MMM: Well, hi everyone! Got another chapter up for you wonderful readers. So here is the big Malfoy party and as you can see by the title, things will not go very smoothly.
AC: Tell me about it. Why did you put me through all this again?
MMM: Because it's important to my story! It needs more drama!
AC: More 'drama'? My life has been practically nothing but a horror/soap opera from day 1 and you wanted to add 'more drama'?
MMM: Yes! Now let the readers read!
As usual, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, and all those wonderful characters from the Harry Potter world do not belong to me.
PS- there is going to be a rather darker moment in my story in this chapter. I'll let you know when that happens.
Ch. 38 Party Disasters
When Anya and Narcissa appeared back in the manor, Anya barely had time to dodge out of the way as a servant came bustling through. It was so hard to believe that in the matter of only two hours, the entire ballroom had been prepared for the evening. Crystal vases filled with white roses were on every surface, a silver fountain with the Malfoy family crest sat off to the side, and floating candles hung just out of reach above the dance floor. It was perfect.
"Mother, Anya, there you are. The guests will be arriving any second." Anya heard Draco speak up, but before she could turn towards him, Narcissa took her by the shoulders and hid her behind the door. "What are you doing?"
"Anya still needs to get ready for the party. You can speak with her later once she's finished," Narcissa replied and with that, she took Anya by the hand and led her upstairs to the master bedroom.
Once the door was closed to the bedroom, Narcissa handed the black garmet bag to the younger witch. "Why don't you go change in the bathroom and I'll help you with your make-up?" Anya smiled at Narcissa and dashed through the bathroom door. Once she had everything on, she stepped back out.
Narcissa stood by her vanity table, already dressed in a simple strapless, floor-length black dress, her hair pulled back to show the string of pearls around her neck and smaller dew drop pearls in her ears. She smiled at the teen when she came back into the room and gestured to the seat in front of the mirror. Anya sat down and she immediately got to work, turning Anya away from the mirror. A few minutes later, she let Anya see her reflection.
Anya was shocked at how simple and yet how stunning the make-up was. A cream eye shadow covered her lids, her eyelashes darkened with mascara and it made her eyes pop. A very light blush was swept across her cheeks seeing as they were already a rosy color, and a coral rose color stained her lips.
"Wow," Anya whispered, hardly even recognizing the girl in the mirror. "Thank you so much Narcissa. I look so..."
"Beautiful?" Narcissa offered, leaning down to look at the girl's reflection in the mirror. Anya just nodded. "I didn't need to do much to enhance what you already have. Beauty is not skin deep but the person behind the skin. Take the necklace you're wearing." She motioned at the silver chain around Anya's neck. "It has a beauty all of its own."
Anya's hand came up to the necklace, pulling the chain out until the lightning bolt pendant was visible. "I... I think it would be best if I take this off for now. Just to keep it safe," she said. Judging by Narcissa's expression however, Anya knew that the older woman knew the real reason behind her decision.
And ever so reluctantly, Anya reached behind her head and undid the clasp on the necklace. This necklace had been around her neck for three years already and to feel it gone made her almost feel bare.
Anya was curious when Narcissa stepped away and walked into the large closet, returning moments later with a carved wood box. But she said nothing as the woman sat the box down on the vanity table and began sorting through its contents. When she found what she must have been looking for, she smiled and extracted a small black velvet pouch. She took Anya's hand and shook the contents of the bag into her awaiting palm.
The contents were a beautiful pair of earrings and a necklace. The earrings were dangling emerald teardrops about the size of Anya's thumbnail with three smaller diamond drops hanging from the end, all set in a finely woven silver pattern. The necklace, though simple, was equally as stunning: a very thin snake chain with a pea sized emerald hanging on the end.
"These were given to me by my mother when I was about your age," Narcissa explained, taking the necklace from Anya and fastening it around the girl's neck, the emerald coming to rest just between her collarbone. "I would like you to have them."
Anya gasped and spun on the chair. "I can't take these! They're yours!"
Narcissa laughed. "And what will I do with them? Leave them to sit here in my jewelry box where they shall collect dust? That hardly seems logical."
"But what about nieces, or a future daughter-in-law? Grandchildren?" Anya countered, not even noticing the twinkle in the other witch's eyes as she said that.
Instead, Narcissa picked up a pair of long black gloves and pulled them up her arms. "Why don't you put those earrings in and bring your necklace back to your room and then come downstairs?" And with that, she left.
,:~:,
"Drakie, are you even listening to me?" Draco tried not to roll his eyes at the annoying witch in front of him. Instead of answering Pansy, he took another sip of the punch in his hand, tugged at the collar of his tuxedo and looked around the ballroom.
His father was at the other end of the room talking with the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, who seemed more interested in his brandy than anything his father had to say. It was then that he noticed his mother had finally arrived, playing the role of gracious hostess as she took her place beside her husband.
"Will you excuse me?" Draco asked, leaving before Pansy could say anything in protest. He dodged around the guests as he headed towards his parents. "Minister, it's wonderful to see you again. Mother, you look lovely as always. Father," he greeted the three adults. "Mother, have you seen Anya yet?"
Narcissa just smiled, accepting a glass of champagne from a passing server as she nodded towards the stairs. Draco turned and he felt all the air in his lungs escape.
Standing at the top of the stairs was Anya, dressed like the very angel that she was. The lighting from the candles made her hair shine red and her skin glow as if it were lit by the very moon itself.
When she spotted him amongst the crowd, he could see her smile as she carefully and gracefully decended the stairs. Draco walked at the same pace and soon found himself standing at the bottom of the stairs, staring up at the beautiful girl before him.
"Good evening Mr. Malfoy," Anya said politely.
Draco smiled. "Good evening Ms. Collins," he replied as he took her hand and brought it up to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. He smiled more when he saw her blush intensify and he brought her hand into the crook of his arm and led her around the room.
"Draco!" The blonde turned to look at who had just called him and he had to surpress a shudder of disgust. Marcus Flint, the captain of the Slytherin team came strutting up towards the two younger wizards. Draco had never liked Flint. He was known for being too forward towards most of the girls at school and had even be accused of physical assault against the ones who hadn't accepted his advances. The worse part of it was that he had to repeat one of his years so Draco was stuck with him for another year.
"Well, well, well... what do we have here?" Flint smirked, his eyes roaming over Anya's figure more than once and spending far too much times in certain areas. "I see you've cleaned up rather nicely Collins. Eager to see me, were you?"
Anya leaned closer towards Draco and the blonde had to resist the urge to carry her away from the pervert. "Don't flatter yourself Flint," she said, her voice almost breaking from fear.
Flint wagged his finger at her. "Tsk, tsk. Mind your manners Collins. You forget- you're amongst many pureblood families. You wouldn't want someone to let it slip about who you really are, now do you?"
"Are you threatening her?" Draco growled. 'If he so much lays a finger on her...'
Flint just smirked again. "That all depends on Collins." He grabbed a couple champagne flutes from a passing tray. He held one out to Anya. "Drink?"
"No thank you," she replied.
Draco needed to get her as far away from Flint as possible. He heard about how Flint like his alcohol too much and just how horrible he could really get. Turning back to the girl beside him, he offered a smile. "Care to dance?" Once she smiled, he led her away to the dance floor.
,:~:,
Anya began to feel more relaxed now that she was away from the older Slytherin student. She let out a sigh as she leaned her head on Draco's shoulder, allowing him to waltz her around the dance floor. Surprisingly, he was a very good dancer.
"Are you alright?" Draco asked after a few dances. Anya looked up into eyes of liquid silver and nodded. "Good... I'm sorry about that bastard. The only reason he's here is because of his parents being so close with my father," Draco sighed, pulling her closer to him.
"I'll be alright. I just wish we didn't have to go through another year with him." She pulled a face at the thought of it.
Draco just gave her another smile and twirled her away before bringing her closer. He surprised her even more when he dropped her into a dip. She blushed as she felt the warmth of his skin against her, his thumbs brushing back and forth against the exposed skin of her back. When they realized that the music had stopped, he pulled her back up and led her away from the dance floor.
"I'll go get us some drinks," he said, giving her hand another kiss before making his way to the table. Anya smiled to herself, her thumb brushing across the spot on her other hand that Draco had just kissed.
"Ugh! How pathetic!" Anya looked up to see Pansy standing nearby, swirling her drink around in the crystal glass. The bright red dress she was wearing did nothing for her but make her look cheap... if it weren't for the several pieces of diamonds and rubies she wore around her neck, wrists and in her ears. "Do you really think that you would have a chance with him?"
"What are you talking about Parkinson?" Anya sighed.
Pansy smirked as she stepped closer to the other witch. "I mean you being with Draco. As if you could ever have a chance!" the dark haired girl whispered into her ear. "You two are just too different. It's obvious that you don't really belong in his world."
"'His world' is just as much as my world. I am a witch too, or have you forgotten?" Anya shot back.
Pansy scoffed. "As if! You hardly know anything about the wizarding world and here you are, trying to act as if it's all you've ever known. You can put on a pretty dress and cover your face with as much make-up as you want... Act the part all you want to, but underneath all that, you're still the mudblood brat from America- a commoner. You'll never fit in." Pleased with the affect her words had left, she turned to leave. But not before driving the final nail into the coffin.
"Oh! And did I forget to mention? Pureblood families tend to have arranged marriages, and I was the one promised to Draco when we were born." And with that, she was gone.
Anya stood there in silence. She looked back behind her to see her reflection in the window and she silently cursed herself. The dress, the jewelry, everything was just this big illusion for her to take part of. For once, Pansy was right. No matter what she could do to chance her appearance, nothing could chance the main thing that could make her acceptable in Draco's world- her blood status.
"Here you are." Anya snapped out of her thoughts to see Draco standing in front of her with two glasses of punch. She took the glass he offered but didn't drink any. All she could hear and see were Pansy's words from before. "Anya, is everything alright?" Draco asked.
"Yeah... I'm fine," she replied unconvincingly.
"No you're not. You're as white as a sheet," Draco commented, taking her free hand in his. "And you're hands are like ice. What happened? Did someone do something to you?"
Anya ducked her head. She placed her un-touched drink down on a nearby table. "Excuse me..." she whispered, tugging her hand away from him and making a beeline to the veranda.
The night air was cool against her bare skin and Anya shivered.
"What is the matter with me?" she whispered to herself, tears silently slipping down her face. "I don't let things like this get to me, so why am I listening to Parkinson?"
"It is quite the mystery," a voice sounded from the shadows and Anya turned on her heel to see Flint stumble closer. Even that far from him, she could smell the alcohol on his breath.
'He's drunk,' she thought worriedly.
"So Collins... you enjoying yourself?"
"Get lost Flint. I'm not in the mood to put up with you of all people," Anya hissed.
"You know, I don't think I will," he grinned, coming to stand beside her. He raised a hand and trailed a finger down her arm. "You look very sexy in that dress Collins... but I bet you'd look even better with it off."
Anya slapped his hand away. "Keep your hands off me!" she shouted as she backed away. Unfortunately, she could only go so far until she backed up into the railing and the only way off the veranda was through the door she had come out of, which was behind the older Slytherin. There was a staircase that led down towards the garden, but she would have to run past Flint to get to it.
(AN: Heads up! Darker scene just around the corner!)
A flash of anger sparked in his eyes and before Anya could stop him, he backhanded her across the cheek with a powerful drunk strength. Anya could taste the blood that spilled from the cut inside of her cheek and the force behind the slap had her disoriented. While Anya tried to gain back her focus, he grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked hard while his other hand clamped down hard on her hip and pulled he body closer to his. Anya let out a gasp of pain and struggled to wrestle the boy off of her, but even in his drunken state, he was still stronger than her. He pushed himself closer to her and she could feel a certain part of his person that seemed pleased with her struggling.
"How about we have a little party of our own out here?" Flint whispered in her ear, his hand in her hair coming down to her neck where he ripped at the ribbons holding her dress in place while the one on her hip reached down and ripped at the skirt. Anya's struggling intensified, her eyes clenched tight as she screamed.
,:~:,
Draco looked down at the unconcious form that was Marcus Flint, his anger towards the older boy still humming though his veins like fire.
He had been worried about Anya when she had taken off the way she had. He tried to follow her, but Pansy got in his way and wouldn't let him leave. He eventually had to push her away from him and dodged around her.
When he saw the older Slytherin boy trying to force himself on Anya, Draco saw red. Momentarily forgetting that he had his wand in his pocket, Draco ran at Flint full force, pushing him away from the American witch and effectively knocking the drunk to the ground. Then he just started throwing punch after punch at the guy's face.
Breathing heavily, Draco got up from the ground and turned to look at Anya. The girl was curled up in a ball on the cold stones, hugging her body as her cries shook her entire being. She held the top of her dress up for the ribbons had been torn, a large slit was ripped up the side of the skirt to her waist, her hair had been harshly yanked free of its style and her eyes darted back and forth from Flint's unconcious form and himself. Being very causious, Draco walked over to her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and Draco felt his heart clench painfully in his chest when he saw the fear and humiliation in her violet eyes.
"Draco..." she whispered before throwing herself into his chest, her tears soaking his black jacket as her small hands clutched at his shirt. He pulled her close and allowed her to cry on his shoulder.
A crack sounded, causing Anya to flinch and bury her face further into his chest. Draco looked up to see Pinky standing there. "Pinky heard Ms. Collins screaming. Is Ms. Collins alright?"
"Not really. Pinky, would you please go to Anya's room and prepare some of her clothes for her? We won't be attending the party for the rest of the evening." He nodded towards the unconcious boy. "And take care of that trash there once you're done."
Pinky bowed low and with another crack, she was gone.
A few minutes passed by until Anya's sobs slowly died. Knowing that they had to leave before Flint woke up, Draco kept one arm around Anya's shoulders while hooking the other under her knees and he picked her up. Avoiding the large crowd just inside the ballroom, Draco carried her down the stairs and through the garden to her balcony. The staircase appeared as he grew closer and he carefully brought her up to her room.
He gently set her down on her feet and saw Pinky setting out a clean pair of long black sweatpants and a long sleeved shirt on the bed. "Thank you Pinky," Draco said before the house-elf exited by the door. Then he turned his attention back to Anya and nodded towards the clothes. "I'll just give you some privacy," he added before slipping into the bathroom.
Once she was done, she knocked on the door and Draco opened it to see her look broken and he hated it. How could someone hurt this beautiful girl so much? Break her spirit? He wanted to go back and do far worse to Flint than he had done, but he knew that Anya needed him more. He led her to the bathroom and took a clean cloth, wet it, and gently wiped at her face to remove the ruined make-up and tears before bringing her back to her room.
Sitting her down in front of him, he grabbed the brush off the bedside table and gently brushed out her hair until it hung free of all tangles. When he set the brush back down, his fingers brushed against something cold.
It was her lightning bolt necklace. Draco had seen her wear it everyday at school. 'Is it from Potter? No... Weasley and Granger have one too and so does he. A friendship necklace, then?' But he remembered how much more confident Anya was when she wore it and he knew it meant more than that.
And so he removed the necklace and earrings that Anya was already wearing and fastened the other necklace around her neck. Anya let out a tiny gasp, her hand coming up to clutch at the pendant that was back around her neck. She turned to stare at Draco and he offered a smile. "I know it's important to you."
Anya hugged him tightly and he returned the gesture. Eventually, Anya started yawning and dozed off leaning against his chest. Draco carefully moved to tuck her in, but as he went to leave, she grabbed his hand.
"Please don't leave," she begged.
Draco let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding before he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Never," he whispered before standing back up. He quickly shedded his jacket and bowtie, kicking his shoes off as well. Anya held up the comforter for him and he slipped in to the bed. She moved closer to his side, one arm wrapping around his waist while her free hand clutched at her necklace. Draco wrapped his arms around her waist protectively, hiding the angel from the evils in the world. He reached one hand up and smoothed her hair away from her face as he hummed an old lullaby that his mother use to sing to him as a child. It wasn't long before sleep took them both.
MMM: Well, there you have it.
AC: I was almost RAPED? WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?
MMM: I said that this story was going to have some darker scenes.
AC: I thought you meant later on when people start dying or something!
MMM: I'm sorry! I'll try and make it up to you!
AC: How?
MMM: ...How about I promise that Flint will be one of those names on the lists of deaths? Will that make you feel better?
AC: *thinks about it* Fine... but I get to be the one that kills him, alright?
MMM: Hmm... Can I answer with a 'maybe'? I kind of had other plans for that.
AC: For now. *stomps away*
MMM: Yikes... Please don't forget to review!
Nancy (aka megamatchmaker)