Weakness

Going on as though nothing had happened was something both Ellietta and Draco were very good at. Or perhaps Ellietta was only good at it because Draco was. It was hard to tell. The lines were blurring before they were even drawn. It had become an unspoken rule in the past few days that the duo was not to part ways unless it was time for bed. With the end of term looming just in front of them it was imperative that they make the most of what little time they had left together.

Ellie knew her mother would intercept Draco's owls if given the chance, and seldom was she allowed to leave the house. They wouldn't see each other over the summer. This was fact, they'd even spoken the words once or twice, but they dreaded it. Neither was quite sure what to do without the other, nor did they have any interest in figuring it out. Draco had even half-jokingly suggested they hide away together in some cobwebbed corner of the castle for the duration of the summer so they wouldn't have to be apart. Ellie would have done it too, were it not for the fact that her mother would have all of Britain out looking for her if she didn't come home.

The good thing about the end of term was that Slytherin would be awarded the house cup. Neither Draco nor Ellie had done anything in particular to earn the cup (though the many points Professor Snape had bestowed upon Ellie couldn't have hurt) but they were quite excited. More specifically, Draco was excited. It was something to gloat about; something that made him better than Potter. Since he was so happy about it so was Ellie. She'd always liked the way his happiness felt so she had no qualms with that.

"It's not much of a surprise," Draco was saying, his hand tucked safely in Ellie's, "Slytherin always wins The House Cup. It'll be nice to see the pout on pathetic little Potter's face though."

"I'm just looking forward to the food," Ellie laughed as they turned a corner, "It'll probably be the last decent food I taste until we come back in the fall. Magic can't even save my mother's cooking."

As they walked into The Great Hall, Ellie marveled at the decorations. She'd never seen anything like it. Green and silver streamers hung all over the walls. A huge Slytherin serpent graced the wall behind the High Table. The Slytherin table was abuzz with cheers and jovial laughter. Ellietta and Draco took the seats to the left of Goyle. Theodore Nott glanced nervously across the table as they sat down. He obviously had not forgotten his exchange with Draco. Ellie smiled at him reassuringly but he did not return the gesture. A moment or two later the whole hall fell silent at once.

Harry Potter had arrived, fashionably late, and as he made his way to the Gryffindor table everyone started talking again. Draco made a comment about the stupid git not being able to tell time. "The stupid git" being Harry of course. Ellie laughed, still enjoying Draco's merry mood, but also made sure to tell him it was an unnecessary comment. Draco opened his mouth to say something else but Professor Dumbledore chose that exact moment to stand and begin his speech. He prattled on about empty heads so Draco said what was on his mind.

"If it was unnecessary, I wouldn't have said it. And anyway, you seemed to have found it funny."

Ellie merely rolled her eyes. Dumbledore had finally reached the important part, and they both paid close attention.

"The points stand thus: in fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty two; Ravenclaw have four hundred and twenty six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy two," the old wizard spoke, peering over his spectacles.

The Slytherins began to hoot and holler. They stomped their feet under the table and Draco even began to thump his goblet against the table. Ellie could not bring herself to join in. The feeling which filled her currently was so great and so beautiful that it was all she could do to sit and enjoy it. She knew what it was. It was written all over Draco's face. This was what joy felt like. This particular instance of joy was the most powerful thing she'd ever felt in her time with Draco. It was stronger even than his worst bouts of anger, of which there were plenty. She wondered briefly if this may have been the most joyous he'd ever been in his life but decided it probably was not. This was only the House Cup, surely he would have felt stronger about something more personal to him. Ellie just hadn't been there to know about it.

"Yes, yes, well done Slytherin," Dumbledore continued, a knowing smile on his face, "However, recent events must be taken into account."

It was as though a balloon had been deflated. The joy vanished in an instant, replaced by trepidation. Ellie had felt so light and buoyant, basking in the glow of Draco's jubilation. Now his anxiety weighed her down, not to mention how fast it made her heart hammer in her chest.

"Ahem, I have a few last minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes. First - to Mr. Ronald Weasley."

Ellie's eyes shot to the Gryffindor table. Ron was beet red. His eyes met hers for a brief moment and she was more or less certain he'd smiled at her. It could have been directed at anyone, she supposed, or it could have in lieu of Dumbledore's accolade. He'd locked eyes with her right before he'd done it though, so Ellie decided the smile had been meant for her.

"…for the best played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

"Chess?" Draco spat, "Since when do they give out points for chess? This is absolute rubbish. I could beat Weasley at chess any day."

Crabbe and Goyle nodded in agreement. Ellie watched Professor Dumbledore. He still had more to say.

"Second, to Miss Miss Hermione Granger, for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

"There should be a rule against giving points to mudbloods," Draco hissed, "My father is on the board of Governors, I'd wager a bet he could get it passed."

"That only gets them third," Blaise spoke up, "No need to alert your father yet."

Theo cracked a smile at that, and Draco glared in his direction. Ellie placed her hand on Draco's forearm but kept her gaze fixed upon the headmaster.

"Third, to Mr. Harry Potter," Dumbledore smiled kindly in The Chosen One's direction, "for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

"No, no, no," Draco flew into a rage, "Impossible! We won the House Cup fair and square and now we're to share it with that … that filth, because Dumbledore wants to play favorites? This is insanity!"

Ellie squeezed his arm gently where she'd left her hand. She was trying desperately to block out his rage but it was no easy task. If he'd only calm down just a touch she might be able to do it. Unfortunately, it was not to be.

"There are all kinds of courage," the headmaster began to speak again, and Draco's hands balled into tight fists under the table, "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

The uproar from the Gryffindor table was so loud Ellie thought she simply couldn't hear Draco expressing his disdain. She turned to look at him and realized that was not expressing anything at all. Not verbally, anyways. He wore a look of pure horror coupled with copious amounts of shock. Ellie felt unable to move again, but it wasn't out of bliss this time. She was just barely able to turn her eyes back to the Gryffindor table. Neville had all but disappeared; attacked by happy housemates wanting to hug the life out of him. Ron was standing, with Harry and Hermione, cheering for Neville. He smiled at her again.

The rest of the dinner seemed to pass in a blur. Ellie wasn't even sure when the decorations had turned from green and silver to red and gold. She hadn't even thought to eat dessert. Draco tugged her hand when it was over, pulling her from her reverie. He said nothing as they walked back to the common room together and his silence continued as he collapsed on to one of the chairs, pulling Ellie down with him. The rest of the Slytherins filed quietly into their dormitories, sleep the only remedy to their disappointment.

"I can't believe it," Draco whispered into the crook of Ellie's neck once they were alone.

"You can't win everything," Ellie shrugged, nudging Draco away.

"But we did win!" he whined, "That's what's so awful. We did win. Stupid Potter had to go and ruin it."

"Don't let it ruin our last night together," she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Sorry," he mumbled, turning away to gaze at the fire.

"You're always apologizing for one thing or another," Ellie told him, "Perhaps you should try not to do the things you're always apologizing for. Then you wouldn't have to apologize so much."

"In the grand scheme of things I don't apologize for much," Draco said proudly, "Just to you."

"If you say so," Ellie shrugged.

"I do," a hint of a smile played on his lips, "And just for you I shall contain my anger about the great injustice done to Slytherin until tomorrow. Father will want to hear about anyways, so I'll save it for then. For now it's just you and I, Ell."

"I'm tired," she admitted, "I don't want to go to bed though. My dormitory's too far from you."

"This chair is comfortable enough," Draco stifled a yawn, "Just stay here."

So stay they did. Ellie's head rested on Draco's shoulder, her legs thrown across his lap, as she fell asleep. Draco's eyelids grew heavy and he could not keep his chin from drooping on to the top of Ellie's head, the sweet smell of her strawberry shampoo filling his head with delightful dreams. In the morning, Pansy Parkinson was the first into the common room, followed closely by her friend Daphne. She made a gagging noise, which Daphne imitated, upon seeing Ellie and Draco curled up on the chair together.

"Thank Merlin he won't see her over the summer," Pansy cackled, "He'll see plenty of me though. My parents have arranged for me to stay at Malfoy Manor for a whole two weeks. Mother says I'll marry him someday."

"Against his will?" Daphne tried to stifle her laughter.

"Unless you want me to curse you into next week, shut up," Pansy demanded and turned on her heel, stomping out of the common room.

Draco woke a few minutes later and nudged Ellie until she too blinked awake. They had breakfast together in the great hall and received their exam grades. Draco had passed by a wide margin and Ellie's score was second to only one. Hermione Granger was top of the class. This surprised no one. Draco whined for a bit that the mudblood shouldn't have beat his best friend. Ellie was smarter, he thought. Ellie merely shrugged indifferently. After breakfast they parted ways, only to pack their respective trunks, and promised to meet up again in the common room.

Draco held Ellie's hand tighter than usual on the way down to the little boats that would take them across the lake. Neither said much. It was all too real now; the vast space which soon would separate them. Draco rushed to get an empty compartment on the train to ensure Ellie would be sitting beside him the whole way back to King's Cross. Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise sat on the bench opposite. They talked about the scandal of being stripped of the House Cup and how it was all Potter's fault for a while. Then the topic changed to their plans for the summer. Ellietta did not feel compelled to engage in this conversation. She watched the countryside fly past the window with her head on Draco's shoulder.

When they boys' conversation began taper off, Draco snaked his arm around Ellie's waist and drew her close. He watched the window with her, wondering how muggles survived in such dreary towns. He knew Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise were there too but he'd become so wrapped up in Ellie, in cherishing the last few moments he'd spend with her for the coming months, he'd sort of forgotten about them. It wasn't until Goyle spoke that Draco remembered he was there.

"Are you two, like, dating or something?" the rotund boy asked.

"No," Draco chuckled awkwardly, "Don't be foolish."

"You act like it," Blaise chimed in.

"We're friends," this was first thing Ellie said since boarding the train, "That's all."

"Very friendly friends," Crabbe laughed.

"I have no interest in dating Draco," Ellie didn't sound entirely convincing, "Now kindly change the subject before I very unkindly change your faces."

No one doubted Ellie's threat. Draco knew she'd never do it of course but he'd never tell his friends that. He liked that she could make them quake in their boots. He'd miss that. He'd miss everything about her. He didn't have much time to ponder that thought because the train soon jerked to a stop. They'd arrived at King's Cross Station. Ellie waited until the three annoyances had left the compartment before throwing herself in Draco's arms. She didn't want to let go.

"Summer will be over before you know it," he assured her, "And we'll be right here again, together."

"Promise?" Ellie looked up at him.

"I promise," Draco replied, without loosening his grip on her.

"And you'll still want to be friends?" she asked, "Or whatever we are."

"Of course," he let go of her, "I'll write you too. And don't worry, I won't send Magnus. I'll miss you Ell, but we'll see each other again soon, okay?"

"Could you do me a favor?" Ellie thought that if she was able to cry, she would probably do it now.

"Anything," Draco smiled.

"Don't say goodbye," She looked at her feet.

"See you later, Ell," He hugged her one last time and then shoved her toward the door, "I'll wait a minute so your mom doesn't see us get off the train together."

He watched her disappear down the corridor of the train and then sunk back down into the seat. He closed his eyes and thought of how her hair always smelled of strawberries and how her hand fit perfectly in his. Draco stood slowly, balled his right hand into a fist and punched the seat across from as hard as he could. It hurt a little but he didn't care. He just wanted Ellie.

He didn't hug his mother and barely said hi to his father. He watched Ellie, out of the corner of his eye, walking away with her mother. Lucius didn't notice. He was far too busy sneering in Harry Potter's direction. Draco had learned from the best, it seemed. Narcissa, who knew something was bothering her son when he hadn't hugged her, watched him intently. She saw the little pink haired witch he couldn't take his eyes off of. She smiled.