Series: Mysral Order

Title: "Ice Melting Bronze"

Author: Cryla Moorin

Pairing: Draco Malfoy and Arachnia Meehan De Lindsay

Draco entered the Slytherin Common Room, sweeping past the gaggle ofviscious Deatheater-wanna-bes. He ignored Pansy Parkinson's obvious entreaty to come play with her in the nearest broom closet. Inside, he shuddered violently, feeling distinctly ill. Outside, he coldly walked away; none of his inner turmoil gracing his icily handsome face.

A pair of sad, orange eyes followed the enigmatic prince. Thier soft voice murmured his name. Closing her book, Arachnia nodded to her twin brother, Aidan, before following her ice prince. Arriving at the Prefects' door, she raised her hand to knock, only to stop as the pain he felt at casting the silencing charm washed over her. That pain had become a tangible entity, with the addition of the charm's energy. A tear slipped from her eye, as Draco exited the room nearly walking over her.

Silence ensued, enveloping them in a warm caccoon that blotted out the hatred and betrayal raging around them in the tower. As time slowed, Draco lifted his hand, carefully caressing away her tear. She looked deeply into his eyes, those icy pools which reminded her sharply of the barren ice fjords she had seen in Norway. Starkly beautiful and so painful, they broke your heart. Those eyes widened slightly, as Arachnia brought a hand to clasp the one caressing her so intimately.

She could see he was fighting an inner battle, his eyes darkening, as his breathing hitched. Turning her face into his hand, she softly placed a kiss on his warm palm.

Her actions spoke of a familiarity that he had never before

experienced; he was only truly meeting her now. At the Feast, he knew her instantly, the moment her eyes met his, a searing awareness shot through him, like dark lightning, 'She was his.' For a moment, he had been afraid she would be sorted into Gryffindor; she had courage, Loyalty, intelligence, charisma, and by the look of her hands, wasn't afraid of hard work. She could go to any house. But then that talking hat, had stated something extraordinary. "No house!" She couldn't be sorted. The hat simply didn't know where to place her. She had gone with her brother, Aidan, who Draco had found out later was her twin, placing her in Slytherin. She was bookish, keeping to herself, or watching him.

Arachnia knew he was her mate, no matter what happened, she was

bound by destiny and the gods to love this Ice Prince for all time. 'He is mine.' Instantly, she had grown jealous of Pansy Parkinson, who was hanging all over her beloved. Deciding it was best for all concerned, she merely stayed in the background, completing her assignments and only talking with the other "exchange students: the Potters, and the Lindsays." The Potters, Morgana and Jessica, had taken Ravenclaw. The Lindsays, Bastian and Kaylariana, had taken Gryffindor to be close to Harry. She and Aidan had taken Slytherin. She hadn't minded once she saw her beloved, but in the beginning was peeved that Aidan still wanted to show up Bastian.

She shifted closer to Draco, feeling herself compelled to be nearer to him. Feeling his other arm wrap itself around her waist, she simply gave up resisting him. She placed a hand on his heart, as if to reassure, for some reason, that he was alive and there. His heart began to beat faster, as her little hand with a ring of aquine diamond, the exact color of his haunting eyes, slid up over his chest and to his neck, where she raked those graceful fingers, caressing his corded neck muscles. Draco felt himself arch into the caress, a low rumble forming in his chest. Having her in his arms felt so right, especially here, in the faint light of the New Moon, with the loving darkness all around them. He knew he had to pull her closer, to feel her heart beating against his. Nothing else mattered in that moment, not Tom Riddle, not his father's viscious lunacy and, definately, not Potter. He let out a murmuring sigh, "Ara."

Arachnia looked up slowly. "No one, but my beloved, in my dreams, has ever called me that."

He felt something slide free, and another something fall into

place. "You are the one, I know as Ara. Eyes that break my heart, but

even in my darkest moments make me open myself to love."

She laid her head against his chest, slipping her other arm around his waist and holding him tightly. 'He's definately dream guy material.' That random thought made her giggle, it sounded just like her mother.

At the sound of the tiny tinkling bell, he brought her face up to see what made her laugh. He arched an eyebrow at her small smile.

"I just had a random and stupid thought."

"You're thoughts aren't stupid." He chided; he knew she had always been unaware of her intelligence.

She smiled all the more. "I was thinking just now that you are

definately 'dream guy material'."

Her blunt statement caused a laugh to rumble in his chest. "Good, because you happen to be 'Fantasy material' yourself, little girl." He flicked a finger down her nose, as she scrunched it at being called a 'little girl', even if it was true.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Jerk."

"I am offended; now, you have to apologize." His eyes glittered with untold mischeif.

She scowled, "What do you have in mind, Milord Jerk?"

"Hmm, servant. I think there are two punishments perfect for the crime..."

She gulped, that look in his eyes never meant anything too good. "And those would be?"

Looking straight into her fathomless eyes, he leaned his head

forward, until his breath caressed her ear. "I could..."

"Yes?" Her breath sighed out of her as she shivered.

"Make you kiss me infront of the entire school, at dinner tonight, in the Great Hall." His voice shook a little with repressed laughter.

She reared back and blinked her, now, very wide eyes.

He yanked her back into his arms. "Or I could just tickle you until you apologize, for destroying my ego." With that said, he began to tickle her, quickly running his fingers over her back, under her arms, and over her stomach.

She laughed until she cried, then kept on laughing.

"Do you yeild, fair maiden?"

"Never!" She pushed at him, and ran into the common room, Draco hot on her heels.

"Stand still and take your punishment like a good spider, Ara!" He taunted, while leaping over the sofa, in time to watch her round one of the Emerald green chairs, before the cheerful fire.

"Like a good spider? Somebody has way too much ego, Ferret-boy!"

His eyes darkened at the memory, but then, amazingly, he laughed. "Come back and fight like a man, Wench!"

"Darling, if I were a man we wouldn't have this conversation!"

"Thank Goddess for that."

To everyone in the Slytherin Common Room, it looked like Draco

Malfoy had finally lost his mind. He was chasing after an eleven-year-old girl, trading insults and laughing at her taunts. Normally, she would have been dead. It seemed like he was playing with her and enjoying himself, immensely, leaping over furniture and people, even throwing hexes at her, and her playfully battling back with her own.

Snape entered the room to hear to voices, one of them was Malfoy's brat, but the other the professor didn't know. The two were seemingly duelling and having a grand old time of it, while hurling insults at each other. After laughing under his breath, as Malfoy laughed off 'Ferret-boy', again, Snape called a halt, "Both of you in my office now, and I am taking 10 points each for duelling out of the classroom!" He noticed the two were still laughing as they left.