Chapter 2

"So, how was your late night walk with Michael?" Hannah asks as soon as I sit down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. I usually sit anywhere I can see any of my friends.

"Yeah, you look exhausted! What time did you get back?" Says Lavender Brown.

"It was great..." I say sleepily as I tuck into a bowl of cereal.

"And..." they say simultaneously.

"He... umm... told me that he loves me." I say nervously.

"Oh my gosh, really?"

"That's so cute!"

"What did you say?"

"What happened then?"

"So are you two really serious now?"

"Did you get up to anything...?"

"Guys!" I practically shout.

We look all along the Gryffindor table to see many faces looking at us.

"Everything alright?" Ron asks as he sits next to a girl in my year (who stops smiling and stares wide-eyed) and opposite Harry and Hermione.

"Yeah," I say, "these two were just getting over excited."

"It was you too!" Says Hannah.

"What about?" Asks Harry.

"Oh... err..." I begin.

"The next DA meeting." Lavender whispers, fluttering her eyelashes for extra measure and takes a galleon out of her pocket. "We're awaiting your call. Which will be...?"

Harry, Ron and Hermione all look around frantically in case somebody heard. "Soon" they all whisper before disappearing quickly.

Lavender finishes the last of her cereal and stands up. "Anything urgent you have to share before I go to lessons?"

"Oh yeah! I'm thinking of getting a perm, do you think it would suit me?" Hannah begins but I ignore her.

"I almost snogged Malfoy. And yeah I think you'd look great, Hannah." I smile nervously before grabbing my bag and leaving the rest of my breakfast. "Anyway, must dash. I don't want to be late for McGonagall"

Hannah and Lavender just stare at me as I quickly run away.

I don't have to look up to know its Skye who's entering the common room in a rage. Nobody else slams a door quite as hard as she does. I don't even have to look up to know that she's been crying because I can tell by the way she stumbles over to the stairs down to the girls' dormitories.

"Need any help in there?" I call as she begins to descend down the stairs.

"Fuck off"

"Wait!" I jump up and stop her before she closes the door. "I heard about you and Corner."

"Goodnight, Malfoy." She snaps as she pushes the door closed but my hand is in the way.

"-and I just thought you should know that he's a prick for cheating on you."

"Don't talk about him!"

"-and I'm here for you if you need anything." I raise my eyebrows and she gives me a look of disgust before finally shutting the door.

I don't know how long I've just been standing here in this shower cubicle. I washed my hair and my body and my face and now I'm just letting the hot water wash away all the pain. I scrub at my skin for ages, trying to remove his touch from my face and my arms and my neck. Luckily the taps here never really run out and I can stand for ages until my legs hurt and I'm sitting on the floor of the shower with my head between my knees, no longer trying to hold back tears.

After what seems like an hour, there's a knock on the door and a voice calls, "Skye are you okay? We're worried about you." I know by 'we' she just means her. Nobody else cares anymore - she doesn't either, she just feels bad that I'm alone.

"I'm fine, Emma!" I shout. "I'm just getting out now." After a few more seconds I turn off the water and begin to towel myself dry.

I can't stop seeing it. It repeats over and over again in my head. It was only a few hours ago that I was explaining in detail my date with Michael to my friends but now. I don't know. And right after last night too! A night where he'd told me that he loves me. And what did I say? Nothing. Just smiled and hugged him. Honestly, I didn't know what to say. But I do love Michael. Well, I think I do. I'm not sure. Do I? He made out with Weasley right in front of me only a few hours ago and then when he saw he me he looked so (sorry?) guilty. I don't love him. Filthy half-blood. Oh, crap, what am I turning into?!

After weeks of being ignored she finally came around. I knew it would only be a matter of time before she would and now that she has I'll make her see that Corner is nothing compared to me. He may be intelligent and gentlemanly and all that shit but I'm Draco and she's Skye and well, you know what they say: blondes have more fun.

So anyway, all month she's been ignoring Corner's pathetic attempts to win her back and my slightly crude comments but this evening after dinner she handed me a note.

You were right.

Yes, I am fucking right. I've been telling her for weeks (even while they were still together) that he may be really 'sweet' and whatever but that's it really. Sweet and clever. I may be quite rude and sometimes less than gentle and I know I've got a lot of anger but I also know that I can give her so much more than he ever could.

So this note. Does it mean she wants me to ask her out? Or does she just want some kind of fling? Yes, she's only fourteen and it won't be love or anything but it's worth a shot. It's not as if it will damage my reputation. Everyone knows what I'm known for...