It wasn't long before everyone had heard about the attack. Gwen hadn't told anyone it was Malfoy yet, she wanted to deal with him on her own terms.

"Did he hurt you?" Graves said, pulling her aside in the Charm's corridor.

"No, Graves. I'm ok. It was nothing really." Gwen said, trying to erase the achy tension still present in her body. He had hurt her, but she wasn't about to tell Graves that.

"So it was Malfoy?"

"You're not to tell anyone." She said hurriedly.

"I can't believe he put his greasy little hands on you. I'll kill him."

"Graves, he's nothing I can't handle. You know I'm a very capable witch. If I find I'm in over my head you'll be the first person I call."

"Gwen it's not that. It's that he's trying to get to me through you."

"Are you sure?"

"Slytherins are the type of people that only look out for themselves. There is no loyalty in that house, not even to a fellow Slytherin. Draco would kill me if he thought it would advance him at all."

"Would it?"

"Not now, but you know that dark forces are brewing right now. He doesn't even hide it that his father is a deatheater anymore. It's only a matter of time before he has the dark mark and then, who knows?"

"I don't know. I thought maybe it had something to do with Harry."

"Oh him." Graves said. He fully understood the extent of Gwen's relationship with Harry Potter. It wasn't that he didn't like the guy. It was more that he coveted his relationship with Gwen more than he had coveted anything in his entire life.

"So tell me something." He said softly. "Are you and Potter an item?"

"What?" Gwen said incredulously. That was the most absurd thing she'd ever heard.

"Are you?"

"No. We're just friends."

"Just friends that hold hands?"

"Yes. You've never held hands with your female friends before?"

"No." He said, anger flickering over his face like flames.

"Why are you getting so upset?" She said suddenly concerned.

"Maybe I care."

"About what Graves?"

"About you." He said looking away from her. He was upset enough to cry and he hadn't done that since he'd been a very young boy. He didn't want to start again now.

She reached out tentatively to rest her hand on his arm. Before she could say anything he had her wrapped in his arms tightly. She rested her head on his chest and listened to his heart, beating out apologies and trying to find words to explain what it felt for her.

To be continued in Episode Sixteen