Chap 18-
Pike's mind shot to Eden, 'My god,' he thought, 'I need to see her.'
He glanced at Estelle, and then to Lee. They both looked much better, and
he decided that he wouldn't be needed anyway, he'd only get in the way. He
nodded at Airykkaa and she smiled, she had been working in the infirmary
for weeks now.
"GO!" she shouted, "I'll handle this." Her smile was wide and pearly
white.
Surprised at the force and commanding in his sisters voice, he nodded
and left. She wouldn't even be up yet, and he was exhausted. He ran to
Gryffindor tower as fast as he could, not knowing how long it took him to
get there, although it seemed ages. He looked at the portrait of the Fat
Lady, who woke with a start as he sank to the floor.
"Good lord my dear! Have you been up all night?" She asked, but was
sympathetic all the same, "Viola told me what happened to your friend, my
dear. You have my sympathies." She was being sincere.
"Thank you." Pike said, his voice cracking with tiredness. "What
time..." he tried to ask, but the Fat Lady cut him off.
"Will Eden come out? Not to worry dear, she'll only be about another
ten minutes." she said, making Pike smile, although he was weary.
He was delighted when about ten minutes later the painting creaked
open, and Eden came out of it, right on time. The Gryffindor boy with the
black hair beside her, and a knot immediately grew in his stomach. He
stood up off of his place on the floor, and crept up behind her. She
hadn't noticed him yet, and he smiled. Eden Jumped as she felt Pike's arms
slide around her waist and spin her around. "Eden.." she stared, but it
seemed today was a day for being interrupted.
"Oh it's you... What are you doing here?" she said, slightly amused,
although quite puzzled.
"Look... I..." he couldn't seem to find words, but no matter, he was
cut off again.
"Oh my god Pike! Have you been up all night?" she screeched, seeing
his bloodshot eyes and weary face.
To her extreme puzzlement he smiled and nodded, "I didn't sleep much
the night before either, lots to think about." his attention suddenly
turned to the Gryffindor boy, who was still standing there watching, as if
Pike shouldn't be there, "Do you mind?!" Pike screeched.
Eden jumped at the annoyance in his voice. But she noticed Pike was
nervous about something, the Gryffindor boy looked at Pike with utter
disgust, "See ya at breakfast Eden." he said, and walked away.
"Sure thing Ray." she called back, and then turned her attention to
Pike, "What is it?" she asked softly.
"Estelle and Lee both almost died last night." Pike started, Eden
looked confused as to how any of this could relate to her, "Eden... I saw
the pain on Estelle's face, and I knew why Lee wanted to kill himself. He
couldn't bear to lose her." Pike stopped, not knowing how to put his words
together.
"Pike, well... If they're fine, then there's nothing to worry about."
She said, trying to reassure him.
"No, it's not that..." he started, his voice cracking, and he took
her hands gently in his, "When I saw Estelle laying there," his voice
cracked loudly and he strained to get himself back together, "there was a
moment when I saw you in that bed. It tore me up." he said, shaking his
head.
"Well it wasn't me." she smiled, "And I'm fine!"
"Eden, I need to know..." Pike said, his voice calm and still at
last, "Are we or are we not together?"
Eden's eyes grew wide and she blinked with surprise, and after a
moment she finally managed to get words out " What?"
"Are we together or not? A couple?" Pike asked again, calmly but
clearly, forcing himself not to clutch at her hands.
"I don't know, " she said, " I mean... are we?" for a moment she
stopped thinking, "... yes." she finished, nodding.
Pike sighed in relief, relief that he had not felt in almost twenty-
four hours. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him, and
gently kissed her forehead, and whispered, "Thank you." He held her in his
arms for a few moments before Harry Potter Exited the portrait of the fat
lady, and stared at them with extreme disgust. "Eden... You're going to be
late for breakfast, you better come on." he hissed.
She nodded, and looked over to Pike, "He's right, we'd better go."
"I have to go back to the infirmary, I just came up here to talk to
you." he said, sounding rather unhappy about not being able to stay in her
presence.
She smiled and nodded, she knew he was needed else where and she
walked down the steps, smacking Potter in the back of the head on the way
down. Pike burst into laughter. And neither noticed Blaise Zahbini at
the bottom of the steps, watching with a growing fury.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~
Walking back to the infirmary, he wished he didn't have to go back. He wished that he could spend some time with Eden. When he entered the infirmary, Airykkaa was helping Madame Pomfrey with her duties, that of course had now multiplied. "Go get something to eat..." Pike started, staring at his sister and taking in the exhausted expression, "Go spend a little time with Draco." "But I'm need..." she started, but she was almost immediately cut off. "You need some good food and some rest." Pike said, his voice level and calm. Airykkaa nodded. "But first... can you take this to Eden?" he asked as he scribbled on a small piece of paper and folded it up. "Of course." Airykkaa said, sounding thoughtful and concerned. "GO! Food! Now!" Pike hissed, and then chuckled as Airykkaa sped out of the infirmary.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~
Airykkaa carried the note to the great hall, and the thought of reading it never once crossed her mind. She opened the doors to the great hall, and instead of going straight to the Slytherin table... she walked over to the Gryffindors. Her eyes fixed onto Eden as she evaluated her, wondered if this girl would toss her brother as easily as everyone else did. She tossed the note over to Eden, and waited until she saw Eden take the note to turn away. She did turn, and she headed back over to the Slytherin table, noticing Draco looking quiet aggravated and sullen. She stood behind him for a moment, then gently tapped him on the shoulder, although exhausted she smiled, and his eyes widened and a grin crept across his face. "Hey angel!" he cooed, making room for Airykkaa. "I missed you." he whispered in her ear, and she smiled. "I missed you too." Airykkaa replied, letting him wrap his arms around her and caress her back and sides. A grin grew over her face, and she relaxed. She grabbed his fork and ate a small piece of the sausage off of his plate. He mocked at being offended but failed utterly and giggled. "You look exhausted." he said, running his fingers through her hair, his voice dripped with concern. "I feel it too." she tried to laugh back. Exhausted was not the word for it. She cuddled up against him and relaxed, wanting to go to sleep, wanting him to not have to go. "I'm going to sleep in the dorm tonight, and probably half the day too." she said quietly. "Well I'll see you after classes then?" he asked. "No, you'll see me IN classes." she said, "I can't miss anymore class. I can't afford it." and she sighed, feeling the warmth of his body as she laid against him. Draco was amazed, how could she possibly go to classes like this? His question was answered when she pulled out a small vial of a light violet fluid, and drank it. He figured it was some kind of awakening potion, although what kind, he did not know. The small bell rang and they all crept slowly out of the great hall. Draco keeping his arm around Airykkaa, not noticing Jasper and Ray behind them, giggling like idiots.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~
Pike waited by the small statue of a witch, in the witches tower of the castle. Why wasn't she here already? Surely Airykkaa gave her the note? He almost laughed in relief as he heard footsteps pound down the corridor. Eden stepped into view, smiling, and her eyes twinkling. "It took Airykkaa THAT long to give you that note?" he mocked at a whine. "I didn't know hr and Malfoy were seriously dating!" she gasped, trying to catch her breath. Pike's eyebrow arced in amusement, and then he thought of the other girls Malfoy had dallied about with, "Yeah, and if her hurts my sister..." he growled, "I'll rip his heartstrings out and strangle him with 'em" he laughed, but he was being dead serious. "So what did you wanna meet me here for?" Eden asked, raising her eyebrows questioningly. "Just to see you!" he laughed, and wrapped his hand around hers. Eden went on to tell him about how her dad got into an accident, and then "If we don't get an owl in the next day or two, I wont be alone over Christmas." she said, biting her lip and looking a little worried. "You wouldn't be alone anyway." Pike said, turning to look at her and brush one of her bangs out of her face. Eden's eyes grew wide, "Were you staying too?", she said, seeming stunned at the notion. "It's not like I have anywhere else to go." He sighed. Eden nodded and was about to change the topic when Pike's mood changed, he began to tell her of a plot between Shaylee and Tyler, two particularly nasty Slytherins. He knew they were planning a rather nasty prank on Eden, but he didn't know exactly what. He told her to stay away from them and to watch herself, and after much arguing and awkwardness, Eden agreed. He clutched her hand a little tighter and lead her into another corridor, light coming from a window far down the hallway. As they turned a small corner the course of light was in full view; an old glass window that at one time WAS stained with deep and rich colors, a streak of violet here, and an evergreen here Pike noted. But now the glass was seemingly clean, the colors long faded from the thick and elegant glass. "Look." Pike simply said, pointing out the window and down. What Eden saw took her breath away, and as many times as Pike had seen it, it still took his as well. The entirety of the rest of the castle could almost all be seen. from the hills and woods beyond, to the quidditch field. A thin layer of mist encircled a few high risen parts of parapets of the castle, small thin flags waving elegantly in the early morning breeze. The moat, which was an eerie shade of black most of the time, glittered a sparkling blue from their height. Both of them were silent for a few moments, taking in the entire sight. "Pike?" Eden gasped, not able to find the rest of her words. "I know. I wanted to show you it to you." he said, taking her hand in his. "This is..." she said, her face fully concentrating on here words, "This is beautiful." Her eyes grew wide as she still tried to take in the scenery. Pike smiled and slid one of the small panes of the window open, letting a current of fresh morning breeze flow into the hallway. He looked down toward Eden and smiled, leaned a little closer to her, and then felt a sharp movement of air and noticed that there were several spikes not and inch from his eyes. Eden gasped and shrieked, "Shit! I'm almost late for potions!" She threw her arms around him in a quick embrace, and sprinted down the hallway, nearly falling over once with the shifting weight of her book-bag. Pike stood at the window, stunned and then thinking at the hilarity of it, burst into a mad fit of laughter. He definitely thought Eden was a little of what his father called 'off,' but maybe that was what he liked about her so much. He started toward the other end of the corridor, not wanting to go past any of the classes that he was supposed to be in at the moment. His thoughts drifted and he never even noticed as his foot became lodged in a rather large crack in the floor. He tumbled to the ground and felt sharp pain as his head smacked against the cold concrete stone floor. He felt a small warm trickle down his forehead and heard it dripping onto the floor as darkness swept over him on swift wings.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~
Walking back to the infirmary, he wished he didn't have to go back. He wished that he could spend some time with Eden. When he entered the infirmary, Airykkaa was helping Madame Pomfrey with her duties, that of course had now multiplied. "Go get something to eat..." Pike started, staring at his sister and taking in the exhausted expression, "Go spend a little time with Draco." "But I'm need..." she started, but she was almost immediately cut off. "You need some good food and some rest." Pike said, his voice level and calm. Airykkaa nodded. "But first... can you take this to Eden?" he asked as he scribbled on a small piece of paper and folded it up. "Of course." Airykkaa said, sounding thoughtful and concerned. "GO! Food! Now!" Pike hissed, and then chuckled as Airykkaa sped out of the infirmary.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~
Airykkaa carried the note to the great hall, and the thought of reading it never once crossed her mind. She opened the doors to the great hall, and instead of going straight to the Slytherin table... she walked over to the Gryffindors. Her eyes fixed onto Eden as she evaluated her, wondered if this girl would toss her brother as easily as everyone else did. She tossed the note over to Eden, and waited until she saw Eden take the note to turn away. She did turn, and she headed back over to the Slytherin table, noticing Draco looking quiet aggravated and sullen. She stood behind him for a moment, then gently tapped him on the shoulder, although exhausted she smiled, and his eyes widened and a grin crept across his face. "Hey angel!" he cooed, making room for Airykkaa. "I missed you." he whispered in her ear, and she smiled. "I missed you too." Airykkaa replied, letting him wrap his arms around her and caress her back and sides. A grin grew over her face, and she relaxed. She grabbed his fork and ate a small piece of the sausage off of his plate. He mocked at being offended but failed utterly and giggled. "You look exhausted." he said, running his fingers through her hair, his voice dripped with concern. "I feel it too." she tried to laugh back. Exhausted was not the word for it. She cuddled up against him and relaxed, wanting to go to sleep, wanting him to not have to go. "I'm going to sleep in the dorm tonight, and probably half the day too." she said quietly. "Well I'll see you after classes then?" he asked. "No, you'll see me IN classes." she said, "I can't miss anymore class. I can't afford it." and she sighed, feeling the warmth of his body as she laid against him. Draco was amazed, how could she possibly go to classes like this? His question was answered when she pulled out a small vial of a light violet fluid, and drank it. He figured it was some kind of awakening potion, although what kind, he did not know. The small bell rang and they all crept slowly out of the great hall. Draco keeping his arm around Airykkaa, not noticing Jasper and Ray behind them, giggling like idiots.
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~
Pike waited by the small statue of a witch, in the witches tower of the castle. Why wasn't she here already? Surely Airykkaa gave her the note? He almost laughed in relief as he heard footsteps pound down the corridor. Eden stepped into view, smiling, and her eyes twinkling. "It took Airykkaa THAT long to give you that note?" he mocked at a whine. "I didn't know hr and Malfoy were seriously dating!" she gasped, trying to catch her breath. Pike's eyebrow arced in amusement, and then he thought of the other girls Malfoy had dallied about with, "Yeah, and if her hurts my sister..." he growled, "I'll rip his heartstrings out and strangle him with 'em" he laughed, but he was being dead serious. "So what did you wanna meet me here for?" Eden asked, raising her eyebrows questioningly. "Just to see you!" he laughed, and wrapped his hand around hers. Eden went on to tell him about how her dad got into an accident, and then "If we don't get an owl in the next day or two, I wont be alone over Christmas." she said, biting her lip and looking a little worried. "You wouldn't be alone anyway." Pike said, turning to look at her and brush one of her bangs out of her face. Eden's eyes grew wide, "Were you staying too?", she said, seeming stunned at the notion. "It's not like I have anywhere else to go." He sighed. Eden nodded and was about to change the topic when Pike's mood changed, he began to tell her of a plot between Shaylee and Tyler, two particularly nasty Slytherins. He knew they were planning a rather nasty prank on Eden, but he didn't know exactly what. He told her to stay away from them and to watch herself, and after much arguing and awkwardness, Eden agreed. He clutched her hand a little tighter and lead her into another corridor, light coming from a window far down the hallway. As they turned a small corner the course of light was in full view; an old glass window that at one time WAS stained with deep and rich colors, a streak of violet here, and an evergreen here Pike noted. But now the glass was seemingly clean, the colors long faded from the thick and elegant glass. "Look." Pike simply said, pointing out the window and down. What Eden saw took her breath away, and as many times as Pike had seen it, it still took his as well. The entirety of the rest of the castle could almost all be seen. from the hills and woods beyond, to the quidditch field. A thin layer of mist encircled a few high risen parts of parapets of the castle, small thin flags waving elegantly in the early morning breeze. The moat, which was an eerie shade of black most of the time, glittered a sparkling blue from their height. Both of them were silent for a few moments, taking in the entire sight. "Pike?" Eden gasped, not able to find the rest of her words. "I know. I wanted to show you it to you." he said, taking her hand in his. "This is..." she said, her face fully concentrating on here words, "This is beautiful." Her eyes grew wide as she still tried to take in the scenery. Pike smiled and slid one of the small panes of the window open, letting a current of fresh morning breeze flow into the hallway. He looked down toward Eden and smiled, leaned a little closer to her, and then felt a sharp movement of air and noticed that there were several spikes not and inch from his eyes. Eden gasped and shrieked, "Shit! I'm almost late for potions!" She threw her arms around him in a quick embrace, and sprinted down the hallway, nearly falling over once with the shifting weight of her book-bag. Pike stood at the window, stunned and then thinking at the hilarity of it, burst into a mad fit of laughter. He definitely thought Eden was a little of what his father called 'off,' but maybe that was what he liked about her so much. He started toward the other end of the corridor, not wanting to go past any of the classes that he was supposed to be in at the moment. His thoughts drifted and he never even noticed as his foot became lodged in a rather large crack in the floor. He tumbled to the ground and felt sharp pain as his head smacked against the cold concrete stone floor. He felt a small warm trickle down his forehead and heard it dripping onto the floor as darkness swept over him on swift wings.
