"One month to go, Harry." Rachel said, watching the crowds of people move between lessons. "You still haven't figured that out that bloody egg, yet."
"Yes, I am aware of that Rachel." Harry groaned. "Every time I open it, it screams. I can't figure out what I'm meant to do!"
"I could always ask Cedric." Rachel pointed out, moving in front of Harry and walking backwards to their potions lesson.
"Is that cheating?" He asked with a frown.
Rachel shrugged and scoffed, not exactly caring if it was cheating. Harry couldn't be disqualified, it wasn't allowed. So who cared if they asked for a little help? It wasn't like it would help. Cedric probably hadn't figured it out himself, Rachel thought. He was intelligent, but this was bound to have thrown him off.
The 24th of January was the start of the countdown to the Second Task. Krum had been spotted training a lot more vigorously than usual and that itself brought its usual horde of fangirls, much to Hermione's dismay.
The twins walked into the potions classroom, side by side before dispersing onto their regular tables. Rachel took her seat besides Dean, Draco and Kayla ignoring them completely. Though, Rachel noticed, Draco watched her for a moment before turning to the board and pretending to be engaged in the lesson.
Like usual, Rachel slumped in her seat, taking odd notes down from the board and mumbling answers from underneath her breath but never raising her hand. It was just a regular lesson. But Rachel spotted how tense Kayla was, how she daren't even look her way or make some rude comment. It wasn't like herself. In fact, Kayla looked quite upset.
There was an air of tension hanging around the table, a lot more than usual. Since they had come back after Christmas, there was tension. Especially between Draco and Rachel but, now it seemed that Kayla had joined the crew. Dean was just a witness to it all and had to endure all the evil glares and snide comments. It didn't seem like a tension in which someone would say the wrong thing and Rachel would hex them, it was more like trying to stay quiet. It was most odd.
During the lesson, Rachel only looked up once from her book and as she did, straight into the grey steely eyes of Draco Malfoy. She held his gaze for a moment but turned back to her book and didn't raise her head for the remainder of the lesson. Despite the awkwardness of it all, Rachel didn't regret the kiss. If anything, she liked it.
After potions lesson, she rushed out the classroom while linking arms with Hermione and dragging her behind quickly. Harry and Ron gave each other weary looks and jogged behind them, knocking into Neville who dropped all his books.
"Rach, can you please slow down?" Hermione asked, struggling to keep up.
"Sorry, I just..." Rachel shook her head, letting go of Hermione and looking at the floor.
"Are you okay? You've been acting funny since the Yule Ball and that was nearly a month ago!" Hermione frowned.
Just then Draco passed with his posse; Rachel looked up and then with a groan quickly turned around and looked away. Draco's shoulders sagged slightly but he continued to walk on. In front of Rachel, Hermione furrowed her eyebrows, looking between Draco and Rachel before her eyes widening. By now, the boys had just caught up as Hermione yanked Rachel off around the corner.
"Oh my Merlin, these girls." Ron huffed and Harry scoffed in agreement, no longer rushing after them.
Once around the corner, away as much as they could from everyone else, Hermione looked at Rachel sternly. "What happened between you and Malfoy?"
"W-what do you mean?" Rachel said.
"Well something clearly happened!" Hermione rolled her eyes. "You two were so quiet in potions, barely looked at each other and when you did, like just now, you both quickly look away like you've been jinxed!"
Rachel leaned against the wall and let out a sigh; she closed her eyes a little and winced. She didn't want to tell her. She couldn't tell her. "I can't say."
"Yes you can." Hermione said, putting her hands on her hips. "Don't make me use some Veritaserum on you!"
Rachel frowned and bit her lip. "Hermione, I... oh for Merlin's sake, I kissed Draco. Well he kissed me but- urgh you get the point!"
Hermione dropped her arms, her mouth open slightly and eyes widening. Shaking her head, Rachel stepped closer and looked a little upset. "I knew you'd think badly of me."
"It-it's okay, it's just a bit of a shock, I mean it's Malfoy!" Hermione said her eyebrows rose.
Rachel said nothing, a sad smile appearing on her face and a little scoff caused her shoulders to bob slightly. She raised her head and looked at the ceiling, ignoring Hermione's weary looks.
"What about Cedric?" She said quietly.
"Oh god, don't bring him up please." Rachel rolled her eyes. "He's a good kid, good looking too, but I mean... oh I don't know, he's not my type."
"Your type? Yeah, it's more blonde, grey eyed boys with judgemental, racist personalities." Hermione said with no emotion causing Rachel to look at her shocked.
"Really?" Rachel scoffed. "Really, Hermione?"
Hermione flinched a little, looking at her shoes and biting her lip leaving a look of embarrassment on her face.
"God, you have no idea do you?" Rachel said, glaring. "He is... he's just... you know his family! Anyone with a dad like Lucius would have those 'morals'. But he's changed Hermione. I can tell."
"Rachel, I'm sorry it's ju-"
"Oh, save it." Rachel snapped, turning around and walking away. "There's a reason why I keep secrets, so you lot don't rant at me."
Hermione stood there, watching where Rachel had stormed off, fiddling with a strand of hair awkwardly. Harry and Ron finally caught up, spotting Hermione and strolled over to her. Harry noticed Rachel was not there and cocked his head a little.
"Where's Rach?" He asked, Ron too noticed and looked around for her.
Hermione put on a fake smile and muttered some response about how she went on without her. The boys nodded but Ron frowned at Hermione, he knew she wasn't telling the entire truth. He shook off the feeling and continued to walk on with his friends.
Sat in the abandoned girl's toilets, Rachel scowled at herself in the mirror. Letting out a shaky sigh, she brushed the hair out of her face, she had kept it down. Draco liked her hair down. She quickly stood up straighter, a worried look on her face.
Was she trying to impress Draco Malfoy?
Shaking the thoughts from her head, Rachel pulled a hair bobble from her bag and tied her hair up. Once she had done her hair, she proceeded to sit on the floor, closing her eyes and counting to ten; trying to calm herself down.
Without a doubt, Rachel hated being an animagi. It was aggravating. Her personality had changed, well not so much changed, more like emphasised. The temper she used to once be able to control was now extremely short. It often got out of control. Loosening her tie, Rachel opened her eyes.
There was no use in trying to calm her down. It wouldn't work. Before this conversation, yes she felt awkward around Draco but she wasn't worried about it, now however she felt incredibly guilty, and for what? Kissing a guy?
Yes, Rachel had to admit, it was Draco and Draco did have a history of being prejudiced. Especially towards Hermione but in all fairness his parents inflicted those ideas onto him from the moment he could talk. Draco wouldn't have had a choice in what he could think, it wasn't allowed. Of course Rachel was the only one who understood this.
Nobody cared about him. They only saw Slytherin, pure blood and dark family. No one bothered to dig deeper and maybe try to understand the true him, no one except Rachel.
"Oh god..." Rachel said realising what was happening.
She jumped up quickly and went to her lesson, as she exited the loos she ran straight into Neville whose books fell out of his hands again.
"Neville!" Rachel gasped. "Oh, crap. I'm sorry!"
She quickly bent down and collected his books while Neville stood up and brushed himself down. He smiled timidly and took his books from her hand and shoved them in her bag.
"Don't worry its okay." Neville shrugged.
"No it's not." She said. "I just ran into you, I was caught up in my own little world then."
"Being in your own world is better than this world though right." He smiled, walking beside her.
"Yeah I suppose." She replied, smiling at him too.
*
When lunch arrived, Rachel sat a little away from Hermione, Harry and Ron who sat in confusion. She stayed with Neville, Seamus, Dean, Fay and also Aspen who had joined them at the Gryffindor table.
"What's with Rachel?" Ron frowned, looking at her down the table.
"I can't say." Hermione shook her head and looked at the table.
"Hermione." Harry persisted, looking at her sternly.
Hermione groaned and put her head in her arms. "It was just something that had happened at the Yule Ball, that's all." She said, muffled by her robes.
Rachel glanced over to the trio who were leaning forward to each other and talking quietly.
"Hey, Rachel." Aspen waved a hand in front of her face, a small smile on her face.
"Hmm?" Rachel responded, snapping her head back round to the group.
"We asked you if you knew anymore about the Triwizard tournament." Aspen said, leaning on Seamus' shoulder.
"Oh, no I don't. Sorry." She pulled a face. "I mean Harry hasn't figured out the egg and I haven't asked Cedric, if I'm honest.
"So what is Cedric like?" Fay said, resting her head on her hands and leaning forward, nearly swooning already.
"He is sweet, I guess. Maybe a little too sweet." Rachel winced. "But, why does everyone keep asking me this? We're not dating or anything."
"Are you not?" Fay suddenly sat up.
"Yeah." Rachel scoffed. "I mean, no denying he's good looking but he's just... I don't know."
"You still like Fred don't you." Seamus winked, causing Rachel to flush and the gang to 'oooh!'
"Really? Keep your voice down, he's only there." Rachel lowered her head down.
At that moment, Fred popped his head up with George. He looked towards Rachel and flashed a wink and a cheeky smirk before turning back to his conversation. Rachel glared at Seamus.
"Remind me to jinx your ass when we get out of here."
Meanwhile, Hermione had given way and told the boys what had happened with Rachel and Draco. They looked livid. Harry was actually being held down by Ron; otherwise he would have gotten up and punched Draco in the face.
"Stop, please stop, Harry!" Hermione pleaded.
"Are you kidding me?" He yelled. "That slimy git kissed my sister!"
By now Rachel was looking over to her brother and the others, looking startled like a rabbit before her face settled into a glare. Not excusing herself, she picked herself up and stormed down to where they were sat.
"You told them!" Rachel hissed angrily, a few people were watching them now from the surrounding tables.
"Rachel, how could you do that?" Harry growled feeling like he would be sick as he stood up in front of his sister.
"Oh fuck off, Harry I don't need your approval." Rachel spat at him. "Hermione, I trusted you! Wow, thanks a lot."
"Hey, don't start on her!" Ron defended her.
"Right, everyone is against me now?" Rachel said, fuming.
Not waiting for a reply, she stormed out of the hall, muttering under her breath. The Weasley twins sat watching this unfold, they gave each other a look and George nodded to Fred. Fred jumped up quickly and took off after her.
He yelled after her but she didn't answer, so he ran faster. Chasing after her, he began to plan what to do when he caught up with her. He yelled her name once more and she stopped, her shoulders shaking.
"Rachie?" He said, as she turned around he could see she was nearly in tears.
Fred didn't say anything and instead brought her into a hug, holding her tightly as she slowly disintegrated into tears on his chest. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh, resting his head on top of hers. Gently rubbing her back, Rachel calmed down; her tears finally halting on her face.
"Hey, hey... come on, stop crying Rachie." He said with a small smile, rubbing the tears off her face.
She nodded and shakily let out a breath, relaxing a little into his hands that were on either side of her face.
"I'm going to take a swing and say you don't want to talk about it?" Fred spoke quietly and she nodded.
"I ju- I just made a mistake... well it wasn't one at the time but they are making me feel like crap, Fred." Rachel closed her eyes.
Fred assumed that 'they' was his younger brother, Harry and Hermione. He frowned at that; they clearly did something big to make her cry.
"You want me to have a word with them?"
"No." Rachel whispered. "I'm okay."
"Well, you're not." Fred said seriously. "How about we take a walk and then you go tell Dumbledore you transformed so you can have the afternoon off?"
"I'll take the walk." Rachel smiled sadly. "But, I had better go to classes."
"Whatever you say, Rachie." Fred smiled and led her outside where it was a lot cooler.
-