Mark Of The Snake
Chapter 7: Confrontations
Written by: V Lynne
echoinghearts@yahoo.com
~ ~ ~
Running, faster, and deeper into the woods. Branches pulled at her robes, the sensation of fright causing her legs to move her quicker into the darkness. Sounds of pounding feet on the damp ground and crunch of leaves surrendered to the weight being placed on them by the pursuers. Nothing seemed to stop them, not the curse, hexes, and charms used. It was futile to continue yet she had to.
Tears streamed down her cheeks, spraying her robes at the collar as she ran trying harder to get a great distance between the people responsible. Anything she did had consequences and her whole body hurt from the 'Crucio' and the words echoed out of her own mouth, those horrible words of 'Avada Kedavra' directed at the people she loved. Watching the whites of their eyes staring blankly up at the forest canopy, void and dead. They had gone against her, tried to help her, and for that they paid with their lives. How resourceful they were to use those items to get into her mind, to try to make her see them and only after she repeated the spell out loud, the one echoing in her head, did she finally see the error what of what she had done.
All she could do was run. Run from the pain, the horrible destructive power that she had in her that caused such devastation. Hearing their shouts at her, their concern of her, until she could bare it no more and fell over some underbrush. Hands came up to her face, the heart wrenching sobs the only sound that led them to her. They, the ones responsible for creating such a deep separation between the people that truly cared and the ones that wanted her only for her power.
"You honestly think you can escape who you are?"
"I am not like you! I will never BE YOU!" she shouted back.
"You are me, how could you forget our bond. Our connection."
"I am not connected to you. You turned against me and now look what we've done."
"What you've done, never one to take responsibility for your own actions, were you?"
"How could you? I love you, I still love you and you are destroying us both!"
"That is the nature of the beast, from birth it has been said this is what was to be and so it has come to pass."
"We have free will, you gave in!"
"I learned that I can not deny who I am, so why are you?"
"I loved them!"
"And for that they died. Do you wish more blood on your hands?"
"I won't kill him. I can't."
"Oh, but you will."
"No!"
Concern registered in the eyes of the male coming forward out of the cloud of black and she couldn't face him. Not after what she had done.
"I love you. Remember that." Were the words he said and then the other one she loved said those words to her.
"Then die for her."
A blinding green light came and she threw herself at it.
"Fool!"
"I will not give in."
"But you will. Wait and see."
And she felt blackness, cold, and distant calling to her. Felt death touch her and all she saw was the one she felt closest to turn on the one she was in love with and then nothing…
Roe Granger woke up covered in sweat, her heart beating like a drum in her chest and then pain laced through her. Hearing the chiming of the clock tower bell ring, signaling another day of classes, she set her feet on the floor. The groaning, complaints, and half-muttered words came from the other beds that contained the remaining 6th year Gryffindor girls. Wanting quiet and peace, Roe grabbed her house robe and made her way out of the room to the tranquility of the Prefect Bathroom. Hearing footsteps of already awake students heading to the Great Hall for breakfast, she said the password and entered the bathroom.
Slipping inside, pulling back her pajama top to reveal thin cotton tank shirt underneath, she heard the sound of dismay that came from the mermaid painting.
"What'd you do?" the mermaid asked, as Roe glanced in the mirror. To her startled eyes came the bruises on her upper right arm.
Given to her last night, she didn't really register how awful they would look come morning but nothing was compared to the actual sight on them. Like five identical claw marks, though without the breaking of skin, were the bruises. Roe had thought that a trick of light was causing them to appear black but in the full-lit bathroom to her astonishment it had not been in her head. The five bruises provided by Marielle's harsh grip on her arm, were indeed black. Not black and blue, as any normal first gotten bruise usually was but pure black. What caused her to be even more startled was that the bruises around the arm seemed to lace into her arm veins making them a deep red and more pronounced in her upper arm. It was a disturbing sight that Roe protectively put her left hand over the bruises only to pull her hand away as she winced that by the simple contact of her own hand on her flesh caused needles of pain to prick her senses and made her recoil instantly.
"I'd say that the nurse should have a look at that. Never have I seen…"
Roe tossed a glare at the noisy mermaid.
"Say a word to anyone and I'll provide a shark in that painted water of yours."
The mermaid just blinked and disappeared into the splash of waves. Roe regretted her harsh tone but she couldn't afford to have anyone see this. Having them already so protective of her this would definitely send them over the edge. She could well imagine what her father, Harry and Ron would say if they got a glimpse. Shuttering she took the quickest bath to date and thanked herself that she had brought her clothes with her into the room, having set them on one of the chairs near the bathing pool, and pulled on the loose red sweater, jeans, sneakers and her robe with the Perfect badge and golden lion that was the symbol of Gryffindor on it. Bringing her long hair into a braided ponytail, she ran when she heard the thudding of feet on the stone corridors. Heading back to the Gryffindor common room and dorms she grabbed her books, passing a curious Velvet who was finishing painting her pinkie nail a deep scarlet red.
"Wake up early, Roe?"
"Yeah, I'll see you later," Roe snatched her books off her bedside table and ran back down the dorm stairs and out the passageway without a word to Winnie, Lily, Carnation, and Orville Longbottom sitting in the common room.
"Something up with Miss Prefect," Velvet asked, coming down and blowing lightly on her tacky nails, "seems girlfriend is all out of sorts."
"Party kept her up." Winnie offered as explanation.
"No more than the rest of us."
"Probably just wants to talk about the game today with James and Sebastian." Orville volunteered as another reason.
"That seems more likely," Velvet concurred, "well, I'm off, kiddies, have to make my entrance and all."
"Bye, Velvet!" they called after the vein girl.
Winnie turned to Lily.
"Do you have the banner ready for the game?"
"Finished painting it last night," Lily informed her cousin, winking at Carnation, "It looks smashing."
"Good. Let's get to breakfast."
"Hey, Winnie," Orville, a replica of his father Neville, stopped Winnie, who watched Lily and Carnation exit the room, "about the Yule Ball…."
Winnie gulped, knowing what he was going to ask and not wanting to hurt his feelings. He really was a nice guy.
"Um…Orville, I'm kinda waiting for an answer back from someone…."
"Oh, then well….if it doesn't work out maybe you and I…"
"Sure," Winnie agreed, "I'd be happy to go with you."
Seeing the relief he expressed, Winnie was inwardly sighing with relief herself. Better to let him down like that than to cause a sullen Orville, would in turn make Potions a living hell since he was not the most apt pupil.
Winnie left the common room and ran right into Damon Malfoy, who was about as distracted as could be because he didn't even open his mouth to call her 'Weasel' or 'Carrot Top' like he usually did. Winnie watched in fascination as he stood there, right outside the passage into the Gryffindor tower and seemed not to notice anything going on around him. Very un-Malfoy like. Winnie couldn't help herself as she spoke.
"Malfoy? Malfoy?" Winnie saw that her words didn't even penetrate so she touched his shoulder lightly which seemed to make him jump out of his skin, "hey, are you okay?"
"Do me a favor next time, Carrot Top, and keep your grubby hands to yourself," his reply came, the same hostile self-righteous voice he always used.
"Well it wasn't like you were listening to me say your name." Winnie told him, causing him to lean up from the wall he was currently making himself comfortable against, "and this is Gryffindor territory."
"Tell me where Granger is." Malfoy insolently demanded.
Winnie couldn't hide her amazement about him asking after Roe and he only rolled his eyes at her expression.
"Don't have a brain melt down by my asking that, Weasel."
"No, it's only…..why do you want to know?"
"Forget it. I don't have time to mess with red headed twits."
"Hey!"
His walk didn't falter as he left her standing there shouting at him for insulting her.
"That boy does fancy her," Winnie mumbled to herself with a grin, "I knew it!"
"Knew what?"
Winnie turned to see Ian McDonald and Lance Thomas standing right behind her.
"Oh, nothing."
Winnie walked to the Great Hall with a plastered smile on her face.
~
Roe entered the Great Hall conversations assaulted her ears and caused her to shake off the bombardment of commotion. Training on the seated James and Sebastian, deep in discussion over Quidditch as Sebastian's hands were going a mile a minute in examples of moves, she put a hand on the sable headed boy's shoulder and leaned over grabbing an orange and muffin.
"Aren't you gonna join us?"
"Sorry, boys, but you'll have to forego my presence," Roe teased, lightly, "as much as I know that pains you. I have to finish my Potions assignment."
"For what week?" Sebastian inquired, tossing an apple at the entering Winnie, who glared retribution at her sibling catching the red fruit.
"This week, you great big prat," Roe punched his shoulder, "all this time spending at Dueling and Quidditch I got behind."
"Merlin forbid that you shouldn't have your work done on time."
"Have to leave the slacking to you two," Roe retorted.
"That hurt," Sebastian dramatically grabbed his chest near his heart, "right here."
"I'm sure you'll survive. Bye."
Passing Winnie, who caught Roe's empty hand.
"Malfoy's looking for you, ran into him outside Gryffindor."
"And he hadn't been hexed yet?"
"James and 'Bastian were already here."
"What he'd want?"
"After insulting me he asked about where you were."
"Really?"
"Seems the boy wants to converse with your extreme Prefectness."
Roe snorted, "More likely wants to sn….shout at me about something."
Winnie caught the slip but didn't say anything, keeping the knowledge to herself. Shooting a look over at the Slytherin table, Winnie saw Trey talking with Ebony.
"You don't think he'd…"
Roe saw the direction of Winnie's worried eyes and shook her head at spotting her friend's concern.
"Not a chance. Have it on good authority that Trey would rather rot in hell before taking that vulture anywhere."
Winnie nodded and went to eat.
Roe felt a twinge in her arm and saw the blue eyes of Marielle coming from her now situated spot next to James. Without another minute passing, Roe exited the Great Hall and went to be alone. Potions was in less than a half an hour and she had to finish her work.
Finding the dungeons empty, but for the already placed ingredients for today's potion, Roe sat at her seat and unrolled her parchment, going over notes and continued her writing as Snape only saw her, but didn't say a word as she wasn't on class time yet. Pushing away any distraction she was on the last sentence of her work when she reached to add ink to her quill only to find her ink well in the hands of Malfoy.
"Took you long enough to realize that you have things going on around you, Granger."
"Give me back my ink, Malfoy."
"What's the magic word?"
His lax stance and arrogant manner was grading on her nerves that she was not in the mood to deal with him.
"Now."
"What's the matter, Granger, didn't have Potter's full attention at breakfast?"
"The fact that you noticed makes me wonder, Malfoy, didn't know you cared about James's attention unless you are keeping something from the rest of us…..an same sex preference?"
Malfoy looked ready to throw up that Roe couldn't help a smile coming to her face.
"That you would say that when you wouldn't even recognize a same sex preference individual if he was your shadow."
"What are you talking about now, Malfoy?"
Malfoy crossed his muscled arms over his broad chest, a smirk on his face.
"Let's just say that your Frenchie isn't exactly all he seems, Granger. Not that the female population seems to care or realize this of course. Always falling for a pretty face."
"Much like the girls that hang around you? Though I have to say nothing is attractive in ferret features. They must need to have their visions looked at."
"Or maybe they see something you don't."
"What? Your obnoxious tendencies or maybe your condescending manner," Roe was rising her voice having had enough and him and not seeing that the class was half full with fellow classmates all staring at the pair, "wait I know what it is. That money of yours, or should I say, your father's. Nothing like buying girls into liking you. So why don't you take yourself off to one of your many admirers and leave me alone because all you are to me is an arrogant, self-centered, over-bearing slimy git who is only after a girl to see how easily she'll give into your charms, little as they are, so that she'll be another notch on your bedpost. Well I'm not one of them. I see Ebony over there, why don't you go see how fast you can get into her robes and stop wasting my time."
Roe reached out and jerked her ink well from his hand and set it in front of her, bending over her parchment leaving him standing in front of her desk with rage coming over his normally handsome face at her words. She was ignoring him, causing many Slytherins to stand in shock at her words and James, Trey, and Sebastian had entered moments ago seeing her volatile outburst, Malfoy had the look that if anyone said one word to them they might as well dig their grave now before he killed them.
"Outside, now." Malfoy growled at her.
"Sorry, I don't take orders from pale-faced Death Eater wanna-bes."
^Do it now, Granger!^ Malfoy thought and Roe could feel the waves of anger coming through even in the thought.
"What part of that sentence didn't you understand? I said No. N-O. Is that simple enough for your tiny brain to comprehend?"
Snape had yet to enter the class, three minutes till it started, that only when those last words got out of Roe's mouth did Malfoy bodily jumped over the desk, grab her by the waist, toss her over his shoulder with her kicking and screaming words that not even the three guys just inside the classroom thought she knew. Velvet, Topaz, Wynter, Ian, Lance, and three other Gryffindor 6th years all followed Roe's rant out of the classroom with their eyes blown away by the complete 180 in their normally easy-going friend's personality. Her words were so hurtful it was worthy of Malfoy's remarks and Snape's comments, though more cruel because no one expected it of her. Sure she and Malfoy had their differences but she had yet to be as equally damaging to his pride as he was to hers these past six years, until she got on the Hogwarts Express and given it to him just as good as he did this year.
James, Sebastian and Trey all kept anyone else from coming out to see the fight that had to happen between the two most headstrong people in their class and in existence at the school. All three very protective over her but even they were feeling kinda sorry for Malfoy to be on the receiving end of Roe's acid tongue.
"Put me down, Malfoy, damn it!"
Malfoy took her to the farthest end of the dungeon corridor, clearly in sight of the three other males but far enough away for them not to hear. The dungeons didn't echo like the other hallways did and that made what he was going to say that much easier without the whole class listening and watching.
"Stop acting like a complete shrew and I will." Malfoy hissed at her, as her kicking halted and her hands, released the fists she was using to pound his back with.
"Fine. Now will you put me down?"
"If you keep it up, Granger, I will take your wand and put you in a full body bind. Got it?"
"Alright."
Setting her on her feet, he took her wand and sent it sailing into Trey's opened palm.
"Just in case."
"Why you…"
Malfoy's eyes were focused, his own body one unmovable object of decision.
"Locomotor Mortis!"
The Leg Locker curse made her stop her movement from coming closer to him.
"I hope you don't thick disarming me from my wand keeps me from…."
Remembering that she rarely depended on her wand for spells, he added, "Silencio!"
Unable to speak, Roe shown her resentment through her eyes.
"Be mad at me all you want, Granger, it isn't going to help," Malfoy informed her, "you know I rather like it when you can't speak."
He could see her arms reach out to strangle him but he stayed out of her reach with a chuckle.
"You know had anyone else said what you had I would have had no remorse in causing them pain or hexing them but with you I have to say I'm at a loss. You don't seem to get who I am. Not only because I'm a Malfoy, a pureblood, or that I happen to be well sought after by many girls at this school, but who I am. You seem to think I am here to be your verbal punching bag which I am not," Malfoy came closer but restrained her hands to her sides with his fingers, gently but firmly gripping them, "you and I will come to a understanding if I have to put every anti-talking and moving curse on you I can think of. Nod if you understand."
Reluctantly, Roe nodded.
"Good. The thing is, Granger, I can't very well let you keep getting away with verbally insulting me in front of the whole student body, for some reason it makes me irrational. Case in point picking you up and taking you out here, although I must say what you said had to have some effect on your friends as none of them seem to be coming to your rescue. How interesting is that? Maybe they think you went way over the line as well. Which I assure you, Granger, you did."
Roe just watched him.
"How about we discuss this like rational people, or at least I will and you can listen as your tongue as had enough talking today I think. Let's start with the classroom, which is no doubt gossiping all about your very uncharacteristic outburst. Such inappropriate behavior for a Prefect and a Gryffindor at that. Almost worthy of a Slytherin," Malfoy cocked an eyebrow as she narrowed her eyes, "I know comparing you to us does seem unrealistic but what can I say? Such viciousness usually comes from us and not you peace-loving Gryffindors. As for what is going on between us, I'd say that maybe we should discuss our mutual admiration and respect for one another."
Roe had an expression on her face that said she did not admire or respect him.
"Just think for a moment if you can with all that obvious talk first think later examples you've been giving lately. Say I am just a normal guy, a Slytherin yes but a normal guy never the less. Your esteemed sibling is one and yet you don't hate his guts as you completely see fit to hate mine. If I was per say this normal guy, without any knowledge of my family or our parents background would you honestly be as malicious as you were a few minutes ago. I don't think you would, you weren't with Etienne so that rules that out so let's think of where this hostility towards me comes from. Sure maybe I've said a little too many times things about your family, mostly about your mother, but that's been partly fixed by this Bond between us which I can't say I'm anymore thrilled to have then you are. And maybe I've given you a hard time but what would life be at this school without our sparing each day? Pretty boring with that keen mind of yours I'd say. It has to be something else then," Malfoy seemed to contemplate what this mystery could be, "possibly that kiss. Though why you would get so worked up about it I have no idea since you seem to like Potter, or do you? Now there is a question, isn't there? Maybe the kiss made you think otherwise, or the fact that you seem to drape yourself all over Frenchie when he has other plans towards say, the same sex. Not exactly into the whole Granger package, acid tongue and your being female of course. So tell me, Granger, where does this absolute hatred of me come from? You keep bringing up the Death Eater possibility and yet I am not one and have no desire to be one. Is it part of your mind to convince yourself I am to save face against me? What could you need to hide that you would use that as an excuse? You are usually more decisive and thoughtful of these types of things, not going off half-cocked as it were."
Seeing as how he couldn't very well get answers from her with the curse on her vocal cords, he released it.
"Smart move to make me quiet, Malfoy."
"I trust I don't need to put it back on."
"No," Roe told him, "so where to start?"
"How about give me an honest reason why you hate me?"
"Don't you hate me?" Roe countered, "how about that, Malfoy? We haven't exactly given each any other reason to be friends or nice to one another."
Malfoy answered, "No, I don't hate you, Granger."
"Really? Since when? Last time I checked Mudblood children were not on your high priority list of people you care to have any feelings at all for."
"Let's just say the Bond changed all that."
"All it took was to have your pureblood running through my veins. Gee, thanks."
"I didn't mean it like that!" Malfoy shot back.
"Then how did you mean it, Malfoy? I really don't know where I stand with you. I can't help it that you bring out the demon in me," Roe looked ashamed and guilty, "I'm just not myself lately."
"So you take it out on me?"
"Would you rather I chose someone else to vent my anger at? You at least have a chance to come back with something and I know I can't possibly hurt you with all those words."
"I'm only human, Granger, not some emotionally detached creature you seem to think me as."
"Okay, so you have feelings, well so do I. Do you know how many times I cried when you were out of sight," Roe paused, "that I'm even telling you this must mean I've lost my mind," Malfoy lifted his mouth at her admission, "after you would knock me off balance with your comments on my parentage or just on me in general. Somehow since you seemed to not feel the least bit of remorse on causing me mental pain that I returned the favor. No one even threw those types of words at me before. Sure I spar with Sebastian," Roe laughed lightly, "but he's usually so easy to tease I can't help myself. James is so ….." Roe stopped when she saw Malfoy scowl at her, "okay so I won't bring Jamie into this. Then there is Trey, the only other one who gives me any sort of verbal sharpness but usually it's on our conflicting houses and not our mutual parents. To have you so cold about the whole thing I placed you in a box in my head and kept you there. Labeled 'evil and corrupt', so that's how I treat you."
"I'm flattered that I get my own box, Granger."
"Had to put you somewhere. My mind cages were already full and you would just howl when I left you in there too long." Roe joked, and then realized that she was talking to Malfoy and sighed, "Look, I don't mean to be like that. I'm kinda mad at myself for being such a bitch right then but Malfoy, you and I are two different that it's kinda hard for me to think of you as anything other than what I've known you to be for the past six years. You don't exactly have girls as just friends," she saw him smile suggestively and shook her head, "so it's not like I'm thinking you want to be my 'friend' by paying me all this attention the last couple of weeks. The kiss not withstanding."
"So you do think about it."
"What is with you? Is that all you think about? It was a simple kiss. A kiss does not equal a relationship and deeper feelings," Roe knew that was to save her, she didn't even want to give him the illusion that she thought about that kiss too often for her peace of mind, "besides, you know who I like."
"The great and marvelously perfect Potter."
"So, why do you keep trying?"
"Cause maybe I think you're worth the effort."
That was not an answer she expected and her clear surprise made his grin widen.
"See what you get when we get honest."
"Okay, remind me not to ask that again."
"Hey, I didn't bring it up, Granger, you did."
"Alright, it's all on me," Roe saw Trey, James and Sebastian now gone from the entrance of the Potions classroom, "we better get back before the whole class thinks we're out here snogging or something."
"Wouldn't that be a crisis, Malfoy and Granger, snogging?" Malfoy declared mockingly.
"Wouldn't it? I doubt your house would be all that thrilled with the idea, or Ebony for that matter. I am sure she has a picture of me pinned up somewhere as it is throwing darts at my head," seeing his confusion she held up her hand, "don't ask. Muggle thing."
"Since you can get into my head," Malfoy wondered, "I think you know that there is nothing going on between me and Ebony."
"Nothing? She sure seems to think there is," Roe noted, "and for your information, Mr. All-Knowing-Malfoy, I do not just pop in and out of your head like some genie. That's not how this whole mind-reading thing works."
He took a step closer, too close for her real comfort but she'd damn herself before she let on.
"Oh, really? So just how does it work?"
"When you think of something, sometimes I pick up on it. Like when we were in the classroom and you mentally shouted at me to 'Do it now, Granger'," Roe mused, "it was like waves of anger accompanied it that I almost got knocked to the ground by your thought alone."
"You did piss me off, Granger."
"Hey, you started it."
"I took your stupid ink well, no need to go all postal on me."
"Yes it is!"
"No it isn't!"
They looked at each other, the childishness of their conversation and laughed.
"Okay, maybe it was," Malfoy allowed, "but I never expected you to turn into Lady Death with an Acid Tongue on me."
"Thank you for the wonderful description of me, I can see why girls line around the corridors to date you."
"You do come to Slytherin." Malfoy accused and chuckled at her giggle.
"Please tell me that they don't actually do that, it's such a pathetic picture I just might have to proclaim you taken…" Roe closed her mouth as she thought about what she said, "um….don't see too much into that. More open mouth insert foot."
"Interesting Muggle saying."
He glanced at her feet, clad in sneakers with the V sideways of the Nike sign.
"Don't even think it, Malfoy. It's a figure of speech."
"Right," he commented, "so are we at least on a truce basis?"
"Whatever will the public say?" Roe said in a Southern accent dramatically.
"Maybe that I've finally managed to bring you around to my way of thinking."
"Like that will ever happen. Think Snape will go easy on us?" Roe glanced down to the dungeon door.
"Me? Probably. You? Maybe. You are his daughter after all."
"Don't forget a Gryffindor to my glowing attributes and he never resists the chance to take off Gryffindor."
"Well, good luck, Granger."
"Hey, Malfoy," Roe asked, as he took off the Leg Locker curse and she rubbed her strained legs, "why did you come to the Tower this morning?"
"Weasel told you?"
"Her name is Winnie and yes."
Malfoy came forward read the mixed emotions in her always-intelligent cinnamon eyes.
"I thought you were in trouble. That's all."
"Oh."
"Thought I'd have another reason?"
"Maybe your latest girlfriend broke your heart and you needed help cooping?"
Malfoy snorted, "Right."
"It was an idea."
"Need to get back in there. I am sure we will hear all sorts of things by the end of the day on what is 'going on between us'."
"So are we friends now?" Roe wondered curious.
"If you want, though the repercussions might get me into duels with your pals Potter and Weasel."
"Let me worry about Jamie and Bastian."
"Alright then. Friends, at least until our next big fight."
"In say about," Roe glanced down at her wristwatch, "a couple hours."
Malfoy nodded, as she passed by him and he caught her arm, the right one unfortunately and she winced and bit her lip. Only because he saw it, studying her face, he let go not wanting to cause whatever pain she obviously was in and turned her to look at him.
"What are you hiding, Granger?"
"Nothing, just…I'm tired."
"That causes you to wince when I touched your arm?"
"It's nothing," Roe moved away from him, "just let it go, Malfoy."
"Not a chance," he pulled her by her shoulder closer and moved her sweater and robe out of the way till he caught sight of the bruises, "Mother of Merlin, what happened? Who did this?"
His fingers trailed above the decidedly painful marks, not wanting to touch them, as his light grip had been enough to send tears to her eyes. Never had he seen bruises look like that, no mere bruise was capable of the utter red and black rage these were.
"Have you seen Madam Pomfrey?"
Roe moved her arm away, sliding the sleeve and robe over to conceal the mark.
"No and I'm not going to and don't you dare tell anyone," Roe insisted, "I have enough people worrying about me to add this stupid bruise to my list of problems and the last thing the team needs is to have their Seeker on the bench. We don't have a back up."
"I don't think Potter would see the Team as a consideration above you."
"I'm not going to tell anyone, Malfoy. Promise me you won't either."
"Granger, this is something you should tell someone about…."
"Promise me!" Roe pleaded, "I can't have people thinking I'm some sort of girl who can't take care of herself. I'm fine."
"No you're not and if I had known…"
"You couldn't have and don't start with the male chivalry bit cause it won't work. We are who we are."
"Granger…"
"I trust that the two of you have an good reason for skipping out on my class?" the sneering voice of Snape intervened as the two teens were now in front of the entrance to the Potions class.
"We had a disagreement that we thought was better suited for out here rather than to disturb the class, Professor." Malfoy replied, smoothly.
"As much as that is one of the better decisions you might have considered, since neither of you is known for your restraint in the area of communication of the negative kind towards one another, I am still forced to have you both serve detention after classes today," Snape glanced at Roe, "after your game, Miss Granger, wouldn't do to have your Head of House here based on this."
"Yes, Professor."
"Now get inside and we'll have to work on your class potion later tonight as the class is now working on the assignment for tonight. Please enter and take your seats and I trust all your issues were concluded successfully outside of my classroom?"
"Yes, Professor." They both answered.
"Good. Now get to work and I'll see you at eight tonight for your detention."
Roe was just going to say at least he didn't take off house points when….
As they both entered and he went to the front of the room, he turned in a swirl of black cloth, "Twenty points from Gryffindor for Miss Granger's lack of attention to when my class starts and that her assignment was not finished on time."
Roe sat and blew an impatient hair out of her face and sighed. Cause she hadn't been able to finish that last sentence thanks to Malfoy, who was immersed in with Avery, Giselle and Ebony asking questions on what happened.
"Mr. Malfoy, maybe you didn't understand that I told both you and Miss Granger that you were needing to work on your assignment for class unless you would like me to add another day of detention to your tonight's session." Snape broke into Roe's thoughts, causing all of Gryffindor have wide eyed expressions on their faces that he was actually reprimanding a Slytherin and Malfoy to boot.
Malfoy nodded his understanding and went about working on his assignment.
~
Class ended and Roe was not ready to be having the amount of questions thrown at her when all of Gryffindor caught up with her outside of class.
"I can't believe you said that to Malfoy, Roe, I was sure he was going to hex you then and there." Cynthia Longbottom said.
"Never have I seen him so mad, even at James." Henry Hornby observed.
"What did you two talk about out here? Snape wouldn't let us out to check." William Midgen wondered.
"Yeah, Roe, what the slimy git say?"
"We talked, no earth shattering problems occurred."
"Talked? Not argued, wished each other to the ends of the earth?"
"No. Just talked. Is that such a weird concept?"
"For you and him? Yes."
"Bastian!"
"Well, it is. At least you can still play tonight."
"Are you up to it?" James asked.
Here's your chance, Roe, she told herself, just tell him you aren't up to it and you can go see about some sort of potion or spell to lessen the pain in your arm.
"No, I'm fine."
Stupid, she called herself.
"Let's get to DADA and get this whole day with Slytherins concluded."
Roe sighed and followed her friends, seeing Malfoy conducting himself against the wall with the Slytherins, two of who hissed at her as she passed.
^Glad to see no boils or horns are protruding anywhere, Gryffindor^ Trey thought as he stood with that group.
Roe grinned at him and passed him a note, unseen by the rest of the oily Slytherins that she had written in class from a piece of trash parchment.
^Meet you before the Quidditch game?^ Trey read in his head.
Roe nodded, seeing Sebastian glance back and pull her by her wrist, thankfully forward to get the scoop on what happened in detail.
~
Before the game, after a long grueling day of classes, but it was Friday so it wasn't too bad, Roe managed to dress in her robes without Priscilla seeing the bruises and find Trey. As casual yet dominating by using his arm to prop his body against the wall, completely unselfconscious as three of the Ravenclaw Quidditch players, Mariorie Diggory included, gave him a very appraising look.
"Hey, babe, waiting for me?" Roe impishly asked, coming to stand next to him.
"Who else? Like I'd be caught dead down here otherwise."
"Forgot you aren't exactly a lover of the game."
"Truer words were never spoken, so what's the big emergency? Get Malfoy to express his undying love for you during your 'talk' and telling me how this is just like you pictured a guy telling you cause I've got places to be."
"Smart ass."
"Part of the time, the other my ass just won't talk to me."
"Winnie wants to know what your answer is. How could you not tell her by now? Aren't you human? Do you not know that when a girl gets up the nerve to ask a guy out that she is practically nerve wrecked until she gets an answer back?"
"Okay, okay," Trey held up his hand to ward his irritated sister off, "don't want you to give me a tongue lashing like Malfoy."
"Like I would, I love you."
"Like I said. I admit that maybe I have been a little preoccupied and haven't gotten back to her but my answer is yes."
"Good, now I want you to tell her so she doesn't seek revenge on the nearest male."
"Trying to keep her from turning into Roe Jr.?"
"Funny but somehow I'm not laughing."
"No sense of humor. Must have killed it today."
"You are dismissed, evil brother."
"You mean it? You won't come after me with curses on my House, yadda yadda?"
"Leave before I change my mind."
Trey's stoic face smirked and he gave her a one handed hug.
"Win."
"Always."
"Granger! Hurry your butt up or Potter's gonna have our necks!" Ian called down the corridor.
"Coming! Bye, Slytherin."
"Bye, Gryffindor."
~
The game was brutal. Not only because so many times both times came close to scoring and were stopped by the opposing team but because Roe felt like ripping off her hurt arm by the end of the night when she caught the Snitch by a hair, as Mariorie put up a great fight over it. As soon as her feet touched the ground Roe collapsed into the waiting chest of Sebastian, who put a steady hand on her back to keep her from becoming friends with the field.
"You okay, champ?"
"I will be when the field stops spinning." Roe admitted, to have his chest move as he chuckled.
"That triple spin on your broom do you in? Have to admit it was impressive that you stayed on, James can only do a double and keep a steady head."
"I just want to have the land become flat and I'll be okay."
"Amazing! Bloody brilliant work, Roe! Even Harry couldn't have done better." Ron enthusiastically commented on, as both he and Harry came down the seating to congratulate Gryffindor on another win.
"Thanks, Ron. Though I am no where near Harry's legend, I can't do hundred feet drops and stop on a dime."
"Seventy-five, yes. Hundred, no." Sebastian informed them.
"Give Roe a chance, she'll get there." James came down with, landing expertly and smiled widely at his father and uncle.
"Triple spin! I want to try that!" Lily made her way to the group, with Winnie in tow.
"Not yet, you don't." Harry warned.
"Believe me, kiddo, it's not all it's cracked up to be," Roe stated, putting a hand to her head, "and I still have to do detention."
"Snape punishing you?" Ron questioned, "what about?"
Roe tossed a Not-A-Word glance at all the members of Gryffindor House there.
"Didn't finish my assignment," Roe admitted truthfully, for it was one of the reasons.
"Don't let Hermione hear about that, she'll be on the next apparate here." Harry teased.
"Let's let the girl rest," Professor McGonagall cut in, "Madam Pomfrey would like to check up on you."
Tensing, as Roe saw Malfoy passing by overhearing and nodding in agreement. Roe glared at his retreating figure.
^Go, Granger, maybe you could stop being in pain and being a pain^ Malfoy thought and she could practically see the smirk on his face.
"I'm fine, Professor. No complaints unless you count me having Malfoy blood in my veins." Roe said, a bit louder for him to hear but he only winked over his shoulder at her.
Sebastian and James both laughed at that.
"If you are sure…"
"Really, Professor, fine. I just need to go get showered and changed, I have detention to get to."
"Detention? Why wasn't I informed about this?"
"Snape gave it." Harry filled in.
"As long as it isn't long, you've had a long day."
If only you knew how long, Roe thought ruefully.
~
Roe changed into cotton pants and a plain green t-shirt with her robe over it, something comfortable that she could just change her top in order to sleep once she got back to the dormitory. Grabbing her Potions book and parchment, with quill and ink well, she headed to the dungeons to find Malfoy already in the dungeons, sitting at one of the black tables, in his usual position of having the chair he sat in on two legs rather than four. His hair was wet, obviously he had taken a shower as well, in clean black slacks a black shirt and robes. Playing with his quill he had his attention on the door so he saw her the minute she entered.
"Feeling better, Granger?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"You didn't go, did you?"
Roe set out her items, before glancing at him, his eyes trained on her.
"I'm fine, stop asking."
"If you want to be in continuous pain far be it for me not to let you indulge in the past time, didn't know you were in sadism."
"Really? Those boys of mine must not be letting anyone know, I should have known something was wrong when good-looking boys with real attitude problems keep bugging me when I am trying to work."
"You think I'm good-looking, huh?"
"Who says I was talking about you?"
"Alright, Granger, fair enough."
"Good evening, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy. I trust you both did not exert yourselves getting here or get lost?" Snape barked at them, stopping their banter.
"No, Professor." Roe replied dutifully.
"Actually, Granger here, says she finds it a pain to come all the way down to the dungeons on her free time. That we should just be allowed to go so that she can go find Potter and…ouch!" Malfoy ended his words with Roe stepping heavily on his foot as they sat next to each other.
"Is that true, Miss Granger?"
"No, Professor. Malfoy has an active imagination."
"Be that as it may, shall we get to your assignment? It will be a personalized feeling potion, which translates into numbing or building on a feeling you are feeling currently and may I state that anger is not one I suggest either one of you work on."
Malfoy coughed to hide his laugh at Roe's pointed glare.
"All the ingredients are found on page 453 of your text and it will tell you what you need for which ever concoction you want to create. After you finish the potion, one of you will drink it, if it works an aura of that potion will surround you in a color only then will I see about giving you a passing mark. You have an hour to conduct this and finish the assignment as Professor McGonagall so quickly reminded me that Miss Granger has had a long day and it wouldn't due for her to fall asleep during my assignment."
Snape left them to their own devices, so that Roe opened her book reading over the ingredients until Malfoy put a slender finger on the one she was currently looking at.
"A Pain Reducing Potion makes the drinker feel no physical pain from whatever element is currently causing them pain. Works on any element minus the Crucio curse. A white light will surround the drinker for a minute after the potion is ingested and works immediately. Caution that drinking more than one cup will cause side effects." Malfoy read aloud.
"Still trying to get me to take something?"
"Well, it couldn't hurt."
"What do we need?"
"I'll get it."
As they finished brewing it, Malfoy handed her exactly a cup of the potion, after they fought over who was to cut, crop, and stir what.
"Well, drink it already!" Malfoy snapped at her.
"Get bent, Malfoy."
"Later, Granger."
She rolled her eyes at his insinuation and gulped the foul tasting stuff. Putting the cup on the table, she felt better the pain in her arm receding and a white light outlined her body.
"You okay?"
"No, I'm standing here suffering in quiet agony."
"Cute, Granger, your sarcasm is back in full force."
Snape saw the pair talking and nodded to his daughter, noticing she had tried a pain-lessening potion. As a parent, he knew there was a reason behind it that he wouldn't get the answer out of her but he could get it out of Malfoy.
"Clean up and you may both leave."
Roe cleaned up the chopped fairy wings while Malfoy cleaned out his cauldron. Roe bid them goodnight as Snape placed a hand on Malfoy's shoulder.
"Professor?"
"Mr. Malfoy, I think you know why I held you back."
"The Potion?"
"Correct. May I assume that you know something is paining Miss Granger and suggested that potion to her?"
"Shouldn't you ask Granger, Professor?"
"I doubt that if Miss Granger wishes this to be a secret she would not tell me."
"Her arm," Malfoy admitted, "she has five bruises that aren't bruises on it. She won't tell me how she got it and until now with the potion wouldn't accept any help or advise to go to Madam Pomfrey."
"I take it you have seen these bruises?"
"Yes, Professor."
"How are they not bruises?"
"They are black, Professor. Pure black, with red outlining them and causing the veins in her upper arms to lift in agitation," Malfoy concluded, "it doesn't look like anything I've ever seen almost like a…."
"Mr. Malfoy?"
"A dark mark, Professor."
"I take it she did not admit this willingly?"
Malfoy gave a half-grin.
"No. I touched her upper arm in passing and she winced, so I took it upon myself to find out what was causing the source of the pain."
"I thank you, Damon, for helping her." Snape's voice became less snide and mellower.
"She's really stubborn, Professor, besides if I didn't tell someone she is going to end up in constant pain. Those bruises don't look like they'll be going away anytime soon."
Malfoy went to leave but Snape said something that stopped him.
"You didn't have to tell me."
"I know."
~ ~ ~
A very long chapter, longer than my others and with lots of conversation. More to come soon I hope. Thought it was about time Damon and Roe had it out. All about whose taking who to the ball, Roe's dream, and what is going on with Marielle in the next…..Heading To France, Chapter 8
January 20, 2002
Chapter 7: Confrontations
Written by: V Lynne
echoinghearts@yahoo.com
~ ~ ~
Running, faster, and deeper into the woods. Branches pulled at her robes, the sensation of fright causing her legs to move her quicker into the darkness. Sounds of pounding feet on the damp ground and crunch of leaves surrendered to the weight being placed on them by the pursuers. Nothing seemed to stop them, not the curse, hexes, and charms used. It was futile to continue yet she had to.
Tears streamed down her cheeks, spraying her robes at the collar as she ran trying harder to get a great distance between the people responsible. Anything she did had consequences and her whole body hurt from the 'Crucio' and the words echoed out of her own mouth, those horrible words of 'Avada Kedavra' directed at the people she loved. Watching the whites of their eyes staring blankly up at the forest canopy, void and dead. They had gone against her, tried to help her, and for that they paid with their lives. How resourceful they were to use those items to get into her mind, to try to make her see them and only after she repeated the spell out loud, the one echoing in her head, did she finally see the error what of what she had done.
All she could do was run. Run from the pain, the horrible destructive power that she had in her that caused such devastation. Hearing their shouts at her, their concern of her, until she could bare it no more and fell over some underbrush. Hands came up to her face, the heart wrenching sobs the only sound that led them to her. They, the ones responsible for creating such a deep separation between the people that truly cared and the ones that wanted her only for her power.
"You honestly think you can escape who you are?"
"I am not like you! I will never BE YOU!" she shouted back.
"You are me, how could you forget our bond. Our connection."
"I am not connected to you. You turned against me and now look what we've done."
"What you've done, never one to take responsibility for your own actions, were you?"
"How could you? I love you, I still love you and you are destroying us both!"
"That is the nature of the beast, from birth it has been said this is what was to be and so it has come to pass."
"We have free will, you gave in!"
"I learned that I can not deny who I am, so why are you?"
"I loved them!"
"And for that they died. Do you wish more blood on your hands?"
"I won't kill him. I can't."
"Oh, but you will."
"No!"
Concern registered in the eyes of the male coming forward out of the cloud of black and she couldn't face him. Not after what she had done.
"I love you. Remember that." Were the words he said and then the other one she loved said those words to her.
"Then die for her."
A blinding green light came and she threw herself at it.
"Fool!"
"I will not give in."
"But you will. Wait and see."
And she felt blackness, cold, and distant calling to her. Felt death touch her and all she saw was the one she felt closest to turn on the one she was in love with and then nothing…
Roe Granger woke up covered in sweat, her heart beating like a drum in her chest and then pain laced through her. Hearing the chiming of the clock tower bell ring, signaling another day of classes, she set her feet on the floor. The groaning, complaints, and half-muttered words came from the other beds that contained the remaining 6th year Gryffindor girls. Wanting quiet and peace, Roe grabbed her house robe and made her way out of the room to the tranquility of the Prefect Bathroom. Hearing footsteps of already awake students heading to the Great Hall for breakfast, she said the password and entered the bathroom.
Slipping inside, pulling back her pajama top to reveal thin cotton tank shirt underneath, she heard the sound of dismay that came from the mermaid painting.
"What'd you do?" the mermaid asked, as Roe glanced in the mirror. To her startled eyes came the bruises on her upper right arm.
Given to her last night, she didn't really register how awful they would look come morning but nothing was compared to the actual sight on them. Like five identical claw marks, though without the breaking of skin, were the bruises. Roe had thought that a trick of light was causing them to appear black but in the full-lit bathroom to her astonishment it had not been in her head. The five bruises provided by Marielle's harsh grip on her arm, were indeed black. Not black and blue, as any normal first gotten bruise usually was but pure black. What caused her to be even more startled was that the bruises around the arm seemed to lace into her arm veins making them a deep red and more pronounced in her upper arm. It was a disturbing sight that Roe protectively put her left hand over the bruises only to pull her hand away as she winced that by the simple contact of her own hand on her flesh caused needles of pain to prick her senses and made her recoil instantly.
"I'd say that the nurse should have a look at that. Never have I seen…"
Roe tossed a glare at the noisy mermaid.
"Say a word to anyone and I'll provide a shark in that painted water of yours."
The mermaid just blinked and disappeared into the splash of waves. Roe regretted her harsh tone but she couldn't afford to have anyone see this. Having them already so protective of her this would definitely send them over the edge. She could well imagine what her father, Harry and Ron would say if they got a glimpse. Shuttering she took the quickest bath to date and thanked herself that she had brought her clothes with her into the room, having set them on one of the chairs near the bathing pool, and pulled on the loose red sweater, jeans, sneakers and her robe with the Perfect badge and golden lion that was the symbol of Gryffindor on it. Bringing her long hair into a braided ponytail, she ran when she heard the thudding of feet on the stone corridors. Heading back to the Gryffindor common room and dorms she grabbed her books, passing a curious Velvet who was finishing painting her pinkie nail a deep scarlet red.
"Wake up early, Roe?"
"Yeah, I'll see you later," Roe snatched her books off her bedside table and ran back down the dorm stairs and out the passageway without a word to Winnie, Lily, Carnation, and Orville Longbottom sitting in the common room.
"Something up with Miss Prefect," Velvet asked, coming down and blowing lightly on her tacky nails, "seems girlfriend is all out of sorts."
"Party kept her up." Winnie offered as explanation.
"No more than the rest of us."
"Probably just wants to talk about the game today with James and Sebastian." Orville volunteered as another reason.
"That seems more likely," Velvet concurred, "well, I'm off, kiddies, have to make my entrance and all."
"Bye, Velvet!" they called after the vein girl.
Winnie turned to Lily.
"Do you have the banner ready for the game?"
"Finished painting it last night," Lily informed her cousin, winking at Carnation, "It looks smashing."
"Good. Let's get to breakfast."
"Hey, Winnie," Orville, a replica of his father Neville, stopped Winnie, who watched Lily and Carnation exit the room, "about the Yule Ball…."
Winnie gulped, knowing what he was going to ask and not wanting to hurt his feelings. He really was a nice guy.
"Um…Orville, I'm kinda waiting for an answer back from someone…."
"Oh, then well….if it doesn't work out maybe you and I…"
"Sure," Winnie agreed, "I'd be happy to go with you."
Seeing the relief he expressed, Winnie was inwardly sighing with relief herself. Better to let him down like that than to cause a sullen Orville, would in turn make Potions a living hell since he was not the most apt pupil.
Winnie left the common room and ran right into Damon Malfoy, who was about as distracted as could be because he didn't even open his mouth to call her 'Weasel' or 'Carrot Top' like he usually did. Winnie watched in fascination as he stood there, right outside the passage into the Gryffindor tower and seemed not to notice anything going on around him. Very un-Malfoy like. Winnie couldn't help herself as she spoke.
"Malfoy? Malfoy?" Winnie saw that her words didn't even penetrate so she touched his shoulder lightly which seemed to make him jump out of his skin, "hey, are you okay?"
"Do me a favor next time, Carrot Top, and keep your grubby hands to yourself," his reply came, the same hostile self-righteous voice he always used.
"Well it wasn't like you were listening to me say your name." Winnie told him, causing him to lean up from the wall he was currently making himself comfortable against, "and this is Gryffindor territory."
"Tell me where Granger is." Malfoy insolently demanded.
Winnie couldn't hide her amazement about him asking after Roe and he only rolled his eyes at her expression.
"Don't have a brain melt down by my asking that, Weasel."
"No, it's only…..why do you want to know?"
"Forget it. I don't have time to mess with red headed twits."
"Hey!"
His walk didn't falter as he left her standing there shouting at him for insulting her.
"That boy does fancy her," Winnie mumbled to herself with a grin, "I knew it!"
"Knew what?"
Winnie turned to see Ian McDonald and Lance Thomas standing right behind her.
"Oh, nothing."
Winnie walked to the Great Hall with a plastered smile on her face.
~
Roe entered the Great Hall conversations assaulted her ears and caused her to shake off the bombardment of commotion. Training on the seated James and Sebastian, deep in discussion over Quidditch as Sebastian's hands were going a mile a minute in examples of moves, she put a hand on the sable headed boy's shoulder and leaned over grabbing an orange and muffin.
"Aren't you gonna join us?"
"Sorry, boys, but you'll have to forego my presence," Roe teased, lightly, "as much as I know that pains you. I have to finish my Potions assignment."
"For what week?" Sebastian inquired, tossing an apple at the entering Winnie, who glared retribution at her sibling catching the red fruit.
"This week, you great big prat," Roe punched his shoulder, "all this time spending at Dueling and Quidditch I got behind."
"Merlin forbid that you shouldn't have your work done on time."
"Have to leave the slacking to you two," Roe retorted.
"That hurt," Sebastian dramatically grabbed his chest near his heart, "right here."
"I'm sure you'll survive. Bye."
Passing Winnie, who caught Roe's empty hand.
"Malfoy's looking for you, ran into him outside Gryffindor."
"And he hadn't been hexed yet?"
"James and 'Bastian were already here."
"What he'd want?"
"After insulting me he asked about where you were."
"Really?"
"Seems the boy wants to converse with your extreme Prefectness."
Roe snorted, "More likely wants to sn….shout at me about something."
Winnie caught the slip but didn't say anything, keeping the knowledge to herself. Shooting a look over at the Slytherin table, Winnie saw Trey talking with Ebony.
"You don't think he'd…"
Roe saw the direction of Winnie's worried eyes and shook her head at spotting her friend's concern.
"Not a chance. Have it on good authority that Trey would rather rot in hell before taking that vulture anywhere."
Winnie nodded and went to eat.
Roe felt a twinge in her arm and saw the blue eyes of Marielle coming from her now situated spot next to James. Without another minute passing, Roe exited the Great Hall and went to be alone. Potions was in less than a half an hour and she had to finish her work.
Finding the dungeons empty, but for the already placed ingredients for today's potion, Roe sat at her seat and unrolled her parchment, going over notes and continued her writing as Snape only saw her, but didn't say a word as she wasn't on class time yet. Pushing away any distraction she was on the last sentence of her work when she reached to add ink to her quill only to find her ink well in the hands of Malfoy.
"Took you long enough to realize that you have things going on around you, Granger."
"Give me back my ink, Malfoy."
"What's the magic word?"
His lax stance and arrogant manner was grading on her nerves that she was not in the mood to deal with him.
"Now."
"What's the matter, Granger, didn't have Potter's full attention at breakfast?"
"The fact that you noticed makes me wonder, Malfoy, didn't know you cared about James's attention unless you are keeping something from the rest of us…..an same sex preference?"
Malfoy looked ready to throw up that Roe couldn't help a smile coming to her face.
"That you would say that when you wouldn't even recognize a same sex preference individual if he was your shadow."
"What are you talking about now, Malfoy?"
Malfoy crossed his muscled arms over his broad chest, a smirk on his face.
"Let's just say that your Frenchie isn't exactly all he seems, Granger. Not that the female population seems to care or realize this of course. Always falling for a pretty face."
"Much like the girls that hang around you? Though I have to say nothing is attractive in ferret features. They must need to have their visions looked at."
"Or maybe they see something you don't."
"What? Your obnoxious tendencies or maybe your condescending manner," Roe was rising her voice having had enough and him and not seeing that the class was half full with fellow classmates all staring at the pair, "wait I know what it is. That money of yours, or should I say, your father's. Nothing like buying girls into liking you. So why don't you take yourself off to one of your many admirers and leave me alone because all you are to me is an arrogant, self-centered, over-bearing slimy git who is only after a girl to see how easily she'll give into your charms, little as they are, so that she'll be another notch on your bedpost. Well I'm not one of them. I see Ebony over there, why don't you go see how fast you can get into her robes and stop wasting my time."
Roe reached out and jerked her ink well from his hand and set it in front of her, bending over her parchment leaving him standing in front of her desk with rage coming over his normally handsome face at her words. She was ignoring him, causing many Slytherins to stand in shock at her words and James, Trey, and Sebastian had entered moments ago seeing her volatile outburst, Malfoy had the look that if anyone said one word to them they might as well dig their grave now before he killed them.
"Outside, now." Malfoy growled at her.
"Sorry, I don't take orders from pale-faced Death Eater wanna-bes."
^Do it now, Granger!^ Malfoy thought and Roe could feel the waves of anger coming through even in the thought.
"What part of that sentence didn't you understand? I said No. N-O. Is that simple enough for your tiny brain to comprehend?"
Snape had yet to enter the class, three minutes till it started, that only when those last words got out of Roe's mouth did Malfoy bodily jumped over the desk, grab her by the waist, toss her over his shoulder with her kicking and screaming words that not even the three guys just inside the classroom thought she knew. Velvet, Topaz, Wynter, Ian, Lance, and three other Gryffindor 6th years all followed Roe's rant out of the classroom with their eyes blown away by the complete 180 in their normally easy-going friend's personality. Her words were so hurtful it was worthy of Malfoy's remarks and Snape's comments, though more cruel because no one expected it of her. Sure she and Malfoy had their differences but she had yet to be as equally damaging to his pride as he was to hers these past six years, until she got on the Hogwarts Express and given it to him just as good as he did this year.
James, Sebastian and Trey all kept anyone else from coming out to see the fight that had to happen between the two most headstrong people in their class and in existence at the school. All three very protective over her but even they were feeling kinda sorry for Malfoy to be on the receiving end of Roe's acid tongue.
"Put me down, Malfoy, damn it!"
Malfoy took her to the farthest end of the dungeon corridor, clearly in sight of the three other males but far enough away for them not to hear. The dungeons didn't echo like the other hallways did and that made what he was going to say that much easier without the whole class listening and watching.
"Stop acting like a complete shrew and I will." Malfoy hissed at her, as her kicking halted and her hands, released the fists she was using to pound his back with.
"Fine. Now will you put me down?"
"If you keep it up, Granger, I will take your wand and put you in a full body bind. Got it?"
"Alright."
Setting her on her feet, he took her wand and sent it sailing into Trey's opened palm.
"Just in case."
"Why you…"
Malfoy's eyes were focused, his own body one unmovable object of decision.
"Locomotor Mortis!"
The Leg Locker curse made her stop her movement from coming closer to him.
"I hope you don't thick disarming me from my wand keeps me from…."
Remembering that she rarely depended on her wand for spells, he added, "Silencio!"
Unable to speak, Roe shown her resentment through her eyes.
"Be mad at me all you want, Granger, it isn't going to help," Malfoy informed her, "you know I rather like it when you can't speak."
He could see her arms reach out to strangle him but he stayed out of her reach with a chuckle.
"You know had anyone else said what you had I would have had no remorse in causing them pain or hexing them but with you I have to say I'm at a loss. You don't seem to get who I am. Not only because I'm a Malfoy, a pureblood, or that I happen to be well sought after by many girls at this school, but who I am. You seem to think I am here to be your verbal punching bag which I am not," Malfoy came closer but restrained her hands to her sides with his fingers, gently but firmly gripping them, "you and I will come to a understanding if I have to put every anti-talking and moving curse on you I can think of. Nod if you understand."
Reluctantly, Roe nodded.
"Good. The thing is, Granger, I can't very well let you keep getting away with verbally insulting me in front of the whole student body, for some reason it makes me irrational. Case in point picking you up and taking you out here, although I must say what you said had to have some effect on your friends as none of them seem to be coming to your rescue. How interesting is that? Maybe they think you went way over the line as well. Which I assure you, Granger, you did."
Roe just watched him.
"How about we discuss this like rational people, or at least I will and you can listen as your tongue as had enough talking today I think. Let's start with the classroom, which is no doubt gossiping all about your very uncharacteristic outburst. Such inappropriate behavior for a Prefect and a Gryffindor at that. Almost worthy of a Slytherin," Malfoy cocked an eyebrow as she narrowed her eyes, "I know comparing you to us does seem unrealistic but what can I say? Such viciousness usually comes from us and not you peace-loving Gryffindors. As for what is going on between us, I'd say that maybe we should discuss our mutual admiration and respect for one another."
Roe had an expression on her face that said she did not admire or respect him.
"Just think for a moment if you can with all that obvious talk first think later examples you've been giving lately. Say I am just a normal guy, a Slytherin yes but a normal guy never the less. Your esteemed sibling is one and yet you don't hate his guts as you completely see fit to hate mine. If I was per say this normal guy, without any knowledge of my family or our parents background would you honestly be as malicious as you were a few minutes ago. I don't think you would, you weren't with Etienne so that rules that out so let's think of where this hostility towards me comes from. Sure maybe I've said a little too many times things about your family, mostly about your mother, but that's been partly fixed by this Bond between us which I can't say I'm anymore thrilled to have then you are. And maybe I've given you a hard time but what would life be at this school without our sparing each day? Pretty boring with that keen mind of yours I'd say. It has to be something else then," Malfoy seemed to contemplate what this mystery could be, "possibly that kiss. Though why you would get so worked up about it I have no idea since you seem to like Potter, or do you? Now there is a question, isn't there? Maybe the kiss made you think otherwise, or the fact that you seem to drape yourself all over Frenchie when he has other plans towards say, the same sex. Not exactly into the whole Granger package, acid tongue and your being female of course. So tell me, Granger, where does this absolute hatred of me come from? You keep bringing up the Death Eater possibility and yet I am not one and have no desire to be one. Is it part of your mind to convince yourself I am to save face against me? What could you need to hide that you would use that as an excuse? You are usually more decisive and thoughtful of these types of things, not going off half-cocked as it were."
Seeing as how he couldn't very well get answers from her with the curse on her vocal cords, he released it.
"Smart move to make me quiet, Malfoy."
"I trust I don't need to put it back on."
"No," Roe told him, "so where to start?"
"How about give me an honest reason why you hate me?"
"Don't you hate me?" Roe countered, "how about that, Malfoy? We haven't exactly given each any other reason to be friends or nice to one another."
Malfoy answered, "No, I don't hate you, Granger."
"Really? Since when? Last time I checked Mudblood children were not on your high priority list of people you care to have any feelings at all for."
"Let's just say the Bond changed all that."
"All it took was to have your pureblood running through my veins. Gee, thanks."
"I didn't mean it like that!" Malfoy shot back.
"Then how did you mean it, Malfoy? I really don't know where I stand with you. I can't help it that you bring out the demon in me," Roe looked ashamed and guilty, "I'm just not myself lately."
"So you take it out on me?"
"Would you rather I chose someone else to vent my anger at? You at least have a chance to come back with something and I know I can't possibly hurt you with all those words."
"I'm only human, Granger, not some emotionally detached creature you seem to think me as."
"Okay, so you have feelings, well so do I. Do you know how many times I cried when you were out of sight," Roe paused, "that I'm even telling you this must mean I've lost my mind," Malfoy lifted his mouth at her admission, "after you would knock me off balance with your comments on my parentage or just on me in general. Somehow since you seemed to not feel the least bit of remorse on causing me mental pain that I returned the favor. No one even threw those types of words at me before. Sure I spar with Sebastian," Roe laughed lightly, "but he's usually so easy to tease I can't help myself. James is so ….." Roe stopped when she saw Malfoy scowl at her, "okay so I won't bring Jamie into this. Then there is Trey, the only other one who gives me any sort of verbal sharpness but usually it's on our conflicting houses and not our mutual parents. To have you so cold about the whole thing I placed you in a box in my head and kept you there. Labeled 'evil and corrupt', so that's how I treat you."
"I'm flattered that I get my own box, Granger."
"Had to put you somewhere. My mind cages were already full and you would just howl when I left you in there too long." Roe joked, and then realized that she was talking to Malfoy and sighed, "Look, I don't mean to be like that. I'm kinda mad at myself for being such a bitch right then but Malfoy, you and I are two different that it's kinda hard for me to think of you as anything other than what I've known you to be for the past six years. You don't exactly have girls as just friends," she saw him smile suggestively and shook her head, "so it's not like I'm thinking you want to be my 'friend' by paying me all this attention the last couple of weeks. The kiss not withstanding."
"So you do think about it."
"What is with you? Is that all you think about? It was a simple kiss. A kiss does not equal a relationship and deeper feelings," Roe knew that was to save her, she didn't even want to give him the illusion that she thought about that kiss too often for her peace of mind, "besides, you know who I like."
"The great and marvelously perfect Potter."
"So, why do you keep trying?"
"Cause maybe I think you're worth the effort."
That was not an answer she expected and her clear surprise made his grin widen.
"See what you get when we get honest."
"Okay, remind me not to ask that again."
"Hey, I didn't bring it up, Granger, you did."
"Alright, it's all on me," Roe saw Trey, James and Sebastian now gone from the entrance of the Potions classroom, "we better get back before the whole class thinks we're out here snogging or something."
"Wouldn't that be a crisis, Malfoy and Granger, snogging?" Malfoy declared mockingly.
"Wouldn't it? I doubt your house would be all that thrilled with the idea, or Ebony for that matter. I am sure she has a picture of me pinned up somewhere as it is throwing darts at my head," seeing his confusion she held up her hand, "don't ask. Muggle thing."
"Since you can get into my head," Malfoy wondered, "I think you know that there is nothing going on between me and Ebony."
"Nothing? She sure seems to think there is," Roe noted, "and for your information, Mr. All-Knowing-Malfoy, I do not just pop in and out of your head like some genie. That's not how this whole mind-reading thing works."
He took a step closer, too close for her real comfort but she'd damn herself before she let on.
"Oh, really? So just how does it work?"
"When you think of something, sometimes I pick up on it. Like when we were in the classroom and you mentally shouted at me to 'Do it now, Granger'," Roe mused, "it was like waves of anger accompanied it that I almost got knocked to the ground by your thought alone."
"You did piss me off, Granger."
"Hey, you started it."
"I took your stupid ink well, no need to go all postal on me."
"Yes it is!"
"No it isn't!"
They looked at each other, the childishness of their conversation and laughed.
"Okay, maybe it was," Malfoy allowed, "but I never expected you to turn into Lady Death with an Acid Tongue on me."
"Thank you for the wonderful description of me, I can see why girls line around the corridors to date you."
"You do come to Slytherin." Malfoy accused and chuckled at her giggle.
"Please tell me that they don't actually do that, it's such a pathetic picture I just might have to proclaim you taken…" Roe closed her mouth as she thought about what she said, "um….don't see too much into that. More open mouth insert foot."
"Interesting Muggle saying."
He glanced at her feet, clad in sneakers with the V sideways of the Nike sign.
"Don't even think it, Malfoy. It's a figure of speech."
"Right," he commented, "so are we at least on a truce basis?"
"Whatever will the public say?" Roe said in a Southern accent dramatically.
"Maybe that I've finally managed to bring you around to my way of thinking."
"Like that will ever happen. Think Snape will go easy on us?" Roe glanced down to the dungeon door.
"Me? Probably. You? Maybe. You are his daughter after all."
"Don't forget a Gryffindor to my glowing attributes and he never resists the chance to take off Gryffindor."
"Well, good luck, Granger."
"Hey, Malfoy," Roe asked, as he took off the Leg Locker curse and she rubbed her strained legs, "why did you come to the Tower this morning?"
"Weasel told you?"
"Her name is Winnie and yes."
Malfoy came forward read the mixed emotions in her always-intelligent cinnamon eyes.
"I thought you were in trouble. That's all."
"Oh."
"Thought I'd have another reason?"
"Maybe your latest girlfriend broke your heart and you needed help cooping?"
Malfoy snorted, "Right."
"It was an idea."
"Need to get back in there. I am sure we will hear all sorts of things by the end of the day on what is 'going on between us'."
"So are we friends now?" Roe wondered curious.
"If you want, though the repercussions might get me into duels with your pals Potter and Weasel."
"Let me worry about Jamie and Bastian."
"Alright then. Friends, at least until our next big fight."
"In say about," Roe glanced down at her wristwatch, "a couple hours."
Malfoy nodded, as she passed by him and he caught her arm, the right one unfortunately and she winced and bit her lip. Only because he saw it, studying her face, he let go not wanting to cause whatever pain she obviously was in and turned her to look at him.
"What are you hiding, Granger?"
"Nothing, just…I'm tired."
"That causes you to wince when I touched your arm?"
"It's nothing," Roe moved away from him, "just let it go, Malfoy."
"Not a chance," he pulled her by her shoulder closer and moved her sweater and robe out of the way till he caught sight of the bruises, "Mother of Merlin, what happened? Who did this?"
His fingers trailed above the decidedly painful marks, not wanting to touch them, as his light grip had been enough to send tears to her eyes. Never had he seen bruises look like that, no mere bruise was capable of the utter red and black rage these were.
"Have you seen Madam Pomfrey?"
Roe moved her arm away, sliding the sleeve and robe over to conceal the mark.
"No and I'm not going to and don't you dare tell anyone," Roe insisted, "I have enough people worrying about me to add this stupid bruise to my list of problems and the last thing the team needs is to have their Seeker on the bench. We don't have a back up."
"I don't think Potter would see the Team as a consideration above you."
"I'm not going to tell anyone, Malfoy. Promise me you won't either."
"Granger, this is something you should tell someone about…."
"Promise me!" Roe pleaded, "I can't have people thinking I'm some sort of girl who can't take care of herself. I'm fine."
"No you're not and if I had known…"
"You couldn't have and don't start with the male chivalry bit cause it won't work. We are who we are."
"Granger…"
"I trust that the two of you have an good reason for skipping out on my class?" the sneering voice of Snape intervened as the two teens were now in front of the entrance to the Potions class.
"We had a disagreement that we thought was better suited for out here rather than to disturb the class, Professor." Malfoy replied, smoothly.
"As much as that is one of the better decisions you might have considered, since neither of you is known for your restraint in the area of communication of the negative kind towards one another, I am still forced to have you both serve detention after classes today," Snape glanced at Roe, "after your game, Miss Granger, wouldn't do to have your Head of House here based on this."
"Yes, Professor."
"Now get inside and we'll have to work on your class potion later tonight as the class is now working on the assignment for tonight. Please enter and take your seats and I trust all your issues were concluded successfully outside of my classroom?"
"Yes, Professor." They both answered.
"Good. Now get to work and I'll see you at eight tonight for your detention."
Roe was just going to say at least he didn't take off house points when….
As they both entered and he went to the front of the room, he turned in a swirl of black cloth, "Twenty points from Gryffindor for Miss Granger's lack of attention to when my class starts and that her assignment was not finished on time."
Roe sat and blew an impatient hair out of her face and sighed. Cause she hadn't been able to finish that last sentence thanks to Malfoy, who was immersed in with Avery, Giselle and Ebony asking questions on what happened.
"Mr. Malfoy, maybe you didn't understand that I told both you and Miss Granger that you were needing to work on your assignment for class unless you would like me to add another day of detention to your tonight's session." Snape broke into Roe's thoughts, causing all of Gryffindor have wide eyed expressions on their faces that he was actually reprimanding a Slytherin and Malfoy to boot.
Malfoy nodded his understanding and went about working on his assignment.
~
Class ended and Roe was not ready to be having the amount of questions thrown at her when all of Gryffindor caught up with her outside of class.
"I can't believe you said that to Malfoy, Roe, I was sure he was going to hex you then and there." Cynthia Longbottom said.
"Never have I seen him so mad, even at James." Henry Hornby observed.
"What did you two talk about out here? Snape wouldn't let us out to check." William Midgen wondered.
"Yeah, Roe, what the slimy git say?"
"We talked, no earth shattering problems occurred."
"Talked? Not argued, wished each other to the ends of the earth?"
"No. Just talked. Is that such a weird concept?"
"For you and him? Yes."
"Bastian!"
"Well, it is. At least you can still play tonight."
"Are you up to it?" James asked.
Here's your chance, Roe, she told herself, just tell him you aren't up to it and you can go see about some sort of potion or spell to lessen the pain in your arm.
"No, I'm fine."
Stupid, she called herself.
"Let's get to DADA and get this whole day with Slytherins concluded."
Roe sighed and followed her friends, seeing Malfoy conducting himself against the wall with the Slytherins, two of who hissed at her as she passed.
^Glad to see no boils or horns are protruding anywhere, Gryffindor^ Trey thought as he stood with that group.
Roe grinned at him and passed him a note, unseen by the rest of the oily Slytherins that she had written in class from a piece of trash parchment.
^Meet you before the Quidditch game?^ Trey read in his head.
Roe nodded, seeing Sebastian glance back and pull her by her wrist, thankfully forward to get the scoop on what happened in detail.
~
Before the game, after a long grueling day of classes, but it was Friday so it wasn't too bad, Roe managed to dress in her robes without Priscilla seeing the bruises and find Trey. As casual yet dominating by using his arm to prop his body against the wall, completely unselfconscious as three of the Ravenclaw Quidditch players, Mariorie Diggory included, gave him a very appraising look.
"Hey, babe, waiting for me?" Roe impishly asked, coming to stand next to him.
"Who else? Like I'd be caught dead down here otherwise."
"Forgot you aren't exactly a lover of the game."
"Truer words were never spoken, so what's the big emergency? Get Malfoy to express his undying love for you during your 'talk' and telling me how this is just like you pictured a guy telling you cause I've got places to be."
"Smart ass."
"Part of the time, the other my ass just won't talk to me."
"Winnie wants to know what your answer is. How could you not tell her by now? Aren't you human? Do you not know that when a girl gets up the nerve to ask a guy out that she is practically nerve wrecked until she gets an answer back?"
"Okay, okay," Trey held up his hand to ward his irritated sister off, "don't want you to give me a tongue lashing like Malfoy."
"Like I would, I love you."
"Like I said. I admit that maybe I have been a little preoccupied and haven't gotten back to her but my answer is yes."
"Good, now I want you to tell her so she doesn't seek revenge on the nearest male."
"Trying to keep her from turning into Roe Jr.?"
"Funny but somehow I'm not laughing."
"No sense of humor. Must have killed it today."
"You are dismissed, evil brother."
"You mean it? You won't come after me with curses on my House, yadda yadda?"
"Leave before I change my mind."
Trey's stoic face smirked and he gave her a one handed hug.
"Win."
"Always."
"Granger! Hurry your butt up or Potter's gonna have our necks!" Ian called down the corridor.
"Coming! Bye, Slytherin."
"Bye, Gryffindor."
~
The game was brutal. Not only because so many times both times came close to scoring and were stopped by the opposing team but because Roe felt like ripping off her hurt arm by the end of the night when she caught the Snitch by a hair, as Mariorie put up a great fight over it. As soon as her feet touched the ground Roe collapsed into the waiting chest of Sebastian, who put a steady hand on her back to keep her from becoming friends with the field.
"You okay, champ?"
"I will be when the field stops spinning." Roe admitted, to have his chest move as he chuckled.
"That triple spin on your broom do you in? Have to admit it was impressive that you stayed on, James can only do a double and keep a steady head."
"I just want to have the land become flat and I'll be okay."
"Amazing! Bloody brilliant work, Roe! Even Harry couldn't have done better." Ron enthusiastically commented on, as both he and Harry came down the seating to congratulate Gryffindor on another win.
"Thanks, Ron. Though I am no where near Harry's legend, I can't do hundred feet drops and stop on a dime."
"Seventy-five, yes. Hundred, no." Sebastian informed them.
"Give Roe a chance, she'll get there." James came down with, landing expertly and smiled widely at his father and uncle.
"Triple spin! I want to try that!" Lily made her way to the group, with Winnie in tow.
"Not yet, you don't." Harry warned.
"Believe me, kiddo, it's not all it's cracked up to be," Roe stated, putting a hand to her head, "and I still have to do detention."
"Snape punishing you?" Ron questioned, "what about?"
Roe tossed a Not-A-Word glance at all the members of Gryffindor House there.
"Didn't finish my assignment," Roe admitted truthfully, for it was one of the reasons.
"Don't let Hermione hear about that, she'll be on the next apparate here." Harry teased.
"Let's let the girl rest," Professor McGonagall cut in, "Madam Pomfrey would like to check up on you."
Tensing, as Roe saw Malfoy passing by overhearing and nodding in agreement. Roe glared at his retreating figure.
^Go, Granger, maybe you could stop being in pain and being a pain^ Malfoy thought and she could practically see the smirk on his face.
"I'm fine, Professor. No complaints unless you count me having Malfoy blood in my veins." Roe said, a bit louder for him to hear but he only winked over his shoulder at her.
Sebastian and James both laughed at that.
"If you are sure…"
"Really, Professor, fine. I just need to go get showered and changed, I have detention to get to."
"Detention? Why wasn't I informed about this?"
"Snape gave it." Harry filled in.
"As long as it isn't long, you've had a long day."
If only you knew how long, Roe thought ruefully.
~
Roe changed into cotton pants and a plain green t-shirt with her robe over it, something comfortable that she could just change her top in order to sleep once she got back to the dormitory. Grabbing her Potions book and parchment, with quill and ink well, she headed to the dungeons to find Malfoy already in the dungeons, sitting at one of the black tables, in his usual position of having the chair he sat in on two legs rather than four. His hair was wet, obviously he had taken a shower as well, in clean black slacks a black shirt and robes. Playing with his quill he had his attention on the door so he saw her the minute she entered.
"Feeling better, Granger?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"You didn't go, did you?"
Roe set out her items, before glancing at him, his eyes trained on her.
"I'm fine, stop asking."
"If you want to be in continuous pain far be it for me not to let you indulge in the past time, didn't know you were in sadism."
"Really? Those boys of mine must not be letting anyone know, I should have known something was wrong when good-looking boys with real attitude problems keep bugging me when I am trying to work."
"You think I'm good-looking, huh?"
"Who says I was talking about you?"
"Alright, Granger, fair enough."
"Good evening, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy. I trust you both did not exert yourselves getting here or get lost?" Snape barked at them, stopping their banter.
"No, Professor." Roe replied dutifully.
"Actually, Granger here, says she finds it a pain to come all the way down to the dungeons on her free time. That we should just be allowed to go so that she can go find Potter and…ouch!" Malfoy ended his words with Roe stepping heavily on his foot as they sat next to each other.
"Is that true, Miss Granger?"
"No, Professor. Malfoy has an active imagination."
"Be that as it may, shall we get to your assignment? It will be a personalized feeling potion, which translates into numbing or building on a feeling you are feeling currently and may I state that anger is not one I suggest either one of you work on."
Malfoy coughed to hide his laugh at Roe's pointed glare.
"All the ingredients are found on page 453 of your text and it will tell you what you need for which ever concoction you want to create. After you finish the potion, one of you will drink it, if it works an aura of that potion will surround you in a color only then will I see about giving you a passing mark. You have an hour to conduct this and finish the assignment as Professor McGonagall so quickly reminded me that Miss Granger has had a long day and it wouldn't due for her to fall asleep during my assignment."
Snape left them to their own devices, so that Roe opened her book reading over the ingredients until Malfoy put a slender finger on the one she was currently looking at.
"A Pain Reducing Potion makes the drinker feel no physical pain from whatever element is currently causing them pain. Works on any element minus the Crucio curse. A white light will surround the drinker for a minute after the potion is ingested and works immediately. Caution that drinking more than one cup will cause side effects." Malfoy read aloud.
"Still trying to get me to take something?"
"Well, it couldn't hurt."
"What do we need?"
"I'll get it."
As they finished brewing it, Malfoy handed her exactly a cup of the potion, after they fought over who was to cut, crop, and stir what.
"Well, drink it already!" Malfoy snapped at her.
"Get bent, Malfoy."
"Later, Granger."
She rolled her eyes at his insinuation and gulped the foul tasting stuff. Putting the cup on the table, she felt better the pain in her arm receding and a white light outlined her body.
"You okay?"
"No, I'm standing here suffering in quiet agony."
"Cute, Granger, your sarcasm is back in full force."
Snape saw the pair talking and nodded to his daughter, noticing she had tried a pain-lessening potion. As a parent, he knew there was a reason behind it that he wouldn't get the answer out of her but he could get it out of Malfoy.
"Clean up and you may both leave."
Roe cleaned up the chopped fairy wings while Malfoy cleaned out his cauldron. Roe bid them goodnight as Snape placed a hand on Malfoy's shoulder.
"Professor?"
"Mr. Malfoy, I think you know why I held you back."
"The Potion?"
"Correct. May I assume that you know something is paining Miss Granger and suggested that potion to her?"
"Shouldn't you ask Granger, Professor?"
"I doubt that if Miss Granger wishes this to be a secret she would not tell me."
"Her arm," Malfoy admitted, "she has five bruises that aren't bruises on it. She won't tell me how she got it and until now with the potion wouldn't accept any help or advise to go to Madam Pomfrey."
"I take it you have seen these bruises?"
"Yes, Professor."
"How are they not bruises?"
"They are black, Professor. Pure black, with red outlining them and causing the veins in her upper arms to lift in agitation," Malfoy concluded, "it doesn't look like anything I've ever seen almost like a…."
"Mr. Malfoy?"
"A dark mark, Professor."
"I take it she did not admit this willingly?"
Malfoy gave a half-grin.
"No. I touched her upper arm in passing and she winced, so I took it upon myself to find out what was causing the source of the pain."
"I thank you, Damon, for helping her." Snape's voice became less snide and mellower.
"She's really stubborn, Professor, besides if I didn't tell someone she is going to end up in constant pain. Those bruises don't look like they'll be going away anytime soon."
Malfoy went to leave but Snape said something that stopped him.
"You didn't have to tell me."
"I know."
~ ~ ~
A very long chapter, longer than my others and with lots of conversation. More to come soon I hope. Thought it was about time Damon and Roe had it out. All about whose taking who to the ball, Roe's dream, and what is going on with Marielle in the next…..Heading To France, Chapter 8
January 20, 2002
