The Burn of Acid Tears

"Oh, are we beginning to sense the approaching of your ill-fated smugness, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Better watch that excited mouth of yours," I replied, shoving my parchment into my bag, "if you know what's good for you Hermione..." She laughed and my throat caved in.

"If you say so." She turned the corner and was out the door, walking away with my desires and certainty. I breathed deep. That was the only chance I'd ever get to talk to her alone and I blew it by making her... laugh at me? I slapped my forehead and felt my cheeks flush from the almost painful indignity.

I shook myself back to reality. I felt almost inhuman making myself down to the Great Hall for dinner. Why couldn't I just form the courage to tell her? Why did I keep tormenting myself by staying near her, but still knowing I couldn't have her?

Because I'm a moron, cursed to live with the reputation I had already placed among my peers. Yes, we can all recall Draco Malfoy being an intolerable git.

I sighed, knowing what I truly desired would never come. The delightful chatter that met my ears rang with vagueness as I sat down. Pansy immediately rushed toward me, her usual joy of the day, and begins to bombard me with meaningless questions.

"Draco, dear, wherever have you been? I was beginning to wonder whether you were sick and needed to go to the infirmary..."

" Please Pansy-"

"... and all I could think of was you blaming me for not being there. Then, of course, Crabbe and Goyle assured me that nothing was wrong, but I never could take then seriously..."

I had already tuned her out. It was one of the many gifts I that blessed my glorious form. She continued to ramble on, unaware that I could care less. I was gazing at the Gryffindor table. I spotted the infamous trio, all of them stuck in their own world, ignoring all of the people that surrounded them in the cheerful atmosphere.

They all simultaneously burst into laughter at a private joke. Ron's convulsed face was as red as his hair, giving me the image of a huge cherry. I smirked, my expression of choice. Ron flung a piece of fried potato at the girl, laughing hysterically. She reacted almost automatically, squishing some peas onto his white school shirt. And the laughter consumed them. I could have believed they would be on the floor at any moment, but the thought was forced from my head. Ron put his arm around Hermione as they both tried to catch their shallow breath. She smiled.

My heart stopped and the smirk was wiped away. That was the same smile she had been giving me only twenty minutes ago at the end of Transfiguration. Tiny needles were ebbing away the internal tissue of my heart. I recalled my adventure last night; how could I have been so thick to forget about what I had seen? Something in me had wanted to forget, nourish my false sense of hope and security, but I knew that I just couldn't do it. I pursed my lips.

"Girl, do you ever shut your trap?!"

Pansy ceased abruptly, looking utterly scandalized that I had finally said the words I had been dying to say for months.

"Well," she added to be, barely in an audible whisper, "I guess I should let you alone then..." And with that, she nonchalantly picked up all of her schoolbooks and sauntered away. I had the impulse to scream out words of bliss, but my gaze was still on Ron and Hermione...

Who were now taking pleasure in feeding each other pie...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

My pillow still smelled like salt. I had given up on my homework over an hour ago, and my usual nighttime thoughts ambled through my mind.

The door to the dormitory opened with a slight creak.

"Draco?" It was Goyle. "I thought I heard funny noises and I want to know if you're ok?" I'm sure someone had hired him to do this; it sounded like he was reading from a script.

"Goyle, you ass!" I flung my Transfiguration book at him. "Leave me alone!"

The text hit the floor with an audible thud. My stomach turned with grief. What was the seemingly insignificant grin that she had given me in Transfiguration? I yearned to know if it held depths to a secret meaning. Unexpectedly, a stray thought came to my mind; in Charms we had been learning to communicate through a form of telepathic speech. I sat bolt upright, clutching my Charms textbook, and thinking.

I flipped through the text, scanning the page for the WoW Message. Standing for Witch or Wizard Message, you could send a quick memorandum to the person, thus giving them some inclination of what the sender wants. I couldn't wait to try it, but what would I say? How could I word my message carefully? I was aware of the sheets beneath me getting warm as I checked the clock. Twenty minutes until we were to be back into our houses for lights out... damn those school rules.

I took a deep, soothing breath; it was now or never.

"Potter," I voice ricocheted inside my mind, "I need you."