Chapter Five

In the weeks following the dinner with Slughorn Alaya and Blaise acted differently around each other. Alaya had been spending more time with Natalia and began studying for her Ancient Rune class with Hermione Granger while Blaise stayed around Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.

The two of them spent time together but it was minimal, when asked why their excuse was too much homework. With what time they did spend together they weren't as lovey dovey towards each other as they had been before. When they walked together Blaise no longer put his arm around her waist but held her hand, there weren't as many prolonged goodbyes and there was hardly anymore kissing. It seemed as if it was awkward to be around each other anymore.

During this tense time the first trip to Hogsmeade arrived. Blaise decided to stay at the castle and work on homework while Alaya went with Natalia, Hermione, and Ginny. It was odd not seeing the two together joking and laughing as they always had.

"So Alaya how are things between you and Blaise." Natalia asked once the four of them were seated in a carriage. "I don't know, it's been weird lately. I beginning to think this whole relationship thing wasn't meant for us." Alaya sighed looking out the window. "Oh." Was all Natalia said and left it at that. During the ride the other three girls chatted about random things as Alaya stared out the window thinking. If it hadn't been for the abrupt stop of the carriage she would've probably sat there all day.

Once in the village Alaya tried walking around with the girls but it annoyed her so much to be around people who were so happy and peppy so she dismissed herself to go walk around by herself. After a few minutes of that she made her way into the Three Broomsticks and ordered a Butterbeer and took a booth in the back corner with her back to the door sipping her Butterbeer lost in her thoughts.

"Hiding from someone?" a voice drawled from behind her making her jump, when she looked to see who it was she saw Malfoy smirking at her. "Merlin you almost gave me a bloody heart attack Malfoy." She muttered turning her attention back to her Butterbeer. "What's got your knickers in such a twist." He said taking the seat across from her. "None of your bloody business." She spat sipping her Butterbeer. When Alaya was in a mood she could be the biggest bitch on the planet, Malfoy was beginning to realize this but didn't let it bother him.

He sat staring at her for a few minutes before she looked up shooting him a glare making him snicker. "What's so bloody funny Malfoy." She mumbled still glaring. "You are." He replied coolly. "And why and I so bloody funny to you." She said getting agitated for a reason she hadn't figured out yet. "Because you look so damn cute when you're angry." He shot back teasing her. Even though he really thought that he would never let her know that he meant it. "Oh yeah well if that's the bloody case….ARGH!" she grunted banging her head on the table. "PMS much." He mumbled making her glare at him again and he snickered.

For whatever reason Alaya was in a mood, not wanting to admit it to herself it was because of Blaise. She wanted to know why he was avoiding her so much. She wanted to know what she had done that was so wrong. It was driving her mad. Back at the castle though Blaise was in no better mood. Anyone who spoke to him he yelled at them to leave him alone and stormed off in the opposite direction that they were going. Trying to sort out his feelings for Alaya was maddening enough for him but trying to find a way to tell her without hurting her was even worse.

Back at the Three Broomsticks Malfoy continued to sit in silence with Alaya as she sipped her Butterbeer staring a hole through the table. Malfoy sniggered a bit seeing the raving made expression on Alaya's face. She looked up briefly to glare at him before returning her eyes to the table. The longer he sat with her the less angry she became and Malfoy noticed this with the features on her face softening. He had been sitting in silence with her for about an hour before she looked up from the table to speak to him.

"Malfoy why is Blaise avoiding me?" she asked with pleading eyes. "Dunno, have you tried asking him." He said raising his eyebrows. "No, I just want to know what I did to have him avoid me." She sighed. Malfoy looked at her and saw the hurt in her eyes. He believed the relationship meant a lot to Alaya, whether she loved him or not he couldn't tell he just didn't like seeing her hurt.

Although he didn't like seeing her hurt Malfoy was wondering why he even cared. He was a Malfoy and Malfoy's only cared about themselves though with what little time he spent with her he found himself not wanting to be a Malfoy anymore. He wanted to care about something and he was beginning to care about her, and it scared him senseless. He was hoping once Christmas break came and he had time away from her he would lose these feelings and would be able to concentrate on his important task that he had been given.

After finishing her Butterbeer Alaya and Malfoy left the Three Broomsticks and headed towards the carriages seeing they would be leaving for the castle soon. The whole way back the two of them were silent.

Things were beginning to change quickly between Alaya and Blaise and also between Alaya and Malfoy. As more time went by Alaya and Blaise spent less time together and Malfoy began disappearing so Alaya never saw him either. With all this Alaya begin to slip into a depression to where she barely spoke to anyone, not ever her brother Shane. She isolated herself. Although the changes with these three weren't the only ones. You could see it with all the students, something was brewing outside of Hogwarts but no one yet knew what was to happen.

Finally the night of the Halloween feast came and Alaya was beginning to become more social again with her friends even if she and Blaise were barely talking anymore and she never saw Malfoy except for in class and then he had gone back to making snide remarks to whatever she said. It seemed as if things were going back to the way they had always been before Alaya and Blaise began dating and no one seemed to notice. It was the night of the Halloween feast though that Blaise finally pulled her aside to talk to her alone. He pulled her out into the courtyard where they could have some privacy.

"What do you need to talk to me about?" Alaya asked looking up at him. Blaise trying to think of how to say what he needed to without hurting her sighed.

Malfoy had told him about the day in the Three Broomsticks with her and how he saw the hurt in her eyes when she talked about him. He wanted this to be easy but knew it wouldn't be in the slightest.

"Alaya I really don't know how to say this." He sighed looking down at her confused expression. "Say what." She replied crossing her arms. "Ever since that night we kissed before dinner with Slughorn everything has been so confusing. I felt bad about it, like I had taken advantage of you or something. I can't be with you like this anymore; you're too much like a sister to me." He blurted out looking away from her. "Well Zabini you could've told me a lot sooner." She snapped using his last name which shocked him; she hadn't called him by his last name in years.

"Alaya I'm sorry okay, I didn't want to hurt you." He pleaded looking at her. "Well to late for that, you already have!" she yelled tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Alaya I want us to be friends, I do, we just weren't meant to be in a relationship." He whispered. "Well you waiting so damned long to tell me has hurt our friendship. I don't know if things will ever be the same between us. For now just sod off and leave me the bloody hell alone!" she yelled storming off tears streaming down her face.

She forgot about eating as she wandered aimlessly around the castle paying no attention to where she was going. All she knew was that she hurt. She had no idea why she hurt so bad, she wasn't in love with Blaise. She just felt betrayed by him, and that feeling was worse than him saying he didn't want a relationship with her anymore. Even she was confused about the way she felt about him. She had thought if they didn't belong together and they broke up it wouldn't be a big deal, she never imagined it would hurt this much.

With all her wandering and thinking Alaya was shook from her thoughts when she bumped into something making her fall on her butt. When she looked to see what she walked into she saw none other than Malfoy looking down at her.

"Alaya what's wrong?" he asked seeing her tear stained cheeks. "Nothing." She mumbled getting up and brushing past him down the corridor that she was in. Ignoring his better judgment to just leave her alone he followed her. Once he caught up with her he stepped in front of her cutting her off. She tried to make her way around him but he wouldn't let her.

"Move out of my bloody fucking way Malfoy!" she yelled pushing him. "Not until you tell me why you're upset Alaya, you're brother would kill me if he knew I let you wander the castle an emotional mess." Draco smirked looking down at her only to receive a glare in return. "Malfoy I said get out of my BLOODY FUCKING WAY! NOW!" she screamed shoving him harder. He stumbled back a little and Alaya tried to make her way around him but he caught her by the waist pulling her towards him. She tried hard to wriggle her way out of his grasp but she didn't succeed, he was too strong for her. Becoming more frustrated and with the fact that she was already upset she gave up and began crying into Malfoy's chest. Shocked at her reaction all he could do was wrap his arms around her waist.

As she was crying he led her over to the wall where he slid into a sitting position pulling her into his lap allowing her to cry in his shoulder. He just held her not saying a word. He knew what had happened without having to ask her a second time, Blaise had broken up with her and she was upset.

The day before Malfoy had told Blaise he needed to make his mind up about Alaya before he hurt her. He agreed to tell her soon, he just didn't think it would be before the Halloween feast.

It bothered Malfoy to see her crying even if they hadn't spoken in a couple weeks. What bothered him more though was that he cared. He wondered what it was about her that made him act differently around her. Around everyone else he was the same prat he had always been. With her though he couldn't bring himself to be mean to her anymore though and he didn't know why.

Once Alaya stopped crying she looked up at Malfoy who gazed back down at her. "He broke up with you didn't he?" Malfoy asked. She nodded slightly sniffing and rested her head back on Malfoy's chest. "Well you can always find someone else, he isn't the only boy in the school." He murmured trying to comfort her. "I know. I'm not upset that he broke up with me but at the same time I am. It just hurts being broken up with, no matter if he is one of my best friends." She said sighing. The two of them continued to sit like this till it was almost time for curfew. He then walked her back to her common room and said good night before heading back to his own.

When he walked back in his common room it was deserted all except for Blaise of whom was sitting in and arm chair by the fire place deep in thought. He sighed before walking over and taking the other arm chair next to him.

"I did it and now she hates me." He said as soon as Malfoy had sat down. "I don't think she hates you Blaise." Malfoy stated coolly. "You didn't see her face when I told her. I know she hates me." Blaise said leaning back into the chair. "Actually she bumped into me as she wandered aimlessly around the castle. She told me what happened. She's not upset that you broke up with her but she is at the same time. She just didn't know it would hurt if the two of you broke up." Malfoy said leaning back into his chair as well. "Well hopefully if I give her some time she'll be okay and we can go back to being friends. For now I'm just going to have to deal with the fact I hurt her." He sighed getting up from the chair and making his way to the dormitory.

I know this chapter was a bit rushed but I need it before I got too far into the story with Alaya and Blaise still dating considering this is supposed to be a Draco fic. I know I've made Draco all sweet and caring around Blaise and Alaya but that's just an insight to how I think he'd be when he's not around other people(notice how when he's nice to Alaya they are always alone.) I apologize about the hurriedness of the chapter, although I hope you like and think that it flows with the story. Just keep reviewing and reading the chapters as I post them. I promise there will be more Alaya/Draco moments to come.