The Serpent Dragon's Soliloquy
Disclaimer: Harry Potter ain't mine.
Amarus Quondam
(The Bitter Past)
Heavy crimson drapes hung from the top of the crystal balcony doors, hiding the light of the moon from her view. The room was plunged in silent darkness, the only sound to be heard being the soft flutter of Aphrodite's wings as she flew towards the pink chiffon curtains of the queen-sized four-poster in the middle of the room. The bed's occupant brushed the hangings aside and lit a candle as Aphrodite landed on her lap, dropping something beside her.
"Thanks, Aph." Diandra said fondly, gently stroking the Snowy owl's pure white feathers. Her raven colored hair shimmered in the cheery red and silver flames of the candle, her sweet smell of roses filling the air. Aphrodite cooed in reply to the gentle caresses, nipped her trainer's hand affectionately in her usual goodbye gesture, then flew off.
Smiling, she picked up the rolled piece of parchment which Aphrodite had brought and unfastened the beautiful red ribbon tied around it. She wondered who it was from, and how he had found her owl when she had sent her to deliver something to Hogwarts.
She unrolled it carefully, her sapphire eyes scanning for the signature. She found it on the lower right hand corner of the only page.
*Draco?*
She frowned slightly as she unrolled the rest of the parchment.
I have something that is yours.
Lentamente morire a causa di tu, huh?
Her eyes widened in surprise.
*It can't be.*
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Harry whipped his wand from where it was nestled in his robe pocket and flattened himself on the wall, suddenly wide awake and alert. Beside him, the leaves-strewn path rustled beneath unseen feet as the feeling of an approaching figure dangerously nearing him filled his thoughts. His heart was pounding loudly in his chest, his mind was throbbing in fearful anticipation. It was some dangerous magical creature from the Forbidden Forest, maybe, or a teacher making his rounds.
He couldn't imagine which could be worse.
The rustling grew louder, the footsteps beginning to sound clearer. He waited in bated breath as a figure finally emerged from the pathway---
Only it wasn't a figure at all. It looked like translucent silver liquid floating in mid-air. His eyes narrowed. Was he imagining things?
Maybe it's a creature I've never seen before.
You never know.
The liquid blob approached him, and then turned into a human form with silver-blonde hair, a pointed face and a cynical smile. Harry's narrowed emerald eyes shrouded with unmistakable hatred as the person took a step forward.
"Feeling refreshed after today's daily go-to-the-Forbidden-Forest-to-get-myself-killed midnight stroll, Malfoy?" Harry said icily, refusing to avert his gaze from their dagger and flames-staring contest.
"I was actually feeling something not akin to that until I saw you." Draco snarled, glaring murderously at the messy-haired boy in front of him. "Is that your reason for being here at this hour and place? To get yourself killed? Well, I think that's a great idea."
"I wasn't the one galloping about in there disguised as the contents of a broken thermometer." Harry countered. He shuddered involuntarily as a brief vision of Draco getting trompled then eaten by one of Hagrid's "pets" came to his mind. It wasn't a good sight for anyone, not even for those who absolutely hated Malfoy's guts.
"Cold, Potter?" Draco drawled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the golden chain. Harry's attention averted to it, the object being very familiar to him. He frowned, then stretched his hand to Draco.
"Can I see that?"
The pale boy glanced back at him in surprise. "Why do you want to see it? I didn't know you had an interest in collecting women's jewelry, Potter, or did you suddenly have the urge to get yourself a transplant?"
Harry fumed, but he didn't show it. He continued to hold out his hand and bluntly asked for the necklace once more.
Draco handed it over, apparently thinking it was some kind of joke.
With Almighty Potter's equally almighty stupidity, you never know.
Harry took it and held it up to the moonlight to get a clearer view of the object. A small gasp of surprise barely escaped his lips as he turned to Draco.
"How did you get this?"
The silver-blonde haired boy shrugged, as if he thought Harry didn't know what he was talking about, blabbering about how Draco found the chain. He thrust his hand to Harry in a gesture which clearly said that he was asking back for the necklace and that he had much better things to do with his time than to sit around talking about how he had come across the gold chain.
Besides, it's none of his business.
Draco continued to hold out his hand, a look of irritation on his face. "Give it back, Potter, or can't you see where my hand is?" He waved his hand in front of Harry's face for emphasis. Harry didn't budge.
"I said, where did you get this?"
Draco sighed and yanked the necklace from Harry's hand. "Fine, I'll tell you if you insist. I got it from the lake. Someone I know dropped it in there."
Harry blinked. "You know her?"
"What do you mean?"
"Her. Diandra Noelle. Dani?"
A lump formed in Draco's throat. He tasted something sour in his mouth. "Do you know her?"
Harry just stared at him blankly. "I more than just know her. I gave her that necklace."
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"If you can't love me, then…just keep this to remember me by."
"Harry, I'm…"
I'm sorry.
I can't do anything.
I love you only as a friend.
"Lentamente morire…?"
"Lentamente morire a causa di tu."
"What does it mean?"
I'm giving it to you because I can't have your love. You, on the other hand, have mine, and for you I am falling.
I'm hurting.
"What does it mean, Harry?"
"Lentamente morire a causa di tu…"
He closed his eyes and pulled her closer to him in a hug. She felt his breath on the tip of her ear as she whispered its meaning to her.
"Slowly dying…because of you."
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Diandra pulled the covers of the elegant mirror back down and turned away from it, her heart thumping loudly in her chest.
Harry.
Her hand moved to her neck automatically, to touch the necklace, to feel it. But it was gone. She breathed deeply, closing her eyes and trying to block the thoughts swirling in her head.
It's gone now. I threw it away.
Her eyes roved across her darkened room, to her dressing table and her magnificent fireplace, to her crimson curtains and her large wardrobe, to her side drawers and her four-poster bed. Her eyes skimmed everything, taking in the comfort of the objects' familiarity. They landed on the solitary piece of parchment on her bed.
And now Draco has it.
She walked slowly to her vanity desk, the flame of the candle she lit following her wherever she went. She sat down on the plush cushioned seat and sighed, frowning as a brief image flashed across the mirror's reflective surface.
It's Harry, and---
The vision cleared, revealing a brown haired boy with emerald eyes and a girl she thought she'd seen before. She was looking into Harry's eyes, holding his hands, and they were closing in on each other, their faces almost touching…
Diandra stood up abruptly from her seat, wishing to see no more. She draped a sheet over the mirror and sat silently on her bed, trying to sort out her thoughts.
Hermione.
Can this really be true…?
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Dark aquamarine eyes watched the still, sleeping girl on the bed silently. Sleek brown hair fell among her silken sheets, milky white skin half hidden under the embroidered comforter. Her chest was heaving as she breathed evenly, a perfect picture of a sleeping angel.
So peaceful. So undeniably innocent.
The crouched figure crept up to the bed slowly, carefully, knowing how much of a light sleeper the owl beside the girl was. Aphrodite, or whatever its name was, Diandra had trained her to perfection to take care of her best friend.
An owl taking care of a girl? He had never heard of anything more ridiculous. Named after the Goddess of Love and Beauty, at that.
He crawled silently towards the crystal side drawer on the right side of the bed, glancing anxiously at the bird perched on a golden pedestal. Aphrodite's head was tucked under a wing, seemingly asleep.
Strange.
He had never heard of an owl asleep at night, either.
He frowned. Something was definitely not right here. First of all, how did he get inside the castle easily? And why hadn't he sensed any danger? It was impossible for one of the most heavily guarded places in the world to be broken in by an amateur wizard thief. Secondly, why had it seemed like the castle was empty? There were no guards, no maids, no noise at all. He had always imagined the castle as a place full of hustle and bustle, even at night.
He pushed his thoughts aside and cleared his head, frowning, as he refocused on his mission. He couldn't get distracted. Not now that it was so close.
He reached a hand to the side drawer, attempting to pull the top one open. He waited and listened. Nothing stirred.
His hand was poised on the teddy bear-shaped knob, all he had to do was pull at it a little, wait for it to open, grab the item, and he was home free.
He licked his lips happily, already tasting his sweet victory.
This is way easier than I thought it would be.
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A visitor.
Diandra tried to replay the vision in her mirror, just to make sure it was correct.
It wasn't.
It was an intruder.
She scrambled towards her wand on the floor, picked it up, and headed towards the door. Chantal's room was right down the hall, just as she requested it.
The door was slightly ajar as Diandra ran towards it, cursing at the heavy petticoats she was wearing which slowed her down. She summoned the palace guards, invincible servants created by her father to protect the castle. They had no sight, every one of them depended on hearing to know where everything was.
She could feel four or five of them following her as she burst into Chantal's room, panting.
"Chanie!"
The girl on the bed didn't even stir, only Aphrodite responded to her call. She wondered briefly why her owl was sleeping, and concluded that one of the invincible servants had given her a sleeping drought to make sure she was well-rested for tomorrow's journey.
That's right. She remembered now.
The figure near the bed froze, obviously sensing that someone else was in the room aside from Diandra. He eyed her flowing black hair and sapphire blue eyes, made a sound of surprise and prostrated himself on the floor.
"Highness."
Diandra looked at him and frowned. "What are you doing here, Strider?"
"Forgive me, Princess, His Majesty Prince Jared told me to---"
"Jared?" She cut in, lifting a perfect eyebrow. "Where is he? What does he want?"
"He wants Miss Chantal's mirror, Highness. He ordered me to get it."
At this, Diandra frowned deeper. "Well, tell him to dream on because we're not giving it up. You may go now, but once I catch you doing this again, I will personally feed you to my pet dragon. Understood?"
Strider sighed inwardly. So close, yet so far away.
"Understood."
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"You what?"
"I said, I gave her that necklace."
"Liar."
"Do you think I care about what you think?"
"Well, what's with this stupid Italian quotation anyway?"
Harry's cheeks turned pink. "Nothing. I just thought it was nice."
Draco smiled maliciously. "She turned you down, didn't she?"
Harry looked away. "Did not."
Draco didn't reply. He just kept on smiling.
"Well, see you tomorrow, Potter. Because you know what? Diandra's coming tomorrow and enrolling in our school."
Harry could only watch in stunned silence as Draco retreated into the castle, a huge smirk pasted on his face.
...Dani.
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Thank you for those who reviewed!!! This chappy is dedicated to you.
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LOVEYOUGUYS! MWAH! Those who watch Slam Dunk check out my Slam Dunk fic (it's almost a year old but anyway…MIGHT update that. J )