17 – Alea Iacta Est
DRACO
Nocturn Cycle. For the Night is Dark and Full of Terrors. That was the title of the thick volume Draco slapped onto the library table in front of Luna Lovegood.
"Hello Draco," the girl greeted him without acknowledging the book. Her priorities were really messed up. On the other hand, Draco approved of her insistence on greeting him above all else.
"Do you want me to read that?" She asked, eyeing the book questioningly.
"I sneaked it from Snape," Draco explained patiently, taking a seat. "It's the most scandalous one I could find. It just screams forbidden, don't you think?" He smirked complacently.
Luna opened the black cover that looked so old it was surprising it wasn't falling apart by just touching it.
"Voodoo Verses… Infernal Incantations… Singing like Sirens…" Luna read out the table of contents. All of this sounded really dark.
"What do you need it for?" She asked, her eyes still glued to the page.
"I'm going to blackmail him." He grinned smugly. "If Umbridge found out he was in possession of something this dark, she would surely fire him, don't you think?"
"Hm. Maybe." She commented. "Are you doing this, so Professor Snape won't tell anyone about you and Haley?"
Draco nodded. Then he froze. "Wait. How do you know, he knows? I'm quite sure I never mentioned that."
Lovegood raised her eyebrows. "It wasn't hard to figure that out." She shrugged. "Yesterday, after you found out Haley had extra lessons with Professor Snape, you said you would like to know what that was all about, right? And this morning the two of you seemed really anxious about something and you kept glancing toward him. So, I figured you went to spy on them and while you were doing that Professor Snape might have found out about your secret." She concluded. Draco gaped at her. He always forgot how smart she was.
"And the blackmailing was another clue. What other reason would you have to blackmail a teacher?"
Draco scowled. "To get better grades?"
Lovegood snorted. It was all she did. He guessed the topic was over with that.
"Oh."
"What is it?" The boy asked with a pout. He felt like she had somehow tricked him.
"Golem Lore."
"Huh?"
"There's a chapter on Golem Lore in here." She seemed very excited about that.
"Like that puppet thing you got me for Christmas?"
The girl nodded. "It says here that golems belong to an ancient branch of magic that many wizards are afraid of exploring because it's said to be both powerful and dangerous. "The golem bestows immeasurable power and protection on its master. Many wizards, however, have struggled with keeping control of the creature. Some have reported that the usage of the golem had made them lose their selves and that the creature was slowly devouring their souls…"" Luna stopped, looking up at him. "I had no idea golems were that dangerous." She admitted. "You should probably be careful with yours."
The boy shrugged. "It's just lore, isn't it? I wasn't planning on using it anyway. Although, I could use some protection, I guess."
"Why?" Luna asked her eyes even wider than usual.
He frowned. "I got this strange letter this morning. No signature. And it didn't even address me. Well, if you're looking past the insults, I guess."
"What did it say?" The girl seemed concerned.
"It… was full of threats. Someone who says, they knew what I'm doing and that I should be careful if I value my life. And that I should "stop it". Whatever that is supposed to mean."
"Who could have sent it?"
"I don't know," he whispered, trying not to feel unsettled by the contents of the letter. "Well, I do have an idea. There was this one line… "If you don't leave her alone, I'll make you.""
"You think it might be related to… Haley?" Luna asked. He wanted to praise her for being this quick on the uptake.
"It's possible." He drummed his fingers on the table restlessly. "But then, who could have sent it? Who else knows about her and me?" He doubted that the potions master had sent the letter. Snape would have sought him out directly.
"Maybe you should ask Haley."
"You think she told someone?"
"Perhaps she thought they were trustworthy."
"Hm." She was right. After all, he had told Luna, too. For some unfathomable reason. Or well, she had found out on her own but still. It occurred to him then that he hadn't even considered the possibility that the Ravenclaw might have told someone. But the thought was so ridiculous that he dismissed it the moment it entered his mind. No one would believe her anyway.
"You could ask her on your next date. Or I could ask her if you want me to," she offered, tilting her head.
"No, I'll do it myself." Draco said. "But since you're offering you could relay a message for me."
"I see. You must be eager to go on another date." She replied cheekily.
The boy grimaced. Her behaviour bothered him less than it should have. "Why do I even bother talking to you?"
"Because we're friends," she stated with confidence. For a moment he considered contradicting her. But she knew better anyway. They both did. So, he sighed instead, rubbing his hand across his face. With resignation he tore a page out of his journal and scribbled a few words onto it. (Friday night. Quidditch pitch. Bring your broom.) He folded it up and shoved it over toward the girl.
Luna took the note. "I always wondered what it might feel like to be an owl." She grinned in delight. Her innocent joy reminded him of a child. She was so unpredictable. But Draco had stopped questioning her little quirks a long time ago. So, he simply returned the grin and refrained from asking 'So, what does it feel like to be an owl?'
…
HALEY
The stupid broom didn't fit under her invisibility cloak. What was Malfoy planning anyway? Did he want to play quidditch? At night? As she stumbled through the dimly lit common room she thought that it was a good thing everyone had already gone to bed.
"Haley?" A voice asked from the armchair to the left. Damn. The room hadn't been as deserted as she had thought. Maybe she could slip through the portrait door quickly…
"Hey, wait a second!" The person got up and pulled at her cloak from behind, forcing her to stop. She turned around. "What do you think you're-" She started to say but broke off, when she realised that the person was her friend Ron.
"Oh. It's you." She whispered, racking her brain for a good excuse. "How'd you know it was me?"
Ron grinned lazily. "The broom."
"Right."
"So, where are you headed this late at night," the boy asked curiously.
"Um… it's… I… I needed some air." Haley said lamely. Was there a chance that he actually believed her? He studied her face for a moment, leaning back against the wall next to the Fat Lady's portrait and crossing his arms over his chest. "I see." He said simply after a while.
Haley sighed in relief. At least he didn't ask her questions she couldn't answer. "Well, then…" She reached for the door, when –
"Haley, wait."
She knew it couldn't have been this easy. Holding her breath, the girl turned to her friend again.
For some reason Ron looked conflicted. He was worrying his lower lip and shuffling his foot on the carpet. "Look, I…" He took a deep breath. "I want you to know that… I… Man, this is hard…" He chuckled uncomfortably, running his hand over his face. "Look, I'm your best mate, right." She nodded, although she was sure it hadn't been a real question. "No matter what… I want you to be happy, okay?"
Haley blinked. What had brought that on?
"I mean… I don't… want stuff to be awkward or anything. Don't think you can't come talk to me if… you know? Just because I… Honestly, I don't really understand it myself… just thought… I should let you know. That… you know… we're mates before anything else and…" He took a deep breath, staring into her eyes. "That's not going to change." He grabbed her shoulder tightly, as if he needed something to hold on to. "You hear me?"
Haley nodded uncertainly. He wasn't drunk, was he? It didn't seem that way at least.
"Good." He clapped her shoulder again. "Good. Now… I didn't mean to keep you, so…"
"Um, right… I'll just…" She nodded toward the portrait door.
"Yeah," Ron offered. "You shouldn't let your date wait."
"You're right," Haley agreed, before realising what her friend had said. "Wait, how did you-?"
The boy lifted an eyebrow. "I may not be as clever as Hermione but I certainly can tell the difference between someone who needs air and someone who's sneaking out to go on a date. I mean, who bothers with actual pants, when you could be wearing your comfy pyjamas?"
Right. She had put on a pair of jeans. And a hint of mascara that she'd sneaked from Parvati. But surely Ron of all people hadn't noticed that?
"I should really go now." She said defiantly. "But thank you for… you know… this." She didn't know how to put it into words properly. But she knew that Ron wasn't someone who easily talked about feelings.
Ron shook his head. "Don't mention it. And don't stay out too late." He grinned cheerfully but there was something off. The usual carefree glint in his eyes was missing. Where was it? Before Haley could question him about it, her friend gave a salute and disappeared into the direction of the boys' dorms.
Haley bit her lips, thoughtfully. What had all of this been about? Had he just given her his blessing or something like that? But why? Was it possible that he knew… he knew she was on her way to see Malfoy? But that couldn't be true. There was no way… If he knew, he wouldn't have reacted like this, would he? No. Never. But then… wasn't there a chance that he might accept him? A tiny, impossible chance? Haley smiled softly at the thought. Then she shook it off resignedly.
How stupid of her. It was best she got on her way or the night would be over before she even reached the Entrance Hall.
…
DRACO
Should he tell her? Did she really need to know about this? Or would it only worry her? Draco balled up the anonymous letter in his fist, throwing it into the air and catching it again as he wondered what to do about it.
"So, what's with the broomstick," a familiar voice asked to his left. He turned his head, quickly shoving the balled up letter into his robe pocket. He hadn't even heard anything. Then she suddenly appeared in front of him, as if she had apparated. She had done something to her eyes. Was that make-up? He suppressed a grin.
"Obviously, I was thinking we could get some sweeping done. Wonder when they last cleaned this place."
Haley snorted. "That's not even funny."
He raised an eyebrow. "Why are you grinning then?"
"Because it was that bad."
This time it was Draco who snorted. He rolled his eyes. "I was in the mood for a Seeker's game. What do you say, Potter?"
Her face lit up like a match. "Sure. I hope you're okay with losing." She offered with a cheeky grin.
He rolled his eyes. "Right back at you, Potter. Are you all talk or shall we get started?"
She raised her chin challengingly. "Bring it, Malfoy."
He grinned, excitement filling him up. She was so competitive. He loved it.
…
HALEY
"I'll count to three." Malfoy said, mounting his Nimbus 2001. Haley quickly straddled her Firebolt, as the Slytherin fetched something shiny from his pocket. A snitch.
"One, two," he counted, barely giving her any time to prepare himself. Sneaky prat. "Three."
With that and a lazy smirk he set the little gold ball free and launched into the air. Haley followed him as she looked around for a flicker of gold. The moon was almost full, providing a blueish glow of light. Without it, the night would have been pitch black. Even so, it was almost impossible to see anything smaller than her own hand with only the moonlight. That included the snitch. But she wouldn't be a seeker for almost five years if she let that stop her. Up there, next to the score board, wasn't there a glimmer of gold? It seemed as though Malfoy hadn't noticed it yet. She grinned, directing her broom with only the hint of movement toward her goal. She had already curled her fingers around the feathered ball, when she sensed movement behind her. She still wasn't used to how incredibly fast her broom was.
Haley turned around with a triumphant smirk.
Malfoy scoffed. "Sheer luck," he commented, nodding at the snitch inside her hand mockingly. The gesture caused his grey wool hat to slide down over his forehead. She only noticed now that it had a fluffy white bobble on its back. It looked kind of cute on him. And it hid his telltale white blond hair, which was probably helpful in case there were curious eyes watching them.
"We're not done yet. The first one who gets three wins wins the game." He informed her importantly. She wanted to pat his head because he took this so seriously. But then, he had always been a sore loser, hadn't he? The only problem was: Haley didn't like losing either. There was no way, she was going to go easy on him.
…
DRACO
This time it was him who spotted the snitch first. He wasn't going to let her show him up a second time. Without hesitating another second Draco sped toward the goal post in the middle where he had seen the golden ball. He grinned to himself. Potter was nowhere in sight. She probably hadn't even noticed him speeding away. Victory was his now. He removed his left hand from his broomstick and reached for the fluttering ball. It was only metres away now. Then something flashed into his vision from the left and snatched the snitch away before he could blink twice. Potter again. Where had she even come from? Ah, he saw it now. She had emerged from behind the bleachers, giving him the illusion that he was winning. He wanted to stomp his foot to the ground But sadly that wasn't possible atop his broom.
"You're bloody cheating!" He burst out indignantly. He'd never been good with losing. "I saw it first!"
Potter shrugged, a wide smirk stretching all over her face. "And I caught it first. That doesn't mean I'm cheating."
"How is it not cheating when that sodding Firebolt is twice as fast as any regular broom?" He scowled. He had forgotten how mad he got whenever they lost a match against Gryffindor. Potter rolled her eyes. "Fine. Let's switch brooms. I could take you on with a Cleansweep Seven." Draco should have been offended but that confident look and the arrogant tone of her voice did things to him… He licked lips that seemed awfully dry. Suddenly, he wished they were not up in the air but somewhere he could properly reach her.
He followed the girl to the ground, where she climbed off her Firebolt and offered it to him. It looked almost brand new. It was obvious she took great care of it. Well, he would too if he owned the best racing broom in the world.
"Well, then." The girl offered. Her face was windswept and flushed and way too attractive. "Let's see who's the best." She raised her eyebrows in challenge and let the snitch loose.
"You didn't count." Draco noted with a frown. But Potter only chuckled mockingly and lifted herself off the ground. He shrugged. It didn't really matter. He had this. With that amazing broomstick he would show – what in the name of Slytherin's scaly snake? That broom flew twice as fast as his own! At least. How fast could it actually fly? He almost lost himself testing out the wondrous broom that was so sensitive to only the slightest movements. No wonder this was the best racing broom in the world! He actually had to make a conscious effort not to fall off it!
…
HALEY
It was sweet really. How Malfoy was getting so excited over trying out her Firebolt. Actually, she had already spotted the snitch once but hadn't gone after it because it didn't seem fair since Malfoy was so obviously distracted. Then the snitch had vanished again. But it was only a matter of time before she would find it once more.
…
DRACO
There was a suspicious glint of gold near the ground, which he only noticed because it was next to Potter's head. She hadn't noticed it yet since it was fluttering behind her. Slowly, as not to alert the girl to the snitch's presence he descended to the ground until he was about ten metres above it in the middle of the quidditch pitch. Potter was opposite him now on the other side of the pitch in front of the goal posts, floating only inches above the ground. She followed his gaze and turned around… but the golden ball was already gone again. That was a close cut. But then he saw it again, glittering gold against the stands to his right. This time he would catch it. He raced toward the little ball, one arm outstretched, almost in reach – when the snitch suddenly zoomed upwards. Draco growled. He wouldn't let it slip away this time. Abruptly, he pulled the broomstick upwards, making it shoot up to the sky so fast that it practically turned upside down. His fingers slipped from the wood and the abrupt movement caused his limbs to detach from the broom as well. He desperately reached for the broomstick but his fingers touched nothing but air. Then he felt himself falling.
…
HALEY
When she saw the boy losing grip on her broom the first thing she thought was 'Shit'. As he started to fall to the ground from roughly ten metres above the pitch, a whispered "No", slipped from her lips. When he landed on the ground with a sickening thump, she was already halfway across the pitch. Running, because in her detached state of mind her instincts had told her to jump off the broom and just run.
No, no, no, no, no. The word was echoing through her mind like a mantra. She shouldn't have given him the stupid Firebolt. It had to be because of the broom. She had almost reached him now. He looked like a puppet, lying there. A lifeless puppet with its strings cut off. Haley's breath hitched. She dropped to her knees next to the boy, her breaths coming fast. Too fast.
"Malfoy," she gasped under her breath. He was lying on his side with his eyes closed. Was he breathing? Cold dread filled her. "Malfoy?" She repeated, her voice sounding like delicate glass. He didn't respond. Or open his eyes. Nothing. Haley panicked. What was she supposed to do? Was she supposed to turn him or something like that? She carefully turned him over onto his back. But still there was nothing. He was just lying there as if he was sleeping. It looked almost peaceful except for the trickling of blood next to his temple. She hadn't seen that before. She was only making it worse!
"No, no, no," she muttered, waving her hands in front of her uselessly. "Merlin, what should I…?" She felt so stupid. And terribly helpless. "Open your eyes." She urged. What if I can never look into those eyes again, she wondered suddenly, her eyes misting up. She had never told him how pretty she thought they were. "Please open your eyes." Her voice shook. "Malfoy…Can you hear me…? Can you–?" She gripped his shoulders finally, shaking him to force some kind of reaction out of him. "Say something. Please… Draco." She almost choked on his first name.
…
DRACO
Everything hurt. His body felt as if he had been launched right off the Astronomy Tower. Which was only slightly exaggerated.
"Please… Draco." Said Haley's voice. He groaned. Now he was even hallucinating. Or was he? Slowly, he blinked open his eyes. There she was. Glancing down at him out of wide worried eyes. Worried? About him? Now he was definitely hallucinating.
"Draco." The girl whispered, her voice disbelieving. Or was it relieved? He felt dizzy. Like he was slipping in and out of consciousness. Like he wasn't completely there. Then suddenly he was hauled off the cold ground into a sitting position and engulfed by something warm.
And the familiar scent that surrounded him seemed so real…
…
HALEY
She was clinging to the boy as if her life depended on it. He was okay. Not hurt. Or not hurt too badly in any case. She tightened her grip on him even more.
He whimpered in pain. Had she hurt him? She immediately released him from her death grip.
"Sorry, sorry. Did I hurt you?" Haley asked, looking him over for any more visible injuries.
He shook his head but his wrist… he was holding it in a strangely protective way. She reached for his right hand and touched it gingerly. He pulled away with a grimace.
"It's nothing. I just… it's just a sprain." He grinned at her, clearly acting as though everything was all right. But it was obvious that he was in pain. She was actually surprised he wasn't hurt more seriously. After that fall… She was tearing up again.
"I… I thought… I thought you…" She couldn't finish. With a frustrated sigh she smeared at her moist eyes. Tears were so useless.
"Don't." Malfoy said, looking at his wrist. "Don't cry. I can't deal with… that." He sounded like he felt embarrassed. And a little pained.
Haley snorted. "That's fun. You only like making people cry, then?" Her hand flew to her mouth. What was wrong with her? How could she joke in a situation like this?
"Sorry, I didn't mean it like this – and – I wasn't… crying, you know."
"Is that a rain drop then?" He asked mockingly, catching a single tear on his thumb.
"Don't be stupid," she replied, shoving him away without thinking.
He groaned in pain again, this time holding his leg. Haley could have slapped herself. "Shit, I'm sorry! I forgot." She worried her lip, frantically pondering what she could do to help him. "Let's get you back to the castle for now." She concluded. "Can you stand?"
Malfoy scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I'm not a bloody invalid, Potter." He got up in one swift move and stood there in triumph for a split second. Then his legs betrayed him, sending him tumbling to the ground. If Haley hadn't jumped to her feet and caught him in time, that was.
He looked to the side, sighing frustratedly. "I can walk on my own." His voice sounded small. Embarrassed. But he let her wind his uninjured arm around her shoulders and snake her own around his back in order to support his weight, nevertheless.
"Of course you can," she replied softly. She just wanted him to stop hurting. "Does your head hurt?" It looked like the wound on the side of his head wasn't too serious. The blood was already drying. She had read somewhere that head wounds always looked much worse than they really were.
He shook his head lightly, still not looking at her. He looked as if he was mad at someone. At her? At himself? Haley didn't know. She wanted to wrap him up in her arms again and tell him that it was going to be fine. That it was okay to feel weak sometimes. But she wasn't sure he would appreciate it. She gave his waist a light squeeze instead. "Come on, then."
…
DRACO
Why did he always end up humiliating himself? Couldn't he get one date where he wasn't turned into a sodding cat or embarrassed himself by falling off Potter's broomstick and nearly breaking his neck? Draco felt like a pathetic fool as he watched the girl summon her Firebolt and his Nimbus 2001 along with her cloak.
"Could you take those?" She asked in an apologetic tone, as she held out the brooms for him. He took them and pressed them under his right arm with a scowl. He was capable of carrying two blasted broomsticks. The girl smiled at him gratefully. She was never this soft with him. Did he seem that pitiful? Then she threw her cloak over both of their heads. What was she getting at now? He opened his mouth to ask what in Merlin's name she was doing, when he realised he could still see.
"What–?" He asked, then it dawned on him. "Is that… your Invisibility Cloak?"
Haley nodded. There was a soft grin on her face. He had always been curious what it was like to hide under that cloak.
She took a step closer to him. "Um… it's not really made for more than one person. So, we'll have to huddle together a bit." Draco grinned. He didn't exactly have a problem with that. The night was starting to look up somewhat.
"I hope that's not too troublesome." She added with a smirk that told him she knew exactly what he had just been thinking.
"I'll survive it." He offered with a heavy sigh that made Haley roll her eyes. But she still seemed amused.
Walking back to the castle was much more painful and tedious than Draco cared to admit. They had to take a break half-way through because the brooms he had carried under his right arm had slipped from his hold. Just when he'd thought he couldn't possibly embarrass himself any further. He fumbled for his wand, which he kept in his robe pocket but it slipped from his fingers when a sharp stab of pain went along his wrist.
"Hhhh," He hissed in pain. He'd momentarily forgotten that his hand was injured.
"Here, let me." Potter picked up her own wand and summoned all of the fallen objects into the hand that was not supporting half his weight. She slipped his wand back into his pocket, her eyes lingering on something else she had picked up. A crumpled up piece of parchment…
"What's that?" The girl asked curiously. "Lumos," she whispered, making the tip of her wand light up with a soft glow.
When Draco recognized the letter that must have fallen out of his pocket when he had reached for his wand, she was already unfolding it. He still hadn't decided whether to show her or not…
"Where'd you get this?" She asked under her breath. Her eyes were blown wide as they scanned over the words. She looked unusually pale in the white light of her wand. Draco didn't know if it was the words that upset her this much or whether she actually recognized the handwriting.
…
HALEY
She would recognize that handwriting anywhere. Even in a dark night that was only illuminated by the moon and the soft glow of her wand. How could he? Her eyes flitted across the parchment again and again, trying to look for clues that this wasn't true. That it was all some sick joke. But all she saw were these… horribly vile phrases… Slimy Slytherin snake… You're nothing but scum befouling the castle… Keep your stinking hands off her if you value your life… disgrace for all wizarding kind… You would be better off dead. That last one shook her to her core. Especially in light of the recent events. How could he? How could he do something like this behind her back, after she had trusted him with this? After she had opened up to him under tears? She should have known that he hadn't been okay with any of it. Considering how much he loathed the pureblood families and everything they stood for. It had all been too easy. But stooping this low?
Her throat burned and she had to blink back angry tears. Her fingers trembled, aching to get their hands on something. To express her anger. She tore the parchment in half, wanted to shred it to small pieces but something stopped her.
"Shit," He whimpered, hissing in pain. Merlin, she had completely forgotten about the boy who needed her support. She reached out for him, before he lost his balance and steadied him, winding her arm around his waist once more.
"Sorry," she whispered. "Are you okay?"
Draco nodded. But he was even paler than usual. A soft sheen of sweat had gathered on his forehead. They had to get back to the castle. Quickly.
She accioed their broomsticks for what she hoped was the last time and squashed them between her left arm and her side. It took a lot of effort not to just leave the stupid Firebolt behind.
With a sigh, Haley urged Malfoy to continue walking.
…
DRACO
Why was she this angry? The letter wasn't even addressed to her. Did she know who had sent it? When Draco couldn't keep the curiosity at bay any longer he stated, "It seems you know the author of that letter." He waited for an answer. But the girl only scowled. When it looked as though she wasn't going to reply, she heaved a heavy sigh.
"My godfather," she said quietly. "It's Sirius' handwriting."
"Oh." He hadn't expected that. Not really. But then, it did make sense. "He seems… fiercely protective of you."
Haley snorted derisively. "Protective my butt. He had… no right." She turned to him, her face an expression of inner turmoil and guilt. "I'm sorry," she said earnestly. He didn't know what to say. That letter… It wasn't her fault.
"So… you told him…About…us?" He hesitated on the last word, still unsure if they even were an us.
Haley nodded. "I didn't mean to. It just…" She exhaled shakily. "He got suspicious because of the handkerchief and then – and then… I hated lying to him and it just… it slipped out…" She bit her lips, hesitantly looking at him. "I'm sorry. I know I should have talked to you about it first. It's not only my secret."
Draco was touched she took him into consideration like that. He wanted to take her hand and squeeze it. But because of his current situation he couldn't. Blasted night it was.
"It's fine." He said instead. "Your godfather… he… he won't tell anyone, will he?" It was strange how calm he was about this. But somehow he figured if there had been a reason for panic she would have told him. Wouldn't she?
Haley chuckled darkly. "I think his tactic of getting rid of you goes more on the lines of scaring you away with spiteful insults." She paused. "I'll tell him to stop. And if he doesn't want me to never speak a word with him ever again, he's going to listen."
Draco shuddered. There was a dark glint in her eyes that made him wonder why she hadn't been put into Slytherin.
"Almost there." The girl offered, nodding toward the stairs in front of them. They climbed the stairs – Haley half-carrying him because of his leg – and entered the castle.
"I'll walk you another time," Draco said sheepishly, when Haley directed him toward the grand staircase leading to the upper floors.
She frowned at him in confusion. "We're going to the hospital wing."
"What? I'm fine. I don't need to go to the hospital wing." He protested. Did she really need to embarrass him further?
"Excuse me? Even a troll could see that you're anything but fine. I'm taking you to see Madame Pomfrey." She pushed him toward the stairs and in his current situation there was little he could do to stop her.
"Potter, stop! Dammit!" He exclaimed in exasperation, forgetting that it was way past curfew and the Invisibility Cloak only protected them from being seen. Not from being heard.
"Shh! Are you crazy?" The girl turned to face him, pressing her free hand on his lips. The sudden movement made him bump into a suit of armour behind him, causing the metal helmet to clutter to the ground with a loud bang.
"PEEVES! Is that you? This time I will get you kicked out! This time I'll catch you!" It was Filch's voice that was drifting down from the upper floors. Haley's alarmed eyes bored into his.
"We'll never get past him like this." Draco argued, waving at his injured leg and the two brooms under her arm.
"We could try," she argued stubbornly. Why did she have to be this stubborn?
"And Pomfrey? What are we going to tell her? That you found me? And kindly carried me all the way to the hospital wing?"
The Gryffindor jutted out her chin defiantly. "Why not? It's not that unlikely. And she never asks questions anyway." Despite her words Draco could tell that she was starting to doubt her idea.
"And the brooms? Might as well tell her that I'm incapable of riding a broom without falling off." He hadn't meant to say that. His voice sounded self-pitying even to his own ears. He wished he could remove the memory from his brain. And preferably from Potter's, too.
…
HALEY
"Fine," she found herself saying with a sigh, although there were a thousand voices in her head screaming that she needed to take him to the hospital wing. But the vehemence with which he was putting up a fight moved her. She had the feeling it had really hurt his pride what had happened tonight and for once she didn't want to embarrass him further. She wanted to see him smile again. She also didn't want to deny him this little wish after what he had gone through tonight.
"But I'm walking you to your common room." She insisted.
"If you must," the boy drawled dramatically. But he seemed content. More or less.
"All right."
They made their way down to the dungeons. Occasionally stopping, when they heard suspicious noises. She really should have brought her Map. But in the end they arrived in front of the blank wall that served as an entrance to the Slytherin common room without any more trouble.
"So..." Haley started, after helping the boy lean against the wall next to the portrait.
He raised a curious eyebrow. "I can manage from here," he said in a bored tone.
She wanted to – this was stupid. She felt too hot and stuffy under the Invisibility Cloak. She could only imagine how much worse it had to be when you were in pain. So, she carefully pulled the Cloak off them, finally being able to breathe comfortably again. It would be disastrous if anyone came across the corner now. Just in case Haley pulled up the hood of her coat, hiding her face even a little.
"What are you-?" He questioned with a frown as Haley took a step toward him. She rested her right hand on Malfoy's chest, feeling the quick but steady heartbeat. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the rhythmical thrum of his heart calm her. Then she opened her eyes, letting them roam over every tiny inch of his face. She raised the knuckles of her left hand to his face and gently brushed them against his cheek, overcome with a sudden feeling of affection. Draco closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. Her throat was tightening up and she couldn't look at him any more. "It's not true," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "The words in the letter. None of it. You know that I don't think of you like that, right?"
"I..." He said uncertainly.
"I don't think you're better off dead – I–" Her voice finally broke and she fell forward, burying her face in his chest and curling her arms around him tightly. "Seeing you fall and then… lying there… I thought you… I'm just so glad… you're okay." In that moment she felt like everything wrong would turn out right if she could just hold him like this, keeping him safe and protected from any kind of harm. "Don't ever scare me like that again."
…
DRACO
He honestly couldn't believe what was happening. The way she had looked at him. The way she had touched him. Almost tenderly. Was he dreaming? Would he wake up only to find that none of the events of today had ever taken place?
"I…" He started to say once more but wasn't sure what he actually wanted to say. Haley finally removed her face from his chest and looked at him, her eyes warm and soft and sparkling like emeralds.
"Are you sure you're okay on your own?" She whispered almost soundlessly. Draco nodded.
"I'm a big boy," he drawled, making her roll her eyes lightly.
She nodded as well. "Okay. I'll let you get to your dorm then." She gazed at him one more time, as if she wanted to memorize his face. "You'll go see Madame Pomfrey if it gets worse, right?"
He sighed at her stubbornness but nodded nevertheless. Haley smiled. Then she removed her arms from him and gently rested her left hand against his cheek. He shuddered pleasantly, her touch leaving his skin burning. She raised herself up on her tip-toes and dropped a butterfly-soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. Draco's heart stopped. This was the first time she had… kissed him. Without him initiating it. Did that mean…? What could it mean?
She pulled away, sinking back to the soles of her feet again. A fiery blush was colouring her cheeks red, making her look even lovelier than before. She bit her lips nervously, her eyes fixed on his shoulder. "Good night, Draco," she whispered, her gaze flicking up to his for a split second. Then she removed her hand from his face, picked up her broomstick and the Invisibility Cloak and fled into the darkness of the hall.
So, he hadn't imagined it after all… She had called him Draco. Earlier it had probably been a mere slip because she had been under stress. But now? He was sure she had used his first name deliberately. And she had kissed him. She had – There was a strange sensation going on inside him. Something warm was pulling at his insides. But it wasn't unpleasant. Far from it. The night hadn't been a waste after all.
…
HALEY
She felt something enfolding inside her chest as she hopped up the stairs toward Gryffindor Tower. Like a revelation. It was the same sensation that had urged her to kiss him and to call him by his given name. It was something she had suspected for a long time but hadn't dared to give a tangible shape or put into actual words. But everything that had happened tonight had put things into a new perspective.
"Who's there? Is that you peeves?" The Fat Lady asked sleepily, as Haley approached the portrait. She removed the Invisibility Cloak from her face.
"Ah, it's you. Teenagers. You should be long asleep, you know. I should make you sleep out here in the hall." The Fat Lady said disapprovingly.
Haley grinned widely instead of answering. She hadn't heard a word of what the Fat Lady had said.
"Fine. I'll make an exception this time." She tsk'd. "Password?"
"I like him." The girl answered as if the question had been a trigger, setting free the one thought that was constantly reverberating inside her mind.
"Pardon?" The Fat Lady frowned.
Haley giggled. "Sorry. It's Alea iacta est."
"Sure seems like it." The woman lifted an eyebrow at her but swung open so that Haley could step through. She felt like she was walking on a cloud. How could a simple realisation make someone feel like this? She didn't remember entering her dorm or changing into her pyjamas but once she was finally ready for bed, she hesitated actually lying down. Instead her gaze wandered to her friend's four-poster wistfully. She wanted to share this feeling with her so badly. Following an instinct, she drew open the curtains and lay down next to her sleeping best friend. Staring at her peaceful face for a moment gave her the courage she needed.
She nestled in close to Hermione's face and whispered, "I like him." It felt good. "I really really like him, Hermione." She imagined her friend opening her eyes and smiling at her. She imagined her telling her that she was happy for her. Hermione hummed softly as if she were wordlessly agreeing with her. Haley smiled. I'm going to tell you soon, she thought confidently. If she liked him that much, surely her friends would understand, wouldn't they? Before that train of thought could extend further Haley fell asleep. With the face of a boy in her mind and a new feeling in her heart. She didn't even notice that someone was gently pulling up the covers around her.
…
A/N: Hello everyone! I think this might be one of my favourite chapters. What did you think? I hope the quidditch scene makes sense. It was awfully hard to write... But it paid off... I think.
For anyone as unfamiliar with Latin as myself, Alea iacta est means 'The die is cast'. Fitting, isn't it?
Also, random info: I recently discovered Stranger Things. It's just so awsome I can't! Does anyone watch it and love Dustin as much as I do?
And if anyone knows 'Die Wilden Hühner und das Glück der Erde' (German series), Draco is totally Fred falling off the horse's back and embarassing himself here. Only he falls off a broom. I thought the parallel was funny. And I couldn't help but think of that scene when I wrote this.
Anyway, thanks for reading and leave me your thoughts :)