Characters borrowed by: Perpetual Thoughts and Meaning
Disastrous Dragon
"Destiny, who cares? As it turns around and I know that it descends down on me. It's just another day, the shame is gone, hard to believe that I've let it go…"- Swamped, Lacuna Coil
Previously on DD:
"Malfoy, I just wanted you to know that all the rumours about us have stopped… I was wondering if you knew who was starting them, so I could tell the Headmaster about it," she said, and Draco pursed his lips into a straight line.
"The Patil twins, that Brown girl, some blond Hufflepuffs, and some of the portraits. No, you can't just banish the people from the portraits away; that would be impossible," He replied, and Hermione scowled deeply.
"For some reason, people see us as acquaintances..." She began, but Draco raised a hand to cut her off.
"They're imbeciles if they think so," he told her icily, "that is just pure rubbish."
"Yes, Malfoy..." She muttered, and he pushed past her to the room, not wanting to be caught with a Mudblood, since now the rumours had finally died down.
Chapter three: Pain Means Nothing!
"Homework!"
Draco shifted through his parchment and found his diary entries. Hermione was talking with Potter, having already found hers, and Draco decided with chatter with Matt, again.
"Why don't you ask the girl out?" Draco asked him, and Matt shrugged.
"I just did, but she rejected me," he said, and Draco scowled darkly.
"You? How? Do you know why?" Draco asked him incredulously, because frankly, he thought any girl would be happy to be with the guy.
"Yeah, she said she was going out with someone else," Matt muttered, and Draco gazed blankly at him before jabbing the brunette girl's shoulder blades. She turned around in her desk to gaze at him expectantly.
"Don't you ever believe in love at first sight?" he asked her and she blinked.
"Um, er," she mumbled, and Hermione gazed over at him curiously.
"That guy beside you would do anything just to get to know you. It's a perfect match, beauty and brains, and what do you do? You push people away, and I know I shouldn't interfere in things like this, but you're retarded. Do you just like to break people?" he spat out, and Matt turned a bright scarlet, burying his head low.
"He was just mean to me, and I don't date Slytherins, especially ones like him," the girl spat out viciously, and Draco glanced over at Matt to see her words only made a single tear stream from his eyes.
"You're blind, completely blind… I bet you're not even going out with anyone, are you?" Draco spat, but the Gryffindor didn't retort back, because Snape had just entered the dungeon.
…
"Shut your fucking mouth," Draco called after the gossiping Gryffindor as he walked toward the broom closet with Matt.
"See? I told you; she fucking hates me… I don't want to go in our world now, I'll just make up a fake entry, then turn it in…" He muttered, and Draco sighed, opening the broom closet and walking inside.
"Look, Matt, you're an intelligent person, you can handle her nasty-arse comments," Draco said as he walked calmly to his world door.
"I told her, but she just ignored me," he mumbled, his face contorted in an odd expression, trying to prevent tears from flowing, and Draco touched the head of the rose and opened the door.
"Come on," he called to Matt, and he nodded tearlessly, following after Draco into the light that was actually inviting.
…
"Damn, Draco, your world is magnificent!" Matt exclaimed, and Draco smirked, nodding his head in reply.
"You feel better now that you've seen this beautiful place?" Draco asked him coolly, and he sat on the lush green grass.
"A little bit. It's kind of inspiring how there's so much life here… It's just startling that this world was made by you and her," he said, and Draco sat down beside him.
"Look, we all get rejected sometime in our lives, we just have to learn to overcome the sadness and live on, because it happens to everyone," Draco said and Matt leaned back and stretched his legs out.
"There are some people that just attract girls, but I'm just not that kind of person," Matt said sadly, and Draco rolled his grey eyes.
"You remind me of myself… How old are you, Matt?" Draco asked him just for the hell of it, because he couldn't think of anything else to say.
"Seventeen like everyone else here," he answered sarcastically, and Draco scowled darkly.
"Damn, now I feel stupid…" He muttered, and out of the corner of his eye he could see Hermione sitting under a tree, paper and parchment in hand.
"Why?"
Matt followed his gaze to the girl, and raised his eyebrows high.
"I don't want to answer," he said icily, Matt shrugged his shoulders, and he sighed.
"All right," he said coolly.
"Why aren't you startled that I didn't answer your question?" Draco spat out, and Matt sighed."To be frank, nothing surprises me anymore," Matt answered calmly, and Draco propped his head up with his hands.
…
Hermione pushed back her frizzy hair from her face, concentrating hard on her diary entry. She had already written this:
It's bright and sunny, and everything in this world seems to be alive with feeling and much needed optimism… I saw a couple a rabbits on my way over to this tree, and I never imagined the other animals would be this beautiful.
I'm sketching one of the rabbits for my proof, and there isn't much left to comment about.
But as she finished her sketch of the rabbit, she noticed Draco was gazing blankly into space, his fingers interlaced, and appeared deep in thought.
She wondered desperately what they were talking about, and whatever it was, it must have been something serious…
It was just frustrating that she didn't have good hearing, but she scooped up her things and walked to their cabin, scowling darkly as she heard fragments of their conversation.
"We believe we're right in the way we think…"
Hermione rolled her eyes, but forced herself from not to say anything and walked calmly inside the cabin and released a long sigh.
…
"Well, she's finished with her report… I should do mine as well, but I just don't feel up to it," Draco drawled lazily, and Matt nodded.
"I know the feeling… I'd rather she not slam the door behind her, though, and she had an odd look in her eyes," Matt said observantly, and Draco closed his eyes slowly, the soft wind kissing his cheeks.
"All Mudbloods are odd," Draco said nonchalantly, and Matt gazed over curiously at the cabin.
"How come your world has a shelter when mine doesn't?" he asked, and Draco placed his arms under his head, getting himself into a relaxed position.
"Our worlds are unstable. If you think of it, then it will just appear," he said coolly, and the wind moved her silky fingers to tousle his fair hair.
"Oh," was all he said, and Draco released a soft sigh.
"A few days ago it was snowing here. Can you believe that?" Draco asked Matt, abruptly changing the subject.
"Like you said, the worlds are unstable… I think you should do some research on World Potions, it will explain a lot," Matt replied, and a large book fell between him and Draco with a small thud.
"Damn, that was convenient," Draco said a bit too calmly for Matt's taste and sat up, starting to leaf through the book.
"Are you used to this?" Matt asked, and Draco glanced up at him.
"Yeah, because we've had this assignment for a while," Draco answered and gazed back down at the book.
"I don't think it's very wise to become used to things, because this is only a project," Matt commented, and Draco shrugged his shoulders.
"Neither I, but I want to make a passing grade," he replied and Matt laughed softly.
"Then why aren't you writing your diary entry?" he asked, and Draco scowled darkly.
"What are you? My conscience?"
"I might as well be, you don't ever seem to show any signs of emotion," Matt said. "Besides, we need paper and parchment…"
Draco gazed up in time to see two rolls of parchment and a set of quills appear between him and Matt.
…
Hermione watched the 'life' around her from the brick window of the cabin, her quills and parchment resting on the red couch behind her, only the glass window blocking her from the outside world.
"It seems so real, but it's not," she murmured to herself, and raised a petite hand to touch the glassy portal, and saw her mirror image scowling worriedly.
Why does this seem wrong? What's so different about this place than home?
"Because this world is not meant to appear real," she answered herself quietly, and inhaled softly.
"Granger?"
Hermione turned around to gaze at Draco and Matt standing in the doorway of the cabin, and she simply scowled darkly.
"I'll be out of your way soon enough," she said spitefully, and walked over to her couch, scooping up her parchment.
"Granger-- stop. We wanted to ask you something," Draco said, and she heaved a heavy sigh before glancing up at him.
"Well, go ask away," she said simply, and Draco crossed over the room to her and sat on the black couch.
"Do you think that this world should be this- Well, realistic?" Matt asked her from the doorway he was leaning against, his kind blue eyes gazing over at the kitchen door.
"No, in fact, I think it's odd," she answered straightforwardly, and Draco leaned back on the dark coloured couch, his grey eyes darker than usual.
"I don't think we should be staying here," Draco said after a few moments, and Hermione glanced over at him.
"What? Are you actually frightened of some kind of unknown being here?" she spat out, and Matt walked calmly over to them and rested his elbows on the black couch, standing over it, gazing over at Hermione.
"There might be something here that might be so powerful and malicious that it might harm us," Draco answered simply, and Hermione closed her eyes for a short moment before opening them again.
"No, unless if we dream of something here--"
"I dreamt of it being sunny," Draco interrupted her, and she inhaled shakily.
"Let's get the bloody hell out of here… I don't trust this place," Matt mumbled and Draco quickly stood with Hermione, who shrunk all her things to fit into her pockets and set off outside behind Matt, Draco leading them.
"Do you think Snape would believe us?"
"Matt and I would be more believable to him," Draco replied and reached the door.
As he reached for the rose, he caught sight of some stirring out of the corner of his eye.
"Granger, what did you dream about last night?" Draco asked her, circling his fingers around the rose bud.
"I'm afraid that if I say it, that it would happen," she answered shakily, and Draco glanced over at her incredulously.
"Now who is afraid?"
"Draco--" Matt began.
Draco was squeezing the rose, his Quidditch strength against him; he was crushing the rose…
"You crack-pot fool, Malfoy!"
Draco released the rose and turned around to gaze over Matt's shoulder at her, as if he had never seen the girl in his entire life.
"You were squeezing the rose, you looked like you were in a trance," Matt explained quietly, and Draco glanced over at him, wearing a blank mask over his face.
"I thought I saw something," he murmured. "Granger, you try."
Hermione eyed him warily before sliding past him to the door, grasping the rose gently, her dark eyes glazed over.
"I saw it, too," she said before pushing the door open, Draco and Matt following after her.
…
"Matt, don't follow us, Snape might give you a failing grade if he finds out… Can you go and stay in your world for twenty minutes?"
"Yes, I can just ignore my partner and actually do my entries," Matt mumbled and ran to a door, but Hermione didn't hear much afterwards, because Draco had dragged her into the hall.
"Tell me what you dreamt about," he forced out the order with gritted teeth, and she raised her eyebrows at him.
"No," she answered and he pushed her roughly into the wall.
"Answer me, Mudblood," he said icily, and she gazed away from him.
"No, just stop glaring at me with those eyes!" Draco gazed incredulously at her, placing a hand under her chin and forcing her face so she had to gaze at him.
"Answer me," he tried again, this time whispering his demand.
"I dreamt that the sun was covered by clouds and that several 'animals' evolved into beasts, and were attacking us… It wasn't very vivid or detailed," she finally replied and he eyed her darkly.
"Are you telling me the truth?" he asked her icily, and her eyes widened in anger.
"How dare you!"
She reached a petite hand up to smack him, and he didn't even wince afterwards, and Hermione wondered for a moment if he actually felt her slap.
"Granger, just answer me," he murmured, his grey eyes stormy, his lips pursed into a scowl.
"I don't lie like you do, Malfoy," she spat, and Draco grabbed her wrists and pushed them high over her head.
"Draco Malfoy never lies," he whispered menacingly, and Hermione glared defiantly into his stormy eyes.
"Oh? Really? You lied when you told Snape in 6th year I cheated off of you!" she shouted, and Draco snarled at her, gritting his white teeth.
"You Gryffindors blamed me for that Patil twin's dark green hair, when Zabini did it!" he spat in her face and she tried her best to squirm out of his grip, but he had pinned her almost expertly, and he had enough Quidditch practises that he was stronger than she would ever be-- though him being older than her also put him at an advantage.
"Malfoy! Let go of me! We have to inform Snape--"
"Inform me of what?" his drawling voice asked her from her left.
"I would tell you if Malfoy would release me!"
"Mr. Malfoy, release Granger… Granger, breathe normally," he said coolly, and Draco released Hermione's wrists and dropped her to the floor, sauntering over to Snape.
"Granger was going to tell you; there's something evil in our world, something that wants us dead," Draco drawled in pure spite toward Hermione.
"Are you sure?" Snape seemed a bit worried, which only made Draco less cocky.
"Yes, Granger says she dreamt it," Draco replied, "if we dream it, it happens in our world if we sleep there…"
Hermione sat on her legs and rested her head against the wall, and closed her eyes tightly. Her wrists were stinging where Draco had seized her, and she rested her hands on her lap, her frizzy hair sticking to her scalp because of her sweat, and she only had another reason to loathe Draco.
"You create it, and only you can destroy it," he said simply, and Draco eyed his Potions teacher incredulously.
"You mean that you won't help us?" he whispered, his eyes widening slowly.
"No, I won't," he answered simply and walked away from Draco, leaving them alone again.
Hermione winced as an unexpected jolt of pain went through her arms, Draco wandered over in front of her, his towering figure completely shadowing her.
"What kind of beasts were they, Granger?"
"The sort that knows magic, powerful, dark, magic…" She replied and put her hands to her knees, pushing herself up to her feet, and Draco stood back up, still scowling.
"Do you know anything we could use for protection?" he asked her almost hopefully, but she shook her head.
"The beasts will only attack you, and you can't defend yourself from them, because they are fuelled by hate," she replied, a small smile gracing her thin lips.
"This whole conversation is pointless!"
Draco pushed past her to the broom closet and left her in the hall, scowling deeply.
…
"I shouldn't have even asked the Mudblood," he said to himself, scowling darkly.
Matt, who was sitting on the steps of his world door, glanced over at Draco and said, "you wanted to know, like I did."
"She said that the beasts would only attack me," Draco said angrily, and Matt scowled.
"Wasn't she an optimistic person?"
"I suppose, but I never want to know my enemies," he replied. "I usually tend to stay around people that enjoy my company."
"I think she hates you, too," Matt said suddenly, and Draco just nodded, unable to think of anything to say.
"I hope she hates me," he finally said and rested his head against his world door, closing his eyes tightly.
"Why? So you can feel better about it all?" Matt asked him, but Draco let out a shuttering breath, moving from the door as if he had been burned.
"That door-- that door just turned flaming hot! It's as if something… Well, I don't know how to put it…"
Matt arched an eyebrow at Draco, reaching his hands up above his head in boredom, Draco gazing incredulously at the door.
"Something was angry at you in that world for hurting the Granger girl, and it wants you to feel the same way?" Matt guessed, and Draco glanced over his shoulder at him.
"Are you a fucking genius hidden in school robes?!" he exclaimed angrily, and Matt shrugged his shoulders.
"No," Matt said lazily, and his fingertips touched the ceiling.
"I suppose you're going to test his theory," her voice said from Draco's left, and he glanced over at her and met her glassy eyes that made him cringe.
"Well, if he's right, then you'll never see me again, and you can chatter all about it," Draco grumbled darkly, his silvery eyes focused on a wall.
"Good," she said haughtily, and Draco just couldn't look at her, because of her eyes.
"Until I meet you in hell, Mudblood…" He muttered before opening the door, his lips pursed into a worried scowl.
…
Draco took a shaky breath, gazing around him with pure worry.
"You're not even sad," a deep voice said from behind him, and he turned around and moved from the door to stare at one of the most maddening creatures he had ever seen.It was either a silvery haired man, or just a fallen angle with tattered wings. The 'man' reminded him of the statue he had used to kill an elf with by accident, because he was sitting on a stump, dressed in all black, a tattered black wing sprouting from the back of his right shoulder, while his lips were pursed into a dark scowl, his long straight platinum hair flowing behind his shoulders. Draco just sensed an air of sadness around this 'man' and he wondered if this was what Hermione created.
"If I believed in what I said, then why would I feel guilt?" Draco spat out, pushing back his bangs from his face.
"I don't think you should be cocky," the man said and slowly stood, his sapphire blue eyes glowering at him, and Draco held his breath, feeling like the man was staring into his soul.
"And why not?" Draco asked, his dark eyes narrowed, his wand clenched between his left and right hand.
"Because the cocky ones are always the one to go," he said coolly, and he reached for his wand that Draco had just noticed, and slowly stepped toward him, brandishing it at him.
…
"Why did you do it? He's in there right now, probably dying-"
"Good, that's what I want to happen," Hermione interrupted darkly, and Matt glared angrily at her.
"Tell me what he did to you to cause such anguish," Matt said, and Hermione leaned against the wall, resting her head against its cold texture.
"In first year he annoyed the shit out of me… In second year he called me a Mudblood and still continues doing so. In third year I finally got back at him by slapping him, but his father tried to get one of my friends that is a teacher fired, because Buckbeak trampled on him, but I don't think it caused any damage at all, just a few minor cuts and scrapes--"
"Get on with it," Matt interrupted her, his lips pursed into a scowl.
"He just constantly taunts me and brings me down, and even after I talk with Harry and Ron about it, that sickening feeling is still haunting me. I really want to be friends with everyone that would listen to me, but no one ever does! They may pretend to do so, but they always tune me out!" she confessed in one breath, and Matt ran his tongue over his teeth, deep in thought.
"Can't you confide in your best friends? Don't you have a girl best friend that you can confide all this in?" Matt asked her, and she swallowed in spit, her throat suddenly dry.
"No, actually, I don't," she answered, and Matt blanched a little.
…
"Harry, do you think Hermione has been acting odd lately?"
Harry Potter's head snapped up; he'd been taking a little snooze under an apple tree, and Ron had woken him. He merely blew up some of his messy black bangs from his bright green eyes.
"Well, she always has her nose in a book," he said sleepily, and his redheaded friend sat down beside him, twitching abnormally.
"Yeah, but she hasn't been that talkative… She's always silent, unless in class, but I just don't think it's normal to obsess about school," Ron Weasley replied, resting his head against the tree while Harry struggled to keep his eyelids open.
"I'd expect she would be a great author, Ron," Harry said, now rubbing the sand out of his eyes.
"But she obsesses over it! I mean, I saw her studying for our NEWTS-"
"Which begin in a week, if you haven't noticed," Harry interrupted him, and Ron bit his bottom lip, looking down, his eyes wide.
"Shit, that's why she was on my case yesterday!"
"Yeah, I thought you already knew. Don't you ever read the bulletin board?" Harry asked him, pushing his glasses up; they were resting on the tip of his nose before.
"No, because I'm rarely in the common room… I'm usually at Quidditch Practise, don't you remember? Oh, don't you think it's odd how it's all-"
"Ron, if you keep it up like this, you're going to fail… The Light is losing; we Gryffindors are its last hope. Don't you remember The Order?" Harry interrupted Ron again, and he let out an exaggerated sigh.
"Yes, Harry, I do, but I can't just give up Quidditch for that," Ron said, and Harry played with his wand, tossing it between his hands.
"Future generations won't be alive to enjoy Quidditch, and even if they survive, they would be emotionally scarred for life," Harry said, gazing up at their world's light blue sky.
"Sorry," Ron mumbled, and Harry glanced over at him, clenching his wand with his right hand.
"I wouldn't blame you; hell, I would be enjoying my last year here, too, but I'd rather be alive, instead of only being remembered for choosing Quidditch over life," said Harry, and Ron rested his head in his hands.
"Is that all I'll ever amount to, Harry? The boy that played Quidditch in school and be rejected by the team?" Ron asked after a few moments of silence between them, and Harry shrugged his shoulders.
"You had some trouble in 4th year, but you're actually doing exceptionally well in Quidditch… If the Slytherins make up another song, we'll just strike back with rabid vengeance," Harry replied, and Ron grinned.
"I wonder if they would wait up…" Ron muttered, and Harry shrugged.
…
"Wait up, you wouldn't want to hurt me!" Draco attempted to say, but the man slapped him across his face with such hatred and power Draco stumbled and landed backward, sprawled on the ground.
"Oh, and why not? You didn't seem to think about it when you hurt her!" he exclaimed, and Draco's eyes widened, and he rolled around just in time to evade the man's kick.
"But that's different! She beat me at everything, which isn't supposed to be possible!" Draco tried again and stood up with difficulty, clutching his burning cheek, lips pursed into a straight line.
"She was special, simple, and pure, but you taunted her, and she was tainted with hatred," he spat out, and Draco sidestepped to his left, just barely avoiding another fit of rage by the 'man.'
"Mentally special! She's a bloody genius, that I admit, but I didn't think she would ever feel hate!" Draco exclaimed and the man stopped for a moment, though Draco didn't enjoy the fact that he still had his wand.
"Yet you feel no remorse," he said icily, and Draco crossed his arms over himself, scowling deeply, tilting his head to get his bangs out of his eyes.
"From time to time I feel something weird when I throw a random insult about her to her face, but I thought she always got over it," Draco said, the soft wind tousling his hair.
"Do you respect her?"
What the fuck does that mean? Do I respect her intelligence, or something else? Is he judging my soul? Draco asked himself, scowling in deep thought.
"I think she's an intelligent person, if that's what you're asking," Draco answered him, his grey eyes glazed over, still wondering if he answered incorrectly that the guy might kill him.
"You aren't lying… Hmm. Do you think she is a pest?"
Draco raised a pale eyebrow at the question, and was lost in his thoughts once again.
"She annoys me sometimes with some pointless arguments, because most of the time I don't understand her intentions," Draco replied, the wind blowing softly on his still stinging cheek.
"Then why do you insult her? Is it really that wrong to just be different? Is that a crime in your heartless eyes?"
"I don't understand her intentions, or even the way she thinks," Draco repeated steadily, an impassive mask hiding his true annoyance.
"Are you even sure you're human?" he questioned Draco coldly, and Draco just glared daggers at him.
"Oh, then what am I?" Draco spat out, his fingernails digging into his palms.
Yeah…
…
"Yeah, I don't really think I should confide you in all this pain, but I kind of feel better," Hermione said, and Matt had his gaze focused on the ceiling.
"I kind of have that effect on people," Matt said quietly, and Hermione played with her thumbs.
"Is that why Malfoy is always with you now? To have a decent conversation once in a while?" she abruptly asked, and Matt didn't even glance at her.
"Can you imagine staying around two grunting oafs all day?"
"I could amuse myself by pretending to know what they were talking about," Hermione replied, and Matt closed his eyes with a huge sigh.
"Well, can you imagine doing this for seven years?" Matt asked her, insanely bored.
"I would go insane if I didn't have an intelligent conversation in a while. Great, I'm back to square one," she muttered, and Matt chuckled quietly.
"You should really make friends with some Ravenclaws. You can't fall past a fairly decent conversation with one, I even found a friend in a first year," said Matt in drawling tones, and Hermione let her bangs fall over her black eyes.
"I went out with a Ravenclaw. I don't want to chatter with one of his kind," she spat out, and Matt glanced over at her curiously.
"Not all the Ravenclaws are loyal to him, just so you know," Matt said coolly, and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Yes, the Ravenclaw will keep my secret and not spread rumours… Ha, right. I know better than to do that," Hermione replied hatefully, and Matt's eyes widened slightly.
"Do you actually think that everyone is against you? There are some people who would die to be in a good friendship and reveal their real self, even if for a few good hours," Matt said, a bit disturbed that this girl thought so pessimistically.
"I haven't met anyone who would just come and confess all his or her pain freely," Hermione replied, and Matt watched her shift around uneasily.
"Terrible…" He muttered to himself.
…
"It's terribly boring here…"
"Exactly," Harry replied with a long yawn, and Ron closed his eyes, leaning against the tree.
"I wonder how Hermione is coping…" Ron mumbled in sleepily, and Harry nodded vaguely.
"Knowing her, she's probably working on ten scrolls right about now," Harry said humourlessly, and Ron opened an eye to gaze curiously at him.
"Hey, what about we visit her? I bet she's outside, trying to contact us now!"
Harry mumbled something that sounded very much like, "bet Malfoy broke her again."
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Ron jabbed Harry viciously on his shoulder, and he bolted up to his feet, his wand clenched in his hands. "Er, ok…"
"Ron, you frightened the shit out of me," he said numbly, and Ron stood to his feet and yawned widely.
"You curse often, Harry?" Ron asked him as they searched for their world door.
"Yeah, well, the Dursleys aren't the best people to raise children… I'm practically on my own, but I've adapted to it, I guess," he replied, shaking his head to get his black bangs from his eyes.
"I just don't think it's right…" Ron said, and Harry shrugged his shoulders.
"Neither I, but I don't think I'd be expelled for cursing… Look, there's the door," said Harry, pointing to a door about a few miles away.
"Great, exercise…" Ron grumbled, and Harry raised his eyebrows, pushing his glasses up to the bridge of his nose.
"Ron, you're such a little…" Harry imitated Ron's voice, and Ron couldn't help but laugh.
"Ok, I understand how idiotic I sound," Ron said, and Harry reached the door, while he was still walking dazedly. It turned out, Ron was more sleepy than Harry had been.
"For once you do…" He said, and Ron slapped his arm, though he was smiling.
…
"I find no comfort in chatting with you," Hermione confessed, and Matt's soft blue eyes gazed into space, a blank expression on his face.
"The same goes for me, but you're the only other person in the room," He grumbled, and she released a soft sigh.
"That's quite true," She deadpanned, and felt Matt's eyes scan her face. "What?"
"I never thought Gryffindors would be this boring," he muttered. "I don't know why I'm still here..."
"Would you rather sit in silence? I would be happy to take a little snooze," said Hermione, and Matt snorted.
"I'm afraid you might snore," he replied, a small smile tugging his lips.
Hermione folded her arms under her breasts, glowering at Matt before opening her mouth to retort, "I suggest you find yourself a friend in one of those other worlds, because I'm not in a favourable mood."
Matt glanced up at the ceiling, trying to find something interesting in the 'broom closet'.
"I think they only used this place for the project so the 1st years wouldn't snog in here," Hermione muttered to herself, and Matt glanced over at her, a pale eyebrow arched.
"Sure," he drawled. "Whatever you say... Good Lord, must you ever be so dull?"
Hermione blew up her bangs, unfolding her arms and brushing her bushy curls from her face, obviously ticked. "Yes, I only exist to torment you and make you bored to tears. My whole purpose is to make you cry yourself to death, and drain you from your body fluids."
Matt released an exaggerated groan, running his hands through his messy platinum locks, closing his eyes tightly, and his actions only caused a perplexed stare from Hermione.
"Joy. A filthy vampire… Oh, no pun was intended," he muttered, and Hermione gazed over at a random door, a blank look on her face.
"I actually thought it was only a myth, or just a little figment of a woman's imagination," she muttered, and Matt opened his eyes to gaze at the dreadfully boring ceiling, which was equally dull as Hermione.
"No… Shit, just stop talking to me, I don't like having decent conversations with Gryffindors," he grumbled, and she shrugged her shoulders in reply.
"I have some sleep to catch up, anyway," she muttered.
Hermione took her wand and pointed it behind her, her eyes a glassy black. "Blanket appero," she muttered, pulled the crimson fuzzy blanket over herself, and settled on the floor, Matt watching her with vague curiosity.
"Smart little Gryffindor," he muttered to himself.
…
The man clenched his fingers around Draco's jaw, his sapphire eyes icy.
"You are a heartless boy that was mainly influenced by his mother," he spat out vehemently, and Draco's eyes narrowed in anger.
"I was by her side until she died! I don't consider that being heartless!" he shouted in reply, and the man smacked him, his sapphire eyes a stormy blue.
"And yet you were always tormenting her!"
"I don't need this!" Draco said and pushed the man away from him, his head throbbing because of all the man's punches.
"What are you going to do? Duel me? That's a laugh," he said coldly, twirling his wand between his middle and index fingers. "Such arrogance will be fatal…"
Draco had his left hand in his cloak pocket, his fingers clenching his wand, his teeth gritted together tightly, his eyes a dark black with light grey flecks, the original colour they were supposed to be, but since mother died, his eyes reflected his emotions clearly. His hair hung loose, his platinum bangs covering his black eyes, and his pale face was contorted in pure malice.
"I'll duel you and win, you egoistic fool," he drawled frostily, managing to make his voice harsh and hard, an uncontrollable anger coursing through him.
"We'll see about that, but only once she has ordered me to," he said, and Draco brandished his wand from his robes.
"No, duel me here and now, bastard," Draco barked, and the man gave him an emotionless stare.
"It is not of my choice, boy," he said coolly, Draco's eyes turned a light grey, and he collapsed to his knees. The man put two fingers to Draco's forehead and pushed his head back, forcing Draco to look at him.
"Then why are you buggering me, then?" he whispered icily, and the man smiled thinly at him.
"She allowed me so," He replied. "But I can give you a reminder of your foul deeds."
Draco's eyes widened, and he sat on his legs, moving away from the man with difficulty; his legs were cramped, and the man somehow must have had something to do with that.
"No, just go back to whence you came," he said icily, and the man's left hand somehow found his neck, and his fingers wrenched around him, and he used his right hand to press his fingers into Draco's forehead.
Draco's eyes filled with angry tears, yet the man's fingers did not draw blood as they pushed their way deeper, his other hand strangling him. Draco scratched at the man's hands desperately, needing air more than anything did.
"I'll make you have the worst visions of your life," he whispered and released Draco's neck, and Draco fell backward when he released his head with a sickening crack.
Draco's breathing was laboured and quick, and purple bruises were appearing around his neck where the man had grabbed him.
"You can't make me a Seer, you can't change the course of fate and her bitchy ways," Draco's weak voice was strained, and the man laughed coldly.
"You don't know of my power, do you? I can do whatever I want that involves fate, she just told me not to kill you," He said, and Draco blacked out.
…
Harry stumbled forward, his face landing hard on black tile. He heard his glasses crunch from the impact, and blanched as he sat up, and he felt someone pushing something into his hand.
"Harry?"
Harry glanced up and saw Ron standing over him, in his hands a new pair of glasses for him, since his old ones were crushed.
"Thanks, Ron," he said hastily, accepted the glasses with oval-shaped lenses, and stood up hurriedly, glancing around him, trying to get his eyes focused.
He heard a cough to his left, and he gazed over at a curly-haired blonde boy, whose pale blue eyes were focused on him, a pale eyebrow raised.
"Are you that Mudblood's friends? She dreadfully needs someone to talk with, because she confessed a lot of shit to me," He drawled icily, and Ron balled up his fists.
"Don't call her that," Ron spat out, and Matt simply shrugged his shoulders.
"Why should you defend her? You hardly listen to her. She is snoozing in a corner, near her world door, soundlessly… You should ask her something," he said simply, and Harry rubbed his temples, Ron was walking over toward Hermione.
"Why would she confide in a Slytherin?" Harry asked before he could bite his tongue, and Matt merely shrugged his shoulders.
"That I cannot answer… I guess she was so deprived that she had no other choice. Deprived as in emotionally," he drawled and Harry heaved a low sigh.
"That still doesn't explain why she would tell you anything and not her best friends," Ron said from the corner, and Harry glanced over at Matt, a curious expression on his face.
Matt's face showed no plausible emotion, and his blue eyes were blank. He was leaning up against the black walls, his platinum hair practically glowing against it, and the sleeves of his robes were rolled up to his elbows, showing a few scars and a green tattoo of a snake's head. He was sitting with his legs crossed, and Harry saw his silver pants peeking from beneath the hem of his robes. His hair was in wild furious curls, which were long enough to cover half of his ears, and Harry blinked before he heard Ron's voice breaking him out of his unwanted reverie.
"Harry, she wants to talk with you!"
Harry glanced back at Ron, scowling a bit before walking over to his bushy-haired friend. "Yes, Hermione?" he questioned her, and Matt's loud chuckles made him glance over at the curly-haired boy.
"The bell signalling class to be over rang two minutes ago," He said and Harry heard Hermione groan from under the bed sheets.
"Shit, that can't be correct…"
Hermione pushed the sheets off her to glance over at Draco, who was sprawled on the floor, several cuts and bruises on his body, his robe ripped in places, and his platinum hair hung over his stormy grey eyes. He was on his back, his chest moving slowly up and down, and Hermione counted about six bruises on his throat.
"God, what did that fucking thing do?" Matt spat out, and Hermione glanced over at him as he sat down by Draco.
"It tried to kill me before it realised its orders," he said in a cracked voice, and Hermione felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She glanced up at Ron, then at Harry, who was staring over at Matt, an expressionless look on his face.
"Let's go," Ron said to her, she nodded, pointing her wand at her blanket, and it disappeared.
Hermione gazed over uncertainly at Draco before glancing over at Ron, nodding her head in reply. Harry blinked as Ron waved a hand over his face, and Hermione stifled a giggle as Harry whipped around, a confused expression on his face.
"You were daydreaming," Hermione said, and over Harry's shoulder, she could see Matt helping Draco to his feet, wrapping an arm around his shoulders for support.
Harry scowled at her; "I haven't had a good day, since McGonagall doesn't let me sleep in class anymore."
Hermione felt an odd pang in her chest as she gazed over Harry's shoulder, her chocolate eyes locked with Draco's haunting silvery ones. She felt guilt, because she knew it was her fault he was in this condition. Draco's eyes reprimanded her with unheard words as he passed her, yet his eyes never left hers. Hermione was sure she would have nightmares, but she kept a stony façade over herself.
"Hullo? Hermione?"
Hermione glanced over at Ron, who was gazing at her with concern in his blue eyes. She inhaled softly and replied, "I'm fine, Ron. Let's just go."
Harry had his hands shoved in his pants pockets, and he licked his lips nervously as he walked out behind Hermione, glancing around with wary green eyes.
…
Draco could not feel his legs, and his face was numb. He was aware of Matt carrying him to the Slytherin common room, but everything around him was blurred, colours mixing together, faces smudged out.
"Filthy Mudbloods," Matt whispered and the portrait swung open, and he carried Draco inside.
Draco felt Matt sit him down on one of the couches, and he coughed loudly, his throat numb. He knew he would not be able to talk for a while, and he closed his eyes with a cracked groan.
Matt sat down beside him, reading over a Dark Arts book, feeling an odd need to comfort his friend. Matt had no clue how, so just being near him might help a little.
Draco felt a blanket being placed over him about fifteen minutes later, smiled softly, and Matt walked up to the boy's dorms.
…
Hermione stared numbly at her breakfast in the Great Hall the next day, her stomach very queasy. She was for once glad her friends were caught up in a Quidditch argument, because she was not admitting her guilt, and heaven knows how bad she was at lying!
She did not feel hungry, she did not have an appetite at all this morning, which was unnatural for her.
Hermione Granger was not an anorexic.
She winced as the clapping thunder rang in her ears, and she glanced up at the sky to watch lightening streak the black clouds like bolting highlights.
Mental note: pull up hood before walking outside.
Hermione knew her body would shut down if she did not eat anything, so she pushed some bacon onto her plate, scooping up a few biscuits and nibbling on one.
She forced herself to swallow, because she knew she needed this. She never glanced towards the Slytherin table, keeping her chocolate eyes to the Hogwarts crest on her plate. She sipped a little of her pumpkin juice, and sighed softly as she propped her head with her hands.
"Damn, I'm glad we don't have to play in that mess," Ron said, obviously noticing the horrible weather.
"Hufflepuff verses Ravenclaw," said Harry absentmindedly, and Ron shrugged his shoulders in reply.
Ron glanced at Hermione, who was still gazing down her plate, and asked her lazily, "Who do you think would win?"
Hermione's head bolted up, and she met Ron's blue eyes, and muttered, "Dunno, I never cared for Quidditch."
…
Draco rubbed his temples as his fellow Slytherins ate/chattered/snogged animatedly, his head pounding with a severe headache, and the thunder was not helping him at all.
He leaned forward into his hand and let his bangs fall over his silvery eyes. He was frustrated that he could not think, and that they had a test today in Charms. Draco hated Charms. No, hate was too light of a word… He loathed it. Yes, that is an accurate statement…
"You all right?" Matt asked from his left, and he scowled lightly, closing his eyes tightly, trying to relieve himself of the pain.
"Yes, I am fine," he replied, and Matt nodded sceptically.
Matt eyed the untouched food on Draco's plate and drawled, "Sure…" but did not question him about it.
TBC SOON!
Ah, here we are… Should I continue, or what? I'm working on another story with Draco as a veela, and the emotions are drawn out much better… Eh, whatever. REVIEW MY STORY!!