DISCLAMIER: I do not wish to claim either Sailor Moon or Harry Potter for myself, they are owned and protected by copyrights to Naoko Takeuchi and J. K. Rowling.

"Speaking" Thinking Reading/Writing :"Speaking in another language":

Title: Traces of Mistakes

Author: Leenie Chan

Chapter four: Watching her mascara bleed

"Come on Usagi!"

Usagi glared at the back of her blonde friend's head as she tried to rush her. Minako turned around and grabbed for Usagi's wrist, dragging her forwards at a faster pace. "I know you don't want to go. But the sooner you do the sooner its over."

"Since when have you ever been in such a hurry to get to a study session?" Usagi snapped, trying to hold herself back as Minako continued to drag her down the corridor towards the library.

Minako shrugged, smiling innocently at her best friend. "I'm in a working mood."

Usagi snorted disbelievingly. Minako knew very well that Usagi knew that wasn't the case. Today's 'study session' would be turned into a gossip session, due to the 'special occasion' of Usagi dumping Harry. Usagi wasn't at all looking forwards to reliving her experience of Saturday night to all her friends.

Minako grinned and wrapped an arm around Usagi's shoulder, hoping to provide comfort, but only succeeding in making Usagi feel crowded. "It'll be alright."

Usagi shook Minako's arm off her shoulder, feeling as though she was always being used as an arm rest for Minako. Sighing, Usagi entered the library and her legs automatically carried her towards their usual table in the back corner of the library.

Just as Usagi had predicted, there wasn't a book on the table, save for Ami, who couldn't skip a study session no matter what. But it wasn't just the usual Ami, Rei, Makoto, Minako and Hotaru sitting around the table, but Haruka, Michiru and Mamoru had joined, making it almost like old times. They were all here to hear about Harry.

Usagi silently sighed, and fell into her seat beside Ami, diverting her eyes downwards to avoid the stares she was attracting. She had never realised how many spots there were in the polished wooden surface of the desk. One… two… three… four… five… six… did that count as one spot or two? Seven…

Suddenly, Usagi was beginning to feel very hot and uncomfortable under her friend's stares, and she gave up on counting the spots.

"I told you guys I didn't want to miss the victory party," She started, fixing her gaze into a glare directed at the table. "I had a really bad feeling— I told you. I—I looked everywhere for him. He'd been looking for me too. I went to his favourite couch—and—Ginny—I saw Ginny. She was sitting on some guys knee, running her fingers through his hair. Then I realised—it was—"

Usagi sighed, blinking away the tears she felt forming in her eyes. She felt several hands rest gently on her back, offering her support.

Haruka slammed her fist into the table and let out a string of curses, making Michiru scold her. "That little—! After everything you did for him, this is how he repays you! I swear on Merlin's name when I get a hold of him I'm going to—"

"Miss Tenou! Please!" Madame Prince huffed, her arms shooting to her hips as she looked down at the outraged sandy blonde, "I thought once you'd left Hogwarts we wouldn't be witnessing anymore of your little outbursts, clearly I was wrong! Two years later you're back causing havoc in my library as if nothings changed, and since I can't threaten you with detentions and house points anymore, I'll just have to ban you from visiting the library if you cannot control yourself."

Haruka rolled her eyes in annoyance and turned in her seat to face the fuming librarian, fixing a smile onto her face, "Sorry, Madame Prince, I will really try to control my anger from now on."

The librarian narrowed her eyes disbelievingly and scoffed at Haruka's apology, mumbling something that sounded like 'Haven't I heard that one!' as she walked away. Haruka turned back in her chair and cursed the woman under her breath.

"Are you alright, Usagi?" Michiru asked gently, "How have you been coping?"

Usagi frowned. If she heard one more person ask if she was alright she would scream. "I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine," Mamoru pointed out, "You know you can talk to any one of us if you ever need to, Usako."

"I know." Usagi mumbled, sniffling. Telling her friends what happened, even with such a lack of detail made Usagi just want to cry her heart out. Harry had hurt her, much deeper than any physical wound could. He'd broken her heart, in a way she hadn't ever experienced. But she didn't want to cry over it. Crying never helped to solve any of her problems. Plus she hated it when Rei had a go at her for being such a 'baby'.

"You let yourself get too attached to that boy," Haruka sighed, gaining stares from everyone sitting around the table, quickly adding in, "and that's not your fault. He probably did seem like Prince Charming, but you can't expect to find true love at such a young age, Koneko-chan."

Makoto raised a perfect brown eyebrow in Haruka's direction. "Usagi-Chan, maybe what Haruka meant in other words is that you don't need Harry to make you feel beautiful, and special. You don't need anyone for that, because you already are, and you can get anyone you like to make you feel that way. It wasn't just Harry."

Usagi folded her arms out on the table and rested her head between them, taking a rather large breath to calm herself. Haruka was right. Usagi had thought Harry was 'the one'. Her Mr. Right. Her Prince Charming. Because really, Harry was her Prince Charming.

Ami turned the page to the large History book laid out in front of her, leaning in closer to it. "At least now you'll have more time to consider your studies, Usagi. You really must stay on top of things with the amount of NEWT level classes your taking, or else you'll have to give them up, and then your career will be put in jeopardy."

Usagi felt herself nod, and lifted her head from the table, forcing a smile on her face. "Thanks guys. You're right as always. Do you mind if I give this session a miss today though? I don't think I can fully concentrate right now." She whispered her voice breaking as she spoke.

Without waiting for an answer, Usagi got up from the table and swang her bag over her shoulder. Mamoru too got up, pushing his chair back under the table. "I'll walk you back to Gryffindor tower, Usako. I need to have a word with Professor McGonagall about something."

"Thanks, Mamo-chan." The blonde nodded, and allowed her ex-boyfriend to steer her from the library.

Mamoru had been a great boyfriend to Usagi. It hadn't started out so well between them; they were mixed up in their house rivalries back when they had first met. Draco Malfoy used to torment her back in her first year, and Mamoru Chiba, in his third year had commented on how her hair looked like a pair of 'Odangos', a Japanese word meaning 'meatballs'. She'd been known from then on as Odango atama towards the Slytherins.

But in Usagi's forth year, things changed. Mamoru and she started to feel some sort of connection to each other, and it felt wrong to torment each other. Mamoru had ordered his housemates to lay of teasing 'Odango' and she hadn't been teased since then. He had asked her to the Yule Ball, and they had been dating since then.

Mamoru had held such respect within the Slytherin community. He came from a very well known bloodline for its purity, and there for was considered one to look up to. The Chiba family, the Malfoy family, and the Black family (which had now died out with the death of its Mudblood loving traitor of a heir, Sirius Black.) were three of the wealthiest and well known pure-blooded families in Europe. Mamoru, back in his days as a Slytherin, had been considered its King. Now, with Mamoru graduated, Draco had taken over the position of King of Slytherin.

Usagi had held Mamoru very closely in her heart. She still did. He had been the best boyfriend she'd ever had, but there were a few complications that managed to tear away their relationship in the middle of Usagi's fifth year, and Mamoru's seventh.

One of them being his family. They hated Usagi for she wasn't a Slytherin, and she wasn't a pureblood, or even a half blood. She was a Muggleborn. Usagi had only been to Chiba Manor once before, and had been banned from ever returning by Mamoru's parents. The whole time she had been there, they had been watching her closely, and sending her dirty glares. Usagi just wasn't good enough for their son. No where near it.

Mamoru wasn't really like them. He wasn't like the other Slytherins in his house either. They were Dark wizards. Mamoru's father was even in the Dark Lord's inner circle. Mamoru had always told Usagi that he never planned on following in his father's footsteps, like they had planned out for him. He wanted to be an Auror. Mamoru had been disowned from his family the day he went to Auror training.

The second problem had been their houses. Both Gryffindor and Slytherin were at ends with each other over it, and the two were bombarded with demands from their housemates that they break up.

And lastly, there was Harry Potter. Usagi's guy best friend. Mamoru had always secretly suspected they would hook up somewhere along the line. Usagi used to spend almost as much time with Potter as she did with him! Then when things really went down hill for Potter, Usagi began to spend all her time with him. It had to happen in the end. Mamoru and Usagi broke up.

Mamoru watched Usagi's expressionless face walking forward with her head held high. He felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips, and he couldn't resist putting an arm around her shoulder and pulling her into his side. Mamoru couldn't hold back his smile when she looked up at him with her large curious blue eyes. "What's the matter, Odango?"

Usagi looked down at the ground, allowing Mamoru to steer her body around a corner. Mamoru was the only person who could put their arm around Usagi's shoulder and offer her comfort without making her feel like an arm rest. "Nothing Mamo—"

Mamoru laughed, cutting her off. "Don't give me that crap, Usako." He pushed her up against the wall and held her there, making the younger girl sigh. "I know you better than anyone else back in that library, despite what Minako or Rei or Haruka might say. I know when there is something bothering you."

"Really, Mamoru, I'm fine." Usagi replied softly, not meeting his eyes. "I just—just don't want to have to think or—talk about it."

Mamoru let her go, and turned so his back was leaning up against the wall next to hers. "But if you talk about it, you can get over it quicker. And… I know it must be really hard to see your partner cheating right in front of your eyes. But, everyone would be upset by it. It doesn't make you weak, Usa."

"Harry… he was—I never thought he would do that to me, Mamo-chan…" Usagi whispered, leaning her head back up against the wall.

"I know." Mamoru sighed, "But really, the girls back there are right. You don't need Harry."

Usagi slid down the wall until she landed on the stony floor in a crumpled up ball. "Yes I do."

"No you don't." Mamoru slid down the wall beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder again, "You don't. You were alright when we broke up."

"That was different. We're still friends, and you didn't cheat on me." Usagi argued back.

"You and Harry can still be friends if you want. Besides, you had to break it up with Harry to make room for your next boyfriend, who I'm sure will be even better. Alright?"

Usagi leant into Mamoru's warm body and nodded.

"That's my girl," he smiled, tightening his grip around the girl. "Are you going to be alright now? Cause whenever you need to talk, you know you can come to me anytime, day or night."

She nodded again, and looked up into his smile. "Yeah. Thanks Mamo." She allowed him to hold her in his friendly embrace for a while, until another voice tore them apart.

"Tsukino, Chiba," Usagi pulled out of Mamoru's grip and gulped when she saw Professor Snape's body looming over her. "I believe its after curfew, Miss Tsukino. That's ten points from Gryffindor."

Usagi looked at her watch. It was only 8.55. "What? I still have another five minutes, Professor."

Snape advanced on her, looking livid. "According to my watch, you are three minutes late, Tsukino, and my watch is what we'll be going by. Now go back up to your common room before I make it twenty."

Usagi grumbled something under her breath, and allowed Mamoru to pull her up. "Oh, and Tsukino?" Snape went on, stopping them before they could climb the staircase towards the seventh floor, "I expect you've finished your wolf bane essay? I won't be taking any excuses from you tomorrow morning."

The bell calling for the beginning of class rung through the dungeons just as Draco Malfoy slid into the room. Just in time. It wouldn't have mattered anyway if he had been late, for Professor Snape wouldn't dare punish him.

"Draco!"

Draco's eyes snapped over to Pansy Parkinson who was calling his name out in that banshee like screech of hers and waving her arms frantically through the air to get his attention, while pointing to the empty seat beside her. Draco shuddered and looked for Rei. Again, she had ditched him for that Mudblood filth, and left him with his worst nightmare, Pansy.

"Come sit here, Draco!"

Who did Hino think she was? She couldn't just ditch him like that! Hino knew how much he hated Pansy! How could she put him through that torture again? Draco hadn't done anything wrong to her recently to make her mad… had he?

Blaise Zabini didn't even have a spare seat next to him! Daphne Greengrass, an unusually pretty girl with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes, sat next to Blaise, and it was quite clear to Draco that Blaise was flirting with her! Even from here it was obvious by the way he smiled at her… and she was flirting right back. There was no way Blaise would be in any hurry to give up his seat and sit with Draco today.

Draco could feel the Potion Master's impatient gaze on the back of his head, waiting for Draco to take a seat so he could begin his class. Draco gave another glance towards Hino and the Mudblood and felt the smirk crawl over his face. In a swift movement, he walked straight passed Pansy and pulled up the chair to the empty table in front of Rei and Tsukino.

The class followed his movements with their eyes and sat in silence as he sat down casually. Some raised questioning brows in his direction while others whispered to each other over his choice of seating. Even Snape was momentarily captured by the Slytherin boy's choice of seat, over the boarder of the Slytherin line. Pulling himself from the thought, Snape got up and wrote the instructions for today's class up on the board.

"Oh yes, before I forget," Snape started and pulled out his wand, "your wolfs bane essays were due in today." He waved his wand and twenty neatly rolled up scrolls flew to his desk and he fell casually back into his seat, watching as his class pulled out the needed ingredients through narrowed eyes.

Draco pushed his chair backwards and turned it to face the two girls on the table behind him. He'd just share their potion today instead of making his own. Rei searched him for an answer sneering in the process, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Hino, I'm not spending another lesson working with Parkinson," Draco replied coolly, picking at a piece of lint on his cloak. "I'm working with you today. You owe me anyway."

"What?" Rei demanded, "I owe you nothing."

"Yes you do. You go over there and spend a lesson with Parkinson then and tell me that its worth nothing."

Rei exchanged a glance with her sadden dorm mate sitting alone, "But she likes you so much, Malfoy, give her a chance."

"I'm not interested in her," Draco said loudly, causing Pansy to gasp, "I never was."

"Fine." Rei sighed, turning to watch Usagi stirring the beginnings of their potion, "Usagi, you're meant to stir it clockwise twelve times then twenty four anti-clockwise!"

"I already did the twelve clockwise, Rei!" Usagi snapped back, "Hurry up and slice the spiders legs, they have to go in straight after the twenty forth stir!"

Rei reached for the vial of spider's legs and withdrew a few, casting Draco a look over her bangs, "well, do something; you're not getting any of our potion."

Draco ignored her, turning his cold orbs on Usagi. Her brows knitted together in concentration as she counted silently to herself every stir. He'd never noticed how pretty she was, in all his years of tormenting her. His eyes iced over in disgust at the thought running through his head. She was a Mudblood. How low was he sinking just to get under Potter's skin? He was damaging his reputation, going back on everything his parents had taught him… and all for the mild pleasure he would get for aggravating Potter? How long would that last anyway? A week… why was he putting himself through such torture?

"Odango!"

Rei's screech cut through Draco's thoughts, and he watched as a clumsy Tsukino knocked one of the vials left out on the desk on her last stir with her elbow. With his seeker reflexes, Draco swiftly grabbed for the vial before it could smash on the floor and held it out to Tsukino, forcing a charming smile over his face, mentally wanting to make himself gag.

Usagi blinked and took the jar from Draco, a small smile creasing her features as she did. "Uh, thanks."

"No problem." Draco continued to smile, showing his perfect white teeth through a lopsided grin. He was itching to take the clumsy Mudblood's head off for being so careless, but fought against it the best he could. He could feel Rei's eyes questioning him, trying to read why he didn't snap back at her. It was no secret how much Draco hated Mudbloods.

Across the room, Draco felt Blaise's eyes on him. He turned to flash the boy a smirk which he returned with a dirty look. "Draco, that's Usagi Tsukino, Usa, this is Draco Malfoy," Rei started, claiming Draco's attention as she spoke, "I'm sure you two already know each other pretty well."

Usagi's cheeks flared, knowing well what Rei meant, and casting a glance back at Harry who hadn't moved since Draco had sat down. Usagi had many times been the victim of Draco's tormenting, for two sole reasons. One, she was a Muggle Born, and two, she was Harry's girlfriend. However, Draco held out his hand to her as if they'd never met each other before, and she uncertainly took it.

"I was wondering if you were ever going to introduce us, Hino," Draco pulled Usagi's hand to his face and gently kissed the back of her hand, the way he had been brought up to meet a lady by his parents. "The pleasure is mine of making your acquaintance."

Glass shattering along the floor from Harry's table caused Usagi to pull her hand back and stare at him uncertainly. Harry was on his feet seething apparently, with broken glass and his cauldron at his feet. The class stared at him, the Gryffindors holding their breath for what was to come next.

"Potter, can you not go one lesson without making some kind of mess of things? Twenty points from Gryffindor. Clean that mess up now before I make it fifty and take your seat!"

Harry clenched his teeth, his eyes flaring furiously to clash with Draco's. Draco merely laughed along with the other Slytherins at the boy and turned back to Usagi who was watching Harry through saddened eyes.

I'm so sorry guys! It's been a little longer than it should have been, this update. I've had the first half of this chapter written out for over a month (I had three and a half chapters written in advance before I posted this story) and I knew how this was going to end out, but… I just didn't have the time. This is the last of the chapters that I have actually written in advance now. So, hopefully the next one will be alright! Thanks for reading!

PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU WANT TO SEE MORE!

Leenie Chan.