Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, I'd be rich and you wouldn't see me here posting this fanfic. I do, however, own Jade. Jade Miko is my character and no one else's.
~~Recap time! Jade finally escaped the Gryffindor common room, leaving to go find Draco. Draco, in serious trouble for pushing Harry down the stairs, has met with Snape. To his relief, he wasn't expelled as he thought before. 100 points were taken from Slytherin. ON WITH THE SHOW! ~~
You'll find better love
Strong as it ever was
Deep as the river runs
Warm as the morning sun
Please remember me
-Tim McGraw, "Please Remember Me"
Chapter 5: Memories
Draco walked up the hallway out of the dungeons. He decided to go the hospital wing, despite the fact he wouldn't be welcome. He snuck up to the infirmary and listens through the door. Inside, Jade stood just outside the curtain that sectioned off Harry's bed. She wasn't sure what she was going to say to him. She walked through the curtains. Harry was sitting up in his bed, reading a book. He put his book down, seeing Jade. "Jade, I—," he started.
"Stop," Jade said coldly, holding up her hand. "Harry, let me talk." He stopped talking, looking at Jade expectantly. "What you and the other Gryffindors did tonight was wrong. In fact, it was beyond wrong. It's you all who should be expelled, not Draco!" she stopped, biting back tears. "What do you guys care who I hang around with? It's my choice! You can't force me to do otherwise.
"Jade," Harry started, a bit taken aback. "We did what we did tonight for your benefit! You haven't been here long. You don't know what a creep Malfoy is! You see what he did to me? He pushed me down the stairs!" Draco listened intently from his hiding spot outside the door.
"Harry, you don't know Draco like I do. You don't know what it's like being with him, because you two hate each other and fight all the time. As for the pushing you down the steps, he didn't mean to, I know he didn't! He was really sorry about that, and if you can't accept that, well then...I don't know what to tell you."
"Fine, Jade. I believe you," Harry said, not sounding like he believed her at all. "You do what you want; hang out with who you will. Just please, go away," he finished coldly. Jade stalked out of the hospital wing, furious. Draco watched her pass by. Just outside the doors, Jade leaned against the wall. She slid down the wall, sitting. She put her head in her arms and began to sob.
Draco walked over to her, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Jade?"
Jade jumped, looking up. "Draco!"
"Yes?" he asked, startled.
"What happened? How did it go?
"100 points from Slytherin and a stern lecture about you…or as he says 'that one,'" Draco replied.
"You aren't expelled?"
"No."
Jade grinned through her tears. "That's great, Draco!"
"Maybe," he replied sullenly. "I'm going to die before the night is through, though, once my house mates find out. '100 points?' They'll say. 'For a Gryffindor...?'" he groaned. "Well worth it in my opinion."
"This is all my fault," Jade moaned.
"No, it's not. It's mine."
"I told Harry what you said," Jade said.
"I know," Draco replied. "I heard."
"You were listening?" Jade asked, a bit peeved.
"Yes. I wanted to come and see you," Draco explained. "You were still there, so I just sat out here waiting, and I could hear."
"I think Harry hates me now," Jade said, wiping the tears off her face.
"Shows how much of a friend he is," Draco retorted bitterly. He can't accept you for having a mind of your own."
Jade shook her head, not wanting to accept that about Harry. "He was just looking out for me."
"Oh, okay," Draco said. "He just doesn't understand me, then." He smiled cockily. "I'm too complex for him." Jade glared at Draco. His smile faded. "Sorry, sorry."
Jade smiled. "Sometimes I think you're a bit too complex even for me."
"Ouch, that was harsh!" Draco joked, laughing. Jade grinned, sniffling, and stood up, using the wall for support. "Feeling any better?" He asked.
"Still a bit weak from all the crying I've done," Jade replied. She laughed bitterly. "I must look terrible...but I feel so much better now that you're here."
Draco lifted his arm, tucking Jade's hair behind her ear. "You look great."
"You don't look too bad yourself," Jade said, smiling.
Draco blushed as a group of Gryffindors walked past them. They all glared icily at Jade and Draco as they made their way into the hospital wing to see Harry. Draco watched them, and then looked back at Jade. "Let's go, shall we?" he asked, holding out his arm.
"Where?" Jade asked, taking Draco's arm.
"Not sure," Draco replied, shrugging. "We'll just walk until we get somewhere."
"Good plan," Jade agreed. "I'd rather be with you anyway." They left the castle, walking down the hill. It was well past dark now, and they both had to tread carefully. Jade bowed her head.
"Hey, let's go to that tree we were at before," Draco suggested. "You up for it?"
"What?" Jade said, lifting her head. "Oh, sure."
"What has got you so distracted?" Draco asked.
"You," Jade answered shortly.
"Oh!" Draco said, blushing. They walked in silence towards the tree.
"Do—," Jade started, but stopped, not really wanting to ask. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer.
"Do?" Draco asked, a bit confused.
Jade took a deep breath. "Did you mean what you said earlier?"
"About what?"
"Should I have listened to what all the Gryffindors told me?"
"I don't know," Draco admitted. "I'm not a good—I didn't think you'd want to stay around me and I don't want you to get hurt."
"Hurt how?"
"If we stopped hanging around each other, then the Gryffindors would stop berating you. You would never have had to deal with all of this if you hadn't bumped into me."
Jade shook her head. "I got Harry partially on my side. Although he hates your guts, he respects my decision. Like you said, he's got the whole school wrapped around his finger. They'll stop berating me. If we stop hanging out together now, I—there would be a hole in my heart."
"Wow…I know how you feel. I don't want to stop hanging out, either. Something would be missing inside..." Draco agreed.
"But what's going to happen with your housemates?" Jade inquired.
"I don't know yet. They won't like me much anymore, but I think they feared me before, anyway. Except Crabbe and Goyle they were loyal."
"Oh, now why would they fear you?" Jade asked playfully.
"I'm no good," Draco said.
"You keep saying that," Jade said, laying her head on Draco's chest.
"That's because it's true," Draco said, playing with Jade's hair.
"So? Do you have to keep saying it?"
"Suppose not," he conceded.
"I don't think my housemates will like me much anymore, either."
"Ugh, what a mess we made," Draco said resentfully.
"Was it worth it?" Jade asked.
"Yeah," Draco said, blushing.
"I agree," Jade said. "Mmm…" she said, looking up at the sky.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Draco said, looking to the sky as well. It was a clear night out. Hogwarts was located far from any Muggle city, so the stars shone brightly out.
"It's so different from Japan," Jade mused.
"Japan? Is it nice there?"
"Where I stayed for the summer was terrible," Jade said indignantly.
"I'm sorry."
"But oh...the Isigawa School for Witchcraft and Wizardry...it was so beautiful there..." Jade said, tears falling slowly from her face as the memory of her old school came flooding back to her. "All the people there...the landscape around…the sky above..."
"Why are you crying?" Draco asked, concerned.
Jade blushed, embarrassed. "It's nothing."
Draco nudged her a little. "Aw, come on tell me. Is there a special guy there? Huh?"
"No, it's nothing like that. I just—I miss Isigawa so much."
"How come you came here?" Draco asked. "Not that I'm complaining. I like having you here."
"My parents, my father specifically, took a job here at the Ministry of Magic. They said I had to come with them, although I begged to stay at Isigawa."
"Well, remind me to thank them," Draco said. "Although I'm sorry you miss it so much."
"I'll have to take you there someday," Jade offered.
"Oh, cool," Draco replied. Jade couldn't stop crying. Talking about Isigawa brought back so many wonderful memories. She missed it so much and wished with all of her heart that she could go back. Draco hugged her tightly. "It's alright, you'll see it again."
Jade hugged Draco back. "Not for a few years yet, though."
"But you'll see it again. Just focus on that."
"Not only will I get to see my home again, but I'll get to see it with you," Jade said, looking at Draco. "That, my friend, will be the best day of my life." Draco blushed. Jade grinned and said, "I don't think I've ever made a boy blush as much as I have you, Draco Malfoy."
"Sorry," he apologized. "I can't help it. You're sweet you make me feel different then I usually do."
"That is a good thing, right?" Jade asked.
"Yes," Draco said. "Not usually. I guess you and Potter would say nice."
Jade smiled. "You aren't used to being nice to people. You've kept yourself in a shell for so long."
"No choice with people like Potshot over there," he said angrily.
Jade stared into his eyes. "You've been humiliated by him before haven't you?"
"Uh…well, yeah," Draco said, shuffling his feet.
"The whole ferret incident must have been terrible for you, huh?" she asked, remembering the stories the Gryffindors told about Draco Malfoy.
Draco winced. He remembered that all too well. "You heard about that?" He asked, embarrassed. "I don't think I'll ever live that one down."
"It's a favorite past time in the Gryffindor common room to relive certain…victories," Jade said.
"I'll bet," Draco replied bitterly.
"So I know all the things that they have humiliated you for in the past."
"Oh, great," Draco said, rolling his eyes. "Sadly, so do I."
"Don't worry," Jade assured him, grinning broadly. "I won't hold them against you...unless I need to."
"Oh, thanks," Draco said, jokingly poking Jade.
"Have you forgotten that does nothing? I already told you to go poke Val if you want a reaction."
"Yeah, I know," Draco replied. "But it gets your attention. You are looking at me now," Draco leaned over and kissed Jade. She closed her eyes and kissed him back. The sound of someone clearing their throat stopped Draco and Jade from kissing. Draco pulled off Jade, turning to see who it was. "Oh," he said, clearing his throat and biting his lip. "Hello, Ginny."
Jade turned to see who had interrupted them. She narrowed her eyes at Ginny. "Ginny, what are you doing down here?" Jade was still angry with Ginny for what she did to her.
"I'm sorry to interrupt you guys," Ginny said shyly, "But um...Mcgonagall wants to see you, Jade."
Draco looked at Jade. "You better go."
Jade stood up, stretching. "I suppose I must. She bent down, kissing Draco passionately.
With Draco obviously kissing Jade back, Ginny was disgusted. "Oh come on, you guys, I don't want to see that!"
Draco smiled a little, as did Jade. "Get used to it, Ginny."
Draco laughed. "Yes, get used to it, Ginny," he said, turning to Jade. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"
Jade nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Alright!" He waved sarcastically to Ginny. "Bye, Ginny!"
Ginny looked at Draco, a confused look on her face. "Uh, Jade, your boy's got some issues. What have you done to him?" she demanded.
"Shut up, Ginny. Let's go," Jade said, walking off towards the castle. She looked back, waving to Draco. He stood and waved back. He watched them walk off, then started heading back to the dungeons. Draco expected the worst from his fellow housemates, he had cost them the cup this year for sure.