White Lies {discontinued}

Forty Three ~ Sudden

"That was horrible," Aggie said. She was shaking.

Draco might've agreed if it wouldn't have seemed weak. Instead he just turned from the girl, and pulled open the doors of the cabinet.

"Are you going in already?" asked Aggie.

"Yes," said Draco.

This was usually there routine. They would come out of the cabinet, then go straight into the cabinet to see if a solid portal had formed.

This time Aggie was not yet ready. She still had to recover from seeing a father curse his own son. How could any parent do that? Aggie, who had been loved and nurtured her whole life, could not understand.

"Are you coming?" Draco asked her.

Aggie shook her head. To her relief, Draco did not get angry. Without replying, he climbed into the cabinet.

Aggie waited for him to return, trying not to think of the scene which she had witnessed seconds ago, yet unable of anything else. It wouldn't leave her mind . . . The sight of Raymond writhing upon the ground. The sound of his shrieks wrenching the air.

When Draco climbed back out of the cabinet, Aggie knew immediately that, once again, the portal hadn't formed. His expression was grim, and he looked older than when he'd gone in.

"Where did you end up?" asked Aggie immediately.

"Great hall. Stupid apparition lesson," said Draco, his voice low and angry. "It isn't going to work." His voice rose. "What is the point of watching all these horrible memories if it isn't even going to work?"

Draco kicked over a nearby chair. It hit the ground with a bang that made Aggie wince.

"You said this would work!" He said, the frustration in his voice mounting. "You said if we kept visiting these memories, it would form a portal. Well, we've visited memory after memory, and still — nothing!"

Draco turned on Aggie his gray eyes flashing angrily.

Aggie was hurt. How could he blame this on her when she was doing everything in her power to help him?

"Please don't be mad at me," Aggie whispered.

To her surprise, Draco's shoulders slumped. His gaze dropped from her down to his shoes.

"I'm not mad at you," he muttered. "I should've been able to figure this out on my own. I shouldn't have to rely on you. I'm angry at myself."

Failure was taking a great toll on him. He stood there wearing his white school shirt with the sleeves rolled up at the wrists, his once sleek hair now messy and overgrown, and hanging his head like an ashamed dog. Aggie knew, Draco was no longer the boy he once was.

And this was a side to Draco Aggie had yet to see. Both broken and angry. Fierce, yet fragile.

Aggie took several impulsive steps closer to the boy.

"Don't be angry at yourself!" she said. "We are trying our best!"

Aggie leaned toward Draco, lips parted. She longed to help him, but she didn't how.

"I just don't want to fail," whispered Draco.

Aggie noticed how close they were. Much too close.

Draco's eyes flickered from the floor to her mouth. He hesitated for a second before closing the space between them by leaning in, gently pushing the hair hanging in her face aside with his hand, and pressing his lips against hers.

Aggie's eyes widened in shock as he kissed her.

For a second it was only them, the startled quiet, and the February sunlight streaming in through a dusty window.

Draco pulled away before Aggie even had time to close her eyes and decide whether she enjoyed it or not. He didn't even look at her as he turned to face the opposite wall.

Aggie stood there, her body stuck in the awkward position it had moved in to when Draco had kissed her. She felt her heart pounding against her chest.

"I'm sorry," said Draco, still not looking at her. His voice sounded slightly choked. "I didn't mean —"

"I liked it."

Draco slowly turned to look at her, his eyebrows raised. His expression was something close to hopeful.

Aggie's cheeks burned red at her own words.

For a moment they stood there, staring at each other, not knowing what to say, as Aggie's face got hotter and hotter.

Unable to take it anymore, Aggie squeaked, "I should go."

She teetered on the edge of leaving for a second longer. When Draco said nothing to stop her, she fled from the room of Requirement like a dragon was on her tail.

Aggie threw herself into the nearest girls bathroom she passed, and came to a stop in front of a grimy mirror.

Her cheeks looked like they'd suffered a severe sunburn. Her heart was still beating at an alarming rate.

It had all happened so suddenly it was only hitting her now, she had experienced her first kiss. And of all the people in the world to share it with, it was Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. The boy whom all the girls in Slytherin swooned over. And he had chose to kiss her.

Aggie felt excitement, embarrassment and shock all mixed into one.

She turned the tap, and splashed cold water upon her face, trying to cool it.

Aggie hadn't thought she'd have her kiss at fifteen. She'd thought it would be with Max Brandy. She thought she'd be able to tell Edith all about it. But Edith wasn't there. Even if she had been, Would Aggie have told her? Edith did not like Draco at all. She said he was arrogant, spoiled, prejudice and a git. Edith wouldn't have approved.

Aggie had thought so too, but now she wasn't so sure. If he were all those things, why would he be trying to destroy the dark magical objects in Borgin & Burke's. If that were true, why would he have kissed her? Aggie believed he had changed. She knew he had changed.

That night Aggie couldn't sleep. She lay in bed, staring up at the dark ceiling, and replaying those two exciting seconds where Draco had drawn close to her face, and then kissed her.

When she finally did fall asleep, it was with a funny little smile upon her lips.

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A/N: I've had this scene planned for about a year and it's great to finally have it written, haha.