**Sorry the chapters are coming so slowly. I'll try to have a little more determination to get this thing done.

::Michelle and Sheila:: As promised, you each are now a character in my fic. You're not introduced in this chapter but you will be soon. I wrote you in today. ::cheers:: To calm your anticipation, I'll, hopefully, get caught up w/ myself by next week. That's a resounding hopefully. *smile*

**Fred may be a bit out of character but he's a little difficult to write so meh.

Chapter 8 - Drained

The awkward atmosphere of Charms with Slytherin was even more apparent. Although she'd get threatening glances or whispers from the Slytherins every few minutes, Ada sat proud and tall. After class, she was approached by a Slytherin girl with short black hair and fierce green eyes. Her name was Whitney Clark. She was about Ada's height and her dark hair contrasted her white skin, intensely.

"Is it true?" Whitney coldly asked, after grabbing Ada's arm.

"Is what true?" Ada responded.

"Oh, don't play stupid. Is it true that you punched Draco?"

"Well, how else do you expect his face swelled up like a balloon?"

Whitney released Ada's arm. She moved her hair behind her ears.

"Listen, smart ass, after that blow you gave him, Draco hasn't talked about anything else. He hasn't paid the least bit attention to me. 'Alucinor this, Alucinor that.' You're flying in stormy weather, Alucinor. Your broom can't handle any more damage. I can be very cruel in order to get what I want. If I can't have Draco, a Gryffindor certainly can't."

"First bit...stop with the corny metaphors. I don't know the least of what you're talking about. I don't fancy Draco. That's why I punched him, you see. Believe me, you have nothing to worry about. I'm not in your way. You're free to sweep Draco off his feet anytime now. Oh...oh, but he must not want you. He talks to me more than you so you're jealous? That's ridiculous, Clark. You should really use your money for useful things like a self-esteem or maybe even some manners."

Whitney stared Ada down. Something in her eyes glinted that sent a chill down Ada's spine. Whitney hastily walked off in anger.

"What was that about?" George asked, curiously.

"Nothing," Ada answered, blankly, "Nothing at all."

***

After classes, Ada walked with Fred and George on the way back to the common room. George had just mentioned his first idea from his series of pranks to use on Malfoy when Brooke stepped out from behind a corner and blocked their path. Ada rolled her eyes.

"What do you want?" she asked, exasperated.

"I only wish to speak with Fred for a moment," Brooke answered, her eyes on the floor. Fred looked her over quizzically. Ada and George looked at each other.

"Fine. See you in the common room, Fred," Ada said, abruptly. Ada gave Brooke a look of warning and walked off with George.

"Bye," Fred called after them. He looked at Brooke. She smiled, seductively. Here she goes, he thought.

"So. How are you?" she asked.

"Fine, I guess. You?"

"Oh, wonderful." Her hand moved up his arm. Fred stood uncomfortably still. He tried to make his face show little disgust but he only somewhat accomplished.

"That's goo--"

In one swift movement, Brooke's lips locked to his against his will. Her arms were closed tightly around his neck. After what seemed like forever, she released him. Fred stood stiffly w/ shock. What does she think she's doing? Maybe I should hit her. No, no. She's a girl. I can't --

Fred's thoughts were interrupted.

"I said," yelled a familiar voice once more, "what the bloody hell was that?!" It was Emily. Fred turned to see Emily's face. Her eyes had already begun to tear up. Her face was red with anger and hurt. Fred opened his mouth to say something but Brooke beat him to it.

"It was a kiss, Emily," she giggled cruelly. Emily glared at Brooke.

"I wasn't talking to you," she cried, "Fred?"

Fred walked to her quickly.

"Ada, George, and I were walking back to the common room and Brooke stopped us and said she needed to talk to me. Ada and George reluctantly left and then Brooke kissed me, out of nowhere!" He paused and let out a little chuckle. "Not that it was a bad kiss or anything but--"

"What?" Emily screamed.

Brooke laughed.

"I--I mean...oh, Emily it was horrible," he tried to recover.

"No...don't even...just...no. You hate her, Fred! How could you?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, I envisioned you kissing me."

Brooke, clearly upset by Fred's words, began to walk off. "I'll go now. Have fun," she said, with a sarcastic and cold attitude.

"I'm not finished with you!" Emily yelled. She bolted after Brooke, knocking her to the floor. As Brooke struggled, Emily raised her fist. Fred raced over and grabbed her arm.

"Don't do it, Emily. I don't need you in detention with Ada. Get up," he commanded.

"No! Let go of me!"

Fred jerked her to her feet. She wriggled her arm free only to have him grip tighter. Brooke sat on the floor.

"Stop it! You're acting like you're five years old! I just told you the truth! I hate her, yes, you know that. It wasn't a bad kiss, though."

Emily looked away.

"Look at me, Emily!" With his other hand, he held her chin. "I was thinking of you. But maybe I shouldn't waste my time with the jealous types."

Brooke started down the hallway to get away from Fred and Emily. Emily saw noticed her movement.

"Yeah, piss off, Brooke. Go find your ickle, shit-faced friends."

Fred rolled his eyes but smiled. When Brooke was out of site, Fred released Emily.

"What's your problem?" he asked.

"My problem? Ha! You're the one sticking your tongue down Brooke's throat."

"Maybe I was trying to choke her."

"Yeah, well maybe you're a fucking asshole."

Fred looked hurt. "I told you the truth."

"That doesn't change anything. You're still at fault. You could've pushed her."

"Your attitude is for bollocks. Why does it matter to you anyway? You're not my girlfriend, Emily."

"Why the bloody hell not?!"

There was an awkward pause. Emily sank to the floor and sat, staring at her hands lying limp in her lap. Fred's eyes wandered apprehensively. He sank to the floor as well. Fred stared at Emily with her head down. He placed his hand gently on her cheek and quickly moved in. He kissed her. At first, her eyes were wide. They shut slowly as she returned his kiss. It was long and passionate. Emily felt a strong connection with him as if everything was perfect. Her heart beat quickly. Fred embraced her completely. Emily's hands traveled up to his head and neck. The minutes dragged on. Three long minutes had passed. Fred backed away, untangling himself from Emily.

"Wow," Emily whispered, breathlessly.

"Amazing," Fred smiled. Emily kissed him again. He leaned backwards to lay on the floor. Emily pressed herself against him.

"Ahem," came a deep and startling voice. Emily quickly sat up and rolled off of Fred. Fred sat up, too. When they saw who it was, they both shared the same thought.

"Fuck," Emily said, thinking aloud.

"Mind your language, Rogers. Both of you stand up. Now," Professor Snape commanded, harshly.

"It's really not what it looks like, Professor. Well...it is...but it isn't. We were only kissing and--"

"Silence, Weasley! Follow me."

***

Meanwhile, in the Gryffindor common room, Ada lay on her bed in the girls' dormitory. She stared up at the dark scarlet fabric of the canopy, examining every stitch. Many thoughts were bumbling through her head. Ada sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed. Making sure no one was around, she reached under her mattress to retrieve her blue and violet notebook. She glanced at the clock and realised lunch was nearly half through so she leaned over and opened the top drawer of her nightstand. She reached in and pulled out a bundle, neatly wrapped in a napkin. Inside, was one cauldron cake, an apple, and two bread rolls.

"Eck. Stale," she said to herself as she threw the rolls across the room into the wastebasket. She then made short work of the cauldron cake and began eating the apple. As she ate, she read through the last few pages of her notebook. The last thing she wrote about was Malfoy placing the blame on Harry rather than herself. When she read the last five words, she paused in the middle of a bite of apple. She stared hard at the words, realising her writing was a bit shaky compared to the rest of her notebook.

"Maybe he doesn't hate me," she whispered, reading the words. Rather than conversing with herself aloud, Ada chose to write it all in her notebook.

Why wouldn't he hate me? I don't know. Why was my handwriting shaky? No idea. Why did he ask if I could remember anything before the age of five? Why am I asking myself so many questions and why can't I answer them?

Ada reread her mind's conversation in her notebook and slumped back on her bed. With her notebook sitting on her stomach and her pen in her hand, she found herself staring at the dark scarlet fabric once again. Close to thirty minutes must have passes before Ada heard the sounds of students returning from lunch to pick up materials for their remaining classes. She picked up her hands and brought them together in a closing motion. The bed curtains glided shut. It was a spell she had learned from a Charms books Emily had given her for her birthday. Picking up her wand, she muttered 'Lumos' and balanced it on her headboard. As she continued to write, someone called her name.

"Ada?"

"Yes, Hermione?" Ada answered, peeking her head out of the curtains.

"Are you alright? I didn't see you at lunch."

"Oh, I'm fine. I was just doing some thinking that's all. Thank you for your concern."

"Oh, okay. Class starts soon, so you had better be on your way. What is it you have next?"

"Ancient Runes."

"Well, I certainly wouldn't want to miss that. I think it's rather exciting, don't you?"

"Oh, yes, Hermione. Very interesting."

"I'll be on my way, then. Bye!"

"Bye, Hermione. Tell Harry and Ron I said hello."

Ada let out a heavy sigh after Hermione departed and returned to her notebook. She had just finished writing 'I wish I knew what to make of all this' when she became very tired. Ada could hardly keep her eyes open. She knew she had to go to class but she couldn't find the strength to do anything but close her eyes.

Ada awoke with a start. With heavy breaths, she wiped the cold sweat from her brow. There was an eerie calm about the dormitory. How long have I slept? she thought. She pulled open the bed curtains and noticed everyone else's were closed. She grabbed her wand and reached for her notebook but it was nowhere to be found. She searched everywhere around her bed for it, only to be unsuccessful.

"Looking for this?" asked a sinister voice form the doorway.

"Draco? How did you get in here? How did you get my notebook? May I please have it back? Now?"

"Well, that's certainly no the welcoming I had expected. Nor the one I had hoped for. You can't have it back just yet. I have to finish reading it."

"How much have you read?" Ada refrained from tackling him to the ground.

"I've reached the part about me. To tell you the truth, it's quite flattering the way you talk about me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you admire me."

"Psh. Please. I talk horribly of you. Take all the hideous things that have even been said about you and ass more hatred. Then, you'll understand how I talk about you. It shouldn't be flattering in the least bit."

"Your writing gets shaky when you talk about me. There's meaning behind that and your thoughts. If you care enough to write about me so much, I must be doing something right."

"Piss off."

"Alright. I'm taking this with me, though."

"Oh no you won't!"

Although Ada ran towards him, he stood perfectly still. She slowed to a stop in front of his face. She never noticed they were the same height. He locked her eyes in an entrancing gaze. There they stood, not a word was spoke. Malfoy's brilliantly shiny grey eyes were focused tightly on Ada's deep, currently jade green, eyes. Ada noticed a kind of spark behind his eyes. It was eerie but comforting and soft. Ada struggled to find words.

"Pl--please give me my notebook, Draco."

Still staring into her eyes, silently, he handed her the notebook. After some hesitation, Ada walked back to her bed and dropped the notebook on her pillow. When she turned to speak to Malfoy once more, she met him, uncomfortably close. He wasn't even an inch away from her. She felt his warm breath on her cheek as he got even closer.

"We knew each other in childhood, you know," he whispered.

"I didn't meet you until my third year. You're mistaken."

"You just don't remember, that's all. You will though. It'll all rush back, it will. Soon."

Before Ada could say another word, she numbly felt Malfoy's lips touching hers. His hand on his cheek, he persisted. Ada returned his kiss.

Ada awoke with a start. With heavy breaths, she wiped the cold sweat from her brow. Was it all a dream? she wondered. She noticed the room was an eerie calm as it was in her dream. She reached for her notebook. Ada felt it under her hand and gave a sigh of relief. It was a dream. She opened her bed curtains and looked at the clock. Her fourth class, Ancient Runes, was nearly over.

"Well, that was odd," she said to herself. She replaced her notebook in its usual spot under her mattress and walked out of the room. Her head was even more full of confusing thoughts than when she came in during lunch. Greatly bothered, she picked up her things from the back shelf in the common room and started to walk slowly out of the room. Past the portrait, down a hallway, and around a corner she traveled. She reached the classroom before she knew it. Class only had about five minutes and then she'd be off to Potions with Fred and George. As she waited, her dream played through her head time and time again. She couldn't make any sense of it. How did her and Malfoy know each other and why didn't she remember? Why couldn't she remember? She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even realise class had let out and Fred and George were standing in front of her.

"Oh, hi," she said, solemnly.

"Thanks for the excited welcome. Where were you?" questioned George.

"I fell asleep for a short while. What'd I miss?"

"I don't know. I fell asleep for a short while," Fred smiled.

"Oh! What happened with Brooke, by the way?" George asked, nudging Fred.

"Huh? Am I missing something?" Ada asked, curiously.

Fred's ear turned red as he spoke, "Not her. Emily."

"Curious. Very curious. Come on then. Do tell," Ada said, her interest sparked.

On the way to Potions, Ada was told by Fred about what had happened between him and Emily.

"Finally!" Ada spurted. Fred turned quickly. Ada replied before she knew his question.

"You're both my best friends. Did you think I wouldn't know? I had to swear to the both of you that I wouldn't tell the other, so I didn't. It took everything in me not to blurt it out or laugh whenever you two were together."

"You could've saved us some punishment, Ms. Vow-of-Silence."

"Yeah, Snape caught them. They were on the floor. Emily was on top of him. It probably looked like something else entirely. Fred's got detention w/ you now," George informed.

"Haha! You got caught by Snape? Like that?" Ada laughed hysterically.

"Mum's gonna kill you Fred."

"Yeah, yeah. It's Emily. Mum likes her. I won't get it too much trouble."

"Your mum is gonna see it as 'Fred was practically having sex in the hallway'. Don't expect lenient treatment, Fred," Ada reminded, still laughing.

"Eh. I'll explain. George and I are good at making up excuses. Even better at pranks and concoctions."

"Putting a spell on your own mother? Tsk, tsk. Well, I certainly wouldn't put it past you," Ada laughed.

In Potions, since Ada finished her work early, Snape handed her a stack of parchment to grade. She was sent into his office to grade them. She snarled when the door closed behind her. She was told to not touch anything.

"Like I'd want to touch your slimy, useless junk," Ada muttered.

Since she didn't want to risk getting reprimanded for sitting at his desk, she chose a small table in the middle of his office as her work space. As she sat down, she noticed the little table from which she was given her mysterious book. For a few minutes, she sat and stared at it's intricate detail. It had been worn down a bit, but she could still make out some of it. Carvings of lions and snakes adorned the table's surface. Ada felt a strange familiarity with it. She quickly dismissed her thoughts and began to grade the stack of parchment.

When she had finished, Ada returned to her table with Fred and George. They had just finished their assignment.

"Alucinor!" Snape croaked.

Ada rolled her eyes and immediately walked to his desk.

"If you miss one more class for whatever unexcused reason, Gryffindor will lose even more points."

"How did you--"

"Do you understand?"

"Yes, Professor. It won't happen again."

They made eye contact for a short moment before he excused her. Ada felt as if Snape was digging in her brain and draining her thoughts into his. She quickly looked away and he excused her.

Emily and Fred sat next to each other in Transfiguration. Ada and George sat behind them, laughing and poking jokes.

"Quiet please, Ms. Alucinor and Mr. Weasley," McGonogall commanded.

"Yes, Professor. Sorry," Ada answered, holding in a chuckle.

Professor McGonogall gave her a stern look and started class. In no time at all, Ada began to get sleepy once more. Sitting up even more straight than she was before, only made her feel more exhausted. Ada held out until the end of the lesson. She had taken notes and practised turning her desk into a pig, but she felt aloof and weary.

"Ada, are you okay?" Emily asked her, on the way to the library.

"Erm...yeah. I'm fine."

"Okay. You just look...drained."

"I'm a little tired. I'll be fine."

Emily gave her a suspicious look but said nothing more.