Running From Lightning

I walked into double potions and immediately sat by Hermione. Ever since the schedule changed, I was placed with Gryffindor and Slytherin for double potions. The lone Ravenclaw.
"Thank you for managing to save me a seat." I said to Hermione.
"I still can't get used to how you look now..." Ron murmured from the other side of Hermione.
"A little embarrassing, isn't it?" Draco sneered as he walked to his seat. I guess he had already composed himself. I was sort of glad. "Going through so much trouble just so you can look like THAT." His cronies laughed as I blushed red.
"You shouldn't be talking!" Harry yelled back. "With a face like yours, I don't know how you manage to go out in public!"
"He's such a git." Ron said to me. "When he saw you at breakfast, his jaw looked like it was going to fall off. He's probably just trying to hide the fact that he fancies you now."
"God, I hope he doesn't. If my brother fancied me, I'd-" My hands flung to my mouth. Harry, Ron and Hermione stared at me with their mouths open. My eyes twitched to over to where Draco was, and I was temporarily relieved to see he hadn't heard. He was still laughing with his cronies.
"I-I... he..."
Snape entered and saved the day. This was the first time I was glad to see him.
"Good morning, class." Snape drawled. I glanced over at the trio. I met Harry's gaze for a split second, and then I turned back to Snape. "Today we will be making the Draught of Peace. Get your books out."
"Can we pair up?" Pansy asked.
"Go ahead." Snape said. And with that, he turned and sat at his desk.
I avoided eye contact with any of the three Gryffindors for as long as I could. After I got all of my ingredients, I started chopping the bee roots.
"I thought you didn't know who your parents were." Ron finally hissed at me.
"I only found out a while ago-"
"And why the BLOODY hell didn't you say anything?" Harry growled.
I slammed my knife on the counter.
"Because I knew you'd react like this." I stated.
Harry and Ron glared at me for a moment. Hermione seemed to be completely entranced by her bee root.
"Does HE know?" Harry asked, jabbing his knife in the direction of Draco.
"Oh god, no." I replied. "I don't want to be related to him. Why would I tell him?"
"I don't see the resemblance." Ron muttered.
"Look at the shape of her eyes." Hermione said quietly. "Almond shaped, just like Draco's."
"What, and you've been looking at Malfoy's eyes a lot lately, have you Hermione?" Ron said. His ears were starting to go red. A danger sign.
"Of course not, Ronald. I just tend to pay attention." Hermione replied hotly.
"I'm tired of you thinking that I'm an idiot. I'm just as capable as you are-"
"Really? Then why couldn't you shut up that frog in charms?"
Ron's ears were now practically glowing.
"You WOULD say something like that-"
"Oh, shut up you two!" Harry cried. "The way you go at each other."
"Harry, it's not like-" I started.
"You can shut up, too." Harry interrupted me. "I don't need to hear anything from a Malfoy right now."
Tears immediately sprung to my eyes. I turned back to cutting my bee roots. The table was uncomfortably quiet. I saw my tears splash down by my ingredients on the counter. I brought my hand up and wiped the tears away from my eyes. I noticed Draco was looking at me curiously out of the corner of his eye. When he noticed I was looking at him, he turned back to his own potion, which Pansy was fiddling with. He slapped her hand away. She looked taken aback, and then she quickly composed herself. I guess she was used to him being like that.

When double potions was over, I almost ran out of the classroom. I didn't want to talk to Harry, Ron, or even Hermione, and I definitely didn’t want to run into Draco. I hugged my bag closely to my chest as I hurried away. I bumped into someone as I made my way to Defense Against the Dark Arts, but I kept going. I wished that I was back at Albus's house. I didn't want to deal with Umbridge, Malfoy, Harry... I wanted to go back to nights of endless study and practice. When I was able to crawl under my covers when I was upset. I couldn't do that here. I had to face everything head on. That was probably one of the most frightening things about being at the school. I couldn't really run away.

I somehow managed to avoid the trio for most of the day, but Hermione ended up cornering me in the library. She sat silently for a while, apparently reading a book.
"We weren't angry at you because you're a Malfoy, you know. We were angry because you didn't tell us." She said quietly, not lifting her gaze from her copy of "History of Magic: Vol. 6".
"It didn't sound like that was the case for Harry," I mumbled.
"Harry's been really sensitive this year. When he's angry, he'll say a lot of stupid things."
"I think I'd prefer hearing an apology from him, thanks."
"Fair enough," Hermione sighed, shutting her book.
The librarian walked by again. She glared at us and then continued walking.
"Follow me," Hermione whispered. I stared at her quizzically for a moment until she grabbed my hand and lead me out of the library and into to an abandoned classroom on the fifth floor.
"Why'd you bring me here?"
"Because I need to tell you about something."
"Yes?"
"Ron told Fred and George about you being a Malfoy." She said quickly.
"He WHAT?" I shrieked.
"Ron and Harry were sulking in the common room... and then Fred and George came over, and they started talking and... well..."
"What did they say? How did they react?" Why was I so upset? And how did Hermione know I would react this way? I guess she knew more about me than I did.
"Well, uh... they were shocked, obviously. And then they went on saying that you really didn't look it, and then they asked how you found out... and we couldn't answer because you didn't say, and then they both just sort of looked at each other and then walked away kind of quietly."
"They hate me now." I said miserably, sinking down into one of the chairs.
"No, of course they don't!" Hermione said quickly, rushing over to me. "It's just a bit of a shock and all...”
"Hermione." I looked at her sternly.
"They don't hate you." She said back to me, looking just as serious.
I didn't believe her, of course, but there was nothing else to be said. We walked out of the classroom and went straight to the Great Hall for Dinner. Hermione somehow convinced me to sit at the Gryffindor table with her. I sat quietly besides her, feeling the full force of the stares of Harry and Ron. I luckily hadn't seen Fred or George.
"So, uh... I guess I should apologize or something..." Ron said awkwardly after ten minutes of sitting in silence.
I looked up hopefully at him.
"Uh... yeah... sorry... and stuff..."
Hermione elbowed Ron.
"Blimey, Hermione!" Ron cried. He let out a breath of air. "Look, I'm sorry about being a prat earlier."
I glanced over in the direction of Harry. He was playing with his food.
We sat there quietly for a little longer until I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up and started making my way to the Ravenclaw common room.
I was almost to the safety of the dorms, when I saw a twin standing by the door to the common room. The most unsettling thing about it was the fact that there was only one. Maybe the other couldn't stand looking at me anymore. I quickly turned around and started walking away.
"Ariana!"
No, please...
I tried to walk faster, acting like I didn't hear him.
"Ariana, wait. I need to talk to you about something."
No, no, no...
A hand grabbed my shoulder and turned me around.
"Hey," Fred said quietly. He seemed really out of character.
I looked away, hoping he'd see that I really, REALLY didn't want to talk.
"Look, I know about you being a... being a Malfoy." He seemed to choke on the name. My stomach writhed into a knot. I wanted to run for it.
"I uh... I wanted to say that you shouldn't worry about Harry being all moody and that..." He looked directly into my eyes. "... that it doesn't really matter if you're a Malfoy or not. And... yeah..." he let his arm drop to his side. "... see you around, I guess."
And then he just walked away.
I leaned into the nearest wall and slid into a sitting position on the floor.
It was always Fred.