Gone Awry

After what happened Ash couldn't sleep any more. The visit to the Clearing of Sibyl had not only given her the answer about her friends in Germany, but made her see more clearly.

Like her friends had forgotten her. She needed to forget about them and her past as well. Her continuous grasp on the past made her forget herself. She needed to live again, needed to let herself be herself again. No more hesitations, no more indecision's.

Of course she would never really forget what happened, nor her friends - but she needed to let go.

Her past had made her strong. Her past had made her realistic. Her past had made her who she is today.

If luck didn't want to show itself to her any more, like it had done in the past. She would just have to make luck herself, her own luck.

Ash was grinning at the thought as she watched the sun come up from the Astronomy tower. A new day began, as - she had decided - would a new life. Her life.

"Ash," a voice called from behind her as she made her way through the castle corridors. Looking back she saw Ginny running up to her. Ash stopped and waited for the red haired girl to catch up. "Hey. What are you doing here?"

Ash smiled, "I couldn't sleep so I thought I'll continue my adventure of trying to find my way around Hogwarts."

"And how is that working out for you?"

"Quite well. I know exactly were I am."

"And where are you?"

"... on the 3rd floor?"

"4th."

"OK, no point in trying to hide it. I'm lost. I've been at the Astronomy tower and watched the sun rise. Then I started wandering around randomly and now I've been searching for the Great Hall for an hour and don't think I'm anywhere near it," she cried.

"Ha ha, I already thought so. I'm on my way to the Great Hall as well, I'll take you."

"Your a lifesaver Ginny!" Ash yelled and hugged the younger girl.

"Why where you up so early anyway?" Ginny asked when they started walking.

Ash shrugged "I had a lot of things on my mind and it seems a running brain doesn't like sleep very much."

"Like what?"

"Lots of nothing."

"Come on tell me!"

"Just all the stuff that already happened since I'm here. Being sorted into Slytherin. Getting to know Draco, Blaise and Tracy. The prank on Daphne and Pansy. The usual."

"Now that you already brought it up. What's up with you and Malfoy?"

"I brought that up? I only said his name."

"You know what I mean."

Ash laughed. "I'm not sure. We like each other, but that's all that's up so far."

"So... you like him? Like friend like or like like?"

"Like like." Ginny nodded that opened her mouth to say something. But Ash had already anticipated it and quickly added. "Same with him." Again Ginny nodded.

"So will the two of you...?"

"No idea. I was debating if I should ask him on a date to Hogsmeade today. What do you think?" Ash looked at Ginny full of expectation.

Ginny took a deep breath. "You know that I don't really like him, do you?"

"I guessed."

"Well... If you really like him in that way... I guess it wouldn't hurt anyone if you tried," she smiled. Ash grinned at her cousin and embraced her in a big hug.

"You don't know how much it means to me to hear you say that!" she beamed at Ginny and together they walked into the Great Hall where they split up and went to their own tables.

When Ash reached the Slytherin table she quickly spotted Draco and Blaise sitting in the middle lost in a deep conversation. Smiling she dashed over to them.

"Hey guys! What are you talking about?"

They looked up at her and smiled in greeting. "We were talking about Quidditch. The try-outs will be held on Monday."

"Oh really? Where do we have to sign up?"

"I posted the announcement in the common room today, with a sheet to sign up to. Didn't you see it when you came out of the dorms?"

"I already left the house shortly before dawn. Hence nope, they weren't hanging there by that time," she told them.

"Why where you already up at that time?"

"You shouldn't be asking that Blaise! You know that I have this secret affair with someone outside the house," Ash joked, making Blaise laugh. Tracy and Blaise had always joked about her having an affair because she had already left when Tracy just woke up on most mornings. Draco however looked as if someone had just slammed a knife into his back and was twisting it around.

When Blaise saw Draco's face, he abruptly stopped laughing and told him that it was an inside joke between Ash, Tracy and himself. Draco didn't look very convinced though and an awkward silence spread between the three.

After a few seconds Ash couldn't take it any more. "Draco," she said while turning her body to look at him. "I was wondering what you were doing today."

He looked at her a bit confused and answered. "Don't have anything planned. Why?"

"I... I was wondering if I could follow up on your Hogsmeade invitation." He looked at her as if she where speaking Chinese. "You know, in the first Transfiguration class?"

Slowly, she could see it dawned to him. "Oh, um, sure. If it alright with your little affair, that is."

Ash looked at him hurt - his voice had told him that he wasn't joking about the affair part. "Blaise just told you that that was only a joke."

"Yeah, he did. But is it really?"

Her jaw fell and without a second thought she slapped him. "Your absolutely unbelievable, Draco Malfoy! Of course it is! What reasons would I have to lie to you?" she spat and abruptly stood up from her seat next to him and stormed out of the Great Hall.

"Go after her you douche," Blaise told him and that's exactly what Draco did. Swiftly he jumped up from his seat and raced after Ash.

It didn't take him very long to catch up with her. She was standing right outside the open doors of the Great Hall. Waiting.

Again, Draco was confused, but ignored that confusion and went up to her. "I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking." he said softly while pulling her towards him.

Ash smirked. "You were jealous."

Draco looked at her stiffly. "No I wasn't."

"Liar."

"... Maybe," he admitted, so quietly that he believed no one but him had heard. But ever since the became Animagi, Ash's hearing seemed to have improved - which was theoretically impossible - and therefore she heard him and silently gave him a small peck on the lips, making 1000 volts electricity sear through his body - just like they did by their first kiss on the first day in Hogwarts.

"See you at the carriages at 12," she whispered into his ear and walked past him, back into the Great Hall to get breakfast.