CHAPTER 13: Guilty
The next morning, Draco hurried to Charms because he had overslept like always. He passed the door to the room where Charms usually took place, luckily tiny little Professor Flitwick noticed him just in time.
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy where are you going? Class is this way." Said Flitwick, standing by the door, getting ready to close it.
"Oh, sorry Professor.." Said Draco as he walked in the classroom and took a seat next to Parvati Patil because there were no more free chairs, except that one.
"All right there every one? Now today is exam day! I can see some of you are in delight and some of you not so much. So, why don't we get started with some warm-ups? Miss. Patil, what is a Fidelius Charm?" said Flitwick, a smile on his bearded face.
"A charm used to hide a person from view." Said Patil; delighted that Flitwick decided to ask her first.
"Right you are Miss. Patil! Take five points for Gryffindor! Mr. Malfoy, what is a Flame Freezing Charm?" said Flitwick.
"It causes fire to feel warm and breezy to the victim." Said Draco, smirking.
"Good! Take five points to Slytherin also! Now Miss. Njass please tell me what is an Entrancing Enchantment?" said Flitwick.
"Err.a Love Spell?" said Aislinn, looking unsure.
"Excellent, and we haven't even learned that one yet! Five more points for Slytherin!" said Flitwick, "Now every one please take out a quill and parchment. This will be an oral exam, where as I give you questions and you answer them on your parchment."
After Charms class, there were no more classes afterwards because the teachers were being sympathetic and were letting them have one class per day, since the exams. Draco went up to the library to do some work he had left over. None too surprisingly he saw Aislinn sitting at one of the tables. She looked like she was reading a book or something. Draco decided to give her a surprise, so he went up behind her and poked her ribs gently, making her jump.
"Sorry, but you have to admit, it was funny." Said Draco, looking at her contorted face.
"I guess, but don't do that again, or at least warn me before you do." She said.
"Okay, but then it won't be fun." He said.
He sat down across from her, making his books smack lightly on the table. Madame Pince gave him a disapproving look.
"So, what are you reading?" said Draco.
"Speak." Said Aislinn, not looking up from her book.
"You're still reading it? What's it about?" said Draco.
"No, I'm re- reading it. It's about a girl who crashes an end- of-the- summer party and then goes back to school, but finds out all of her friends hate her. She also has to live with the fact that she got raped by a guy and she can't tell any one." Said Aislinn.
"What do you mean 'she crashes it'?" said Draco.
"In Muggle-terms it means that she called the Police in the middle of the party and they came and caused the party to end." Said Aislinn.
"Are you Muggle-born?" said Draco.
"No." Said Aislinn.
"Then why are you reading it that book?" said Draco.
Aislinn shrugged and Draco chose not to pursue the subject, seeing that it made her uncomfortable. They just sat there for the next hour, reading. Draco was his studying for Defense Against the Dark Arts and occasionally looking up at Aislinn as she stood up and stretched. At half past three, Draco got up from his spot and walked out to get some Lunch from the Great Hall. On his way there he almost ran into Cho Chang, a sixth year Ravenclaw.
"Watch it will you!" said Draco, just out of the blue.
Cho scowled and continued walking in the opposite direction.
The Great Hall was filled with students. Draco went up to the front of the Slytherin table and collected his sandwich. While he was eating, he saw Aislinn walk into the hall. She sat across from him and continued to read, rapidly glancing at him with a thinking expression on her face. The third time she did that, Draco smiled at her and she broke into giggles; her turning a bright shade of scarlet.
"Why do you keep staring at me?" said Draco; laughing at Aislinn.
Aislinn shook her head, her hand on her mouth, trying to muffle the sound.
"All right then." Said Draco, shaking his head schismatically.
He offered her an apple and she gratefully took it.
When they were finished, Draco stood up and walked over to the Gryffindor table, Aislinn following him.
"So Potter, you finally lost. How does feel, having Slytherin actually beating you for once?" said Draco, in an interviewing sort of way.
"Go away, Malfoy." Said Weasley.
"No. It turns out that my new Beater was better than yours." Said Draco.
"I said, 'go away Malfoy.'" Weasley repeated.
"What're you, sad that your Mudblood of girlfriend got hit? Yes, I can see it now, 'Weasley Mourning over Dead Mudblood's Body'" said Draco, gesturing with his hand as if it was headline in The Daily Prophet.
"Shut it, Malfoy." Said Potter, without looking up at him.
"Seriously, you guys, what happened to her? It's not very serious.is it?" said Aislinn, a hint of sorrow in her voice.
Draco looked at her in dismay, what is she doing? This is Potter and Weasley she's talking nicely to, the Mudblood lovers, thought Draco.
He looked at the two and he could see that they were as shocked as he was.
"Well.she's got a concussion and a broken rib. Madame Pomfrey's tending to it right now, but I think she'll be all right," said Weasley, "Why do you care anyway? You hit her remember?"
Aislinn let out, what was unmistakably a whimper and ran away, sobbing.
"See what you did, you miserable git!" said Draco and ran after her.
"Aislinn! Aislinn will you stop? Please!" Draco yelled after her, panting.
Wow, she can run really fast when she wants to, he thought.
As soon as he caught up to her, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her close to him, embracing her in a warm hug. She buried her face on his shoulder and continued to sob; her salty tears falling on Draco's arm. Her body shook slightly as she took deep breaths and let them out in a wailing sort of manner.
"It's okay, shh.. You don't have to listen to that Weasley, he just wants to make you feel guilty." Said Draco, trying to calm her down.
"B - but I - I am g - guilty." She said through tears.
"Well, Madame Pomfrey will be able to fix whatever happened to her and it'll all be forgotten," Said Draco, unsure if it actually will be, "It's all right.. Shh.."
"Are you s - sure?" said Aislinn, looking up at him, with red, watery eyes.
Draco nodded, leaned in and laid a gentle kiss on her lips. When he pulled away, he saw that her eyes were wide open, with dark marks under them from her smeared eyeliner. She wriggled free of his grip and ran inside a near classroom, locking the door with a click behind her. Great, now you've done it, you scared her away, she now like Piper, you know, said a little voice inside his head.
Draco chose to ignore this and unlocked the door with a spell from his wand. He stepped inside and looked around the large and empty dark classroom for Aislinn. He heard a noise coming from under one of the desks in the corner, so he walked over to it, only to find her crouching beneath it, sobbing hysterically. He walked over to her, cautiously, and laid a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off and turned around so he wouldn't see her drenched face.
"Aislinn.I - I'm really sorry.I - I just, I don't know, I - I - " said Draco, trying to find the right words to ease her pain.
He put his hand on her shoulder again, but this time she did not refuse the kind gesture. He pulled her closer to him and put his arms around her. She continued to cry and Draco could feel his chest getting hot from the warmness of her tears and face. For the second time in his life, Draco felt like he understood what love was all about; it was caring for the person you loved the most, even if it had to be a close friend.
He sat under the desk with her until she stopped crying, but as soon as she did, to his surprise, she fell asleep with her head in his lap. Draco tried to wake her, but couldn't, so he picked her up and carried her out of the classroom and into the Slytherin common room. There, he set her down on the couch, covered her with a blanket and sat across from her on a chair, watching her chest heave up and down as she breathed.
The next morning, Draco hurried to Charms because he had overslept like always. He passed the door to the room where Charms usually took place, luckily tiny little Professor Flitwick noticed him just in time.
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy where are you going? Class is this way." Said Flitwick, standing by the door, getting ready to close it.
"Oh, sorry Professor.." Said Draco as he walked in the classroom and took a seat next to Parvati Patil because there were no more free chairs, except that one.
"All right there every one? Now today is exam day! I can see some of you are in delight and some of you not so much. So, why don't we get started with some warm-ups? Miss. Patil, what is a Fidelius Charm?" said Flitwick, a smile on his bearded face.
"A charm used to hide a person from view." Said Patil; delighted that Flitwick decided to ask her first.
"Right you are Miss. Patil! Take five points for Gryffindor! Mr. Malfoy, what is a Flame Freezing Charm?" said Flitwick.
"It causes fire to feel warm and breezy to the victim." Said Draco, smirking.
"Good! Take five points to Slytherin also! Now Miss. Njass please tell me what is an Entrancing Enchantment?" said Flitwick.
"Err.a Love Spell?" said Aislinn, looking unsure.
"Excellent, and we haven't even learned that one yet! Five more points for Slytherin!" said Flitwick, "Now every one please take out a quill and parchment. This will be an oral exam, where as I give you questions and you answer them on your parchment."
After Charms class, there were no more classes afterwards because the teachers were being sympathetic and were letting them have one class per day, since the exams. Draco went up to the library to do some work he had left over. None too surprisingly he saw Aislinn sitting at one of the tables. She looked like she was reading a book or something. Draco decided to give her a surprise, so he went up behind her and poked her ribs gently, making her jump.
"Sorry, but you have to admit, it was funny." Said Draco, looking at her contorted face.
"I guess, but don't do that again, or at least warn me before you do." She said.
"Okay, but then it won't be fun." He said.
He sat down across from her, making his books smack lightly on the table. Madame Pince gave him a disapproving look.
"So, what are you reading?" said Draco.
"Speak." Said Aislinn, not looking up from her book.
"You're still reading it? What's it about?" said Draco.
"No, I'm re- reading it. It's about a girl who crashes an end- of-the- summer party and then goes back to school, but finds out all of her friends hate her. She also has to live with the fact that she got raped by a guy and she can't tell any one." Said Aislinn.
"What do you mean 'she crashes it'?" said Draco.
"In Muggle-terms it means that she called the Police in the middle of the party and they came and caused the party to end." Said Aislinn.
"Are you Muggle-born?" said Draco.
"No." Said Aislinn.
"Then why are you reading it that book?" said Draco.
Aislinn shrugged and Draco chose not to pursue the subject, seeing that it made her uncomfortable. They just sat there for the next hour, reading. Draco was his studying for Defense Against the Dark Arts and occasionally looking up at Aislinn as she stood up and stretched. At half past three, Draco got up from his spot and walked out to get some Lunch from the Great Hall. On his way there he almost ran into Cho Chang, a sixth year Ravenclaw.
"Watch it will you!" said Draco, just out of the blue.
Cho scowled and continued walking in the opposite direction.
The Great Hall was filled with students. Draco went up to the front of the Slytherin table and collected his sandwich. While he was eating, he saw Aislinn walk into the hall. She sat across from him and continued to read, rapidly glancing at him with a thinking expression on her face. The third time she did that, Draco smiled at her and she broke into giggles; her turning a bright shade of scarlet.
"Why do you keep staring at me?" said Draco; laughing at Aislinn.
Aislinn shook her head, her hand on her mouth, trying to muffle the sound.
"All right then." Said Draco, shaking his head schismatically.
He offered her an apple and she gratefully took it.
When they were finished, Draco stood up and walked over to the Gryffindor table, Aislinn following him.
"So Potter, you finally lost. How does feel, having Slytherin actually beating you for once?" said Draco, in an interviewing sort of way.
"Go away, Malfoy." Said Weasley.
"No. It turns out that my new Beater was better than yours." Said Draco.
"I said, 'go away Malfoy.'" Weasley repeated.
"What're you, sad that your Mudblood of girlfriend got hit? Yes, I can see it now, 'Weasley Mourning over Dead Mudblood's Body'" said Draco, gesturing with his hand as if it was headline in The Daily Prophet.
"Shut it, Malfoy." Said Potter, without looking up at him.
"Seriously, you guys, what happened to her? It's not very serious.is it?" said Aislinn, a hint of sorrow in her voice.
Draco looked at her in dismay, what is she doing? This is Potter and Weasley she's talking nicely to, the Mudblood lovers, thought Draco.
He looked at the two and he could see that they were as shocked as he was.
"Well.she's got a concussion and a broken rib. Madame Pomfrey's tending to it right now, but I think she'll be all right," said Weasley, "Why do you care anyway? You hit her remember?"
Aislinn let out, what was unmistakably a whimper and ran away, sobbing.
"See what you did, you miserable git!" said Draco and ran after her.
"Aislinn! Aislinn will you stop? Please!" Draco yelled after her, panting.
Wow, she can run really fast when she wants to, he thought.
As soon as he caught up to her, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her close to him, embracing her in a warm hug. She buried her face on his shoulder and continued to sob; her salty tears falling on Draco's arm. Her body shook slightly as she took deep breaths and let them out in a wailing sort of manner.
"It's okay, shh.. You don't have to listen to that Weasley, he just wants to make you feel guilty." Said Draco, trying to calm her down.
"B - but I - I am g - guilty." She said through tears.
"Well, Madame Pomfrey will be able to fix whatever happened to her and it'll all be forgotten," Said Draco, unsure if it actually will be, "It's all right.. Shh.."
"Are you s - sure?" said Aislinn, looking up at him, with red, watery eyes.
Draco nodded, leaned in and laid a gentle kiss on her lips. When he pulled away, he saw that her eyes were wide open, with dark marks under them from her smeared eyeliner. She wriggled free of his grip and ran inside a near classroom, locking the door with a click behind her. Great, now you've done it, you scared her away, she now like Piper, you know, said a little voice inside his head.
Draco chose to ignore this and unlocked the door with a spell from his wand. He stepped inside and looked around the large and empty dark classroom for Aislinn. He heard a noise coming from under one of the desks in the corner, so he walked over to it, only to find her crouching beneath it, sobbing hysterically. He walked over to her, cautiously, and laid a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off and turned around so he wouldn't see her drenched face.
"Aislinn.I - I'm really sorry.I - I just, I don't know, I - I - " said Draco, trying to find the right words to ease her pain.
He put his hand on her shoulder again, but this time she did not refuse the kind gesture. He pulled her closer to him and put his arms around her. She continued to cry and Draco could feel his chest getting hot from the warmness of her tears and face. For the second time in his life, Draco felt like he understood what love was all about; it was caring for the person you loved the most, even if it had to be a close friend.
He sat under the desk with her until she stopped crying, but as soon as she did, to his surprise, she fell asleep with her head in his lap. Draco tried to wake her, but couldn't, so he picked her up and carried her out of the classroom and into the Slytherin common room. There, he set her down on the couch, covered her with a blanket and sat across from her on a chair, watching her chest heave up and down as she breathed.