Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, you wouldn't see me here posting this fanfic.

~~Last time we saw, Draco he had just met Jade's older siblings, Opal and Peridot. We won't see Peridot too much in this chapter, but oh well! ENJOY! Read and Review, please! ~~

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 9: Defense Against the Dark Arts

            Draco got up and started to leave the classroom, realizing he was late for class.  "Bye, Opal!" he said as he bustled out.  He poked his head back in a few seconds later.  "Oh yeah, bye Peridot!" and with that, he was gone.  They both waved goodbye to Draco, and went their separate ways.  Opal didn't even notice she was walking in the same direction as Draco on her way to her class.  Draco didn't notice either; he was too busy trying to avoid shoves from different Slytherins and Gryffindors.  Opal slipped easily through the busy hallway, actually passing Draco, and entered her classroom.

            Draco was too busy avoiding people to notice Opal entering the same classroom as him.  He entered, and sat in the back corner near the door.  Opal was seated in the back as well, towards the middle.  Draco, sitting at his desk, had his head in his arms, trying to regain the strength he had lost from crying and almost getting killed.  Opal looked at her watch, realized she had a few minutes to spare before class, and gets up and walks out the door, passing Draco.  Again, neither one of them noticed each other.

            Opal came back a few moments later, looking a bit less disheveled.  Professor Lupin was already in the classroom, and started just after Opal sat in her seat. "Alright, class!  Today we are going to be learning how to block curses.  I will split you off into pairs…hmm…" Lupin ran down the list, pairing the class alphabetically.  Reaching the m's, he said, "Miss Miko and Mr. Malfoy, you two will work together." Lupin finished reading off the pairs.  "Okay, your books explain the basic way to block a curse.  Practice that for awhile, and then if we have time we will try to block specific curses."
            Draco's head jolted up at the sound of Opal's name.  "You're in my class?"

            Opal walked over and sat next to Draco.  "I suppose I am!"

            "So.  I guess we should practice, then."

            Opal nodded.  "Do you know any curses?  I don't…off the top of my head."  She looked through her book, examining different ways to block the curses.  Draco didn't answer, but looked through his own book.  "Draco?"

            "Yeah?"

            "You didn't answer me.  Do you know any curses?"

"The only one I can think of is…" he fell quiet, shaking his head and looking at his book.

"What?"

"Shit, I can't remember the name," Draco cursed.  "Why don't we just try body binding?"

"Uh, alright," Opal said, a bit nervous.  She wasn't sure if she would be able to block his spell.

"You ready?" Draco asked.

"I—I think so."

"Okay, Opal, I'm going!" Opal braced herself for the curse.  Draco raised his wand and cried, "Petrificus totalus!"

Opal raised her own wand, and screamed, "Seppius Blockicus!"  She said them slightly late, though.  Draco's spell got through her block.  Opal was body bound.  She fell to the floor stiffly.

"Oh god!" Draco cried, putting Opal's head in his lap.  Her body was rigid.  Lupin, walking around the classroom, spotted the pair. 

He walked up to them and performed the counter curse on Opal.  "Try harder!" he said loudly, and walked off. 

Opal's body went limp in Draco's lap.  "Ooohhh," she groaned.

Draco chuckled.  "You okay?"

Opal sat up, rubbing her head.  "Yeah, I'm fine."

"You want to try again?" Draco asked.  "Or do you want me to block this time?"

"I want to get this right," Opal insisted.  She set herself up again.  "Let's do this again."

"Alright.  You ready?"  Opal nodded.  Draco raised his wand once more and performed the body binding spell. "Petrificus totalus!" he cried.

Opal got the timing right, screaming "Seppius Blockicus!" at the right time.  There was an enormous burst of light, blinding Draco and sending him flying.  He landed hard on his butt by the door.  "Oh, Draco!" she cried, running over to him.  "You okay?"

"Ouch," he groaned, and then laughed.  "You did that on purpose!"

"I did not!" Opal protested.

Draco laughed again.  "Help me up."  Opal rolled her eyes and offered her hand.  Draco took it, but instead of standing, he pulled her down. "Ha ha!" he said, jumping up and offering his hand to Opal, who had fallen on her butt.

"What did you do that for?" Opal demanded.

"Oh no reason.  Come on let's practice again.  And no more light blasts!  Now it's my turn."

Opal glared playfully at Draco, standing.  "Fine, fine.  Shall I perform the same curse?" she asked.

"Do what you want; I'm going to look up a block." 

"I'm going to use the tickling spell," Opal declared.

"Oh…okay…" Draco said.

"Are you ready?" Opal asked.

"Go for it," Draco replied, standing ready.

"Riddikulus!" Opal cried, pointing her wand at him. 

Draco raised his own wand and shrieked, "Serias Flectas!" at Opal.  "DUCK!" he cried, but it was too late.  Opal's spell was deflected back on her, and she fell to the ground laughing.

"Draco..." Opal said through her giggles.  "Unless…you…know…the…counter curse, get…LUPIN!"
            Draco smiled, and called Professor Lupin over.  "What is it, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Um, she did a Riddikulus spell and I did a reflect spell.  Do you know the counter?"  Lupin, smiled and nodded, performing the counter curse on Opal.  "Thanks, professor." Lupin nodded and walked off.  Opal sat up, breathing heavily.  "You okay Opal?" Draco asked, smiling.

"Grr…you picked that spell on purpose! You knew which one I was going to do!"        Draco didn't say anything at first, just grinned wider.  "Sorry."

"You are not," Opal accused.  "You knew what you were doing."

"Yeah, you're right…but that sure was funny!"

"For you maybe," Opal replied, glowering.

"Want to try another?"
            "I want to try another block, yes.  What spell are you doing this time?"

"Um…" Draco thought for a moment.  "How about jelly legs?"

Opal grinned.  "Alright."

"I don't like that grin!  No copying!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Opal said innocently.

"Mmhmm," Draco said, not believing her for an instant.  He grinned.  "Alright, alright, let's go.  You ready? I'm going!"  Draco pointed his wand at her.  "Jellius Leggius!"

"Blockius maximus!" Opal screamed.  The spell stopped in midair…and hung there.  It was a purple light hanging in the air.  "Uh…what do we do with it now?" Opal asked.

"I'm…not…sure," Draco said, staring at the light.  Opal grinned and pointed her wand at the purple light, sending it at Draco.  Draco's legs wobbled and he fell to the floor.  "You are so going to get it!"

"What else was I supposed to do with it?" Opal asked simply.

"Not send it back to me!" Draco cried. "You wanted to do that.  That's what the grin was for!"  He laughed.  "This is so creepy.  Now can you please get Lupin?  I'd like to stand."

"Oh, really?"

"Come on Opal, get Lupin, or I'll tickle you again!"

"How?" Opal asked, grinning.  "You can't stand up!"

"I have use of my wand hand," Draco replied, and taking out his wand, he pointed it at Opal, yelling, "Riddikulus!"

Opal screamed.  "Serias Flectas!" She cried the first block that came to her mind, pointing her wand at Draco. 

Draco was now laughing hysterically.  "Damn you…fucking…hell…grr…no fair…dammit…PROFESSOR LUPIN!!" he cried through his silly laughter.

Lupin came rushing over.  "Oh my, you two are really going at each other, aren't you?" He asked as he removed all the spells from Draco as a bell sounded in the hallway.  "I guess we don't have enough time to start in on specific spell blocking.  You are dismissed.  Please write an essay on the different types of basic blocks for next class."
            "Ug…" he said, breathing heavily.  "Thank you professor," he said as he glared at Opal from the floor.

Opal offered her hand.  "You okay, Draco?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Draco said, ignoring her hand and standing up.  "Let's go."

Opal walked back to her desk, putting her books and things in her bag.  When she was finished, she walked back over to Draco.  "Ready?" she asked.

"Yeah," he nodded.  "You got anymore classes?  I think I still have Potions, but that might be tomorrow."

"Not until after dinner," Opal replied.  "I have Astronomy."

"Oh cool, is it dinner time already?"  Draco looked at his schedule.  "Yeah, I have Potions tomorrow."

"No," Opal replied.  "We ate lunch just before this class, remember?"

"This is all your fault!  Got my mind all switched around from all the dang tickling!" Draco snapped.

"Well, excuse me!" Opal cried.  "It's not my fault you couldn't block it!"  Draco glared at Opal.  "You body bound me!"

"Alright, alright," Draco conceded.  "We're even."

"I haven't laughed that hard in ages," Opal remarked.

"I haven't laughed since…" Draco trailed off.  "Since Jade died.

Opal nodded, sobering.  "I understand.  I probably don't help much either."

"You help," Draco assured her. "Didn't at first, but its nice being able to talk to someone about her.  Everyone just shoves me around now."
            "I'm sorry about that…" Opal apologized.

"It's okay," Draco said.  He looked down and started grumbling about Flint again.

Opal put his hand lightly on her shoulder.  "Hey…"

Draco looked up.  "Yeah?"

"It won't do any good grumbling about Flint," Opal remarked.

"Doesn't do any good letting him go unhated," Draco pointed out.

"Draco, you're never going to feel any better if you do this."

"I'm never going to be happy if I don't either," Draco replied.  "He took away the only really good thing in my life.  No one can replace what he took.  No one, ever!"

"I know, but Flint got what he deserved.  You hating him is just going to make you feel worse."

"I guess, but I just can't get over what he did," Draco said. "What made him think that he could get away with that?" Draco demanded.

Tears of anger and grief welled up in her eyes.  "That's just how he is…him and the rest of—," Opal stopped.

"Slytherins," Draco finished for her.  "You can say it.  It's true.  I used to be just like them."

"You've changed."

"I don't see a reason anymore to change.  I mean they took the only person I loved away and what's the point.  That's what I think sometimes, but then I remember how Jade felt and I know she is with me and that makes me want to change more," Draco said, a single tear falling from his face. "Ug, I think you tickled all my tears out."

"Um…sorry?" Opal said, confused.

"Nah, it's a good thing probably."  Opal looked down.  "You alright?" 

"No, but there's nothing I can do about it, so…"

"Is there anything I can do?" Draco asked.

"No…talking is just fine," Opal replied.

"Alright."

"Does—does it bother you?" Opal asked.

"Talking to you? No, it helps a lot."

Opal shook her head.  "I mean…" she paused.

"What?"

"Um…does it…bother you…or…I mean…er…"

"What? Does what bother me?"

"Well…Jade and I had always been told that we looked like twins."

"Oh," Draco said, realizing what Opal was trying to get across.  "Well you do, actually."  Opal was silent.  "But no, it doesn't bother me.  It's kind of nice to see your face, because it reminds me of her."

"Thanks," Opal said, smiling. "That's what I wanted to know."

Draco looked confused.  "Testing me or something?"

"What? No…I just wanted to make sure my hanging around with you didn't bother you or anything."

"No, not at all," Draco assured her.

"Oh, I wanted to apologize for my brother," Opal said.

"Nah, it's okay."

"It's okay that he almost killed you?" Opal asked, surprised.  "You're pretty forgiving."

"No," Draco replied.  "But he had every reason to be mad.  And frankly, I don't care if I die."

"But I would," Opal said.

Draco blushed a little.  "Thanks."
            "I'm beginning to see what Jade saw in you."  Draco blushed, causing Opal to laugh.  "Guess it's not just Jade who can make you blush."

"Guess not," Draco said. "Grr…"

"Sorry," Opal apologized.

"Nah, it's okay."

"Opal! Hey, Opal!" Peridot called, running up next to her and Draco. 

Draco didn't say anything.  Opal glanced back.  "Oh, hey Peridot."

Peridot looked at Draco.  "I'm sorry about earlier," he said.  He thought for a moment.  "I don't even know your name."

"Well, okay.  It's Draco, Draco Malfoy."

Peridot narrowed his eyes slightly.  He knew that name all too well.  He offered his hand.  "I'm Peridot Miko."

Draco hesitated for a second.  "What was that look for?"

"What look?"

"That look you just gave me," Draco shook his head, taking his hand. "Never mind.  Hi." 

Peridot looked a bit confused, but shook Draco's hand anyway.  He gripped Draco's hand, gripping it tightly, and then released it.  Draco flinched, shaking his hand a little. "Opal, are we still on for tonight?"

"Of course we are," Opal said, nodding.  Draco didn't say anything.

Peridot nodded, and, glaring slightly at Draco, walked away from them.  "Well, that was rude."

"Hmm? What was?"

"The looks he kept giving me," Draco explained. 

"What looks?"

"Like I was squished slugs or something," Draco said bitterly.

Opal scrunched up her nose, a disgusted look on her face.  "Ew, Draco, that's disgusting.  Maybe it was your imagination, because I didn't notice."

"No, he looked at me very rudely." Draco insisted.

Opal shrugged.  "Well, I didn't notice.  Apparently neither did he, or at least he wouldn't say so."

"Yeah, well I know he gave me a mean look…and I don't appreciate it.  So what are you two doing tonight? Just curious."

"Oh," Opal said, blushing.  "It's nothing…" Her face saddened.  "All three of us…Jade, Peridot, and I…used to do it together."

"Oh, a family tradition?  That's nice."

"Yeah," Opal muttered.  "Still wish…" She stopped.  "Hey, why don't you join us?"

"I don't think he'd like that," Draco remarked as he walked. "I don't want to interfere."

"Who?  Peridot?  He probably wouldn't…but he's too nice to say anything.  You wouldn't be interfering…not if I invite you anyway."

"I don't know," Draco said uneasily.  "I would love to see what you guys do, and I like hanging with you, but I don't want to make anyone else mad."
            "Don't worry about Peridot, he's all hot air," Opal assured him.

Draco laughed.  "Just like—," Draco stopped.  "Nothing, never mind."

Opal narrowed her eyes.  "No, what were you going to say?"

"No," Draco refused.  "It's bad, Jade wouldn't want me to say it."

"You were going to insult Peridot weren't you?" Opal demanded.

"No," Draco said.  "Someone else."

Opal didn't believe Draco.  "Right."

"It wasn't, I promise!" Draco insisted.

Opal still didn't believe Draco.  "Look, are you going to join us tonight or what?"

"Sure, if you want me to," Draco replied.

"Of course I want you to!  Wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

"Guess I'm going then," Draco replied. He looked down.  "I was talking about Potter."

"Oh him!" Opal cried, and burst out laughing.

"Why are you laughing?" Draco asked.

"Because!" Opal cried.  "You're right!"

"You…agree with me?" Draco said, surprised.

Opal nodded.  "Yes!  Jade wouldn't have…she adored Harry."

"Adored him?" Draco scoffed.  "Don't see how anyone can."

Opal shrugged. "I don't know either," she laughed.  "Never thought I'd meet someone who didn't like Harry Potter."

"Well you've met the leader of the club," Draco declared.  "Well, no, Snape hates him more than I do, but…"

Opal had a stupid look on her face.  "There's a club?!"

"No," Draco said, laughing.

"Oh…please don't laugh," Opal pleaded.  "I feel really stupid."

"No, its okay," Draco assured her, still laughing.

Opal shook her head, blushing. "Please don't…"

"Sorry," Draco apologized.  Opal muttered something to herself.  "What?"

"It—it's nothing," she said.

"Oh okay, I won't pry."

"I don't get you Draco," Opal said suddenly.

"How so? I didn't think I was that complex." 

Opal smiled.  "Just hear me out.  Okay, I met you after…after Jade died…You are gentle and kind, even if you are a bit harsh at times.  It makes me wonder what kind of person you were before Jade, Peridot, and I even came to Hogwarts.  From what I heard, it wasn't good at all.  I've heard you were nasty and conniving.  After meeting you, I realized absolutely none of what they say is true…"

"Well, I—well I was, but I met Jade and she changed me."

Opals eyes widened. "Draco I didn't want to believe you were like that…but I know Jade…she could be very persuasive at times."

"Tell me about it.  She always gave me a dirty look when I did something, or said something she didn't like.  She gave me this nasty look and I knew that I shouldn't do it.  That's all it took from her.  I wanted to change everything.  I had to make her keep her pretty face unangered."

Opal laughed.  "That's Jade for you!"  Her face sobered, and voice quieted.  "No one wanted her to make those nasty faces…they only wanted to see her beautiful face."

"Yeah."

Opal laughed again.  "I was always jealous of her looks."

"How?" Draco demanded.  "You look just like her!!"
            Opal jumped. "I never thought I looked like her at all…I always tried to…"

"You look just like her!" Draco interrupted Opal.  "Why do you think I ran up to you in the first place?"

"I have to admit, you confused the hell out of me.  I just can't see how Jade and I look alike."

"Trust me, you do," Draco insisted, laughing.  "I promise."  Opal smiled.  They walked outside onto the castle grounds.  As they strolled down the hill, their hands brushed against each other.  When this happened, Opal blushed and put her hands in her pockets.  Draco blushed too, crossing his arms.

They ended up by the tree that Jade and Draco used to visit all the time.  "It's really warm outside today," Opal remarked.

"Hey, this is the tree Jade and I sat at," Draco said.

"What?"

"Yeah, Jade and I would come out here and just sit and look at the sky," Draco said, remembering.

Opal blushed.  "How did we get down here, anyways?"

"I don't know.  I guess we just walked.  That's how Jade and I found it; just walked."

"So, this is where it all started," Opal said, looking around.  "Makes sense, this is a very romantic place."

"Yeah, she loved it."

"How about you?"

"I love it too.  It's so beautiful and the air seems fresher here."

Opal inhales deeply, looking around once more. "I understand how Jade felt about this place."  Her eyes glistened.  "It reminded her of home."

"That's what she said," Draco replied.  Opal didn't respond, she merely looked up at the sky.  "Do you want to sit down?"

"Hmm? Alright." Opal said, and sat cross-legged in front of the tree.  Draco sat down across from her, leaning against the trunk of the tree.  Opal was staring at Draco for a few moments before she realized it, and looked away.  He didn't notice, he was looking at the sky.