Colder Than Ice

Chapter Thirty Five

Paisley left Luna's room after Madame Pomfrey shooed her out like a fly. Before she left, she promised Luna that she would be back the following morning.

It was now almost past curfew and Paisley was getting scared. She couldn't believe herself, Paisley used to live for this sort of thing, the danger the fear. After her brief imprisonment she wasn't game for any more disasters anytime soon.

She heard fast footsteps behind her suddenly, and panting, like someone was out of breath.

Paisley drew her wand, taking deep calming breaths. It was probably a dog, or something.

“Paisley!” Someone shouted, they knocked into her and lit up the tip of their wand.

“Nev!” She shouted just as loud, “They told me you were gone for the weekend!”

It was true, nearly the first thing she had asked when she had gotten back was where her brother was, Paisley was told that he had gone to visit their parents in St. Mungo's.

“Yeah, I really needed someone to talk to other than Gran about your disappearance.” He said, twiddling his thumbs. “I see why you used to go there everyday.”

“They don't seem as bad do they?” She smiled, “Way better than at first.”

“Let's not talk about that.” Neville smiled but it quickly turned into a frown, “Where were you? What happened? Was it Malfoy?”

“I was in a dungeon, I got out alive, and yes, it was Malfoy.” She added at his brothers murderous face, “Mr. Malfoy, of course.”

“That snake!” Neville roared, Paisley reminded him to keep his voice down, although she hardly thought that anyone would punish her after what she had been through.

“Listen, I got out okay. I'm fine.”

“Did they do anything?” He asked quietly.

“Not anything as bad as you hear,” I said, knowing that we were both talking about rape. “They used the torture curse on me, but after the first hour you go numb anyway.”

Neville and I talked for the longest time, just sitting there, sprawled out on the floor. Until I needed to go to bed and so did he, I promised we would eat breakfast together tomorrow and then go see Luna together.

I walked into the Common Room and was about to head up the Girl Dormitory Staircase when I heard a sigh of relief.

“I was about to call a search party.”

“Fat lot of good that would have done you.” Paisley replied rather rudely at the pale boy whose face followed her in her dreams and thoughts.

“Where were you?” He asked casually.

“Boinking Seamus on the Slytherin Table.” She replied quickly. Draco cringed. “Obviously that was a joke.”

“I see.” He stated awkwardly.

“So you sent Luna some flowers.” She nodded, not looking him in the eye.

“Least I could do.” He rubbed his neck.

“Glad to see you care about someone you hurt.” Paisley snapped, turning on her heel and heading up the stairs.

Draco ran after her.

“Wait! I just didn't know what too-”

“Ferret Face, you twat!” Paisley yelled, searching for something to grab hold of. “The stairs.”

In Draco's attempt to catch Paisley he ran up the Girls stairs, forgetting that if I boy were to try and enter the Girl Dorms and vice versa the stairs were to flatten. So he was pretty surprised when his feet slipped from beneath him and he fell to the bottom of the stairs. He was also surprised when a small weight landed on top of him.

“Your such a nub!” Paisley shouted, dusting herself off and attempting to push herself off of him.

She could see streaks of pink dance across his face and nearly smiled when she realized that he was embarrassed.

“You have to listen to me!” He said desperately, “I don't know what do think when I'm around you. I don't know what to do to make things alright again. I gave Luna flowers and sweets, sure, but that's not personal, that's not heartfelt. You deserve so much more than that.”

“Your right.” Said Paisley, holding back a smile, “I do deserve more than that.”

He smiled back, Paisley cherished the rare moments when Draco Malfoy smiled, it was like the heaven's opening up. He was angelic when the sneer or scowl were replaced by this masterpiece.

“You have my everything, Longbottomette.” He said, his eyes shinning a magnificent blue.

Those words had the most profound effect on Paisley, her heart grew, her eyes glazed over, her pulse quickened, her legs trembled. She awkwardly stumbled into his arms and looked up into his eyes.

She studied his face and kissed him, sow and soft, nothing like the rushed kissed shared in the confines of a closet, but the kiss shared between lovers.

They pulled away as the need for air became prominent, with their first breathes they whispered simultaneously,

“I love you.”

“You have my heart Ferret Face.” She stated seriously. “Don' screw this up.”