Okay, I got tired of waiting. But I am a bit upset that only two, maybe three, people reviewed. I hope that I get some more. *makes puppy eyes*
Here is the real chapter. I'm not joking. No Justin Timberlake, I swear. I can't promise that he won't be making any other appearances in the fic. I'll probably fit him in somewhere.
There will be Snape in this chapter, finally. No real romance yet, though. Just for you Mermaid Caren.
Thank you 'Me ()' for reading. I sorry, but it's not Voldemort. If you drop an idea though, maybe I can write a Voldemort/Harry fic.
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Last time:
I followed the warmth, shuffling my feet to make sure I didn't miss anything on the ground, to find that seats where arranged by the hearth.
And someone was sitting in one of them.
Harry walked up to them and kissed their cheek. Ah, that's right. The boyfriend. "Hello," he said, stepping up to me. I held up my hand and he gripped it in a shake. "My name is-"
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"My name is Draco Malfoy. It is a pleasure to meet you." I nodded, not surprised, having my suspicions from earlier.
"It is a pleasure for me as well, Mr. Malfoy."
"You don't seem very surprised, Miss Dunkin."
I shrugged. "I narrowed it down to a couple of boys. You were one of them. And please, call me Rachelle."
All three of us sat down, Harry and Draco on the couch and I on the armchair. Tucking my feet under me, I sensed their interest and explained. "Harry you were careful to keep anyone from knowing who your mystery boyfriend was from me. Or anyone else for that matter. You not giving any clues was a clue. They would hate you if they ever found out and probably feel betrayed. The greatest betrayal to a Gryffindor would be to go out with a Slytherin. You only date people the same age as you, or slightly older, so the boy would have to be a seventh year. They can't treat you like the Boy-Who-Lived. They would have to be smart to keep up with your intelligence. They also have to be able to make you laugh. And I know you aren't vain enough to really care about looks. That left Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Blaise Zambini, and Draco Malfoy. Add the fact that they will be able to challenge you and that knocks out Goyle. Tell me, are Crabbe and Goyle going out?"
"Yes, they are."
Nodding, I continued. "I had a feeling that they were. That was why I was iffy with counting Crabbe as a possibility. So Zambini and Mr. Malfoy were the two only real choices."
"Rachelle, please call me Draco. You have stood up for my boyfriend and have protected the two of us from being lynched by our houses. I do believe that you have earned the privilege to call me by my given name." When I nodded in consent, he added, "But how could you have included me in your list of candidates? Everyone thinks we hate each other."
I thought carefully about this. Harry and Professor Snape were the only ones here at the school that knew I was an empath. Not even Miss Primrose and Mr. and Mrs. Delahughe know. But if this is serious, I would tell him. As I thought, the room became utterly silent. Too silent. There wasn't the crackle of a fire in the hearth. "Is there a fire in the fireplace?"
"No?" Bewilderment and confusion. "We can have one if you like."
"No, no, it's alright. I was just wondering why-"Then it hit me. I had only felt this feeling before when I was with my dads. Love. "-it was so warm…" I trailed off and closed my eyes in bliss. This relationship they had, this bond, it was incredible.
Draco's confusion only grew, but he didn't say anything. I smirked. I had heard that Malfoys were proud beings. I rolled my unseeing eyes as I answered. "I am an empath. I can feel the love you have for each other. It is warm." My voice grew wistful at the end. "We empaths have lower body temperatures than the average person in order to make room for the extra emotions we feel. Some of those feelings give us the warmth we need to survive. Positive emotions for the most part and hate. But there is no mistaking this heat for something else." I smiled. "I am happy for you two."
"Really?" It was Harry this time. "That would explain your always cold hands."
I chuckled lowly. "Yeah, sorry about that. There isn't anything I can do about it."
"There is one way," Draco said. I straightened in my chair, leaning forward to show my interest. "All you have to do is find your mate. Like I have found mine."
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Saturday afternoon found me in Greenhouse Five, watering the Anise. I would come here if I had anything on my mind. What Draco had said to me really got me to thinking. What if I did find my mate and it didn't cure this coldness inside of me. What if it only made whatever I feel worse? But that wasn't what had me working myself up into a big ball of nerves. I had been feeling really depressed, sad, and easy to piss off. I hadn't seen Seph for a couple of days. He has done this before, but I was really starting to become worried.
I was so distracted that I didn't hear the person come up behind me. "What has got your mind in such a twist that you are almost overwatering the precious plants?"
The watering can fell from my hands when I jumped at the sound of Mystery Man's voice. I turned in his general direction, smiling. "Nothing. Just thinking about some nonsensical things."
"That may be true for some, Miss Dunkin, but not for you." He paused, picking up the can. "Every thought that runs through your head has a purpose. You are not one to fill your mind with such trivialities." He handed the can to me.
"I haven't seen Seph in a couple of days. He has done something like this before, but I have never felt as…as antsy as I do now." I lowered my head so he couldn't see my worried expression. Bringing my head back up from its lowered position, I forced the worried expression from my face and forced a smile in its place. "Seph will be alright. I know he will. He isn't dead. If he was, I'll be too depressed to do anything. I wouldn't be here watering plants. Seph will be alright." A warm set of arms wrapped around me. A single tear fell from my eye. "He will be alright," I repeated.
"Yes, he will." A rush of comfort flowed around and through me. "He will." Large hands rubbed my back to calm my frayed nerves. That was the last straw. I finally broke down and cried.
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I came into awareness slowly the next morning. Feeling the familiar sheets under my fingertips, I realized that someone must have brought me back to my dorm. I was slightly relieved to discover that I was still in the clothes I was wearing earlier. Something crackled under my hand as I sat up. Running my fingers over it, I felt the bumps letting me know that it was in Braille. I was touched. Even more so after reading who it was from.
Miss Dunkin,
If you are reading this, then you are awake. You are probably wondering how you came to be in your room. In the greenhouse, you cried yourself to sleep. I took it upon myself to return you to your dormitory. I did not change your clothes, though I could have transfigured them into something more comfortable, I believed you would have been a bit disconcerted to find yourself in a different outfit then you were in previously.
He will be alright.
S
I smiled at the last part, which seemed to have been added at the last second. The dots weren't as fully formed and were at different heights. That only augments my previous opinion, that Professor Severus Snape is a kind man. For the first time in years, I wished I could see. I wanted to see this man's face, see his hands work over his cauldron, see his eyes. Maybe he can be them for me.
My smile grew bigger just as someone knocked on the door. "Come in," I said.
"Ah, you're awake. And I see you have read the letter."
Hmmm…How about I just leave it right there. I am still in an evil mood. Well, just a bit. I had a doctor's appointment today. I had to up and out the door by 7 o'clock. In the morning. The only highlight is that I got to miss school. I will never willingly get another upper GI ever again.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this.
Reviews = inspiration