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,
Peridot, and Opal. Jade, Peridot, and Opal Miko are my characters and no one
else's. You touch, I hurt. Understand?
~~Okay, I don't know how many times I've written the beginning to this story, but here is the completed version finally! Okay, most of the last chapter was conversation, no real action. Except…Draco kissed Opal! Yep, he did, and Opal ran. Enjoy! ~~
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 13: Hogsmeade Pt. 1
Draco stood there, dumbfounded, watching Opal's retreating back. Coming to his senses, he walked after Opal. "Opal, please wait!" She didn't stop, but slowed down a little. Draco sped up and almost caught up to her. "Opal, please," he begged, trying to get her to stop. He reached out and finally managed to grab her arm. She stopped, but couldn't bring herself to look at Draco. "Opal…"
"We shouldn't have," Opal said quietly, her face turned from Draco's.
"Why?" Draco asked softly.
"Jade…"
"I know," he replied.
"I—I don't know what to do."
"I don't know either," Draco admitted, defeated.
"Why Draco?" Opal demanded suddenly. "Why did you…you know?"
"I don't know…" Draco said softly. He really didn't. He was
attracted to Opal, but didn't want to admit it to himself.
"I'm not saying I didn't like it, but—," she stopped.
Draco blushed a little. "I know,"
he said, looking at his feet. "What can
we do? It happened. We just have to deal with it. I guess decide if it means anything or not.
I don't know…"
"Did it mean anything to you?" Opal asked.
"I," Draco paused for what seemed like an eternity. "I wouldn't have done it in the first place
had I not felt anything." Opal blushed,
finally turning to face Draco. He let
go of her arm, realizing he was still holding it. "What…about you?"
"Though I get the idea you just did it to try and get me on your good
side, I can't deny that I—it felt good."
"No," Draco refused.
"No?"
"I didn't do it just to…" he trailed off. Opal nodded. "I wouldn't,
no," he said adamantly, shaking his head.
Opal caught his chin, stopping him from shaking his head. "I believe you." Draco didn't say anything; he just looked at her. "It was my fault anyway."
"Fault?"
"I overreacted."
"I—," Draco started.
Opal put her finger on his lips. "Don't. I—me and Jade, I mean—we've been called Mudbloods before."
"I wouldn't," Draco insisted. "Not anymore."
"I know, but hearing you even
considering saying it…" Opal trailed off.
"I—I'm sorry."
"You would only have to be sorry if you had actually called me…that,"
Opal couldn't bring herself to say Mudblood again.
"But I didn't! I controlled it. I told you I still had to work on my attitude!"
Opal smiled. "I kind of liked
it."
Draco looked at her. "Um, wow…that's a first. Well, sort of." Opal didn't reply, just smiled wider. He blushed. "Okay then."
Opal decided to change the subject. "Um…are the Slytherins treating you any better?"
"Yeah. They are ignoring me. Mostly. I get pushed every so often."
"If that's better, how bad was it before?"
"Tripping, shoving, random punches thrown. That kind of stuff," Draco replied, shrugging.
"And all of this because you…fell in love?"
"Yeah," Draco laughed a little. "Guess they were right. Love
hurts."
"You shouldn't be seen with me then."
"No," Draco said. "Crabbe and
Goyle were the only ones who seemed not to care. Of course, they are bumbling
idiots, but…"
"I don't want you getting hurt."
"Well, I try not to."
"For some reason your house hates every other house in the school. It would only be logical for me not to be
seen with you."
"I don't…I mean…we've been hanging out for a bit and they haven't said
anything yet. I mean, I think it's
because Jade was a Gryffindor."
Why weren't Jade and I sorted into the same
house? Opal thought
fiercely. Her thoughts were broken by
Draco's response. "Slytherins' worst enemies are the Gryffindors. Apparently they could give a rat's ass about
the other houses," Draco stopped, realizing what he said. "Pardon me," he said, blushing with
embarrassment.
Opal giggled a little. "Don't blush, it's alright!" Opal's giggles didn't help, if anything it made him blush more. "Oh, I'm sorry!" Draco didn't respond, and his face got a little paler. Opal smiled at Draco, and he smiled back. "You have a great smile, you know that?"
Just as Draco thought his blush had faded, it came back with surprising
force. "So do you," he said, rubbing
his cheeks fiercely. He could feel them
getting hot.
Opal smiled. "You know that
doesn't do any good."
Draco stopped. "Sadly, you're right."
"I'm glad I have this effect on
you."
"You are?" Draco asked.
Opal laughed. "Yeah."
"Why? It's embarrassing. Are they
still red?"
Opal laughed harder. "Yeah, a
little."
Draco shrugged. "Oh well."
Opal couldn't seem to stop herself from
laughing. "Sorry."
Draco shook his head. "So, when is lunch?"
"Hmm…" Opal replied, looking at her watch. "I
think it's in about an hour."
"Darn, I'm hungry!"
Opal pulled her pack from her back, opening it up and searching through
it. "Hmm…AH HA! Knew I saved this for a
reason," Opal said, pulling out a chocolate frog and handing it to Draco.
"Aren't you hungry?" Draco asked.
Opal shrugged. "I'll wait until
lunch."
Draco took the frog reluctantly. "Thanks." He opened the frog. It
immediately hopped off the box, but he caught it and popped it in his
mouth.
Opal laughed again. "Good?"
"Mmhmm…Fanks," Draco said through a mouthful of chocolate.
"Glad I could help," Opal said, and then without warning glomped
Draco. He almost choked, swallowing his
frog. "Oh," Opal blushed and got
up. "Sorry!"
Draco coughed, and then laughed. "It's ok, not a problem."
Opal looked at him with concern. "You sure? Not going to choke are you?"
"No, I'm fine."
Opal grinned evilly. "Darn, I thought I'd have to do mouth to mouth on you." Draco blushed brightly. "Should do it anyway," Opal muttered, half to herself. Draco's eyes widened at this. His blush deepened, but he didn't say anything. "Not that talkative are we?"
"What did you expect me to say to that?" Draco demanded.
"Say to what?" Opal asked innocently.
"You said 'Darn, I thought I'd have to give you mouth to mouth', and then
something like you should do it anyway," Draco replied, still blushing. Now it was Opal's turn to blush. She really wished he hadn't heard that. Draco laughed. "Now you're blushing!"
Opal blushed brighter. "Shut up," she snapped.
"So?" he asked.
"So what?"
"Why don't you?" he asked again, smiling.
Opal's eyes widened. "Never
expected you to say that."
Draco was still smiling, even if he was blushing. "Always expect the unexpected."
"You should listen to your own advice," Opal said. "Maybe then you wouldn't blush as much."
"We could only hope," Draco said, his blush almost gone now.
Opal noticed this, and said, "Your face got too pale. Time to change that!" And with that, she kissed him softly on the lips. Draco's eyes widened, and then closed, his face going very red. She pulled back, remaining very close to his face. She opened her eyes. "There we go," she whispered.
"You like making my face red, don't
you?" Draco accused.
Opal smiled, not responding. Draco smiled back. "So?" Opal replied a few moments later. "I know it's not bad!"
"No," Draco said shortly. She kissed him again, and then laughed. Draco's face was beet red now. "Ok, um…wow."
"Wow?"
"Uh, yeah. Wow."
Opal couldn't help but laugh. She
glanced at her watch. "Hey!"
"What?" Draco asked, jumping a little.
"Sorry, Draco. Didn't mean to
scare you."
"What's up?" Draco asked.
Opal grinned. "Lunch."
It was like music to Draco's ears. He was starving. "Woo hoo!
Food!" They both laughed. "Want to go
eat?"
"Of course! Let us go then!"
"Okay," Draco said, then started walking towards the Great Hall.
They walked in silence for a few moments. Opal thought a moment. She hadn't seen Peridot since he had sent her to the hospital wing. He could be in the Great Hall now. "Oh no, I just remembered something."
"Huh?" Draco asked, confused.
"All the third years and up went to Hogsmeade this weekend. There isn't going to be hardly anyone
there!"
"Wouldn't that be a better thing? We won't have to deal with anyone. And maybe we could sit at the same table since they would be empty."
"That's what I was thinking," Opal lied evenly. She wasn't thinking about Hogsmeade at all, but she didn't want
to worry Draco.
He laughed. "Let's go then." Opal took a deep breath and walked down the hall. Draco walked next to her, looking at her. "You look nervous."
"I do?" Opal feigned confusion.
"No, I'm lying," Draco said sarcastically. "Yes, you do."
"Hmm….I don't feel nervous," Opal
felt guilty for lying to Draco, but shrugged it off.
Draco decided not to pry. "Okay."
"Kind of wish I could have gone to
Hogsmeade this weekend, though.
"Yeah," Draco replied thoughtfully. After a moment, he said, "We can still go if
you want to."
"What?"
"I overheard Potter a few years
ago," Draco explained. "I know of a
passage that leads from the castle to Hogsmeade. It will be tricky, but I know we can do it.
Opal's eyes were twinkling as she
smiled. "Wow…really?"
"Yeah."
"Want to eat lunch, then go?" Draco
nodded. Opal grabbed his arm. "Let's go then!!"
"Gahh…" Draco cried as he was
dragged through the hall. Opal walked
into the Great Hall. Draco started to
follow, but his robe caught in the door. He fell to the floor. "Ouch," he
said, getting back up.
"Oh hey!" Opal cried, going over to
him. "You alright?"
"Heh," he said as he dusted himself
off. "Yeah, fine."
"Oh look, you tore your robe," Opal
said, lifting up a torn fragment of his robe. She took out her wand.
"Oh, yeah, I did," Draco said, watching her.
"Robeus reparo," Opal
whispered. The robe mended itself,
leaving it as good as new. She dropped
the hem of his robe. "There you go."
Draco swished his robes. "Thanks!"
"Glad to be of help," Opal said,
looking around the Great Hall.
"What are you looking for?" Draco
asked.
"Oh, n-nothing," she stammered. "Let's sit down." Draco gave her a
questioning look, but sits where she does. "What's that look for?"
"Oh, n-nothing," Draco said, trying
to imitate her.
Opal glared. "Fine, fine, I get it."
Draco smiled widely. She was tempted to
smack him, but doesn't. She just ate her food, grinning. Draco sighed then
started to eat too. "There really aren't many people in here!" Opal said, still
looking about the Great Hall.
"No," Draco replied. "I'm glad."
"Me too." Opal said, not looking
back. She was still searching the Great
Hall for something.
"What are you looking for?"
"Just looking to see who's here,"
Opal lied.
"Uh huh," Draco said, not believing
her. "Anyone specific?"
"Ummm…" She stalled. "Uh…no."
"Come on Opal. You are such a bad liar!"
"I'm not lying!" Opal insisted, and
then sighed. "Fine, fine. Don't get mad."
"Okay."
"I was looking for Peridot."
"What?" Draco demanded. "Why?"
"He's my brother! I miss him."
Draco looked at her, not
understanding. "You miss his beating up
on you? You miss his rudeness…That's all part of him. If you miss him then you miss that too."
"Draco, I—aside from all that…Me,
him, and Jade used to have so much fun together. I miss having that with him. Yes, I am afraid of him, but I loved the side of him that loved me."
"Okay," Draco conceded. "I can understand that."
"So part of me is terrified that he
would be here, and another part of me wants to go searching for him."
"I see," Draco said. "It is up to you. Do you want to go look for him? If Dumbledore released him, I'm sure he went to Hogsmeade."
Opal shook her head. "No, it's alright. I'd rather be with you anyway."
Draco laughed. "I feel special."
Opal laughed too. "You should."
***
"What do you want to do now?" Draco asked,
after they finished their meal.
"Still up for Hogsmeade?"
"Sure," Draco said, standing. "Come on, the entrance is at the witches
hump statue."
"That's up by the Gryffindor common
room!" Opal cried. "You know how to get
into it?"
"Yeah," Draco nodded.
"Let's go then!"
"Okay," Draco said, and headed
towards the Gryffindor common room. Opal followed closely. "There it
is," he said, pointing at the statue.
"Ahh, I've seen that before. There's a passageway behind it?"
"Yeah!" He said, smiling. "Okay, we
have to jump through her hump." Draco pointed his wand and says, "Dissendium." The hump opened silently. "It comes in the cellar of that candy
store. Honeydukes I think."
"Ohh, wow," Opal said in awe.
"Have you been to Hogsmeade before
this?"
"Never…"
"Oh!"
"Didn't even know it existed until
this year."
"I thought you had. Well, it's a pretty cool place. Ready?" Draco asked. "You can go first if you want, just keep
going straight."
Opal looked hesitant. "I want you to stay with me…Please."
"I will be right behind you," Draco
assured her.
Opal took a deep breath. "Alright," she said, and stepped into the
dark passage way slowly. Draco waited a few moments to make sure she was out of
the way, and then got in himself. They
walked in the darkness, picking their way carefully. "Oww!" Opal cried,
tripping on something.
Draco gazed into the darkness. "Are you okay?"
"I-I think so," Opal said, bending
over and rubbing her foot.
"What did you trip on?"
Opal's voice came from the shadows,
"I don't know. Rock or something."
"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you okay?" He asked again.
"Yeah I am, now," Opal replied, and
took out her wand. "Lumos," she
whispered. The passage lit up dimly.
Draco covered his eyes. "What's wrong?"
"My eyes were used to the darkness,"
he said, slowly uncovering them.
"Oh," she said, her voice
amused. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay, I think we're almost there." They continued down the passage. Opal walked with a slight limp. She stopped at the end of the passage. "Push on it slowly. Don't want to get caught," Draco whispered. "The door above your head, I mean." Opal looked up. She pushed the trap door slowly. Bright light poured down on them from the lit cellar. She walked in. Draco followed; his eyes squinted together from the light. "Come on, let's go upstairs."
"Alright," Opal said, squinting too. She gasped as the walked into the store.
"What's
wrong?" Draco asked.
"Wow," Opal said.
"Oh," Draco said, smiling. "Great, isn't it?"
Opal looked around in awe. The shop was filled with numerous students and other people. Every wall was covered with different types of sweets. There were barrels scattered about the room, filled with even more candy. "Yeah," was all Opal could bring herself to say.
"There are more shops, too, but we can look through this one first," Draco said, looking about himself.
Opal reached into her pocket, feeling a handful of coins. She pulled them out and counted them. Here face fell. Draco wasn't looking at her; he was at the barrel full of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. "I love these things."
"Never been fond of them," she said sadly.
Draco looked back at Opal. "What's up?"
"Don't have much money," she replied, showing him her handful of coins. "Only about ten galleons."
"Yeah, I don't have much either."
Opal shrugged and put the money back in her pocket. "Oh well. Just being here is good enough," she said, grinning.
"You look happy," he said.
"Oh, sorry," she said, and tried to frown, but it wouldn't stay. It kept turning back into a grin.
Draco laughed. "No, I'm glad you're happy."
"Me too," Opal said, laughing too.
"I can't believe I've never been here!"
"Yeah, its good stuff," Draco replied. Opal walked through the store, looking at different things. "What's your favorite sweet?" He asked.
Opal looked about at the different candies. "Ohh, do I have to choose?"
Draco laughed. "No, I'm just wondering."
Opal thought for a moment. "Chocolate frogs. If I had to choose."
"Okay,
cool," he said. "Oh, I have to check
something. Look around, I'll be right
back," he said and ran off to another part of the store.
"See you soon," she watched him for a moment, and then continued exploring the store.
A while
later, Draco ran back to Opal. He was
holding a brown paper bag. He handed it
to Opal, and then started to look at the other chocolates on the wall. She took the bag, a bit confused. "What's this?"
Draco
wouldn't say. He just laughed and said,
"Look inside."
Opal opened the bag. Looking inside, she gasped. "Chocolate Frogs!!" She cried, and hugged Draco. "Thank you!"
Draco
smiled. "You're welcome."
"What about you? What's your favorite?" Opal asked.
"Uhm…" Draco began.
"Wait, I know, nevermind," she said, grinning.
"Okay," Draco replied, a bit confused. "What are you thinking?"
"Thinking about what other stores are outside of here," Opal said quickly. "And if they could possibly be any better."
"Yeah,
there are tons. Want to go see?"
"Of course! I'll meet you outside, okay?" Opal said.
"Uhm,
okay," Draco said, still confused. He
headed to the door and walked outside. He watched the people on the street as he waited for Opal.
A
few minutes later, Opal came back out of the store. Her chocolate frog bag was now bulging. "Alright, let's go!"
