1Disclaimer: Don't own anything but Xan
Author's Note: I know, I know, my editing sucks. I am uploading these chapters in a hurry but I will do my best. English isn't my best language so please, try to be patient.
Chapter Twelve: The Boy Who Saves the World
I sat on the edge of the dungeon stairwell, smoking a cigarette in darkness except for the light of the torch. As if this night hadn't been bad enough, I just had to be mobbed by my roommates upon my return. They had been squealing, wanting details about Harry, apparently they had seen us on his bloody broom. I already had been feeling sick but now I felt utterly miserable. It was all going to hell. Nicotine was so far the only thing to give me any relief.
"Xandra?" I turned around sharply to find wonderboy a few steps away, apparently trying to creep up to Gryffindor tower. "What are you still doing up?"
"I am smoking in order to keep from dying of illness," the second those words left my mouth I realized just how much of a stupid statement that was. I groaned, "Fuck."
He found that amusing. "May I keep you company?"
"Should you be worried about getting caught?"
"I'll just blame it on you."
"Oh like Snape would really believe that," I said. "But he won't come around. Past his bedtime. Fag?" I offered him a cigarette and he surprisingly took it. "Isn't that against your strict gryffindor morals?"
"Isn't being within twenty feet of me and not plotting my doom against your rules?"
I laughed lightly. "You're funny, Pott-Harry-Potter-Ha–"
"Harry," he filled in.
"Well, Harry," I said, testing out his name on my tongue. "You've proved to be a worthy opponent. I didn't think the boy wonder could have so much stomach."
"You're exciting, Xandra. I'll give you that."
I looked at him.
"What?" he asked.
"You're being civil," I replied before taking a drag of my fag. "Didn't expect that."
"Why?" he asked, blowing smoke away from us.
I shrugged. "I might just be forced to like you as a human being."
"Oh that's good news," he said sarcastically. "So what do you say, can we be civil to each other?"
I laughed, "We can certainly give it a go."
The next day, I was doddling out of transfiguration and took a wrong turn, finding myself in the middle of a gryffindor spat on the stairwell.
"Ron, you are being ridiculous!" Granger said throwing her hands up in the air.
"Me? You're the goody-two shoes, Hermione! What is Zabini doing grabbing your arse and giving you this?" he held up a folded note. I snickered on the edge of the stairs. Blaise is certainly being aggressive.
Apparently they heard me because the duo turned sharply. "What do you want, Marlow," Ronaldo said sharply.
"Just passing through when I stumbled upon your little confrontation. If she doesn't want you, she doesn't want you, Weasley. Get over it."
"Why don't you get your own life, Ron and stop poking around mine!" she said, her hands hitting her sides just before she stormed off to her next class.
Ronaldo turned to me. "What do you know?"
I shrugged. "Gave you what I know, not my fault if I you can't use it the right way."
"What's going on, Ron?"
I spun around real fast to the sound of a new voice and in doing so I lost my balance. But I did not fall back because someone was holding me. Wonderboy had caught me. Without knowing it, I smiled. Then I promptly departed under Ronaldo's hot gaze.
Over the next three days, I tried to get alone with wonderboy and address the issue of the ball but he was either avoiding me or he was never by himself. I was quite irritated by this and the fact that Blaise had Hermione in the bag, ball-wise and I didn't know Teddy's state wasn't that comforting either. Snape and the Post continued to remind me that I needed to figure out what I was going to do for my father's trial.
Finally I devised a plan. Wonderboy had been so eager to keep up this façade because he wanted me to fall on my face. All I had to do was refocus him. Remind him just what we were doing. Sure that would send the whole civility thing straight to hell but I think this bet was more important.
I waited in the stands for Gryffindor quidditch practice to end before descending. I made eye contact with Potter before he disappeared into the locker room nearby. I got to the grass when I was suddenly inches away from Draco Malfoy.
"What do you think you are doing, Marlow?"
"Whoa, take a step back, please," I said beginning to push him away.
"No!" he shouted pushing me sharply up against the supports. "Stay away from him, Marlow. I mean it."
"I get that," I said. "But if you have failed to notice, you have no say over my life and actions Draco so please, kindly step away."
"You don't get it, Xan!" he shouted. "You cannot see him!"
"Why?"
His grip on my shoulders tightened. "Potter is a bloody wanker and –"
"Experiamus!" Draco flew off me and hit the grass. I turned to see who had helped me and my I didn't know whether or not to be surprised. Wonderboy again had perfect timing. . . fucker.
"What in the bloody hell do you think you are doing, Malfoy?"
Draco pushed himself to his feet and glared daggers. "Not that it is any of your business, Potter."
"My girlfriend is my business, Malfoy."
"We were chatting."
"By pining her?"
"It isn't your business, Potter. Now move!"
"No!"
"Xan!" Draco shouted at me.
"What do you want?" I asked, moving towards him. He suddenly lashed out and grabbed my wrist and wonderboy, in response decked him. I took a step back with my eyes wide.
"Come on," wonderboy said, taking my hand quickly leading us away.
He led me into the Gryffindor lockerooms and released my hand. I fumbled quickly for a cigarette. I could tell he was looking at me but I kept my eyes downcast. We stood in silence until I lit up and took a drag.
"You shouldn't smoke," he said.
"I think the situation calls for it. Hypocrite."
"What situation?"
"Are you implying decking Draco Malfoy is defense of your . . . whatever I am to you—nothing good I'm sure, is totally normal?"
"Well it is obviously an awkward situation so I was trying to downplay it!" he said with a frustrated raise of hands.
"By criticizing my habits?"
"You shouldn't smoke!"
"You're a hypocrite! What on earth doessmoking have to do with the fact that you just punched out someone who had me pushed up against a pole for a reason you know nothing of?"
"Your welcome?"
"No, I am not thanking you, I am asking what the hell you were thinking," I said, blowing smoke over my shoulder and enunciating condescendingly.
"Bloody hell!" he shouted. He grabbed my cigarette from my lips and threw it away. "I was doing you a bloody favor by throwing that creep off of you! Are you implying you wanted him bruising you like that?"
"I am asking why you did it when you don't know why. For all you know I deserved it." He gave me this look like I was mighty insane.
"Well just what were you two 'talking' about?"
I reached for another cigarette. "He was expressing how he disapproved of our 'relationship'."
He lashed out and grabbed my cigarette carton. "Aha! So it was my business."
"But you didn't know that at the time."
"Did you have any other plan for getting out of that situation?"
"I am asking you why do you care?"
He threw my cigarettes and a frustrated yell escaped his throat. I had made circles around him with words and it obviously drove him nuts. "You are so infuriating!"
"I am just asking."
"Are you masochistic or something? You keep talking as though you enjoy being thrown up against a wall and slapped around."
"Maybe I do, you don't know."
He glared at me. Well, not at me but more the concept I spoke of. "No one likes that, you slytherins are no exception."
I rolled my eyes. "You just love playing hero don't you?"
"It's not being a hero it is being a good person!"
"It makes no difference," I said looking at him. "Draco will only finish getting his point across later this evening. It isn't a very big deal. I am not some abused girlfriend. Now if you will excuse me," I said, moving to the door. I bent down and picked up my spilled cigarettes before exiting the locker rooms. I left wonderboy in tangled web my words had woven.
That night, I was lounging in the slytherin common room with Pansy, Malcolm and Avery when Draco came in with a fistful of letters. "Nice shiner, Draco," I said before taking a drag.
"Fuck you, Marlow," he snarled as he walked past us.
"Oh I am so wounded."
"Rot in hell, you bloody slag," he threw the letters at me.
I quickly gathered them up and looked them over. I pushed aside the tempting wide-eyed expression and instead chuckled. "Well this is interesting isn't it?"
"That smirk will come off your face once you read what the hell they say."
"Why Draco, from the jist of it, you're my –"
"Shut up!" he barked.
The three around us were silent.
"Oh relax Draco," I said puffing on my cigarette. "This isn't a big deal." I was lying. Totally lying. This was terrible, but what good would it do me to get all worked up? Only encourage him to freak out, that's what.
"You have to end whatever the bloody hell you have with Potter."
"But Draco it is so entertaining," Pansy interjected.
"Not to mention you, Zabini and Nott have a bet going," Malcolm said nonchalantly.
"What?" Draco said turning sharply to the tanned boy.
"You mean you forgot?" Avery said with a raise of his thin eyebrows. "Two of 'em and Nott betting who can lay a Gryffindor first."
His blue eyes widened in anger. "You're ruining my life for the sake of a bet? I am going to kill you, Marlow!"
I ignored him. "You know," I said turning to Pansy. "It may be a bet I am getting a little attached to the bloke." Ha, yeah right.
"You bloody slag," he growled, like a cat about to pounce. "Why Potter? Why not some other slut you pray upon? You just wait, you will be the crucified one!"
"If I go you are coming with me."
"You're a traitor, Marlow!"
"Come Draco," Malcolm interjected awkwardly. "It's just a bet."
I rolled my eyes and lit up another fag. "Relax Draco, after the bloody ball, Potter will be out the picture and you'll be free to shag him senseless."
Draco must have been really worked up because he didn't even seem to register the insult. He just glared at me and stepped closer, pressing himself against me threateningly. I blew smoke in his face and kneed him in the balls. "Prick."
I grabbed my cloak and cigarettes on my way to the door.
"Where are you going, Xan? It's after curfew," Pansy piped.
"The testosterone in the room is suffocating," I replied hotly. I shoved the stupid letters into my pocket and exited the common room.
Draco could be such a bloody wanker sometimes. I knew his words had a point and spilling the fact that my relationship with Potter was all apart of a bet was a bit disheartening. But I suppose that is the price I pay, a little entertainment for smoother sailing.
I went through five cigarettes before I stopped in a dark corridor. I leaned back against the wall, pinching the bridge of my nose and taking deep breaths. I regained myself and puffed on another cigarette.
A giggle broke me out of my trance. I pushed off the wall and carefully walked down the corridor. Suddenly, I tripped. Boom! Fell smack dab on my face. I bit my lip to hold back my yell. My jaw clenched so tightly that I felt a bit of blood on my tongue.
Finally I pushed myself up and looked around. Nothing. Not even a trace of Peeves. I continued down the corridor and peered around the corner. At the bottom of the stairs, Blaise Zabini had Hermione Granger pressed up against a pillar. Worst of all, she seemed to be enjoying it.
"That ruddy bastard."
I thought for a brief moment that I had just spoken, but when I realized I had not, I whipped around in shock. No one was to be seen.
"You bloody wanker!"
Blaise jerked up from his activities. "Marlow?"
"It isn't me!" I exclaimed.
Suddenly, out of nowhere Ronaldo was charging for the stairs. It happened so fast I can't exactly remember what action happened when. All I know is that I saw Ronaldo rush past, tripping me and I reopened my eyes at the past of the stairs in a tangled puddle beneath wonderboy.
"Oh god," I groaned, trying to lift my head. "Fuck . . ." I distinctly remember the look on wonderboy's face when he looked down at me. It was a twisted expression of worry and panic.
"What in the bloody hell do you think you are doing?" I heard Blaise shout.
"Rescuing Hermione from your bloody conspiracy against her!" that was Ronaldo.
"What are you talking about, Ron?" and that was Granger.
I knew something was physically wrong because I found it painful to be witty at that moment. Oh god, I hoped I wasn't bleeding. I can never leave my scabs alone. I always pick at them.
A familiar cackle echoed through the corridor. "Oh fuck. It's Peeves," Blaise said somewhere out of my field of placement. "Come on!" I heard my slytherin breathren and Granger most likely take off up the stairs.
"Move it, Harry!" Ronaldo said as he hustled up the stairs.
I felt Potter begin to shift his weight but then he stopped short. He quickly replaced his body over mine and held still. I saw Peeves travel directly over us and continue down the corridor; as though we were invisible.
When wonderboy finally moved off of me, I made my thoughts quite clear. "What in the bloody hell just happened?" I had hoped to sound more intimidating but my voice was quiet and cracking in pain.
"Come on," he brushed of my question and quickly got to his feet. He extended his hand down to me and I took it. He pulled me to my feet but the second he released my hand I collapsed to my knees. "Oh bloody hell," he cursed.
My vision began to fade in and out as I felt myself being half-scooped up and carried down the hall. I say half because I think my feet were dragging or something. I wasn't exactly worried about that, my mind was focusing on not passing out.
I didn't succeed.
My vision came back a while later and I found myself staring right at wonderboy's arse. It was shaking quickly as he seemed to be fiddling with something. Upon closer examination, I realized he was fiddling with a lock.
"What's going on?" I asked. "Where are we?"
"No where," he replied.
I pushed myself to sit up. I accepted the pain for looking from side to side. It took a moment for me to realize we were in a closet, one of the many infamous makeout spots in the castle. Fantastic.
"Looking to ravage me while I am knocked out, eh, Potter? How manly."
I rolled his eyes and looked at me. "Oh Please, Marlow. Snape and Peeves were coming. I would rather not have them find a knocked out slytheirn on the floor with my footprints nearby."
"And here I thought you were being a gentleman."
"Bugger!" he cursed, kicking the door in anger.
"What?" I asked, a bit surprised by his outburst. I quickly connected the dots and sighed. "We're locked in aren't we?"
"Do you have your wand?" he asked.
"No," I said nonchalantly, reaching for a cigarette. "It is what, 11 at night? I gather you don't have yours either."
"Bloody hell," he said, turning around and sliding down to his feet. I lit up a cigarette and his expression twisted. "Can you not smoke in this small space?"
I offered him one and when he refused I said, "Might as well join me, I am not going to halt the habit." With that, he accepted.
"So what are you and Weasley doing down here anyway?"
"I am not going to help you spread you gossip."
Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. "Please, cut me some slack, Potter. I just want to take my mind off it."
"Off what?"
I realized what I had just let slip and cursed myself. "Nothing, nevermind."
"Does it have anything to do with this?" he pulled one of my letters out of his pocket and slide it across the floor to me. "It fell out of your pocket. What's the matter?"
I sneered at it. "You think just one letter is the problem, Harry?" I pronounced his name with an almost guttural sound. "It this whole bloody fiasco!" All my rage for what Draco had said in the common room broke loose and I threw all the letters on the floor. "That's what's the bloody matter!" I pinched the bridge of my temple in an effort to calm down.
Wonderboy picked up a letter and read the name on the address. "Alexandra and Draco—what's this symbol?"
"It stands for Marlow-Malfoy," I replied without looking up.
"There's no return address. Who's it from?"
"That particular one, the Council of Wizarding Commerce. Lucius Malfoy and my uncles use a seal. Bloody fantastic." Wonderboy was silent and it was pretty clear why. "You have no idea what it means do you?"
"No. . . care to tell me?"
I sighed. "Might as well get it off my chest, not that you care anyway. The CWC has a great deal of control over how companies based in England run, even more so when there is no one in clear control. Ever since my father was arrested, Marlow Enterprises has been on hiatus seeing as I am the direct heir and I am still in school. Anyway, the point is Lucius Malfoy conjoined his various companies with my father's in order to keep it afloat. This is fine for the moment but basically ensures that whenever I take over for my father, I am joined at the hip with Draco Malfoy, seeing as he is the heir to everything Malfoy."
"I don't see what is so bad. You are both slytherins aren't you? Wouldn't it happen inevitably?"
I rolled my eyes. "While I am pressured into a marriage, expected considering I am female, then Draco would take the reigns to my company and that would leave his father's board to control."
"Oh wow."
"Hmhm, I replied, taking a drag.
"Then why has Draco been hastling you? He should be happy."
"He isn't as much of a powerwhore as you might think. The last thing he wants is his father's life. Especially after you killed voldemort, businessmen actually have to know what their doing to make their fortune."
"So I caused all this trouble for you by killing a man that killed many innocent people?" wonderboy recoiled defensively.
"It isn't always about you," I said, flowing smoke. "But because of that "final raid", my father is being tried for crimes he didn't commit. But it isn't your job to care about the aftermath."
Wonderboy gave me a strange look, as though he wasn't sure if what to say but was connecting the dots. "So that is why you want to rip my guts out."
I laughed. "Well I did, for certain. Got rather close if I do say so myself. But in truth, it would do me no good right now. Not since all this surfaced," I gestured to the letters.
"So," I began again. "Now care to tell me something to get my mind off my depressing predicament."
He stared at me for a moment with those intoxicating green eyes before saying, "Well, Blaise and Hermione are apparently a couple."
I laughed, "I know. It's great."
Wonderboy's eyebrows rose slightly, "You find this funny? You have a real interesting sense of humor."
"Call it irony but I like it. It fits."
"Howso? They are nothing alike."
"Opposites attract. Poetic justice."
"You believe in that?"
"For myself? Fuck no."
He laughed and blew smoke into the hair. I grinned. "You know, Potter. When you smoke, you are a much more mellow, you should do it more."
"What and become an addict like you?"
"I can quit whenever I want."
"Sure," he drawled.
I snorted and leaned my head back against the wall. "Fuck!" I screamed, clutching the back of my head.
"What's wrong?" he asked, jerking up suddenly.
I looked at my hand and then showed him. Blood covered my fingers.
"Bloody hell," he cursed. "How come you didn't mention this earlier?" he scolded me as he fumbled with his shirt.
"I didn't feel it," I answered calmly and truthfully.
He ripped a piece of his shirt off. "You mean to tell me you didn't feel –"
"I mean to tell you I didn't feel prolonged pain. Numbness shouldn't be foreign to someone who lived understairs, Potter," I had a bite on the edge of my words but he seemed to brush it off.
"I thought we were going on first names," he said as he came over to me on his knees.
"What are you doing?" I asked, holding still.
"I am taking care of the blood leaking from your head. You have no objections so don't even try." I sighed and held still. To tell you the truth, it felt kind of nice having someone this close.
"Sorry for uh, punching Draco," he said lamely after a few minutes.
"What on earth are you apologizing for? You two hate eachother."
"Well you were really upset by it and now that I know why, I guess, well, I'm sorry."
I chuckled. "You thought I was upset? Trust me, you do not want to see me upset."
"Then what were you?"
"Trying to figure out why you defended me like you did."
"So you don't mind that I hit him, even though you are well 'joined at the hip'?"
"Look, Pott—Harry," I said, choosing my words carefully. "That situation is complex, don't worry about it."
"Still, I'm sorry."
I smiled, when I intended to laugh. "Don't be it. It was fitting for the boy wonder."
I didn't notice his hands leave their task at the back of my head. "Why do you call me that? Is it some running joke?"
"That's what you are, aren't you? The boy who gets to save the world?"
He didn't respond and instead stared into my eyes. It brought me out of my control level, leaving me feeling extremely disconserted. "Why are we doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"Pretending to be in a relationship?"
"Well it was a joke but you took it to the next level, not I."
"Do you really care about it?"
"Not at the moment, no." I had the bet in the bag anyway, Teddy was going to lose.
"Would you mind if I kissed you?"
At this point I was too far gone in those green eyes. "Not at all."
That my friends was how Harry Potter and I began to make out yet again. Except being locked in a dark closet has its perks. While we were a bit tight on space, we managed to go at it five times successfully. Yes, yes, I know what am I thinking, right? I have no idea. That has to change but for the moment I have another reason to call him 'wonderboy'.
Author's Note: Sorry that took forever to get up, I know. But it was long! I am kinda losing my muse to be honest so please be patient with the updates. If I could get some feedback from my readers, that would be great. What do you want to see, what characters, what do you think should happen, what wouldn't make sense, that would just be great. Anyway,see you all in the next chapter!