Exams. They're stressful enough for anyone. But when you are a receptor of all the emotions around you, it's a lot worse. The fact that the entire castle was worked up always drove Alexas crazy, sometimes even Cliff and Adrian had to avoid her, she just got to difficult to deal with.
At the time in question, Alexas was pacing up and down the common room, fidgeting with her hands and robes.
"Sit down." Cliff commanded.
She complied, but it wasn't for long, and after a few minutes of restlessly shifting she stood back up. It didn't take long from there until she was back to pacing.
"What's wrong Alexas?" Adrian asked.
"I'll tell you what's wrong!" she snapped. "Exams are coming up! I'm not ready, I haven't worked hard enough. And why aren't you studying!" she accused.
"I- I'm taking a break." He stuttered, affronted.
It was then that Draco came down from the dorm. He took one look around, taking in the scene that was unfolding, turned straight back around and went back up.
"A break!" Alexas shrieked. "There's no time for breaks! I have to get to the library." She ran out, leaving the entire common room confused in her wake.
"Why is she always like this at exam time?" Adrian asked, bewildered.
Cliff shrugged. "No idea. You could go ask her. If you want to risk your neck that is."
In the library, Alexas closed the book she'd been trying to study from with a sigh. This was always the worst time of year. It wasn't the exams themselves, she always passed with no problems; it was just how jittery she always got. And she'd yelled at Cliff and Biggsly again.
She started whacking the book against her forehead in frustration. "Stupid… exams… why… can't… they… just… go…. away!" she muttered through her teeth in between whacks.
She put down the book. "This is hopeless. I suppose I should go back and apologize too."
She got up slowly and put her book back on the shelf, then headed back to the common room.
She breathed a sigh of relief when upon returning, she saw that they hadn't moved from the couch she had left them in. "Hey guys." She said, sitting down between the two of them. "I just wanted to apologize for being so crazy before. The stress just got to me, I guess."
"Not a worry." Cliff said expansively. "And I'm sure our fine friend Adrian here forgives you as well."
Adrian nodded fervently. Even if he hadn't forgiven her, he didn't want to provoke her.
"Only, don't do it again." Cliff added in mock-sternness.
Alexas smiled. "I'll try not to. I'm gonna go to bed early tonight; see if I can actually get some sleep. Night."
As Alexas dug around in her trunk looking for her pajamas she heard a voice come from Pansy's bed.
"Hey," Pansy said, "I just want to give you a friendly warning about something."
"About what?" Alexas asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. Something about this just didn't feel right.
"Stay away from Draco." Pansy threatened as she got off her bed and walked towards Alexas. "He's mine and I won't let anyone take him away from me. Especially," she added with a sneer, "not some crazy bitch from Ravenclaw."
"Okay. Three things." Alexas said, trying her best to stay calm. "One: he's not your property. Two: I think he can make his own decisions. And three: we're just friends."
"Oh come on!" Pansy scoffed. "You're all over him! Sneaking off with him all the time. But then, what more could you expect from the bastard daughter of a wanted criminal?"
In a flash, Alexas had Pansy pinned up against the wall, her hand gripping Pansy's neck. "Did you know Sirius Black was cleared of all charges?" she hissed dangerously. "Most people don't. Maybe I should live up to my family expectations?" She let her go and Pansy sunk to the floor, one hand to her neck in shock.
"I'll tell you this though." She said casually as she left the room. "Badmouth my father again and I'll curse you into oblivion."
She left then, running out of the common room, past her friends and out into the corridors. She ran until she could barely breathe. Sitting down with her head up against the stone wall, she sighed. She really shouldn't have let her temper get the best of her like that, and now she'd have to deal with the consequences.
After about twenty minutes, Draco came along and sat beside her. "Hey." He said quietly. "I talked to Pansy. She won't tell anyone what happened."
"How'd you convince her?" Alexas asked.
"What can I say?" Draco said with mock confidence, cracking his knuckles. "I've got the magic."
"Thanks." She said, smiling weakly. She rested her head back against the wall. "How did you find me anyway?"
"That's quite an interesting story actually. When Pansy came down and started yelling all kinds of things and I had to calm her down to talk her out of going to Professor Snape, Granger ran up into the boys' dorm, then came back and told me exactly where you were. I have no idea how she knew."
"I do." She replied. "Harry has a map that can show where people are. Hermione told me about that once. I must remember to thank her."
Draco stood up, took hold of Alexas' hand and pulled her up too. "Come on. It's almost nine thirty. We'd better get back or we might get in trouble."
She nodded, and they set off together, neither of them talking. They had gone only a few meters before Draco realized that he was still holding onto her hand. He let go hurriedly, feeling uncomfortable.
She felt his discomfort and shot him a questioning look, but didn't pursue her enquiry any more than that. She wasn't going to press the issue.
Exams were only one day away and Alexas was feeling worse than ever. She couldn't calm down enough to do anything at all. Spending most of her time pacing, she'd barely eaten or slept over the past week, and was looking sick and gaunt. She jumped when Draco tapped her on the shoulder.
"Come with me." He said. "I have a surprise for you." He led her out of the common room and down the hallway into one of the many unused classrooms. There was a steaming goblet giving off a silver vapor on one of the desks.
"What's this?" she asked.
"It's the Draught of Peace. I thought you could use it." He replied. "I asked Professor Snape to make it for me."
"Thanks." She said breathlessly. "I never would've thought of that." She threw her arms around his waist and buried her head in his shoulder. "I know I've been really crazy lately, thanks for putting up with me."
"That's okay." He said, instinctively wrapping his arms around her to pull her closer. "Her hair smells of jasmine." He thought to himself. Suddenly realizing the track his thoughts were on, he pulled away from her hurriedly; enable to meet her puzzled gaze. He tried to cover up his nervousness by handing her the goblet.
Alexas was bewildered by the way he'd been behaving lately, sometimes he was jumpier that she was. But she shrugged it off, if he really wanted to tell her, then he would. Raising the goblet to her lips, she downed the whole lot in one big gulp and sighed with relief as she felt it take effect immediately, all nervousness leaving her in one big rush.
She sighed in contentment, but then all her exhaustion from the past week caught up with her and she swayed suddenly.
Draco caught her elbow to hold her steady. "What's wrong?" he asked, concern radiating from his face.
"I'm fine." She said placatingly. "Just really, really tired. I'm going straight to bed."
He nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow. I have to take the goblet back to Professor Snape."
"Night. And thanks again Draco."
He watched her leave, then sat down on a desk. He rubbed his temples with his fingertips, sighing in frustration. "I have to get past this." He told himself. "Even if she knew what I did, it wouldn't change things."
He picked up the goblet and slowly made his way out of the room and down to the dungeons to return it to Professor Snape's office as he had promised.
During their last exam, History of Magic, Alexas was having difficulty keeping her mind on the essay about the founding of the International Confederation of Wizards that she was supposed to be writing. The question of what was plaguing Draco had been on her mind lately.
Any time she brought it up, he tried to act like nothing was wrong. She rolled her eyes. "When is he going to learn that you can't lie to an empath?" she thought exasperatedly. Looking up and seeing how little time was left, she winced and got back to work.
When the exam was finally over, almost everyone went out to enjoy the summer sun. Draco and Alexas however, decided to go up to the prefects' common room for a little solitude after the ordeal they had just been through.
"Man am I glad that's all over." Draco said, relieved, sinking into the couch.
"Until next year anyway." Alexas groaned, throwing herself onto the couch sideways.
Draco looked down at her and swallowed nervously. She didn't seem to notice that she had just draped herself right over his lap. This really wasn't fair. He stood up to dislodge her, and she hit the floor.
"What was that for?" she whined, not even trying to get up from where she was lying face-first.
"I just realized I forgot to give back some notes I borrowed from Blaise."
"But the exams are over. It doesn't matter anymore."
"I should return them anyway." He said, hurrying out.
Alexas sighed from the floor. There was just no reasoning with him. Eventually she was just going to have to confront him and force the truth out of him, but just couldn't be bothered. Slowly she dragged herself up off the ground and made her way wearily off to her bed and blessed sleep.
A/N: Ah, the plot thickens does it not? Pretty-please R R!