25

25. Brother and Sister - Family

Since they had talked to me down by the lake Blaise and Draco had left me alone to think about everything. Honestly, I had often been at the point that I really thought about sending them a note to meet but for now I hadn't.

Gryffindor's match against Hufflepuff turned into a disaster. Dementors showed up und Harry fell off his broom. It had destroyed his Nimbus 2000, accordingly was his mood.

Severus hadn't made a move to talk so I hadn't visited him since that disastrous Defence against the Dark Arts class with him. I wasn't feeling well with our situation but I hated his behaviour and needed an explanation.

The weekend before Christmas holidays started there was another Hogsmeade weekend. I decided to go separately from Hermione and Ron.

"But why don't you want to come with us?" Hermione asked quizzical and I laughed.

"How am I supposed to buy you Christmas gifts if you're with me? We can meet up later to drink a butter beer, okay?"

So we agreed to meet up in the afternoon and they left whilst I was still sitting on the couch in the common room. After I had dressed I followed them down and saw that the last people were walking towards the carriages that brought us to Hogsmeade.

I waited until everybody had climbed and entered the last one alone. Smiling, I watched out of the small window and enjoyed the beautiful sight. The black lake looked awesome in winter, almost like described in those corny muggle stories. I jumped as the door to the carriage got pulled open loudly but didn't turn my head. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw that some blond was sitting down across from me. I felt the person's gaze on me as the carriage started moving. Sighting annoyed I turned my head ready to snap at the person.

Draco's storm-grey eyes were watching me intensely. He didn't say anything as we stared at each other openly now. Nobody else would have understood what we were doing but we were challenging each other who would look away first. It was kind of a 'who was stronger' game we had played since the first day back at Hogwarts. At the same time, it was provoking the other and we just couldn't ignore the other that way.

Turning my eyes, I looked away and he grinned.

"Got you!" Draco exclaimed grinning.

"Quit it!" I told him angrily but that made his grin only grow bigger.

"You don't want me to 'quit it'!" The light tone annoyed me even more. He was so damn right and he knew it. Then he became serious and leaned in my direction, watching me deeply in the eyes.

"Six weeks, we gave you six weeks to think about what we- or mostly Blaise explained. I know you, Arya, I know you're starting to give in even if you don't want to." He stated matter of fact.

Groaning and with furrowed eyebrows I tried to ignore him but I couldn't. I bit on my lip in nervousness. Annoyed, I sighted and threw my hands up helpless. "FINE! I've been thinking about meeting up with you."

His goofy smile made me regret it but I couldn't take it back. "I knew it!" He exclaimed happily and I turned my eyes again.

"Until now I haven't, remember that!" Now it was his turn to turn his eyes, his stupid grin not leaving his face.

"Come on, just stop fighting. We both know you'll give in soon and you don't really want this. Come on, you're my sister!" He exclaimed joking, punching my arm.

I glared at him but I knew in my heart that I didn't mean it. There he was sitting across from me. My brother. The one person that made the trouble I've had with Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy worth it. My one and only family I had. I couldn't push him away any longer. I had thought about what Blaise had told me and he was right. I would regret not having spent every second of the time I could have with Draco.

My father shouldn't control my life!... I wouldn't let him!... Together we could protect us!

Slowly, my glare vanished and was replaced by a faked blank expression. "I'm not going to invite you or Blaise on a butter beer when we arrive at Hogsmeade!" I told him seriously and he grinned the biggest grin I'd ever seen on his face.

Jokingly, he made a face of disgust. "Please, I've to think of my reputation!"

That made me laugh and he joined in. Once we had started laughing we couldn't stop. Soon, we were laughing without any reason, just out of happiness because we were together again. Our bond had never had a scratch!

As we arrived at Hogsmeade I wanted to get out of the carriage but a firm grip on my arm hold me back. Draco looked at me thoughtfully.

"You'll hopefully not go back to that 'I only want to protect you'-thing if I leave you now!" I knew him well enough to hear that he was afraid and I smiled reassuring.

"Oh don't worry, I'm not planning on doing it again any time soon." With that he pulled me in a strong hug and I smiled burying my head in his shoulder.

"Good." He let go of me smiling brightly and I chuckled. "Oh and you need to meet up with Blaise as soon as possible." Draco informed me before opening me the door of the carriage.

"You can tell him that I will send him a note. I wanted to speak with him anyway." I jumped out of the carriage and started making my way towards Hogsmeade.

"Jackson!" Draco called in his faked provocative voice. As there were students around us I only raised my eyebrows as I turned around.

"What, Malfoy?" I was concentrating on not starting to grin. Damn, that will definitely be difficult! I thought amused.

"You shouldn't forget what I told you!" Some people were watching us as a grinning Blaise stepped next to Draco, who was smiling slyly. I guess they were all staring because Draco meant trouble but I seemed to be the only one who had never been afraid of him.

Blaise' and Draco's happiness behind their grins was only noticeable for me seeing as I knew them better than anyone else here. I couldn't prevent myself from smiling but managed to disguise it as a sign of amusement.

"Whatever, Malfoy! Whatever." And with that I continued my way to Hogsmeade with light steps, wearing a huge smile.

As I entered the Three Broomsticks I was still smiling happily. I had bought gifts for my friends, Severus, Draco and Blaise. It had taken me a while to think about something I could buy them but then I decided to go for something neutral, not to special but not to normal either.

I looked around searching my three friends and found them sitting in the last corner. I spotted Draco and Blaise with Parkinson and other Slytherins. They were laughing about something and I couldn't prevent myself from chuckling. Parkinson tried so desperately to get Draco that she was blind to the fact that he wasn't interested in her at all.

Arriving at my friends' table I was still chuckling. Hermione, Ron and Harry were greeting me with waves.

"There you are, we thought you'd never come." Ron stated gloomy. Apologetically, I hunched my shoulders with an excusing smile.

"Sorry, but it took me longer as expected. I had a very interesting meeting." I laughed again and took off my jacket. Then I sat down next to Harry.

"Wow, where's your more than good mood coming from? Had a secret date or something?" Harry asked with a bright grin and I chuckled punching him slightly in the ribs.

"No, I hadn't. But I had an amusing carriage ride with- ", in a second my bright mood had changed into confusion. With furrowed eyebrows and whispering I leaned closer to Harry who was watching me with worry.

"What are YOU doing here? I thought you weren't allowed to go to Hogsmeade?!"

Hermione's expression turned in her typical disapproving one. Harry and Ron on the contrary were exchanging grins.

"Well, Fred and George gave me a map that shows all the secret passages out of Hogwarts. I snuck out with the invisibility cloak."

"Aha." I didn't know what to think of this. Then I waved to the servant and ordered a butter beer. Grinning I looked at my friends with a beer in one hand.

"So, to Harry and my good mood!" I exclaimed laughing, earning a dark look from Hermione. She had thought I would approve with her about Harry's idea to sneak to Hogsmeade.

Harry and Ron laughed too and we said our cheers before drinking.

As the sky turned darker we returned to Hogwarts and I hided the Christmas gifts under my bed warning Hermione chuckling not to touch them. I felt so jittery! I was thinking about either meeting up with Blaise now or visiting Severus. I wanted to do both but I hadn't the time until dinner.

"Where are you going, Arya? Dinner starts in half an hour!" Hermione called loudly as I jumped off my bed and rushed to the door.

"Have to talk to someone." I said over my shoulder and run down the stairs taking every second step.

In the common room I grabbed a small piece of parchment, scribbled a short note and hurried to the owlery. If anyone would have seen me they would have thought me to be crazy. I was smiling so madly.

After I had attached the note at his owl I didn't watch it as it vanished in the night, I was already running down the steps again. I hurried through the Dungeons until I arrived at Severus' office. I didn't even bother to check if somebody was in there with him.

With a loud banging noise the door crashed against the wall as I strutted in the room. A gloomy looking Severus watched up to see who dared to dash in like that. As he noticed that it was me he sighted and closed the door behind me with the flick of his wand.

"Arya, to what do I earn the pleasure?" He asked half-heartedly. I answered by smiling even more. Crossing my arms, I stepped closer to his desk and he watched me closely. Sighting he put the feather and parchment aside he was writing on and raised his eyebrows. He crossed his fingers and looked at me with a quizzical expression.

Chuckling he said: "Fine, I suppose you want me to ask you so I'll ask: What happened?"

Jittery I uncrossed my arms again and fidget with my fingers.

"You'll never guess!" I said grinning madly. Severus groaned and turned his eyes.

"I don't want to guess." He warned me.

Happily, I walked closer, my smile growing even bigger with each step. "Draco and I, we're on speaking terms again!" I exclaimed grinning.

"You are?" He asked as if to make sure he had heard me correctly. Happily, I nodded.

"Good." He smiled thoughtfully and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Is it? Because you're acting as if you're thinking about something else and not really caring. And after all your talk about how I should give him a chance I thought you'd be as happy as I am!"

Sighting, he stood up and stepped around his desk. Looking me deeply in the eyes he put his hands on my arms. "Please, don't understand me wrong, Arya. I'm happy for you, honestly."

My smile had vanished now. Sadly and desperately I stated: "Then why can't you show it? Since that day you through me out of your classroom when you were brewing this potion you're different, Severus. I'm trying to get to you but you're avoiding me. And now that I have my brother again I've lost you? That's not fair-"

I was cut off as Severus crushed me against his chest, pulling me in a strong embrace.

"You haven't lost me, Arya! Don't ever dare thinking that!" He told me, his voice thick with emotions.

"What's going on with you, Severus?" I asked pleadingly shutting my eyes to keep them from watering up. My voice sounded muffled against his robes.

"I'm sorry but I can't tell you. Believe me I would if I could!"

Angrily, I freed myself from his embrace. "Then stop avoiding me! Stop pushing me away, Severus!"

He stared at me again with this unreadable expression for quite a long time. Then he gulped and turned serious. "I promise, Aryanna!"

Now it was my turn to stare at him. "You swear?"

He approached me and took my hands in his. "I swear not to push you away ever again."

I nodded thoughtfully, then I glanced at him again. "Can you promise me something else?"

He nodded and I continued: "Protect Draco."

There was a long silence and he let go of my hands. His body became tense and he looked to the side before turning to me with a blank expression but I didn't care at the moment. I needed to be sure that he would protect him as I would.

"I swear on my life to protect him." I couldn't explain myself why he acted so distant but I felt relieve rushing over my body. Draco was safe, I knew Severus would keep his word.

I crashed in his arms again and I felt him sneaking his arms around my back, resting his head on mine.

"Thank you." I whispered

"Whatever you ask, Aryanna. Always." He muffled quietly in my hair but I heard it anyway and smiled.

Wandering through the dark of the Dungeons I couldn't stop thinking about how Severus had acted earlier. I was still upset that he preferred not telling me the truth but I was even more bothered by the fact that he hadn't seemed very happy about my news. I thought, stop pushing Draco away would make him open up to me again after all he had wanted me so badly to talk to him. But now…

The next morning, after Harry had told us that he'd overheard a conversation in Hogsmeade – Sirius Black was his godfather and a murderer – the three decided to go down to see Hagrid.

"I'm sorry guys but I'm not coming." I said, apologetic hunching my shoulders. Hermione furrowed her eyebrows.

"Why not? Not finished with your Christmas preparation?" She wanted me to come so that we could take Harry's mind off hunting Black for being the cause of his parent's death.

I smiled thinking of who I was going to meet down by the lake. "Euhm, yes I am but I haven't done my potions essay yet."

Hermione stared at me a bit too long and I knew she didn't buy my lie. Harry and Ron however didn't seem to notice.

"Fine then. See you later!"

The warning undernote in her voice made clear that I would have to give her an explanation later and I nodded in response. Happily, I rushed down the stairs, leaving my friends behind.

"…library, I guess…" Was the last thing I heard and felt relieve inwardly. I could count on Hermione!

As I arrived down by the lake he wasn't there yet so I sat down and waited. I watched the Black lake as it shone in the sun. Almost like Severus' eyes, I smiled thoughtfully. They're black as the lake and have the same deepness and mystery. But his eyes are warmer… Or at least they have been before this whole crap with this potion has begun…

I had sunken so much into my thoughts and worries about Severus that I let out a little scream as a hand squeezed my shoulder. Twitching, I looked up and saw a grinning Blaise.

Putting one hand on my rapidly beating heart I stood up. "Merlin, do you have to give me a heart attack?"

"Sorry. I called you several times, you know." He chuckled deeply and I smiled in return. Then he put his arms around me, hugging me strongly.

"It's been a while that something made me as happy as your message yesterday. And Draco's." Blaise chuckled sitting down on the grass, patting on the spot next to him.

"You should've seen him. The whole day he was as if he sat on glowing coals. Couldn't stop grinning and walking around." He laughed at the memory. I grinned slightly remembering how jittery I had been afterwards.

"Believe me, I was the same yesterday." Blaise watched me for a long time and I turned my gaze back to the lake. "I wanted to thank you, Blaise. You changed my point of view on some things."

"You're my best friend just like Draco so I'd do anything for the two of you. And I know how much you love and need each other, like Derek and I are family, you're too… But I didn't only do it for the two of you." His serious expression was replaced by a grin. "I did it out of egoism too, after all I'm still a Slytherin! I missed you."

I laughed and punched his arm playfully but that made him only chuckle deeply.

"Well, you are!" I raised my eyebrows provocative.

"Ouch! You touched me there!" He stated laughing now.

"I missed you too, Blaise. And I'm missing Derek. By the way, how is he?" Curiously, I glanced at Blaise.

"As usual. Still the same reliable, funny, trouble-seeking, girl-compelling boy." Blaise waved his hand to emphasize and I laughed.

"Did he got himself a boyfriend yet?" I asked and he turned his eyes.

"Don't ask! You can't imagine what I had to endure all summer!" Blaise whined and now it was my turn to turn my eyes.

"So bad, huh?" I chuckled and he glared in return.

"He's telling me about every boy he's ever met in Durmstrang he likes. And seeing that he's going to an all boys' school, the list is veeeery long! But none of them seemed to be interesting enough to go out with... So, we're both still single and desperate."

I smiled warmly. "You could change that if you'd make a move on that Asian Ravenclaw girl you're always staring at."

Blaise seemed to have swallowed air and coughed badly. "Excuse me?" He said between coughs and I grinned.

"Oh, please, Blaise. I've seen the way you look at her. She's in our year so you should ask her out."

Growling at me, he said quietly: "Her name's Cho, Cho Chang."

"There you go. Ask her out. You definitely should because I saw her looking at you too."

"Liar!" Blaise mumbled but I didn't miss it.

"It's true!" I stated loudly. It really was true.

"Whatever, Jackson. Whatever." He started laughing gloomy and I punched him again.

"Fine, do nothing and see how she'll go out with another boy one day, how she'll marry that guy, become pregn- OUCH!"

Blaise had pushed me hard so that I tilt back. "Idiot!", I exclaimed joking.

"I wanna see you if…" Blaise clenched his jaw to suppress a grin but he had woken my interest. "Forget what I just said."

"What was that?" I approached sliding, fixing him with my gaze but sadly he wasn't one of those people that were easily impressed.

With raised eyebrows and a very provocative serious expression he answered. "Whatever, Jackson. Whatever." He ducked away laughing as I lunged out.

"Be careful, Zabini!" But I couldn't suppress a laugh myself.

"So that's what you mean if you're- what was it again? 'Going to the library'?" Draco's voice made us turn around but he was grinning wildly. Seeing him like this made my heart skip a beat.

"Yeah, well, I wanted to talk to her alone and yesterday you told me that you wanted to come, so I had to improvise." Blaise said still laughing.

Draco let himself plop down next to me. "So what was so funny?"

"We just discussed Arya's love life." Blaise exclaimed grinning mischievously in my direction. Draco's grin turned in the exact same expression and I glared at them.

"Interesting!" He stated thoughtfully and I huffed. "You can talk openly with us, you know. I'm your brother after all." His grin made me want to punch him but I didn't. Instead I concentrated and made two small balls of water come out of the lake.

"Stop grinning or I will throw those two balls on you!" I threatened and their grins vanished rapidly.

"Okay, okay. No need to become aggressive!" Draco exclaimed putting his hands up in defence. I grinned and let the water splash back down into the lake.

"Can I ask you something?" Draco asked after a long silence. I nodded and he continued.

"You and Snape, are you on speaking terms again? Because in our first year you were insulting each other all the time. Last year it seemed to have calmed down and now he's acting strange around you, almost ignoring you." He chose his words carefully.

I looked down at my hands. "It's complicate." My whisper was loud enough for them to hear.

"What happened?" Blaise asked sympathetic.

So, I told them. I told them everything that had happened to me since I had left Malfoy Manor. They didn't interrupt me once and when I finished my story there was another long moment of silence.

"Come here." Draco scooped closer to me and took me in his arms. I laid my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. Suddenly, my body was shaking with sobs and he caressed my hair comfortingly.

"I think I should leave you two alone now." I heard Blaise warm voice and then he left.

"Shh, it's okay, Aryanna." Draco tried to sooth me.

"But I hate it! I hate that he's acting like this. It's not fair! He's asking me to tell him everything and now he doesn't want to tell me what's troubling him." I said between sobs. Draco embraced me only stronger and after a while I calmed down.

"Want me to talk to him?" Draco asked smiling gently. I chuckled half-hearted.

"Definitely, not. This is between the two of us, Draco. But thank you."

"Apropos, I think I owe you a 'thank you'." Draco said thoughtfully. "For saving me from that Hippogriff." I groaned and he grinned.

"It's not funny. Hagrid's got into trouble because of this." I said gloomy and Draco's gaze turned dark.

"I know. My father told me about what he wanted to do. I'm really sorry!" Pleadingly, he looked at me and I smiled slightly.

"It was only a matter of time 'til he interfered in one way or another. He hates Dumbledore!... Nevertheless, it was stupid what you did."

"I know."

We sat in silence for some time until my rumbling stomach disturbed the piece. Draco chuckled.

"We should go inside. It's getting cold anyway." I sighted and he helped me up.

"You go first. I'll go back inside in five or ten minutes." Draco said looking me deeply in the eyes.

I pulled him in a strong hug, then I turned around and left.

As I entered the Great Hall for lunch I found my friends sitting together and discussing wildly something. They told me that Hagrid would have a hearing together with Buckbeat. They wanted to help him so I agreed to help too. After all it was kind of my fault.

"Now tell me, where were you really going this morning?" Hermione asked me as we were preparing for going to bed.

"You have to swear not to tell anyone, Hermione!" I emphasized seriously and she nodded.

"Before I lived at the orphanage I was living with a family. They had a son and we grew close, like brother and sister. Now, I consider him as my only family I have. I was meeting up with him."

"At Hogsmeade you met him too?" Hermione asked thoughtfully and I nodded. After a silence: "Who is he?"

"I'm sorry, Hermione but I can't tell you. You need to understand that I'm trying to protect him. My father will return one day and then he'll be in terrible danger; even more if you know who he is." Pleadingly, I looked her in the eyes, hoping for her to understand me.

To my relieve she smiled. "Fine, just promise me in return that you won't lie to me. Never!"

"As long as you don't ask me questions I can't answer for his safety. I promise."

Laying down in bed my thoughts wandered through the day again. You solved your problems with your brother, with Blaise and Derek, even with Hermione. So why are you letting the thought of Severus pulling you down, Arya? I wondered for myself.