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Chapter Eighteen: In Unspoken Words, There is Love
There is freedom within, there is freedom without,
Try to catch a deluge in a paper cup.
There�s a battle ahead, many battles are lost,
But you�ll never reach the end of the road�
When you�re travelling with me�
--Sixpence None the Richer
Malfoy opened his eyes and at once felt a jagged pain palpating in his nose bridge. He lightly touched with the tips of his fingers the aching nerves around his nose and immediately winced in pain.
�My dear Lord, stop squeezing that nose, Mr. Malfoy!� Madam Pomfrey said as she emerged from behind the white curtains that surrounded him. �I�m having enough hard time trying to suppress those rowdy filthy friends you have back in there. I would appreciate it very much if you stop making your injury worse.�
�Woman! If you don�t let us in right now, you�d be finding a Bludger stuck up in your�� a voice screeched from the door, which remarkably sounded like a very aggravated Trent.
�Tsk, tsk, threatening,� said Madam Pomfrey, shaking her head, �I really should report your team to the headmaster.�
She went behind the curtains, mumbling something about players getting murdered by the Bludger third time in a row and about banning Quidditch in schools forever. A few moments later though, his team came rushing towards his bedside. Malfoy could smell their sweat a mile away, but he didn�t care. All he wanted was to see that girl, and imagine her face after he did such a heroic thing.
Malfoy was a hundred percent sure she can�t possibly refuse him now.
�Where�s Weasley?� he instantaneously asked, his eyes searching in the crowd for her.
�Well�umm�.� Tracey mumbled, seeming to Malfoy that she was doing everything just to avoid his eyes.
�Yeah, about that�� Derrick whispered softly.
�You know maybe we should visit Warrington first,� Bole suddenly announced, keen to change the subject, �I mean, he is just right beside us.�
�Oh for crying out loud! You cowards!� Trent barked.
�Not cowards, more like�kind,� Montague argued mulishly.
�Kind, ignorant bastard�s more like it,� Trent mumbled.
�Just tell me what bloody happened!� Malfoy shouted in frustration.
�Fine, fine,� Trent said, placing both of his hands in front of him in defence against Malfoy, �I�ll tell the story��
It was a cold windy day. The skies were blue, and the grass was soft and mushy. The birds were singing, and the Slytherins were cheering. Most of all, a game of Quidditch was about to begin. With the sound of a shrill whistle�
�Son of a cricket, I know that part, Trent you blistered�Slytherin,� Malfoy interrupted. �Just get into the bloody part! The part where I get my nose twisted in the wrong side of my face!�
�Did anyone ever tell you that patience is a virtue Malfoy?�
�And did anyone ever tell you that the person who said that got his head cracked open by a Malfoy? So if you still want that head perfectly balanced on top of your shoulders, I suggest you�d better start being serious or I swear�I swear that�I swear�I swear that it�d be too hard and evil that I don�t even want to say it out loud in fear that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named might get ideas and then get credits for it, and I lose all the attention.�
�The bloody part�that�s all everyone seems to be interested into nowadays��
The petite red-head was hanging in mid-air, her eyes wide open and her mouth emitting a nice flow of saliva�or for short�she was drooling over a particular blonde boy who was trying to catch the golden Snitch. Honestly, I don�t know what she sees in him. He�s just a guy, strutting his ass around by wearing this thick leather pants everyone seem to fancy him wearing, as he walks in the hallway with his pointy nose up in the air�and I�m telling you, Malfoy, we�re under strict orders from Pomfrey not to let you stand up from bed. I suggest you try to kill me later.
Suddenly, this evil ball�hehe, balls�from hell came out from nowhere, charging towards the little red-head, who was such an ignorant son of a�
�Okay, stop right there!� Malfoy interrupted once more, eyebrows furrowed. �Bale, do me a favour and continue the rest of the story will you? Blister guy here is giving me a headache.�
�Sure, Malfoy,� said Tracey, sticking her tongue out at Trent, who simply rolled his eyes, �it was like this��
Like, Ginny was like, so standing like, right there, right? And like, oh my like, god! I was like, across from like, the field, and I was like, talking to like, Padma and we were like, aaaw, and Padma was like, eeeeww, and I was like, woah! And Padma was like, oh my god! And I was like, oh my god, like too! And I was like�oh no! I like have red nail polish like right now! And like, in green robes! And Padma was like, hey like, stumpy, we don�t like, care. And I was like, oh, how dare you, like, call me like, stumpy! And like, we started you know, like, so pulling like each other�s hair like totally. And yeah, you were like, soooo murdered by the Bludger.
Like, totally.
�Is that the end of the story?� Malfoy asked, his jaw slowly dropping open in bewilderment.
�Yeah, pretty much,� said Tracey, flashing him a wide smile.
Malfoy groaned loudly as he slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. �Someone�please tell me the freaking story��
�I think I can,� Montague spoke up, shrugging.
As usual, a game of Quidditch always gave me the willies. So I was checking out Trent beside me, and I thought that he was so cool and confident, just hanging there in mid-air, concentrating on the red-head so hard, waiting for her to give him the Quaffle. It was a very long moment before the red-head decided to give me the Quaffle, and when she did, I felt my heart do a huge leap. You know, a huge leap like that dance Muggles do to another Muggle�s lap�you know, when they shake their hips and stuff. My mum, who was the only one who raised me ever since birth, told me my dad used to do that, and said that she met him in a Muggle club, not knowing that my dad was a wizard.
I used to do that dance, of course only when I�m alone in my room. It gives my body freedom to speak and scream their anxieties aloud. I think our pants suffocate our legs, and that it makes the lips of our legs pursed. That�s not good, in my opinion. Our legs should be free to speak too�just like our arms and hands. That�s why when I do that dance, I wear my mum�s skirt�
�That�s way too much information!� Malfoy screamed, suddenly sitting up in his bed, thinking that Montague was obviously gay in the time when that still meant happy.
�You guys are idiots,� Derrick cut in, obviously tired of all of the different versions of the story. �Let me tell it.�
She did excellent in all of her plays. The rushing wind made her medium length auburn hair flow silkily behind her. Her lips were as red as roses, and every time she says a word, her lips curve perfectly as the lips of a goddess will do. There�s an aura of mystery around her, something we all want to uncover, but yet at the same time, we�re all afraid to discern. Her voice is the song that angels sing, and her tiny nose in the centre of her face compliments her face flawlessly. Her chestnut brown eyes are always wide with questions, sparkling with stars, and loving with all the love in the world. Her curly eyelashes are softer than the water. Her curves are noticeable, and the way her emerald robes wrap around her body oh so fittingly makes my heart leap, and no Montague, not the kind of leap you compare to your pornographic dance. Her robes were tight in all the right places. The broom right there...just in between her legs that are as smooth as milk is magnificent�and the heaven that�s in the middle of her luscious legs�and I�m not just talking about the broom�
�Hey, we don�t fancy porn here, okay?� Bole mumbled coherently, slapping Derrick out of his daydream.
�No, it�s okay, just go on,� Malfoy disagreed, signalling for Derrick to continue with his story. Just as Derrick was about to follow orders, Malfoy came back to his senses and cried out, �No, wait a minute! Why were you going on about her�her�heaven? Do you fancy her?�
�No! Hell no!� Derrick denied strongly. Suddenly, his eyes widened and thus asked, �Why are you asking? Do you fancy her?�
Malfoy stared at him for a few seconds.
�A�bla�ble�bli�wah�hi�ha�ne�so�� Malfoy cleared his throat nervously, ��umm�I mean�� and here, Malfoy gulped and afterwards whispered a very soft, �no.�
�Hey,� Tracey announced loudly, �someone�s here.�
Malfoy looked up to see her brother, complete with the freckles, red hair and red ears. He was staring straight towards Malfoy, and both of his fists were clenched tightly beside him.
�We better go,� Bole said, standing up and giving Malfoy a thumbs-up sign. As his team mates slowly filed out of the room, Malfoy was left facing the Weasel, just as he had faced him in Potions a few days back. He didn�t know what was between him and that guy ever since she came to his life. Her brother had this strong unreliable power over her, which made her even harder to get.
Malfoy knew that whatever her brother was going to say, it wasn�t going to be nice, especially after the publishing of that damn newspaper article.
�I heard about the game today,� said Weasley, avoiding his eyes.
�Funny, not a member of my team today had the sense to tell me exactly what happened.�
�You blocked the Bludger for my sister. You came out of your way to stand in front of her, and blocked it with your face, bit stupid really. Although two Beaters were on her side you still didn�t think twice of flying towards her. Don�t you remember?�
Deep inside, Malfoy knew he remembered it all. The way his heart raced when he saw the Bludger coming near her. The way he forgot everything around him and the way his surroundings suddenly became pitch black at the sudden realization that she was going to get hurt. The way fear overpowered his body like a plague. Her scream had shattered his mind. He didn�t know what he was doing. He just sped up there with her, without even thinking, until he felt this searing pain paralysing his whole body.
Funny thing was that, after the pain, the first image that he saw in his mind was her. He definitely remembered this weird emotion enveloping his heart, telling his mind that having his face broken and disfigured was all worth it, as long as she didn�t feel a thing.
The Weasel was right for once.
It was a bit stupid.
�Where is she?� Malfoy asked.
�She�s outside with Hermione and Harry,� Weasley mumbled at the corners of his mouth. �She�s crying.�
�Why?�
�I don�t know, don�t ask me hard questions! Girls do weird things okay? Now, listen, what you did today, Malfoy,� he said forcefully, as if the very words were hard for him to say, �was something we all didn�t expect from you��
�Oh, I�m sure they�d be torturing me for doing that for years.�
��and I just wanted to say that�� Weasley went on, obviously ignoring his last comment, ��that��
�You believe I�m a good guy after all and that you want to come crawling in your knees, begging for forgiveness? C�mon now, Weasley, don�t be shy. We all know you do that for a living. The begging part, I mean.�
Weasley gave him a stare that shoot daggers.
�Changing your mind now, Weasley eh? That�s okay; I�ll still give you a knut for your trouble.�
�Hermione! Harry!� he shouted heatedly. �Get your scars in here and help me out right now!�
�Ron! What�s wrong?� Potter asked worriedly, as he appeared beside his all time boyfriend, with a panic-stricken Mudblood behind him.
When the two found out that their beloved side kick was not hurt at all, and that the helpless Malfoy (who was thinking fearfully that he had no Crabbe and Goyle to protect him just in case the trio attack) was still in bed, grinning goofily.
�Ron, what did we tell you before giving us the signal?� the Beaver reprimanded, making Malfoy remember his mother every time he left the soap in the washroom floor (she always had a nasty accident afterwards). �You only do it when you�re in mortal peril!�
�Mortal peril! Why, I wouldn�t do anything to Weasley!� Malfoy protested childishly. �What�s your signal by the way?�
�Lots and lots of shouting,� Weasley answered sheepishly.
Malfoy snorted in repugnance. The Dream Team, which included Harry Potter, hero of all mankind for Merlin�s sake, was actually worrying about him strangling Weasley to death.
Malfoy felt proud of himself.
�Oh fine, I�ll do it then!� Know-It-All Granger announced, pushing both of her boyfriends aside, (what a whore, Malfoy thought) to make her the centre of attention. �Malfoy, we were very proud of what you did today and we just wanted to say, thank you for saving Ginny�s�well�face. Let�s see,� and here she brought out a list from her pocket and continued narrating, �sorry if I ever slapped you in our third year. Harry�s sorry for insulting your mother, in fourth or third year we don�t remember�ow! Harry!�what? Oooh honestly! Harry says it was in the fourth year. Ron is sorry for ever attempting to curse you once, twice, thrice, four times, five times�well�a lot of times�Neville is sorry for spitting at your broomstick last��
�WHAT!!� Malfoy bellowed in surprise.
��and no, you didn�t need to know that. Colin is sorry for taking your pictures when you�re in the shower and paraded around with it in the Gryffindor common room--�
�I was wondering how Brown and Patil knew about my birth mark in the��
��and no, I don�t need to know that either. For your information, I didn�t look at the pictures�I�m decent. Ask Ron and Harry here; why they even have it still taped in their bedroom walls. Ow�Ron! Stop�kicking�my�shin! Anyway, what an immature git, I�m sorry for ever calling you a twitchy little ferr��
�Mudblood, mudblood, mudblood.� Malfoy chanted tauntingly.
��and I take all of that back.� Hermione concluded, her eyes looking very much like the Weasley�s eyes before they went inside the clinic. �I knew people like Malfoy don�t change.�
�Yeah, people who do change end up looking like Dobby,� said Malfoy wittingly, �or in most cases, like Ronald Weasley.�
�What did my sister see in you?� Weasley asked in disbelief.
�Irresistible charm and hypnotizing wit,� Malfoy answered, �which makes me ask: What did Granger see in you?�
�Excuse me?� the Mudblood asked, turning bright red.
�Oh, I know,� said Malfoy, nodding naughtily, �Weasley have big feet, and Granger, we all know what men with big feet have, right?�
�No, as a matter of fact, I don�t. What does it mean, Malfoy?�
�Men with big feet have humungous��
�Oh for goodness sake, this is not going anywhere!� Potter exclaimed, throwing up his hands in frustration. �Let�s just go before Malfoy gets all foul.�
And as the trio began to walk away in disgust, Malfoy screamed at them heartily, �Shoes! I meant Weasley has humungous shoes!� but he didn�t think they heard that.
*.*
Hours passed. Night began to crawl inside the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey said she was just going to dinner in the Great Hall, leaving Malfoy with pitiful scraps of food. But Malfoy didn�t eat. He just sat there, grinning his lips out, and couldn�t help but feeling that he won over that argument with the trio. At least this time, he wasn�t the one who walked out.
Malfoy was replaying the scene over and over again in his mind as he sat in the dark. It took him a few seconds before realizing that he was staring straight at a dark form, who was staring back at him.
�Who�s there?� he asked, alarmed.
�Me.�
Her voice came out from nowhere, and even though it was pitch black in that room, Malfoy was still sure who it was.
�Weasley,� he murmured, not sure where she was, �what�re you doing here?�
�I just�didn�t want to go to the Great Hall,� she answered softly, �didn�t feel very hungry.�
Even in the dark, Malfoy knew that she was crying. Her voice sounded like it was trembling, and of course, he knew the tone of her voice whenever she�s crying because she used that tone on him a lot of times.
�Oh no, don�t tell me,� Malfoy groaned loudly as he came up with a theory as to why she was crying.
�What do you mean?�
�Are you crying because you feel that the world�s against you again, just because I just proved to everyone out there that I�m stupid for you by preventing that Bludger from smashing your face? For the love of Merlin, Weasley�I don�t give a damn about this crap anymore, okay? If you think I�m being a prat, if you think that letting your instincts take over you is being a prat, then you�re wrong. If you ask me, being a prat is when you deny something you really want for yourself, just because you�re too afraid to want it. Honestly, I�m starting to remorse the fact that I did block that Bludger. In my opinion, you need an awful lot of pounding in the face before you realize you�re the one being a trash.�
It became silent in the room. Malfoy was slowly regretting the words he had just burst out. Were they too harsh? He didn�t mean to be too harsh. It was just that, when he sees her, a mix of emotions overcome his heart, making it hard for him to breathe. He was confused and terrified at the same time. He didn�t know what it was, or maybe, he didn�t want to accept what it was. He knew that everything he just said reflected not her, but himself. He knew who was afraid of letting those feelings free. He knew who was afraid of breaking that image they have created upon themselves to be respected by people around them. But somehow, he was willing to accept all of that, just so this mix of emotions can be said out loud�in words.
Malfoy was just about to say all of what he was thinking out loud when he suddenly found out that sometimes, words are not enough to express what you feel.
The soft and cold touch of her finger tips was nervously caressing his cheek. He drew in a deep breath, wondering why he was the one now feeling nervous. Letting his instincts take over, his hand flew to her fingers, joining their hands together in darkness.
�You�re beautiful,� she whispered, although both of them knew she couldn�t see his face. With his other hand, he felt Ginny�s face gently, trying to imagine in the gloomy room what she looked like. He found her lips, and his thumb softly pressed at her lower lip, making her tremble in excitement.
�Go to the Yule Ball with me,� he bursts out, not thinking twice.
�No,� she answered, �I�m going with Colin.�
�Screw Colin, go with me.�
�No, I promised.�
�Go with me,� he hissed as he pulled her face towards his, �or else I won�t kiss you.�
�I never wanted to be kissed by you,� she retorted back determinedly.
�Think again,� he said, losing control and finally, tilting her head a little on the left so that her nose won�t bump his injured one, and then kissed her.
Her lips were soft and warm, and he felt as if a heavy burden had just lifted from his heart. She smelled of cherries and wet grass and most of all, he wanted her like Crabbe and Goyle wanted chocolate cakes. He opened his mouth and this time, he felt her open up and let him in. After a few minutes, he pulled back, as he gave her a glare.
�Go with me,� he threatened menacingly, �or else I won�t kiss you again.�
�I never wanted to be kissed by you,� she repeated.
�Think again.�
And again they kissed, pressing unto each other so hard, it that it had hurt. By the time they separated, Malfoy felt that his lips were sore, but still he said, �Go with me, or else I swear to Merlin, I won�t ever kiss you again.�
She stood up from his bed and straightened her robes. Though Malfoy couldn�t see her, he knew that she was smiling. Thinking that she didn�t take him seriously, he repeated, �I�m serious, Weasley. I�ll never kiss you again.�
�I can do well without the kiss, thank you very much,� she said, making Malfoy smirk the foulest of all smirks he can ever remember doing. But before she left the room, she called out to him cheerfully, �Nevertheless, meet me at the Great Hall at 6, okay?�
And Malfoy couldn�t help but smile.
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