Chapter Eleven
You say you wander your own land
But when I think about it
I don't see how you can
You're aching, you're breaking
And I can see the pain in your eyes
Says everybody's changing
And I don't know why
-Keane
(Draco Malfoy)
The common room was unnaturally silent when I stepped through the portrait hole. Pansy was sitting in a rickety looking, emerald armchair. Crabbe and Goyle had taken the sofa, and Daphne Greengrass had taken the other armchair. All of them eyed me with looks of worry, or maybe of contempt. They were hard to read.
"Good evening, Draco," Daphne offered in that overly-sweet voice that reminded me a little of Professor Umbridge.
"Good evening," I coughed, curtly, headed to the dormitories, wanting to get out.
"How are you doing?" she chimed in again, stopping me before I could make it to my bedroom.
"Fine," I replied through gritted teeth. "Goodnight, Daphne-"
"So, tell me, Draco. Who are you planning on going to the Yule Ball with?"
I didn't look back at her, but I'm sure she sensed how aggravated I was. "I'm probably not going with anyone. Why?"
"Oh, no reason. I just found it awful strange that you've turned down every Slytherin that has asked you so far."
"You mean… you?" I snapped. She flinched a little, and her cheeks flushed with rage. Still, she kept her composure.
"Well, why refuse me? Were you planning on going with Pansy again?"
I gave a bitter laugh, that died upon the room. "I have nothing to do with Pansy Parkinson any longer, and I don't plan to even look at her for the rest of my life, if I can help it."
The message chilled the room, and I had no problem with that.
"Well, who the hell are you going to take then? Some… some Gryffindor girl?" Pansy suddenly shouted, giving away how much I had hurt her with my words.
On a roll, I finally turned around and shot a death glare at the others in the room. "I would rather date a Gryffindor girl than even be seen with scum like you."
With that, I whirled on my heels, stormed into my room, and slammed the door behind me. I leapt into bed and yanked the curtains around me, wanting to be alone. I felt sick to my stomach. They were up to something. I knew they had to have been. I sighed, laying back against my pillow, basking in the dark. I knew I couldn't remain there long - I needed to write a letter to Mum (though I still had to figure out what to say), I needed to practice my Patronus, and I was already craving dinner.
After about half an hour, I rolled out of bed, frustrated with my growling stomach, hoping to Merlin that the common room would be empty when I stepped out. Luckily, it was. Dinner was beginning, so they had already headed to the Great Hall. Good, I thought. I didn't want to put up with them. The corridors were crowded, mainly with first years, who always banded together to fend off the older students, looking like scared little animals.
The Great Hall was astonishingly full of people, considering how close Christmas was. Many left before term was over, just so they could start their vacations and such. I ran a hand through my hair and gazed over the room. My eyes landed on the Gryffindor table. Harry and his friends were chatting. I felt my toes wiggle a little, almost tempted to join them. They looked like they were having so much fun. I definitely didn't want to sit with the Slytherin's especially with their oh-so-bothersome questions. I moved toward the Slytherin table, halted, then took a seat at the very end, accompanied by no one.
Dinner was lonely.
After I'd finished feeding my growling stomach, I sat still, waiting for more people to leave before trying for the door. A presence behind me caught my attention. I turned slowly.
"Why so blue, little ferret?" Ginny asked with a grin spreading all the way across her face. I swore it could touch her ears.
"Don't call me that," I replied flatly.
She chuckled and I huffed, leaning on my hand. She sat down next to me.
"Don't you have to get back to your Gryffindor friends?"
"Not really. You just looked lonely, that's all."
I gazed at her. She always struck me as odd. I'd never known anyone to be so kind to me before, except perhaps from my mother, but that was different.
"So you just decided to come over here and… talk to me?"
"Well, we're friends aren't we?" She blinked as if everyone should have known that.
I didn't quite know how to answer that. After yelling at Potter earlier that day for the same thing she was doing, I was at a loss for words. Of course, it was always easier to yell at Potter. He wasn't pretty like she was, quite obviously. That and he was, well, Potter, of course.
"I… don't know," I replied, quite honestly.
"That makes sense," Ginny replied. She wasn't being sarcastic. "This is totally new to you."
"Yes… it is."
"It's dangerous to be hanging around with Gryffindors," Ginny added, "When you're a Slytherin."
"I don't care what they think. It's…" I had no idea what I was talking about, so I let it die there.
Ginny folded her hands and placed her chin on top of them. "Quidditch match coming up."
I stared at her for a moment. "Quidditch?"
"Yeah. We're fighting Ravenclaw. You gonna be there?"
"Of… of course." I nodded absently.
She seemed a bit bored in all honesty. I didn't know why she was sitting with me still. Dinner was clearing out. There were only a few people left. One of them was Daphne who was eyeing me as ifs he could set me aflame. I glowered at her back, then turned to Ginny. She was twisting a piece of auburn hair around her finger. She glanced at me.
"Your hair's falling," she stated, reaching up to push some of my hair back into its mold.
Don't get me wrong. Ginny wasn't the most beautiful girl in the world. I wasn't infatuated with her. She had a little weight on her, but her personality bubbled over like a brewing cauldron. Her eyes were a deep, coppery brown, a very unique color that went with her hair somehow. I leaned on my hand and watched her for a moment as she gracefully twisted her hands about.
"Listen…" I said, making up my mind. "Would you like to go to the Yule Ball with me?"
I felt Daphne's eyes stabbing the back of my skull. Ginny gave me a glazed look, surprised. I felt the corners of my mouth twist a bit into a smirk.
"I thought we weren't even friends, and that it's dangerous to hang out with a Gryffindor," she said, her eyes twinkling mischievously.
"Well, in all honesty, I think it'd be quite fun to piss off Daphne Greengrass. And your brother's conniption should be quite interesting."
Her face broke into a large grin that lit up the room. "So does that make us friends then?"
I sighed. "I suppose there's no fighting it, is there?"
"Then I'd love to go with you," she said, smiling softly. "I'll meet you in the foyer tomorrow at eight."
She stood and sauntered out of the Great Hall, stopping to give me a wave goodbye.
"Well, who the hell are you going to take then? Some… some Gryffindor girl?"
Hmm, I thought. Ironic.
"Draco?"
I turned. Daphne and Pansy were standing there looking positively infuriated. "Why the hell were you talking to that- that…"
"Kind of unladylike to curse, isn't it Daphne?" I replied coolly. "And I asked her to the Yule Ball."
"What?"
By that point I was beyond amused. I turned away, shaking my head. "You two…"
"What about us?!" Pansy suddenly shrieked. Students looked up at the sound.
"You need to start thinking for yourselves," I said with finality. "And stop talking to me, as I've already told you. Goodnight."
I was surprised at how much better I felt after that.
(Severus Snape)
I woke up on the Malfoys' couch, suffering from a terribly sore neck. The letter from the night before had been addressed to Lucius Malfoy, and Lucius alone. It remained unopened on the table. I couldn't remember falling asleep, but judging by the blanket that had been laid ever-so-carefully on my form, I knew Narcissa had let me sleep. I sat up, rubbing my neck, blinking the sleep out of my eyes and looking for a clock. When I finally found one, it read nine o' clock in the morning.
I groaned.
There was no way I would make it to school on time.
"Good morning," came a soft, feminine voice from the doorway.
I turned my head quickly, then regretted it as I flinched at the large pain it caused. "Ow!"
Narcissa smiled, floating over and taking a seat next to me. "Oh, poor baby."
"Cissa, don't," I said flatly.
She chuckled a little. "Don't worry. I told Dumbledore through a Floo that you were investigating some things. You won't be in trouble."
"You know me well," I replied.
She massaged my shoulders and neck. "Of course I do."
I sighed, feeling the remnants of the night before coming back to me. It made my lips tingle at the very thought. "Narcissa, we--"
I wasn't quite sure how to finish the sentence so I didn't. Her hands paused for a mere moment, then continued.
"It… was a mistake… wasn't it?" I murmured.
She lay her head on my shoulder. "No. I was perfectly aware of what I was doing."
"I know you were aware of it, Cissa, but-"
"Just don't, Severus. Don't start." Her voice became suddenly strained.
I sat very still for a moment. "…Cissa…"
"I can't take it anymore, Severus. I can't. Lucius is never home, and when he is, we're fighting. I know I loved him once, Severus. I know I did. But I don't now. I can't… not when he gives up his own son for… for…"
"For what?" I eyed her suddenly.
"For…" She stopped looking at me, the crystal blue eyes shifting to another part of the room.
Within moments, I seized the letter from the table and ripped it open.
"No, Severus-"
"Lucius--" I read aloud, not caring for Narcissa's protests. "The plan has been set into action. We need your boy…. No signature."
Tears dotted Narcissa's eyes. I crumpled the letter and threw it in the fire. "Damn it! Why in Merlin does he want Draco for?"
I wanted to throw something, but I refrained. Narcissa bowed her head.
"I don't know, Severus…. I wish I did, but I don't. I'm powerless here. If they find out I'm trying to get Draco away from them, they'll kill us both. I can't put him in that kind of danger either."
"I'll find out, Cissa. I promise."
"No, Severus. If they catch you sniffing around they'll kill you!"
"What else am I to do, Narcissa!" I yelled out suddenly. "There must be something! I can't just… sit around! I can't! I can't keep coming here to report to you bad news and w-watch…"
I closed my eyes, feeling a migraine coming on. "I… have to get back to school."
I turned to move past her and she kissed me softly. "Please… be careful."
I cast my eyes away. "I will…"
(Ginny Weasley)
"You're what?!"
I flinched, but a smile spread across my face at the same time.
"Oh, bugger off, Ronald," I replied. "He's a good guy now."
"He's still a prat, though!" Ron exclaimed as if it was completely obvious. "Why couldn't you go to the Yule Ball with someone like… like Harry?"
"Because you wouldn't like that either?" I replied, questioning, leaning on a hand against the armchair.
Harry in the meantime looked bemused.
"That's not true! I mean… it's… it's Malfoy, Ginny!"
"We're going as friends, Ron. Don't do this, please!" I rolled my eyes.
"Friends?" Ron's voice was a quiet squeak.
"Friends," I answered.
Harry looked at me as if I had grown tentacles or something. "But he said-"
"Enough you two. I'm going to bed."
I tossed my hair and headed to my dorm room, leaving the boys in a stunned silence.
It was pretty cool to think about going to the Yule Ball with Draco Malfoy.
End Chapter Eleven
(Author's Note: Filler…. Ugh. I loathe this chapter. Probably my worst one, but the next ones will be better. Thanks for reading!)
