Words Could Never Say It

Chapter Eight - Moonlight Confessions

The air outside was like ice, sharp and harsh quite suddenly against Draco's skin as he stepped into it from the warm Entrance Hall. He saw Emily Matthews slowly sit down at the bottom of the stairs, against the left railing, and bury her face into her hands. Gritting his teeth, Draco slowly made his way down the stairs, his dragon hide shoes making only soft sounds in the still night, and he sat down beside her in silence. The full moon bathed them both in silver light that rivaled the gold of the sun. Emily did not look up from her hands, and Draco heard silent sobs from her.

"Emily..." he said softly, placing his pale hand on her shoulder. "It's okay... Dumbledore will expel him for sure, he'll be gone by tomorrow..."

Emily looked up at him, tears freely pouring down her cheeks as she did. She made a sign with her hand, and paused, realizing he didn't understand Sign Language. Draco felt a slight pang of guilt... He hadn't bothered to learn any of it. This was why it was best to learn it... it seemed to more natural to do it than waving a wand and waiting for the other person to read it. She gently swished her wand in the air, and watched as the text scrolled out from the tip in a gentle glittery stream.

*It could have been me. So easily. I could have gone looking for him. And no one would have heard me.*

Draco winced again, the guilt bubbling inside his chest. He could have well been the cause of Millicent's rape if Goyle and Crabbe had not been walking by, or Emily's if she had gone looking for Devenish... "But it wasn't you," he said softly, rubbing her shoulder gently. "And he didn't hurt Millicent. It's okay, Emily... He can't hurt you, he won't ever get the chance again. Don't cry..."

To his surprise, Emily seized him about the waist with the same strong hold she had displayed during the Quidditch match, and pressed her face into his chest. She sobbed, shaking as Draco reflexively pulled his arms around her shoulders, staring at her with wide eyes, softly stroking her blond hair that was slowly bleeding black as the temporary charm wore out. Her make up didn't run with her tears, but her face seemed considerably more somber than it had inside as she looked up at him. They looked at each other for several moments, looking away only as the moonlight disappeared behind gray clouds.

*Thank you for what you did in there.*

Draco felt another pang of guilt as Emily lowered her wand. "Thank me...? For what? I didn't do anything at all..."

*You punched Devenish in the stomach.* She smiled softly, and it faltered. *I should have gone to the ball with you.*

He forced a small smile. "Naw... you never would have gotten me into a costume to match yours." He chuckled, and Emily smiled wider. All around them stillness settled, and gentle flakes of white began to glide through the air from the clouds that had gathered overhead. Draco looked up and watched the snow, and Emily did the same.

"What did you mean... when you said, 'I'm not what I seem'?" he asked tentatively.

Emily paused, but finally looked down, and gently touched her wand again. *It is very painful, and very personal. Promise you will tell no one...?*

"Yeah, I promise," he said softly. Emily paused again.

*You remember our first potions class... you asked me what my mother's surname was.* Draco nodded. *Well... truth is, I don't... know.* She turned her head away, but gently flicked her wand. *I was adopted by Marcus Matthews after my Mum and Dad were murdered when I was a baby... Marcus Matthews is my uncle. All he knows is that I was brought to him and charged with my care after his brother and my Mum died... and that my Mum was a Muggle.*

"So, you're a half-blood," he said slowly, but smiled slightly. "That's alright. A lot of Slytherin's are half-bloods, too, even Millicent." But he knew immediately this was not the correct answer, for she stood up and stepped down to the ground, holding her arms tightly. She shrugged off the cloak, and looked away. Draco stood, picking his cloak up off the step behind her with a bewildered look.

*You don't understand,* she scrolled, her grip tightening on her wand handle.

"Emily, I think you're the one who doesn't understand," Draco said softly as he pulled the cloak around her shoulders again, and she didn't resist. "I don't care if you're a half-blood or a pureblood... I like you, a lot. Ever since I saw you in the Entrance Hall the night you arrived. I was hoping with all my might you'd be a Slytherin so that I could spend more time with you and get away from Pansy." He turned her to him, and gently touched her face with his fingertips. She was looked at him in shock. He took a deep breath. It was now or never.

"I want to see more of you. I don't care if you're a Hufflepuff and I'm a Slytherin, I don't care that you're a half-blood and I'm a pureblood. You're powerful, you're beautiful, you're smart... Gods, you're what I've always looked for in a friend and... well, and a girlfriend."

*What about... what about Pansy?*

Draco paused. "Pansy... She's not my girlfriend. She understands me and takes care of what I need. She's a confident, maybe even a friend. But I don't love her... I barely even like her." Before she could protest, Draco leaned down and kissed Emily, his platinum blond hair falling in soft locks down over his cheeks as he pressed to her. Emily, at first, was ridged with the shock of the sudden motion, but after a few moments, she relaxed, and started pressing back.

Smirking behind the kiss, he pulled his arms around her under the cloak as he tilted his head against hers, pressing more firmly now. Her lips were as soft as he could have dreamed, and her body, always hidden beneath baggy robes, was the perfect portrait of feminine beauty. He could feel it clearly as he touched her. Draco had kissed a hundred girls if he'd kissed one. But Emily Rose Matthews was different... very different. He took his time, he'd make her feel it as much as he did, make her want more, want what he did. He was very good at manipulating people, but this would be different. He didn't want to just seduce her with his charm like he had Pansy. No... he wanted her to really want him back. Perhaps in time... for now, he was very content to stay just like this forever.

But this brief glimpse of utopia didn't last nearly as long as he would have liked. Emily turned her head away and pulled out of his arms, tears falling down her face anew. *You don't know... anything... about me...* she scrolled in a sad silver text.

"Then tell me. I want to know everything," he said, going to her, but she stopped him. "... I don't understand, Emily... Is it because of what happened in the hallway with Granger...? I am sorry for that," he said quickly, "and I haven't bothered her since, have I?" When Emily didn't respond, he continued. "Look, whatever it is, you can tell me, I promise it won't affect at all how I feel about you." He smiled his most charming smile, but it faltered as Emily began to cry again, and turned to head up the stairs, waving her wand one last time.

*My father, Martin Matthews, was a Squib.* She looked at him with sudden bright and angry eyes glowing through her tears. *I'm not even half-blood. I'm Muggle-born. Just like Hermione Granger.* And then, she was gone up the stairs, past the stunned form of Professor Snape who had opened the door to call them inside.