ETHALINE

MYSTERY

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"I don't want to talk about it." Ethaline immediately said, "Whatever remark you have about me being strange just leave it at that." She said as she walked over to them.

Draco scowled, "Why is your comfort place by the lake?! And why are you holding that?" Be asked as Ethaline panicked.

"They're from the cafeteria." She lied.

"Great I'm famished." He said, reaching over and grabbing one, despite her protests. He took a bite out of it and said nothing as Theo tried his best to keep a straight face.

Meanwhile Pansy tackled her in a hug, "You had me worried sick! Walking down there and fraternizing with a blood dragon!"

Blaise gave her a small smile, "I'm glad you're alright Ethy."

"Me too." Theo chimed in, "Nearly had a heart failure looking at you out there—though you did look beautiful—"

"What the hell were you thinking?" Draco asked in a harsh tone, "You could have died!"

Pansy let her go slowly, awkwardly glancing at the others. "I'm okay Draco, thank you for worrying." Ethaline said, "Now can I be alone? Please?" She begged.

Draco scoffed, "To think about our parent's reaction? This will be all over the papers tomorrow."

"To just think Draco." Ethaline snapped, taking everyone back by surprise. "To bloody think about how I spoke to wild dragons or do you want to control that to?"

He narrowed his eyes, "What's that supposed to mean—"

"Nothing." Ethaline sighed, "I'm sorry."

Pansy nodded slowly, "We'll leave you." She spoke for them, "Just please come to me if you need anything." She whispered, hugging her tightly. "I don't know what I would have done if something happened to you."

"I'm fine." Ethaline sighed into her hair, "I'll find you after."

Pansy pulled Draco along as well as Theo followed, giving he shoulder a light squeeze while Blaise shot her a smile. "Nice treats." He said as Ethaline smiled at him before he left.

She then sat by the tree, kicking her shoes off as she undid her braid, letting her hair flow freely as the wind grazed her skin lightly. She leaned her head on the tree, a small sigh escaping her lips.

Everything was changing for her.

If there was something she didn't do well with, it was change. The unknown. She feared it dearly as her father always kept them on a routine and anything that disrupted that was unacceptable.

She finally inched closer to the lake, the water touching her bare feet as she fed the creatures. A small smile forming on her face as she greeted them and watched them swim about excitedly to see her that she didn't notice someone behind her.

"Ethaline."

Her heart stopped as she jumped in fright, turning and seeing Harry who had reached for her hand to stop her from falling. He then quickly let her go.

"Please, don't sneak up on me." She whispered, trying to catch her breath as she turned back around to continue feeding them.

Harry eyed her carefully, watching as she interacted with
the animals. She wasn't rough, she didn't hurt them, she...she cared for them, he observed.

"I stopped by Hagrid's on my way down." He started as he eyed her suspiciously, "Why didn't you tell em?"

Ethaline knew what he was referring to, there could only be one thing, and tricking Hagrid into telling you the truth about something wasn't rocket science. But still she said, "Tell you what?"

"You know what." Harry said a little harder, "You let me accuse you—you let us cause you—of being a bad person." He said, feeling guilty as he remembered the fact that he was yelling at her in the halls.

Everything he thought he knew about her was wrong.
Completely wrong.

"You had already made up your mind about me," Ethaline said, "And I wasn't going to argue—very immature by the way, so I let it be." She stated simply as she turned to face him.

Harry was now even more confused.

"I can see your mind working at full force to figure me out Potter, I applaud the effort—truly I do—but it's a waste of time." She said as she set the empty basket down. "So, I'll just tell you right now, that I forgive you for throwing false accusations at me."

"You...you let me believe you were a bad person." He said confused.

"I didn't let you do anything." Ethaline said firmly, "You're the one who already had an idea about me before getting to know me. I believe that's called prejudice."

Harry scoffed lightly, shaking his head, he truly was at loss for words and didn't know what to say. "So, the creature in the forest..." he finally said.

She nodded, confirming his thoughts, "I helped it, poor creature had a bad leg." She said with a sad tone, "But I fixed him up before you grabbed me."

Harry sighed, "I'm sorry." He finally said, watching as a smug smile formed on her lips.

"I forgive you." She said, pleased to hear the apology from him, two words she didn't hear often.

Harry felt a smile creep onto his face as she leaned down to grab her stuff. "Are you okay?" He asked, "I mean with what happened?"

Ethaline nodded, "They weren't going to hurt me." She said, "Though contrary to popular belief I am capable of taking care of myself, I'm not just a trophy."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "I never said you weren't."

"You didn't have to. Otherwise, you wouldn't be out here talking to me instead of having dinner with your friends and the lovely Hermione Granger."

Damn, Harry thought, she got me again.

"So, can I ask why you didn't want anyone to know that you help Hagrid and love magical creatures? As well as Fang?" Harry asked curiously, still intrigued with the blonde in front of him.

Ethaline bit her lips softly, "No." She said as she began to walk away, "I'm sure under all that pretty face and scar is a working brain—figure it out." She called back, not looking at him as she left.

Harry stood there, dumbfounded as a stupid smile involuntarily formed on his face. He couldn't help but feel, something when she spoke to him. It wasn't a crush, no. It was the feeling of excitement that coursed through someone's body as they tried to solve a mystery.

They had spoken more in a week then in the four years they went to the same school and for once, he wanted to willingly speak to a Malfoy.