Ch 12
Agyness and Draco stumbled into the corridor when the workday was done, Agyness leaning against the wall and clutching her sides, drunk with laughter. Aside from Harry’s intrusion, it had been a productive day. After locking the door with his quick wand work, Draco took Agyness’s hand in his and began to escort her down the corridor towards the elevator. Agyness couldn’t help but grin as she glanced at their interlaced fingers; she hadn’t experienced such glee like this for a while. “Something caught your fancy?” Draco asked with a smirk, noticing her expression. “Oh, nothing, nothing…” Agyness flashed him a smile as they continued to stroll.

As they turned the corner, they came upon Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They were gathered in a close circle in the middle of the next corridor and were furiously muttering; they seemed to be arguing. Harry’s eyebrows were knitted together in a fierce fashion, Ron’s strong hands were balled into fists, and Hermione’s hair was even more voluminous than usual, as if the irritation had given her an electric shock. Draco grimaced when he saw them and glanced at Agyness, pulling her hand as he began to back away towards the direction that they had come from. Agyness shook her head at him, no expression to her face, and pulled him back. The circle still hadn’t noticed their presence. Once Draco had crept back to her side, Agyness boldly cleared her throat loudly and waited for a reaction. The chatter stopped and all turned to looked at the couple, their eyes widening as they noticed the joined hands of the two.

Ron was the first to speak, “Hullo, Agyness.” He waved at her with one hand, the other hand scratching the back of his ginger head. He looked almost ashamed. Hermione was the next to recover: “Um, hi!” She spoke with a false smile and forced cheerfulness. Harry didn’t recover his composure one bit. He stood erect, his eyes shooting Draco a stern glare. Draco reciprocated immediately. “We wanted to have a word with you, dear,” Hermione gestured, almost fiercely, for Agyness to come and join them. After looking at Draco, then at Harry, and back at Draco, Agyness strained to put on a smile and said nonchalantly, “Of course.” The trio all seemed to slightly relax as Agyness made to walk towards them, but she stopped herself quickly. “But first,” She turned and gave Draco a swift kiss before turning back to the stunned group. “See you tomorrow,” Agyness grinned at him impishly before turning to accompany the trio back to Hermione’s office.

As the group walked away, Draco stood in stunned silence and in slight confusion. She never failed to amaze him.
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When they reached Hermione’s office, Agyness sat coolly in that familiar red-leathered chair. While the others stomped inside and Hermione began to pace, she took a look at Hermione’s bulletin board. Macnair’s photo and description had been removed from the “WANTED” list. “Yeah, congrats again on that one,” She nonchalantly complimented the fuming group as she gestured toward Macnair’s picture. Hermione stopped her pacing and menacingly turned towards her, looking as if she would slap Agyness the way she slapped Draco in their third year. Her hand made a slight movement as that thought ran through her head, but she stopped, took a deep breath, and sat in the chair behind her desk, tapping her fingers quickly on the parchment that lay there. Harry leaned against a wall of the cramped office, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his denim jeans, while Ron took a stance by the door, his large, muscular frame leaning against the wooden frame and his hands crossing over his broad, orange-shirted chest.

“Care to explain?” Agyness asked that all-too-familiar question, her body slightly tensing as she noticed their positions, especially Ron’s. Harry was the first one to speak as he harshly muttered, “What-is-wrong-with-you?” Agyness’s lips became pursed before forming an answer, “What’s wrong with me? I’m not the one who’s been a chauvinistic git.” Ron answered, although in a more assuring, cautious tone than Harry, “He’s just trying to protect you, as are we.” “Say’s the one who’s blocking the exit,” She scoffed. Even though she was being quite rude, she felt a hint of remorse as she spit venom at them, especially levelheaded Ron.

“Why didn’t you listen, Agyness? Why can’t you understand that we’re trying to protect you, to help you, to get you through this year of auror-training without a so much as a scratch, physically or mentally?” Hermione pounded her first in anger on her desk, causing a few papers to float to the cement floor. It took Agyness a moment to think of a response; she knew that they cared, but this was definitely too much. Addressing them all, she spoke in a forced, calm tone, “Listen, I know you guys want to protect me. At the start, I did listen to your advice, I really did,” Harry coughed loudly as she continued, “But he is the perfect gentleman. And I am learning plenty-”

Harry interrupted, “Oh, I’m sure you are.” Agyness stood from the chair and approached Harry, her face reading resentment. It was quite a sight, as she was at least a foot shorter than he. “Do you mind not making snide comments? Are you trying to call me a *****?!” Her shoulders rose and fell with her heavy breathing as she stood in front of him. Harry straightened from his leaning position and placed a hand on her shoulder firmly, responding, “Agyness, you’re not leaving until you can promise us-”

“What?!” She shrieked, turning away and tossing Harry’s hand from her shoulder. She quickly turned from Hermione, to Harry, and then to Ron, who had placed his hand on the doorknob as he witnessed her frantic state. “Is this some kind of intervention? What-the-bloody-hell-am-I?! I’m not a drug addict, I don’t have a problem!” At her last words, Hermione rolled her eyes. “Got something to say, Mione?” Agyness lowered her tone and spoke to her in a sarcastic manner, using her old school nickname. “Agyness,” Hermione crossed her arms over her chest and tried to speak in a consoling manner, “This thing that you have with Draco, it’s just not healthy. Draco goes through women like Ron used to go through trousers. And, to top it off, all of those poor trainee girls never end up getting through the training and lose their chances of becoming an auror.” “Suppose Draco didn’t want to face them after he contaminated them,” Ron muttered. Agyness shot him a scathing look before she turned back to Hermione, “You three don’t understand what’s happening; you’ve think I’ve gone mad. But it’s you three who actually have. Is it so bad for me to have a relationship? He’s the best man I’ve ever met, and,” Her eyes cast downward as she ashamedly spoke, “if you all can’t accept that, then-”

There was a sharp rapping on the door, and Ron turned around and slowly opened it. It was Draco. “Just wanted to know what the hell was going on. I could hear an argument from down the hallway.” He stepped inside, straightening out the cuffs of his jacket as he took a look at each somber face in the room. He saw the downtrodden look on Agyness’s face, her eyes cast to the ground. Draco strode over to her and placed an arm around her shoulder as he began to lead her out. He spoke protectively and forebodingly, “Don’t ever harass my girlfriend again.”

Draco swiftly closed the door in the trio’s grim faces as he led Agyness wordlessly through the corridor, tightening his grip around her shoulders. Agyness still looked distressed. Was she willing to give up friendship over Draco? She had no clue.