Upon entering the Great Hall I was at once struck with two
observations. The first being the atmosphere was one of incredible
joviality as it was the day before all bound for home over the Christmas
vacation were to leave. Voices were animated as each expressed immense
relief at the interval away from schoolwork and time closer to obtaining
that particular gift each expected from a family member. The second was
that the abnormal seventh year was again sitting in Malfoy's seat. This
time, determined to discover the mysterious boy's identity, I turned to
Fred, who had accompanied me to breakfast, and questioned whether he knew.
"Which one?"
When he followed the direction of my pointed finger, I saw his eyes darken angrily, jaw uncharacteristically clenching.
"Carlos Jaggers." He ground out, the name spitting from his lips as if it were the most nauseating of potions.
"I take it you know him…" I prompted, eager to know who it was that put such loathing in my usually good-natured brother.
"Unfortunately. He's the bloke George was dating last year."
"What did he do?"
"I can't tell you that, promised George I wouldn't tell anyone." Suddenly worried, he glanced at me. "Why do you want to know? Did he do something to you?"
"No, not at all," I quickly replied. "I was just… curious, that's all."
"If he ever does, tell me and I'll… take care of it."
"You act like he's dangerous."
"He is."
With that ominous remark, he sat in his usual seat and I followed suit. Although his warnings chilled me somewhat, I cleared my mind as I saw Hermione enter the Great Hall, followed by Harry. My heart began to thump wildly as I thought of how he and I were the only ones of our year in Gryffindor staying over the holiday. I was nervous and excited by turns as I thought of what might occur over the two weeks. Something must have shown on my face, for Hermione cast me an understanding grin as she approached my seat and took her own on Harry's opposite side. A telltale heat rushed to my ears, as I dropped my gaze until I felt myself better under control. When I looked up, it was to the sight of hundreds of owls baring the morning post. A barn owl was swooping down to drop off Hermione's Daily Prophet subscription before it was brought up short by a screech owl gripping a letter, barreling into the other owl's path. The screech owl barely paused in the act of depositing the letter in front of Harry before it was off again at break neck speed.
Curiously, Harry opened his letter and read it through once before a beautifully delighted grin split his face and quickly read the letter again.
"Who is it from?" Inquired Hermione.
"Its from Remus! He says Snuffles is with him over the holidays and asks if I want to stay with them during the break!" I felt my heart leap into my throat at his words, but Hermione was already squealing, "Harry, that's wonderful!"
"Yeah, Harry, that's… great."
Harry paused in the act of reading his letter a third time when he heard my somewhat unconvincing words.
"What's the matter?"
"Er… nothing."
"What is it?" He asked, this time looking at me intently.
"Its nothing. I just thought we were going to… you know… spend the vacation here together, that's all. I mean, what with Hermione leaving…"
"…You'll be alone!" He exclaimed distressed. "I guess I wasn't thinking right. Its just I've never had anywhere to go over the holidays, I forgot. I'll just write to Remus and tell him I can't spend it with…"
As his words went on, I felt the singeing flames of guilt constrict my throat before I croaked "No, its fine! Really… I mean, you should definitely go. Spend time with your godfather and all."
"You wouldn't mind?" He asked as hope rang through his voice.
"Not at all. I mean, Fred and George'll be here and all, so I wont get lonely or anything. You should go."
Excitement shone in his eyes at my words, clearly taking them for the blessing they were. As he and Hermione became engrossed in their plans for the afternoon at Hogsmeade, I couldn't help but get swept away in their enthusiasm, no matter how much my heart hurt.
***
The Three Broomsticks was filled with celebratory students and miscellaneous other patrons, each voice more boisterous then the last, the pub seemingly filled to the brink with every table taken. However, the blithe crowd did not seem to touch my own table as I sat, dignified, at Carlos's side, his hand on my thigh growing more bold with each sip of his Butterbeer. Unfortunately, Vincent and Gregory hadn't joined us as they were in the dorm spending "quality time" together. Thus it was Carlos and I, alone, despite the surrounding swell.
The brand in my hip had long ceased causing physical pain in the few days that had passed. Instead, a sort of numbness surrounded the area as the nerve endings seemed to have been destroyed along with my free will. A glazed shock had transcended my mind with the tangible evidence of his ownership of my body. Indeed, it felt as though whatever pain he inflicted upon my person was of little consequence as I was now utterly his to do with as he pleased. And as of that moment, his pleasure seemed to be rubbing his hand over my robe-clad thigh. Resigning myself to a role of serving his hormone- ridden libido, I allowed him to maneuver me into his lap, his hands groping possessively. Under normal circumstances, I might have protested such a public display, but I just couldn't summon enough energy to do anything but endure.
As I tilted my head to give Carlos better access to the throat he regularly and obsessively dominated, my eyes registered a bright tinge of brilliantly red hair in the booth next to ours. Looking down, I found my stare locked with another's; green irises burning with disgust. Sensing I had caught on to whom this performance was truly for, I felt a stale breath caress my ear.
"I don't think I have to worry about Ron Weasley any further."
With a chortle and a swipe of the tongue, he continued his amorous administrations, yet my gaze never wavered from verdant depths, derision all too visible. When I felt greedy teeth painfully clamp down on my naked neck, I summoned my ubiquitous indifference to fill my heart, soon leaking out of my very eyes. Once again I allowed myself to feel the sweet release of sheer ambivalence.
"Which one?"
When he followed the direction of my pointed finger, I saw his eyes darken angrily, jaw uncharacteristically clenching.
"Carlos Jaggers." He ground out, the name spitting from his lips as if it were the most nauseating of potions.
"I take it you know him…" I prompted, eager to know who it was that put such loathing in my usually good-natured brother.
"Unfortunately. He's the bloke George was dating last year."
"What did he do?"
"I can't tell you that, promised George I wouldn't tell anyone." Suddenly worried, he glanced at me. "Why do you want to know? Did he do something to you?"
"No, not at all," I quickly replied. "I was just… curious, that's all."
"If he ever does, tell me and I'll… take care of it."
"You act like he's dangerous."
"He is."
With that ominous remark, he sat in his usual seat and I followed suit. Although his warnings chilled me somewhat, I cleared my mind as I saw Hermione enter the Great Hall, followed by Harry. My heart began to thump wildly as I thought of how he and I were the only ones of our year in Gryffindor staying over the holiday. I was nervous and excited by turns as I thought of what might occur over the two weeks. Something must have shown on my face, for Hermione cast me an understanding grin as she approached my seat and took her own on Harry's opposite side. A telltale heat rushed to my ears, as I dropped my gaze until I felt myself better under control. When I looked up, it was to the sight of hundreds of owls baring the morning post. A barn owl was swooping down to drop off Hermione's Daily Prophet subscription before it was brought up short by a screech owl gripping a letter, barreling into the other owl's path. The screech owl barely paused in the act of depositing the letter in front of Harry before it was off again at break neck speed.
Curiously, Harry opened his letter and read it through once before a beautifully delighted grin split his face and quickly read the letter again.
"Who is it from?" Inquired Hermione.
"Its from Remus! He says Snuffles is with him over the holidays and asks if I want to stay with them during the break!" I felt my heart leap into my throat at his words, but Hermione was already squealing, "Harry, that's wonderful!"
"Yeah, Harry, that's… great."
Harry paused in the act of reading his letter a third time when he heard my somewhat unconvincing words.
"What's the matter?"
"Er… nothing."
"What is it?" He asked, this time looking at me intently.
"Its nothing. I just thought we were going to… you know… spend the vacation here together, that's all. I mean, what with Hermione leaving…"
"…You'll be alone!" He exclaimed distressed. "I guess I wasn't thinking right. Its just I've never had anywhere to go over the holidays, I forgot. I'll just write to Remus and tell him I can't spend it with…"
As his words went on, I felt the singeing flames of guilt constrict my throat before I croaked "No, its fine! Really… I mean, you should definitely go. Spend time with your godfather and all."
"You wouldn't mind?" He asked as hope rang through his voice.
"Not at all. I mean, Fred and George'll be here and all, so I wont get lonely or anything. You should go."
Excitement shone in his eyes at my words, clearly taking them for the blessing they were. As he and Hermione became engrossed in their plans for the afternoon at Hogsmeade, I couldn't help but get swept away in their enthusiasm, no matter how much my heart hurt.
***
The Three Broomsticks was filled with celebratory students and miscellaneous other patrons, each voice more boisterous then the last, the pub seemingly filled to the brink with every table taken. However, the blithe crowd did not seem to touch my own table as I sat, dignified, at Carlos's side, his hand on my thigh growing more bold with each sip of his Butterbeer. Unfortunately, Vincent and Gregory hadn't joined us as they were in the dorm spending "quality time" together. Thus it was Carlos and I, alone, despite the surrounding swell.
The brand in my hip had long ceased causing physical pain in the few days that had passed. Instead, a sort of numbness surrounded the area as the nerve endings seemed to have been destroyed along with my free will. A glazed shock had transcended my mind with the tangible evidence of his ownership of my body. Indeed, it felt as though whatever pain he inflicted upon my person was of little consequence as I was now utterly his to do with as he pleased. And as of that moment, his pleasure seemed to be rubbing his hand over my robe-clad thigh. Resigning myself to a role of serving his hormone- ridden libido, I allowed him to maneuver me into his lap, his hands groping possessively. Under normal circumstances, I might have protested such a public display, but I just couldn't summon enough energy to do anything but endure.
As I tilted my head to give Carlos better access to the throat he regularly and obsessively dominated, my eyes registered a bright tinge of brilliantly red hair in the booth next to ours. Looking down, I found my stare locked with another's; green irises burning with disgust. Sensing I had caught on to whom this performance was truly for, I felt a stale breath caress my ear.
"I don't think I have to worry about Ron Weasley any further."
With a chortle and a swipe of the tongue, he continued his amorous administrations, yet my gaze never wavered from verdant depths, derision all too visible. When I felt greedy teeth painfully clamp down on my naked neck, I summoned my ubiquitous indifference to fill my heart, soon leaking out of my very eyes. Once again I allowed myself to feel the sweet release of sheer ambivalence.