The Shift (A Draco Malfoy Love Story)

A Promise

Three days had passed since the last time I had seen Draco. I had been avoiding him since the whole lake scenario. I couldn't bear to look him in the eyes after what had happened. It was my stupid idea to go down there in the first place and I had nothing but baggage to drag around with me since then. I couldn't believe I let my feelings take over for us to do something so risky. I wanted a romantic moment with him, and it was before we were interrupted, but now I avoided the thought of it all together. Sometimes I felt myself drifting and thinking of his wet hair hanging in his face as his smile brought warmth to my body. His eyelashes were darkened with water and fluttered up at me effortlessly. I continued to shake my mind of those thoughts and always pretended I didn't notice him staring at me all day.

Pansy, on the other hand, now hated my guts and tried to do anything she could to spite me. She would put her bags on the empty chairs at the Slytherin table in the dining hall if she saw me enter the room, she tripped me in the hall on the way to potions one afternoon, and she made sure that the entire school knew that I was caught naked in the lake with Draco. She even created a rumor that I turned "psycho" and stabbed her and ran away.

The only person that knew exactly of what happened that night was Luna. When I found myself in her dorm she was surprised but welcoming. I remember the conversation so clearly.

"Oh Rashana", she rubbed her eyes, "What brings you here so late", she paused finally becoming more awake, "And such a mess?" She let out a soft giggle looking down at my soaked hair and clothes.

I immediately burst into tears. I let all of the emotion pour out of me, I couldn't keep it in anymore. It was like a cork had been popped and everything that had been bottled up since the beginning of the semester fizzled out all at once.

She was an amazing listener. I first explained that night and then all of the others leading up to it, I even told her how I shifted. She was so calming, so accepting. She made me tea and gave me some cookies that she had stashed away from the Halloween Feast and kept giving me long warm hugs. She slept on the floor that night and let me have her bed. I'll never forget that. She really did have such a healing energy. It made me feel at home, it made me feel safe.

Since Pansy was still twisted up about everything and I wasn't ready to mend things yet I had been hopping from room to room to sleep each night. The first two nights I stayed with Luna and last night I bunked up with the Weasley twins because I needed some cheering up. We were up until the dead hours of the night laughing and joking, we even took a late night walk and watched the stars.

When we got back to the dorm that night they fought over who I would bunk with to sleep. After a lot of convincing I cuddled up with Fred. He held me tightly and warmly, he knew I needed affection and comfort and he provided. He played with my hair all night and gave me a kiss on the forehead as I was finally falling to sleep. He didn't try anything, he knew I was too vulnerable, and our relationship was much too platonic for any of that. George kept making jokes about us macking and for us to "quiet down over there I don't need to hear your funny business". The lightheartedness was exactly what I needed, however I wish I had gotten more sleep because I was feeling awfully drained as I sat in History of Magic in a constant battle to keep my eyes open.

Soon enough it was too much to stay awake and I laid my head on my desk for a little break. If I snoozed off for a couple minutes it wouldn't hurt anything, I thought but before I knew it I was being shaken awake. I opened my eyes wearily and saw a blurry Draco Malfoy standing over me.

"Class is over Ras", he said softly giving me a little smirk, "Or for you nap time."

I looked up at him all confused.

"Tell me this is a dream", I said softly and laid my head back on the desk.

"No I'm afraid not", he said with a scoff.