So it's finally here, I know you probably thought it never would come, but I'm proud to present part 9. Thanks so much to the people who emailed and reviewed you are all priceless.
This chapter is filled with some interesting parts. Andromeda befriends a young man for help in the library, Sirius has was messed up dreams, a kiss in the cave, and just plain insanity all around. Enjoy!
Disclaimer from previous chapters.
Two Roads Diverged
Chapter 9 -- The Dark Room
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Gemini clutched at her arms for warmth as she slowly made her way through the dark abyss. She had been walking for a bit now and her feet were beginning to ache. Where is he? she thought in a dismayed manner. What if I never find him, this tunnel is too damn long and god knows where he is.
She was feeling the heavy hand of disappointment and assurance that given his decent head start she would certainly never reach Draco, when she made a sharp turn and found herself directly infront of… no not a three headed dog, not a flaming pit, not a poisonous scorpion.. just a simple wooden table, chair, and a map.
A map? The same BLOODY map I spent hours searching for in the library at the break of dawn? So help me God if this is the same map I will flip. I will go insane, I will kill myself right here and now, right after I burn that damned map, and kill whomever has such a wonderful sense of humor! She glanced down at the map and in the bottom right corner it had the page number 1642.
"AHHHH!" She screamed out loud. "I am officially flipping out!" She kicked the leg of the table and bent down to massage her foot upon discovering a bit late that wooden table legs don't feel so great when kicked.
I'm just so glad to know that this map is being put to such great use, Her voice dripped with sarcasm sitting around a few million years in a dark, dusty, damp, TUNNEL! Who the hell needs a map when they are trapped in a tunnel? I could make a map for this tunnel! All I would need to do is take a piece of paper and a black marker and cross the whole thing out! Because that's the only landmark you'll find, darkness! 'Make a right turn after you have walked for five and half minutes, you'll know it's the right turn because the pitch blackness makes the abrupt change to almost pitch blackness!'
She was just so unbelievably frustrated with everything. Draco was missing in action, she had attempted to find a map to locate him and all the while he was moving further away and then the map she wasted all that time on, while he was in the east wing was actually in there with him. What was wrong with her life. Honestly.
What in the world do I need a map for, now? But then her gaze landed on the wooden door, still slightly ajar. He's been here already, and moved on. He must have done something to open that door, with this map I suppose. She pocketed it carefully. Not wanting to leave it behind after all the annoyance it had caused her. But if he's been here spent time solving it, and moved on who's to say that he isn't miles away, hours away, already hurt or killed by the next obstacle…
Gemini shook her head harshly. Absolutely not. Under no circumstances would she allow herself to even toy with the idea that Draco may or may not be perfectly alright. He's fine. She reassured herself. He's fine because if he's not fine I'm not fine… Whatever got him will get me and won't that just be swell. They could make up ghost stories about me that little muggles can tell as they sit around campfires roasting their dratted marshmallows. "The Story of Gemini, the Girl Lost in the Tunnel of Doom." They had better describe me as beautiful and clever and Draco as a bumbling mumbling git who was the downfall of us both…
The door still remained infront of her, open and with no light let through, so she approached it slowly. How do I know that there isn't something lurking just behind that door? Maybe the table and map weren't the task at all.. maybe the task is some horrible monster waiting to lure me into a state of calm and tranquility until I open that door and then he will…
Sucking in her breath and moving as quietly, with as refined moves as she could possibly make, Gemini crept towards the wooden door. She had her wand firmly clenched in her hand, ready to ward off any unwanted findings, and she proceeded to push the door open with ever such precision.
For a moment the entire world seemed to stop. Time halted, the air turned cold, the atmosphere sinister and unsure as she turned an everyday task into an Olympic even full of skill, presentation, and worry. The door emitted a slight squeak, but it was enough to make Gemini nearly jump out of her skin.
The door was finally open completely, sticking her head forward she prepared for the worst. She was met with absolutely nothing, well nothing but a path that was identical from the one behind her. A calm washed over her in waves of relief as she allowed her body to relax from the tensioned state it had taken on.
Pull yourself together she scolded herself harshly. If you get that worked up over nothing, forget about evil minions from hell, you will be the death of yourself before they even have the chance.
Still as firm as her words were she knew they were little more than that, simply words, nothing more or of great meaning. I wish I wasn't alone in here…I wish I had someone for company. I'm almost desperate enough to actually want Malfoy around. Better have myself mentally examined….
And so she continued along her not-so-merry way. Every shadow in the distance seemed to be one more monster waiting to attack her, and every echo of her step seemed to be really the sound of an approaching murderer. Every moment reminded her of just how alone she was, and how far behind she truly was. Will I ever find Malfoy? Or am I doomed to wander here forever? Would anyone even notice if I never turned up. They'd notice Malfoy missing, prestige and power are always missed. But who would realize that the new unknown foreign student hadn't turned up to classes or meals. Even my own mother can't tell when my letters are sent from within this very castle. Does anyone really care at all?
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Andromeda was still in the library continuing her search for information. She had currently succeeded in brushing off the confusion and all together unhappiness about her lack of findings for Cassiopeia. That librarian is the most incompetent person I've ever met she attempted to reassure herself. If she can't find me information I'll just have to find it for myself.
Andromeda looked up and cast a wondering glance around the room. Her eyes landed on a young boy, of maybe seventeen or eighteen sitting a few tables away. He was wearing a name tag in bright blue lettering it said Sean. He was quite handsome, with big blue eyes, dark brown hair, and a wonderful complexion that would have sent any teenage girl crying about unfairness. If I wasn't here for something else I'd consider telling this boy about Gemini…
Andromeda picked herself from her chair and trudged by the few bare tables separating herself and Sean. Reaching his table she sat down across from him. She almost smiled at him but then realized He's going to think I'm trying to flirt with him, and get weirded out and leave before I even have the chance to tell him that I just want his help.
She realized now that he was staring at her. Damn…I've been sitting here almost a minute lost in my own thought and not said a word about why I'm here. Now he thinks I'm insane..And why the hell am I still talking to myself after noticing this!
Sean was now shifting a little uncomfortably. "Can I help you?" he broke the ice first.
Andromeda was grateful to him from pulling herself out of the depth of her mind where she had become lost in thought. "Yes, you see I had the librarian run a search for me over there-"
"Bad idea" he cut her off. Andromeda just gaped at him, not offended that he had stopped her from talking, but amazed that he might actually have some help for her. If this guy makes me like him any more I won't be able to stop myself from giving him Gemini's address…
"Really?" she inquired, interestedly, hoping to prod him into explaining himself.
"I'm not supposed to tell you this but…She's a little crazy sometimes, I think she's supposed to take medicine…to get over her husband leaving her but she refuses to take it, and half the time she just types in his name for the search in an attempt to locate him. That terminal doesn't search by hearing her read off letters, it searches by writing out the words on a little pad next to it." Sean leaned a little closer to Andromeda, signaling that the information he was about to give her was just between the two of them. "The guy left her about two or three years ago, just packed up and left in the middle of the night… but the same night one of the other librarians, about ten years younger also... dissappeared. Her name was Natashia, we think they live locally under another name, but who could tell for sure…"
Andromeda was fascinated. Maybe he can help… "Why do they let her be librarian if she's so unstable… how many people must have come here for help and been turned away thinking there was no information!" Like me! She yelled mentally.
"They keep her around because they don't have the heart to get a replacement. It would drive her over the edge. This job is all she has. A chance to sit up there, feel important, shine those smiles everyone wants to punch, and I suppose the board directors like to pretend that if something is that important people won't stop searching just because one librarian was unable to help them…" He gave Andromeda a crooked smile, as though he could read her mind, and he knew the deep disagreements she had, but begged her not to voice them.
"Can you help me?" She almost thought it was too much to hope for.
"Yeah… but that terminal is really your only chance at getting any information at all. You'd have to convince her to leave it for a while, possibly up to fifteen minutes before I could locate those books… if there are any."
Andromeda just sat there for a moment. How can I distract a woman whose entire life is this library to leave her post for fifteen seconds.. let alone fifteen minutes… But it's my only chance. Her stomach felt very heavy like molten lava had solidified inside, she knew that if she didn't get that annoying woman out of the area for a while there would be no information to be had.
She slipped her hand inside her robe pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, she copied the name of the doctor and medication onto it and slid it across the table. "I need information about both of those."
He nodded in understanding and folded the paper before putting it safely in his pocket.
Andromeda stood up ad glancing down at him said, "Be ready I'm going to go up there now. And work quickly I don't know how long I can possibly distract her… or bare her company."
Andromeda strode across the library back to the familiar main desk. She propped her hands on it and leaned down, staring at Linny. It was hard but she forced a smile onto her face and said "Hi!"
Linny looked shocked. She glanced to both her sides and behind her to be quite sure that this exuberant welcome was for her. "Hey!" She smiled back, that same sincere, happy, simple, smarmy, annoying smile. "How are you?"
"I'm great but a little hungry. I was wondering if you'd come have some breakfast with me. I'm dying to hear more about you." Andromeda then gritted her teeth together, in a desperate attempt to sound truthful.
"Well… I really can't just abandon the library… people might need my help and its my job to be here." She looked solemn and serious now, the library truly was her first concern.
"Linny… Linny… Linny… don't you keep up with the calendar? Today is librarian appreciation day! Let me take you out to breakfast, I'm sure everyone would understand." Andromeda now gestured around the room to show all the people who she was sure would understand.
"Librarian appreciation day…?" Linny bent down to flip through her pocket day planer. "Today isn't librarian appreciation day…" She looked doubtfully up at Andromeda.
"Errrm…" Andromeda did the first thing she could think of and bent over, taking the daily planner out of Linny's hand and flicked to the back, "This was made in America, and everyone knows they don't have Librarian appreciation day. There's a limit to the amount of holiday's allowed over there. They replaced it with Ground Hog's day."
"Really? That sounds awful…"
"Horrible. Now come on and I'll take you somewhere really special." She reached across the table and grabbed Linny's arm, dragging her across the library to fireplace.
"Where are we going?" Linny seemed very excited, she was positively beaming, though maybe it was just her normal smile…
"To the Librar!" It was the first place that popped into her mind as she stood there ushering Linny towards the open grate, noticing Sean approaching the desk out of the corner of her eye.
"That's so sweet of you!" Linny exclaimed.
Andromeda just stood there… she had no idea why it was so sweet, she had better let Linny tell her.
"Librarian… Librar… you must have planned this! How can I thank you enough?!"
"By going now so we don't miss our reservations," she said as she thrust floo powder into the fireplace and then pushed Linny in. "You first after all it is Librarian appreciation day! To the Librar!" She announced, practically screamed.
Just as Linny dissappeared she saw Sean sit behind the desk, and as she stepped into the fireplace her gave her a smile and the thumbs up which she happily returned.
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"Father's name: not given."
The words turned over in his head. The name wasn't there, how was he supposed to get closure out of this. This was a severe let down from what he had been expecting. In some locked away part of his mind that he didn't dare acknowledge, he knew that he had never wanted to find his name on the sheet. He had wanted someone else to fork all this onto. Some tangible name that could roll off your tongue into a sentence of wondrous reassurance. Of hope, for situations avoided, pain passed, worry banished, fear and wonder stomped out.
Essentially he had a huge naked question mark dancing around in front of him, and question marks were not attractive. He crossed the short distance to the door and opened it, closing it firmly behind him. He didn't know why but he was feeling an extreme anticlimax. What does this all mean? He asked himself, but the only answer was that he had no answer.
What do I do now? And then he realized… he had no clue what was to be done. His mind had taken the leap from go to the hospital to receive an answer, down one of the two clear cut paths that would follow the yes or no. What was this third path, so untraveled, so unmarked, uncharted, undesirable.
Why am I getting so worried? There's nothing to worry about. Most likely this doesn't concern me… He attempted to reassure himself, despite his own insecurities. He could feel something rising in his chest, but what it was he couldn't place. Approaching the counter to return Natashia's key he continued to ponder his own actions But what if it does… he thought as he removed the chain from his pocket, placing it in her out streched hand.
She flashed him a beautiful smile. Such a confident smile that it didn't even falter slightly upon receiving no smile in return. She was so perfectly free, most likely her biggest problem was if her shoes matched her earrings, which needed to match her lip stick as well. He almost envied her. And then she spoke.
"If I didn't know better, I'd have thought you were blowing me off earlier. But obviously I shouldn't let my mind run away like that. Since you seem to be done now, how about that tour?" She managed to make a simple tour sound like a seductive invitation, which he realized it probably was.
"I really don't know, I have so much to figure out right now."
She leaned over the counter pushed aside his stray locks of hair as she spoke so softly and sweetly into his ear that he almost felt a tremor of intrigue whip through him before she had even finished saying, "I'm sure I can distract you.."
He was about to politely refuse, as politely as one can refuse a personal invitation to a snog session when his brain started contemplating. Most likely you've been worrying over nothing. You're just so tired, no sleep recently, jumping to conclusions like this is always a bad idea. And besides, just look at her…
"Ok, I'd like that." He said, and even her experienced and solid façade fell exposing her utter shock at the words he had just spoken. He too was surprised. She's a tramp. He told himself, but it didn't have too much of an affect and he was about to ponder why when he realized with a sharp pang So am I, whatever you'd call a man tramp, I am. Not a man-whore, but almost. He never realized that that was what he had been, not what he still was or needed to be.
Sirius accepted her outstretched hand as they began to walk away from the counter. "Shouldn't someone be watching the table?" he asked, though he didn't much care.
"It'll be fine, I've left it before and it's always been there when I've come back."
They walked a bit in silence before he decided to say something. "So what are we going to look at?" he asked, seriously doubting what a hospital could possibly contain worth seeing.
"I was hoping we'd start with this room, here." She pointed to a door a little while ahead on their left.
Looks like an average enough room to me… In all actuality he knew she most likely didn't want to give him a tour of the hospital, but he was so extremely fatigued that all he really wanted to do was be painfully stupid and ignore the obvious signs that were flying his way a mile a minute.
She turned the handle when they stopped walking and entered the room, she slipped in motioning him to follow suit. The room was so unlit that he had to squint to make out her shape as it walked towards the center of the room, and he knew there was no way she could see any better than he could.
"So as the first stop on the tour, this is the hospitals dark room." He didn't need to see her to know that she was smiling.
"I'm guessing you don't develop your film in here…" he trailed off.
But he received no response, in place of a response he suddenly felt her approaching him. And then there she was. She placed her mouth firmly over his, and wrapped one leg around him, making him feel as though surely every inch of their bodies was touching.. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced before, the way she kissed him, so hungrily as though she could devour him, he felt as though he had found someone who could actually match his passion. He felt her hand slide up his shirt to rest on chest and was sliding his arm around her waist in attempt to draw her closer… if possible when he was suddenly struck with the most devastating mental image ever.
It was as though he could see Andromeda standing acorss from him, knowing what he was doing. And yet she didn't seem shocked, it looked as though she had expected exactly this. And he could hear his own voice and what he had said to her
"You wish I had, so that you could pretend that you had nothing to do with anything that happened that night, so that you could add your name to the list of Women taken advantage of by Sirius Black. I'm here to let you know, my dear, you'll be hard pressed to find any such list."
Maybe there was a list… and maybe it was getting longer by the minute because of what he was doing right now…
He drew away. Natashia looked confused as they both separated, breathing hard.
"I'm sorry.. I just.. I have to go Natashia." He said, and then he disapparated away, leaving her alone and confused in the hospital's "Dark Room."
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No… his mind moaned in dispair. Not another thing to do…I just solved a freaking map and now I have to deal with some other obstacle. I think not.
Of course it didn't quite matter what he thought because it didn't change the reality of the fact that looming in the short distance some metres away was a small pit, well relatively small it stretched the width of the path and was just long enough to prevent jumping across.
Now normally such a pit would have been absolutely invisible and Draco would have stumbled across it slowly, plummeting to his doom, but this was not the case. The pit was glowing a strange light shade of yellow.
Well I'm obviously supposed to have some chance at crossing, or surely whomever made this would have skipped the mellow yellow, and let me simply fall all the way down. He attempted to reassure himself. But if I was meant to continue, they could have just left out the huge death trap and perhaps replaced it with something more agreeable, perhaps a box of puppies or dandelions… Maybe he;s really just sadistic and would love to see me die trying.. If so I'd love to meet him… Draco was now peering over into the pit, attempting to surmise it's depth. About fifty feet atleast he thought to himself but maybe more, I can't see a bottom.
He then noticed a slip of paper, on the ground in a corner, he picked it up and held it over the pit for light. It read:
Imagine a place where one's fears do not matter
A land where all things dangerous can be tried and won
Where you can fly through your problems
Reality isn't real and danger isn't dangerous
Nothing to fear but fear itself
Fly through them huh? Well ok then, Draco stood up steeped back a few yards and took a huge flying leap across the pit. He thought he had crossed it, when he felt a huge wall smack into him, and he was thrown back to the ground on the side of the pit with the original piece oh paper.
Well it's not like I can summon my broom from in here…so how am I supposed to 'fly through them'…
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When Andromeda materialized in the Librar it was to find Linny waiting uncertainly by the fireplace. The same man as before was now standing infront of Andomeda eyeing her severly. "It's you again is it?"
Andromeda could feel Linny shifting next her, obviously not missing the dislike that practically dripped from the host's voice. Andromeda flung her arms around him. "I'm so glad to see you again! How are you! I've been meaning to stop by. This is my good friend Linny we're here celebrating Librarian appreciation day! Be a dear and fetch us a table, will you? The reservations are under the name Sagitta." She babbled on.
The host looked very confused as he peeled himself away from Andromeda and glanced down at a list of reservations. "I am sorry but you most definitely do not have a reservation."
Andromeda turned to Linny and smiled "Silly guy he forgets a lot, every time I come here it's the same old deal." She turned back to her shocked 'friend' "Don't worry, I'll just go take my usual seat, I assure you it won't reflect on your tip." She winked and motioned Linny to follow her to a table by the window, which Andromeda had never sat at before in her life.
The man just stood aside and let them pass, muttering something under his breath about pushy Americans.
A few scones and a cup of coffee later Andromeda was ready to stick a fork in her leg to be sure she was still alive and that Linny hadn't bored her to actually and not only figurative death. They had covered the topics of Linny's schooling, the let down of not making a Quidditch team, her first date, her husband, the Dewey decimal system…
"I really have to go, I hope you've enjoyed yourself." Andromeda said as she laid out the money for the food.
"This was the best Librarian appreciation day I've ever celebrated! I can't thank you enough!"
"Don't mention it." Andromeda tried to smile but found her face hurt too much from all the fake smiles.
"We have to do this again sometime, we could become such great friends, and do things together like shopping, and coffee, and manicures, and double dates, and-"
"Definitely, here you go," Andromeda cut her off. She removed another slip of paper and wrote a phone number down on it.. the phone number that was on the back of the Librar's buisness card. She handed it to Linny, gave her a quick hug and left as quickly as possible.
Back at the library twenty minutes later, she had needed to wait a while before slipping back in, she found Sean at the same table. "Hey, glad to see you back, I thought you weren't coming you were gone about fourty-five minutes, at least."
"Don't remind me… did you find anything?" she prayed for the strength to not kick the crap out of him if he said no. "Yeah, he pointed to a stack of three books on the table, I checked them out for you since I figured you wouldn't be able to go back to Linny after that."
"Thanks!" she said with real meaning. Then on inspiration, "I have a daughter, Gemini, she's at Hogwarts, you should write her sometime if you want to do something."
"Thanks, I just might." Though the smile he gave Andromeda could have meant anything.
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Back in the hospital of Hogwarts Gilroy Lockhart was rereading his favorite book… Magical Me. He was dressed in a white coat and pants with a little white hat.
Time to check on my patients he thought to himself happily. But just as he was about to cross the room there was another knock on the door. He opened it to find to familiar looking girls standing outside.
"Oh! They said it was you but we had to see for ourselves! I'm Parvati and this is Lavendar! We were in your defense against the dark arts class." They were beaming and heavily scented with perfume.
"Nice to see you girls" He smiled the same knowing smile at them and said, "How can I help you?"
"Well we have to get back to breakfast but before we go can we have your autograph please?" They looked at him with big pleading eyes.
"But of course, I always carry a stack around with me where ever I go." He reached in his pants pocket and pulled out two signed photographs of himself, there were both primping themselves, holding up mirrors.
"Thanks so much!" They giggled in delight.
"Think nothing of it, girls." He closed the door behind them. Then stood there for a moment thinking to himself Wasn't I going to do something? Oh yes, go get breakfast before it's gone! And with that he exited the office as well.
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Sirius was at home again. He had finally fallen into an uneasy slumber. He was tossing and turning in a very distressed manner.
He was old, perhaps seventy or eighty. And he was walking down the street, all alone. People passed him hand in hand with happy families but he strode down the street with no one else.
To the side of him he saw a little boy hand in hand with his father. "I'm so excited to go see a Quidditch game!" The little boy announced, and the father looked lovingly at his son and said "I know, let's hurry before we're late." They looked so happy together, as if it was normal for them.
Crossing another way was a mother and daughter. For one split second he thought they were coming for him. And his heart felt elated. He started to run towards them with his arms wide stretched, and they were smiling. But then he realized their smiles were not for him, they were for someone else. A man made his way to them and gave them a quick hug, then linked hands with them. He was part of their lives, not Sirius.
He saw couples walking hand in hand, women holding flowers, happily skipping down the side walk. And every restaurant window seemed to show people together with other people. People aside from him.
He fell to the ground, head spinning in pain, heart physically hurting. The street seemed overcast now, dark and dreary. But then one woman came out of the blackness and approached him. She was wearing an indecently low cut top, with a tight black skirt and matching leather boots. She was beautiful, and as she approached him he felt his heart stop. She came right up to him and said "Don't worry, you're special, all those people are with each other, well I'm with you." And she gave him a devilish smile.
He reached out happily to put his arm around her. But it went right through her, and she disappeared, replaced by another similar woman, but this one with blonde hair. He tried hold her hand but she too vanished before his eyes. And everyone woman he had was the same, beautiful and gorgeous, but no longer there when he tried to embrace her. He was special. Because while all those other people had found their lives, he was alone, perhaps not physically, but mentally. He would always be alone.
He woke up with a start and looked around, expecting to find himself in a dark alleyway. But he was surprised to see that he was in his bed, in his quiet house, soaked in sweat from his horrible dream. He peeled off his shirt and went into the bathroom to shower away not only the sweat, by the horrible feeling of the dream.
He was out of the shower in clean clothes, but his mind felt just as troubled as before. He couldn't understand his dream. Or he just didn't want to. I need to see Andromeda he thought to himself. I need to go find out the truth. Maybe she's some crazy woman and that comment didn't mean anything. But maybe it does and if it does I need to know.
He walked outside and picked up his broomstick, perhaps a flight to Sagitta estate would give him the necessary time to clear his mind. He hoped so.
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Gemini was walking slowly down the path when she saw something move far in the distance. Was that just my imagination or was that really something? She was suddenly very afraid to continue, if it was Draco that would be good… right? But what if it's not Draco? What if it's someone…something that killed Draco and now is going to kill me too?
There was no way to be sure. She slinked slowly down the corridor and hoped against hope that it would be him. Let it be him, oh please, it just has to be him…
Draco must have heard Gemini approaching because he turned around a few seconds later. A light from somewhere she couldn't discern cast a shine across his face which clearly identified him, and she sent up a silent thank you.
I found him! He's here! He's not dead! That means I won't be dead! This is great! And now I won't be all alone in this horrible place!
She began to run towards him and when she finally reached Draco she thrust her arms around him clinging on for all she was worth. He was real and solid, and definitely there. She wasn't hugging him for long though before he had savagely pushed her away.
His face betrayed no signs of happiness to see her at all. "What are you doing, Sagitta?" it was the same Malfoy, down to the ability to make her name sound common and lowly.
"'What are you doing Sagitta?'" she repeated him. "You're lost in this bloody cave, I had to come out here and find you. I thought you might be dead which would make me dead to return without you. I bust my arse to track you down and that's what you have to say?" She was extremely put off.
"Well I'm glad to see you were so worried about my health," he began coolly, "but I never asked you to find me, and I sure as heck didn't expect you to come barreling down her throwing yourself on me like some navy seal who hasn't gotten any in months."
"I did not throw myself at you, you smarmy git. But I'll try and forget it, since you wouldn't know the difference between the two because no girl has or ever will throw herself at you, so I can see why you might be confused. No girl would ever want a horrible person like you."
"You really think so?" His voice was inviting and just spoiling for a fight.
"I know so." She hoped that her severe dislike for him was conveyed through the darkness.
"I think you're wrong…" his eyes shimmered in the light.
"Oh yeah, and what proof have you got to back that up with." She spat the words at him.
"This," he took the few short steps to close the distance between them and sealed his mouth over hers. She was backed up against the wall of the tunnel, and she could feel the closeness of his entire body pressing against hers. It sent electric shocks through her body. Some distant part of her mind and body desperately wanted to open her mouth and return the kiss, to be enveloped by someone strong and smart who could worry for her and protect her. She wanted to run her hands through his hair and simply succumb to the wonderful heat that she could feel coursing through her veins, and the intoxicating smell of peppers and spices that lingered around him. She could feel her senses blurring and her self-control slipping away. It would be so easy to throw herself into the moment and forget where she was, what she was doing, and what she had done. It was so difficult to think reasonably when this chance to just be was presenting it self so closely, simply seconds away. She didn't want to be reasonable, she wanted to be stupid, and rash, and she just wanted to be wanted. To have something that made her feel accepted and important, not that new girl no one cared about, or the daughter of a mother who was unstable at best. But then she realized who it was who had their mouth over hers. And who the arms that were sliding around her back to pull her closer belonged to. Draco Malfoy her mind spat. She wanted to be wanted but not like this. She wanted to be confused but not insane. She wanted to be protected but not by the devil himself. And before she could think of something better to do she pulled back and then raised her arm and slapped him hard across the face.
He stumbled back in the darkness, holding his hand to his face. She was breathing hard, still remembering the sensation of being kissed by the guy she most likely loathed most out of everyone she knew. It was over powering, like two opposite ends of a pair of magnets were attracting. But she had pulled the two magnets apart and stomped out both of them because this was Draco Malfoy, he defied all rules.
Then she heard the annoying sound of laughter. "What the hell are you laughing about you arse. And why the hell did you do that. If you ever so much as touch me again I will beat your brains in with a croquet mallet."
"You're such a gullible fool, Sagitta." The words rolled off his tongue slowly, leisurely, as though the occurrences of just a few moments ago didn't matter at all to him.
"What do you mean?" She had a nasty feeling she knew.
"I didn't kiss you because I wanted to, I kissed you to prove you wanted to. And after the way you hung there limply for a few moments almost ready to let me before you struggled back to the way you think you should feel, you can hardly deny it. As for me, I don't think my mouth will ever be clean again." His voice had a razor sharp edge to it and he drew his arm across his lips as though trying to clean them.
"You self absorbed, conceited, pompous, arrogant, arse-hole!" She walked across to him and with both hands shoved him harshly backwards. She expected him to fall onto the ground, or trip and stumble a bit, but never in her lifetime would she have expected him to fall into the pit which she had, in the rush of the last few minutes, totally failed to realize.
He didn't even have time to scream before the hit. The only thing was that it wasn't a hit at all he felt a strong sensation as though he were being pulled every direction at once. Gemini had just fallen to the floor to peer into the pit, when she saw him materialize directly infront of her, on the opposite side of pit.
What… her mind started to trail off.
Draco simply stood on the opposite edge, attempting to pretend he had known that would happen all along, he looked smug. "See, starring over the edge of the pit, afraid you had" and here he took on a very feminine voice and continued "lost me forever." He draped one arm across his forehead dramatically.
"No, more like making sure you were really dead before starting the party. Unfortunately I was expecting a let down like this."
Draco paid her no mind as he pulled the paper out of his pocket, "I suppose that's what the clue meant…"
"What clue?" she questioned.
"Well before you arrived ever so fashionably late I found this pit and a little clue, but I didn't know what it meant. Now I realize it meant for me to jump in."
"See! If I hadn't thrown you in you never would have figured it out."
"Alright then that's a plus 10 for stupidly blundering across the right answer through no real knowledge of you own, and a minus 50,000 for almost committing homidcide. Be proud."
"Oh I will…ummm… am I supposed to jump in too?" She tried to keep the fear out of her voice.
She hadn't succeeded though, "What's the matter? Sagitta is afraid of the big bad pit, oh no! Well you can just stay here and rot while I go on, I'll send you a post card."
"I'm not afraid, I was just asking." She stepped closer to the pit, peered in and thought to herself I hope I don't die in a tunnel with Malfoy, please God save me from this and then let me die in some freak Ping-Pong accident, but not in a tunnel with Malfoy.
She stepped in and when she appeared on the other side she gave on look to Draco and said. "Come on, lets leave the pit of death behind."
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And there we have it! I hope you enjoyed it! Please make my day and leave a review J
Thanks is definitely deserving to everyone who wonderfully reviewed, all the thanks in the world to:
Marvoless (fear not Harry shall not save this day), Mephisto, elf, Samantha, Lene (you are the best, simply the best thank you for all the reviews!), Ingenious, Fleur Weasley, Helpless, Megdalina, Andrew, SupernauralAngel, Nagini, Material Girl, Sirius White, Ann, Zannuuh, Moony Lupin, Static (write to me darlin!), Tabby, Cheerangel503, M-Girl, Nyias, Sarah Black, Dauphin, Persephone malfoy, and of course Bill Weasley's Girl J
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Thanks for reading, now please review! And I hope I see you all soon when I post the next part, till then—
Alissa