Chapter Twenty: In Noticing the Unnoticed
I want you to be happy
You�re my best friend
But it's so hard to let you go now
All that could have been
I'll always have the memories
She'll always have you
Fate has a way of changing
Just when you don't want it to�
-Amanda Marshall
Malfoy was sitting at the Slytherin table with a heavy heart. Although Trent made it a point to place his elbow in his goblet �accidentally� every five minutes that makes the team force out scattered laughs, Malfoy still couldn�t stop his hands from shaking. Rolls of sweat were pouring down his forehead. His face was sticky and his hair was matted down on his forehead. Parkinson kept on dabbing on his brow with her handkerchief just like a fair maiden, while Crabbe and Goyle went on with their usual gulping down of food in large amounts and fully ignored Malfoy and his constipation.
Thinking that it would decrease his nervousness, he tried hard to catch a glimpse of her in the Gryffindor table, but she wasn�t on her usual seat. Someone else was taking up her space. At first thought, Malfoy thought that this particular Gryffindor was bullying her, which greatly annoyed him since he thought that there can�t be too many bullies in school.
�If you�re trying to look for her, try looking at your left and not at your right,� Parkinson murmured jealously, suddenly dabbing at his forehead with much greater force than before.
Malfoy followed Parkinson�s directions and saw her, with Creevey and Longbottom, seating across from Potter, Weasley and Granger. What were they doing there? They don�t usually sit near Potter! They sit right at the far end of the Gryffindor table! What was so important that they all had to sit together?
Malfoy groaned in disgust as he slumped back in his chair, not even trying to hide his disappointment. As soon as Parkinson saw that Malfoy had found the youngest of the Weasleys, her face suddenly changed into mock softness and said, �Oh, don�t tell me you haven�t heard?�
�Haven�t heard of what?� Malfoy snapped impatiently, momentarily forgetting that it was Parkinson he was talking to, which meant that nothing true came from her mouth.
�Weasley�s undying love for Potter of course!�
�I never knew Weasley was gay. I thought it was only Montague.�
�Montague is not gay, he�s just very�� Parkinson scrunched her face up as she tried to find the right words to describe Montague�s unusual attraction to boys, ��sweet! And I�m not talking about Ronald Weasley, Draco. I�m talking about her�Virginia.�
�Undying love?� Malfoy snorted. �Sure, just change the undying part into non-existent and you�ll get your facts straight for once.�
�Of course she loves him,� Parkinson sniped in. �Why else do you think is she in that side of the table?�
�Maybe because of the fact that she�s a Gryffindor and her brother is at that side of the table?�
�Oh no,� Parkinson gasped, as if a tragedy had just happened in front of her, �don�t tell me you haven�t heard?�
�Of what again? Honestly, Parkinson, it�s a bit of an embarrassment, now that I realized I don�t listen to such important gossips that nasty people like you spread around.�
�Summer loving,� Parkinson whispered.
�Summer what?!�
�Summer loving,� she explained convincingly, �I heard that every summer, Potter stays at the Weasleys and you know�strange things happens��
�Let me guess. The Weasleys, all nine of them, and Potter get together every night�and I mean really together�and fill the night with their loud moans?�
�Oh you�re sick, Draco,� Parkinson sneered, disgusted, �what I meant was Virginia Weasley and Harry Potter getting to know each other. Latest rumour is that Potter really wants to beat you in this match to prove to you that he really is meant to be with her.�
�She won�t do that, I just know she won�t!� Malfoy argued loudly, although he didn�t believe the words he had just uttered. �She just can�t!�
�Oh, I�m sure she won�t,� Parkinson gushed, grinning, �I mean, not after she gets this.�
She held out the box containing all the objects that Malfoy had carefully stored for Virginia Weasley. He decided last night that it was time to give back what was rightfully hers.
He looked up at Parkinson, not being able to hide the doubts from his eyes. Parkinson looked away, as if guilt suddenly trapped her, and was tearing her apart. When she looked back at Malfoy, she gave him a sweet smile and said, �Look, if she really cares, she would accept this, even if you lost right?�
�I�m not going to lose in this match,� Malfoy snarled forebodingly, making Parkinson back away in fear, �I�m going to win. There is absolutely no way I can fail. Losing is not an option. No way.�
*.*
Ginny watched in anticipation as Malfoy flew magnificently to the air with Harry beside him on the sound of Madam Hooch�s whistle. She clapped alongside the Gryffindors, as her brother screamed his guts out and Hermione applauded until her throat was sore. Colin and Neville simple beamed in their seats.
Warrington, who had fully recovered from the accident in the last match, swerved speedily to the left and caught that Quaffle easily with his hand, leaving the poor Chaser, Nathalie McDonald, bedazzled. Seamus Finnigan�s crisp swearing while dancing away from Professor McGonagall�s angry grasp signified that the Slytherins had scored 10 points for their team.
�Go, Slytherins!� Ginny screamed in delight, momentarily forgetting that she was beside an irritated swarm of loyal Gryffindors for she stood up in excitement.
�Psst, Ginny!� Neville reprimanded her immediately, as he saw a number of his classmates throw Ginny those familiar dirty looks. Ron was obviously forcing himself not to burst out in anger, judging by the fact that his fists were clenched tightly on each side of him and his ears were even redder than his hair.
�Oh, honestly,� Hermione cried out as she gave her fellow Gryffindors an equally dirty glance, �leave her alone. It�s not like she�s doing Dark Magic or anything.�
With an insistent tug, Colin managed to get Ginny back on her seat. Hermione gave her a friendly wink as she slumped back down, knowing very well how torn she was between the two teams. As Ginny gave Hermione a smile, she saw in the corner of her eye, Pansy Parkinson at the very edge of the Slytherin stands, holding out a box in mid-air as if she was ready to throw it away in to the field.
Her attention diverted from the game, Ginny stared at Pansy�s determined face as she wondered what Pansy could possibly be up to now. But just as the Slytherin girl was about to release the box and crash it into smithereens, Ginny saw her face change. From an unwavering look, her face transformed into a terrified expression as she stared at something behind her.
Ginny turned around to see what was scaring Pansy out of her shell when suddenly, all of the Gryffindors stood up as one, cheering as their house scored.
Ginny, knowing that she was beginning to have no choice, stood up and elbowed her way towards the Slytherin stands. Something about Pansy�s look intrigued her greatly, for it was the same look that she wore when Malfoy said that he couldn�t answer her question a few days ago. Ginny�s heart thundered as she stumbled nearer to Pansy, knowing without any doubt, that the box she was about to destroy, belonged to her.
*.*
Five minutes ago�
Pansy gripped the box tightly in her hands as she watched Malfoy squint towards the grassy field, searching for the Snitch. Potter was above him, watching the game with keen interest, ignoring Malfoy�s frantic flying and remained frozen in the air.
Pansy heard her fellow Slytherins cheer and jump in victory as her house scored. She knew she should be one of them, egging their team on�just like she did four years ago.
�Parkinson! Come here for a second!�
Pansy looked up to see a very nervous twelve-year-old Draco, his face pale and his nose being pointier than ever. She obligingly rushed towards him, beaming. �What is it, Draco?�
�Go to my game, tomorrow. It�s going to be my first,� he ordered her, face impassive.
�Why?�
�Because I want you to be there, okay? Stop asking me hard questions!�
Pansy covered her eyes with the palm of her hands just in case she started crying. She knew she wouldn�t, it�s been years since her last tears. She couldn�t let this petty situation produce tears, for tears and pain are not made for love�s sake. When the Slytherins around her finally sat down, she saw only one Gryffindor rejoicing at the fact that they scored.
It was her.
Pansy bit her lip in outrageous envy. Her fingers tightened on the box, trying to crush it with her bare hands, detesting the fact that Draco, her bestfriend for years, chose her.
�Are you okay?�
She saw Draco at thirteen; open his eyes to peer at her, his arm lying limp on his side.
�That bloody teacher�s going to pay, bringing such a dangerous animal in class�what was he thinking?� he snarled, teeth clenching in anger.
�Don�t worry, I�ll help you get rid of him,� she offered, giving him a cheerful smile.
�You always do,� said Draco, giving her a goofy smile, �if I didn�t know any better, I�d say you were the girl version of me.�
Who knew what kind things could have happened for the two of them? She was the only one who knew him truly and deeply. She was the only one who trusted him with her all her heart.
Not her.
Not that blasted Weasley.
With Weasley�s vivacious cheer stiffening her resolve, Pansy marched towards the edge of the stands and prepared to drop the box fifty feet towards the ground.
�Parkinson��
Pansy turned around in surprise, the same way she always did before Draco�s every game. She was just about to enter the Great Hall, when Draco, at sixteen, called her with a sympathetic look on his eyes, as he held out a box towards her.
�Yes?� she asked.
�Give this to her,� he ordered as he shoved the box to her hands.
�To who?�
�You bloody know who,� he snapped angrily, �don�t let me say her name.�
�Why me?� she asked, irritated, �why don�t you give it to her yourself after the match?�
�Because��
�Because what?� she sneered at him, as she thought of the words that would sting his heart, �You�re too scared to give it to her, aren�t you? You don�t think she�d care, do you?�
�No,� he said, shaking his head.
�Then why are you giving it to me?�
�Because I trust you.�
Trying to block out Malfoy�s trusting eyes an hour ago, she pushed the box a little more towards the edge, waiting for it to titter completely. Before letting the box go, she quickly turned around to check if anyone was watching her. She gasped as she saw something that wrenched her heart.
Blaise Zabini was lip to lip with a classmate of his, Sarah McKatie.
Pansy�s eyes threatened to swell with tears just as the Slytherins stood up to applaud their team.
*.*
Malfoy saw the familiar glitter of the golden Snitch at long last right behind Potter and immediately sped towards the miniscule metal ball, thinking of nothing else. As he passed Potter, he grinned in pleasure as he realized that his chances of winning were raised to a 90%. Potter didn�t see the Snitch, and he was way in front of him.
Which made him wonder.
When he turned around to see if Potter was close at his tail, he was shocked to see that Potter was staring at him, a few feet behind, still frozen to his spot. He waited for a few seconds just in case Potter reacts, but he never did.
�If you haven�t realized it yet, Potter, I found the Snitch,� said Malfoy, trying to clarify his doubts.
�You did now, really?� Potter asked, still not moving.
�Yes�and you�re not following me,� he complained, still confused, �you do realize that you have to catch the Snitch to be able to win this game, right?�
�Oh, I do? Really, now?�
He gawked at his arch nemesis for a whole second before groaning out loud, �Potter, what do you think you�re playing at?�
�I�m not playing with you,� said Potter, his mysterious look still not wavering, �I just decided not to.�
Malfoy contemplated his words for a full minute before sudden realization hit him. He quickly flew towards Potter and glared angrily at him as he waved his fist under his nose.
�Why,� he asked, breathing heavily with emotion, �are you letting me win?�
*.*
Ginny ran towards Pansy as she saw her going down from the stands and running towards the castle grounds. �Excuse me, sorry�� she mumbled as she hastily pushed a few Slytherins out of her way, �oh no�sorry about that��
Ginny went down the wooden stairs with haste, trying to trace Pansy�s footsteps with her own. As soon as her feet touched the wet grass, she ran towards a fast hurtling object, running towards the horizon. She didn�t mind the blades of the grass and the wetness of the melting snow as she ran. She ignored the growing pain at her side, and she neglected the dry wind that was starting to sting at her cheeks. All she wanted was to catch up with her, as though she was the last puzzle to the mystery that was floating in her mind.
When she finally caught up with Pansy, she saw her quietly staring at the sparkling lake, the box lying cosily beside her. Ginny didn�t know what happened, but she knew deep inside that it had something to do with Malfoy.
�Pansy�� she called out uneasily, for she and Pansy weren�t that good friends.
She didn�t turn around at the sound of her voice. She continued to stare at the still lake, her posture as frozen as the ice caps in the mountains from a distance.
�I don�t know what happened that made you run out of there�� said Ginny, trying hard to reach out for the poor girl, �but whatever it is�if there is anything I could do to help��
�You know how I knew that I was losing him?� she asked, her voice quivering with emotion. Ginny didn�t need to hear the name. They both knew very well what she was talking about.
�How?� Ginny asked carefully.
�When he didn�t deny the fact that it was him who was kissing you in the paper,� she answered, her voice softer than the whisper of the leaves. She sighed deeply before asking again, �And you know how I knew that you loved him?�
�When I joined the Slytherin team to help defeat the Ravenclaws?� Ginny guessed.
�No,� she answered, shaking her head, �I realized that you loved him way back when you didn�t argue with Snape when you heard about your punishment.�
This time, she turned around, her face white and her eyes red with tears when she asked her last question, �And you know how I knew that it was time to let him go?�
Ginny stared at her, her face filled with compassion for the unnoticed Slytherin.
�When he called out to you in the Ravenclaw match, warning you about the Bludger,� she said softly, her eyes boring on hers, �he called you by your first name.�
She looked away, hurt written all across her face as she uttered, �He still calls me Parkinson��
Ginny�s eyes welled with tears for the unnoticed Slytherin. Here was the one girl that worshipped the ground Malfoy walked on. Here was the one girl that gave Malfoy her whole heart, and here was the one girl who watched with silence as the one she always cared for slowly slip away from her grasp.
�If it�s any consolation Pansy,� Ginny said as she offered out a kindly hand to her, �I was always threatened by you. You�re this image Malfoy created, and based everything on how you see it. You were always his boulder to lean on, and you were always the good side of his heart. He got you on a podium, Pansy.�
Pansy gave her a smile as she stood up from the grass, straightening out her skirt as she walked over to her. She held the box in her hands and she her eyes smiled too when she gave it to Ginny. On top of the box was a piece of parchment that said: To Ginny.
�He does have me in a podium, Virginia,� Pansy agreed, beaming, �but he�s got you in his arms.�
*.*
Harry stared at Malfoy uncomprehendingly as Malfoy asked, �Why are you letting me win?�
He glanced away as Malfoy suddenly hit the truth, proving to him at last that he wasn�t as dense as he thought he was. He didn�t want Malfoy knowing that he wanted him to win; he only wanted it to happen.
�You didn�t answer me,� Malfoy grumbled, his eyes narrowing up in antagonism.
�You want to know the truth?� he asked, preparing for the worst.
�Hell yeah,� Malfoy answered immediately.
Harry breathed in deeply, trying to shove out the nervousness he felt inside him. �I�m letting you win because�� he answered slowly, trying hard to avert his eyes to anywhere but Malfoy�s face, �Ginny would be tad happier if Slytherin wins.�
�That�s bull,� Malfoy hastily snapped, rolling his eyes, �how can you say that? And what do you care anyway if she wants us to win? With all due respect, Potter, I believe that you were the one ignoring her for the past few years, throwing away her Valentine cards in disgust. Now, you�re coming up with this lame excuse of you actually knowing what her name is, just so people would think you�re noble enough to let me win just once�isn�t this what this is about, Potter? You want to be the hero again, don�t you?�
�You don�t understand. Hermione was right, you are dense. What I�m trying to say is that�� and here he paused, not daring to say the words out loud.
�What? What are you trying to say?�
�I love her.�
Malfoy stared at him as if he couldn�t believe what he had just uttered. Of course Ron knew this, ever since last night at the Yule Ball, when he caught him protecting Ginny from Malfoy. It also didn�t help the fact that he was keeping an eye on Ginny the whole night, and the fact that he had begged Colin and Neville that morning to sit across from them, just this once. Harry knew that it was all too late to be falling for Ginny now, now that she had fallen for someone else. And that simple statement was tearing him apart. He realized just after breakfast that the only way to repent for all his actions of ignoring Ginny for the past four years was to let Malfoy win on the year that she really loved him. Maybe then she wouldn�t mind as much when she finds out that he had feelings for her�from the very first day that he saw her on Platform 9 and �, as she held Mrs. Weasley�s hand.
�That�s why,� he said softly, �that�s why I�m letting you win. Maybe if you win this year, that would be enough to balance the universe, to pay for the fact that I pretended to ignore her for such a long time.�
�You�re a load of crap, do you know that Potter?� asked Malfoy, his nastiness not dithering. �You�re telling me that you believe all this idiotic theory?�
Harry didn�t know why Malfoy was being so hard. Wasn�t he the one who was dying to win in the first place? And now that he was winning, why was he being such a pain? �I thought you wanted to win,� he said, �now that you have a shot on winning, why are you suddenly making things so hard?�
�Do you think I want to live the rest of my life knowing that a scum like you let me win? No way�a Malfoy would never bow that low!� Malfoy exclaimed angrily. �Look Potter, let�s get things straight here. If you let me win and she hears about it, don�t you think it�d disappoint her just the same? Do you think allowing me to win would actually make it easier for her to forgive you? Do the world a favour Potter, and play Quidditch. Don�t play for your house, don�t play for your team, play for her, and I can assure you, that will be the only thing that can be able balance your universe.�
Harry felt his lips tug a grin. When he finally looked at Malfoy, he didn�t see the usual pale-faced boy with a pointy nose that he once saw at Madam Malkin�s Robes when he was 11 years old. He saw the blonde person that Ginny and all the Slytherins see everyday, the blonde boy with grey eyes that understood everything around him, and saw every path as his way. And for once in the span of that whole month, Harry felt that Ginny made the right choice, after all.
�Okay, Malfoy,� he said, grinning, �let�s play Quidditch.�
*.*
A/N: Wow that was a LONG chapter! Phew! Good thing I had it done! I just realized this only now, but the phrase I detest the most is: Site experiencing overload�please come back a few minutes later�don�t you just hate that??
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