Author: The*Spangled*Pandemonium

Title: In the Hands of the Gods

Chapter Title: And Wailing went the Weather

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Draco:

My black robes brushed against my knees with a soft, whispery sound. I was in my Slytherin dorm room, pacing the cold stone floor fitfully. The great fireplace shed only a pitiful light on the darkness of the chamber.

I couldn't take this! I could not, and would not let this happen! I, Draco Malfoy, the only son of Hogwarts's most generous benefactor, was being paired with a filthy Mudblood in the biggest project of the year! It was ridiculous! Dumbledore knew perfectly well what my reaction to this disgrace would be, and he still assigned Granger and I as partners!

I had written to my father right after that terrible assembly, and he still did not reply to my owl. It was already 7:30 in the evening, and tomorrow would have to be my first day working together with…her.

I needed to react quickly, before it got too late for us to exchange partners. Evidently, I couldn't get my father to scrounge up a quick response. I'd have to take that matter into my own hands, at least for a little while.

I walked to the door of my room and shut it with a faint click. Though I wanted to slam the door loudly, expressing the glove of irritation covering my mind, I didn't want everyone to know I was leaving. This would have to be kept silent.

I was out of the Slytherin common room and marching down the corridors of Hogwarts in a matter of seconds.

Knowing Granger, she'd probably be in the library getting early information for a project that I would not be a part of.  So that was where I was headed. I ate up the floor with my long legs, but each step I took was filled with great reluctance. I didn't want to talk to her, damn it! I didn't even want to be in the same room as her! But… We'd have to make a deal with each other, since we both plainly hated how destiny had toyed with us.

As I neared the entrance to the library, the intricately carved doors opened, and out came the person I was looking for. Granger's full lips were pressed together in annoyance, and a slight frown lay between those eyebrows. Obviously, she was as unhappy about seeing me as I was to her. Her expression mirrored my own.

"We need to get out of this." She said determinedly as I neared her. Her hazel eyes shined in the torchlight as she looked everywhere but my face. "I don't know what they were thinking of when they placed us together."

You're not the only one.

"I told my father about this mess. He'll get me out of this, when he find out who I'm paired with." I sneered disdainfully at her. "I just need an agreement from your part."

She shoved her thick mane of brown hair behind her shoulders and glared at me, "I don't need his help. I'm not going to go as low as to ask Lucius to get me out of this."

The way she said my father's name with such disrespect and scorn both enraged me, and…it interested me. So few people were willing to show insolence to my family's name.

She must have gotten that habit from Potter.

After thinking about my nemesis, I stiffened and my eyes turned into hard, cold, ice shards. I didn't need this crap from a person who was so undoubtedly not worthy of my time.

"I'm not asking you to do this, Granger, I'm telling you."

Her brown eyes flashed, and she raised her voice. "You are the last person I would allow to make my decisions, you pompous jerk!"

"Do you really want to spend long months in the library with me? Do you really want to go to Greece with me? Do you really want to tell Potter and Weasley that you have to leave them so you can see me?"

Obviously not.

Her lashes fluttered close, and when she opened them again, her eyes showed resignation. "Fine. Ask your father. But that doesn't mean you can tell me what to do!"

She turned on her heel and sped off with a huff.

Hmph. Ungrateful wretch.

I stormed back to my bedroom, ignoring my friends' questions as they saw me come in.

I was tired, and I did not want to be interrogated. Sleep was good. Sleep would block out everything that happened today. I fell into my four-poster bed, sinking into my sheets, trying not to think about her.

~*~*~

I was in a crummy old tavern, and by the Gods, I was depressed.

"I'll have 'nother one, Celeus." I mumbled, after I gulped down the last remaining drops of my mead. I plopped my head down on the table despairingly. The tears were wet on my cheeks.

Why was everything still so messed up? Wasn't intoxication supposed to make one's mind blurry? Happy? Alcohol was supposed to numb the ache. Instead, it had only enhanced the pain. I was in some demented fog. A complete miasma of dejection and self-pity. All this crap about drinking taking away all problems was a lie. I was drowning myself in the stuff, and I hadn't forgotten anything.

She dumped me. She really did. And I still don't know why she found someone else.

"Philomena, how could you?" I moaned.

And the sad thing was, as if I wasn't sad enough, was that I didn't really give a damn. I didn't love her. Pretty bit of blonde-haired fluff was all.  But how she left me for that damned Erastus… That made me mad. I was not a person to be deceived!

I straightened my back, ready to declare to the world that Damian was no woman's fool!

And promptly toppled off my chair.

The floor was so nice…maybe I could just pass out on it…then I'd be contented. My bloodshot silver orbs closed, and I started to drift off.

"Damian? Umm, Damian?" I cracked open my bleary eyes and saw Celeus looking at me from over the counter.

"Where's my drink?" I croaked at him. "I want more mead."

Two fuzzy Celeus' gave me a pitying look, and shook their heads. "You've had too much, my boy. You can pay me back later, when you're sober."

"Ok. Fine."

My eyelids shut once again.

"Damian!"

I shot up from my comfortable spot on the ground. Was the world really wobbling or was it just me? I grabbed the counter for support and staggered out.

The cool west wind blew comfortingly on my damp skin. I drew in a breath, lifted my face towards the inky sky.  The stars were especially luminous that night, as if they were shining there just for me. That small thought stirred a feeling of serenity in my soul. I leaned against the tavern's granite wall, just gazing up at that sky, until the mead hit me again, and I slid down, inadvertently falling asleep.

Five minutes could not have passed before…

There was a cough. A prod. A voice asked me softly, "Umm. Excuse me? Do you need help?"

I peered up at the person hovering over me. She's awfully attractive… Her beauty was not noticeable at the first glance, but it was certainly there. Slim, athletic… (nice calves from where I was lying)…Her dark brown hair was piled majestically on her head, and topped with a coronet. I squinted my bleary eyes.  The light from the tavern was so dim, so how come there was a glow about her? She was practically radiant. And on those delicate ankles of hers…Winged sandals?

I must have been dreadfully wasted. I was starting to imagine things.

"Who're you?" I groaned, brushing the moist blonde hair back from my face.

She responded, but I couldn't hear properly.

I hauled myself off the tavern's steps and wobbled down the street.

"Wait!" I heard a call from behind me, and a pair of feet following. "Are you sure you'll be alright?"

I grunted. From my past experiences, Dionysus, the god of wine, took care of his drunken followers.

All of a sudden, I stopped, gagged, and threw up on the road in front of me. I was so inebriated; I couldn't even smell the puke.

That strange woman was beside me in an instant. "You're not ok," she said firmly. "Let me help you to an inn."

I would have glowered at her if I were in my proper state of mind. This woman was either extremely desperate, or a harlot. No one in the world was that kind and caring. At least, no one that I knew. I stared at her suspiciously as she put her delicate arm around my clammy shoulders, helping me walk.

We made our way to an inn, and she finally deposited me on a chair inside. She talked to the owner of the place, who was, for some reason, extremely eager to help. Enamored, maybe?

I couldn't think anymore. I was too tired. Finally, without being disturbed, I slumbered.

~*~*~

I woke up in my bedroom in Hogwarts, clutching my pillow. Why had that dream seemed so familiar to me? Who was that guy…Damian? I rubbed my forehead and checked the time. It was not even 3:00, so I still had plenty of time to sleep. I squeezed my eyes shut, blocking out all thoughts. It was only a dream.

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Author's Note: Hello again, all you wonderful readers! I have left a very obvious clue about which Greek God our very own Herm-o-ninny is the child of. Remember: Winged sandals. I'm giving a Draco clone to each person who answer this correctly… Haha!

Thank all of you for your wonderful reviews. In fact, I typed a large chunk of this chapter right after I read them! Then I spent the rest of the week editing and asking my befuddled parents and siblings how it is to be drunk and whether ancient Greece had bars.