A Powerful and Painful Addiction

Chapter 7: Life, Love and the Pursuit of Happiness

"Isn't there anything else that you two talk about other than Quidditch?" Joely asked blankly, jabbing her mashed potatoes.

"Yeah... uh... Wizard's Chess!"

"You know Ron has a point, Joely," Harry jived in shaking his finger. "If we didn't talk about it then how else I," he said placing his hand on his chest, "learn his weaknesses, eventually leading to my spectacular victory over him."

Ron cocked an eyebrow and stared at Harry smirking. "Right, mate, yeah," he said giving Harry two hard smacks on the back, "weaknesses, Harry."

Lunchtime Tuesday was turning out to be the end marker of an agonizing and uneventful end to the first half of their day. They had spent their Transfiguration period turning small animals into pillows, for what Professor McGonagall called "potential in house battles." Nobody really had comprehended its meaning; but they went along with the lesson anyway. Many people came up with the idea that this lesson would be great for future pillow fights. By the end of their double session, everyone had semi successfully transfigured their animal into...what looked like a pillow.

Joely had the most trouble out of the whole class. Her guinea pig always seemed to retain its shape and little, pink nose. Professor McGonagall and Hermione insisted that she simply wasn't concentrating hard enough. Joely, however, maintained the fact, all the way to lunch that her "concentration" wasn't the problem. She was even more perturbed at herself for having received a low mark for her first Transfiguration class.

Herbology wasn't shaping up to be anything worth taking pride in either; it was almost worse. She had successfully repotted her Mimbulus mimbletonia only after having broken two pots and squirted with its Stinksap three times. She had dealt with this plant before and never had trouble previously, but she decided that this one was particularly temperamental and out to get her. She hadn't lost points, but she did receive a short lecture from Professor Sprout after class about being more cautious.

"Today is just not my day," Joely said propping her chin in her palm. She was looking melancholy and hadn't eaten a bite of her lunch.

"Everyone has their bad days. Look at me yesterday in potions, I was awful." Harry was trying to cheer her up.

"Actually, Harry, you're always like that," Ron chimed in. "I don't Snape will ever get the smell out of that dungeon from when you burnt that Deflating potion second year. Mildew smells better then that classroom."

"Thanks, Ron, for your vote of confidence!" Harry said harshly jerking his head in Joely's direction.

Ron however didn't catch on. "Just doing my friendly duties, mate." Harry just shook his head, he loved Ron to death, but somehow he knew his slow catching on was going to get him in a lot of trouble that ended with a toothless mouth one day.

Joely gave a flimsy smile then turned back to staring at her plate. She was still angry and was throwing insults at herself in her head. She couldn't figure out why she was having troubles. She openly admitted that Herbology wasn't her forte, but Transfiguration was her second best class back at Salem. Where was her mind today?

"...Malfoy," Ron sneered and her head popped up.

"Huh?" she asked tugging her ear lobe looking confused.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts after lunch."

"What's that got to do with Malfoy?"

"We have it with the Slytherins... meaning Malfoy will be there," Hermione said finally popping her head out her book.

"Leave it to Hermione to finish my sentences," exclaimed Ron boldly.

"I heard everything you've said, it was easy knowing what you were going to say. I simply got to the point faster than you. Just because I'm reading doesn't mean I'm deaf; I don't listen with my eyes you know."

"Hermione, when you stick your nose into a book, you tune out everything around you, which proves, you weren't reading, and you were listening the whole time, you Nosy witch."

A verbal skirmish was on the verge of commencing.

"All right, all right stop it already!" Harry raised his voice slightly above them. Ron and Hermione came to their usual silent agreement to drop the argument.

"Hello, Ron."

"Hi... Lavender," Ron gulped out, blushing. She smiled in return pinking a little in the face as well. Hermione turned her head back and forth between Lavender and Ron smiling, biting her lower lip.

Lavender quickly diverted her eyes to Hermione and juggled her books around in jitteriness. "Have you heard anything about our new DADA teacher?"

"No, I haven't. Professor McGonagall said his first class was after lunch, meaning us."

Joely dropped her fork, it clanging loudly. "When did she say that?" she asked hurriedly.

"My guess would be when you were giving your guinea pig the evil eye." Hermione and Lavender were snickering, but Joely just sank back into her stupor.

"Oh."

"What's wrong with you? Are you feeling all right?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"I'm fine I guess. My mind is just stuck on my classes still."

"It'll get better I'm sure," Ron said nodding.

"Well I'm going to head out; I'll see you guys in class." With that said and done, Joely grabbed her satchel and left the Great Hall looking sullen still.

"Something's not right about her?"

"She said she was upset about her classes, big deal, Hermione," Harry spoke.

"Harry, there's more to it than that. Didn't you notice that the only time she ever paid attention was when Ron mentioned Malfoy?" Harry and Ron both shook their heads causing Hermione to roll her eyes. "Honestly. And both of you want to be Aurors. You two need to start paying attention to the motions and movements of everything and everyone around you," she said with stern.

"Yes, Professor Granger!" Ron replied scathingly.

"She was fine at breakfast though," Harry interjected trying to ease the tension.

"Maybe seeing him in class is making it worse."

"It?" Harry and Ron asked in unison.

........................

Joely wandered aimlessly around the corridors near her DADA classroom. What is wrong with me? Is Draco really causing this much havoc on me? She gave up any hope of finding the solution by carelessly doing nothing, so she took a seat against the wall right outside the DADA room.

She rolled her head and stared down at the crack under the door. There was light shining from under it. She looked out the windows near the ceiling, her glum state never made her realize that it was a beautifully, sunny day. Sunny, she thought, how contradictive.

"That's odd." The candle light was flickering and contorting odd shapes on the floor. "Why are the candles lit when it's so sunny?" Her stomach did a nasty jump. "I don't like this," she whispered.

Voices and clicking footsteps were beginning to fill the corridors and stairwells. The DADA corridor was busy with passing housemates, classmates and younger students without her knowing it; she was too interested in "the light." She was mystified at what could possibly be hiding behind the door. Maybe our first lesson is about the dark? she thought rolling her head back and forth along the wall. Suddenly-

WHACK!

"What the hell was that for?" Pansy had kicked the outside of her right leg while her head was turned away.

"For being alive."

"Oh good one, Pansy," Joely said giving her a thumb up. "What are you, four?"

Pansy scowled watching Joely stand up. Apparently it hadn't fazed her in the nasty, painful way she had intended.

"You know, Pansy, I've been here what... four days now, and you're still pissed at me." Neither of them were paying mind to those surrounding them; mainly Harry, Hermione and Ron, closely followed by the blonde Slytherin Prince. "So tell me, what the hell have I done to hack you off?"

"You stole what's rightfully mine."

"And what it 'rightfully' yours?"

Hermione and Harry watched as Draco ducked down and sat against the wall to listen; not wanting Joely to see him. Pansy was staring at her menacingly but not talking; her lips rubbing against each other creating friction as though they desperately wanted to speak, but were paralyzed.

"What's the matter, Parkinson? Can't even say what or who you've staked a claim on. The last time I checked and believe me it wasn't that long ago, you can't own a person!" Tears of rage were stinging Joely's eyes but she was fighting them back wonderfully.

Pansy closed the space between her and Joely until only a few inches, enough for breathing room, could be measured from person to person. The bell sounded through the corridor and the classrooms around them filled. Pansy tried to stare Joely down and said, "Stay away from Draco!"

"Is that an order?" Joely spat shoving Pansy out of her face. Even though Pansy was a good three inches taller than her, Joely found the intimidation level to be quite low, even though her pug face looked rabid.

"Stay away from him. He's mine; he doesn't want you!" Pansy raged but suddenly gasped as her eyes enlarged and ran into the room.

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Joely said giving Pansy a mock salute as she fled. She jolted her head to look at the ceiling. She was trying to find a center to gaze at to stop her spinning head, but just closed her eyes; she could taste and feel the bile rising in her throat. Somewhere in her head there was bomb after bomb exploding, liquefying her brain. She declined her head, but her eyes remained shut while she massaged her stiff neck. "Ugh... I want to go home. Tyler if you can hear me, please come take me home." She leaned her head down on her shoulder and opened her eyes to see Ron, Harry, Hermione and Draco still in the hall.

Draco was staring at bit of floor between his feet with his arms propped on his raised knees. He looked at the trio to see them just staring at Joely in awe; his brain aching with the information he just became privy to. He bowed his head and rubbed his neck.

"Wha...what...what happened?" Hermione asked breathlessly.

"Joely?" said Harry. Ron's mouth was hanging open; he was at a loss for words.

"I had a little - chat with Pansy."

"No I mean..." Hermione sputtered.

"Hun, just spit it out."

"Your eyes," Hermione finally blurted, almost jabbing herself in the eye.

Draco's head snapped up and looked at Joely; his eyes growing sore rapidly as the size of them continued to grow.

"What about them?"

"They're... they're red!" Harry exclaimed.

"Oh, ha, ha that. My uncle Kyle taught me to do that. It scares people, making them think I'm evil. It makes them back off," she sounded with a slight giggle.

"Wicked!" Ron said ecstatically.

The trio and Joely all laughed softly as they walked into their first Defense Against the Dark Arts class of their sixth year, leaving the Prince in their wake.

As they proceeded in Joely had completely forgotten about how dark the room was before. She remembered the candles glowing and the eeriness that exited from it. She glanced around and felt a chill creeping exhaustingly slow up her spine; she shivered and swallowed the bubble in her throat.

She stopped to the left of Harry and looked to the front and grinned when she saw a crystal bottle harboring a black liquid looking substance.

"Is it just me or does anyone else think that this doesn't seem right?" Hermione whispered catching Harry's eye.

"Well," Joely began speaking causing Hermione to jump, clutching onto Harry's right arm, "actually this looks right to me."

"I think we're in the wrong room."

"If we were in the wrong room, we'd more than likely be the only ones here, Hermione," Joely waved her arm around the room showing that they were in fact not alone. "I don't honestly think that the school would mess up everyone's schedules."

"I think Hermione is right, Joely. I think there has been some kind of mistake."

Ron sounded like fish out of water trying to take in air with his labored breathing and large gulps. He couldn't speak and his eyes were fixed.

"Ron, chill out, hun. We're fine. Really, we are."

"F...fine...fine?"

"Yes, we're fine. Okay, Harry, since you and Ron want to become Aurors here's a small first lesson in self defense and awareness. Something I learned from my father." She waved her arms out in front of her watching everyone eye her strangely. "Look around you. What do you notice?"

"Ugh - desks, candles... and everything's really dark."

"All right, now what looks out of the ordinary for it being only ten after one in the afternoon?"

Harry looked around seeing everything to be looking normal. What would look abnormal at ten past one? he thought wringing his hands. He started analyzing what "ten after one" meant. Okay, it's mid-afternoon; so it's after lunch, and it's daytime. DAYTIME! That's it! He realized there was no sun in the room and immediately took notice of the drapes.

"Drapes!"

"Good. What about them?" Joely was ecstatic.

"They're drawn."

"Mmm... little more. You can deduct things about your surroundings by checking at what materials are visible to you in the furniture and such," she told him while leaning against the desk next to her.

"Velvet. Black velvet."

"Excellent. Now what is black velvet good at absorbing? What are they used for specifically in the form of drapes?"

Harry, as well as the rest of the students, stared at Joely perplexed. Everyone's eyes were moving around in their sockets showing their owners to be thinking.

"Huh?" Harry asked.

"What do they omit?"

"Sunlight!" said Hermione, jumping and making Joely smile.

"Good. Now, what could occupy this room and hate sunlight?"

Three or four students sank into their chair obviously figuring it out.

Hermione's eyes expanded to beach ball size. "That's impossible!" Joely nodded and Hermione shook her head violently in protest. It was a total shock to her. A werewolf was one thing but a -

"Vampire." The class gasped and a few girls shrilled. Pansy threw her books down and streaked to Draco, grasping him and burying her face in his chest. Joely looked on to see Malfoy not having a care in the slightest; she herself feeling extremely envious.

Draco held her gaze for only a few tiny seconds before he shook his head harshly, looking down at was attached to him. His face misshaped when he saw that he had unconsciously wrapped his arm around the being holding onto him for dear life. He withdrew her arms from his body and pushed her gently away.

Joely paced her way to the front of the room and held the crystal bottle. It looked amazingly familiar to her. She jutted out her bottom lip in thought, gawking at the top. She knew that the symbols meant something, but she couldn't decipher what though, the language was unfamiliar. She was never all that great at ancient languages. She knew in the back of her mind that she had seen this bottle or its identical before; from the same symbols, down to every curvature.

She had her head down when she heard a low, male voice speak.

"Very good, Joely."

That voice, she knew that voice. She had listened to it rank out too many times to count. The bottle belonged to the owner of that voice, and she remembered.

Her eyes darted over the floor down between her feet. Scott? she asked herself, lifting her head to eye level and seeing a shape out of the tops of her eyes. There he was, sitting on a ledge near the ceiling.

"Oh - my - gods!"

"Never thought I'd be teaching did you?"

Everyone's head were zipping back and forth between their new professor and crazed looking Gryffindor. She smiled and shook her head softly, clucking her tongue in humor. She never really did consider him to be the teaching kind. She pushed off of the desk and started at a slight run to the door.

"Get down here!" she said happily.

With a whoosh, he was on the ground; and within a few seconds Joely jumped into his arms; both laughing loudly. After setting her down she turned to face her classmates whose jaws were dropped so low they were almost ground level.

"What? Oh I know him, he's all right," she told them patting Scott on the stomach.

"Yes I do know Miss McGill actually."

"His brother was my Potions master at Salem." No one's observations were relenting, they were still stunned.

"Joely, he's a vampire!" Lavender screeched.

"True. But he doesn't - well he can't bite actually. See that black liquid in..." she was halted.

"No don't tell them, Jay, that's part of what our lesson today is about actually," said Scott.

She looked at him through squinted eyes, she was confused as well. "O... kay... then. So," she said looking him up and down, "you're still looking good for being three hundred. What are you drinking, B negative, O ...milk," she giggled.

"Actually right now I'm into AB negative," he smirked back. "I'm drinking in the rare type. They say it's just a phase though. I can't help it if I'm picky."

Joely smiled and her nostrils flared in amusement. "Good choice. I hear it goes down really smooth. Tastes great, huh?"

"Nah, I always seemed to have to add salt," he chagrined. "Okay everyone take your seats we need to begin immediately."

Joely took a seat next to Hermione who wouldn't stop trying to ask questions, but couldn't get them out.

"Hermione, I've known him my whole life. He babysat me when I was little. He's not to be worried over, trust me." With Joely's attitude of complete confidence, Harry, Ron and Hermione settle a bit but not enough that you could tell; but Ron looked at Scott as though at any moment he was going to wrench his head back and expose his jugular to his fangs.

"Okay," Scott clapped his hands together, "good afternoon and welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts. My name is Scott Bridgeman, or Professor Bridgeman. This year I must say will not be a relaxed one. I've talked with your DADA professors from previous years, well one of them actually, to know what you've covered. This year, we will be going deeper into the darkest and most dangerous aspects of the Dark Arts. All of you are coming up in age and this is all required knowledge to graduate. Unless, of course you all want to stay behind?"

Neville and Lavender were shaking almost into pieces. Parvati however, eyed Scott in an Oh - he's - so - cute gaze and sighed.

"But before we begin that, I want to clear the air about a few things. First, to answer everyone's question; yes I am a vampire and secondly, and the most important thing you need to know about me is that I'm NOT dangerous. I can't bite and haven't for two hundred years."

With the faces everyone was bearing, you couldn't comprehend if they were scared, anxious, puzzled or just plain baffled at why in the name of Merlin Professor Dumbledore would hire a vampire. Sure they had a werewolf in third year but a vampire? Was this for real?

Joely glanced around and laughed shaking her head. "For all you skeptics, take my advice. This guy has known my family since he was born... three hundred years ago. Our families have been friends for centuries." Fortunately more and more of the students were beginning to slowly (and slowly was the best way to put it) calm, but a few remained weary. Hermione was already on the edge of her seat.

"He's a vampire, McGill!" rang the voice of a Slytherin Joely was unfamiliar with. She walked over to him and having no qualms about her actions, squeezed his face, making him resemble a fish. "He - doesn't - bite!" Harry and Ron let out snorts and the other students followed along. Even Neville and utterly surprisingly Lavender, seemed amused. "I would trust him, and have, with my life!" She released him and returned to her desk emitting the air of agitation.

"Well let's begin! As most of you know I'm sure, vampires are some of the most feared, most foul, and most despised beings in the magical realm. And I have no problems with saying that even I hate myself from time to time for being who I am. Vampires are very misunderstood beings. We don't choose to be this way," Professor Bridgeman said comfortably sitting on his desk, legs dangling. "But I myself am like a double edge sword, because ninety-five percent of the time I rather like being immortal since it has given me the chance to experience some incredible things and places, and has allowed me to meet some of the best people in the world. "

Joely was so proud of him. She examined her classmates and saw many of them copying Hermione and sitting on the edge of their seats, anxious to hear his stories. She could a few of the girls were on Parvati's level and admiring Scott. Even though he was three hundred years old, having been sired as a teenager had graced him with aging gracefully. Seeing so many people interested in what he had to say brought a big smile to her face. He was accepted by her class (when most of the world wouldn't have looked twice at him) and she was ever grateful to the gods.

"Are there any questions you would like to ask before we really begin?"

Draco's hand shot up. Joely hadn't paid him any mind till now, seeing as he had been incredibly quiet.

"What happened that made you unable to bite?"

"Ah, good question Mr. ...?" Professor Bridgeman began shuffling around parchment looking for his class roster.

"Malfoy," Joely interjected, giving Malfoy the look of death.

"Ah yes, Mr. Malfoy. Well seeing as we have only ten minutes left I will answer your question and we'll begin a real class next session." He reached behind him and took hold of the bottle sloshing the liquid around intentionally. "Approximately two hundred years ago I was out doing my nightly hunting..." he shuddered after using the word hunting, "and I came across what I believed to be a helpless nun. She was all alone in a dense and vast forest so, naturally, I assumed that she was foolish and had wandered even though it was widely known that said forest was my usual hunting territory. I began sneaking up behind her and when I ran to ambush her, I instead ran head first into her cross. But little did I know that she was a well renowned exorcist."

Oohs and aahs were echoing off the walls as though at a fireworks display.

"I had been burned so terribly that I was knocked unconscious. When I woke, I was tied to a bed with another vampire in the bed next to me that was none other than my twin. We were sired together so were told we would be exorcised together. Lore says that the magic is more powerful when such is done. Anyways, she performed the exorcism and returned our lost souls. Now some of you may be thinking 'you can't return lost souls' but I assure you, you can. My twin and I are living... well almost living proof."

Pansy scoffed and made a start to speak but was silenced with a deadly glare from Hermione. She bowed her head in shame to the Muggle-born, thankfully keeping her mouth shut for a change.

"Now... you can't remove the entire demon, we still are partially demonic, but not entirely... evil, for lack of a more appropriate word. According to the nun we were a particularly evil and ruthless pair. There are many myths about vampires such as the bit about sunlight. It doesn't burn us to ashes, but our skin burns around fifty times faster then yours. The garlic thing, well you would hate garlic too if your sense of smell was ten times sharper then that of a human. Coffins are much too uncomfortable to be conducive for a good night's rest. Besides, would you want a door just inches from your face? But I assure you, I don't bite." He had said 'bite' with a pop behind it and a few students shot back into their chairs. "But we still are immortal and feed on blood. However, it's a synthetic blood, so it's not from humans or animals. Each blood type has special properties making it the type that it is. So much like a regular human or vampire, our tastes change, and living off synthetic blood allows me to eat something else for a change."

Professor Bridgeman found it funny, but some were wondering about him. He was always one to laugh at his own jokes.

Draco lowered his eyebrows. "Then what's that?" he asked pointing to the bottle in Scott's hands.

"This... this is the demon that was removed. Fortunately this bottle is unable to be broken or opened. It is magically sealed for everyone's and my safety. The demon cannot be released."

Hermione raised her hand. "Excuse me, Professor?"

"Yes Miss...?"

"Granger."

"Yes, Miss Granger?" Professor Bridgeman nodded.

"May I ask why you keep it?"

"Brilliant question. I keep it to remind myself of all the havoc and chaos and problems I caused all those years ago. It reminds me that I was lucky enough to be given a second chance and try to somehow make up or correct the wrongs that I did. I also hold on to it to thank the nun; gods bless her soul, for allowing me to live instead of just killing me. Being here today and teaching you students ways of keeping yourselves out of, or defending yourselves in dark situations, makes me feel as though I'm steadily paying my eternal debt back to her."

The class began clapping and cheering while Draco and his housemates save for Blaise and Tarrah scowled and glowered. The bell rang and there were quite a few mumbles and groans of protest as they exited.

"WOW! He was incredible!" Hermione exclaimed.

"I told you he was all right!"

................................................

"MADAM POMFREY?"

No answer.

"MADAM POMFREY?"

"Yes, yes I'm coming what is...? AH!" she gasped. "What happened to him?"

"I don't know. I found him in the corridor."

"Put him down on that bed there," she told the man pointing to the very last bed.

"He will be all right, won't he?"

"Yes I think so. You must go now and let me do my job. Thank you very much for bringing him in."

With a curt nod and a swish of his cloak the man was gone.

................................................

The first week of classes was finally complete, and Draco was ever so thankful that he wouldn't have to see the four people who were now deemed "The Quad Squad" anymore until Monday, or unless he left his common room.

Dinner Friday night did not seem to want to end for Draco. People all around him were laughing and having a joyous time, but Draco... Draco was sullen. As he looked around at the happy Hogwarts students the sour shape of his mouth continued to worsen. Girls of all ages from Slytherin were gathered near him, trying to bring him out of his torpor. He was becoming increasingly short with people as the week went by, he was miserable; so he wanted everyone else to be miserable too. It wasn't working though. Other then being bested at Quidditch by Potter too frequently to want to think about, this was one of the worst times of his life.

Potions class on Thursday was the most appalling one he had ever been to. Being a Slytherin and Snape's favorite has always seemed to make the duration luxurious - normally. He thought back to what exactly had happened that has made it so terrible.

****FLASHBACK****

"Quiet!" Snape yelled into an already deathly silent room as he roughly padded in from his personal storeroom.

Ron raised his hand.

"What is it, Mr. Weasley?"

"Um... Professor could you partner me with someone else?"

"Five points from Gryffindor, Mr. Weasley, for asking such an imbecilic question. No, I will not partner you with someone else! You will work with Miss Bulstrode and that is final!" he spat.

Clearly today was not the day to be on Snape's bad side... but then again, no day was ever a good day to be on his wrong side. He was always this vile to his class, especially Gryffindors.

"For those of you that weren't paying --" His speech was interrupted as the classroom door opened with a creak. Joely walked in with slightly red and puffy eyes and her head bowed. She dropped her bag in her chair next to Draco and walked to Professor Snape handing him her tardy notice.

"All right then, Miss McGill," he said after reading the note and placing it on his desk, "take your seat." Joely sat slowly in the chair not making a sound. "As I was saying, for those of you small minds who felt you were better then to set your attention up front, these will be your assigned seats and partners unless I say otherwise," he said as he eye-balled everyone with disgust and hatred.

Draco paid close attention to Joely as she sat down next to him. Save for the fact that he saw her in his peripheral; you would not have known that she was even there. She was not making a sound. Sitting only a measly three inches from him, he thought he would at least be able to hear her breathing. Even just the tiniest breath he thought he would surely hear was silent. She sat leaning her chest against the edge of her desk; her books, quill and ink bottle in front of her, hands folded in her lap, and her head still hanging.

Draco tilted his head to the right to look at her. Her hair was pulled back into a claw clip and he could see those brutal lavender eyes, and her whole profile. He watched her eyes and followed them down to book cover in front of her, her eyes trying to stare blankly at it. She appeared to be lost in her own thoughts looking for a way out. But in all honesty, Draco could see the hurt and shock that she was desperately trying to hide. She was never able to hide what she was feeling from him. He knew her eyes too well.

"Your task is on the board." He waved his wand and words appeared on the black board. "One person will write down the procedure and take the notes, while the other collects the necessary tools and ingredients and fires up the cauldron. I want everyone's sample by ten minutes before the end of the period. You have one hour," he said seating himself. "Get to work."

Nothing was spoken between the two classmates. Joely removed a few pieces of parchment from her bag and took to writing, while Draco went after the assignment's necessary ingredients. He had just returned with the essentials to see her blinking profusely with chest heaving as though she was trying to contain her need to cry. He wanted to ask more than anything what was wrong, but was sick of her usual reply of "nothing"... if she even spoke at all.

He lit the fire under the cauldron and started measuring out the ingredients and adding what was required in the first stages when Joely finished the writing part. She peered into the bubbling cauldron with no expression and glanced over the table to see what Draco had added. She grabbed the Scarab beetles and took to crushing them in the mortar and pestle since they were the last ingredient and took the most time to prepare to the exact stage of fineness in powder form that was called for.

Neither of them had spoken to each other since Monday night in the hospital. Draco's insides were steaming and churning with aggravation. Frankly, he was quite fed up with the silence, and irritated not only at himself; but at her for not attempting to break the monotonous absence of conversation.

They worked away as though they knew each other's routines forwards and backwards. With fifteen minutes left and only five till their sample was due; it was time to add the Scarab beetles. Draco had immersed himself in the flickering flame that was causing the cauldron to steam away and paid no attention to Joely. All he was doing was contemplating everything in his mind all over again, and all it was doing was provoking his temper.

"Draco... I."

"WHAT?" he burst. All this thoughts sped up into one blur causing his mind to go dark and forcing him to let it all out... verbally. He glowered at her watching her whole body shake and quake with fear when and after he yelled. The rest of the class went silent and gawked at him in amazement. Even Snape raised his head from his paperwork. Pansy on the other hand was giggling madly.

"I...I..." she sputtered with the bowl of crushed insects shaking in her hand.

He stepped aside and leaned against the wall, propping one foot against it for support. He scanned her as she emptied the bowl's contents, stirred and shook some more. But... was she shaking out of fear of him, or was it from something else? She had walked in very solemnly after all.

"Joely?" he asked softly, watching her leap when he called her name. That was all the clarification he needed; she was indeed afraid of him now. He was accepting the fact that she was hurt because you can usually forgive someone if you've hurt them; but gaining someone trust back when they're afraid of you is no piece of cake... and he knew that all too well.

She filled the phial with their sample, turned it into Snape and began the clean up process. Once finished, she sat down and once again remained as quiet as a mouse.

****END FLASHBACK****

Draco snapped himself back into reality and observed the Gryffindor table to see only Potter and Weasley chatting animatedly using forks and chicken legs as props. Apparently her and Hermione had dismissed themselves.

"Damn it!" he said through gritted teeth, slamming his fist down onto the table causing his fork to fall on the floor and his goblet to spill.

He needed a way out of this, he needed a solution. He jumped up quickly from the table receiving odd glances and headed straight to the one place he knew was holding his temporary solution.

.....................

"Hey, Joely, how are you at Wizard's Chess?"

"Eh... not bad, but not great either."

"Fancy a match or two?" Ron asked slyly.

Joely smiled in thought. "All right... bring it on, baby!"

And so they began.

They had been playing for three hours straight and only stopped once: hey when you have go, you have go! Joely and Ron's competition was called "quits" after she checked the clock to find it to be half past ten. She wanted to do one piece of homework and take a shower before bed. The stats read that Joely had surprisingly defeated Ron; the best Wizard's Chess player in Gryffindor, and possibly in Hogwarts save for Professor McGonagall, five times, while Ron had whipped her butt eleven times. But Ron was happy to finally be able to actually be challenged. Hermione was an all right player, but she would much rather do something "educational," and Harry... well Harry just... basically needed to stick to Quidditch - enough said.

Hermione was occupying hers and Joely's bathroom at the moment so she grabbed her bathrobe, a change of clothes and bath essentials and headed for the next best bathroom: the prefect's bathroom that is. Hermione had shown it to her on Sunday; the day she decided to leave not only her bed, but Gryffindor too.

She originally had wanted to delight in a nice, long, soothing soak, but curfew was only ten minutes away when finally having reached the bathroom. She knew she could "sneak" her way back like she had done all day Sunday, but Hermione has also said that there was something she really needed to speak to her about.

Joely turned on the taps and poured in heavily cinnamon scented bath oil; her favorite, into the filling tub. She watched as the water spilled into the exceedingly large tub, filling it with feather light and skin teasing bubbles. While gazing at the weightless foam hiding the presence of water, she closed her eyes and remembered how this bath oil was a going away present from her best friend, Tyler, back in the States.

Even with the new friends she had made surprisingly quickly, she felt lonely and empty without him. They were everything to each other... except a couple. They were best friends, confidants, therapists, teammates, housemates, classmates and... pretty much brother and sister - to some extent. They were each other's first kiss. Tyler was always one for "looking into" who Joely, or as he called her, Jammer, was dating. He didn't want her hurt and he would go to any lengths to ensure she was happy and safe.

But now - now she was alone. She was unhappy, and how safe is anyone anymore? A stray tear streamed down her cheek when she opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry and staggered as her eyes shone wet in the candlelight.

She turned off the taps, undressed and slowly sank into the scalding water. Her body tensed and she felt the goose bumps rise as the water sank into her pores and flowed over her skin. Nestling herself on the steps and leaning against them, she waved her arms over the top of the water and through the mass of bubbles; the white foam dancing across her skin with grace.

Just what I needed - a long, hot soak to relieve tension, she thought smiling. It had been a long day, not mention a long week too. Tuesday was horrid and Thursday... well Thursday made her want to curl up in a ball and cry. She didn't understand what was going on with Draco. She thought that after their "talk" on Monday, they had come to some kind of a treaty to leave each other alone and cool down. But she had never expected him to become angry and blow up as though she was the one in the wrong.

Had he decided to be infuriated with her? Was he mad at himself? Or was his temper on the low for a reason that didn't relate to her? She came to the conclusion that even though she had only known him a few months, she could tell that he wasn't very expressive with the inner being in him. He didn't fancy being blunt with anything but sarcasm and sharp tongued remarks. Except when he was angry of course, she knew that part first hand. She could only think of one other time when he had been that angry. She removed the binder holding up the gathering of hair at her neck, took a deep breath and sank below the cover of bubbles to the bottom.

That particular time had been a rare instance when he was infuriated with his mother. He never divulged in detail what had caused his frustration, only that his mother was keeping secrets from him. Before Voldemort's death and his parent's release from his clutches, Draco was used to secrets. Sure he knew quite a lot about what the Dark Lord was scheming, but not all was revealed to him and he was fine with that. But after the Dark Lord's fall, the first thing his mother said that was going to change was there wasn't going to be anymore secrets. After all, secrets were what pushed Lucius past wanting to join the Death Eaters.

Secrets! her mind exploded. She pushed off the bottom of the tub and broke the water's surface inhaling sharply, the air stabbing her lungs. What if he? she questioned herself. The only people that were privy to that was his and her parents, the professors, the Ministries, Hermione and..."Blaise," she said in a whisper. But he wouldn't rat her out - would he?

She shook her head violently, eliminating her mind of the accusation. Draco didn't know and no one spilled. She grabbed her shampoo and conditioner and set to washing the day's worth of grime from her hair. She loved the scent the Green Apple hair care products left behind. When she had first started using the Green Apple with the cinnamon bath oil; Tyler had told her that she smelt like a hot, apple pie in the autumn.

She finished her bath, dried off changing into her clothes and headed back to Gryffindor. She pulled her watch from her pocket seeing that it was almost half past midnight, she knew she must be stealthy, it was an obvious guess that Filch and Mrs. Norris would be lurking about, possibly professors as well. She wasn't concerned about hers and Hermione's conversation because she knew Hermione to be a long bath taker too. With two swishes and a word she had disappeared.

She reappeared in front of the fat lady. "Aeternitus Lumen," she proclaimed, stepping through the portrait into the Gryffindor Common Room. Oddly for well past midnight, the common room was still a little busy.

Harry and Ron were enjoying a sticky game of Gobstones; a few first and second years were poking at Neville's toad Trevor; Parvati and Lavender were snickering at a piece of parchment, and all was content. As she padded to the stairs, her face lit up, she was happy, for the first time in a week she was really happy.

She walked through the portrait hole into her shared bedroom to find Hermione sound asleep. Well she thought she was asleep; you couldn't really tell with her hair covering all of her face save for her mouth. Joely exited the bathroom from brushing her teeth dressed in her turquoise pajamas, waving her hand at Hermione thinking that they'd talk tomorrow.

As she snuggled down into the cool sheets and relaxed her head down on her pillow she smiled once more... but bigger. She knew that had what was deemed the dream. She was living, she had loved, and now... she was pursuing happiness. With her mind cleared and her breathing even, she fell into slumber.

......................................................

Draco had woken with a start. He had that dream again; standing in a single candle lit room, surrounded by nothing but glass wall cases of daggers. This time he had been within inches of grasping the one that always caught his attention, but again he couldn't remember what it looked like when he always awoke suddenly. It had always been the same; he saw the daggers, proceeded to the "different" one and then woke feeling as though he had gotten nowhere.

He opened his eyes once more watching the illuminated hands of his classic clock as they read thirty-two minutes past two. Tick... tick... tick they spoke to him. But that dream was not the only thing that was bugging him. He was wondering what had happened to him after returning to Slytherin. He couldn't remember anything, almost as though he was being scrubbed clean of his memories after each dream. He tried rummaging around inside his head for some possible inkling, but came to no avail.

He diverted his eyes from his bedside table to his floor where he saw his clothes all askew. What the...? he wondered. He was normally very tidy with Lucius being the father who always demanded order. Most of time he remained organized as commanded, but he had his messy moments like everyone else. He was in a fairly disgruntled mood tonight, so in all actuality, the mess didn't bother him. But the charmed breeze flowing through the room did.

He scrunched his forehead in puzzlement. How did that happen? "Eh...it's just a charmed breeze. It must've been quite hot earlier." Though these were the dungeons and the closest it ever become to hot down here, was if you stood in the fire grate. He tossed his confusion aside and stretched long and felt the smooth material of his sheets brush over his body, but something still didn't feel right. Literally, something didn't feel right. That's when he noticed... he was naked.

His mind began running at hyper speed. He normally slept in just boxers or pajama pants, but felt the onset of his body telling him that he was sleeping in the nude. Being on his right side, he turned his head a little to the left and found his comforter at the foot of his bed, and barely on the bed at that. "Oh gods no!" he whispered, smacking his forehead.

"Please no! Please no!" he pleaded quietly his eyes shut tight.

He shifted his head and body slowly to the left so as not to rouse the person next to him... if there was one. Whatever he did, he couldn't make himself look to see who it was. He kept his eyes shut tightly as he lay level on his back, praying that his suspicions were wrong. He looked over and saw the black sheet only covering from the curve of a hip down on the female's body. He raised his eyes up slowly following the female's spine. He was praying and pleading to the gods that it was the one girl he hoped for to be there, but he found the answer to his question in the form of black locks.

He sat up looking over to the face of the sleeping woman and reconfirmed his previous answer: it was indeed Pansy. He covered his face with his hands and lay back down, pissed at himself. He ran his hands through his hair and resting his palms where the pillow met his head. Mentally cursing himself he whispered, "What the hell have I done? Oh gods! I promised myself I'd never do this again!" There went the second promise he had made to himself.