26 – History Repeats
HALEY
"It really wasn't necessary to take all these points from Gryffindor."
"I was merely trying to keep up appearances." Draco smirked in a way that told Haley he had at least enjoyed stealing points from her house a little bit. She gave him a shove with her shoulder.
They were sitting on the mossy ground in one of the green houses late at night. Most of the plants seemed to be sleeping. It was calming somehow.
"Actually, I should take even more points from you since you're out after curfew."
Haley snorted. "You're the one who wanted to meet up after curfew! Should I tell your new favourite teacher about that?"
"That witch is hardly my favourite teacher." He rolled his eyes, flicking at a stray leave that had sailed down from above.
"Right. You only joined her little inquisition circle because you were basically forced-"
"I told you. It would have been suspicious if I declined. I'm sure she would have told father. And it's best not to give him only the slightest idea that something might be wrong." He frowned, turning away from her for a moment. He bit his lips as if there was something he wanted to say but was unsure whether he should. Then he sighed and turned back to her with a grin. "We could use it to our advantage. Now, I'll be the first to know if Umbridge is planning anything against you."
"Oh. So you're going to be a spy now?" She raised an eyebrow.
"You don't think I could pull it off?"
"I don't know… can you?"
He poked her nose with one of his pale fingers. "Watch me." He sang cheerfully.
"Stop that," she chided. But she was trying not to grin.
…
DRACO
Her expression said 'You're being stupid. But I like you anyway.' It was one of his favourite expressions because it assured him that she wasn't going to abandon him even if he messed up. Like just now, when he'd mentioned his father. Only casually, though but… it had probably reminded her. Reminded her of being tortured? He still couldn't believe… that had really happened.
"What are you thinking about?" Haley asked curiously.
He shook off these depressing thoughts. "Just thinking of ways to make you lose the House Cup." He drawled.
She shoved him again. "I'm thinking maybe I should join team Umbridge as well."
"She'd never let you." He scoffed.
"Just watch me," she echoed Draco's words from earlier, poking his nose.
He chuckled. If only things could stay like this forever. He'd never have to worry about a thing again.
"I still can't believe you founded a secret duelling club and didn't ask me to join."
Haley snorted. "It wasn't a duelling club. We were learning about defence spells."
"Exactly. And in order to defend you also need someone who does the attacking first. So, basically a duelling club."
She opened her mouth to argue but then something seemed to change her mind. "Well, if you look at it like that…" She shrugged. "Fine. It kind of was a duelling club."
He felt like snickering. Usually, she never gave in that quickly. "See. So, you really should have invited me. You were the leader after all." He might have pouted. A bit.
She raised an eyebrow. "Right. Because nobody would have found that strange. Me bringing you along."
He rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't actually have come of course. But… it would have been polite to ask. Then I could have declined politely and everyone would have been happy." Happy pretending that maybe in a parallel world he could have joined the duelling club.
Haley shook her head. "If you say so… Next time I'll make sure to ask you to one of our chess tournaments in the Gryffindor common room."
"You could." He agreed. "I'd have to decline, though. Politely."
"Of course." She nodded.
He nodded as well, all seriousness. It was nonsense, of course. But he liked the easiness of it. The smile on her face. The playfulness. As long as they could talk about stupid, meaningless things, it meant there wasn't anything more serious to worry about. Maybe it was foolish. But he wanted to enjoy this as long as he could. Merlin knew how long it would last.
…
HALEY
It was the first Occlumency lesson after her kind of breakdown where Snape had let her leave early.
The thought of having another one-on-one lesson with the potion master made her more than a little nervous. So, she wasn't disappointed at all when moments after she'd entered his office somebody knocked on the door and interrupted them.
It was Draco of all people.
"Professor Snape – oh – sorry – I didn't know you were…" He said in surprise, glancing from Snape to her slightly surprised.
"It's all right, Draco," Snape drawled dismissively. "Potter is here for a little remedial Potions. What is it?"
"Oh, right." Draco cleared his throat, obviously swallowing down his curiosity. "It's Professor Umbridge, sir – she needs your help. They've found Montague, he's turned up jammed inside a toilet on the fourth floor."
Snape rubbed the bridge of his nose for a moment as if he was fighting a headache. Then he sighed. "Very well, very well. Potter," he said, already halfway through the room, "we shall resume this lesson tomorrow evening."
Draco glanced across the room as if he was looking for something. A cauldron perhaps? For a second his eyes lingered on Snape's Pensieve on one of the shelves.
'What's going on?' He mouthed silently. Haley shrugged. It was hardly the right moment to explain her Occlumency lessons to him.
"I had the impression this matter was urgent." Snape hissed impatiently, effectively drawing Draco's attention back to him. The boy had no choice but to turn around and follow his teacher out of the room.
Haley on the other hand… was strangely drawn in by the gleam of the Pensieve, sitting between odd jars filled with herbs and body parts of all kinds of creatures. What kind of memory would her teacher be so protective of? Would it be so wrong to catch just a small glimpse? After all the times he'd sifted through her memories? She only hoped the potion master would be busy taking care of Montague for some time…
…
DRACO
He'd been eager to help Montague and make sure he was fine. After all, he was their quidditch captain. With him, the odds of winning the quidditch cup were excellent. But now, he kept going over the moment in Professor Snape's office in his mind. Why hadn't here been a cauldron? Or potion ingredients? Or at least a potions book? Was Snape really tutoring Haley? Or were they doing something different? And if so… what were they really up to? Nothing made sense. And then the Pensieve… He had the feeling the so-called lessons were related to it somehow… But how?
"Are you telling me they found Montague in the girl's bathroom?" Snape said softly.
Draco shook his head. Damn. He needed to focus. "Er – no. It's this way. Up the stairs."
Maybe he could check later… He had to keep Snape occupied somehow. Then he could see for himself…
…
HALEY
It was surreal. It was overwhelming. This was Sirius, her godfather. But as a teenager. No older than fifteen. And Lupin. And Wormtail. And… her dad. They were all here, caught in a memory, caught in the bloom of youth. Haley wanted to cry. How much she wished she could talk to them. Or reach out her hand to touch and make sure it was real. Only it wasn't real. It was only a memory. Snape's memory. The man himself was walking a few ways behind her and the marauders, his nose stuck in a stack of notes. How strange it was to see them all so young.
They were making their way across the castle grounds toward the lake. And Haley could have listened to Sirius and her dad bantering forever. Even if she had to admit that the way her dad kept playing with his snitch and messing up his hair was a bit… well annoying… He kept glancing over toward the water, where a group of girls were sitting. It was cute in a way. Kind of desperate but slightly cute. She grinned. Then she spotted a girl with the same face as hers.
It was only her hair that was different. Sleek and red… Her mum was absolutely beautiful.
Before she could walk over and study her mum more closely, the atmosphere around her seemed to change.
"I'm bored" Sirius complained for the umpteenth time. "Wish it was full moon."
"You might," Lupin replied. "We've still got Transfiguration, if you're bored you could test me. Here..." He offered the other boy his book.
Sirius only snorted. "I don't need to look at that rubbish, I know it all."
"This'll liven you up, Padfoot," James snickered. "Look who it is."
The air seemed tense suddenly, electrified. As if a thunderstorm was on the way.
"Excellent," Sirius said quietly. "Snivellus."
What enfolded then, answered the question of why Snape was trying to protect this memory so badly. She could do nothing but stand there and watch as her dad taunted a fellow student, hexed him, humiliated him in front of all these other students… and all of that without a reason. And then it got even abstruser. Her mum marched over to them and tried to stop James from pestering Snape even further. And the strange thing about it was… they didn't get along. They were going to become her parents in the future and her mum couldn't seem to stand James at all. Haley just wanted it to be over. This was pure horror. And Snape calling her mum a mudblood wasn't even the worst…
Suddenly, there was a hand on her shoulder. Haley turned around in shock. Nobody could touch her in a memory… But then she looked right into the eyes of someone who didn't belong to this place any more than she did.
…
DRACO
"We have to go." He told the girl that seemed to be in a state of shock. Which was not surprising regarding what had just enfolded in front of them.
"What are you… How…?" Haley blinked at him absently.
"We have to go," he repeated more urgently this time. "There's no time." He didn't know how much longer Snape and Pomfrey would be occupied with the draught of living poison he had knocked over in the Infirmary. Accidentally, of course.
He grabbed the girl's wrist and gazed up at the blue sky, concentrating on the surface of the Pensieve beyond it.
The world around them started spinning and only seconds later, they were back in the potion master's office. Good. It looked like Snape wasn't back yet. Still, it was only a matter of time until he would be.
Quickly, he pulled her with him out into the hall. But where to go then? Left? He really didn't want to run into Snape. But that was the only way out of the dungeons… If only there were any secret passages around here. He heard steps coming closer. Shit. Frantically, he looked around, his gaze finally resting on a door a few metres down the hall that looked like there was a broom closet behind it. Well, better than nothing.
"Oh." The broom closet wasn't a broom closet after all. It turned out to be a supply closet… for potions ingredients. Oh great. Hopefully Snape had all the ingredients he needed inside his office…
He leaned his head against the door, so he could hear the sounds of steps that slowly retreated again until it was completely quiet once more. Draco sighed in relief, turning around to face his girlfriend. Haley was staring at her feet forlornly. The high towering shelves surrounding her, stocked with dull dusty jars made her look incredibly small.
"What is it?" He asked, before mentally slapping himself. Right. That memory. She was probably upset about what she'd seen in the Pensieve.
"You saw it… too?" She asked quietly, her fingers tinkering around with the sleeves of her robes.
"Yes." He nodded. "Why…?" He began to ask, not sure exactly what he was asking. Why were you inside that memory? Why were you in Snape's office in the first place?
Then she abruptly sank to the ground against the shelf behind her, hiding her face in her hands.
"I don't understand," she whimpered in frustration. "My dad–" Her voice shook. "My dad – he – he – I can't believe he–" She didn't finish her sentence. It seemed like she wasn't able to. "Snape was right. My dad – he… he was a bully." She finally whispered, sounding like the words were suffocating her.
…
HALEY
It felt like there was a hot lump in her throat. Blocking her words and making it hard to breathe. No. Her dad wasn't a bully. Her parents had been good. Both of them. It wasn't true. It couldn't be. It wasn't –
"All this time I thought…" She whispered quietly. "Everyone always said they were g-good people. But my dad, he – my dad–" She stopped, hesitating to say what was at the front of her mind. "How could he be so cruel?" She didn't understand. It simply didn't make any sense.
…
DRACO
He didn't know what to say. What was there to say? This was exactly the kind of thing, he would have done, too. And he would have relished in it. Cruelty wasn't unknown to him. Who was he to judge?
"I never thought, I'd ever have a reason to feel bad for Snape." Haley continued. "He didn't do anything."
The first-years Draco liked to hex hadn't done anything either. Not really… Or the muggles that his father had taunted last year during the quidditch world cup. But they had been muggles… So… of course it hadn't mattered to him. It still didn't matter much.
But what had Haley done? What had she done to deserve being tortured by a group of adults? She was no muggle. And even if she was… would that justify what she had to go through?
No. He shook his head. No. It was wrong. How had he ever convinced himself there was a good reason for his father's behaviour? For his own behaviour. It was fun, yes. But only, as long as you were on the side of the people who were laughing.
He felt the sudden urge to apologize. But for what? For his father? For himself? For enjoying putting others down? For everything that made things complicated between them?
"He's not a Death Eater at least." He rasped almost soundlessly.
"What?" Haley looked up from behind her fingers.
"Your father. Compared to mine, he's practically a saint." It was painful. Admitting that much. He sank to the floor next to her, suddenly feeling his energy leaving him.
"Was." Haley frowned.
"Hm?"
"I mean… he's dead. If anything he was a saint. Although I still don't agree with that." She shook her head, a stubborn line, scrunching up her eyebrows. "I just don't get – my mum…" She paused, narrowing her eyes. "She obviously didn't like him. Despised him even. How could they ever…?" She shook her had, looking like the world had gone mad.
The irony of it all… Didn't she see?
"Perhaps there was more to him," he mused. "Perhaps they got to know each other better and…" He lifted an eyebrow. "She realized… that your father was a decent guy after all."
Haley crossed her arms and lifted her chin defiantly. "No. That's unlikely."
"Not that unlikely," he argued, tracing his fingers across her arm hesitantly. "Look at you and me."
That made her snort. "You can't compare that. My dad wasn't in Slytherin. Come to think of it, it might have been more likely if my mum had started going out with Snape. He seemed much less like a jerk than him." She rolled her eyes. "I just don't see them… working out." She finished, sounding heartbreakingly sad. Draco didn't like that. He wanted to cheer her up somehow. But how?
"You know, I can think of one good thing your father has done."
"Hm?" How hopeful she sounded. Sceptical but definitely hopeful. It was strange how much he could relate to that feeling.
"Without him," he continued mockingly, "you wouldn't be here to annoy the shit out of me."
Haley grinned. Then she hit his shoulder.
"Ow." He complained. But it had been worth it. He could feel the sadness ebbing away from her slowly.
"Guess, there's one good thing your father did as well," she commented.
"Oh?" Now, he was the one sounding hopeful.
"He did well not giving you a sibling. Imagine, if there was another one of you… Ugh, one is more than enough."
Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "Remind me never to cheer you up again."
"Come on, I was joking," she replied, bumping her shoulder against his playfully.
"I may be repeating myself, but I don't like your jokes," he grumbled.
"As long as you like me," Haley sang, snaking her arm through his and leaning her head on his shoulder. It made Draco feel warm and content. He hoped she felt the same.
"I never said I liked you," he sneered but despite the words turned his head and dropped a light kiss into her hair. I love you, silly, he thought, wondering what she would do, if he actually said that. The girl smiled, as she cuddled closer to him. Had she heard his thoughts? Maybe she could feel it. Maybe it was as simple as that.
…
HALEY
There was a dull ache in her heart. Her parents… Had she been wrong about them all along? The stories everyone had told her. Had they all been a lie? She didn't know. But she was tired of worrying about it. She wanted to push it to the back of her mind. And instead… fill her senses with something more pleasant. Like this boy who made her feel warm and comforted. Just by being by her side. Had her mum felt the same way about her dad? It was hard to imagine… but maybe… maybe…
"You're not planning to fall asleep on me, are you?" Draco asked softly.
She shook her head weakly, feeling her mind slip away.
"Hey. Hey!" Her shoulders were being shook gently. "I'm not going to carry you back."
Haley nodded. "Uh-huh…"
"Merlin, you're gonna be the death of me," he mumbled and then she felt something soft beneath her head. Merlin? Was Merlin here with them? When had he arrived? Why was he going to be the death of someone?
She didn't understand. But that didn't bother her much. As she floated in and out of consciousness, she dimly felt gentle fingers card through her hair. And then there were soft whispers close to her ear. Words that made her feel fuzzy and warm and loved. Something that sounded like… love and you and silly. How strange.
But she couldn't be sure. Maybe she was already dreaming.
…
HERMIONE
It was already nearing ten. Ron was snoring loudly in between books and scrolls of parchment. The fire in the chimney always made him sleepy. Well, that and the sight of too many books. Hermione sighed. Wasn't it time that Haley returned? They needed to go to bed soon, otherwise they wouldn't get enough sleep. Then they would be tired during class tomorrow and not be able to focus properly.
It was beyond her how no one took the exams as seriously as her. Didn't they care about their futures? Ron grunted in his sleep, using his homework planner as a teddy bear. The sight was strangely sweet.
A loud plop made her jerk backwards and the sleeping boy almost fall out of his chair. Had the sound come from the dormitories?
…
DRACO
House elves really were helpful creatures. Even the thought of carrying Haley all the way up to the Gryffindor common room filled him with exhaustion. So, of course, he'd called for his old house elf and told him to help take her to her tower. He hadn't known, the elf would disapparate (or whatever it was house elves did) along with her right away.
Well… that was even better. He could simply go back to his own dorm and –
But what if something happened…? He had to make sure she was alright.
…
HERMIONE
Up in her dormitory, she was surprised to find Dobby pulling up the blankets around Haley who was sleeping in her bed. When had she – ? Had Dobby brought her here? Why-?
"Dobby – what happened? Is Haley alright?" She asked, still out of breath from hurrying up the stairs. Dobby turned around too quickly. The many pairs of socks made him slip and fall to the ground. Reflexively, Hermione offered her hand to help him up. But as soon as she touched him, he disappeared, swiftly taking her along with him.
…
DRACO
He was standing in front of that stupid painting again, arguing with the Fat Lady about some irksome password. It was useless. He'd have to ask the elf again.
"Dobby," he called, wondering why calling him like this still worked even though he technically wasn't his master any more. Maybe it worked for all Hogwarts students? Or perhaps it was because he used to be Draco's house elf? Well, it didn't really matter.
The elf appeared out of thin air, along with… Haley's friend. The one who was responsible for his family name being dragged through the mud.
…
HERMIONE
She found herself on the ground in front of the Fat Lady's portrait. Had she just disapparated? But that wasn't possible within Hogwarts… Was it some kind of house elf magic? Looking up, she noticed they weren't alone in the hall. What was Malfoy doing here?
"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked, getting to her feet quickly.
The boy crossed his arms and looked to the side. Scowling. Did her presence make him as uncomfortable as it made her? Once more, she wondered what it was that Haley saw in him.
He cleared his throat importantly. "Well… I take it, you took her back safely?"
He seemed to be addressing Dobby. The house elf nodded eagerly.
"Very well." He closed his eyes briefly, heaving a sigh. Then he gave her a sharp glance. "You should let her rest. She –" He paused, his expression softening somewhat. "She's had a rough night." It was disconcerting how his voice turned almost tender when he said that. Who'd have thought that someone like him was capable of feeling something besides scorn and haughtiness? Without meaning to, she thought of Ron. Would he ever talk about her that way?
…
DRACO
"Why? What happened?" The Gryffindor asked accusingly. Of course, she was already blaming him.
He rolled his eyes. "Oh, the usual, I tried some new torturing spells on her and–"
"Very funny." Granger interrupted him. "What was I thinking, expecting a proper answer from you."
Draco sneered. "Exactly, what were you expecting?" He smirked, his voice sounding the least bit curious. Granger lifted an eyebrow. She seemed to be contemplating whether it was worth it to stay and listen to him or whether to leave straight away. He couldn't really blame her. There were a lot of places he'd rather be at in that moment. Or people he'd rather talk to. If she wasn't Haley's friend he'd never even bother.
"She… found out about something… upsetting." He explained at last. "I'm sure… she'll tell you about it… once she's ready." So, don't pester her, he thought, hoping she'd get the message.
…
HERMIONE
"Of course." Hermione rolled her eyes. She'd been Haley's friend for years. Her best friend. She knew how to talk to her. Who did Malfoy think he was?
"Oh, I remember now," the Fat Lady piped up suddenly. Hermione turned to face her. "You're the fire guy from last time." She pointed one of her red painted finger nails at Malfoy. What? "Are you suffering from nightmares still? Or don't tell me you sneaked out for some nightly fun."
What was the lady talking about? Hermione frowned, glancing at Malfoy questioningly.
Then the Fat Lady gasped loudly. "Don't tell me you're meeting her. Are the two of you dating? A Gryffindor and a Slytherin. How scandalous!"
Malfoy blanched. Hermione's eyes widened. "No, no, no. You got it wrong. I'd never go out with someone like him!"
"We agree on something for once," the boy replied, sneering derisively. "Well, I'd better go." And with that he left. Or fled fit better. What was all of that about? For a moment, she'd thought there might be something decent about him. Something that explained why Haley liked him. Something soft and tender. But… he'd been quick to dispel that impression. If he was acting like that all the time, she'd really have to speak a word with her friend. How did Haley stand him?
But perhaps it was the reminder of the houses. Their rivalry. Maybe it had worked like a trigger, reminding him that they weren't supposed to get along. Hufflepuff. Ravenclaw. Slytherin. Gryffindor. Those houses. Hermione had always thought that it was stupid to split everyone up like that. To squeeze people who were only children into categories and put labels on them. To divide them and make them compete against each other. Wouldn't it be better to encourage unity and togetherness? Especially now, it was important to stick together and not let marginal differences further divide each other. It was always us and them. She wondered if there would have been a war, without the constant rivalry and animosity between Slytherin and the rest of the houses. Perhaps. Perhaps not. But the way it looked, they were just at the edge of a second wizarding war. Unless people started to learn from the past for once. But maybe this was a sign.
Haley and Malfoy… That they were giving each other a chance despite their differences. Maybe things were changing.
She was going to hope for the best.
…
DRACO
The following day he found himself looking through the year books in the library. He really needed to spend less time in that place.
"What are we trying to find?" Luna asked, flicking through moving pictures of Hogwarts students that looked like they attended school over a century ago.
"Professor Snape," he replied curtly.
"Why?"
"Evidence."
"What kind of evidence?" Luna wanted to know and it was only then that Draco wondered, whether he should share his assumptions with the girl in the first place.
He looked up from his book and fixed her with a contemplative stare. "I'm not sure yet," he returned carefully. "Just tell me, once you've found him."
Luna raised an eyebrow but continued looking through the book anyway. "Woah, is that Professor Dumbledore?" She pointed at one of the pictures excitedly. "He looks a bit mean in here. How peculiar…"
Draco shook his head and focused on the book in front of him. When had Snape started attending Hogwarts? Hadn't he been at school together with his father for a few years? But he was younger than father. So…
Maybe this one would be the right –
"Isn't that your father?" Luna asked, holding up her book.
She was right. He was right there, sneer in place and much much younger. Fifteen perhaps. Or sixteen. Just like him. Had he already then been a bully? Had he liked tormenting others? Tormenting mud – muggleborns? Merely because… they existed?
For some reason the thought made him feel sick. He'd always wanted to be just like his father. But now he wasn't sure about that any more.
"Did I tell you to look for my father?" He snapped irritably, shoving the book aside.
"I thought it might interest you." Luna shrugged. "Hm… when did dad go to school? Or mum?"
Draco sighed impatiently and pulled the book over to his side. Perhaps, he'd find their potion master in there at least.
There was the Slytherin house… fourth years… third years… There. Severus Snape. He looked even younger than he had in the memory. Thin and pale but… he didn't look as unhealthy or grouchy as he would look in the future. He looked almost… content.
Had he suffered from Haley's father's attacks even then? Or had there been… a different reason for his contentment?
A Gryffindor and a Slytherin. How scandalous. Those had been the words of the Fat Lady. And Professor Snape's story had also been about a Gryffindor and a Slytherin. Assuming Snape was the Slytherin… Who was the Gryffindor? He flicked further back to the Gryffindor house.
Fifth year… fourth year… third year.
He recognized a few of the faces now. Black, Lupin, Pettigrew… Potter. Haley's father. The arrogance was practically oozing from him. But there was something insecure about him as well. Whenever he glanced over to the girls.
Evans had been her name. The name of the witch from the memory. The one he'd desperately tried to impress. The one who looked so much like Haley… Her mother. There was no doubt about it. She didn't even spare the boy a single glance. It was obviously a one-sided attraction.
When had that changed?
"Oh, aren't that Haley's parents? James and Lily Potter?" Luna asked, noticing the picture as well.
"Evans." He corrected absently.
"Hm?"
"Lily Evans. That's her maiden name." Her muggle name.
"Right. They don't seem like they get along well, do they?" Luna commented, leaning closer in order to inspect the picture. "Huh? I think I've seen that note book before."
"What?"
Luna pointed to a small note book in Lily Evans' hand. It was maroon-coloured and there was a golden cauldron in the middle of it. White lilies adorned the corners. It didn't seem familiar to him at all. Luna leafed back to the image he'd looked at before. The one with the Slytherin third years.
"See?" She pointed at Snape's shoulder bag. He hadn't seen it before, but now he saw that there was a little notebook peaking out of it halfway. A notebook with a golden cauldron and white lilies in its corners…
"It's the same." He breathed.
"Yes. And it's not a school book either. They don't look half as pretty."
She was right. It looked like it could have been self-made. Why had Snape and Haley's mum owned note books that looked the same? Or had it been one and the same book?
A Gryffindor and a Slytherin. How scandalous…
No. That wasn't possible. It wasn't…
But it would explain a lot actually. It would explain why Haley's dad had deliberately tormented Snape. It would explain why Haley's mother had stuck up for him in that memory. It would also explain why Snape seemed to hate Haley so much. If the story he'd told Draco had been about himself and Lily Evans… it would change everything.
All at once Draco felt as if the world had turned upside-down. What did all of this mean? Was he reading too much into this? Should he tell Haley about it? He needed to find out more. This didn't prove anything… Right?
"So… what do you think of all of this?" Luna asked.
"I think", he answered, feeling like he'd just discovered another philosopher's stone, "I think I might have found my evidence."
…
HALEY
A warm fluffy feeling had filled her since waking up. She'd had a really nice dream. But she couldn't really remember much about it. Only, that feeling of being warm and safe.
Sadly, it hadn't lasted very long. All too soon, she had remembered what she had seen in the Pensieve the previous day.
Haley sighed. Had her dad really been such a horrible person?
"So… your sighing tells us, you might be in need of a fun and exciting distraction." A familiar voice said, and a second later one of the twins, appeared next to the fireplace, which she had been watching absently.
"Hm?" She looked up mildly surprised.
Then his twin brother dropped onto the couch next to Hermione who had been trying to keep Ron from copying her essay.
Haley sighed again. "I'm not really in the mood," she replied. "If only there was a way to see-"
"Snuffles?" George – or at least she thought it was George – asked.
"Um… yes. How did you know?"
"Ginny told us."
"Oh." Right, she'd talked to Ginny earlier that day when the girl had given her one of Mrs Weasley's Easter eggs.
"Actually, we've been thinking-" Fred started.
"-that we're really tired of school lately," finished George.
"What are you talking a-" Hermione piped up but the boys ignored her.
"Maybe we're simply too old for it." Fred sighed, giving a shrug.
"But," George continued, raising his pointer finger. "Before we go on to realize our talents elsewhere, we're planning to give Hogwarts one last present."
"And that may just serve as enough of a diversion to give you a chance to speak to Snuffles," Fred added.
Oh, this sounded amazing. This sounded-
"Terrible!" Hermione exclaimed. "This sounds like a terrible idea. Haley, I hope you're not actually considering this. How would that even work? You know the chimneys are being observed-"
"Not all of them," Haley interrupted. "Not Umbridge's. She told me about it herself." A plan formed in her mind. It seemed easy like placing a fitting piece into a puzzle.
"Haley, you can't!" Hermione protested. "You agree, don't you, Ron?" She turned to the boy who had more or less silently watched the conversation. He looked away, escaping her intense gaze and studied the logs in the fire. Basically, this was him disagreeing with Hermione. It was great to know that he was on her side again.
Regardless of that, Haley had made a decision. She knew her heart wasn't going to be at peace before this matter was settled.
…
Everything happened much too quickly. One second, she sat in her class room, the next there were loud noises and she was running down the hall toward Umbridge's office. While opening the door with Sirius' knife, she silently thanked her godfather for giving her such a handy gift.
Quickly, she made for the chimney and knelt down in front of it. The floo powder was to her left. She grabbed it and hastily threw a pinch of it into the flames, making them turn green. So far so good. What now? Did she simply stick her head into the flames?
Well, there was only one way to find out. She leaned forward and making sure she spoke clearly said, "Number twelve, Grimmauld Place."
The flames started to swirl around her, making her dizzy but a moment later it was already over.
Her head had travelled into the kitchen of Number twelve, Grimmauld Place. Instead of Sirius it was Lupin who greeted her. But after a moment him and Sirius were kneeling on the ground in front of her.
"What happened? Are you okay? Did someone hurt you? Was it that bastard?" Sirius shot question after question at her, not even giving her time to answer.
"No, I'm fine. Everything's fine," she replied. "Except…" And she told the two of them what she'd seen in the Pensieve. It was quiet for a moment, after she had ended the story.
"Look," Lupin started. "I wouldn't like you to judge your father on what you saw there, Haley. He was only fifteen–"
"So? I'm fifteen as well. Do I go around bullying others?"
"Look Haley," Sirius began. "James and Snape hated each other from the moment they set eyes on each other, it was just one of those things, you can understand that, can't you? I think James was everything Snape wanted to be – he was popular, he was good at quidditch – good at pretty much everything. And Snape was just this little oddball who was up to his eyes in the dark arts, and James – whatever else he may have appeared to you, Haley – always hated the dark arts."
Still, there was more to it. "That's not a reason to attack someone! He said… he said he attacked Snape just because he existed! He did it because you said you were bored!"
"I'm not proud of it." Sirius said hastily.
Lupin added, "Look Haley, what you've got to understand is that your father and Sirius were the best in the school at whatever they did – everyone thought they were the height of cool–"
"Well, to me nothing about this was cool in any way!" Haley interrupted. "To me he seemed like a total idiot!"
"Of course, he was an idiot!" Sirius said merrily. "We were all idiots! Well – not Moony so much." He gave the other man a short glance.
This made Haley incredibly angry for some reason. "I don't get it!" She burst out. "How can you defend his behaviour so easily and at the same time judge me for who I spend my time with? Draco is hardly any wor-"
"He's a Slytherin! You can't compare-"
"So? Snape is a Slytherin as well and it wasn't him who tormented others just because they existed!"
Sirius looked like was about to argue but Haley wasn't finished yet. "And my mum, what about her? How come she married him, when she so obviously hated him?"
"Nah, she didn't hate him," Sirius argued.
"She started going out with him in seventh year." Lupin added.
"How so?" No matter how hard she tried, she simply couldn't see them work out. "It doesn't make sense."
Sirius snorted. "I'm surprised, you of all people find it so hard to imagine."
"Me?"
"Did you get along with that Malfoy prat right away?"
"Well, no, I…" She frowned. "You can't compare that. I didn't know Draco before. But the more time I spent with him, I realized that there was more to him. That he could be warm and kind if he wanted to. That he was someone worth… caring about."
"So was James. He was the best friend I ever had," Sirius explained. "And he was a good person. A lot of people are idiots at the age of fifteen. He grew out of it."
Could it be that easy? She didn't know why she felt so protective of her mum. Why she found it so difficult to believe someone who treated a fellow student like this could be a good person. But then… Draco knew how to be cruel to other people as well. And still… she'd ended up giving him a chance. Had it been the same for her mum?
"Wait, do I understand this right? Is Haley saying, she's in love with Draco Malfoy?" Lupin asked confusedly, looking from Sirius to the girl in question.
Oh, shit! Lupin hadn't been aware of her relationship. She had completely forgotten about that. It was getting harder to keep track of the people who were in on her secret and who weren't.
"I-I ne-never said a-anything about l-love," she stuttered, feeling a bit flustered. "But… I may be dating him."
"You knew about this?" Lupin asked Sirius. Her godfather only grunted. "Wow." To her surprise, Lupin chuckled amusedly. "Who would have thought… how long has this been going on?"
Haley was just about to answer when she heard the sound of steps.
"Is that Kreacher coming downstairs?"
"No," Sirius answered, glancing over his shoulder. "It must be somebody your end."
Haley tried not to panic. "I'd better go!", she said hastily, pulling her head out of the flames. The feeling of disorientation left her slightly dizzy but after a few seconds she was able to make sense of her surroundings. Right. She was still in Umbridge's office. Hastily, she lunged for her Invisibility Cloak, throwing it halfway over herself when the door opened and a familiar person came into view. "Haley? What are you doing here?" Draco asked.
Then something in the hall seemed to alarm him. "Someone's coming. Hide!" He hissed, quickly closing the door behind him and storming into the room. For a split second he stood in the middle of the room, desperately looking for a hiding place, before realizing that there was none.
Quickly, Haley grabbed the boy's hand, pulled him down to the ground next to her and covered both of them with her cloak. Not a second too late. The door opened once more and spat the housekeeper inside. "Quickly, quickly! Ah, she's left it open," he murmured, making his way toward the desk and starting to look through the drawers cheerfully.
Draco's eyes were wide with surprise and full of questions. Instinctively, she moved closer to him. The cloak covered both of them better that way. And also… his close presence seemed to draw her in like a magnet. It was as if she couldn't be close enough. He seemed to feel similar, because even though his eyes were cautiously fixed on what Filch was doing behind her, his arms slipped around her middle, as if to make sure, she stayed close to him.
It was strange how Haley suddenly felt calm and safe and completely content. She almost forgot there was another person in the room.
She couldn't imagine ever having despised this boy. His eyebrows were scrunched up in concentration. They were so white. Almost invisible on his pale face.
Without thinking, Haley reached out, as if to check whether they were actually there. The moment her fingers touched his skin, Draco looked down, meeting her eyes. Then she felt it again. That warm feeling she'd had from the dream she'd dreamed the other night… It was impossible to put a name to it. He looked away again, making it easier for her to breathe once more.
What kind of feeling was this? She'd never felt something like it before. Could it be…?
Suddenly, Lupin's words from earlier came to her mind. Is Haley saying, she's in love with Draco Malfoy? Was she? She'd denied it earlier but… Was this what being in love felt like?
She imagined telling him. Looking into his sparkling grey eyes and telling him she loved him. I love you, she thought.
And it felt like a door opening in her heart. A door that smelled like spring with birds singing and the sun filling her up with light and warmth.
"I…" She started to say, suddenly feeling feverish and nervous. Draco's fingers came down to cover her mouth, effectively stopping her from continuing. He nodded over to the desk warningly.
Right. Filch was still here. Maybe not the best moment for a heartfelt confession.
This time Draco didn't look away, though. He studied her face as if he could see the words there, clearly written all across her skin. She didn't remember her heart ever beating as wildly before. Like it was trying to break through her chest and offer itself to this boy. His fingers felt like Filibuster's Fireworks on her skin.
It was so strange how she felt calm and exhilarated at the same time. If this was the way her mum had felt about her dad… then she could somewhat understand how they ended up together. How her mum had gone from clearly despising someone to marrying him. The thought finally lifted some of the weight from her chest that had been weighing her down ever since she'd looked into Snape's Pensieve.
The fingers disappeared from her mouth.
"He's gone," Draco whispered, pulling Haley's cloak off their shoulders. Honestly, she'd completely forgotten about Filch's presence. But as it seemed, he'd found what he'd been looking for.
Haley got to her feet, suddenly remembering where she was and why she'd come here. They needed to go if they didn't want to be caught together inside Umbridge's office. She would have trouble explaining that one.
"We have to go." She said, her fingers curling around her cloak reflexively. Should she wear it again or was it safe not to?
"Right. Wouldn't want to miss the spectacle. What were you even doing here?" Draco asked, heading over to the door and checking the hall. "Air is clear."
"What kind of spectacle?" She asked, coming to his side… with the cloak covering her. She felt slightly less exposed that way.
Draco seemed a bit startled by her voice coming out of nowhere. "I can't decide whether I like this cloak of yours or not."
"We would have been caught by Filch without it."
"Maybe," he replied. "At least he couldn't try out his 'Approval' on us."
"Approval?" Haley asked.
"Approval for Whipping. Didn't you hear him talk about it? Sounded quite eager."
Haley frowned. There was something at the back of her mind. Filch… why would he need…?
Oh. Fred and George. Was he after them? Because of whatever diversion they had caused? That didn't sound good at all.
"Wait! Where are you going?" Draco called but Haley was already running down the hall toward the staircase. It felt only a little bit like running away from her feelings.
Two flights of stairs further down, she was met with a huge crowd of people. And right in the middle Fred and George were encircled, as if they were criminals. Out of thin air, two broomsticks came soaring down the stairs right toward the twins.
Wait, did they plan to… ? Umbridge, who was standing among the crowd, opposite them, seemed to realise what they were planning, seconds before they mounted their brooms.
"STOP THEM!" She screeched, lunging forward and trying unsuccessfully to get hold of the broomsticks.
But it was too late. The two boys were already soaring ten feet above the ground, waving cheerfully to the students.
"Give her hell from us, Peeves!" Fred called out to Peeves and with a last parting wave him and his twin brother took off into the sky.
A rush of wind went through the crowd. Fresh and crisp. Caused by the swift movement of the brooms.
It ran through Haley like an electric current. Something was in the air. A strange energy. A breath of resistance. It felt like the start of something… that was only the idea of something bigger.
Someone came storming down the stairs. Not someone. Draco. He looked frantically right and left as if he was searching for something… or someone.
Instinctively, she reached out her hand, finding his fingers easily. The electricity was still there all around them. Did he feel it, too?
His eyes met hers, even though she was still invisible. It was as though he could see her regardless.
"Is that you?" He whispered tonelessly.
As an answer she leaned forward and softly poked his nose with her finger. The left corner of his lips lifted up somewhat. Obviously, he was trying not to show how he truly felt. Too much. But there was a glow in his grey eyes that told an entire different story. He was so beautiful in that moment. How could she ever have despised him?
It seemed so fragile… the moment. Like a storm was starting to brew around them and they were standing in the middle of it. It was always calm in the eye of a storm. But one wrong step could potentially send them into chaos and oblivion. But there was a different possibility as well. Another step might lead them to an entirely different place. A new world. Unknown but immeasurably beautiful. She wanted to see this world so badly. And she wanted to discover it together with Draco. Without having to hide her face underneath an Invisibility Cloak. Maybe there was hope yet. She could feel it. There was change in the air.
…
DRACO
A simple touch. But somehow it felt like the beginning. Somehow it felt like mounting a broomstick and taking off into the air. Even though Draco knew how foolish it was, he wished he could hold on to the feeling. To this hidden moment. He didn't know what the future held. But there was something in the air. It felt like the moment of calm before a storm hit. A storm that was possibly going to bring change. What kind of change, he didn't know. He only hoped it wasn't the destructive kind that left nothing but ruins in its wake.
…
A/N: Hello everyone! I'm sorry this took so long... Blame my muse. I literally had to start writing this chapter three times because I wasn't satisfied with the first two drafts... But I think it turned out okay, the way it is now :) Leave me your thoughts and stay safe! Also, feel free to bribe my muse, so maybe the next chapter will come easier ;)