he stayed until he made sure Jade was safely inside the train. Jade wasn't sure why he was like that, it almost felt weird as no one had done that. Everyone who had brought them to the train station before had left as soon as she and her brother had gotten to the platform.
Once inside the train she ended up in a rather crowded compartment with the twins, Crabbe, Goyle, Blaise, Pansy and Draco. However, at some point during the journey, Blaise got an invitation and left the compartment for a long time.
Draco seemed less weird as he was talking to Jade but still there was something that Jade didn't like, some cautious. Some awkwardness as well. Or maybe he was just pretending everything was okay so the others wouldn't ask questions he didn't want to answer.
"Is that even possible? Can you keep studying if you only got one O.W.L each?" Jade asked Crabbe and Goyle. They both got an A in Potions but failed the rest of their classes.
"We are here, aren't we?" Crabbe remarked.
Channel and Chantel later said they had only gotten three and two O.W.L.s respectively. And apparently they didn't care. They didn't know how important it was to get good grades.
"Good grades aren't as important as we thought," Draco said, interrupting her thoughts.
"Why do you say that?" Jade asked him, a bit offended by his words.
"Isn't it obvious?"
"No, explain please."
Draco opened his mouth but was interrupted, Blaise had opened the door and joined them again. He tried to shut the door but it had gotten stuck mid-way. Blaise tried again but it wouldn't close completely. Then it sort of slid back with some force, which was quite strange.
"Oh my God!" Jade exclaimed frustrated as she got her wand out and closed the door using a simple spell.
Hidden under the Invisibility cloak, Harry, who was the one to blame for the door not closing, noticed how Pansy rolled her eyes at Jade but Jade either didn't see her or ignored her. But knowing Jade, Harry really doubted she would ignore something like that.
With the door closed, Blaise sat in between Goyle and Jade, who was right next to the window. Honestly, Harry found it strange that Malfoy wasn't next to her. Jade didn't even seem pleased to be there, she went back to rest her head against the window and she looked miserable, at least to Harry.
"What did Slughorn want, Zabini?" Malfoy asked.
"Trying to make up to well-connected people," he told him proudly. "Not that he managed to find many."
"Who else had he invited?"
It was then when Pansy started to stroke Draco's hair. At first, Draco found ways to stop her but then he gave up and just allowed her to stroke his blond hair.
"McLaggen, a Gryffindor. Someone called Belby from Ravenclaw," Zabini told them. "And That Weasley girl, Longbottom and Potter."
"He invited Longbottom?" Malfoy asked outraged, knocking Pansy's hand aside for a second.
"He was there so yeah, I assume he did."
Pansy resumed the stroking, Harry noticed how Jade finally showed some interest in the conversation and turned to look from the window to her friends. And nobody seemed to see the face she made at Pansy's actions.
Jade was known for her poker face. People could do and say things to her that really hurt her but she would never show it actually hurt her. So, to Harry, who apparently was the only one who noticed, found it almost bizarre to see her expression.
Jade almost stared at Malfoy and Pansy. She seemed hurt but most of all she seemed angry. Harry almost felt scared for them. Jade could be horrible whenever she was angry.
Harry remembered when they were at the wedding and they noticed how obvious it was that Malfoy fancied Jade... now Harry could clearly see that his feelings were reciprocated.
"What's so special about the Weasley girl?" Malfoy asked, oblivious to Jade's stares.
"Lots of boys like her," Pansy replied quickly.
"Not like you would," Jade shot at Malfoy as she glared at him. "She's pretty and you have horrible taste," Jade added as she looked at Pansy.
Zabini chuckled and the twins seemed to be interested in the exchange. Malfoy only pushed Pansy's hand away, which made Pansy even angrier. Still, Jade didn't seem pleased. She looked just as angry.
"Not as bad as yours, Jade," Malfoy told her. "Dating Potter? Like, seriously? You couldn't have done worse than that."
"You know I'm not dating him," Jade exclaimed. "But I guess he's more important than you. Slughorn invited him and not you... so..."
"You didn't get invited either..."
"I didn't want to get invited," Jade said in a duh tone. "I don't care about it."
"Maybe he's got a bit senile. My father used to be one of his favourites. Slughorn probably hasn't heard I'm on the train."
"He asked me about Nott's father," Blaise said, interrupting their argument. "They used to be friends. When he heard he'd been caught at the Ministry he didn't look happy and Nott didn't get an invitation, did he? I don't think Slughorn is interested in Death Eaters."
That was tough for both, Malfoy and Jade. Harry saw how Jade looked away to the window and Malfoy got angry but then he laughed and said he wasn't even interested in Slughorn.
While Malfoy kept saying really stupid, senseless things, Jade moved her hand softly while holding her wand and Harry noticed how Pansy's hand just stopped moving. She couldn't even move her fingers and they seemed to be swelling. Jade took quick glances at her but kept her eyes on anything but her, looking as if she hadn't done a thing.
"What do you mean you might not be in Hogwarts next year?" Blaise asked Malfoy, getting the attention of Jade.
"I might have moved on to bigger and better things."
"You mean... Him?" Malfoy shrugged at Blaise.
"Do you think you'll be able to do something for him?" Chantel asked.
"Sixteen years olds aren't exactly fully qualified yet. Look at Lex, he was nineteen and caught on his first mission."
"Where are you going?" Channel asked as Jade stood up abruptly.
"I didn't mean to offend you or anything," Blaise said quickly. "I was just proving a point."
"It's not you, Blaise," Jade said but her tone wasn't friendly.
"I can see Hogwarts," Malfoy pointed out, quickly changing the subject. "We better change."
The girls were the first to walk out of the compartment, followed by the boys. Jade was stopped by Blaise trying to apologize for what he had said about her brother. Blaise offered her a smile before he left the compartment as well, Jade was right after him when Malfoy attempted to grab her hand.
"Don't touch me!" Jade snapped loudly, Blaise heard her but he decided to walk away from drama.
"Oh come on, Jade."
"What's wrong with you? I can understand you are going through shit times but so am I... You are just being an immature brat."
"Jade..."
"I get that we aren't together anymore." At that Harry almost gasped but he had to keep quiet under his Invisibility Cloak. "But letting that nasty creature touch you in front of me it's just low. You are a hypocrite... you are even worse than Cass."
"Are you jealous? And who said we aren't together anymore? I tried to stop Pansy but I'll be honest, it felt nice and you never ever do stuff like that... I didn't know it would upset you."
"Oh really?" Jade laughed sarcastically.
"Yeah, really. Pansy is just Pansy... I couldn't care less about her. And you are wrong, Jade."
"About what?"
"I'm not worse than Cassius."
"Draco... as far as I knew you were my boyfriend and you were letting another girl touch you. That's just... didn't you think how I would feel?"
"It meant nothing... it wasn't like I was kissing her. Like Cass did to that French girl... at least I don't have a bastard half-blood kid. Do I?"
"Shut up, Draco."
"And do you ever think how I feel whenever you spend time with Potter or Weasley? Or even Cassius? Like I know you are supposed to marry him but come on! I know how close the two of you are! How can I know you aren't cheating on me with him?"
"You are unbelievable!" Jade exclaimed, a mix of angry, sarcastic and amused. "I don't know what's wrong with you, Draco. But this is enough. You are accusing me of cheating while you are flirting with other girls and also saying stupid crap... weren't we supposed to run away to escape all that crap? And now you are saying those things as if you were in favour... as if you wanted to join him?"
"Yeah... we were supposed to run away but you were with Cassius instead. I needed you... but instead of being there for me the only time I truly needed you, you were messing around with Cassius. At least wasn't Potter... or was he?"
"Messing around?" Jade asked in disbelief. "You know what... I'm done. You keep messing around with Pansy... I don't care. But I'm not staying to hear all this crap."
Malfoy attempted once again to stop Jade but only one glare was enough to stop him. He stayed where he was. Jade shut the door with force, making a loud noise. Malfoy closed his eyes and took a deep breath and then let down the blinds. Harry didn't understand... maybe he was going to change into his robes right there.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Harry felt how his body got paralyzed and in seconds he fell down to the floor from the luggage rack. Malfoy pulled the Invisibility Cloak, revealing Harry.
"I thought so!" Malfoy said with a triumphant smirk. And then he kicked Harry hard on his face. Harry felt his nose breaking. "That's for my father..." Then he kicked him again. "That's for Jade... Stay away from her!"
Harry wanted to scream from the pain but he couldn't even move his lips, all he could move was his eyes. He couldn't even understand what he meant by 'that's for Jade', as he hadn't done anything to her.
"I don't reckon they'll find you till the train's back in London," Malfoy told him. "See you around, Potter... or not."
Malfoy put the Invisibility Cloak over him once again and he vanished. Malfoy smirked and then left the compartment as if nothing had happened.
Jade wasn't paying attention to the sorting or Dumbledore's speech. There was only three things that made her snap out of her thoughts. Harry walking in, his face was covered in blood and the second and third were something that Dumbledore had said.
"Those wishing to play for their House Quidditch teams should give their names to their Heads of House as usual. We are also looking for new Quidditch commentators."
Graham Montague, Lewis Castagnet and Travis Matthew had graduated and now Jade needed two new chasers and a new keeper. She was so angry at the moment that she could also need a new seeker.
"Professor Slughorn has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master," Dumbledore said, making Jade look up at him and stop thinking about Quidditch. "Professor Snape, meanwhile, will be taking over the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher."
"What are you doing?" Ron asked once they were in the common room, Harry had given him a knickle. Harry had already told Ron what Malfoy had done and how Tonks found him and walked him to the castle.
"You won the bet," Harry said.
"What bet?"
"Jade and Malfoy."
"Wait, what?"
"They are... or were dating."
"No way! How do you even know? I thought that after she told us about the Lestranges being her relatives and taking us to her brother's wedding and to France, she would tell us something like that," Ron said disappointed. "It's not that big of a deal compared to the other stuff."
"Well, in the compartment I also heard them arguing," Harry explained. "Jade was really upset. I'm not sure but I think she broke up with him."
"Good... she deserves better."
"Like Perseus?"
"No, someone better than those two."
"Like you?"
"What? No! I don't fancy her, Harry. But I agree I would be better than Perseus and Malfoy put together."
Another chapter up :) And they are back to Hogwarts! What do you think?
Should Jade and Draco be together? Or should be with Cass? Or someone else? Very interested to see your opinions/thoughts :)
Happy New Year everyone!
