The Exchange – Fights and Revelations
A while turned out to be much longer than Haley anticipated. She stayed in the Headmaster's office for hours, all the while, Professor Dumbledore didn't once bother her. He quietly did his work, coming in and out of his office while Haley just sat there, staring at nothing in particular as her mind was cluttered by ideas that were, that are, that have been and never been, that might be and might never be.
It was good that she was Haley. If she never were, she'd never know the Slytherins the way she does now. She probably would have gone the rest of her life never giving the Slytherins a second thought. But because she changed, she was able to see things differently. She was able to see people differently. She just wished that she could've had that opportunity without having to change who she was.
Haley sighed. Finally, at nearly six in the evening, she picked herself up and left the office.
Feeling rather deflated, and having exhausted most of her energy running through the school, Haley went directly to the kitchens. She greeted Dobby and asked him kindly if he could return her uniform to the changing rooms as soon as he had the chance. Dobby eagerly agreed. Haley accepted the sandwich offered to her by one of the other house-elves, as well as a goblet of pumpkin juice. She didn't realize how hungry she was until she took that first bite, but it was only understandable as she did skip supper. Upon taking a bite of a rather delectable chocolate cake, Haley paused. "…Perfect…"
An idea struck her. She asked Dobby if he could return her cloak to her room which he eagerly agreed to as well. She stayed with the elves for an extra hour or so. When finished with her "project," she thanked all the house-elves for their help and finally left the kitchens with a small box in her hands.
"I hear he had to leave so soon afterwards because the sleeping potion he put on a Death Eater was about to ease up."
"No way!"
"Think about it! He is Harry Potter! Who better to deal with them than him?"
Haley listened to the hallway rumor as two Hufflepuffs wandered by. She shook her head in disbelief, wondering how these crazy tales began anyway. If they only knew how unglamorous her life truly was.
She made her way through the school, heading to the dungeons. Upon entering the Slytherin common room, Haley was almost immediately led right back out with Blaise on one arm and Ethan on the other.
"Are you mad?" Blaise looked at her as if she were crazy.
"What? What's going on?" Haley was confused.
The blonde boy looked around to make sure no one was listening. "I don't think this is the best place for you right now, considering the outcome of today's match, which, by the way, I thought you were excellent in."
Ethan merely nodded in agreement.
"But why? It's not like they know it's me…"
"Which makes it easier for them to talk about you. Say things about you. Nasty things. But don't take offense, love. They're just bitter that they lost. They'll be well over it by tomorrow morning." Blaise finished with a shrug.
"Okay… I guess." She looked from Blaise to Ethan and Ethan to Blaise again. "Wait. You two are friends again?"
Blaise scoffed. "As if we never were! Ethan's an idiot, of course, but that's never stopped our friendship before."
"Hey!" Ethan frowned.
"It's true!"
"Anyway, we talked it all out during our detention. Which would have been a lot more fun if that badger wasn't there."
"Badger?"
"Some boy named Valex." Blaise looked bored.
"Leir? He was in detention again?"
"You mean he was there before?" Ethan cocked an eyebrow.
Haley nodded. "He was with me during my detention with Professor Sprout."
The brunette frowned. "Did he do anything to you?"
"Of course not. Leir's not like that."
"Well, I don't know." Blaise jumped in. "He was in detention for breaking into a sealed corridor. He was lucky though. He was only given detention for the night, claiming that since he's new he didn't know. Load of bull, if you ask me."
"I'm sure it was just a mistake." Haley waved it off.
"I'm telling you, he's a tricky one." Ethan said, his voice low and warning. "I knew it the moment he had his grubby hands all over you."
The girl frowned. "I told you before, that was nothing. I tripped, he caught me. That's all. And before you go accusing him of anything, tell me, Ethan. What exactly did you do to Draco?"
Ethan pursed his lips. "We're past that."
"Of course you are." Haley rolled her eyes. "You know what? Thank you for warning me about what's going on in there." She motioned towards the common room. "You're right. I'm really not in the mood to listen to nasty little lies. I'll see you two in the morning."
"Wait, Harry-" Blaise tried.
"Good night, Blaise. Ethan." And with that, she walked off.
Blaise looked to Ethan. "You really are and idiot, aren't you?"
Ethan frowned. "Piss off."
Haley didn't really know where she was going. She looked at the parcel in her hands. 'Well… there goes that idea…but I shouldn't let it go to waste… I worked hard on it…'
"I don't think Potter's even human! He's got to be some sort of machine! Did you see the way he swung back up on his broom the way he did? It's unreal!"
"Perhaps he's half pony! I mean, he does prance around like one!"
The group of Slytherins laughed as they made their way past Haley towards the common room. She merely gaped at their comments. 'What's the deal? I don't prance! Why does everyone keep saying that?'
She decided to take her friends' advice and stayed away from the common room and other similar comments which she was sure were being tossed around in there. With her parcel still in her hands, she tried thinking of a place where she could just sit back and relax and not have to listen to the bitter backlash. And that's when she thought of the Meteorology balcony. She had been there once before with Draco, and hopefully, it was a good spot for her to hide out until things settled down in the common room.
Trying to recall where the room was located, Haley wandered through various halls and staircases until finally she reached the familiar door to the balcony. She reached for the door and stepped through.
"Oh." She froze.
Draco looked over at the girl.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think-"
"It's all right, Jones." Draco said calmly.
"I'll just g-"
"You don't have to. I mean, if you don't mind that I'm here, then I don't mind that you're here."
"Are you sure? I don't want to intrude."
"Of course I'm sure."
Haley walked over to him, although she didn't sit right away. "Here." She handed the small box to him. "I made this for you. I had help of course, but I did most of it."
Draco opened the parcel and immediately laughed. Inside was a small, chocolate cake with the word "LOSER" spelled out in rotating green and silver. "You're too kind, Jones."
"What can I say? I'm a giver." She smiled. "I wasn't actually sure if I'd be giving it to you tonight."
"Why? You thought we might win, therefore making your little comment irrelevant?"
"What? Of course not. I just thought I might not see you is all."
The boy scoffed. "You're so cruel to me." Draco feigned distress. "Here I am, somber from having lost a match, and there you are taunting me."
Haley rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless. "All right, all right. I apologize."
"Much better." The boy dipped his finger into the frosting and tasted it. "Hm. Not bad."
"Were you expecting any less?"
"Coming from you? Y-"
"Just shut up and enjoy the cake." Haley blew a raspberry at the boy, before finally sitting down. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around Draco's torso and gave him a hug, burying her face in his chest. She heard him give a light laugh before she felt his arms wrap around her as well. Draco rested his head on hers.
"What's this for then?" He asked.
Haley shrugged. "I missed you."
"Hm. Really?"
"Yes," she nodded. "Even though I knew you were right here, it felt as if you were worlds away…"
Draco was quiet for a moment, but Haley still clung to him. "…In that case," he started, tightening his grip around the girl in his arms. "…I missed you too."
Haley simply smiled. Despite the cold, she felt warmer than ever.
"So what brings you out here, anyway?" Draco asked. He loosened his grip on the girl, tore off a piece of the cake and popped it into his mouth.
"A lot happened today. I guess I just didn't want to surround myself in the noise of the common room."
"Ah. They're still upset about the loss?"
Haley shrugged. "I assume so."
"You know, I could've won it today. I was pretty close to winning it."
"So what happened?"
"Potter… he…" Draco just shook his head. "I just don't get him sometimes."
Haley bit her lip. "What's to get?"
"According to the rest of this school, we're supposed to be enemies. And then he pulls a stunt like that…he was going to let me win."
"Would that have been so bad?"
Draco scoffed. "When it comes to him, yes. With him, I have to prove myself. I have to prove my worth. I can't let him hand me a victory. I have to earn it. To let him know I have worth."
Haley released the boy so that she could look him in the eye. "You're hardly worthless, Draco. I don't think anyone, least of all Harry Potter, thinks so."
A small smile graced the Head Boy's lips. "Thank you."
"What's the big deal, anyway? Harry Potter's just another person trying to get through life."
"Harry Potter is the savior of the wizarding world. He's a symbol, an icon even, of bravery and skill. When compared to that, you can't blame me for wanting to prove myself."
This time, Haley was quiet. She was looking down at her lap. "…But at the end of the day, he's just a boy… a boy that's been through the craziest life anyone might think of, but a boy nonetheless. The icon… that's what people made of him, but that's certainly not who he is."
The two sat there for a moment, letting her words sink in. Still, Haley looked at her lap. Suddenly, two strong arms wrapped around her as Draco pulled her into another embrace.
It was Haley's turn to lightly laugh, returning the hug. "What's this for then?"
"…You look like you needed it."
"Well, thank you."
"So tell me," he pulled away again and tore off another piece of cake. "What was it like going back? Did you realize how pathetic your life is without me?"
Haley had to scoff at his arrogance. However, he was pretty close to the bull's-eye. "Actually, I had a blast today. Despite the shortness of my visit, it felt really good to be back. To be honest, I was sort of sad to have to leave it so soon."
At this, Draco's mood visibly darkened but the girl didn't notice. She was staring off into the night sky.
"But I'm happy to be back here for other reasons," she continued. "I know that if I never came here, things would be very different." She looked up at the boy. "If I never came here, I would never have gotten to know you the way I do now. And that's a good thing."
Draco frowned. "So… what happens when you go back?"
Haley also frowned. "…I don't know." She looked back out into the night sky. "It's complicated."
"You know… It doesn't have to be…"
Just then, snow began to fall. It melted against Haley's skin and she shivered from the cold. "Come on." She stood. "We should go in before we freeze to death. And I'm not leaving you this time. Last time, you caught a cold and you're mopey when you're sick and I don't want to have to deal with that again."
"Mopey?" Draco cocked an eyebrow. "Is that even a word?"
"It is now. So come on." She held a hand out to the boy, which he readily accepted.
As Haley was about to walk towards the exit, Draco stopped her. "Why don't we stay in there then? Just for a bit? I'm sure it's warmer in there and it's not as noisy as the common room."
Haley followed his gaze. "The classroom? Won't we get in trouble if someone finds us there?"
"Hello? I am Head Boy. I like to take advantage of my authority."
The girl scoffed. "I don't doubt that for a second."
Draco just rolled his eyes. "Come on, then."
The two walked over to the classroom. Draco pulled out his wand. "Alohomora." The door unlocked and the pair walked into the dark room. And as if he'd done it a thousands times before, Draco aimed his wand at one portion of the wall Haley couldn't quite make out. "Incendio." A flame was immediately set into what Haley could now clearly see was a fireplace, and the room lit up with light and filled up with warmth.
"You've done this before, haven't you?" Haley said, looking around the room.
"Course I have," Draco shrugged, collapsing into a desk by the fire. He placed his cake on the desktop and pulled off another piece. "Sometimes you just need a place to get away."
Haley nodded in agreement while she strolled around the room. "So tell me, Draco." Haley grinned. "How many girls have you brought here to woo?"
"Is that what you think of me? A womanizer?"
"Well you've certainly got Pansy wrapped around your finger."
"Parkinson's obsession with me starts and ends with her. The only reason why she's so attached to me in the first place is because I'm the only one that talks to her. And I only do it out of obligation to my father."
"What does your father have to do with it?" The girl paused at the far end of the room. She turned to look at her friend.
Draco crossed his arms, leaned forward, and rested upon the desktop. "Bloodlines. He thought she would've been a great candidate to continue the Malfoy bloodline."
"He wanted you to marry her?"
"I do believe those were his intentions, yes. But… that's in the past…"
Haley walked over to the boy and sat down at a desk across from him. She knew that Lord Voldemort had turned on the elder Malfoy. She wanted to know more, but she wasn't sure if Draco would be open about it. "How did…" She tested.
"How did he die?" He finished for her. "Voldemort killed him. He took my father's wand and used it against him. He considered him 'expendable.'" Draco sneered. "Voldemort wanted to recruit me to his forces, but my father wouldn't have it. But no one says 'no' to the Dark Lord. He died wanting to keep me out of harm's way. Despite how cold he could be or how cruel and demanding, I do know for a fact that my father loved me. Anyone that finds him 'expendable' is worth getting rid of in my book."
Sympathy overflowed Haley's heart. She had met the elder Malfoy in a number of occasions and always thought him to be callous. But in hearing Draco speak of him, it made Lucius Malfoy seem more human. She looked down at her hands atop the desk. "I'm sorry."
Draco shrugged. "Like I said, it's in the past. And I've still got my mother so it's not like things are so terrible."
"How is she?"
"Compared to before? She's better. Of course she was upset when my father passed, but at the time she was more concerned about keeping me away from the Dark Lord. Ever since then, she's been working with the Ministry identifying and destroying various Dark Artifacts. I guess it's her way of redeeming my father's death. That's why I'll be staying here for the holidays. My mother was sent to Egypt and won't be back until the New Year." Draco popped another piece of cake into his mouth. "Enough about me. What's your family like?"
Haley frowned. "They're awful..." she started without really thinking. Once she caught herself, she decided it wouldn't hurt to carry on. "My parents died when I was young so I grew up with my Aunt and Uncle and their excuse for a son. They're not very keen on me. They think my cousin is a perfect angel while I'm just a hindrance towards their overall happiness. That's why I'm more than happy to get away from them."
Draco lightly laughed. "You know, I've always pictured a cozy little life for you. A family who adores you and cherished the ground you walked on and so on and so forth."
The girl scoffed. "That will never happen. They might've lightened up some, but after this year, I'm more than willing to move on. I think they share the same mindset."
Draco sat up. "It's just really odd. I never would've pegged you as someone with a crummy home life. You seem too… I don't know, perky."
Haley laughed. "That's only because I'm genuinely happy to be here. You have no idea how happy I was to leave them my first year. I was actually disappointed to have to go back during the summer. But that'll all be over when the year is through."
"Do you have any idea of what you'll be doing after school?"
Haley shrugged. "I don't really know. But I'm definitely interested in becoming an Auror."
"Ha! I knew it! You're predictable, Jones."
"And what, pray tell, are you going to do when you're out?"
"I don't really know either. I suppose I'll just live off my inheritance and do nothing all day. Would you visit me?"
"Of course not! By then, you'll probably have weird smell about you and of course your looks will have gone down hill as well. Your wit might not be as sharp either and to be honest, that's the only reason why I'm your friend now."
Draco laughed. "My sharp wit is the only reason why you're my friend?"
"Mm-hmm," she nodded. "Take that out and you're left with an arrogant, smarty-pants with a bad temper."
"Thanks for letting me know how you truly feel about me, Jones."
"Now, now. Don't feel so bad. Luckily for you, you do have your wit. And therefore, I am your friend."
The Head Boy simply rolled his eyes and smiled. "You really are cruel to me."
The girl smiled in return. "I only do it out of love."
"Ah! So you admit you love me?"
"Are you not listening, dear Draco? Your wit. I love your wit. That's all. The rest is practically repulsive."
"Well you know what they say. 'Misery loves company.'"
"Are you calling me repulsive?"
"If the shoe fits."
"If you find me repulsive, why are we still here in what is probably your love shack?"
Again, Draco laughed, looking up at the ceiling. "Again with the womanizing…"
"You never did answer my question. How many women have you brought here?" Haley asked, a sly smirk on her face.
The boy looked at her and cocked his head. "Just one." He nodded at her.
"No. Way."
Draco stood and walked over to where Haley was seated. He leaned against the desk and looked her square in the eye. "I don't like to share. If every girl I've ever 'wooed' knew about this place, what good is it to me then?"
Haley paused. "So then why would you bring me here?"
Draco tapped his lips. "…I have my reasons." He walked back over to the other desk and ate another piece of cake. "Curfew's approaching. We should go soon."
Haley merely nodded. "All right."
With a flick of his wand, Draco put out the fire and the two friends left the room. He locked the door behind them and they strolled back towards the common room. And every so often, Draco would eat another piece of cake.
"So then," Haley asked curiously. "How many girls have you 'wooed?'"
"I'm not one to kiss and tell."
"None then?" Haley smirked.
"I'll have you know, I've had a number of suitors in the past. But all of them were found to be unsatisfactory."
"So what does Draco Malfoy look for in a significant other?"
Draco thought about it. "Well, they'd have to challenge me. I get bored easily if they're always agreeing with me. I'd like someone outspoken and intelligent. Preferably athletic, so they can keep up with me, especially in bed." At this, Haley laughed. "They've also got to be sincere."
"How so?"
"As you know, I am incredibly wealthy, so they'd have to like me for me and not for my wealth. And as you also know, I am incredibly dashing," Haley laughed at this as well, "so they've got to like me for my than just my immaculate good looks."
"You know, that's funny. I thought you'd actually fancy a girl who'd cling to your every word."
"Like I said, I get bored with those types. Sometimes I enjoy an argument just for argument's sake. But that's not to say I don't like the submissive type." Draco smirked. "On the contrary, I rather enjoy the submissive, just in a different area."
Haley mocked gagging. "Too much information, Draco."
"What? You asked. But actually, now that I think about it, I think it'd be interesting to have someone dominant in bed. I like people to take control sometimes."
"Too much!"
"Perhaps I'm looking for someone with a little bit of both. I think that would be ideal."
"Enough!"
Draco just laughed.
"Where have you two been?"
The two friends looked up to see Pansy standing in their way of the common room.
"It's none of your business, Parkinson." Draco waved the girl off.
"You're always with her Draco!" Pansy wailed, grabbing Draco's wrist as he tried to walk past. "There's nothing special about her! Why are you always with her?!"
The boy snatched his wrist back from the upset girl. "She's my friend. I like her."
"Oh you like her do you? What are you expecting will come of it?! You know you can't possibly like her! I know you can't!"
"Pansy-" Haley started.
"Shut up, you!" She barked at the other girl. She turned back to Draco. "Stop playing with her, Draco! Everyone knows who you truly like! So just stop playing with her and leave her behind!"
Draco was quiet, but Haley stepped forward. "If Draco wants to spend time with me, then so be it! It's none of your business!"
"You know nothing, Jones. I see the way you look at him. You can't have him! You can never have him."
"I never claimed to want him! We're just friends!"
"And that's all you'll ever be! Or else!" Pansy withdrew her wand.
"Pansy-" Draco finally stepped forward.
"Oh I dare you to take a shot at me, Parkinson. You have no idea who you're messing with." Haley snarled.
"Haley, stop!" Draco demanded, as Haley whipped out her wand.
"Bring it on, Jones! I'm not afraid of you! Stupefy!"
"Protego!"
The spell Pansy cast backfired and hit her dead on. The brunette flew backwards against the entrance of the common room.
"Haley, that's enough!" Draco growled.
"She started it! You saw her!"
This didn't seem to deter the boy as he helped a rather stunned Pansy to her feet. "Just leave."
"Draco?! You're taking her side? She started it!"
"Just go, Jones! Be done with it!"
Haley gaped at the boy, hurt and betrayal in her eyes. Without another word, she pushed past the two Slytherins and hurried into the common room where she almost toppled over Ethan.
"Oh! Sorry, Ethan."
"That's all right." He steadied himself. "What was all that noise out there?"
Haley let out a frustrated sigh and walked over to one of the opens seats and collapsed into it. "Pansy just tried to attack me! I defend myself and he takes her side! What's wrong with this house?"
Ethan took the seat adjacent to her. "Calm down. Please."
Haley stewed in her anger, but said no more.
"I assume you're talking about Draco?" Haley's expression darkened, which Ethan took as a yes. "Can you really blame him though?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Haley snapped.
"What I mean," Ethan continued calmly, urging the girl to do the same, "is that that Draco and Pansy have been friends for a long time. You can't really expect him to take your side when them two have a long-lasting, deeper connection."
"But he doesn't even like her."
"He said that?"
"Well… not to that extent… but it's not like they're the best of friends."
"But he doesn't exactly despise her, does he?"
Haley just looked sullen.
"Put it this way," Ethan tried again. "If I attacked Ginny Weasley, a girl you're not exactly best of friends with, wouldn't you come to her aid despite our budding friendship?"
Haley let this sit with her. Ethan had a point. "But… after tonight, I just thought…"
The boy frowned. "Why? What happened tonight?"
Haley sat up. "Look. Nothing happened. We just talked."
"So you were with him this whole time? Not just right now?"
"Don't you start. Please."
"Oh come on!" Ethan exhaled in frustration. "What is it about him?!"
"You're starting to sound just like Pansy!"
"Then so be it! You know you're only going to get hurt if you keep this up."
Haley rolled her eyes. "Oh what do you know?"
"I know who you really are." Ethan said through gritted teeth. "What do you think will happen if he figures it out?"
The girl lowered her voice in warning. "Leave it."
"Everyone could feel the tension when you two walked out on the pitch," the hazel-eyed boy carried on, ignoring her wishes. "If he finds out that you've been lying to him this whole time, what do you think is going to happen?"
Haley clenched her teeth, feeling a rush of angry tears fill her eyes but she refused to let any of them go.
And still, Ethan carried on. "You're my friend. I want what's best for you." He moved forward in his seat, lowering his voice. "But come on, Harry! This thing with Draco? What do you think you're doing?"
"You don't think I've thought about it? I spent nearly the entire afternoon thinking about it! It's the same thing over and over again! It's ridiculous!" Haley buried her face in her hands. "I just want to be done with this."
"Haley," Draco called from the other side of the room. He and Pansy had finally entered the common room. He hurried over to the raven-haired girl, box still in his hand, as Pansy just headed up to her room. "Haley, can we talk?" He sneered at Ethan before turning his attention back to the girl.
Haley composed herself and looked up. "There's nothing to say, Malfoy." Her voice held nothing but contempt for the boy.
"Haley-"
She abruptly stood. "Just leave me be. Both of you." She gave each boy a look of malice before she spun around and hurried into her room.
"What did you do?" Draco accused Ethan.
"What did you do? She came in upset, or did you forget?"
Draco shook his head, scorning the other boy. "Just stay away from her."
"Me? You're the one monopolizing all of her time."
"It's just as well so that she stays away from you. Who knows what you'd do with her, considering-"
"That was a mistake, Malfoy. Get over it."
"Like Hell I will. What kind of idiot makes a 'mistake' like that?" Draco snarled.
Ethan snapped. He leapt up and tackled Draco to the ground, effectively squishing the cake. "You don't deserve her! She's too good for you!"
Draco kicked Ethan off. "And you do?!" He looked at the box, and looked back at Ethan with the anger of a madman. "And you ruined my cake!!" He swung at the boy, making contact with his nose.
Ethan held his nose in pain. Quickly, he knocked the box out of Draco's hands and hit the other boy in the shoulder, where he knew the Bludger had hit him earlier.
"You dirty bastard!" Draco yelled in pain before striking Ethan again with his good arm. Draco charged forward, tackling Ethan to the ground. Just as he was about to punch the git in the face, his entire body froze and he fell over.
"WHAT is going on here?!" Snape snarled, his wand in hand.
Ethan stood, wiping blood away from his nose where Draco had struck him. "Nothing sir. Everything is fine, sir."
"Like Hell it is," Snape sneered. He released Draco from the spell cast on him. "Draco, explain."
Draco dusted himself off and clutched his shoulder. "It was nothing, sir."
Snape looked annoyed. "Since neither one of you are willing to speak up, then neither one of you will be staying here for the holidays. I'll make sure of it."
"But Professor-" Draco stepped forward.
"But nothing! You both need time to cool off. You're lucky I don't send you both to detention for the rest of the term. Now get out of my sight."
Ethan obediently and silently walked off.
Draco, on the other hand, walked over to his crushed cake. He was upset. "He made it for me…" he murmured. The look on his face was one of regret and sorrow. Finally, he took its remains and locked himself in his room.
Professor Snape looked around the common room to see everyone staring at him. "Don't you all have homework to do? If not, I can easily have it arranged." He dared. Everyone quickly looked away and made themselves to look busy. The Potions Master massaged his temples as he made his way back into his room.
He scoffed. "Teenagers…"
---
Haley backed away from her door. 'They were fighting…'
She heard the commotion soon after she shut her door. But too upset to really care, she just listened to the fight.
"They're both idiots…" She collapsed onto her bed and sighed. 'Stupid Pansy for trying to attack me… Stupid Draco for taking her side… Stupid Ethan for… for reminding me how stupid I'm being… ugh.'
Haley turned on her side, hugging her pillow. 'We had a connection today…' she thought. 'As Harry, Draco and I had a civil conversation… that's more than we've ever had before. Maybe after all of this, Draco and I could be friends… but he took Pansy's side! Clearly, she was out of line and still he defended her!' The girl couldn't stop the jealousy that coursed through her veins. 'But Ethan is right. They have been friends much longer than he and I have been. But… that doesn't make it hurt any less…'
Haley refused to let the tears of anger fall from her eyes. 'Ethan's right about a lot of things… If Draco does find out, he'll realize that I have been lying to him this whole time… He'll never trust me… And he said himself that he and I are supposed to be enemies… so nothing can ever come of this friendship we have now, especially if I know I'm changing back. So what am I trying to do here? Why do I keep getting closer to him?'
The answer was staring straight at her. 'But I can't. I can't possibly…But… I do.'
Haley closed her eyes and finally let the tears fall. She hugged her pillow tightly, burying her face in the fluffy object. 'I think… that I could quite possibly… and most genuinely… be falling in love with Draco.'
The thought nipped at her heart.
'No one makes me feel the way he does… I'm happy to just be near him… and today as Harry, I saw how cold he can be and it made me miss him. We hadn't even been apart for more than an hour and I missed him. Hell, I was going to give up the match just so I could see him happy! Of all things! But…He may be arrogant and pretentious, but he's also kind and funny… But I can't be in love with Draco Malfoy! Despite our one civil conversation, he practically despises me. Just yesterday, he was upset in knowing that I'd be returning, even for a moment. And what was with Pansy? 'He can't possibly love me as Haley?' Why not? Maybe there's someone else…But I never hear him talk about anyone… And he did say that everyone he's been with was simply unsatisfactory… But maybe there really is someone else he's got his heart set on. Maybe that's why he didn't say anything when Pansy said that she knew who he truly likes!'
More jealousy swept over the girl. 'If that's the case, then so be it! Draco can love whomever he wants! As for me…' Haley closed her eyes. 'I'll just go on loving him… He never knew. Blimey, I hardly knew… But he never has to know.'
Haley sighed and let her exhaustion consume her. 'Draco will never know that I love him. Because, frankly, what good can ever come of Harry Potter loving Draco Malfoy…?'
And with that, Haley fell into a dreamless slumber.
Author's Note/Disclaimer: I own naught Harry Potter and other related objects other than Ethan, Leir, and… well… this story. Muahahaha…
This chapter was hard to write, mostly because I had to get the wording right. I had to keep in mind who knows what and what who knows naught. Confusing, eh? Yes. But please review nonetheless. Oh. And the cake. Draco loves the cake because he knows that Harry made it just for him. Stupid Ethan. He crushed the cake!! I am ashamed of having created him. Haha. Not really.
Oh and keep in this in mind. Haley does change back. I wouldn't go through the trouble of finding an antidote if they weren't going to use it. And plus, the Harry Potter genre can't possibly be Harry Potter without Harry Potter! So for those people hoping that Harry stays Haley, sorry. That's not going to happen. I hope this doesn't mean you hate the story now. I just thought I'd clarify that since some people made it clear that this is what they were hoping.