Of Apples and Oranges

III: ix: Professional Secretkeeper

On the radio gifted to her by Remus Lupin, Aurum switched the station to something playing "Angel of the Morning". After finding what she deemed to be a good song, she turned to lay on her back and rest her arms on her chest, staring up at the ceiling.

Draco knocked on the open door and walked in hesitantly. He brought with him a couple armfuls of Christmas presents and a warm smile to go along with them. "It's a good three days late, but I hope this is okay." Draco chuckled.

"Are those all for me?" Aurum sat up against the bed post, surprised by the amount. They were small but many.

"I opened all of mine back at the castle when I picked them all up except for this one." Draco replied, holding out a small box the size of his palm. It was wrapped in silver and adorned with a green bow.

"Good. That one's from me." Aurum winked.

She pulled her knees up to her chest and allowed Draco to put the presents beside her to her right. He sat himself on her bed and began to tear away at the silver present. Inside was a black box, and inside that box was a purely silver ring with a square-cut emerald atop it.

Draco looked as if he might tear up at the gift. He looked at Aurum adoringly. "I can't believe you got me this. It's wonderful." He slipped the ring on. It fit like a glove.

"I got myself one and I thought you might like it." Aurum waved a hand to show off her version of the ring.

The blondes pulled each other into a hug that lasted longer than any other either had ever experienced. When they inevitably pushed away, it was not by choice but by fear of it being too awkward to go further.

Aurum began opening other presents. A couple were from her grandmother, a new Firebolt and a frying pan. There was a joint gift from Lupin and Sirius, a picture frame which was painted like a starry night above a forest. One was from Molly Weasley whom her grandmother, Pearl, was well acquainted with: a sweater with an A on it. She usually got hats from her, so this was a step up. They must have been planning a wedding. Another present was from Gregory, surprisingly. Aurum felt herself grin like a possum when she saw how he had gotten her her favorite book, To Kill a Hippogriff.

"Oh no," Draco said, peering down at the gift.

"What's wrong? I think it's a sign he likes me again." Aurum beamed hopefully. She dropped it for a second, realizing he could never speak to her again. Then, seeing Draco's worried expression, she smiled again, recalling Gregory's plea to forget him. She realized he had been smart that way.

"It's nothing to do with that, it's just that I got you the same thing." Draco mumbled after a good bit of silence.

"I don't mind having two." Aurum shrugged with a dopey grin. "More to read for me!"

The two Slytherins departed the Whomping Willow for the lake where they would spend the rest of the day in their sweaters, beanies, and scarves, bundled up and protected against the coming winter cold.

Draco sat upon the rocky cliff overlooking the lake with Aurum leaning against his shoulder, snuggled in her Weasley sweater which she was grateful to finally receive after being a family friend for so long. Draco at some point put his arm around her, blanketing the girl with his cloak.

"Hey! Lovebirds!"

Draco and Aurum turned their heads to see Gregory, Vincent, Blaise, and Pansy. It was Pansy who yelled at the two in her shrill voice.

"What are you guys doing here?" Aurum asked, unable to mask her jealousy. She couldn't hide her hurt at seeing Gregory with the other three without her.

"We came to see how you all were holding up by yourselves. And, we've been hearing rumors." Blaise explained.

"Like what? That we're dating?" Draco snickered, looking at Aurum. They were strictly friends as far as they were concerned. "We've heard it all before."

"No, Draco, that you're hanging out with a dirtblood werewolf." Pansy pointed at Aurum with a twisted smile.

Aurum clutched her heart and looked down at Draco's lap. She was destroyed that anyone could hold such hatred for a group of people who are so torn apart about having the lycanthropy in the first place. This wasn't what she had expected to hear to be concerned with her. The dirtblood thing hadn't stung for a while.

"What's wrong with being a werewolf? Or a quarterblood for that matter? They're just as human as we are!" Draco stood on the rock with his wand out.

"They're freaks of nature, Malfoy! Don't you know?" Blaise scoffed. By this time, he and the other three had whipped out their wands.

"Draco, stand down. It's okay. I'm used to this." Aurum looked up at the other blonde wearily.

Draco squinted down into her eyes. It was an injustice he was bound to correct. He cupped his hands and yelled, "Pansy Parkinson a skimpy squib!"

Pansy gasped with a hand on her chest and looked wide-eyes at the boys surrounding her. "That is absolutely not true. How would you even know that?" she asked, breathless, for his words took it away.

"Sometimes you shouldn't trust your secrets to others." Draco stared daggers through Vincent who grimaced in return. Gregory wouldn't have told and it had left only one other suspect.

"If you're going to just sit there and tell lies, there's no point in even trying to recruit you back to our pack. You can stay with cruddy Creste, no one cares." Pansy huffed and led the three boys back to the castle.

Draco sat back down on the rock, watching as the other Slytherins departed, specifically Vincent. Aurum leaned on him again, staring after the quartet, specifically Gregory, tiredly.

"I don't blame you, Creste." Draco muttered, taking a pebble from the boulder and pitching it into the lake. "It's not your fault that his parents are prats. I just wish we weren't caught up in it." he put his hand on Aurum's. "I'm not leaving you, ever."

The two stared out across the water at the horizon's setting sun.

"So is it true? Pansy is a squib?" Aurum asked.

"Of course. Wouldn't say it otherwise. Just wanted her to leave you alone." Draco muttered, dragging his fingers against the boulder's hard texture.

"Don't tell other's secrets for me, Draco. Please." Aurum sighed.

"Fine—" Draco peered down at her sweater momentarily. "—Mrs. Weasley."

Aurum slightly pushed the blonde out of mild annoyance and they began play-fighting atop the rock.

•••••
Author's Note: I'm just going to be honest, I myself don't even know what endgames going to be.