Chapter 14

Quidditch and Promises

Draco stayed in the hospital wing for three days after the train incident and Raya stayed by his side every minute.

"Draco," said Madam Pomfrey, coming by his bed where he and Raya had been talking, "there is no reason you should be lazy and stay in bed. Out with you!"

She walked away smiling.

"You're out!" said Raya giving him a hug, "let's get you out of here right away!"

She walked out with Draco and talked about what he had missed.

"So in Potions we are working on the Dreamless Sleep Potion," said Raya, "I took notes for you."

She handed him a large piece of parchment filled completely from top to bottom.

"I was very brief," said Raya, "and be sure that you read them carefully. If you mess up certain ingredients instead of getting a Dreamless Sleep Potion you will have Cotton Candy Flavored Lollypop mix."

Draco just stared at her.

"Hermione are you using a Polyjuice Potion to turn into Raya?" asked Draco looking deep into her eyes like he was trying to see the chocolate brown of Hermione's eyes rather than Raya's perfect blue ones.

"Shut up Draco," said Raya and gave him a gentle punch in the shoulder.

He pretended it hurt grabbing his shoulder and falling "helplessly" to the ground.

"Oh honestly Draco," said Raya and Draco got on his feet and grinned at her.

"Draco!" cried a voice and Ginny ran over hugged Draco, "I was so worried! None of us knew what happened! Raya wouldn't leave the hospital wing to talk to us and Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let us in!"

"Ginny!" said Draco, cutting her off, "its okay. We're all good!"

"Great!" said Ginny and she called over her shoulder, "Everyone! It's Draco!"

Soon Draco was surrounded by his group of seven friends.

"Why is everyone gathering around?" asked a drawling voice.

The eight friends scowled as Professor Snape drew them apart.

"Malfoy," said Snape, sneering, "I heard you had a little accident at the train station. I do hope you feeling better. However, I wouldn't tell anyone how you were hurt, if I were you. I wouldn't want people to know that I almost died by taking a swim."

Raya lunged but Draco threw his arm out to block her.

"Ah! Miss Potter," said Snape, looking at her and then back at Draco, "you're little body guard Draco. It must be pretty embarrassing to have her need to save your life at every passing moment."

Raya lunged again and this time Draco did not stop her. But before she had swung her hand they heard Dumbledore's voice.

"Raya!" said Dumbledore, "what are you doing?"

"He," stammered Raya, "he was being cruel!"

"Oh, Dumbledore," said Snape, "she just wanted a little fighting action. Which is the reason that she is leaving us for a while to help a friend in a war. Loves to fight, this one."

Dumbledore looked at Professor Snape doubtfully, shook his head, and walked away.

"You liar!" screamed Raya, "you know bloody well that I don't love to fight (she paused) Snivellus (she said as mockingly and as loathly as possible).

"What did you call me?" Snape asked menacingly.

"Snivellus," said Raya, "remember that name?"

"How do you know about that?" asked Snape, inching closer and closer to her.

"It's what Sirius called you all the time," said Raya.

"Well," said Snape, he was so close to her now that his long greasy nose was practically touching her perfectly clean one, "at least I'm not dead."

Raya froze. She just stared at him. She backed away slightly and looked down at the ground in shock.

"You!" hissed Draco.

"Snape!" growled Harry.

And at the same time the boys pounced. They jumped him and brought him down to the ground. They just punched over and over again.

"Harry! Draco! Stop!" cried Neville, Ginny, and Hermione.

But Ron decided that Snape had gone too far as well. He joined in.

"Ronald Weasley!" cried Hermione, as she watched him join the brawl.

"Boys!" cried Madam Pomfrey who had just come out of the hospital wing and spotted them, "get off him at once!"

They did. They got up and glared at him. Snape slowly got up favoring his left leg.

"I am afraid," said Snape, "that you will be serving detention for quite some time gentlemen."

He grinned a bittersweet grin and then walked limping away.

"Raya," said Draco but turned around and she was gone.

He breathed him heavily from the fight and looked at the ground and then back up the corridor.

Raya breathed heavily from not being able to catch her breath as she ran out the Hogwarts doors and into the snowy wonderland of the Hogwarts Grounds. The tears were cold now chilling her cheeks as she ran through the grounds and into the forest. She ran, breathing in the cold air, it made her feel like her lungs would pop. She knew these grounds by heart and yet her eyes were too blurry to see where she was going exactly. She cried as she feet carried her deeper and deeper into the forest; until finally she stopped and fell to her knees in front of an old house. Her old house. The house that Sirius had taken her too. The house where she grew up. The house where all her memories were and always would be.

She cried for Sirius.

She slowly stood up and walked towards the house. She turned the rusty doorknob and opened the door. She stepped inside. Dust and a musky smell was there waiting to greet her as she walked around the house stopping to look at photographs and other things that made her remember Sirius. She to the living room where she found a picture of Sirius smiling gaily with Lupin's arm around his shoulder giving him a manly hug while both men were carrying half of her for she was between the two men. Being five months old most people who thin that she wouldn't remember any of her time with Sirius or certainly not an exact date like the taking of this picture, but she did. She remembered everything. She walked out of the living room and began up the stairs. She looked at all the portraits on the wall next to the stairs. She saw one of her parents smiling and waving at her. She couldn't help but smile through her tears. She was on the second floor, turned into her room and shut the door. She remembered her favorite event that happened in this room. The room where she first met Draco. Her best friend forever, always, and eternity. She looked at the baby crib in the room. The top was covered in lace with holes in most parts of it. The beautiful white oak weaving was almost browned with age. The blanket and matching pillow inside that used to be pink with horses stitched into the seam was now tattered and torn. She was so caught up in looking at the whole crib that she didn't hear the door open.

"You're the one my father's looking for," said a familiar voice behind her.

She turned to see a concerned but smiling Draco.

"He cannot find me," said Raya playing along, glad to reenact her favorite memory.

"I won't let him," said Draco.

"What's your name?" asked Raya taking a step closer to him; she could still feel the tears raining upon her cheeks.

"Draco Malfoy," said Draco also taking a step towards her, "What's yours?"

"Raya," she answered and took another step closer to Draco and embraced him.

"My father wants you dead," said Draco hugging her even tighter, "I won't let anything happen to you."

"I know you won't," said Raya still weeping. "And I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

"Shhh," said Draco and he gently rocked her back and fourth back and fourth.

He moved slowly and sat down in the rocking chair near the crib and he placed Raya on his lap as she continued to cry. He rocked back and fourth until she calmed down. He looked down after a while to see that she had fallen asleep. He decided to owl Dumbledore and both he and Raya would stay the night tonight. He carefully got up and set Raya back down on the chair and went to get one of the owls he knew was always in the room down the hall. As he went down the hall he thought about Raya.

She deserved to sleep. She hardly ever slept. She had to worry about everyone else's problems so she never had time to just layback and sleep or just think about nothing. He turned into the room and saw the owl. He picked up a piece of parchment and wrote out the letter to Dumbledore. The sent the owl away with it and he returned to Raya. He went over to her and picked her up. He walked her down the hall and up a small flight of stairs that lead up to the master bedroom. When he got there he went right over and as gently as possible laid her down on the bed and tugged the sheets out from under her and covered her with them. He brushed down hair out of her eyes and then went back into Raya's baby room. He saw photo books and pictures and all sorts of memories. He sat there for what seemed like hours going through pictures of all kinds. Finally when it was dark out he went up to the master bedroom. He got onto the other side of the bed and fell fast asleep almost instantly.

(Back to the afternoon)

"I can't believe Snape said that," said Ron in the Gryffindor Quidditch locker rooms, "that was crossing the line."

"Yeah," said Harry, he had been really quiet after the remark Snape had made.

"We better get going," said Ron and it wasn't until that moment that Harry realized that he had just been standing there looking at the wall for a while.

"Yeah sorry," said Harry and he picked up his firebolt and he and Ron began their walk onto the Quidditch pitch.

"There's nothing to be sorry about mate," said Ron looking at him, "Snape said something pretty nasty and you have every right to be upset about that. In fact if you think you need to take a break today during practice don't hesitate to ask."

"Thanks," said Harry, "although be prepared to have me take you up on that offer. I'm not feeling that well."

"You want to sit this practice out?" asked Ron, "I know you're not trying to get out of it, I know your dedicated."

"No," said Harry, "I just might need to sit out for a little bit."

"Whatever floats your boat mate," said Ron and yelled across the field to the other players, "Alright then! Let this Gryffindor Quidditch practice officially begin."

All the seven players launched into the air.

"Alright!" said Ron who came into his position in front of the hoops. "We are going to run the Mega Drill!"

Everybody groaned.

"What?" asked Ron innocently.

"Ronald!" screamed Ginny. "You know that drill wears us out completely. Why do we have to do it?"

"Because I am your captain and I said so," said Ron.

"Why are you captain again?" asked Ginny, "I don't ever remember voting for you!"

"You didn't!" said Ron, "none of you did. Angelina choose Harry but Harry graciously thought that I would be a better captain and handed me the position."

Harry ducked behind a Ravenclaw pillar. This was one of the things that Harry wished Ron wouldn't give him credit for.

"Fine!" said Ron throwing up his hands in defeat, "we'll just do normal drills."

The teams cheered.

The practice was as usual and finally after two hours Ron let them leave.

"Nice practice today Ron," said Harry, he had sat out only once though he wanted to sit out plenty more times than that.

"Really?" asked Ron, "thanks mate."

"No Problem!" said Harry and they walked back into the locker room together.

Raya awoke with a start. She didn't remember anything. Then everything came flooding back to her in a rapid stream of memories. She looked around frantically to see she was in Sirius's room. She frowned when the bed shifted beside her and turned to see Draco murmuring in his sleep. She smiled slightly. She looked outside and realized it was morning. The next morning.

"Draco!" said Raya and though she was frantic she gently awakened him.

"What?" asked Draco looking up at her and then closing his eyes again.

"Draco," said Raya, "we should be at school!"

"I sent an owl," mumbled Draco, "telling Dumbledore. Calm down and go back to sleep."

She sighed deeply and did as she was told.

She closed her eyes and then almost instantly opened them again and sat up straight.

"Harry!" she breathed.

She ran towards the door. When an arm around her waist held her back.

"Draco! Let go!" said Raya, "Harry needs me. He needs me to comfort him. About what Snape said! I need to comfort him!"

"Raya! Please!" said Draco, "just listen to me."

She stopped struggling.

"Harry needs pain," said Draco, plainly looking up at her, "Harry needs pain in his life so that he can deal with things. Raya, you can't protect him from everything."

"But I need to," said Raya, "it's what mom and dad would have wanted."

"But they would want Harry to be strong too," said Draco.

"I want to be able to protect him from everything," said Raya, "I would die for him just so that he could live one more day if that was the case. Anything to make his life a little easier even if it means putting the weight of the world on my shoulders."

"And Raya he knows that," said Draco, "but you need someone to take care of you like that. Raya everything you just said is what I would do for you, no questions asked. Please just let Harry take care of Harry for a little bit. Whether he knows it or not you've been taking care of him both of your whole lives. I am not for one minute saying don't love Harry. I'm just saying that you're hurting too, and no matter what, in the past, you have always put other people's pain in front of your own. For once mourn for yourself, let your own troubles in and be taken cared of."

"I don't deal with my troubles because I have too many," said Raya.

"Raya," said Draco, "if you keep piling them on what's going to happen when its too much! You're going to breakdown inside and I won't be able to do anything to help you. You know how scared that makes me. Me thinking of you in a situation or problem where I can't protect you."

Raya sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I won't let anything happen to you," said Draco, "Everything's going to be okay."

Late afternoon rolled by and they decided it was time to depart back to Hogwarts.

"Thank you Draco," said Raya, as they walked through the cold snow back to Hogwarts.

"You know I'd do anything for you," answered Draco.

They finally reached the Hogwarts grounds and watched as the fourth years made their way to Herbology. They walked up the steps to Hogwarts and came through the doors. The halls were empty.

"Everyone must be in their classes," whispered Draco.

"Let's go see Dumbledore," said Raya, "just to see if everything is alright."

Draco nodded his head and they headed towards his office. Almost as if he knew they were coming the staircase opened up for them without them having to try and figure out the password. They stepped on and the staircase went up. They opened the door to the office swung open and they stepped inside to see Dumbledore sitting behind his desk looking at them expectantly.

"Draco, Raya, by all means come in and have a seat," said Dumbledore.

"Are we in trouble?" asked Raya, sitting down uneasily in one of the two chairs in front of his desk.

"All Potters that walk into this office always must ask that same question and the answer is almost always the same, no," answered Dumbledore smiling.

Raya felt better.

"Then why are we here?" asked Draco.

"Well," said Dumbledore, "you were the ones coming to see me, I should think that you know very well why you're here. Me on the other hand do not. So let me ask you then same question, why are you here?"

"We came just to ask if everything was alright," said Raya, "and thanking you for letting us stay overnight at the glade house."

"Not a problem," answered Dumbledore laughing, "my dear both you and Draco have both succeed the classes in which you're classmates are at this moment undertaking. It is just that required by law that you must take the NEWTS. You see. Most of these classes are for getting you ready for when we throw you into the real world. The NEWTS are a guarantee, or a not so guarantee for some, for a good job. And you, Raya and Draco, have been to the real world. You know what it is like. The classes you are taking now are just to review, at least for you two, about what material that you know will be on the NEWTS. So do not worry. However if you still want the notes from the classes and lectures you missed I am sure that Miss Granger will provide them ready and willingly."

"Yes Professor," said Draco.

"Thank you Dumbledore," said Raya.

They got up and left the office and descended down the staircase.

"Draco," said Raya as they rounded the corner to go to the Great Hall for lunch, "how do you think Harry is?"

"I'll bet he's okay," said Draco, "he's got friends who love him and want to take care of him. He has it good. He always has."

"Well I think I have it good too," said Raya and she hugged Draco from the side.

They entered the great hall and they spotted their six friends sitting together close to the door.

"Raya!" cried Harry and he ran up to her and gave her a bone breaking hug, "Are you okay! I was so worried!"

"I'm sorry I made you worry," said Raya apologetically, "I really didn't mean it."

"Don't be sorry!" interrupted Harry, "come on! Have some food!"

Raya sat down with Harry on one side Draco on the other.

"Raya?" asked Ron tentatively, "you okay?"

"Yeah," said Raya softly, "I'm okay."

She looked over at the staff table and glared at Snape.

"He deserves to be the one that's dead," said Raya turning towards her friends, her eyes intense with anger, "Not Sirius. Not dad."

"We all know that," said Neville, "and we wish that it was true. But it looks like Snape here is the lucky one."

She glared back over at Snape. She stared at him intently for a moment, her eyes squinted in concentration. All of a sudden a yelp was heard from the staff table and everyone looked over. Oil and grease was spilling out of Snape's hair, dripping all over the place. Snape stood up and still the oil and grease dripped over his robes and all over the floor around him.

"That will teach him," said Raya and she continued to eat her lunch in silence as the rest of the school was busy laughing or trying to get a better view of the oil leaking Snape.

"You did this!" said Luna standing up on the table trying to see Snape.

"Of course," said Raya, "the drip of grease deserves it!

"Raya this is excellent," said Ron pulling out a camera and starting to take picture nonstop of the dripping Snape.

"Whoever did this!" cried Snape his shouts stifled when a little grease trickled into his mouth, he spat it out and yet more came in, "is going to get in huge trouble!"

He got up and ran from the room. At this point everyone in the room was laughing and even the teachers looked like they were having a hard time suppressing their laughter.

After lunch the friends went to their only afternoon class for that day, Herbology.

"Good Morning everyone!" said Professor Sprout happily, "oh! Draco! You're wanted in Dumbledore's office. He wants to speak with you about something."

Draco looked over at Raya and the slowly left the greenhouse. He walked on the grounds, into that school, and towards his office. Once again the staircase was waiting for him and he went up without having to try and guess the password.

"Ah!" said Dumbledore when Draco's face appeared by the face, "please come in. I see Professor Sprout gave you my message."

"She did," nodded Draco and he sat in one of the chairs Dumbledore was motioning at. "Why?"

"Why did I call you down?" interrupted Dumbledore, "well because I just received something that you'll be very much interested in."

"What about Raya?" asked Draco and stood up, "I'll go get her."

"Sit Draco, please," said Dumbledore and Draco slowly sunk back into his chair.

"This is not for Raya," said Dumbledore, "but for you."

He held in his had a letter.

Draco slowly extended his hand and grasped the other side of the letter and looked at it. The writing was in a thick broad script and the stamp looked like six wands creating a circle of light.

"The symbol for the Ministry for International Magic Missions," said Dumbledore, "or the MIMM as some call it."

Draco just stared at the letter.

"Open it Draco," said Dumbledore.

Draco slowly did as he was told and took the letter out of the envelope. He unfolded it and began to read it. His eyes darted across the page. When he was finished he stared up and Dumbledore, almost amazed.

"Draco," said Dumbledore gently, "they want you to come and speak with them about turning your father in."

Hehehe! Snapey goes down for the count! Jerk! Please review I love comments!