Draco looked deadly calm, tucking away his wand in his robes and walking toward Amisty.
She just glared, a sharp, bitter cold glare that could send shivers down the spine of the bravest wizard.
But not Draco, he just met her gaze with a concerned expression.
"What are you doing out here?" He asked, kneeling down beside her.
She scooted away.
Maybe you're right. Maybe you are just a pathetic little Mudblood.
"What are you doing out here?" She countered, crossing her arms and wincing as her elbow brushed against the cut.
She had yet to forgive him for his cruel words, even if they were from weeks ago.
"You need to go to the hospital wing," He didn't answer her question.
She, after all, hadn't replied to his.
"And explain this to Madame Pomfrey? I don't think so," She shook her head stubbornly, turning away from him.
If he realized she was still furious with him, well more than usual, he didn't act like it.
"She doesn't ask questions, you know better than all of us that this can and will get infected," He argued, inching closer. "I'll take you up there myself if you don't do it on your own."
She glared up at him, the familiar spark of challenge reflected back at her in his silver eyes.
She didn't move.
She still needed to get that letter from Echo.
"So be it," He shrugged, wrapping his arms around her back and scooping up her legs.
Amisty was getting a severe sense of deja vu.
She let out a cry of pain, the gnash still dripping blood on the ground.
It was a bright scarlet, meaning it wasn't too deep. If it was the color of wine she would be in trouble.
Draco froze in his motions, his concern evident for a split second before disappearing behind his usual shielded expression.
"I'm fine, fine. Doesn't hurt at all, you don't have to take me to the hospital wing," She gritted out, screwing up her eyes to keep from wailing.
The pain was burning, sharp. Sending shocks up and down her body at the slightest move.
"Don't lie to me," Draco replied, his silver eyes boring into her green ones as he loosened his hold.
"I'm fine," She protested, her words losing all the little truth they held when he pressed lightly on her torso.
She yelped and slapped his hand away.
"Definitely not fine," He decided, shaking his head at her antics and setting out on the path.
Echo followed along, keeping just out of sight, but Amisty could hear the occasional rustling of her wings as she soared through the tree branches.
Amisty herself was quite gloomy, glaring off into the forest with no particular victim of her stare.
"Are you willing to explain why you were out here in the first place yet, or are you going to continue to scare every living thing off in this forest?" Draco asked sarcastically, breaking the silence that had fallen between the two.
"I'd rather continue scaring every living thing since my business is mine alone," She replied snarkily, lifting her chin as her pride got the better of her.
If she would stop bickering her conflicts could probably all be solved.
Unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen.
"I'm going to find out either way," He shrugged, undaunted by her snappish retort. "So if you'd rather explain to Madame Pomfrey alone, feel free."
Amisty weighed her options. All she did was chase after Echo and ended up following her into the forest, she didn't have to explain who exactly the letter was from.
And having some help explaining to Madame Pomfrey, who in no way would be happy with her wandering into the Forbidden Forest for the sake of a letter, would be nice.
But, as there were always cons in these situations, Draco would always want to know all the details. The last thing she needed was him knowing she was writing someone she barely knew.
In the end, though, the pros outweighed the cons, and she let out a long, frustrated sigh.
Draco's mouth quirked up in the shadow of a smile, knowing he had convinced her to tell him.
She turned her head to face him, meeting his gaze with a glare.
"Don't act all smug about it," She growled, reaching out to hit him but stopping as her cut burned. With a loud exhale, she explained, "Echo was delivering me a letter and ended up flying away so I followed after her."
"And you got attacked by a bugbear," He finished, raising an eyebrow. "That must've been an important letter."
"It was," She nodded, her heart dropping as she thought of what the writer must think when they didn't get her reply.
"Would it be too much to ask who the letter was from?" He asked, a trace of teasing in his voice.
"Yes, it would be," She replied smartly before closing her mouth and looking back at the forest.
Echo took off from the trees, off in the direction of the Gryffindor common room.
Draco just rolled his eyes, walking through the entrance to the castle. Thankfully the hallways were empty, and when they weren't Draco wouldn't turn onto them until the sound of footsteps and chatter receded.
Amisty didn't notice this, of course, as she was too busy coming up with colorful insults.
It wasn't until she heard Madame Pomfrey's shrill voice that she snapped back to reality.
"AMISTY RIVER WHAT DID YOU GET YOURSELF INTO?" The elderly witch shouted, her blue eyes blazing.
Amisty felt her heart sink to her shoes, the heat draining from her face. Even Draco looked unnerved by the healer's fury.
"There was a bugbear..." Amisty replied meekly, sending pleading messages to Draco for him to put her down and leave.
She didn't need for him to see her being scolded for her stupidity.
"Mr. Malfoy, if you could put her down on that gurney over there," She pointed over to Amisty's usual bed.
Draco followed her directions, dropping her down on the blankets carefully.
Even so, she couldn't keep the sharp hiss of pain from escaping her lips. Draco looked absolutely terrified as Madame Pomfrey's head shot up.
But what she said next wasn't directed at him.
"Serves you right. What were you thinking?" The nurse scolded, hurrying over with her wand in hand. "Now which one of you would like to explain what happened?"
"She got a letter but her owl flew away before she could read it and ended up flying into the Forbidden Forest," Draco replied immediately, earning a frigid glare from Amisty.
He was getting used to them, not even blinking.
"Go on," Madame Pomfrey urged, her voice coming out tight.
It was clear she was having trouble keeping calm. Amisty watched as the dried blood around the cut disappeared as the nurse waved her wand.
"So I followed after her and ended up getting attacked by a bugbear," Amisty finished, paying close attention to the precise movements Madame Pomfrey was making with her wand.
"Were you in the forest as well?" Madame Pomfrey's sparking blue gaze shifted onto Draco.
There was a faint tinge of pink on his cheeks.
"No..." His voice trailed off as he tried to find the words to explain.
Amisty sat up slightly and then immediately got pushed back down by Madame Pomfrey.
The witch had an understanding look in her eyes, and in a flash Amisty's cut was healed over. Not even a trace of a scar.
"You're good to go. Don't you dare ever try anything like that again, I'm warning you, Amisty," Madame Pomfrey warned, but that wasn't what Amisty was focusing on.
"Why do I have to explain what I was doing but he doesn't?" She protested, getting down from the gurney and staring at them both in turn.
"Because that's not important, go to class," Madame Pomfrey replied, a hint of warning in her tone.
It went by unnoticed or rather ignored.
"No! I want to know," She retorted angrily, crossing her arms and standing her ground.
Draco looked panicked, his silver eyes wide and pupils dilated. It looked as if he would run any second.
"I don't think he's the one that got themselves hurt, Amisty, go to class," The nurse met her blazing green glare evenly.
At that Draco visibly relaxed, looking relieved. Amisty's posture fell away under the firm stare, and with an exasperated sigh she stalked out.
Why was he out there?
-=+=-
She had rejoined her friends at lunch, giving them the shortened version of the story that had happened.
Now they were walking up to Charms when a shout echoed through the crowded corridor.
"Oi, you! 'Arry Potter!" A dwarf shouted, his golden wings sparkling the glow of the torches.
Harry went white and he frantically tried to escape, but the dwarf was too fast for him.
"I've got a musical message to deliver to 'Arry Potter in person."
"Not here!" Harry hissed, once again trying to disappear back into the crowds.
Amisty and Hermione traded glances, both grinning.
"Stay still!" The dwarf grabbed hold Harry's bag, pulling the poor boy back toward him.
"Let me go!" Harry growled, fighting for his bag.
Amisty watched with wide eyes as his bag tore in half, spilling books, parchment, quills, his wand, and a bottle of scarlet ink tumbling to the floor.
The ink shattered, splattering everything a bright red. Harry dropped to the floor and hurriedly stuffed everything into his bag. The ruckus had brought forth a rather large crowd.
"What's going on here?" An annoyingly familiar voice asked.
Amisty felt her body tense and she looked up, watching as Malfoy waltzed up.
His appearance only sped up Harry's movements.
"What's all this commotion?" Percy asked, rounding the corner and surveying the situation.
Harry leaped to his feet, getting ready to bolt. That is until the dwarf snagged onto his ankles and he fell to the ground.
"Right. Here is your singing valentine:
His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad,
His hair is as dark as a blackboard.
I wish he was mine, he's really divine,
The hero who conquered the Dark Lord."
Harry looked absolutely mortified, but he attempted to lighten the mood by laughing along with everyone else.
Amisty was trying her hardest not to crack up, biting down hard on her bottom lip.
"Off you go, off you go, the bell rang five minutes ago, off to class, now.," Percy ushered some of the crowd away. "And you, Malfoy -- "
Amisty looked up, just the same time as Harry did, and they both caught sight of Malfoy picking up the diary.
"Give that back," Harry's voice was quiet, but the panic in his green eyes was clear as day.
"Wonder what Potter's written in this?" Malfoy ignored Harry's request, holding it up for Crabbe and Goyle to see.
The entire hallway went silent, with Ginny's gaze feverishly shifting between Harry and the diary.
"Hand it over, Malfoy," Percy ordered, his voice taking on its usual professional and serious tone.
"When I've had a look," Malfoy replied lazily, waving around the diary as it was a prize he had won.
"As a school prefect -- " Percy started, but he was quickly interrupted as Harry pulled out his wand, eyes narrowed.
"Expelliarmus!" He shouted, the diary flying out of Malfoy's grasp and landing right in a smiling Ron's arms.
"Harry! No magic in the corridors. I'll have to report this, you know!" Percy scolded, looking crestfallen as he took points from his own House.
Harry didn't seem to care, a triumphant glint in his eyes. Malfoy, on the other hand, looked ready to kill, his own eyes blazing.
When Ginny passed by, his clenched teeth morphed into a cruel sneer.
"I don't think Potter liked your valentine much!" He yelled after her. Ginny's hands flew to her face and she ran into her class.
Amisty gritted her teeth, her fists clenched into shaking fists. Hermione appeared at her side, placing a calming hand on her shoulder.
Ron had pulled out his wand, but by then Harry had grabbed him and dragged him into Charms. Amisty and Hermione followed, Amisty sending a piercing glare over her shoulder at him.
All he did was smirk in reply.