Hey everyone! Just letting you all know that I DO NOT own the Harry Potter series. J.K. Rowling is the owner of said series. As I stated before I have made some changes however the changes are there to help me stay in tune with where I want the story to go, hopefully you all enjoy this chapter! I think this is my favorite chapter thus far! However, I think the next chapter wont be posted until Friday or Saturday depending on how long I take to finish said chapter. Hope you all enjoy this chapter :)
It was Saturday and Draco had agreed to meet me in the common room at 4:30. How did I over sleep until 12 pm; is not really a question but now I was regretting it. I didn't know what to wear and in an hour I would have to get my bum in the common room. I made a mess out of my entire wardrobe and couldn't decide!
I was still wearing my pajamas, which was embarrassing, but I decided to curl my hair and do my make up before going back to choose my outfit. As I finished putting on my blush I realized that it was already 4:15 and I still had no idea what to wear. As I looked through the shoes I had brought with me I realized I had brought my military green high-heeled boots that I loved to death. Quickly I went through all my clothes looking for something that would match and look good. I found a nice black top and skinny khaki-colored pants, which would look well with my boots. By the time I had put my clothes on I realized it was 4:30 and I was still wasn't ready! I needed a coat or jacket to match with the style or color of my boots, I quickly scanned through the pile of clothes I had out and started to panic.
Finally I found a dark green coat with that same military style that my boots had to match. I quickly put it on and grabbed the necklace I had purchased during my last Hogsmeade trip. As I ran out to the common room I made sure I had sprayed some Juicy Couture perfume. I calmly stepped out to the common room a couple of minutes late but never the less there.
"I thought we had agreed on 4:30 not 4:45." I heard Draco say as he offered me his arm.
"Well it takes time to look this fabulous." I stated giving him a million galleon smile.
"Pansy told me you didn't wake up until 12 and due to that you were running a bit late." Draco gave me one of those panty dropping grins that made me blush even more so.
"I swear if Pansy doesn't learn how to keep her mouth shut I will teach her!" I mumbled as he led me to Merlin knows where.
" I asked her because I thought you were going to stand me up." Draco led us up a tower.
"What? Why would I do that? By the way where are we going?" I asked trying to figure out what Draco was planning.
"I don't know? I believe it is due to the fact that you call me a prick, a jerk, and what not. And it's a surprise just follow me." Draco replied as he grabbed my hand to pull me.
However as he pulled me, his long sleeve black sweater rose a bit and I saw the tip of it. He saw it too, and we both just stood there. He stood there looking at me and I stood there looking at his arm. He moved his other hand to pull his sweater to his cover his wrist where the end of the mark disappeared.
"You know, my dad has one too. You should know that he tells me everything, or at least he used to." I whispered as I grabbed his arm and raised his sweater to see the whole mark.
"You aren't afraid of me? How much do you know?" he seemed concerned, not necessarily for him, but for me.
"I'm not afraid of my father, why should I be afraid of you? And all I know is that you were marked over the summer. After that, my dad, he started to keep secrets from me." I didn't tell him that I knew about his mission because I wanted him to tell me, to confide in me.
"Come on let's keep going, we will be able to talk in private up there." he said giving me one of those rare smiles that he owned.
I didn't know where we were going but I nodded my head and kept following him. I didn't know what he wanted to tell me or what he wanted to ask me, but at least now I was somewhat closer to him.
"By the way you look quiet beautiful, not that you usually don't, because you do. However, today you look even more so." I looked up towards the back of his head and smiled.
Above all Draco Malfoy had been taught to be a gentleman to those of his stature. For him treating me as such meant that I had changed something; he had not called me a bloodtraitor or anything degrading in weeks. This meant his attitude towards me had changed.
"Thank you, just to let you know, I was only late because I didn't know what to wear. You didn't tell me where we were going so I tried to look for something comfortable but stylish." I stated as we reached the top of the steps.
"I hope you don't mind, but I asked a couple of house elves to bring up a table, a couple of chairs and food. I thought it would be much more private." I heard Draco
say as he grabbed my hand and pulled me inside of the tower.
I stood in shock; the tower was so beautiful, decorated on greens, silvers and blacks. The tower window faced the black lake which made the view so beautiful.
"Do you like it?" Draco asked as he helped me take my coat off.
"It's lovely! I've never been in this part of Hogwarts!" I said, at that moment I realized there was music playing. I was certainly surprised because it was muggle music.
"I am kind of surprised by your music choice. By surprise I mean it's good, where did you hear this music?" Curiosity killed the cat, but the truth brought it back.
"About that, this morning I asked Pansy to borrow your, what is it called? IPod?" I went towards the window of the tower and stood there looking at the breath taking view.
"You stole my iPod? No wonder I couldn't find it this morning!" I smiled at the thought of Pansy sneaking around my bed looking for my iPod.
"I didn't steal it. I borrowed it. You can have it back after our date. I went ahead and put play on the heart playlist? I assume it's slow tempo music yes?" He asked as he came up behind me. His breath was hitting the back of my neck, making my emotions go haywire.
Finally I was able to reply, "I believe so. When we were coming up the stairs you said we would be able to talk here in private. What do you want to talk about?" I stated as I walked back towards the table and chairs that were set up. He pulled out a chair for me and I went ahead and sat.
"I don't know how much you know, but I am sure that if you knew you would despise me." he stated this so surely that it made me worry.
"Draco, let me be the one to decide that. Let me know, trust me, I haven't told anyone about you mark, I don't plan to and I hope that proves to you that I am not going to betray you." At that exact moment I was being honest, because all I knew was that he had to murder Professor Dumbledore. Although I would be disappointed if he followed through, I wouldn't be able to despise.
"I have a mission, the Dark Lord has chosen me for this mission. I have to get rid of Professor Dumbledore." he stated, however I interrupted him before he could continue.
"You were the one who cursed Katie Bell, correct?" I asked trying to seem as I had connected the dots.
"Please let me finish, before school began, my mother and my aunt Bellatrix, they visited your father. My mother asked Professor Snape to protect me, and if my mission were to fail, Professor Snape would finish the job. My aunt, she demanded an unbreakable vow to be placed. You see my aunt; she doubts that I will follow through. Now I understand where my mother's thoughts were, she just wanted to protect the family name. However, she involved Professor Snape, and if he doesn't follow through, well you know what will happen to him." I stood there in shock; this had to be what my father was keeping from me. It was completely quiet for minutes as I tried to register everything that was just confessed to me.
"What? No, that is not possible! When did they enter my home? When did they ask this of my father! Why hasn't he told me! Are you certain of this? Of course you are certain; it involves you! For Merlin's sake please tell me you have been speaking to him and you know why he is hiding this information from me!" I begged for him to know something.
"To be honest I haven't spoken much about this to your father, therefore I don't understand why he is keeping this from you." Draco replied as he took a sip of his glass of water. However, he seemed afraid and he was shaking.
"Are you all right? Is your arm hurting? Let me see." I stated.
"I am fine, it's just hard to get used to." He refused to give me his arm, and I understood.
"Did you want to do this? To my understanding your mother doesn't have the mark. Why did you decide to get it?" I asked as I started eating the food on my plate.
"My father, as much as I act like I do not care, I do. All I've ever wanted has been to make him proud. All I've ever accomplished has been failure in his eyes. Now that he is in Azkaban, I thought I would be able to continue his mission. I was wrong, I was horribly wrong and now I cannot turn back." He spoke with such hate for himself that I didn't know how to react.
"You're wrong. You can always turn back, have you mastered the art of
occulmency? It's important for you to learn how to do this. I'll have a talk with my father, however you must agree to be open to the options we offer you." At that moment I wanted to offer him protection through the order.
"There's no need for that, I am already an occulmens, and I can tell that you are as well. Is there something you would like to tell me?" As much as I wanted this to surprise me, it didn't. However his attack against my abilities took me by surprise.
"Excuse me, but I am an occulmens because of who my father is. He wants my safety above everything else. You don't know him, just like I don't know your mother, but as to what you tell me they are a lot alike when it comes to the protection of their children." I stated, trying to get him to realize that love did exist and that he didn't need to fear it.
" Please, all my mother cares about is her family pride, if I fail I will bring shame to our family." he stated with disdain.
"Draco, the difference between yourself and I is that I have hope. My mother didn't die in vain. Neither did my aunt and uncle. I only have 2 family members my father and Potter. You have more family members, yet all you care about is your pride. If there is something I have learned about life, then it is this; in order to have pride you have to make your own path. You have to decide what you want. I don't despise you. However a relationship between us will never work if you decide to work for and be loyal towards he who must not be named. My father and I, we have been fighting about this for the last couple of months. I assume you will keep this between us. I am taking after my mother's side of the family. I will be working along side my cousin and I will fight against whomever I have to. I hope you understand that I am making my own decisions, and if you decide to join me I am more than willing to help you. For now I would like for us to keep being friends, perhaps it'd be better if we were acquaintances. You are simply a classmate and captain of my quidditch team. Thank you for dinner, I hope to hear from you. I hope you realize that you can make your own path and fix you past choices. Having feelings doesn't make you weak. I am good at occulmency because I know my emotions and I accept them and use them to my benefit. Good bye Malfoy." I stated as I grabbed my iPod as put on my coat.
"Wait! What are my options? What can I do?"
I stood by the door way smiling; if I had not come, he wouldn't have known or understood what his options were. However here I was and here he was and he was officially mine.