SilverGreen Temptation

Chapter 4

Draco almost choked. "Could you warn me next time before you ask questions like this? Or at least tell me to sit down. I could have gotten seriously hurt. Oh, and the answer is NO! No way! I think I've been nice enough to you now to last for a lifetime."

To his surprise, Sarah didn't look angry, disappointed or sad, she just looked scared. Draco thought about changing his mind for a few seconds, but then reminded himself of the trouble and rumours that would cause. She had been in his room for much too long now anyway, all the other Slytherins who'd seen her go in had to think Salazar knows what.

She stood there like a lost puppy, begging for some help. He couldn't send her away like this. Not now. He didn't know what had happened the night before, but it seemed to have scared her a lot. He'd never seen her afraid of something before.

He gave a soft sigh. "Don't think I'll let you sleep in my bed, you stay on the floor! Um, find yourself a free space," he said looking around, noticing the mess and mumbling something about not having enough time to tidy up.

Suddenly, Sarah grabbed a few of his clothes from the floor and asked: "Do they need washing?"

"Um, yeah, but what the hell are you doing with my stuff?" he asked now wearing a sour expression on his face.

"I am so going to clear that mess up, Mr Malfoy! Accio, basket."

"I'm beginning to like this." Draco smirked and sat down on his bed watching Sarah put all the dirty clothes into the basket and take them to his bathroom for washing. Then she folded the clean clothes carefully and stapled them on the chair. 15 minutes later, Draco's bedroom looked as if 5 house-elves had been cleaning up. Sarah sunk onto the floor, looking really tired and exhausted.

Draco smiled at her as if to say thanks, of course, Malfoys never thank anyone. So he merely nodded and threw her a blanket. She didn't even bother getting her pajamas, she just took off her shirt and trousers and cuddled up under the blanket on the floor. Draco sat on the bed and watched her for a while but then went to the bathroom to put on his pajamas, brushed his teeth and went to bed. He fell asleep really soon, perhaps because Sarah's soft, regular breathing made him sleepy, but maybe just because it had been a hard day at school for him.

"NO! Please...don't...I really don't want to...I beg you...." Draco woke up in the middle of the night, because someone was shouting in HIS room. What was going on? Then he remembered... He jumped off his bed and sat down next to Sarah, looking at her, not sure what to do. Finally, he grabbed her wrist very firmly and said:

"Oy, Costa, wake up. Your dreams are too noisy."

Sarah's eyes opened quickly and she looked at him, fear in her expression. "Draco! Oh thank God!" She practically flung her arms around him and started crying. Draco wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't very comfortable with the situation, he didn't like to be hugged and he simply didn't comfort people. So he just sat there and let Sarah get on with it. When she'd finally restrained herself, she let go of Draco and looked aside, really ashamed of what had just happened. "Thanks...and sorry," she mumbled.

"Just don't wake me up again, ok? And NO you can NOT sleep in my bed, we are not gonna cuddle up." Sarah looked surprised.

"Why would I wanna do such a thing?" she asked, cocking one eyebrow.

"You had a nightmare, people get all weird and long for body contact when they have had nightmares. You already flung yourself onto me!" She just rolled her eyes at his stupidity and smugness, then laid back down onto the floor and turned her back at Draco.

"Seems like I haven't been the only one dreaming. Night, Malfoy."

"If I dreamt that, it has certainly been a nightmare," he defended himself and hopped back onto his bed, laid down and turned his back at her. "Night, Costa!"

Even though she knew she was safe where she was, Sarah didn't sleep that night. Instead, she watched Draco sleep. It was really cute, the way he curled up with his blanket. He looked like a big baby. In fact, he seemed to be the same Draco, she'd known when she was younger. Except that he could be very charming, if he wanted to. She sat there watching him until the next morning, thinking about her own problems. Problems which wouldn't leave her alone. Ever.

When Draco started to move, she rushed back to her "bed" on the floor and pretended to be fast asleep. When Draco leaned over her to wake her, he noticed that she appeared to be slightly short of breath.

"You haven't been sleeping at all tonight, have you?" he asked and to her big suprise he didn't sound sarcastic at all. Was it even a slight bit of worry she heard in his voice? No, she'd probably just imagined that part.

"No, I haven't. How do you know?" she replied when she had opened her eyes and looked at him curiously.

"How do I know? You look awful! I mean worse than usually. Didn't think it possible, but here we are. Do me a favour and put some make-up on. I can't bear the sight."

He mentally kicked himself for not telling the truth. He had found someone struggling with the same problem he had and what did he do? Offend that very person. Sarah had already gone to the bathroom to get dressed and put on some make-up, more for her own confidence though, rather then for Draco's sake. When she was finished, she took a long, last look in the mirror and told herself: 'Okay, Sarah. You need to pull youself together now, before everyone notices! You need to be your usual cool self.' And with that returned to Draco's room.

"Thanks for letting me use your bathroom," she mumbled, packed her things and went to her room.

Draco shouted "A right sight better now!" after her, but she didn't hear it.

She wouldn't have cared much anyways. She had to get back to her usual nasty behaviour and attitude. And she knew she could. Don't let feelings get through - block them. It's easier than you think. That was her motto. And it would remain her motto. Nobody could change that fact.

At the breakfast table, Sarah noticed that everyone around her was whispering, and looking either at her or Draco. Suddenly, Draco cleared his throat very loudly and the whispers stopped. Then he spoke.

"I see people are whispering, rumours are spreading. Rumours why Sarah had been in my room all night? If this is the case, I am going to explain. We had some important business to talk over, business concerning horrors that go far beyond your imagination. There were things to do. But I can console our female Slytherins here: There is nothing romantic or sexual whatsoever going on between Sarah Costa and me." A few relieved giggles followed his speech, but Sarah felt like she'd been kicked in her stomach. She looked at Draco, he didn't look back at her but was flirting with some Slytherin 5th years. She quickly ate her breakfast, then got up and disappeared.

Draco had been casting hushed glances at her all morning and had, of course, noticed the look she'd given him. He suddenly felt bad. Bollocks. Malfoys don't do guilt. He did. But why? What was WRONG with him? The last days, he hadn't been much like him at all. He needed to talk to Sarah. But about what? Why? Why Sarah? It was the wrongest person to fall in l...did he really just think that?

He got up without finishing his breakfast and went to the common room, hoping to find Sarah there. But she wasn't there. He knocked on the door of her dormitory.

"Who's there?" That was her voice. Good. So she WAS there.

"Sarah? It's Draco. Can we talk?"

"Oh, I thought everything has been said." She opened the door and stepped out. "So, what do you have to say to me?"

Draco cleared his throat. "I don't appreciate being treated like this very much. You should learn to behave yourself and play nicely."

"Whatever. If that's all you wanted to tell me I might aswell just go back in."

"No. That's not what I wanted to say. Um. I wanted to know...would you come to Hogsmeade with me next weekend? I was planning to do some Christmas shopping then. And we could have a cup of tea in the Three Broomsticks. What do you think?"

"No offence, Draco, but I think you should spend your Hogsmeade weekends with someone you actually like. The girl you spoke to earlier would surely be gutted to accompany you."

Draco got angry. Who did she think she was? He had just invited her to Hogsmeade and she refused? Well, kind of refused. She hadn't said that she didn't WANT to go. She had just made another suggestion. But would she say that she didn't want to? Draco knew Sarah well enough to know that if she didn't want to go, that would have been the first thing she'd said. So he tried again: "Look, I don't want to go there with some stupid fifth years, who have no idea what it is like to always be in grave danger, to serve someone you don't even want to serve...oh, you know what I mean. I want to go with you." He couldn't believe he'd just said that. He shut his eyes and just turned around to go.

"Draco! Wait...I... I'm coming with you. But the bit with the serving someone. I never served anyone but myself. And you know that. I do what I want. I am free. And I want you to keep that in mind."

Draco looked at her and smiled. It was a weak smile, but it surely was a start.

The following week seemed to pass slower than any other week in Sarah's life. She wanted it to be Saturday, she couldn't wait to do some Christmas shopping and see Draco's other side. Or was there an other side? Would he show it? She was so curious. Everytime the two of them were alone he was really nice, but as soon as someone was around they started insulting each other again. It was more her fault than Draco's though. She started it off most times. It was just too much fun to give it up.

Saturday morning, Sarah woke up really early and didn't know what to do with all the time she'd left until breakfast, so she decided to take a nice walk on the grounds. When she looked out of the window, she saw that it had been snowing the night before. Everything was white. A sudden cheerfullness overwhelmed Sarah and she started smiling like a little child. She loved snow. We all associate snow with Christmas, the happiest season of the year. She was mad about Christmas. The decorations and the mood made her feel warm and content. Even though her family probably hadn't been very close, on Christmas everyone felt the same and enjoyed each second of the Advent. When Sarah was little, her mum used to light a candle on the 4th sunday before Christmas. The next sunday, she'd light two candles, the next three and when the fourth candle was lit, Sarah knew that Christmas Day wasn't far away. She wasn't too keen on presents though. She loved the family dinners and she used to be very sad on the day after boxing day, because her mum already started decorating the house for the New Year's party. She didn't like the new decorations. Never. They weren't as jolly and yet impressive as the Christmas decorations. And the mood of her family always seemed to change as quickly as the decorations. She spent most of the New Year's Eves in her room, reading a book or playing with her Voodoo doll. But today her feelings were different. She knew that the Christmas decorations would still be replaced by those for New Year's Eve, but she also knew, that the mood in Hogwarts Castle wouldn't change as rapidly.

She took a deep breath and went to her cupboard to get changed. She decided to wear a cute green wool skirt with white tights underneath, a grey sweater, black gloves and a black wool hat and a pair of green moon boots, all to match her house scarf. She looked so very Slytherin and yet awfully cute, her red hair hanging over her shoulders in slight waves. She looked at herself in the mirror and felt content. She'd wear those clothes later, the only thing she'd do in addition was to put some make up on, and she was sure Draco would do ANYTHING for her. Happy, she went for a stroll through the snow.