Youngblood: Retrieval {Year 5, Book 3}

= Chapter 18 =

"Fred, I think we need to talk." Aspen demanded, aware that he was obviously talking to someone already.

"Maybe later, alright darling. I'm sorta busy at the moment?" He said, swatting her away as he continued to talk.

"I think now's the perfect time." She slammed the note in front of his face as he looked up at her, terrified.

"I- how'd you get that?" He asked, standing up and pulling her by the arm into the hallway.

"It fell out of your pocket when you said that you had 'nothing to tell me except to have a great day'!" She shouted angrily.

"Aspen I-"

"Explain yourself!"

"I got the note before winter break, didn't know who it was from and-"

"DIDN'T KNOW WHO IT WAS FROM!? Frederic Gideon Weasley, I think you know darn well who it was from. Who else cares - or cared - about me that much to tell you to take care of me?" Aspen was now on the verge of tears, and so was Fred.

"Malfoy..." His face filled with guilt. "I was- no - am so afraid of losing you that I didn't think and took the easy route out..."

"Why would you do something like that though! Not only have you kept a huge secret from me, but also condemned Draco!" She screamed, not caring if all of Hogwarts heard her and Fred's fight.

"Because I love you, Aspen!" He shouted as her expressions turned into shocked ones.

"Fred I-"

"And I know that your heart still remains with him, but I just wanted you to know." Fred began to walk off, leaving Aspen too shocked to move.

"Fred, wait..." She came jogging up to him as he whirled around, then everything moved in slow motion. Her hand tugged the collar of his shirt down to her height as her eyes fluttered close and her lips moved onto his. It was only a small kiss, but filled with passion.

Aspen looked up at him sadly as the kiss broke. She shook her head. "I - I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking..."

"It's alright, I enjoyed it." He smiled.

---------------

"Professor, can we talk?" Aspen asked, following McGonagall up the stairs to her classroom.

"Of course, what about?" She said, sitting at her desk and sorting through papers.

"I - I kissed Fred." McGonagall looked up, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Well shouldn't that be a celebration, dear, why do you sound so grim?"

"Because... It felt so wrong." Aspen admitted, hating that she needed to seek guidance for her troubled heart.

"Do you love him?"

"I- What kind of question is that?"

"Do you love him?"

Aspen looked down at her black, ankle boots. Her eyes clouded with confusion and self-interrogation. She didn't say a word except for look up at McGonagall.

"Ah... I see, you love the Malfoy boy."

"I never said it was Malfoy."

McGonagall once again glared up at Aspen, who sighed.

"No... Malfoy's nothing to me." Aspen snarled, hiding feelings.

"I wasn't born yesterday; only love makes you that crazy, sweetheart."

Aspen looked up at her, scooting her chair forwards. "So what do I do?"

"I've found that falling in love is like holding a candle. Initially, it lightens up the world around you. Then it starts melting and hurts you. Finally is goes off and everything is darker than ever and all you're left with is the burn." She replied, standing up and moving towards Aspen.

"What do I do with that burn?" She asked as McGonagall reached fro Aspen's hand.

"You treat it." She placed a small, blue vial in the palm of Aspen's hand.

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"Expelliarmus!" Aspen shouted, flicking her wand as a scarlet light danced out of it, flying towards Hermione until she blocked it with her own.

"Stupify!" She yelled, sending magic of her own towards Aspen.

Aspen blocked the attack, only to follow with, "Reducto! Flipendo!"

Hermione was able to block the first attack, but the second came as a surprise and hit her in the chest, sending her flying across the room.

The rest of Dumbledore's Army congratulated her. Harry ran up to her.

"Great work, still a bit stiff, but you're doing great!" He beamed.

"Thanks!" She smiled, only to glance down at her watchband realize the time. "Oh shoot... I've got to go. See you at dinner, Harry!"

Aspen raced down the hallway towards Professor Umbridge's office, then slid into the room next to Ember, undetected.

"What did I miss?" She asked as Ember leaned to whisper in her ear.

"Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle along with Mr. Filch know where Dumbledore's Army hides away." Ember smirked. "They've been following some of the suspected participants and they've all lead them into the Room of Requirement."

Aspen felt sick to her stomach. She was supposed to be the one to protect them and make sure Umbridge never found out where they hid. Her leg quivered nervously as she watch the clock, the teacher's voice drowned out by the long ticks of the timepiece.

"You are all dismissed." Aspen got up in a flash, but cooly walked out of the classroom until she hit the hallway, sprinting to the Room of Requirements.

She checked her back to make sure no one was following before she slipped in, racing towards Harry.

"Harry we've got to get out of here! Dumbledore's Army isn't safe! The squad knows we're in the Room of Requirements... WE'VE GOT TO HIDE!" Aspen said, panicked, but dazed as she watched everyone cast the awfully hard patrons charm.

"Aspen, they can't get in, we're totally sa-"