The Ashes of Ebony

Chapter 23

"Why am I studying? It's just going in one ear and out the other anyway." I said slamming my textbook shut. Ginny laughed while Hermione shook her head disapprovingly.

"Shouldn't you guys be studying for NEWTS?" Ginny asked Ron and Harry. They were throwing pieces of ripped up grass at each other looking very bored.

"Nah." Ron said without looking up. I shrugged as Hermione sighed going back to her textbook. Ginny closed her book and set it on top of mine leaning back and enjoying the air. It was getting warmer but there was still a breeze. Enough for a jacket or a hat.

"Guess who?" A voice said covering my eyes from behind. My first instinct was self defense. So I spun around and punched the person in the stomach. They fell over and I scrambled on top of them, straddling them to keep them on the ground.

"Merlin Ebony!" Draco groaned. I giggled and let go of his hands, which I was pinning to the ground. But I was still straddling him as Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Harry laughed their butts off.

"You shouldn't sneak up on me." I said. He raised his eyebrows at me and nodded.

"Okay. I won't do it again. Will you get off me now?" He asked. I shook my head smirking and he scowled.

"No thanks. I'm comfy." I said and crossed my arms. He sighed and smirked at me. Before I could ask what he was doing, he had wrapped his arms around me and stood up with me in his arms, bridal style. I screamed and clung onto him for dear life, with my arms around his neck.

"Draco! Put me down!" I protested whacking him in the back of his head. He chuckled and shook his head.

"No. You punched me so now we're even." He said sounding like a child. I huffed and glared at him. The others were practically rolling around on the floor as they laughed. Even Hermione had stopped studying, and was now leaning against Ginny laughing.

"Will you put me down now?" I asked a minute later. Draco rolled his eyes and walked over near the beach tree where everyone else was. Since we started dating he was never mean to them, he mostly just stayed quiet when he was around. I guess he was afraid he might let something slip, and then I would be mad at him. Harry and Ron tried to be nice. But they failed. Ginny and Hermione were ok. Overall I tried not to force everyone to be in a group. I knew it was awkward so I just tried to separate everyone I guess.

"Just don't punch me again." Draco said as he sat down next to my books, that were spread out around where I was sitting before he came. He sat down, still holding me, with me in his lap. As soon he let go of me I scrambled out of his lap and plopped down next to him. I smirked at him and grabbed my potions textbook.

"What are you doing?" He asked as I began to study.

"Studying for OWLS." I said quietly. I turned the page in the book and read it over thinking about the potion in my head.

"It's only the end of January. OWLS are still a couple months away." He said. I sighed and shut the book.

"I know but Hermione has been up Ginny and I's butts about studying." I told him setting the book down. Luckily everyone else was sitting under the shade of the beach tree while we sat closer to the water, or else Hermione would have given me another speech about how important OLWS are.

"Oh, you'll do great. Granger just needs to lighten up." Draco said. I smiled and laughed. I leaned my head on his shoulder and looked out a the un-moving water.

"Remember the time when you hated me and I hated you?" I asked. He looked down at me and frowned.

"Yeah. Why?" He asked. I shrugged still staring at the water.