UnExpected

Chapter 36

Two days before Holiday break...

"You're late."

"You would be too if Pansy kept pestering you about where you were going," he said, his voice still traced with annoyance.

"I'm surprised you were able to get away then."

"Wasn't easy. Trust me," he huffed out. Hopping onto a desk across from her, he placed his school bag down and let himself relax. "Now what I'm surprised about is the fact that you still haven't landed yourself in detention again."

Buffy let out an annoyed huff all her own. "Isn't easy. Trust me."

"Oh, I believe you," he said with big wide eyes, causing her to smile. "You know some people are starting to wonder why you only got one detention. And why your hand didn't scar like everyone else's."

"I know. Those never-ending whispers never end." Never, ever, ever. "But I just ignore them. It's not like I'm going to spill the truth to the gossip mill," she jokingly said.

"And what is the truth?" he asked with an amused grin.

Playfully, Buffy shifted her eyes from side to side. Checking for 'spies'.

"If I tell you, will you promise not to tell anybody else?" she asked, leaning closer.

"You know I won't."

She eyed him comically, and Draco was doing his best not to laugh.

"All right...well, I'm really a spy for Umbridge and the whole thing during Care of Magical Creatures was a just setup so no one would be onto us," she said, sounding secretive.

"So, it was all just a ruse?" he asked, trying to sound shocked.

"Of course. Did you actually think she would give me, her favorite student, detention? Please, all I did that night was spill the secret beans on my fellow classmates and waited long enough until I could go up to my room so no one would be the wiser," her haughty voice replied.

"Very sneaky."

"It is what I do best," she arrogantly said.

"Guess it's true what they say, once a –"

A loud clanging noise was heard, and they jumped in surprise.

"What was that?" she asked.

Draco shrugged and Buffy slid off the desk. Cautiously walking over to the door, she slowly pried it open and peeked out. Left, right, up, down – but it was empty. Strange. Closing the door behind her, she turned back.

"Well?" he asked.

"Nothing," she replied. "Guess whatever, or whoever it was, is gone now."

"It was probably Filch's cat."

"Yeah," she mumbled. Not fully convinced.

*****

They were acting weird. Fred and George weren't talking to Harry, Hermione, or Ron. Ginny was behaving oddly towards her. Sirius was looking at her strange. Harry seemed to be ignoring her on purpose. And Buffy was wondering what the hell happened last night.

While on a hunt for her lost necklace around the house, Buffy finally managed to run into Ginny, who had been avoiding her all day.

"Hey," she greeted smiling.

"Hi," she said back. Her voice flat and unwelcoming.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."