Dark: Back, as I said I'd b. Enjoy reading.
Summary/Disclaimer: check the previous chapter, I'm far too lazy.
Italics – thoughts
"..." – speaking
Chapter 1... Plans: some evil, some good
The trip to her bedroom was silent and quick. After they gave the password (The Gathering), they passed through the green and silver cushions and climbed the stairs.
"Which password do you want?" it was Malfoy who broke the silence, "Choose one and let the portrait repeat it." Said portrait was a beautiful, not white, but black unicorn, which was looking at them curiously.
"The most important details cannot be seen from the outside."
As Malfoy rolled his eyes, a mystic voice sounded from, apparently, all around them, "The most important details cannot be seen from the outside," the unicorn snorted, looking at Iris in what seemed to be the interpretation of the equines of an amused stare, "Strange that you choose this as your password, Miss. For you do not wait to judge people. You do not see beyond their facades. Do not forget child: you only see what your mind wants you to see. But you should open your heart, for it will be what will save you from insanity. You'll have two important decisions that may change your life forever, child. Choose them wisely." The elegant neck of the unicorn bowed deeply, as the portrait swung open, revealing a green and silver room, completed with dark wood. The ground was made of a black shiny marble and it was simply gorgeous.
"The portraits like to shoot some advices or a stupid premonition of what's about to happen in a close future, sometimes. Especially the ones that keep private rooms like ours." She held her breath as he brought a hand up to stroke her cheek, "Something else you'd like to know, little one?"
"Where's Tenebrae Dumbledore's room?"
Malfoy pointed to a different staircase, where seven doors, all alike, were, "It's the one on the end of the corridor. You can't see it from here. It's labelled "Prefect", it's not hard to see." Looking into her eyes, he whispered softly, "Good night, Miss Koltchak..."
"Night..." she heard her own voice reply, even if she hadn't allowed it to. Iris took one step forwards, finally entering her room, the portrait closing softly behind her. She let out the breath she had been holding. Her fingers travelled up, unclasping her cloak, letting it fall to the ground with a soft swoosh. Her boots were next, then her scarf. Falling backwards on the soft silver and green mattress, Iris curled into a ball, wide eyed, looking into the fire.
How can this be? How could I let him get so close? I can't believe this... I-I just can't. After what his father did, how could I let him get under my skin so easily?
With a snap of her fingers, the fire in the fireplace got lit, sending a good amount of heat for the night. Her powers weren't normal, she knew. Most witches and wizards only learned wandless magic in the seventh year. But still, she could hear Dumbledore's soothing words...
Do not worry, child. There is nothing wrong in doing it. You see, our wands only guide the magic out of our organism and help us performing the spells and charms. But the magic itself is inside each and everyone of us... even in Muggles...
That night, after changing to her night clothes and slipping under the covers, she fell into a restless sleep, turning, not managing to shake away the feeling of being observed.
She never noticed the emotionless grey gaze that swept over her once, just before retracting to his own chambers from the balcony.
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Their first lesson was Advanced Potions, with their Head of House, of course. Gryffindor with Slytherin. Oh, the irony.
"Merlin, I just hope that Snake will let us stay together..." Iris mumbled, in one of the back seats of the old smelly dungeon. She turned at her friend's chuckle.
"It's Snape, not Snake."
"I know that. But Snape is like that friend of mine, back in the Abbey. So, it's Snake."
Tem shrugged, "Suit yourself. Just be careful as to not to call him that."
The heavy doors opened suddenly, crashing heavily with the walls behind. Professor Severus Snape entered. "Good morning, class." He didn't even looked at them, as he took out a scroll. "Now, you should be aware that in this year and in the next one, this subject is called Advanced Potions. That is the main reason why some of your friendsaren't here. So, naturally, Slytherin's and Gryffindor's will have to be mixed." Groans followed that sentence, "Quiet!" everyone shut up, and even some stopped breathing for some moments, "This sorting is already done, stop complaining, you will switch places as I say so. Now... Parkinson, Weasley... Goyle, Finnegan... Dumbledore, Potter... Malfoy, Koltchak..."
"I'm with him!" Iris placed her elbows on the table, her chin between them, "Merlin, this guy already hates me and he just met me five seconds ago! That's the only reason I find!"
"Umm, it would be better if you just calm down, Iris. Don't worry. Snape hates everyone. Well, except Malfoy over there. But I'm not far away. Besides, he can't try anything here, with everyone watching." Ten got up, walking to the table where Harry was, sitting down. After giving a last glance at her friend, she turned to him, "Hey, Harry! How's it going?"
He turned his emerald stare to her, "Hey there, Ten! Glad I'm with you... I'm fine, you?"
She smiled at the complement, "Yeah, I'm okay. Gotta live a day at a time, right?" as she spoke, she took out her things. C'mon, Ten, change the subject! What to say, what to say... One of her quills fell to the ground. "Ups."
As she leaned down to get it, a warm hand brushed hers, reaching for it first. She sat upright again, the faintest blush tinting her cheeks, as the Boy-Who-Lived passed her the fallen quill. "You got that right. A day at a time."
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The blonde boy strolled over to Iris' table, sitting down coolly. Nodding at her once, "Koltchak.." he took out his quill, ink and parchment.
"Malfoy." She decided to be at least a bit formal. She did not want enemies here; she just wanted him far, far away from her.
"The girls may be delighted to know what the potion that we'll be working on is. The Ardenter-Caritas(1) Potion." Most girls of the class squealed in delight at that, "Yes, I know it's a lust potion, but it's a direct order from the Headmaster that we make it. In this first class, you'll start doing research about it and fetching the ingredients to ferment it. Everything that you need will be on the board, in your text book and in. Your. Heads!" with a flick of his wand, the cold Professor turned Ron's book to the right page. The red-head was watching a very vivid picture of a couple under the effects of the potion, a blush starting to appear over his cheeks. "You may start now."
Hmm, this potion may turn out in my favour... All I have to do is make Koltchak drink it. Then, everything shall turn out fine. I just want to taste her anyway. His lips curled into his normal smirk.
"Stop smirking, Blondie, do something. Copy what's on the board; I'll search on the text book." Her voice brought him out of his erotic fantasies.
"As you wish."
Iris turned her head quickly to look at him. Her eyes narrowed, He's up to something... But what? A Malfoy never speaks like that, unless he wants something in return. She resumed her research on the book. The sooner I get this done, the better. Taking out her black quill with red lining, she started to take some notes onto her parchment.
Draco looked at her from the corner of his eye, once he copied all the items on the board. The way her eyebrows knitted together between those silvery blue pools, in which he'd love to swim and drown in. Her right hand, running from left to right over the yellowish parchment, while her left one rested softly, tenderly, over the pages of the book to keep it open. The things he could think about that hand, in nether regions of his body-
"You'd do better if you'd just read this out loud for me, instead of looking at me all day. It would be much easier for the both of us, Malfoy." And her voice, how much he wanted her to scream out his given name in the throes of her pleasure and passion. Not his surname.
He started reading, as she took notes. In a husky whisper, he began, "...This potion is normally used in lovers who are not loyal. Its' effect lasts for half an hour, more or less, and it also can work as an aphrodisiac. However, only its scent can activate the male's sexual hormones, in sensible organisms..." she had to lean closer to him to actually manage to hear what he was saying, for he was speaking very low. Much to his pleasure.
Damn! Can't he read any lower! Iris tried to stay as much away from him as she could, but she couldn't listen to what he was saying if she backed away! Grr!
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Ten looked over at her friend worriedly. Nothing good is coming out from that... I just hope she stands him and doesn't lose her temper.
"Hey, you okay?"
"Huh?" Ten turned to the green-eyed owner of the voice, "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Umm, I dunno. It's just that... You don't seem too focused on this." Harry laid down his quill, looking at her fully, one hand under his chin. "Something bothering you?"
She quirked an eyebrow at him, "I thought you didn't like us, Slytherin's..."
He smiled softly, "No, I don't. Though, I can't imagine how you are sorted in them. I mean, for what I've heard, Dumbledore was in Gryffindor too, wasn't he? And your father, Nicolai Dumbledore, was also in Gryffindor. So, why did you go to Slytherin? You seem to have the same qualities of your Grandfather..."
Ten's lips curled into a small smirk, "Oh, yeah? And which are those qualities, Mr. Potter?"
He fought down the small shiver down his spine, as his name was sounded in his ears through her voice, "Err, well, you're brave-"
"How can you tell?"
His cheeks blushed oh-so lightly, "Umm, don't tell this to Ferret Boy over there, but one afternoon somewhere in fourth year, I was going to pay Hagrid a visit, when I saw your team playing and-"
"In other words, you eavesdropped our training, huh?" she let out a soft chuckle, "Hmm, I thought your Gryffindor nature didn't let you do that... Guess I was wrong, for once."
"Hey! Don't take this bad, I'm sorry... But I couldn't help but sneak in and see." Harry continued, the blush growing slightly while she chuckled from time to time, "I saw Malfoy doing nothing, as usual, talking with Crabbe and Goyle, who weren't on the team yet. Though, the Chasers were training. I saw you training. And let me tell you, just to catch the Quaffle, you sure risk a lot!..."
Her head tilted to the side, not really understanding, "What do you mean by that, Harry?"
He looked at her for a long time after that, in silence. She... She called me by my first name... No Slytherin has ever done that... And... Sounds so good, so right, coming from her lips... Her lips... Her lips...
The other eyebrow joined the other, also going up, as her eyes widened, What's wrong with him? She fought down the small silly smile that was threatening to show, He looks so cute just like that... No! Stop thinking like that! Damn hormones! Stop it!
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When Malfoy finished reading and was taking his time to start doing the essay that was due to the end of the class, the pair of the table beside his caught his attention. Dumbledore and Potter. Wasn't that such a cute couple… not. No way, she's a Slytherin. She can't just go and be nice to Scarhead just like that... He knew, damn it. Their eyes... That little sparkle. His eyebrows narrowed, I'll have to do something about that later...
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"Harry?"
The raven-haired boy came out of his stupor, "Huh? Wha..? Oh yeah, err... Wh-What I mean is... Well... You-"
"You only have half an hour to finish your work! Miss Granger, please, could you stop wasting your time in trying to help Mr. Weasley? Have you not learned in the times with Mr. Longbottom?" Snape's chilly voice took everyone out of their thoughts.
"Umm, yeah.. We... We gotta finish those..." Harry pointed to their parchments. They still needed to write a lot. And this is the first stage of the damn potion... If just writing its effects makes me think like this, then how's it gonna be when we actually do the potion next class? Especially with that effect that the book says it can have for some males... The teen groaned inwardly, I have to stop doing this... Since I kissed Cho last year I just noted there wasn't anything special between us... Didn't my dim-witted hormones get the picture then! Why do I feel the same thing towards another girl a few months later? Moreover, a Slytherin? Urrgh!
"Yeah... Guess you're right." Ten turned to her notes once more, For a few seconds, I really thought... Nah... Can't be. These hormones are getting into my nerves... With a small sigh, she continued her work, unaware of the boy stealing glances at her from time to time.
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The rest of the morning passed fairly quickly, and before Iris realized, she was walking down the steps along with Ten, heading to the Quidditch pitch. Training. Figures...
"Why don't you go to the tryouts? I'm pretty sure you'd have a place on the team. Then, you wouldn't have to sulk and drag your feet over there to see me training 'cause you don't know no one around here."
"Pff, with Malfoy being the captain? No, thanks. I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees, Ten..."
"You're saying that I do that?" the angered stare the other girl sent to her could have paralysed a normal person, but not Iris, for she was pretty used to it...
"No, it was a matter of speaking... I was referring to my pride. I wouldn't stand hearing and doing what Malfoy says."
Ten rolled her eyes, "Look, if you stopped for a bit and give the guy a chance, maybe you'd see him differently. I know, he's far from perfect, definitely not a defenceless angel, but he's not all that bad..."
"But-"
"I also know he's a Malfoy, but can't he change?"
Iris stopped suddenly, looking at her with wide eyes. "What! Change? HOW!" turning on her heels she started to make her way back to the castle, still hissing threateningly, "He's a Malfoy for crying out loud! How can you say that to me, ME! I saw what they do, first hand, or did you forget Lucius Malfoy caught me before your Grandfather did?"
Two arms hugged her thin waist, stopping her, "Iris, stop! You need to stop worrying about your past! Leave it alone; it's not important anymore! I know Lucius tortured you till the point of exhaustion, till you were begging for death..." quiet sobs reached her ears, as Ten's chin rested on top of her shoulder, "I'm sorry for making you remember that, I really am... Think on the bright side... he didn't rape you, did he? You're still pure on that sense... But please, you have to let go of the past." The arms tightened their grip, "Stop it from ruling your life. You've been afraid... Afraid of being with him, in his presence. For you don't want to fall in that same mistake. But you can't let that lead your whole life, let alone your love-life... Stop worrying about it, follow your heart. I'm sorry... Last time-" her voice dropped, whispering, cracking, "Last time I almost lost you. I don't want that to happen again..."
She turned around on the embrace, hugging her friend back. She had been comforted, now it was her turn to comfort, "Shhh, it wasn't your fault. It was never your fault. I'm sorry... So sorry... I didn't- I didn't want you to suffer with this..." for long minutes they stayed like that, Iris' words hanging on the breeze, as a restful silence fell over them.
"What the hell's this? A pity reunion?" a cold voice met their ears as they turned to the blonde owner of it.
Feeling her friend tense up, Ten spoke quietly and fast, "What are you doing here, Malfoy?"
"Oh, I dunno, maybe waiting for Your Highness to move her ass over to the locker rooms, say the strategy she so hurriedly asked me to present the team and THEN train? You're 15 minutes late!" Draco Malfoy, in all his arrogant splendour, Quidditch uniform on and broom over his shoulder, was leaning against a tree, looking at them.
"So what?" Iris frowned, once more losing her temper, "Fuck off, leave her alone; she'll go when she's ready..."
Fearing the worst, Ten parted from the friendly hug, "Umm, he-he's right, Iris... He is my captain. I should be there already.. Err, see you... on the stands..." after giving her an apologetic look, she turned around, walking a bit behind Malfoy, who was leading the way, towards the changing rooms.
Only with a grand force of will and self-control, Iris didn't explode right there and then. What does Merlin have against me? I know I'm not an angel, but DO I FUCKING DESERVE TO BE TREATED LIKE THIS!
Walking angrily towards one of the towers, she climbed the stairs, sulking all the way, sitting in one of the seats. Half an hour later, the team came out, warmed up and did some training for a couple of hours.
Glad I brought my CD player. And glad I put a spell on it to work on school grounds... Iris thought to herself as she closed her eyes softly, the soft melody of Evanescence's songs calming her senses.
The training session soon was over, and the players entered the changing rooms again. Some minutes after, five players, their hair wet, came out, talking about the Quidditch Cup. Iris' eyes turned to the door again. Minutes passed. The two remaining teens didn't come out. Her hues narrowed a bit. Hn, wonder what's up... She decided to wait, nevertheless. Ten knows what she's doing. She knows how to take care of herself. With that, her eyes closed again.
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"What the hell's wrong with you?"
The loud tone the blond captain used when everything else was quiet actually managed to startle her. "What?" Draco's eyes pierced into hers, when she came out of the bathroom from changing into her normal attire.
"You know what I meant. Did you forget who and what you are!"
"Malfoy, do you mind enlightening me in what the heck are you talking about?" her blue eyes showed her slight confusion and anger, not really knowing what he was insinuating.
"In Potions class. Potter. Is that enough to make you remember!" his eyes were narrowed and she knew, from the tone of his voice, that he was restraining himself from shouting.
"What did I do! A crime? I talked to him. That was all. What about it! I couldn't be there doing anything; the work was in pairs, you idiot!"
He crossed the distance between them in five quick strides with his long legs. Even if she was slightly taller than Iris, he still towered over her one or two inches, but she wasn't intimidated easily.
"You are a Slytherin. You are a pureblood. What's in your head to turn your back on that and start being friends with the goddamned enemy!"
"Enemy?" her voice rose a bit, laced with venom, which she rarely used, "What enemy! Fuck being a Slytherin! We have to stick together, Slytherin's, Gryffindor's, Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaw's! ALL of us! And what if he's a half blood? Voldemort himself is a stupid half blood!" she almost smirked as he visibly flinched at hearing that name, but she kept her angered façade, "There is no difference, Draco Malfoy. None. Stop being such a racist prick! It's not my fault that you don't like him. And it's definitely NOT my fault that you fucking sided with Voldemort!"
"Shut up! Don't say his name!"
"Fuck you! I'll shut up when I want to! I don't have to obey you!" picking up her back pack, she walked through the door. A rough hand gripped her shoulder after some moments, turning her around quickly. The rage she found in the normally dull greyish eyes made her think again on the words that were going to come out of her mouth. It was the first time that she actually feared him, of what he could do to her.
When Malfoy spoke, his voice was perfectly controlled; with a hint of... remorse? The feeling in his tone was almost nonexistent, but it gave her the idea of a person who had gave up his hope long ago; who accepted his cursed future with a simple nod. Like the elderly accept death. Calmly and tranquilly, with open arms. "I never wanted this to happen. I don't want to be a pawn to the Dark Lord's cause. I don't want to be a Death-Eater... I don't want to obey my father... I never, in my whole fucking life, want to have the Dark Mark in my left wrist... But you know what! I'm going to have it in Christmas! What a fucking good present, don't u think?"
She let out a small gasp, I never thought... He's 16! How can he have it in about three months!
His voice broke her trail of thoughts again. But this time... it seemed... broken, "All I want is to be free, choose the woman I want to spend my life with, marry her and live my life, not being fucking betrothed to someone I hate against my will. Is it asking too much?" from the corner of her eye, she noticed Iris coming towards them. Only then, did Ten noticed his hands grasping her shoulders tightly, painfully.
In that same moment, he also seemed to acknowledge Iris' presence. Turning on his heels, he walked away, not looking at any of the girls.
"Ten, what did he do? You ok?" Iris stopped in front of her, massaging her shoulders lightly and gently, knowing he had hurt her there.
"I-I'm fine."
"Sorry to tell you this, but you don't seem fine... What's wrong?"
Blue eyes locked with silver ones, "He'll have it..."
"Err, have what?"
"The Dark Mark... He... still doesn't... He doesn't want it... But in Christmas holidays... he will..."
"And why do you care? C'mon, Ten, get a grip; he was probably lying, I'm sure of it-"
Her friend shook her head, walking a step back, "No! He wasn't! I saw his eyes, Iris! He wasn't lying! There's no way he could do that without me knowing it." Her head turned, her eyes focusing on his pale hair, as he just entered the castle. Her voice lowered to a small whisper, "We have to do something about this... He doesn't want this. He doesn't..." locking eyes with her friend, she added, "We'll help him. We have to."
…TBC…
(1) 'Ardenter' means 'lust' & 'Caritas' means 'love'. So, basically it's the Lust-Love potion
Thanks to:
Tenebrae Rosa: well, my point of view about Draco & Rowling's r rather different, if u haven't noticed that already xD I think he has a natural dominative nature, u kno. Besides, he's not thinking of taking Iris's virginity by force. & thnx 4 reminding me of that last detail xD I completely forget, sorry…
Dark: b back next Sunday 4 more & R&R while u'r at it. I'm off.