The room was silent. Jade peeked out to see the portraits all very touched by her melodramatic speech. She looked at Phineas Nigellus Black, who was heavily skeptical about this scene. He had seen Jade make her daily visits to Dumbledore's office but was quite familiar to her ways of weaseling her way out of sticky situations. The look on his face almost made Jade laugh. Dumbledore cleared his throat and began to speak.
"Miss Harper, no one will be expelled tonight, but do heed my warning. This is the last time I expect to see you in this office for any sort of misbehavior. Whatever it may be, if you are taken into this office for a serious offense such as this one, I will be forced to go on without another word and expel you on the spot. As for you Mr. Thomas, you have committed a very serious act. One should not take someone's words so seriously. I do admit that there are some things that cannot be tolerated, that hits a weak spot, but we never stoop so low as to physically attack them, least of all a woman. Miss Harper should not have spoken badly about your parents, but she has made it clear to me that she has repented on what she has said. She seeks your apology to straighten this matter out and hope that this will never happen again." Dumbledore said.
He nodded towards Jade who nodded quickly. All she could do right now was play along with Dumbledore's words. She knew Dumbledore wasn't an idiot and that it was a great thing for him to let her off the hook so easily.
"With your…forgiveness, I will be able to forgive myself for what I have done to you. To see you nearly killed because of me, if I knew you were that fragile, I would have never laid a hand on you! You just looked so strong and you made it so clear to me that you would have me on my back in two seconds flat!" Jade said shaking her head, hitting Dean below the belt.
Hermione and Draco tried their best to keep a straight face. Being in a room with Jade, where the air was thick with tension, there would be no where in hell someone would be able to compose themselves the way they were doing right now.
"I see Mr. Thomas and Professor Snape left that bit of information out." Dumbledore said sitting back, watching them.
"Oh have they hid that from you? How terrible!" Jade said. She felt Draco place a hand on her knee, which jerked her up, losing concentration.
"This will be privately discussed between you and I Severus. For now, we must continue, Miss Harper has already apologized on her part, Mr. Thomas, it is now your turn." Dumbledore said.
Dean looked like he was asked to jump into a pit full of snakes. Seeing Jade and Draco smirk at him, amused by this outcome.
"Why should I apologize when she nearly killed me?! I had a few fractured ribs and a broken nose!" Dean declared, his hand automatically touching his nose.
"Self-defense is not a crime. A 200 pound man coming for a 110 pound girl like me…you fractured my cheekbone, yet I have sought out your apology-"
"I haven't forgiven you wench." Dean growled.
"He calls me a wench…I'm sorry!" Jade squeaked, fake crying into Draco's shoulder, who patted her awkwardly.
"Mr. Thomas you have committed a much serious crime than Miss Harper has, I suggest you to reconsider before I decide to give you an ultimatum." Dumbledore said. "Either apologize to Miss Harper, or suspension from school grounds." Dumbledore said.
"Suspension! I'd love to take the suspension! There is no way I'm ever going to apologize to the likes of her! I want to be suspended!" Dean said jumping up and down in his seat.
"Hm, Interesting. The first time I've seen someone so happy for their suspension. Maybe we ought to give Filch a chance with those detention experiments he was screaming about." Phineas Nigellus Black said to Dumbledore who looked up.
"Thank you Phineas but we will not allow our students to be induced to physically harmful punishments." Dumbledore said politely.
Jade almost jumped in happiness as well! This is what she wanted, Dean Thomas to get the worst part of the deal! Dumbledore sighed and gave a nod.
"If that is what you wish upon yourself Mr. Thomas. I shall not stop you. You must stay for paperwork. Miss Harper, I apologize for Mr. Thomas and Professor Snape's behalf. You are free to go." Dumbledore said as Jade got up.
"Professor, it's all right. You don't have to apologize for other people's mistakes. I respect and admire you greatly and after today, my respect and admiration has grown! Thank you for what you have done for me Professor. Dean, Professor Snape, my doors are always open for you. I hope we become great friends in the future, I really do. Goodbye." Jade choked, as Draco and Hermione escorted her out.
"Goodbye Headmaster." Hermione and Draco chorused, following Jade out of the door. Draco shut the door behind him and turned to see Jade skip happily down the steps, throwing the tissue out of a balcony near her.
"You know that was wrong." Hermione started as Jade hushed her by placing a finger to her lips.
"Come on, a smoke for this wonderful news." Jade said putting her hand down Draco's breast pocket. "Where are they?" Jade asked aghast.
"I don't smoke chimneys like you do. I have one, once in a blue moon." He said as Jade patted her pockets for a cigarette.
"You'll live without one Jade." Hermione said as they walked down the corridors.
"I guess I can, but still, tell me my performance deserved an award?" Jade asked grinning as the Head Boy and Head girl shook their heads, rolling their eyes.
"Mudblood and I don't agree on much-"
"Anything." Hermione interjected.
"But we do agree on this. You better keep yourself in line Jay. One more mistake can cost you your expulsion, I'm being serious." Draco said seeing Jade nod and wave him off.
"Dumbledore can afford to keep me around for a few more days, hey." Jade said stopping a 6th year boy. "I know you have some cigs with you, cough it up." Jade said snapping her fingers.
"Jade! Stop acting like a rouge!" Hermione said grabbing her arm and tugging.
"Hey, you want one?" Jade asked turning to Draco who nodded. She handed him a cigarette and turned to Hermione. "Try one." Jade offered seeing Hermione look stern.
"Absolutely not!" she shrilled.
Jade shrugged and took two cigarettes, placing one on the edge of her ear and another one on her finger. "Good job kid." Jade said patting his shoulder. She left, walking off with Draco and Hermione by her side.
"Hermione!" a voice rang out. Hermione turned as well as Jade and Draco, seeing Ginny run towards her and slow down to see Jade and Draco next to her. "Is there a problem?" she asked, looking at Draco dangerously.
Jade shook her head and pointed to Hermione. "He's not harassing her, if he was; he would have gotten fucked over worse than Thomas had. You mess with me, that's one thing, you mess with my friends…I'll forget I had any relation with you." Jade said nudging Draco. Jade turned slightly towards Draco and was surprised to see him look nervous by seeing Ginny Weasley. Jade furrowed her eyebrows and looked away to see Ginny talking to Hermione.
"I need you to help me with a few things. First of all, Ron sent me to look for you because he and Harry need help with their Transfiguration homework. I need you to meet me in the library because I need help studying for my potions test tomorrow." Ginny said.
"Oh. Well I guess I have no choice then. I probably can help you with your studies now. Harry and Ron can manage themselves. Do you want to go now?" Hermione asked as Ginny nodded, smiling.
"That would be great! Thank you Hermione!" Ginny said.
Jade stepped back and took another glance at Draco who stood there, his eyes glued to Ginny, his jaw clenched tightly.
"Is everything all right? I heard about what happened this morning; it must have been a nasty fight." Ginny said breaking Jade's focus.
"Huh? Fight? Yeah, it was all right." Jade said leaning against the wall.
"Did you spare him any mercy? If you did, I might have to kill you." Ginny said playfully and Jade shook her head.
"I'm sorry to tell you I have not. Kill me now, but before you do, you should hear some good news. Thomas is suspended…three months." Jade said seeing Ginny gasp.
"That's great! Do you know how wonderful that sounds?! He's been harassing me to get back together with him ever since school started and now that he's suspended for 3 months, I think I won't have a bad year after all." Ginny said as Hermione and Jade chuckled.
"Well, I have to go. Hermione you're coming along right?" Ginny asked as Hermione nodded.
"Bye Jade, stay out of trouble." Hermione said as Jade grinned evilly.
"I'll try as hard as I can." Jade said.
"Goodbye Malfoy." Hermione said seeing Draco nod, looking at Hermione and back to Ginny who met with his eyes.
"Bye Jade! Ferret." Ginny spat, turning around and walking off with Hermione.
Jade waved her fingers around and knocked Draco's shoulder with hers. "Up for some Firewhiskey and ganja?" Jade asked excitedly.
There was something the matter with him nowadays. She needed to get to the bottom of this. The way he acted these days gave away that he was trying to hide something from her. Firewhiskey and weed were her main weapons and also the answer to many of her questions.
"No, I'm not in the mood for it tonight. Go on, I'll catch up to you later, I have some work." Draco said going to leave.
"Where do you have work? Work without me?" Jade asked seeing him nod.
"Head Boy stuff. See you later Jay." Draco said leaving.
Jade shook her head and walked off the other way, knowing that she was going to weasel it out of him one of these days.