|| Star-Crossed ||

15

Dumbledore's Army

CAROLINE POTTER

The next morning, I woke up in Draco's bed. I got up and put my shoes on and left him a note. Then I headed back to Gryffindor. I went to my dorm and went inside. I showered and got dressed for lessons and then I headed for the Great Hall. I took a breath and faced my friends.

I walked over to the Gryffindor table and Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny all looked at me. "Are you guys still mad?" I asked. "Are you still fucking our worst enemy?" Ron spat. "Ron..." Harry said in a warning tone. "He doesn't have to be our enemy." I said. "You're right, Caroline. He doesn't. But he made the choice everytime he called Mione a mudblood or made fun of our family for being poor or every other time he bullied us." Ginny said. "I understand that, Ginny. But we aren't innocent either. We bullied him right back. We made fun of his hair, transfigured him into a ferret, made comments about his father." I said. They all looked down in shame. "I'm not asking you guys to love him, I asking you to let me love him." I said. Harry stood up and looked at me. "Is this a real thing, C? Do you actually care about him?" he asked. I nodded. "Max told us that he called you a whore." Ron said. "He did, but he apologized." I said. Ron rolled his eyes. "Don't roll your eyes at me, Ronald. You called Hermione a slag for going to the Yule Ball with Krum because you were too much of a coward to ask her yourself!" I snapped. His face paled and he looked at Hermione. She shrugged. "She's got a point. That did happen." she said. I sat next to Ginny and she stared at her food. "He's not his father, Ginny." I said. I took her hand and she looked at me. "I promise." I said. She just nodded. "Thanks you guys, I missed you." I said.

Then Max walked over. I got up and started walking. "Caroline, wait!" he said. I just kept walking until he caught up to me. Then I stopped and faced him. "Caz, listen. I didn't mean for-" he started. "Don't. I don't want to hear it." I snapped. "Please. I was just trying to protect you. Protect you from getting hurt." he said. "I trusted you. I trusted you and you used that against me." I said. "I'm sorry," he said. I shook my head. "Not good enough." I said. His eyes turned glassy and he looked down. "Tell me what I have to do to fix this and I'll do it. Whatever it is. Just please, I can't lose you too." he said softly. I sighed and I caved. He's right. He just lost his brother and I can't abandon him. He made a mistake. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him into a hug. He exhaled a shaky breath and I stroked his hair. "It's ok. Ok?" I said. He just nodded. "I forgive you." I said. "Thank you, Caz. I swear, I won't-" he started. "Wait," I said. He stopped mid sentence. "You have to apologize to Draco first." I said. He groaned. "No!" he exclaimed. "Max! You were a right foul git!" I said. "So was he!" he said. "And he apologized. You haven't. Now, go." I said. He rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll go talk to him." he said. I smiled. "Thank you. I'm going to go eat. I'll see you in DADA." I said. He nodded and walked away. I couldn't help but smile all the way back to my table. I got my friends, and Draco. Everything was good.

MAX DIGGORY

I walked as slow as I could all the way to the Slytherin table. Draco was sitting with Zabini, Nott and Lorenzo. I walked up to him and cleared my throat. "Malfoy, we need to talk." I said. He just nodded and stood up. Usually the other Slytherins would have made a snarky comment but ever since Cedric died, nobody says anything to me. Draco and I walked out and stood in the hall. I was shocked by the first words out of his mouth. "You were right." he said. I raised my eyebrows. "What?" I exclaimed. "I asked her what happened. When she told me the whole story, I felt like throwing up." he said. I nodded. "But you are going to stay with her, aren't you?" I asked. He nodded. "As long as I make her happy and she wants me, I'm going to stay," he said. "Fine. But if you hurt her again, I'll put in a box six feet under with an unmarked grave in a muggle city. Are we clear?" I asked. "Crystal." he replied with sarcasm. I rolled my eyes and left.

CAROLINE POTTER

"Where are we going?" I asked as Ginny excitedly pulled me down the hallway. "Just follow me and be quiet!" Ginny said. I rolled my eyes and groaned but kept walking. Eventually, we arrived at a wall. "This is it?" I said in a confused voice. "No," she said. She stepped closer to the wall, closed her eyes and suddenly, it started to shift. The wall turned into a door and we went inside. My jaw dropped when I saw a huge room filled with kids of all ages and from all houses, (except Slytherin). They were practicing magic. And as I looked closer, I realized Harry, Ron and Hermione were teaching it. "Wicked," I muttered. Harry saw us and came over. "Thanks for bringing her, Ginny," he said. She smiled and nodded. Harry pulled me to the side and I punched him in the arm. "How could you not tell me you were teaching everyone magic?! And real magic, none of Umbridge's theoretical bullshit." I exclaimed. "We just started yesterday." he said. I hugged him. "It's brilliant. What's it called?" I asked. "We're calling ourselves Dumbledore's Army." he said. "Very fitting." I said with a smirk. He nodded. "Come on, I'll show you the lesson plans that Mione drew up. She even marked down a day for you to teach everyone." he said. I was shocked. "Me? What am I supposed to teach them?" I asked. "I would have never gotten the Patronus Charm down without you and Remus. I want you to teach them that." he said. I couldn't help but smile. "This is brilliant, Harry. Really." I said. He smiled back. Then it faded.

"Just- just don't tell Malfoy," he said. My face fell. "Why? He's an extraordinary wizard. He could help us." I said. Harry sighed. "C, you know he won't. He's on the Inquisitorial Squad and if that's not enough, he only likes you. Not all of us." Harry said. "Maybe because you're small minded and won't even let me ask him." I snapped. "Because we worked so hard to pull this off and if you go blabbing to Malfoy, he'll rat us out to Umbridge and it'll be destroyed faster than you can say quidditch" Harry snapped back. Hermione and Ron quickly rushed over when they saw we were lighting. "What's going on, mate?" Ron asked. "Oh great, just what we need." I mumbled. "She wants to tell Malfoy." Harry said. Their faces dropped too. "No way! No fucking way." Ron yelled. "He could help." I said. Hermione placed a gentle hand on my arm and looked at me.

"If you can look me in the eyes and tell me that you know he would help us and not screw this up, I'll believe you. But I think deep down, you and I both know, Draco Malfoy would have other plans with this information." she said. I sighed. She was right. As much as I hated it, she was right. "Fine." I mumbled. She nodded and handed me a coin. "What's this?" I asked. "Your golden ticket. It looks like a regular galleon but it tells you when the next meeting is. I created it myself." she said. "That's incredible, Mione." I said. They smiled and left. Harry looked at me with a solemn face. "I'm sorry but we just can't risk it." he said. I nodded. "I understand." I said.

And I do. I just really hate it.