Disclaimer: I'm tired... everything that you recognize - or think you do -
is not mine, except for those that I have introduced aside from the HP
novels... did that make sense? I don't think I care...
Anyway, onto the story!!
Last Chapter::
Kit was about to ask what was *supposed* to happen, the statue slid noiselessly to the right, revealing... an open window. Shivering at the chilly breeze blowing in, Kit stared in confusion. How could there be a window down here?
She opened her mouth, but before she could say a word, Draco snatched her hand and stepped into space.
Chapter Fifteen:: Friends?
A scream fought to tear its way from Kit's throat as she cinched her eyes shut, waiting for the sensation of the ground coming up to meet her feet with a sickening crunch, smashing her bones into oblivion...
She waited.
And waited.
Slowly, Kit cautiously opened an eye to the realization that they were still on solid ground - not plummeting through air. Opening the other, she glared at a ruthelessly grinning Draco.
"Don't you dare do that to me again, Draco Malfoy." She hissed. "I swear, if you -"
"Don't worry," He said with a smirk, "There aren't any other window portals to step through - at least on this level."
Kit continued to glare at him for a moment before glancing toward where they had come.
"Hey - where's Blaise?"
No sooner had the thought left her lips than Blaise stumbled through. Draco heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes heavenward.
"Now, now, Draco," Blaise admonished, wagging a finger in his face, "You've got to learn to share your toys - especially the pretty ones."
Draco snapped his teeth where Blaise's finger had been a moment before.
Kit hardly noticed the squabble; in the short time she'd been at Hogwarts, she'd figured out what to expect from who.
In the five minutes, she'd known Blaise and seen him and Draco together, she knew to expect them to squabble.
At the moment, Kit was thoroughly engrossed and in awe of the wonder of her quarters. For, unlike the school common rooms, what they were currently standing in was an individual common room, very much unlike the one outside her 'window'.
It was big enough, not as big as the one outside - but then, she was only one person. Her common room, decked out in red, black and silver, had a fireplace spanning one entire wall, a cheery blaze already crackling inside.
The furniture consisted of one overstuffed couch - the kind made for flopping on - two recliners opposite each other, backed of various materials, and a poufy wing backed chair with arms begging to be draped over.
In all four corners of the small room were cushions of all shapes and sizes, piled up into nest-like formations - they were simply calling out for someone (namely Kit) to snuggle into them.
On the walls framing the fireplace were rows upon rows of books; she had her own library!
And in the middle of the room sad a round ebony table, surrounded by more cushions and neatly laid out on top were all of Kit's books, parchment and quills.
"Wow..." Kit murmured, "Whoever styled this knows me like a book..."
At the sound of her voice, Blaise and Draco quit slamming each other and glanced up, only to realize that Kit was no longer with them.
"Hey Kit," Draco called softly, "Where'd you disappear to you?"
"I'm through the door to your... left." Her voice rang back to him.
Looking about, Draco realized there were two doors on either side of the room. Per Kit's instructions, he turned to his left and, walking past the first lineup of books, swept through the swinging door, Blaise tagging along after.
What next befell their eyes was a small room lined with cupboards and countertops.
"What's this?" Blaise wondered aloud. Kit turned to them, eyes sparkling.
"This," she announced excitedly, "is my kitchen!"
For a moment, the two boys stood dumbfounded as they watched Kit race to and fro, opening cupboards and finding some new delight to gasp over.
Finally, Blaise found his voice.
"Man, you've got all the good stuff, Kit! First the giant hearth and a library - obviously a place for comfort - and now this! I think I'm moving in with you!" He joked.
Kit laughed. "Whoa there, Silver. Only on the weekends."
Blaise started. "Seriously? Jeez, that's - that's awesome, Kit. Seriously?"
He kept on in this respect until Kit told him he sounded like a broken record, throwing him into confusion. Finally, Kit gave up trying to explain and turned to Draco.
"That is, of course, if the strong and silent Draco accompanies you."
He smirked. "Fair lady, I didn't realize that the invitation extended to me as well."
"But of course!" Kit exclaimed in a mock fluttery manner, "I don't dare to trust this rogue on his own!"
"Wise decision, m' lady, as this rogue is hardly ever to be trusted." Blaise put in with a snigger. It proved to be contagious, and soon all three were doubled over with laughter.
"I'm not even sure what's so funny," Kit gasped as she wiped a tear from her eye, "except for the sheer randomness of it all. All right, you two, we've still got one more door to explore." She said once they had all caught their breath.
The three got up from the floor and headed out the door, marched across the room and swung open the door across from them.
Instantly, they were enveloped in a cloud of blue and silver that colored the entire bathroom.
Kit was beginning to get the theme of her dorm. While the common room had been red silver and black, the kitchen had been decked out in yellow and red.
Her dorm was the four houses of Hogwarts.
blue black silver red yellow gold green
Once again, she slipped away from the two boys experimenting with her bathtub and giant Jacuzzi, twisting the handles and various knobs to see what combinations they could get and overall acting like two sweet five year olds.
"Hey you guys!" Her voice rang out, startling the two.
Turning around, they realized she had disappeared yet again. A smirk played around the edges of Draco's mouth.
"Okay Kit. Where are you this time?"
Her laughter echoed through the room as she spoke. "Go to my main room. Stand in the center and look up."
Obligingly, Draco and Blaise trotted through the door. Clambering up onto the table, he looked up. A domed ceiling loomed above him, a spiral pattern leading to a clear, crystalline window. On it sat Kit, grinning impishly down at him from above.
Like Artemis or Aphrodite from on high, he thought absently.
Glancing around the small common room, Draco could see no obvious way of reaching her.
"Just ask it to let you up." Her voice came down to him.
"Let me up."
Being a Malfoy, Draco was unaccustomed at asking for anything; so, of course, his 'request' strongly resembled a demand.
Nonetheless, after a moment, a widening hole appeared in the glass and a crystal-like structure began to spiral its way down to him. It took him a moment to realize it was a staircase.
Finally, the winding glass creation halted its course downward, about a foot above the ebony table.
Draco reached for the rail, only to draw back instantly. The rail was so cold - bitingly so. Glancing down at his throbbing hand, he was shocked at its red, raw appearance. It looked as though it had been scorched. He glared as the staircase.
"I don't think your stairs like me much." He intoned dryly.
Kit couldn't help but giggle at his tone as she mounted the smooth rail and spiraled down.
Draco turned his icy glare on her as she landed.
"I'm glad you find this funny," he said testily, "I personally don't get the joke." He paused and glared down at his sore hand. "It hurts." He said plaintatively.
"S-sorry." She said, choking back a laugh. "But I told you to ask."
Draco let out a long-suffering sigh, but otherwise remained silent as Kit busied herself with wrapping his hand.
Five minutes later, the neglected Blaise poked his head through the window.
"Aren't you two done yet?" He complained. Glancing up, Kit brushed off her hands.
"Yeah, just now. Come on, Draco." She said as she turned back to her charge. "Just don't touch the rail."
"Who's to say it won't burn my shoes off instead?" He grumbled. But Kit was already walking up her staircase, slender fingers trailing along the rail.
Sighing, he began to follow... and stopped as the first step creaked ominously under his weight. Hearing this, Kit whirled and began to chide the staircase fiercely, as though reprimanding a small child.
Heaving a sigh, she gave Draco a small smile.
"I doubt it will do anything more to you now."
Still, Draco was wary as they climbed the last few steps to Kit's room. Abruptly, the circle snapped shut where Draco's foot had been the moment before.
Draco chose to ignore this as he began to study Kit's room.
It was original, he could say that. Shaded in forest green, royal blue, hints of gold, red, silver and black, it seemed as though they had stepped into a summary of Hogwarts.
Her bed sheets were in green and black, the bed frame itself redwood. Her headboard was littered with throw pillows of various colors and in the midst of it all, Blaise was bouncing up and down like a child.
Kit laughed.
"Honestly Blaise, how could you of all people end up placed in Slytherin?"
"Being in Slytherin doesn't necessarily mean you're evil," came Draco's voice, startlingly close, "It just means you know exactly what you want - and how to get it."
"M-makes sense." Kit managed, voice squeaking softly.
Blaise watched this exchange in amusement, a smirk lingering on his face at Kit's reaction to Draco's sudden proximity.
Glancing over her shoulder, Draco returned Blaise's mischievous look as he brushed by her, relishing her miniscule tremor as he let his hand trail over her hip as he passed.
"So," he said with a smirk as he sank onto the wide bed, "What do we do now?"
"Now," she answered with a glance down at her charmed watch, "we go to dinner."
Cursing softly, he glanced at his own wrist as he and Blaise stumbled down the still unwinding staircase.
If they hurried, they would only have missed the first half hour.
~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~
Over the next few days, Draco alternated between his arrogant, sneering, overconfident self - his public image - and his arrogant, self-confident, almost-playful self - his Kit-influenced image.
Blaise, of course, was usually already with Kit, in the common room skimming titles or in the Kitchen, whisking eggs.
The more Kit got to know him, the more of a playboy she realized he was.
Draco, of course, was himself a rich Slytherin sex god, but in a more subtle, leather-pants-instead-of-Ferrari kind of way.
Blaise played up the first word in 'Playboy'. He was always touching and teasing and then he'd drop a flattering comment into the mix. Immediately after, he'd totally disarm you with his trademark smile. In an instant, he'd drop his hint and you'd be in his clutches. Slytherin girls knew and loved him and he seemed to have a thing for Hufflepuffs.
Draco was more direct.
He'd be there in all his calm and cool glory, totally aloof and uninterested - until he zeroed in on the girl he wanted to be interested in. To the elected, a faint smile and a well-chosen word in her ear - that girl was his.
Draco being Draco, he mainly stuck to Slytherin girls - that is, until recently. Lately, he'd been playing all the houses. He'd already conquered half of Gryffindor and finished Hufflepuff; although Ravenclaws were rumored to be wise, they sure didn't act it when Draco went prowling.
That night, when most of the common room had emptied out, Draco entered Kit's dorm to find her half buried in envelopes.
"Whoa. What is all this?" At the sound of his voice, Kit started and turned around - rather guiltily, he noticed.
"Mmf. It's Kit's fan mail" came a muffled voice. The kitchen door swung open and out marched Blaise, licking his fingers.
Draco raised an eyebrow.
"Fanmail?"
Smiling deviously, Blaise pulled out his wand, said "Accio note" and a thin white piece of parchment flew to him.
"Blaise!" Kit cried as she snatched for it.
He ignored her.
"Read what she was saying to one of her many, many admirers. "
"No!" She cried.
"I'm not interested in reading Kit's love letters, thank you." Draco said coldly, not looking at Kit.
Blaise snickered. "Try one of her rejection letters to the poor dude. I was in charms with her when they were writing each other. They actually got extra points from Flitwick for their double charm of illusionment and levitation on it."
Blaise made a face.
"'Snot fair thought. Anyone else gets caught trying it, they get detention."
A brief smirk flitted across Draco's face before he glanced down at the page, ignoring a fuming Kit. He didn't seem to notice that her fury was only half-hearted.
The note went like this:
(Hey, girl, you're Kit the Cutie.)
- Me
- Excuse me? -
- Kit
(You're the chocolate bar.)
- Me
- Look, would you leave me alone? -
- Kit
(Will you got to the Yule Ball with me?)
- Me
- WHAT -
- Kit
(Go. With. Me. ?)
- Me
- Who are you? -
- Kit
(Does it matter?)
- Me
- Yes -
- Kit
(Doesn't matter.)
- Me
- Goodbye -
- Kit
(Who are you waiting for?)
- Me
- WHAT -
- Kit
(You've turned down every guy that's asked you so far. Who are you waiting for?)
- Me
- No one. None of Your business. -
- Kit
(Will you go with me?)
- Me
- No -
- Kit
(My friend wants to know if you'll go with him.)
- Tell him no -
(He has a friend who wants to know)
- Tell him to tell him no -
(his friend has a brother)
- tell him to tell him to tell him NO -
(you can't tell the whole school's male population no)
- not at the same time, no -
- oh, you know what, they should just owl me and I'll owl them back, it would save them time and face - wouldn't it -
(where would the owls go)
- to the shadow -
(you're cute you know)
- *kiss on the parchment* I know -
(I think I'm in love)
_____________________________________________
That ends the parchment.
Presumably, the two got caught in the exchange.
Slowly, Draco lifted his eyes to a chagrined Kit.
"I didn't realize he was serious!" She mumbled. Risking a glance up, she saw his shoulders trembling violently.
"D-Draco? Are you okay?" She had halfway risen from her seat before realizing he was laughing.
"What, may I ask, is so funny?" She cried indignantly.
Draco kept on laughing and gasped, "Y-you - you don't even - kn-know his n- n-name! Th-that's rich!"
Kit's lips tightened.
"I'm glad it's so funny," she said tersely, "cuz I'm not about to leave until every one of these is answered and delivered."
A smile creased Blaise's face.
"Yea, a sleepover!" He cried softly.
It was, after all, a Friday.
~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~
"Draco," Kit began as they sat by her hearth.
It was two o'clock in the a.m. Blaise was out cold, curled up in one of the nests in her common room; the three had spent five hours answering - well, rejecting - Kit's invitations to the ball. Draco's were cold, Kit's were brief, and Blaise's were... odd.
Now, the two sat by the fire, rubbing cramped and aching hands like two old folks.
"Draco, are we friends?"
He started at the question.
"What?"
"I know it's an odd question, but I've been thinking -"
"- a very dangerous activity -" He interrupted with a smirk.
Kit silenced him with a glare and continued.
"I've been thinking about it, and you - you're really different from other guys. Most people, if they consider themselves a friend, act the same toward me as they do to their other friends. But," she sighed, "therein lies the problem; you don't seem to have any friends."
Draco opened his mouth indignantly, about to protest, but Kit cut him off with a sigh.
"Oh, shut up and let me finish. You have minions. You servants. You have subjects. You have people who act as - as - courtiers, seemingly in existence for the sheer reason of doting on you for favors! But you do not have friends." She paused thoughtfully. "Blaise is the closest I've seen you ever be civil to in a - dare I say it? - almost playful way. So, either you're just being nice to me cuz you feel like it for some insane reason, or you feel you can get something from me - or for some equally insane and unbeknownst reason, you actually trust me."
Draco was silent for a moment.
"So what's the question?"
"We've only known each other for, like, two and a half days -"
"- five and a half, if you count the infirmary -"
"- and I want to know whether or not you consider me a - a friend."
Again, it was a while before Draco answered.
"You know Kit, it isn't always time that determines whether or not you trust someone. Or like them."
She stole a sideways glance at him, but his eyes held a faraway look as he gazed into the fire.
Kit let a small smile creep onto her face. She'd take that as a yes; in their short acquaintance, they had become friends.
~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~
Did you like that? A bit sappy, I know, but overall: how was it? REvIeW and tell me what you think!
Anyway, onto the story!!
Last Chapter::
Kit was about to ask what was *supposed* to happen, the statue slid noiselessly to the right, revealing... an open window. Shivering at the chilly breeze blowing in, Kit stared in confusion. How could there be a window down here?
She opened her mouth, but before she could say a word, Draco snatched her hand and stepped into space.
Chapter Fifteen:: Friends?
A scream fought to tear its way from Kit's throat as she cinched her eyes shut, waiting for the sensation of the ground coming up to meet her feet with a sickening crunch, smashing her bones into oblivion...
She waited.
And waited.
Slowly, Kit cautiously opened an eye to the realization that they were still on solid ground - not plummeting through air. Opening the other, she glared at a ruthelessly grinning Draco.
"Don't you dare do that to me again, Draco Malfoy." She hissed. "I swear, if you -"
"Don't worry," He said with a smirk, "There aren't any other window portals to step through - at least on this level."
Kit continued to glare at him for a moment before glancing toward where they had come.
"Hey - where's Blaise?"
No sooner had the thought left her lips than Blaise stumbled through. Draco heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes heavenward.
"Now, now, Draco," Blaise admonished, wagging a finger in his face, "You've got to learn to share your toys - especially the pretty ones."
Draco snapped his teeth where Blaise's finger had been a moment before.
Kit hardly noticed the squabble; in the short time she'd been at Hogwarts, she'd figured out what to expect from who.
In the five minutes, she'd known Blaise and seen him and Draco together, she knew to expect them to squabble.
At the moment, Kit was thoroughly engrossed and in awe of the wonder of her quarters. For, unlike the school common rooms, what they were currently standing in was an individual common room, very much unlike the one outside her 'window'.
It was big enough, not as big as the one outside - but then, she was only one person. Her common room, decked out in red, black and silver, had a fireplace spanning one entire wall, a cheery blaze already crackling inside.
The furniture consisted of one overstuffed couch - the kind made for flopping on - two recliners opposite each other, backed of various materials, and a poufy wing backed chair with arms begging to be draped over.
In all four corners of the small room were cushions of all shapes and sizes, piled up into nest-like formations - they were simply calling out for someone (namely Kit) to snuggle into them.
On the walls framing the fireplace were rows upon rows of books; she had her own library!
And in the middle of the room sad a round ebony table, surrounded by more cushions and neatly laid out on top were all of Kit's books, parchment and quills.
"Wow..." Kit murmured, "Whoever styled this knows me like a book..."
At the sound of her voice, Blaise and Draco quit slamming each other and glanced up, only to realize that Kit was no longer with them.
"Hey Kit," Draco called softly, "Where'd you disappear to you?"
"I'm through the door to your... left." Her voice rang back to him.
Looking about, Draco realized there were two doors on either side of the room. Per Kit's instructions, he turned to his left and, walking past the first lineup of books, swept through the swinging door, Blaise tagging along after.
What next befell their eyes was a small room lined with cupboards and countertops.
"What's this?" Blaise wondered aloud. Kit turned to them, eyes sparkling.
"This," she announced excitedly, "is my kitchen!"
For a moment, the two boys stood dumbfounded as they watched Kit race to and fro, opening cupboards and finding some new delight to gasp over.
Finally, Blaise found his voice.
"Man, you've got all the good stuff, Kit! First the giant hearth and a library - obviously a place for comfort - and now this! I think I'm moving in with you!" He joked.
Kit laughed. "Whoa there, Silver. Only on the weekends."
Blaise started. "Seriously? Jeez, that's - that's awesome, Kit. Seriously?"
He kept on in this respect until Kit told him he sounded like a broken record, throwing him into confusion. Finally, Kit gave up trying to explain and turned to Draco.
"That is, of course, if the strong and silent Draco accompanies you."
He smirked. "Fair lady, I didn't realize that the invitation extended to me as well."
"But of course!" Kit exclaimed in a mock fluttery manner, "I don't dare to trust this rogue on his own!"
"Wise decision, m' lady, as this rogue is hardly ever to be trusted." Blaise put in with a snigger. It proved to be contagious, and soon all three were doubled over with laughter.
"I'm not even sure what's so funny," Kit gasped as she wiped a tear from her eye, "except for the sheer randomness of it all. All right, you two, we've still got one more door to explore." She said once they had all caught their breath.
The three got up from the floor and headed out the door, marched across the room and swung open the door across from them.
Instantly, they were enveloped in a cloud of blue and silver that colored the entire bathroom.
Kit was beginning to get the theme of her dorm. While the common room had been red silver and black, the kitchen had been decked out in yellow and red.
Her dorm was the four houses of Hogwarts.
blue black silver red yellow gold green
Once again, she slipped away from the two boys experimenting with her bathtub and giant Jacuzzi, twisting the handles and various knobs to see what combinations they could get and overall acting like two sweet five year olds.
"Hey you guys!" Her voice rang out, startling the two.
Turning around, they realized she had disappeared yet again. A smirk played around the edges of Draco's mouth.
"Okay Kit. Where are you this time?"
Her laughter echoed through the room as she spoke. "Go to my main room. Stand in the center and look up."
Obligingly, Draco and Blaise trotted through the door. Clambering up onto the table, he looked up. A domed ceiling loomed above him, a spiral pattern leading to a clear, crystalline window. On it sat Kit, grinning impishly down at him from above.
Like Artemis or Aphrodite from on high, he thought absently.
Glancing around the small common room, Draco could see no obvious way of reaching her.
"Just ask it to let you up." Her voice came down to him.
"Let me up."
Being a Malfoy, Draco was unaccustomed at asking for anything; so, of course, his 'request' strongly resembled a demand.
Nonetheless, after a moment, a widening hole appeared in the glass and a crystal-like structure began to spiral its way down to him. It took him a moment to realize it was a staircase.
Finally, the winding glass creation halted its course downward, about a foot above the ebony table.
Draco reached for the rail, only to draw back instantly. The rail was so cold - bitingly so. Glancing down at his throbbing hand, he was shocked at its red, raw appearance. It looked as though it had been scorched. He glared as the staircase.
"I don't think your stairs like me much." He intoned dryly.
Kit couldn't help but giggle at his tone as she mounted the smooth rail and spiraled down.
Draco turned his icy glare on her as she landed.
"I'm glad you find this funny," he said testily, "I personally don't get the joke." He paused and glared down at his sore hand. "It hurts." He said plaintatively.
"S-sorry." She said, choking back a laugh. "But I told you to ask."
Draco let out a long-suffering sigh, but otherwise remained silent as Kit busied herself with wrapping his hand.
Five minutes later, the neglected Blaise poked his head through the window.
"Aren't you two done yet?" He complained. Glancing up, Kit brushed off her hands.
"Yeah, just now. Come on, Draco." She said as she turned back to her charge. "Just don't touch the rail."
"Who's to say it won't burn my shoes off instead?" He grumbled. But Kit was already walking up her staircase, slender fingers trailing along the rail.
Sighing, he began to follow... and stopped as the first step creaked ominously under his weight. Hearing this, Kit whirled and began to chide the staircase fiercely, as though reprimanding a small child.
Heaving a sigh, she gave Draco a small smile.
"I doubt it will do anything more to you now."
Still, Draco was wary as they climbed the last few steps to Kit's room. Abruptly, the circle snapped shut where Draco's foot had been the moment before.
Draco chose to ignore this as he began to study Kit's room.
It was original, he could say that. Shaded in forest green, royal blue, hints of gold, red, silver and black, it seemed as though they had stepped into a summary of Hogwarts.
Her bed sheets were in green and black, the bed frame itself redwood. Her headboard was littered with throw pillows of various colors and in the midst of it all, Blaise was bouncing up and down like a child.
Kit laughed.
"Honestly Blaise, how could you of all people end up placed in Slytherin?"
"Being in Slytherin doesn't necessarily mean you're evil," came Draco's voice, startlingly close, "It just means you know exactly what you want - and how to get it."
"M-makes sense." Kit managed, voice squeaking softly.
Blaise watched this exchange in amusement, a smirk lingering on his face at Kit's reaction to Draco's sudden proximity.
Glancing over her shoulder, Draco returned Blaise's mischievous look as he brushed by her, relishing her miniscule tremor as he let his hand trail over her hip as he passed.
"So," he said with a smirk as he sank onto the wide bed, "What do we do now?"
"Now," she answered with a glance down at her charmed watch, "we go to dinner."
Cursing softly, he glanced at his own wrist as he and Blaise stumbled down the still unwinding staircase.
If they hurried, they would only have missed the first half hour.
~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~
Over the next few days, Draco alternated between his arrogant, sneering, overconfident self - his public image - and his arrogant, self-confident, almost-playful self - his Kit-influenced image.
Blaise, of course, was usually already with Kit, in the common room skimming titles or in the Kitchen, whisking eggs.
The more Kit got to know him, the more of a playboy she realized he was.
Draco, of course, was himself a rich Slytherin sex god, but in a more subtle, leather-pants-instead-of-Ferrari kind of way.
Blaise played up the first word in 'Playboy'. He was always touching and teasing and then he'd drop a flattering comment into the mix. Immediately after, he'd totally disarm you with his trademark smile. In an instant, he'd drop his hint and you'd be in his clutches. Slytherin girls knew and loved him and he seemed to have a thing for Hufflepuffs.
Draco was more direct.
He'd be there in all his calm and cool glory, totally aloof and uninterested - until he zeroed in on the girl he wanted to be interested in. To the elected, a faint smile and a well-chosen word in her ear - that girl was his.
Draco being Draco, he mainly stuck to Slytherin girls - that is, until recently. Lately, he'd been playing all the houses. He'd already conquered half of Gryffindor and finished Hufflepuff; although Ravenclaws were rumored to be wise, they sure didn't act it when Draco went prowling.
That night, when most of the common room had emptied out, Draco entered Kit's dorm to find her half buried in envelopes.
"Whoa. What is all this?" At the sound of his voice, Kit started and turned around - rather guiltily, he noticed.
"Mmf. It's Kit's fan mail" came a muffled voice. The kitchen door swung open and out marched Blaise, licking his fingers.
Draco raised an eyebrow.
"Fanmail?"
Smiling deviously, Blaise pulled out his wand, said "Accio note" and a thin white piece of parchment flew to him.
"Blaise!" Kit cried as she snatched for it.
He ignored her.
"Read what she was saying to one of her many, many admirers. "
"No!" She cried.
"I'm not interested in reading Kit's love letters, thank you." Draco said coldly, not looking at Kit.
Blaise snickered. "Try one of her rejection letters to the poor dude. I was in charms with her when they were writing each other. They actually got extra points from Flitwick for their double charm of illusionment and levitation on it."
Blaise made a face.
"'Snot fair thought. Anyone else gets caught trying it, they get detention."
A brief smirk flitted across Draco's face before he glanced down at the page, ignoring a fuming Kit. He didn't seem to notice that her fury was only half-hearted.
The note went like this:
(Hey, girl, you're Kit the Cutie.)
- Me
- Excuse me? -
- Kit
(You're the chocolate bar.)
- Me
- Look, would you leave me alone? -
- Kit
(Will you got to the Yule Ball with me?)
- Me
- WHAT -
- Kit
(Go. With. Me. ?)
- Me
- Who are you? -
- Kit
(Does it matter?)
- Me
- Yes -
- Kit
(Doesn't matter.)
- Me
- Goodbye -
- Kit
(Who are you waiting for?)
- Me
- WHAT -
- Kit
(You've turned down every guy that's asked you so far. Who are you waiting for?)
- Me
- No one. None of Your business. -
- Kit
(Will you go with me?)
- Me
- No -
- Kit
(My friend wants to know if you'll go with him.)
- Tell him no -
(He has a friend who wants to know)
- Tell him to tell him no -
(his friend has a brother)
- tell him to tell him to tell him NO -
(you can't tell the whole school's male population no)
- not at the same time, no -
- oh, you know what, they should just owl me and I'll owl them back, it would save them time and face - wouldn't it -
(where would the owls go)
- to the shadow -
(you're cute you know)
- *kiss on the parchment* I know -
(I think I'm in love)
_____________________________________________
That ends the parchment.
Presumably, the two got caught in the exchange.
Slowly, Draco lifted his eyes to a chagrined Kit.
"I didn't realize he was serious!" She mumbled. Risking a glance up, she saw his shoulders trembling violently.
"D-Draco? Are you okay?" She had halfway risen from her seat before realizing he was laughing.
"What, may I ask, is so funny?" She cried indignantly.
Draco kept on laughing and gasped, "Y-you - you don't even - kn-know his n- n-name! Th-that's rich!"
Kit's lips tightened.
"I'm glad it's so funny," she said tersely, "cuz I'm not about to leave until every one of these is answered and delivered."
A smile creased Blaise's face.
"Yea, a sleepover!" He cried softly.
It was, after all, a Friday.
~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~
"Draco," Kit began as they sat by her hearth.
It was two o'clock in the a.m. Blaise was out cold, curled up in one of the nests in her common room; the three had spent five hours answering - well, rejecting - Kit's invitations to the ball. Draco's were cold, Kit's were brief, and Blaise's were... odd.
Now, the two sat by the fire, rubbing cramped and aching hands like two old folks.
"Draco, are we friends?"
He started at the question.
"What?"
"I know it's an odd question, but I've been thinking -"
"- a very dangerous activity -" He interrupted with a smirk.
Kit silenced him with a glare and continued.
"I've been thinking about it, and you - you're really different from other guys. Most people, if they consider themselves a friend, act the same toward me as they do to their other friends. But," she sighed, "therein lies the problem; you don't seem to have any friends."
Draco opened his mouth indignantly, about to protest, but Kit cut him off with a sigh.
"Oh, shut up and let me finish. You have minions. You servants. You have subjects. You have people who act as - as - courtiers, seemingly in existence for the sheer reason of doting on you for favors! But you do not have friends." She paused thoughtfully. "Blaise is the closest I've seen you ever be civil to in a - dare I say it? - almost playful way. So, either you're just being nice to me cuz you feel like it for some insane reason, or you feel you can get something from me - or for some equally insane and unbeknownst reason, you actually trust me."
Draco was silent for a moment.
"So what's the question?"
"We've only known each other for, like, two and a half days -"
"- five and a half, if you count the infirmary -"
"- and I want to know whether or not you consider me a - a friend."
Again, it was a while before Draco answered.
"You know Kit, it isn't always time that determines whether or not you trust someone. Or like them."
She stole a sideways glance at him, but his eyes held a faraway look as he gazed into the fire.
Kit let a small smile creep onto her face. She'd take that as a yes; in their short acquaintance, they had become friends.
~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~*(())*~~*(())*~
Did you like that? A bit sappy, I know, but overall: how was it? REvIeW and tell me what you think!