Skyler followed his tugging as best she could, and it actually helped her keep her mind off the burning pain in her eyes and head. "I probably should mention that I tend to be accident prone when on my own two feet." She muttered through gritted teeth. Her eyes were squeezed tightly shut, and she had to continually force herself to keep moving even though her body seemed to want to be sluggish. I will not faint, I will not faint. Skyler chanted internally to herself.

Through all this, she heard him speak but didn't exactly follow what he said. "What are you talk-HEY!!" Skyler yelped as she was suddenly swept off her feet. Quite literally. Because he had decided it would be faster to carry her apparently. Automatically her arms went around his neck, and she told herself this was to keep herself from tumbling out of his arms and into the floor.

"Put. Me. Down." She demanded in what might have been an angry tone if there had been some heat behind it. Oh Skyler was plenty angry, but the pain in her eyes had just reached a new level of intensity, and a fear of being permanently blinded settled in the pit of her stomach.

Not realizing what she was doing because she was focused on the pain, not having the distraction of walking anymore,  Skyler leaned her head on his shoulder. She couldn't even laugh at his joke appropriately, though she gave a small snort at it. She winced slightly as a fresh stab of pain attacked her, but she attempted to cover this by answering him. "Skyler Riddle." She murmured simply. "Now put me down. You've got to be hurt too. No need to strain yourself. I can manage." This was a huge blow to her dignity, being carried around like some doll. But Skyler had the feeling he was nearly as stubborn as she was.

It was cute how the girl thought Draco would actually put her down in favor of worrying about his own potential injuries. He actually laughed at that, though it came out as a sort of pained wheeze more than a genuine laugh like earlier. Damn. He was hurt. That probably wasn’t good. What was good, was the fact that the hospital was close and he would be able to carry the small girl there without issue. Her name stuck in his head, and he made a mental note to ask her about it. He knew, like so many others, about the rumors associated with the last name of Riddle. The Dark Lord himself was a Riddle. And this girl… well, if she was related in any way, that meant she’d be in trouble. Draco couldn’t imagine the man taking kindly to someone with so much independence.

If she really was related, Draco thought they might have a lot more in common than either dared believe. Maybe she really could be his personal salvation.

“I will not put you down. Now hold still and let me get these doors open so we can both get some help. Damn Parkinson. She’s gone completely insane. Blowing up the damn castle…” he muttered, somehow managing to open the double doors to the infirmary while keeping the girl safely cradled in his arms. He wasn’t looking forward to having to let go of her for the nurse to work her magic. “I’m sorry about all of this. I’m pretty sure now that she’s got you in her sight, she won’t back down.” He felt terrible about it all. There was nothing he wanted to do more than protect this girl, and it scared him. Draco Malfoy had never felt this type of connection with another living creature, let alone another human being.

He sighed in relief as the mediwitch came bustling out, noticing the pair and assessing the damage. With a wave of her wand, the witch used the countercurse for Pansy’s wonderful wand work and Draco was sure Skyler could see again. The old witch looked at him and shook her head. ”Both of you need to sit down and wait for me to get a strong healing potion together. You look like you’ve had a pile of bricks dropped on your heads…” she tsked and bustled off, mentioning a potion to ease the pain that the young witch would still be feeling in her eyes.

While she was gone, Draco looked at the violet-eyed girl. The panic was still evident in his own grey orbs, and he cleared his throat uncomfortably. “So, Skyler then…” he said, voice a bit shaky now that the adrenaline had calmed. “Pretty crazy first night in the castle, huh?”

Skyler became annoyed with the boy simply for the fact that he was carrying her in a bid to help her. Yet she knew he had to be hurt because there was just simply no way he couldn't be with that explosion of wall, and secondly because his pained wheeze was a dead give away. She began to struggle in his hold in an attempt to get him to put her down, and she was sure she probably looked like a child throwing a tantrum.

When he pretty much told her it was no use and to keep still so he could open the doors, Skyler gave up her battle and relaxed in his arms. She would have glared at him, had she had use of her eyes. This made her anger return ten fold. "Even insane is an understatement for her." The brunette muttered through her gritted teeth, and would have rolled her eyes if she could. In a reflex she had tried, and got a burst of searing pain for her efforts.

"Humpf. That's fine by me. If she wants a fight, I'll give her one." Skyler said this with a determination and a confidence that one might think she had already won whatever fight she was talking about. Her mind was already thinking of painful ways to get even with the other girl, but Skyler knew that wasn't really her style. Public humiliation would work greater. It always did.

Pushing thoughts of revenge away, the young witch sighed, just hoping this pain wouldn't last much longer, and she tried to reassure the boy. "It's hardly your fault. It's not like you were the one who hit me with the curse or tried to blow me up. " Saying it out loud brought a wave of reality crashing onto the brunette, and she let out a rather hysterical kind of laugh. The reality that she had, in fact, almost been blown up to the point of death seemed to have finally settle in. And while it wasn't exactly a funny thought, laughing beat crying any day in Skyler's book. She hadn't thought she was afraid of death, but then again, she had never really been that close to it before.

When what Skyker could only assume was the mediwitch spoke, she let out a sigh of relief. Finally! She wanted to open her eyes, but was hesitant to try. There was still pain in them, though it wasn't as bad, and she wasn't sure if opening them would make that worse or not. She couldn't help it and cracked them open a bit. Everything seemed a bit blurry at first, and she chalked that up to have having her eyes closed so tight for so long.

She rubbed them fiercely, almost like one rubs the sleep from their eyes, and opened them fully. Focusing them despite the pain that still existed, a happy grin settled on her lips. "I can see again!" She couldn't have been happier about that, because she had really feared being blinded permanently. When the mediwitch wandered off talking about getting healing and pain potions and how they looked like a ton of bricks had fallen on them, Skyler snorted. "That's ironic." She muttered quietly.

Skyler brought her purple eyes to the boy, taking in his panicked eyes and disheveled appearance. Not to mention his shaky voice. Poor guy had really been through the ringer. Skyler's own gaze showed her concern. How could she not be concerned? He had literally just carried her up who knew how many flights of stairs and had obviously worried about her. She gave him a smile to reassure him that she was ok, and snorted at his question. "Tell me about it. Giving him a questioning gaze, she asked with honest concern in her tone. "Are you alright?"

Draco sat on the nearest bed, flopped onto his back, and broke out in frantic laughter. Once he started, he couldn’t stop. It hurt, but he still couldn’t stop. The simple question was just so absurd that the blonde boy couldn’t compose himself. She wanted to know if he was all right? How in the hell could he have been all right after what had just happened? He let his laughter fade as he tried to stop the aching in his whole body. The pain had to ease a bit so that he could form words again.

Once he found his voice, Draco sighed and ran his hands through his messy hair. “No, Sky,” he muttered, “I’m really not.” His voice was still a bit shaky, and in truth he was more afraid than he’d ever been. Not only had craziness just happened, but he also had a new problem weighing on his shoulders. “You said your name was Riddle, right? Do you know who your family is? Like… who your relations might be?” He wondered what all he should tell her. Somehow, Draco knew he couldn’t keep anything from this girl, and that could mean his life if she decided he wasn’t worth her time.

The blonde took a deep breathe, then winced as his ribs shifted. Perhaps a bit of rubble had broken a rib on him. “Listen, little snake of mine,” he said with a slight wheeze, barely realizing that it might offend the girl that he had called her his. “We might have more trouble than that beast of a woman. In fact, we might have a lot more trouble than her. There’s some stuff I really need to tell you, but I can’t tell you here. It has to be in private. It’s not exactly something I’m allowed to be telling you about, you see. But,” he stopped here, leaning up on his elbows to lock his colorless eyes on her vivid ones. “I have to tell you, Sky. There’s something about you that makes me feel things I’ve never felt before, and I’d give anything to keep feeling them.”

Oh, for Salazar’s sake. The boy was going soft. He didn’t even care anymore though, and he desperately wanted to kiss the other Slytherin. He felt like it would be impossible for him to move more than he had already, however, so he remained as he was, a lopsided grin mixed with a grimace of pain as he looked at the beauty before him. He knew then, that he would do anything for this girl. He would go to the end of the world, tell the Dark Lord to his face that he wasn’t fighting for him anymore, especially if this girl was related to him. Draco would protect her for all he was worth, even lay down his life so that his little snake could go on defying the old laws set in their society. She was something so special, and he’d do anything to keep that uniqueness in this world.

When he started to laugh hysterically, rolling around on the bed, Skyler didn't really know what to do. She supposed it was the shock finally wearing off and reality was setting in for him too. But to her that didn't make too much sense either because, well, he wasn't that one who nearly got blown up to death. Though he did get showered in rubble just the same. And he did good job being the hero, and staying calm.

She was just about to turn and call for the mediwitch because his laughs seemed to be painful when he stopped. She could tell he was in pain and looked over her shoulder half glaring for the mediwitch, forgetting her own pain in the face of his. She returned her attention to the boy though when she heard his voice, and was secretly pleased that he had called her Sky. She had always preferred that but people always seemed to need to be told. She was glad it wasn't the case with this boy, and also glad they seemed to be on first name basis now.

A worried look quickly overtook her pale features when he admitted he wasn't ok, and Skyler opened her mouth to..well she didn't know what exactly. Reassure him maybe? Call for the damn mediwitch who was taking her damn time while he may there in pain? It seemed to escape Skyler's notice just how worried she was for the blonde boy. But the next moment it was all forgotten and the look on her face morphed from one of concern to one of confusion. "My family?" She asked, her brows drawing together as she repeated his question out loud.

What did her her family, or her name for that matter, have to do with anything? Skyler found herself speaking before she consciously decided to. "Well yea. I mean, it's just me and my parents and my grandmother on my mother's side." Her eyes drifted from him as she turned thoughtful. "I know I have grandparents on my father's side, but I've never met them." The brunette's confused look returned full force as she returned her gaze to him. "Why? What does it have to do with anything?"

She steadily grew more confused the more he talked, none of it making much sense to her and Skyler began to wonder if maybe he had taken a hit to the head by a chunk of wall or something. She was so confused she didn't even think twice about him calling her his little snake, which on any normal day would probably have her bristling with irritation. But it came so naturally from him that she hardly noticed it.

"What are you talking about? Are you sure you didn't get hit in the head?" The young witch asked him, moving closer to inspect his head for injuries. She couldn't help it and one could hardly blame her when he was babbling and not making any sense. But then again, nothing that night really did. When she met his eyes with her own, Skyler would never be able to tell of it had been a mistake or not to do so because that one moment changed something inside her.

It didn't happen easily. The brunette was reluctant to trust anyone, with anything. Especially with her feelings. She was hard pressed not to punch him in the face for his words or just simply he'd him silent for speaking them. Because she could feel everything spiraling out of control. It was only her first night in the place for crying out loud! But looking into her his nearly silver eyes Skyler found she couldn't deny a certain connection with the blonde, or that she didn't want it to stop. She kept his gaze and silently nodded as the mediwitch hustled back in, forcing a potion in both of their hands and scanning them with her wand for injuries while muttering who knew what.

Skyler wasn't paying attention. She was too focused on her thoughts to. She had no idea what was going on between him and herself, but she knew she didn't want it to stop. She liked him. Liked the way he laughed, and the way he smiled. She liked the way he said things, and even liked how he had carried her. Though she would never admit it. But more importantly she just simply liked being in his company. He seemed to get her in a way no one else did. And he was the first person she had ever met who she felt she could really trust. Which was odd in a way given what she had heard about him. And somewhere in herself Skyler just wanted, more than anything, for him to be alright. Her own pain was completely forgotten by now and all she cared about was that his went away.

When the girl got so close to him, Draco couldn’t focus on anything but those beautiful eyes. He’d almost lost those eyes. Draco didn’t think he’d ever seen anything as beautiful as those orbs. The arrival of Pomfrey surprised him, and he took the potion thrust into his hand with ease, downing it in a couple gulps. The feeling of numbness was instant, and the warmth of his body mending itself was intense. He could feel the sore spots working their way back to wellness, and he groaned at the relief. Her scan, of course, showed his broken rib, for which she did a simple spell.

”You are very lucky that’s all the damage. And you,” when the witch rounded on the other Slytherin, Draco felt his fists clench. He wanted to smack the woman for speaking to her with such venom in her voice. ”You are lucky to still have your sight. You both need to be more careful. It’s only the first night, and already getting so ruffed up. I really should report this to your head of house. And both prefects, too…” The witch muttered some more, excusing them and warning them to get back to bed once they were well enough to walk back to the dungeons. She wandered off, and Draco figured she’d gone to bed for the evening. They were alone again.

He wondered if it was safe to give her a bit of information now. Probably just as safe as anywhere else would be. He got up and drew the curtains around the bed on which they sat, casting a muffliato over the area before he sat back down with the girl he inwardly referred to as his. “That should keep it safe for now. Still need to be quiet though. If Pomfrey hears us out here she’ll come out to lecture again.” He nearly added and nobody wants that, but held his tongue, focusing on the now healthy younger girl.

“First, are you okay? You feel alright now? Nothing still hurt or out of place or whatnot?” He asked her this with worry clear in his gaze. Once he was sure she was okay, though, he flashed her a huge grin. “You’re damn strong, little snake,” he said, “do you happen to play quidditch?” He thought about his ‘no girls’ rule, but figured that didn’t apply if they could take hits harder than the guys without breaking form. This girl was a fighter. She was just what he needed to beat Potter for once.

“On to more serious things,” he muttered, knowing just how serious things were if he was willing to put them above quidditch. “I ask about your family and your name because there’s something that you really should know. About me. About the name Riddle. About… about the world in general I guess.” He looked at her with sad eyes, pleading with her to hear him out and not judge him for what connections he had. Merlin, what he would do to get her to see him as more than some sheep following the flock to slaughter, for that was what he felt like. “You know about the Dark Lord, right?”

Everyone knew about him, so he was sure this girl did. They knew about him in America, right? “Well, his name… His name was apparently Tom Riddle. And he… well, no one… that is, I don’t know if anyone knows what all family he had. The only thing I know is that his dad was also named Tom. Is… is your grandfather by chance named Tom? Do you know?” He knew the Dark Lord didn’t have children. That wasn’t something the man would have let escape his knowledge. However, he didn’t know if he had siblings. It stood to reason that the man could easily have had a brother, right? Why would he tell anyone, given the fact that he was so ashamed of his parentage? He probably wasn’t too keen on any siblings he might have had…

Draco looked at the girl was pain in his gaze at the idea of what he’d have to tell her next. If he was going to say some, he might as well say it all, right? “The truth is, I know this because… because I… Oh Salazar help me. I’m a monster, Sky. I’m a follower of that man. I’m supposed to follow in my father’s footsteps and become a murdering loon for this crazy halfblood with a hatred for all things muggle. And I don’t even know why!” He wasn’t quite shouting. It was more of a whispered shout, really. It was then that he burst into maniacal laughter, much like he had when they’d first arrived at the hospital wing. “And you know the sickest part? I wanted this. My whole damn life I was brought up to want all that I have, and now I hate it. And I’ll have to tell him about you. If I don’t, he’ll bloody kill me. And if I do, he’ll probably just kill you. I can’t let him kill you, Sky. I can’t. I won’t.”

Perhaps he was growing a bit hysterical, but Draco felt like the whole world had just exploded like that dungeon wall. “Fuck!” he expelled, not even caring that the expletive might bother the girl. There wasn’t another way about it. What the hell else could he say? He repeated the word in whispered moans as he rocked back and forth on the bed, his hands raking through his hair while his elbows rested on his knees, feet flat on the stone floor. His stormy eyes were closed against a horde of images of the Dark Lord laughing at his anguish as he killed either the girl or Draco himself, a cold laugh ripping from his black lungs.

Skyler waited to make sure the blonde drank his potion and was relieved of his pain before drinking her own. She grimaced at the taste, but downed it anyways, already feeling the pain in her eyes and head subsiding. She bit the inside of her cheek and her hands curled into balls at her sides when the woman rounded on her. Did she think Skyler tried to blind herself? Skyler wanted to rip the mediwitch a new one and tell her just where she could stick that damn prefect badge she hadn't wanted anyways but held her tongue. She didn't want to be ungrateful, though she glared at the woman's back when she walked off.

As soon as the mediwitch was out of sight, the boy moved to close the curtains around them, casting a spell to give them some privacy. Skyler arched a brow at him as he did this but otherwise made no comment. She watched him carefully for any sign of pain as he moved, but he didn't so much as wince so she assumed he was as good as new. Unknowingly, the teen witch sagged a little with relief at that. She felt she could relax now that they were both ok.

Apparently he had other ideas though. When he started firing questions about her well being, Skyler rolled her eyes at him but grinned all the same, shaking her head slightly in amusement. "Other than my bruised ego, I'm good." She assured him. She again wrinkled her nose at the term 'little snake' but ignored it in light of his quidditch question. A light seemed to grow in her eyes and a wide grin spread across her face as she nodded in her enthusiasm. "Hell yea I play! And I'm not some damn glass doll ya know. I can take a hit, and I always give as good as I get. " She sent him a glare, not taking kindly to the surprise of how she handled herself. Skyler may be a female, and she may be small, but when she wanted she could do some serious damage and she could take it too. She didn't like being thought of any less because she was small or a girl.

But it seemed quidditch was not going to be the topic for tonight, because he quickly launched into an explanation about his questions of her family, and Skyler was intrigued in spite of herself. Especially when he was looking at her with those pleading eyes. Just what he was pleading for, Skyler didn't know. "Dark Lord?" She repeated, her expression showing her confusion and curiosity. She thought she had heard her parents discussing something of the sort one night when she had...overheard them. Because she would never eavesdrop on someone.

Skyler was too confused to do what she normally did and answer his questions with those of her own, and instead she racked her brain for everything she could remember from her research that summer. After her strange sorting, and the mention the hat had made, she had compiled a sort of family tree, so to speak. But it had only ended in dead ends. No one beside herself or her father had been magical on that side. But.. "There was a Thomas. But he wasn't my grandfather. More like, an uncle of some sort? I'm not entirely sure. I looked it up this summer after that damn sorting hat mentioned it." She advised him with another eye roll, this one for the hat.

She wanted to know what the hell this had to do with her or this Dark Lord he mentioned, when all of a sudden words were tumbling from his mouth like someone had turned on a a switch and he couldn't control it. Skyler caught everything he said, her stomach dropping. But it was still, confusing for her. Her parents would have told her something like this. Wouldn't they? Pushing that aside for now, Skyler focused on the boy before her. His expression was pained, like a trapped person with no way out. She didn't especially like this look. It made her chest hurt for some reason. A reason she didn't feel like evaluating at the moment. But the laughter terrified her more than anything, and she wanted it to stop. For a minute she had urge to slap him out of it. Literally.

Instead, Skyler moved from her spot on the bed and stood directly in front of him. Given that he was sitting, they were almost dead even height wise this way. She grabbed his hands in hers and willed him to look at her and stop the rocking. It was putting her on edge and making her anxious. And this was something she couldn't afford at the moment if what he said was the truth. "Stop that!" She demanded of him. It was more than her anxiousness. She didn't like seeing him this way. It was nerve wracking, and something about it just seemed wrong. She promised herself that she would do whatever it took to never have to see the boy like this again.

Taking a deep breath, now that she had his attention, she wanted to make sure she had everything straight. "So. Let me make sure I have this straight. Some maybe, might be, family member of mine is a Dark Lord who hates muggles and is loony...who you follow...because that's what you were raised to do...and if you don't tell him about me, he'll kill you." She said all of this in pieces, her brows furrowed again as she tried to remember the highlights of his babbling. "Did I get it all right?"

Assuming she had, Skyler locked her gaze with his, forcing herself to believe what she was saying and put as much conviction into her word as she could so maybe he would understand. "Look, we'll figure something out. Neither of us is gonna die. This isn't your fault, and you're not a monster. You were just doing what you believed you had to. There's no shame in that Draco." For the first time she called him by name, hoping that that, if nothing else, would bring him out of this state he was in.

The only thing he really heard was his name fall from her lips. She actually called him Draco, and it brought him out of his stupor enough to stop pulling at his hair and rocking like a lunatic. Now wasn’t the time to have a complete meltdown. He needed to think clearly in order to figure out how the hell they were going to get out of this mess.

He focused on something else, then, as a small smile crossed his lips. “You mean it? You don’t think I’m terrible?” he asked in awe, actually rather amazed that this girl wouldn’t judge him the way he was judging himself. Well, if she was willing to believe in him, he’d have to work as hard as he could to get them both out of this situation without issue. “Alright. We have to figure out what I can tell the Dark Lord, though. Which means we might need to do some research.”

He stood up, offering the girl his hand and hoping she might take it. “For now, we’d better get back to the dorms. Wouldn’t be good to get stripped of our prefect titles before we even get to use ‘em this year.” Draco winked at his companion, hoping she would ignore the unease that still hovered in his eyes. He was trying to figure out where they might get the information they needed. He knew it wouldn’t be in any book. That would be too easy. No, they’d need people for this.

The only ones he could think of were the Dark Lord himself, and Dumbledore. Neither of those seemed like very good options. Then another man came to mind. “I have an idea. Later this week, I’ll try to set up a meeting with my godfather. Our head of house, Snape, he knows more than you’d probably expect. If anyone would know something, besides the crazy guy in charge here and the one we’re trying to avoid, it would be him. He’ll also have some idea as to what I should do about updating the Dark Lord.”

He’d probably confused Sky by now, but whatever. His thoughts had to be voiced for them to make sense in his mind, so it couldn’t be avoided. “We’ll figure something out. And then we can focus on Parkinson. Damn bitch…”

"A terrible person wouldn't have cared so much if I got hurt." Skyler told him simply, a small grin playing at the corners of her mouth. She took the hand he offered her with no hesitation, thinking it might make them both feel a bit better and less alone in all this mess. Though Skyler had the feeling she still hadn't grasped exactly how big the mess she had landed herself in was.

She nodded to the things he said but hardly knew what exactly he was saying aside from that they needed to figure out what he was going to tell the maybe family member of her, do some research, and talk to his godfather, whoever that was. "Is that all?" She snorted, attempting to lighten the mood a bit. So maybe they were in over their heads, but Skyler refused to be stay down after being knocked down. I can talk to Harry. See if he'll help. Ginny too." Skyler added as an afterthought, but thinking on it she wasn't so sure. Why would she want to involve her new friends in this mess? No. She couldn't do that. "Then again, maybe not." She added, more to herself than to Draco.

When he mentioned that Parkinson girl though, all of her anger came rushing back. Her eyes burned with a fiery intensity as she glared at him. "No. I will handle her. Myself. And you can bet it will be soon." She didn't shout, or yell. She didn't need to. Her tone was hard, and promising, and she had a defiant look in her eyes as if she dared him to contradict her.

Draco nearly choked at the names that came out of Skyler’s mouth, but he composed himself as he remembered that this girl was different. She wasn’t a normal snake, and that meant she’d keep throwing surprises his way. He shook his head and allowed himself a small chuckle at the thought of he and Potter hanging out with the same girl. The whole school would probably be so confused they wouldn’t know what to do. It might be funny enough to be worth it. The blonde had a feeling if Sky decided she wanted her friends to all get along, they would anyway. Somehow the idea of arguing with the girl seemed like an absolute nightmare, and he was sure Potter would have a similar sense of self-preservation.

“You know, if you’re talking about the Weasley girl, I’m pretty sure she has a score to settle with the pug as well,” he said casually, thinking of the rumor he’d heard from Blaise when they’d been eating at dinner. “Rumor has it Parkinson and the ginger got into it on the train. Haven’t gotten to rub it in the psychopath’s face yet, but I heard the Weaselette broke her nose.” He grinned at the image of Parkinson lying bloody and defeated. “If you’re really determined to have at her, you might as well bring a friend along, since she’ll cheat.”

He wasn’t going to fight her on the idea of going at it alone right now, but he would probably bring it up later on. He really didn’t want to let this girl face the rabid dog alone after all. At least this way, he could suggest something to protect her without sounding like he didn’t think her capable of putting up a fight. Plus, he had seen the Weasley’s wand work before. If anyone could euthanize the crazed Slytherin mutt, it was those two girls. Draco would have to make sure he had a front row seat to the show, though.

It was really rather amazing that he was now out to destroy the girl he used to snog. Truth be told, he never actually liked her. He was supposed to, of course, but how could he? She was annoying and obnoxious. Who in their right mind would waste his time with that? When the couple reached the staircase, Draco pulled Sky toward him, hoping she didn’t react badly to being tugged so close to his body. He felt her against his chest and smirked down at her, wrapping his free hand around her back protectively as the stairs moved away from them, leaving them on the edge of a steep drop-off.

“Gotta be careful, Sky,” he whispered, looking at her with an intensity in his grey eyes. “That staircase is our only way back to the dungeons, and it probably won’t be back for a while now…” He licked his lips, thinking of his question earlier that had been so rudely interrupted by the other Slytherin. “What do you say we resume or little game? Unless you’re afraid of another explosion that is…” He smirked at her, eyes flashing dangerously. He fought the urge to tighten his grip on her body. Draco wanted to crush her against him, crashing his lips to hers, but he held himself back. “I believe I was asking you about a kiss.”

Skyler's eyes widened in surprise at him. "Ginny? Really? Awesome!" Skyler's smirk at that point was positively scary. She would need to find her red haired friend soon and run some ideas by her. If what Draco said was true, than there was no doubt in Skyler's mind the girl would help her with her revenge. A laugh burst forth from her lips at the thought of Ginny breaking the other girl's nose. "Too bad I missed that. Must've been when I was with Harry or in the meeting." She commented lightly, her mood happier now at that little bit of information.

"Why is she so stuck on you anyway?" Skyler asked him curiously, honestly wondering. She didn't think how that could be taken wrong and doubted he would anyways. He seemed to an ego so big she was surprised it fit in the castle. And if she was going to be in constant battle with the other Slytherin girl she wanted to know why. Skyler would defend herself and attack back but she didn't want to be one of those ridiculous girls who fought over a guy for crying out loud.

Her mind came to a sudden halt when he pulled her against him, his arm keeping her in place as it wound around her, and their own personal spaces failed to exist with how close they were. "Hey!" She looked at him with a glare, wondering what the deal was, and then noticed the staircase they had been about to step on had moved away. She offered a sheepish grin to him which faded at the intense look he gave her.

His whispered words in conjunction with that look had her heart beating a little faster than normal, and she gulped. Well damn. What was she going to do now? She struggled against his hold in a fit of anger and her own eyes flashed dangerously back at him. "I am not afraid of anything." She spat out in her anger through her gritted teeth. She would not let anyone hold that against her. She had been caught off guard and that was that. She wouldn't walk around with her head ducked or constantly looking over her shoulder because of it. If that's what he thought he had another thing coming. In her anger Skyler completely ignored the fact that he was teasing her or that he had asked about the kiss. Her ego had been bruised that night and he had just pressed on the sore spot.

With a frown forming slowly, Draco let Skyler go, looking at her with a little bit of hurt in his eyes. “Aw, c’mon little snake,” he said softly, holding his hands up before him as if the offer himself in surrender. “I didn’t mean anything by it. Just messing with you.” He hadn’t realized how miffed she might be from a comment about the night’s events. Of course she’d be a bit on edge. She’d just nearly been killed, after all. How could he be so insensitive?

Draco glared, angry with his own ego. Why didn’t he have more self-control and actually pay attention to what the girl might want to hear? Of course she wouldn’t want him to pick at her now. She was obviously on edge after dealing with all this crap, and he’d just thrown so much information at her that she probably just wanted to go to bed. There was no way she’d want to get back to their silly game, let alone kiss him now.

“Dammit, never mind. Just…” he looked at her and felt his nerve melt away. “You’re a tough girl. I know that. You don’t need me to hold your hand through all this crap.” He turned around, biting his lip hard enough to break the flesh. Once that damned staircase got back he would just get the two of them back to the common room to make sure she didn’t get lost again, as he was sure she had been when he’d first found her. Then he’d part ways and forget all the failing he’d done. Yeah. Sure. Like he could forget her.

Raking a hand through his abused hair, Draco sighed and grit his teeth together. “She’s obsessed with becoming my wife someday, if you must know,” he growled, thinking of how absurd the idea of Parkinson ever being his Lady was. “Something about taking my name and being part of such a noble house and having money and blah, blah, blah…” He turned back around, shooting her a look that showed just how exasperated the pug had him. “She knows I detest her, and I know she’s not attracted to the real me, either. It’s just the fortune and fame. Sad, really.”

Skyler regretted her angry remark instantly, especially when she saw the obvious hurt in his eyes. What was she doing? It wasn't his fault the other girl had attacked her. In truth, the only thing that was his fault was the fact that she still had full use of her eyes and wasn't completely blind. He had been a decent enough gentleman the entire time she had been with him tonight, and even now when she snapped at him for his playful comment, he didn't snap back. In fact, he complimented her.

Skyler knew why she had done it, but she didn't want to admit it. Not even to herself. She had gone fifteen years without the attentions of a guy and she told herself she was good with that, and that she didn't need it or want it. When the truth was she did, if it was one Draco Malfoy. But admitting that, even to herself, was especially hard for teen. She was so used to being alone, doing everything on her own, she didn't know how to be part of a plus one. She didn't have any experience in this type of situation. For all the trouble she had caused and been in so far in her life, this was one thing she was completely innocent and naive in.

Skyler didn't know exactly what to do, but she did know she didn't want to push the boy away. There was just something about a near death experience that brought people together she supposed. When he turned his back on her it stung, she wouldn't deny it, and she could feel her anger build up again. She wanted to spit out another biting remark but knew it would just be childish and held her tongue. She had to remember that she wasn't the only one hurt here. She didn't deny the truth of his statement. She could get along just fine without him holding her hand.

But what if she wanted him to? Skyler let that question chase itself in her head. She could honestly say it hadn't felt awkward or anything when she had taken his hand earlier. It had been warm. And strong. It had been nice. She wrinkled her nose at his back. Why was she being such a girl? This was why she stayed away from things like this. But you do like him, her mind whispered to her. She rolled her eyes. Alright fine! So I like him a little! What am I supposed to do? Blush and giggle like an idiot? I don't think so. Skyler told herself back.

Oh great. Now I'm talking to myself. She shook her head at herself, furrowing her brows. Why was this all so complicated? She listened to him while her mind raced for what to do. In the end she just decided to do what felt right, and what was her. He seemed to like her personality, so she would just right on being herself. And whatever happened, happened.

With that decision, Skyler felt like a weight had been lifted, and like she finally had some direction. She also felt really guilty for hurting the Slytherin boy's feelings in her temper tantrum, especially after all he had done for her, but not only because of what he had done for her. When he turned back around, he had a little blood on his lip, but it wasn't enough to be concerned about. Skyler looked at him with guilty and ashamed eyes, and gave an apologetic smile as she hesitantly reached up and wiped the blood from his lip with her thumb.

"You forgot to mention handsome, and funny. Oh and smart and witty. I'm sure those are part of her reasoning. She'd be an idiot not to see those things." The brunette told him in an honest tone, even if it was a bit shy. She couldn't help it. She'd never really been on this sort of level with a guy. This was all new ground for her, but she kind of liked the new playing field. "You know, before she interrupted our little game, I was just about to tell you that I had no idea what I would do if you kissed me then." She told him in a matter of fact tone.

The brunette had to gather all her confidence in order to say what she said next. "If you were to ask me now though, I'd say I'd kiss you back." There. She had said it. Skyler was quite proud of herself for it too. She was nervous, having never said such a thing before, and had to fight back the stupid girly blush that threatened to break through. Her cheeks tinged pink a fraction, but it was a hell of a lot better than the full on blush she didn't want.

The compliments made him smile even as Draco fought against the gesture. He couldn’t help it. Hearing this girl praise him, call him handsome and smart… it made his heart soar. The way she wiped away his blood showed him that she did care, and that made him feel special somehow. It was so strange to feel that way. He’d never felt that from his father or his aunt… The ones he craved to feel loved from. His mother had shown him love, sure, but more often than that she showed weakness. This girl was strong. She was everything he wanted in another human being.

Draco couldn’t believe his luck when the little snake brought them back to their game. The topic of his kissing question had him shutting up and listening closely. Yet, still, he thought he had somehow misheard her. Was she really giving him permission to kiss those beautiful lips?

“You sure?” he asked, but he could see the answer in those wonderful violet eyes. He took a step forward, reaching out his hands toward her face. Placing one hand on her cheek, he held her face in his hand as he looked into those eyes he so liked, keeping his gaze locked on hers as he moved his lips closer to hers. His other hand reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear, and he let it fall easily to her hip. “Merlin, you’re beautiful,” he muttered before his lips softly crashed into hers, gentle yet strong against the soft mouth as he closed his eyes and lost himself in the feeling of utter pleasure that coursed through him.

He didn’t even want to deepen their first kiss. Keeping it innocent seemed like the natural thing to do, so he just kept to lips on lips, feeling himself moan a bit at the tingling sensation on his own mouth. He knew a make-out session with this girl would be positively explosive, but this… this was heavenly. Gently, Draco pulled away from her mouth, keeping very close to her face as his eyes slowly fluttered open. His tongue slowly ran over his pink tinged lips before they curled in a satisfied smile as he stared at the girl before him.

“I know it’s technically not my turn, but I have to ask. Are you happy with your answer?” he asked, the hand that had been on her cheek slowly sliding down to her other hip. Draco didn’t intend to step away from her unless she insisted upon it. What he really wanted was to kiss her again.

Skyler had nodded silently when he asked her if she were sure, not trusting her voice just then. She was still quite proud to have said what she wanted to without making an idiot of herself. She didn't feel the need to push her luck at the moment.

When he stepped forward, cupping her face with his hand and moving closer to her, it was hard to keep herself in place. She had a feeling that even if she tried to turn and run like she wanted to, her body wouldn't obey her demands. This was a moment she had been hiding from, not wanting to be the typical girl. Yet there she was, heart beating as fast as a hummingbird's wings, knees weak, and damn butterflies in her stomach. Since when did she get those? Since she met Draco Malfoy apparently.

What if she were bad at this whole kissing thing? She had never done it before, so it stood to reason there was a pretty decent chance she'd be bad at it. She almost voiced this concern aloud as the panic of it hit her but then his lips were on hers, and her eyes fluttered shut and her mind just shut down completely. That thrill she had felt when he had first came upon her in the dungeon corridor came back ten fold, a shiver coursing through her at the pure bliss of the innocent kiss he gave her. She found she didn't need to think of he told what to do here because it seemed to be natural to press her own lips to his. Without her consent Skyler's arms snaked their way around his neck and when he pulled back from the kiss a small mewl of disappointment escaped her.

Eyes still closed, Skyler stored the moment in her mind, making sure it was etched into her memory. She savored the tingling of her lips, but at his question her lids lifted to reveal sparkling eyes, and she smiled an almost shy smile at him. "Very happy." She didn't fight his hold on her, or push him away this time. She wanted to be right where she was, and she wanted him to know that. But seeing as it was her turn... "What would you say if I told you that was my actual first kiss ever?"

His smile could rival that of the cheshire cat as Draco beamed at the girl in his arms. She enjoyed it. She liked him. “I’d say I am honored to be your first… and second,” he smirked before leaning in and giving her a quick peck, then laughing lightly at her slightly flushed cheeks. The look on her face was wonderful. She just seemed so… free. So happy. And he’d made her feel that way. Talk about an ego boost.

With her arms wrapped around his neck, Draco felt at home. He never wanted her to let go. He wanted that staircase to just stay gone for hours, leaving the two of them to discover everything there was to know about each other. It had only been a matter of hours since they’d shared their first words of the evening, yet it felt like years. Draco felt as though he’d never known someone as well as he knew this small girl, and yet he’d only just begun to know her. And he somehow knew he’d love getting to know her more.

“I’d also so I’m amazed that no other man has yet claimed those luscious lips of yours,” he elaborated, feeling the need to continue with his answer. “I wouldn’t dare to imagine you not having broken at least a few blokes’ hearts in your history.” He was telling the truth, as he could imagine what would happen if she decided she didn’t like him after all. The supposed ice prince would turn into an icy man indeed if his heart was stomped on like that. She could break him with barely any effort, and that was a bit terrifying.

Draco rubbed his thumbs along her hips as he looked at her, simply appreciating his view. How on earth did he manage to get so lucky as to kiss this amazing woman? “Okay, here’s a tough one. Have you ever considered having a boyfriend?” He held his breathe, hoping beyond all hope that her answer might be something encouraging. He really, really wanted to make this kissing thing a normal daily habit.

Skyler couldn't help but laugh with him after he pecked her lips. She thought maybe she should be embarrassed, but she wasn't. Right there, with him, it all felt so...natural. A sense of security blanketed her while she was in his arms, and she felt her worries from earlier melt away, as if they were suddenly not important. She entertained herself with simply watching the happy look on his aristocratic features, and the smile on his lips. A certain feeling of warmth filled her when he smiled, touched her, or looked at her.

Skyler had to roll her eyes at him, but grinned with a shrug. "I wouldn't really know. I guess there's only one bloke's heart I care about." The brunette had no idea where that came from, but since it was already out of her mouth, she wouldn't dare take it back. Besides, she felt it was true. Skyler absently thought that maybe she work a little harder at filtering what she was thinking and what she wanted to say as she played with the hair at the nape of his neck.

She could feel his fingers moving along her hips, and cocked her head to the side, wondering what his next move would be. His question had a smirk gracing her features and mischief sparking to life in her eyes. "Why Draco Malfoy. Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?" She had no idea where this confidence had come from, but she would roll with it. No point in being anything but herself anyways. "Because, you know, I'm currently sifting through offers at the moment so...." She trailed off, looking at him with a playful grin to let him know she was only kidding.

It was a really good thing Draco had noticed the playful spark in her eyes as she teased him, otherwise he might have had a heart attack at the thought of other guys trying to get with his girl. It should be unnerving that she was now consciously becoming his in his mind, but instead it filled him with happiness as he tugged her against his body, looking down at her with the same determination that he held when he gazed at the snitch.

“Why, yes, Skyler Riddle, I believe I am,” he said, raising a brow at her as he moved his hands to the small of her back, slipping his fingers under the hem of her shirt so that he could feel her warm skin. He growled low in his throat, impatient for her answer. She was teasing him, he was sure, and it was bothering him that it was working so well. “So what do you say, little snake? Can you handle a Malfoy?”

He almost asked if she could handle all the crap that came with him, but he thought that might be pushing it too far. He didn’t really want to remind her of the girl who would be even more desperate to harm her if she was actually attached to the boy in question. Pansy really needed to be taken care of soon. Draco didn’t much want his new girlfriend (at least he hoped he could call her that soon) going to share a cell with his father after she murdered the pug.

The sounds of the staircase approaching in the distance made Draco want to groan, but he held his tongue and kept holding his girl. He’d have to let her go once the stairs were in place and they took their leave of the hallway, but for now he could enjoy the feel of her in his arms. Hopefully it would become a familiar feeling quite quickly.

With her body now pressed up against his, it was hard not to feel the toned body hidden beneath his robes and clothes. Or the fingers now traveling under the hem of her shirt at her back. She must have been cold or something because his fingers were leaving hot trails along her skin. When he growled lowly she shivered against him, a shiver that had nothing to do with being cold and everything to do with the pleasure she felt at hearing the sound that came from his throat.

It wasn't fair that he should affect her so, Skyler thought to herself and nearly pouted. Instead she pretended to be considering his question, and weighing her options. She decided to humor his impatience some more. "Hmm... I wonder if it will be a stuck up, arrogant prick of a Malfoy, or a slightly charming, if a bit egotistical, and caring Malfoy." She said with the air of someone who is merely thinking aloud, a teasing smirk slipping onto her lips as she met his eyes with hers. "I guess it doesn't really matter." Skyler shrugged carelessly. "Because I can handle both."

The brunette knew what she was agreeing to, and couldn't be happier with her choice. She just wanted him to understand that she expected him to challenge her, not to just give her what she wanted. She expected to fight about things, and to get pissed off. But that the feeling she had right then with him would always keep her coming back for more. Skyler had a feeling this wasn't something one could convey via looks alone, but she didn't exactly have the nerve to say it out loud. She could only hope that he would understand she expected to both sides of the boy, and that was something she could definitely handle.

Feeling more confident and a bit daring as she heard the staircase finally come back and stop for them, Skyler's eyes danced in mischief. Oh, this could be fun. The brunette stood on tip toes, leaning closer to him and giving him a coy look. With her lips now next to his ear and pressing herself against his body she questioned him softly. "Are you sure you can handle a Riddle?" She waited a split second and then pressed her lips against the pale column that was his neck for a few seconds. Then, grinning widely, she bounded down the staircase laughing at his shock. Yes. This could definitely be fun.

Draco hoped this girl knew what she was agreeing to, because he definitely wasn’t going to be this honest and charming all the time. When Skyler leaned up against her and her lips moved against his ear, he felt shivers run up his spine. Oh, the devilish looks in she managed and the mischief in her voice promised so much fun in Draco’s future. He might not be able to handle just any Riddle, but this one, he was pretty sure he could manage. This one would be fun to handle.

“I don’t think that will be a problem,” he growled. She’d pulled away from him and he stared after her with darkening eyes as she took off down the stairs. So that was her game? Well, in that case, Draco would be glad to use his height advantage to catch up to the girl. He smirked and took off after her, a laugh ringing through the open area of the stairwell.

It felt like reality was chasing him through the castle as well, trying to catch up and knock him on his ass. It was the first night and so far he’d fought with Parkinson, played twenty questions with the young Riddle, nearly gotten the girl blown up by the idiot pug, carried her to the hospital wing, revealed his involvement with the darkest wizard known to their world, exposed all of his weaknesses, kissed her, asked her out, and now taken off on a chase after his girlfriend through the castle at Merlin knew what hour of the night. What the hell would the rest of the year hold?

Jumping down the last five steps, Draco landed lightly behind the girl and snaked his hands around her, nearly toppling them both over as his momentum tried to keep him moving. “You can’t get away that easy, little snake,” he whispered in her ear, trapping her against his toned body. “You’re not nearly as difficult to catch as the snitch, and this seeker isn’t about to admit defeat.”

He moved his lips from her ear to her neck, kissing the soft skin and loving the way she felt in his arms. “So, you’re my girlfriend now then. You should know this means Parkinson will be even more set on killing you.” Instead of fear or panic, Draco actually felt amusement tint his voice. He smirked against her throat, thinking that Sky could teach Pansy a thing or two about the strength of a talented witch. “You should also prepare yourself for extra attention from the rest of the student body as they figure out what’s going on between us. I’m not exactly flying under the radar, after all.” He kissed her again, hands resting on her flat stomach while he willed himself to allow her to move. They really should get to the snake pit after all. But he really didn’t want to move from this place. Now that he caught her again, he didn’t want to let her go.

The brunette witch had just made it to the bottom of the stairs, having taken them two at a time, and was just about to sprint forward down the corridor when hands grabbed her from behind, keeping her from darting forward as she had wanted. She let out a delighted laugh, having fun as she mock glared, though she knew he couldn't see it, and pretended not to notice the shiver that coursed through her at his whispered words, even if she did realize he probably felt it with their bodies being so close.

"I am not little!" She told him indignantly. "I'm merely fun sized is all." She added on haughtily, a wicked smirk unfurling on her lips. "And you've got it all wrong. See, when you catch the snitch, the game is over. You catch me, and the game has just begun." She looked at him challengingly over her shoulder, not bothering to struggle against his strong hold, and not really wanting to either. "Besides, you don't have to worry about keeping hold of the snitch once you've caught it."

It became kind of hard to concentrate just then when his lips were on her neck, her eyes closed of their own accord as she tilted her head the opposite way. Like his fingers, his lips left a hot, tingling sensation where they had come in contact with her skin. She found herself enjoying his attentions a little too much, and a very small sound of pleasure escaped her lips at the second kiss to her neck. Her eyes lids once again fluttered open, only this time her eyes were a bit clouded with something one could only call lust. She shook her head slightly, trying to clear it. Now what had he said? Oh! Right. The crazy and the rest of the school. "Well if I end up in the hospital wing again I certainly expect ALOT of chocolate, Drakie." Her eyes danced in amusement as she teased him with the nickname the other Slytherin girl had used for him.

She wasn't worried about the rest of the school per say. She didn't really care what other's said or thought, which allowed her the independence she had. But she did look a bit worried when she thought of what Ginny and Harry might think. She couldn't deny that she did care about their opinions, even if they weren't the best of friends yet, she thought they could be. She was growing concerned. Would this ruin her chances at having friends? She told herself that if they really wanted to be her friend they'd accept her choice, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that she couldn't shake. The young witch bit at her bottom lip worriedly. "Maybe we should get to the common room." She said softly, her eyes downcast. She couldn't enjoy herself now that she was worried this would all end up in a choice between friends and, dare she think it?, boyfriend. How much could possibly happen in one night anyways?
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He stuck his tongue out at the use of the horrid nickname Parkinson had adopted for him, but he couldn’t help but grin at the small girl. She made good points, and her demands weren’t too, well, demanding. “I think I can handle a bit of chocolate,” he whispered, squeezing her a bit in his arms before letting her go so that they could begin moving toward the common room as she suggested.

The obvious change in her mood made him worry, but he was sure there was something going on in her mind and heart. Something he wasn’t invited to, and that he’d be told about if need be. It wasn’t like him to force his way into any worries that another didn’t want him to know about, and so he kept himself from prying. If she wanted to talk to him about it, she would. For now, he reached out his hand and grasped hers, trying to give her a reassuring squeeze. He’d be there for her if she needed him, and he was sure there would be plenty of other people in her life as well.

Probably not other snakes, but he doubted that would bother her much, if at all. Draco doubted she would enjoy the attitude of most of the Slytherin girls anyway. “You know, you probably don’t even have to worry about whatever you’re worrying about.” His voice was soft and smooth as he led the way to the dungeons, taking the least confusing route in the hopes that Sky would be able to find her way a bit easier until she got used to the castle.

He gave the password and held his hand out, offering the entrance to his new girlfriend. It would never get old referring to her as such. He grinned as he followed the girl into their common room, then grinned some more as he pulled her toward him in another embrace. “Don’t worry so much, little snake,” he said, purposely calling her little again despite her correction before. He was determined to cheer her up again, no matter how stubborn she might prove to be. “You’ve got yourself a very handsome and powerful boyfriend. You should be happy beyond belief.”

His smirk was wide and arrogant, and he knew he was begging to be slapped, but he didn’t care. If this didn’t make her laugh, Draco didn’t know what would. Actually, maybe he did… His eyes grew dark with devilish glee as his smirk grew into a full on smile. Draco’s fingers found their way to her sides, and he began wiggling them in just the right way to tickle the girl mercilessly. If he couldn’t get her to lighten up with his words alone, he would employ the old trick of his talented touch.

Skyler had been shooting him a half glare at his use of the 'little snake' pet name he seemed to be favoring for her and rolling her eyes at his egotistical comments about himself, though she had snorted in amusement at it. She couldn't help it. He was so conceited it was funny.

All thoughts and worries about her friends ceased to exist when his fingers began tickling her sides mercilessly, and her laughter filled the common room as as she tried to wriggle away from them. Never having been in the Slytherin common room, Skyler wasn't aware there was a sofa behind her until the back of her knees hit the arm rest of it in her attempt to get away from the fingers attacking her sides.

The brunette slipped over the arm of the couch, her head and back landing on the seat cushions, and her legs hanging over the arm, kicking feebly as she cried in laughter. "Ok! Ok! You win Draco!"

The smirk of hearing her admit defeat was a large one, and it fell easily onto Draco’s lips as he allowed himself to crash down on top of her on the couch. He used his elbows to keep his full weight off of her, of course, so that he didn’t hurt her or anything, but he definitely had her pinned. They would have to get to bed soon, but he wasn’t quite done having his fun with this tricky little thing.

“If I win, then what’s my prize?” he asked, his face hovering above hers as he looked into her eyes, searching them for any sign of unease. It seemed her mind had settled, and that made him very content. His playful smirk remained as he leered down at her. It was still hard to believe that she’d really agreed to go out with him. Somehow he was sure he’d wake up tomorrow and this would all be some crazy dream. But, then again, it seemed too crazy to dream up.

The common room seemed deserted, as there were no noises around them and Draco was sure there would be whistling at the least had there been bystanders. That meant it was probably much later than he’d imagined. Tomorrow was going to be exhausting. That didn’t matter, though, because he had a beautiful girl pinned to the couch, and she was all his. And she owed him a reward.

Skyler hadn't expected him to pin her to the sofa, but now that he had, she had no choice but to remain where she was. Well she was sure if she wanted he would release her but she didn't want that. She was perfectly content to be exactly where she was. That was odd in and of itself, but she didn't feel much like thinking about it. She was having far too much fun just going along with the flow of things at the moment.

She laughed softly at his playful demeanor, her eyes sparkling in her laughter and her long locks spread about her head like a dark halo. Of course he would expect some form of reward. She returned his smirk with her own innocent smile as she pretended to consider what to give him. "Hmm... Now how to reward you. I know!" Skyler was hard pressed not to laugh at the moment, trying to keep up her innocent look. "How about a thank you? That seems to be the standard reward in most countries."