Authors Notes:
This was my first serious attempt at fanfiction of any kind, therefore it is a little shaky. Mucho love to my wonderful beta, Chrissy. Much angsty inspiration from Linkin Park of all bands.
Enjoy!
This is the first part in a 12 part series.
----------------
It was a warm day at Hogwarts as students of the age old School of Witchcraft and Wizardry packed their bags for the journey home. It had been a long year, and a tough one, filled with the usual bizarre goings on that were now to be expected from the school that housed some of the most promising Wizards and Witches in the world.
Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster, looked out his window and sighed. Another year over, he thought to himself; but at what cost? Once again the world was under threat, once again the boy with the brilliant scar on his forehead had triumphed, but it was not over by a long shot. The current crisis was over, but the far seeing wizard knew that the darkness that had been expelled was only waiting in the shadows, ready to come back once its strength had gathered. Now the school year was over he was free of his responsibility to the students, but he still worried.
If the darkness came back, it would come quickly and there would be only small chances that it could be beaten back once again.
The top wizards had met many months ago and had summoned all their strength, creating a free moment in time, a cover like a blanket, to stop the darkness coming, but it would not linger long. If he did not find an answer, the world of Hogwarts would certainly perish. The headmaster shook his head, disagreeing with the dark fate he perceived lay ahead. He looked back out to the grounds below and watched as a tall boy, thin and with ghostly white hair, walked out to the lake edge. Dumbledore smiled bitterly.
"Even you Draco Malfoy, proud dragon," he said, speaking softly, "Even you are in danger yet you know it not."
Dumbledore could not help feeling some sympathy for the gloomy figure, now seated on a fallen tree that served as a seat by the lake side. No matter how much darkness lay on the young man's face, no matter how much trouble occurred because of him, Dumbledore pitied him. He was unloved by the one man he respected more than any other, his father. And yet the boy would forever be only aiming to please.
Draco Malfoy, seventeen and pale faced, tall and wiry, sat hunched over by the lake side. A slight breeze was in the air and it caught a thread of his tied back hair and caused it to fall into his white face. Draco pushed his hair back without a thought, except that yes, his hair was getting far too long. It now ran neatly down the back of his neck like a cascade of white fabric, collecting past his shoulders. He would have hair just like his father's whether he liked it or not. It was the way the Malfoys had always been, and always would be. He sighed and looked upwards at the blue sky.
The train was quiet on the way home. Draco sat by himself, Crabbe and Goyle had left school earlier in the year and Draco knew they were expelled because of him. He was no one's friend, but he didn't mind, it had always been that way, ever since first year. Draco remembered that trip on the train, heading off to school, meeting Harry Potter and making an instant enemy at the same time. Draco would never admit it, even to himself, but his feelings had been deeply hurt that day. He remembered the bitter sting of Potter's rejection, he remembered the disgusted looks on his and Weasley's faces, and on the one face he had come to recoil from the most, Hermione Granger. Just the thought of her now made him shiver all over, a quick spasm of his body, head to toe. He shook his head and lounged back into the train seat. He knew why she upset him so, but he would never say it, he would rather die.
The countryside quietly passed him by, he wasn't even paying attention to it anymore. He sat alone, enjoying the silence of the empty seats around him. He could hear the muffled voices from the people in the next compartment. He had changed out of his school clothes and now sat in his dark black slacks, with a dark grey sweater over a dress shirt his mother had sent to him. His large black cloak was folded neatly on the seat next to him.
Draco stared down at his hands, which were still red in pain from his latest Quidditch accident. Great scars adorned his hands and rose like snakes up his forearms. He had refused to go to Madam Pomfrey, he knew that his cuts were only flesh wounds and would heal eventually. He liked the pain, the black lines where the blood had dried.
It had been the Quidditch cup decider and once again, Slytherin were to play Gryffindor. This time Draco had believed they had an advantage; Potter was missing in action yet again and was replaced by Gryffindor on-again-off- again Seeker, Ginny Weasley. Ginny had turned into a pretty 16 year old, lithe in frame and with long red hair that went golden in the sunlight. She had also grown very quick on a broom. The only weakness she had in Draco's mind was the fact that she was a girl, and therefore could be pushed around. He was easily twice her height, stronger in his arms, and he knew that with one strong shove he could knock her straight off her slow flying broom. Her brother Ron was keeper and kept a hawk-like watch on his little sister, when he had a chance and wasn't watching the goals.
The game had started well, a sunny day and very little breeze. Draco had shot off on the whistle, high into the air above the Quidditch field. He found his favorite watching spot, to the bottom of the field above the Gryffindor goals. From here he could see not only the entire field below, but he also got a good view of the school grounds. He sat and waited patiently, checking the field for that elusive flicker of gold in the air, the snitch. He kept a tab of where Ginny was, in case she spotted the snitch before he did. He watched her circling the grounds and finally she came to rest near to him. She hovered in the air, tying back her hair.
"Bit late for grooming isn't it Weasley?" Draco said, as he watched her. She turned and scowled at him slightly then flicked her hair and smiled sweetly.
"I have all the time in the world to catch the snitch, if my only opposition is you, Draco." and with that she gripped her broom and started to look carefully for the snitch.
Draco watched her, and saw a thread of red hair fall from behind her ear; she wasn't really that bad to look at, he thought. He felt quite carefree, knowing that if Ginny was looking out for the snitch he had no need to. If she caught sight of it, he would know.
Sure enough, he saw her eyes suddenly widen and she shot off across the field. Draco was off after her and quickly caught up; she was half way across the field when she suddenly dove down, following the snitch. Draco followed and was soon close to her side, diving deeper and deeper, approaching the ground at a startling rate. The snitch suddenly straightened out and Draco and Ginny pulled out of their dives to follow it. It flew close to the walls of the field, and soon Draco could feel Ginny flying close to him, her leg against his as she pressed him into the wall in an attempt to get closer to the snitch. He lost his balance as she moved in closer and his left hand, holding onto his broom tightly, scraped painfully along the wood wall.
Wincing in pain, Draco shoved Ginny aside but she came back instantly and pressed against him, forcing him to again collide with the wall, this time it was his knuckles. He swore loudly and gave Ginny a strong shove and she fell behind. Draco shook his head, and forced himself onwards. He looked back to where the snitch had been flying ahead of him, but now it was several feet above him, flying straight into the sunlight. Draco shot up into the air after it, urging his broom on.
SLAM!
Ginny was back and she was obviously angry about Draco pushing her off as she collided with him mid-air, smacking him in the arm with her shoulder. Draco's eyes narrowed and he shouted out to a nearby Slytherin beater who promptly sent a bludger soaring towards Ginny. She saw it coming and pressed against Draco tightly, so that when the bludger did connect, with her right shoulder, it also caught Draco. They both fell slightly off their brooms and the snitch disappeared out of sight. Draco swore again and looked over to Ginny, who had just got back on her broom.
"You really shouldn't play Weasley, your looks scare the snitch away." he heard himself say automatically as she looked at him. He didn't know why he had said anything; he felt hot with anger and knew his cheeks were flushed red.
"Exercise a bit too much for you Draco?" she snapped back, "Or would you like me to get you some training wings for your broom?"
"Oh very funny..." he replied as he rolled his eyes at her, but she was off, flying slowly back up above him. Then, as he looked across the field, he saw it. Draco was off towards the Slytherin house box, having caught sight of the snitch circling it. Soon he was following the snitch closely as it wound itself around the box, just another few inches and he would have the hot little gold ball in his hand. He stretched out his right and undamaged hand towards the snitch and suddenly felt an immense pain in his back as a bludger collided with him.
He fell forward off his broom and found himself clutching onto the ledge of the Slytherin house box with one hand, his other hand holding onto his broom. Draco looked down from the huge height; he would never live if he fell. Both hands were now searing with pain and Draco looked up from his left hand to his right and gasped in pain as he saw cuts erupting on his skin, stretching out towards his elbow. It was like an invisible hand was dragging a blade along his skin.
"Draco! I'm so sorry!" came a shrieking voice from the Slytherins seated above him. A head appeared over the ledge and it was Pansy Parkinson, despair painted all over her face, holding an opened container with "Count Catastrophe's Instant Cuts" written on it in what looked like blood. A shimmering picture of a Wizard covered in bleeding cuts danced on the side. "I meant to use it on Weasley if she came close but it got knocked out of my hand. Don't worry," she said, biting her bottom lip as she looked at his arm, "They will clear up in a few weeks!"
"Thanks a bunch Pansy." Draco shouted; his anger and pain merging as he managed to pull himself back onto his broom, now nursing both hands. He placed his left hand on his broom and it flew off towards Ginny, who was winding her way around the field, right on the tail of the snitch. He held on tight, causing an intense flare of pain all over his knuckles. He looked to his right hand which was now bleeding all over his bright green robes. His shoulders hunched, he flew after Ginny who was now inches from the snitch, her hand stretched out. If he could just block out the pain for a little longer, he would be able to get the snitch, easy. He managed to catch up with her but it was not quick enough, for the second he slammed into her side, her hand finally found the snitch. She was holding the snitch now, her hand in the air and her other hand grasping her side, where Draco had hit her.
"Bad Luck." she said to him, not trying to hide her smile of triumph, then her eyes wandered to his hands, "What happened to you?"
Draco meant to snap back but before he could he looked at her face and saw that she was actually concerned. She had a complex look on her face, and she had lowered her hand. She flew slightly closer to him as he stretched his hands out so she could see them, trying to hide the groan of pain that was just bursting to come out of him. Ginny looked from his hands to his face, but before he or she could say anything she was swept away by her team mates who were happily zooming about the pitch. Draco was left with an exasperated look on his face, listening to the deafening cheers of Gryffindor.
This was my first serious attempt at fanfiction of any kind, therefore it is a little shaky. Mucho love to my wonderful beta, Chrissy. Much angsty inspiration from Linkin Park of all bands.
Enjoy!
This is the first part in a 12 part series.
----------------
It was a warm day at Hogwarts as students of the age old School of Witchcraft and Wizardry packed their bags for the journey home. It had been a long year, and a tough one, filled with the usual bizarre goings on that were now to be expected from the school that housed some of the most promising Wizards and Witches in the world.
Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster, looked out his window and sighed. Another year over, he thought to himself; but at what cost? Once again the world was under threat, once again the boy with the brilliant scar on his forehead had triumphed, but it was not over by a long shot. The current crisis was over, but the far seeing wizard knew that the darkness that had been expelled was only waiting in the shadows, ready to come back once its strength had gathered. Now the school year was over he was free of his responsibility to the students, but he still worried.
If the darkness came back, it would come quickly and there would be only small chances that it could be beaten back once again.
The top wizards had met many months ago and had summoned all their strength, creating a free moment in time, a cover like a blanket, to stop the darkness coming, but it would not linger long. If he did not find an answer, the world of Hogwarts would certainly perish. The headmaster shook his head, disagreeing with the dark fate he perceived lay ahead. He looked back out to the grounds below and watched as a tall boy, thin and with ghostly white hair, walked out to the lake edge. Dumbledore smiled bitterly.
"Even you Draco Malfoy, proud dragon," he said, speaking softly, "Even you are in danger yet you know it not."
Dumbledore could not help feeling some sympathy for the gloomy figure, now seated on a fallen tree that served as a seat by the lake side. No matter how much darkness lay on the young man's face, no matter how much trouble occurred because of him, Dumbledore pitied him. He was unloved by the one man he respected more than any other, his father. And yet the boy would forever be only aiming to please.
Draco Malfoy, seventeen and pale faced, tall and wiry, sat hunched over by the lake side. A slight breeze was in the air and it caught a thread of his tied back hair and caused it to fall into his white face. Draco pushed his hair back without a thought, except that yes, his hair was getting far too long. It now ran neatly down the back of his neck like a cascade of white fabric, collecting past his shoulders. He would have hair just like his father's whether he liked it or not. It was the way the Malfoys had always been, and always would be. He sighed and looked upwards at the blue sky.
The train was quiet on the way home. Draco sat by himself, Crabbe and Goyle had left school earlier in the year and Draco knew they were expelled because of him. He was no one's friend, but he didn't mind, it had always been that way, ever since first year. Draco remembered that trip on the train, heading off to school, meeting Harry Potter and making an instant enemy at the same time. Draco would never admit it, even to himself, but his feelings had been deeply hurt that day. He remembered the bitter sting of Potter's rejection, he remembered the disgusted looks on his and Weasley's faces, and on the one face he had come to recoil from the most, Hermione Granger. Just the thought of her now made him shiver all over, a quick spasm of his body, head to toe. He shook his head and lounged back into the train seat. He knew why she upset him so, but he would never say it, he would rather die.
The countryside quietly passed him by, he wasn't even paying attention to it anymore. He sat alone, enjoying the silence of the empty seats around him. He could hear the muffled voices from the people in the next compartment. He had changed out of his school clothes and now sat in his dark black slacks, with a dark grey sweater over a dress shirt his mother had sent to him. His large black cloak was folded neatly on the seat next to him.
Draco stared down at his hands, which were still red in pain from his latest Quidditch accident. Great scars adorned his hands and rose like snakes up his forearms. He had refused to go to Madam Pomfrey, he knew that his cuts were only flesh wounds and would heal eventually. He liked the pain, the black lines where the blood had dried.
It had been the Quidditch cup decider and once again, Slytherin were to play Gryffindor. This time Draco had believed they had an advantage; Potter was missing in action yet again and was replaced by Gryffindor on-again-off- again Seeker, Ginny Weasley. Ginny had turned into a pretty 16 year old, lithe in frame and with long red hair that went golden in the sunlight. She had also grown very quick on a broom. The only weakness she had in Draco's mind was the fact that she was a girl, and therefore could be pushed around. He was easily twice her height, stronger in his arms, and he knew that with one strong shove he could knock her straight off her slow flying broom. Her brother Ron was keeper and kept a hawk-like watch on his little sister, when he had a chance and wasn't watching the goals.
The game had started well, a sunny day and very little breeze. Draco had shot off on the whistle, high into the air above the Quidditch field. He found his favorite watching spot, to the bottom of the field above the Gryffindor goals. From here he could see not only the entire field below, but he also got a good view of the school grounds. He sat and waited patiently, checking the field for that elusive flicker of gold in the air, the snitch. He kept a tab of where Ginny was, in case she spotted the snitch before he did. He watched her circling the grounds and finally she came to rest near to him. She hovered in the air, tying back her hair.
"Bit late for grooming isn't it Weasley?" Draco said, as he watched her. She turned and scowled at him slightly then flicked her hair and smiled sweetly.
"I have all the time in the world to catch the snitch, if my only opposition is you, Draco." and with that she gripped her broom and started to look carefully for the snitch.
Draco watched her, and saw a thread of red hair fall from behind her ear; she wasn't really that bad to look at, he thought. He felt quite carefree, knowing that if Ginny was looking out for the snitch he had no need to. If she caught sight of it, he would know.
Sure enough, he saw her eyes suddenly widen and she shot off across the field. Draco was off after her and quickly caught up; she was half way across the field when she suddenly dove down, following the snitch. Draco followed and was soon close to her side, diving deeper and deeper, approaching the ground at a startling rate. The snitch suddenly straightened out and Draco and Ginny pulled out of their dives to follow it. It flew close to the walls of the field, and soon Draco could feel Ginny flying close to him, her leg against his as she pressed him into the wall in an attempt to get closer to the snitch. He lost his balance as she moved in closer and his left hand, holding onto his broom tightly, scraped painfully along the wood wall.
Wincing in pain, Draco shoved Ginny aside but she came back instantly and pressed against him, forcing him to again collide with the wall, this time it was his knuckles. He swore loudly and gave Ginny a strong shove and she fell behind. Draco shook his head, and forced himself onwards. He looked back to where the snitch had been flying ahead of him, but now it was several feet above him, flying straight into the sunlight. Draco shot up into the air after it, urging his broom on.
SLAM!
Ginny was back and she was obviously angry about Draco pushing her off as she collided with him mid-air, smacking him in the arm with her shoulder. Draco's eyes narrowed and he shouted out to a nearby Slytherin beater who promptly sent a bludger soaring towards Ginny. She saw it coming and pressed against Draco tightly, so that when the bludger did connect, with her right shoulder, it also caught Draco. They both fell slightly off their brooms and the snitch disappeared out of sight. Draco swore again and looked over to Ginny, who had just got back on her broom.
"You really shouldn't play Weasley, your looks scare the snitch away." he heard himself say automatically as she looked at him. He didn't know why he had said anything; he felt hot with anger and knew his cheeks were flushed red.
"Exercise a bit too much for you Draco?" she snapped back, "Or would you like me to get you some training wings for your broom?"
"Oh very funny..." he replied as he rolled his eyes at her, but she was off, flying slowly back up above him. Then, as he looked across the field, he saw it. Draco was off towards the Slytherin house box, having caught sight of the snitch circling it. Soon he was following the snitch closely as it wound itself around the box, just another few inches and he would have the hot little gold ball in his hand. He stretched out his right and undamaged hand towards the snitch and suddenly felt an immense pain in his back as a bludger collided with him.
He fell forward off his broom and found himself clutching onto the ledge of the Slytherin house box with one hand, his other hand holding onto his broom. Draco looked down from the huge height; he would never live if he fell. Both hands were now searing with pain and Draco looked up from his left hand to his right and gasped in pain as he saw cuts erupting on his skin, stretching out towards his elbow. It was like an invisible hand was dragging a blade along his skin.
"Draco! I'm so sorry!" came a shrieking voice from the Slytherins seated above him. A head appeared over the ledge and it was Pansy Parkinson, despair painted all over her face, holding an opened container with "Count Catastrophe's Instant Cuts" written on it in what looked like blood. A shimmering picture of a Wizard covered in bleeding cuts danced on the side. "I meant to use it on Weasley if she came close but it got knocked out of my hand. Don't worry," she said, biting her bottom lip as she looked at his arm, "They will clear up in a few weeks!"
"Thanks a bunch Pansy." Draco shouted; his anger and pain merging as he managed to pull himself back onto his broom, now nursing both hands. He placed his left hand on his broom and it flew off towards Ginny, who was winding her way around the field, right on the tail of the snitch. He held on tight, causing an intense flare of pain all over his knuckles. He looked to his right hand which was now bleeding all over his bright green robes. His shoulders hunched, he flew after Ginny who was now inches from the snitch, her hand stretched out. If he could just block out the pain for a little longer, he would be able to get the snitch, easy. He managed to catch up with her but it was not quick enough, for the second he slammed into her side, her hand finally found the snitch. She was holding the snitch now, her hand in the air and her other hand grasping her side, where Draco had hit her.
"Bad Luck." she said to him, not trying to hide her smile of triumph, then her eyes wandered to his hands, "What happened to you?"
Draco meant to snap back but before he could he looked at her face and saw that she was actually concerned. She had a complex look on her face, and she had lowered her hand. She flew slightly closer to him as he stretched his hands out so she could see them, trying to hide the groan of pain that was just bursting to come out of him. Ginny looked from his hands to his face, but before he or she could say anything she was swept away by her team mates who were happily zooming about the pitch. Draco was left with an exasperated look on his face, listening to the deafening cheers of Gryffindor.