Author's Note: I know that was a tiny cliffhanger, but I really believe that a story should have some background before you bring in the romance. As stated before, all plots and characters you recognize as JKR's, I do not own. Now for the show! Happy Reading!
"I found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you."
"The Reason"-Hoobastank
Chapter Six: Reasoning
I leaned into his kiss. I couldn't believe it was happening. I moved my hands into his hair. I could not care at all that the rest of the school was watching us. I was finally kissing Draco Malfoy and I'd be damned if it didn't last longer than a minute.
There was a round of applause from somewhere behind me and someone cleared their throat.
"Miss Mallerd, Mr. Malfoy, if you two could remove yourselves from one another, then I can inform you that the ball is over." Professor McGonagall said sternly.
The rest of the Heads Group was still applauding furiously behind me. "Really guys, you can stop now!" I told them. It was embarrassing to have your friends cheering on your snogging session. (Oh Merlin, I've been here too long. I'm starting to use their slang.) I looked at them; Ginny and Harry shared a look and grinned widely. Somehow I think the two of them were playing Cupid.
Draco took my hand and we lead the rest of our friends back to the Heads' common room. I held the skirt of my dress with my right hand to prevent myself tripping over it. I was still a little light headed from the kiss I just shared with Draco.
"Before you get further, I just want to say to all of you, that you are adults and I expect you to make decisions like adults. I know what young people do, just be careful." McGonagall lectured before sending us on our way. Hermione and Ginny were giggling behind me.
"She only said that because of you two!" Ginny couldn't suppress her laughter anymore.
"Well I think if she knew what happened in your bedroom she would say a lot more than that." I teased Ginny. Harry's face went red.
"You tell her that stuff?" Harry asked. Draco suppressed a snicker.
"We all tell each other stuff. Except for Jordayna, well now she'll have stuff to share, that is unless Malfoy's going to take back that snogging session and not date her."
"Oh no I'm definitely going to date her." Draco confirmed while wrapping his right arm around my waist.
"So wait, you tell my sister stuff about us?!" Ron asked taken aback.
"Well not really. Ginny prefers not to hear my stories about that stuff. However Daphne, Luna, and Jordayna love them!" Hermione finished and giggled. The boys shared looks of concern.
"You guys do it too. I can guarantee it. Wait as a matter-of-fact I can prove it. I remember a particular conversation in fourth year after the Yule Ball between you and Zabini." I said mockingly towards Draco and Blaise.
"What conversation?"
"How you enjoyed a specific activity of Daphne's during snogging." I chuckled. Blaise got really red and looked towards Daphne.
"I don't care. I'm glad you like something. I take pride in it." Daphne answered putting a swagger in her step.
They were all laughing pretty hard when they got to the common room entrance. It was behind a portrait of Dumbledore.
"Hello students! Was the Halloween Ball superb?"
"Of course it was Professor. The Great Hall was beautiful, and it was just a wonderful night." Hermione explained to the portrait. "Oh, and happy houses." Dumbledore's portrait swung open revealing the vibrantly colored Heads' common room. It was decorated in scarlet, gold, green, silver, yellow, and black. It would be an interior decorator's biggest nightmare, but they loved it.
"I love that Halloween was on a Friday night. It makes it spookier and better that I don't have to get up for classes." Blaise commented while taking a seat on a black couch. Daphne came over to sit next to him.
"It was a spectacular evening." I agreed.
"That's only because you spent the last three minutes of the ball with your tongue in Malfoy's mouth." Hermione scolded me.
"Oh please, once again need I remind you of the stuff that goes on with Ron."
"You may be a nice person, but you really are a Slytherin."
"Yes, and proud of it. I always have been." I said with a bit of cockiness in my tone. "I'm one of the few Halfbloods to make it in, plus I'm American. I should have been a shoe-in for Hufflepuff."
"What's wrong with Hufflepuff?!" Smith wondered aloud.
"Nothing's wrong with Hufflepuff. I'm just saying that I had wicked Slytherin traits that the Sorting Hat saw necessary to develop further by putting me with everyone else who displayed these traits."
"Except you don't display them as often as the other Slytherins." Hermione chimed in.
"Well that's because I'm smarter than the other Slytherins. I only display these traits when they get me something I want." I smirked.
"I would be slightly offended by the fact that you called yourself smarter than me, but I know it's true. Plus, with the smirk you just gave I wouldn't be surprised if you could talk us all out of our first-born children." Blaise put in. "They should name a dungeon after you."
"I wish they would. However, I doubt it will ever come true. Well goodnight everyone. I need to remove this dress. Draco, are you coming?"
He didn't have to be asked twice. He followed her all the way to her door.
"Be a good boy and go in through your door. You can come in through the bathroom."
The lot downstairs was right, she is evil. Malfoy thought to himself. She had locked the bathroom door so he couldn't come in while she was undressing. He mentally cursed her. Too bad he knew it wouldn't do anything, unlike if she did the same to him.
"You can come in now." She said as she unlocked the bathroom door. He didn't hesitate, within moments he had her underneath him on the bed. He was kissing and caressing any part of her he could reach. She was enjoying it, but at the same time it was bringing back memories she could not deal with at the moment. She went rigid.
Draco stopped immediately upon feeling her go stiff. "Is this too fast, I'm sorry."
"No, I want you to kiss me and other stuff, it's just, well I can't seem to separate what is really happening from the memories of Nott."
Draco looked guilty. How could he have been stupid enough to forget. She's been raped and here he was ready to shag her right after he kissed her for the first time. However, in his defense, she was intoxicating. When she had come down those steps earlier in the evening, he almost fell all over himself. Now here she was in silky silver shorts and a black spaghetti-strap tank top, and he wanted her more than ever. 'Relax. Give her time to adjust. The only experience she's had is not pleasant. Well I think that's her only experience.' Draco thought to himself.
"Jordayna?"
"Yes, Draco?"
"Is Nott the only experience you've ever had with this?"
He could tell by the way she had this scared look on her face that her answer would be yes, but he waited for her to say it nonetheless.
"Yes." She answered hiding away from him in the comforter.
"Don't hide. It's okay that it was. I just wanted to know. I want to know a lot about you. I think I've liked you for a lifetime."
"I told you it was the old school-yard approach to liking someone, but you didn't believe me."
"Oh shove it." He said before taking her in his arms and kissing her some more. He had started to trail down her neck when he mentally kicked himself for the second time that night. "Sorry."
"No it's okay. I want to do stuff. You have no idea how long I've wanted to be with you. I mean I hated you for awhile, and then I think it turned into this huge I-can't-have-him crush."
"Why couldn't you have me?"
"You were Parkinson's territory, and I didn't think you liked me."
"Okay, first of all, not Pansy's anything. Second, I didn't think I liked you, but really I did. You were so many things that Slytherins aren't supposed to be. You're American, Halfblooded, and have friends in Gryffindor. I was raised not to like you, but as I told you when the year started, I don't care what my father approves. You were right all those years ago; Voldemort didn't care about his supporters. I almost killed Dumbledore, something that I'm glad I never did. Now what I want is you." Draco admitted feeling vulnerable.
"If I didn't already have feelings for you, then I would definitely have them now. You've grown up so much. If you were young Draco, you wouldn't have stopped just because I froze up."
"I don't want to believe that's true, but I know it is. I'm still a right bastard occasionally, but I would never take you by force now. I could never stoop low enough to be as much of a prick as Nott was."
"I'm so glad for that because that would ruin this new found liking I have for you." She moved closer into his embrace on her bed. He kissed her forehead.
"I don't know about you Mallerd, but I'm tired. Do you want me to go back to my own room?"
"Nope, I like you just where you are. And, Malfoy?"
"Hmm?"
"Thanks."
"The pleasure was all mine." He answered before wrapping his arms around her and soothing her into sleep.
I woke up before he did the following morning. I watched him sleep for about ten minutes before he stirred.
"Good morning. How long were you awake?"
"Only about ten minutes. It was like you knew I was awake already. This is the second time in years I've slept a whole night. The first being the last time you stayed."
"It did seem colder when you woke up. You moved away slightly. And I'm glad you're sleeping. I sleep better with you too."
The next week went by quickly. Soon it was time to give our reports on the Veritaserum. Since Nott was expelled, I was exempt from giving my report much to Pansy's dismay. I could see her squirming with jealousy and rage. She wanted to tear me from limb to limb.
(Memory)
The morning after the dance Draco and I walked down to breakfast hand in hand. She had started to walk towards us. I simply had her plop down on her butt half-way to us.
"Breakfast isn't served on the floor Pansy. You should probably find a table." I said looking down at her with a smirk. It was the only time I would be able to look down at her since I'm five foot one and she's five foot six. I looked back to Draco who grinned approvingly at me.
"That is the sexiest thing I have ever seen." Draco whispered in my ear.
(End Memory)
"Well since all the reports are over, you can all return to your original partners." Slughorn announced. I did not have to be told twice. I ran back to my shared table with Draco.
"Someone's glad to be next to me." He whispered taking my hand underneath the table. This further enraged Pansy.
"I've missed you. It's so lonely back there."
"Ahem." Slughorn cleared his throat to get the elated class's attention back. "Your N.E.W.T.'s are coming up shortly so I will be giving you an exam every Friday to prepare you. The class groaned except for Hermione and me.
We were at dinner. The majority of the table was groaning over Friday exams in Potions.
"Ronald! This is a great opportunity! We learn about our strengths and weaknesses." Hermione was explaining to him.
"Yes this is excellent. It's great practice." I chimed in supporting Hermione's lecture. I wasn't paying attention to the rest of the Great Hall so I didn't notice when it went silent.
"Mallerd." A cold, nasally female voice spoke up. "This is for you." Pansy handed me a piece of parchment. I took it from her. I opened and read it. She wanted to meet me at the Quidditch pitch at seven. I could do that. We were going to settle this once and for all.
"What does it say?" Draco asked.
"Quidditch pitch at seven." I answered.
"Are you going?" Harry asked.
"Yes. I think if she and I don't settle this, then we're going to end up throwing Unforgivables at each other."
Harry and Draco exchanged a look before Draco leaned over and suggested. "She may be tricking you into something. Don't forget she knows about your abilities."
"I'll be fine."
I entered the Quidditch pitch. My sense tingled. Something was wrong here. I should have brought one of the others with me. I felt the wind rush past me. It was Pansy on her broom.
"Listen Mallerd! Grab that broom over there!" Pansy shouted. "We're going to race this out." Pansy smirked. Nott had probably told her my fear of flying.
"I don't fly Parkinson!" I shouted up to her.
"Do it Mallerd! If you don't, then everybody knows about your magical secret!"
"Fine!" I said as I trudged over to the broom. I put my hand on it and felt the unnatural pull of a Portkey. I started to panic. Pansy said, "Now everything will go back to normal." It was the last I heard before I landed in the middle of a room.
"Nice to see you Mallerd."
Draco began to worry. It had been two hours since Jordayna had left for the Quidditch pitch. He came down the stairs into the common room. Hermione was helping Ron with his Transfiguration homework.
"She's not back yet Malfoy. We're actually worried now too. We haven't left the common room waiting for her." Hermione explained.
"I'm going to find her."
"We'll come with you." Hermione said gathering up her stuff to put in her room. "Harry! Ginny! Zacharias! We have to find Jordayna! She hasn't come back!"
"Wait she's not back from that thing with Pansy?" Harry asked opening his door.
"No. I'm worried." Draco answered with a panicked edge in his voice.
"You can push me around all you want with that magic of yours, but I'm still going to get what I want." Nott said as he got up from where I flung him. He was moving towards me and I made him fall again. I was trying to fight back as much as I could. I didn't know where I was and I had been here for hours.
"Crucio!" He shouted at me. I was done. A hot, searing pain took over my entire body. I started to cry. I hoped I would die quickly.
"That stopped you pretty quickly. And no, you are not going to die. I'm going to keep you here. You are going to be mine." He released the curse from me, only to put another one. "Imperio!"
Somehow I don't think having me pick tulips was what he had in mind.
