Youngblood {Year 3, Book 1}

= Chapter 18 *Summer Solstice Part 2* =

"Aspen, we're not strong enough. There's too many!" Mya panicked, casting a small patronus on an incoming dementor.

There were thousands of the wrath-like creatures circling the whole Great Hall, terrorizing the scrambling students.

"More action?" Ember complained, jogging up next to Aspen.

"Honestly, I was hoping for so much more... But I guess this will do for now." Aspen winked to Ember.

"Expecto Patronum!" Aspen shouted, only to produce a small one for an incoming dementor, who flew down to her.

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"Now, remember, you must replay a moment that made you the happiest. Find that memory, then picture it clearly in your head." Professor Lupin instructed to Aspen, who had needed a special lesson after her failure in front of the whole class.

"I- Okay." She said uncertainly as the professor gave her a weak smile.

"Now, I'm going to open the closet. Keep that memory, and cling to it..."

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Her brain dug deeper into her memories for the moment that made her the happiest, a searing pain occurring deeply in her head. Embracing it, she dug even deeper, past her first spell casted, and even the time spent with her own mother. Not yet. Deeper she dug as the searing intensified. And finally... she found it. As Professor Lupin instructed, she clung to it, held her life on it.

"Expecto Patronum!" She screamed, half from the pain, and the other half for the thing she was fighting for... Draco.

A large, pale blue and glowing cobra sprouted from her wand, opening its neck frilled, repelling the dementors as they immedietly shrieked and flew away, panicked, but the others continued their assault.

"Expecto Patronum!" Aspen heard Mya yell from beside her, watching as a huge stallion jumped out of her wand, rearing in front of the dementors, blocking their way.

"Expecto Patronum!" Lillian shouted, a field mouse leaping its way out of her wand and into the sky, running its tiny body around the dementors to scare them off.

"Expecto Patronum!" Dove yelled, smiling at Harry as she did so, who quickly got up and joined the rebellion.

A large wolf slid out of her wand, to no one's surprise, clawing and biting the Dementors who decided to come near her. Harry cast his patrons, a huge shimmering stag.

"Expecto Patronum!" Ember screamed as a huge, sky blue fox leapt out of her wand, prancing around her as it warded off the dementors.

"Expecto Patronum!" Aspen heard Eleara shout as a smallish rabbit jumped fully out of the bare tip of her wand, shuffling around her in a circle, then towards the dementors.

"Expecto Patronum!" Vivid Chapman yelled as a huge polar bear plunged its way out of her wand through the spell, nuzzling Vivid before standing up on its hind legs and roaring fiercely.

One by one, the other students stood up to join the fight. Pale blue swirls of animals such as cats, dogs, sea creatures, and even mystical creatures flew and pranced around the room, sending the dementors flying out the window.

"Expecto Patronum!" Aspen heard the soothing voice beside her as she turned around to watch Draco's patrons sprout from his wand tip - a dragon, which flew around the room, blowing pale blue sparky fire around the dementors.

It wasn't long before the short battle was over and the dementors flew right back over to Azkaban. No one was hurt, thankfully, although Aspen's headache had grown worse ever since she cast her patronus. She wearily fell backwards into the arms of Draco, who decided it was time they should head back to the common room.

|||-----Draspen Cuteness Overload-----|||

Aspen had changed from her dress into a comfy, cropped shirt with a snake on it and black fleece pants. Her head still ached as she walked drearily out of the bathroom, her face still wet from wiping her makeup off. She walked out to the common room, where it was just her and Draco, who had laid down fuzzy blankets on the cold, black leather couches, scooting the ottomans up to the cushions to make the couch appear bigger. Aspen smiled, walking over to Draco.

"Feeling better?" He asked, sitting down, allowing Aspen to snuggle up to his chest.

"Much better." She whispered as Draco laid down, resting his head on the arm of the couch as Aspen still clung to his chest.

He began to hum a soft, melodic tune as Aspen shifted her head to hear his heartbeat better. The pain had already ceased greatly, she supposed it had to do with herself being calm. She tensed when she found Draco's cold hand on her back, but calmed when he began tracing mesmerizing circles. She finally allowed her eyes to close, and for the first time... she felt peace.

"I love you, Dray." She whispered, not fully thinking before she blurted it out, but she was thankful when she did.

"I love you too, Asp. I always will."