A/N: I'd like to note that a lot of this is historically inaccurate w/ what
we've learned about the Hogwarts founders. This is fiction. If I get one
review about it not being right, I will hurt someone. Not only is this a
fiction story, but it's Draco telling a fiction story within my fiction
story.
ALSO, READ THIS!!! ¡LEA ESTO! I wanted to put out an immensely long chapter, but I felt so bad that I've been busy with other things that I am putting out what I have so far (I am splitting it into two chapters). I will write more soon! Really! I just felt so bad that I hadn't put anything up since March and had over fifty reviews. So, this chapter is boring but it's all that I have so far. Please r/r, and I'll hurry with the next chapter.
Disclaimer: This chapter isn't funny, and the story isn't scary. Get off my back, that's JK's job!
Note: This is the night of the fourteenth, but it's past midnight, so it's technically the early hours of the June 15th. K? Alright. I was getting confused, so I thought I'd clear that up.
Eating only took ten minutes at the most (the companions, besides Harry of course, were outraged to find that it was not a bottomless can and, claiming that it was a cruel joke, began pelting Harry with the empty cans). Then the question arose as to what to do next on their Muggle camping trip.
"Well... we could start a fire," Harry suggested.
"The Muggle way?" asked Cho.
"Uh, yeah."
"Forget it!" they all groaned.
"There is no chance," said Draco, "that I am going to sit and rub sticks together for an hour to get a single spark."
"What about scary stories?" Hermione spoke up, and was baffled when she received no answer. "Um, I know that you guys don't know much about the Muggle world, but the title is self-explanatory."
"We know that!" Ron scowled, and Ginny mimicked him to Ron's great frustrations. "I'm just warning you, I don't scare easily. What? I don't!" The others had begun laughing scoffingly. "A sickle to the one who scares me with their story!" Ron began waving around a small silver coin.
"Oooh, a sickle! Don't spend it all in one place!" Draco mocked.
"Weren't you the one who was cut off, Malfoy?" They all became silent and turned toward the speaker with the icy voice—Cho had come to Ron's defense, and Ron was blushing furiously. No one dare spoke.
"Then I guess I'll have to win that Sickle," said Draco coolly, finally breaking the silence. The tension was unbearable. The crisp night air leaked in through the slit of an opening as they all crouched, cramped inside the tent.
"You know I live in the Mansion," Draco began, his voice low. "But what you don't know is where the story of the Mansion."
"Aw, gee," Ron scoffed, rolling his eyes. Ginny nudged him hard in the shoulder blade.
"Shutup," Hermione mumbled.
"Thanks. The Mansion dates back to long, long ago. Thousands and thousands of years ago. Long before all of you, long before me. Long before my father, Lucius Christoff Malfoy, long before--"
"We get the picture!"
"SHUTUP, Ron," Hermione said once more, her voice even more so peeved than previously.
"Needless to say, the Mansion preexists everyone we know, and their great- ancestors. For the first occupant of the Mansion was Salazar Slytherin."
Ron made a disbelieving tutting sound, and everyone glared at him. Ron shrunk back and pursed his lips, vowing to remain silent for the rest of the story.
"Yes, Ron. Salazar Slytherin. Salazar grew up in the ancient town of Gallows Point, where the Mansion would soon sit atop a lone, gloomy hill in nowadays Canterbury, England. Salazar was a pureblood, of course, the offspring of the ingenious but often crude Everett Slytherin and his trophy wife, Victoria Winslow.
"Salazar did not show signs of being a wizard. His father resented the homely young boy and often beat him with certain torturous spells. A famous one in that time was the Linslinger, which made the recipient feel like a wooden paddle was inside his body and hitting his insides, side to side. It was a very painful spell, rivaled only by curses of the likes of the Crucio spell that later arose.
"May wonders ever cease, Salazar grew up quite bitter. His mother taught him basic spells and potions, but with this, his magic was far from stimulated. Salazar was a magical genius, but nothing his mother did was complex enough to show it. On his sixteenth birthday, Everett attempted to beat Victoria when she threatened to leave him and take Salazar. Salazar performed the first ever Crucio curse on Everett, and Salazar and Victoria left at once."
Draco looked up, casting a creepy, blank stare that send shivers down all of their spines. The story was doing alright; Draco continued.
"Victoria brought Salazar to her childhood home of Gringetti, the foundation for where Gringotts would later stand. Salazar began poring over books, perusing the thickest novels in order to improve his magic. One day, while in the library, he met a beautiful young woman named Rowena Ravenclaw. She was enthralling, with long, shaggy dark hair and moonlight eyes. Salazar fell immediately in love.
"Less than a year later, when Salazar was seventeen, his mother Victoria remarried a noble man named William Gryffindor. William had a son, Godric, who was the town's pride. Godric was immensely popular for his hunting skills, bravery, and good heart. He was sure to follow his father's footsteps and become a noble.
"Rowena and Salazar had been dating, or courting as it was then called, for about a year. They were both very much in love. Then, on a quiet Sunday in early August, Rowena announced that her step-cousin, Helga, whom we know as the founder of the Hufflepuffs, was coming to visit for the first time since childhood. It was on that Sunday that Rowena had arranged the picnic.
"Salazar would have loved to entertain two beautiful ladies all afternoon in the park over watermelon and a picnic blanket, but Rowena, being the shrewd girlfriend that she was, insisted that Salazar bring along a male friend for Helga. Salazar wasn't too popular with the townspeople. He had grown into a comely enough man and was well with words, but there was something sinister about him that the people of Gringetti detected. Rowena loved him nonetheless, insisting that it was 'bologna' and it made Salazar all the more attractive.
"Salazar grudgingly decided to invite Godric, his step-brother. Why did Salazar resent Godric so? Godric was tall and built, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Godric was popular and noble. Godric was twenty, almost three years older than Salazar. Godric could have any girl he wanted in the world. Godric was not the kind of son a father would beat mercilessly. Pretty much, Godric was everything Salazar was not.*
"So, Salazar brought Godric and Rowena brought Helga. Helga was short and round, but had an undeniably cute, cherubic face. While Salazar and Rowena fed each other finger sandwiches, Godric flirted to his wit's end with Helga while Rowena's cousin blushed six shades of rouge. But, gradually the tables were turning.
"Godric and Rowena began talking more. Rowena blew off her conversation with Salazar about an exhibit on mutant owls at the Jayce E. Wyler Memorial Museum and chatted with Godric about the Eastern art that the wizards of Heingladin were producing. Salazar was being ignored. They went to the theater, and Rowena sat between the two. By evening, it became clear that Godric had stolen Rowena's heart as they danced by the fountain of the ancient wizarding disciple Juliana Egret.
"Salazar stood by, fuming. He had tried twice to confront them, but the couple mocked him, saying that Salazar had an overactive imagination and they were politely enjoying the other's company. But Salazar knew better. He was wise, but even a fool could've seen the admiration in Rowena's eyes as she and Godric danced.
"Surely enough, the next day Rowena approached Salazar with tears in her eyes. 'I never meant to hurt you,' she said, tears in her eyes. She truly ached, and wished with all her heart to be held. But Salazar grew cold, so cold, and he didn't dare touch her. 'I loved you, Salazar. Truly. I'm crying, I'm sorry. I never wanted it to be this way.' And Salazar slowly turned around.
"Salazar Slytherin went and joined the war. It was the wizards against the Muggles, at a time when the peace between the two species was broken. He rose in rank, and his heart grew colder until it was almost stone.
"A letter came one day. The Ministry ordered that he return, to help form a school. He did not want to, and only did once they insisted that he was one of the four most powerful wizards that had an unbroken connection. Salazar returned reluctantly to Gringetti, and entered the hidden plot of land designated for Hogwarts. Faeries had charmed its existence. Salazar entered the meeting room.
"'Hello, Salazar.' It was Godric. And Rowena. And Helga. Salazar felt weak. He said nothing, just sat down. No one looked at each other. Rowena was heavily pregnant with Godric's baby, and Helga was deathly ill.
"'We shall divide the houses,' proclaimed Salazar in a choked voice. 'Just as we are divided.' And thus came about Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Helga Hufflepuff died in the next month, and Rowena died in childbirth three months later.
"Salazar was heartbroken, even more so than Godric. Salazar returned to the Mansion, having nowhere else to turn to. His father was long dead, and the eerie mansion was deserted. Gallows Point was almost a ghost town. Salazar lived alone in the house, but Rowena's undying soul haunted him. She raced up and down the corridors, crying, 'Forgive me, Salazar! I need your forgiveness! Please!' But Salazar pretended to ignore the ghost.
"This went on for about a decade. Salazar was thirty, but looked so much older. Life had worn him down. One day, a knocking came upon the door. Salazar was scarcely sure that he heard it, it was such a rare event. Cautiously, he tiptoed to the door and swung it open. There stood Godric Gryffindor, as young and strong looking as ever.
"'Salazar!' said Godric, hustling his way into the empty hallway. 'Hogwarts needs you! Turmoil had broken out, and the Muggles are close to breaking into the magicked area!' Maybe Salazar would have come. His anger had dulled. But, a howling came. 'Godric! Godric! I love you Godric!' It was Rowena's ghost.
"Salazar boiled. The ghost never told him that she loved him, she only begged for forgiveness. Salazar, without thinking, yanked the Slytherin Crest sword from the case and slew Godric. And then, Salazar killed himself.
"And so every night, you can hear the four ghosts of the founders of Hogwarts roaming the mansion. Only, you can't hear them. Helga whispers her famous last words, 'J'ai vécu une vie faible, mais je mourrai une grande mort,' Godric cries for Rowena and for Salazar's help, Rowena begs for forgiveness and cries for her loss, and all you can hear from Salazar Slytherin is his heart breaking."
No one spoke for a moment. Draco lifted his eyes. Ginny was resting against her pillow, but she didn't seem tired; her eyes were wide open. Cho looked nauseated in a sad way, and Ron held a comforting arm around her. Ron was fidgeting a bit, however.
"Pay up, Ron," Draco grinned.
"No way!" said Ron indignantly. "That was not scary."
"I thought so," Hermione quivered.
"Really?" Draco turned slowly to see her face, bathed in the moonlight.
"What time is it?" asked Harry, trying to shake off the story.
"You're the one with the watch," Ginny pointed out.
"Oh, that's right. It's one a.m. Happy June 15th, people."
Cho groaned and flopped onto the sleeping back, asleep before her head thumped against it. Ron's heart softened, and he pulled the comforter over Cho. "So you guys are really going out?" Harry piped up. Ron almost jumped.
"Oh, er, yeah," said Ron, shifting nervously. He wasn't sure why he was nervous. Well, it was Harry's ex, even if that was a long, bitter time ago. "Are you okay with that?"
"Yes," Harry said placidly, nodding calmly and stalking over towards his own sleeping back. He had just settled in when—
"Harry?"
"What, Mione?"
"You know what I said earlier, about Draco?"
"Uh huh…"
"I'm going to try to sort things out. He just stepped out for air. Please don't come, and please don't hurt him again."
Harry was reluctant. He didn't like seeing one of his best friends in pain, but he realized that it was highly irrational of him to have hit Draco earlier. "Alright, Hermione. But if you need anything…"
"I know."
Hermione stepped outside and shivered. It was so cold. Too cold. "Hermione?" She shuddered. It was Draco. *Why are you surprised? You came out here to see him.*
"Hi," she said softly. She didn't look up from the ground, but she could feel him next to her. "Listen, I—"
"I'm sorry," Draco broke in, but Hermione couldn't see his face. It was too dark. "I shouldn't have teased you like that at the beach. Sorry, I was just being a jerk."
"Huh?"
"Sorry. I was bored. Must've been the piña coladas."
"So you didn't mean it?" Hermione's heart stopped.
"No, of course not," Draco shrugged, and he laughed lightly.
Hermione didn't understand. This was good, right? *I had come to tell him I didn't feel the same way. It should be a relief that he didn't mean it. Then I wouldn't have to hurt him. So why do I feel like my heart just died?*
"Hermione? Are you alright?"
"Peachy," Hermione choked out.
It was too bad that it was one a.m. and the darkness masked their faces. Draco would have seen the hurt in Hermione's face and the tears brimming from her eyes. And Hermione, in turn, would have noticed that Draco was frowning biting his lip to keep from telling her the truth.
Draco woke up to find a silver Sickle on his pillow. He would have grinned and teased Weasley if it wasn't so early in the morning. Harry had set the alarm so they could get back on the road and towards Disney before it was time to apparate back to Hogwarts for the banquet.
"It's unearthly early," Ginny groaned, flopping her single pillow over her head and grimacing as her head made a dull sound against the thin tent floor.
"Can it," Harry said. He was the only one who looked awake, let alone alive, with his chirpy tone. "It's practically eight, not early at all!"
"Die," Cho croaked. "Die a slow, painful death."
"Good morning to you, too, Cho," Harry grinned, nudging Ron in the ribs. "Cho, wake him up, would you?"
Draco spotted Hermione. She was still sleeping in the corner, but he couldn't wake her up. *If I touch her, I might tell her how I feel. I can't do that.* Instead, he watched as Harry lumbered over and dragged her up. "I'm up, I'm up," she grumbled, climbing to her feet.
They all packed up the tent and loaded the it into the Vette. "Ready?" asked Harry, revving up the gas.
"Ready," replied one saddened nineteen-year-old, a guilty, overprotective redhead, a suppressed little sister, a hurt and confused brunette and a young man who had the biggest lie in the world riding on his chest. That he didn't love the girl sitting next to him.
*I repeated that a lot for effect, it's not because of my poor writing skills (everything else is, though. J/k)
A/N: Hi. Okay, wow! Over fifty reviews! That's amazing!
Thanks to: Americanbrowneyes (thanks, my strength is character development), Sucker for Romance, Lanni (I agree about Draco, I tried, and you guys will show up at Disneyland—I'll mention you), DarkIllusion, Natasha (oh, it is coming. You won't know what hit you), Dragon Eyes (thanks!), Glossy, Caroline (LOL, babies… riiiight), Miss Spinn (yeah, italics suck. D/Hr on the way), Lav, jackrussel666 (oh, I was just kidding, honestly! LOL, jack russels are hyperactive dogs), joyce (wow, thanks!), mirei nochi (good idea. I will have to start a sequel soon!), Calypso in Love (sorry, I thought this was better than nothing, it's not long), ktcat (of course that will happen, and I don't hate you for reading my stuff anymore, maybe cuz I can read yours too so it's a mutual thing. Keep going! And people, read ONYM47's work, okay? Good), MacbethHamlet, MiyaQui, White Glitter (sorry, I'll have EHHTRTB out soon, alright? You can just call it Even Heroes… that'll be my next thing. And I'll put Freakshow back up when things quiet down), Flame and Ice (bowing down… right… Ice, update your story!), j.j. ALAN (the world biggest frying pan WILL come! Seriously. I keep seeing trix commercials), lydia (ooooooh), kik shinoda (I didn't know that I was in the presence of royalty. Hehe. Thanks), flame and ice (The alt. Ending won't be until the story's finished! You guys sound posessed!), ChibiFuu Monkey, Slytherin Mudblood (3 is both… lol. Well, everyone's dad pisses them off when he acts sooo immature. Er, nm), lion1990, Spazzy (period…), Ravenclaw Dropout (ok, well, this chap isnt funny. Thx tho), Grapey Apey, Illusoire (oh, thanks), Flame and Ice (I did, it's great!), clio (lol, awww thanks. But I can't go out at 2 a.m. Yes, tension…), psychee (period! And u call urself a girl… j/k.), flame and ice, ssj kinara (THANKS so much. See ya on Monday), flame and ice (stalking me??? There is no dying involved), Ice (it's ok. Yeah, it didn't so so bad. See ya).
Phew. Glad that's done. More soon. Sorry it's not long or good. And the story isn't scary, I know. Leave me alone!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!
And I'm out…
ALSO, READ THIS!!! ¡LEA ESTO! I wanted to put out an immensely long chapter, but I felt so bad that I've been busy with other things that I am putting out what I have so far (I am splitting it into two chapters). I will write more soon! Really! I just felt so bad that I hadn't put anything up since March and had over fifty reviews. So, this chapter is boring but it's all that I have so far. Please r/r, and I'll hurry with the next chapter.
Disclaimer: This chapter isn't funny, and the story isn't scary. Get off my back, that's JK's job!
Note: This is the night of the fourteenth, but it's past midnight, so it's technically the early hours of the June 15th. K? Alright. I was getting confused, so I thought I'd clear that up.
Eating only took ten minutes at the most (the companions, besides Harry of course, were outraged to find that it was not a bottomless can and, claiming that it was a cruel joke, began pelting Harry with the empty cans). Then the question arose as to what to do next on their Muggle camping trip.
"Well... we could start a fire," Harry suggested.
"The Muggle way?" asked Cho.
"Uh, yeah."
"Forget it!" they all groaned.
"There is no chance," said Draco, "that I am going to sit and rub sticks together for an hour to get a single spark."
"What about scary stories?" Hermione spoke up, and was baffled when she received no answer. "Um, I know that you guys don't know much about the Muggle world, but the title is self-explanatory."
"We know that!" Ron scowled, and Ginny mimicked him to Ron's great frustrations. "I'm just warning you, I don't scare easily. What? I don't!" The others had begun laughing scoffingly. "A sickle to the one who scares me with their story!" Ron began waving around a small silver coin.
"Oooh, a sickle! Don't spend it all in one place!" Draco mocked.
"Weren't you the one who was cut off, Malfoy?" They all became silent and turned toward the speaker with the icy voice—Cho had come to Ron's defense, and Ron was blushing furiously. No one dare spoke.
"Then I guess I'll have to win that Sickle," said Draco coolly, finally breaking the silence. The tension was unbearable. The crisp night air leaked in through the slit of an opening as they all crouched, cramped inside the tent.
"You know I live in the Mansion," Draco began, his voice low. "But what you don't know is where the story of the Mansion."
"Aw, gee," Ron scoffed, rolling his eyes. Ginny nudged him hard in the shoulder blade.
"Shutup," Hermione mumbled.
"Thanks. The Mansion dates back to long, long ago. Thousands and thousands of years ago. Long before all of you, long before me. Long before my father, Lucius Christoff Malfoy, long before--"
"We get the picture!"
"SHUTUP, Ron," Hermione said once more, her voice even more so peeved than previously.
"Needless to say, the Mansion preexists everyone we know, and their great- ancestors. For the first occupant of the Mansion was Salazar Slytherin."
Ron made a disbelieving tutting sound, and everyone glared at him. Ron shrunk back and pursed his lips, vowing to remain silent for the rest of the story.
"Yes, Ron. Salazar Slytherin. Salazar grew up in the ancient town of Gallows Point, where the Mansion would soon sit atop a lone, gloomy hill in nowadays Canterbury, England. Salazar was a pureblood, of course, the offspring of the ingenious but often crude Everett Slytherin and his trophy wife, Victoria Winslow.
"Salazar did not show signs of being a wizard. His father resented the homely young boy and often beat him with certain torturous spells. A famous one in that time was the Linslinger, which made the recipient feel like a wooden paddle was inside his body and hitting his insides, side to side. It was a very painful spell, rivaled only by curses of the likes of the Crucio spell that later arose.
"May wonders ever cease, Salazar grew up quite bitter. His mother taught him basic spells and potions, but with this, his magic was far from stimulated. Salazar was a magical genius, but nothing his mother did was complex enough to show it. On his sixteenth birthday, Everett attempted to beat Victoria when she threatened to leave him and take Salazar. Salazar performed the first ever Crucio curse on Everett, and Salazar and Victoria left at once."
Draco looked up, casting a creepy, blank stare that send shivers down all of their spines. The story was doing alright; Draco continued.
"Victoria brought Salazar to her childhood home of Gringetti, the foundation for where Gringotts would later stand. Salazar began poring over books, perusing the thickest novels in order to improve his magic. One day, while in the library, he met a beautiful young woman named Rowena Ravenclaw. She was enthralling, with long, shaggy dark hair and moonlight eyes. Salazar fell immediately in love.
"Less than a year later, when Salazar was seventeen, his mother Victoria remarried a noble man named William Gryffindor. William had a son, Godric, who was the town's pride. Godric was immensely popular for his hunting skills, bravery, and good heart. He was sure to follow his father's footsteps and become a noble.
"Rowena and Salazar had been dating, or courting as it was then called, for about a year. They were both very much in love. Then, on a quiet Sunday in early August, Rowena announced that her step-cousin, Helga, whom we know as the founder of the Hufflepuffs, was coming to visit for the first time since childhood. It was on that Sunday that Rowena had arranged the picnic.
"Salazar would have loved to entertain two beautiful ladies all afternoon in the park over watermelon and a picnic blanket, but Rowena, being the shrewd girlfriend that she was, insisted that Salazar bring along a male friend for Helga. Salazar wasn't too popular with the townspeople. He had grown into a comely enough man and was well with words, but there was something sinister about him that the people of Gringetti detected. Rowena loved him nonetheless, insisting that it was 'bologna' and it made Salazar all the more attractive.
"Salazar grudgingly decided to invite Godric, his step-brother. Why did Salazar resent Godric so? Godric was tall and built, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Godric was popular and noble. Godric was twenty, almost three years older than Salazar. Godric could have any girl he wanted in the world. Godric was not the kind of son a father would beat mercilessly. Pretty much, Godric was everything Salazar was not.*
"So, Salazar brought Godric and Rowena brought Helga. Helga was short and round, but had an undeniably cute, cherubic face. While Salazar and Rowena fed each other finger sandwiches, Godric flirted to his wit's end with Helga while Rowena's cousin blushed six shades of rouge. But, gradually the tables were turning.
"Godric and Rowena began talking more. Rowena blew off her conversation with Salazar about an exhibit on mutant owls at the Jayce E. Wyler Memorial Museum and chatted with Godric about the Eastern art that the wizards of Heingladin were producing. Salazar was being ignored. They went to the theater, and Rowena sat between the two. By evening, it became clear that Godric had stolen Rowena's heart as they danced by the fountain of the ancient wizarding disciple Juliana Egret.
"Salazar stood by, fuming. He had tried twice to confront them, but the couple mocked him, saying that Salazar had an overactive imagination and they were politely enjoying the other's company. But Salazar knew better. He was wise, but even a fool could've seen the admiration in Rowena's eyes as she and Godric danced.
"Surely enough, the next day Rowena approached Salazar with tears in her eyes. 'I never meant to hurt you,' she said, tears in her eyes. She truly ached, and wished with all her heart to be held. But Salazar grew cold, so cold, and he didn't dare touch her. 'I loved you, Salazar. Truly. I'm crying, I'm sorry. I never wanted it to be this way.' And Salazar slowly turned around.
"Salazar Slytherin went and joined the war. It was the wizards against the Muggles, at a time when the peace between the two species was broken. He rose in rank, and his heart grew colder until it was almost stone.
"A letter came one day. The Ministry ordered that he return, to help form a school. He did not want to, and only did once they insisted that he was one of the four most powerful wizards that had an unbroken connection. Salazar returned reluctantly to Gringetti, and entered the hidden plot of land designated for Hogwarts. Faeries had charmed its existence. Salazar entered the meeting room.
"'Hello, Salazar.' It was Godric. And Rowena. And Helga. Salazar felt weak. He said nothing, just sat down. No one looked at each other. Rowena was heavily pregnant with Godric's baby, and Helga was deathly ill.
"'We shall divide the houses,' proclaimed Salazar in a choked voice. 'Just as we are divided.' And thus came about Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Helga Hufflepuff died in the next month, and Rowena died in childbirth three months later.
"Salazar was heartbroken, even more so than Godric. Salazar returned to the Mansion, having nowhere else to turn to. His father was long dead, and the eerie mansion was deserted. Gallows Point was almost a ghost town. Salazar lived alone in the house, but Rowena's undying soul haunted him. She raced up and down the corridors, crying, 'Forgive me, Salazar! I need your forgiveness! Please!' But Salazar pretended to ignore the ghost.
"This went on for about a decade. Salazar was thirty, but looked so much older. Life had worn him down. One day, a knocking came upon the door. Salazar was scarcely sure that he heard it, it was such a rare event. Cautiously, he tiptoed to the door and swung it open. There stood Godric Gryffindor, as young and strong looking as ever.
"'Salazar!' said Godric, hustling his way into the empty hallway. 'Hogwarts needs you! Turmoil had broken out, and the Muggles are close to breaking into the magicked area!' Maybe Salazar would have come. His anger had dulled. But, a howling came. 'Godric! Godric! I love you Godric!' It was Rowena's ghost.
"Salazar boiled. The ghost never told him that she loved him, she only begged for forgiveness. Salazar, without thinking, yanked the Slytherin Crest sword from the case and slew Godric. And then, Salazar killed himself.
"And so every night, you can hear the four ghosts of the founders of Hogwarts roaming the mansion. Only, you can't hear them. Helga whispers her famous last words, 'J'ai vécu une vie faible, mais je mourrai une grande mort,' Godric cries for Rowena and for Salazar's help, Rowena begs for forgiveness and cries for her loss, and all you can hear from Salazar Slytherin is his heart breaking."
No one spoke for a moment. Draco lifted his eyes. Ginny was resting against her pillow, but she didn't seem tired; her eyes were wide open. Cho looked nauseated in a sad way, and Ron held a comforting arm around her. Ron was fidgeting a bit, however.
"Pay up, Ron," Draco grinned.
"No way!" said Ron indignantly. "That was not scary."
"I thought so," Hermione quivered.
"Really?" Draco turned slowly to see her face, bathed in the moonlight.
"What time is it?" asked Harry, trying to shake off the story.
"You're the one with the watch," Ginny pointed out.
"Oh, that's right. It's one a.m. Happy June 15th, people."
Cho groaned and flopped onto the sleeping back, asleep before her head thumped against it. Ron's heart softened, and he pulled the comforter over Cho. "So you guys are really going out?" Harry piped up. Ron almost jumped.
"Oh, er, yeah," said Ron, shifting nervously. He wasn't sure why he was nervous. Well, it was Harry's ex, even if that was a long, bitter time ago. "Are you okay with that?"
"Yes," Harry said placidly, nodding calmly and stalking over towards his own sleeping back. He had just settled in when—
"Harry?"
"What, Mione?"
"You know what I said earlier, about Draco?"
"Uh huh…"
"I'm going to try to sort things out. He just stepped out for air. Please don't come, and please don't hurt him again."
Harry was reluctant. He didn't like seeing one of his best friends in pain, but he realized that it was highly irrational of him to have hit Draco earlier. "Alright, Hermione. But if you need anything…"
"I know."
Hermione stepped outside and shivered. It was so cold. Too cold. "Hermione?" She shuddered. It was Draco. *Why are you surprised? You came out here to see him.*
"Hi," she said softly. She didn't look up from the ground, but she could feel him next to her. "Listen, I—"
"I'm sorry," Draco broke in, but Hermione couldn't see his face. It was too dark. "I shouldn't have teased you like that at the beach. Sorry, I was just being a jerk."
"Huh?"
"Sorry. I was bored. Must've been the piña coladas."
"So you didn't mean it?" Hermione's heart stopped.
"No, of course not," Draco shrugged, and he laughed lightly.
Hermione didn't understand. This was good, right? *I had come to tell him I didn't feel the same way. It should be a relief that he didn't mean it. Then I wouldn't have to hurt him. So why do I feel like my heart just died?*
"Hermione? Are you alright?"
"Peachy," Hermione choked out.
It was too bad that it was one a.m. and the darkness masked their faces. Draco would have seen the hurt in Hermione's face and the tears brimming from her eyes. And Hermione, in turn, would have noticed that Draco was frowning biting his lip to keep from telling her the truth.
Draco woke up to find a silver Sickle on his pillow. He would have grinned and teased Weasley if it wasn't so early in the morning. Harry had set the alarm so they could get back on the road and towards Disney before it was time to apparate back to Hogwarts for the banquet.
"It's unearthly early," Ginny groaned, flopping her single pillow over her head and grimacing as her head made a dull sound against the thin tent floor.
"Can it," Harry said. He was the only one who looked awake, let alone alive, with his chirpy tone. "It's practically eight, not early at all!"
"Die," Cho croaked. "Die a slow, painful death."
"Good morning to you, too, Cho," Harry grinned, nudging Ron in the ribs. "Cho, wake him up, would you?"
Draco spotted Hermione. She was still sleeping in the corner, but he couldn't wake her up. *If I touch her, I might tell her how I feel. I can't do that.* Instead, he watched as Harry lumbered over and dragged her up. "I'm up, I'm up," she grumbled, climbing to her feet.
They all packed up the tent and loaded the it into the Vette. "Ready?" asked Harry, revving up the gas.
"Ready," replied one saddened nineteen-year-old, a guilty, overprotective redhead, a suppressed little sister, a hurt and confused brunette and a young man who had the biggest lie in the world riding on his chest. That he didn't love the girl sitting next to him.
*I repeated that a lot for effect, it's not because of my poor writing skills (everything else is, though. J/k)
A/N: Hi. Okay, wow! Over fifty reviews! That's amazing!
Thanks to: Americanbrowneyes (thanks, my strength is character development), Sucker for Romance, Lanni (I agree about Draco, I tried, and you guys will show up at Disneyland—I'll mention you), DarkIllusion, Natasha (oh, it is coming. You won't know what hit you), Dragon Eyes (thanks!), Glossy, Caroline (LOL, babies… riiiight), Miss Spinn (yeah, italics suck. D/Hr on the way), Lav, jackrussel666 (oh, I was just kidding, honestly! LOL, jack russels are hyperactive dogs), joyce (wow, thanks!), mirei nochi (good idea. I will have to start a sequel soon!), Calypso in Love (sorry, I thought this was better than nothing, it's not long), ktcat (of course that will happen, and I don't hate you for reading my stuff anymore, maybe cuz I can read yours too so it's a mutual thing. Keep going! And people, read ONYM47's work, okay? Good), MacbethHamlet, MiyaQui, White Glitter (sorry, I'll have EHHTRTB out soon, alright? You can just call it Even Heroes… that'll be my next thing. And I'll put Freakshow back up when things quiet down), Flame and Ice (bowing down… right… Ice, update your story!), j.j. ALAN (the world biggest frying pan WILL come! Seriously. I keep seeing trix commercials), lydia (ooooooh), kik shinoda (I didn't know that I was in the presence of royalty. Hehe. Thanks), flame and ice (The alt. Ending won't be until the story's finished! You guys sound posessed!), ChibiFuu Monkey, Slytherin Mudblood (3 is both… lol. Well, everyone's dad pisses them off when he acts sooo immature. Er, nm), lion1990, Spazzy (period…), Ravenclaw Dropout (ok, well, this chap isnt funny. Thx tho), Grapey Apey, Illusoire (oh, thanks), Flame and Ice (I did, it's great!), clio (lol, awww thanks. But I can't go out at 2 a.m. Yes, tension…), psychee (period! And u call urself a girl… j/k.), flame and ice, ssj kinara (THANKS so much. See ya on Monday), flame and ice (stalking me??? There is no dying involved), Ice (it's ok. Yeah, it didn't so so bad. See ya).
Phew. Glad that's done. More soon. Sorry it's not long or good. And the story isn't scary, I know. Leave me alone!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!
And I'm out…