The List (Draco Malfoy)

Chapter 2

I do not own anything here, nor am I making a profit from this. It is purely to pass my time, and hopefully, interest other people. J. owns Harry Potter, not me.

I hope this chapter answers some questions, and I hope I haven't completely ruined the story with this chapter. All chapters won't be out this quick, or probably this long, it's just I had this one edited and complete, and you're reviews spurred me to update.

Chapter Two - Smile

It took Lainey a good day to get over her bitterness. Not get over it as in forgive her friends for their ignorant blindness, but push it to the side as she realized that if she wasn't going to tell anyone, then she couldn't really take it out on them either.

So, rather stubbornly, Lainey eventually wandered down to breakfast the next morning, sighing as she stood opposite the silent couple. "...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you...I was angry, but I shouldn't have let it out on you."

"No, you shouldn't have." Hermione was the first to speak, naturally. She turned a hurt gaze upon her, only making the gnawing in her gut squirm uncomfortably. They weren't making this any easier.

She swatted Ron's hand as he continued to sit there sullenly, an enticement to at least look up. The gnarled table couldn't be that interesting.

"Ron, mate...?"

Ron shuffled uneasily for a moment, glancing at the Slytherin table before frowning again. "...So, it was only doing the work...nothing else? You're not...friends with them or anything, right?"

"Yes, nothing else! Honestly, I was only making the potion, and they all started staring at it...they were waiting for it to explode or something, I wasn't following the instructions." Lainey glanced at the Slytherin table, blinking in surprise as she caught grey eyes staring back at her. The eyes were glinting with amusement, obviously noticing the drift between the three. Was it really that interesting to watch her friendship deteriorate? Didn't the blonde git have anything better to do?

Lainey glared back at him heatedly, refusing to look away from the obvious challenge in the air. It wasn't until the eyebrow was raised that Lainey was able to wrench her gaze away, realising her mistake too late.

"Oh, yeah, nothing my arse! What are you looking at Malfoy for?"

"Nothing Ron, jeez, keep it down!"

Ron's face was already a splotchy red. He jerked to his feet, catching the attention of not only the Gryffindors, but the entire hall. He clenched his hands angrily, apparently not noticing the rapt attention on them. "You said it was 'fine'! You said you 'chatted'!"

"What's your point?"

"The point? The point? They're Slytherins!"

If anyone had any confusion about the argument, they didn't now. Simultaneously, all eyes turned to glare at the table bathed in green. "They're Death-Eaters and worse! They wanted you killed Lainey! They tried to kill us! They killed Harry! They k-killed..." He shuddered, trying to breathe, face red. Lainey had had enough.

Conscious of the blatant straining ears on her conversation, she leaned closer, trying so speak softly. "Okay mate, I understand. I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry." She was sorry, for more than she wanted to be. She was sorry everyone died for her in the last battle. She was sorry for Ron, who had lost his brother over his friend. His friend that was now also dying. God, Lainey was sorry. But, she couldn't lose Ron too. No matter how angry she got, not matter how pathetically weak, she couldn't lose Ron. She wouldn't make it if Ron loathed her too.