Chapter Twenty-Six:

"It's been a week and we are still studying the same thing." Cilwenu frowned, looking at the cauldron in front of her. She was supposed to be brewing up a pot of another potion she didn't quite remember the name of. She was tired… and all she wanted was to be back in the common room with Draco.

Pansy was still looming around with her blackmail, and Draco was already suspicious enough after a week and a half of Cilwenu's tutoring. Stealing off to the library halfway through dinner was fine the first couple times… but constantly was not making the blonde boy happy. He was jealous, but wasn't sure of just what… and the fact that Pansy knew, made Cilwenu ever more so paranoid than usual.

If she told him… it certainly wouldn't be of what was really going on. Pansy would twist her own words, and tell Draco something completely off the walls.

On top of that, Theodore was making himself too comfortable with his and Cilwenu's afternoons. He smiled all the time, and whenever he got the chance, he would touch her arm, or accidentally brush up against her sides. The gestures made her blush, and that was enough.

"When you perfect it, then I will move on to something else." Theodore told her.

She groaned, "How many more days do we have to do this?"

"I guess that's up to Professor Snape."

"In that case, I'll be tutored until I graduate." Cilwenu mumbled, trying not to let the boy hear her.

He did, however, and leaned across the other side of the table, a smirk on his lips, and the lights in his eyes. Cilwenu turned her head from him, and gulped. He just stayed there, staring at her.

"I'm sure you'll have your freedom back soon."

"Sure…"

The silence befell them again, this time, with Theodore reaching out to brush his hand across one of Cilwenu's. She gasped at the coolness of his skin, and tried to jerk her hand away. He held it tightly though, and leaned even more across the table. He was smirking, still kind, but still different.

Cilwenu blushed, feeling his thumb stroke her palm, "Wh…what are you doing?"

Theodore shrugged, "Nothing."

"Let go of my hand."

"Alright." he simply said, doing as told.

Cilwenu watched as he turned to fetch something from the shelves. She shuddered, and waited down the minutes until she would be released… Eight was not coming fast enough…

"See you, Miss Snape." Theodore winked, retreating in the other direction.

Cilwenu watched, and started walking backwards until she felt something hit her hard in the back. She dropped every book in her arms, almost falling flat on her face as well. Cilwenu took a sharp breath, and then choked on her saliva. It scared her, to put it simply, and she turned to see who exactly was responsible for her almost wipeout.

Harry stood, adjusting his glasses and brushing off his robes. He smiled at Cilwenu, and waved his hand. He was about to utter an apology, when Cilwenu shook her head and hugged him tight.

"Oh Harry!"

Harry blinked, "Cilwenu… what are you doing here?"

She pulled back from the boy, tilting her head to the side, "What are you doing here?"

"I asked you first."

"Well you ran into me."

"You ran into me."

Cilwenu dropped her arms completely. "I'm sorry Harry. I was just with my tutor."

Harry nodded his head, "I didn't know you were having trouble with your classes."

She blushed out of embarrassment, "I'm sorry Harry… I really need to go now." She said suddenly. Cilwenu bent down to reach for her books, scooping them up in her arms before dashing in the direction of the Slytherin Common Room.

Harry stared at her, confused.

"Wenny! Wenny!" Althea's voice lingered in the hallways before the early hour of nine, breakfast the next morning.

Cilwenu relished in the sunlight by a large post she leaned against. It was where she was meeting Draco. She looked to her left at the little blonde Gryffindor girl running towards her. She grinned lightly, and watched as Althea stopped breathlessly in front of her.

Her yellow and red scarf fell to the floor at her feet, and Cilwenu picked it up, handing it to the breathless Althea.

"Good morning, Althea." Cilwenu said. She cast her eyes back at the blue sky.

Althea wrapped her scarf around her neck, and then looked down at her shoes. She was ready to make up with her best friend, and it was up to Cilwenu whether she was also ready to do the same.

"Harry tells me you have a tutor now."

Cilwenu nodded, "I guess secrets don't stay long in the likes of our group."

"Hermione also tells me that you want to keep it from Malfoy?" althea then added.

"I'd like to… but Pansy seems to want to hold it above me in order to get closer to him."

"Wenny, I know I probably shouldn't be talking to you, but I really do miss you…"

She knit her brows together, "Althea. I don't mind if you talk to me."

"But-"

Draco walked up to Cilwenu with Blaise on one side of him, and Pansy on the other. He possessively wrapped his arm around her, and kissed her cheek in front of everyone. Cilwenu smiled and turned to hug her boyfriend, eyeing a very disturbed Pansy while she did so. Draco nodded at Althea, before pulling Cilwenu into the Great Hall.

Cilwenu waved to Althea, who stood there disappointed.

On they way to where they all sat, Draco let out a small breath. He looked down at Cilwenu and bit the inside of his lip, "Do you have to go to the library tonight?"

Pansy snorted.

"Yes… my father-"

"Since when did you suddenly start abiding by anything Snape tells you?" Draco interrupted.

Cilwenu blinked, "Draco…"

"Nevermind." he said, taking a seat in his rightful place. A cluster of students greeted him, but Draco neither looked up or acknowledged them.

Cilwenu felt discomfort settle into her stomach as she sat down to his right. Blaise took the seat closest to Cilwenu, and started to load his plate up with eggs and bacon. Draco did the same, stabbing his eggs with his fork. Cilwenu didn't much feel like eating, but she knew Draco wouldn't have it if she didn't. Reluctantly, she scooped oatmeal into a small bowl that she made appear to her left.

Small bits of fruit and cream were poured in, and she began to slurp it gradually.

In the corner of her eye, Cilwenu saw what she most feared at that moment.

Theodore Nott was sauntering into the Great Hall, girls walking behind him drooling. He looked directly at Cilwenu, a smile inhabiting his lips and the same look he had carried the previous night in his eyes. Draco would have noticed if he hadn't been shoveling food into his maw, but Pansy did notice.

She laughed mockingly, shooting Cilwenu a look of pure amusement and deviousness. If there was a worse time for him to look at her, it was at that moment. She wanted to disappear.

"Good morning, Miss Snape." Theodore said to her as he walked by.

Cilwenu dropped her spoon into her bowl, it landing with a loud clank against the porcelain. She could merely look at him, hoping to some higher being that Draco hadn't noticed that gesture either. Unfortunately, he had, and was glaring at the dark-haired boy.

"Cilwenu?" Draco asked.

Cilwenu could only think to eat at her oatmeal, in hopes that he would drop it.

"Answer me…"

"Yes Draco?" she responded, her insides twisting into a knot.

"Nothing."

With that, Cilwenu filled to the brim with a sort of guilt that she feared would cause her to spill. She watched the expression on Draco's face as he lost his appetite, and pulled out a book instead.

No doubt he would be suspicious now.