Always - Welcome to the Wizarding World

Part 15

When Zarah and I had reached the Slytherin common room, there were a few students were sitting at the tables, catching up on homework and reading. I scanned the room and couldn't see any of Draco's friends, then I cast my eyes to the black leather sofa facing the blazing log fire and there he sat, all alone, casting sparks into the flames with his wand.

"I'm going upstairs to sort my books out for tomorrow. Talk to him" Zarah ordered.

"I thought you wanted me to stay away from him?" I said. Zarah shook her head.

"I know he's been a right git today, but I think he just needs someone to check on him right now" she confirmed. I nodded, then watched her disappear up the grey-stone staircase. I walked slowly over to Draco as he sat silently next to the crackling fire. I sat myself next to him on the sofa, feeling him tense slightly.

"Ray. Didn't expect to see you here" he murmured, still staring into the flames.

"Funny, since this is my common room too" I joked, trying to cheer him up, but his face remained firm. I put my hand gently on his shoulder, he looked up at the slight touch and his eyes met mine, the familiar tension we had returning. I felt like I should remove my hand, but I let it rest there. "Look, I'm sorry Moody embarrassed you and I'm sorry that I laughed, but you were going to curse Harry, you kind of deserved it" I told him. He just chuckled. "Something funny?" I asked him. He shook his head.

"You just do not understand, do you? I don't care that I was embarrassed by Moody, although I will be letting my father and the Ministry know. What annoyed me is that you didn't listen to me about Cedric" he insisted. I sighed, frustrated with this attitude. What did he have against Ced? As far as I knew, they hadn't even spoken! 

"Oh, please, Draco. Just stop" I huffed, breaking our locked gaze.

"You know what I said on the train was right, Ray. You're just refusing to listen to me. For instance, how many times has he spoken to you since the champion selection?" he asked me. I shrugged. Actually, as far as I knew, Cedric hadn't tried to contact me at all since then and it had been at least three weeks.

"Today" I told him regretfully.

"See? If he cared about you at all, he'd make a much better effort to see you, regardless of your different ages and houses" Draco informed me. I had to agree; Cedric had blanked me a lot since I'd started at Hogwarts. But he did care about me, I knew he did. He wanted to make sure I was coming to watch him on Friday in the tournament; there's no way Cedric didn't care about me. 

"I'm not bothered by what you think, Draco. You're just jealous because he's got all the fame and glory from this tournament!" I accused him. Draco's mouth gaped in disbelief and he stood up, glaring furiously down at me.

"How dare you! I am not jealous of that weedy little cretin! He's going to be the one who lets you down time and time again, but he is bloody well welcome to you if you're going to say crap like that!" he shouted at me. I felt rage burning inside my stomach, making me stand too. Why was he shouting at me? I tried to comfort him and now he had suddenly managed to turn our conversation into a public scrap!

"Cedric will not let me down, he never has and he never will! I am so sick of you acting as though you can protect me from everyone because, funnily enough, I am not yours to control!" I screamed. The other quiet students who were sat doing work all turned around to watch our shouting match. 

"Oh, don't flatter yourself, Snape! Just admit to yourself that Cedric doesn't want you! Just admit it!" he yelled, beginning to move closer to my face. He was breathing rapidly; he was so close to me now that I could see into his eyes, their deep emerald concealed by his dilated pupils. I think that was the first time Draco had called me Snape and I hated it. It sounded so harsh coming from his lips.

"No, I will not! You don't know him, Draco and you don't know me!" I snapped, getting even closer to him. I could smell his minty breath again and his salty sweating skin. My breathing was becoming quick too, both of us snarling at each other like wild dogs, my fists clenched tight. I could have punched him, I was so tempted to punch him, but I could feel multiple sets of eyes on us, as could Draco. We turned to see all mouths open, all faces watching intently and three faces that I, unfortunately, recognized. Parkinson and the Carrows. I was suddenly incredibly aware of the closeness of mine and Draco's bodies and I stepped back, glaring at Parkinson.

"What are you looking at?" I spat. She smirked at me.

"Having a little lovers spat, are we?" she said, just to anger me even more. Before I could object, Draco spoke.

"Oh, piss off, Parkinson. No one asked for your stupid comments" he growled. Her expression eased at the sound of Draco addressing her, even though he was telling her to go away. She moved close to him and the Carrows stood a few feet behind her. She was so close to us both that I could smell her, she smelled sweet. Sickly sweet. Like toffee apples coated in acetone. Parkinson lifted her hand and pushed Draco's white-blonde hair back. I could see the vexation growing in his deep green eyes, desperate to force her back, but he couldn't lose his temper. Not in front of witnesses, anyway.

"Sorry, Draco. Just couldn't help myself" she cooed, caressing his cheek with the back of her hand. Draco grimaced at her and his strong hand whipped up and grabbed hers, gripping it hard, so hard I could see the pain on her hideous face.

"Draco, she isn't worth it" I said, his neck twitched as I spoke. I'd no idea why I was standing up for a girl whom I hated and who hated me, but I knew I couldn't let this happen. "Let her go". Reluctantly, Draco did as I instructed and Parkinson smiled at me oddly.

"See you later, Snape" she said, with no word of thanks given. The Carrows walked ahead of her and Pansy turned back to Draco one last time. He raised his dark brown eyebrows at her and then she stalked off, head held high, as though what had just happened was some sort of triumph for her. Draco glared around the room at all the overseers.

"Any reason why you morons are still here?" he shouted. Quickly, everyone except me scurried away like rats, afraid of what this raging boy might do if they didn't get out of sight. Once the entire common room had cleared away, Draco turned back to me, his arms crossed. "Radia, I didn't mean to get angry with you. It's just that no one has ever spoken to me like that before. I usually get listened to" he explained, sitting down on the sofa behind us. I sat down next to him, clasping my clammy hands together and resting them on my knees.

"It's alright, Draco. But you need to understand that I am not scared of you. Cedric is my friend and I would like to keep it that way. If that changes, then fine, but you do not get a say in it. I will be friends with you, but not if you're going to order me about. You can't treat people like that and expect them to be totally submissive to it, Draco. It's just not right" I replied softly. Draco shook his head, staring down at his black shoes.

"Alright, I'm sorry. I'll stop that, with you anyway". I rolled my eyes at him, but I think it was safe to say that, for Draco, that statement was progress."But I can't promise anything where the Diggory boy is concerned" he muttered, gripping his tight fist in his other hand. I stood up and threw up my hands in defeat. There was nothing else for me to say to him to make him listen!

"Fine, next time you get into some trouble, don't rely on me for sympathy. This was the last time, Draco. The last time" I hissed and left him to go up to my dorm.

"Radia"Draco stopped me. I turned around on the first step, waiting for an answer. 

He lifted his head up; his astonishing green eyes squinted from the light of the flames, his dark brow crossed and his blonde hair covering his forehead. Draco's pouted pink lips were shining from the golden glow of the fire. My stomach clenched at how attractive he was, the light hitting him in all the right places. He was a difficult person to stay angry at, when his beauty made him seem so sincere. 

"You're too good for him. Diggory doesn't deserve you" he whispered, just loud enough so it was audible to me. His cheeks flushed bright red. He was embarrassed; this must have been a new sensation for him, being totally honest. I said nothing,knowing that if I did, I'd have to stay with him a bit longer. I couldn't do that, it would make everything more difficult between us. Besides, what could I say to that? 

I left him sat there and went up to my dorm to tell Zarah what had just happened, hoping that Parkinson wouldn't be there, waiting eagerly for me to come back.