Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter! No copyright infringement intended!

A/N:

dancethroughout, thanks for adding my story to your favorites list. I appreciate it so much and hope you stick to my story. I hope you like the new chapter!

cyiusblack, thank you so much for reviewing again. You've finished first at reading Chapter 35! Congratulations! :) I love to hear from you again. Have fun with the new one.

The Winggoddess, good to hear from you again, let's see what you think of my latest chapter...I hope you love it! :D

Markus, I dedicate this chapter to you. Thank you for inspiring me to write the first scene the way it is now! I love you! :)

Living with a Quidditch Star

Chapter Thirty-Six: Reptilian eyes

„Huh? What is it?" he screamed. „No, go away! No! NOOOOOO!"

He looked at the blurred face in the mirror, it was not him that was looking at him – his own eyes widened in horror - it were red eyes, the pupils slits, that were peering at him from the mirror.

A ghastly coldness rose on his inside and he swallowed dryly.

He touched his face, he pinched his cheeks roughly, scratched his forehead so vigorously that red striae remained on it, praying for the face to fade away.

„Go away! You're not me! No! Stop it!" he yelled, desperately panting for air, clasping the rim of the wash basin he was standing in front of to be able to stand upright. He felt like his legs would give out from under him any moment.

He closed his eyes.

He wasn't able to stand the piercing glance from the mirror any longer.

When he opened his eyes again, the piercing red ones were still there.

„Leave me alone! LEAVE ME ALONE!" he screamed and smashed the mirror with his fist in panic to get rid of this sight.

The large mirror above the wash basin broke into thousands and thousands of pieces with an ear-splitting bang.

He let out an anguished cry when a shard deeply bore into his hand and loads of smithereens hit his face, a feeling like hundreds of twitches.

Warm crimson blood was flowing down his forearm and dripped into the marble wash basin.

His blood was glistening on the white marble surface and trickled down the rim in fine runlets towards the drain.

He was breathing heavily now, the pain was just overwhelming, he closed his eyes, trying hard not to pass out.

Grimacing with pain he wrapped a towel around his hand to stop the bleeding, his hands were trembling badly.

Finally he dared to look at the mirror again.

In the remaining broken fragments he couldn't make out the glowing red reptilian eyes anymore but his own face.

It was contorted with horror and pain and there were several cuts due to the broken bits of the mirror that had littered his face seconds ago.

He gasped at the look of it.

What had happened? Where had these eyes come from all of a sudden? He didn't know how this had happened.

The voice of a woman jerked him out of his thoughts.

„Blaise, darling! Where are you?" he heard Sindy pipe.

Still panting it took him a great effort to regain composure.

After a while he answered,

„I...uhm... I'm at the bathroom...ah...sweetheart! I'll be with you in a...minute!"

He tried hard to sound as causal as possible.

He waved his wand to remove the mess hastily.

Then he waved his wand at his hand and it bandaged up magically.

He grimaced with pain. The wound pulsated badly.

Finally he fixed his face with another wave of his wand.

„Blaise! I'm waiting!" he heard Sindy shriek.

He curled his lip and got ready.

Before he left the bathroom he looked at the now fixed mirror again.

His face was still a little sweaty and his expression was tense.

He continued to wonder what had happened to him only minutes ago.

When he came to the living room, Sindy almost immediately drew him into a hug.

Of course she didn't notice that he was totally jazzed.

She started to talk her head off instantly. She told him everything about her examination at St Mungo's today.

He wondered if she would ever stop talking to draw a breath but to his disappointment she wouldn't do him this favour.

After a while he zoned out.

He thought of the face in the mirror again and decided to refrain from drinking for the time being.

Sindy was tottering around the living room on her high heels. She was lost in thought, too.

'I have to get rid of her. Draco has to marry me - as soon as possible. At least he has to marry me before the child will be born...' Sindy thought and looked at Blaise who obviously hadn't been listening at all.

„Blaise!" she snapped, „What is it? You're not listening to me at all. Are you thinking of that little blonde waitress again that clings to you like a limpet lately?"

She gave him a nasty look and pursed her lips just like she always did when she was angry.

Blaise who hadn't listened at all only said,

„Huh? Sure, Sindy, sure!" and gazed after her in bewilderment when she stormed off the living room, slamming the door behind her lividly.

Draco still stood in front of me. His face was a little sweaty and he was still panting slightly due to his sprint.

I stared at him, unable to speak. His gaze was piercing me.

I was sure he knew exactly what was going on.

He knew that I was still in love with him, that was why he was challenging me.

Of course I was still in love with him!

And I wanted to spend my whole life with him but there was a catch in it: The rules.

I didn't want to live my life with him like this.

These outbursts of rage, him manhandling me, this abnormal jealousy, constant observation, the humiliating oppression of women in general.

I wasn't able to tolerate this.

I hadn't experienced this before.

My father had never acted like this. He had always been modest.

And I was sure Marc wouldn't act like this, either. Little did I know how wrong I was!

I wondered if Draco would ever change. I wondered if we could start a new life somewhere else.

There were just so many thoughts racing my mind.

I didn't want to lose him.

I was in love with him.

But I wanted to work for Nicefields.

I wanted to see my friends whenever I wanted to, without a bodyguard at my heel.

I wanted to be free.

That's why I had to call a halt before it was too late.

'I want to be free!' I thought. 'Just like I need the air to breathe!'

„I'm sorry, Draco, but I want to be free!" I finally said and looked at him.

„I...uh...I...I can't!" I stammered. „Idon'tloveyou!" I ground out quickly in a low voice.

I knew I was wrong and felt tears burn hot and salty under my now closed eyelids.

When I opened my eyes again I saw the disappointment in his eyes and averted my face. I had just lied right to his face.

„No. No! You're lying. You do love me! I know you love me!" he growled and seized my shoulders.

He shook me, I closed my eyes, grimacing with pain, I wondered if my heart had finally broken in two.

He was right but I needed time.

„Come on, Ally! You're not telling the truth! You love me just like I love you! I know that you love me." he said imploringly, a desperate expression flashing his face for a split second.

He still seized my shoulders. I felt like fainting now and screwed up my mouth as if I was to cry any moment.

I didn't look at his face but stared at his chest.

I wanted him to embrace me with his strong arms, I wanted to touch his perfect body so desperately but refrained from doing so.

„Ally! Please!" he spat and shook me roughly again.

I just shook my head, my eyes closed, and whispered weakly,

„I'm sorry, Draco!"

He let go of me, an expression of disbelief on his face.

I backed off.

I looked at him.

He was a picture of misery.

He had bowed his head slightly, furrowing his brow as if in pain.

Strands of hair had fallen to his face.

His hands were clenched, his eyes closed.

He was panting again.

I saw a muscle jump in his jaw, then he ran his hands through his hair and looked at me again.

I felt this stifling feeling on the inside once more.

Desperately I tried to disapparate from this place, fortunately it worked and with one loud crack I was gone without a word of goodbye.

„Hey! Get back here!" Draco screamed lividly. „Bloody hell!"

Still wondering whether he should be disappointed or mad, he disapparated too.

„I hope she's alright!" Ginny sighed and turned to Harry who was lying next to her in their bed.

„Hmmm?" he muttered, blinking, his hair dishevelled.

„Why didn't she come back?" she went on, snuggling up to Harry, who growled.

„Uh, Ginny, what is it now? I'm trying to get some sleep!" he nagged, turning his face away from her when she tried to kiss his cheek.

„It's Ally! I'm slightly worried. She's told me about her problems with Malfoy. I wonder if he is really the right one for her. What do you think?" Ginny said excitedly.

„Alright!" Harry sighed and reached for the bedside table.

He took his glasses and put them on.

Then he turned to Ginny who was sitting in the bed now.

„Why are you so worried for her? She's already grown-up. I'm quite sure she knows what's good for her and what's not. Huh?" Harry said, slightly unnerved, sitting up in the bed now, too, looking at her imploringly. „Can we get some sleep now? Please!"

„Yes, yes. It's just that she's told me about all his outbursts. He's freaking out regularly, almost unable to control himself. And then he's clinging to these bloody pure-blood rules rigorously. That can cause a lot of trouble, I can tell you. He can command whatever he likes. It's so disgusting, ugh!" Ginny said hastily.

„Well Ginny, that's just Malfoy at his best. Or do you want to tell me that he is manhandling her?" Harry drawled, yawning ostentatiously.

„I don't know. Normally this should be beneath him, but you'll never know. Especially when he's freaking out like that." Ginny said sternly, arching a brow.

„You know what, Ginny. Let's owl Ally tomorrow and invite her to our place. Then we can talk to her about your concerns. Alright?" Harry said calmingly, lying down, placing his glasses on the bedside table.

„You're right! Oh, thank Merlin, I've got such a prudent fiancé!" she said, slightly ironical and snuggled up to him again.

„But nevertheless I'm still not tired." she piped and started to stroke Harry's chest, who didn't seem to be reluctant to her sudden affection towards him.

Still stroking his chest, she grinned, when he drew her into a hug and kissed her vehemently.

The next afternoon Draco sat in an armchair nearby the fireplace at Malfoy Manor.

He turned the ring he had intended to give to Alessia on their wedding day between his index finger and his thumb.

He watched the large inlaid gemstone sparkle in all colours of the rainbow in the glow of the flames in the fireplace.

A muscle in his jaw was jumping, while he stared at the ring. Apart from that his face was expressionless.

The ring was a precious heirloom of the Malfoy family and he would've taken pride in giving it to her.

She had been his one and only true love, she still was.

He knew that she felt the same.

Why was she giving him such a hard time again?

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and rubbed the left side of his face with the fingers of his left hand.

He sighed - exhausted, crestfallen, puzzled.

He wasn't sure what to do now.

Unnerved he opened his eyes and sighed once more when he heard someone open the door to the drawing room.

He thought it was the house-elf who was disturbing him.

„Why don't you knock before you enter?" he barked lividly and turned towards the door.

A smile flashed his face when he saw his mother enter the room.

„Mother! Please forgive me my rudeness. I wasn't aware it was you!" he said and rose from the armchair to approach her, spreading his arms.

„Draco, darling! How are you? You look exhausted." she said stiffly and stroked his cheek with her index finger.

He hugged her and kissed her on both cheeks.

Then he offered her a seat at the fireplace.

Their house-elf turned up immediately to serve her a drink.

It placed the glided goblet with the family crest on it onto a small coffee table that stood between the armchairs and left again, bowing servilely.

„Well, Draco, what is the matter? I feel there's something bothering you, my son. Tell me! I'm your mother." Narcissa Malfoy said in a tender tone.

Draco made himself comfortable in the armchair and sighed.

He rested his elbows on his knees and placed his chin in his hands, looking at his mother who was eyeing him considerately.

„Oh, mother, I don't know where to start. Actually I don't know what to do! It's Alessia. She broke our engagement yesterday!" he said and furrowed his brow.

Then he started to massage his forehead with his fingers, his thumbs resting on his chiselled cheekbones, while his fingers drew small circles on his forehead.

Draco let out a deep drawn sigh.

His mother stared at him for a while, then she took a deep breath and said,

„May I ask why she broke your engagement? Did you have an argument? I've told you to rein yourself in! I know how impulsively you act sometimes. Just like your father did."

She gave him a stern look.

He averted his face and stared at the large oil painting above the mantle piece. It showed his father. He looked at his father's face. He was staring down at him, stony-faced.

One corner of Draco's mouth was twitching. His insides clenched a little.

„You're right. I'm afraid I've overreacted, mother!" he finally said, looking down at his slender fingers.

He told her everything about their latest argument.

In the end his mother sighed and said,

„Draco, I know it's the rules. But I'd advise you to give her some time. She's still so young. I remember even I had problems to cope with all those rules in the beginning, darling."

She gave him another stern look.

„You have to apologise! You have to straighten this out." she went on and gave him an insistent look.

He curled his lip, wondering whether this was the right reaction to Alessia's behaviour, she had humiliated him again, but finally he nodded in agreement.

He would never want to displease his mother.

„Thank you so much, mother! I'm sorry but I have to go to the office now. If you excuse me please." he said and got up.

„Goodbye, mother!" he said and kissed her bony beringed hand she was holding out to him.

She slightly squeezed his hand and gave him a benign smile.

„Goodbye, darling. Make the right decision!" she said and took a sip of her drink while he left the drawing room.

I had spent a rather sleepless night, strictly speaking I hadn't slept at all.

I had been crying almost the whole night.

I hadn't felt like being free at all, I still didn't.

What I had done had left behind a very numb feeling.

The feeling that something was missing.

It caused pain, it caused me racking physical pain, just as if I had lost a limb.

Now I was sure that it had been wrong to tell him untruthfully that I didn't love him.

I had thought telling him so would solve all my problems, would ease all the pain and the doubts, but it hadn't.

Quite the contrary, it had made everything even worse.

I had hurt him, I was feeling crestfallen – I felt it on the inside quite vividly.

I knew that I wanted him back.

Now! For good!

I scolded myself for letting him go, for acting that bitchy, for being such an idiot.

I wondered why this relationship was causing these ambiguous feelings in me all the time.

Maybe it was like I had told Ginny and Hermione in the very beginning – the relationship between Draco and me was something like an obsession, something that wasn't always very healthy.

Something that could cause lots of pain but also lots of concentrated passion and love.

I had never experienced something like that before.

I wasn't sure why he was in love with me so much, but I knew he was.

He had shown me so much of the real Draco - a different Draco, a Draco the others didn't know at all - that I was sure he was willing to share everything with me.

But sometimes I wasn't even sure why I was in love with him, especially when he was having one of his notorious outbursts.

All I knew was that there was this feeling, this funny sensation on the inside when he was near me, a congeniality of souls. We were soulmates as people would call it.

Tears were rising in my eyes again.

„I have to straighten this out! I have to apologise!" I finally said to myself.

Then I heard a knock on my window and turned my head.

I saw a large black owl sitting on the window sill, vigilantly staring at me with it's large bright yellow eyes. It hooted.

I headed for the window to open it. I untied the bright red letter from the owl's leg and gave the owl some treats.

It nibbled my finger affectionately and I recognised it was my parent's owl.

When it took off I closed the window quickly and looked at the bright red envelope more closely.

It couldn't be! No, that was just impossible!

With trembling fingers I opened the envelope and my worst worries came true immediately.

My mother's voice bellowed at me at ear-splitting volume.

I gasped.

I had got myself a Howler!

„Alessia, your father and I are deeply disappointed about your immature behaviour! I think you are in need to be reminded of your manners, my dear! Mrs Malfoy has just told us that you're intending to break the engagement with her son! Your father and I are just outraged at these news. May we ask you if you've just completely lost your mind? What's got into you? We, your father and I, await you at our place in thirty minutes from now. Don't you dare to fail to appear!"

I panted for air heavily, my eyes were widened in horror.

I watched the letter shredding itself in thousands and thousands of pieces that finally burst into flames and burned up.

I swallowed dryly.

It had got even worse now.

Hastily I ran to the bathroom to get ready for the date.

Meanwhile at St Mungo's Ginny went to the cafeteria to get some coffee.

After eight hours of magical surgeries and examinations she was rather exhausted.

Carrying a tray with a muffin and a cup of coffee on it she went over to a vacant table in the corner and sat down.

She sighed.

Her back was aching horribly.

Harry would have to give her a massage tonight, that much was sure!

Sullenly she took a sip of her coffee and closed her eyes.

She was in desperate need of a holiday!

A male voice jerked her out of her thoughts of palm-lined beaches and crashing seas.

„Is anyone sitting here?"

She turned her head and looked right at the handsome face of her colleague Dave.

He gave her a flawless smile and arched a brow at Ginny,

„I thought sleeping on duty is forbidden!" he went on, smirking, and she grinned.

„Shut up and take a seat! I'm wide awake. Don't you see?" she said in a fake sulky tone and nudged him in the ribs amicably, he winced and grabbed her hand to stop her, but managed to put his tray down on the table without spilling any coffee.

„Sure!" he said and smiled at her again. Then he took the seat vis-à-vis her.

He took a sip of coffee and looked at Ginny. She grinned again.

„There's a lot going on today, isn't it?" he said and bit into his muffin.

Still chewing he said in a muffled voice,

„Have three guesses who's been here today for examination! You'll never guess!"

Ginny looked at him, not seeing his point. Therefore she shrugged.

„Sindy Mos! She had another appointment with me today. I've depicted her child for the first time. She was just outraged." he said excitedly, wolfing down the rest of his muffin at one bite.

„What? Sindy Mos? Why was she outraged? I don't get your point!" Ginny said, giving him a bewildered look. He beamed at her again.

She thought of her meeting with Ally a while ago. Had Malfoy persuaded Mos to agree on the paternity test at long last? Why hadn't Ally told her?

„Was Draco with her?" she asked curiously, furrowing her brow now.

„Draco? Ah, you mean Mr Malfoy? Her fiancé. Nope!" he said, grinning knowingly, looking at her with puppy dog eyes.

„Yes, Malfoy. Her fiancé? I don't know what you're talking about now? He's not engaged with her. Well, at least as far as I know." replied Ginny, her bewilderment grew from minute to minute.

She was staring at Dave, stony-faced.

He looked puzzled now, too.

„But she's told me so on several occasions. She's told me that she's engaged with him. That he is the father of her child." he went on, taking another sip of his coffee.

„But after what I've seen today, you might be right. I consider this doubtful, too. He can't be her fiancé! Hold it! Well, of course he could be, but then she is well and truly fucking him over! Gosh! A man like him. The Slytherin Sex God! What has just become of him...? " he finished, staring into space now, a mischievous grin on his face.

„Dave!" Ginny snapped. „What are you talking about?"

She stared at him, still not getting the idea down to the last detail.

All she knew was that there was something cooking and Ally was right in the thick of it.