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Erindipity · 11-25-2009, 02:58 PM

Oh I love it so much!! Great post! PAMS

HannahLongbottom · 11-27-2009, 01:04 AM

Excellent Chapter!

I love the way that Rosa really loathes Malfoy, but I'm beginning to wonder if she likes anyone at all!

norenchen · 11-27-2009, 07:01 PM

i love Rosa, she's a brilliant character
post more soon please : )

Shell

MalfoyzBeloved · 12-01-2009, 03:42 PM

Chapter 19
The Truth
Ginny

“Hey Harry, what took so long?” I asked as Harry sat down directly across from me.

“I got held up,” he responded as he started taking food from the table and putting it onto his empty plate.

“You just disappeared; did Slughorn stop to talk with you?” Ron asked after swallowing.

He shook his head. I tilted my head to the side slightly, confused.

“Oh please, he was waiting for that Black girl,” Hermione snapped.

My eyes flickered to her; she just spent the past five minutes ranting about how she deserved to get the title of ‘making the best potion’ in Potions. Why did Harry have to five her the opportunity to go at it again...?

“He held himself up. What did he have to say to her? To shut her trap and get over herself enough to not slow down every class she has with Malfoy?” Her fists clenched around her utensils.

“I don’t know!” Harry snapped as he started cutting into some chicken.

I eyed him suspiciously as I ate. I honestly didn’t get what he found so great about this girl; I don’t know what she’s up to, but whatever she’s telling Harry is only to get him for herself. The last time a Slytherin tried to befriend him was Malfoy in his first year. Ever since then, it’s been proven that when someone from that lot tries to befriend Harry, they’re up to something that is bound to end badly.

“Well someone should tell her,” Hermione grumbled and took a bite of her potatoes.

“Why? She does better at beating up Malfoy than all of us together!” Ron exclaimed, his mouth full of the last half of his lunch. Food splattered everywhere.

“Chew and swallow, Ron!” Hermione snapped, brushing herself clean of whatever food went flying. I picked off bits of meat from my robes. She then turned to look at Harry. “Look, Harry, what are you doing with this girl?”

He refused to respond as he swallowed and started cutting again.

“Come on, ‘Arry, you can tell us anyting.” A flying piece of potato landed on my forehead.

“DON’T EAT AND TALK!” I exclaimed taking the piece of potato that landed on me and throwing it back at Ron. He jumped back in surprise, eyes wide on me. Everyone from me and four people down the rows on both sides of the table looked at me. “What?” I snapped. They turned back to their food and started chatting warily again.

“Are you ok?” Hermione asked, an eyebrow raising.

“Yeah... I’m just not that hungry.” I pushed my plate towards Ron.

He greedily devoured everything off of it. I then got up and, taking my bags, walked out of the Great Hall, my only thoughts being what I was going to do once I got to Gryffindor Tower. I couldn’t take too long, classes start again very soon.

Once I passed through the portrait hole, I didn’t stop to even acknowledge the students that were scattered in the common room. I made my way up the stairs and into my dormitory. Thankfully, what I was waiting for had finally arrived.

“Hey Pig,” I smiled at the tiny owl and came up to him, dropping my bags at my feet. He held out his foot and hooted happily. I untied the letter from his foot, gave him a treat, and he flew away.

Gin,
Finally living up to our name, eh? We’re more than glad to help you with this.
To get into the kitchens, you have to go all the way down into the basement (not the dungeons, the regular basement. Those staircases are next to each other; one leads to the best place in Hogwarts, the other is full of scum. And I’m not meaning literally, you’ll find yourself outflanked by Slytherins if you go down there) and pass by the Hufflepuff portrait hole. When you reached that point, you’ll probably be able to see a painting of a bowl of fruit on the wall directly ahead of you a hundred or so feet away. You tickle the pear, and then it opens. The portrait hole is small, so unless you’ve grown a good 4 inches since we last saw you (what a miracle that’d be), you’ll have to crouch.
Why do you want to get into the kitchens?
~F.&G.

I smiled, proud that I thought of such an ingenious plan and it had worked out. Folding up the paper, I put it into my pocket. Grabbing my bags next, I made my way back down the flight of stairs and headed off to the DADA room for my next class.

---

Dinner had passed. Harry was in a great mood throughout the meal... that wasn’t a good sign for me. He must’ve been with that Black girl.

I finished as quickly as I could and left the Great Hall, ignoring Hermione’s calls when I did. I turned right and continued through the maze of corridors until I saw two staircases going down. Going down the one on my right, I found I was in the basement. I knew this because Hufflepuffs were coming towards me... and it isn’t as dark and grimy down here as the dungeons are.

I started walking faster and finally found the portrait hole for the Hufflepuffs. Looking beyond it and to the painting of a bowl of fruit, I smiled; Fred and George were right.

Hurrying towards it, I tickled the pear and, surely enough, it opened a door. I sighed when I found I didn’t have to crouch – they were right – and passed through the portrait hole and into the kitchen. I stopped after I was one step in. The kitchen was rather hectic; hundreds of elves were running around, pulling various foods from the ovens and putting them on a table in the centre of the room. I watched the table as some platters began to disappear from them completely, only to have their places filled by another platter.

“Dobby?” I called warily. I didn’t know the elf all that well, but I did know he would do anything to help one of Harry’s friends.

Moments later, the elf came hurrying through the crowds of other house elves and stopped before me. He looked up at me, thinking momentarily, but then smiling. “You are one of Mr. Potter’s friends?”

I nodded. I had seen the elf at least once; either he remembered me or he was clarifying I knew his most favourite person in the world.

“What can Dobby do for you, miss?”

“Harry told me he brought one of his friends here...”

“A girl who says she’s a Miss Black?” he asked, his question slow.

“Yes, exactly.”

Dobby’s expression darkened. “Dobby doesn’t know much about that, miss...”

“Then who does?” I asked, trying my best to keep my voice from sounding too sharp.

The elf grimaced. “Mr. Potter’s unfortunate excuse of a...”

“Could you get him for me?” I cut in softly, knowing it wasn’t something Dobby would like to do. Inwardly I smiled, agreeing with his thoughts of Kreacher.

He sighed. “Yes, Dobby can...” he then trudged off, dragging Kreacher back with him a minute later. The ugly elf was flailing every which way, trying to free himself from Dobby’s hold.

“Kreacher doesn’t drag Dobby to every station he need be at,” the elf complained as Dobby threw him towards me. Kreacher pushed Dobby off violently and turned to look up at me, scowling. “What do you want?”

“Information.”

“You can’t force information from me, blood traitor.”

My fist curled; my patience with this toad-faced spawn of an elf was wearing thin.

“It’s about a certain Miss Black.”

To my surprise, the elf’s eyes widened in terror. “No.”

“Pardon?” I blinked in surprise; I knew this elf had his moments, but this was ridiculous.

“Kreacher did speak with mistress yes...”

Mistress?

“But Kreacher cannot say what the beautiful young girl asked about. Kreacher cannot tell...”

“She’s the daughter of Sirius Black, why do you not refer to her as some mutant spawn?” I asked suspiciously.

“Kreacher... had a change of heart.” He realized his mistake too late to change it.

I snorted. “You love Sirius now?”

“No,” he snarled. “Kreacher is glad the unfortunate Black was destroyed. Mistress Bellatrix did a noble thing...”

“Then why do you love the Black girl so much? She’s Sirius’s kid.”

Kreacher didn’t respond.

“She is Sirius’s kid, right?” I asked, growing suspicious. Who is she, really? Is she one of You-Know-Who’s spies claiming to be a relative of Sirius’s to get close with Harry or something? How in the world did they manage to make her look so much like him, if that’s the case? It’s impossible to manage such a feat, isn’t it?

Kreacher tried to walk away, but Dobby made sure he couldn’t go anywhere.

“Who are her parents, Kreacher?” I pressed.

Kreacher looked down, cornered by my question, but still refusing to speak.

“I can get Harry down here and...”

“Anything but Potter,” he croaked, wide-eyed.

“Does he know?”

Kreacher shook his head; it was too jerky, like he was ready to believe whatever I said. Or at least put on a show...

“She IS lying!” I gasped.

“Mistress is not!”

“Then why call her mistress?” I snapped, growing irritated of this game.

Kreacher looked to his left, refusing to meet my eyes.

“What other Black is there we don’t know about?”

“You know them all,” Kreacher mumbled.

“Then which one is her father?”

Tears welled in his eyes. Harry mentioned the only time Kreacher nearly cried was when his old master came up, the one he is still loyal too...

I gasped, realization hitting me. “Regulus Black?” I whispered.

Kreacher shook his head quickly back and forth, practically trembling, but I saw he was lying.

“She is a Slytherin, right to the core, I knew it! And she’s been lying to Harry all this time... why?”

“Kreacher knows not.”

I glared. Kreacher met my eyes, his beady eyes holding mine with a fury he reserved for everyone that lived in Number 12 Grimmauld Place that wasn’t the portrait of Mrs. Black.

“Kreacher. Knows. Not,” he growled. “Mistress only asked about master. She never spoke of anything else besides master’s spawn of a brother... only in the presence of Potter.”

I sighed, frustrated. At least I got what I wanted to know.

“Thank you for your help, Dobby.”

The little elf beamed. I didn’t even bother to thank the other, much ruder elf as I turned on my heel and walked back out. As soon as I was out of the kitchens and into the basement again, I started trying to process what I’d just learned. Black is lying, but not entirely... why?

I’ll do the upfront approach first, but when that doesn’t work, I’ll start getting sneaky.

norenchen · 12-01-2009, 08:26 PM

Great post, i love Ginny and Dobby!!
I hope Ginny gets to the bottom of this

PAMS PAMS PAMS

Shell[

Erindipity · 12-01-2009, 09:48 PM

Very good post!! PAMS

HannahLongbottom · 12-02-2009, 12:26 AM

Interesting switch of POV! An excellent chapter, as always!

MalfoyzBeloved · 12-13-2009, 01:24 AM

Chapter 20
The Fight
Rosa

I wandered the corridors alone. I’ve spent so much time with so many other people I had forgotten how much I liked being alone. No one else’s voice drowned out my thoughts anymore.

As I turned the corner, my thoughts drifted to the unpleasant memories of Kreacher’s story, fading next to memories from the childhood I long to forget before Beauxbatons. I tried to push them away, but they kept slipping through the cracks of my mental wall. Giving in, I headed back for the dungeons; maybe Aurelia wouldn’t be crawling all over Goyle and we could just hang out, or maybe Draco will be there. I could use a good fight right now.

I passed by the Great Hall, where a couple people doing their homework, sitting along their house tables. It was almost dinner; maybe this is how there always seems to be someone here already eating when the dinner was literally just starting to show up on the tables.

I continued down the corridor and finally got to the stairs. I hurried down them and went through the dungeons until I found the entrance to the Slytherin common room. As soon as I entered, the only person inside was Aurelia, and I can honestly say I’ve never seen someone bawling their eyes out until now. I considered this; she is my best friend, but I really can’t handle tears from anyone (including myself). She turned to look at the door. Her face was all puffy, eyes bloodshot and tears still rolling down her face. Her makeup left black tearstains down her cheeks.

“Rose?”

Well it looks like I’m staying.

“What happened?” I sighed, going to sit on the opposite side of the couch.

“Goyle...” the rest of her words were high-pitched squeaks.

You know something’s wrong with you when you understand squeals so high they should be reserved for special dog whistles.

“He broke up with you?” I clarified.

She nodded and another series of high-pitched squeaks was her response.

“It’s even worse because it’s the day before Valentine’s Day?”

Another series of squeaks.

“He’s a jerk? Well of course he is! He’s friends with Malfoy; deep down all three of them are buttmunches.”

She managed to crack a small, awkward smile through her tears.

“I mean, come on, it just proves he isn’t worth it – he’s too cheap to buy you something for Valentine’s Day if he’s doing this.”

She jumped across the couch and pulled me into a suffocating hug. I awkwardly patted her back with one arm while the other rested on her shoulder. I let her have it for about 5 minutes, but she started to really constrict my breathing, so I pulled away.

“There will be other guys,” I reminded her.

“Doesn’t... feel like it...” she sniffled.

I was thankful her voice returned to normal and that she wasn’t attempting to destroy my eardrums anymore.

“You have time,” I pointed out.

She smiled slightly. “But until then, every guy in the world...”

“How about just Britain?” I suggested lightly. She actually managed a chuckle.

“Ok, every British guy is a total jerk. I refuse to end up with one.”
I chuckled and shook my head.

“Merlin, do you girls ever go a full day without crying?”

“Not helping, Draco,” I snapped, hearing the entrance door slam shut.

“Who said I was trying to?” I walked past, looking at me with a smirk.

“When do you ever?” I grumbled.

“Oh, I don’t know... maybe Christmas?”

I gaped and scoffed, amazed that he was bringing this up again. “Please...” Aurelia started, but I shook off her hand and pushed up; here was the fight I wanted!

“Christmas? Pft! If you consider calling me an arrogant prick, taunting me, threatening me, and trying to steal my wand away help, you’re seriously delusional. In fact, I’d rather have spent the night with a family of blast-ended skrewts than with you. I would rather have cuddled up next to the Whomping Willow than...”

“You called me an arrogant prick, you were being a drama queen acting as though having your bloody ring on was a slow and painful death, and you threw books at me and tried to use magic against me. You would’ve ultimately vandalised my home if I didn’t try to stop you!” Draco cut in, the tenseness of his body rising along with his voice.

Yes! I was getting the fight I wanted.

“You tried to take my wand from my by force, and that was only after you forced yourself onto me!” I looked around me and found an empty ink bottle. I reached for it, only a second faster than Aurelia who tried to take it away from me, and I held it up threateningly.

“Dear Merlin, your fiancé kissed you! Call the Aurors! Get backup from the Dementors and throw me in Azkaban!” Draco drawled sarcastically.

“I’d cry the day that happened. Tears of joy.”

Draco exhaled sharply, angry. I tossed the ink bottle up in the air and caught it again, eying it thoughtfully.

“You wouldn’t,” he growled.

“Only one way to see,” I responded, smiling mockingly. I wound my arm back and threw it forwards, only this time I held onto the bottle. Draco’s eyes widened slightly and he used a wandless protego. I laughed when the faint haze appeared inches in front of him. “You didn’t really think I’d waste it when you were so ready, did you?”

The tendons and veins began popping out in his fists. I swore another vein was pulsing in his forehead. Before this day, I thought I’d seen him at his angriest. This bested the last time... until the day he tries to hit me, this would probably be his best.

“Why must you always throw things?” he exclaimed.

“Why must you always stalk my every move, commenting on every little thing with that bloody annoying better-than-thou sneer of yours?” I snapped back. “I understand you have issues with being obsessive over what you believe to be your property and you must always follow a person you’re just as obsessive over, but you have to draw the line somewhere.”

“And you think throwing things is the answer?” he demanded in amazement.

“Aha! So you admit it!” I exclaimed triumphantly.

“For goodness sake Rosa, it’s always about you isn’t it?” Draco was yelling now, his voice echoing around the walls of the common room. “It’s always me trying to harm you or me following you? It’s always about how ‘oh, blame Draco, it’s his fault I’m this way’. You’re never at fault, it’s always those around you!”

I gaped, legitimately insulted. I turned to Aurelia, whose tears had dried and she seemed too distracted watching this fight to be thinking about her issues.

“I told you that already, Rosa,” she said, putting her hands up in surrender. “Don’t look at me.”

I couldn’t believe it – even my best friend wouldn’t help me out!

“By the way,” he snarled. “Happy early Valentine’s Day.” He pulled out a rectangular-shaped box and threw it at me. I caught it with my spare hand, surprised. He then stalked off, heading for his dormitory.

“Here, happy Valentine’s Day.” I threw the gift to Aurelia, who took it and carefully opened it. I heard her gasp.

“Uh, Rosa...”

“What?” I snapped and turned around.

She held up a picture frame that looked metallic and had been designed to have hearts built onto the top left-hand corner and the bottom right-hand corner. It was part of the frame; not just glued on. It was the photo inside that shocked me.

It was all my close friends from Beauxbatons, our ‘Franglais’ mix with Clémence, Jolie, Evelyn, Janelle, and Perri. They were standing in front of Beauxbatons, laughing and dancing around, waving towards the photographer that took the picture.

The ink bottle fell from my hand, shattering on the stone ground by my feet.

HannahLongbottom · 12-13-2009, 03:57 AM

Wow!

The tendons and veins began popping out in his fists. I swore another vein was pulsing in his forehead. Before this day, I thought I’d seen him at his angriest. This bested the last time... until the day he tries to hit me, this would probably be his best.

Is that foreshadowing I see? hmmmmm

“Uh, Rosa...”

“What?” I snapped and turned around.

She held up a picture frame that looked metallic and had been designed to have hearts built onto the top left-hand corner and the bottom right-hand corner. It was part of the frame; not just glued on. It was the photo inside that shocked me.

It was all my close friends from Beauxbatons, our ‘Franglais’ mix with Clémence, Jolie, Evelyn, Janelle, and Perri. They were standing in front of Beauxbatons, laughing and dancing around, waving towards the photographer that took the picture.

The ink bottle fell from my hand, shattering on the stone ground by my feet.

Excellent! But is this an example of Malfoy doing something for someone else? I honestly didn't think that was possible! Excellent stuff!

MalfoyzBeloved · 12-13-2009, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Excellent! But is this an example of Malfoy doing something for someone else? I honestly didn't think that was possible! Excellent stuff!

He explains how he got the gift later. You shall see

Quote:

Is that foreshadowing I see? hmmmmm

Maybe *shifty eyes here*

Erindipity · 12-13-2009, 06:31 AM

Oh my! I love it!

You are starting to make me feel bad for Malofy... a bit... maybe...

Great stuff... PAMS

MalfoyzBeloved · 01-13-2010, 07:30 AM

Chapter 21
The Words

I never understood the fuss about Valentine’s Day, even when I had a short-term boyfriend when in Beauxbatons. I never much cared for it; after all, why should there be a specific day that you make special for your significant other? Why just one day? It’s pathetic they say this one day is the one day to go all-out for your boyfriend or girlfriend... or husband or wife, for that matter. Why not every day?

I still didn’t much care, even if I kind of had Harry. I don’t really know if I should consider him a boyfriend or a friend with benefits. I got him a nice new watch, since he lost his old watch during the holidays apparently and that watch was kind of rundown. He took me out to a secluded spot just far enough into the woods that we could see out, but you can’t see in, and we had a picnic lunch.

“Rosa?”

I looked up at Harry, breaking away from my thoughts.

“Firstly, I forgot to give you this...” he pulled a single red rose out from the pocket inside his jacket. I smiled and took it. “A rose for a Rose.”

I tried not to scowl at that. Yes, he used that phrase for a second time. It wore on me the first time I ever heard it. When I was 15.

“And...” he took my hands. “It hasn’t been that long, but I can’t just... keep this in any longer.”

My eyes widened slightly. I couldn’t believe what was coming next; I’d been leading him on for too long. Naturally, though, Harry took my expression for a different kind of shock. He smiled.

“We’ve only really known each other for 5 months, yet only the past 2 of them have been spent like this.” He squeezed my hands softly.

Do I have a talent for attracting guys I wasn’t interested in the way they were interested in me? I just thought it was coincidence in the past, but now...

“I love you, Rosa.”

I honestly didn’t know what to say. The only time I’ve ever heard the words ‘I love you’ spoken to me were from my French friends... and my mother. That’s not exactly the same as this. I never had to say it to a guy, I never had one say that to me, even when I was in relationships. After all, ‘je t’aime’ is a common thing that friends say to another, it’s ‘je t’adore’ I never heard.

So, for the sake of keeping up my charade of not being a real Slytherin in personality, like Harry believed still, I had no choice...

“I love you too.” I managed a warm smile.

Harry’s hands dropped from mine and I let him kiss me. It felt so wrong to me after what I just said. Why did it feel so wrong? As of late, kissing Harry seemed to feel so right. Why did I find it so difficult to accept the truth that he sees me as his girlfriend and he is, really, my boyfriend?

MalfoyzBeloved · 01-13-2010, 08:35 AM

And a big chunk of this chapter I rewrote (the italicized section) so that it makes much more sense... either way, if you find it confusing, just ask! It's important and should hopefully basically answer the meaning of the fan fiction title.
It's seriously a phrase/word. I didn't make it up. Google it! (that's how I found it)

Enjoy!
~Sarah

Chapter 22
The Fainting

I had started distancing myself from Harry slightly, still trying to figure everything out. He didn’t push things, but I could tell he was worrying. Something deep down told me I should console him about it, but another part of me said that there’s no point, that it’s a waste. It kind of is, considering I’m causing his stress.

The next few weeks flew by, and it was mid-March. The games for House Cup were coming up in the start of April, so I was out on the field with the team for a good 5 days of the week; both Saturday and Sunday, and random weekdays after classes. It was difficult to handle homework and friends, so I used that as an excuse to blow off Harry. I felt bad for doing it, honestly. This kind of lying I had no problems with, but when it comes to letting Harry believe I’m Sirius’s kid and keeping the truth of my future from him I feel all guilty?

Something’s wrong with me. Hogwarts is definitely softening me.

“Ok, I think we’ve done enough for today!”

The team descended to the pitch ground and hopped off their brooms. I took a bit longer, my head spinning. I landed and climbed off.

“Great work, once again. You’re all doing great.”

My vision began to blur, swimming in a pool of black before me.

“It’s not much longer until the matches that count begin. Keep it up!”

I stumbled slightly, grabbing the shoulder of Dalton, our beater. His arm wrapped around me to keep me upright.

“You ok, Black?” Montague asked me, her eyebrows scrunching together worriedly.

“Yeah, I’m fine...” I stood up straight, letting go of Dalton. His arm dropped from around my waist.

“You might want to rest, you’ve been doing a lot more than I expected.”

So what, she had low expectations from me?

“And I do mean that positively. Really, it would be best if...”

I didn’t hear the rest of her sentence. Everything around me faded to black, my hearing muting out the world.

~~~

I looked around me, taking in the looming oak trees around me. The leaves were very green, sunshine reflecting off every one of them. Looking down, I saw my two, bare pale feet clashing against the dirt, forest trail beneath them. I followed the path until I stood before wrought-iron gates that were shut firmly. Looking through the gaps between the bars, I saw a large midnight black mansion. I recognized it immediately; this was my second official home, the first place I remember living in Britain. The Black Manor. Literally.
“Nice, isn’t it?”
I spun around and faced a man. He was a few inches taller than me, his styled, chin-length hair blowing in the wind like a raven’s wing. There was something about his eyes that looked familiar.
“Who’re you?” I asked curiously.
“I’m Regulus.”
I blinked, confused and surprised. The moment he offered a smile, my memories of the photo album pictures I’ve seen for so many years in the past hit me.
“Black?” I squeaked.
He nodded.
“What’re you doing here? How’re you here? Why...?” my questions came out in a rush; I had so much to ask in so little time. Who knew when I’d wake from this dream?
“Calm down,” he said gently. “I’m not here long, just until you wake up. It seems you’ve separated from your conscious, so...”
I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “If this has to do with Harry...”
“Potter?” he finished. I just looked at him, an eyebrow raised expectantly. “That’s not entirely it, though. For years you’ve been without a true conscious.”
“So what, you’re here after going off and getting yourself killed for some house elf to tell me I need to be a better person?” I demanded, crossing my arms indignantly.
Regulus looked like he got slapped in the face. In the blink of an eye, though, he regained his composure. “No, I’m trying to help you see what you’ve turned away from. Facing guilt, creating a web of lies because you’re applying sub rosa to your life unnecessarily...”
“Sub rosa?” I cut in, confused. This was ridiculous; he’s my biological father, one I never met before for that matter. He shouldn’t really have the right to tell me what to do.
“It denotes secrecy; confidentiality. And what you’re doing is something that’s only hurting yourself. Hiding the truth about your future, lying...” his jaw clenched and he continued, “About your parentage...”
“How can you know all of this? You’re dead.” My tone was so flat, it was harsh. I didn’t really care; did this guy really deserve any of my attention? He hasn’t been there for any of my life after all.
“I’ve watched you grow up. I never truly left you and your mother. All spirits never leave completely, really. I’ve been tied to you and your mother for your entire life; you might know it more so as a ‘guardian angel’. Anyways,” he shifted his tone slightly, indicating a change in topic. “One thing that... confuses me are your lies. Why do you let everyone besides your friends believe likewise of what is really my position?”
“It’s easier,” I replied automatically.
“How so?”
“There’s a lot less to explain,” I replied, shrugging.
“Do you honestly like being thought of as my... brother’s daughter?” He had difficulty getting out the term ‘brother’.
“It’s not about what I like, is it? It’s about what’s easier.”
“You’re letting your mum come off badly.”
“She comes off bad either way. In both stories she comes off as a slu...”
“Alright,” he cut in, his tone frustrated. “Before you head down the same path your mother does, why have you been trying to convince yourself you were lying when you told Harry you loved him?”
I opened my mouth to reply, but the question was not what I expected he would ask. How can someone so distant know such a personal thing?
“I did,” I replied coldly. He was shaking his head before I finished.
“You know you didn’t. Even I can tell. I know you think your mum might have a problem with it – considering her beliefs still, I wouldn’t be surprised if she did – but that doesn’t really matter, does it?”
“How would you know?” Before he could even answer, I turned around and tried to walk away, heading towards the forest where I could be lost, wandering forever. A hand on my shoulder stopped me.
“That’s not the point, Rosa. You’ve had endless opportunities to experience starting anew, being whoever you want to be because you’ve moved to so many different places. Somewhere along the way, you realized you could be anyone and anything you desire, which turned into lying. I can’t say I completely understand, but I know where you’re coming from. Trying to get out of something you hate, but feeling tied to it; conflicted between what’s expected of you and what’s right.”
“And in the end, doing what’s right killed you.” I turned around and looked up into his grey eyes.
“Because when I did do what’s right, I didn’t do it correctly. If I’d thought it through, if I gave myself more time and consideration, I’d be with you and your mother and everything would be different. But you can’t change what’s already happened, you can only fix it.”
“There’s nothing to fix.” I tried to shut out his words and every feeling rushing through me, but it only became more powerful; it hurt.
“There’s a lot that needs to be changed. You’re starting to lie to yourself, and that isn’t healthy. Feeling guilty about what happened proves what you said is true. You know it.”
I scoffed. “Alright, so you’re here to tell me crap. What’s next? ‘By trying to hurt Draco you’re trying to hide the truth’?”
“That’s for you to decide,” he replied elusively. “But you have to decide before it’s too late.”
“‘Too late’? You won’t tell me when that is?”
He smiled. “Only time will tell.” He then started to fade away, the wind carrying away the image before me.
“Wait...” I started to call, reaching out for the empty space before me.

I groaned and turned my head. It flopped onto something rather soft. I started to slowly open my eyes. Aurelia, Daphne, her boyfriend, Dalton, and Draco were on my left side.

Wait... Draco?

“Wha’ ‘appened?” I grumbled, starting to sit up.

“You probably should wait.” Aurelia pushed me back down. I scowled and didn’t bother fighting it.

“You fainted on the pitch,” Dalton said. My eyes flicked to him. “Nearly cracked your head on your broom. If you weren’t right next to me you probably would’ve.”

“Well... thanks then.” I managed a smile. I then turned to Draco. “What’re you doing here?” I asked flatly.

“I was with him when Daphne dragged him off to come here.” He pointed to Shane, Daphne’s boyfriend.

“Bu...” Shane started to say. Draco glared a cold warning at him.

“Couldn’t resist seeing my ‘just desserts’, hey?”

He looked at me and scowled, refusing to respond. I turned to Dalton. “How long was I out?”

“It’s been about half an hour.”

I winced and started to sit up again. “Don’t!” I snapped, glaring at Aurelia as she started to try and push me back down. I swatted her hand away and sat entirely upright.

“Madam Pomfrey?” I called.

Moments later, the nurse came hurrying to my side. “Take his before moving any more than you already have.” He forced a cup into my hand. I took it down, cringing at the horrid taste the entire time. After I finished it, my head stopped spinning and the mild blurriness of everything before me dissolved to normality.

“Now you should be ok to go,” she told me as she took the cup back. “If you do get lightheaded and faint again, come back immediately.” With that said, she hurried away to some moaning kid in the furthest corner of the hospital wing.

Now Aurelia was more willing to help. She pulled me off the bed and to my feet. When I wavered on the spot, she stabilized me with her hands on my shoulders. She then turned to Dalton.

“You can go tell that captain of yours to lay off this intensive training thing she’s started on!” she snapped. “Next thing you know, your seeker will faint mid-game in April and cost you guys the game because she’s been working you all so hard!”

Dalton had this look of a deer seeing a low-flying broomstick hurtling towards it. “But our captain is our see...”

“Lele!” I snapped, stopping her rant. “Don’t yell at him about it, it’s not his fault.”

“But it’s not yours,” she pointed out, turning to me.

“It is; I’m the one that blacked out, not him. Now come on guys,” I looked at Daphne, Shane, and Draco, who were just standing next to my bed, watching. “Drama’s over.”

Without another word, Daphne dragged Shane off.

“Aren’t you going to go back to hanging out with the one you felt the need to follow here?” I snapped at Draco. He just rolled his eyes and walked away, following the couple at a distance.

“Thanks,” I said to Dalton, looking up at him.

“Not a problem.” He smiled and turned, walking away and passing through the hospital wing door.

“Ok, what were you dreaming?” Aurelia asked as soon as the door shut. I was completely taken by surprise at that.

“What?”

“You were mumbling something about black, love, guilt, Draco, and Harry. You should’ve seen Draco’s face after his name came from your mutters... and after Harry’s name came out. That one was the better.”

I didn’t laugh.

“Ok, what’s wrong? Normally you’d be all happy thinking of those priceless expressions.”

I started to walk away, leaving Aurelia behind, but she caught right up to me.

“Come on, Rosa, you can tell me anything.”

I still didn’t respond. I opened the hospital wing door. Aurelia grabbed it before I could let go and followed me right out and down the corridor. She kept pestering me with questions until I stopped.

“Look, I don’t want to talk about it right now, ok?” I sighed irritably.

“Fine,” Aurelia huffed, walking off and leaving me alone.

I used this time to go into the library and find a book to help take my mind off that odd ‘dream’. I got bored of the book quickly, so I asked for a quill, ink, and parchment from various people already studying here and just wrote.

All of these lies are getting to me. That dream I just had about my father telling me to ‘free the guilt’ and ‘stop applying sub rosa to my life’ and whatnot was just plain odd. Maybe I should just tell him I don’t...

My hand trembled, spilling droplets of ink from the quill tip onto the parchment and blotched over ‘don’t’. I couldn’t finish writing that sentence, it was too big a lie to put onto paper. I crossed it out and started again.

My father is right. I can’t believe it, but it’s right. I’m lying not only to him but to myself. I really do love Harry Potter.

“What’re you writing?”

I scrunched up the paper and tore as much as possible, holding the pieces into a ball. I looked up and saw Ginny Weasley staring down at me.

“Nothing of importance.” I held up the ripped pieces to prove that it literally wasn’t important. She smiled.

“Right.” She pulled out a chair and sat on the other side of the table. “Why does Kreacher call you mistress?”

I blinked, surprised. “What?”

“I went to ask Dobby for a favour and started talking with Kreacher.”

I scoffed. I couldn’t believe this girl; is she really lacking so much self-awareness that she doesn’t realize how she lets off? “You really suck at lying. Admit it; you went to speak to this creature thing.”

“No, Kreacher. A house elf. Not a creature.”

I shrugged and looked down at the feathered quill I began twirling in my hand.

“Maybe he thinks any Black in Slytherin is great,” I pointed out. He does seem to think strongly of blood purity; even if Sirius really was my father I bet Kreacher wouldn’t even care because I’m the total opposite of that Gryffindor blood traitor.

“Or maybe he knows something you aren’t telling us.” Her eyes narrowed on me, suspicious.

I shrugged nonchalantly, but my mind was racing; was she just messing with me, or did she know?

“We all have our own little secrets, right?” I responded simply, smiling slightly.

“Something like ‘I almost became bound to an Unbreakable Vow’ is a little secret...” her voice lowered. “Something like ‘My father isn’t who I claim he is’, not so much.”

I could feel the blood rise onto my cheeks, the only thing that gave me away when I said, “You’re crazy.”

“Then why blush?”

I didn’t respond.

“Look, Rosa, if that is your real name, you might have been able to fool Harry into believing you’re the last connection to Sirius there is besides the grimy house your family comes from and the spawn of a house elf, Kreacher, but you know it can’t last. Not all lies told often enough become the truth.”

“You don’t know everything,” I snapped, glaring coldly at the Weasley girl.

“Well I’m the road to finding out, aren’t I?” she responded, smiling innocently. “This is pretty big, after all; who knew Regulus Black cared for someone else besides You-Know-Who?”

My jaw clenched; she’s lucky she doesn’t know the truth.

“I always wondered, deep down, what happened to Sirius’s younger brother. I guess he would’ve rather died than lived to see you do this to yourself.”

“You take that back,” I snarled.

“Why? It’s the truth. You’ve been depriving many people of such the luxury for so long,” she replied coolly.

My hands gripped the edge of the table so hard, my knuckles went as white as snow. I wasn’t about to take this from an insolent little girl. I got up loudly, my chair falling in a clatter behind me.

“Sh!” Madam Pince chided in annoyance.

“Sorry,” I said sweetly, smiling.

The librarian sighed and walked away. When she was out of sight, disappearing behind the tall, book-lined shelves, my eyes hardened. Not only was this girl wasting my valuable time, she was getting me in trouble? I turned back to Weasley with every muscle tensed; the little Weasley’s eyebrows were raised rather mockingly.

“You don’t know anything,” I growled.

“I know a lot more than anyone outside of your House knows.”

My laugh was scathing. “Really? You think every Slytherin knows? Think again; there’s only one that knows and that’s because I’ve had the misfortune of knowing him since I was 4.”

“You hate Malfoy that much? Why?” she asked suspiciously, her brown eyes narrowing.

“You. Know. Nothing,” I repeated, my voice low.

“Then inform me,” she snapped, getting up from her seat. “Tell me why you’re leading Harry on, about to crush him because you’re so convincing.”

“You think you know everything, don’t you? You think because you have one tidbit of my life; that means it’s totally game over for me. Well you know what, think all you want. For all you know, I’ve decided not to use Harry. Maybe I love him.”

Weasley started laughing.

“You may be able to convince everyone around you, but you can’t fool me. You’re a chronic liar who feels the need to protect yourself from everyone else because you’re too embarrassed to admit the truth.”

“What truth?!”

“Sh!”

“Fine!” I snapped at the librarian.

“If you two must fight loudly, take it outside!” the librarian snapped. “Once more and I’m kicking you out personally.” She then walked away, leaving us alone in a corner at the library study table.

“That you’re illegitimate.”

The ink bottle, only filled a third of the way, started to levitate threateningly between us. My eyes, though, hadn’t moved from Weasley.

“There are others in the school that legitimately care about Harry. If you don’t tell him the truth yourself, I’ll do it.”

“Wow, you’re so desperate to be with him you’ll destroy his happiness? And you think I’m scum,” I scoffed.

The ink bottle flew out of my magical hold and into Weasley’s hand. I tore it away and shielded it from her magic, letting it hover where it was before.

“At least I don’t come last in my family. You’ve got 6 older brothers that come before you. I’d rather be an only child than cramped in some burrow.” The ink bottle flew into my hand, the quill following its lead. “You’ve got a lot to learn.”

I turned around and walked away, my entire body starting to shake in anger. I gave the quill and ink back to the person I borrowed them from without even stopping. My mind was racing; this girl could ultimately ruin everything I had built up since arriving at Hogwarts. I had everyone convinced I was the illegitimate child of Sirius Black. The only reason Slytherins tolerated me was because my mother is from Slytherin. The only one who knows the truth, and surprisingly kept it secret, is Draco Malfoy.

As I exited the library, my thoughts turned to Harry. If the Weasley girl did tell him, what would happen? He’d probably loathe me to the core; a true Slytherin, a liar, a wavering supporter of the Dark Lord. He probably didn’t know the truth about who my biological father really was; what he did for the cause Harry supports. Would that change things?

Or would he think I’m trying to lie further?

Tears began to blur my vision and I hurried to the main hall. Forget the common room, I just needed to be alone. I ran through the main doors, the tears finally starting to fall. I kept running, heading for the quiet beach.

“Rosa?”

“LEAVE ME ALONE!” I yelled back, recognizing Draco’s voice without a second thought. Before the hospital wing, I hadn’t spoken to him any more than required since the day before Valentine’s Day. I couldn’t be bothered to start a fight with him to feel better now.

I ran along the beach, heading for the cover of the edges of the Forbidden Forest. When I couldn’t run anymore, I fell onto a grassy mound, wrapping my arms around my legs and burying my face into my knees, finally able to let the tears fall.

MalfoyzBeloved · 01-23-2010, 12:18 AM

Chapter 23
The Talk

Another week had passed. I had begun to dread each coming day, dreading the possibility that Ginny Weasley might think I’ve put off telling people about my father too long and do so herself. As if things hadn’t been tense enough between Harry and me... now this? After my realization of how I really felt about him, though, I had started spending more time with him again. Every day, actually. Who knew how long I had with him now?

It was Friday evening. Dinner had passed and now was the only free time I’d have until Monday, thanks to Bryony. Her schedule hadn’t changed, even after she managed to make me faint and, a few days ago, another one of our chasers, Blaire McKinnely, passed out. I swear she wouldn’t slow until the entire team went down. At the rate she’s pushing us, someone will pass out in the middle of the big match and she’ll blame it on whoever does pass out, not her insanity.

“Rosa.” I felt my body being shaken. I realized my eyes were closed, so I opened them and turned my head, looking up at Harry.

“Yeah?”

“Am I that boring?” he asked, smiling.

I yawned. “No, it’s not you... it’s my team captain. You know why Gryffindor can rarely get the pitch times reserved? Go after... Montague...” My eyes began to close again, but Harry tightened his hold around me, kept me awake.

“I think I will talk to her. It’s been getting ridiculous, her hogging the pitch entirely for herself.”

“Oi.” I perked up, lifting my head from his chest and sitting back up again.

“Ok, entirely for her team.”

I smiled sleepily and patted his shoulder, replying, “That’s better.”

“You aren’t the only house that needs to practice,” he continued to rant. “Three weeks until the House Cup games start and she’s taken the pitch every day except for two... and there are three other houses. But, more importantly, she’s kind of started to kill your team. Who passed out today?”

“Dalton, actually. He’s still in the hospital wing; the bristles of another broomstick got lodged in his nose when he fell on it and apparently they’re a pain to remove. Quite literally, too. Not that I’d know personally, but I went to see him and he wouldn’t shut up about it. ‘Pulling out porcupine quills is better than this’ and all.” I smiled slightly, looking back on that visit just over an hour ago.

“How many does that make...?” Harry thought aloud. His hand absentmindedly stroked my back.

“Me, one of the other chasers, the keeper, and a beater. I repeat, it’s ridiculous.” I sat more upright, creating a tiny distance between us. “Practice isn’t just for improving and enjoying anymore, it’s a competition to see who goes down. I won five galleons when Dalton went down today.”

Harry sighed and shook his head, chuckling.

“Well I’ll try speaking to your crazy captain. If all else fails I’ll have to get the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw captains and the three of us gang up on her.” He looked out over the lake, thinking. He then smiled. “Yeah, that’ll probably end up happening no matter what.”

I smiled too, knowing it was true, and fell against him. My arm wrapped around his waist, looking out over the lake. His arm wrapped around my shoulder, holding me closer. We didn’t speak, we just looked beyond the lake. My thoughts started drifting to unpleasant ones, starting a raging battle between those thoughts and the better ones.

We chatted casually until the sun set. Once it was over the horizon, we got up and left the beach, heading for the castle. Once we were inside, we said goodbye and headed for our common rooms. When I did get into the Slytherin common room, I found it surprisingly empty for a Friday night at such an hour. As I was halfway through the common room, heading for the girls’ dormitories, I realized I wasn’t alone.

“Finally back?”

I stopped and turned around. Draco seemed to come out of nowhere.

“Yes, I’ve returned,” I said curtly.

He smirked. “Enjoyed your walk on the beach?”

“Enjoyed stalking me?” I retorted, putting my hands onto my hips indignantly.

“As always.” His smirk was triumphant, as though he was proud that he was a creeper.

I scowled and turned around, letting my hands drop, and started to walk away.

“You’re still leading him on, aren’t you?”

I stopped mid-step, my hands clenching into fists. “What makes you say that?”

“That he’s still with you,” he replied with a belittlingly obvious tone.

I spun around, glaring. “Maybe I did tell him and he accepted it.”

He laughed. “Right, and maybe I fell off a cliff and didn’t get injured.”

“It happens,” I snapped.

“With no water at the bottom or magic to stop.”

My jaw tensed.

“Look, Rosa...” his tone changed, sounding almost... gentle. He’s never spoken like this to me before, it freaked me out. “Just think about what you’re doing.”

“I am,” I growled, my clenched fists opening and going back to my hips indignantly.

“Not clearly enough to see what you’re doing.” He was smiling condescendingly.

“I know what I’m doing!”

Draco’s hands came up, either in surrender or to shut me up. “You say you care about Potter. Show it.”

My mouth dropped. “Excuse me?”

“You can’t really think you truly care about the freak while you’re still covering a fair portion of your life from him.”

I scoffed. “It’s ironic you of all people are trying to give me advice on how to show people you care.”

He scowled. “Not everyone knows how to show they care.”

I blinked, totally taken aback. I opened my mouth to respond, but shut it again. His smoky eyes were hard as rock on me, burning into mine.

“You’re right,” I managed to get out. I then turned around and jumped up the three stairs and walked down the hall, heading for my room. Did I seriously just admit Draco Malfoy was right about something? Something must be wrong with me.

HannahLongbottom · 01-23-2010, 02:52 AM

I'm so sorry! I've been a Baaaaaaaaaaaaaad little reader, but I had an MA assignment to get in and then recover from. (I've been on the sofa, not moving or speaking for about a week.)

Fantastic chapters! I love how you write Ginny. So many FF writers have her as soppy, and that's just not true. She hid her true nature for a long time but I think you write her beautifully!

I feel for Rosa, she really has painted herself into a corner, hasn't she?

Post again soooooooon!

Ron&Hermione(L) · 01-24-2010, 03:50 AM

NEW READER !!!! Oh my goodness you story is sooooooo good PAMS PAMS PAMS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

norenchen · 01-25-2010, 11:44 PM

I'm sooooo sorry i thought i had commented on the last chapter. please forgive????

Shell

MalfoyzBeloved · 01-29-2010, 04:12 AM

Quote:

Fantastic chapters! I love how you write Ginny. So many FF writers have her as soppy, and that's just not true. She hid her true nature for a long time but I think you write her beautifully!

Thanks

Yeah, she's definitely secretly a bad girl who's out to get any girl that has bad intentions for Harry, but some f.f writers don't want to acknowledge it lol
Welcome&thanks Ron&Hermione(L)

And its alright Shell - no biggie! =)

I'm gonna update/post cause... it's Thursday...
and I'm liking Thursdays again. Vampire Diaries is back on. Regularly. Haha.

MalfoyzBeloved · 01-29-2010, 05:14 AM

Chapter 24
The Letters

Tomorrow was the first big match for Slytherin in the match for House Cup. If we won this one against Ravenclaw with a minimum of winning 380 points, we could be in second place before the next match for champion. A few days after I was with Harry on the beach and he mentioned talking to Bryony... he did. He was right; he had to gang up on her with the other two house captains. Even that didn’t work, so I started talking to the rest of the team – they were just as frustrated with the amount of practice as much as the other house teams were - and with our combined forces, she gave in and only did two practices a week. It still annoyed the other houses because that meant they had to alternate with who practiced once a week while Bryony refused to step down, but it was better than before.

It was Saturday, a day we had off in Hogsmeade, but when Harry asked if I wanted to go with him I told him I have this ritualistic thing about how to prepare for an upcoming match and how I needed all of Saturday to do it, which meant I couldn’t go. He found it amusing and believed me and instead went with his friends. I was wary because it included Ginny, but it was already April, almost a full month since we last spoke, and she hadn’t brought up our conversation to Harry. Given all the opportunities she has with seeing him, it was a good sign for me, but still, who knew when she’d finally spill the truth.

It was lunch and I was one of the few kids that weren’t below the age of a 3rd year that was still in the castle. Just as I was finishing up, an owl swooped into the Great Hall, heading for the Slytherin table. It descended fast and landed right in front of me. I sighed, recognizing my mum’s owl, Benet. I untied the letter from his foot and, after stealing a beak-ful of bits of steak, he flew off. I opened the letter.

Rosa,
It’s been awhile since I’ve heard from you. Last I did... honestly, were you ill when you wrote that last letter? Going on about an elf I presumed dead and some story...
I’ve heard more from Draco than I have from you! How’s school? I hear the House Cup matches have started – how’s the Slytherin team? Up to par, I hope, especially with you as a member.

Draco has been writing to my mum? I’m going to have to talk to him about this...

I’ve been kind of concerned – It’s been nearly two months and you haven’t sent anything. Is something wrong? Or are you too busy with practice and studying for upcoming exams? Either way, I’m not asking for much, just a few words would be nice. I miss you.
Well, not much has happened here. I’ve been in contact with Draco’s parents and we’ve decided that, given some recent news, it would be best to postpone the date we had set until... well everything settles down. You know what I mean.
Music to my ears! Beautiful harps and airy flutes...
If all goes as planned, you two will be together by next summer. Hopefully by the latest. It all depends; it’s been crazy with some things going on.
Please write back.
Love,
Mum

I really wasn’t in the mood to write to her. My last letter where she deemed me ‘ill’ was shortly after I found out the truth about my father’s death. My mum knew how he really died... I went back to visit Kreacher once to ask a few more questions and he admitted to being ordered to tell no one except for one woman, one, Kreacher explained, ‘master knew very well and trusted dearly to keep the truth a secret’. Ever since then I’ve refused to speak to my mum for as long as I could. For so many years she fed me the lie that he died in the line of fire from an Auror when really he was trying to destroy the one thing my mum and I stood for; the Dark Lord. As Kreacher claimed, at least.

Folding up the worthless piece of paper, I stuck it in my pocket and got up from my seat, heading for the Slytherin common room. When I did make it there without issues, I found my book on the table next to the couch and sat down, opened it, and began reading. I kept reading until people started showing up.

“Hey!”

Aurelia plopped down next to me and pulled my book from my hands.

“Why’d you skip out?”

“I didn’t feel like going,” I grumbled. I tried to take back my book, but she refused to let me have it. Her eyebrows raised skeptically.

“Really?”

“Yeah, now give me back my bloody book!” I got a hold of it, but Aurelia pulled it from my grip.

“Does this have to do with a certain Gryffindor?”

My eyes widened slightly. “What?” I never told her about this.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. I had to hear it from Malfoy of all people!”

“Draco?” I demanded.

“Yeah, he found me in Hogsmeade and asked if you ditched me for Potter.”

Right on cue, Draco and his cronies Crabbe and Goyle came through. No one else was behind them, but there were a few others in the room so I’d have to be careful.

“Ah, you hid out here.” Draco smirked.

I think everyone knew what was coming; they all hurried out the portrait hole or into the dormitories. Then again, the entire Slytherin house learned after one explosive fight not to get in our way again. We (well Draco claims it was all me) broke a desk; clean in half and one of the legs has yet to be found.

“I’d rather stay in here and not speak to anyone than go out blabbering about business that isn’t mine!” I snapped, finally yanking my book from Aurelia’s hands, marked the page, and shut it. It was a hardcover, it could do some considerable damage if I was quick enough...

“It was an honest question. I figured your best friend of all people would know who you’ve been with.” He shrugged indifferently.

“You don’t hear me going around asking other people ‘Hey, where’s Draco? Did he manage to lock himself in a closet and is unable to open it again?’”

Aurelia burst out laughing, amazed. Draco glared coldly at her and turned his angry eyes to me. “If you did...”

“What? You’d mail my mum and say what a naughty girl I’ve been?” I snapped.

“I-What?” Draco’s arrogant, cold composure wavered, revealing his surprise and confusion.

“I have proof you’ve been sending letters to my mother! What have you been telling her?”

“Wouldn’t that be blabbering about someone else’s business?”

I threw my book at him. It was Goyle who managed to block it from actually hitting him. I let out a single chuckle.

“Can’t protect yourself, eh?”

He rolled his eyes and turned to Goyle. “You don’t have to watch this.”

“Watch this?” I scoffed. “What do you think this is? Some sort of dramatic scene in a play where a guy attempts to control ‘his girl’ in public?” I tried to imagine that happening but quickly realized that happens regularly between Draco and me.

“It’s the most interesting thing that’s happened all day,” Goyle responded. Draco glared at his friend, his eye twitching as that vein in his forehead pulsated. Goyle took his leave at that, Crabbe following. Once they were gone, Draco turned his eyes to me, freakishly calmer.

“You were saying?” He smiled.

“Keep out of my life. It’s bad enough you feel the need to meddle.”

“This is all about how I’m ruining your life again? We went over this,” he responded pointedly, completely unruffled.

“No, you yelled and screamed about how you think I’m a selfish prick. There’s a bit of a difference.”

He started laughing. Laughing!

“You know, Rosa...” he leaned over, resting his hands on his knees while still laughing rather hard. “You tear the mickey out of me, sometimes.” He kept laughing. Even Aurelia chuckled, but stopped when I looked at her angrily.

“I don’t mail your mother when something comes up!” I snapped.

His laughter slowed until he was just chuckling.

“Why would you have reason to mail my mother? I’m not the one who picks fights and throws things to make a point.”

“I do your work for Potions, you stalk me incessantly, feel the need to comment on every little thing I do...”

Draco held up one finger. “You get ingredients and mix them; I do the rest.” He then held up two fingers. “I’m watching out for you.” He held up another finger. “And you take my suggestions as...”

“Ha!” I started laughing. “What suggestions? That I should’ve gone to the dance with you? That I’m too arrogant and stubborn for my own good?”

“You know who I’m talking about!” He cut in furiously.

“Enlighten me,” I said flatly, crossing my arms and raising my eyebrows expectantly.

“It’s not just your life you’re messing up because of your inability to accept the inevitable,” Draco snapped, his jaw clenched.

“The... inevitable?” I repeated slowly. I couldn’t believe him; I could do whatever I damn well wanted! He doesn’t control me, nor does my mum. “You aren’t my mother! Even she can’t control me completely!”

“I never said I was your mother!” He stepped closer. “Either way, you can’t do anything right; you need someone to guide you.”

I gapped in disbelief. “That person isn’t you!”

“Well guess what? Your mother made it so!” he yelled back, that vein in his forehead pulsating again.

“So what? I can run away.”

Draco snorted. “You’re ridiculous. You do, and you’re as good as dead. Look at where you’ve gotten yourself. It’s all because of your stupidity.”

My arm rose and smacked him right across the face. I didn’t even realize how close he had gotten until now. “Take that back.”

He let his head get carried with my hand. When he slowly turned back to face me, my eyes followed his cheek first. A red print was faintly forming where I hit him.

“Why should I? It’s true,” he snapped. “I’d be careful if I were you.”

“What’ll you do? Write to my mummy?” I jeered. “Do you want to know why I make stupid mistakes? It’s because of you,” I snarled. “It’s your fault. If you weren’t so screwed up...”

There was a blur of motion that sent me tumbling to the ground and caused a few distant-sounding gasps. My elbows scraped across the stone, my wrists throbbing from the weight forced upon them and my face stung painfully. I blinked and looked up.

“You. Watch. Your. Mouth,” he snarled back. His grey eyes gleamed with an unhuman fury that, inwardly, freaked the hell out of me. I wasn’t about to show it and let him win. So, I started to get up.

Smack!

I looked up and saw Aurelia obstructing my view of Draco. I then saw his feet moving; he stumbled backwards in recoil.

“How dare you, you vile little ferret!” Aurelia snapped. “I knew you’re a moronic git, but I never took you for someone who hits girls.”

She turned around and pulled me upright. I looked from her to Draco, who was regaining his composure from the second hit. He looked at Aurelia, the anger radiating so strongly from his trembling form and blazing eyes, it was tangible. When he clenched his jaw, he stopped trembling and looked at me. His eyes flickered from mine to where he had hit me. They widened slightly, that stony mask he used to shield himself from the world around him starting to wane. Before it could break, he spun around and ran out of the common room, the portrait hole door flying shut behind him.

Miss_Cali · 01-29-2010, 06:26 AM

Great story!! Keep it coming!

norenchen · 01-29-2010, 06:02 PM

I can't believe he hit her!!!! He really is a jerk

PAMS PAMS PAMS

Shell

Ron&Hermione(L) · 01-29-2010, 11:23 PM

omg what a loser hitting her :O this chapter was rellly good PAMS PAMS PAMS !!!!!

HannahLongbottom · 01-30-2010, 10:13 AM

I just knew that he would do that the coward!

Excellent chapter! I didn't think I could hate Malfoy any more than I already did but I do now!

Harry_Girl_445 · 02-07-2010, 08:04 PM

wow thats amazing

MalfoyzBeloved · 02-13-2010, 11:05 PM

Chapter 25
The Bruises

Draco avoided me at all costs the next day. He had a bruise on his face from where I hit him and let it show. I felt a little proud at the way his pallid, milky skin so easily deceived the truth of what had happened. The way the discoloured patches formed a hand mark on his cheek told its own story. He left a similar mark on me, though, one I had to cover up with make-up.

“Do you have anything to do with those marks on Malfoy’s face?” Harry asked with a muffled voice.

I scoffed. “Don’t talk with your mouth full.”

He smiled sheepishly, which caused a small dribble of light brown drool to fall from his mouth. I winced, mildly disgusted, and watched him clean up while chewing. The part of me that didn’t find this gross thought it was kind of endearing; I’d never seen anyone do such a thing. Then again, whenever I have gone to Hogsmeade, whoever I was with never bought bag after bag of Honeydukes chocolate in order to hoard it for what should be a study session. It was the weekend finally, and we found a quiet niche in a dead corridor to curl into together in order to spend some of our sacred spare time with each other.

When he swallowed, he spoke again. “The marks on Malfoy’s face...”

I smiled, cutting him off. “I know what you said.”

He rolled his eyes mockingly. “All that time wasted.”

I chuckled. “You could’ve choked anyways,” I replied, patting his arm. I left my hand on it, letting it lightly rest against the middle of his forearm. I thought quickly as to whether or not I should tell him the truth. If I lied, a new rumour about what happened would spark, but at the same time... everyone in Slytherin heard what happened; our fight, I hit him, he ran out. Aurelia didn’t want to confess she had hit him too, so she let me take all the credit. Maybe the story had been passed on; what if this is a test?

Well, it’s Harry. I doubt he’d test me like this. It’s probably mere curiosity; I can’t blame him after all, since I’d be badgering people about this sort of thing to find out facts. Who would’ve thought Draco could be harmed by anyone besides himself?

“Well?”

I was brought back to reality, my eyes meeting Harry’s expectant emerald orbs. “Yeah, we got in a fight.”

“Remind me of your powerful arm if we ever get in an argument.”

I laughed. He smiled and let me fall against him. When my chuckles subsided, Harry’s arm looped around my shoulders, keeping me close while removing his other arm from beneath me so he could play with my fingers before taking my hand completely.

“What happened?” he asked softly, looking from our hands to me.

I quickly decided on telling most of the truth. “I called him out on meddling in my life and when he justified his reasons as what any sane person can see to be completely ridiculous... I told him if he has such problems with such an uncontrollable person, he can mail my mum, which is something he’s been doing apparently. He said I ‘need’ someone to ‘guide me’ and then he said I’ve messed up my life because of stupidity that is ‘entirely my fault’. I hit him and told him to take it back but he didn’t. When he tried to threaten me, I cut him off and said ‘what’ll you do? Write to my mummy?’ and walked off.”

Harry’s smile was a devilish smirk. “Congratulations. I’ve never been more proud of you.”

I smiled. When he kissed me, I pushed myself even closer and kissed him back. My thoughts raced as fast as my heart as Harry’s hand pulled away from mine to trail its way up my arm and cup my face. When he applied light pressure to my cheek, I winced, instinctively pulling away.

“What?” Harry pressed with a tone of confusion and slight anxiety.

“Nothing, you just hit a painful spot.” I considered saying it was a sensitive pimple, but that sounded a bit too disgusting for my taste.

“What?”

I didn’t reply. Harry’s eyes narrowed on my cheek and, next thing I knew, he was lightly brushing my cheek. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration, but they rose with his eyes, wide in shock.

“What happened?”

“I tripped in the common room,” I replied nonchalantly.

His eyes narrowed in suspicion, turning from the bruise to meet my eyes. “I’ve been in your common room years ago. If memory serves correctly, there’s only one step leading to the girls’ dormitories and it isn’t much of one.”

“It’s a step nonetheless,” I replied indignantly. “I can be a klutz sometimes, and how in Merlin’s name do you know what my common room looks like?”

“Long story, it happened in second year,” he replied, adopting my nonchalant tone from moments before I realized what he’d said about being in the common room. “And either way, you’d have a broken nose, maybe a black eye and a much bigger bruise than that because there’s a wall. What happened?”

I looked into his eyes, unresponsive. I didn’t need to know the entire truth; it’d only hurt him emotionally and, most likely, physically. I imagined him hunting down Draco and...

“Did he hit you back?” he whispered.

My jaw clenched, trying to hold back the words that desperately wanted to escape my mouth. Harry’s jaw clenched as well, but this time out of fury; he realized he was right. Letting go of me, he got up and stepped around me.

“Harry, don’t...” I started to call, scrambling to my feet.

“I knew Malfoy was a prick, but this is a new low,” he snapped back. “He deserves more than a smack to the face, one of which came from you before it happened.”

“My friend also hit him!” I exclaimed, my mind racing, trying to think of anything that could get him out of digging me deeper into this mess. “She saw it and called him a vile little cockroach just before hitting the same spot I had moments before. Just let it go.” I caught up to him and grabbed his arm. He shrugged it off just as we came to the stairs.

“Not until he gets what he deserves,” he growled, pulling his wand out of his pocket.

“P-p... please, Harry,” I begged, stammering on the word I never had to use in my life. “It’s a waste of time.”

“Why’re you trying to protect someone you loathe?”

“Because I’ve already got something planned for him.”

Harry stopped dead, causing me to run into him. He stumbled forwards and caught himself just in time for me to use him and catch myself.

“Really?” he asked flatly.

“Yeah. And to top it off I hear a certain poltergeist has some plans to get him.” I knew this was a lie – Peeves didn’t need a reason to prank someone after all - but I realized I really didn’t have a plan to get back at Draco. There was something about thinking of such a thing that just made me unable to do it. He already got publicly (to the Slytherins) humiliated by not only getting hit by me, but by Aurelia as well. On top of it, he wasn’t just avoiding me but was totally shunning social contact with any other living being. It was kind of weird really – he was even avoiding Crabbe and Goyle. The rational side of me figured this was enough, avoiding being ostracized by ever Hogwarts student by becoming a loner.

It freaked me out; since when did my rational side become so tame?

“Peeves goes after everyone.” Harry spun around again, continuing down the stairs and storming down the corridor full of people. Some watched him as he pushed past, keeping their eyes on him until he disappeared. I followed at a bit of a distance until I heard a loud crack. I picked up the pace and heard another similarly loud noise. The noises began to overlap each other as I spun around the corner and hurried towards Harry. It’s amazing how fast he can find the people he wants.

“What’d you do?”

I jumped, shocked to hear a voice so close to my ear that I could feel the warm breath on me. I turned to see Aurelia, surprised at my reaction but still curious about what was happening.

“Harry had a smart moment,” I sighed.

The cracking of spells ceased, but the grunts, huffing, and thuds made it a clear indication that this fight was far from over. I dared to look over and, surely enough, Harry and Draco were on the floor, attempting to physically maul each other. They were almost even, but Draco was just a bit stronger than Harry, just enough to keep him pinned long enough to get a decent hit that made me wince and look away.

“WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?!”

Harry took advantage of Draco’s split-second surprise and rolled so he was able to hit back. I stepped to the side to get out of the way of whichever professor arrived. My eyes found the whipping robes of Professor McGonagall heading towards the two. With a simple spell, she had them paralyzed just long enough to pull Harry up off of Draco.

“You two again?” she snapped. “My patience for your fighting has run its course; it’s been seven years boys, learn to deal with each other!” She dropped Harry to his feet, but kept a firm grip on his shoulder just in time to stop him from lunging at Draco. Draco gave Harry a mocking smirk, which encouraged Harry to attempt to pull away from McGonagall.

“That’s fifty points from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy. Another hundred for fighting.”

“He came at me!” he snapped defensively. I saw McGonagall’s smile, humouring him; the one time he tells the truth about being in a fight and no one believes him? Oh, sickly humorous irony...

McGonagall then looked down at Harry, who was still fuming. “Two hundred and fifty points from Gryffindor for whatever caused you to do this, Mr. Potter.”

“It’s not my fault,” Harry growled.

“Then someone tell me don’t you dare, boy,” McGonagall glared coldly at Draco, who was gripping his wand and had it tilted up at an angle from his side, pointed at Harry.

“He lies,” Draco replied, his tone just as cold as McGonagall’s eyes.

Harry scoffed. “If you hadn’t have hit a girl...”

“So that’s what this is about, eh Potter?” Draco demanded, his eyes narrowing on Harry.

“You... hit... a girl?” McGonagall sounded as though she was in disbelief. “You’re coming with me, Mr. Malfoy, and you better tell me who you did this to or...”

“Rosa,” Harry cut in.

McGonagall turned and looked at me. I looked away, down towards Aurelia’s feet next to me.

“We can go...?” Aurelia whispered.

“Sounds good,” I muttered, starting to turn around.

“No. Ms. Black, come with me.”

“Bu...” I started to complain. I wasn’t about to get in the middle of this; one wrong word and the truth would be laid out before everyone besides my friends all because Draco vehemently insists on announcing our disgusting ‘secret’ to the world. Harry would find out and he’d never forgive me...

“Now,” the professor cut in flatly. If I opposed further there would be consequences upon me, so I just gave in and followed the professor down the corridor and up a few flights of stairs, keeping my distance from her and the two boys that she dragged in her wake.

She pushed Draco into the classroom first. She followed, keeping Harry behind her. She waited for me to step in before shutting the door and letting Harry go. He stumbled forwards two steps before regaining his balance.

“What was it this time?” Professor McGonagall asked as she walked around us and headed for her desk. We all followed her until there was a few feet distance between us and her desk. I stood in the gaping distance between Draco and Harry.

“He came at me,” Draco snapped. “I was minding my own business with my friends when he tries to Petrify me. I was just defending myself.”

Harry snorted. “Is that the same excuse you’ll use for hitting a girl?”

“Don’t you dare,” I snarled, glaring at Draco as he loomed towards Harry, threatening to close the distance and knock him out. Draco’s grumble sounded like a growling lion as he turned away to look back at McGonagall.

“Mr. Potter?”

“He hit a girl – I wasn’t about to let him get away with that!” he snapped defensively.

“A girl that happens to be a Slytherin?” McGonagall asked with a hint of doubt in her voice. It sounded like she was discriminating, but we all knew that even she was aware of the tension between the houses.

Harry didn’t reply.

“He’s got it in for her,” Draco scoffed. “Just putting on a show. ‘Chivalry’ and all that crap.”

“It’s not a bad thing and I’d appreciate if you watched your language,” McGonagall snapped warningly. She then looked at me. “What happened?”

“I just saw Harry leap on him, I’m not...”

“I take it you were with Mr. Potter, here,” she gestured at him. “Before he ‘leaped on’ Mr. Malfoy. What happened?”

“We were talking about the day and a conversation that started with ‘why was every class with you two so awkward’ to this,” I replied, shrugging. It was the truth – I just left out the important part that actually led to Harry learning the truth about my bruises.

“No, no...” McGonagall’s eyes flickered from me to Draco for a moment. When she looked back at me, I got what she meant but wasn’t about to give it up without being outright asked first. “What happened to lead Mr. Malfoy to allegedly hit you?”

“Allegedly?” I started gently rubbing at the makeup on my face with my robes, only stopping when McGonagall’s eyes widened ever so slightly. “This didn’t come from a wall or the floor or a set of stairs! We were fighting in the common room last night and he got oversensitive and hit me.”

“Oversensitive?” Draco growled. “How the hell would you take being blamed for someone else’s faults because of being a ‘screwed up’?” he put air quotes around the words I spoke the night before.

“Well did you expect me to accept being called an idiot because I’ve made mistakes like every other normal person?” I retorted.

“Be quiet!” McGonagall snapped. I clenched my jaw and turned to look at her, forcing a small smile on my face. “Look, it’s understandable for students to have issues, but when there’s abuse of any sort...”

“So when she hits me, and her friend hits me on top of that, it’s alright, but if I strike back in a moment I wasn’t entirely myself, it’s abuse?” he cut in, in disbelief.

“It’s how society works, Mr. Malfoy,” McGonagall replied simply. “Unless this friend of yours can explain what she saw...”

“I can get her,” I said.

Draco snorted. “Right, and feed her a false story? You are a rather renowned liar, dear. There’s no way...”

“First of all, don’t call me ‘dear’ or I’ll shove a real deer up where the sun don’t shine,” I cut in, my head snapping to him and glaring coldly while he scowled back. “And you’re no better?”

“Who is the girl?” McGonagall cut in, sighing.

“Aurelia Brunes,” I replied, turning to look at her again.

In that exact moment, the door opened.

“Minerva, we... oh.”

The three of us turned around simultaneously, looking at the professor who walked in. It was Slughorn, of all people.

“Perfect timing, Horace. Would you be able to find a student and bring her here? Aurelia Brunes.”

“Do you mean the eavesdropping student outside the door?”

I smiled to myself but hid it as quickly as I could. “That’d be her, most likely,” I inputted.
Slughorn shrugged and opened the door. Aurelia stumbled inside the room.

“Am I needed?” she beamed at Professor McGonagall.

“Yes,” Professor McGonagall replied, bemused by her quick entry and lack of embarrassment at being caught. “It appears Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Black had a bit of a... brawl?”

“Not exactly... they fight all the time; in the common room, in the corridors...”

“Classrooms,” Slughorn mumbled.

“And a few nights ago, it was no different.” She shrugged. “Malfoy said everything that goes wrong for Rosa is caused by her stupidity, she smacked him, he threatened her to ‘be careful’, she mocked him a bit, said he was a screw up, he hit her and said...” she cleared her throat and did an uncanny impression of Draco. “‘You. Watch. Your. Mouth’. I smacked him for smacking her and... he left.” She shrugged again. “That’s all that happened.”

I was so thankful she didn’t go into details about what was said during the argument. I saw Harry fists clenching and unclenching out of the corner of my eye.

“And I take it you saw what just happened?”

“Potter taking out Malfoy? A lot of people saw that.” Aurelia smiled.

Harry scowled.

“Well, you three... turn around, for goodness sake.”

We all did as she said.

“Mr. Malfoy, you’ve lost your Sundays for the next month. Detention with me.”

I was smiling inside; McGonagall’s detentions were infamous.

“And another fifty points from Slytherin for your actions.” Her eyes flickered to Harry. “You, too, have detention for the rest of the month. Sundays. You two will come to me every Sunday after lunch.”

“Bu-” Draco started to complain.

“It is final, Mr. Malfoy,” she cut in with a warning tone. “And I will be talking with you – extensively – about this in the weeks to come. You all may go. If I catch so much as a whisper that happens again, consequences will be worse.”

“Bu...” he started again.

“Go!” she snapped, pointing towards the door. I was the first to walk out, Aurelia by my side.

“How’d it go?” she whispered as we rounded the corner.

“Didn’t you hear?” I replied, smiling.

She mock scowled, but I could see a tiny smile on her lips in response.

Draco stormed out, going in the opposite direction of me and muttering to himself about how unfair life is and it ‘wasn’t his fault’ and ‘they wouldn’t hear the last of this’. As soon as Harry came out, he looked at me, smiling in a small, sad way and going straight, avoiding my direction and Draco’s altogether.

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