Hey, so this chapter isn't super necessary, but has some foreshadowing in it. (If that was a tweet, I'd end it with #literarydevices) So take that for what you will. Read, review, and tell your friends. I say that every time. Do you guys not have friends, because viewership isn't blowing me away right now. Whatever. This is a judgement free zone. I'm also writing this note at five in the morning so forgive me for whatever I have written.
Chapter 10
On the Road to Finding Out by Cat Stevens
"How do you really feel about Potter? Like, objectively." Leia said sitting on a couch in the Slytherin common room with her legs draped over Draco's lap. It was around 2:30 in the morning and neither showed signs of being tired.
"I hate him."
"Hate, like, hating the colour orange or like bee hatred."
This probably should have been a rather serious conversation, but the smiles on both of their faces made it hard to talk solemnly.
"What's the difference?"
"Well, I hate the colour orange, but it's not like I have a vendetta against it or anything. On the other hand bee hatred is quite different. When a bee stings a something, they lose their stinger and they die. They have to have noticed this by now, I mean, once you see all of your friends die you're bound to see a pattern. So they knowingly give up their lives to give humans a mild annoyance. That's true hatred. When you're willing to slit your own throat to bleed on someone's white shirt, then you've gone to the bee hatred level."
Leia had actually spent an embarrassing amount of time thinking about different levels of hatred. Draco had an amused smile on his face while hearing all of this.
"But what if the bee thinks your deathly allergic to them and kills themselves in an attempt to kill you?"
Leia snorted.
"Whatever. Would you really kill yourself, end your life, on the off chance that someone else allergic to you? That's like slitting your throat hoping that the blood would end up in their mouth and make them choke or something. I don't think bees are that dumb."
Draco smiled and shook his head.
"I think you give bees to much credit."
"I think you haven't answered my question. Orange or bee level hatred, or somewhere in between?"
Draco paused for a minute.
"Are their other levels?"
"Sure. There's like smoldering day hatred, which is close to orange, because on a super-hot day no one is happy but, instead of doing nothing, you can move or stand in front of the freezer. That's hating someone when you're willing to do something about it, but only if it's convenient. Then there's what I call Hitler Hatred, where all of society tends to hate one person for a good reason. Most people, given the chance would have wished him dead, knowing what they know now, but it's only a few people who are still alive who actually knew the guy. So Hitler Hatred is to the point where you'd be willing to kill, or at least will to be dead, someone you've only heard about. It's hating someone without any person-to-person contact.
"And right before bee hatred is farting ass-hole kid hatred. That's the one kid who's an ass hole to everyone they meet, and on top of that fart all the time. It's the person you know who has no good qualities, like maybe he hit a baby or something, and killing them would be you're idea of a public service. It's when you'd feel good about killing someone you know personally. So, orange, hot day, Hitler, farting ass-hole kid, or bee hatred?"
"Farting ass-hole kid hatred." Draco said without a second thought.
"Whoa man, think it over, that's pretty high on the hatred level. Potter has some positive qualities. You may not like them, but it's not like he farts all the time on top of that."
"But I know him personally."
"Do you?" Leia said looking at him right in the eyes.
"I know him more than enough to get to farting ass-hole kid hatred."
"So killing would be a public service?"
Draco paused.
"To a part of the public..."
Leia rolled her eyes.
"Well I think Harry is at bee level hatred with you."
"Really?"
"Oh yeah. But you have to see it from his eyes. Your parents work for the guy who killed his parents, you bully all of his friends, and you never show your positive qualities when he's around."
Draco shrugged. He changed the subject casually.
"Would you think ill of me if I killed someone?"
The way he said it sounded so casual, like he was asking about the weather, which had gotten cold over the last few hours.
"I'm not making any promises."
"So?"
Leia rolled her eyes, this question had gotten silly.
"Well, I guess it would matter who and how. Like, if you found some guy who cut in line at a restaurant and like ripped his heart out of his chest, then that'd be pretty bad ass and I'd totally still be into you. But if you like paid a guy to kill someone for you, then I'd never talk to again."
Draco laughed.
"You have no problem with me killing someone who cuts in line, but if I paid someone else to do my dirty work it'd be unacceptable?"
Leia scoffed.
"Well, yeah. That's like the lamest way to kill someone. Don't be such a piece of shit, just kill the person, geez."
"Wouldn't hiring an assassin be like taking advantage of your personal privilege?"
"Yeah and it'd be really lame. Try not to kill anyone though. It's kind of mean. You can't come back from that."
"Killing someone?"
"Being dead, I meant."
"That's true..." His smile faded and a small frown appeared.
Why did he even bring up this subject?
"How's stuff with the tattoo club going?" Leia had found many ways around saying the words 'Death Eaters'.
"Uneventful for the moment. I'm guessing the Pride of Griffyndor Club won't be letting you sit in on their meetings anymore?"
Leia sighed.
"Yeah, I mean, I feel like I got rejected by the rejects. Isn't that what's supposed to happen to school shooters like the week before they buy their trench coats and shotgun bullets?"
"I'm not familiar with this muggle phenomenon. Kids bring in muggle weaponry to school and it doesn't end well, I'm guessing."
"Yeah, it's hard to find a silver lining to those stories. Sometimes a kid will kill the people who bullied them or something. Other times they'll kill a teacher or administrator. It seems to happen most in quiet suburbia."
"Are you going to Slughorn's Ball?" Draco asked as casually as he did the 'would you think ill of me if...' question.
"Well I'm not in Slughorn's clique anymore. I went to one God-awful dinner thing and then told him I wasn't interested. He didn't seem to take it personally. I think it was obvious I was not having a great time."
"So you're not going."
"Hopefully not. I'd hate to get all fancied up and be dragged to something with bad music and gross food without you to complain about it with."
"How sweet of you."
Leia rolled her eyes.
"I'm guessing you won't be attending."
"No, never. I don't care for Slughorn. How dare he not ask me to be in his club, but Blaise is in! Ha." He said a little bitterly.
Leia laughed.
"Are you jealous?"
"Not really, more slightly annoyed. I just don't think it's fair to choose favorites."
Leia rolled her eyes.
"If you were a teacher you'd do the exact same thing."
"But my taste in students would be impeccable."
"Whatever, I bet you're really mad that Potter is Slughorn's golden boy."
"Hmm, maybe." Draco said before pausing. "Well, I do have something Harry Potter doesn't."
"Better fashion sense?"
"Not what I was thinking of, but God I think he only owns that one blue shirt."
"I know! And his parents left him pretty well off, he could do better if he really wanted to."
"The nerve... But I was thinking that I have the person I adore sitting in my lap right now, and he's probably wanking off to some image of one of the Weaslys."
"He has surprisingly bad luck with women. You'd think 'I'm the chosen one' is all the pick-up line you'd need."
Draco laughed a little.
"Did you even notice that I just said that I adore you?"
Leia got quiet.
"Maybe you shouldn't say that." She whispered. "Maybe it's best if we don't voice our feelings."
"Why?"
"Won't I just hurt us more in the end?" Leia asked sadly.
Draco nodded with a hurt expression on his face.
Leia swore she heard Draco sniffle as they were both falling asleep, but that could have been anything.