Rain

By: Who Else? Me

Chapter Seven

Romance Behind the Books

Dorothy covered her eyes with her hands, feeling self-regret begin to wash over her. It was her fault! It was all her fault!! Why did she have to be so damn different!? She felt tears beginning to well up in her eyes and didn't stop them from spilling over onto her cheeks. 'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!' she thought, her chest racking with sobs as she hid between two bookshelves. Her body shook as she flashed back to that moment in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class room. She pushed it out of her mind and grabbed a book from a shelf as she heard footsteps coming closer. She buried her flushed, wet face in the pages and pretended to read.

"Hey, you're that girl—"It was Draco Malfoy, he had a book for Arithmancy under his arm and he was looking for where the sobs had come from. When he saw it was Dorothy sitting on the floor, crying into an upside down book, he began approaching her. She pulled the book down away from her face and he stopped. She was crying so hard. "Hey, are you—I mean, what's your problem!?"

"Please just leave me alone, Draco...I don't need you being mean to me right—"but she stopped as she began to cry again.

"H-hey! Stop crying!!" He walked up to her and reached out to wipe a tear away but Dorothy jolted back, avoiding his hand.

"Wh-what are you...doing?" she asked, making him lower his hand with her own.

"I-I thought I saw something on your face is all! See...that's why I'm not nice to you Gryffindors! You always think we're going to hurt you!" He looked away suddenly and Dorothy looked down at her hands.

"I'm sorry...I'm just not very good around boys..." she whispered. "They make me nervous...and no offense, but I've heard some pretty nasty things about the Slytherins and particularly...you."

"M-me!? What did I ever do?!" He sat down and picked up the book she was "reading." 'Advance Muggle Studies.' "Do you even take muggle studies!?"

"No, I don't need to. I learned everything about muggles from my mum. She was a muggle you know." But Draco didn't so thins and he looked up suddenly, she was fidgeting slightly. "If you want to call me a mudblood or half-breed, feel free. Practically everyone else in my life has, including my father..."

Draco wanted so bad to reach out and touch her face and comfort her. So bad it was making him ache, but he resisted. The girl before him was not only a Gryffindor but a half-breed too! It was never going to work out anyway, no body would accept it and there would be too many differences but she looked so beautiful.

"I always do that," Dorothy whispered, looking up at him.

"What?" he asked, putting the book in a random spot in the bookshelf.

"I spill my guts to anyone, even if I don't know them. It's such a bad habit."

She looked down at her hands and there was a slightly awkward silence between them. She seemed slightly uncomfortable. She was uncomfortable being around him, well, who wouldn't be. She was a Gryffindor, he was a Slytherin, there was naturally some tension between them because of that alone.

"I'm sorry..."

"Would you stop apologizing?! Geez, you act like you've done something wrong!" She looked up at him with her sad, tired eyes and he felt something swelling up in his stomach.

"But, haven't I? Isn't that why you're being so mean to me?" Draco was taken aback and he just looked at her for a moment.

"Why I—? What are you talking about!? I haven't been mean!" He yelled, clenching his fists.

"Stop yelling at me then!" She picked up her things and started to stand. "Class is going to start any minute now, and I have to get to potions."

"I have the same class next. Come on, I'll show you were the classroom is." Dorothy stopped suddenly and stared at him.

"Wh-what!?"

"Are you...are you being nice to me?" She looked to be in shock, and then smiled, looking down at her feet. "Maybe what people are telling me isn't as true as it sounds."

"What is it people keep saying about me!?" Draco was becoming frustrated but he tried very hard to keep his cool. Even if no one would accept them he was going to try.

"It's just...it's nothing." She started walking toward the library's entrance, smiling slightly to herself.

They began walking down the stairs, silence surrounding them as they walked. People moved aside to let them through. 'News travels fast,' thought Dorothy, avoiding making eye contact. Draco noticed people whispering and looking nervously at the dark-hair girl beside him. She seemed to be ignoring it but he could tell by the tenseness of her shoulders she wasn't enjoying it. That, or she wasn't enjoying the walk with him.

"It would've happened eventually, those two I mean," said a seventh year Ravenclaw. "Did you hear what she did to, Potter? I feel sorry for the chap," said a fourth year Hufflepuff. "I heard it was an accident. They were practicing Patronus Charms in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class and her Patronus when insane and attacked him."

Dorothy sped up, reaching the foot of the stairs long before Draco and leaning against the rail as she waited for him. She clutched her books to her chest and she was deathly silent. When he caught up she looked up at him and smiled.

"Okay, let's keep going, hm?" and without waiting for a reply she started walking away. "No which way did you say the dungeons were? That way? Okay! Let's go!"

"H-hey! What a second! I want to ask—! Hey! You're going the wrong way!"

A/N: Ooh! The softer side of Draco is showing. And gasp what's this? She's a half-breed!? And he's not calling her names! Talk about Mary-Sue, right? Well, if you don't like it nyah, 'cause I ant changin' a single thing! So, what now? I wait until tomorrow to write more 'cause I'm tired and two chapters should be enough for your people! One chapter is to little and three chapters is more thank I can manage. Well, that's my daily rant. Ciao.

WEM

Warning!!! Spoiler Alert!!

Chapter Eight Preview: What?! Rumors stop flying as Harry gives a false excuse as to why he passed out and it sends Prof. Trelawney off her rocker! What else?! Hermione begins to suspect Dorothy is hiding feelings for Draco!? And Draco is sneaking peeks at Dorothy between classes?! Talk about obsessed! In the next chapter of Rain, "Beautiful Obsession!" R&R!!