Only Skin Deep

Two girls stood before Draco dressed in snow-white robes. Both looked completely identical to him. They approached him slowly, swaying slightly. The girl to his right pulled him toward her. She glanced at the other girl standing there all alone. Parting from Draco, she strayed over to her. In one quick motion, she pushed her down to the ground. Draco went to go help her up, but the other girl held him back. She led him away, out of sight of the downed girl. He stared down at the girl next to him. She moved behind him, and seemed to disappear. Draco stood a moment longer, until a sharp pain pierced the center of his back. He reached around and his hands became warm with flowing blood. The girl appeared again and began to laugh evilly and cruelly. She ran away as the other girl came up to him, just as he dropped to knees. She caught him and tried to sooth him the best she could.

"You should have chosen more wisely," she whispered. She laid her hand on his cheek. Draco started to slip, farther and farther into darkness.

Draco shot straight up in bed. A cold sweat was on his brow and pieces of his white blonde hair fell into his eyes. Absentmindedly, his hands flew to the middle of his back, checking for wounds. Draco's heart was racing. Sure death threats at home were common but they shouldn't have been invading his dreams as well.

Draco looked at his watch. It read, Hmm, shouldn't you be getting up by now? He decided that was a good idea, and raised to start his day.

~

Emily strolled lazily toward the Divination tower. I wonder what the Professor is going to start us on today. Climbing up the rope ladder, she entered the haunting classroom. Professor Harris, Trelawney's niece, sat on a large mauve pillow at the head of the class. Emily nodded to her and took a seat near the back.

Once most of the class was there and seated, Professor Harris spoke.

"Wait just a moment longer class. We have a latecomer." Unlike Trelawney, Harris really could see things to come. No sooner had she said that that a Hufflepuff came through the door.

"Sorry, Professor," he mumbled, taking a seat next to Emily. She smiled at him.

"No need to be sorry," Harris said, taking out a tray of assorted teacups. "I knew you would be late." She passed a cup to each of her students and began to explain the lesson.

"Now, owing to the fact that today is the first day of lessons, we will be taking it fairly easy." Harris gave each table a basket of tealeaves, then said, "Today we will be reading tealeaves. Don't worry if you can't get it, we won't be doing this for very long."

Emily reached out for the basket just as the Hufflepuff boy's hand reached too.

"Sorry," he mumbled yet again. He flipped his cup and filled it with water.

"Have you done this before?" Emily asked, as he took the leaves he needed. He shook his head.

"Yes, my sister showed me last year. They really are supposed to work, you know," he told her, setting down the basket. "Jeff O' Donnell."

"Emily Miller. Nice to meet you." Jeff nodded. She prepared her cup and drank in silence. Once the grit began to invade her mouth, she knew she had to flip over her cup.

She stared into the bottom of her yellow-flowered cup, but could make out no images. Jeff, on the other hand, had already read his cup.

"It's quite easy once you get the hang of it," he said trying to make her feel better. She frowned; this was definitely not easy. "Here let me take a look." Jeff took the cup and turned around. "Well, there's something in here." He studied the leaves carefully.

"A dark figure," he said at last. "A dark figure that will come for you."

"Like a Dementor?" Emily asked, though she doubted that she was right.

"No, a regular person. Just, dark." Jeff handed her it back. "At least yours was more clear. Mine just read as a foggy future." Professor Harris clicked her wand on a nearby table and caught everyone's attention.

"Well, time has come to an end," she said clearing the cups from the tables. The door of the room came open with a flick of her wand. Students began to file out, and Emily grabbed her bag to follow. Jeff waited and climbed down with Emily.

"So, you're in Ravenclaw then?" Jeff asked rather shyly. Emily let out a giggle.

"Well, I would hope so, seeing that your Divination class is with Ravenclaw." Emily turned to say something else when she collided with a wall of black robes.

"Watch where you're going!" Malfoy yelled as Emily ran into him. He glared down at her coldly. "Well, look who it is." Emily darted as quickly as she could away but wasn't fast enough. Malfoy caught hold of her robes and pulled her back.

"Malfoy, why don't you let me handle her." Jade came up behind him, spinning her wand between her fingers. "Aww, little girl think she can get away?" she asked as Emily struggled against Malfoy's firm grip. Draco smirked at Jade.

"I think I'm going to like you after all," he said, grabbing hold more of Emily's robes. "What will you do to her?"

" Let's see, I could do an Unforgivable curse, but maybe that's just too extreme." Emily's face was plastered in shock.

"All I did was accidentally run in to him! You can't do that!" Emily yelled at the two of them. Jeff stepped up to defend her.

"You're Head Boy! You can't let this happen!" Malfoy sneered.

"Oh, sod off!" he snapped, raising his own wand. "Conjunctiva!" Jeff howled in pain, and stumbled off. Jade looked at Malfoy.

"I know just the curse." She paused a moment, then brought her wand up. "How about, Cruc..."

"You stop right there!" Hermione came bounding up the staircase. "You will never use that curse ever! If I hadn't been tending to the boy you cursed, you, missy, would have gone straight to Azkaban!" Hermione was furious. "And you, Malfoy," she started, turning to him, "are Head Boy and should behave as so. Let go of her." He released his fist. Emily backed away from him toward Hermione. "So sorry to do this but, fifty points from Slytherin and both of you have a detention." Malfoy fumed silently.

"You can't prove I was going to use that curse," Jade said defiantly.

"No, but look at that boy there." She pointed to Jeff. "He's now got a nasty bout of conjunctivitis and it's your doing."

"We'll see how well this blows over with Professor Snape," Malfoy warned. Hermione scoffed.

"Yeah, then when I take this to Dumbledore, you'll be sorry." Hermione took Jeff by the arm and started to lead him away to the infirmary. Emily ran up to them.

"Can I come?" she asked quietly. Hermione nodded. "It'll be okay Jeff."

"Well, now I know what it meant by foggy future," he joked. "Can't see a thing."

Jade and Draco watched as the three left to help the boy. Jade looked up at him.

"You will be able to get us out of detention, won't you?"

"Yeah, probably. If not, then I'll be the first Malfoy not to wriggle his way out of something." This caused them both to laugh slightly. "Be on your way then," he said, winking at her. Draco could have sworn he saw some color tinge her pale cheeks as he walked off toward his Arithmancy class.