Sorry the update took so long. I have some serious issues going on right now and every time I tried to write, I couldn't get into it. Be glad I didn't update these past few days; it probably would have been total crap.
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Dinner. Friday. October 22nd. Blaise was shaking. He had to head down to the Forbidden Forest at 10:45 tonight. There, he would finally meet this mysterious girl, or be whisked away to retrieve her. Either way, his task began tonight and he was not looking forward to it.
"Are you sure you don't want us to at least walk down to the forest with you?" Astoria asked, her green eyes wide with concern. Theo and Draco sat on either side of her, studying his face carefully. He gave them what he hoped was a reassuring smile.
"Nah, I'll be fine." He said, "Besides, I'm pretty sure that out of all our tasks, mine is the least dangerous."
"Unless the girl is a complete nutter." Theo pointed out.
"Way to make him feel better." Draco shot Theo an icy look. Theo responded with a dark smile.
"I'm just saying, she's the stashed away daughter of a renowned Death Eater. She's probably a total basket case." Now Draco was struggling to hide a grin. This girl was probably going to waltz in here like she was the shit.
"Or maybe she's totally hot! You could totally fuck this chick, sane, or no." He said. His blonde hair hung loosely around his pale face as he shook with silent laughter. Apparently Astoria didn't see what was so amusing.
"Stop it!" She cried, swatting them both on the arm. "This is serious. He could get hurt. Maybe even killed. Not to mention Draco's future is resting on this as well. If Blaise screws up, you're both as good as dead. Just think of what Pansy would say."
All three boys sobered at the mention of their missing best friend. Pansy had run off and left them letters saying they'd be hearing about her soon. So far, nothing. In the back of their minds, they knew it had only been two days and they were overreacting, but worry for their friend was drowning out any rationale thoughts. They wanted Pansy back. They wanted to know she was okay and that everything would be all right. It wasn't just them, though. Ron was a mess as well and Astoria had been secretly meeting up with him to try and put together their meager knowledge of Pansy's plan. Again, they had next to nothing. It was killing Ron, but he was doing everything he could to prepare for the coming war.
"I'm going to my room. I need a drink before I head into this shit storm." Blaise announced, standing up. Astoria narrowed her eyes at him but said nothing. Draco stood, reached over, and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Don't drink too much. The last we need is you heading down there completely hammered." Theo said, putting his arm around Astoria. She snuggled closer to him, lips pressed in a thin line.
"I'll be fine. I'm not a complete idiot, you know." He stalked off.
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Draco left the table shortly after Blaise. He had patrols at eight with none other then the wonderfully insane Hermione Granger. The girl had gone off the deep end. Showing him she had turned on her own precious cause by joining up with the Dark Lord and then claiming to be Theo's sister. Ridiculous. He was going to confront the bint tonight about that particular claim. He had almost laughed when Blaise had told him that Theo's mother was barren because of his father. What kind of moron makes such a stupid claim? But then, this was Granger. So she had to have had a reason for saying something so idiotic. Just thinking of the conversation with Blaise brought a smirk to his face. How could a mud blood like Granger possibly know that when the Dark Lord had fallen, Lucius, that bastard, had called a meeting with the Death Eaters and attempted to kill them all. Destroying all evidence that he'd ever been a part of the Dark Lord's army. Unfortunately, none had gone down without a fight. He'd managed to kill two before they had him cornered. They'd let him live, but only because he was too well known. None of them wanted to go to Azkaban. During the fight, Lucius had sent a spell at Theo's mother, hitting her in the womb and nearly killing Theo. He'd made it, but his mother could never have another child. He sighed; Granger didn't know what she had gotten herself in to.
He spotter her outside their common room, leaning casually up against the wall. "Evening Granger." He said pleasantly. She gave him a dark smile in return. Draco didn't see how no one else had noticed the subtle changes in Gryffindor's Golden Princess. Her hair and eyes were darker, wilder looking. She had the look of one who knew a dirty secret and was happily taunting the rest of the world with it. In this case, she had the secret of her defection from the side of Light to hold over everyone.
"Malfoy. Shall we begin?" She walked away with a swish of dark robes, reminding him oddly of Snape.
"Of course." He muttered, strolling behind her. He walked in silence for a few moments before he couldn't hold back any longer. "So, Granger."
She ignored him. They continued to walk in silence and he could feel the tension rising. Finally, she broke. "What, Malfoy?"
"I was just wondering…no never mind. Not important." She nodded,
"As you wish." Again, the tension rose and Granger was getting antsy. He whistled casually, keeping up with her fast pace effortlessly.
"Oh! Would you just tell me already!" She snapped, planting herself firmly in his path.
"Why, Granger!" He gasped in mock surprise. "Its not something I need to tell you! It's a question I must ask."
"Then, for the love of all I find holy, ask me. I can't bear your half-assed explanations and casual demeanor. I know something's got your curiosity spiked. Now, tell me!" Cripes, he had no idea she was freaking out this badly. But then, she probably just wanted more information for her beloved Lord.
"Just wondering how you came about when there were several witnesses at Theo's birth and Mrs. Nott was made barren by my very own father." He sighed, examining his fingers with feigned interest.
"Oh, you really are gullible!" She laughed, upping his confusion. "You truly believed I meant that?"
"Why would you say something that moronic?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at her. She stood her ground, holding her wand between them steadily. She lifted her chin defiantly.
"Would you have been distracted enough to let me leave otherwise?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow.
He shrugged and she tapped her foot impatiently. He huffed. "Fine, no. I would not have let you leave if you hadn't said something that crazy. That's not an explanation though. That was a ridiculous claim to make. What if I had gone to Theo? He'd have been furious at such a blatant lie!"
"Ah, but you didn't, did you? You went to Zabini instead and he told you that lovely story about your Father's desperate actions." She smirked and he wondered at how she knew he had gone to Zabini. "And your little friends don't scare me."
He detested her haughty tone when speaking of his friends. His family, in a way. "And what does scare you, Granger? Having your dirty little secret brought out into the open, perhaps?" She didn't show any sign of being worried. She had no reason. Who would believe him, of all people? "Or maybe it's Dumbledore. After all, that's who your master fears, isn't it?" her smirk faltered for a moment, but soon came back in full force. "Or maybe its me you fear. Seeing as, even though you are quite close to the Dark Lord, he isn't here to protect you now. Not that he protects his own, when it comes down to it. You do like how I make you feel, I remember it from that day in the hallway. You enjoyed it, you moaned for me."
He took a step towards her, grasping the tip of her wand between his pointer finger and thumb. She had frozen. He could see it in her eyes, she couldn't move, couldn't even react. With a flick of his wrist, he flung her wand aside. Neither of them broke eye contact as it clattered to the floor. He took a step closer. Then another. Before he could press up against her, she took a flurry of small steps back. Bad idea. Her back hit the wall and he put his hands on either side of her head, similar to their position the last time this had happened between them.
Her smirk was gone, replaced by a determined pursing of her lips. She met his icy stare dead on and he could see a large difference in her eyes. Before, they had been a light, golden brown. Now, they were a deep brown. Not quite black. Yet. He brushed a stray curl from her face and reveled in the soft gasp that escaped her. She stood perfectly still as he traced a finger across one cheekbone and down her face. When he reached her neck, she reached a hand up and wrapped her slim, cold finger around his. Cold, her skin was so cold. Like ice. And she was delicate. Everything about her screamed delicate, from her petite frame, to her dainty hands and feet. How wrong he was, when considering her delicacy.
Before he knew what was happening, she had bent his hand back harshly, and spun them around. She planted her forearm across his chest, pushing hard. He sucked in a breath and stayed absolutely still, mimicking her perfect posture when she had been in this position. She was breathing in short burst through parted lips. Her lips enticed him and he reached a hand out to trace them. He was millimeters away from touching her when she smacked his hand away and pressed her lips to his. Her soft lips caressed his gently and her chilled fingers ghosted down his cheeks to clasp together behind his neck. She was leaning on her tiptoes to reach him; he could feel her starting to quiver from the effort. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he supported her wait and pressed his body into hers, deepening the kiss. He was delighted when he felt her tongue slide gently across his lower lip, quickly followed by a sharp nip of her teeth.
And the loud sound of a throat being cleared, just as her tongue slipped between his parted lips to taste his own. Hermione's head snapped back and she narrowed her eyes as she turned to see the intruder. Her harsh look split into a wide grin and she slipped from his embrace. "Evening, Blaise."
"Granger." Blaise's voice was stiff and low. Whether from nerves about his task, which started soon, or shock at finding his best friend kissing Granger, the girl who was an enigma and a pain in there asses, Draco did not know. "I just came to let Draco know I'll be…heading to bed soon. And that we could finish that potion's essay tomorrow morning over breakfast."
Hermione's silky tone as she bent to retrieve her wand clearly said she knew something. "Have a good night, Blaise. I trust you'll, ah, sleep well."
She sauntered away, twirling a dark curl around a finger. Those damn cold fingers. Draco smirked.
"We'll discuss this later." Blaise snarled, turning to leave. "Have a nice night. I'll do my best not to get killed and risk your ask. But who knows, if something happens to me, Granger can probably protect you."
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Blaise cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself and walked out of the castle, glancing around. Hogwart's grounds were dark and silent. Not a single sign of movement. But Blaise knew that bad things hid in silent darkness. Shaking his head, he headed towards the forest. It loomed ominously in the distance, taunting him with the terror that awaited him tonight. It took him only moments to reach the end of the forest, but what seemed like forever for him to locate the masked figure that was leaning against one of the gigantic trees.
"Evening, Zabini."
He recognized that voice…"Tamara?"
"The very same. Surprised you knew it was me. Well? Don't just stand there. We need to get a move on." She started walking deeper into the forest and he hurried to catch up with her.
"Will we be leaving Hogwarts?" She laughed at his tone.
"You'd be lucky if you were. No, we'll be meeting them about a mile into the forest." He sighed, relieved. He felt safer knowing the castle was at least slightly in reach. They walked silently, keeping up a fast pace. He hated walking in the forest. There was always something to catch yourself on, whether it is roots, moss, or loose stones. It pissed him off. He hated feeling like a clumsy, bumbling moron. Tamara stopped.
In front of them stood two figures dressed in black. One was slightly shorter and more lithe in appearance. He guessed this was the mother and the daughter. He never would have guessed who the mother was, though.
"Hello, Mr. Zabini." The cool, throaty voice of Bellatrix Lestrange sent chills down his body and hot anger welled up inside him. This was the woman who had tortured Pansy, nearly to death. A hand wrapped around his wrist and squeezed tightly before releasing him. He chanced a look at Tamara, but she was staring stoically ahead.
"Madame Lestrange." He nodded gently in her direction, grateful for his pureblood upbringing for once in his life. She gave him a toothy, sinister grin and turned to the girl at her side. Pulling the silver mask off her face, she gestured to her.
"Meet my daughter, Onyx Lestrange."
Blaise gasped.
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Oh how I love leaving off at random, dramatic moments. So I used the name Onyx because it sounds very Bellatrix-ish. At least, to me it does. Thank you so much for reading, please review and tell me what you think. And a huge thank you to everyone that has reviewed in the past!
Seleen.