Fireplaces, Hot Chocolate, and Marshmallows

Chapter 5

Britney awoke early the next morning, with many questions still running through her head. She eventually fumbled out of bed, and shuffled down to breakfast. Waiting for her were Harry, Ron, and Ginny.

"Hey guys," she said taking a seat next to Ginny. "Where's Hermione?"

"In the library," they all chorused.

"She said something about researching for a project in Transfiguration," added Ginny.

"Which isn't due for 2 weeks," said Ron.

Harry sighed, "Sometimes I wonder about her. She's gonna overwork herself-"

Just then, he was interrupted by the sound of the daily owl post. Everyone stared as an owl dropped a letter right into Britney's plate. They all paused from eating to see whom it was from, but Britney grabbed it almost immediately, and defensively hugged it close so that no one could see any writing.

Harry asked, "Who would write to you that you have to be so defensive?"

Ginny smiled, "I think I know." Britney gaped at her. 'I thought Hermione promised to keep it a secret!' she thought, but when Harry and Ron looked at Ginny eagerly, she quickly added, "I could be really wrong though."

Harry and Ron both exchanged apprehensive glances, and went back to eating.

Britney opened her letter as fast as her fingers would allow her to. Sure enough, it was from Draco.

'Hey Britney. Glad to see you're up. I was wondering if that sidetracked Granger would take the time to wake you. Will you please meet me on the Quidditch field after practice? I should be done by 8:00. Please write back immediately. Thanks, Draco'

Britney blushed a little and glanced over at the Slytherin table, where Draco was stealing her sly looks when Crabbe and Goyle weren't paying attention. "Can I borrow your quill Harry?" she asked, turning back to her own table. Harry gave her a look as if he might ask her whom she was writing to, but he must have decided against it, because he gave it to her and went on eating.

Britney bit her bottom lip, trying to think of what to write back.

'Good morning, Draco. I hope you slept well. Sure, I'll meet you on the Quidditch field. Will all the players be gone by then? (I wouldn't want rumors flying around the school.) 8:00 is fine with me, see you then. ~Britney

P.S.~ I'd love it if you wouldn't insult my friends.'

With her response written, she sent the owl over to Draco, handed Harry his quill, and went back to eating.

* * * * * * * * *

Britney couldn't wait for her classes to end so she could meet with Draco. Consequently, her classes went by so slowly, she would've thought that time had stopped altogether. Eventually though, she was dismissed from Potions, and she ran down to dinner. She got down there so early that it took all of her patience to wait 5 minutes for the food to appear. As soon as it did though, she dished it onto her plate and began to eat as if it would disappear as quickly as it came.

Once she was done, she glanced at her watch. 'Crap, I still have 2 hours to kill,' she thought. So, she decided to go to the library to do her homework while she waited. As she got up though, Hermione pulled her back down. "Where are you going?" she asked.

Britney leaned over and whispered, "I have to meet You-Know-Who later, and I have homework to do."

Hermione smiled. "Good luck," she said as Britney got up for the second time. Harry and Ron looked up from behind their mounds of mashed potatoes, and gave Hermione a puzzled look. Hermione shook her head, refusing to tell what was going on, and they proceeded eating, heavily disappointed.

* * * * * * * * * *

Meanwhile, in the library, Britney shuffled uneasily. She had finished her homework 10 minutes ago, and she was getting restless. She glanced at her watch, which read '7:50'. She looked out the closest window onto the Quidditch field. Practice had been adjourned a few minutes earlier, and players were leaving the field and hitting the locker rooms.

Britney grabbed her books, stuffed them into her backpack, and after dropping it off at her dormitory, headed down to the Quidditch field. Sure enough, Draco was already there. Britney smiled to herself. 'He's always so punctual,' she thought admiringly.

"Hey there," said Draco slyly. "Are you ready?" He lightly grabbed Britney's elbow and gently pulled her off the field toward the line of trees. When Britney gave him a skeptical look, he added, smiling, "Trust me. I just want to show you a favorite spot of mine." He led her to a big weeping willow tree on the edge of the forest, and motioned for her to duck under the branches and follow him. They sat down, their backs against the trunk of the giant tree.

After a few moments silence, Britney said, "This is some place you got here." Draco just grinned and nodded.

"So, tell me about yourself," he said.

Britney hesitated, perhaps for too long. "You don't want to know about me. What about you?" Draco gave her a puzzled look. "Go ahead, I'm listening," she added.

Draco sighed. "Well, there's not much that you'd want to hear, but if you insist." Britney nodded her head that she did. "Ok," he continued, taking a deep breath. "As you've probably already heard, my dad is a Death Eater, and, well, we don't exactly agree. See, when I turn eighteen, he plans for me to get the Mark, so I'll be just like him, but... I don't want to be. I've promised myself never to follow in his footsteps." Then he looked deep into Britney's eyes, and gave her a faint smile. "But I guess no one here would agree with that."

"I do," she said.

"So, what about you? What're you all about?" he asked, looking deep into her eyes.

Britney bit her lip, and after a minute, looked as if she were about to cry, trying to choke back tears. Draco grabbed one of her hands in his. "You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to..." he said.

"It's not that I don't want to, it's that I don't think I'm ready to tell anyone yet," she replied, giving him a faint smile. "But when I'm ready, you'll be the first to know."

They stared into each other's eyes for a second, and then Draco leaned forward and kissed her. Draco heard her gasp in surprise, and he pulled her close, placing one hand on the small of her back, the other free to roam through her thick waves of hair.

Eventually, though rather reluctantly, Britney pulled away. "We better get back to the castle, we don't want to be caught out late in the halls, now do we?" she explained. Draco nodded that he understood. (Not that it would really effect him, because Snape wouldn't say anything if he was caught.)

So, hand-in-hand, they returned to the castle.