Chapter Seven – Blood and Water

Confusion.

Anger.

Major depression.

See those? Yeah, they're just a few words to describe the emotions whirring around in my head. And to make matters worse, Professor McGonagall had just dropped a major bombshell on us. Oh, the horror…

"The Yule Ball," she began, "is a traditional ceremony that takes place when a school hosts the Triwizard Tournament." Most people were half asleep, but completely snapped out of their zombie-like demeanour when they heard her say…

"The Yule Ball is first – and foremost – a dance."

EXCELLENT!

I'd already had enough drama for an entire lifetime last night in the forest. And the Astronomy Tower…

Greif and terror swelled up inside me. I hadn't a clue what to expect tonight…Was Bellatrix going to be there? And if she was, what did she want?

Sigh. I was going round in circles. These thoughts were getting me nowhere. All they were doing were getting me into a bigger tizz than before.

I vowed to myself that I wouldn't let her trick me into anything tonight. I'd made a deal and intended to keep it – to get Potter to Voldemort somehow. And that was it. After that I had no business with Bellatrix and her Death Eater friends.

No-one would get hurt tonight, either. Especially…well, you get the picture.

This was really doing my head in. So, yeah, I hated Potter and everything, but I didn't want to hand him over the most powerful dark wizard that ever lived without hesitation…nobody deserved that, not even him.

And that's saying something.

I shook with terror throughout all of my lessons, hardly speaking to anybody. Normally I'd be laughing and joking with Crabbe and Goyle, not to mention annoying the hell out of Potter and his mates, but I was so afraid of what was ahead of me in the Astronomy Tower tonight…

Dumbledore noticed there was something wrong and called me to his office before I went to my detention. I knew exactly what it was about. I knew exactly what he was going to say.

"Do sit down, Mr Malfoy. Would you like something to drink?"

I shook my head. "No, sir."

"Very well." He began. "Draco, I can't help noticing that you've been quite distant today. Are you alright?" He gave me a look of concern which might've meant something, but might not have. He usually saved that look for Potter and his friends.

Oops. I probably shouldn't have said that. I felt a knot of fear being tied in my stomach and my head began to pound.

"Fine, sir."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir. Why wouldn't I be?"

"No reason." Dumbledore sat forward in his chair, looking straight into my eyes. There was a look on his old, wrinkled face that made it extremely hard to lie about everything. "Just making sure there's nothing wrong with you."

"There's nothing." I shook my head briefly.

There was a silence for about ten seconds. "How is Miss Greengrass?" Dumbledore asked, out of the blue.

"Oh, she's…she's fine. She's OK." I nodded.

"She seemed a little insecure today. Any idea what could be wrong with her?"

'Oh yeah, plenty of ideas. It could be the fact that my aunt Bellatrix nearly killed her using the Cruciatus curse on her. Then again, it could be that as confused as I am about nearly dying in a fire. Oh, and another one, we both haven't got a clue how we feel about each other. They could be good answers,' I thought. Too bad I didn't say it.

"No, sir. Sorry." Was what I came out with instead.

"I seemed to notice that you two have been getting along rather well lately."

I nodded. "Well we…we just…"

"If it's a personal matter than I'll leave it there. But if there is anything you want to talk about, don't be afraid."

I opened my mouth to start talking again, but stopped myself just in time. Was I really going to tell Dumbledore everything?

Answer: yes.

"I just feel like…everything's so complicated. Like I don't know what I feel any more."

"Is this still to do with Astoria…or something else?"

Tough question. I couldn't exactly say, "Yes sir. It's about me trying to get Harry Potter into the cunning and bloodthirsty hands of Lord Voldemort," now could I?

"Astoria. I…she's…it's complicated." I sighed. I couldn't believe I was having a heart-to-heart with Albus Dumbledore. I was definitely going crazy.

"Every relationship is complicated, Draco." Dumbledore replied.

My eyebrows shot up. "R-Relationship?"

"Well…are you saying that she and you are just friends?"

"Well…I don't know."

"Exactly. That's what I mean by complicated. "Now, is there anything else you want to tell me? Anything at all?"

It was so hard. So hard to lie.

There was a sudden knock at the door. My heart rate began to slow down at the sound. Thank god for that. If whoever was at the door had knocked a second later, Dumbledore would've probably known everything.

McGonagall. She was a life-saver.

"Oh, there you are, Mr Malfoy! I've looked everywhere for you! What're you doing in here? I'm sure Professor Dumbledore has some important business to take care of," she said breathlessly, as if she'd been running.

I opened my mouth to protest, but Dumbledore beat me to it. "Not at all, Minerva. I, myself, invited Draco up here."

"Well, you may have forgotten but I am here to remind you that you have a detention starting now. Go on, off you go." She shooed me out of the room and I sighed as I made my way to Filch's office.

I peered around the open door of the office, making sure there wasn't anyone in here again. I was scared to set foot in the office in case I got hexed into oblivion or something, but Astoria was in there and looked perfectly normal, so I decided it was safe.

"What on earth are you doing?" She smirked as she watched me creep into the room, questioning every step I took.

"Not letting my guard down. That's what I'm doing." I muttered. "Because if you don't remember, we both could've been killed last night!"

"I'm…sorry about last night. You know…with Bellatrix and everything."

"Whatever. Just forget about it."

We went in silence for about half an hour. 'Well this is awkward…' I thought to myself.

"Ouch!" I suddenly heard her hiss. I whirled round to see what had happened but facing away from me.

"What's up?" I asked warily.

"My arm…it just started bleeding." She turned round and showed me. Her left arm was covered in blood. She suddenly gave a loud shriek and fell to her knees as a pool of blood appeared on her right arm and stained the top she was wearing.

I was petrified – couldn't move, couldn't think. I was rooted to the spot and was panicking, thinking of what I could do. Luckily, Professor Snape heard all the noise and came rushing in.

"What's all the racket in-" He began.

"Sir! Professor Snape! Help her, she…her arms…I don't know what happened!" Then it occurred to me. I checked the time.

Five past nine.

Snape, kneeled down next to Astoria doing some kind of spell, didn't notice me slip out of Filch's office. Bellatrix was probably waiting for me in the Astronomy Tower. I had to get up there as quick as I could.

"Just what time d'you call this? Simply not good enough, Draco."

"What are you doing to her?"

"Why? Does it hurt you to see her in pain? Now isn't that sweet!"

"Just tell me what you want so I can get out of here. Please," I said.

"Well if you were here fifteen minutes ago, you'd know what we wanted from you, wouldn't you? Looks like you won't be late again, you pathetic, ungrateful child!" She yelped. I wasn't going to let her stupid insults get to me.

She shoved a piece of paper in my face with a list of ingredients on it. "Get these," she said, "from Snape's personal Potions store."

Polyjuice Potion:

12 lacewing flies that have been stewed for 21 days

1 ounce of crude Antimony

4 leeches that have been "unsucculated"

16 scruples of fluxweed that was picked at full moon

3 drachms of pulverised Sal Ammoniac

Pulverised blades of knotgrass

1 pinch of powdered horn of a Bicorn that has been "lunar extracted"

Filings and rasplings of Saltpeter, Mercury and Mars

Shredded dried skin of a Boomslang

"Bring the ingredients to me tomorrow or I'll do the exact same to your precious little girlfriend, only worse."

"Don't touch her! God, why can't you just leave her alone? She's done nothing to you!"

"Draco, Draco, Draco…I've done bad things to people as good as Saints! What makes you think I'll hesitate because it comes to someone you love?"

"I don't love her!"

"Save it! Just make sure you've got the ingredients tomorrow. That's all I want from you. Or don't you have the stomach? Pathetic…just like Lucius."

And with that she Apparated out of the Astronomy Tower and I left right away.

Bellatrix had a firm grip on Astoria, forceful and strong. Bellatrix pulled something out of her pocket, whipping it out so fast I couldn't see what it was. It was something shiny…that was all I saw.

"What's she done to you? She hasn't done anything to hurt you!" I yelled at Bellatrix.

"Mmmm," Bellatrix replied, not bothered at all.

There was a flash of light as the light reflected on something metal in the palm of Bellatrix's hand. A knife.

She seized Astoria's arm and dug the knife into her skin. She screamed in pain and tried to pull away but Bellatrix's grip was way too firm. She ran the knife further up Astoria's arm, penetrating the skin with blood emerging on the surface.

I woke with a gasp and clambered out of bed and out of the dormitory. Since the fire the Slytherin girls had been sleeping on the sofas in the common room. I had to check she was OK.

The Slytherin common room.

There was a knife on the floor, the exact same one I'd seen in the dream.

No Astoria.

My heart skipped a beat as I heard a voice behind me. "Draco what are you doing?" Astoria whispered, keeping her voice low.

"Oh, uh…nothing. Where were you?"

She frowned at me, looking puzzled. "I went to get a drink of water." She said as I picked up the knife, shoving it in my pocket before she could see it.

"What was that?" She grabbed my hand and took the knife.

"That is a letter-opener!" I stammered. She narrowed her eyes at me. "For extremely large letters!"

"A letter opener?"

I sighed. "No, I…I had a dream that…that Bellatrix attacked you with a knife and wanted to make sure you were OK…and I found this knife here." She put it back in my hand and nodded. Her skin was warm and soft. I looked down and slowly moved my hand away and she did the same, looking away. I thought it was a good time to change the subject.

"So what happened? Earlier today?"

"Snape did some kind of spell and healed me right away. I didn't even have to go to the hospital."

"Oh, well, that's great." I nodded. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah," she replied, "see you." I heard her say as I climbed the stairs back to the dorm…