Chapter: Alright?

After much dubious thought over the coming weeks I came to a very surprising conclusion:

I had a boyfriend.

Michael Corner walked me to my classes, carried my books from the library (only when I didn't have enough hands, he realised quickly that I was no damsel), took me on Hogsmeade trips and when I was hungover walked me to get some air on the top floor of the clock tower which somehow proved affective on clearing my head.

In turn, I went to his Quidditch matches – even the odd training session when it wasn't raining too heavily and I helped him study when we weren't snogging in the farthest aisles of the library.

I found myself enjoying his company, he was quick to laugh and didn't take himself or life for that matter too seriously, something I wasn't really accustomed to.

Of course my blonde roommate would grill me every chance she got after we'd spend any amount of time together, in fact it was with her encouragement where all the 'boyfriend/girlfriend' thoughts sprouted.

"Well, have you asked him about it?" Her blue eyes trained on my face, making it difficult to consume my porridge any longer.

"About whether or not I'm his girlfriend?"

"Yeah."

The 'g' word seemed to still all other conversations within the group, Pansy was already listening however the three boys paused their mockery of each other to direct their attention towards me.

I hastily pushed my breakfast away, hating when they ruined my appetite. Trying to bide time to find the words I shrugged.

"I… well, not really. I didn't think it was that big a deal."

"Of course it's a big deal," Pansy scoffed. "You need to know where you stand with each other otherwise you may end up liking him too much and it'll be for nothing because he only sees you as a shirt-term fling!"

I rapidly tried to break the silence that followed as Pansy blushed scarlet and refused to look in Draco's direction.

"I just don't see how we can't keep going the way we are now… don't fix what's not broken, you know?"

Blaise burst out laughing then, making me shoot him a scowl. I've started to recognise the laughs that were at me. For some unfathomable reason the Zambini heir found me amusing.

"I swear it's like talking to a bloke! Corner doesn't know how lucky he is."

"Shut up Blaise," Daphne and Pansy spoke together with enough heat that actually silenced him.

"Have you slept together yet?" Daphne's question once again threw me off guard.

"What? No. Merlin Daphne –"

"It's a simple enough question, I need to find out where you are in the relationship."

I could feel the boy's stares on my face, heating it to the hair-line. "I wouldn't even know where to start looking for a place here to –"

"That's not even an issue," Daphne waved her hand flippantly, I could see Theo's shoulders stiffen slightly as she spoke. "There's plenty of places… broom closet on the third floor, another on the eighth…"

"And if you wanted something a little less disgusting?" I asked hotly.

"There's a nice hidden passage behind the man and dog portrait below the first landing," Blaise interjected helpfully.

"The boathouse is also a good one," added Pansy, "Only when it's warmer though."

"And let's not forget the prefects bathroom," Daphne said with a smile. "Nothing like a leisurely swim to get you going."

"Course you'd need to know the password and therefore be a prefect to gain access to that one…" Draco said slowly, shocking us all into silence. "But then again, if you were sleeping with a prefect you wouldn't bother with any of it as they all have their own personal dorms with a double bed as an added feature."

I met his gaze, refusing to blush any more than I already was. He was goading me, we both knew it. Trying to draw out a reaction, give him more proof that he 'made me nervous'. As if he needed it – more to the point I wasn't giving him the satisfaction. I met his steely gaze with one of my own and for the longest moment we stared at one another, neither one breaking contact. I watched his pale lips curve into a half-smile and I couldn't help feel a curl of heat through my gut, a lick of something I couldn't quite name that nearly made me shiver involuntarily.

Stubbornness won out thankfully and I managed to school my features.

"You offering Draco?" The words that came out hoarsely aided the pitch of the line.

He didn't even get a chance to answer as a low whistle broke the moment entirely.

"Well I'll be," Theo chuckled. "I think our Rookie just answered you back Malfoy."

"Wasn't expecting that I'm sure," Blaise added with a wink at me.

"Interesting…" Pansy said so softly I doubted anyone else heard her.

I watched Draco finally break eye contact and turn, shoving Theo as he began to laugh outright. If there was one thing I noticed that Draco hated more than anything was to be laughed at.

"Knock it off, Nott," he growled before leaving the table, skulking out of the Great Hall without so much as a glance back at us.

"Guess that's a no then," Daphne said with a grin back towards me. I felt a little light headed after the whole encounter but managed to regain focus on the blonde. "Anyway, you have to ask him… especially before we break for Christmas."

"Why this deadline?" I moaned, once again wanting nothing more than the attention to shift elsewhere.

"Because…" Daphne drew out the word. "You won't see each other for a few weeks. You need to find out where you both stand before then or else he may think that it's ok to see other girls at home!"

"And that's… bad?"

Blaise burst out laughing again and this time Daphne looked truly annoyed. "Merlin. Alyssa, for someone as smart as you I swear you can be so stupid. Just grow a pair and ask him!"

"Ok fine! Fine…"

That was what led me to the 'g' word thoughts as we were getting it on near the restricted section. Everything was going great, Corner had sat me up on a desk and was slowly but almost confidently slipping his hand up my skirt as we kissed heatedly against the elixirs section when Daphne's voice re-entered my mind.

"You need to find out where you both stand…"

Re-focusing my efforts I raised my hands to slide my fingers through his hair drawing him closer, a not displeased sound vibrated from his mouth to mine as I found a better angle for our tongues to meet. Taking this as a sign to move forward I felt the warm yet rough pads of his fingers trail higher up my thigh, to skim the lace edges of my pants.

"He may think that it's ok to see other girls at home!"

"Dammit," I hissed, immediately causing him to pull back.

"Shit. Too much? I'm sorry –"

"No not you. It's… something else I – " On noticing the lack of heat on my thigh I reached down and paced his hand back under my skirt. He shot me a confused look but didn't remove it again.

After a deep breath I met his eye again. "Are we exclusive?"

I watched his eyebrows raise. "S – Sorry?"

"I mean… are we… in a relationship? It's fine if we're not. I've just been told it's a good idea before we head home for Christmas… you know…"

"Encase we wanted to see other people." He finished for me, I nodded anyway. "Do you want to see other people?"

Despite more or less asking him the same question I hadn't even thought about it. "What people? I don't really see anyone other than family when I go home."

"So that's a no."

"Yes that's a no."

"Alright then."

"Alright… then. Wait – what?"

Chuckling, he raised both hands to either side of my face, thumbs brushing across my cheekbones, he leaned close to whisper the words against my mouth.

"Alyssa. Will you be my girlfriend?"

I could feel my eyes widening… I really thought I'd made a complete balls of that entire situation.

"Alright." My mouth answered before I'd even really thought it through – probably a good thing considering. He smiled wide then, dimpling in a way that I couldn't help returning it.

Thankfully the talking ended after that, and although his hand made it no lower than my waist I felt that for the first time there was no need to rush anything.

I had time.

XXX

Of course I wanted the ground to swallow me whole when I mentioned it again at dinner.

"You what?" Daphne shrieked.

I repeated what I'd said just as quickly – as if removing a plaster... or a dagger to the ribs. "I asked him if we were exclusive, he asked me to be his girlfriend and I said yes now please don't –"

Too late. She was shrieking, Pansy was laughing loudly, there were arms around me and blonde hair in my mouth. There was so much noise I couldn't help but sneak a look at the Ravenclaw table where Michael caught my eye. Reading the situation perfectly he grinned and winked at me causing my scowl to almost turn into a smile.

"Fantastic," Blaise drawled. "Now we have to stop ignoring his existence."

"Unless you don't want us to, of course," Nott added to me.

"I didn't realise you were ignoring him," I admitted.

"They always do it," Pansy sighed. "Make our boyfriends nervous to approach us when we're around them. You swear we were their property."

"Maybe it's because we've never liked anyone you've dated, Pans."

"Well, can't have Corner taking our latest amusement from us. Can we, Draco?"

All eyes moved a little uneasily to Malfoy, who had been quiet for this conversation. He rolled his eyes at Blaise, smirking. "Of course Zambini. We can't ever put an end to your fun."

I watched Draco for a moment as he continued his dinner. Wondering if he was mad at me for my comment today. Not that I'd ever apologise. It was just good to know where our friendship stood – between the non-existent and casually amiable end of the spectrum. Sensing my gaze he raised his blonde head and stared back a moment. I raised my shoulder, a silent question. His answering smirk loosened the tightness in my chest.

His next line was then directed at me. "Blaise's Mum is hosting a winter ball. Are you coming?"

Taken back, I couldn't answer straight away, giving Daphne a perfect opening. "Of course you should! It's so fancy. Full length gowns… champagne."

"And we get horrifically drunk and embarrass our families almost every time," Nott added with a grin.

"She's invited, right, Blaise?" Pansy nudged the boy next to her.

"Course! Couldn't leave you behind with all the potential mayhem that you'll cause."

"I… I'm not sure…" I admitted, not feeling as confidant as I had been before dinner. Why would they want to see me outside of Hogwarts? "My Mother –"

"Is already invited I'd say. All the Pureblooded families are and some others, just to keep up appearances." The last part was spoken bitterly. "You know how it is with Mummy-dearest."

"Come one, please?" Daphne said. "It'll be fun I promise."

"A –Alright." It appeared to be my word of the day. "I suppose I should give it a try. Mum might have a heart attack though that she won't have to beg me to join her for once."

"Keep up the ruse," Draco suggested. "Wouldn't want to make life too easy on her. You can bring a date if you want, maybe Corner will be interested."

Even if it hadn't been for the others less enthusiastic reactions to my boyfriend also attending I still cringed at the thought.

"Merlin no. That would mean he'd have to meet her!"

Draco chuckled, once again a surprising reaction. Everyone relaxed. "Good," he spoke as if I'd answered correctly. "It'll be just us then."

The way he said it… directed towards me and the tone he used… I was nervous again. Perhaps I'd regret the choices I'd made in the las twelve hours…