Story title: Memoirs of a lost soul
Author: Yukaya
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the main character and certain parts of the plot, not everything. All the rest belongs to JK Rowling and the editors/publishers/etc of the Harry Potter series.
Pairings: Irmada/Draco
Summary: We all know what happens to the trio in all seven books. Now, how about a look at what it felt like to be the "bad guys" having love issues…
Author's note: There you go, folks, chapter 10. Enjoy ;)!
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Chapter 10: Strange encounter, part 1
I walked down the steps to the front hall in my deep purple gown, white gloves and silver tiara. The hall was empty except for five faces that I immediately recognized. Two of them were my parents' but the three others belonged to another family: the Malfoys. The blondest head of all turned in the opposite direction to look at the one standing closest to it. Narcissa Malfoy made a quick gesture of the head which was the green light. Draco stood there next to her as I joined them.
"There you are." my father whispered discretely into my ear as soon as I was close enough. "We've had the maids looking all over the mansion for you for the past hour. Where were you?"
"I've been in my room, preparing to look my best, just as I was instructed to do." I whispered back.
"My, my, Olivia. Your daughter is particularly beautiful tonight." Narcissa said as I got closer.
"Thank you, Mrs Malfoy" I said politely with a curtsy.
She smiled warmly at me and I smiled back, failing to understand the obvious exasperation on Draco's face.
"Shall we go?" My mother said, waving a hand towards the dining room.
"Certainly." said Narcissa, the same smile on her face.
Lucius and my father had already began their walk towards the dining room, talking furtively with one another. My mother followed them, accompanied by Narcissa, leaving me and Draco to withstand one another's presence. I didn't know when to start asking him my questions but now did not seem like a good time. He was obviously in a bad mood.
"Draco? What's wrong?" I said in a low voice so as to make sure the adults didn't hear me.
"Nothing you need to worry about." he answered.
His answer wasn't even remotely satisfying but I took it as an invitation to stop asking any more questions. I decided it wasn't a good idea to ask him about anything at all tonight but I just couldn't help but think about what he had just told me. "Nothing you need to worry about" he had said. So was there something I needed to worry about besides the source of today's bad humor? I didn't know. I thought I might be becoming paranoid so I found it best to drop the subject until he was ready to tell me about it himself. After all, there were other things on my mind, other questions I needed answered. We arrived at our seats in the dining room – much more quickly than I had expected – and sat down to enjoy the meal. Of course, I couldn't enjoy anything when the parents were talking to each other in such hushed voices and while Draco's humor seemed to deteriorate by the second. I wondered if what was about to happen yesterday was the source of this bad mood and I automatically felt self-conscious. I looked down at the plate on the table in front of me without fully seeing what was in it. I looked up at the people seated around me and I thought I saw Lucius Malfoy glance at me while speaking in a hushed voice to my father. I struggled to know what the issue was, why he had looked at me so intensely and, after a few minutes of brainstorming, I let the subject drop. I was bored and eager to get Draco alone, and it probably showed on my face.
"Darling" Mrs Malfoy said to Draco. "Why don't you take our little beauty here for a walk?" It was more of a demand than a question.
This had no doubt been an agreement between the two ladies and I smiled slightly at the perfect timing of such a suggestion. Draco simply stood up, came to my right and held out his hand for me to take, looking exasperated. I put my hand in his and we left the room without another glance at the parents. The door closed tightly behind us as we walked away from the room we had been in seconds ago and into the hall, the look on Draco's face making my heart jolt and the blood in my veins go wild. The hall seemed to be filling up with the intensity I found in Draco's eyes. He glared at me for a few seconds and I had to remember to breathe. His expression confused me and I didn't know what to expect. Was he going to yell at me? Maybe he was going to hit me and run out the door screaming. I waited for as long as I could before deciding that I couldn't wait any longer. His silence and wicked stare were becoming more than frustrating and I had to break the silence.
"Do I disgust you that much?" I retorted angrily.
He looked confused for a minute and then he smiled tenderly as he looked into my eyes. Slowly, he came towards me, his right hand raised to the hight of my face, with an agonized look on his face. However, he didn't hesitate. I froze as I realized what was about to happen. The memory of his cousin making his way towards me in the Malfoy mansion was still clear in my mind and if there was one thing in this world that my parents hadn't taught me, it was how to deal with men... or almost-men, in this case. Draco merely ignored the shock my face displayed and continued his advance towards me. I couldn't move and that was terrifying. A small voice in the back of my head was screaming out for me to run but I just stood there, staring at the blond young man as he came within my reach. He touched his fingertips lightly to my cheek and looked at me tenderly still as I gazed into his eyes, more fierce than I had ever seen them before.
"Don't move" he whispered.
I stayed frozen in place as his face came closer to mine. After a few seconds I could feel his breath on my lips, his finally moving in to capture mine in a tight embrace. He kissed me with so much passion I could feel my cheeks turning red under his tender hands. I closed my eyes as soon as his lips touched mine, overwhelmed by such intensity. And then the kiss was over as quickly as it had begun as both of the dining couples came out of the chamber behind me. Draco turned his head quickly away from mine as the adults made their way across the hall to meet us and I thought I caught a glimpse of pain lingering on his face. However, all I could do was stare at him, incredulous and shocked as I was. I was unable to move and my head was spinning. I fought to catch my breath as my mind spun, searching for words or even a logical explanation to what had just happened.
Our parents finally reached us, talking lightly, laughing even, obviously not aware of Draco and I's little mishap. I struggled to find my lips again as my mother asked if I was alright and I had to wrench my eyes away from Draco before I could remember how to speak. I didn't know if he had realized the effect he had had on me during those few short seconds where our mouths had fought together and, as the three Malfoys went out the front door, I was sure he didn't want to explain it.
I spent the rest of my afternoon – but also my evening – trying to understand what the point of all of this was. Why had he kissed me so fiercely and why had he looked like he was in pain when it ended? I asked myself. By that night I was so exhausted I couldn't even think anymore so I decided I would go to bed early. I was practically crawling up the stairs to my bedroom when I overheard a few words coming from my parents' room.
"Do you think he's right for her?" my father was saying. He sounded anxious.
"It doesn't matter!" my mother snapped. "As long as we get this over with before the others come. No one should be going against their rule, you know that well, Armando." her tone was severe, like I've heard often when she spoke to my father.
"And you think this is a truly good idea?" my father said softly. Then his voice rose: "What about what she wants? I'm perfectly aware of the consequences such a union will have but what if she's not ready? Are we truly going to push our daughter into something like this?
"Our daughter? Armando, have you forgotten?" my mother said in outrage, emphasizing every word.
"Of course I haven't forgotten but, Olivia..." but my mother cut him off.
"Armando, this is our only chance. If we don't do this, we will never be allowed amongst them again. Don't you understand? This is the one thread of hope we have for a future and I won't allow this girl to ruin it for us!"
"Olivia..." my father pleaded.
But I didn't want to hear any more. I turned away and climbed the stairs to my room. I changed into my night gown and sat in my bed as quiet tears began to spill slowly from my eyes. Why did my mother always treat me this way? It was as if she never cared about me, as if I wasn't her daughter. I shuddered at that thought and sank into the mattress, embracing the warmth of the thick covers. Winter was slowly making it's way to the mansion and I wouldn't let the cold of my own loneliness get the better of me. With a click of my fingers, all the candles in my room went out and a blazing fire in he fireplace lit the other end of the chamber, sending me into a deep sleep as the warmth of the fire overwhelmed me. That was the second night I dreamed that horrid dream.1
I was in a very dark room, crouching on the floor, curled up into a ball with my back against the wall – again. The same cold, the same claustrophobia haunted me and the same sick masochism controlled my every move. The dark figure came out of the shadows again, his hand held out for me to take. This time, I recognized the blond head that approached me so willingly.
"Lest us be friends" he said. "I shall not hurt you. Take my hand and follow me to our destiny. Come with me to my world where we can share our thoughts and feelings freely and without hesitation. Believe in me, just as I believe in you. Come now, don't be afraid. You shall be happy. I promise you this."
I was confused and I didn't know how to react. I looked at him as he knelt down in front of me, just a few feet away, still holding his hand out welcomely. Despite myself, I reached out to take his hand and we floated away together, just like the first time I had had this dream. Fear took hold of me as I realized we were headed for his mansion and the agonized expression I was now used to seeing on his face frightened me.
I awoke – unlike last time I had dreamed this dream – with that same fear I had felt a few seconds earlier. Sweat covered me from head to toe. The sun shown through my window, keeping sleep at a safe distance. I got out of my bed and headed to my private bathroom. Inside, I slid my night gown off and stepped into the warm water of my previously prepared bath. The memory of his face was still vivid from my dream and I tried to push it away as I sank into the warmth of the clear water that surrounded me.
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There you go, chapter 10 is up ^_^. WARNING: The next chapter is gonna be a little bit different ;)
1This is the same dream that was in chapter 4. You can re-read that as a reference. Don't worry, it's only 3 paragraphs, you'll live ;) lol Here it is so you don't have to go looking for chapter 4 (See, i'm nice :P lol):
I was in a very dark room, crouching on the floor, curled up into a ball with my back against the wall. Dust floated up into the air as I sat there, motionless. The room was so cold I could feel my nose become numb. I could feel the walls come closer, and the closer they came, the harder I held my legs to my chest. The fear I felt was so strong I couldn't hold back the tears from flowing out of the eyes I held so tightly shut. My hands got sore from clutching onto my body and my finger nails were slowly penetrating into my soft, pale skin. I started bleeding. Somehow, I felt a strange pleasure to the feeling of my blood pouring down my legs, onto my hands, and down onto the floor where my hair lay softly atop the now blood-covered ground. Suddenly, a strange, dark figure come forth from the shadows in front of me, his presence bringing along a blue haze above his head, which seemed to lead to the sky. It was a boy. A tall, pale, thin, blond-haired boy, who seemed to be older than I was. I had never seen him before, yet I felt I knew who he was; and the moment he spoke, I recognized his voice, the only thing he had not changed about himself during our last encounter. He knelt down in front of me, at arms length, and held out his hand for me to take.
- "Lest us be friends" he said. "I shall not hurt you. Take my hand and follow me to our destiny. Come with me to my world where we can share our thoughts and feelings freely and without hesitation. Believe in me, just as I believe in you. Come now, don't be afraid. You shall be happy. I promise you this."
He was so charming. I couldn't resist the light that shown in his bright blue vivid eyes. I longed for a secure place to live and now here he was offering me that. I had to accept it. I slowly started to float up into the air as his hand met with mine and, together, we flew up into the darkness which slowly parted, revealing the sky and leading us to new horizons.