Of Silver and Green

Ch. 20 Out in the Open

It was Sunday night, and Draco had completed all the necessary bookwork and knew it inside and out. Brynne had begun the first lesson on mechanics that night, and Draco had grasped the concepts quickly. Brynne, despite Draco's progress, didn't want to hurry things by actually letting him try to transfigure though, so she left him to meditate. She hurriedly cast the silencing charm and left, forgetting to lock the door. She was in such a rush, Brynne didn't even notice the shadowy figure standing against the wall, watching her movements curiously. If Brynne hadn't been in such a hurry, she might have heard the footsteps echoing behind her as she walked to the library.

The person who followed Brynne pressed their body against a bookcase, dumbstruck. The person couldn't believe it when they saw whom Brynne was sitting with, talking to, even smiling at. A mouth curved up into an evil grin. Oh, but wouldn't Draco love to know?

~~~***~~~

"Pansy, what do you want?" asked a very irritated Draco. His meditation had just been quite painfully interrupted by the girl's screeching voice calling his name. "I'm a little busy right now."

"But I've got to show you something," she said mysteriously, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

Draco noticed the look in her eyes and it made him wary. "I really don't have time for this now. Can't it wait?"

"No, it can't wait," Pansy whined. "You have to come now. I'm not leaving until you do."

Draco sighed resignedly, blew out the candles and stood up. He knew what Pansy was like when she got like this. How else would he have gone to the Yule Ball with her? "Fine, but this better not take long."

"Oh, it won't," she replied, the edge returning to her voice.

That put Draco on guard. That tone indicated that Pansy was going to enjoy this, but more than likely, Draco would not. Pansy left the room and reluctantly, Draco followed.

When they began to approach the library, Draco felt a sense of dread creep into his body. He knew that was where Brynne was. He began to walk slower, apprehensive of what Pansy seemed so excited to show him.

"Come on!" she cried impatiently, grabbing Draco's arm and pulling him into the library.

Draco looked around for what he could possibly need to see. He noticed Brynne sitting at a table with two dark-haired boys. One of them shifted, and the recognition of the boys' green eyes sent a wave of nausea through him, which in turn became burning anger. None of them had noticed him yet, which suited Draco just fine. He wanted the element of surprise when he attacked. That, however, would have to wait until after he had regained control of his body, which had gone rigid in his fury. He growled, and the trio jumped and turned to look at him, horror and shock manifest on their faces.

"Draco?" Brynne whispered. "What's wrong?"

"Malfoy, this isn't what it looks like," Potter said quickly.

"Potter," Draco spat hatefully, as though to say his name was to contract a disease, "stay out of this. I'll deal with you later." He turned to Brynne, shaking with ire. "How long has this been going on?" he asked, a dangerous calm settling over his voice.

"Nothing is going on, Draco. Potter and I are just friends," she replied desperately.

"If nothing is going on, why are you sneaking around to see him?" Draco shouted.

"If we were sneaking around, wouldn't we be alone?"

But Draco wouldn't listen to reason. "Do you remember the first thing you said to me? Do you?" he prompted, almost hysterical.

Brynne shook her head sadly.

"You said 'Potter's not so great'. You remember that? What changed your mind?" he snarled.

"I never changed my mind," she said quietly, but Draco was already walking away. "I realized I was right. He's just a normal person. He's not so great. That's why I like him." But Draco was already gone.

Brynne hung her head in her hands and began to sob uncontrollably, not even trying to quell her tears. She heard a snicker from behind her and cried harder.

Seamus got up out of his chair quietly and calmly walked over to Pansy, who was still in the library and seemed to be possessed with a fit of giggles. "I suggest you leave now," he said threateningly, his Irish accent seeming thicker due to his intense anger. "You have wreaked enough havoc for today, Slytherin scum," he continued softly. "If you don't, I might decide not to control my infamous Irish temper and knock you about a bit despite your decidedly pathetic attempt at looking like a girl."

Pansy's eyes narrowed and she looked about to say something, but she saw something in the boy's brown eyes that told her he wasn't bluffing. She closed her mouth and hurried out of the library, hurriedly glancing back at Seamus as she exited.

Meanwhile, Brynne was still bawling into her hands. Potter looked around desperate for a way to soothe the distraught girl. "It'll be alright," he said lamely, setting his hand on her shoulder gently.

Brynne looked up quickly, her eyes glittering like emeralds with misplaced anger and tears. "'It'll be alright?'" she asked mockingly. "'It'll be alright?!'" Her tone rose with each word. "I told you this would happen!" she screeched, her voice growing shrill. She stood up, glowering down at Potter with eyes that were bloodshot and red-rimmed from crying. She gathered her books and shoved them violently into her book bag. She began to walk away quickly, hoping to get away before a fresh wave of tears escaped.

She felt Potter catch her arm as she was about to leave the library. "Please don't go," he pleaded.

"Haven't you done enough?" she asked severely. "Let go."

"I didn't mean for this to happen."

"You know what? That doesn't matter. You are like a walking disease. You hurt everything you touch and you don't even realize it." Potter opened his mouth to object, a wounded look in his eyes, but Brynne ignored this, if she even noticed, so insane with grief was she. "Just stay away from me, Scarhead," she said darkly, before wrenching her arm free and running from the room.

Potter turned to Seamus, dumbstruck. "What just happened?"

"I don't know girls too well, but I'd say that you just said the exact wrong thing, mate," Seamus replied dryly. "I bet she's not even mad at you. You were just a convenient target." He noticed his words were having little effect on the other boy. "Come on," he said, "let's just get back to the tower. You're gonna need some sleep." Potter reluctantly let himself be led away.