Alexia ate all her food at super-speed that night. "Um... why are you acting like the food is going to walk off your plate if you don't finish it in the next five minutes?" Asked Hermione. "No reason," responded Alexia quickly. "Come on," said Luna "You've been acting really weird since we got back." Alexia bit her lip. Should she tell them? They're my friends, she thought. I can trust them. At the same time though, she wasn't sure. They had been friends forever, but something told her to stay quiet. "Just a lot going on. The new term and new classes and all that." Alexia hoped they couldn't see through her lie, and it seemed to fool them. At least for now. "I'm going to grab some books from the library." she said, standing up from her seat at the table. Alexia felt bad for lying to them, but it was the only way for her to stay with Draco.
---------------short time lapse---------------
Alexia ran across the Hogwarts grounds, not wanting to be late for her meeting with Draco. "Hey," Draco said in greeting. "Hi," Alexia said. "I was thinking, I need to take you on a real date," Draco told her. "You really don't have to. I'm fine with just walking around the lake and talking." Alexia responded. "Yes, but I want to." Draco insisted. "Trust me, you won't regret it."
"Are you sure we should be going to Hogsmeade Draco?" Asked Alexia. "I mean, it's kind of out of bounds tonight without special permission from a teacher." "Relax. It's not like we're going to announce our presence to the citizens of the village." Said Draco calmly. "We're just here for a butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks." The two walked down the streets of Hogsmeade towards the Three Broomsticks.
Draco held open the door. "After you" Alexia smiled at him and walked inside. They ordered, then found a table in the back corner away from anyone who might report them being out of their dorms. "This is nice," Alexia said "getting away from Hogwarts." "So you've gotten over the fact that we're breaking school code?" Laughed Draco. "To be honest, it's kind of fun." Responded Alexia. The two of them sat and talked for what seemed like days.
"We should get back to Hogwarts." Draco said finally. "Before our friends call out search parties for us." "Look at you, being the responsible one!" Alexia said teasingly. They made their way up to the castle, before realizing that they had no idea how to get back to their common rooms without getting caught by Filtch. "We could say Slughorn wanted us to get some potions ingredients for the 3rd year class?" Suggested Alexia. So, they stopped by the greenhouse and picked some crystal moon-root. As they walked into the castle they kept their eyes open for teachers that were on patrol. "What are you doing out of bed?!" Snapped a voice from behind them. They turned around slowly to see a very angry McGonagall who was giving them a look that suggested they would be lucky to be alive to see another sunrise.
---------------short time lapse---------------
Draco and Alexia sat side by side in chairs facing Dumbledore, a desk in between the headmaster and his students. "So?" He asked for what seemed like the millionth time that night. Neither had been willing to rat out the other to McGonagall and now they were forced to sit it the office of the school's headmaster while McGonagall, Sprout, and Snape stared at them with angry and tired eyes, all ready for one of them to crack and tell the whole night's story from their point of view. "Please sir, just let me get a truth potion, we can all be done with this and they can get detention and learn their lessons." Snape said to Dumbledore for the eighth time. (Draco had been paying attention because if he drank a truth potion he might propose to Alexia before he or any of his professors had time to stop him.) "Not yet Severus" Dumbledore replied calmly "We must let them speak for themselves" "Albus please," McGonagall started, but Dumbledore raised a hand. "No Minerva, they will confess soon." Draco and Alexia glanced at each other, knowing that Dumbledore was right, they would have to give in soon.
After a few more minutes of staring, Alexia broke the silence, speaking for the first time since they had been caught. "Yes professor, we were out of bounds." Dumbledore made no remark, yet he continued to stare at them. "See! They were out of bounds so let's just give them both a week's detention and finish this so we may all go to bed!" Snape said triumphantly. "They still must explain why!" Sprout objected. "Will you both quit it!" McGonagall yelled, for the two professors were now bickering like six-year-olds. The room fell into silence once more until Draco spoke quietly. "We were in Hogsmeade tonight and you have every right to give us detention for the rest of the year." Alexia looked down and nodded. "You must realize, that this is a very serious matter, especially with Death Eaters on the loose," Dumbledore said to them both, still calmly. "Yes sir." the two said in unison. "You will both have detention together each night for the next month." Dumbledore said to them. "I shall let your professors decide the specifics of the schedule." McGonagall stepped forward. "My office. 8 PM tomorrow sharp. Don't be late." She said tersely. They nodded, not quite making eye contact with her. Draco and Alexia walked silently to their dorms, for Snape and Sprout were walking them to their common rooms.
Alexia sat by the fire in Hufflepuff's common room, having too much on her mind to go to bed, even though it was nearly 1:30 in the morning. Her phone buzzed. Draco. "I'm sorry I got us into this mess" Alexia picked up her phone and typed three words. "I love you anyways."
