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Not Myself by Saerry Snape

Chapter 166 – Viciousness

"So how was your holiday, Draco dearest?"

Draco stopped in the corridor and slowly turned to see Pansy standing behind him, Crabbe and Goyle flanking her.  Between the two of them, she resembled a mouse standing between two elephants.

Of course, he, knowing how dangerous the two brutes were, didn't find the analogy at all funny.

"Hello, Pansy," he replied darkly turning fully about.  His right hand released the strap of the knapsack on his back and fell onto the hilt of the dagger at his belt.  Silently, he blessed Harry for giving him the Elven blade for Christmas.

Pansy's eyes widened at the sight of the dagger then relaxed as she smirked.

"You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't I?" said Draco, cocking an eyebrow haughtily.  His thumb rubbed against the Elven rune carved into either side of the dagger's hilt.  Harry had told him it was the rune for courage.

And even though courage was a Gryffindor trait, he held tight to the dagger that was his only defense as his wand was tucked into his knapsack.

"Don't you love me, Drake?" purred Pansy, taking a step towards him.  She had a cruel little smile on her lips and an evil glimmer in her eyes.  "You know I love you.  We were promised to each other once."

"I won't honor any deal my father made," sneered Draco.  "And I never liked you, Pansy.  You were too much of a whore, even when you were eight."

Pansy's face twisted into a snarl of outrage and she snapped, "Crabbe, Goyle, get him!  Spatter his brains against the walls!"

The two lumps moved forward and Draco ripped his dagger from its sheath.  His body fell back into the fighting stance he'd been taught at age nine by the sword master his father had hired.

"Come on," he snarled, waving the dagger slightly.  "Come and get me!"

Crabbe grinned as Goyle grunted, "This'll be easy."

"Really?" said a voice from the behind them.  "I don't think I like easy."

"Me neither," commented another voice.  "What about you two?"

"Nope," echoed two voices.

Pansy whirled about, rage in her eyes as she snarled, "Snape!"

Harry, his expression dark, halted halfway down the staircase.  His right hand tightened about the curved scimitar he held as he spat, "So you know."

"All the Death Eater's know," hissed Pansy.  "And by tomorrow, the wizarding world will know that their beloved savior is nothing more than a Death Eater's son!  You're no better than I am, Snape!"

"Maybe," said Harry as he continued down the last of the steps to the cobblestone floor.  "Maybe not.  I don't really care what you think, Parkinson, and I relish the thought of finally being able to take my real name.  Did you think I didn't know?"

"If you were trying to shock him, you've got another thing coming," said Niamh as she came to stand at Harry's right shoulder.  She lifted a katana with both hands and aimed its tip at the blonde's heart.  "You've also got another thing coming if you think you're going to do anything to Malfoy."

"'Cause if anyone's going to injure that blonde idiot," added Mika as he stepped down to stand at Harry's left shoulder, a long sword in one hand.

Ginny appeared at the werewolf's elbow, a short sword clenched in both hands and a fiery look in her brown eyes.

"It'll be us, not you," she finished with a sneer.  "So piss off."

"And that's putting it blatantly," said Harry with a smirk.

Pansy glared at the four of them and hissed, "You're going to die, Snape.  There's no stopping it.  One way or another, you're going to die!"

"Everyone dies someday."

"Just not today," said Niamh with a smile.  "So why don't you and your lackey's run off and go do whatever you do."

Pansy fixed the dark-haired girl with a venomous glare and spat, "Your going to die too, O'Feir!  The Dark Lord knows all about you and Snape!"  She smiled evilly as she continued, "He plans to torture you slowly in front of him."

Niamh's eyes narrowed and her expression set in anger.  But her anger was nothing compared to what showed in Harry's eyes.

The young man stepped forward, his green eyes slowly turning black as he approached the blonde.  He whipped his scimitar out, fast as a striking snake, and clipped her across both cheeks in one smooth motion.  Pansy stumbled back with a pained cry, two streaks of scarlet on her cheeks.

"Fuck you, Snape!" she shouted.  "I'll see you dead!"

"I'll see you there first if you threaten Niamh again," snarled Harry.  "And don't think I won't do it.  I've done murder once, Parkinson.  In your case, I'd be happy to do it again."

Pansy's eyes were wide with fear as she stumbled backwards, Crabbe and Goyle numbly following her.  Draco watched them as they went before he turned to look at Harry, who was glaring coldly after them.

"Murder?"

"Remember Tyls?"

"Yes…" said Draco slowly.

Harry's voice was void of emotion as he said, "He was killed a year before by the man who 'raised' us.  I killed him in revenge."

"Oh.  Well…that's nice."

"Heh.  You okay?"

"Fine."  Draco smiled slightly as he sheathed his dagger.  "Thanks for the dagger."

Harry smiled in return and said, "I knew it'd be helpful."

"Now what?" asked Mika, seemingly ignoring the fact that Harry had just revealed he had killed someone before.

"Now?" said Niamh, walking over to Harry and wrapping her arm about his waist.  "Now we have to wait."

"For what?" asked Ginny.  "For Voldemort?"

"He'll come," said Harry.  "He'll come and he'll bring everything he has against us."

"Before the school year's done, this war will be finished.  One way or another…"

Author's Note

Yes, I know, its awfully short.  But there was blood!  Doesn't that make up for the shortness?    Or maybe that's just in my case.

Bryvend: Just yours, I think.

Osa well…