Chapter 50

As Draco Malfoy took Floo Powder out of the little jar on Autumn Lewis's fireplace to Floo home, his mind was way too busy to think about the bumping and the noises coming out of Autumn's closet about 20 paces away from him. All he could think about was how disappointed he was and mad at himself, as what he had done to Susan. Draco had betrayed her, although they weren't exactly dating and as yesterday had turned out it seemed as if their relationship was a word of the past. Draco was so confused, he couldn't believe that he'd done this. Draco on the other hand, didn't give a damn about Autumn, or any other girl...he wanted Susan so badly and now it looked impossible. Draco finally got into the Malfoy Manor in London, and he didn't have to worry about getting an ear full from his father. Frankly Lucius Malfoy didn't give a damn what his son, his only heir did, only to keep the family line Purebloods Only. Besides, most likely his father had his mistress upstairs with him, and hadn't even noticed that Draco had been gone all night.

As he entered his side of the house, the whole east wing, he entered his huge bedroom, to find that beautiful owl that his lovely Susan owned. Susan's owl was sitting upon his bed with her parcel tied to her leg, eyeballing Draco and his eagle own his mother had gotten him as a present to going to Hogwarts, instead of Durmstag, like his father had wanted out of him. Draco walked to the bed and untied the owl, leg from his parcel that was obvious from her, patted heron the head and began to read his letter. And the letter said:

My dearest Draco,

I didn't mean to offend you yesterday, I'm just so worried about everything, and your father. Lucius was able to kill the only woman he'd ever loved, plus so many others. I just don't want the same end that your mum and your stepfather came to. I want to feel the connection we have for one another, forever. Everything is so crazy right now. Arabella and Sirius are still taking care of David, planning for the wedding, and getting ready for all of us to stay with her. I told Adora about your father saying that you could spend the summer with us, I still think this is unbelievable. They still haven't been able to find Cho. So did you have fun at Autumn's party? If you ended up kissing a girl or whatever, I understand although I don't encourage it, because we'd had a fight and you were probably confused if we were still talking or not. Draco, I don't know what to think of us. Maybe this summer will come to tell. Please forgive me for yesterday, I really do care for you.

Always,
Susan


Draco felt as if he'd just been kicked in the stomach how could she be so beautiful, considerate, and think this was all her fault. Draco had to come forward and told Susan what had happened the night before, before Autumn was able to, whether she left him or not.

Dear Susan,

Please don't think this fight was your fault, it's mine for jumping to things. We really need to talk about what had happened the last night, with us, and at the party. You might hate me now, and never care for me again but we've got to talk. I need to go now, I hear my father coming with Catarina, his mistress, and I really don't want him to know that I'm betraying him by still talking to you. Can't wait to see you.

Draco

As the next few days passed the fifth and seventh years awaited the day when their results from their O.W.L.s came in or their N.E.W.T.s. Finally the day came during breakfast, when a ton of owls came down, and Hedwig came to bring three parcels, and Susan's owl one.

Harry opened up his and gave Adora and Ron theirs. Harry couldn't believe his eyes! He'd gotten an O in Transfiguration, an A in History of Magic, an O in Charms, an O in Defense Against the Dark Arts, a D in Divination, an A in Care of the Magical Creatures, and believe it or not an O in Potions. Ron had gotten about the same marks as Harry, and of course Adora got all O's in all her classes. They all looked to Susan now for her response, and she blushed.

"Well, I got an O in Transfiguration, an O in Charms, an E in History of Magic, an E in Arithmacy, an E in Care of the Magical Creatures, and an E in Potions." Susan said with a big smile on her face.

"Wait to go, Susan!" Adora said hyped up, "She did way better than you Harry!" She laughed out.

"Yea, yea. Wait to go little tyke," Harry laughed at his twin sister.

Ginny slid in the seat between Harry and Susan, and gave him a kiss on his cheek. Then turned to Susan. "Your owl is back with a letter on it." Susan blushed and looked to see her owl had brought her another letter and she got up and ran outside to read it before Harry began to question her.

Dumbledore stood up and announced to the whole school at breakfast that morning, "Because of all the great scores from the fifth and seventh years there will be a dance tonight. Fourth years and up, beginning at 8pm and ending at midnight. And, because you all need to get ready for tonight, classes are canceled!" Everyone in the Great Hall cheered, except Adora who groaned. But, in the end was grateful to be able to get ready and take her time. As everyone began to get up Dumbledore announced that again tonight, like their last ball will be a mask, and to have a nice day.

As Bridget ran up to the girls dormitories she ran up to her sister's room, as Susan was the only one in there reading a letter that, Susan's owl, had brought her. Susan looked up at her little sister as she entered the room, "Can I help you with something?"

Bridget nodded, "You missed the announcements at breakfast so I thought I'd tell you what Dumbledore told us." Susan nodded for Bridget to go on, so she did. "Professor Dumbledore announced that since all the fifth and seventh years did so well on your tests, that there will be another ball tonight, but masked. Thought you'd want to know so you can have a date, with that boy that you talk to that doesn't go to our school." Bridget winked at her older sister.

Susan stood up, "How do you know about him!"

"All I know is that he doesn't go here and your always writing him," Bridget staggered back. Susan nodded and Bridget left the room.

"Lucius," a calm cold voice said from a large hunter green drawn up chair. "Come in, we must talk of our next attack." Lucius Malfoy walked in wondering would this be an attack on muggles, unsuspecting wizards and witches, The Order of The Phoenix, or of the new Minister of Magic, Sirius Black. Lucius sat down and watch the back of his master's chair to find out his next mission. Voldemort went on, " I want you, Goyle, Crabbe, The Lestranges, and MacNair to go on this one, and I want absolute no screw ups." Lucius nodded, and Voldemort went on. "I don't want you buckets of scum back, until you've got her kidnapped, unharmed, and bring back to me. Pick up the picture beside the table to your chair, that's the girl you will take from Hogwarts, tonight." Lucius picked up the picture and saw the very beautiful girl, and knew instantly what kind of mission this one was.

"Yes, sir. I understand what kind of mission this is. When we bring her back here, where do you want us to bring her?"

There was an eerie silence, and then that cold laugh began to erupt from Voldemort's mouth. "Bring her to me, then we will decide. Make sure that Draco is at home tonight, and has nothing to do with any of that horrible Potter spawn he hangs out with. He'll be a good Death Eater soon, and I want him in shape when he will join us next year." Lucius nodded and left with a familiar 'Pop!'

There was a knock on the study door, "Who is it now?" Voldemort hissed.

"Father, it is me." Autumn said waiting outside of the door.

"Go away, I am busy right now. I don't have time for your little teenage crap." Autumn looked at the door disgusted there was no way he was going to talk to her like that, it was bad enough almost all of her life he was a no show, so she just open the door and entered her father's study. "I thought I told you to stay out!" Voldemort hissed, a hiss that scared everyone but her.

"I don't care," Autumn stated simply. "I have some news for you about the kidnapping tonight." Voldemort rose from his chair to meet his daughter face to face, what did this silly fifteen year old girl know that he didn't. Autumn smiled at him in triumph, she'd finally beat him out of his own game.

"Spit it out, then."

"Hogwarts, is having a dance tonight. Crabbe just owled me, asking if I'd attend, that it was a mask, so no one would recognize me. That Millicent and Goyle are attending together, since Draco won't go with any girls from school since he seems to fancy someone else, question is who? Anyways, I was coming to ask you if could go with Crabbe tonight to the ball?"

"Only," Voldemort began after his daughter talked for what seemed ages. "And if only you swear to keep you and all your friends out of the gardens tonight." Autumn whimpered, but he went on. "Some of my Death Eaters are going to be abducting a girl from Hogwarts tonight, so again I repeat, stay away from the gardens. If you and your friends want a shag, just go somewhere else, but the gardens. Got it?" Autumn nodded and left the study.

'Oh, little kind little virgin, you are going to get it tonight!' Autumn giggled to herself and went up to her wing of the house to get ready for her date at the mask ball tonight.

As all of the students were finishing getting ready, seven that evening had snuck up on the young Potters and Weasleys. They all agreed to meet in the Common Room at seven sharp. Ron was dressed up in a tux with fake blood and guts all over it and a crown. Adora would be in a Prom dress looking as if she'd been ran over by a car, with also a crown and an elegant purple mask on, they were going as Dead Prom King and Queen. Something Adora had read about in a muggle book. Bridget came down in a fairy costume with an elegant white feathery mask on, and she was going with Blaise Zambini, from Slytherin House. Blaise was going as a knight and he'd have his visor up with a gray mask. Susan was dressed up in a Medieval Dress that screamed Juliet, in brilliant green that made her sparkling eyes pop.

Ron and Adora looked from one to the other amazed, as deadly as they did look, they did look very good. Bridget did like the Fairy outfit Arabella had suggested her to wear. Everyone agreed that Susan looked totally beautiful, and all the friends were 'oohing' and 'ahhing' over here until Harry and Ginny came down their opposite stairways into the common room, they looked like ghosts. Looked totally good, but looked like a very familiar couple that had died a centaury ago. They looked like Godric and Aurora Gryffindor. Harry was dressed up as Godric Gryffindor with a scarlet mask on, he had on black dress pants and a black shirt with a scarlet vest that had a lion design on it. Ginny was dressed up as Cassandra Sage Gryffindor, with a Medieval Scarlet Gown on with a matching cloak. Adora ran over to them, the rest of the crew followed her as Harry and Ginny interlocked arms.

"Do you have any clue who you two look like!" Adora hissed, looking very worried.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other and shrugged and turned back to Adora, she sighed as they weren't picking this up. "You both look like our bloody dead ancestors! Godric and Aurora Gryffindor! Did you plan to look like this! Because if you didn't I guarantee you that everyone else in our house has noticed!"

Harry and Ginny laughed at Adora, and Ginny spoke. "Of course we planned this. We're so sick and tired of people looking at us in awe, because we look a little like Cassandra and Godric, and also like James and Lily. So we're taking all their awe in a complement and were going to look good and like them."

"Yeah," Harry chuckled. "Going Easy Street!"

Adora sighed with distaste, "Quit quoting that awful Muggle Musical, Annie!" Harry shook his head like, 'Oh my will she let that show go!' Ginny, Ron, Susan, and Bridget on the other hand were totally confused.

"Can we just go down to the Great Hall, and wait for them to open up the doors!" Harry said irritated with Adora, and couldn't wait to get away from her. "It's now seven thirty, and you know how much of a crowd it's going to be already."

"Just because your ready to get rid of me, and hate that I'm always lecturing you doesn't mean I can't read your mind and know exactly what your thinking HARRY JAMES POTTER!" Adora yelled at him, "Come on Ron, lets go before I irritate Harry anymore. Good luck, with him Ginny, you'll need it!" Adora grabbed Ron by the arm and stormed out of the Gryffindor Common Room.

"I wish you'd quit reading my bloody mind!" Harry yelled back at her, and he turned to his fiancée', changed his tone. "Come on, love let's go."

After Harry and Adora had made there ways out of the Common Room, Bridget turned to the only Potter, she thought sane. "And, we're suppose to be happy to be related to this crazy people who yell at one another, almost every other day?"

Susan laughed at how scared Bridget looked, "Yes. But, even though they yell at each other all the time, they still love one another. Trust me, I was really scared at first too, but you come to love them." Susan paused, "Who are you going to the ball with?"

"Blaise Zambini." Bridget replied with a cunning smile that looked only so familiar, of Harry's when he was doing something he shouldn't be. "You don't think Harry will be mad, you know as I'm going with a Slytherin?"

Susan chuckled at what was she hoped her younger sister, "Who cares. Harry might be a little ticked off, but as long as you like Blaise and he's a nice guy to you. Just tell Harry that he's being a git, and it's your life and it's none of Harry's business if your with a Slytherin or not. Actually, I've come to find that not all Slytherin's are arseholes."

"So," Bridget looked around to make sure no one was listening. "Who are you going to the ball with?"

"Never you mind," Susan said starting to blush and having a look on her face far from angelic. "Let's go down stairs to meet our dates," Bridget nodded and they went on their way.

As Draco had finally gotten into the outrageous outfit Susan and told him to wear, he looked at himself and thought, "I've got to be a freaking idiot!" 'No,' his inner voice said to him. 'You are just in love with her. If I was in love with her I'd have never slept with Autumn!' He yelled back at himself, 'You are just in denial.' His inner voice laughed at him, but before Draco could argue back again he heard his father yell:

"Draco!"

"Oh shit! Defflendo!" Draco said to make his costume look to his father and his father's mistress like his regular clothes. There was a knock on his door, "Enter." Draco said lazily.

Lucius came into his son's very tidy room, the house-elves must have finally come in to clean it. "Where are you going tonight?"

Draco looked taken back by his father, Lucius had never in all of Draco's life asked where he'd be at. "Um, I don't know around."

"Do not go to Hogwarts tonight."

'How did he know?' Draco asked himself perplexed, "Okay, like I'd go there anyway. But, if I wanted to why can't I?"

"Because I said!" Lucius roared.

"I was just asking, like I'd actually go there. I'll probably go around Diagon and Knockturn Alley, ok? Get me some Butterbeer. I should be home about midnight, or a little later, ok?" Lucius nodded and left.

'What is up with him? He never cares where I am, and I don't give a damn about what he says. I promised Susan I'd go with her to that Ball, and I owe it to her. I have to tell her tonight about what happened with Autumn and me, I can't keep living this lie!' With that he walked over to his fireplace and threw some Floo Powder into the fireplace and yelled out, "The Three Broomsticks!"

Eight o'clock had just ran on the big grandfather clock and Susan stood beside the spiral staircase and watched all her friends go in while she waited on Draco. There was Harry and Ginny, Ron and Adora, Blaise and Bridget, Seamus and Lavender, Dean and Pavarti, Neville and Padma, Ernie and Hannah, and then there were couples that just made her about barf. Say for instance Millicent and Goyle! Millicent and Goyle were dressed up as Clowns, much to Millicent's disappointment, they didn't need masks because of their make-up. Then Crabbe was with this girl who was dressed up as a cat all in black with of course a black mask, and Crabbe as a mouse with of course a gray mask.

Five minutes after eight passed by, and then ten, and Susan was really starting to think that Draco had ditched her. Susan had been so stupid to believe that he'd actually...

Then there he was in all his glory, Draco was dressed up as Romeo with a black mask on, and his blond hair slicked back, as usual. In Susan's opinion, there could be a man no more handsome than the one in front of her. "Sorry, I'm late," Draco whispered in her ear, she shook her head no. "Please don't be mad at me."

Susan looked up at him when brilliant green met gray. Susan was holding back tears through her brilliant green mask, "I'm not mad. You should be mad at me for the way I acted the other day, I'm just so happy your here."

"Look, you might be mad when I tell you something. Do you think we could go out to the gardens and talk, if I don't tell you this I think I might explode." Susan nodded and they went outside to talk.

"You, y-you slept with...w-with her!" Susan felt as if her heart had just been ripped in half.

"Susan, I'm so, so sorry. I was so messed up, I'd had so much to drink. I know it's not a good excuse, but I'm just telling you know. I know I messed up really bad, and if you never want anything to do with me ever again. I understand."

Susan looked up into those gray eyes that she adored, and didn't know what to do. "Draco, I'm so confused...I just don't know. I mean I know we aren't together, but I mean...I really deeply care for you and..."

"I care for you, too. Look if you want me to leave I will." Draco began to get up, but Susan grabbed his arm.

"No, please stay. Just give me some time to think, will you?"

Draco kissed her cheek, "Of course. Take all the time you need."