Chapter Four //
Draco stood silent before the flickering flame of the Slytherin Common Room fireplace. His silver eyes glazed over as he entered a deep trance of thought, fingertips at his chin tapping away mechanically. 'She's got secrets.' He thought, narrowing his eyes, 'And I will know them.' He had remembered the name deMonte from somewhere, though he wasn't quite sure where. But he knew the name. He moved suddenly and wandered to the desk at the center of the room, sat in the plush seat and removed a piece of parchement from the center drawer.
He snatched up the quill that lay upon the desk, dipped it into the ink jar and tilted his head. His fingertips moved gracefully along the yellowed paper, eyes narrowing as he bit his lip in thought.
Father -
A new student has come to school and I believe I know her from somewhere. She carries the name deMonte and is of course, a Slytherin now. She seems to be rather powerful, and I've found that she can carry on wandless magic. Ophelia deMonte. Do you know of her?
- Draco
He stopped and stared at his writing. It wasn't often that he would write his father; his father probably knew of the girl already anyhow. How could he not? He stood, on his way to the owlery when suddenly he heard the shattering of glass. He jumped slightly and turned his head, noticing a small, dark owl upon the floor and a large hole in the Common Room window. He shook his head and muttered, "Merlin! When will he get rid of you?" The owl stood slowly, a piece of rolled parchement upon his left leg. Draco strode to the jittery bird and knelt to grab it.
The bird squeaked noisily and snapped at his finger, leapt into the air and flew towards the entrance of the room. "You pesky little--!" Draco turned but found himself shocked as Ophelia stood within the doorway, the ash colored owl perched quaintly upon her small shoulder. She arched a brow and stroked the owl's breast feathers, watching it cock its head lovingly to nibble gentley upon her ear lobe.
"You're not pesky, now are you Corrin?" She asked the bird, who nudged her cheek with his beak in reply. Ophelia slowly untied the parchement from his leg and gave him a pat. The bird then took off once again, this time towards the owlery for food and rest. "He's just picky." She nods and unrolls the weathered paper, reading the elegant writing with narrowed eyes aloud, "Ophelia - I'm writing you to welcome you home. I hope your stay in Salem was decent, sorry to hear about your dismissal from the school, I find you'll like it better at Hogwarts. I have business for you -- yadda yadda yadda..." She stopped and crumbled the paper within her palms.
"Please send an owl to your father clearly stating I will never do business with the likes of him again." She muttered, glancing up to find Draco's face still in a state of shock.
"You know my father?" He sneered slightly, cocking his head to the side as he glanced down at his bleeding finger, putting it to his lips in hopes to ease the pain.
Ophelia furrowed her brows and nodded, sauntering to the quiet Draco and taking his hand, glancing at the wound. "He's got quite the bite. Caught me in the ear once, hurt for days." She nodded solemnly and drug him slowly to the couch, seated him and then sat beside him, his hand still being inspected by her cold eyes.
"Don't change the subject. How do you know my father?" Draco went to pull away his hand defensively, but she held tight, and drew her cold fingertips over the opening of the cut. She watched him wince as she did so, but afterwards, she let go. His finger hand been healed by her touch and he was slightly amazed, even though still annoyed with the fact that she hadn't told him.
She smiled sweetly and stood from the couch, gesturing to the door, "Everyone is already down in the hall, I believe we should go." Her voice was but a whisper as she opened the entrance and tilted her head, "Coming?"
Draco snorted in an irritated fashion and muttered, "Not hungry."
"Suit yourself.." Ophelia nodded and slipped through the common room entrance and out of his sight.p
Draco sat silent, the curiousity of this mysterious girl banging in the dust at the back of his skull, leaving the sound to echo through the hollow cavity of his chest. He shifted, and then noticed something. She had left his father's letter in a ball upon the couch. He leaned over and scooped it up, glancing about to make sure he wasn't being watched, and then slowly opened the elegantly written note.
My Dearest Ophelia -
I'm writing you to welcome you home. I hope your stay in Salem was decent, sorry to here about your dismissal from the school, I find you'll like it better at Hogwarts. I have business for you. I'm in need of several black market items and I know you can get them for me. Oh my Ophelia, how I've missed you so. I can't wait to see you... and to hold you within my arms once again.
- Yours Always
Lucius Malfoy
Draco stared in disbelief. ".. and to hold you in my arms once again?" He stood and bolted for the door, slamming through stacks of books and out the entrance. His face was red with anger as he took the stairs two at a time, almost falling over his own feet. He saw her there, wandering through the corridor and towards the great hall.
Ophelia had rounded the corner and stood quietly at the entrance of the dining hall. She glanced to the starry ceiling and felt her cheeks warm. It was quite lovely, like the Salem skies at night. Just how she had imagined it. She was ready to seat herself when a sweaty and trembling hand grabbed her by the wrist and tugged her from the arched doorway, slamming her into the wall.
She fought and went to yell when a hand was slapped firmly over her lips, "Don't you scream," came a familiar voice from the shadows. Ophelia saw the outline of silver eyes and light hair, along with the pale skin of the boy she had only earlier left to his own devices. Her eyes went wide, and he could see a certain burn of fear enter her gorgeous pools of green. He restrained her by the wrist and she finally gave up the fight. He had removed his hand from her mouth and she drew away, wincing painfully as she once again tried to fight herself free.
"What do you want from me? Let me go you rat faced bast--" She went to finish her insult but a warm hand slapped her in the face. Draco drew back suddenly and turned his head, planting his hands on his hips, a bit surprised that he had done that. "You're just like your father!" She yelped as she fell to the ground, holding her reddening cheek.
"You know nothing of my father!" He growled, lurching in as if to hit her again, but backed away suddenly, trying to control his fit of rage.
"I know more than you..." She hissed out, her emerald eyes flickered in the darkness as she leaned into the wall, sweat pouring from her brow.
"I know who you are." Draco said lowly, as if it were a dirty statement. "You're the reason my mother hates my father. You had an affair with him when you were younger. Before you recieved your powers. Before you became the heir of the Soceress of the Snake!" He paced angrily, his footsteps heavy.
Ophelia breathed roughly, closed her eyes and sulked to the floor. "You know nothing..." she whispered chokily, hands trembling against the hem of her robe as she drew it around her weakening body.
"Well then tell me damnit! Tell me WHY!" Draco yelled, throwing his fist at the wall above her head. Ophelia winced at the sound of cracking bones... yet Draco seemed too angry to notice.
"Because he is still in love with me..." She whispered, falling faint. "They took me away... he sent me away... because I would not love him." Draco stood utterly still, his eyes narrowing, his brow was sweaty and his throat dry. He stared, begging Merlin that she'd go on. "He taught me everything... everything there was to know about magic and wizarding world. And when I couldn't repay him, he sent me away... to the other world."
Ophelia's bangs had been plastered to her forehead, she looked rather pathetic lying there below him, defeated. "You Malfoys... you make me so weak..." She whispered and went to stand on her unsteady two feet, only to fall into Draco, who unwilling caught her.
Draco stood still as she clung childishly to his robes, his eyes wandering along her frame and too his hands which held her protectively at her back. Her tiny body seemed to melt into his and she smelled of sweet lilacs in summer. Her prescense was overpowering to him, he found it exhillarating. Her tiny, pale skinned hands gripped the front of his robes as she fell once again limp.
"Ophelia...?" He whispered, his eyes narrowing. "Ophelia wake up.." He whispered, giving her a gentle shake. He frowned and bent his knees, scooping up her legs and cradling her in his arms. He moved slowly, towards the steps and upstairs to the Slytherin common room once again.
He gentley laid her upon his own bed as he reached the sixth year Slytherin boys chambers, drawing the sheets up around her dew covered body. He sat upon his trunk beside the bed, brows furrowed as he watch her in sheer silence.
If what she had said was true... if his father was in love with her, a seventeen year old witch, still in school... then what of his mother? That was why she went pale so many years ago? Lost her pep? Her spark? Her life? This fragile yet fierce soul that slept so soundly in his bed scared him greatly. Perhaps that was because his father had already claimed her.
Draco sat still for the remainder of the night, attempting to mend the few bones he hand damaged in his hand. Forgetting dinner. Forgetting to send an owl to his father. Instead he watched her toss and turn. He watched her expressions change as she slept. Perhaps she was dreaming? But what of? He would ask her at dawn's break.
Draco stood silent before the flickering flame of the Slytherin Common Room fireplace. His silver eyes glazed over as he entered a deep trance of thought, fingertips at his chin tapping away mechanically. 'She's got secrets.' He thought, narrowing his eyes, 'And I will know them.' He had remembered the name deMonte from somewhere, though he wasn't quite sure where. But he knew the name. He moved suddenly and wandered to the desk at the center of the room, sat in the plush seat and removed a piece of parchement from the center drawer.
He snatched up the quill that lay upon the desk, dipped it into the ink jar and tilted his head. His fingertips moved gracefully along the yellowed paper, eyes narrowing as he bit his lip in thought.
Father -
A new student has come to school and I believe I know her from somewhere. She carries the name deMonte and is of course, a Slytherin now. She seems to be rather powerful, and I've found that she can carry on wandless magic. Ophelia deMonte. Do you know of her?
- Draco
He stopped and stared at his writing. It wasn't often that he would write his father; his father probably knew of the girl already anyhow. How could he not? He stood, on his way to the owlery when suddenly he heard the shattering of glass. He jumped slightly and turned his head, noticing a small, dark owl upon the floor and a large hole in the Common Room window. He shook his head and muttered, "Merlin! When will he get rid of you?" The owl stood slowly, a piece of rolled parchement upon his left leg. Draco strode to the jittery bird and knelt to grab it.
The bird squeaked noisily and snapped at his finger, leapt into the air and flew towards the entrance of the room. "You pesky little--!" Draco turned but found himself shocked as Ophelia stood within the doorway, the ash colored owl perched quaintly upon her small shoulder. She arched a brow and stroked the owl's breast feathers, watching it cock its head lovingly to nibble gentley upon her ear lobe.
"You're not pesky, now are you Corrin?" She asked the bird, who nudged her cheek with his beak in reply. Ophelia slowly untied the parchement from his leg and gave him a pat. The bird then took off once again, this time towards the owlery for food and rest. "He's just picky." She nods and unrolls the weathered paper, reading the elegant writing with narrowed eyes aloud, "Ophelia - I'm writing you to welcome you home. I hope your stay in Salem was decent, sorry to hear about your dismissal from the school, I find you'll like it better at Hogwarts. I have business for you -- yadda yadda yadda..." She stopped and crumbled the paper within her palms.
"Please send an owl to your father clearly stating I will never do business with the likes of him again." She muttered, glancing up to find Draco's face still in a state of shock.
"You know my father?" He sneered slightly, cocking his head to the side as he glanced down at his bleeding finger, putting it to his lips in hopes to ease the pain.
Ophelia furrowed her brows and nodded, sauntering to the quiet Draco and taking his hand, glancing at the wound. "He's got quite the bite. Caught me in the ear once, hurt for days." She nodded solemnly and drug him slowly to the couch, seated him and then sat beside him, his hand still being inspected by her cold eyes.
"Don't change the subject. How do you know my father?" Draco went to pull away his hand defensively, but she held tight, and drew her cold fingertips over the opening of the cut. She watched him wince as she did so, but afterwards, she let go. His finger hand been healed by her touch and he was slightly amazed, even though still annoyed with the fact that she hadn't told him.
She smiled sweetly and stood from the couch, gesturing to the door, "Everyone is already down in the hall, I believe we should go." Her voice was but a whisper as she opened the entrance and tilted her head, "Coming?"
Draco snorted in an irritated fashion and muttered, "Not hungry."
"Suit yourself.." Ophelia nodded and slipped through the common room entrance and out of his sight.p
Draco sat silent, the curiousity of this mysterious girl banging in the dust at the back of his skull, leaving the sound to echo through the hollow cavity of his chest. He shifted, and then noticed something. She had left his father's letter in a ball upon the couch. He leaned over and scooped it up, glancing about to make sure he wasn't being watched, and then slowly opened the elegantly written note.
My Dearest Ophelia -
I'm writing you to welcome you home. I hope your stay in Salem was decent, sorry to here about your dismissal from the school, I find you'll like it better at Hogwarts. I have business for you. I'm in need of several black market items and I know you can get them for me. Oh my Ophelia, how I've missed you so. I can't wait to see you... and to hold you within my arms once again.
- Yours Always
Lucius Malfoy
Draco stared in disbelief. ".. and to hold you in my arms once again?" He stood and bolted for the door, slamming through stacks of books and out the entrance. His face was red with anger as he took the stairs two at a time, almost falling over his own feet. He saw her there, wandering through the corridor and towards the great hall.
Ophelia had rounded the corner and stood quietly at the entrance of the dining hall. She glanced to the starry ceiling and felt her cheeks warm. It was quite lovely, like the Salem skies at night. Just how she had imagined it. She was ready to seat herself when a sweaty and trembling hand grabbed her by the wrist and tugged her from the arched doorway, slamming her into the wall.
She fought and went to yell when a hand was slapped firmly over her lips, "Don't you scream," came a familiar voice from the shadows. Ophelia saw the outline of silver eyes and light hair, along with the pale skin of the boy she had only earlier left to his own devices. Her eyes went wide, and he could see a certain burn of fear enter her gorgeous pools of green. He restrained her by the wrist and she finally gave up the fight. He had removed his hand from her mouth and she drew away, wincing painfully as she once again tried to fight herself free.
"What do you want from me? Let me go you rat faced bast--" She went to finish her insult but a warm hand slapped her in the face. Draco drew back suddenly and turned his head, planting his hands on his hips, a bit surprised that he had done that. "You're just like your father!" She yelped as she fell to the ground, holding her reddening cheek.
"You know nothing of my father!" He growled, lurching in as if to hit her again, but backed away suddenly, trying to control his fit of rage.
"I know more than you..." She hissed out, her emerald eyes flickered in the darkness as she leaned into the wall, sweat pouring from her brow.
"I know who you are." Draco said lowly, as if it were a dirty statement. "You're the reason my mother hates my father. You had an affair with him when you were younger. Before you recieved your powers. Before you became the heir of the Soceress of the Snake!" He paced angrily, his footsteps heavy.
Ophelia breathed roughly, closed her eyes and sulked to the floor. "You know nothing..." she whispered chokily, hands trembling against the hem of her robe as she drew it around her weakening body.
"Well then tell me damnit! Tell me WHY!" Draco yelled, throwing his fist at the wall above her head. Ophelia winced at the sound of cracking bones... yet Draco seemed too angry to notice.
"Because he is still in love with me..." She whispered, falling faint. "They took me away... he sent me away... because I would not love him." Draco stood utterly still, his eyes narrowing, his brow was sweaty and his throat dry. He stared, begging Merlin that she'd go on. "He taught me everything... everything there was to know about magic and wizarding world. And when I couldn't repay him, he sent me away... to the other world."
Ophelia's bangs had been plastered to her forehead, she looked rather pathetic lying there below him, defeated. "You Malfoys... you make me so weak..." She whispered and went to stand on her unsteady two feet, only to fall into Draco, who unwilling caught her.
Draco stood still as she clung childishly to his robes, his eyes wandering along her frame and too his hands which held her protectively at her back. Her tiny body seemed to melt into his and she smelled of sweet lilacs in summer. Her prescense was overpowering to him, he found it exhillarating. Her tiny, pale skinned hands gripped the front of his robes as she fell once again limp.
"Ophelia...?" He whispered, his eyes narrowing. "Ophelia wake up.." He whispered, giving her a gentle shake. He frowned and bent his knees, scooping up her legs and cradling her in his arms. He moved slowly, towards the steps and upstairs to the Slytherin common room once again.
He gentley laid her upon his own bed as he reached the sixth year Slytherin boys chambers, drawing the sheets up around her dew covered body. He sat upon his trunk beside the bed, brows furrowed as he watch her in sheer silence.
If what she had said was true... if his father was in love with her, a seventeen year old witch, still in school... then what of his mother? That was why she went pale so many years ago? Lost her pep? Her spark? Her life? This fragile yet fierce soul that slept so soundly in his bed scared him greatly. Perhaps that was because his father had already claimed her.
Draco sat still for the remainder of the night, attempting to mend the few bones he hand damaged in his hand. Forgetting dinner. Forgetting to send an owl to his father. Instead he watched her toss and turn. He watched her expressions change as she slept. Perhaps she was dreaming? But what of? He would ask her at dawn's break.