Putus Cruor Palace
It was late. Or early, rather. Draco yawned. He hated himself for not being able to get back to sleep. He really wanted a good reason not to shut his eyes once again, but he couldn't find one. He growled softly. The fire crackled, as if in response.
He looked around the dreary Slytherin Common Room. For some reason, it reminded him of a cross between an underground Gothic club and a cocktail bar after closing, not so much the look as the mood. Some days he loathed being here. Some days he relished in it. Often he wondered what his life would have been like if he had been chosen for some other house.
Pansy came in, yawning, a bottle of liquor still clutched in her hand. The party had been fun last night, almost too fun, even if he didn't remember all of it. Maybe that was why Draco's eyes were wide open. What had happened last night had really set a new standard for parties altogether, or at least that's what his subconscious kept repeating. Some areas of the previous night were gray. And each increment of five minutes passed, more and more vanished.
"Good morning, sexy." Pansy greeted him. She gave him a sloppy kiss which he chose not to return. "I slept in my trunk last night. I wonder how that happened. And have you seen my knickers?"
"No," Draco sneered. "Why are you asking me?"
"Because you were wearing them last." Pansy giggled. Draco glared at her.
"Why can't you just keep your fat mouth shut?" He snapped.
"Shut it for me." She pulled his face to hers and kissed him. It didn't please Draco. It was without passion, without meaning. It was empty, much like this Common Room.
He shoved her off of him. "Stop it, Pansy. I'm not in the mood."
"You're always in the mood." She smirked.
"Not this time. Now stop, or I'll make you stop." He threatened.
"I just might enjoy that." She ran her finger down the back of his neck. He slapped her hand away.
"Get away from me!" He shoved her back and she fell onto the floor. The liquor sloshed in its bottle.
"You didn't say that last night." She muttered before picking herself and what was left of her dignity up and going back to her dormitory. Now none of what the party had been was clear.
i Exactly what happened last night? And why can't I remember? I don't think I'm hungover…</i Draco wondered. He stared at the bottle on the floor, still rocking back and forth across the stone floor. Waves of liquor rose up inside of it. Numbly, Draco reached forth and retrieved it. Unthinking, he uncorked it and took a swig.
The alcohol brought back his memories. They came back in the same kind of waves that the alcohol had gone down in. He sat back, drank, and remembered.
-
i Slytherin had just won the match against Ravenclaw. Draco came in to the blank stone wall on the shoulders of his teammates.
"Putus Cruor Palace!" He cried, his tone victorious. The wall slid open. Inside the atmosphere was already festive. The normally cold dungeon was warm. Music was coming from somewhere. Candles were lit, but the room was mostly dark. Spirits were being passed around freely.
The crowd cheered when the saw the Quidditch Team. As Draco came down off of his team, he was mobbed by girls. He felt their lips on his neck and cheeks. He promised them pleasure, one by one or all at once. They laughed flamboyantly when he said this, and some of the boys chuckled as well. He was the guest of honor, the life of the party.
As he consumed more and more alcohol, his vision grew steadily more impaired. He had no recollection of who he slept with that night, girl or boy. He had a vague vision of himself wearing black, frilly knickers on his head.
-
i Oh shit, </i Draco thought. i I could have slept with Goyle last night and I don't even remember. </i
He hadn't even realized it, but more and more students had been roused from their beds in the time it took him to remember the night before. A vague sound of retching was coming steadily from the bathrooms. Moans and groans came from the dormitories. Even a thump or two was not uncommon.
Suddenly, Snape swept into the Common Room. The stone wall slammed behind him so hard that it caused the room to vibrate. Students screamed in protest of the noise.
" i Aperio</i ." Snape commanded, flicking his wand. The fake walls seemed to fall away. The Common Room had been draped with a spell to make it seem as though no party had taken place. i Snape never does miss a trick, </i Draco thought vaguely.
The Room was practically in ruins. Bottles, amongst heaps of other trash, littered the floor. One of the couches was spewing stuffing. A huge scorch mark was an ugly mask on the wall closest to the boys dormitories.
"EVERYBODY!" Snape bellowed. A large, purple vein stood out on his forehead. "GET OUT HERE IMMEDIATELY!"
Groans of protest were easily heard. Nevertheless, the students always obeyed their Potions Master. They filed out listlessly from wherever they were. Many of them had no shirts on. The smell of vomit and alcohol filled the air. Draco found himself shamelessly staring at Hestia Ashlinson, who was wearing nothing but a bra and paisley pajama pants.
"Now," Snape began, taking a deep breath. "How many times must I tell you to clean up after yourselves? A simply Concealing Charm will not fool me. Apparently the caster was too drunk to remember that." He gave them all a dirty look. "Next time, just pick up your trash. Then I won't have to refuse you a Hangover Solution." He smirked.
"Yes, Professor Snape." They grumbled.
"Now, all of you, you know where my student cabinet is. You will find the Solutions on the top shelf and to the left." He said, and without another word, he left the way he had come. The sound of the closing walls was louder this time. Exasperated whimpers filled the air once again. They all turned to stare at Draco, as if for advice.
"Why must we do this every time we win a match?" He asked, more to himself than to the crowd.
"Because we're Slytherins." Someone muttered, and a few others chimed in.
"Right." Draco nodded as he looked around the Common Room again, this time more appreciative. "Because we're Slytherins."
center THE END </center
A/N: 'Putus Cruor Palace' is 'Pure Blood Palace' is Latin.