Okay, so I'd like to start this chapter off by thanking all of my reviewers who told me that I'm basically a fantastic writer. You have no idea how absolutely great that is for me to hear. I've been working on my novel lately and just knowing that you like THIS story is really motivating. Sorry about the long wait. I know that I've said sorry in about a billion different ways, and truly I am. But there's not much I can do about the delays. I just don't have enough inspiration and so on and so forth. Plus, I do have to maintain a social life. GASP! I know… hard to believe I have friends, right? Well anyway, I've plugged in my Ipod and I got my HARRY POTTER Playlist going on, and I'm ready to do some serious writing. Sooo yeah =) so anyway, I don't own the HP characters, just my own and same with the plots. And yeah, please keep on reviewing, you guys are great! ~Mooch
Drink and Be Difficult
The music, I quickly realized was not some sort of boppy, move your feet to the groove kind of music. It was almost like a waltz. That kind of music that you only hear at funerals or at fancy places. Definitely two places that you couldn't stand up and shout "SOMEBODY SCREAM!" while the bass was thumping. And although there seemed to be many voices coming from wherever this sad music was playing they all seemed to be hushed. Almost as if it really was a funeral.
I crept quietly through the brush, only snapping a few twigs here or there and ignoring the pain from my crash. Just as I saw a small light twinkle ahead through the branches, one of them smacked me straight across the face. I let out a muffled groan and I quickly swatted away the pliable branch, now glaring murderously through the darkness. This was apparently not my night in any way, shape, or form.
A few bugs buzzed in my ears and I ducked my head and swatted at them as I got closer and closer to the music and voices. Both were growing louder and louder with every step that I took. I could also feel anxiety bubble inside of my stomach, I was on the Malfoy's property. What if they had hidden cameras and could see me? Oh wait… They hated all things Muggle. Well… it could be a possibility.
I took a deep breath and focused on becoming even more quiet as I ducked under a branch and finally saw many lights all strung together and hanging from a large group of trees only fifteen feet away from me. Thankfully I was in the cover of the brush and the light couldn't touch me.
From my position I could see that there were a few tables set up around a small area, and I could also see that many people were sitting around those tables. However, they were not dressed for a beat-thumping party. They looked like they were dressed for the Yule ball.
I peered out of my bush more and sighed, knowing that I wasn't able to see anything worthwhile from the ground… Don't get me wrong, the view of the table cloths was lovely, but it just wasn't doing it for me. Slowly I stood up, moving behind a tree trunk so that the people of the party wouldn't see my silhouette and then I searched for a low branch that I pulled myself up onto as quietly as possible.
From my new place in the tree, I was able to see much more than from the ground. And that was the horrible part.
I quickly saw that all of the people were indeed dressed for a ball, but instead of masques that normal people wore to a masquerade ball, these people were all wearing Death Eater masks. I had to cover my hand with my mouth to keep from gasping out loud. Of course the night that I planned to rescue my boyfriend, there would be a party of Death Eaters acting as an unknown welcoming committee. It was just so perfectly horrible that I had to really try hard not to start laughing and sobbing in my tree.
How in the hell was I supposed to get out of this one? And why the hell are they all here in the first place? I wondered to myself as I sat frozen in my spot. I couldn't risk jumping down out of fear that they would hear me or see me. And I couldn't exactly waltz into the crowd saying "Excuse me, do you know where Draco Malfoy is? Yeah, I'm kidnapping him back…" That was just an all around bad idea.
I let out a somewhat silent breath as my eyebrows scrunched together, and then I stiffened suddenly as I heard the delicate chime of a spoon on a wine glass. My gaze scanned the crowd quickly, noticing that all of the Death Eaters were looking at something as well.
And then I found what it was… Draco… with Pansy.
"Oh what the bloody hell!" I snapped in a whisper. Add another thing to the list of Shit going on tonight. I was about to curse at God some more when a slick voice began to drawl.
"Thank you all for coming tonight as we celebrate the union between my son Draco, and Miss Parkinson. We are very appreciative of all the support we have received on this occasion. As two of the most powerful families in the wizarding world, the union between our children forms one of the most unique bonds there has ever been between two pureblood families. I would now like you all to raise your glasses in a toast to my son Draco and Miss Parkinson. May your union be blessed and may you find strength in the purity of your blood. Thank you." By the time Lucius Malfoy was done speaking, my mouth was gaping, dry and tears were forming in my eyes.
So Draco was being joined with Pansy Parkinson. Wasn't that just peachy… Okay. Not at all. It made me want to kill everything in sight. I drew in a deep shaking breath as I kept my gaze locked on Draco as he stood steel-rod straight dressed in an all black suit with a black tie, and black undershirt. His smooth pale skin and silvery blonde hair contrasting beautifully.
He didn't look very pleased to be up there, but that might've just been my heart hoping that he hadn't agreed to the arrangement between him and Pansy.
I realized with a start that the music had finally stopped and that all of the Death Eaters were rising from their seats, giving the Malfoys a curt nod, and then disappearing from their spots with loud POPS. The party was over.
I waited without hardly breathing for another five minutes as all of the Death Eaters finally were gone, and then all that was left was the Malfoy family, Pansy, and a man and a woman that strongly resembled Pansy's pug like face.
"I'll see you at school, Drakey," Pansy cooed at the stiff looking Draco, who looked at her with cold eyes and gave her a slight nod. His mouth in a tight line. The man and woman I assumed was Pansy's parents, grabbed her arms and then they all disappeared together.
"Are you coming to bed, Son?" asked Lucius tightly. Draco shook his head just as mechanically.
"I'll be there in a bit." He replied in a hard voice.
"Do not think that you will be able to drown your sorrows. Learn to take everything like a man. You are a Malfoy, remember? Not a weak mud blood!" Lucius growled out at his son in what I thought was an attempt to install some fear in Draco. However, he just looked levelly at his father until both of his parents disappeared, leaving him all along under the tent. Well… Except for me, but I was still stuck in the tree. So I didn't count as company.
I watched with wide eyes as Draco pulled out a chair from one of the tables and reached sat down on it roughly. His face no longer looked cold. It looked lonely. Extremely lonely.
Slowly, he stared blankly at the table cloth, and then reached out blindly and grabbed hold of a champagne bottle and without using a glass took a long gulp of the liquid. When he was done, he put the bottle back on the table and let out a long sigh. Yes. Lonely was a good word to use for this situation.
Well I'd just have to fix that now, wouldn't I?
Slowly I got down from the tree branch, only making a slight amount of noise that could be mistaken as a small animal. I then took a few steps so that I was right outside the light of the tent.
"You know… I'm not really into drinking under age… but if I ever was going to drink, I'd never do it alone. That seems just a bit pathetic, don't you agree?" I asked in a teasing tone as Draco looked up with wide eyes and I stepped into the light with a smirk plastered on my face.
"Brooklyn?" Draco asked in a small voice. I gave him a small wave and crossed my arms over my chest.
"Yes?" I asked with another smirk. Draco stood quickly, pushing back his chair as he moved around the table. Taking slow steps, as if to make sure that this was not a dream. I stayed still with a small smile on my face the whole time, keeping my eyes locked with his.
Finally after what seemed like an eternity, he reached out his hands and enveloped me in a strong embrace. I wrapped my arms around his waist and felt his head rest on my shoulder as I leaned my forehead against his chest. I felt him breath on my neck and then heard him whisper.
"I'm not dreaming, right?" He asked quietly and I didn't laugh as I expected myself to do. Instead I pulled away a little bit and leaned up on my toes and captured his mouth with mine. However these were not like the kisses we had shared in the small sanctuaries of the castle. This kiss was slow, and sweet and I could feel all of the passion that Draco had been saving just for me. And I hoped with all my heart that he could feel all of the love that I was giving back to him.
Draco's hand found my neck and the other tangled into my hair effortlessly to keep me against him. I reached up and felt his soft hair against my own hand while one hand stayed around his waist. Our lips molded together just like our bodies did and when I was finally out of breath I pulled away from Draco and looked him in the eye.
"Would a dream do that?" I asked him slowly and a small smile appeared on his lips.
"Mine usually do. Although, you haven't disappeared yet, and no dream could ever make me feel like that." He answered me quietly and then leaned his forehead against mine, "What are you doing here? It's so unsafe."
"Well… I came with the others to rescue you…" I replied slowly.
"The others? Where are they?" He asked curiously with a bit of concern tinting his voice. I smiled a bit, and then sighed.
"I lost them after I collided with a tree some ways that way." I said pointing over my shoulder back towards the forest. Draco chuckled softly a bit and then pulled away from me to look at my face.
"That would explain the dirt. Some things never change, huh…" He said as he brushed some dirt out of my hair. I smirked.
"Nope. Now come on, pack your bags. You're coming with me." I said to him quickly as I grabbed his hand and tried to pull him into the forest.
"I can't go with you." He said slowly and I turned back around and looked into his face that now seemed very serious and sad.
"Why not? It's simple… You just dye your hair, change your name and no one will ever know!" I said and Draco dropped my hand and shook his head again.
"I can't, Brooklyn. I'm so sorry." He said to me again with pain evident on his face. I felt hot tears prick at my eyes, but I did not let them pass.
"Why not? Is this because of Pansy?" I asked him seriously and he just looked over my shoulder without saying anything. "What a bitch. I hate her." I muttered, my voice cracking with the effort of not crying. Draco looked at my face again as I wiped my wrist under my eye. "And I'll bet that whole speak about uniting was about marriage, huh… Funny. I really didn't expect things to end like that." I rambled on, "Well you two obviously fit together…. Sorry I came and almost ruined things for you."
Draco's face darkened like a storm cloud and he grabbed the tops of my arms and looked straight into my face.
"Don't you ever say that again. You have no idea what I am feeling right now. Brooklyn. I know that I want to be with you, forever. But that can't happen. It just can't." He said to me slowly.
"I get it… Blood mixing. Not your style. Sorry, I forgot for a second there…" I replied and Draco laughed cruelly.
"You think I honestly care about blood anymore? I made an unbreakable vow to my father. I am bound magically to that contract. I will die if I break it. Do you understand me?" He asked me with anger coloring his voice, his hands began to hurt my arms as I looked at him with wide eyes and nodded vigorously. He suddenly relaxed his hands and slid them down to hold my own his lips right next to my ear. "I will give up everything to be with you Brooklyn. You just have to wait for me." he said finally and I felt one tear slip down my face.
"Can you wait for me?" He whispered to me softly and I felt myself nod my head numbly.
"What other choice do I have? You made me fall in love with you, you bastard!" I tried to growl out. Draco just chuckled and pulled back and kissed away my tear. He then pressed his lips to mine softly, one more time and whispered against them.
"I love you, Brooklyn. I always will. Wait for me," he said and when he pulled back I nodded and wiped my eyes again, sighing angrily as I did so. "Don't cry, love, it'll work out." He said to me in a strained voice. At least I wasn't the only one having a hard time with this.
"Like hell it will." I muttered angrily as I turned around without looking at his face again. Knowing that it would only make things harder. I had take two steps into the darkness when I froze and turned around. Draco had not moved and was staring at me as I walked back towards him. He lifted his arms, as if to hug me, but I quickly maneuvered around him and reached across the table and picked up the bottle of champagne from it.
"A roadie… if you don't mind." I lifted the bottle and sloshed around the contents. There was still a good deal left inside and as I turned my back on Draco again he spoke.
"You know, that's only sparkling cider." He said to me and I lifted my middle finger up and pointed it straight at him.
"Then I'll pretend to be piss drunk!" I called back to him as I walked back into the dense forest taking swigs of the bubbly liquid and swallowing them down as the last light from the tent disappeared, and all of my hopes for a normal relationship floated down the drain…
Well… That sucks. Hmm. I guess you could call this a cliff hanger cause it's a bit unclear as to what happens next. But I'll tell you what doesn't happen: Brooklyn doesn't get drunk! Cause it's only sparkling cider. Haha J I love that stuff. Anyway, please review, and I'll at least TRY to get a chapter out soon. It's summer and a girl has priorities lol J okayy peace out! -Mooch