Fae and Draco didn't speak for a while afterward, not even to pretend to
hate each other. She was so stressed out that she was afraid that she would
blow up on him and say something she regretted. He made no attempts to see
her, either. She supposed this was good, but after a week or so, she
figured he might ask her what was wrong. But then again, maybe he was
thinking the same thing about her.
March 16 Ron's been trying to make things as hard as possible for me, although he's somewhat backed off lately. I can't stand that boy. He's never happy unless I'm unhappy. And what's worse, he doesn't even know what he thinks I did to him to make him hate me so much; he tries to cover it up like he just doesn't want to tell me, but I know he has no idea either. It's like he just picked me out of a crowd and decided 'hey, I'm going to hate this girl! All right! I'm so hardcore!' Believe it or not, stuff like what does to me actually stings. I can't think what's wrong with me. I know I like Draco; I like him a lot. But the last time I talked to him, which was a few weeks ago, it was like he didn't even care what I had to say. He was too engrossed in his Quidditch book. But I guess that's understandable.he's captain of the team. He has responsibility. It's no big deal. I think. I know I'm too easy; I know it.. I know it.. Faelyinne
Finally, she went running to him. She sent him in owl begging him to meet her in Hooch's room. She told him everything, about what Ron had said, what she had done with the wand, how angry she was, and that they'd have to serve detention together. She was so frustrated with everything that she was on the brim of tears. But she had this weird thing where even if she wanted to start crying in front of anyone-which she really didn't-she couldn't. If she had been already crying and saw someone, it wouldn't make a difference. But she couldn't just break down crying in front of everyone, which she was thankful for. She was too proud, too worried about looking weak in front of everyone.
After she had finished her story, Draco looked angry. "Weasley's going to get his ass kicked, if I can do something about it." He spat, narrowing his eyes. He seemed more concerned with if Ron was going to get his, rather than her entire story.
"No, don't do that.." she said, "I don't want you expelled."
His face softened somewhat, and he walked to her to wrap his icy arms around her tiny structure. She might as well have been lying in a snow bank, and she shivered. He kissed the top of her head and ran a pale finger down her face. Nothing was said. No words of comfort or anything, but she still felt considerably better. He left cold kisses down her neck, and she laughed mentally at the thought of instead of him ever leaving hickeys, leaving patches of ice on her throat and collarbone.
Somehow, she ended up sitting on a desk, as he leaned up against it and continued to kiss her. She found that she was against a wall, so she leaned back comfortably. He got closer to her and put his hands on her lower back, and started tracing the tip of his tongue at her collarbone. She let her head fall back and looked up at the ceiling, just glad that she had him to relieve her stress with.
She felt his hands moving, and then slide under the tail of her shirt. Her eyes fluttered open in surprise until his hands stopped moving, and slowly shut them again. After a few seconds, they started traveling up her back and stopped. As soon as she felt his fingers toying around with the hook on the back of her undergarments, she stopped abruptly and leaned away from him, nearly crushing his hand between her backbone and the wall.
"What are you doing..?" she said softly, as he removed his hand.
He looked shocked for a minute, and finally shook his head. "I'm sorry, Fae, I don't know what I was doing." He said, and backed away.
She didn't say anything, but only looked at her shoes. For a long time there was silence, as a question was itching at Fae's throat, like the only way to make it stop was to just ask it. She knew it was nothing of her concern, but she had to know. Finally, before she could stop herself, she blurted out:
"Draco, are you a virgin?"
She clasped a hand over her mouth and her eyes went wide. She could have sworn he turned a little pale himself. He stared at her with a blank expression for a while, and she swallowed.
"I'm sorry. It's absolutely none of my business. I don't know what came over me.just forget it," She said, mentally having to stop herself from rambling on.
He shook his head again. "No, no, it's completely fine. I guess you do have a right to know, you being my.." he never finished his sentence, and finally met her eyes. "No, Fae, I'm not a virgin."
She had to fight from gasping, as she literally bit her tongue. He wasn't? But he had only turned fifteen a few months ago.. he had to have been young when this happened. She completely steered away from the thought that he could have done this while he was with her, and thought about her other options. She didn't even want to ask when and with whom, as that was even worse than just asking if he was pure.
He didn't ask if she was or not, and hoped he didn't think that she wasn't a virgin. She had morals; although she had tried quite a few things in her time, and she had been on some Muggle drug a while ago, she was a virgin and had been completely clean ever since just before she got her acceptance letter for Hogwarts.
They didn't say much for a while, and Fae finally excused herself. There were no goodnight kisses that evening as she walked back to the common room. She could have been a film shot in slow motion; she was so lost in her thoughts she was unaware to how sluggishly she was moving down the corridors.
+ + +
March eventually turned into April. The twins really enjoyed this; April Fools Day was their favorite holiday, and they made sure to celebrate it to the fullest. Nose-Biting Teacups, Exploding Wands, Ton-Tongue Toffees, and some more of their original creations made their day all the better. Creations such as ones disguised as Bertie Bot's Beans that gave you nosebleeds, and Quills that turned into big, ugly toads-he used one of these on Ginny, and received a punch in the arm.
Fae was lucky that she hadn't been a victim at all that day. She hadn't spoken to Draco in almost a month now, and she finally decided to see what was up. She was tired of being alone, aside from Pluto and her guitar, and thought that she'd enjoy some of his company.
Just the thought of him lifted her spirits that Saturday morning, when she decided that she'd surprise him by showing up where he'd most likely be: the lake. However, as she got there, she wished she had never gone.
Tracy and Ron were standing at the edge, and she had him up against a tree. She couldn't really see him because she was directly behind the tree from afar. But she figured that's who she was all over, considering that's who she was always on. But as she got close enough, she heard voices.
"He's telling me everything, the little prat." She was saying, while laughing. Fae noticed that her voice was most definitely not a Southern American one any more. It sounded like any ordinary English accent; she guessed that she had acquired it from staying here. "I've got him wrapped around my little finger; he'll tell me anything I ask him to. Did you know Harry had a tremendous fear of the Dementors?"
The next voice she heard made her stop in her tracks. "I figured Potter was scared of them.he's always so panicky when they're even mentioned."
The person had just referred to Harry by his last name. Potter..Potter.. The voice echoed in her mind as she jumped behind a tree. Draco! She peered out behind her hiding place and saw that Tracy was, in fact, all over 'Draco'.
No, it can't be him! Tracy doesn't even know him! But he said he knew of her..
The more she thought about it, the more possible it seemed. What little thread of optimism she had left was finally cut when she saw Tracy grab onto his hands and pull him towards her. A flash of bleach blonde gleamed in the sun as she placed his hands on her hips. Fae swallowed the knot in her throat as a thousand thoughts and flashbacks came hurtling at her.
"Not here, love, someone might see us." He said, but kissed her neck any way.
"Oh, you know you want me," She teased. "Weasley thinks I'm asleep and he's studying. Besides, you've got your little 'girlfriend' around your finger too. Even if she did see us, she'd probably come begging you to take her back."
"Shh," he said, and put a finger to her lips.
She gave him a devilish look before closing her mouth around it and pulling it deep into her throat. His eyes glazed over and she pulled it out, and then ran her tongue up its length. Fae could only stare. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She felt like someone had just thrown a brick straight at her head, and everything was a blur. Everything he had ever told her had been a lie. He was only with her to get information on his rival. It all started to make sense: why he brought up Quidditch and Harry so much, why he asked about Tracy, how he knew about Harry's invisibility cloak, why he had been talking to a Gryffindor in the first place. The most heart-wrenching one was her sudden realization to just where his virginity had gone to: the perfect girl with the modeling face and body. And Fae was thoroughly disgusted with herself to say that she had fallen for him.
They were now kissing passionately: more passionately than he had ever kissed her. He was holding her close and running his hands through her hair, then he'd move over to her neck and she'd bite his ear. She suddenly wondered if this had been going on the entire time they were together: if he was always two-timing her, and she was always two-timing Ron.
Finally deciding that she couldn't watch any longer, she walked briskly back into the castle, fighting to not think about what she just had the displeasure of witnessing. But how could she not? The two of them together was a knife in her back, and every time she subconsciously replayed it in her mind, the knife twisted and drove in further. She wiped her face as she came into the Gryffindor common room. She was so sick of everyone seeing her cry. Seeing her weak. she hated looking weak in front of everyone: she wanted to be strong and she wanted everyone to think that she was strong.
There were quite a few people scattered throughout the room, but no one took too much notice to her when she entered with her head lowered. But as she made her way up the stairs, she heard the door swing open again and someone walk in after her. Just as she reached her door, she heard the sound of many papers spilling across the floor and then a voice, "Oh, bloody hell.."
Ron.
She had completely forgotten about him. He had been played too, and he was most likely unaware. He was whistling as he picked up the papers, signifying his good mood. There was no way he had found out about Tracy and Draco. Tracy and Draco..
Ron was going to have to find out about it some how. Even though he had treated her like dirt-lower, even-and she felt that he needed a serious reality check, she didn't want him to find out the hard way. Which, of course, would be to walk in on them as she had done. Although there was the possibility that he could walk in on them doing something much worse; she wouldn't put it past that little slut. But the thing that Fae really wanted to know the most was. Did Draco ever really love her?
She knew the answer, but she was far, far too afraid to admit it. So she would live in her own dream for a while, she decided. And figured that maybe she'd wake up and realize that was all it had been.
+ + +
Tracy hadn't said a word to Ron about any of this, and was still all over him in their Potions class. Her fake little accent was back, and she was playing the innocent country-belle girlfriend again. Fae kept quiet throughout the entire day, and she seemed in a daze. Although it wasn't much different than her normal appearance, people still noticed a change.
She couldn't even bring herself to look at Draco. Luckily, her inability to cry in public kept him unaware that she had found out. She felt his eyes on her a few times, but she kept her own glued to her paper, or her shoes if she was walking at the time. She knew she had to let him know some time, but she just wasn't strong enough right then.
She wasn't strong enough.. she was weak.
Violete seemed to notice the change in her. She came over to the table she shared with Hermione in Potions while Snape was busy chewing out some terrified Gryffindor Third-Years.
"Are you okay?" she asked. "You look really, really depressed."
Fae looked up at her, trying to hide her anger towards everyone and everything. She thought of what she would have liked to say: I'm fine, Violete! I just saw my boyfriend cheating on me with the one girl I can't stand. No, no, not Avril Lavigne, silly. Someone I loathe entirely; I'm talking about Tracy Carerre. Yeah, I saw her shove her tongue down his throat the other day, as well as his finger down hers. Yes, I know! I know! I knew she was a dirty thieving little slut, too! And I also realized that the entire time he was with me, and even before, they've been, yes, FUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF EACH OTHER-
"Fae!" Violete said, waving her hand in front of her eyes. She blinked, and Violete asked her question again.
"Oh..uh, yeah. I'm fine." That was probably the worst lie she had ever told. Violete stared right through her with a raised eyebrow. Fae glanced sideways at Hermione in panic. Violete nodded understandingly, assuming that she and Hermione had been in a fight and that's all it was. Oh, if it were only so.
+ + +
Professor Flitwick announced the detention that following Wednesday, in front of the entire class. It was to be held the next day. When he said this, Fae saw Ron tense up and his ears grow pink. He was obviously just as annoyed about this as she was. And now, after seeing what had happened with Draco and Tracy, she was going to have to put up with the second thing she hated more than anything in the world: him.
Thursday came all too soon, as Fae and Ron found themselves being lead around Hogwarts by Albus Dumbledore. They were lead into the Detention room and were instructed to sit side by side. Ron mumbled something and pulled out a random chair from a desk, and sat down, stubbornly folding his arms. Fae did so also, just as stubbornly. Dumbledore only smiled, and she began to grow uneasy: he looked like he had something evil planned. He politely asked them to each put the hand they don't write with up on the desktop. They did so, and he chuckled, commenting on how fortunate they were that Ron was left-handed, while Fae was right-handed. They gave each other a confused glance, before remembering that they were supposed to be angry at each other, and looked away stubbornly.
"Now." Dumbledore said. "I do not wish to hear any complaining. Rest assured, the both of you certainly deserve this." He took out his wand, and Fae thought for one wild moment that he was about to cut off their hands. Instead, he pointed it and muttered, "Evencio."
A thread of green sparks circled around their wrists, and shining green light bound their hands together. Their eyes widened as they realized what was going to happen. A whimper escaped Ron's throat as they started yanking their hands around, trying to break grip from the magical handcuffs. He pulled too hard as she stumbled to her feet, she being much shorter, and pulled back. They eventually ended up tripping and falling, as Ron looked up, panicked.
"It won't come off!"
Fae rolled her eyes. "It's not supposed to, dumb-ass." She retorted, and they both sat up.
He looked up nervously at Dumbledore, who only nodded at Fae. "She is correct, Ronald." He said, and she sniggered at his full name. The Headmaster looked at her, the sparkle in his eyes dying down, "Although I believe her cursing needs some work."
Now it was Ron's turn to laugh.
She ignored him. "Sir, how long are we going to be.." she lifted her hand and rattled it, as Ron's involuntarily did the same, "..stuck?"
"Until you can get along with each other." He said.
Ron wailed dramatically and dropped back down onto the floor. "We're going to be stuck like this forever!"
"Quit whining, you little prat." Fae glared, and they felt the handcuffs start to vibrate. They both looked down just as the chain connecting the two cuffs contracted abruptly, causing them to crack heads.
Ron painfully pressed his hand against where it had made contact with Fae. "You did that on purpose!" he shouted at the inanimate object binding their wrists. Fae opened her mouth to say something, but quickly shut it and just shook her head, not wanting another knock on her skull.
Dumbledore chuckled. "Ah, yes." He said, sounding quite pleased with himself. "I added some little surprises here and there. I'm sure you all know how you'll find them the hard way, so I would be careful to stay away from doing so, if I were in your place. But I'm not, of course." He chuckled again and turned his back to them, seeming to enjoy other peoples' misery.
"There's a spell on it for it to break as soon as one of you enters the bathrooms or dormitories, don't worry. But as soon as you step out of there it will go right back together. I wouldn't try to get into one of those rooms and run, either, because it would promptly drag you across the school grounds until you are connected again.
I assure you," he said, as he made his way towards the door. "Your rewards will be very, very beneficial." The door shut behind him, and Fae gave it the death glare.
There was a long silence, and then Fae finally spoke. "What does he want us to do..?"
She only received an angry shrug.
"Should we leave?"
He turned around and gave her the meanest look he could muster up, and then sighed irritably. "You realize this means we have to go everywhere together, right?"
"Not everywhere.."
He just looked at her like she was a worthless insect, and
She narrowed her eyes. If he was going to be a prat to her, she wasn't going to let him off easily, either. "Listen, Weasley-"
"What did you just call me?" he practically hissed.
She immediately shut her mouth, knowing she was in for it. Being around Draco, she had started calling he and Harry by their last names. Draco..
"You've been around Malfoy too much." He started. "Although I don't even see why you'd want to be around someone as self-centered and arrogant as him.." she looked up at him as if she wanted to rip his throat out. "What, now you don't want me talking bad about him? Did you stop him any time he called Hermione a mudblood? What about the countless times he's insulted Harry? Did you stop him then, or is he more important to you than-"
"Do you ever take a moment to consider?" she shouted, trying to inform him that she and Draco were no longer together without actually having to say it. Of course, he didn't get it, and only returned her question with a blank stare. "Forget it." She mumbled, "Let's just get out of here."
It was after dinner, and they had no classes for the rest of the day. The two headed up to the Gryffindor common room, where they could depart into their separate dormitories. Ron seemed to be worried that someone was going to see them-particularly Tracy-as they climbed up the stairs. They didn't say anything, but every time their hands or fingers touched they'd either glare at the other or sigh irritably.
They reached the fat lady and Ron muttered the password. Fae saw her looking them up and down and then glancing at the spell binding their hands together. Her portrait swung open as she tried to hide her laughter from them. They both rolled their eyes and were greeted by nearly the entire Gryffindor house seated in the common room. The two stopped awkwardly for a moment as Fred was grinning from ear to ear.
"McGonagall told us." He said, hiding a snicker. More echoed throughout the common room, and things only got even more awkward.
Ron raised his hand to flip him off, accidentally using the one that was bound to Fae. This, of course, only caused the others to laugh more. She snorted and dragged him up the stairs as she went into her dormitory. The chain connecting their handcuffs broke, but the cuffs themselves stayed on their wrists, as if reminding them what waited for them just when they step outside the dorms.
Fae checked the clock sitting on the small table by her bedside. It was only seven o'clock. She sighed and pulled out a piece of parchment to begin a letter home. She hadn't written one recently, and seemed like something to do. She wrote, putting on a mask of enjoying her year at Hogwarts, and leaving everything out about Draco. She did mention, however, her punishment with Ron and just what she had to do. Leaving out some sparing details that would probably get her into a lot of trouble, she read her letter over. Finally, she added a post-script (P.S.):
Da, I'm about to go crazy with all these complicated wizard sweets..they always run away or explode or something. Can you send me some good old Muggle candy, like some Poprocks? PLEASE.
She looked at her letter, satisfied with its contents, and pulled out her guitar from its case. She would send the letter to the owlry later. As she was doing so, she peered across the room. Pluto and Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, were curled up in the orange tabby cat's bed together, sleeping soundly. The corner of her mouth twitched in a lame attempt at a smile. Her shoving her pick in between her lips, however, soon covered it.
She would admit that she had really written the letter to take her mind off of Draco. And being attached to Ron for who knows how long just added on to the stress. She took out her notebook and decided that she'd have to get this out the best way she could: writing.
March 16 Ron's been trying to make things as hard as possible for me, although he's somewhat backed off lately. I can't stand that boy. He's never happy unless I'm unhappy. And what's worse, he doesn't even know what he thinks I did to him to make him hate me so much; he tries to cover it up like he just doesn't want to tell me, but I know he has no idea either. It's like he just picked me out of a crowd and decided 'hey, I'm going to hate this girl! All right! I'm so hardcore!' Believe it or not, stuff like what does to me actually stings. I can't think what's wrong with me. I know I like Draco; I like him a lot. But the last time I talked to him, which was a few weeks ago, it was like he didn't even care what I had to say. He was too engrossed in his Quidditch book. But I guess that's understandable.he's captain of the team. He has responsibility. It's no big deal. I think. I know I'm too easy; I know it.. I know it.. Faelyinne
Finally, she went running to him. She sent him in owl begging him to meet her in Hooch's room. She told him everything, about what Ron had said, what she had done with the wand, how angry she was, and that they'd have to serve detention together. She was so frustrated with everything that she was on the brim of tears. But she had this weird thing where even if she wanted to start crying in front of anyone-which she really didn't-she couldn't. If she had been already crying and saw someone, it wouldn't make a difference. But she couldn't just break down crying in front of everyone, which she was thankful for. She was too proud, too worried about looking weak in front of everyone.
After she had finished her story, Draco looked angry. "Weasley's going to get his ass kicked, if I can do something about it." He spat, narrowing his eyes. He seemed more concerned with if Ron was going to get his, rather than her entire story.
"No, don't do that.." she said, "I don't want you expelled."
His face softened somewhat, and he walked to her to wrap his icy arms around her tiny structure. She might as well have been lying in a snow bank, and she shivered. He kissed the top of her head and ran a pale finger down her face. Nothing was said. No words of comfort or anything, but she still felt considerably better. He left cold kisses down her neck, and she laughed mentally at the thought of instead of him ever leaving hickeys, leaving patches of ice on her throat and collarbone.
Somehow, she ended up sitting on a desk, as he leaned up against it and continued to kiss her. She found that she was against a wall, so she leaned back comfortably. He got closer to her and put his hands on her lower back, and started tracing the tip of his tongue at her collarbone. She let her head fall back and looked up at the ceiling, just glad that she had him to relieve her stress with.
She felt his hands moving, and then slide under the tail of her shirt. Her eyes fluttered open in surprise until his hands stopped moving, and slowly shut them again. After a few seconds, they started traveling up her back and stopped. As soon as she felt his fingers toying around with the hook on the back of her undergarments, she stopped abruptly and leaned away from him, nearly crushing his hand between her backbone and the wall.
"What are you doing..?" she said softly, as he removed his hand.
He looked shocked for a minute, and finally shook his head. "I'm sorry, Fae, I don't know what I was doing." He said, and backed away.
She didn't say anything, but only looked at her shoes. For a long time there was silence, as a question was itching at Fae's throat, like the only way to make it stop was to just ask it. She knew it was nothing of her concern, but she had to know. Finally, before she could stop herself, she blurted out:
"Draco, are you a virgin?"
She clasped a hand over her mouth and her eyes went wide. She could have sworn he turned a little pale himself. He stared at her with a blank expression for a while, and she swallowed.
"I'm sorry. It's absolutely none of my business. I don't know what came over me.just forget it," She said, mentally having to stop herself from rambling on.
He shook his head again. "No, no, it's completely fine. I guess you do have a right to know, you being my.." he never finished his sentence, and finally met her eyes. "No, Fae, I'm not a virgin."
She had to fight from gasping, as she literally bit her tongue. He wasn't? But he had only turned fifteen a few months ago.. he had to have been young when this happened. She completely steered away from the thought that he could have done this while he was with her, and thought about her other options. She didn't even want to ask when and with whom, as that was even worse than just asking if he was pure.
He didn't ask if she was or not, and hoped he didn't think that she wasn't a virgin. She had morals; although she had tried quite a few things in her time, and she had been on some Muggle drug a while ago, she was a virgin and had been completely clean ever since just before she got her acceptance letter for Hogwarts.
They didn't say much for a while, and Fae finally excused herself. There were no goodnight kisses that evening as she walked back to the common room. She could have been a film shot in slow motion; she was so lost in her thoughts she was unaware to how sluggishly she was moving down the corridors.
+ + +
March eventually turned into April. The twins really enjoyed this; April Fools Day was their favorite holiday, and they made sure to celebrate it to the fullest. Nose-Biting Teacups, Exploding Wands, Ton-Tongue Toffees, and some more of their original creations made their day all the better. Creations such as ones disguised as Bertie Bot's Beans that gave you nosebleeds, and Quills that turned into big, ugly toads-he used one of these on Ginny, and received a punch in the arm.
Fae was lucky that she hadn't been a victim at all that day. She hadn't spoken to Draco in almost a month now, and she finally decided to see what was up. She was tired of being alone, aside from Pluto and her guitar, and thought that she'd enjoy some of his company.
Just the thought of him lifted her spirits that Saturday morning, when she decided that she'd surprise him by showing up where he'd most likely be: the lake. However, as she got there, she wished she had never gone.
Tracy and Ron were standing at the edge, and she had him up against a tree. She couldn't really see him because she was directly behind the tree from afar. But she figured that's who she was all over, considering that's who she was always on. But as she got close enough, she heard voices.
"He's telling me everything, the little prat." She was saying, while laughing. Fae noticed that her voice was most definitely not a Southern American one any more. It sounded like any ordinary English accent; she guessed that she had acquired it from staying here. "I've got him wrapped around my little finger; he'll tell me anything I ask him to. Did you know Harry had a tremendous fear of the Dementors?"
The next voice she heard made her stop in her tracks. "I figured Potter was scared of them.he's always so panicky when they're even mentioned."
The person had just referred to Harry by his last name. Potter..Potter.. The voice echoed in her mind as she jumped behind a tree. Draco! She peered out behind her hiding place and saw that Tracy was, in fact, all over 'Draco'.
No, it can't be him! Tracy doesn't even know him! But he said he knew of her..
The more she thought about it, the more possible it seemed. What little thread of optimism she had left was finally cut when she saw Tracy grab onto his hands and pull him towards her. A flash of bleach blonde gleamed in the sun as she placed his hands on her hips. Fae swallowed the knot in her throat as a thousand thoughts and flashbacks came hurtling at her.
"Not here, love, someone might see us." He said, but kissed her neck any way.
"Oh, you know you want me," She teased. "Weasley thinks I'm asleep and he's studying. Besides, you've got your little 'girlfriend' around your finger too. Even if she did see us, she'd probably come begging you to take her back."
"Shh," he said, and put a finger to her lips.
She gave him a devilish look before closing her mouth around it and pulling it deep into her throat. His eyes glazed over and she pulled it out, and then ran her tongue up its length. Fae could only stare. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She felt like someone had just thrown a brick straight at her head, and everything was a blur. Everything he had ever told her had been a lie. He was only with her to get information on his rival. It all started to make sense: why he brought up Quidditch and Harry so much, why he asked about Tracy, how he knew about Harry's invisibility cloak, why he had been talking to a Gryffindor in the first place. The most heart-wrenching one was her sudden realization to just where his virginity had gone to: the perfect girl with the modeling face and body. And Fae was thoroughly disgusted with herself to say that she had fallen for him.
They were now kissing passionately: more passionately than he had ever kissed her. He was holding her close and running his hands through her hair, then he'd move over to her neck and she'd bite his ear. She suddenly wondered if this had been going on the entire time they were together: if he was always two-timing her, and she was always two-timing Ron.
Finally deciding that she couldn't watch any longer, she walked briskly back into the castle, fighting to not think about what she just had the displeasure of witnessing. But how could she not? The two of them together was a knife in her back, and every time she subconsciously replayed it in her mind, the knife twisted and drove in further. She wiped her face as she came into the Gryffindor common room. She was so sick of everyone seeing her cry. Seeing her weak. she hated looking weak in front of everyone: she wanted to be strong and she wanted everyone to think that she was strong.
There were quite a few people scattered throughout the room, but no one took too much notice to her when she entered with her head lowered. But as she made her way up the stairs, she heard the door swing open again and someone walk in after her. Just as she reached her door, she heard the sound of many papers spilling across the floor and then a voice, "Oh, bloody hell.."
Ron.
She had completely forgotten about him. He had been played too, and he was most likely unaware. He was whistling as he picked up the papers, signifying his good mood. There was no way he had found out about Tracy and Draco. Tracy and Draco..
Ron was going to have to find out about it some how. Even though he had treated her like dirt-lower, even-and she felt that he needed a serious reality check, she didn't want him to find out the hard way. Which, of course, would be to walk in on them as she had done. Although there was the possibility that he could walk in on them doing something much worse; she wouldn't put it past that little slut. But the thing that Fae really wanted to know the most was. Did Draco ever really love her?
She knew the answer, but she was far, far too afraid to admit it. So she would live in her own dream for a while, she decided. And figured that maybe she'd wake up and realize that was all it had been.
+ + +
Tracy hadn't said a word to Ron about any of this, and was still all over him in their Potions class. Her fake little accent was back, and she was playing the innocent country-belle girlfriend again. Fae kept quiet throughout the entire day, and she seemed in a daze. Although it wasn't much different than her normal appearance, people still noticed a change.
She couldn't even bring herself to look at Draco. Luckily, her inability to cry in public kept him unaware that she had found out. She felt his eyes on her a few times, but she kept her own glued to her paper, or her shoes if she was walking at the time. She knew she had to let him know some time, but she just wasn't strong enough right then.
She wasn't strong enough.. she was weak.
Violete seemed to notice the change in her. She came over to the table she shared with Hermione in Potions while Snape was busy chewing out some terrified Gryffindor Third-Years.
"Are you okay?" she asked. "You look really, really depressed."
Fae looked up at her, trying to hide her anger towards everyone and everything. She thought of what she would have liked to say: I'm fine, Violete! I just saw my boyfriend cheating on me with the one girl I can't stand. No, no, not Avril Lavigne, silly. Someone I loathe entirely; I'm talking about Tracy Carerre. Yeah, I saw her shove her tongue down his throat the other day, as well as his finger down hers. Yes, I know! I know! I knew she was a dirty thieving little slut, too! And I also realized that the entire time he was with me, and even before, they've been, yes, FUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF EACH OTHER-
"Fae!" Violete said, waving her hand in front of her eyes. She blinked, and Violete asked her question again.
"Oh..uh, yeah. I'm fine." That was probably the worst lie she had ever told. Violete stared right through her with a raised eyebrow. Fae glanced sideways at Hermione in panic. Violete nodded understandingly, assuming that she and Hermione had been in a fight and that's all it was. Oh, if it were only so.
+ + +
Professor Flitwick announced the detention that following Wednesday, in front of the entire class. It was to be held the next day. When he said this, Fae saw Ron tense up and his ears grow pink. He was obviously just as annoyed about this as she was. And now, after seeing what had happened with Draco and Tracy, she was going to have to put up with the second thing she hated more than anything in the world: him.
Thursday came all too soon, as Fae and Ron found themselves being lead around Hogwarts by Albus Dumbledore. They were lead into the Detention room and were instructed to sit side by side. Ron mumbled something and pulled out a random chair from a desk, and sat down, stubbornly folding his arms. Fae did so also, just as stubbornly. Dumbledore only smiled, and she began to grow uneasy: he looked like he had something evil planned. He politely asked them to each put the hand they don't write with up on the desktop. They did so, and he chuckled, commenting on how fortunate they were that Ron was left-handed, while Fae was right-handed. They gave each other a confused glance, before remembering that they were supposed to be angry at each other, and looked away stubbornly.
"Now." Dumbledore said. "I do not wish to hear any complaining. Rest assured, the both of you certainly deserve this." He took out his wand, and Fae thought for one wild moment that he was about to cut off their hands. Instead, he pointed it and muttered, "Evencio."
A thread of green sparks circled around their wrists, and shining green light bound their hands together. Their eyes widened as they realized what was going to happen. A whimper escaped Ron's throat as they started yanking their hands around, trying to break grip from the magical handcuffs. He pulled too hard as she stumbled to her feet, she being much shorter, and pulled back. They eventually ended up tripping and falling, as Ron looked up, panicked.
"It won't come off!"
Fae rolled her eyes. "It's not supposed to, dumb-ass." She retorted, and they both sat up.
He looked up nervously at Dumbledore, who only nodded at Fae. "She is correct, Ronald." He said, and she sniggered at his full name. The Headmaster looked at her, the sparkle in his eyes dying down, "Although I believe her cursing needs some work."
Now it was Ron's turn to laugh.
She ignored him. "Sir, how long are we going to be.." she lifted her hand and rattled it, as Ron's involuntarily did the same, "..stuck?"
"Until you can get along with each other." He said.
Ron wailed dramatically and dropped back down onto the floor. "We're going to be stuck like this forever!"
"Quit whining, you little prat." Fae glared, and they felt the handcuffs start to vibrate. They both looked down just as the chain connecting the two cuffs contracted abruptly, causing them to crack heads.
Ron painfully pressed his hand against where it had made contact with Fae. "You did that on purpose!" he shouted at the inanimate object binding their wrists. Fae opened her mouth to say something, but quickly shut it and just shook her head, not wanting another knock on her skull.
Dumbledore chuckled. "Ah, yes." He said, sounding quite pleased with himself. "I added some little surprises here and there. I'm sure you all know how you'll find them the hard way, so I would be careful to stay away from doing so, if I were in your place. But I'm not, of course." He chuckled again and turned his back to them, seeming to enjoy other peoples' misery.
"There's a spell on it for it to break as soon as one of you enters the bathrooms or dormitories, don't worry. But as soon as you step out of there it will go right back together. I wouldn't try to get into one of those rooms and run, either, because it would promptly drag you across the school grounds until you are connected again.
I assure you," he said, as he made his way towards the door. "Your rewards will be very, very beneficial." The door shut behind him, and Fae gave it the death glare.
There was a long silence, and then Fae finally spoke. "What does he want us to do..?"
She only received an angry shrug.
"Should we leave?"
He turned around and gave her the meanest look he could muster up, and then sighed irritably. "You realize this means we have to go everywhere together, right?"
"Not everywhere.."
He just looked at her like she was a worthless insect, and
She narrowed her eyes. If he was going to be a prat to her, she wasn't going to let him off easily, either. "Listen, Weasley-"
"What did you just call me?" he practically hissed.
She immediately shut her mouth, knowing she was in for it. Being around Draco, she had started calling he and Harry by their last names. Draco..
"You've been around Malfoy too much." He started. "Although I don't even see why you'd want to be around someone as self-centered and arrogant as him.." she looked up at him as if she wanted to rip his throat out. "What, now you don't want me talking bad about him? Did you stop him any time he called Hermione a mudblood? What about the countless times he's insulted Harry? Did you stop him then, or is he more important to you than-"
"Do you ever take a moment to consider?" she shouted, trying to inform him that she and Draco were no longer together without actually having to say it. Of course, he didn't get it, and only returned her question with a blank stare. "Forget it." She mumbled, "Let's just get out of here."
It was after dinner, and they had no classes for the rest of the day. The two headed up to the Gryffindor common room, where they could depart into their separate dormitories. Ron seemed to be worried that someone was going to see them-particularly Tracy-as they climbed up the stairs. They didn't say anything, but every time their hands or fingers touched they'd either glare at the other or sigh irritably.
They reached the fat lady and Ron muttered the password. Fae saw her looking them up and down and then glancing at the spell binding their hands together. Her portrait swung open as she tried to hide her laughter from them. They both rolled their eyes and were greeted by nearly the entire Gryffindor house seated in the common room. The two stopped awkwardly for a moment as Fred was grinning from ear to ear.
"McGonagall told us." He said, hiding a snicker. More echoed throughout the common room, and things only got even more awkward.
Ron raised his hand to flip him off, accidentally using the one that was bound to Fae. This, of course, only caused the others to laugh more. She snorted and dragged him up the stairs as she went into her dormitory. The chain connecting their handcuffs broke, but the cuffs themselves stayed on their wrists, as if reminding them what waited for them just when they step outside the dorms.
Fae checked the clock sitting on the small table by her bedside. It was only seven o'clock. She sighed and pulled out a piece of parchment to begin a letter home. She hadn't written one recently, and seemed like something to do. She wrote, putting on a mask of enjoying her year at Hogwarts, and leaving everything out about Draco. She did mention, however, her punishment with Ron and just what she had to do. Leaving out some sparing details that would probably get her into a lot of trouble, she read her letter over. Finally, she added a post-script (P.S.):
Da, I'm about to go crazy with all these complicated wizard sweets..they always run away or explode or something. Can you send me some good old Muggle candy, like some Poprocks? PLEASE.
She looked at her letter, satisfied with its contents, and pulled out her guitar from its case. She would send the letter to the owlry later. As she was doing so, she peered across the room. Pluto and Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, were curled up in the orange tabby cat's bed together, sleeping soundly. The corner of her mouth twitched in a lame attempt at a smile. Her shoving her pick in between her lips, however, soon covered it.
She would admit that she had really written the letter to take her mind off of Draco. And being attached to Ron for who knows how long just added on to the stress. She took out her notebook and decided that she'd have to get this out the best way she could: writing.