Disclaimer: Don't own and never will.
AN: Written for round 10 of the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition. My prompts are the following. 1(quote) 'Never, ever allow yourself to feel. Feelings kill.' - Malorie Blackman, Knife Edge 2. (word) free 10. (dialogue) "What do you want from me?" As always, the prompts will be in italics.
'Never, ever allow yourself to feel. Feelings kill.'
The first rule of espionage really. Or at least one of the big ones at the very least. Never, under any circumstances, allow yourself to actually feel something for the people you're betraying. Never allow yourself to be drawn in. Never allow them into your heart.
And above all, never, under any circumstances, allow yourself to fall in love with them. That was just outright stupid really. And Daphne Greengrass was far from stupid.
"Daphne, are you listening to me?" Professor Alecto Carrow asked with a hint of annoyance and Daphne pulled her attention back to what Professor Carrow was saying. She rearranged her expression to one of upmost attentiveness.
"Yes Professor," she said, keeping her eyes on the Professor's face. Professor Alecto scowled and pulled out her wand, waving it less than a few millimetres from Daphne's face.
"Make sure you do. I'd hate to have to scar that pretty face of yours because you couldn't pay attention after all," she said and Daphne swallowed nervously.
"Professor Carrow, would you please remove your wand from my face? I can hardly work my charm if you take my eye out after all," Daphne said, doing her best to hide her fear and for a moment there was a terrifying silence.
"Watch your lip girl," Alecto sneered before lowering her wand. "Watch your lip."
"Well, I've successfully infiltrated the secret organisation known as Dumbledore's Army," Daphne said, before assuming a coy pose. "Their supposed leader is smitten with me. I'm sure that I will know the real leader of the group soon."
"How soon?" Alecto demanded with a slight growl. "Surely you have had enough time by now!"
Daphne shook her head and sighed. However did Professor Carrow EVER manage in Slytherin? She seemed to have almost no patience or subtlety at all. She was just a petty thug really. It was embarrassing.
"What do you want from me?" Daphne asked with a mocking expression. "It would be a terrible waste of all my hard work and yours if you were to blow my cover now," Professor Carrow looked dubiously at her and Daphne pressed her point. "Think of the glory you would receive. Not Snape or your brother, but you personally? While they were still floundering with Dumbledore's Army, you sweep in and cut them off at the head."
Alecto nodded quietly, her eyes gleaming with anticipation and excitement. Daphne leaned back in her chair and smiled, but suddenly without warning, Alecto leapt forward and grabbed Daphne by the throat, pinning her to the wall.
"Just remember to deliver results soon girl, or I will hand you over to Greyback to play with," she hissed and Daphne nodded, her throat suddenly too dry to speak. "Good. Remember Greengrass, this was your little scheme. You thought this up, remember that. The success or failure of this little plan of yours is on your head as much as it is mine. I want results. You have until the end of May."
"Professor-"
"No more excuses about how you need more time. You've been working him since early December. You should have him by now. Shag him if that's what it takes, but bring me the one behind Dumbledore's Army or bring me his head."
Daphne swallowed and nodded once more, her heart beating at an insane rate. It was a wonder that it stayed in her chest really. Alecto smiled.
"You'd better be of to work then," she said with a cruel smile and with as much dignity as she could muster, Daphne walked out of the small office and into the empty muggle studies classroom.
Maintaining her composure, she continued walking through to the empty corridor beyond where she finally allowed herself an enormous sigh of relief.
"You sound like you had a lucky escape there my dear," a painting of an austere lady said looking at her over the top of her rimmed spectacles. "I would hurry if I were you. Last thing you need is to get yourself caught out after curfew."
Daphne flushed, embarrassed to be caught out in such a blatant display of raw emotion by a stranger. Twisting on her heel, she turned and walked away without a word.
"Interesting Muggle Studies class?" Theo asked as she stepped into the Slytherin Common Room and Daphne shrugged.
"It was informative," Daphne replied with a shrug. "Very informative indeed. I think I'm going to need some help with my Transfiguration homework though."
"There's a study group on the seventh floor that could help you," Theo replied and he shrugged. "I hear they're pretty helpful to anyone and they're especially good at Transfiguration."
Daphne gave Theo a smile and quickly made her excuses and left. Stepping into an empty stairway, she slipped into a secret passageway and disappeared from sight. After all, what kind of Slytherin would stay in a place with only ONE exit?
Exiting somewhere close to her destination, Daphne slipped through the seventh floor with practised ease (Because, just like any good Slytherin would never leave themselves with only one exit, any Slytherin passageway had at least three exits. Slytherin's were supposed to be DEVIOUS after all.)
Suddenly a hand grabbed her and pulled her into what appeared to be a solid wall.
"That was reckless Neville," she said without looking around. "I hadn't finished checking for any hidden observers," then she turned and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "It's good to see you Neville."
Neville leaned forward and kissed her.
"Already taken care of," he replied with a smile, before nodding at another member of Dumbledore's Army. "Micheal Corner managed to come up with a nice little spell that should stop anyone seeing you vanish."
"Very clever," she said with a smile. Then her face turned serious and she looked Neville in the eye with a more sombre expression. "The Carrow's want your head and they're turning up the pressure. Alecto has given me till the end of May to deliver you or the 'real' mastermind behind Dumbledore's Army," she said, a sarcastic inflection on the word real. "Dumb bitch. No subtlety or patience at all."
"If she's hurt you-" Neville started and Daphne quickly cut him off with a kiss.
"Don't worry about me," she said with a smile, the first genuine one she had made all day. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. I'm a Slytherin after all. We're survivors," she paused for a moment and leaned forward slightly. "It's nice to see your Gryffindork streak roused though. It looks good on you."
"You can't go back out there though," he said and Daphne rolled her eyes.
"You Gryffindor's don't have a monopoly on heroism," she replied with a confidence she didn't really feel. "I can still be useful."
"But-"
"Trust me, I'll get out when the time is right. I'll join you and the others just before the deadline. No point burning a valuable asset prematurely after all."
"You aren't just an asset," Neville said with a frown. "you're much more than just an asset."
"Neville, please. Let me do this. Respect me enough to allow me to take the risk, to know when to pull out. Please?" Daphne pleaded and Neville frowned even harder.
"Fine. But if you get caught-"
"I won't get caught," Daphne insisted, but Neville continued.
"If you get caught, I'm coming to rescue you," he said and for a moment, Daphne considered arguing against his idea.
"Well then, I'd better not get caught then," she said with a smile, before leaning forward to kiss him. "I love it when you go all heroic and brave."
"Just part of my Gryffindor make up," he replied with a smile and the two lovers kissed once more.
AN: You ever have a story that doesn't want to end? Yeah, this one's that story.