Only Skin Deep

Emily walked into the welcoming Ravenclaw common room after a very different Christmas holiday. Nina came bustling down the stairs as she set down her luggage.

"Hi there," she greeted, hugging Emily despite her wet jacket. "I owled you like seven times, but Pinkney kept getting sent back with his letter."

"Oh, sorry," she apologized, taking up her things. Nina helped her upstairs.

"Where were you, anyways?" Nina asked, flopping down on her bed. Emily hesitated before she answered.

"I was at my Mum's friend's house." She kept unpacking as Nina pondered over on her bed.

"Your mum has friends?" she asked. "I thought she was a loner."

Emily sighed. "She was. She met some people that she liked." Emily didn't want to tell Nina that she had been at Malfoy Manor all holiday. "The house was nice."

"Oh? What was it like?" Nina said, propping herself up on her elbows.

"Err, it was dark, but in a good kind of way." The only reason the dark was good was because of him. Emily turned from Nina, hoping she wasn't going to prod her with any more questions. Unfortunately, she did.

"How can dark be good?" Emily cast a look at Nina, and began to blush. Nina's eyebrows raised as she figured it out. "Does this involve a certain blond-haired prat who is wooing little Emily's heart?"

"He is not wooing me," she snapped, getting ready to leave their room. "I'm just simply getting used to him is all."

"Right, okay, and Ron Weasley is as straight as a pin," she said sarcastically, following her.

"I'm going to find Jeff. You stay here," Emily instructed. Nina fumed a few feet behind her.

"Fine, but if that flaxen devil comes in here, I'm killing him." Emily sighed as she left the common room, and walked down towards the Hufflepuff entrance. A little girl sat outside the door, nodding off.

"Excuse me," Emily said, trying to wake her. Her eyes snapped open as Emily's hand touched her shoulder.

"Are you a Hufflepuff?" she asked sleepily.

"No, sorry," Emily apologized. "Umm, have you seen Jeff O'Donnell recently?" The girl shook her head. "All right, thanks anyways." Emily went off towards the Great Hall, just as Jeff came around the corner behind her. The little girl went to speak, but he hushed her.

Only after Emily was out of range did he say anything.

"Thanks for staying quiet, Delia. The password is Germany," he said, darting off towards the potions room. He walked quietly in the dark hallways. All he needed to do was give Snape back the jar he had borrowed. But, as he came to a turn, yelling hit his ears.

"How dare you! After I thought I had found someone I could finally trust! Maybe father was right. Trust and love is just no good." Jeff knew whom that voice belonged to. "Go fuck someone else. I don't want you." Footsteps went the other way as Jeff dared to turn the corner. Jade knelt there, tears streaming down her face. Her black hair fell in clumps around her face. She looked pathetic.

"Umm, are you all right?" he mumbled cautiously. She looked up at him, her blue eyes swimming with tears.

"I'm fine. Brilliant actually." Jeff tried to help her as she struggled to her feet, but she pushed him away. "What do you want?"

"Nothing, I'm just trying to help. People can be nice and not have an ulterior motive, you know." Jeff went to head to the potions room, but Jade caught him by the arm. Quickly, she pecked his lips. He stared at her in awe. She looked at him innocently.

"I need to go, to, umm, Snape," Jeff stammered, not sure what was happening. "Return my jar."

"Why are the nerdy ones always so damn appealing?" Jeff swallowed hard. Jade kissed him again, only deeper and more passionate. "You know, I've always had a crush on you since Malfoy cursed you. You looked so cute, howling in pain."

"Look, I need to return--" Jeff was cut off in mid-sentence by another engulfing kiss.

"Ever snog any one before?" Jade asked, taking his hand.

"N... n... no," he stuttered nervously. She smiled.

"Okay, then I'll have to teach you." She led him away to her favorite nook. "Now, do as I say, and you'll do fine." Jeff nodded silently. "Put your hand here," she said, placing his hand on her waist. His eyes were wide with surprise.

"I... umm..." he rambled lightly.

"You have to come closer if you want to learn," she whispered, pulling him nearer with his robes. She went to guide him again, but the sound of fast-approaching footsteps sent her jerking away from Jeff. A black-robed figure came up to them.

"Mr. O'Donnell, I was waiting for you," Snape growled. "Where is the jar?"

"Here sir," he mumbled, handing over the glass jar. Snape nodded and briskly walked away. Jade's breathing was jagged.

"I'll see you later, okay?" she said, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. She scampered off, as Jeff stood there dazed.

"What the hell just happened?" he asked aloud, shaking his head and heading back for his common room.

~

Draco paced his room thinking of someway to make himself understand. "I don't like her. I will never like her," he muttered, trying to convince himself. He glanced over at himself in the mirror. His hair was left loose like he had intended, his face was still pale. But his insides were retching. He had just broken up with Jade, and now all he could think about was Emily. "I don't like her!" he yelled, annoyed with himself. Ahh, but you do. You know you do. Draco looked down at his arm. He had covered the fresh red mark with a white bandage. She helped you. Are you weak? He hated when his father's word came to him. Are you weak, hmm? What kind of Malfoy was he accepting help, especially from a girl?

A soft knock on his portrait door startled him. He went and opened it a bit. "What do you want?" he barked.

"I was bringing you a clean bandage, but never mind, you don't want to be bothered," Emily said from outside his door. Draco flung up the door. "A little enthusiastic now, aren't we?"

"No, I'm not," he said quickly. "Are you coming in?" Emily slowly walked in, carrying the bandage.

"I'm sorry I'm bothering you," she mumbled, setting them down.

"It's okay," he said calmer than Emily had expected. "Why did you bring this?"

"I thought you'd appreciate it." She started to unwrap it. "I'll help you put it on if you'd like."

No, don't let her help. You don't need her, or anyone. "All right," he mumbled sadly. She took his hand as he sat next to her on the couch.

"Come a little closer. I can't reach that far," she said, trying to move him over. He reluctantly moved. She gingerly took off his bandage, and her fingertips grazed over the welt. Draco winced slightly, though her cool tips felt good on his forearm. "You might want to go to see Madame Pomfrey."

"No, I couldn't." Emily shrugged. He looked down at her as she finished up his arm.

"There you go. Good as new," she smiled, getting up. "Will you be all right by yourself?"

"I have been for awhile now." She shook her head and went to leave. He felt himself try to hold her back. "Emily.." he heard his lips utter quietly. She turned back towards him.

"What?" His mouth felt dry. You never felt this with Jade, did you? What to say...

"I... umm..." he stuttered. "Just go on!" She looked at him strangely.

"But you just-- never mind, I'll just go." She sighed heavily. "Hope you feel better soon."

Draco looked rather displeased as she left. "She just has to be so damn..." he trailed off, running his fingers over the white bandage that graced his arm. Caring, nurturing perhaps? Something you've never felt. "I feel them," he mumbled under his breath. Only with her though, hmm? He began to feel sick. Lying down in bed, he drifted easily into a light sleep.

~

Jade crept out of the common room after she heard Emily leave Draco's room. She saw her turning the corner as she left. Emily took no notice to Jade until she felt herself stumble to the floor.

"He ran to you, did he?" Emily turned as she heard her voice.

"I was just dropping something off," Emily mumbled, propping herself up on her elbows.

"Sure, I bet you just happened to have a text book he needed, and just slipped it by," she growled, pinning Emily down with her foot. "I have been meaning to do this for a long time. Ever since you started to run into Malfoy accidentally."

"I never meant to be near him, I promise," Emily chattered, almost at the verge of tears. "I don't even like him."

"Oh, please. You being at the Manor all Christmas didn't help you much either. Let's see if your precious Draco will save you now," she spat, raising her wand. "Crucio!"

Spasms of pain surged through Emily's body. Her eyelids fluttered violently. Jade's cruel impish laughter rang in her ears as her back arched with another wave of pain. Emily's mind started to black out from the throbbing pain.

After a few brief minutes that had felt like hours, Jade broke her curse. "Bye Piggy. Let's see who saves you now." She strode off quickly as Emily lay against the stone wall, almost unconscious from the pain. You should have known better than to like Draco. Why didn't you consider this happening? Before she could think any more discouraging thoughts, her mind went completely into darkness.