We sat around at the dinner table in the great hall. All day long, Harry got praise - especially from the Gryffindor team - for his legendary skill and precision.
"Good job out there today, Harry!" Said a boy called Cedric Digory from Hufflepuff, who gave him a firm handshake.
"Yes, Harry!" Said Fred giving him a high five.
"Nice one, mate! Play like that again and we'll be sure to beat Slytherin in the finals!" Said George giving him a low five.
"Yeah! Thanks, guys" Harry smiled.
"Even if it meant beating Malfoy off his broom..." I mumbled.
Harry glared at me to stop, hoping no one heard.
Gryffindor table was loud and cocky. Eating like kings, much like they felt. But I was planning. Planning something the way I used to in the orphanage.
I needed papers, drawings, schematics, and very good know-how about the in's and out's of Hogwarts. In other words, a map.
"Hey Harry," I interruptedt his laughter with a mouthful of chicken, "do you still have the map?"
Just then, i felt a kick from under the table which nearly made me choke.
"Ow!" I yelled at Hermione.
"Do you want to be any louder?" Said Ron.
"Well I need it!" I urged.
"For what?" Harry asked.
There was a pause and a trio of intrigued eyes set on me.
"I'm planning an attack!" I exclaimed.
"What?" Harry asked in confusion.
"On who?" Asked Ron.
"Slytherin house!" I revealed quietly, beaming.
"You're barking," Ron laughed.
"I'm serious, and I'll need a team of course... you know, the smart-ass, the brave, the... ginger one,"
"Shove off..."
"Kidding," i rolled my eyes, "you're tactical, right?"
"I play wizards chess,"
"Perfect..." I raised my eyebrows and looked back at Harry.
We watched each other for a while.
"Well?" I asked "can I have it?"
"No," he answered plainly.
"What?!" I yelled shocked
"No,"
"What do you mean no?"
"No!"
"Why?!"
"Because what's the point?"
"The point is, they were trying to mess you up. They keep getting involved in your life and they're trying to fuck it up!" I preached, "they could've really hurt you, Harry. They don't even care,"
Harry took no interest. He just kept eating his food.
I got up, slammed my hands in to the table and leant forward where he could hear me speaking more quietly.
"How long?" I asked. The whole Gryffindor table watched me.
"How long what?" He replied
"How long are you going to let him do that to you? Walk all over you, push you around... reduce you to a speck," my rage built.
"I don't know what your talking about-"
"No, I think you know exactly what i'm talking about. He's bullying you, and your letting him..." still no reaction, "you're fucking weak Harry Potter!"
I got up aggressively and kicked the table on the way. I stormed out of the great hall and made my way to the green outside Hagrids.
I was still angry, but for some reason I felt more anxious than angry. I just had this sudden paranoia that I was being watched as I made my way from the hall all the way here. The further I walked, the more uneasy I felt. Then I realised... I was being followed.
I turned and saw the silvery-blonde haired boy come out of his hiding spot from behind a tall brick pillar knowing that he had been found out, and began quickly walking to catch up with me. Oh, I was not pleased.
I kept walking down the hill keeping on the path. As agitated as I already was, I knew that any sort of conversation with Draco would push me over the edge. Although, at the same time, I still had this underlying feeling that I didn't want him to give up.
I walked straight past the spot I wanted to sit at and then straight past Hagrid's hut. Knowing that he was still following me, I just kept on walking, not wanting to stop. I was so focused on my contradicting thoughts that I hadn't realised I was walking straight in to the forbidden forest.
We had walked through the cold and dark forest, where leaves had began to frost over, allowing light and satisfying crunches under your feet. It wasn't long before we made it to a large gap in the trees where there was the outskirts of a lake. So I stood at the edge and watched the sunset and the ripples in the icy cold water. The sky was a soft blend of blues, yellows, and pinks and the remainder of the forbidden forest that surrounded the lake turned to silhouettes. It felt like a moment that could've been enjoyed peacefully, but the sound of Malfoy coming quickly out from the trees behind me swiftly took away any desire to enjoy the view.
"What do you want?" I snapped angrily, not turning to face him.
"Are you ok?" He asked half heartedly.
I spun quickly on my feet, "why would you care if I'm ok or not?!" I yelled.
"Shh!" He panicked looking quickly around him, "you're going to attract certain unwanted attention from creatures that aren't going to be too friendly to the like of you and I. Or anyone for that matter," I shook my head as if to question his statement that I didn't quite understand what he was referring to, "the dementors..." he continued, "they're not far from here-"
"Oh, you mean like before?" I yelled referencing the events from earlier today, "how could you- how dare you do something so- so! Argh! You are unbelievable, you know that?!"
"Calm down!" He hissed, worried that the dementors could soon descend.
"Oh my god... seriously. Draco. DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!" I screamed waving my hands.
"It was a harmless joke! I did it for the team," Draco defended himself.
"He could've fallen! Do you not think these things through?" I jabbed my finger against my temple, "don't you worry that something like that could've- killed him?!"
"Ok! Please! Keep you voice down!" He whispered.
"No! I won't! You're psychotic!" I flared my hands again, hearing splashes behind me, "You're crazy!" I waved again, creating a louder splash this time, "You're-"
"Maria!" Draco screamed and pointed behind me.
I hesitated for a moment. Then I remembered what he did in Hagrid's lesson before he got hurt by Buckbeak.
"Oh, please. I'm not falling for that! You really have no limits do you? From here on out, just stay the HELL AWAY FROM ME!" As I motioned more aggressively this time, I heard a louder splash and felt it wet my back.
His face went pale and he starred in horror.
"Come on!" He ran towards me, grabbed my arm and dragged me away.
"Get off me!" I yanked my arm away. I thought I knew what he was doing, I thought he was trying to save me from myself. But I felt like in understood my power more after my lessons with Professor Snape, and that whatever water bending had just occurred, it was not out of control or dangerous.
Just then, a dark cloaked figure swirled in front of us, my heart sank and I finally understood the dire situation that we were now in.
"Run!" I grabbed Draco's arm the other way.
Running through the hazy trees that flew by as we picked up the pace, the air felt colder and my chest felt tighter and heavier. The dementors were chasing us.
The terrifying thought that I could die plummeted into my head and sank to my chest. My entire body felt vacant. We would never get away, and I would die holding the hand of a boy who I despise.
The clearing up ahead grew near. I could see Hagrid's hut and the beginnings of the castle.
Another cloaked figure blocked the exit. We ran towards it still and before we knew it, the life was being sucked from our faces. We couldn't move, we couldn't flinch, our courage was gone and we were running on empty.
I heard a man scream, and I somehow knew it was my father.
Bravery arose from inside me, I clenched Draco's hand and we slide underneath the dementor and kept running.
"This'd be a good time for a you to know a few defensive spells!" I shakily shouted at Draco, feeling nauseous from the attack.
"I think I know one that might work! But-"
"But what?! Do it!" I pleaded.
"What if I piss it off more?!" He called back fearfully.
"shit! Ok! Just- Keep running! Don't stop!"
"Wasn't planning on it!" He replied.
As we ran out onto the field, I saw a boy running towards us.
Harry! I thought to myself.
I'm coming, I heard his voice in my head, probably a hallucination from the panic.
He took out his wand and a rush of mixed feelings flooded my mind. What is he doing? Does he see the cloaked figure? Was he about to attack Draco and leave him as bait to get me to safety? Would he curse him? Will he defend us? Can he?
"Expecto patronum!" He bellowed down the field, his voice echoing the atmosphere.
Suddenly a bright white light emitted from the end of his wand.
Draco and I pounced to the floor, afraid we were about to be shocked by a curse from my brother.
Then I remembered what had happened at the match. It's a defensive spell to get rid of the dementors!
I turned and saw them get blown back into the forest, as if they were bats being swept away by a hurricane.
Just then, Harry was at my shoulder.
"Are you ok?" He asked tearfully.
I nodded and took his helping hand to stand, "still in one piece," I replied.
We both looked at Draco stumbling to his feet.
"Potter," Draco spat.
"Ahhhh!" Harry screamed and knocked him to the floor.
"No! Harry don't!" I pulled him off
"You're defending him?! Who was the one who just lectured me about not letting him get away with his shit! You could've been killed!" He barked.
"What if they come back?!" I hissed, "come on, we need to go,"
I looked back down at Draco, who laid flat on the grass, groaning as he held his stomach.
Still trying to catch my breath, I met eyes with Harry and nodded in appreciation. We began to make our way back up to the castle with Draco trailing behind us.
I held my head, with hairs stuck on my lips and sweaty forehead. My head was spinning, and I felt nauseous like never before.
"You need some chocolate," he stated, putting his arm over me.
"Chocolate?" I replied.