Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or any of its' characters, names, or settings.
Chapter 19- The RumorThanks for the reviews. . .
Some12, oooo, Bride of Malfoy, Lor. And. . .
B.B: Well. . . thanks a lot for letting all of my reviewers know about me not being able to update because I was banned. . . I really appreciated it. Lol. . . and I don't think Harry needs chap stick for his balls. . . cuz he don't got no balls to take care of. LMAO. . . totally inappropriate.
AppleCrazy: Thanks a lot for your compliments, and I am trying hard to update again as soon as possible. I don't want to take as long as I did last time.
GEmory: HEY! Aw. . . I missed updating and being able to read and reply your reviews! But hey, now that I'm back, I hope I can update more. I know that I didn't really do such a good job on my last chapter. . . way too many mistakes, but I think that that was because all of the stress and misery that I was feeling. I hope you guys like this chapter better though. . .
gazy: Hey gazy! OMG! I CANNOT thank you enough for all of the really good reviews that you have sent me, and also with helping to tell everyone what's been going on with my account. . . I am REALLY grateful. Also thanks for all of your suggestions, cuz I did go back and I fixed my last chapter. I honestly don't know why I did so bad on that chapter. I guess it's probably because I'm usually feeling "inspired", or "in the mood" when I write each of my chapters, and I think that because of that 1 REVIEWER, my story might've turned out to be RUINED! She like totally ruined my whole mood because it totally angered and depressed me, that now I think that I might soon get writer's block. SO SORRY EVERYONE! BUT IT'S ALL HER FAULT, CUZ SHE ONLY HAS TO PICK ON ME, WHEN A BILLION OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS SITE MADE THE SAME MISTAKE THAT I DID! GGGGRRRR. . .
SubliminalMsgs: I'd love to read your two short stories, and I'll make sure that you'll hear more of me, cuz I'm also gonna review your writing. Thanks for your review!
Remorseful Passion (Mz. Undastood-Actress): Your pen name wasn't that bad. . . just kind of weird, but that's ok. I totally agree about how people just like to go around and ruin people's fun. I seriously don't think that there is one person on this site, who felt completely pissed off as I did, and did you know, that the very thought of it still makes my blood boil right now? Do you realize that it's because of that ONE reader who has totally ruined my thinking and concentration, and it has and will affect my whole story? I just want you, and everybody else to know that if my story does turn out to suck later on, you know who to go and blame. . . right?
TRuE2U: Don't worry about it if you thought I thought that you were contradicting me. I actually really appreciated you pointing out my mistakes, and although I tried to fix everything you pointed out, I still decided to keep the Astronomy lessons at 12 mid-night.
Sparcle girl: I would really like to thank you A LOT, for all of the wonderful reviews you sent me, even when I was "away". I am REALLY grateful to have such readers like you, and it's because of ppl like you, I am influenced to write even more. Although I know that everyone on this site probably suspects that "no" reviewer to have ratted me out, and even though I am pretty pissed off at her too, I still wish that I could know for certain who did it, because that person must've REALLY hated me and/or my story.
Ashley: lol. . . I didn't forget who you were. . . I am usually good at remembering almost all of my reviewers, and I really appreciated you reading and reviewing my story.
drops-of-jupiter05: Well. . . I can see exactly why you would be a little confused about the whole Ginny and Hermione thing, and I apologize for it, because I have now realized that everyone else must also be wondering about that. . . but I'll try to explain that in the story later on. Thanks for your review though, and I appreciate you telling me your concern. If you have any more other questions, you can go right ahead and ask me.
natyslacks: Aw. . . your review really flattered me, and thanks a lot for it. I'll try my best to not disappoint you or any of my other readers or reviewers, but you'll have to be patient with me, since I am finding it VERY difficult to update as often as I used to. School enough is taking a great toll in my time that I have.
Til death due us part: Thanks for your review, and I went back and checked my chapters, and I found that you were right. . . I must've made some kind of typo or something, so I edited it.
ash vault rose garden: Lol. . . I don't even know what to say to that. . .
Ar-Zimraphel- Thanks a lot for your help, and I'll try to take in your advice.
And thanks to everyone else who I may have forgotten to recognize. Luv you all!
As Draco Malfoy stared out ahead into the thick and heavy darkness that hovered over Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he thought to himself, "Finally. . . finally, I can just get some peace and quiet, and a moment for myself to think."
It was now past midnight, putting an official end to September 4th, and an official start on September the 5th. In Draco's opinion, it had been a long and tiring day for him. But most of all, he felt that yesterday (the 4th) had been very odd. . . not exactly so confusing, but just strange, and different.
As he recalled. . .
The day had started off great. It was a little humid, and although the morning sun was concealed behind tufts of gray floating clouds, it was quite warm outside as Draco stirred awake in his large king-sized bed. He shifted underneath the weight of the piles of blankets, sheets and comforters that buried him.
Blinking several times, he immediately felt wide-awake for he was not one who liked to linger and spend so much of his time in his bed sleeping.
He suddenly sat up, causing some of the blankets to fall down onto his lap. His wild and violent eyes wandered around the room, taking in the cozy surroundings. As he looked around, Draco found himself feeling slightly amused at how messy and untidy his room already was.
'And it has only been the beginning of the school year,' he thought, as he flung his legs over the left side of his bed, and onto the messy floor below.
Pushing the large mounds of blankets off of him, he got up, but soon suddenly found himself laughing out loud.
He had looked down to realize that he was only wearing a pair of black boxers. . . and his white socks.
Laughing, he thought, 'I must've forgotten to take them off last night, since I felt so tired from sleeping so late.'
Making his way across his bedroom, he occasionally had to hop over the many different things that were strewn upon the floor. He was searching for his favorite white t-shirt to wear over his bare chest. Although the bathroom was right next door, he didn't want to run the risk of any of the prefects looking up from the first floor and seeing him half-nude with only a pair of boxers and socks on.
Searching and picking through the many books, clothes, and parchment that littered the floor, he suddenly remembered why he had slept late the night before. As the memory of last night's events began to surface in his mind, all of the happy and humorous feelings that he felt started to gradually fade away.
'Oh hell,' he thought in dismay. 'I just woke up in a good mood and now it seems like it's all going to change. I have a feeling that today isn't going to be such a good day for me after all.'
He of course felt like this, because of the two different confrontations that he had last night with both Hermione and Pansy.
'Girls are so difficult to deal with,' he found himself thinking bitterly. 'All of them are moody, confusing, sometimes so hard to get along with. . . but most of all. . . just so different from us guys.'
Finally locating his white t-shirt that lay behind the door of the walk-in closet, Draco quickly grabbed for it and threw it over his head, before continuing on with his troubled thoughts.
'But what exactly happened with Pansy and Granger yesterday?' he asked himself, as he sat down at the end of his large bed.
Thinking over the tormenting events of the night before, Draco had no idea that his facial expression was reflecting completely on the sinking feeling that he now felt.
"Aaaaaah," he sighed, finally remembering what had happened the night before. 'My God. . . and now I have to face the both of them today?'
He shook his head as he lifted himself off of his bed. He looked around the untidy and messy room exasperatedly, before waving his wand around. This had solved the messiness of the room, as everything floated back to where they belonged in the bookshelves, in drawers and back into the closet. Nodding satisfyingly, he walked toward his window and stared out of it, still thinking.
'I don't really mind seeing Hermione today, since she did only accuse me of becoming more and more like my father. . . and I know she didn't ACTUALLY mean that. I mean, how would she know? She hardly even knows me at all, so there is no way that she could've actually meant what she said.'
Suddenly remembering what time it was and where he was supposed to be, Draco spun around and started to head for his bedroom door.
'I think Pansy's the only problem right now,' he told himself, turning his doorknob around and exiting his room. 'I'm still so confused about what happened yesterday. I mean, that has never happened between us, and for some reason, that was the first time I've ever felt so awkward and weird around her.'
Draco walked the short distance down the hall to the heads' bathroom, but to soon find that the door was locked. Hearing the sounds of water rushing out of the tap, and the loud tooth-brushing noises, he knew that it was Hermione inside the bathroom getting ready for the day.
'Oh great,' he thought, feeling some of his old impatience returning. 'Now I'll just have to wait while a girl gets ready in the bathroom. And another thing, why do girls take so much longer getting ready than us guys?'
He suddenly laughed, as he realized what he had just thought.
'I'm actually no better,' he admitted to himself.
But his thoughts soon returned back to Pansy, because he was beginning to feel a little ridiculous.
'I'm being stupid. Barely anything happened yesterday, so why am I making this such a big deal? I'm just overreacting again for something so small. Just because I didn't want Pansy around me that one time, that doesn't mean it's going to change our relationship. I'll just act normal today. Man. . . I've a lot more things to worry about, without stressing over these minor things.'
This thought seemed to have cheered him up a bit, and Draco thought no more of last night, as he leant back against the wooden banisters of the first floor. He stared at the bathroom door in front of him, waiting for his turn to get ready for the day.
The sudden silence of the rushing tap water, and the faint footsteps approaching the door, alerted Draco that Hermione was finally done with the bathroom and was about to get out.
He straightened up from his relaxed and leaning posture, and walked over, when the door was suddenly flung open.
'What the-!' he thought surprised.
Although the abrupt movement had startled him, he quickly regained himself as he stood still and calm and eyed the Head Girl in front of him.
Hermione was just beginning to stroll out, but she had stopped shortly at the sight of Draco standing in front of her. As the Head Boy observed her, he realized that her face was colouring up to a faint pink.
'She's blushing,' he noted quietly. 'Thank goodness I know how to keep my own emotions under control. . . and I don't even know who's more embarrassed. . . me or her. . .'
His gray eyes suddenly began wandering down to where her hands were clutching onto the soft blue towel that was wrapped around her. As he was doing this, he was oblivious to the fact that she was also eyeing him up and down, with a very readable expression on her face that could only say that she was very unused to the sight of a Malfoy wearing something else rather than just wizard robes.
Although Hermione was no longer blushing, she looked slightly embarrassed and uncomfortable as she slipped by him.
"Hi. . . the bathroom's now free," she said quietly. Then, sounding apologetic, she continued, "Sorry I took too long."
Draco found himself staring into her soft, pretty honey eyes, and he subconsciously found himself thinking, 'God-she's beautiful,' before snapping back to reality when Hermione blinked a couple of times.
"No problem," he replied, as calmly as he looked. He had completely forgotten about feeling impatient, as he looked at her one more time, before walking into the Head's Bathroom, and closing the door behind him.
"Pansy, can you please pass the orange juice over here?" Draco asked, turning to his right and giving her one of his rare grins. All of the handsome features on his face lit up, and Pansy, who could not resist this grin of his, smiled back as she handed him the glass pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice that was sitting not too far away from her.
"Thanks," said Draco. "I can't believe how hungry I've been lately."
"Yah Draco," Pansy started to say, as she eyed him with concern. "You haven't been looking too well lately. What's going on?"
Feeling a small jolt of panic, he quickly asked with a look of what he hoped to be was mild puzzlement on his face, "What do you mean?"
He had just remembered that he hadn't yet told his girlfriend anything about how much his life at home had changed over the summer. Pansy only knew about how hard it was for Draco to have Lucius locked up in Azkaban, and that was really the only topic he talked to her about, but she had no idea of Narcissa's drinking and depression problems. She also had no idea about what Draco now thought of his own so called 'laid out future'… and he planned to keep it that way.
"Well, you do look kind of pale," replied Pansy, but then quickly added, "I mean, paler than usual. And, I think you've lost a lot of weight over the summer. Draco, is there anything wrong that you aren't telling me about?"
With an expression on his face of what he hoped was confusion, Draco replied, "Pansy, I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just fine. In fact. . ."
Looking unconvinced, she interrupted, "But you. . ."
"Look, the reason why I look kind of pale, is probably because I stayed mostly indoors in the summer, not getting much sun," he quickly broke in.
"Ah huh, ah huh. . ." Pansy nodded, agreeing with his excuse, but she quickly inquired, "Then what about your rapid weight loss?"
"Oh that. . . well. . . I guess I exercised and played Quidditch outside a lot over the past two months," he replied much faster than he should have.
"Draco. . ." Pansy started to say, as she tried to find the correct words to use before continuing, "You JUST said that you didn't get too much sunlight, but then you also just said that you got too much exercise outside. What. . ."
Realizing his little 'mistake', Draco quickly interrupted, "Oh shit! Pansy. . . I would really like to sit and chat with you, but I just remembered. . . I was supposed to meet Snape about 15 minutes ago, to discuss. . ."
"To discuss. . . ?" Pansy questionally repeated with her eyebrows raised, waiting for him to finish his new excuse.
"To discuss. . . to discuss. . . to discuss my duties as the new Slytherin Head!" he finished, feeling satisfied with his answer.
Pansy's sharp and stabbing blue eyes were on Draco as he quickly got up from the breakfast table and turned towards the direction of where the tall wooden doors of the hall stood. While strolling swiftly away from the Slytherin table, Draco turned his head back just for a moment to face Pansy, and he called out, "I'll see you later!"
With that said, the cunning pureblood made his way out of the Great Hall, and into the Entrance Hall. He stopped suddenly when he had approached the foot of the Grand Staircase and had looked down at his silver wristwatch.
'8:13 a.m.,' it said.
'I still have about 45 minutes before my first class starts,' noted Draco. 'What am I supposed to do for 45 minutes? I can't go back to eating breakfast, or Pansy'll keep pestering me with her questions.'
Suddenly, voices from up above could be heard approaching the top of the Grand Staircase.
'God. . . it sounds like Granger,' he observed after a moment, as the voices and the sounds of footsteps came closer. 'And it sounds like Longbottom and that other weird, blond chick is with her as well. I better leave now, before I have ANOTHER awkward run-in with Hermione. It seems like that's the only thing that has been happening to me lately when I'm around her.'
Within 5 minutes, Draco was already making his way down a corridor to the left of the Grand Staircase. He could only just make out the 'trio's' voices and their conversation as they stepped off the staircase, and began to cross to the other side of the Entrance Hall.
"'Mione. . . when is it exactly that you are going to try to become friends again with Ron, Harry, Ginny and Padma?" he heard Neville ask.
The tall, handsome Slytherin abruptly stopped walking, as he tried to get a better ear into their conversation.
"Never," came the barely audible reply, which without a doubt belonged to Hermione.
'Hmm. . .' Draco thought, feeling rather interested in what was currently being said.
". . .how pissed off you are right now," Draco caught Neville saying. "But, what if Ron and Harry break up with Ginny and Padma. . . then would you try to talk to them?"
"Neville," came Hermione's tired and exasperated voice. To Draco, however, she sounded quite frustrated and aggravated. "No. . . I am NEVER going to talk to them. . . no matter what happens. Look, I don't need them in my life anymore. . ."
She had said more, but Draco could hear no more from them, for they had just entered the Great Hall. The volume of the ringing, humming and echoes of noisy glasses, cutlery, laughter and talk overtook the volume of their voices, so no more could be heard.
Shaking his head in confusion and in bafflement, Draco resumed walking down the corridor. All was quiet, but the sounds of his footsteps bouncing off of each wall. The absence of the students and teachers soon made him realize that nearly everyone must be enjoying their breakfast in the Great Hall. Even the fine and elegant portraits along the walls were quiet and characterless, for their inhabitants were off visiting each other, or off enjoying the morning some other places.
'Knowing Pansy and how she can be sometimes, I'm certain that it will be nearly impossible to hide everything from her,' he thought, as the long corridor became slightly narrower and darker. There were now fewer torches along the walls that lit the hallway as Draco walked further on. 'She and most of the other Slytherins expect me to be something I don't want to be. . . I can't possibly let her, or any of the other Slytherins know that. Jeez. . . hiding all this shit from people is a lot harder than I thought.'
The passageway made a sharp right turn, before coming to a dead-end. Draco was left facing a wall a couple of meters away from him.
Down below him however, was a steep set of stairs that dropped down to the school dungeons below.
Making his way down the cold stone steps, and onto the dungeon floor below, Draco found himself thinking out of curiosity, 'Now I wonder WHAT is going on with those Gryfinndors these days. I remember clearly when the sorting hat requested us to stop letting ourselves be separated with each other, just because we were sorted into different houses. That was in the beginning of 5th year, and even till now, the teachers have been encouraging that. But, it's really weird and funny how the Gryfinndor house slowly seems to be falling apart. I must find out why exactly Granger is so upset at Weasley and Potter.'
To many people, the dark school dungeons felt quite cold, damp, and miserable. Draco, however, felt no difference in the atmosphere, as he made his way down a new corridor. As he made his way down the hall, he found himself suddenly feeling the emotion of sympathy. . . a feeling that he wasn't very familiar with.
'Gee. . . I can't help feeling sorry for Hermione sometimes. She never really did look too happy when she used to be with Potter and Weasley. Especially with Ron for some reason. And Potter's such a jerk too,' he thought. 'At least now she has better friends. . . although one of them DOES happen to be Longbottom.'
He stopped suddenly, by a stretch of bare, stonewall.
"Silver-tongued," he said aloud. . . and within seconds, a stone door concealed in the wall slid open.
The Slytherin common room was a long, low underground room with rough walls and ceiling, from which round, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of him, and because most of the Slytherins were eating breakfast in the Great Hall, no one was sitting around in the carved chairs.
However, Draco headed toward a pair of chairs set directly in front of the fire, and they happened to be the two only occupied chairs. In fact, he noticed that other than him and the two other Slytherins currently occupying those two chairs, there was no one else in sight, and the entire room was vacant.
(Author's Note: All the descriptions of the Slytherin common room, were not created by me. . . they were taken directly from the book: Harry Potter and The Chamber Of Secrets, which rightfully belongs to J.K. Rowling.)
"Crabbe. . . Goyle," Draco spoke, as he approached them. "It's so great to see you guys again!"
"Definitely," agreed Goyle, as he gave the Slytherin blond a playful punch on the shoulder. However, Draco couldn't help wincing, for both Crabbe and Goyle were terribly strong, even when they tried not to be.
"How've you been?" asked Crabbe, as Draco took a seat beside him. He still appeared to be a lot taller and muscular than Draco.
"Not bad, not bad," he replied. "You guys?"
"Same," Goyle responded.
Draco noticed that although Crabbe was still a lot taller than him, he was finally nearing Goyle's height. He also noticed some other changes in the both of them; during the end of 5th year and also over the summer, they had both grown taller and slightly leaner, instead of the usual bulky weight that their past under-developed bodies used to drag around. Now however, they were not too muscular or brawny, for they had grown quite well into their sixteen year old selves. They were still extraordinary strong for teenagers though. He also noticed that they had tanned up a fair amount.
"So how's your mother doing?" Crabbe asked curiously, as he lifted up his feet and rested them on the footstool in front of his chair.
"Umm. . ."
Draco was left feeling completely caught off-guard by this question.
'How the hell does he know about my mother?' he asked himself, slowly feeling more and more upset, panicked, and even scared. 'No one's supposed to know.'
He didn't exactly know why he himself was making this whole thing such a big deal. Either it was because he was in denial of this whole situation, or maybe because he felt ashamed and embarrassed of his own mother, he didn't exactly know. But he did know that what went on in the Malfoy Manor, were things that he really did not want to talk about. . . even to Crabbe and Goyle.
"Uhhh. . . what are you talking about?" he asked Crabbe. He made sure to have his face looking puzzled, as if not knowing what was going on.
"Oh, come on Draco," spoke Goyle from Crabbe's right, sounding a little exasperated. "Don't be so slow."
"How is your mother doing?" repeated Crabbe, speaking louder and clearer than before.
"Uhhh. . . she's doing fine, thanks," lied Draco.
And then a moment later, he added, "I mean, why shouldn't she be alright?"
Crabbe and Goyle exchanged worried glances, before Goyle replied, "Well. . . Narcissa didn't reply a single one of the owls sent by my mother.-"
"Or from my mother," added Crabbe.
". . .and we just wanted to know if she was fine," continued Goyle.
"Yah, well. . ."
But Draco was able to save up his words, for the silence was soon broken.
"My house felt so quiet during the summer for some reason," commented Crabbe, as he started to absentmindedly pull out the chair stuffing from a large hole torn at the right side of the furniture.
"Yaaaah right," Goyle said sarcastically, turning to Crabbe. "A family like yours. . . quiet!"
He let out a deep hearty laugh, just at the thought of it.
But Crabbe had a very serious look on his face as he said, "No. . . seriously. I know it may sound REALLY weird. . . since we're talking about MY family here-"
Draco laughed at this, while he stared transfixed at Crabbe distractedly making the hole in the side of his chair bigger.
"-but ever since my Dad's been locked up in Azkaban, it's been. . . well. . . kinda awkward in my household," he continued on.
"Awkward?" Draco questioned.
"Yah," replied Crabbe. "It's really weird, cuz all of my family members barely spoke over the summer. . . even the twins."
"Oh yah," Goyle said, suddenly remembering. "How ARE your sisters. . . Beth and Amy?"
"I don't know," Crabbe replied truthfully. "I mean, usually. . . those two never shut up. . . but ever since my dad's been captured. . . they, and my mom, just stopped talking all of a sudden.
"Hmm. . . that is weird," Goyle said thoughtfully. A sickening crunching sound erupted as he cracked his knuckles. "So they barely spoke to you when you went home for the summer?"
"Barely," Crabbe confirmed, after flinching at the sound. "I don't know. . . it's like they ACTUALLY miss having my father around to beat and abuse them."
"So, did you go anywhere for the summer break?" Draco asked, as an attempt to change the subject. The very topic of parents mistreating their children gave him a very uneasy feeling inside.
"Of course, of course," Crabbe replied grinning. Withdrawed some of my gold from Gringotts, and then soon found myself talking a portkey for a 5-week stay in Germany."
"Really?" Goyle asked. "Why Germany?'
"Well. . .my family's been to nearly every other country in the world except for Germany. . . so I thought, 'Why not?' I mean, my mansion can get very boring sometimes, so I just packed up and left."
"Who'd you stay with while you were up there?" asked Goyle.
"Oh, come on Goyle," Crabbe said, trying to sound patient. "I stayed with. . . you know. . . with some of our. . . connections."
"Ohhhh!" Draco and Goyle both chorused, just realizing what he meant.
"You stayed with the Rookwoods then?" Draco asked, just to make sure.
"Yah," answered Crabbe. "Nice folks, the Rookwoods. At least THEY spoke to me, even though THEIR dad's also in Azkaban."
"What about you?" Draco asked, turning to Goyle. He eyed his tanned skin, before continuing, "Where did you go?"
"Me? Well, Sherry pissed me off, so me, my brother John, and a bunch of our other friends stayed up at our beach house," he answered.
Crabbe laughed, as he asked, "Why do you have to call her 'Sherry'? Why can't you just call her 'Mom'?"
"Because I like to pretend that she's not my mom," Goyle explained.
Draco shifted in his chair uneasily, but he tried to look like as if nothing was bothering him. . . even though there was.
Goyle then turned to him and asked, "And where the hell were you all summer? I tried owling you like a dozen times before I left. . . trying to get you to come with us."
"Oh. . . sorry about that," he apologized. "I had things to do. . ."
Crabbe and Goyle exchanged curious glances, but they kept quiet, for they knew Draco long enough to know not to pry.
"We better go now," Goyle suddenly told them, as he got up from his chair.
Looking down at his silver wristwatch, Draco said, "We only have about 5 minutes before our first lesson starts. . . we better hurry."
With that, Crabbe swung his long legs off the footstool and stood up. Draco followed suit, and all three Slytherins made their way across the common room.
"Aren't you guys hungry?" Draco suddenly asked them. He could feel his stomach growling inside.
As the large stone door opened up in front of them, Crabbe replied, "Not really. . . I dunno. . . I feel like I have much more important things to do these days, instead of just stuffing my face all day long."
"Right," Draco was heard saying, as the stone door slid shut behind them.
"What are you three talking about?" Pansy asked, as she approached where Draco, Crabbe and Goyle were seated. "From where I stood when I first walked in. . . it kinda looked like you guys were arguing about something. What's it about? It must be something serious and important."
As Draco scooted over to the right, allowing space for Pansy and her school bag to be seated, he muttered, "No. . . nothing important."
It was around noon, and practically the entire school had gathered in the Great Hall for lunch. Compared to the dull and slightly cloudy morning that they had had, it was quite radiant now. The bright and intense sunlight that streamed through the Enchanted Ceiling and down to the staff, students and the house tables below, finally stirred awake the isolated energy that hid inside each of them during the dull morning lessons that had wore on earlier.
The meal was just beginning to start when Pansy chose to show up, so she was not too late. The rest of the school however, were already digging into their food eagerly in a new burst of energy, received somehow, when the sun broke through the clouds, changing the school's atmosphere completely.
"No, seriously. . ." Pansy spoke, turning to look at Draco, while also loading up her plate with fresh garden salad. "What were you guys talking about?"
"Seriously? . . . Well, if you really wanna know. . ." but Goyle was cut off by Draco.
"We were discussing the things that we think make a girl really hot."
Crabbe and Goyle sniggered, as Pansy playfully slapped Draco on the arm. As she did so, the fork that he was holding accidentally got knocked out of his hand. It flew backwards, hitting a tiny Hufflepuff first year straight on the back of the head. This made the guys laugh even harder, as the poor 11-yr old rubbed the back of his head with a pained, but also scared expression on his face.
"You bums. . ." Pansy teased, laughing. "Well. . . what did you guys come up with?"
"Well. . ." Crabbe started to say, as he, Goyle and Draco exchanged amused looks.
"You know what?" Pansy interrupted, as she put the glass that she was about to drink from back down on to the table. "I don't think I wanna know. . . cuz I probably already do anyways."
"Okay. . . what do you know?" asked Goyle, looking at her uncertainly.
"Well. . ." she started to say, choosing her words carefully as she spoke. "I know that the only things that all you perverted guys look for in a girl. . . is her breasts and her ass."
While both Draco and Goyle chocked on to their food, Crabbe howled with laughter, and he burst out, "You got that right!"
"Disgusting!" Pansy scolded, with an aghast look on her face.
While Crabbe and Goyle laughed, Draco, wiping himself up with a napkin, told her reassuringly, "We're only joking. It's just you girls that think that that's ALL we look for. . . but there's a lot more that you girls don't know about us guys."
". . .Even though the ass IS a very important thing to us," Goyle said, laughing, which caused even more glares thrown at his direction.
"No, but seriously. . . a girl's gotta have a pretty face," Crabbe told them, as Goyle finally calmed down.
"No duh," mumbled Goyle, but he continued more seriously, "She also has to have a good sense of humour."
"That's true. . . that's true," agreed Draco nodding. Before taking a loud, crunching bite from a pickle, he continued, "But to me, a girl is not hot, unless she's really smart."
Crabbe and Goyle suddenly laughed at this.
"What's so funny?" asked Pansy.
"You've got to be joking. . . right?" Goyle questioned, still laughing, as he stared at Draco.
"No. . . why would I be joking?" he replied.
"Well. . . what the hell does smartness have to do with anything these days?" Crabbe asked him.
Why did he find smarter girls more attractive?
"Well. . ." Draco started to explain, as he thought about it. "A smart girl means a more interesting girl. I mean. . . I'd rather be going out with a chick who can hold up an interesting conversation with me, rather then with a dumb blonde who's only pretty but nothing else. You see where I'm going with this?"
Crabbe and Goyle nodded and continued to eat, but Pansy, looking offended and also suspicious at the same time, quickly inquired, "Am I that dumb blond that you are referring to? Oh. . . I TOTALLY see where YOU'RE going with this."
"What? No! I-"
But Pansy was growing angrier by the second, as she kept speaking.
"Am I boring? Are you saying that you'd rather be with someone else who's smarter!"
"No! Wait! Pansy! That's not what I meant!" the handsome blond interjected. "I like you just the way you are!"
But Pansy had now completely stopped eating, and was still looking quite suspicious and doubtful.
So, Draco quickly turned to Crabbe and Goyle, and exclaimed, "A little help here!"
"Oh. . . . . . . right! Pansy. . . don't worry about it. He was only saying how he wishes his future girlfriend, or his dream and ideal girl will be like in the future," Goyle told her, trying to sound reassuring.
While Pansy's eyebrows jumped at hearing this, Draco and Crabbe shook their heads in dismay and in disappointment.
Draco muttered, "Goyle, you dumbass."
He then glanced over at Crabbe for some better and more decent support.
"Ummm. . ." Crabbe started, as he quickly racked his brain for a good subject- changing topic. Pansy was still glaring at Draco, who was now bending his head down low, pretending to eat. "Guess what I heard today?"
"What'd you hear?" Goyle asked. "Oh. . . is it about that rumor we heard today during Runes?"
"Uh huh," Crabbe said, nodding.
"What rumor?" Pansy asked, suddenly sitting up more. The expression of distrust on her face had suddenly vanished, now replaced by great interest.
'Augh. . . women and their gossip,' thought Draco, feeling slightly annoyed as he watched Pansy growing more eager by the second.
However, he still couldn't help feeling slightly intrigued at what Crabbe was planning to use as a good subject-changer.
"Well. . ." Crabbe told them, looking very pleased that Pansy was no longer upset. "I heard. . . you know that Gryfinndor mudblood?"
Draco suddenly winced at the sound of the word 'mudblood'.
"Well. . . I heard that Granger isn't as goody-goody and as saintly as she appears to be."
"Ohhh!" exclaimed Pansy, finally realizing what he was talking about. "Yah. . . I heard the rumor too."
"Heard what?" asked Draco, now feeling very curious. He also felt a little angry and putout that he was the only one not to know.
"Who'd you hear it from?" Goyle asked Pansy, completely ignoring Draco's question. "Crabbe and I heard it in Runes, while eavesdropping on a group of Hufflepuffs."
"Well then. . . how come I didn't hear anything in Runes?"
"Because Draco. . . you actually DO your work in lessons," came Goyle's reply.
"Well, I heard it shortly after breakfast, right after the whole school had witnessed the fight," Pansy said, replying Goyle's previous question.
"What fight?" all three guys asked at the same time.
"Oh, right," Pansy said, suddenly remembering. "Draco. . . you left right before it even started, and you two-" she gestured towards Crabbe and Goyle, "-weren't even at breakfast this morning at all."
"What fight?" all three guys repeated.
Lunch was now beginning to end, and the Great Hall was already starting to slowly empty out. Some students and staff members were heading to their afternoon lessons.
"Well, to make a long story short," she told them, as she too, grabbed her bag and stood up from the table. "Apparently, Scarhead, Weasley, and Weasley's sister Weasley, were talking behind mudblood's back-" Draco winced. "-which upset Longbottom and the weird blond girl very much."
Crabbe, Goyle and Draco nodded their heads, motioning for Pansy to continue. They had already followed her out of the Great Hall and into the Entrance Hall, where they had now stopped walking, waiting for her to continue.
"So they stood up, walked over to them, started to tell them off, and before you know it, cursing, slapping and even spitting were thrown at each other. Quite shameful, really," she said, finishing her story. While adjusting her bag over her right shoulder, she continued, "I guess they must've really angered the two Weasley's, Potter and even Padma, because they've started to spill Hermione's 'big secret' all morning to the entire student body. That's how I found out."
"Well. . . is ANYONE going to tell me what the rumor is?" Draco asked, by now feeling very impatient.
"Sweetie. . . don't get angry," Pansy said laughing. "I don't EXACTLY know. . . but it's something about how the only reason Granger dated Viktor Krum, was because he paid her WELL for… sex."
"Oh my God!" Draco burst out in shock at hearing this.
"I know!" Crabbe agreed.
"Apparently, Granger didn't even really need the money," she continued. "She just needed some reassurance about herself since she had a very low self-esteem."
"Oh my God!" Draco again exclaimed.
He was not only completely shocked by the news, but also utterly disgusted.
'I can't believe someone like Granger could stoop so low,' he thought with distaste, now feeling resentful towards her. 'How sad is that?'
"Yah. . . I also heard that Harry, Ron, Ginny and Padma had to ditch her, because Granger was turning into quite a whore and they didn't like that," Goyle told them. "I don't know. . . seems kind of hard to believe. . . but I mean, how can a person like her still stay such a goody-goody up till now? I don't know. . . to me. . . this is the kind of thing that should always be suspected from a girl who always tries too hard to make everyone look at her as a perfect person. I mean, she's now gone off into prostitution now. . . what does that tell you?"
Before any of them could even think or say anything more, the loud, echoing bell had rung overhead, signaling the start of the afternoon lessons.
"Oh shit!" Goyle exclaimed, as all 4 of them raced down the hall towards their next class. "Why do we always have to be late!"
"Class!" Professor Sinistra suddenly called out, trying to get the attention of all the students around her.
Draco shook his head, as he let his mind return back to the present.
Because her soft voice had abruptly cut through the silent and still air, all of the students were startled, and they quickly turned to face her.
"For next class, we will begin studying the functions of the new magic telescopes that Professor Dumbledore kindly was able to get for us," she continued, when she got most of everyone's attention. "You may all be dismissed."
As soon as this was said, the Slytherin and the Gryfinndor students began to look for their own friends, before exiting the tower deck.
'What a day it has been,' he thought to himself, as he tried to locate the tall doors. 'And now I'm standing here in the strangest astronomy lesson.'
Even after blinking several times, Draco was still gazing into the darkness of the night. The moon was presently hiding behind tufts of black shadowy clouds, so very little of its silver light shone down on the land, making it quite difficult to see.
'I'd actually rather see nothing at all right now,' he suddenly realized. 'For some reason, I prefer the dark. . . makes me feel better.'
It was true, what he thought. He just realized that because he couldn't see because of the dark, he felt more at peace. . . he liked things better unseen. The darkness of the night hovering over the land, felt a lot like a blanket that covered him in comfort.
'This is a really nice place to just come and hang out by yourself,' he thought. 'I guess astronomy lessons aren't as bad as I thought they would be.'
Author's Note: Well everyone… I will TOTALLY understand if I get some hate reviews… I KNOW I deserve it. You have all waited SO long for an update… and what do I do? I deliver one of my worst-ever written chapters to you guys after such a long wait. But don't worry… I HAD to put this crappy chapter in to wrap up some stuff… but now I have the entire plot and story line on track. I will try not to disappoint you guys… I reassure you that my next chapter will probably be A LOT better than this one. Again, thank you… everyone… you have NO idea what you readers all mean to me… you guys are great…
Luv ya!
