A/N: Well. Not fantastically amazingly special or anything ridiculous like that, but it's a solid 'good' and the ending is quite angst-y. So enjoy.

Disclaimer: All JK's

'"We don't stop caring about people just because they do idiotic things. Friendship is not that fragile. Not real friendship, anyway."'-Draco

~From Cassandra Claire's Draco Triology 'Draco Veritas'

*

"You know," he says in a condescending tone, "if you want to slap me...you can slap me."

His voice is filled with un-masked venom and a tinge of it is sarcastic, cold.

"Although enticing as that idea is," she consented, "I'm too irate to slap you. That...that isn't painful enough." Her voice is flat, like overused sugar water. You can tell she's angry; it's obvious by the wood-sharp tone of her voice.

"C'mon Cee," he says, and his voice reminds her of a child, "this is good, for both of us. It was bound to happen...we weren't meant to be together...forever."

"You don't believe in 'forever'," she says and her voice is laced in loathing.

"For some things I do," says he.

"You aren't even sorry," she says, "you probably didn't love me to begin with."

"Of course I didn't love you," he says sharply, "but I liked you an awful lot. You're...you're a feisty girl."

"Thank you," she says with cool and simple sarcasm. "You betrayed me. You bloody betrayed me."

"There was no betraying!" He yells. "None! Zilch! Nada! Not one bloody bit."

"Oh there wasn't?" The young girl says as she crosses her arms over her chest. "I think the bit about us going out...I think it was all a scam, it was nothing. It was a few 'precious' snogs on an astronomy tower covered in raindrops. It was a few shared meals and a few crystal bracelets. That's it."

Her voice is a hollow one, void of emotion; only a bit of shake is in her voice. He takes a deep breath.

They're near the girls' lavatory on the third floor...no one will notice them.

"Okay," he says, "okay. If that's what you want to go on thinking that go bloody on. You think I care? As far as I'm concerned you're nothing and you can die alone for all I care."

...

She knows he means it.

"Good!" She says. "Good! I'll go die alone in a bloody cave...and it'll be better than LIVING with you!" Her voice is loud and angry, like someone screaming his lungs out.

"I have never," he says and raises the finger near his thumb, "ever ever wanted to hurt you. And you're a lot stupider than I ever thought if you don't realize that."

"Could've fooled me," she says her voice spiked with malice, "wait...you DID fool me! Ha. You care about me? That's silly, Nolan. Not only is it silly it's totally impossible. This is our seventh year--my seventh year--and you've wrecked it for me. We were supposed to be on top of the world this year, powerful and gorgeous and so very, you know...us. And here we are, and my life...it's crumbling! Right before your bloody eyes!" She's about to lose it...but she doesn't.

"Look at me," he says, reaching out to gently caress her hand. She pulls it back, nettled.

"You don't deserve my eyes," she says. And it's a terribly low blow...he's always found her ruby eyes absolutely drop-dead gorgeous. Her eyes turn to the marble wall and she glares at it.

There are a lot of things he'd like to say to her right now.

...so he says them.

"You're my favourite person in all the world, Cee."

She pauses to look at him and he goes on.

"You're lovely...I think you know that. You're an amazing conversationalist, probably the smartest kid I've ever seen in all of my life. And you look stunning, always, even when you cry-" he wipes away a small tear from the corner of her eye "-I adore you. But right now, we both need to go on with our lives. There's a great guy out there for you, Cee. And you'll make him the luckiest man alive."

"Nolan," she says, her voice steady, "why are you taking time to explain all of this to me?"

"...because you deserve it," he says softly. "Contrary to popular belief, Parkinson. You're quite naive for a Slytherin. Really, you are. And I feel like I need to tell you...but if I don't...you'll still be alright."

"You don't owe me anything, Malfoy," she spats in an unladylike manner. "And you know it."

"You're right," he agrees, tonelessly, "it'd be more than easy for me to just leave you standing here to drown in your own tears. Not only would it be easy, I'd probably enjoy watching it as well."

"I want to be alone," she says as she turns her back, "I want to be so alone that I can't hear the wind blow or the raindrops fall."

"You don't want to be alone," he laughs, cruelly. "You want to be loved so much it hurts inside. Right here--" he points to her heart and she backs up against the wall nervously.

"No," she shakes her head, "no, no. Oh it hurts, but not for the aforementioned reason."

He doesn't ask any questions 'bout that.

"Shall I always be in your heart?" She asks in a detached way.

"Yes," he says curtly, "you shall."

"Will I always be your little Cee?" She asks once more.

"Yes," he says with a nod, "you shall always be my little Cee. Even when you get married to Blaise and you two have loads of children."

"Ha!" She laughs, not a nice laugh. "Blaise's a git, you know so."

"At least he's a gentleman."

"No he's not."

"Will we always be friends?" She asks, even though her voice is deadly quiet and the tears are rolling down her peppermint-toad stained cheeks.

"Forever," he says stonily.

"You don't believe in forever," the young girl says.

And he doesn't respond.

*