The Buddy System. *Complete*

Flashback

She looked just as tormented as I did. What was wrong with her?

I stepped away from the railing I was holding onto. She must have heard the movement.

She whipped around pointing her wand in my direction. "Who...who's there?" She struggled to ask.

Malfoy you fucking prick! Now you have to show yourself.

Raising my hands up in surrender I stepped around the globe and into the moonlight.

It was very obvious now that this girl had been crying. She looked distraught and for some bloody stupid reason I was actually concerned.

What a bloody ninny!

"Sorry you scared me." She whispered.

I laughed. "I scared you? You're the one who ran up here crying dramatically."

"Sorry...I...um...well..." she sniffed again. I should be annoyed. Annoyed I was interrupted and annoyed she was here but I couldn't be.

"Don't tell me you have a stutter?"

"No I don't." She snapped. "And if I did it's rude to point it out."

"So what brings you up here this fine evening?" I noticed how much my breathing had evened out and the room had stopped spiralling out of control. Like everything had grounded itself. Rooted to her.

"Oh...you're...Malfoy right?"

"Draco," I corrected her. The sound of my last name felt wrong coming from her. "And your Cedric Diggory's sister?"

"Raelyn. Nice to meet you Draco. Are you ok? You don't look ok."

"I am better than I was. What about you?"

"I..." she began to sniff. "I...well...I'm just being silly."

"I'm sure you aren't."

"I usually am." She moved slightly to clear space on the bench she was sitting at. "Want a seat?"

"Em..." Did I? Usually I would scoff and walk off but my feet wouldn't move. I sighed. "Sure," I mumbled.

"Knut for your thoughts?" She asked teaching into her schoolbag and producing a bag. "Want a salted caramel covered pretzel? They are my favourite."

"A what?"

"Like a breadstick covered in salted caramel. Here try one." She forced it into my hand. I held it up to my lips as she popped one into her own mouth.

Nibbling it I realised that taste was...amazing!

"These are good!"

"I know. My friend Teeny introduced me to them. They are a muggle treat."

Muggle made? Really? But they tasted so good.

"Help yourself," she smiled placing the bag in between us. "So come on. Now we have bonded over sweets you have to tell me what's wrong."

Why should I? More importantly why did I want to?

I fought with myself for a few minutes. Contemplating what to do. Being able to talk about it would be nice and what have I got to loose really?

"I have been given a job to do. It's not a nice job and it's very stressful. There is a lot riding on it and I'm...well I'm scared."

"Is it a dangerous job?"