HELLO PEOPLE. Thank you for reading :) If you somehow believe this story is familiar (the previous chapters, or any of them) it is because I published half of this story onto Quizilla. YES – I HAVE QUIZILLA! Mwhaha. :) Anyways, anyways . . . onto the story – please review it? :D
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"Hm – Madam Pomfrey unlocked her doors early." I twisted open the knob, peeking inside. The room was empty despite the two sleeping bodies, ungracefully laid upon their own separate cots.
I walked into the room, crossing over to where Hermione sat. I glanced over her face – whatever Madam Pomfrey had given her worked, but she was left with the side effects. Like, the fact her face looked like something off of a supermodel's magazine. Photo-shopped to the max.
I nudged Hermione's shoulder, knowing she was easy to wake. She jolted upright, rubbing her eyes. When her hands fell from her face, she blinked. "Oh. Hi, Bianca." Her frizzy brown hair lay like a haystack on top of her head.
I patted her head. "Ready for class? I didn't think you'd want to miss out."
"Ooh – yes, thank you. What class do we have – or do I even have my next class with you?" Hermione ran her hands through her messy hair, trying to braid it down.
"Um, I've got—?"
"You don't remember." She stared at me blankly. "Oh, c'mon, Bianca—!"
"Oh, Merlin, Hermione. I have History of Magic next."
"Oh, then . . . I do, too. Okay. I need to study for the History quiz next week, anyways. Madam Pomfrey said I could just leave in the morning whenever I felt up to it, so I guess I should get my books and head to History?"
"What?" I barely managed a laugh. "It's barely even breakfast time, 'Mione. Chill."
She rolled her eyes. "Just because you don't take school seriously—"
"If what you're doing is taking school seriously, I don't want anything to do with it."
She sighed; she almost sounded aggravated, but then she laughed. "Whatever, Bianca." Hermione shook her head and stood up.
I grinned, knowing that Hermione was too easy to win over. "Okay – wanna get something to eat?"
She nodded shortly as we walked out of the Hospital Wing. We spoke briefly as we walked, right before I nearly—for the second time—almost ran over Draco Malfoy.
"Hey, Malfoy – watch where you're going," I said indignantly. I suddenly remembered in vivid image how he'd walked away when I was talking to him last night.
He scowled, glancing over at Hermione. "What're you doing, Mud-blood?" He nearly spat on us, but we were standing a far enough distance from him.
Hermione's reaction was nearly a growl. "A better question would be what are you doing?"
"Fetching Nott from the Hospital Wing."
"Have fun," I said through gritted teeth. He shot me a murderous glare, just as I grabbed Hermione's arm in a hook with my elbow and nudged her along.
When Malfoy was out of earshot, I swore under my breath. "I hate that boy," I said, letting a scowl fall from my lips.
"I know what you mean." I glanced over at her, and realized she must still be upset by his name-calling.
"Listen, Hermione – Malfoy's stupid. Who really cares about your blood status, anyway? It's just a few words – it's really nothing. Just because your parents weren't magical doesn't mean in any regard you're not worthy of magic." I threw my arm over her should comfortingly, nudging her. "Okay?"
"I know." She was silent for a few moments, but then fortunately, she broke the deadly silence, "He's really . . . different around you. Have you ever noticed that?"
"What?" I asked, clearly taken aback.
"Like, lately. Ever since the school year started back up again," she said uncertainly. "He's not – like – cruel . . . to you."
I laughed humorlessly. "Um, sorry to say, but he still is." I shook my head, and exhaled. "He's as cruel as ever."
"But in a different way, Bianca. Like yesterday. You guys actually made some kind of negotiation without a huge disagreement."
We walked, and I glanced at the ground, digging through my thoughts. "That doesn't necessarily mean anything, though. I still hate him to pieces."
"Yes, but does he hate you the same?"
"Yes. We hate each other," I said with such a tone it was like I was pressing her to agree with me.
For the rest of the walk, we didn't speak at all. I knew she was thinking the same thing I was – and that thought seemed to haunt my mind throughout the day.
I had History with Hermione, so I didn't suffer alone in the agonizing lectures of Professor Binns – who I never learned anything from, anyways. But I did suffer.
Yes, I did so happen to suffer.
Seamus Finnigan sat just a few seats away from me. Fortunately, his face looked fine. He must have gone to the Hospital Wing since yesterday – but it was still totally unnerving.
The fact that I'd let things get out of hand with Ron and me didn't help my case much, considering neither of us had spoken since two nights ago.
Finnigan and his stupid mouth . . . his stupid rumors.
I sighed, letting my hair shield my face from the world. And just as I was shielded away from the world, my mind turned to a different train of thought.
Draco Malfoy.
I still shuddered at the sound – or rather, the thought – of his name. It still made me close my eyes, wish for a happier place, and attempt to forget everything about him.
That never worked, of course.
I looked outside, glancing through the window, down at the Black Lake. Despite it's eeriness, it looked completely tranquil. It made me think of the lake back home, which immediately sent another set of shivers down my spine.
I took in a sharp intake of breath, and pulled at the ends of my hair.
The bad habit that had never gone away.
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DRACO'S POV
I'd never really been into school. Not much, anyways. I'd done as much work as needed to make my parents nod in approval – nothing more than a clap on the back, or a half grin.
Lately, I didn't feel a hint of urge to complete any assignment. Or listen in to the teacher's lectures, for that matter.
"There are several different levels of Transfiguration," Professor McGonagall began.
I zoned out.
How boring.
I leaned my head into the palms of my hands, and closed my eyes, giving my mind a short rest from life.
"I'm really not a fan of the water," she said boldly, stepping away from the lake's edge.
"Oh, please, Bianca. The water won't kill you."
"If you don't drown in it, it won't." She rolled her eyes, and stole the grin from my face.
We both glanced at the water uncertainly.
"I don't really like it much, either," I offered sheepishly.
"Well. How about that?" She smiled, and got on her knees, leaning towards the water. Bianca looked back up to me, and winked. "C'mon, I've got an idea."
"What?"
Bianca and her ideas always equaled crazy.
"Draco – how about a race across the lake?" She tilted her head to the side mischievously.
"Why would you do that?" I asked, suppressing my laugh.
"Because. I like challenges." She shrugged. "Ready?"
I let out a breath. "Okay – fine – you win." I kicked off my shoes right next to hers.
The water was ice cold and dark, like light couldn't pass through it. As we dived into the water, every cell in my body ached for the warm air. But as my face came to the surface and I sucked in a breath, I already saw Bianca's splashes floating to the deck shortly away.
That was just how Bianca was – competitive.
My throat shook with a quiet laugh, and I evened out onto the water, kicking and swinging my arms in such a proportion that I got to the dock in no time at all. My arms trembled as I raised them up onto the deck; I grabbed onto it, dragging myself up from the freezing depths of the lake.
I sat on the edge of the dock, just as Bianca's flail arms reached up, and missed the edge. She went under the water with a gurgle, and then popped back up, treading on the surface. "Little help?" she asked.
I reached my arm down, and pulled her up with such a strength I knew I wouldn't have been able to do if her hand wasn't there.
"Thank you," she gasped as she sat on the edge of the dock.
We were both shivering from the cold water still on our bodies as we stood up. Her arms immediately wrapped around me, and I hugged her back, tightly as I could.
My hand traced circles on her back.
She was all I ever wanted, all I ever needed.