MARA WILLIAMS

"Me Ma said that the only reason I'm failing divination is because Professor Trelawney's as mad as a hatter." Seamus said, taking a bite of his pumpkin pie. "She said that woman doesn't know what she's on about."

Hermione, Ron and Harry nodded in agreement, but Parvati looked horrified. "That's ridiculous, she is not!"

All eyes were on Parvati and Seamus raised his eyebrows at her. "You're telling me you seriously believe that stuff?"

"Yes." She said fiercely. "I do."

"You do realise that there no science behind any of it." Hermione interjected as she peered up from her copy of The Daily Prophet.

We hadn't spoken since Pansy Parkinson took it upon herself to put me and there was a renewed sense of tension between us.

"No science?" Ron said incredulously, "Hermione are you a witch or not? There's no science to any of this!"

Harry and I exchanged grins across the table, almost ever dinner was the same, Ron and Hermione arguing, occasionally Parvati and Seamus would join whilst Neville sat awkwardly just watching the others interact.

Dinner drew to a close as people filed off to their rooms. I knew I wouldn't be able to concentrate tonight in the common room, Hermione and Ron were doing their rounds as prefects so the Weasley twins were taking the opportunity to test out their latest creation; Skiving Snack Boxes.

I didn't fancy being there when Hermione Granger returned to see a room full of fainting first years, instead I chose to finish my essay on the Great Elven War of the eighteenth century in the library.

My finger tips had just made contact with the cold iron door handle when I was frozen by a smug voice.
"Where do you think you're going?"

"Away from you." I didn't have to turn to hear the smirk in his tone, as I turned the handle and stepped inside the library.

"No you're not." A callused hand ensnared my wrist, sending a wave electricity pulsing through every fibre of me being. "You're coming with me."

"What do you want Malfoy." I said tiredly, turning around to face him. He looked just as attractive as ever as he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, eyes dragging lazily up and down my body, causing an icy shiver to crawl the length of my spine and the fine hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end.

"Don't ask questions, just come." He pulled me after him and for some strange reason I found myself following as Malfoy lead me down the empty hall.

My chest tightened and my breath hitched as we passed the broom closet from our last interaction...
But he dragged me straight past it and out of a side door into the peaky air.

A chill settled on my skin, the creeping cold seeping through my thin robes. "Where are you taking me? It's bloody freezing out here."

He shot me a wink, "You'll warm up soon enough."

Fucking hell Mara, what on earth have you gotten yourself into this time. The most concerning part of it all was that Draco Malfoy had never once been even remotely nice to me, ever. So why was he acting so strange all of a sudden? It was unnerving.

Maybe I'd watched too many muggle crime documentaries, but it did cross my mind if only for a split second that maybe he was luring me outside to kill me. Don't be stupid, I thought quickly.

A minute later he let me go and I stood before him awkwardly, crossing my arms over my chest to try to ward off the frigid wind. "Seriously? What the hell do you want?"

Malfoy grinned, but it wasn't kind, it was a predatory smile that caused a pit of dread to open in the bottom of my stomach and in the seconds to come it would only manifest tenfold, "You're going to learn to fly. Properly."

"No Draco, please!" I said instantly, shaking my head and backing off. "I really don't want to, let's just go back to the castle, it's cold, it's getting late come on-.."

"You're going to learn whether you like it or not." He snapped, the setting sun casting him in a hellish hue. Honeysuckle light settling heavy on his handsome features, grey eyes seeming almost bronze in the dimming glow.

I stared at him intently with a small shake of my head, "Why. Why are you doing this? What do you get out of all this?"

He let out a humourless laugh, the hollow sound echoing in the barren air. "-Because watching you yesterday was painful."

Frowning, I bit my lip absentmindedly and I noticed Draco's eyes fixate on the minor movement.
"...You were watching me?"

"Of course I was. Now shut up and summon your broom." He tore his eyes from my lips only to throw a quick glance back at the castle behind him. Candle light emanated from the boundless windows as a darkness began to fall over the grounds.

"...I don't have one?"

A heavy sigh heaved from his chest and I could've sworn he'd rolled his eyes as he drawled, "Fine. Use mine I don't care, but be careful it's brand new."
He gave a flick of his wand and with a spurt of emerald sparks a sleek black broom sped forth from the castle. "Accio."

It settled to the grass besides me, and I eyed the inky mahogany handle cautiously. It looked expensive. This broom looked like it was worth more than my life, and Malfoy was seriously letting me... No, forcing me to use it.

"Go on." He urged impatiently, "Don't be shy, it's not like it bites."

I closed my eyes for a brief second, praying that I wouldn't humiliate myself in front of this boy. "Up."
I felt the slick wood practically vibrate with electricity as it instantly flew into my palm.
"Good. Now get on."

I stared at the Slytherin boy with eyes that were wide and fearful, the past trauma of falling from the sky still echoing in my mind.
I could practically hear the wind rushing past my ears as I relived plummeting to the earth, I could still hear the sickening crunch of my breaking bones or the piercing shriek of my agonised screams. "...Do I have to?"

His face glinted with a feral promise that had me instantly obeying his every order. "Get on now, before I make you."

With shaking hands I hitched my robes, slowly mounting the fierce broom as Malfoy's pale eyes clung tightly to my every move. I was glad the broom seemed to hover in the air as I doubted my trembling legs would be able to support me otherwise, as I let it bear the brunt of my weight.

"Good girl." He simpered, and I felt a twinge in my chest at his gruff words. "Now, take your feet off the floor."

I took a moment to steady myself, a deep breath in, letting the crisp air settle in my lungs before releasing it slowly as I cautiously did as he said.

"Oh my god." Even I could hear the tremor of fear in my voice, but I still hoped Malfoy had missed it. Either way I couldn't tell as his expression didn't change.

I hadn't noticed how close Draco had gotten until I felt the warmth of his hand on my thigh and I flinched instinctively. "Sit more like this." He said softly as he gently readjusted my leg.

There was a weightless moment where we just stared at one another, drinking in the highly strung tension between us, before I gave him a small but genuine smile. "Thank you."

He shot me a wicked grin, a flash of white so blinding I feared I may fell from the broom, even with his hand on my thigh to steady me. "Anything for you Mara Williams."

I couldn't help the laugh that came from my lips, "Shut up." And strange as it felt, I found my felt actually enjoying the company of Draco Malfoy, and as much as he tried to hide it, I could tell he was enjoying it too.

Draco looked at me with a the faintest hint of a mischievous smile gracing his gorgeous face as he challenged, "Do you want to finish up for today?... Or do you think you can handle a little more?"

-Draco darling, I can handle anything.

• • •

The entire way back to the Gryffindor common room I couldn't stop smiling like an idiot, an extra spring in my step.

We'd trained for hours, until the sun set and a shield stars cloaked the black sky. Not only had I managed to leave the ground for the first time in years but I'd flown to the top of an old oak tree to retrieve a ball Malfoy had thrown.

I'd never been so proud of myself, and I wasn't even afraid to admit it.

Parvati raised her eyebrows at me suspiciously as I entered the common room, looking up at me over a pair of reading glasses that were practically hanging off the end of her fine nose. "...And where have you been? It's awfully late to be out and about don't you think?"

Ron and Harry stopped talking to gaze up at me as I stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to say. "I... Um, I was-..."

"She was with me, in the library." Hermione said, appearing from the entrance way behind me and I quickly nodded, "Yeah."

Harry and Ron quickly resumed their arguing about who had the best Chocolate Frog card, but Parvati remained unconvinced. "Oh yeah? Then Mara can I see your essay for tomorrow, I'm still stuck on the introduction."

She had me there, and I froze, I was just about to admit defeat when Hermione pulled a pristine piece of parchment from her bag and handed it to Parvati.
"Here, I wrote a spare copy incase anyone needed one, God knows none of us want to sit through another one of Professor Binns' rants about homework not being handed in on time."

"Thanks." Parvati replied slowly, folding the parchment neatly and filing it away within her thick folder of work.

Out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of Hermione, why on earth had she covered for me?

"Right, I'm knackered." I said with a yawn, "I'm off to bed, see you all tomorrow."

"Me too." Said Hermione and we said our goodnight's before beginning the assent to the dorms above.

When we were alone I turned to the mousy haired girl who was acting busy by reorganising her draws, "Thanks for that."

"Oh, no worries." She answered, but didn't look at me, preoccupied by refolding a pair of bright pyjama bottoms.

"Why did you do it?" I asked as I pulled off my socks and chucked them into the wash-bin. Was she trying to make up for what Pansy had said earlier?

"...Because I know what you're doing, I know where you vanish off to." Hermione gave a slight sigh as she settled on what to wear that night, sitting on the end of her bed as she unlaced her shoes. "I won't tell on you... Just promise me you'll be careful."

My own words barely registered in my mind, the true weight of her words not quite settling in as I made the vow. "I promise."

***
QOTD-What would your patronus be and why?
Don't forget to vote and comment!
-TFOA