Chapter 6: Reactions

That Saturday, Mara seemed a little uncomfortable at breakfast…

"Pass the syrup?" He asked, brushing her arm lightly as he pointed.

"Sure," she said, as she felt the electricity shoot from the spot on her arm. "Here you go."

"Thanks." He poured the sweet, sticky stuff all over his pancakes and set it back on the table. Then Mara used a little, and ate hers quickly. Just as she left, Draco finished and followed her into the hallway.

"Wait," he said, grabbing her wrist lightly. "Where are you going?"

She blushed. "Um, I guess back up to the common room. I don't know."

He raised his eyebrows. "Would you happen to be avoiding me?"

"Um, no," she answered, eyes on the floor. "Why would I do that?" When she asked that, her dark blue eyes lifted to meet his steely grey-green eyes.

"I have no clue." His voice was soft. They were inches apart from each other. He dropped her wrist, but she didn't move. They heard the doors open from the Great Hall, and both jumped back a bit, before anyone coming out could see. To the rest of the world, they were just friends having a conversation on a Saturday. But they knew different. Something had happened just then. They both had felt it. "Let's go for a walk outside," he said. Once they were out on the path, the fall leaves crunching beneath their feet, they just walked. They never said anything. Then they reached a tall oak tree. Draco stopped.

"Don't tell me you don't feel it."

"Feel what?" She said nervously.

"You know exactly what." He stepped closer.

"N-no, I don't."

He smiled. "Then why are you so nervous? And wound-up?"

"B-because one of my best friends is standing very close to me."

"We stood about this far apart just the other day. First day of classes, we worked elbow to elbow all day. What changed your mind?"

Mara's eyes widened. She felt a little intimidated, nervous, but most of all, she did feel "it". That shot of lightning that went through her every time he touched her; that she hadn't noticed before. That wasn't static electricity, that's for sure. "I-I don't know."

"I do. It's this." He lightly brought his fingertips to hers and slowly brought their hands level with her face. She nodded, her eyes still big, blinking slowly. He brought their hands back down to their sides, closed his fingers around hers, and stepped slightly closer. Mara was frozen in place.

Draco was looking at her face. She's beautiful. Her black hair, deep blue eyes… Why did I never see it before, before the other night, before I heard her sing? I know why, because she would have mattered as much as Pansy and the others as soon as I did.

He tilted his face downward and brought his lips down to meet hers softly. Mara felt her back hit the old oak they'd stopped by. She felt as if she was floating. When he pulled away, she looked into his eyes, and held out her hand. They walked back to the school, just like that, silent once more.

In the hallway, Pansy noticed they were holding hands and walking very close. And, boy, did she ever get jealous.

"Oh, look!" She screeched out into the hallways. "Draco's got a new girlfriend! The new girl!"

Mara smiled sweetly at her. "Pansy, I realize you had a history with Draco. But, I think I now understand why he dumped you. How immature. Do us all a favor and grow up already!" She glared at the spiteful girl whose scream had stopped no one. No one had listened to her.

Mara turned around quickly and walked with Draco, wherever he was leading them… She had no idea whatsoever. And she didn't really care.

Draco was almost laughing at how she'd stood up to Pansy. He knew, from experience, that she could and did stand up to people, but that was… classic and perfectly punched with contempt. I couldn't have done better myself, he thought, walking, holding her hand, to a deserted corridor he knew very few people even passed.

Just as they kissed again, a small group of those "few people" did pass by—Ron, Hermione, and Harry. Ron snorted and muttered something to the effect that he knew she was no good. Hermione looked sadly at the girl who was once her friend, one of the very few girls she had been close to. Harry stood there, shocked, for just a moment. His jaw had dropped slightly. His green eyes looked surprised and slightly hurt. He felt as if someone had just punched him. It was then that he realized that the reason it had hurt him so much when she'd dragged her trunk from their compartment, and seen her in the Great Hall that night, being Sorted, talking and laughing with Malfoy, was that he'd liked her. He noticed Hermione and Ron had already gone, and he quietly ran after them.

When the trio got to the Gryffindor common room that evening, Harry mumbled something about being tired, with a Quidditch game the next morning and all, he needed his sleep. It was there that he laid, raking his fingers through perpetually messy hair, mentally kicking himself. I feel so betrayed! Why didn't I notice before? What the hell was I thinking on the train? Letting her sit with Malfoy, not telling her… Even before I realized I felt this way, she was a friend. He blew out a long breath. Maybe she's… happier with him than she was with us that week at the Burrow. Maybe she belongs there. Or maybe… she could belong… here, with me… He drifted off to sleep, contemplating maybes.