Longing For Summerhaze,Young Love at The Yule Ball

The chilled wind, now cutting swiftly through his scarlet quidditch robes, took Harry away from the memory of Ally and brought him back to the foggy grounds. He looked once more at Draco Malfoy, whose normally taunting pale blue eyes were becoming clouded with worry and longing. Yes as hard as it was to believe, Ally Summerhaze, the sweetest, most lovliest girl in school, had become taken with none other than the slimy slytherin git that was Malfoy. He still remembered the first time she had met Draco. They had all talked of him, told her of the evil dwelling in his cruel, mocking heart..... that is....... if he had even had one at all. (Fred and George had said it was entirely possible that he didn't)  But even before seeing him Ally had shook her head ferevently claiming that there was good in everyone, even if it couldn't be seen. Poor girl. Harry figured she didn't know much of evil. He knew a great deal of people that had not even a glimmer of good in them. He knew a monster who could rival satan himself..... The three of them had just left charms class and were heading outside to study beaneath the oak trees as they had oft done before, when Draco had stepped haughtily in front of their path, joined of course on either side by Crabbe and Goyle. But while his head surely had been circling excitedly of insults to mock Harry with, when he caught sight of the fair girl and her lovely sweeping locks, it was as if Harry and the rest of them weren't even there. Harry had never seen Malfoy look at anyone the way he had gazed at Ally, his eyebrows arching in surprise. He smiled softly and to Harry's dread Ally grinned back. Draco's eyes danced as he stepped towards her, smoothing his hair back. "Well, Potter aren't you going to introduce me to your lovely friend?" he asked playfully, not bothering to even look in Harry's direction. "No, I hadn't planned on it," Harry said cleverly. "Ally tells me she's terrified of snakes." Draco shot Harry a menacing glare, but when his eyes fell back upon the pretty gryffindor, they were soft and charming.

"My name's Draco Malfoy," he said smirking boyishly. "What's yours, Love?" Harry had never heard Draco's voice so pleasant, and even Crabbe and Goyle were gawking at Malfoy, staring in disbelief. Draco wasn't exactly known to be romantic. Ally smiled brilliantly, blushing scarlet. She seemed to be lost in Malfoy's eyes, to Harry's great dismay. "My name's Allyssa Summerhaze, but everone calls me Ally." She tucked a stray curl shyly behind her ear. Draco grinned wider and it was all too strange for Harry. "So you're the girl that's got everyone in a stir." He winked. "Now I know why." Ally nearly melted with that wink. "Oh do you now? I must say it's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Malfoy," she giggled girlishly. Harry looked over at Hermoine, who in turn gave him a sickened look. Draco gently took her slender hand and pressed it to his lips softly. "The pleasure's all mine, Miss." He raised one eyebrow daringly "I didn't know angels went to Hogwarts." And so it began. Harry watched in horror as his dear friend fell madly in love with his arch enemy.



All during third year Harry had to endure seeing them together, stealing kisses in potions class, walking hand in hand in the hallways, sneaking out to the courtyard late at night to lay beneath the stars, writing notes back and forth. Draco would even blow Ally a kiss and a sparkling red rose would appear in her fine curls. Yes, Draco seemed to love the effect it had on Harry, reveled in how much it bothered him. Harry was sure he kissed her more than usual then he was around, and often shot Harry glances that seemed to say, "I've stolen your dear friend's heart and there's nothing you can do about it, Potter."Ohhh of all the fine, upstanding wizards at Hogwarts, WHY did she have to fall for HIM!? At first Harry was sure Draco had been up to something, after all wasn't he always? Surely concealed beneath that affectionate display there HAD to be a plot to hurt her. Draco Malfoy in love just wasn't possible! But the more he saw them together the more he realized that it was true. Never had he seen Draco so happy, as when he was with Ally, playing with her soft hair. Never had he seen Ally's eyes shine so bright as when she was snuggled close to her "Slytherin Prince." Thier love had been unlike anything Hogwarts had ever seen. Fred and George had said it was like good dating evil, but Beauty & the Pest was their favorite. Harry was sure it was the first time a Slytherin and a Gryffindor ever got along, much less fell in love.



But then Ally had left. She had gone back to the muggle world to retrieve her friends, bring them to Hogwarts, and Draco had been heartbroken. He had gotten used to being with her all the time, and there were days Harry used to see only glimpses of her. One time he had stolen her away to the Slytherin common room and other times he would sneak into her room and stay with her until she feel asleep. "I can't sleep without saying goodnight to her, Potter,"Draco would say smirking as he made his way out of the Gryffindor common room. But now, Draco had gone nearly four months without seeing her, and everbody knew it. He had been absolutely insufferable lately, making Harry's life miserable, taunting him at every turn, stealing his bookbag, tripping him in the halls, just going ut of his way to cause trouble. He had almost forgotten what Draco was like before he met Ally, and realized Ally unknowingly had done the greatest transfiguration of all. She had made Draco Malfoy nearly tolerable.



"Harry is there a reason we're staring at Draco in the rain?" Harry jumped at Hermoine's voice and turned to see her and Ron standing on either side of him. It had begun drizzling. Rain droplets soon clouded Harry's glasses and he hastily wiped them off with the sleeve of his robe. "C'mon mate let's go inside," Ron said looking at Harry curiously. "Dumbledore says this storm's going to be a firece one." Hermoine turned her trained honey brown eyes to the sky.

"Well of course it's going to be a dreadful storm! Judging by the atmospheric pressure of those cumulus clouds, not to mention the wind trajectory to the east and the significant drop in temp-"
  
"Bloody hell, Hermoine, you don't have to be a genius to know it's raining!" Ron held out his long, wiry arms to show the rain drizzling down around him, leaving crystal droplets in his flaming red hair. "All that scientific rubbish gives me a headache."
  
Hermoine's soft features pricked with annoyance, but she couldn't help smile. "Honestly Ron, what DOESN'T give you a headache? The weather is a fascinating science and when closely studied can be accurately predicted. What do you think it is? Magic?" She grinned cleverly.
  
Ron couldn't help but smile back, and Harry laughed, loving the familiarity of their silly quarrels. Hermoine turned back to glance at Draco and then at Harry. "Honestly what IS he doing? It's almost as if he's in a trance." Harry laughed again, quite agreeing with her. Draco sat a still as if he were carved of marble, watching, waiting.....
  
  "I'm glad I'm not the only one who's forgotten," Harry admitted, grinning. "Today's the day Ally comes back!" Hermoine's eyes glowed warmly and she beamed, hurriedly scanning the tumbling dark waves, forming on the lake. "It is isn't it!! Goodness, with Professor Flitwick's exam fast approaching, and the potion's essay, and new transfiguration spells, I'd nearly forgotten it was the twelfth! It feels as if it's been ages, and I've so much to tell her!!" Ron's smile faded as he glanced at Draco Malfoy. "Good luck getting to talk to her at all, Hermoine. The minute she returns, Malfoy's going to snake his pale, skinny arms around her, and keep her all to himself. Just like last year." The thought of that made Harry's stomach turn. Ron was right. Malfoy did always have her wrapped up in his arms. So much like a serpent. The miserable sod was a living emblem of Slytherin. "No," Hermoine said firmly. "I'm NOT going to be left reading and studying alone. I'm sure she isn't getting much done with Draco hanging all over her, and I truly miss the thoughtful chats we used to have!" Indignant, Hermoine crossed her arms. "Draco is simply going to have to realize that she was OUR friend before she was his girlfriend." Harry smiled, "How wonderful would it be if over the holiday, Ally finally realized what a villainous git Malfoy is, and came to hate him as much as us?" The three friends all brightened at the thought of that, and Harry pictured Ally rolling her eyes disgustingly at Draco advances. "That would be something!" Ron said excitedly. "He'd be miserable for weeks and might actually leave us alone!" Hermoine's shining smile slowly faded. "Well of course it would be quite wonderful, but it's never going to happen. Hermoine recalled Ally gushing excitedly about Draco on afternoon during one of their study sessions, drawing hearts all over her notes. "I've never seen a girl more in love."
  
The boys' smiles faded too, and Harry was quick to change the subject, nervously straightening his round glasses. "Today's the day we're going to meet all of Ally's friends too, the ones Dumbledore saw her practicing magic with." Ron's freckled cheeks turned pink and he lapsed into a silly grin. "They're all going to be girls aren't they, Harry? Lovely, talented wizard girls with looong hair and fetching eyes......" Harry chuckled at his swooning friend and shook his head. "I hate to disappoint you Ron, they aren't all girls. Two of them are girls, but one of them is supposed to be a rather tall bloke I believe." Hermoine shot Ron a sharp glare. "I  happen to be a lovely, talented wizard girl!" Ron's goofy grin faded and his cheeks turned as red as his hair. "I-I know that, but you're...... you're........ Hermoine." Hermoine's glowing eyes smoldered. "WHAT is that supposed to mean, Ronald?" Ron flinched at the sound of his full name. "I-I don't, I mean you-" Quickly he looked to Harry for help. Harry just shook his head laughingly. Ron had a knack for saying the wrong thing to Hermoine. Suddenly Harry spotted a wooden boat, gliding on the waves from afar, the storm sprinkling down upon it generously now, the rain drops dancing wildly across the dark waters. He smiled brilliantly, his voice tingling with excitement. "She's here!"
  
Draco Malfoy's steady gaze suddenly caught the sight he had longed to see for months. The sight he used to see, only when he closed his pale blue eyes and imagined. Ally Summerhaze stood valliantly at the bow of the little wooden skiff, the watery wind sending her spiraling curls in every direction and her fine eyes shined with the promise of adventure and excitement. A sly grin played upon his lips, and light flooded his pale face. She was here! His gorgeous angel had finally returned, the daring green eyed girl who'd so easily captivated and enchanted him. The Gryffindor who'd fallen for the sly ways of a Slytherin. His grin widened and he lept to his feet running, fighting the wind. His heart soared and even though it was raining quite heavily now, Draco didn't feel the cold as he fairly flew over the sprawling courtyard down to the lake. Never had he been so happy to see someone. How he'd missed her. He couldn't even bloody put it into words. The feel of her wrapped up tight, warm, and safe in his robed arms, how he would lean over to smell her soft rose scented hair when they would study together, how he would give her a devilish smile and steal a kiss when Snape wasn't looking.... He had gotten used to such wonderful things, craved them even, and when they had disappeared, when she had disappeared, it had been insufferable. Hogwarts wasn't the same without Ally, and nobody knew this better than Draco.
  
  He despised studying, but somehow Ally made that much more appealing. Mostly it was great fun to distract her, by kissing behind her ear when she poured over a giant spell book. Softly rubbing her back, especially, made her forget entirely about lessons. She would lean her pretty head back against his shoulder, snuggling close and draco would grin, twirling a curl around his pale finger, as he stared down into her emerald eyes. "Draco we truly HAVE to study," she would murmer softly. Her voice alone was enough to intoxicate him. He would wink, and playfully snap the book closed, hugging her tightly to his chest. "So sorry Miss Ally, but I think study time is over now." He remembered kissing the top of her curly head, her hair feeling silky soft against his lips. She would giggle and then give in, relaxing in his arms, all thoughts about exams,now  being the farthest thing from her mind. "Harry might be right about you," she would say, looking up and giving him a spirited grin. "You're becoming a bad influence on me." He would smile softly, still rubbing her back. "Potter's right about that, you know. I am trouble, Love." His hand made it's way up her back and into her luxurious curls as he tipped her head and kissed her softly, slowly, relishingly. She kissed him back sweetly grinning against his lips, breathless when Draco reluctantly pulled away. "Well you're exactly the kind of trouble I wouldn't mind getting into, my Malfoy."
  
Harry nearly jumped as Draco's statuesque form suddenly burst into animation, racing towards the lake. "There he goes," said Ron mournfully. If we even want to say hello to her, we'd best get down there now." Harry nodded and then turned to Hermoine, surprised to see her smiling. "Hermoine!" Harry said rather stunned. "What!?" She looked away guiltily, not meeting Harry nor Ron's gaze. "It's a bit sweet, I mean even though it is Draco, it's kind of endearing how much he's missed her." Harry scowled, "Hermoine, there's nothing even remotely sweet about Malfoy. If he's missed her, its only because whatever cruel plot he's planning by dating her can go back into effect. Draco's not capable of love, only trickery." Ron nodded as the three of them made their way down to the lake at a brisk pace. "He's right Hermoine, don't let your girlish feelings get the better of you." Hermoine shot a sharp glare at Ron as they walked through the pouring rain. "Girlish feelings!? Well maybe I would like it if someone were actually excited to see me, and ran to me with eyes glistening with love!" Ron laughed, "Like who?" Pain flashed in Hermoine's eyes for the slightest of moments, "No one Ron! No one! Just forget it entirely! She stomped forward ahead the rest of them and Harry and Ron looked at eachother quizically, "Do you think there will ever come a day when we understand girls, Harry?" Harry's eyes went wide, and he shook his head shyly. "No Ron, some things simply cannot be done. Not even with magic."