UnExpected

Chapter 61

"Will you wait?!"

"I'm not talking to you."

Buffy kept walking and Draco kept following.

"I'm not going to apologize," he said.

"Yeah, that's the problem," she shot back.

He stopped and huffed angrily, watching her walk farther away. Of all the pig-headed, stubborn, dim-witted, annoying — women! He ran after her again, and grabbing her arm, he spun her around to face him.

"You didn't have to do that you know," she said, before he could speak. "They weren't doing anything wrong."

"They were breaking Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four," he said with a haughty smirk.

"But that's not why you did it," she retorted, unwilling to let Draco give himself an easy way out. "You're doing it for the same reason you're docking house points. Because you can."

He didn't want to fight. When Buffy got angry, she would say things she didn't mean, do things she would regret and make a mess she'd eventually have to clean up later. He knew how unclear her mind would get and Draco didn't want to fight.

"Those sniveling weasels deserve every house point I take, and you know that stupid defense group was against the rules. Every single one of them knew it that's why they kept it a secret."

But that didn't mean he wouldn't.

"They kept it a secret because they knew something like this would happen. Once word got out, Umbridge came barging in and took it away," she argued on their behalf. "And you helped her."

Draco hated seeing the disappointment in her eyes, even more than seeing the anger. At least when she got angry, he could give her some space to cool off, but when Buffy got disappointed it felt as if Draco had been told that magic was just an illusion.

"They were breaking the rules," he repeated, his one and only defense. A defense that Buffy dismissed.

"Well, what about me? I've broken the rules and you haven't turned me in."

"That's different."

"No, it's not. I've broken at least a dozen of them and you've never said anything to Umbridge or anyone about it. Not once."

"No matter what you do, I'll never say a word and you know it."

She did know it and the moment he said it, it felt like something had grabbed a hold of her frustration and anger and pulled back. She re-composed her emotions and the tone of her voice.

"They weren't doing anything wrong," she repeated. "You can't blame them for wanting to protect themselves. Under Umbridge and Fudge's stupidity, everyone has become sitting ducks. The D.A. knew what they had to do, so they did it." Buffy took a step closer to him and lowered her voice so no one else could hear. "I know you know Voldemort's back." Draco immediately looked away and swallowed thickly at the sound of the name. Buffy ignored the flinch, used to the reactions some people had of hearing Voldemort's name. "The moment he shows his face, none of this, not house points, not school rules, not clubs or badges, is going to mean anything. Open your eyes, Draco."

When Buffy turned and walked away again, he didn't try to stop her. Draco stood there with his mind reeling at her words, unaware that the majority of the courtyard had been privy to their argument, or that because of it, one redheaded Weasley was teetering even more on the edge of reason vs. pettiness.

*****

It was hard to swallow. Everything he had seen. The way his father had behaved. The way Sirius had behaved. The early hatred his mother had for his father. The sympathy he was feeling for Snape. The world was not like it was just hours ago. Harry should have never looked into that Pensieve. He should've left Snape's memories alone. Now, not only did it cost him his Occlumency lessons, which wasn't exactly the worst thing in the world, but what he did lose was the innocent, proud view he had of his father. Harry had been proud to be James Potter's son. Took pride every time someone said he was just like him, but he couldn't help but feel cold after witnessing the malicious, cruel, bullying his father had subjected Snape to for no other reason than because...because...just BECAUSE! That was it! That was the reason!