Confessions

Four eyes stared back at Crabbe questioningly as he nervously sat back down next to Goyle who was tugging at his sleeve apprehensively.

"Huh?" Stella's smile faltered into a look of confusion. "Well technically it wouldn't be cheating if I didn't really care about him? But that's beside the point, you two were with me when it happened, and weren't you two the one that told Malfoy about Pucey's infidelity?"

"You two are rather odd…" Draco mused. "Goyle go grab a cup of coffee for Stella." he commanded, leaning forward and intertwining his fingers together quizzically. Goyle immediately shot up and walked in the opposite direction of where Draco had placed the Coffee brewer, causing Stella to narrow her eyes skeptically at the taller.

"Too much food…" Crabbe groaned out as if he was in pain, rubbing his stomach slowly. Stella pointed to where she hid the brewer, noticing how the dimwitted Goyle seemed extra lost suddenly.

"Malfoy, I think your father left a vial of aching draught somewhere in your room for me…Give it to them. They don't even act like themselves anymore."

"Draco." he replied, staring into her mesmerizing emerald eyes. "And no, father gave it to you because you've been suffering from headaches since that Potterhead caused you to faint. We're keeping it until you need it again."

"Why are you so set on me calling you Draco?" she questioned back, walking over to Goyle and motioning for him to sit down so she would do it herself. "I'm not as weak as you think I am."

"You call nearly everyone by their birth name. You even call that stupid Weasley by his first name, yet you refuse to call me by my given name." The male frowned, glancing at his two thick minions. "I don't care if you're weak or not. You've been acting so weird since that day and you always complain that your head is going to explode."

"Ron is different!" Stella chuckled, as she ignored Malfoy's interesting way of being concerned about her. "Ron is...I don't know. He's friendly, funny, and his freckles are so cute!"

Crabbe turned a few shades of red as he gripped onto Goyle's cloak. Draco, who most definitely did not like what she had said, slammed his hand down onto the table, causing everyone to jolt from the sound.

"Are you joking with me Stel?" Stella shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, walking back to the couch with a tray of aromatic coffee and a single cup of hot chocolate. The young female placed the tray down and pushed it towards the two bigger males.

"Oh calm down would you. You're always so hot headed." She chuckled as she fanned the imaginary smoke steaming from the top of his head. "Drink you two, something hot can help you digest a little better. Perhaps it's best if I didn't give Draco something hot too."

"Stella Gaunt don't you dare mention another man like that in front of me ever again!" Draco yelled, turning to look at Crabbe and Goyle who were watching silently. "How could you even treat them like your equal, they're blood traitors. An embarrassment to the wizarding world."

Crabbe clenched his fists and pursed his lips together like he had something to say but didn't dare to. Stella noticed this and motioned for the two male's to pick their cups up. Crabbe raised the mug of hot chocolate out of habit causing both Stella and Malfoy to stare at him.

'What has gotten into him…' Stella thought to herself. 'He definitely knows better than to take Draco's mug. Even a bad stomach ache wouldn't change how he acts this much.'

"That's mine." Draco pointed out, glancing down at the other mugs that didn't have any insignia on it. Crabbe immediately dropped the beverage and reached for the other ones, apologizing quietly.

"Draco, you're so up in Weasley's arse these past weeks. Actually, you've been pretty hot tempered around everyone lately." Stella broke the cold, awkward silence.

"I wouldn't be, if you'd just behave." Draco hissed, picking up his hot cocoa and holding it out to Stella.

"Me? Behave? Are you demented? I haven't done anything!" Stella defended, blowing at the hot contents for him. "Should be fine now..." she whispered, seeing the smoke diminish as the cocoa started to cool.

"If you'd stop calling out whoever this Tom person is. If you'd stop talking about that Weasley. Stop crying over Pucey and getting chummy with Flint. And eyeing Potter all the time. Then maybe I wouldn't be so irritated all the time!" He argued back, taking a sip and sighing in delight at the sweetness.

'Is he getting jealous? Why does he look so cute like that?'

"Eyeing Potter?" Goyle questioned curiously.

"I don't deny the others but chummy with Flint? Ew... Are you jellin Draco?" Stella ridiculed. "And over Harry Potter? You best be careful, he might just charm you into passing out like what everyone says."

"Jellin? I never Jel. Everyone thinks he's the heir of Slytherin. What a load of bull." he spat, pulling Stella into him so he could wrap his arms around her shoulder.

"Uh. I understand you notioned that we slept together to Pucey to spite him….but no need to get intimate anymore." Stella stuck out her tongue disgusted but in reality actually liking how close they were now.

"Everyone thinks you're mine anyways." If eyes could shoot lasers, Crabbe would've burnt through both Stella and Draco's tiny skull already.

"Don't you have some idea who's the heir?" Goyle pusued, turning to look at Crabbe and pinching him in the arm gently to snap him out of his trance. Stella's eyes flashed towards Goyle frightfully, but quickly replaced it with a stoic expression.

"You know I don't Goyle. I already discussed this with you all before. How dim can you get?" Draco vexed, letting go of the female to stand up. Smoothing out his robes, he walked over to a table of wrapped presents and pocketed one. "I'll tell you all this though, my father said the next heir would be someone who had survived a painful life and was marked by the serpent itself." Stella sighed a sigh of relief as she walked up to him, reaching inside of his pockets and pulling the little box out.

"You have money to buy your own stuff, why are you stealing? If you don't want to spend your money then I'll buy it for you. You said we're going shopping tomorrow anyways..." Glancing behind her, she wanted to question if the two lackeys wanted to come to their outing as well. Her eyes widened as she noticed a slight change in Crabbe's facial feature. Their eyes locked briefly before he turned away to hide himself; the two male scampered around nervously as they ducked from everyone's views.

"D-Draco." she whispered, momentarily pausing to make sure her eyes weren't playing a trick on her. 'Ron! That hair, it's Ron!' Immediately, she stepped in front to block Draco's view as she tip-toed, pretending to pick something out of his hair.

"What are you doing?" he befuddled as to why Stella was suddenly close to him. "Where are you two going?!"

"Uh you have something in your hair. I think they just have a bad stomach ache and need to use the toilet." she fabricated, brushing at his hair, causing his neatly gelled bangs to fall and frame his face. Draco reached out to grab onto her wrist, stopping her actions as he knew there was nothing there. "If you wanted to touch me, all you had to do was ask."

Stella icked at the way his tone lowered, their eyes locking as he leaned in to stroke her cheek. "I swear I'm not trying to touch you. I just...saw...oh forget it." Giving up as she couldn't come up with an excuse, she just gently pushed him away from her.

___________________________________________________________________

HOGSMEADE NEXT DAY

In front of Honeyduke's Sweet Shop stood a young girl who faced a certain red headed male who looked at her nervously, fidgeting with his fingers out of habit. His friend stood off to the side as he was afraid of the female as well, but ready to step in if needed to do so.

"You have any idea…any idea what would have happened if you two were caught?" she spoke through gritted teeth controlling herself so not to yell.

"I'm sorry…" the red headed Weasley whispered out, keeping his head low.

"I'll make my words short since Draco will be coming shortly. Harry. Ron. Don't let this happen again. I won't cover you the second time."

Harry and Ron looked at each other in relief, figuring she wasn't going to rat them out for sneaking into the Slytherin common rooms to snoop out information about the recent attack at Hogwarts.

"Stella, you know why we were there. I want some answers." Harry pushed, wanting answers immediately.

"I know. You're trying to figure out who the heir of Slytherin is and who's behind all these attacks right?" Stella sighed. "I can't tell you who it is and I can't tell you why it is happening. All I can tell you is to just butt out, don't listen to the voices, don't follow it."

"How can you say that Stel! Have you no conscience? Our friends are in the hospital and we have a killer on the loose within our own school. Are you not the least bit worried?" Ron exclaimed, grabbing her hand worriedly but also out of anger.

"I'm worried. I am. I'm terrified." she replied softly, pushing his hand off of her.

"Hands off." a low voice grumbled from a distance as two males walked towards the three. The elder held his head up high as he walked over, glancing down at the Weasley who shrinked away from his presence.

"Lucius. Draco." Stella acknowledged, her eyes landing on the elder Malfoy. Ron and Harry immediately walked away to their friends and family who were inside Honeydukes picking out different types of sweets for themselves.

"Draco, let's go walk around." Stella smiled, "Lucius, I hope it will be fine if we went ourselves." She narrowed her eyes slightly at the male before glancing inside the sweets shop. "You know what to do..." she whispered softly, only loud enough for the elder Malfoy to hear.

"Of course." he replied smiling at the two young children. "Of course..."

As the two young Slytherins walked off into the distance, Lucius Malfoy entered into Honeydukes quietly, seemingly there to buy sweets for his son but actually harboring other intentions.

"Malfoy, let's go there." Stella pointed towards Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. Draco slightly frowned at her calling him by his surname but immediately turned a few shades of red seeing where she was pointing to.

"Wait Stel, you do realize what that place is. Right?" he questioned nervously as she pulled him to the doorway. "Wait! Are you sure you want to go there?!"

Stella looked at the building left and right, wondering why Draco was so nervous about entering into a tea shop, after all it's just a place that served tea and sweets.

"What's wrong with this place?" Stella questioned. "Look, they even serve your favorite chocolate frog cheesecake." she pointed to the window which displayed an assortment of sweets and beverages. Opening the door to the shop, she immediately twisted her face in disgust at the pink frilly decorations. "Merlin it looks like Lavender Brown threw up in here..."

"Hello sweethearts! For 2 today?" an elderly lady smiled brightly at the two, motioning for them to take a seat at one of the booths.

"Sorry we're just walking by!" Draco called out, tugging at Stella's hand to pull her away. "Stella. We're not going in."

'Look it's Draco Malfoy and Stella Gaunt.'

'The rumors were true...they are together!'

'Wow...even they would come to place like this for a Christmas Date?'

"Shy are we? First date?" the shop owner questioned, noticing how the young male was set on not entering as the female glanced around curiously. Draco tugged at her harder, causing her to bump back into his chest from the force.

"We're not." Draco cleared his throat, quickly leading the female away as he turned even brighter from the situation.

"What was that place? It was all pink and definitely not a high tea shop." Stella questioned once they were far away from the tea shop.

"It was a outing spot you idiot. It's where all our classmates bring their significant other to go out on a date to. What were you thinking of going in there with me?!" Draco rubbed at his cheeks, trying to calm himself as he turned to face the girl.

"You have a problem being seen with me?" Stella questioned further, crossing her arms against her chest.

"I don't have a problem being seen with you. Hell I don't even care if people thought we're shagging. What I care about is me being seen in that kind of place, first it's just disgusting. Second, if I were to bring you out, I'd at least bring you somewhere fancier. Third, how am I suppose to enjoy myself with you if all I hear and see is someone slurping another person's tongue." Draco expressed out loudly, panting as he was out of breath from saying everything all at once.

'Was that a confession? Did he just say enjoy himself with me?'

"Draco...Do you like me?" Stella questioned, her eyes widened from him suddenly expressing his feelings to her.

"Are you stupid? Of course not."

Stella's chest clenched tightly at his words, not understanding why she felt a bit saddened by his defensive denial. Both Stella and Draco stared at each for what seemed to be a long period of time, not saying a word to another after the exchange. Lucius watched as his son held a pink tinge on his cheeks as the girl in front of him smiled ever so slightly. Draco had walked off as he couldn't bear to spend another second with the female, afraid that she would soon hear the pounding of his heart against his chest.

"Draco! Where are you going!?" Stella called out, unsure if she should follow or not.

"Let him be Stel." Lucius took his place next to the young Gaunt, as they both stared at the disappearing figure of the younger Malfoy.

"Did you do it?" Stella questioned, her tone lowering as she glanced upwards at the male with a serious look.

"It's done. My Lady."