Everything Goes

Everything Goes

Chapter Two

By the time we got to the headmaster's office, I was already composing things to say to get out of trouble. None of them seemed good enough.

We are in so much trouble. I thought. Damn it.

Unfortunately, a little voice in the back of my mind kept telling me that it was all my fault for allowing it.

I hate these annoying little voices.

Snape stopped at the entrance to the headmaster's office; he turned to us and spoke only once.

"Honestly, Draco, Jade, I'm very disappointed in you. One would think that you'd have more common sense than to associate yourselves with someone like Potter."

"Well, that's just too damn bad, now isn't it?" Jade said snidely.

"Watch your mouth, Ms. Latimer," Snape warned.

She sneered, rolled her eyes, and turned away. I had to agree with her sentiments, both spoken and unspoken. Snape was being even more awful than usual.

Draco sighed in a deliberately overly dramatic fashion, "Well, come on, let's get this over with."

Snape said the password (blood lollipop) and we walked up the winding staircase. A cold feeling of dread had formed in the pit of my stomach and I wished that I could be anywhere but there. I wasn't sure how Dumbledore would react, considering that I was with Slytherins.

"Ah, Harry, Jade, Draco, do come in and sit down."

We sat, suddenly finding our hands very fascinating, and waited for him to speak again.

After examining us for a moment in that way that only Albus Dumbledore can, he continued.

"Well, Professor Snape wants me to give Harry a week of detention, as it is 'obviously all his doing', and then give the other two of you a milder punishment. But," his eyes twinkled, "I don't think that that's necessarily a fair judgment. What do you think, Harry?"

"Uh," I chose my words carefully, "the idea to go to Hogsmeade was Jade's. However, none of us would have gone had I not agreed that it was a good idea. And, Draco also expressed interest and said that he thought that it was an excellent way to have a good time this afternoon. Therefore, the blame is equal, and the punishment, if any, should also be equal."

Draco and Jade smiled, quickly covering it up again. They didn't want Dumbledore to know exactly how...edited my version was. Not that I was lying, I had basically told him what had happened, but I had left out certain details in order to lessen the possible punishment. No one ever said that the Head Boy had to be perfectly honest all the time, did they? And, even if they had, no one ever said that every Head Boy had to follow that. After all, who's this 'they', anyway?

If anything, the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes increased. "All right, since you all seem to be responsible for what happened today, and no damage was done, I think we'll let you off with one detention, together. We'll let you know of the time and day as soon as it's been decided."

"Thank you, sir," the three of us murmured.

We quickly fled the room.

"Okay, I've had weirder days in my life, but today is definitely high on the list." Draco said, running a hand over his hair.

"Yeah," I agreed, "Dumbledore can be pretty weird sometimes. But, we did get off without much punishment, so I think it's fine."

"Oh!" Jade exclaimed, "Harry, that was a truly inspired performance," she swept off an imaginary hat and dipped low in a theatrical bow, twirling an imaginary cape as she rose. Then she spoke with a very stuffy upper crust accent; "I tip my hat to you."

"Well, that was campy," Draco drawled, destroying the atmosphere Jade's performance had created.

"Was not!" Jade snapped, sounding like a five-year-old, then as an afterthought, "You twat."

"Ouch." Draco said sarcastically and perfectly deadpan, "You've wounded me."

I sighed, "Stop. Now. Let's go get something to eat, shall we?"

"Where? Dinner's over." Jade pointed out.

"The kitchens, where else?"

"I've never been to the kitchens," Draco said.

"I have, it's no problem getting something from the house elves. Trust me."

"Well," Draco said, he hesitated, probably because they were house elves.

"Well, you did get us out of a lot of trouble. So I think we can trust you." Jade finished for him, silencing any protest with a glare.

"Good, come on."

I walked off, in the direction of the kitchens, and they followed along. When we got to the kitchen portrait, I tickled the pear and the door opened.

"You know, Harry," Draco said as we stepped inside, "I never realised just how many secrets you know about this place. All that sneaking around must have done some good after all. And here I thought Gryffindors were all saints in the making."

"This? Secret? No, Hermione showed me this one, and she got it from Fred and George Weasley. It's no secret. Wait, saints? Me?"

"Then why didn't we know about it? Don't play that game, Potter, everyone knows you just love being the good-hearted hero."

"Because you're Slytherins, and no one in their right mind would ever tell a Slytherin secrets, not even the ones that aren't really secrets." I said, teasing him mercilessly, then, realizing what he'd just said, "Remind me not to save you if ever you get into trouble."

"Ah, now that explains everything, and I thought I was loved and wanted, too." Jade said.

Her pout was so obviously fake that Draco and I burst out laughing.

"What?"

"That, Jade, was the some of the worst acting I have ever seen!" Draco managed to gasp out after a moment.

"Oh, please, you wouldn't know good acting if it bit you."

"Well, nothing would ever bite you!"

For the second time in ten minutes, I was forced to intervene before the mock argument got out of hand, "Shut up. Both of you. And, I really hate playing peacekeeper, so try and not argue for a while."

"Yes, mother," Draco said sarcastically.

I glared at him, and he laughed.

"Why don't we get our food now?"

"Okay, I like food," Jade said agreeably enough.

Gods, she's strange, she can go from snippy and sarcastic to eerily cheerful in less than sixty seconds.

We managed to get some food without mishap or argument; I noticed that getting food from the kitchen was a lot more fun with Draco and Jade.

I really like them, truth be told, they're not the hideous people I thought they were. Actually, they're somewhat better than some of the other people I know.

"So, where are we going?" Jade asked, then she glanced quickly at me as though remembering something and said, "Oh, but you're going to want to go back to your friends now, aren't you?" She sounded rather sad.

I thought about it. I could have gone back to Gryffindor Tower, I could have gone to talk to Ron and Hermione, I could have gone back to the life I lived on a day to day basis, I could have disregarded my new friendship, I could have done a lot of things. Instead, I did something else entirely.

"No, I think I'll stay with you two for a while longer. If you'll have me. So, where to?"

They looked surprised, then Jade did the strangest thing of all, she hugged me.

"Whoa, what the hell was that for?" I asked, once she had let go.

"For not turning away," she said simply before walking down the hall.

"Oh... wait, where are you going?"

"To your rooms, of course," she said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeah, Harry, where else?" Draco said teasingly, his eyes sparkling.

"Okay, but how do you know where they are?"

"But that would be telling," Draco smirked, same Draco as always.

It was odd that day, how nothing seemed different, yet everything had changed. I had never before considered even trying to become friends with Draco and Jade, but once I actually gave it a chance, I found that it was really quite pleasant. They had become the friends around whom I could act exactly as I was and never be treated strangely because of it. I could argue, snap, smirk, act as sarcastic as I wanted, do whatever the hell I pleased, and then turn right around and laugh at them, and it would be okay because they did those things, too.

My beloved enemies are becoming my cherished friends. Yes, it's official; the world has gone completely mad.

When we got to the portrait that led to my rooms, I hesitated for a moment before saying the password.

"Shadows,"

"That's your password?" Draco asked, "And you let us hear it?"

"I will be changing it promptly." I smirked, "Actually, I probably won't, you two are always welcome to come by."

"Wow, thanks," Draco looked faintly surprised, "How many people have that honour?"

"Oh, just you two," I said offhandedly over my shoulder as I walked into the room, "Well, are you coming or not?"

"We're coming," Jade said, pulling on Draco's arm. He was giving me a funny, piercing look, but appeared to shake off whatever was bothering him as soon as Jade touched him.

"Yeah, we're coming."

We went up the stairs to my main room, my friends looked around appraisingly.

"Hmm, not too bad," Jade said, sitting in one of the armchairs and hugging the velvet pillow that had been sitting on it.

"Oh, yes, Jade, do sit down and make yourself at home." I said, my voice dripping with mockery.

"No need to be uncouth, Harry," she said loftily.

Draco flopped down in a chair, too, one leg hooked over the arm. He grabbed a sandwich before he spoke, "So, other than eat, what are we doing?"

"I don't know, play cards?" I suggested.

"You have got to be joking. I don't play cards." Draco sniffed haughtily.

I raised an eyebrow, "Who died and made you supreme ruler?"

"No one, no one had to."

"Fine, what do you want to do?"

"How about we just chat? Learn a little about The Boy Who Lived. I think that that's entertaining enough. Hand me some of the pumpkin juice, would you?"

I handed him a flask of pumpkin juice and said, "Sure, Jade? I'd certainly like to learn more about the future overlord."

"Overlady," she corrected, picking up a sandwich, "Mmm, the food's good. I didn't realize how hungry I was."

"Yes, it is good. So, what are we talking about?"

"I don't care, school, what lives we have outside of school, anything else we can come up with." Jade smiled.

"I hereby pronounce that the worst way to start a conversation ever. I would like to present you with this plaque for your unique ability to obliterate the possibility of an intelligent conversation ever arising." Draco threw his napkin at her.

"Sorry, but it isn't my fault no one has anything to say," she sneered. She threw the napkin back; it hit him in the forehead.

"Listen!" I hissed suddenly, the looked at me in surprise.

"To what?" Draco asked.

"Nothing, the silence," I whispered, "Isn't it beautiful?"

"Silence is golden," Draco breathed the words.

"I agree," Jade's eyes fell shut dreamily, "And there is so little of it here."

We sat for a minute, just soaking up the wonderful silence. When the moment passed, conversation flowed more easily, and there was a great sense of peace. I never have found out what happened right then, but something did.

"So, who do you think is going to win the Quidditch Cup this year?" Jade's eyes sparkled mischievously.

"We are." Draco and I said firmly in unison.

"No, we are!" I snapped.

"I'm afraid that you are sadly mistaken, we are."

"No, my dear Draco, it is you who are mistaken, ours in obviously the superior team."

"We have superior tactics!"

"You cheat."

"Your point being?"

"Cheating is not a 'superior' tactic!"

"According to whom? It helps, doesn't it?"

"No, you still lose. To us."

"That question was rhetorical. I did not need nor want an answer."

"Well, you got one anyway. And Gryffindor does have a better Quidditch team, end of story."

"No, it really doesn't."

"Yes, it does."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

By this point, Jade was laughing so hard that she fell out of her chair.

"Okay, okay," she said between gasps, "Stop, please, forget I brought it up. It's not important!"

"Oh? I think it's very important that Harry here be brought to his senses."

"Draco, for crying out loud, he's not going to abandon the Quidditch team he plays on. Give it a rest. Let's just call it a truce, the teams are equal."

"Fine," Draco and I said in unison.

"Gods, you two are so cute, you keep talking at the same time. Its just adorable." Her smirk was rather malicious.

"All right, I am now officially frightened." Draco said, "Stop doing that, Harry."

"It takes two of us to talk at the same time, Draco. So, you stop, too."

"Would you two quit acting like five-year-olds?"

We both threw our napkins at her, she shrieked and held her pillow up like a shield. Draco and I grinned at each other and grabbed pillows to attack her. She shrieked again.

"Stop! Two against one isn't fair! No! Leave me alone!"

Of course, we continued to attack her without mercy; at least, we did until she started to attack back. It was that evening that I learned why fighting with Jade is never wise. She's a tactical genius. Need I say that she won?

About a half hour after our pillow fight, Jade left to finish an essay and Draco and I were left to talk.

"So, Harry, have you got any homework to do?"

"No, I've finished mine. Contrary to what Snape may think, I do my own work."

He snickered.

He has a nice laugh, when he's actually being himself. Oh, god, where did that come from?

"Yeah, you'd have to, in order to be Head Boy. Not even you could get away with not doing your own work."

"Exactly. I've never really understood a lot of the things you Slytherins said about me. My life sure as hell isn't easy. And, they don't let me slide."

"I understand that, I mean, my life's different, but it's just as hard."

I nodded, we understood each other perfectly, nothing else needed to be said on the matter. As a point of fact, we never again brought the differences in our lives. We never needed to, not even when things went badly.

"Well, I ought to go, I've got charms homework to finish."

"Sure, I should probably go check in on Gryffindor Tower."

"Ooh, Harry," Draco smiled faux-sweetly, "Could you tell me the password to Gryffindor Tower, please?"

"Why?"

"I just want to put a snake or two in Weasley's bed, nothing deadly. After all, he could always call you and you could tell them to leave him alone."

"No."

He sighed, "You're no fun."

"Maybe I'll tell you if I get thrown out because of you, I'll even help with the snakes."

"Fabulous. So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'd like that."

"Great, I'll bring Jade."

"I still can't believe we lost to her."

"Jade never loses."

"I can see that. Hm, since I'm going to Gryffindor, I may as well walk with you for a bit."

"Okay, that would be all right."

The two of us walked down the hall in companionable silence until it came time for us to go our separate ways. With a slight wave and a nod of my head, I walked up the stairs.

When I got to the portrait of the Fat Lady, I said the password and ducked inside.

"Harry!" Ginny said instantly, "Where did you go?"

"To Hogsmeade."

"With Malfoy and Latimer?"

"Yeah, so?"

Ron looked at me as though I'd lost my mind, "Come on, Harry, those two are the worst sort of Slytherins. How can you stand their company?"

"Actually, I rather enjoyed their company." I said placidly.

"What?" Ron looked as though he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You heard me, it's true. I don't mind them so much."

"How can you not mind them? We've hated them forever; you know how cruel they've always been to us."

"Well, Draco's been cruel, yes, but Jade's never really done anything except ignore us. And don't you think that holding onto this old hatred is just a little juvenile? We may end up fighting with them someday."

"'Draco and Jade'? Since when have they been Draco and Jade? They're evil!" Ron's voice was rising steadily, until it was nearly a shout.

"Since I spent several hours getting to know them. You don't even know them. And, don't shout, Ron, please, I have a bit of a headache." I said, calmly and mildly.

"Harry, you're not even listening to us!" Hermione said sharply.

"And you do?" Ron shouted at the same time.

"Yes, I am, you don't like Draco and Jade, you don't think I should be friends with them, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. See? I was listening. And I think I know them a little better then any of you." My voice took on a nasty, sarcastic note; I knew it and made no apologies.

"Well, if you feel that way, why don't you just leave?" Ron shouted, losing control completely.

"Fine," I hissed, my voice barely above a whisper, "I will."

I strode calmly out of the room, my lips pressed together to keep from saying anything I would seriously regret.

Hermione ran after me, "Harry, what's the matter with you? You're acting like, like them, not like you!"

I turned to look at her and when I spoke, my voice was tightly controlled, "No, Hermione, for the first time ever, I am being me, exactly as I am. It is not my fault that the rest of you don't like who I am and who I wish to be friends with. I don't dislike any of you, but I like Draco and Jade, too. So, turning the question around, what's the matter with you?"

"Nothing!"

"Funny, that's exactly what's wrong with me. If you want to talk, we'll talk tomorrow. Good night, Hermione."

I turned away from her and walked off down the hall, feeling not angry or hurt, but free.