Of Silver and Green

Ch. 18 Feelings

Why was she lying in the Potions classroom surrounded by people? And why did they all look like Professor Snape? 'Professor Snape?' Brynne sat up with a jolt, instantly regretting the action as she was hit with a wave of nausea.

"Lay back, Miss Dharielle," she heard as she was forced back into a lying position.

"What's going on?" she asked weakly, noting the dull throb emanating from the back of her skull.

"You took a nasty fall in the hallway. Hit your head pretty hard," replied Snape as he came back into view. He was holding a flask. "I want you to drink all of this, it will help with your head."

Brynne sat up slowly, took the flask and put it to her lips, choking down the foul-tasting liquid. Immediately, a warm feeling permeated through her entire body, soothing her head and stomach. The warmth vanished when she heard the tone of Snape's voice.

"What were you doing in the hall at this time of night?" Snape demanded sternly.

She was faced with a dilemma: tell Snape the truth and risk his wrath at her betrayal, or try to lie to her favorite professor, which she was almost certain she wouldn't be able to do. Her mouth opened and closed silently as she tried to work out what to say.

"Well?"

She said the first thing that popped into her head. "I was just walking around."

"Just walking around?" he repeated in a clearly disbelieving tone.

"Yes," she said quickly, too quickly. Snape was looking at her closely, and she was frantic. She needed him to believe her so she could get back to Draco.

Perhaps he noticed the frightened look in her eyes or the desperate tone of her voice, but whatever it was, told Snape to let the girl go. "Well, Miss Dharielle, you can go back to your room. And if you are compelled to be up this late out of your common room, please try to be more careful. Others would not be so lenient."

Brynne scrambled quickly off the desk she had been lain on, and hastily made her way out the door before the fickle Potions master changed his mind. She rushed into the common room and up the stairs to her bedroom. She removed her cloak and tossed it on her bed. Then she coaxed Mordechai into his tank. He had slept through the whole ordeal.

She found her way to Draco's door and ended the charms she had placed on it. She hoped that Draco had lost track of time like she had. She opened the door to find him still seated on the floor in a trance-like state. "Draco?" she asked softly.

He started and turned to her. "What time is it?" he asked, dazed.

Brynne glanced at her watch. "Three-thirty." I lost track of time. I meant to get you a half-hour ago."

Draco blew out the candles and stood up. Brynne reached for his hand and led him over to his bed. She sat against the headboard while Draco leaned back against her.

"Tell me how you did," she said, her fingers beginning to knead his flesh. "Wow, you're very relaxed," she murmured.

Draco let escape a sigh of contentment and leaned his head on Brynne's shoulder. "Well, I could actually feel that awareness you mentioned at the cellular level. It was so strange. It was an almost tingly sensation. I was also able to synchronize my heartbeat and breathing."

"Impressive." Draco was progressing so quickly. It was really quite amazing how quickly. At this rate, she would be teaching him mechanics by the end of the week. She shivered and drew Draco closer. "It's cold in here."

Draco glanced at the fireplace. All that remained of the fire was a heap of dying embers. It must have gone out while he was in deep meditation. He felt her shiver again and pulled the silver and black quilt from beneath them and tucked it around them. He slid down under the covers until he was in a laying position, pulling Brynne down beside him and wrapping his arms around her.

Brynne laid her head on his chest, reveling in the heat his body always seemed to radiate. "You make a good pillow," she murmured softly, as sleep began to overtake her.

"Oh really?" asked Draco, his tone amused.

"Yes," she breathed. "So comfy and gentle and warm...mmmm...warm..."

"I'm only warm for you," he whispered, but Brynne's breathing had already shifted into a rhythmic pattern that indicated sleep. He mentally kicked himself, glad she hadn't been awake to hear how utterly sappy he had just been. 'She just brings it out in me,' he thought. He felt his eyelids grow heavy as he began to yield to sleep. 'But for some reason, I don't care as much as I should...'

~~~***~~~

Morning came and went, and it was nearly one o'clock before Draco was awoken by a frenzied tapping at his window. He extracted himself from the girl who was still sleeping beside him and staggered to his feet. He crossed slowly to the window and opened it. The grateful owl flew in and perched on Draco's shoulder. Draco reached for the owl treats on his desk and gave Apollo a few. The owl squeezed Draco's shoulder gently and flew to the perch in his cage for a much-needed nap. 'Well, mission accomplished,' thought Draco. 'Just have to wait for the reply.'

Draco looked up to see Shadow pacing madly around her cage. She squeaked happily when she noticed Draco was looking at her. 'Well, since Brynne's not up yet, I guess I'll play with my other favourite girl.' He went and opened the door to Shadow's cage and was almost not prepared when the little puff of silver fur came barreling towards him, chittering excitedly. "Calm down," he whispered as she climbed up to his shoulder to look around. "You'll wake her!" he hissed, jerking his head towards his bed.

Shadow looked at his bed and noticed the figure he had indicated. She squeaked and scurried down Draco to the floor and across to the bed where Brynne lay. She caught the edge of a blanket and climbed up before Draco could stop her. The little silver-blonde ferret then snuggled up into Brynne's neck under the soft quilt.

Brynne smiled and shifted, feeling the soft fur on her throat. She opened an eye a slit and was surprised to see a small silvery ball of fluff in bed with her instead of Aidynn. Then she realized where she was and relaxed. "Why'd you sic this furball on me, Draco? I was having the most wonderful dream," she said smiling.

"Oh yeah?" he asked, sitting on the bed beside her. "What was it about?"

"We were dancing. Just spinning and turning in perfect rhythm. Then we both transfigured. I was Scorch of course. And you were...you were..."

"Yes?"

"You were...hmmm...well, I can't really recall, except to say you were bigger than me, with silvery fur the same color as your hair and with the same soulful grey eyes. That's what I remember best: silver eyes, staring into me, like they could read my mind. Anyways, after we transfigured, we kept on dancing, in perfect complement to each other. It was so beau-"

The rest of her words were lost in Draco's mouth as he leaned over and kissed her, gently sucking her lips and massaging her tongue with his. Brynne, whose eyes had been open in the beginning, let her lids slide closed as her arms, seemingly of their own accord, drifted up around Draco's neck, a hand tangled in his hair.

Draco pulled away, but before Brynne could protest, her eyes blurred and she moaned as Draco began to kiss his way from her jaw to her collarbone, only pausing to nibble the tender flesh at her throat. He smiled devilishly when she gasped and pulled his hair.

Neglected, Shadow scampered off the bed and contented herself by chasing dust bunnies around the floor.

Meanwhile, Draco reclaimed Brynne's mouth, her face cupped in both his hands. Brynne unwound her arms and grasped his slender hips, and he felt her tense beneath him. And then suddenly, he was on his back, Brynne straddling him, her green eyes sparkling down wickedly at him.

His mouth opened, but the words never came out as Brynne devoured his mouth hungrily. She nipped his lips and tongue lightly as she kissed him and then trailed her tongue across his teeth. She pulled back as he made to kiss her and licked the tip of his nose playfully. He smiled and tried to kiss her again and again she pulled away. "Tease," he growled playfully.

"You like it," she retorted. The she proceeded to trace a path with the tip of her tongue from his chin, up the curve of his jaw, to his ear, biting down gently on the lobe as he shivered in pleasure. "You do realize we have practice in little over a half an hour," she said in his ear. She pulled herself up, staring down at him.

"What's your point?" he asked softly, reaching up to run his fingers across her lips.

Her eyes closed and a smile played across her lips in response to the touch. "We have to get ready," she answered, her eyes remaining shut.

"Are you sure?" he asked carefully, pulling himself up on his elbows beneath her.

"Yes," she breathed, but her eyes and tongue said otherwise as she leaned down and claimed him mouth once more. Then she reluctantly climbed off the bed.

"Shadow?" she sang, searching for the mischievious little rodent. The ferret zoomed out from under the bed and skidded to a halt before her. "There you are!" she said, lifting Shadow and scratching her ears. Shadow made a sound resembling a purr and basked in Brynne's attentions.

Draco stared at Brynne for a minute. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for practice?" he asked.

"Well, normally yes, but since you insist upon me using the locker rooms, I don't have to get changed until I get there. We should probably get going though. I'll be right back with my stuff." She handed Shadow to Draco and left the room. She returned minutes later carrying her Nimbus 2001.

"Where are your Quidditch robes?" asked Draco.

"Shrunken. I didn't want anyone to see them. You're going to have to carry this though, so as not to arouse suspicion. I don't like shrinking it."

Draco put Shadow back in her cage. Then he took the broom from Brynne. Draco held up the shiny black broom so he could inspect it. It was virtually identical to the broom he flew, except Brynne's had completely black bristles and the most extraordinary paint job he had ever seen. The broom had a copper snake with green eyes painted entwined around the entire handle. At the tip of the handle, just under the inscription announcing the broom as a Nimbus 2001, "Bry" was inscribed in the same copper as the snake. The broom itself cost a fortune, but the detail work must have cost nearly as much. "Impressive," he murmured.

"Yeah, I know," Brynne said. "It was an early birthday gift for making the Quidditch team." She smirked. "My birthday isn't for another five months. But anyways, we should get going. We're already going to be ten minutes late."

"Oh really?" asked Draco, his eyes glinting. He grabbed a large cloak from his trunk and tossed it to Brynne. She caught it easily.

"What's this for?" she asked.

"Put it on." Brynne complied, and Draco handed her back her broom. She looked at him quizzically as he pulled out his own broom.

"I thought you kept your things in the locker room," she said.

"Not this. If it got stolen, my father would skin me alive and I likely wouldn't get another one until I beat Potter to the Snitch."

"So what are we going to do?"

"You are going to pull that cowl over your face, and we are going to jump out the window and race."

Brynne's eyes lit up. "A race, eh? That sounds like fun. We'll see how a Beater stands up against a Seeker."

"You're on!" he cried, opening wide the window. He then jumped out, mounting his broom in midair. "You coming?" he asked.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world!" she exclaimed, mounting her own broom and exiting the room. She pulled up her hood as Draco closed the window behind her.

He pivoted to face her. "Scared Potter?"

"Excuse me, what?" she asked, flabbergasted.

"Sorry, force of habit," he said sheepishly. "Ready, set, g-" At this point, Brynne took off, shouting something about a head start.

"Go," he said in a growl, and sped off after her. He caught up about halfway between the castle and the pitch.

Brynne glanced to her left and saw him catching up. She flattened herself to the broom and urged it on. She gained a few feet, but then he began to level with her. Eventually, she and Draco were even, and Brynne couldn't pull ahead. Slowly, Draco inched forward, and when they reached the pitch, he was a broom's length in front of her.

The rest of the players were there already, hovering a few feet above the ground, but Draco and Brynne ignored them. The two flew circles around each other, fifty feet up. They chased each other through the air, performing barrel rolls and loop-the-loops and laughing hysterically all the while.

From Blaise's viewpoint, just above the ground, the two moved with an elegance and grace that was anything but ordinary. The perfectly executed rolls and dives had all the appearance of a dance, but infinitely more natural. Blaise had never before seen anything more beautiful than the spectacle he was witnessing and his breath caught in his throat with awe.

Blaise heard grumbling from the players around him and it brought him back to reality. Instinctively he knew that if his Captain didn't get down her to run practice, there was a potential for mutiny. Draco and Brynne didn't look anywhere near finished, so Blaise decided to take charge. He urged his broom up to the height they were currently flying at and waited for them to notice him.

Knowing he wasn't nearly fast enough to chase them down, Blaise tried to anticipate where they would be heading, trying to strategically place himself where the two would see him. After what seemed like ages, Draco finally paused in front of Blaise, Brynne halting slightly to his side. "Yes Blaise?"

"Um, the players are starting to get impatient. You may want to change quickly and start practice, before they get upset."

Draco's eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded. "Thanks." He flew down to where the other players were waiting, Brynne and Blaise following behind.

"Feeling a bit frisky, were you?" Blaise asked grinning.

Brynne punched him in the shoulder none too gently, reddening slightly.

"Your silence speaks volumes," he commented, and dodged her next strike, anticipating it. They hovered next to Draco, waiting for him to speak.

"Practice today will be run much the same as the second half of yesterday's practice, except that since this a three and a half hour practice, the Chaser substitutions will run through three times, with a ten minute break every hour. Understood?" The players nodded. "Now then, Dharielle and I have to change, so I want the rest of you to fly laps around the field. Chasers, I want you to practice passing the Quaffle in high-speed flight. Everyone clear?" They all nodded again. "Good."

Draco turned and flew to the entrance of the locker rooms, Brynne following his lead and chasing after him. They dismounted, heading in opposite directions after entering the Slytherin entrance.

Minutes later they reappeared both clothed in their Quidditch robes.

"You do realize you nearly beat me," Draco commented.

"I cheated," Brynne replied.

"Yes, but even with your head start, it shouldn't have taken so long for me to catch up. I'm a Seeker. And you're the fastest person on the team besides me."

"We'd better get going, before the team gets really upset," Brynne broke in, changing the subject.

"Right you are," Draco replied, mounting his broom. "Need to have you and Blaise master the Dopplebeater Defense, so you can knock Potter off his broom and his high-horse in two weeks."

Brynne looked away uneasily before her eyes could give her away. Would she even have the heart to aim another Bludger at him after their conversation? She hoped so. 'I can't let personal feelings get in the way of my game. Please don't let personal feelings get in the way...'