Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me, except Fealty.
LOVE IS ONLY FOR THE STRONG
Chapter seven: Confused as an Oxy-Moron
In early November, Malfoy was training. He spent his time making Crabbe and Goyle throw things in the air for him to catch on his broomstick. Other than that, Malfoy started doing weird stretching. He would hang from a loose rafter in their room by one arm at a time. Goyle and Crabbe just stared at him.
"What're you doin'?" Goyle finally asked.
"Stretching, you moron!" Malfoy shot at him, dropping back down to earth.
Malfoy saw Goyle's still confused expression and sighed in frustration.
"The gravity pulling down on me will stretch out my arms and make them longer," Malfoy explained as he shook out his arms. "I'll be able to reach twice as far as Potter."
Goyle wasn't sure, since he didn't have much experience with thinking, but Malfoy's exercises didn't seem very logical.
"Why not have Greg pull your arm longer?" Crabbe suggested, proud that he thought of such a thing.
"That's stupid," Malfoy mocked. "He'd yank it right from its socket."
Crabbe lowered his head.
"I've got the best idea for the next trick we can play," Malfoy said suddenly, his face lighting up. "It'll be much better than that jam thing. This time we'll really get Potter."
Malfoy rubbed his hands together as if he was dreaming of a gourmet meal. Goyle spaced off, staring out the window. His mind was on Ginny. How could he help her if she refused to talk to him? Listen and be there, Fealty had said. Well, that was easy for him to say. Goyle couldn't be there for and listen to a girl who seemed to hate his guts. It was truly upsetting.
"What we do is," Malfoy went on as if someone was actually interested in what he had to say, "we lure them out of the common room at night and get them in trouble."
"Thought we did it first year," Crabbe said.
"Shut it!" Malfoy snapped. "We tell them we want to talk in the Charms room. Yeah, that's it. Then, we don't show."
Malfoy laughed maniacally. Crabbe laughed with him.
"No, that's stupid," Malfoy scoffed suddenly. "I did that first year."
Crabbe opened his mouth to say something but decided against it. Malfoy sat on his bed and stared at Crabbe and Goyle.
"Let's have it," Malfoy said, expectantly.
"Have what?" Crabbe asked.
"The cheer," Malfoy grumbled.
Goyle groaned. Crabbe jumped up excitedly. They both turned to their side and held one arm straight from their faces and lifted one leg behind them. They looked like bulky "S"s.
"Slytherin, Slytherin!" Crabbe and Goyle chanted.
They put thier legs down, both arms up and faced Malfoy.
"To win, win!" Crabbe and Goyle finished.
"You better do it in the stands during this game," Malfoy threatened. "And, Goyle, can you try to put more pep in it? Our victory depends on this chant."
Malfoy stood up and started out of the room. Crabbe and Goyle followed.
"I've go to get into my uniform," Malfoy said snootily. "You guys can watch practice until the game."
"Sounds fun, Draco," Crabbe sputtered excitedly.
"Not just everyone gets to watch the Slytherin team practice," Malfoy said, walking up to the common room.
'Just everyone who happens to pass by the field,' Goyle thought, rolling his eyes.
"This is going to be the best game since Quidditch was invented," Malfoy droned on.
Goyle boredly followed Malfoy up to the Entrance Hall. Malfoy turned toward the large door. Goyle let his sight wander to the main staircase. There was little Ginny, walking up the stairs with a book held close to her chest. Goyle stopped instantly. He looked at Malfoy, who didn't even notice he wasn't still following, and then looked back at Ginny. Somehow, Malfoy didn't seem to be important anymore.
Goyle ran up after Ginny. He didn't catch up to her, but stealthily followed her. Predictably enough, Ginny went into the library. Goyle was reluctant to go in. What if someone saw him in the library? It would ruin his reputation. Of course, he had gone in there once before.
As Goyle entered and saw that the library was quite void of people, he remember that they were all at the Quidditch match. Ginny came out of an book aisle and sat at a table with a book. Goyle wondered why Ginny had such a thing for books. Goyle had never read a book in his life and was probably much the better because of it. Still, Ginny was reading a book, so Goyle decided to do the same. After all, why else would he happen to be in a library during a Quidditch match?
Goyle grabbed the first book he saw and walked over to a table and pretended to read. Ginny looked up from her book suspiciously.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, being a table away from his.
"Reading," Goyle replied, holding up the book.
"You are reading that?" Ginny asked, raising an eyebrow.
"'Course," Goyle said confidently. "I love this book."
Ginny covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Goyle looked at the title of his book, Learning to Love Lobalugs, and grinned nervously.
"Do you know how to love a Lobalug yet?" Ginny laughed.
"I meant to get another book," Goyle grumbled, feeling himself blush.
Ginny stopped laughing and returned to her own book.
"What're you readin'?" Goyle queried, trying to read the title from a distance.
"'Anne of Green Gables'," Ginny told him, not looking up.
"Really?" Goyle said, nodding. "Good one."
Ginny looked at him in disbelief.
"You've read it?" Ginny asked.
"Well," Goyle began, "'course."
"Is that so?" Ginny said, putting down her book. "What's your favorite part?"
Goyle racked his brain.
"Anne being of green gables?" Goyle mumbled.
"Didn't think so," Ginny muttered.
"What's it about, then?" Goyle asked, moving over to Ginny's table.
"A red-headed girl who thinks no one wants her," Ginny explained. "She thinks she's ugly and imagines a life much more glamorous. Then, she finds out that she can be loved for who she is."
"Told ya it's a good one," Goyle said.
Ginny held back a snigger. She looked back up at him.
"What are you doing here?"
Goyle shrugged.
"Right!" Ginny snapped angerly, getting up and leaving the library.
"What'd I say?" Goyle groaned.
**********
Malfoy, accompanied by the other Slytherins, came into the common room. He walked straight up to where Goyle sat and glared at him. Crabbe stood behind him.
"Why weren't you there?" Malfoy demanded.
"I was just-" Goyle began.
"The cheer looked stupid with just Crabbe!" Malfoy shouted, angerly.
"Would've looked stupid no matter what," Goyle said under his breath.
"We lost the match because of you!" Malfoy yelled. "I can't believe you let down your entire house. You're such a stupid git!"
Malfoy plopped down on the couch and covered his face with his hand. Crabbe shook his head.
"Go get me something from the kitchen, will you, Crabbe?" Malfoy mumbled.
Crabbe scurried off out of the common room. Goyle felt as if he was being abandoned. Crabbe was leaving him. What was Malfoy going to do to him? Would he enchant Goyle with an awful stench or charm his hair so it would grow so long he would trip on it? Goyle couldn't stand the fact that Malfoy was just sitting there. He had to have something horrible planned.
"Sorry you lost," Goyle muttered just to break the silence and, hopefully, to soften Malfoy.
"It's not your fault that you were born stupid," Malfoy said, tipping his head back.
Goyle stood up and walked over to the fire. That was it. That was his punishment. It hadn't been a strench charm or even blistering boils. But it was bad. It was worse than anything Malfoy had ever done to him. Nothing else could have affected Goyle like this. Nothing else could have made Goyle think. Was he born stupid? Was that why things didn't make sense to him? Was that why Ginny wouldn't talk to him? Was that why he followed Malfoy like a mindless drone? Was this how he was born to be or could he ever be more?
A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short. Please review.
LOVE IS ONLY FOR THE STRONG
Chapter seven: Confused as an Oxy-Moron
In early November, Malfoy was training. He spent his time making Crabbe and Goyle throw things in the air for him to catch on his broomstick. Other than that, Malfoy started doing weird stretching. He would hang from a loose rafter in their room by one arm at a time. Goyle and Crabbe just stared at him.
"What're you doin'?" Goyle finally asked.
"Stretching, you moron!" Malfoy shot at him, dropping back down to earth.
Malfoy saw Goyle's still confused expression and sighed in frustration.
"The gravity pulling down on me will stretch out my arms and make them longer," Malfoy explained as he shook out his arms. "I'll be able to reach twice as far as Potter."
Goyle wasn't sure, since he didn't have much experience with thinking, but Malfoy's exercises didn't seem very logical.
"Why not have Greg pull your arm longer?" Crabbe suggested, proud that he thought of such a thing.
"That's stupid," Malfoy mocked. "He'd yank it right from its socket."
Crabbe lowered his head.
"I've got the best idea for the next trick we can play," Malfoy said suddenly, his face lighting up. "It'll be much better than that jam thing. This time we'll really get Potter."
Malfoy rubbed his hands together as if he was dreaming of a gourmet meal. Goyle spaced off, staring out the window. His mind was on Ginny. How could he help her if she refused to talk to him? Listen and be there, Fealty had said. Well, that was easy for him to say. Goyle couldn't be there for and listen to a girl who seemed to hate his guts. It was truly upsetting.
"What we do is," Malfoy went on as if someone was actually interested in what he had to say, "we lure them out of the common room at night and get them in trouble."
"Thought we did it first year," Crabbe said.
"Shut it!" Malfoy snapped. "We tell them we want to talk in the Charms room. Yeah, that's it. Then, we don't show."
Malfoy laughed maniacally. Crabbe laughed with him.
"No, that's stupid," Malfoy scoffed suddenly. "I did that first year."
Crabbe opened his mouth to say something but decided against it. Malfoy sat on his bed and stared at Crabbe and Goyle.
"Let's have it," Malfoy said, expectantly.
"Have what?" Crabbe asked.
"The cheer," Malfoy grumbled.
Goyle groaned. Crabbe jumped up excitedly. They both turned to their side and held one arm straight from their faces and lifted one leg behind them. They looked like bulky "S"s.
"Slytherin, Slytherin!" Crabbe and Goyle chanted.
They put thier legs down, both arms up and faced Malfoy.
"To win, win!" Crabbe and Goyle finished.
"You better do it in the stands during this game," Malfoy threatened. "And, Goyle, can you try to put more pep in it? Our victory depends on this chant."
Malfoy stood up and started out of the room. Crabbe and Goyle followed.
"I've go to get into my uniform," Malfoy said snootily. "You guys can watch practice until the game."
"Sounds fun, Draco," Crabbe sputtered excitedly.
"Not just everyone gets to watch the Slytherin team practice," Malfoy said, walking up to the common room.
'Just everyone who happens to pass by the field,' Goyle thought, rolling his eyes.
"This is going to be the best game since Quidditch was invented," Malfoy droned on.
Goyle boredly followed Malfoy up to the Entrance Hall. Malfoy turned toward the large door. Goyle let his sight wander to the main staircase. There was little Ginny, walking up the stairs with a book held close to her chest. Goyle stopped instantly. He looked at Malfoy, who didn't even notice he wasn't still following, and then looked back at Ginny. Somehow, Malfoy didn't seem to be important anymore.
Goyle ran up after Ginny. He didn't catch up to her, but stealthily followed her. Predictably enough, Ginny went into the library. Goyle was reluctant to go in. What if someone saw him in the library? It would ruin his reputation. Of course, he had gone in there once before.
As Goyle entered and saw that the library was quite void of people, he remember that they were all at the Quidditch match. Ginny came out of an book aisle and sat at a table with a book. Goyle wondered why Ginny had such a thing for books. Goyle had never read a book in his life and was probably much the better because of it. Still, Ginny was reading a book, so Goyle decided to do the same. After all, why else would he happen to be in a library during a Quidditch match?
Goyle grabbed the first book he saw and walked over to a table and pretended to read. Ginny looked up from her book suspiciously.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, being a table away from his.
"Reading," Goyle replied, holding up the book.
"You are reading that?" Ginny asked, raising an eyebrow.
"'Course," Goyle said confidently. "I love this book."
Ginny covered her mouth to keep from laughing. Goyle looked at the title of his book, Learning to Love Lobalugs, and grinned nervously.
"Do you know how to love a Lobalug yet?" Ginny laughed.
"I meant to get another book," Goyle grumbled, feeling himself blush.
Ginny stopped laughing and returned to her own book.
"What're you readin'?" Goyle queried, trying to read the title from a distance.
"'Anne of Green Gables'," Ginny told him, not looking up.
"Really?" Goyle said, nodding. "Good one."
Ginny looked at him in disbelief.
"You've read it?" Ginny asked.
"Well," Goyle began, "'course."
"Is that so?" Ginny said, putting down her book. "What's your favorite part?"
Goyle racked his brain.
"Anne being of green gables?" Goyle mumbled.
"Didn't think so," Ginny muttered.
"What's it about, then?" Goyle asked, moving over to Ginny's table.
"A red-headed girl who thinks no one wants her," Ginny explained. "She thinks she's ugly and imagines a life much more glamorous. Then, she finds out that she can be loved for who she is."
"Told ya it's a good one," Goyle said.
Ginny held back a snigger. She looked back up at him.
"What are you doing here?"
Goyle shrugged.
"Right!" Ginny snapped angerly, getting up and leaving the library.
"What'd I say?" Goyle groaned.
**********
Malfoy, accompanied by the other Slytherins, came into the common room. He walked straight up to where Goyle sat and glared at him. Crabbe stood behind him.
"Why weren't you there?" Malfoy demanded.
"I was just-" Goyle began.
"The cheer looked stupid with just Crabbe!" Malfoy shouted, angerly.
"Would've looked stupid no matter what," Goyle said under his breath.
"We lost the match because of you!" Malfoy yelled. "I can't believe you let down your entire house. You're such a stupid git!"
Malfoy plopped down on the couch and covered his face with his hand. Crabbe shook his head.
"Go get me something from the kitchen, will you, Crabbe?" Malfoy mumbled.
Crabbe scurried off out of the common room. Goyle felt as if he was being abandoned. Crabbe was leaving him. What was Malfoy going to do to him? Would he enchant Goyle with an awful stench or charm his hair so it would grow so long he would trip on it? Goyle couldn't stand the fact that Malfoy was just sitting there. He had to have something horrible planned.
"Sorry you lost," Goyle muttered just to break the silence and, hopefully, to soften Malfoy.
"It's not your fault that you were born stupid," Malfoy said, tipping his head back.
Goyle stood up and walked over to the fire. That was it. That was his punishment. It hadn't been a strench charm or even blistering boils. But it was bad. It was worse than anything Malfoy had ever done to him. Nothing else could have affected Goyle like this. Nothing else could have made Goyle think. Was he born stupid? Was that why things didn't make sense to him? Was that why Ginny wouldn't talk to him? Was that why he followed Malfoy like a mindless drone? Was this how he was born to be or could he ever be more?
A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short. Please review.
