Peppermint; Draco Malfoy [2]

EIGHTEEN

ALEXIS' P.O.V.

Harry wakes me up at the crack of dawn the next morning. He figured him leaving for Quidditch practice would be a good cover.

"Hey... what was last night really about?" he asks, descending the spiral staircase.

I sigh. "He doesn't want to be friends anymore and it was all a game." I obviously couldn't say that in front of everyone, but I sensed Harry knew something was up. "He said that I don't belong in his world."

"You don't deserve that. Come by the common room later. Ron, Hermione and I have something to tell you about Sirius. We think you might want to know."

I nod and give him a hug.

I couldn't go back to my common room last night. I wouldn't have been able to handle Thea's criticism, not to mention Theo's interrogation and Quinton's burning desire to keep "the group" together, not separate us further.

I get in before anyone is around and manage to make it to the bedroom unseen, but when I open the door and walk in, Thea is up.

"Where were you?" she asks, grabbing our uniforms. She throws me mine and follows me as I head to the bathroom.

"I uhm, I went to get water. Left my bottle in the common room."

She grabs her toothbrush and puts toothpaste on it. "You weren't here all night."

I don't say anything. I bend down and splash my face with cold water.

"Lexi, your bed wasn't touched. I've been worried sick about you. What if Sirius Black was around here? Where have you –"

"I was in the Gryffindor tower. I slept in the girl's dorm, that's it. I'm fine." I grab my towel and walk into the shower, slamming the door behind me.

When I get out, she's gone, her clothes too. I walk down to the commons and nor Thea nor Theo are waiting for me. She's definitely upset and Theo... well, who knows. I walk alone, my thoughts in a million different places.

Both of them are sitting at breakfast already. Thea sees me first and then Theo turns to look. I take the seat next to him, sitting with a heavy thud.

"Where have you been?" he asks. He wasted no time...

I roll my eyes. "In the shower?"

Hmmm, the cereal options are good today. I think I'll choose Cheerios.

"Lexi..."

"What? I bet Thea has already told you," I snap. I hunch my shoulders, pour the milk over my cereal and start eating.

Something in my gut isn't sitting right, and I'm sure it's not the food. I glance up and look further down the table and I catch Malfoy staring. Pansy is calling him, but he doesn't even seem to hear her.

Even as our eyes cross, he doesn't look away. Suddenly, I don't want to be here anymore. I put my spoon down and push my half-eaten bowl away. Theo looks at me. "Not hungry," I mumble.

I get up and leave, passing Quinton on the way. He stops and calls me but I ignore him. I need a second to myself or I'm going to lose it.

Jessica bumps into me intentionally as I near the Great Entrance doors and she sneers. "Are you blind? Watch where you're going, or do you need help with that too?"

I'm sick of this. "Get lost!" I push her chest hard, her body colliding with her little sidekick. She's clearly taken aback because she says nothing and just glares.

I don't look back and storm off. I don't know what's come over me, but I'm not in the mood for other people's problems.

But that doesn't mean that I no longer have to be careful about what I say or do. I can't forget who I am.