Title: The Bleeding Eden
Author: toujouruspur
Rating: M (eventually)
Pairings: Draco/Harry, Ron/Hermione (others to come, but it would reveal some plot)
Disclaimer: The usual: I'm not creatively responsible for anything in this story besides the plot and the people I make up. I don't think I'll be quoting from others, but if I do I'll mention it.
Warnings: Slash (Male/Male) and a partial disregard of HBP.
Rehash: Lucius offered Narcissa an ultimatum; Dumbledore announced renewed DA lessons run by Harry, Hermione, Blaise, Ernie, Lavender, and the mysterious Penelope Dutra; Harry and Blaise made an appointment to teach Blaise the disarming charm.
A/N: Ok...so there might not be any updates for a week or so because I'm having problems with my laptop. sigh I need a mac...in any case, I promise to post at least two more when I get this fixed, so bare with me XD Thanks for reading all! And yes...Blaise does seem to be up to something. Hm... Oh, and someone asked what Draco was doing at the meeting a few chapters back; well, here's your explanation
Chapter Eight: Draco's Ashes
As Draco left the Great Hall, walking as fast as he could without jogging, he heard someone calling for him. "Oi, Malfoy, you want to come back here?" He slowed to a normal pace but did not stop. As the resounding footfalls of whoever it was grew louder, Draco had no choice but to stop and address them. He turned; it was Weasel. Just fantastic.
"What do you want, Weasley?"
"We're partnered, you git. I don't like it either, but we don't really have a choice."
"We don't, but you do. Here it is: leave me alone or get jinxed."
"You can't talk to me like that, I'm a prefect!"
"So am I, you prat. That's what got us into this mess."
"Well, we've got to come up with something for this stupid project, so what do you want to do."
"I think I've made that clear."
"Why don't we throw parties?"
"Yeah! And then we can sit in a circle and sing while someone brews a vat of friendship tea!"
"I'm just saying, it seems like a party would be a really casual way for people to…you know, mingle."
"Fine, Weasley, just make it happen."
"Make it happen? I don't answer to you, Malfoy, and I'm not your servant. We're partners in this, you have to help too."
Draco sighed. "Fine, how's this. I'm obviously more adept at decorating and preparing for a party, having actually attended some, so why don't I do that. And you can…I don't know, you can be in charge of invitations."
"How many people?"
"Fifteen, and they can bring a date."
"A date?"
"If there's one thing we all have in common it's our desire to get some; hence, dates. You can even bring along your beaver girlfriend, maybe you might get lucky."
"Shut up about her, Malfoy. And besides, at least I will have a date to this party."
The words stung, but Draco didn't dare let it show. "Whatever, Weasel. Like I said, make it happen." Before Ron could say anything, Draco spun on his heel and continued down through the dungeons. Along the way he spotted a first year Hufflepuff who had gotten lost and somehow ended up near the potions classroom whom he gave detention for loitering. It raised his spirits a bit, but it wasn't enough. By the time he reached the common room, he was ready to crawl into bed and not come out.
No one acknowledged him as he entered, which suited him fine; better they ignore him than try and kill him. He was headed towards his shared dormitory when something caught his eye; an article on the cover of a discarded Daily Prophet. He snatched it off of it's end table and read.
One of Britain's Richest Women: KIDNAPPED
Ministry officials, who visit the Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire on a regular basis after the escape of Death Eater and Malfoy patriarch Lucius Malfoy, arrived last evening to find that the manor had been abandoned. In a prophet exclusive, Bernie Mercer, a Ministry Official on the scene, told us that "At first we thought that Lady Malfoy was just out, she likes to go out in the evenings, but then we found the note." Mercer was referring to a note that appears to have been written by Lady Narcissa Malfoy herself. Along with the note, a further investigation found signs of a struggle, implying that Narcissa was taken from the manor, as apposed to leaving it of her own will.
The Ministry has yet to divulge the exact contents of the note; however Loretta Worshaw, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, has announced that the contents of the note have led the Ministry to believe that the person responsible for the abduction was none other than Luscious Malfoy, Narcissa Malfoy's husband. Worshaw also had this to say: "It is strange that the abducted would have time to write a note, which we feel implies that Mrs. Malfoy knew beforehand that she would be taken. Most often when the victim knows that he or she will be taken before the fact, the culprit is a member of the family or in some cases a close friend." The Ministry believes that Narcissa is still alive. However, were there evidence to the contrary, the next of kin would be immediately notified. This would be, of course, Draco Malfoy, who was recently relieved of all charges brought against him last June.
The results of the investigation are only on a preliminary basis, however—"
Draco felt the paper drop to the floor. For a moment, his surroundings seemed almost surreal; as if he were not experiencing them, but watching them being experienced. Sounds carried a faint echo and the flickering candles made the room appear as if it were shifting slightly, blurring in and out of focus. From somewhere in the back of his mind he registered that he had begun to sway but he did not care. When he fell to his knees, however, he knocked his head against the table. As the sobering taste of blood trickled into his mouth from his split lip, he stood and looked around the common room.
All eyes were on him; some were glistening with a bit of glee, some clouded in lack of understanding. Without saying a word of explanation he raised his wand and said "Mobili Daily Prophet," so that all the copies of the paper went soaring into the lit fireplace. There were some noises of indignation, but they faded the instant Draco shut himself in his room. He was alone, thank god, so he sat on the edge of his bed, mind refusing to think further on what he'd just read. He laid down and was about to fall asleep when the creak of the door an a sound of beating wings woke him. He sat up, mortified. The next of kin would be immediately notified…
With a sense of dread building in every cell of his being, he untied the letter from the barn owl's outstretched leg. Before he could think better of it, he opened it as the owl flew back out of the dormitory.
Draco,
Meet me behind the greenhouses at ten Thursday night.
-HP
Mortification gave way to anger as Draco raised his wand at the parchment before him. "Incendio!" he shouted, and the letter was replaced with a small pile of dark ash. Behind him, the door opened again and Draco spun around, ready to jinx whoever had just entered.
It was Blaise. "I heard about your mother. Seems you made a pretty big fuss in the common room, people are complaining."
"Shove off, Blaise, I don't want to hear it."
"You mistake me, Draco. I'm not here to ridicule you." As he stared into one of the dark stone corners, Draco felt a warm hand find his shoulder.
"Then what are you here for, Blaise? I was going to sleep, but then I remembered that snakes don't do that, so I've got all the time in the world to hear you out." The grip on his shoulder tightened.
"Suppose I deserved that. Pansy's mom works in the ministry, you know. She got a hold of your court transcripts…so I think I owe you an apology. I mean, if Dumbledore forgives you I suppose I can too."
Draco turned to face him. "I…" he had considered tossing a shrewd jab, but when he looked into his old friend's eyes, he saw that he was sincere. "Thank you, Blaise. It…means something to me that you would say that."
Blaise patted his shoulder. "Of course, Draco; what are friends for, right? We're supposed to be acting more like Gryffindors; I supposed this was a good place to start. You know that the rest of the house won't be as forgiving though, right?"
"Of course. This is Slytherin, not Hufflepuff."
øøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøø
Harry poked at his dinner lazily with a fork. He'd sent the message to Draco two days ago, and here it was, Wednesday evening, and still no reply. At first he wasn't even sure why he'd sent it, he didn't have any reason to speak to Draco. Then, he reasoned, it wouldn't be right to treat him like that. He'd told Draco that he was going to start over, and he had to stand by his word, even if it meant inviting him to come and rant at him for a few hours. He was sure Draco would have a lot to say, and he was not looking forward to their meeting; assuming, of course, that it was still on.
"Harry?"
He turned and saw Blaise walking towards him. "What…oh, right; disarming lessons."
"Right, you almost ready?" Blaise looked nervously at the surrounding Gryffindors who were whispering to each other and staring shamelessly.
Harry smiled at the Italian's nervousness. "Yeah, we can go now. I wasn't really that hungry anyway." He turned to Ron and Hermione. "I'll be up in a few hours, alright. Wait up, will you?"
Hermione nodded. "Yeah, we have to. Ron needs help with defense and I need help with planning the meeting."
"Right, well I'll try and hurry then."
He stood and walked with Blaise out of the Great Hall, pulling more than a few confused stares as they left. "
"You said classroom thirty-one, right?" Blaise asked, when they started climbing the stairs.
"Yeah, it's usually empty and it's about the same distance from both our common rooms."
"How do you know where our common room is?"
Harry smiled as memories of his and Ron's stint as Crabbe and Goyle came to mind. "Oh, I read it in Hogwarts, a History."
"Oh, right. Oh, before I forget…" Blaise stopped on the second floor landing to rustle through his robes for something. When Harry turned, Blaise was holding an outstretched clenched fist. Harry put his hand under Blaise's, and he released, letting clumps of patted ash fall into his hand.
"What's this?"
"It's from Draco, he said you would understand. Since when do you two talk, anyway?"
Harry's heart sunk as he realized he was holding the remains of his sent letter. "He didn't tell you?"
"Oh, about him staying with you guys over the summer?" They resumed walking. "Yeah, he told me, but I just assumed he avoided you at all costs."
"Yeah, he pretty much did."
It was nearly two hours later in the evening, and still Blaise had yet to successfully disarm Harry. He'd gotten the incantation down, his wand motions were perfect, and yet still Harry blocked his attempts every time.
"Expelliarmus! Expelliarmus!"
"Focus, Blaise." Harry could tell he was getting frustrated.
"Expelliarmus, Expelliarmus, Expelliarmus!" Blocked, blocked, and blocked. "Oh, this is hopeless. I've got the basics, I'll just spare the class the live demonstration."
"Are we done then? Because I'm supposed to be helping Hermione to—"
"—Expelliarmus!"
Harry's wand flew out of his hand. "Hey! That's cheating!"
Blaise offered a look of mock innocence. "What? I'm a Slytherin, Harry, it's what we do." As Harry was about to pick up his wand, Blaise said, "Accio Wand!" and it went flying to him.
"Come on, Blaise, enough games. Give me my wand."
Blaise pretended not to hear him. "Hmm….I've got the Harry Potter's wand! Wonder what I could sell this for...I imagine it would fetch a few galleons in Hogsmeade, don't you?"
Harry stepped quickly towards him, but Blaise held the wand back and above his head so that Harry couldn't reach it. "Ok, fine. If you want it, you can have it." He said, laughing, but still holding the wand out of reach.
"Blaise, come on. I haven't got time for this!" Harry reached further so that he was leaning slightly on the Italian boy in an effort to retrieve his wand. He stopped, however, when he realized that their faces were only inches apart. He looked to Blaise who was staring intently back at him, smile gone. They stayed there an instant before Harry took a step back and Blaise straightened, handing Harry his wand.
"Well thanks for the lesson, Harry." He winked as he left the classroom.
Harry smoothed out his robes and took his wand, extinguishing the lights as he left. Somewhere along the fifth corridor, he heard a voice from behind him. "It's after hours, that'll be a detention!" He turned and saw Draco standing in the middle of the hallway. "Oh, Potter, it's you. In that case, two detentions."
"I got your little present from Blaise," Harry said, closing the gap between them so that when he stopped they were only a foot apart.
"He just gave that to you? He was supposed to give it to you Monday!"
"Whatever, Draco." Harry turned to walk away.
"Potter, get back here, I'm not through with you. I actually have something for you."
When Harry turned he saw that Draco was holding out a piece of folded parchment. He took it and read.
Potter,
Meet be behind the greenhouses at ten Thursday evening.
-DM
When he'd finished reading it, Harry set the letter on his palm and raised his wand to it. "Incendio". With a small pile of ash resting on his palm, he raised it to his mouth and blew it into Draco's face.
"Potter! What the hell was that for!"
"I'll be there." He turned and walked away.
