Chapter Three

Reaching the common room and meeting the weirdest sight ever, was not the thing I had planned for however, when I returned back still in anger mode, trying to fit all kinds of words into the image of a certain blond ferret.

Neville was teaching something, quite seriously and enthusiastically, to-Hermione.

I blinked. Once, twice, anger all forgotten. Surely, what I was seeing was not true. Neville Longbottom, well known clumsy 'I have a reputation to mess up classes all the time' was teaching the cleverest witch of all times- I lent an ear to conversation and gasped-Potions?

My gasp seemed to make them both realize I had just entered, and Neville waved me to go join them with a "Oh, I was just telling Hermione about today's class!"

"Today's class? What do you mean?" I asked, still blinking like an idiot. Why was the world getting so complicated for me?

"Well, I.Uh, I was working in the library and I got caught up, missed potions." she mumbled as an answer, flushing red. And the first thing that came out of my mouth was," Why Neville? Where is Ron? And Harry?"

"Quidditch practise.and Ron is too 'busy' with Lavender," she mumbled more indistinctly looking more interested in the book of potions.

My head started swirling. Hermione Granger was missing classes and asking Neville to help? Ron was running off with Lavender (well, that wasn't much of a shock, but still.) and Draco Malfoy-I didn't even want to think more.

"I'm going to bed," I announced in a flat tone. Not that anyone asked me. But whatever, I don't care about these things anymore.

Back in the dorm however, sleep seemed the remotest thing to achieve, with Lila and Dorothy, wide-awake, wanting all 'details from me'.

"Guys...dont make me suffer through it again." I whined, in the most pleading voice I could muster.

"OOh.Too tired!" Lila said beaming. "All the activites..."and without a word more, they began giggling like maniancs. Ugh! Sick people.

Glaring at them, I climbed into bed and yanked the hangings shut. Again, the night wasn't a pleasant one.

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"Wakey wakey!"

"Wakey what?" I mumble as my bed hanging are yanked with the same force I shut them last night.

Now you see, although, many people like to believe that morning is the best time of the day, ask me, and you might even get a kick in the arse. Morning? I hate it! Especially early mornings! I feel nothing but grumpy, irritated and drowsy. Especially, at times like these...with the stupid sunlight streaming on my face.

And so, I conveniently slip my head under my covers, earning something close to an angry shriek from Dorothy, who was the culprit of all this.

"Wake up you lazy little thing! We still have things to catch up on the details of yestreday!"She hollered, trying and succeeding in yanking away the warm blanket from me too.

"Leave me alone!" I mutter, still half-asleep or at least pretending to be so. Who in their right mind wouldn't to escape all the questions they'd blowtorch me with if I woke up?

"No alone! Get up!" whined Lila, and finally, grumpily, I gave up all pretence and sat up, reciveing an amused look from the till now silent Vi. And I thought she was a friend.

"What? Yesterday was miserable! Okay?"And I launched the whole story to them, editing it in places to make stuff more gruesome, to gain sympathy.

"Wow! He is so cute!" sighs Dorothy with a girlish giggle at last, making me sputter.

"Did you even hear what I was saying!" I demanded furiously.

But neither of three replied, yes, three! Giggling away and ignoring my very existence. Angrily, I went to the bathroom and shut myself in there furiously.

What a start to the day.

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"Finish up quickly!"

"Oh shut up Malfoy!"I say as coldly as I could between spoonfuls of porridge. If I thought the morning was bad, this was like degrading from the status of a kneazle to a flobberworm.

You see, after I went through the daily routine, and managed to survive my dorm mates' odd behavior came to great hall (where else should I be anyway?) only to find that neither Ron, Harry or Hermione were around. Vi joined me in a few minutes however, and that's when someone tapped my shoulder. If you could've heard Vi's silent giggle and my not-so-silent groan, you would've guessed who it was.

"Temper Weasley..."Draco sneered at me, and I seriously considered shoving my porridge on his face.

"Well, with you around its not hard to lose it. And why are you here? Don't you eat breakfast!" I added buying more time. I wasn't taking his rubbish on how he wanted to 'escort' me to classes and was waiting here for that.

"To escort you to our first class. Incase you have forgotten, we have to sit together during classes too." he added in a bored voice.

Once again, I sputtered."Sit? You...what?"

"How dull can you get weasley? Didnt you hear what I said? Or what the teachers announced yesterday? Now finish up. I can't wait all day."Okay, now he was ordering me? And I'm dull? I look to Vi for support, who instead of offering any kind of help was in deep conversation with her partner for the project. Maybe I have to take matters in my hands.

"I'm not coming with you. And I'm not eating." I added throwing my spoon into the bowl and crossing my arms. Okay, maybe I was acting childish. But not for all the galleons on this earth was I going to let Malfoy 'escort' me to classes. I knew what he meant. Escort in his dictionary was seducing.

Staring determinedly at him however wasn't coming of any use, he merely smirked again, and then bent down, facing me levelly and said, in a calm and scary voice

"You will. You'll come, and you'll eat. Now finish up...quickly."

I gulped. And in a few minutes, gulped down my porridge too. He might be a total git, but when a git like Draco Malfoy said something like above, then you better take it seriously. Still wondering how he decided to come to our side during the war, and cursing everyone on earth for it, I got up, and followed him, earning a very huge beam from Vi.

What's wrong with everyone!

I'm still keeping a good distance from him as we make way to the first class, Advanced Charms. You know, he has a rather delectable back view, or what I would call...aargh! I can't believe I'm judging Malfoy's arsenic contaminated. Totally contaminated.

"Contaminated? By what Weaselette?" Shit.I can't believe I said that aloud! How much did he hear?"N-Nothing,"I mumble, and then start to walk ahead of him. I don't want any more stuff invading my mind. Seconds later, I'm facing him again. He's caught my hand and pulled me towards him.

My breath hitches. I knew I was right! He is trying to seduce me! My mind is like jelly right now...squiggly and shaking around, but I manage to utter a "what?" and even look surprised. To be honest, I am kind of surpised. He isn't smirking or anything. On the contrary, for the first time, he's looking un-comfortable. But still, he's 'very' close to me, and uncomfortable or no, this is not something I like. I can see the specks in his eyes you know. Black ones. Very tiny...but they are there, and I'm wondering why I'm not yanking myself away-

"I'm sorry."

In one sweep, all dirty thoughts escape my mind."Huh?"I say like a stupid imitation of Goyle."I said I'm sorry!" he repeats, sounding quite flustered." I shouldn't have been so idiotic yesterday."

I blink (and I think I'm doing a lot of that today), and then process what he has just said. Did Draco Malfoy just apologize to me? After being such a prat only minutes earlier? What next? Hippogriffs tap dancing on the astronomy tower?

"It... Its okay," I manage to finally say, and he nods, looking rather...relived?

"Now. Do we move? Or do you like staying stuck like this with me weaselette?"He adds, the smirk back in place. Realizing what he just said, I yank away from him. Honestly, why can't he be comprehensible for once?

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All classes through, and I'm honestly dead. The teachers are so enthusiastic about this 'project' that it wants to make me puke.but that's not just it...suddenly, Draco has turned enthusiastic too! Its not that he's become sweeter to me or anything. I think that sorry sequence was just some sort of passing fit, because he's become meaner than ever now! Taunts, hints, and whatnot! Does he exist to make my life miserable and later confuse me with sorries?

Finally we are free, and the first thing I do, is to rush out of the hogwarts castle. Right now, the grounds look more inviting. I successfully get rid of Malfoy, and minutes later, am at the edge of the lake, taking a nice stroll. Because very soon, ill be back to the 'Marriage project class' acting wife to my 'husband' and telling Mcgonagall how we cant buy a house in such a small budget.Oh joy.

You know, Ive suddenly realized how horrible my life has really become. Ive suddenly been left with nothing but a Malfoy in it! A Malfoy who makes it impossible for me to pass a minute without a dirty thought. And that's not all, I'm even dreaming of him.

And each time I fear that he'll know what I'm thinking...it seems he does, with that permanent smirk on his face. Cant there be a moment Malfoy free in my life now?

"Weaselette!"

I guess not.

"Can't you leave me alone for a second?" I yell at his approaching figure.

"Alone? Why, dont tell me you don't enjoy my company."

"No."

"Really?"

"Yes! Really."

He steps forward."Oh come on, you shouldn't lie."

And I step backwards."Im not! What makes you think so?" I practically shriek.

Another step forward."Well, isnt it obvious?"

And I go back again."Look, spit it out or leave. Dont play hint-hint with me alright?"

Step forward,"I'm not...you are."

"Me!" I shriek, taking a step backward,"shut-aaah!"

I told you he is a disaster-forewarning thing! He's just pushed me to the waters edge, and my foot slipped. The next few events happen in quite a whirl. I, my hands waving around like a windmill, finally grab hold of his collar to stop from falling. He, not expecting this, falls forward, and we both land inside the ice-cold water with a huge splash.

It takes my a few seconds to realize where I am, and to stop shrieking hysterically and get to my feet.

"Bloody hell! What did you do that for?" he yells, yanking me to him, as I try to waddle out of the water." Stupid Weaselette!"

And there. He's done it again. Face red with fury, I grab hold of his collar once again and pulling him closer to me spit our coldly and angrily,"Me? What did I do? YOU STUPID FERRET.WHAT DID I DO? YOU PUSHED ME INSIDE THE WATER.WHY CANT YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE? WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEMIN LIFE? INSUFFERABLE PRAT.YOU.ITS ALL YOUR MIS-"

I stop wide eyes before completing my lecture. Malfoy has his lips on mine, and is kissing me soundly. Though the cogs of my brain are protesting against this, asking me to pull back, for some reason I cant. It's so warm, delicious...so...nice. Something so not worth leaving. I kiss him back, winding my arms around his neck, as his drop down to my waist, pulling me closer, and deepening the kiss.

And I can't stop. I don't want to stop. So I play along, till suddenly his tongue runs lightly on my lips, tickling me. I open to him, tasting him for the first time. Mint? Hmm... Minty and... There something else I can't place. And well, all my thinking functions shut as he continues to kiss me soundly.

Only when his hands start moving up and down my body do they suddenly start again. The realization hits me like a bag of bricks. And it's very painful. I push him away, flushing up, and staring at him. The warm feeling is gone, replaced my one of horror. What the hell just happened? A picture of Ron crosses my mind and my heart sinks to the lowest level. What have I done?

"S-Sorry." I whisper in a voice so different from mine. And before he can say a word more, Im running back to the castle, clothes heavy and drenched and sticking to me, making me feel cold again. I bang into numerous people on the way but don't stop. Finally, I reach my dorm. Panting, I open the door, enter inside, and gasp at the sight in front of me.

"Lila!"

Maybe surprise has decided to be grateful on me.

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A/N: sorry for the ridiculously long gap, but a lot of things happened in between, including a huge writers block which only lifted a few days earlier. So, this chapter might be crappy. It is definitely not the same thing I had in mind. And it may not be that funny. But it's a setting chapter to the ones to come. And somehow, it just came up to this. Blame Ginny and Draco for being so desperately cute together

Please Review. It would be lovely to receive some for this chappie