Decree No.29 (O.C) Fred Weasley/ Draco Malfoy

The Ambush

The walk to Hogsmeade for the first time was not how she thought it would be.

Her head banged as the soles of her boots crunched through the thick white snow, and she pulled her scarf looser over her black woollen coat as its restraint on her neck made her feel sicker. However much she had last night, it was about five too many.

The Slytherin team celebrated their win gloriously the night before, and Jessica did her best to join in and act like nothing was wrong. Theo was right, he knew how to throw an event. There was dancing on the tables, Pansy and Blaise were pouring firewhisky into anyone's mouths that opened, and for the select few that wanted a really good time, Draco was slipping sparkling blue pills on eager tongues. If that was a little celebration, she couldn't even imagine what an actual party by them was like.

Jessica, though a little happier from the aid of alcoholic help, could not forget the numbing pain in the bottom of her stomach that was the uncertainty of what Fred was doing at the same time. Had he already replaced her, or was he waiting for her to come to him? Her gut was telling her the first was not the case, but the second seemed improbable, so she couldn't rest either way. She couldn't even be with her thoughts when she grew tired in the early hours, as when she entered her bedroom to get away from Adrian's wandering hands Pansy and Draco were ravishing each other on her bed. She had to sleep on Daphne's bed with a pillow over her ears as she spent the night with Theo.

"You're quiet," Draco said as the group approached Hogsmeade station. He had been observing Jessica for the last five minutes, with little glances in her direction now and again. Pansy was hanging off his arm, though he showed no effort at wanting her there.

It was hard to talk normally to someone when you just heard them having sex next to you the whole night.

"I don't feel that well," Jessica answered, trying to sound sniffy as she rubbed her hands together. She had planned this to be her lie to get away to the Hogs Head, but ironically, it had turned out to be true. She felt awful physically and mentally.

"Someone can't handle their drink," Pansy taunted under her breath.

For the first time in a long time, Jessica agreed with her, so she didn't comment back, even though the thing on Pansy's head looked like a dead racoon, and she could have so much to say about it. She was right. She couldn't handle her drink. Drinks in the wizarding world were much stronger than in the muggle one.

"Guys can we just blow this off, we're older now, we shouldn't be hanging out getting sweets and acting like children," Blaise moaned as Crabbe and Goyle started pelting third years with snowballs. He appeared appalled by where they were, constantly shaking the snowflakes off his long-lined coat. All of them were very well dressed, but none seemed to get the point that every other student around them didn't care what they looked like. Snow was meant to be be fun and played with, don't wear clothes you didn't want soaked in it.

"Round two at three broomsticks?" Pansy suggested brightly.

Draco stared down at her, his nostrils flaring. Pansy's smile wilted away. "It's not open to underage students, is it?" he told her, adjusting his leather gloves, "next time, think before you suggest something shit."

Pansy looked away, her eyes curving down.

"Hogs Head?" Goyle asked as he hit Neville Longbottom in the back of the head.

"No," said Jessica and Draco immediately in unison.

She didn't know why Draco didn't want to go there, but it was where the meeting was taking place with Harry and the others. She needed to deter them away so that she could sneak off. Despite how awkward it would be with Fred, she still wanted to go not to disappoint Hermione, Ron and Harry. Plus, she also wanted to be just plain nosey.