Etopia
Sasha was back in classes and back on the Quidditch the next day. When the last class of the day had ended, Sasha fetched her Quidditch robes and Nimbus 2001, and she and Draco made their way down to the pitch.
The team greeted Sasha gruffly, but she knew they were happy to see her. After changing into her green Quidditch robes, Sasha took out the Quaffle and threw it to David Blackboot, one of her fellow Chasers, released the Bludgers, and decided to let Draco use the Snitch for once.
Sasha mounted her broomstick and kicked off, shooting up into the sky. The other Chasers had started the practise off by tossing the Quaffle up into the air as hard as they could. Sasha scooped it under her arm and shot off like a rocket. Blackboot and Montague sped after Sasha as she approached the goal posts. Michael Norton, the Slytherin Keeper, tried to block Sasha as she came. Doing a tricky little manuver around Norton, Sasha threw the Quaffle through the middle goal post. Norton dove to catch it, and he tossed it to Blackboot.
"Keep at it, I'll be back," Sasha called to them as she sped up to Draco to check his progress.
"Spotted it yet?" she asked when she reached him, hundreds of feet above everyone else. Draco furrowed his brows, searching the pitch.
"No, damned thing's so small," he cursed. Grinning, Sasha pulled her hair into a ponytail.
"Loosen up, we've only just started," she laughed. "Keep looking, it'll turn up."
Just at that moment, Draco went down in a dive towards one of the goal posts. Watching intently, Sasha crossed her arms in front of her. Draco pulled out of the steep dive. He shot back up to Sasha, a triumphant smirk on his face.
"There," he said, handing her the Snitch. Sasha laughed.
"That was pretty good. Ready to try again?" she asked, taking the Snitch and releasing it. "Go."
Draco shot after it, missing Sasha by inches. Smiling, Sasha went to check on Crabbe and Goyle.
After a few hours, Sasha packed up the balls in their crates and changed back to her normal robes. It was nearly dinner, and Sasha and Draco just had time enough to return their broomsticks to the common room before heading to the Great Hall.
When dinner was over, Sasha and Draco accompanied the rest of the Slytherins to the common room. Deciding to finish their homework, Sasha and Draco sat at one of the tables in the common room, surrounded by their books.
Draco relentlessly asked Sasha if he could copy off of her, and for once she gave in. Sighing, Sasha rested her head on her hand, watching the other Slytherins talking and boasting loudly.
"Full moon's in a week," Sasha said, not bothering to lower her voice. Draco looked up from Sashas work.
"Oh, yeah," he muttered. "You okay?"
"I guess."
"Do you know what your going to do yet?"
"No."
Sasha had just been wondering what she would do. There was no way she could stay in her dormitory, and she couldn't think of any other place. Adult werewolves would roam a forest during the full moon, but Sasha doubted she would be able to do that.
Sashas answer came the next day. At breakfast, a tawny owl dropped a note on her plate. Picking it up, Sasha saw that it was from Professor Mcgonagoll.
Miss Sorbelle,
On Tuesday of next week, come to the Defence Against The Dark Arts classroom at presisley 10:00. It will all be prepared.
- Professor M. Mcgonagol
Understanding, Sasha jammed the note into her pocket.
During the first lesson of the day, Sashas stomach squirmed with worry. Or Sasha thought it was worry, it may have been something else. Somehow I always feel like crap now, Sasha thought miserably as she listened to Professor Binns drone on and on about some batty old wizard who did something important.
When History of Magic was over, Sasha was suddenly ravenously hungry. When she complained to Draco he thought it strange.
"How could you be hungry? We just had breakfast an hour ago," he told her, as if she needed reminding.
"I know, I'm just really hungry for some reason," she said, sucking on a tendril of hair. Draco pulled it out of her mouth.
"Stop it, that's disgusting," he said. "It won't fill you up."
"So what?"
----------
"I'm bored, Draco," Sasha fussed during lunch. Losing his temper, Draco clenched his teeth.
"Be quiet," he grumbled. Sasha stuck her tongue out at him defiently. "Don't be like that," she scolded. When Draco didn't respond, Sasha reached into her bag and took out a book, her own copy of Quidditch Through The Ages that had been a gift from Draco for her birthday.
"Sorry, but you've been awfully - well, bitchy today. What's the problem?"
"What's the problem? You, of all people, should know the problem, Draco Malfoy!" Sasha said, snapping Quidditch Through The Ages shut. "I'll refresh you though, if you like: I was bitten by a werewolf, now I've become one myself, and the full moon is next week; I'm only sixteen, and I'm pregnant with your child, or maybe you've forgotten that; my parents are furious with me, and I have holes in my socks! If you'll excuse me for a moment, I have to go cry!"
Sasha shoved Quidditch Through The Ages into her bag, slung it over her shoulder and stormed out of the Great Hall. Most of the Slytherin table watched her leave, and then turned their confused eyes on Draco, who moodily returned to his lunch.
Furious, Sasha ran across the Entrance Hall, attracting the curious eyes of a few Hufflepuffs that stood in the Entrance Hall. Sasha was just about to enter the dungeons when she felt a tug on her robes. Whipping around, she saw Hermione holding onto the back of her robes, a worried look on her face. Sasha saw Harry and Ron standing a ways back, exchanging uncertain looks. Holding back a sneer, Sasha tried to pulled away from Hermione.
"Please, just leave me alone," she muttered.
"What's the matter?" Hermione asked. Blinking back tears, Sasha bit her lip.
"Draco just doesn't get it. He doesn't understand what it's like to have real problems," she said, half to herself, half to Hermione, who looked confused.
"What problems?" she asked. Slightly annoyed, Sasha sighed.
"I don't think I'm allowed to tell you," she answered, leaning against the wall. Hermione looked around her.
"You can tell us, but not here," she said, eyeing the group of Hufflepuffs standing a few yards away. "Come with us, we'll go to Moaning Myrtles bathroom."
Hermione, Ron and Harry lead Sasha to Moaning Myrtles bathroom, where Sasha sat down on a wooden bench. Hermione sat down next to her, while Harry and Ron paced around.
"What's the matter?" Hermione asked. Sasha sighed.
"Well, one thing you know, I'm a werewolf. The full moon is next week, so I'm terribly nervous, of course," she started. "But the next thing is very personal and no one but me, Draco and the teachers should know it."
"You can tell us, we won't tell anyone else," Hermione said quietly.
"Really?"
"Really. Right, Harry? Ron?"
"Nope, won't tell."
"No way."
Sasha sighed. "All right, fine. I'm, urm, pregnant," she said awkwardly.
Harry and Ron stopped in their tracks. Hermione gave a yelp.
"What?!" Harry said, clearly shocked. Sasha bit her lip.
"See? Very personal, only me, Draco and the teachers have to know. I shouldn't have told you,"she said, standing up. "I should go now."
"No, wait, Sasha," Hermione called. Sasha turned around again. "Why is that a problem? Is Malfoy treating you badly about it, like it's your fault?"
"No, but he's not exactly being supportive. I told him I was going to go through with it, have the baby, and he kind of felt pressured. I guess he feels a little forced," Sasha admitted. "But he did say he'd be there for me, through it all."
"Wait a sec," Ron said. "That does not sound like the Malfoy I know. You're sure we're talking about the same person?"
"Yeah. He doesn't treat me anything like he treats you, I guess," she sighed. "Draco has a lot of different sides."
"If he actually said the things you say he said, I guess he must," Hermione said. "But do you think he's lying?"
"No, I don't," Sasha replied. "And, before you accuse me of being stupid, I'll let you know I used Veritaserum on him the night I was bitten. I know how he feels."
"You used Veritaserum on him?" Hermione asked, clearly interested.
"Yeah, it was a birthday present from my crazy old great-aunt," Sasha said, grinning to herself. "Anyway, I'd better be going, I have Transfiguration in a minute. 'Bye."
Sasha left Moaning Myrtles bathroom, feeling quite relieved in a strange way.
"Can I sit with you?" Sasha asked Demitra, who was sitting with Rachel O'Toole. Demitra nodded, but looked surprised. Sasha sat down in the desk beside her sister.
"Why aren't you with Malfoy?" Demitra asked. Sighing, Sasha shrugged.
"We're gonna take a little break from each other," she said, taking out a quill, ink and a roll of parchement.
"Is everything all right?"
"Yeah," Sasha replied, wishing Demitra would just stop talking.Resting her chin on her hand, Sasha studied Demitras worried face, face Sasha not only knew as Demitras, but also knew as her own.
The lesson was ordinary, no surprise quizzes or unexpected news. Professor Mcgonagol issued more homework than usual, but this hardly surprised anyone.
Sasha and Demitra walked down to the dungeons for Double Potions with the Gryffindors. Draco shot a worried glance over his shoulder at Sasha, but she payed it no mind. Let him worry, she thought grimly. Let him feel it.
Just as Sasha was sitting down with Demitra, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Look, what's the matter?" Draco whispered in Sashas ear.
"I have nothing to say to you," she said, not even glancing at him. A slightly hurt expression stole over Dracos face, but it was quickly replaced by a sneer. He returned to his seat, biting his lip.
"I think you really hurt him," Demitra said, watching him closely. "Sash, you nearly made him cry."
"Well he deserves it, Demi," Sasha said, sitting down and opening her textbook. "You don't know what he did to me."
"Don't you think you're being a little dramatic?" Demitra asked, regarding her twins glaring face.
"Not at all, Demi. I can't settle for anything less than perfect with things like this."
"Okaaay, then. Your life."
--------
Snape was horrible to the Gryffindors, to Sashas amusement, but he was just as bad to her. When she stirred her cauldron the normal way, Snape would despretly try to find something wrong with the way she was doing it. After he critizied her work for the fourth time, Sasha begun getting angry. Every worm she chopped suddenly had Snapes face, and she smirked cruelly as her knife sliced through their bodies.
"Wow. . . you certainly seem to enjoy chopping worms," Demitra commented, examining Sashas face.
"I'm imagining they're Snape," she grinned. "It's fun."
"Ah. That makes sense," Demitra shrugged.
When the lesson was over, Sasha and Demitra headed to the liberary for a break between lessons. Taking a seat at a deserted table, Sasha and Demitra took out their homework and quills. While Demitra began working, Sasha sat with her quill suspended in mind air above her parchement, her brow furrowed in thought.
"What?" Demitra asked, looking up at her. Sasha bit her lip.
"I can't get my mind off Draco," Sasha sighed. "I don't know, I can't stop thinking about him. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe he's trying, but I can't accept his apologies because I'm under the illusion that everything has to be perfect. What do you think, Demi?"
"Well, I think you should listen to what he has to say. Let me tell you, there's more going on in his head than you'd think," Demitra said mysteriously, returning to her homework. "If he told you half of what he dreamed and thought about, you would faint."
"Oh yeah? And you know this how?" Sasha asked suspiciously.
"Malfoy and I have had some pretty intense talks, Sash," Demitra said, shrugging.
"Really?" Sasha asked, slightly annoyed. "Why?"
"He's really very interesting, when you hear him out. A little guarded and resevered, but not after a while," Demitra said vaguely, avoiding Sashas question. "Malfoy's quite deep and thoughtful, you know, Sash. He'd like talking to you, a lot."
"Demitra Athena, you're not answering my question," Sasha hissed angrily. "Are you joking or do you seriously have these in-depth, heart-to-heart chats with my boyfriend? I want to know about them, now!"
"Jeez, no need for the middle name, Sasha Athena!" Demitra shot back, forgetting to keep her voice down. Madam Pince poked her head out of a nearby isle, her finger pressed to her mouth, a threatening look on her face. Sasha flashed her an apologetic smile before gathering her books into her bag and getting up.
"Come on, we'll continue this conversation outside where we can be loud," Sasha told Demitra, who replaced her books and followed her sister.
"Malfoy came to me to ask me advice on how to deal with you," Demitra said when they were in the corridor. "He said you were getting tough to manage."
"What does that mean?" Sasha cried.
"He didn't know how to make you happy anymore, you changed after the werewolf incident. . . he says you're less affectionate now," Demitra grinned slightly.
"Well, what did that mean, 'If he told me half of what he dreamed and thought about I'd faint'?" Sasha asked, genuinely angry now.
"Like I said, he's very deep and thoughtful. Malfoy has an awful lot of great ideas to surprise you with, Sash. Like -"
"Don't tell me! I'll find out on my own, thanks!"
In the common room that night, Draco sat down next to Sasha, who pretended not to notice.
"Hey," he said, watching her stare sullenly into the fire.
"Hi," she said stiffly.
"Look, I know you're angry at me, but Sash listen to me," he began. "I know I'm not the most - well, reliable person in this school, and I do have problems pleasing you, but I do want to. More badly than anything. I know I can be mean and evil sometimes, but you can't be mad at me for that. It's who I am, it's in my blood. Just look at my father and you'll understand. I wish I had grown up like you did, with a father who cared and a mother who could love me, but I didn't. I grew up as a horrible rich kid who would sell out his friends for money."
"Yeah, you did," Sasha said bitterly. "I don't see where this is going, but keep going."
"I can't change myself for you, Sash. If I could, I would in a heartbeat, but you know I can't. But I'm willing to support you and love you, as I am," Draco said sincerely. "If you'll take me that way."
Suddenly a light turned on in Sashas mind. She recognised this situation. It was worn to tatters, but in Sashas mind it was as new as dawn, and she greeted it joyfully. All her anger towards Draco abruptly melted.
"W-what do you mean?" Sasha whispered, turning towards Draco, grinning to see a small velvet box in his hand. Ignoring the stares of every other Slytherin in the room, Draco cleared his throat.
"Sasha Sorbelle, will you marry me?" he asked, opening the box to reveal a diamond encrusted engagement ring of pure silver.