Chapter Seven: Falling through Glass
It had been more than a week since the minotaur's attack, and Draco was finally released from the hospital wing. His fellow Slytherins decided to throw a party in honor of the occasion. Alysia, not surprisingly, was not invited to join them. It didn't bother her very much; she would rather hang out with anyone but the Slytherins. It did, however, seem to bother Draco very much. So, she just pretended not to hear him complaining. She knew that, had the circumstances been different, he wouldn't have cared at all. Still, deciding not to let that fact or her exclusion from the party bother her, Alysia gave Draco an encouraging hug as he went off to celebrate. She needed to ask her mother some questions, anyway.
Lucius Malfoy had been back in the hospital wing several times that week, to Alysia's immense annoyance. She managed to avoid him as much as possible, using the times when he came to visit Draco as times to do homework or get something to eat. It also helped that the man came generally during class time. On the few occasions that she refused to leave, however, he seemed to take great pleasure in insinuating the worst things about Alysia's mother. At this point, she was both curious and fed up. Lucius Malfoy couldn't be telling the truth. . .could he? Alysia had to know.
It was yet another Saturday, two weeks since the fateful Quidditch match. After Quidditch practice, Alysia changed quickly, wished Draco luck at his party and hurried up to her mother's office. The door was closed, so she knocked tentatively. There was no answer. She paused for a second, contemplating whether or not she should go in then pushed the door open. It was quite disheartening to see her mother sitting at her desk, her face in her hands, weeping quietly. It was a scene very familiar to Alysia; for the twelve years her father was in Azkaban, her mother had wept like this very often.
"Mum?" she asked quietly. Her mother looked up, wiping tears from her face. "Are you alright? They didn't find Dad, did they. . .?" She trailed off noticing the huge black dog with its head in her mother's lap. He wagged his tail politely.
"No, Aly. It's nothing like that," her mother answered in a choked voice.
"No one's died, have they?" Alysia asked, now more confused than ever. Her mother shook her head and took a deep, wavering breath.
"Aly, sweetheart, I. . .I made some mistakes during my time here at Hogwart's," she said softly. "I never imagined they'd come back to haunt me after so much time. . ."
Alysia left the doorway and came to sit in one of her mother's overstuffed armchairs. She wasn't sure what to think. With another deep breath, her mother began.
"It was my fifth year-I was a year behind your father and his friends, but I adored them. Up until later that year, I'd assumed that they only thought of me as an endearing tagalong and nothing more." Anaral got a faraway look in her eyes. "I was impressed with James and Remus, and occasionally even with Peter. And Lily was just beautiful and everything I wanted to be. But Sirius. . .there was something more about him that I'd noticed. Something that made me look for him even when the other Marauders weren't around. I didn't know it until later that year, but he felt the same way about me.
Around mid-November, I was heading to class and Lucius Malfoy stepped in my way. Draco looks so much like he did. It was shocking; the first day I had him in class. Anyway, he told me that he'd overheard Sirius saying to James and Remus that he couldn't figure out why I always followed them around. He guessed I had a crush on him, but thought it was ridiculous as he thought I was disgusting. He was, in fact, planning on asking Heather Thomas-Dean's aunt-on a date."
Her mother paused as the black dog whimpered slightly and put his head on her lap. She turned teary eyes to him and scratched behind his ears.
"I had nothing else to go by. I loved your father so much that it blinded me. So I believed what Lucius said. I was brokenhearted and furious all at the same time. In my mind, your father had led me on. It was Lucius' idea. He tricked me into. . .into doing some. . .many things that I regretted with him. And it was not a one-time deal.
Lucius, you see, was very jealous of your father and James, in particular their skills on the Quidditch pitch and that Lily Evans held them in such high regard. He knew that Sirius had feelings for me, and he wanted to make him jealous. That year, he did. He made sure that Sirius saw us once or twice.
Somewhere in there, it was Lily who solved it all. I had somehow decided that she was involved in the whole thing. I'd refused to talk to her since Lucius had told me his lies about Sirius. She finally cornered me one day after classes one day and demanded to know why I was doing this to Sirius. 'You know he's crazy about you, Ana. Why are you rubbing you and Lucius' relationship in his face?'
I told her she was completely wrong, that Sirius was with Heather Thomas and that he had used me. Then Lily took me by the shoulders and said, 'Ana. Sirius has been in love with you from the day you came to this school.' I could tell she wasn't kidding by the way she said it. I burst into tears."
This is what Anaral did at that moment. Alysia wasn't quite sure what to do. Finally, she spoke up. "Well, Dad obviously forgave you, right?" she said in a voice that sounded oddly loud.
Her mother nodded, sniffling. "Oh, he did. But the damage had already been done, in Lucius' mind. He constantly rubbed it in both of our faces, and now. . ."
A knock at the door made them all jump. Sirius bared his teeth and growled as Lucius Malfoy sauntered in. Anaral made no move to get up, but Alysia jumped out of her seat, her wand gripped in her hand tightly. "Get away from my mother," she uttered, barely moving her lips, "or there won't be enough of you left to suggest you'd ever lived."
Lucius clucked his tongue. "So feisty, but I can assure you there will be no need for wands today. I simply came to bid you all a fond farewell," he drawled, an oily smile playing on his face. He gazed over the top of Alysia's head at her mother, who stared back at him through narrowed eyes. The dog at her feet was now standing, his teeth bared. As Lucius took a step forward, the dog barked loudly and he backed up, looking a bit startled. He bobbed his head to Alysia and Anaral then backed out of the room, the door slamming behind him. Sirius was back in human form immediately.
"Every time I see him, I could just. . ." he broke off as Anaral placed a hand on his arm.
"Sirius. I don't want you in Azkaban for another twelve years. Lucius is harmless-cruel, but harmless," she told him softly, but gave Alysia a warning glance as she spoke. A glance that said, "Be careful of that man, Alysia."
She didn't need to say it out loud. Alysia got the meaning very clearly and was still thinking about it that night at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. It was a full moon, and had she not been brought up in constant close contact with Remus Lupin, she would have feared the howls that filled the Forest. She had, however, and so felt completely safe to be walking along the edge of the Forest, completely unsure of what drew her there.
It was a typical late autumn night, the dry, dead leaves scratching against each other as the wind blew. Dark clouds scuttled across the full moon. It was the kind of night that scary stories are made of, and Alysia loved it. It was perfect thinking weather. Making sure not to seem even partway within the Forest, she made her way to the tree she'd been climbing since school began to write in her diary and think. As she approached the tree, something made her stop.
There was Draco Malfoy, sitting in what Alysia had deemed "her tree" watching her walk. He didn't look surprised to see her; in fact, he looked as if he'd been expecting her. And he was smiling.
"Hey," he said in a hushed voice. Alysia didn't answer or move from her position. Her dreams earlier that week and Lucius' visit that afternoon had awoken nervousness in her. Her hands reached for her wand, subconsciously. The cool wood comforted her. Draco looked confused.
"Are you alright?" he asked. "You look upset."
Alysia still didn't answer. She wasn't sure what to say. Was Draco just like his father? Was he simply using her? She didn't take her eyes off of him as he jumped down from the tree and recoiled when he reached for her. Now he looked concerned.
"Alysia, what's wrong?" he demanded, slowly. "Has my father been to see your mother again? What did he say this time?"
She finally spoke. "It's true, what he's been saying about my mother. It's all true," she choked on a lump in her throat. "It's all true." He reached for her again, but Alysia pulled back even further, covering her face with one hand and sobbing. Draco stared at her and finally spoke up quietly.
"I'm not my father, Alysia. He's a genius and all, but I'm not my father. I wouldn't hurt you like that," he told her in a firm voice. "I care about you."
"Why?" Alysia whispered. "Why do you care about me? If you only knew. . ."
"Knew what? Why would it matter? You're smart and beautiful and funny and you seem not to care what anyone thinks about you or who your friends are. That's why I care." Draco turned away and looked off into the woods, seemingly angry. "My father did this to you, didn't he?"
Alysia didn't answer. She didn't need to answer. Draco turned back around, and she let him hug her for a long moment. Finally, he pulled away, whispering, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Alysia pulled away. "You're not your father."
"You're right. I'm not," Draco answered, seeming as if he wanted to say more, but suddenly stopping and looking at Alysia's legs in a confused sort of way. "Why do they let you wear pants?"
Alysia laughed hoarsely. "There's no rule saying that girls must wear skirts. Most people don't realize this, but Mum made sure to read the handbook thoroughly before letting me come here." She and Draco chuckled and began to walk back to the school quietly.
"So what kind of relationship did our parents have while they were at Hogwart's?" Draco asked. "Is it as bad as my father says?"
"Worse," Alysia answered with a sigh. "But I don't really want to go into details right now. It's. . .complicated."
Draco nodded. "A lot of things are." He stooped and picked something off of the ground. "But we'll make sense of it." He silently slid something behind her ear. Alysia reached up and pulled out a snow-white flower. She stared at it open mouthed.
"A moonflower! Draco, these are incredibly rare!" she gasped, touching the petals tenderly.
"Huh. Fancy that," he answered, a smile playing on his lips. Alysia didn't even bother to hold back her smile. Moonflowers only bloomed in the late spring, and it was almost December. There was no way the flower could have been growing at this time of year. She had a funny feeling that Draco had planted the flower (no pun intended) at that spot to make it appear that it had been growing there all along. She twirled the flower between her thumb and forefinger thoughtfully.
"Did your father say anything about my father?" she asked suddenly, her voice sounding exceptionally loud as it broke the silence.
Draco shook his head. "No. He kept alluding to him, especially when we were mad at each other, saying stuff like, 'Be grateful I'm not like that girl's father.' But he'd never say it right out."
For once, Alysia felt a stab of gratitude towards Lucius Malfoy, but she wasn't satisfied yet. "What about Professor Snape? He said you talked to him when you were mad at me. . .did he say anything about my father?" she demanded breathlessly.
"Aly, why is this such a big deal? Why are you so worried about me finding out who your father is?" Draco exclaimed, loudly.
"Because. . .because you might not like me anymore if you knew!" Alysia cried back.
"Alysia!" Draco grabbed her by the arms, shouting. "Get it through your damned thick skull: I do not care who your father is! It doesn't matter if your father is the Minister of Magic or Sirius Black!" Alysia winced, hoping that Draco didn't notice. "I don't like you for your father or your mother, I like you for you!"
"Do you really mean that?" Alysia looked at him, her tone softening noticeably. "You don't care who my father is?"
"No, Alysia. I don't care who your father is. You're you." He stopped, realizing what he was saying. "And, I. . ."
Alysia had heard it, too. "So a person's parents and lineage don't matter, then," she said, smiling. "Not even if that person is Muggle-born, poor or a hero."
Draco scowled at the corner she'd backed him into, but Alysia just smiled at him. "It's okay. . .you don't have to admit it. . .yet." She winked at him and started walking again. Hearing Draco running behind her, she turned around, right into his embrace. Before she had a chance to react at all, he had covered her mouth with his own in a kiss more passionate than the one they'd shared in the hospital wing. He had meant to kiss her this time, and he didn't care if she knew it. She leaned into the kiss, putting her arms around his neck, feeling his breath on her cheeks, her neck. When they finally broke, Alysia was breathless and smiling.
"I've been wanting to do that since the beginning of the term," Draco admitted, his arms still around her waist. "Then why didn't you?" Alysia whispered.
"Timing wasn't right."
"It is now?"
"Yes."
He kissed her again, briefly, and they headed back up to the school.
By the date of her next Quidditch match, three weeks after the Gryffindor match, the entire school knew about Alysia and Draco. Opinions on the subject were varied. Ron was refusing to have anything to do with Alysia, though Harry and Hermione at least attempted to make friendly overtures. Moira and Susan had, thankfully, stopped bothering Alysia and now simply whispered behind their hands every time she passed. Most of the Slytherins were completely unsure what to make of the situation. Crabbe and Goyle were, naturally, supportive as Alysia suspected they were too stupid to do anything but agree with Draco. Pansy Parkinson, another sixth year with a face like a pug and an enormous crush on Draco, constantly made snide remarks to Alysia, who was fine with it, as long as the hexing didn't start again.
The problem came when Alysia found out that the Quidditch match was against Slytherin.
"Against Slytherin?" Hermione repeated when Alysia told her. "This could get ugly."
"You're telling me!" Alysia replied. She'd sneaked Hermione into the Hufflepuff girls' bedroom, as she needed someone to talk to, someone who wasn't her mother or father. Hermione seemed to be reserving judgment on her and Draco, for now, so Alysia felt comfortable with her. "I don't know what to do!"
"Maybe you'll tie again, like you and Harry did," Hermione suggested.
"Didn't he tell you? We agreed to tie on purpose," Alysia flopped down on her bed backwards. "Somehow, I don't think Draco will be too impressed with that idea."
Hermione smiled gently. "Well, then I guess you'll just have to play your absolute best. No one wants to see a Slytherin victory. . .well, except for the Slytherins of course."
Alysia gave a short laugh. "Do you think Draco will forgive me for winning?" she asked, jokingly. "But to completely change the subject, has Ron said anything positive about me in the last three weeks?"
"Not really. He mostly just avoids talking to you. Don't worry. . .he'll get over it. He thinks you're 'fraternizing with the enemy'. . .which is his way of saying that he's jealous." Hermione suddenly dropped her gaze and blushed. Alysia had a good idea of what was wrong.
"You know, Hermione, I think you and Ron would make a wonderful couple," she stated, smiling broadly.
Now Hermione's whole face had gone red. She looked at Alysia bitterly. "Try telling him that!" she exclaimed.
"Hermione, the boy adores you. I'll bet you ten galleons that you two will go on a date before next year," Alysia announced, sitting up again and regarding Hermione with a smile. Hermione looked at her for a moment, very seriously.
"All right," she said quietly. "I'll take that bet. And I'll bet you five of sickles and knuts that I will have a horrible time."
Alysia laughed again. "Alright. It's a deal!" She shook Hermione's hand heartily, and the two headed down to the banquet hall for supper.
The next morning dawned cold and raw, exactly the worst kind of Quidditch weather. By the time she'd flown out over the Quidditch pitch, Alysia's fingers were numb and red-raw. Looking across the pitch at Draco, perched atop an old Nimbus 2001, she noticed that he was warming his hands by rubbing them together and blowing on them. He gave her a cocky smile as the balls were released and the game began.
Only a few minutes into the game, Slytherin was ahead by twenty points. Alysia's ears had gone numb and she could barely see. She was shivering, her teeth were chattering, and her hands were so cold that she could barely keep hold on the broom, let alone catch the Snitch if it ever appeared. She wasn't sure, but everyone else looked pretty miserable as well. Draco was huddled on his broom as if trying to keep warm, and already, two of the Hufflepuff Chasers had landed and were heading to the hospital wing to warm up. Everything from the commentating to the cheers of the crowd was dull, as if coming from far away.
Suddenly, she heard a whirring near her ear. Without thinking, she reached up and grabbed the Snitch from the air, not daring to move or breathe, lest the Snitch escape her grasp. She thought she heard Sydney Jordan say something about the Snitch being caught and this being the shortest game of Quidditch ever, but she was too cold to do anything but shiver and grip her broom and the Snitch. By the time she'd landed, her fingers were too stiff to let go of the Snitch or her broom, so she just walked gingerly to the hospital wing with the rest of the players. Madam Pomfrey was performing warming spells on the entire Slytherin team already, and clucked over Alysia as she warmed her fingers. Draco shuffled over moments later.
"Jude's trying to call for a rematch," he stated colorlessly, rubbing his hands together. "But by the time we'd play, the weather would be so cold that we'd get frostbite five minutes into the game. I'm glad you caught the Snitch when you did. . .I'd stopped caring at that point."
Alysia's teeth had just stopped chattering. "Really? So you're not mad that you lost?"
"Annoyed, but not mad. You probably saved all of us from freezing to death. Though a rematch isn't completely out of the question. You warmed up yet?" He put an arm around her shoulders.
"Getting there," she admitted, spotting her mother walking towards her.
"Thank heavens you finished that game when you did," her mother greeted her with a hug. "Are you two alright?"
"Yes, Mum. We're fine," Alysia answered automatically.
"Good. Draco, if you don't mind, I'd like to talk to Aly alone." Anaral's tone didn't leaven any room for argument. Draco scowled, but still planted a kiss on Alysia's temple and left the room. Anaral stared after him. "Things seem to be going rather well for you two."
"They are, Mum. Please don't get angry about this. Draco isn't his father," Alysia began, but her mother put a hand on her shoulder and shook her head.
"Sweetie, I'm happy for you. Really." Anaral smiled. "You're happier than you've ever been, and that makes me happy."
"Oh. . .good," Alysia answered, feeling as confused as she must've looked. "What is it then?"
"Are you afraid of being hexed again?" Anaral's question cut straight to the bone. Alysia felt her stomach fill with lead at the memories that surfaced so quickly. She looked away.
"Yes. I am," she finally admitted, breathlessly.
"Is that why no one knows who you are?" Anaral continued the piercing questions. Alysia shrugged, not answering. "Aly, you can't keep hiding like this."
"Yes I can," Alysia muttered. "No one seems to care that I don't talk about Dad. They all probably assume that he died in some horrid accident or something."
"Alright. As long as you're happy, sweetie, whatever you do is fine. But remember. . .you're not helping yourself any by locking people out. Just because you were hurt once doesn't mean you'll be hurt again." Anaral kissed Alysia on the forehead. "I love you, Baby Girl. Get some rest."
Alysia complied, lying down as she watched her mother leave. Moments later, she fell sound asleep, her body warmed perfectly.
It felt like only seconds, but must have been hours later when she awoke. Long shadows had fallen across the hospital wing, and it would have been very peaceful if not for the screams out in the hallway. Alysia became acutely aware that something was very wrong. The other students in the hospital wing seemed to have noticed it as well and were trying to sit up in bed or leave the room. Madam Pomfrey was having a difficult time keeping them all in their beds. Before Alysia could even begin to leave her bed, however, the door burst open and people started flooding in, wailing and crying. Alysia began to sit up to get a better look when someone unexpectedly covered her mouth and nose with a cloth. As dizziness and sleepiness washed over her, she heard someone whisper in her ear.
"Now you'll be safe."
A/N: So where is Alysia going and who is taking her there? Keep reading more to find out. Thanks for all feedback. . .keep leaving it, it's very encouraging! Also, look for some new characters next chapter.
It had been more than a week since the minotaur's attack, and Draco was finally released from the hospital wing. His fellow Slytherins decided to throw a party in honor of the occasion. Alysia, not surprisingly, was not invited to join them. It didn't bother her very much; she would rather hang out with anyone but the Slytherins. It did, however, seem to bother Draco very much. So, she just pretended not to hear him complaining. She knew that, had the circumstances been different, he wouldn't have cared at all. Still, deciding not to let that fact or her exclusion from the party bother her, Alysia gave Draco an encouraging hug as he went off to celebrate. She needed to ask her mother some questions, anyway.
Lucius Malfoy had been back in the hospital wing several times that week, to Alysia's immense annoyance. She managed to avoid him as much as possible, using the times when he came to visit Draco as times to do homework or get something to eat. It also helped that the man came generally during class time. On the few occasions that she refused to leave, however, he seemed to take great pleasure in insinuating the worst things about Alysia's mother. At this point, she was both curious and fed up. Lucius Malfoy couldn't be telling the truth. . .could he? Alysia had to know.
It was yet another Saturday, two weeks since the fateful Quidditch match. After Quidditch practice, Alysia changed quickly, wished Draco luck at his party and hurried up to her mother's office. The door was closed, so she knocked tentatively. There was no answer. She paused for a second, contemplating whether or not she should go in then pushed the door open. It was quite disheartening to see her mother sitting at her desk, her face in her hands, weeping quietly. It was a scene very familiar to Alysia; for the twelve years her father was in Azkaban, her mother had wept like this very often.
"Mum?" she asked quietly. Her mother looked up, wiping tears from her face. "Are you alright? They didn't find Dad, did they. . .?" She trailed off noticing the huge black dog with its head in her mother's lap. He wagged his tail politely.
"No, Aly. It's nothing like that," her mother answered in a choked voice.
"No one's died, have they?" Alysia asked, now more confused than ever. Her mother shook her head and took a deep, wavering breath.
"Aly, sweetheart, I. . .I made some mistakes during my time here at Hogwart's," she said softly. "I never imagined they'd come back to haunt me after so much time. . ."
Alysia left the doorway and came to sit in one of her mother's overstuffed armchairs. She wasn't sure what to think. With another deep breath, her mother began.
"It was my fifth year-I was a year behind your father and his friends, but I adored them. Up until later that year, I'd assumed that they only thought of me as an endearing tagalong and nothing more." Anaral got a faraway look in her eyes. "I was impressed with James and Remus, and occasionally even with Peter. And Lily was just beautiful and everything I wanted to be. But Sirius. . .there was something more about him that I'd noticed. Something that made me look for him even when the other Marauders weren't around. I didn't know it until later that year, but he felt the same way about me.
Around mid-November, I was heading to class and Lucius Malfoy stepped in my way. Draco looks so much like he did. It was shocking; the first day I had him in class. Anyway, he told me that he'd overheard Sirius saying to James and Remus that he couldn't figure out why I always followed them around. He guessed I had a crush on him, but thought it was ridiculous as he thought I was disgusting. He was, in fact, planning on asking Heather Thomas-Dean's aunt-on a date."
Her mother paused as the black dog whimpered slightly and put his head on her lap. She turned teary eyes to him and scratched behind his ears.
"I had nothing else to go by. I loved your father so much that it blinded me. So I believed what Lucius said. I was brokenhearted and furious all at the same time. In my mind, your father had led me on. It was Lucius' idea. He tricked me into. . .into doing some. . .many things that I regretted with him. And it was not a one-time deal.
Lucius, you see, was very jealous of your father and James, in particular their skills on the Quidditch pitch and that Lily Evans held them in such high regard. He knew that Sirius had feelings for me, and he wanted to make him jealous. That year, he did. He made sure that Sirius saw us once or twice.
Somewhere in there, it was Lily who solved it all. I had somehow decided that she was involved in the whole thing. I'd refused to talk to her since Lucius had told me his lies about Sirius. She finally cornered me one day after classes one day and demanded to know why I was doing this to Sirius. 'You know he's crazy about you, Ana. Why are you rubbing you and Lucius' relationship in his face?'
I told her she was completely wrong, that Sirius was with Heather Thomas and that he had used me. Then Lily took me by the shoulders and said, 'Ana. Sirius has been in love with you from the day you came to this school.' I could tell she wasn't kidding by the way she said it. I burst into tears."
This is what Anaral did at that moment. Alysia wasn't quite sure what to do. Finally, she spoke up. "Well, Dad obviously forgave you, right?" she said in a voice that sounded oddly loud.
Her mother nodded, sniffling. "Oh, he did. But the damage had already been done, in Lucius' mind. He constantly rubbed it in both of our faces, and now. . ."
A knock at the door made them all jump. Sirius bared his teeth and growled as Lucius Malfoy sauntered in. Anaral made no move to get up, but Alysia jumped out of her seat, her wand gripped in her hand tightly. "Get away from my mother," she uttered, barely moving her lips, "or there won't be enough of you left to suggest you'd ever lived."
Lucius clucked his tongue. "So feisty, but I can assure you there will be no need for wands today. I simply came to bid you all a fond farewell," he drawled, an oily smile playing on his face. He gazed over the top of Alysia's head at her mother, who stared back at him through narrowed eyes. The dog at her feet was now standing, his teeth bared. As Lucius took a step forward, the dog barked loudly and he backed up, looking a bit startled. He bobbed his head to Alysia and Anaral then backed out of the room, the door slamming behind him. Sirius was back in human form immediately.
"Every time I see him, I could just. . ." he broke off as Anaral placed a hand on his arm.
"Sirius. I don't want you in Azkaban for another twelve years. Lucius is harmless-cruel, but harmless," she told him softly, but gave Alysia a warning glance as she spoke. A glance that said, "Be careful of that man, Alysia."
She didn't need to say it out loud. Alysia got the meaning very clearly and was still thinking about it that night at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. It was a full moon, and had she not been brought up in constant close contact with Remus Lupin, she would have feared the howls that filled the Forest. She had, however, and so felt completely safe to be walking along the edge of the Forest, completely unsure of what drew her there.
It was a typical late autumn night, the dry, dead leaves scratching against each other as the wind blew. Dark clouds scuttled across the full moon. It was the kind of night that scary stories are made of, and Alysia loved it. It was perfect thinking weather. Making sure not to seem even partway within the Forest, she made her way to the tree she'd been climbing since school began to write in her diary and think. As she approached the tree, something made her stop.
There was Draco Malfoy, sitting in what Alysia had deemed "her tree" watching her walk. He didn't look surprised to see her; in fact, he looked as if he'd been expecting her. And he was smiling.
"Hey," he said in a hushed voice. Alysia didn't answer or move from her position. Her dreams earlier that week and Lucius' visit that afternoon had awoken nervousness in her. Her hands reached for her wand, subconsciously. The cool wood comforted her. Draco looked confused.
"Are you alright?" he asked. "You look upset."
Alysia still didn't answer. She wasn't sure what to say. Was Draco just like his father? Was he simply using her? She didn't take her eyes off of him as he jumped down from the tree and recoiled when he reached for her. Now he looked concerned.
"Alysia, what's wrong?" he demanded, slowly. "Has my father been to see your mother again? What did he say this time?"
She finally spoke. "It's true, what he's been saying about my mother. It's all true," she choked on a lump in her throat. "It's all true." He reached for her again, but Alysia pulled back even further, covering her face with one hand and sobbing. Draco stared at her and finally spoke up quietly.
"I'm not my father, Alysia. He's a genius and all, but I'm not my father. I wouldn't hurt you like that," he told her in a firm voice. "I care about you."
"Why?" Alysia whispered. "Why do you care about me? If you only knew. . ."
"Knew what? Why would it matter? You're smart and beautiful and funny and you seem not to care what anyone thinks about you or who your friends are. That's why I care." Draco turned away and looked off into the woods, seemingly angry. "My father did this to you, didn't he?"
Alysia didn't answer. She didn't need to answer. Draco turned back around, and she let him hug her for a long moment. Finally, he pulled away, whispering, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Alysia pulled away. "You're not your father."
"You're right. I'm not," Draco answered, seeming as if he wanted to say more, but suddenly stopping and looking at Alysia's legs in a confused sort of way. "Why do they let you wear pants?"
Alysia laughed hoarsely. "There's no rule saying that girls must wear skirts. Most people don't realize this, but Mum made sure to read the handbook thoroughly before letting me come here." She and Draco chuckled and began to walk back to the school quietly.
"So what kind of relationship did our parents have while they were at Hogwart's?" Draco asked. "Is it as bad as my father says?"
"Worse," Alysia answered with a sigh. "But I don't really want to go into details right now. It's. . .complicated."
Draco nodded. "A lot of things are." He stooped and picked something off of the ground. "But we'll make sense of it." He silently slid something behind her ear. Alysia reached up and pulled out a snow-white flower. She stared at it open mouthed.
"A moonflower! Draco, these are incredibly rare!" she gasped, touching the petals tenderly.
"Huh. Fancy that," he answered, a smile playing on his lips. Alysia didn't even bother to hold back her smile. Moonflowers only bloomed in the late spring, and it was almost December. There was no way the flower could have been growing at this time of year. She had a funny feeling that Draco had planted the flower (no pun intended) at that spot to make it appear that it had been growing there all along. She twirled the flower between her thumb and forefinger thoughtfully.
"Did your father say anything about my father?" she asked suddenly, her voice sounding exceptionally loud as it broke the silence.
Draco shook his head. "No. He kept alluding to him, especially when we were mad at each other, saying stuff like, 'Be grateful I'm not like that girl's father.' But he'd never say it right out."
For once, Alysia felt a stab of gratitude towards Lucius Malfoy, but she wasn't satisfied yet. "What about Professor Snape? He said you talked to him when you were mad at me. . .did he say anything about my father?" she demanded breathlessly.
"Aly, why is this such a big deal? Why are you so worried about me finding out who your father is?" Draco exclaimed, loudly.
"Because. . .because you might not like me anymore if you knew!" Alysia cried back.
"Alysia!" Draco grabbed her by the arms, shouting. "Get it through your damned thick skull: I do not care who your father is! It doesn't matter if your father is the Minister of Magic or Sirius Black!" Alysia winced, hoping that Draco didn't notice. "I don't like you for your father or your mother, I like you for you!"
"Do you really mean that?" Alysia looked at him, her tone softening noticeably. "You don't care who my father is?"
"No, Alysia. I don't care who your father is. You're you." He stopped, realizing what he was saying. "And, I. . ."
Alysia had heard it, too. "So a person's parents and lineage don't matter, then," she said, smiling. "Not even if that person is Muggle-born, poor or a hero."
Draco scowled at the corner she'd backed him into, but Alysia just smiled at him. "It's okay. . .you don't have to admit it. . .yet." She winked at him and started walking again. Hearing Draco running behind her, she turned around, right into his embrace. Before she had a chance to react at all, he had covered her mouth with his own in a kiss more passionate than the one they'd shared in the hospital wing. He had meant to kiss her this time, and he didn't care if she knew it. She leaned into the kiss, putting her arms around his neck, feeling his breath on her cheeks, her neck. When they finally broke, Alysia was breathless and smiling.
"I've been wanting to do that since the beginning of the term," Draco admitted, his arms still around her waist. "Then why didn't you?" Alysia whispered.
"Timing wasn't right."
"It is now?"
"Yes."
He kissed her again, briefly, and they headed back up to the school.
By the date of her next Quidditch match, three weeks after the Gryffindor match, the entire school knew about Alysia and Draco. Opinions on the subject were varied. Ron was refusing to have anything to do with Alysia, though Harry and Hermione at least attempted to make friendly overtures. Moira and Susan had, thankfully, stopped bothering Alysia and now simply whispered behind their hands every time she passed. Most of the Slytherins were completely unsure what to make of the situation. Crabbe and Goyle were, naturally, supportive as Alysia suspected they were too stupid to do anything but agree with Draco. Pansy Parkinson, another sixth year with a face like a pug and an enormous crush on Draco, constantly made snide remarks to Alysia, who was fine with it, as long as the hexing didn't start again.
The problem came when Alysia found out that the Quidditch match was against Slytherin.
"Against Slytherin?" Hermione repeated when Alysia told her. "This could get ugly."
"You're telling me!" Alysia replied. She'd sneaked Hermione into the Hufflepuff girls' bedroom, as she needed someone to talk to, someone who wasn't her mother or father. Hermione seemed to be reserving judgment on her and Draco, for now, so Alysia felt comfortable with her. "I don't know what to do!"
"Maybe you'll tie again, like you and Harry did," Hermione suggested.
"Didn't he tell you? We agreed to tie on purpose," Alysia flopped down on her bed backwards. "Somehow, I don't think Draco will be too impressed with that idea."
Hermione smiled gently. "Well, then I guess you'll just have to play your absolute best. No one wants to see a Slytherin victory. . .well, except for the Slytherins of course."
Alysia gave a short laugh. "Do you think Draco will forgive me for winning?" she asked, jokingly. "But to completely change the subject, has Ron said anything positive about me in the last three weeks?"
"Not really. He mostly just avoids talking to you. Don't worry. . .he'll get over it. He thinks you're 'fraternizing with the enemy'. . .which is his way of saying that he's jealous." Hermione suddenly dropped her gaze and blushed. Alysia had a good idea of what was wrong.
"You know, Hermione, I think you and Ron would make a wonderful couple," she stated, smiling broadly.
Now Hermione's whole face had gone red. She looked at Alysia bitterly. "Try telling him that!" she exclaimed.
"Hermione, the boy adores you. I'll bet you ten galleons that you two will go on a date before next year," Alysia announced, sitting up again and regarding Hermione with a smile. Hermione looked at her for a moment, very seriously.
"All right," she said quietly. "I'll take that bet. And I'll bet you five of sickles and knuts that I will have a horrible time."
Alysia laughed again. "Alright. It's a deal!" She shook Hermione's hand heartily, and the two headed down to the banquet hall for supper.
The next morning dawned cold and raw, exactly the worst kind of Quidditch weather. By the time she'd flown out over the Quidditch pitch, Alysia's fingers were numb and red-raw. Looking across the pitch at Draco, perched atop an old Nimbus 2001, she noticed that he was warming his hands by rubbing them together and blowing on them. He gave her a cocky smile as the balls were released and the game began.
Only a few minutes into the game, Slytherin was ahead by twenty points. Alysia's ears had gone numb and she could barely see. She was shivering, her teeth were chattering, and her hands were so cold that she could barely keep hold on the broom, let alone catch the Snitch if it ever appeared. She wasn't sure, but everyone else looked pretty miserable as well. Draco was huddled on his broom as if trying to keep warm, and already, two of the Hufflepuff Chasers had landed and were heading to the hospital wing to warm up. Everything from the commentating to the cheers of the crowd was dull, as if coming from far away.
Suddenly, she heard a whirring near her ear. Without thinking, she reached up and grabbed the Snitch from the air, not daring to move or breathe, lest the Snitch escape her grasp. She thought she heard Sydney Jordan say something about the Snitch being caught and this being the shortest game of Quidditch ever, but she was too cold to do anything but shiver and grip her broom and the Snitch. By the time she'd landed, her fingers were too stiff to let go of the Snitch or her broom, so she just walked gingerly to the hospital wing with the rest of the players. Madam Pomfrey was performing warming spells on the entire Slytherin team already, and clucked over Alysia as she warmed her fingers. Draco shuffled over moments later.
"Jude's trying to call for a rematch," he stated colorlessly, rubbing his hands together. "But by the time we'd play, the weather would be so cold that we'd get frostbite five minutes into the game. I'm glad you caught the Snitch when you did. . .I'd stopped caring at that point."
Alysia's teeth had just stopped chattering. "Really? So you're not mad that you lost?"
"Annoyed, but not mad. You probably saved all of us from freezing to death. Though a rematch isn't completely out of the question. You warmed up yet?" He put an arm around her shoulders.
"Getting there," she admitted, spotting her mother walking towards her.
"Thank heavens you finished that game when you did," her mother greeted her with a hug. "Are you two alright?"
"Yes, Mum. We're fine," Alysia answered automatically.
"Good. Draco, if you don't mind, I'd like to talk to Aly alone." Anaral's tone didn't leaven any room for argument. Draco scowled, but still planted a kiss on Alysia's temple and left the room. Anaral stared after him. "Things seem to be going rather well for you two."
"They are, Mum. Please don't get angry about this. Draco isn't his father," Alysia began, but her mother put a hand on her shoulder and shook her head.
"Sweetie, I'm happy for you. Really." Anaral smiled. "You're happier than you've ever been, and that makes me happy."
"Oh. . .good," Alysia answered, feeling as confused as she must've looked. "What is it then?"
"Are you afraid of being hexed again?" Anaral's question cut straight to the bone. Alysia felt her stomach fill with lead at the memories that surfaced so quickly. She looked away.
"Yes. I am," she finally admitted, breathlessly.
"Is that why no one knows who you are?" Anaral continued the piercing questions. Alysia shrugged, not answering. "Aly, you can't keep hiding like this."
"Yes I can," Alysia muttered. "No one seems to care that I don't talk about Dad. They all probably assume that he died in some horrid accident or something."
"Alright. As long as you're happy, sweetie, whatever you do is fine. But remember. . .you're not helping yourself any by locking people out. Just because you were hurt once doesn't mean you'll be hurt again." Anaral kissed Alysia on the forehead. "I love you, Baby Girl. Get some rest."
Alysia complied, lying down as she watched her mother leave. Moments later, she fell sound asleep, her body warmed perfectly.
It felt like only seconds, but must have been hours later when she awoke. Long shadows had fallen across the hospital wing, and it would have been very peaceful if not for the screams out in the hallway. Alysia became acutely aware that something was very wrong. The other students in the hospital wing seemed to have noticed it as well and were trying to sit up in bed or leave the room. Madam Pomfrey was having a difficult time keeping them all in their beds. Before Alysia could even begin to leave her bed, however, the door burst open and people started flooding in, wailing and crying. Alysia began to sit up to get a better look when someone unexpectedly covered her mouth and nose with a cloth. As dizziness and sleepiness washed over her, she heard someone whisper in her ear.
"Now you'll be safe."
A/N: So where is Alysia going and who is taking her there? Keep reading more to find out. Thanks for all feedback. . .keep leaving it, it's very encouraging! Also, look for some new characters next chapter.
