Chapter 3
The next few days went by at a snails pace for Race. Liz was still mad at her and Harry was still hitting on her. The only relief she could find were the quiet moments where Draco and herself could be found sitting alone together in a soft silence, studying or just lost in their own minds contemplating life and separating what should matter in the world from what could only be seen as pointless hatred.
And they were seen. By two very jealous people through not together in location, as the days went on, they were together in thought. And very angry thoughts they were.
"I'm so tired of this!" exclaimed Race.
""So tired of what?" asked Draco, covering his surprise quickly.
"I'm so tired of Liz being mad at me. I mean, really, I don't like Harry, obviously," she said looking pointedly at Draco, "Can't she see that?
Draco sighed at Race's frustration. "I don't know what to tell you. I always thought Potter was slightly mad... Maybe it's just rubbed off on your sister?" He said the last part with sarcasm."
"Har har, very funny. But you aren't helping!" Said Race as she playfully slapped he left arm.
"Ok ok I'm sorry," he chuckled and rubbed his arm. "Maybe you should do something to convince them both that you don't like scar-hear."
"Like what? And you should really give up on your animosity where he is concerned; he isn't so bad, even if he is kind of... obsessive."
"Oh, but it's so much fun. And hey!" said Draco with a sudden enthusiasm, "I do have an idea! You could run up to him and make him thing you want him –if you know what I mean- and then you cal slap him when he tries anything."
"Yeah, I could do that?"
"Really?" said Draco with surprise, "You'll really do it?"
"No!"
"Oh" said Draco looking disappointed.
"-Sigh- you are really no help at all."
"Look, I'm sorry. I don't know how to deal with girls obsessing with me. They just want to get laid and go away. A good time all around." He said with a smirk.
"I don't want to just "lay" you."
"I didn't say you did."
"Well then, how are you going to deal with me?"
"Buy you dinner first?" said Draco with a suggestive wink.
"Right... ok... but once again we have strayed from the issue at hand. What am I going to do about Harry?"
"What if you just talk to him? That's what you Gryffindorks do right? Instead of fighting you talk things out... or something like that."
"Yeah, we do talk. What' the point of fighting when you can hurt them more with words?"
Draco looked shocked at that comment, "quite the Slytherin of you, don't you think?"
"Hey now, just because I wanted to be with my sister doesn't mean the hat wasn't about to put me somewhere else. I may be in Gryffindor, but I'm not exactly goody-goody-material you know."
"Define 'goody-goody' for me would you?"
"Nevermind. But the point is that I'm not all good and cute and sweet like that."
"Never let it be said!" said Draco as if not quite believing her, "Except for the cute part." He added as an after thought.
Race continues as if she hadn't heard him. "So, ok, I'll go talk to him, tell him it's pointless to pine after me and introduce him to my darling sister's love for him."
"Good idea. You go to that. Have your sister mad at you for telling him."
"Whatever, it will do more good than harm. She's already mad at me if you remember." Race pointed out.
"Little to lose and all to gain. Maybe you should try on the sorting hat again."
"Har har. But I'm going to go and get this over with. I'll talk to you later?"
"Yeah, get out of here." He said good naturedly with a smile. And that was exactly what she did."
--
Race found him sitting in the library alone. He was reading a book about quidditch. Well reading was an overstatement. He was really just staring at the page looking slightly lost.
"Hey Harry." She said, snapping him out of his trance.
"Hey," he said, his face instantly brightening at her presence alone.
"Um, can we talk?" said Race, slightly unsettled at the so obvious effect she had on him.
"Yes of course," He said while gathering his books.
They walked together down the hall, Race with her arms folded and Harry glancing at her every so often.
"So," said Harry, breaking the silence. "What did you want to talk about?"
'No use procrastinating then' thought Race. "You like me right?" 'There it's out."
Harry hesitated for a moment and did not meet her eyes when he responded with, "well...no."
Race could have laugher out loud, but held it back, "no?" she inquired.
"No," said Harry again, this time meeting her eyes. "I was actually just trying to get Liz to notice me."
Race did laugh out laud this time while Harry just sat stunned with that lost look on his face again. When she could finally control herself Race said, "Well, you have her attention, so would you kindly go after her- she's driving me nuts!"
"Yeah... But, she really likes me? Like really really, and not just 'oh- famous-Harry-Potter-I-must-have-him-now' kind of likes me?" He said smiling sheepishly as if not quite believing it.
"Yes! Now get out of here before I decide to get mad at you instead of helping you out!"
"Alright, alright." He said with a grin, and he started to leave but turned around at the door. "Good luck with Malloy," he began, "I don't understand it, but as long as you are happy. And if he gives you and problems, I wouldn't mine an excuse to be able to punch him."
Race just laughed and yelled, "Get out of here! Go fine Liz!!"
With that Harry smiled and walked away.
--
"So," began Draco once Race had caught up to him ten minutes later, "how's lover boy?"
Race sat down next to him and said, "He was 'using me,' in so many words, to get Liz."
Draco was stunned but quickly recovered, "You're kidding...the hero of the wizarding world is a manipulative bastard? Who'd have though?" And he laughed and laughed.
He was still laughing three minutes later when Race got her courage together long enough to ask the question that had been bothering her since their walk together after that potions mishap. "Draco, what is your father going to say about this? About us?"
All the merriment fell away from his face and he was left with only a serious look in his eyes. "I honestly don't know. That man is so unpredictable sometimes. I don't see why he wouldn't like you: you are a pureblood, you are attractive, your only flaw is that Gryffindor spirit of yours-but even then, you have this cunning that could top many seventh year Slytherins easily. I don't see what he'd have against you that could possible cause a problem."
"What about the fact that I would never join his side? That I'd never agree to the idea that just because muggles don't have magic and we do that we have the right to take away their lives at a whim?"
"I know he won't agree with you on that, not now, not ever. But I'm almost certain that he will still try to get you on his side. You have a powerful aura about you Race, he isn't going to try to piss you off or scare you away as long as he still believes there is a chance that you could possibly change sides-that he could convince you his side is the right side in this war."
Race was silent as she thought it over.
She wasn't the only silent one. In the dungeons of the castle, someone else was silent as she wrote a letter.
Mr. Malfoy,
I have become aware that you son may not be a part of the cause anymore. He has been spending all of his time with a certain female Gryffindor.
I would hate for Draco to make a decision that would ultimately ruin his life. But of course, he will not listen to me.
I write this because I care for only what is best for Draco. And I know you feel the same.
-P.Parkinson
The next few days went by at a snails pace for Race. Liz was still mad at her and Harry was still hitting on her. The only relief she could find were the quiet moments where Draco and herself could be found sitting alone together in a soft silence, studying or just lost in their own minds contemplating life and separating what should matter in the world from what could only be seen as pointless hatred.
And they were seen. By two very jealous people through not together in location, as the days went on, they were together in thought. And very angry thoughts they were.
"I'm so tired of this!" exclaimed Race.
""So tired of what?" asked Draco, covering his surprise quickly.
"I'm so tired of Liz being mad at me. I mean, really, I don't like Harry, obviously," she said looking pointedly at Draco, "Can't she see that?
Draco sighed at Race's frustration. "I don't know what to tell you. I always thought Potter was slightly mad... Maybe it's just rubbed off on your sister?" He said the last part with sarcasm."
"Har har, very funny. But you aren't helping!" Said Race as she playfully slapped he left arm.
"Ok ok I'm sorry," he chuckled and rubbed his arm. "Maybe you should do something to convince them both that you don't like scar-hear."
"Like what? And you should really give up on your animosity where he is concerned; he isn't so bad, even if he is kind of... obsessive."
"Oh, but it's so much fun. And hey!" said Draco with a sudden enthusiasm, "I do have an idea! You could run up to him and make him thing you want him –if you know what I mean- and then you cal slap him when he tries anything."
"Yeah, I could do that?"
"Really?" said Draco with surprise, "You'll really do it?"
"No!"
"Oh" said Draco looking disappointed.
"-Sigh- you are really no help at all."
"Look, I'm sorry. I don't know how to deal with girls obsessing with me. They just want to get laid and go away. A good time all around." He said with a smirk.
"I don't want to just "lay" you."
"I didn't say you did."
"Well then, how are you going to deal with me?"
"Buy you dinner first?" said Draco with a suggestive wink.
"Right... ok... but once again we have strayed from the issue at hand. What am I going to do about Harry?"
"What if you just talk to him? That's what you Gryffindorks do right? Instead of fighting you talk things out... or something like that."
"Yeah, we do talk. What' the point of fighting when you can hurt them more with words?"
Draco looked shocked at that comment, "quite the Slytherin of you, don't you think?"
"Hey now, just because I wanted to be with my sister doesn't mean the hat wasn't about to put me somewhere else. I may be in Gryffindor, but I'm not exactly goody-goody-material you know."
"Define 'goody-goody' for me would you?"
"Nevermind. But the point is that I'm not all good and cute and sweet like that."
"Never let it be said!" said Draco as if not quite believing her, "Except for the cute part." He added as an after thought.
Race continues as if she hadn't heard him. "So, ok, I'll go talk to him, tell him it's pointless to pine after me and introduce him to my darling sister's love for him."
"Good idea. You go to that. Have your sister mad at you for telling him."
"Whatever, it will do more good than harm. She's already mad at me if you remember." Race pointed out.
"Little to lose and all to gain. Maybe you should try on the sorting hat again."
"Har har. But I'm going to go and get this over with. I'll talk to you later?"
"Yeah, get out of here." He said good naturedly with a smile. And that was exactly what she did."
--
Race found him sitting in the library alone. He was reading a book about quidditch. Well reading was an overstatement. He was really just staring at the page looking slightly lost.
"Hey Harry." She said, snapping him out of his trance.
"Hey," he said, his face instantly brightening at her presence alone.
"Um, can we talk?" said Race, slightly unsettled at the so obvious effect she had on him.
"Yes of course," He said while gathering his books.
They walked together down the hall, Race with her arms folded and Harry glancing at her every so often.
"So," said Harry, breaking the silence. "What did you want to talk about?"
'No use procrastinating then' thought Race. "You like me right?" 'There it's out."
Harry hesitated for a moment and did not meet her eyes when he responded with, "well...no."
Race could have laugher out loud, but held it back, "no?" she inquired.
"No," said Harry again, this time meeting her eyes. "I was actually just trying to get Liz to notice me."
Race did laugh out laud this time while Harry just sat stunned with that lost look on his face again. When she could finally control herself Race said, "Well, you have her attention, so would you kindly go after her- she's driving me nuts!"
"Yeah... But, she really likes me? Like really really, and not just 'oh- famous-Harry-Potter-I-must-have-him-now' kind of likes me?" He said smiling sheepishly as if not quite believing it.
"Yes! Now get out of here before I decide to get mad at you instead of helping you out!"
"Alright, alright." He said with a grin, and he started to leave but turned around at the door. "Good luck with Malloy," he began, "I don't understand it, but as long as you are happy. And if he gives you and problems, I wouldn't mine an excuse to be able to punch him."
Race just laughed and yelled, "Get out of here! Go fine Liz!!"
With that Harry smiled and walked away.
--
"So," began Draco once Race had caught up to him ten minutes later, "how's lover boy?"
Race sat down next to him and said, "He was 'using me,' in so many words, to get Liz."
Draco was stunned but quickly recovered, "You're kidding...the hero of the wizarding world is a manipulative bastard? Who'd have though?" And he laughed and laughed.
He was still laughing three minutes later when Race got her courage together long enough to ask the question that had been bothering her since their walk together after that potions mishap. "Draco, what is your father going to say about this? About us?"
All the merriment fell away from his face and he was left with only a serious look in his eyes. "I honestly don't know. That man is so unpredictable sometimes. I don't see why he wouldn't like you: you are a pureblood, you are attractive, your only flaw is that Gryffindor spirit of yours-but even then, you have this cunning that could top many seventh year Slytherins easily. I don't see what he'd have against you that could possible cause a problem."
"What about the fact that I would never join his side? That I'd never agree to the idea that just because muggles don't have magic and we do that we have the right to take away their lives at a whim?"
"I know he won't agree with you on that, not now, not ever. But I'm almost certain that he will still try to get you on his side. You have a powerful aura about you Race, he isn't going to try to piss you off or scare you away as long as he still believes there is a chance that you could possibly change sides-that he could convince you his side is the right side in this war."
Race was silent as she thought it over.
She wasn't the only silent one. In the dungeons of the castle, someone else was silent as she wrote a letter.
Mr. Malfoy,
I have become aware that you son may not be a part of the cause anymore. He has been spending all of his time with a certain female Gryffindor.
I would hate for Draco to make a decision that would ultimately ruin his life. But of course, he will not listen to me.
I write this because I care for only what is best for Draco. And I know you feel the same.
-P.Parkinson