Ashley sighed as she trudged up the familiar stairway to the sixth floor of the castle, her fifth year spell books weighing down her backpack more than usual. She stopped at an empty patch of wall and, looking both ways to make sure no one else was there, slipped through the stone.
"I was wondering when you'd be coming." A voice mused from the shadows of a tiny rectangular room lit only by three floating candles. A grinning blond head poked out of the corner as Ashley threw down her backpack and rubbed her eyes.
"I'm especially tired today, so it took me longer. Don't yell at me." She mumbled and flopped down against the wall opposite the head, glancing around at the place as she did.
The small box of a room acted as their hideout, discovered by Draco near the end of their first year. It was a good thing, too- secret meetings in an abandoned girl's bathroom weren't very appealing anyway.
"Well, sorry about that. Like to spill any details?" Draco asked hopefully. Ashley smirked and absentmindedly twirled her backpack strap.
"I almost failed my Transfigurations test, and Professor Flitwick attempted to yell convincingly at me when I accidentally set fire to his bookcase." Draco bit his lip to keep from grinning.
"I know you're going to laugh, you'll get sick if you try to hold it in." Ashley muttered. A burst of laughter erupted from the corner, and Ashley couldn't help but smile herself. The image of Professor Flitwick's face as his bookcase burned down was priceless.
"Really, Ashley, if anyone knows how to liven up a day, it would be you." Draco gasped for breath. Ashley threw a crumpled piece of paper at him and missed entirely.
"I'm glad you think my traumatic misfortunes are amusing, Malfoy." She answered in a mockingly stiff tone. Draco shook his head.
"No, I don't- well, never mind, I have to admit, it is funny when you talk about it. Sorry, I can't help it!" He raised his arms as Ashley prepared to throw more paper at him. Ashley paused, then let down her arm wearily.
"Whatever. I'm too exhausted to throw anything at you." She yawned. Draco sighed with exaggerated relief. "So what have you been up to while I've been stumbling through my classes?" Ashley interrogated.
"Trying to hide from our dear Pansy-" here he made a face- "and putting up with Crabbe and Goyle. Every day it's harder to be around them without having to resort to faking evil- and each day they don't seem to be as convinced." He said. Ashley gave him a smile.
"But that's good- the curse is having less of an effect on you. And I'm sure they're thoroughly fooled by your acting expertise- they're thick-headed brutes, for goodness' sake!" She laughed. Draco shook his head.
"But my father isn't." He muttered ominously. Ashley frowned.
"They wouldn't write to your father, would they? They have no reason to!" Ashley reasoned aloud.
"Ashley, I've already told you- this summer my father was beginning to get suspicious of me. It's possible he could have ordered Crabbe and Goyle to give a regular report on me. And they wouldn't slack on an order from my father." He answered, looking away. Ashley fell silent as well, then glanced at her watch.
"Well, I have to go meet Hermione at the library- she wanted to talk about some troll." Ashley commented, and heaved her pack back onto her shoulders. "Enjoy double Potions this afternoon. Try to stay out of trouble." Draco sighed.
"Hope that troll from Halloween isn't coming back to haunt her." He grinned slightly and watched as Ashley shuffled back out of the wall.
"See you later." A muffled voice called out from the other side.
"Bye."