I signed Amelia Westworth on the paper for Dumbledore's army a few days ago. I was excited to have this sort of rebellious, hero-like duty. Umbridge wouldn't back down easily however. This was top secret and I felt honored to be apart of it.
"Amelia, guess what?" Neville asked as he caught up with me in the hall.
"What?"
"I've found it."
"Found what exactly? You lose a lot of things Nev."
"The place, for you-know-what."
I stopped and turned to him.
"You did? Where is it? Have you told Harry?"
"I'm on my way to right now."
"That's great!"
I followed him as he found Harry and led him and his friends to an area I've never seen been to before.
"Hold on," Neville said walking back and forth a couple of times in front of the wall.
The wall shifted and a door was revealed. We all gasped in amazement.
"You found room of requirement!" Hermione exclaimed.
Neville smiled proudly and gave me a quick glance. I returned a smile and looked at Harry as he examined the room.
"It's brilliant, well done Neville," Harry beamed. "We'll start lessons as soon as possible, tell everyone else about it."
We all nodded and headed off to tell the others where to meet.
-
"I'm not up to anything."
Jack and Maggie both stared at me like disappointed parents.
"You've been acting strange Mils." Maggie sighed.
"I'm just stressed about tests is all."
Jack shifted on his weight and furrowed his eyebrows.
"Where are your glasses?" He asked.
I paled and swallowed hard. Make something up. Make something up. Be believable. Be believable.
"They fell into the lake." I blurted.
"The lake?" He asked with little to no enthusiasm.
"How the hell did your glasses fall into the lake?"
"Well I was leaning over a dock and they just sort of slipped off and I um..."
"Why didn't you use your wand?"
"I had lost that as well. But I found it and so it's fine, but um I think my glasses got eaten by a fish or something cause I can't retrieve 'em." I said with a small smile.
Maggie watched me with worry drawn all over her face. She knew I was lying. She knew what really happened and I could tell she wanted to tell Jack but I had begged her not to.
Jack shook his head. "You'd better get new ones before the test."
I nodded.
"So, back to Maggie's question. What have you really been up to?"
"Nothing! I'm just stressed!" I yelled defensively. I looked up at a clock and almost choked. I was late for Arithmancy tutoring. Draco was gonna throw a hissy fit. Again.
"I'm going now, thanks for the interrogation guys." I said hurrying away down the stairs.
"Mils wait!" I heard Maggie call.
I stepped into the empty classroom only to be smacked in the face by Malfoy's signature minty cologne. I coughed. Did he really have to wear so much of the stuff?
He was leaning up against the wall with a scowl on his face. He took his hands out of the pockets of his black blazer and crossed them over his chest. Oh great, here it comes.
"Late. Again."
"Yeah I know, my brother was breathing down my neck."
He walked towards me and my legs started to feel like jelly. I wasn't going to let him know he intimidated me though so I held my chin up high. He towered over me which made it difficult.
"What's with all of your suits?" I asked.
"What?"
I made a gesture at his torso.
"Do you ever dress comfortably?"
He sneered. "Are you trying to insult me? Are you really that foolish?"
"No, it was just a question."
"You have too many of those."
"I'm a curious person."
"What have you worked on then?" He asked changing the subject.
"Every problem that you told me I failed horribly at, and then some."
"Are you actually getting it at all?"
I nodded. "I am, honest. You've really helped me."
"G-good." He said looking away from me.
Good? What had gotten into him? I was expecting some snarky remark like: 'I know' or 'of course I have' But all he said was 'good'. Was he finally changing? Maybe I should test that theory.
"Draco?"
"What? I swear if you ask me another question-"
"Thank you for all of this."
"Yeah fine whatever, can we just get on with this lesson? I need to leave earlier."
I sat down and studied him as he taught. The way his jaw kept clenching every time I accidentally smudged ink all over the paper. The way his eyes narrowed whenever I asked a stupid question. The way his tongue moved over his bottom lip before he corrected me rudely...
Snap out of it. Pay attention Amelia.
While his frustrated faces amused me, I wanted to see him smile. I've seen it before, but it was a rare occurrence.
"Draco?"
He closed his eyes as if he was telling himself not to kill me right then and there. His patience was running thin.
"What do you call a gardener with a beard?"
"Are you telling jokes now?" He snapped.
I bit my lip holding back my laughter. "A Hairy Potter!"
He glared at me with a stone expression. I looked at him with a big smile and couldn't hold back my laughter any longer. I snorted a few times and covered my mouth.
The corner of his mouth twitched and he looked down almost ashamed and smiled a bit.
"That was the stupidest thing that's ever come out of your mouth. And that's saying something."
I smacked his arm offended but still squeaked out giggles.
"We're done with today, and every day after." He said gathering his things.
"No!" I pleaded. "I promise I won't make anymore jokes!"
"You're literally a child."
"Well you're an arse."
His eyebrows shot up in response.
"What did you just call me?"
"An arse." I said as I stood up challenging him.
He stood up and glared at me. We were only inches away and I could feel my heartbeat in my throat. His eyes were unmoving from my own and I wanted to look away but I stood my ground. My lips parted to speak and his eyes traveled down to them. I swallowed nervously as he put his hand on my wrist. I looked down at my arm as he pulled it to the side. My body followed and he slung his book-bag over his shoulder and pushed past me going out the door.
When I remembered how to breathe properly again I took in a great gulp of air. I used the desk to steady myself and stared into oblivion as I went over what had just happened in my head. The tension was... astronomical. I can't like Draco Malfoy. There's no way I can.
I was snapped out of my thoughts when the door to the classroom slammed. A heated Magdalyn stood with her arms crossed and her chest puffing. Her glare bore straight through me.
"I can explain Mags..."
"Oh go right ahead then!" She screeched.
"He's just helping me with Arithmancy, please if Jack knew about this-"
"He would murder Draco on the spot."
"Exactly."
"Well maybe that'd be a good thing. What are you doing?"
"I'm just getting help! I don't want to fail the arithmancy portion of my O.W.L.S."
"So you ask... MALFOY!?"
"Well..."
"AND HE SAID YES!?"
I chuckled nervously and sat on the desk.
"Did you follow me here?"
Now it was her turn to chuckle nervously.
"I... well..."
"You spied on me? Have you just been listening in the hallway for an hour?"
She nodded sheepishly and walked over and stood in front of me.
"You know I just don't want you getting hurt."
"I'm not. He's helping me."
"I saw the way you were looking at him Mils, you have it bad."
"I know it's not going to turn into anything so just leave it."
"What if it does...?" Maggie asked quietly.
I looked at her like she just ran over my grandma.
"Draco Lucius Malfoy? Liking me? ME!? Are you actually okay in the head?"
"You know his middle name?" She asked skeptically.
I blushed and shoved her arm.
"You're ridiculous."
"No, you're ridiculous. How did you even get him to agree to this in the first place if he doesn't like you even a little?"
"I... I don't know."
It really did make me wonder. Was he doing this just for me? Why would he take pity on someone like me? Did he really like me? Even if it was just a smidge? Or...Did he have some ulterior motive?
Maggie let out an exasperated sigh and let her head fall into her hand. Then she started laughing.
"What is it?" I asked a bit annoyed.
"You called Malfoy an arse."
I smiled. "I did didn't I?"
We both broke out into fits of laughter.
"Really though Mags, do not tell Jack about this."
"I know I know. I won't, I swear."
I just hoped he wouldn't find out about it on his own.