Chapter 3--Threatened Beauty

A week passed and all Draco could think about was his night with Harry. Harry on the other hand couldn't remember much so pretended it didn't happen at all. This fact hurt Draco even more; he vowed revenge. The problem was that he couldn't really enlist much help from his friends. Blaise announced his attraction to Harry one night in the common room and threatened the lives of everyone who even appeared to harm him. That would make asking for help outright very difficult. Draco knew everyone was more afraid of him than Blaise; however, he would need to offer a sufficient reason for betraying his best friend.

'Wait, I am betraying my best friend,' Draco pointed out to himself. He felt conflicted for a moment then pushed it aside. 'I am Slytherin after all.'

He needed a quiet place to think about this so he headed to the library. Draco sat down at his favorite table. It was rather secluded since it was in the section where the boring reference books were kept. Hermione sat at the only other table in the area but that didn't bother them. Often it was just the two of them in the entire library but specially in this section. She didn't even look up when he sat down but did mumble "Malfoy" in recognition. He responded with a "Granger" in the same carefree tone. No one knew this but the two were quite tolerant of each other when no one else was around. Not friendly at all, but they never felt the need to call names or throw curses at each other when it was just the two of them. Sometimes they were even helpful to each other. Draco once held the library door open to a book laden Hermione. And she returned a stoppered ink bottle when it rolled from his bag. OK, so these normally wouldn't be considered gestures worth any consideration but considering who the people in question, these gestures meant a lot.

Draco sat down in a huff without intending too then pulled out some parchment so he could jot down ideas. He aspired to completely humiliated Potter so deeply that years later he would still regret rejecting a Malfoy. Problem was, all the ideas he came up with just seemed like immature pranks; the kind the two boys had been engaging in since first year. He needed something to portray his wrath without revealing that he had been rejected. Hermione sighed heavily and slammed close the extremely large book she had been reading.

"What's the matter Granger?"

"I've been here for hours trying to come up with an idea for our potions project. But nothing I find is brilliant enough," she said sounding rather disappointed. "I finally found one project that is challenging and impressive but it requires two people."

"Won't Potter or Ron help?"

"I'm sure I could persuade them. The trouble is, it would take someone rather skilled in potions…" Hermione suddenly looked at Draco as if a light bulb had light bulb and just popped on over her head.

"I know what you are thinking, you've got to be kidding, right?"

"No. Think about it Malfoy, the two of us are the top two students in potions, we are even more advanced than any of the 7th year Ravenclaws. If we work together not only will we create the most advanced student potions project ever, but we will probably blow Snape's mind."

"Hmm, Granger, I wouldn't mind blowing Snape," he said without realizing it, though meaning it in every sense.

"Draco!" she giggled. "Do you realize what you just said?"

"Yes," he sneered, "I do. Do you realize that you just called me Draco?"

"Yes, since we are going to be working together we might as well be on first name terms."

"I didn't agree yet."

"I know, you will though. You want to impress Snape."

"OK, OK. I'll do it. But I refuse to start until after the weekend."

Hermione just groaned and began packing her books.

Draco returned to his previous thoughts though it took him a few moments to remember what they were. 'Oh right, revenge and humiliation'. However, he was feeling very vengeful at the moment. Of course it was at that moment a giggling Harry and Blaise found a seemingly empty row of books not too far from Draco's table.

"Shhh!" one of the shushed loudly, "Someone will hear us."

"We just saw Hermione leave, no one else ever comes back here."

"Right." After that he heard the unmistakable sound of sloppy kissing. Thoughts of revenge left as tears filled his eyes. Draco fled.

A few minutes later he found himself looking into the mirror watching tears slide down from his red eyes. For some time all he could think about was how beautiful his eyes looked when he was crying then he snapped out of it and said aloud to himself, "Malfoys don't cry! They don't fall in love. AND THEY DON"T GET REJECTED."

It was as these words were spoken that his father flooed into his private chambers.

"Draco you look so beautiful when you cry. So some little girl rejected you, then my potion must have failed. Pity. Who was it? I'll make her regret hurting you."

"No one Father."

"Fine. Then stop crying, it makes your face too blotchy."

"I thought you just said I was pretty."

"Beautiful. I said you looked beautiful and you always look beautiful to me but I have a friend who wants to meet you at home. So pull yourself together and come with me."

"Father it's late. I must retire soon."

"Draco, you will do as I say and stop being so weak. You will stay up all night if I require you too then go to classes and put up such a fantastic performance that everyone will think you had a full 8 hours of beauty sleep. I will not require that of you tonight so splash some water on your face and let's go."

They flooed back to the manor and Draco found himself face to face with a red-eyed flat nosed monstrosity. He knew it was Voldemort though he had never met him before. Immediately he dropped to the ground and crawled forward to kiss his robe. He hated the way he felt as he crawled. He was a Malfoy dammit. Just then his father arrived and dropped to his knees as well. His kissed the same robes that Draco did and Draco was disgusted at the picture. Why would his father raise him to believe he was better than everyone else, then crawl on his knees to kiss the robes of a man who was almost defeated by an infant? That infant. His Harry. This disgusting creature had tried to kill his Harry. Now his obsession had turned to completing that quest and all other plans had been laid aside. Everything the great and powerful wizard had worked so hard for was pushed to the wayside so he could focus all his attention on killing a child. His Harry. A hatred from deep inside his soul arose. A hatred so intense it took his breath away.

"Yes, I sense a strong hatred in this boy Lucius. You brought him up right. He will be a man soon, but it is not time yet to mark him. It will be best to wait. Let him return to school, we have much to discuss."

Draco left without a word. The two older wizards did not notice. Yes, he felt an intense hatred but the Dark Lord failed to realize it was directed at him. How could he plan on humiliating Harry when his life was in danger.

"Well, I guess I will first have to save him. Later, I can humiliate him."