Fifth Year

With her head buried in her Potions book, she did not have time for distractions. When a shadow fell across the open pages of her book, she was not welcoming.

"Leave." she murmured, not bothering to spare him a glance.

"Emmy—"

"Honestly, Draco. I don't have time for whatever lies you want to tell me today."

"Emmeline, I just wanted to talk—"

"Draco." she glanced up to meet his eyes. "No." she shook her head, "I don't have time to waste today. I need to finish this essay before the library closes. It's getting close to curfew and I don't want to be—"

"You won't—"

"Draco," she sighed again, "Seriously. You need to understand that the world can't revolve around you and that not everyone has a rich father to get them out of everything."

"Emmeline, shut up for a moment." Draco snapped, incensed at her insinuation. "If you had stopped yapping for just a moment and given me the time of day, perhaps you would've noticed what I've been trying to show you."

Her eyes glanced down to see the shiny emblem on his robe. "You're a prefect." she muttered.

"Yes." he smirked proudly.

Unimpressed, she returned her gaze to her book, "How much did your father have to pay for you to get that?"

He said nothing but she knew he was glaring at her.

"Thought you would be happy for me."

She sighed and gave up on researching. "I'm happy for you, Draco. But I'm sure you'll let the power go to your already inflated head—"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he hissed, slamming himself down into the chair across from her. "What's your problem? You've been avoiding me since the year started. And you never responded to any of my letters over the summer!"

"You're starting to sound a bit needy, Draco." she hissed back.

"What's going on with you, Emmeline? Why didn't you write me back?" The blonde had the audacity to look a bit hurt.

Emmeline sighed and dropped her gaze to her hands. "I met a boy over the summer. I was busy."

Draco didn't answer her, causing her to chance a glanc; she found his unwavering gaze on her. "What?"

"You didn't write because you met a boy?" he scoffed. "Good to know you can forget me that quickly, Emmy." he bit out sarcastically with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh, come off it, Draco. You don't get to act hurt. Ever since you started spending time with Pansy, you forget about me too." she rolled her eyes.

"Pansy doesn't mean anything." he said in a strained whisper as he tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "I still wrote you. But you couldn't find the time to—"

"He was a muggle."

"Who was?" he asked in confusion.

"The boy I was seeing."

Emmy watched as his face contorted with disgust.

"The look on your face is why I didn't tell you." she spat as she stood up from the table. "I knew you'd say something horrible about him without ever meeting him. And I knew that whatever the hell you'd say would be enough for me to end things with him. And I hatethat. I hate how much control I give you. I can't let you have it anymore." With that she stormed away from him.

"She's a dictator, Draco!"

"She's the best thing that ever happened to this school and if you aren't careful, you're going to get reported to her for the things you've been saying!"

"You'd be the one to report me too, wouldn't you?" she snapped. "You'd love for the chance to get more power. You couldn't wait to hand me over to Umbridge and get a pat on the head for being a good little soldier."

"Shut up, Emmeline! Just because you're stupid enough to waste your time on the wrong side fighting for mudbloods and snogging muggles—"

"You never met him! You can't stand there, Malfoy, and act as if you're better than him!"

"Of course I can!" he shouted. "I'm not acting as if I'm better. I know I am!"

"Why? What makes you so great? The badge on your chest? Your last name? The money your father has in Gringotts?"

"The blood running through my veins! The fact that I can do magic. I can make people do whatever the bloody hell I want them to do!"

She looked up at him with wide eyes as she shook her head. "You are incapable of caring about anyone else, aren't you?"

"I—"

"You don't have a heart. You don't care about anyone else. You never will." she shook her head as she turned to walk away from him.

"That's not true, Emmeline. And you have to stop."

"Stop what?" she asked with rigid posture, her back to him.

"I know what you're doing. She knows. You have to stop. You're going to get caught—"

Emmeline turned to face him. "This is where you and I differ, Draco."

"What do you mean?" he asked with a shake of his head.

"You would put yourself ahead of everyone else. You put yourself ahead of a cause. But I can't. I believe in what I'm fighting for. That's not going to change."

"I told you to stop going to the meetings." he hissed in her ear as he pulled her along.

"Draco, stop." she whispered, trying to pull her hand out of his grasp.

"No. I don't think anyone saw you there. And none of your friends are going to give you up. You won't get in trouble—"

"I'm not going to run away!" she hissed as she made him stop. "I told you before, Draco! I'm not going to hide and pretend I don't stand for a cause."

"I'm trying to—" he stopped and sighed.

"What, Draco? What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to protect you from getting in trouble, Emmeline. If you're caught, you'll—"

"I'll get punished, but at least I'll have stood up from what I believe in. Umbridge needs to know that she doesn't have all the power at Hogwarts."

They were on the train ride home from yet another year. Except this time it was different. The air was heavy with the truth.

Voldemort had returned; no one knew what that meant for the wizarding world. There was a horrible terror in the air that no one wanted to acknowledge.

But in one particular compartment of the train there was silence. She could feel his gaze on her.

"Stop staring," she murmured without glancing over at him. "It's healed by now. I'm fine."

"If you had just listened to me you wouldn't have had words craved onto the back of your hand."

She merely shrugged. "I wasn't going to run away from punishment when everyone else was caught."

"You're foolish." he muttered.

Emmeline shrugged. "You just don't understand what it means to stand with your friends."

He ignored her comment and decided to pick at another scar in their friendship. "So are you going to see that muggle again this summer?"

"Are you going to see Pansy?" she quipped back.

"Probably." he smirked at her. "She can't seem to get enough of me."

Emmeline rolled her eyes. "That's because she likes your Gringotts vault and your last name, Draco."

"Don't forget my dashing looks too, Emmeline." he smirked.

"Ah, yes of course. How could I ever have forgotten?" she said sarcastically.

"I know, honestly, Emmeline. How could you have? My looks are what you fantasize about."

"That and your charming personality, Malfoy. His name is Ben, by the way."

"Ben." Draco sneered. "Sounds very Muggle." he said with disgust.

Emmy rolled her eyes, "I won't be seeing him this summer though. I'll be spending my time with Ron, Hermione and Harry."

"I think I'd rather you spend your time with Ben than Scarhead." Draco bit out, anger pooling in his veins.

"Good thing it isn't up to you." she replied archly.

"You talk about standing with your friends, but what about now? My father is in Azkaban because of him!" Draco hissed.

"No, Draco. Your father is in Azkaban because he is a Death Eater. He picked Voldemort. He deserves to be in jail."

"You don't understand, Emmeline."

"You're right. I don't. I never will. I especially don't understand why you want to be just like your father. Do you want to rot away in prison too?"

"You don't know what you're talking about, Emmeline!"

"Maybe, but at least I know that I'm on the right side."