She Came From India

Ruana lay motionless in her dormitory bed. The reliving of memories had drained her completely of her energy, yet she could not sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see the flash of silver blonde hair against the inside of her eyelids. It distressed her that she couldn't get that prat out of her mind. He was an idiot, a rude, moronic fool that took enjoyment in taunting other people. She sighed and turned onto her side.

~

Draco sat stone still on the green couch in the Slytherin common room, his dark green house robe pooled around him like blood. He had lit a fire in the hearth and was staring listlessly into it.

Earlier on in the day, Draco had been up in the Owlery, preparing to send off a message to his father, when he noticed movement down below. A little astonished, he leaned towards the window. The menacing clouds had already started to loom over the school grounds, threatening to split open and disperse a heavy snowfall. Any idiot could see that, so why was someone meandering around outside? Moron, Draco thought bitterly, and was about to turn around and resume tying the message to the owl's leg when he noticed the long, pale hair streaming in the cold wind.

What the- Draco's thoughts were cut off when he realized who it was. Oh Merlin, it's that nasty bitch Ruana. What the fuck is she doing outside? What an imbecile. Can't she see that it's about to snow? He shook his head, but didn't stop watching her. She seemed to be upset. Her hands were clenched, and she appeared to be biting her lower lip when she wasn't jabbering to herself. Draco rolled his eyes and let out a snort of breath.

"Who cares about her anyway?" He hadn't realised that he had voiced his question aloud. Shaking his head, he slowly walked away, the note to his father forgotten.

~

The night was too close for him to bear as he sat languidly on the couch. Draco was normally a night person, someone who relished the feeling of the dark closing in around him, but not tonight. For some strange reason, Draco felt that the darkness was trying to squeeze all of the air out of him.

"I've got to go somewhere," he muttered to himself, and stealthily, with grace that only the most artful and conniving people can have, he slid out of the common room and into the dank halls of the dungeons.

~

Ruana groaned as the realization hit her: she was not going to get any sleep tonight.

Gods, she thought angrily. Maybe there's a sleeping draught in the infirmary or something. She ground her teeth as she pulled herself out of the unmade bed. Pulling on a sleek black housecoat, she padded quietly out of the dormitories and eventually the common room.

~

Draco walked slowly down the empty halls, watching the people in the portraits and paintings peacefully sleeping He wasn't watching his feet, nor did he know where he was going, but he didn't really care. So long as he was out and moving, not stationary and closed in by the impending night. He found himself in a high stone hallway, at a set of large stone arches looking out onto the frosty blue night. Windows to the outside world. Draco rested his forearms on the stone balustrade, shivering as the chilled rock came in contact with his bare flesh. He leaned forward and gazed out onto the freshly fallen snow.

His peace was short-lived, however, as he heard light footsteps on the stone floor behind him. His back straightened instinctively as he spun around, defenses ready.

"Sorry." The voice was undoubtedly female and strangely familiar. Oh no, Draco thought. I know that voice... His silvery eyes finally found what they were looking for, a human shadow standing just far enough back into the shadows. Draco squinted at the figure, but knew who it was already.

"Might as well show your face, McNally." He sighed and turned back around to the windows. He could hear the rustle of her silky dressing gown as she slid out of obscurity sullenly. She was upset that he had recognized her, and that pleased him. Maybe he could ruffle her after all.

"Don't you know better than to go wandering around castles at night?"

"If you must know, Malfoy, I couldn't fucking sleep, okay? Not that it's any of your business." Draco's eyes remained forward, staring blankly out of the window.

"Don't think that you can intimidate me, kitten. In fact, I think you're afraid of me."

Ruana glared at Draco. "Listen, it's too late to get in an argument. I really don't feel like dealing with a spoiled little brat right now."

"I wouldn't be talking about arguing right now, McNally. You're the one who followed me here. You must be wanting something."

Ruana shivered at the way the last word rolled off his tongue.

"You're a pompous fucking bastard if you think that I followed you here, Malfoy."

She had taken the bait. Ruana's cheeks were tinged with red as she spat out her words.

"Getting a little riled up, kitten? Then perhaps you're not the frosty bitch I thought you were. It's called anger management, darling." Draco's smirk was perfect, and he knew it.

He had hit a nerve.

Before he could do anything, Ruana raised her arm, and gave Draco a magnificent slap across his face. As she lowered her hand, she could already see the nasty red mark blossoming on his fair cheek. Draco's mouth was slightly open, but as he slowly raised a hand to his face, his expression changed drastically. No one had ever slapped him that hard, not even that Granger back in third year.

Ruana was glaring at him, her hands planted firmly on her hips. Her hair was curling in wisps around her face, and it seemed that her breathing was slightly labored. However, as she turned her head, the moonlight from outside reflected in the tears that were in her eyes. That was when Draco realised that he had hurt her more deeply than he had intended to.

"You... you are a half-witted, bothersome, disturbing perverted bastard. You have no idea - no idea at all." She was obviously struggling to keep her voice calm and low, but every now and then it gave a ragged quaver.

"McNally-"

"My name is Ruana, in case you haven't noticed, you callous wanker."

"Right. Ruana." Draco cleared his throat. "Well, obviously I touched some crazy nerve just now..."

That had been the wrong thing to say.

Ruana threw herself forward at Draco, not noticing where her fists landed. One of her hands came in contact with his cheekbone. Her swings weren't very powerful, but they were hard enough.

"Fucking shit," Draco swore as he grabbed her wrists. Ruana struggled, but he was clearly stronger than she was, and the more she thrashed, the more his grip tightened.

"You're not a kitten, you're a fucking wildcat." His grey eyes, too, were wild in the shadowy light, and his silvery hair fell carelessly into his pointed face.

"I- I..." Ruana felt drained all of a sudden. Draco sighed, and sat down on the cold stone floor, pulling her down beside him.

"Is it safe to let go of your arms now?" She could hear the sarcasm in his voice, and glared at him.

"Yes."

Slowly, Draco let go of her arms. As his fingers uncurled, angry red marks spread across her skin. He looked at her, but she stared straight at the floor.

They sat like that for a few minutes, not touching each other, nor talking. Just sitting and thinking and shivering with cold. Draco was about ready to get up and leave when Ruana spoke in a tone so low and hushed that she was barely audible.

"I always get angry."

Draco turned to look at her. His next words came softly and gently.

"Tell me about it."