Youngblood: Retrieval {Year 5, Book 3}

= Chapter 25 =

"So... how are you feeling?" Lillian asked, sitting beside Aspen in the Great Hall for lunch.

"Despite having by back burned off by my father, I'm doing amazing!" Aspen replied sarcastically.

Lillian looked down at her plate full of a club sandwich and salad, then back up at Aspen, who had barely eaten anything despite her hunger.

"Hey, could I see that?" Aspen asked a first-year Slytherin reading The Daily Prophet.

The first year smiled and nodded, handing the newspaper to Aspen. She flipped through the first few pages until coming across a particular article.

He Who Must Not Be Named returns: Seven days ago, at the Ministry of Magic, thirteen of Lord Voldemort's "Death Eaters" were caught and sent to Azkaban along with their master's return. The Death Eaters sent to Azkaban include Lucius Malfoy, Hyperion Hale-

Aspen didn't bother to read the rest. She gave the paper back to the first year before placing her face in her hands. Her father was in prison... she had nowhere to go and no place to call home anymore.

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"Harry!" Dove called, racing after him.

"Yes, Dove?" He turned around, his cheeks stained from crying. Dove presumed it had been over Sirius Black's death.

"I - I know this might not be the right time, but I need to know: why did you cheat on me with Cho?" She gulped as he wiped his cheeks.

"I - Dove..." He looked at her, his eyes full of stress. "Can we please talk about this later?"

Dove sighed and nodded. Harry had been through a lot these past few days, maybe she should give him a bit more space. Dove pursed her lips together before walking away.

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"Aspen!?" Fred shouted from across the hall, sprinting up to her.

"Fred!"  Aspen smiled, hugging him tightly when he reached her. "Ow... ow... my back..."

"Oops..." Fred and Aspen chuckled when he hugged her a bit too tight around her back, causing slight pain. "So... how are you doing?"

Aspen frowned a bit. "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

"Because you almost died from severe burns and your father just exposed himself as a Death Eater." He shrugged truthfully as Aspen giggled, trying to hide the emotional pain.

"Yeah... I suppose you're right..." She sighed, looking down at the cold, stone floor. "I'm doing fine, I guess."

"That's good... I think." He looked into her forest green eyes, looking as if he was about to say something grim, but looked away and smiled. "Well I hope you have a great rest of your day."

"Fred? Is something wrong?" Aspen pushed as Fred shook his head.

"No, it's fine, we can talk about it tomorrow." He sighed as he left, gritting his teeth.

"Was Weasley bothering you?" Draco's voice returned from the Great Hall carrying two mugs of apple cider.

"No... just a friendly chat." Aspen smiled, grasping the mug when Draco offered it to her. Her smiled turned into a frown as she spoke. "How are you?"

"What are you talking about?" He faked a chuckle.

"The newspaper... uh...Your father..." Aspen's voice cracked and trailed off.

"No worse than you. Your father was in that article as well." He spoke softly as Aspen nodded. "But I doubt that's why you wanted to talk to me."

"I forgot how smart you were sometimes..." Aspen and Draco giggled. "But yes, I need to tell you something. It's just that... when you were under the influence of the hate potion. I don't know how to say this, but, I was sad and broken and not thinking strait when I... 

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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.

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...kissed Fred."

Aspen looked down in shame as Draco froze in shock, a hint of pain in his stone grey eyes. His grip on the mug he was holding loosened, but he retained his grip within minutes.

"Yeah... I was quite the jerk, wasn't I?" He sighed, backing away from her and leaving.

For once, Aspen couldn't reach out to him to come back.

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Ember sat on the end of Aspen's bed, her wet, midnight black hair tied up in a towel after her morning shower. Lillian sat on her own bed facing Aspen, her finger grazing over a butterfly bandage on her forehead that covered a fairly large scrape. Aspen sat back on her bed, petting Mystic's silky feathers.

"So you told Draco that you had kissed Fred? Girl! That's like the number one rule of starting a relationship back up - keep secrets!" Ember sighed, facepalming.

"No, Ember, I think that's the number one thing not to do!" Lillian corrected, flopping back onto the pillows.

"Whatever. It would've been easier though, wouldn't it?" Ember asked Aspen, squeezing her hair.

"I guess it would have been, but why would I want to keep secrets from either of them?" Aspen got up to stare out the dorm window that her bed sat by, watching a swarm of fish move about under the Black Lake.

"Uhhh... because it's easier." Ember shrugged as Lillian rolled her eyes.

"Aspen, you do realize that you can't have both Fred and Draco, right?" Lillian stared at the back of Aspen's head as she nodded.

"I know, and I've known for a while. Ever since I received the antidote McGonagall gave me, I've been worrying about this situation." Aspen sighed, tears welling in her eyes as she realized what had to be done.

"You have to make a choice at some point. So who's it going to be? Daddy's boy or Muggle-loving Weasel?" Ember asked, now amusing at her nails, her feet kicked onto Aspen's plush mattress.

"Who do you think? Fred's always been there for her happy and was there for her when Draco put her down." Lillian rolled her eyes when Ember scoffed.

"Please! Weaselbee was only there for her during this year! Where has he been all the other years? Draco was the one from year one who always was there to comfort her, to give her everything she wanted, her best friend, and at times, more than just 'friends'." Tears brimmed Aspen's eyes as she heard Ember speak.

Aspen turned around, wiping the tears from her eyes as she moved to sit beside Ember. Ember smiled sweetly as she saw Aspen's emotions.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Ember's right. Draco was there for my highs and my lows. He was there for me and never ever gave up on me until this year. As Ember said, from year one, he was my best friend and treated me like a princess. And I know that he deserves a second chance because he continuously gave me ones whenever I messed up. If it's not clear who I choose now, then I'll say it..." Aspen smiled faintly, looking at Lillian's smiling face. "I choose Draco Malfoy."

Ember and Lillian glanced at each other, smiling brightly. "Then go get your mans!"