There was nothing more chaotic in Gigi's life than learning who her father was after meeting her sister in her first year of Ilvermorny. There was nothing that came second to that except the way her mother believed she needed to act like a proper lady and had tried to send her to a finishing school, insuring a fight of thrown crystal vases. Third of that might have been her mother sending her with Cal to Hogwarts. But no more. Now the most chaotic experience she's ever had was unfolding right in front of her.
She watched in growing fear as the crowd around her filled with frightened girls in gorgeous gowns, men shouting and hollering, shoving each other. Durmstrang men cheering and laughing, while Beauxbaton girls gasped and watched in horror.
She was vaguely aware of a punch being thrown to her left, and someone being tackled on her right. As the sound in the world slowly came back, she could hear spells being cast and feel the magic flow thick in the air as attacks and defenses were thrown up.
Suddenly the world sped up, her mind processing Graham Montague on top of Oliver Wood, still throwing punches at the boy who fought back with a vengeance. Fred and George, called to the hallway by the noise before the rest of the crowd, had tried to drag him off, only to be slammed back by Pucey and Flint, Fred and Pucey rolling around on the floor trying to get the upper hand on each other while Flint and George were fumbling for their wands between elbows and knees to the face and abdomen. Potter had stepped out of the earliest crowd, wand drawn, only to be blown back by Malfoy's own. Ron had been knocked unconscious by Nott, who was currently taking on some older Gryffindor quidditch players with Zabini. She could even spot Longbottom and Granger throwing spells with Crabbe and Parkinson. Everyone else drowned out around her in the noise as her voice bubbled and she let out a scream.
She became acutely aware of her sister stepping up beside her, her eyes hard as stone as she glared at Nott's back. With a strong grip on her wrist, Cal dragged her out of the crowd and down the hallway toward the dungeons silently, the shouts of professors and headmasters behind them.
The Great Hall was silent as an abandoned church the next morning. Tensions were still high from the brawl and by now word had gotten out about the Gryffindor muggleborn who was dead. Rumors sank around quietly, half of the people saying he got too drunk and ran into a wall, then fell and hit his head on a rock before bleeding out into the snow. The other half were saying he was killed by a death eater's kid. The latest rumor feeding the turmoil that sung through the hall, glares hot as day between the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables.
Gigi felt in over her head with the events of the night before, and her conflicting feelings in the heavy tensioned air. She left breakfast quickly, wanting to relax in her dormitory before class. Cal, seeing the girl move quickly, stood to follow her only to be cut off in the corridor by Snape.
He handed her a letter, "Narcissa Malfoy has invited you to the Malfoy Manor for Christmas Holiday."
She blinked at him, "I'm sorry, what?" "You're her favorite cousin's daughter, she is going to want to meet you. Your sister as well. It is quite an honor. The Malfoy family throws a large feast for the higher ups in pureblood society, among... another society. You'll be able to mingle and impress."
Nodding, Cal took hold of the letter in front of her. "I will see you there on Christmas Eve and Christmas night, as well as New Year's Eve, should you need anything. Your sister and yourself will be staying the whole holiday, should you choose to accept. Be on your best behavior. Keep her on her best behavior. The Malfoys are still a favorite."
"Thank you, Severus."
"You wore Slytherin green last night for me, didn't you?"
Mak glared at the bruises on Flints face, the rawness of his knuckles, and decided to ignore him completely. "Are you kidding me? Are you fucking kidding me?"
"Not now, Mak." He growled, holding a cold pack to his eye he had been given from the infirmary earlier that morning.
"Yes now! What were you thinking?! Why would you do that?!" "They're my friends, Mak! I'm going to defend them."
"Bullshit Marcus! You could have subdued them with magic, I know you! You know proper spells." She huffed, anger rolling off her in ways.
"Men don't think like that in anger. The adrenalin gets going and shit just goes down." He shook his head, standing up to leave the room when she gripped his arm. "When are you going to go to Dumbledore?"
He frowned, pulling his arm away from her as he took a deep breath. "I'm not."
"What? What do you mean you're not? You said you would!" "I'm not going to Dumbledore, not today, not tomorrow. Never, Mak. And you better not for me." He glared now, already hearing the accusation bubble inside of her.
"You said that so I would sleep with you, didn't you? You don't plan to change at all."
"No, Mak. I don't. I don't think the way you do. WE are better than them, why should we pretend we're not? Don't be such a twit. I didn't say it so you would sleep with me. I love you, but you're acting like a child. It's a death sentence to turn against the death eaters, I'm not going to do it – ever. I don't want to. Drop it, Mak. Don't be annoying, and don't piss me off."
She bit back her lip and the tears at the insult, stepping away from him as he pulled his arm out of her grip and left through the door quickly.
A hum of some obscure American soft rock music came from the throat of the pale girl as she sat at a table in the library, reading over the letter from the Malfoy Matriarch for the seventh time. Heat hit her from behind as a figure came to rest beside her, "What is it, Kitten?"
Cal turned to see Theo, face slightly bruised and knuckles swollen, the remnants of jinxes still reverberating off him in a way only Gryffindor magic could. "My sister and I have been invited to the Malfoy Manor for holiday." "Are you thinking of turning down Narcissa?"
"No, I'm thinking of how to convince my sister to behave." "Well I think you can find a way to do that. Bring your cousin, I hear she's dating Flint. Narcissa would welcome her, write her and ask. I would enjoy seeing you throughout the holiday – don't look at me like that. Draco is my friend, I spend much time at the manor. Besides, after Christmas dinner the men go back to my father's house for drinks. Maybe you could join us… or better, join me?"
She frowned, "I told you to keep Wood out of the ball."
"I tried my best, Kitten! We scarred him good, what did you expect? Us to bound and gag him?"
"If it would have done better than your pathetic excuse for a threat." Nott glared at her, the sneer on his face reminding her who his father was. "Watch your tone, Black. Will you be joining me at the Nott Estate this holiday or not?"
With her affirming nod, he picked up her hand and he kissed the knuckles gently before leaving the library. She looked up from the letter once more at the feel of eyes on her, noticing Zabini from across the room, leaning against the far wall with his arms crossed, glare still rooted. With a silent outward breath, she licked her dry lips and stood, a slow gesture, then disappeared into the restricted section. Only moments later did he uncross his bruised arms, slowly lean off the wall as he carefully looked around and follow.
"Gi." The call brought Gigi out of her thoughts as she turned in the hallway to see her sister.
"What's up, Cal?" "Go dress shopping." "What?" "We're going to be spending the holiday with the Malfoys."
"Have you LOST YOUR MIND?!" The girl felt like it was April Fools and her sister slapped her in the face thinking it would be a funny joke. "Relax Gi, I'm going to write to Mrs. Malfoy and ask if Mak can accompany us. Its only for a few weeks, and you'll be able to see Pucey. Would you rather stay in the castle alone?"
Gigi glared, shoving her sweater into her bag before poking Cal in the chest with a finger. "I'd rather chew my own foot off than stay in the Malfoy Manor. I know what you're playing at, I won't do it Cal."
"You're doing it. Be on your best behavior, I need this."
By the time Gigi let out a frustrated scream, her sister had already disappeared from the hallway. Destination forgotten, she stormed off in need of any release she could get. Release from her father's expectations of her sister, release from pureblood society, release from Adrian, and release from Wood. She pulled out her wand and tightened it in her grip, rolling it over in her palm once, then twice. She fully intended on blowing things up for the remainder of the day.
. . .
Perhaps blowing things up wasn't the best way to go, Gi thought when she spotted the chosen one heading toward the prefect's bathroom. With a raised eyebrow, she followed silently behind him. Slipping through the door he shouldn't even have the password for to begin with.
Once securely in the large bathing room, she shot a locking charm at the door before pushing Potter up against the wall.
Before he could shout at the intrusion, or draw his wand at the attack, his lips were secured in her own. Her hands gripped at his shirt and pulled it over his head with practiced ease. His wide eyes not relaxing when they took in the form attacking him. Adrenaline pumped through him as his hands gripped into her hair and pulled her deeper against him. Kicking his still shoed foot against the bath taps, the two began to strip each other until they found themselves bare as they day they were born and sinking deep into the hot bubbly water, mouths moving with no sense of time. Moving his hands over the sun kissed girl of his dreams, he couldn't help but feel like he had been blessed with a luck no felix felicis could ever give him.
"Jami Ward." "The daughter of the death eater who pleaded out of Azkaban?" "She keeps a bag Fizzing Whizzbees in her cloak pocket at all times. Discretely switch it out with this one." Cal handed Miles a small bag of chalky red candy balls. "Don't screw this up. Sirius should have taught you well – if he wasn't too busy between your legs."
The last day had come to an end and a new sun had risen, bags were packed for students leaving Hogwarts for the winter holiday. Gigi straightened her skirt, determined to put her best foot forward despite what awaited her at King's Cross Station. That thought abruptly came to an end when she found Oliver Wood in front of her. His face had not healed from the previous attack from two days ago, the bruises clashing with his red and gold striped sweater. He gave a gingerly smile. "Gigi."
"Wood."
"I'm sorry about the fight. It shouldn't have happened." Gigi shook her head but made no other movements. "It wasn't your fault, Wood. I don't know why it happened, but you shouldn't have kissed me like that. So, I cannot feel bad for your injuries – not that I would in the first place."
"You're right, Black. I shouldn't have, and I'm very sorry I did. I'm just not sure how to put into words how I feel about you. I don't love you, I'm not even sure I like you." A blush came over his face and he shook his shaggy sandy hair when her look turned into one of offense. "I mean, I like you, but I'm not sure if its more than what it feels like."
"And what does it feel like, Wood?" Gigi glared, unsure if she wanted to know the answer at all.
"Like every time you see me, I want to make you blush." He smiled lightly as he took a step closer to her. "Every time you're around me, I want you to want to touch me." He stepped closer again, half an arm's length away. "Anytime you touch me, even an accidently brush in the hallway, I want you to shiver like you did riding my broom." She closed her eyes, afraid of what was coming next. "When you look at me, really look at me the way I look at you, I want you to want me to kiss you."
The confession in itself didn't surprise Gigi at all, but the way he said it had her rooted in position, eyes shooting back open to stare into his honey ones. Her thoughts pooled into the deepest part of her mind, unable to form words or question what was said. She wasn't entirely sure how she felt about what was said to her – but she was damn sure about the feelings the way it was said gave her. Could she respond like that to Wood? Would the sexual tension be granted to her from a forbidden fruit such as Gryffindor, and not an expected Slytherin? That is exactly what she was looking for, wasn't it? Not the romance Adrian wanted from her, but secretive romps to release her stress, to make her tingle, to make her feel?
"Gi…?"
The voice snapped her back to reality, and she turned to find her sister looking quizzically at her and Wood.
Said boy cleared his throat, stepping away from Gigi and giving a nod towards Cal, who didn't return it. He whispered a happy holidays to Gigi before turning and heading off toward the carriages.
"I'm not going to ask. Mak is going to meet us at the train."
"How did you convince her to join us?" Gigi asked, waiting a few minutes to give Wood a head start before heading to the carriages themselves.
"I simply convinced her that it was in your best interest to have a chaperone while I'm… busy."
"You didn't tell her Marcus would be there, did you?" "No."
Gigi shook her head, not ready for the emotional explosion that would happen in the Malfoy Manor on Christmas Eve. She moved to step to the front entrance of the castle, a cold hand reached out and gripped hers to keep her in place. Cal walked a step forward to stand beside her.
"I know that this is hard, Gi. But I have worked so hard for this, and I sense I have grown no closer to the end the past four years. I won't put the brunt of it on you, but I need to know you have my back in the long run." Her words were soft, barely over a whisper, but they weighed heavy on top of them.
"How many are you going to kill to gain their trust?"
"As many as it takes."
"How many are you going to kill once you have it?"
"As many as I can."
Gigi squeezed her sister's hand tightly before pulling her toward the carriages, no more words exchanged.
