'No clue what to write' Thought Ron 'and I'm bored out of my bloody mind.'
Just then Hermione walked in 'And there's the answer to all my problems'
"Hey" Hermione said as she walked up to Ron and kissed him "Penny for your thoughts"
Ron got up and kissed Hermione. "I was just thinking about how beautiful you are."
"Liar." Hermione teased.
"Hey, don't you believe me?" Ron asked.
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"Because your homework is sitting on the floor and there isn't a single letter written on it." Hermione said looking towards the fireplace.
"Whatever." Ron said, fishing in his robe pocket and pulling out a letter. "Mom wanted me to give this to you."
"Oh the usual Christmas invitation?" Hermione asked, opening it.
"Yea. You wanna sleep in my room this year?"
"What about Harry?" Hermione asked looking intrigued.
"He and Draco can sleep in Percy's room with Lisa and Heather." Ron said pulling her close.
"Danie, Lisa, Heather and MALFOY are coming?" Hermione asked skeptically
"Yea, Mom wants to meet the new girls and Lisa won't come unless I invite her brother. So that's how that came about." Ron replied
"There's a problem with that." Hermione stated
"What?" Asked Ron
"How are you going to get Mr. Malfoy's permission?" Hermione asked
"We'll think of something." Ron said and kissed her and gently pushed her onto the couch.
Just then Draco walked in and walked toward the unnoticing couple on the couch.
"Finally getting laid are we Weasly?" Draco teased.
Hermione shot up and whacked Ron in the nose with her forehead.
"Oh! Sorry Sweetie!" Hermione said when she realized what she'd done.
Hermione kissed his nose then Ron turned to Draco. "Where the bloody hell did you learn that terminology?"
"Where do you think?" Draco shot back.
"Please tell me you and Heather have gotten back together. That fight is stupid." Hermione said.
"No, Lisa taught me the word." Draco said, looking at the couple. "Speaking of Heather, is she around?"
"Yea I think she and Lisa are in the boy's dormitories with - Harry!" Hermione said as she noticed Harry coming down the stairs.
Harry turned to Draco. "Hey Malfoy, if you want to talk to her, now's the best time."
"Why?" Draco asked.
"Because she's not suicidal, she's not depressed, she's not totally pissed off and she's in a talking mood. Why do you think I left?" Harry said. "Come on, they're waiting for us."
"I'm expected?" Draco asked, surprised.
"Yea, they sent me to find you." Harry said with a monotone voice.
"What is this bloody school coming to? I'm standing in the Gryffindor common room, talking to Potter and watching Weasly and Granger go at it like rabbits." Draco mumbled to himself as he headed up the stairs.
Harry looked over at the couch. "Again? Geeze, get a room you two."
Ron turned to Hermione. "We've really got to change that password."
"Yea, shut up." Hermione said and kissed Ron, pulling him back on top of her.
"Okay." Ron mumbled.
****
Heather and Lisa were sitting on Harry's bed when Draco and Harry came up the stairs. With great effort, Heather finally caught Draco's eye, then started darting her eyes from him to the door. Finally Draco understood and began to walk toward Heather, who bolted out the door.
Lisa sighed. "I thought we had her this time."
"I'm not going to give up that easily this time." Draco lied, then ran out the door.
"They're both lying." Lisa said.
"How do you know?" Harry asked.
"Twin telepathy." Lisa answered. "Now shut up and kiss me."
"Alright." Harry replied, then kissed her.
****
"The bathroom!" Heather shouted to Ron and Hermione as she ran out the door.
A moment later Draco appeared at the bottom of the stairs. "Where'd she go?
"She said 'the bathroom' then ran out." Ron said, then turned his attention back to Hermione.
"Thanks!" Draco said, then began chasing Heather again.
"Maybe we really should get a room." Hermione said. "I've got an idea."
****
Danie hopped down the stairs after finally being let out of Dumbledore's office.
"Nice talkin' to ya dad, but I DO need some 'private time', if you know what I mean." Danie said, motioning toward the nearest bathroom.
"Yes, run along then child." Snape said, and then proceeded down to the dungeons.
Danie headed towards the bathroom, burst open the door, and stopped dead in her tracks, for what she saw was quite unexpected.
"Oh my god!" Heather screamed and stood up, pulling down her shirt. "I thought no one used this bathroom!"
Danie blinked, looked from Heather to Draco, then said "Looks like you two made up." and headed towards the bathroom stalls.
"Come on." Draco whispered to Heather and they slipped out of the bathroom.
****
Giggles could be heard coming up the stairs to the boys' dormitories. Harry sat up and tried to straighten his hair and T-shirt, and Lisa rolled under the bed to hide.
"Ginny! Dean! What are you doing inside on a nice day like this?" Harry asked, trying to look innocent.
Dean looked at the scene around Harry, his and someone else's robes on the floor, while he sat on the bed with no books or anything to give any indication as to what he may be doing.
"I could ask you the same thing." Dean said, raising an eyebrow.
"Ron's going to kill you both!" Lisa's muffled voice came out from under Harry's bed and she pulled herself out.
"Lisa!" Ginny exclaimed.
"Oh please, did you really think we'd stay broken up forever?" Lisa said, dusting off her shirt.
"How long-?" Dean stuttered.
Lisa looked at her watch. "23 and a half hours."
"You were timing?" Harry asked.
"No, I just remember it being dinner time." Lisa said, sitting down on Harry.
"You were thinking about food?" Dean asked.
"Nah. I'm just good with times. But speaking of food, we'd better go downstairs or else people are going to get suspicious." Lisa said.
Lisa stood up to let up Harry and then she led him down the stairs by the hand.
****
Up in the Astronomy Tower, Heather and Draco where continuing where they left off after Danie had interrupted them in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
"Shouldn't we - be getting - downstairs?" Heather asked in between kisses.
"In a minute." Draco replied.
"Oka-." Heather stopped suddenly and turned ice cold.
"Heather?" Draco asked, and pulled away to look at her as she fell limp in his arms. "Heather what's wrong?"
Suddenly Heather stiffened and began to convulse, her eyes glazed over.
"Help!" Draco shouted, but no one could hear.
****
Lisa suddenly looked up from her food.
"Draco." She said suddenly. "Something's wrong!"
"Malfoy's not here." Harry said.
"No, twin telepathy remember? And something's wrong!" Lisa said standing up.
"Well where is he?" Harry asked, following Lisa.
"I'm not sure, I'm following a feeling."
****
"So you're clear on the vampire formalities, right?" Snape asked Danie as they headed towards his office.
"Uh, I've been gone for 16 years, remember boss?" Danie stated, glaring at her father.
"Right, well, just uh, do your best then." Snape said tentatively, and opened the door.
Inside stood two tall, pale skinned dark haired vampires. One was quite tall and slender, but fit, with piercing blue eyes. The other was muscular with a hook nose that looked like it had been broken before and drab brown eyes, who bowed deeply at the sight of Danie.
"My lady, it is not fit for you to be seen with that traitorous scum bag."
"Who? I don't see a scum bag, unless you're talking about yourself."
"Hello to you too, Owen." Snape said.
"You do realize that that's my father you just referred to." Danie said, her expression darkening.
"Woah," The slender man said. "I'm sensing some seriously negative vibes in here. HUG TIME! Come here couz!"
With that he grabbed Danie and wrapped her into a bear hug.
"Zack, you do realize that she is the new head of our order and that she deserves the utmost respect from all of us?" Owen said, disapprovingly.
"Loosen up dude, you are totally a freak of nature." Danie said to Owen. "Wait, technically we are all freaks of nature considering that we are supposed to be dead and we are still alive and breathing... does anyone catch my drift?"
Snape and Owen looked puzzled, but Zack had a look of total comprehension on his face.
"That's deep man, real deep." Zack said, looking amazed.
Danie looked up at him. "Child of the 70's?"
"Yea, the 1770's were awesome." Zack replied, looking off into space. "Although I still don't understand that cake thing."
"Wrong 70's, but good enough. Now, are we going to explain any of this or am I just going to have to wing it on my first time as a vampire leader whatcha-ma-call-it?" Danie asked.
"Well, you do know who to catch your pray, right?" Owen asked, averting his eyes.
"Um, you do mean the over-populated pink bunnies that I'll shoot with a bow an arrow, right?"
"No. Dude, you do know what a vampire's main source of food is, right?" Zack asked.
"I was hoping that that was a muggle exaggeration." Danie said.
"No such luck." Snape said.
"Shh! You shall not be permitted to speak in the presence of such a gracious power." Owen spat.
"Okay, we've been over this. One, he's my father and is allowed to do whatever the hell he wants to me, within reason. In fact, he's supposed to interrupt me when I'm being stupid. And two, I'm no gracious power, hell I'm having problems with the concept of eating like a vampire! I can't even eat fish if it looks back at me, and your asking me to eat a warm, screaming wiggling human being and, ick." Danie shuddered. "I think I'll go and have some of the normal food upstairs."
With that Danie turned and headed towards the Great Hall.
****
Three minuets of following Lisa's 'feeling' and Harry and Lisa had finally made it up to the Astronomy Tower. There, in the furthest corner sat Draco, holding an unconscious Heather in his arms.
"I- I don't know what happened!" Draco stammered. "She was fine - just fine - and then she started convulsing - or something - and I don't think you can move anyone when that's happening, a-and she's just been slipping in an out and I don't think she's breathing!"
Lisa rushed forward and put out her hand to feel Heather's ice cold forehead. Then she put her ear close to Heather's.
"She's breathing, but barely. Come on, we have to get her help!" Lisa said. "Draco, you can carry her, right? Harry and I'll spot for you on the stairs."
"Has this ever happened before?" Draco asked, almost hopeful that his sister knew what was going on.
"No. But we can't stay up here, she's losing too much body heat." Lisa said. "Let's GO!"
Draco stood up, Heather as white as a ghost and limp in his arms. Her thick red hair caught the brick wall as they carried her down the stairs.
Draco shouted suddenly, as Heather's chest began to heave as she gasped for the air that for some reason was not reaching her lungs.
"She can't breathe! Oh my god, what's happening?"
Heather's eyes flew open, and she looked around wildly, not seeing anything at all as she continued to gasp in short, sharp breaths.
Draco flew down the hall, Lisa and Harry right behind him. He whispered to her as she clawed at his shoulder as if it would somehow bring her relief from the searing pain in her chest and head.
"It's all right, you're going to be fine, come on, please stay with me just a little longer, you can make it..."
****
The world around her was silent except for the sound of her own gasps and her own voice, and all she could see was the bright green light that attacked her.
"No!" even to her, her voice seemed distant. "Let go of me! I'm not a weakling, I won't be controlled by you!"
Then she saw it. Lisa and Danie, standing on either side of her, wands pointed up towards the dark sky as the people around them cowered in fear. She looked up, and to her horror, saw the Dark Mark lingering in the sky as she and her friends conjured it. She looked towards her friends, and saw a look of fear in both of their eyes. They were being controlled.
Then something in her changed. She was being pushed out of her body, and she could see herself. The look on her face changed as she watched in horror, and it was no longer Heather behind those eyes. It was something so evil, and so ugly that she could barely stand to look at herself...
****
There was a flash of white-hot light and pain, and suddenly Heather was staring up at a ceiling that she knew too well.
She groaned. Then she turned her head to find Draco asleep with his head next to her as he sat in a chair and held her hand. Heather shook him gently.
"Draco, Draco wake up." Heather whispered.
Draco's eyes opened, and he was instantly awake when he saw that she was.
"Oh thank god. I thought I'd lost you." He said, giving her a hug and kissing her on the neck.
"How long was I out?"
"Nearly three days. Pomfrey thought you were in a coma." Draco said into her hair.
"I need to talk to Danie, or Lisa, Or Professor Dumbledore, or Professor Snape." Heather said. "I had another vision, and believe me, it was no good."
"Can it wait 'till morning?" Draco asked. "It's 3 am."
"I don't know, but I am exhausted. There's not way I'm going to be able to make sense of anything right now. So it's going to have to." Heather said, yawning.
"Okay. Good night." Then went to put his head back down on her bed.
"Are you crazy? You won't be able to move your head in the morning. Get up here, there's room." Heather said, sliding over.
"Pomfrey'll flip." Draco said, looking up.
"I don't care. Get up here, I don't ever want to let you go." Heather said, her sky blue eyes filled with fear.
Seeing the look in her eyes, Draco knew she'd seen things that had frightened her. So he lay down next to her and held her close.
"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere." Draco whispered to Heather.
"Thank you." She replied, and they drifted off to sleep.
"Hey" Hermione said as she walked up to Ron and kissed him "Penny for your thoughts"
Ron got up and kissed Hermione. "I was just thinking about how beautiful you are."
"Liar." Hermione teased.
"Hey, don't you believe me?" Ron asked.
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"Because your homework is sitting on the floor and there isn't a single letter written on it." Hermione said looking towards the fireplace.
"Whatever." Ron said, fishing in his robe pocket and pulling out a letter. "Mom wanted me to give this to you."
"Oh the usual Christmas invitation?" Hermione asked, opening it.
"Yea. You wanna sleep in my room this year?"
"What about Harry?" Hermione asked looking intrigued.
"He and Draco can sleep in Percy's room with Lisa and Heather." Ron said pulling her close.
"Danie, Lisa, Heather and MALFOY are coming?" Hermione asked skeptically
"Yea, Mom wants to meet the new girls and Lisa won't come unless I invite her brother. So that's how that came about." Ron replied
"There's a problem with that." Hermione stated
"What?" Asked Ron
"How are you going to get Mr. Malfoy's permission?" Hermione asked
"We'll think of something." Ron said and kissed her and gently pushed her onto the couch.
Just then Draco walked in and walked toward the unnoticing couple on the couch.
"Finally getting laid are we Weasly?" Draco teased.
Hermione shot up and whacked Ron in the nose with her forehead.
"Oh! Sorry Sweetie!" Hermione said when she realized what she'd done.
Hermione kissed his nose then Ron turned to Draco. "Where the bloody hell did you learn that terminology?"
"Where do you think?" Draco shot back.
"Please tell me you and Heather have gotten back together. That fight is stupid." Hermione said.
"No, Lisa taught me the word." Draco said, looking at the couple. "Speaking of Heather, is she around?"
"Yea I think she and Lisa are in the boy's dormitories with - Harry!" Hermione said as she noticed Harry coming down the stairs.
Harry turned to Draco. "Hey Malfoy, if you want to talk to her, now's the best time."
"Why?" Draco asked.
"Because she's not suicidal, she's not depressed, she's not totally pissed off and she's in a talking mood. Why do you think I left?" Harry said. "Come on, they're waiting for us."
"I'm expected?" Draco asked, surprised.
"Yea, they sent me to find you." Harry said with a monotone voice.
"What is this bloody school coming to? I'm standing in the Gryffindor common room, talking to Potter and watching Weasly and Granger go at it like rabbits." Draco mumbled to himself as he headed up the stairs.
Harry looked over at the couch. "Again? Geeze, get a room you two."
Ron turned to Hermione. "We've really got to change that password."
"Yea, shut up." Hermione said and kissed Ron, pulling him back on top of her.
"Okay." Ron mumbled.
****
Heather and Lisa were sitting on Harry's bed when Draco and Harry came up the stairs. With great effort, Heather finally caught Draco's eye, then started darting her eyes from him to the door. Finally Draco understood and began to walk toward Heather, who bolted out the door.
Lisa sighed. "I thought we had her this time."
"I'm not going to give up that easily this time." Draco lied, then ran out the door.
"They're both lying." Lisa said.
"How do you know?" Harry asked.
"Twin telepathy." Lisa answered. "Now shut up and kiss me."
"Alright." Harry replied, then kissed her.
****
"The bathroom!" Heather shouted to Ron and Hermione as she ran out the door.
A moment later Draco appeared at the bottom of the stairs. "Where'd she go?
"She said 'the bathroom' then ran out." Ron said, then turned his attention back to Hermione.
"Thanks!" Draco said, then began chasing Heather again.
"Maybe we really should get a room." Hermione said. "I've got an idea."
****
Danie hopped down the stairs after finally being let out of Dumbledore's office.
"Nice talkin' to ya dad, but I DO need some 'private time', if you know what I mean." Danie said, motioning toward the nearest bathroom.
"Yes, run along then child." Snape said, and then proceeded down to the dungeons.
Danie headed towards the bathroom, burst open the door, and stopped dead in her tracks, for what she saw was quite unexpected.
"Oh my god!" Heather screamed and stood up, pulling down her shirt. "I thought no one used this bathroom!"
Danie blinked, looked from Heather to Draco, then said "Looks like you two made up." and headed towards the bathroom stalls.
"Come on." Draco whispered to Heather and they slipped out of the bathroom.
****
Giggles could be heard coming up the stairs to the boys' dormitories. Harry sat up and tried to straighten his hair and T-shirt, and Lisa rolled under the bed to hide.
"Ginny! Dean! What are you doing inside on a nice day like this?" Harry asked, trying to look innocent.
Dean looked at the scene around Harry, his and someone else's robes on the floor, while he sat on the bed with no books or anything to give any indication as to what he may be doing.
"I could ask you the same thing." Dean said, raising an eyebrow.
"Ron's going to kill you both!" Lisa's muffled voice came out from under Harry's bed and she pulled herself out.
"Lisa!" Ginny exclaimed.
"Oh please, did you really think we'd stay broken up forever?" Lisa said, dusting off her shirt.
"How long-?" Dean stuttered.
Lisa looked at her watch. "23 and a half hours."
"You were timing?" Harry asked.
"No, I just remember it being dinner time." Lisa said, sitting down on Harry.
"You were thinking about food?" Dean asked.
"Nah. I'm just good with times. But speaking of food, we'd better go downstairs or else people are going to get suspicious." Lisa said.
Lisa stood up to let up Harry and then she led him down the stairs by the hand.
****
Up in the Astronomy Tower, Heather and Draco where continuing where they left off after Danie had interrupted them in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
"Shouldn't we - be getting - downstairs?" Heather asked in between kisses.
"In a minute." Draco replied.
"Oka-." Heather stopped suddenly and turned ice cold.
"Heather?" Draco asked, and pulled away to look at her as she fell limp in his arms. "Heather what's wrong?"
Suddenly Heather stiffened and began to convulse, her eyes glazed over.
"Help!" Draco shouted, but no one could hear.
****
Lisa suddenly looked up from her food.
"Draco." She said suddenly. "Something's wrong!"
"Malfoy's not here." Harry said.
"No, twin telepathy remember? And something's wrong!" Lisa said standing up.
"Well where is he?" Harry asked, following Lisa.
"I'm not sure, I'm following a feeling."
****
"So you're clear on the vampire formalities, right?" Snape asked Danie as they headed towards his office.
"Uh, I've been gone for 16 years, remember boss?" Danie stated, glaring at her father.
"Right, well, just uh, do your best then." Snape said tentatively, and opened the door.
Inside stood two tall, pale skinned dark haired vampires. One was quite tall and slender, but fit, with piercing blue eyes. The other was muscular with a hook nose that looked like it had been broken before and drab brown eyes, who bowed deeply at the sight of Danie.
"My lady, it is not fit for you to be seen with that traitorous scum bag."
"Who? I don't see a scum bag, unless you're talking about yourself."
"Hello to you too, Owen." Snape said.
"You do realize that that's my father you just referred to." Danie said, her expression darkening.
"Woah," The slender man said. "I'm sensing some seriously negative vibes in here. HUG TIME! Come here couz!"
With that he grabbed Danie and wrapped her into a bear hug.
"Zack, you do realize that she is the new head of our order and that she deserves the utmost respect from all of us?" Owen said, disapprovingly.
"Loosen up dude, you are totally a freak of nature." Danie said to Owen. "Wait, technically we are all freaks of nature considering that we are supposed to be dead and we are still alive and breathing... does anyone catch my drift?"
Snape and Owen looked puzzled, but Zack had a look of total comprehension on his face.
"That's deep man, real deep." Zack said, looking amazed.
Danie looked up at him. "Child of the 70's?"
"Yea, the 1770's were awesome." Zack replied, looking off into space. "Although I still don't understand that cake thing."
"Wrong 70's, but good enough. Now, are we going to explain any of this or am I just going to have to wing it on my first time as a vampire leader whatcha-ma-call-it?" Danie asked.
"Well, you do know who to catch your pray, right?" Owen asked, averting his eyes.
"Um, you do mean the over-populated pink bunnies that I'll shoot with a bow an arrow, right?"
"No. Dude, you do know what a vampire's main source of food is, right?" Zack asked.
"I was hoping that that was a muggle exaggeration." Danie said.
"No such luck." Snape said.
"Shh! You shall not be permitted to speak in the presence of such a gracious power." Owen spat.
"Okay, we've been over this. One, he's my father and is allowed to do whatever the hell he wants to me, within reason. In fact, he's supposed to interrupt me when I'm being stupid. And two, I'm no gracious power, hell I'm having problems with the concept of eating like a vampire! I can't even eat fish if it looks back at me, and your asking me to eat a warm, screaming wiggling human being and, ick." Danie shuddered. "I think I'll go and have some of the normal food upstairs."
With that Danie turned and headed towards the Great Hall.
****
Three minuets of following Lisa's 'feeling' and Harry and Lisa had finally made it up to the Astronomy Tower. There, in the furthest corner sat Draco, holding an unconscious Heather in his arms.
"I- I don't know what happened!" Draco stammered. "She was fine - just fine - and then she started convulsing - or something - and I don't think you can move anyone when that's happening, a-and she's just been slipping in an out and I don't think she's breathing!"
Lisa rushed forward and put out her hand to feel Heather's ice cold forehead. Then she put her ear close to Heather's.
"She's breathing, but barely. Come on, we have to get her help!" Lisa said. "Draco, you can carry her, right? Harry and I'll spot for you on the stairs."
"Has this ever happened before?" Draco asked, almost hopeful that his sister knew what was going on.
"No. But we can't stay up here, she's losing too much body heat." Lisa said. "Let's GO!"
Draco stood up, Heather as white as a ghost and limp in his arms. Her thick red hair caught the brick wall as they carried her down the stairs.
Draco shouted suddenly, as Heather's chest began to heave as she gasped for the air that for some reason was not reaching her lungs.
"She can't breathe! Oh my god, what's happening?"
Heather's eyes flew open, and she looked around wildly, not seeing anything at all as she continued to gasp in short, sharp breaths.
Draco flew down the hall, Lisa and Harry right behind him. He whispered to her as she clawed at his shoulder as if it would somehow bring her relief from the searing pain in her chest and head.
"It's all right, you're going to be fine, come on, please stay with me just a little longer, you can make it..."
****
The world around her was silent except for the sound of her own gasps and her own voice, and all she could see was the bright green light that attacked her.
"No!" even to her, her voice seemed distant. "Let go of me! I'm not a weakling, I won't be controlled by you!"
Then she saw it. Lisa and Danie, standing on either side of her, wands pointed up towards the dark sky as the people around them cowered in fear. She looked up, and to her horror, saw the Dark Mark lingering in the sky as she and her friends conjured it. She looked towards her friends, and saw a look of fear in both of their eyes. They were being controlled.
Then something in her changed. She was being pushed out of her body, and she could see herself. The look on her face changed as she watched in horror, and it was no longer Heather behind those eyes. It was something so evil, and so ugly that she could barely stand to look at herself...
****
There was a flash of white-hot light and pain, and suddenly Heather was staring up at a ceiling that she knew too well.
She groaned. Then she turned her head to find Draco asleep with his head next to her as he sat in a chair and held her hand. Heather shook him gently.
"Draco, Draco wake up." Heather whispered.
Draco's eyes opened, and he was instantly awake when he saw that she was.
"Oh thank god. I thought I'd lost you." He said, giving her a hug and kissing her on the neck.
"How long was I out?"
"Nearly three days. Pomfrey thought you were in a coma." Draco said into her hair.
"I need to talk to Danie, or Lisa, Or Professor Dumbledore, or Professor Snape." Heather said. "I had another vision, and believe me, it was no good."
"Can it wait 'till morning?" Draco asked. "It's 3 am."
"I don't know, but I am exhausted. There's not way I'm going to be able to make sense of anything right now. So it's going to have to." Heather said, yawning.
"Okay. Good night." Then went to put his head back down on her bed.
"Are you crazy? You won't be able to move your head in the morning. Get up here, there's room." Heather said, sliding over.
"Pomfrey'll flip." Draco said, looking up.
"I don't care. Get up here, I don't ever want to let you go." Heather said, her sky blue eyes filled with fear.
Seeing the look in her eyes, Draco knew she'd seen things that had frightened her. So he lay down next to her and held her close.
"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere." Draco whispered to Heather.
"Thank you." She replied, and they drifted off to sleep.