Diva time!

Chapter Quote:
"I think we've been a bad influence on her."
~Ron Weasley

Chapter 17

Draco

He'd been worrying.

A lot.

Mostly about Ziva and why Dumbledore and McGonagall had wanted to speak to her. Had the two professors possibly figured out his friendship with Ziva? They'd been able to keep it a secret for a year from the entire school. Surely they hadn't so much as slipped up now. The secret had been harder to keep, what with school becoming loading the students with homework and with the increasingly dangerous situation the entire wizarding world was entering. A world Draco was all too familiar with. Now another situation presented itself to him. A secret more like it. A secret he would have to keep from Ziva, or he would surely lose her. He knew she cared for him, but not enough to stay with him knowing what he had to do. Thing is, if it wasn't for her and his family, he wouldn't even be doing this.

"Hey," Ziva greeted quietly, plopping down next to him. "What's on your mind?"

"Why do think something's on my mind?" he countered.

"Because you didn't even look up when I came up. Everything okay?"

"Just thinking what a hell hole the wizarding world is getting itself into," he said, taking an apple out from his bag. He took out another one, offering it Ziva; she took it with a grateful smile.

"We're all screwed," she commented. Draco snorted at her bluntness, even though it was completely true. Of course, she had no idea how true. "May I ask you something?"

"Yes, although you'd ask me with or without my permission," he remarked.

"You know me too well," she laughed, crunching into her apple. "About this summer… I've been curious. I know we're friends and all, and don't get me wrong when I ask this because I really do enjoy hanging out with you, but you seemed to want to hang more than usual if that makes sense… why?"

Draco shrugged as he searched for the right words. He couldn't tell her he had started to like her, that'd turn her off completely, and she'd probably stop talking to him. He would not be taking that risk thank you very much. He also couldn't tell her what Voldemort had told him. That would frighten her off, no matter how strong she was. So he came up with a vague but truthful answer. "You were right about this world being screwed. I just don't know how long either of us is going to be here. There is a darkness coming, Ziva, and if I'm to survive and live through it, I'm going to want cheerful memories to chase away all the darkness once in a while. And honestly, the only truly cheerful ones are the ones I have with you."

Ziva laughed, making him blush. Upon seeing his reaction, she quickly explained, "I'm not laughing at what you said! It's just… having your cheerful memories being of me, I find it ironic because let's be truthful here, I've caused a lot of trouble for you. The bridge, the Death Eaters, sneaking around… catch my drift?"

At that, he did chuckle. "You're worth it."

"I'm honored."

"Read any good books lately?" Draco queried, knowing Ziva would take complete control of the conversation. Her eyes lit up instantly, a smile stretching across her moonlit face.

"Oh my gosh! Yes! Pride and Prejudice is such an amazing book! I can't believe I just now read it!" Ziva exclaimed before going on a long speech about Mr. Darcy's romanticism, Mr. Wickham's gambling issues, Lydia's… questionable behavior, Jane and Mr. Bingley's 'adorable' relationship, Mr. Collins' awkwardness, Mrs. Bennet's spastic nature, and Elizabeth's independence. Draco sat there and listened to her sweet voice. She calmed him. He couldn't explain it considering she could be high-strung at times (like when she talks about books), but she did. Perhaps because Ziva somehow took his thoughts off of his impending doom of a future that would change the tide of the war. Perhaps she made him feel like not such a crappy person than he was. Oh yes, he knew he was a crappy person to people outside his inner circle and to Muggles, but he'd earned that reputation; he had to keep it, especially now. Whatever she did to calm him, he was grateful for her. If something were to ever happen to her…

Draco pushed that trail of thought out of his head as fast as he could. He was the only one who could truly kill her. He wouldn't allow himself to do that. He would not kill the one person outside his inner circle who seemed to like him for being himself. He would not kill the one person he could be open with.

"We should probably head back. It's almost one."

Looking down at his watch, Draco realized she was right. He'd let her talk for over an hour without interrupting her except for the occasional question about an event or character in the book.

"We're going to be so screwed in the morning," Draco laughed, standing up. Ziva stood up along with him, stretching. He noticed something odd though, when she got up. "You avoid going near the edge of the tower. Why?"

Ziva blushed. "I'm, uh, a little petrified of heights."

"Even on a broom?"

"No, not on a broom. I don't know why, but standing on top of a tall building and looking down, I get really dizzy and fear I'm going to fall over the edge."

"I know what we're going to do from now on when we meet up here."

"What?" She looked at him warily.

"I'm going to get you to look over the edge of this thing."

"Good luck with that," Ziva snorted.

"I'm not joking! It's a really great view!" He defended.

"Are you saying that you come up here for the view?"

"Well, partly. Also because no one comes up here; it's a good place to think," Draco admitted.

"I do agree with you there," Ziva confessed. "Let's head back down."

They walked back to the castle, right next to each other, occasionally brushing shoulders which sent shivers through Draco's body. Why did she affect him so? It actually got on his nerves at times because he couldn't figure it out. A simple crush couldn't be the cause of it so he dismissed that idea.

"Are you sure it's a good idea for you to be walking me to my house common room?" Ziva whispered, sounding amused.

Draco jumped guiltily. "Sorry. I was… thinking. No, it's not a good idea. I should head back down."

Ziva kissed him on the cheek. "You should really stop thinking before you go to bed or else you'll get less sleep than you're already going to. Good night Draco."

He watched as she dashed up the stairs, feeling his pale cheeks flush deeply. If he wasn't mistaken, he could see a blush on her face too before the staircase blocked his view of her.

To Draco, he started to believe that her unpredictability was going to kill him long before Voldemort could or would…

So not very climatic but important! Please review! :)