Toxic Crush

~41~

Clara stood with Draco in the junked up room of requirement. The cursed opal necklace was wrapped safely in some brown paper, stowed in Draco's suit pocket.

A slow breeze flew through the huge room from somewhere, sending chills down their spines and making what they were about to do even more eerie.

Draco had to perform the imperious curse.

An unforgivable curse.

He had only used one once before; the cruciatus curse on Clara in the ministry last year.

His hands were shaking as he guided them over the shape in his pocket.

"Remember. Just get them to take it to Dumbledore. It will be okay." She told him, more for her own benefit than for his. "I'll see you after Hogsmeade in here, yeah?"

"Yeah."

She sighed and held his shaking hand, pulling him into her body. "It's going to be okay. I love you."

He hugged her tightly and let out a slow breath. "I love you too."

"Stay with me tonight?" She asked quietly.

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

She laughed and pulled away from him, her lips slightly parted with worry. "Be careful."

"I will."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"I love you Draco."

"So you've said." He joked. "Stop panicking, it's okay."

Clara frowned. "Say it back." She whined.

"I love you."

"Okay okay, see you later."

He kissed the top of her head, then her cheek, then her lips, his hands either side of her face as he did so.

"Yeah." He muttered. "I love you."

She giggled. "You gotta go!"

He kissed her one last time and stepped away. "Bye beautiful."

She blushed and he took one last mental image of her grinning pink face before shutting the door.

She followed soon after, finding her friends in the courtyard waiting to head off to Hogsmeade.

"Where have you been!" Hermione asked. "Come on it's cold and I want a butterbeer." She pulled on Clara's arm and they began to walk, Harry and Ron behind.

"Do I get a say in this?"

"No. It's cold."

"I'm well aware."

"Shut up and walk faster, I'm-"

"Hermione I know you're cold!" She laughed.

They practically jogged into Hogsmeade, and shuffled into the three broomsticks in a huddle, sighing as the warmth hit them.

Hermione, Ron and Harry went to find a table closest to the fireplace and Clara bought them all drinks. When she returned she found Hermione and Ron in a passionate fight about who had to sit facing the corner, where Ginny and Dean were getting a little too comfortable.

"Nice." Clara said to Harry as she sat next to him, turning around and pointing at Dean's hand gliding up Ginny's thigh.

Harry looked distracted and he faked a laugh. "Yeah."

"Well I don't particularly want to watch them kissing either Ronald." Hermione argued, still bitter about Ron and Lavender's new relationship.

"She's my sister!"