Title: The Myth of Innocence
Author: Catalina Royce
Disclaimer: These stories are based on characters and situations created
and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books,
Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made
and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Rating: R
It had been three weeks and two days since she'd split with the Gryffindors. For some reason, the Golden Trio hadn't approached her, and she wasn't going to push her luck by approaching them. She was just thankful that there had been no more Howlers from Molly. The incident had been trying, especially when combined with the Veritaserum.
Since then, Draco had been scrupulously avoiding her, and she knew the reason; he was ashamed of what they'd done. Granted, they hadn't done much but she was in essence a Weasley, and he wouldn't ever consort with the likes of her, not willingly, at least. And then, of course, there was the fact that she wasn't a virgin. She didn't understand it, but she was dirty to him; another man had soiled her.
Perhaps it was just that she wasn't a good kisser?
The thought made her low spirits plummet even further. It didn't help that the object of her desire just walked into the Common Room and sat on the old fashioned Fainting Couch next to Pansy. Virginia turned away, her face creased into an upset frown. Perhaps there really was something going on with Pansy and Draco?
This was ridiculous! Why was she obsessing over it? She didn't even like Draco, for goodness sakes! He was an arrogant, rude prick! She didn't need him. But...she sighed. He was a really good kisser.
Trying to ignore her feelings, she casually glanced around the Common Room. Blaise was nowhere in sight, so there was no one to distract her from her inspection of the Malfoy heir. His face was schooled into a calm expression – you could get more feeling out of a rock. His hair was neatly in place in a way that made her ache to ruffle it up. And his eyes were just the colour of steel.
Why did he have to look so good?
The arrival of Blaise distracted her, thank god. She turned to him, a smile illuminating her face. Blaise hugged her, grinning from ear to ear. Across the room, a face broke into a glare.
Why did she have to look so good? Draco asked himself, almost letting out a growl of frustration. She'd left her hair down again – did she ever do anything else? – and it was such a deep colour in the gloomy space. She had a classic peaches-and-cream complexion. She was short compared to his height – she must only be 5'6 at the most.
She hadn't even approached him since the Veritaserum incident. She'd even moved into the seventh year girls' dorms. He should be thankful, really. Every time her thought about her, his stomach started tightening and he could feel his blood pumping in his veins. His fantasies about her had kept him up at night.
But he knew that she didn't feel the same way about him. She barely looked at him. She was embarrassed, he knew. But the way she had acted in their dorms was something else. Most of the girls he'd been to bed with had been so reserved. They'd never be so happy to..trust him. Was that what this was all about? That she trusted him?
It was too bad that that abandon had been cause by the Veritaserum. She'd barely even looked at him since then, so he knew she wasn't interested. He sighed quietly and excused himself, sending a look to Pansy as they parted, then adjusted his watch.
The others would know that they were meeting today. The wristwatch was a magic one, with things like "Time for School", "The Train is about to leave" and "working" on it. On the side, there was a button he could press that would alert them all when they wanted to meet. Then they all excused themselves from what they were doing and met in the specified place.
He'd never admit it, but he'd gotten the idea from Granger's coins in fifth year. When that Ravenclaw had snitched on Potter and the Weasel, she'd shown Umbridge the coin. He, in turn had gotten hold of it. It seemed to work just like Voldemort's Dark Mark, only that was permanent. This was a much more viable solution.
He paced silently toward Blaise and Virginia, his face schooled into a mask. Blaise was showing Virginia a new polish for a broomstick – and if that sentence wasn't loaded with innuendo, then he'd be telling Virginia to polish his wand for him.
Blaise acknowledged Draco by a simple adjustment of his body stance, thus including him in the conversation. Draco waited patiently for a few minutes, then said, "I have better things to be doing. We're meeting at lunch." And proceeded to calmly walk off.
Asshole, she thought. Why would I be interested in someone like that?
They met at lunch just as planned. Blaise had taken Virginia's wrist and pulled her along behind him, and she had the quick and vicious thought of 'manhandling' before she once again heard the growl of hunger from her stomach.
She wanted lunch, dammit! She didn't want to go to a meeting with...him. Speak of the devil, he appeared just as they rounded the corner. He looked just as good as he had this morning, and she could have cursed him for it. So what if he looked like sex personified when he stared at her with that intensity? He didn't want to do anything with her. He'd made that abundantly clear. So why was she obsessing over this?
They met in the front steps of Hogwarts, then traced their way out to the beech tree. There was a group of four already standing there; seven in the group when you included her. Millicent and Pansy were the few she already knew of, but two surprised her; Vincent Crabbe and Derek Brotise. Crabbe surprised her because he'd managed to disconnect himself from his twin. And Brotise was in her grade.
Blaise intercepted her look of surprise and hastened to explain before they reached the group. "Crabbe believes in looking after his back. Originally, he thought he could do that by sucking up to Draco, but in time he realised how bad it was for his perception of self. He's really quite a deep thinker, he just prefers not to talk. Derek's here because he came to us. He found out about the group and demanded to be allowed in. We would have refused but we found him a month later in the hallway all swollen and puffy because of a run in with Goyle."
"So why isn't Goyle here?"
"Because," Draco interrupted, "Goyle is a thug. He hurts for the joy of hurting people, not for necessity. He's too capable of betraying us to be considered." He strode forward, every inch the commanding leader. "Is there any sign of detection?"
This question seemed to be a ritual, because everyone knew when their turn to answer was. Only Derek answered affirmatively.
Draco's tone turned sharp and vicious. He was ready to protect his own. "Where?"
Derek simply inclined his head toward Virginia. "The fact that she's been seen around you is raising a lot of suspicion. If it goes on with no plausible reason for it – if you aren't seen to be friendly – they'll start snooping. It won't take them long to find out the truth."
Draco nodded, his face terse. "I'll find a solution," he muttered. Virginia tuned out at the mention of potions used to hide people – she thought it slightly ironic that she'd just made an Invisibility Potion. Instead she looked around her surroundings. It was a nice autumn day, and the Beech tree they were standing under had lost most of its leaves. The sun seemed to be making an effort to shine; it was glinting off the lake. There was a slight breeze that ruffled through their hair.
It would be the perfect day to be a child. To mess around and whirl and whirl until they fell down laughing. Until who fell down laughing? She admitted the truth. She and Draco fell down.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Pansy. "Can you do it, Virginia?"
She glanced at the group, feeling a little foolish that she'd been caught in her daydream.. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."
The group let out a collective groan of exasperation. Derek let out an expletive. Draco narrowed his eyes. "We don't have time for wandering minds, Virginia. Either you're in this one hundred percent, or you're out."
She didn't understand his motivations. Her eyes challenged his, her gaze defiant. Anger flared up inside her, making her dark eyes flash. An unexpected gust of wind hit her in the face, blowing her hair. She was haughty and cool. She looked like a goddess.
Draco understood the danger. "Please excuse us. Blaise, Pansy, I'll need you to stay. Virginia and I need to discuss some things."
Millicent, Derek and Crabbe left silently. Draco strode away from them, leaving Virginia to trail behind him. When he turned around she paused. He was agitated – scared? – but he was keeping it under control.
He had a scar on his hand, she noticed with surprise, running in the soft flesh between index finger and thumb. It was a blemish on an otherwise perfect body. His robes were ruffled and his hair was perfect. She wondered how that had occurred, then dismissed the thought.
"We need to talk, Virginia." He sat down and leaned back, the grass crunching underneath his palms. He looked defeated. Worn out. As if he'd spent his life battling unseen forces of evil that most people couldn't even imagine. Knowing his family, he probably had. "Derek was completely correct. You are going to arouse suspicion, especially when we aren't seen on friendly terms. Thus, there's only one decision."
He gestured to Blaise and Pansy. "Virginia and I are now dating. Please see to any arrangements that will need to be made. Like sleeping arrangements." He chose to ignore how revealing that statement was, and pretended he had no motive but keeping their group safe. Getting her into his bed was just a part of that method. Just because he wanted her there was no reason to inhibit his actions one way or another.
A flare of triumph swelled from within him.
Author's Note: Well, I didn't particularly like this chapter, but my wonderful beta, Nicole, said it was fine. [I also forgot to credit her in the last chapter; Nicole actually came up with the title for the chapter.] Hopefully I'll be happier with the next chapter. If you'd like to be notified of updates, e-mail me at strawberryhope@hotmail.com [spam me and I block you, though, heh.] And finally, I am considering the idea of creating a website for my fanfiction, along with the old versions of some of my works. I've dug up the first three chapters of the original Myth of Innocence, which, as most of you know, is very different to the current version. Anyway, tell me what you think of the idea, and I'll see if I'm determined enough to do so.