Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Author's Note: Once again, I do not speak French. I am using a dictionary/translator on my computer, so I'm aware it won't be perfect. If you do speak French, I would like to apologize now for any slaughtering of the language I may have inadvertently caused. Otherwise, what do you care, right?
French translations: ((example))
Author's Note: Again, yes, I have heard that Ginny's real cannon name is Ginevra or whatever. Well, fuck that. In this story, it's not. Fiction, people! lol
Responses to reviewers of last chap: tkmoore,(kisses your feet and hands over little Draco and Blaise dolls for you to goggle in-between chappies) cloaked, Blaise? Stay out of mayhem? Surely you jest! Jan, Lauren and Harry? Hmmm… seri-chan, I hope you like this chappie, my dear review goddess! Chaney, it was bloodlust, they gave her their hunger through the Marks, it'll just be more intense for her now. angelfire33, the Blood makes her a vamp. Remember when they talked about it in Ch. 2? lol resentment, don't worry, I died of laughter while writing it! a.sam, huge thank you! SamiJo06, no anxiety attacks! Although you might have one sometime during this…oops! Shelby, this should clear it up, and thanks! windpine, thanks! musiclover86, anything to help you relax! lol Danni is Divine, James is Mine, check the Author's Note on Ch. 8 for the Greek/Roman thing. Terin Kail, thank you! AnitaBlake/BuffyFan, (huge kisses!) Thanks so much! animegirl-mika, I'm glad someone gets it! little-munchkin-poo speechlessness is good. lol babykelyse, I laughed when he said it, too! Iced Faerie, damn skippy she is! Psi, thanks! short arse, yay! Alex Vossen, I just love you. :) xxbabysparklesxx, I can't help it, humiliating Hermione is just too entertaining! SkotosEnigma, thank you! ShortyLisa, I'm convinced that Hermione was born nosy…lol Tytianne, thankyouthankyouthankyou! amyza, thanks! aoi-yuki-yume, a movie…(sighs wistfully) Can't give you a movie, but I can give you this chapter…
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Virginia lay motionless on the thick, black rug in her boyfriends' common room, utterly unable to take her eyes away from the stars and planets swirling above her. She could see the minutest detail, the subtlest change, and the scents from the bathroom had lulled her into a strange almost-trance. The new power running through her had not abated, and everything was…different. Colors were more vibrant, sounds were sharper and clearer, and she could feel the strength just waiting for her to call upon it. She could taste things on the air, feel the slightest shift of pressure on her skin, and sense her surroundings constantly.
She found, to her delight, that she could control the new changes. Her eyesight was adjustable, zooming in or out at a bare thought from her, and the same went for her hearing. She could dampen it to a normal level, or expand it and hear students all over the castle. All of her senses seemed to be working the same way, and she'd gotten the hang of it quite easily. The hunger was starting to gnaw at her though, and she reluctantly rose to her feet, tearing her eyes away from the celestial enchantment. She padded across the floor on feet that barely touched it, and stopped briefly in the archway to the bedroom.
Her boyfriends lay wrapped around one another, their hair streaming out around them and contrasting beautifully with the emerald sheets. They'd only been asleep for an hour, since the process of changing her had exhausted them, but she knew that they would awaken at any moment, as she could feel the sun setting outside of the castle. Her body was still tingling from their earlier assault, but she wasn't in the least bit tired. Quite the opposite, actually. The process had lasted the entire day, as they'd taken her blood until she was on the brink of death before giving it back time and time again, mixed with their own and the power that came with it.
It hadn't been until the third time that they'd drained her and returned the laced blood that she'd felt small, sharp fangs in her mouth, and a fierce joy had filled her. By the twelfth time, there hadn't been a single drop of blood in her body that hadn't been sweetened and strengthened by theirs. The final bonds between them had solidified, the ties between the maker and the made stitching the last of their souls together as much as they could without them taking the binding oaths of marriage. She had her own link to Neithotep now, a distant, long-stretching thread that felt of old, old power and a sense of satisfaction as the Ancient recognized the new connection.
Blaise's eyes fluttered, a soft sigh escaping his lips as his arm tightened around Draco's waist, pulling him closer subconsciously. Smirking, she leaned against the archway as Draco responded, moving closer and burying his face in Blaise's neck, raven hair obscuring his features. Their legs were tangled underneath the thin sheets, their bodies pressed flush together, and it was another minute before Blaise's still-onyx eyes drifted slowly open, blinking twice before full awareness returned. A length of one silver braid was looped across him, the end tickling his cheek, and he started to swipe it away before he stopped, grinning, and grabbed it, turning the silky end on Draco.
"Mmph." Draco murmured, a second before his hand shot up, snatching Blaise's wrist. "What'd you do that for?"
"It woke me up." Blaise replied simply, his eyes sliding over to Virginia. "And how are you, ma aimé?" ((my love/beloved))
"Oh, I'm fine." She said, walking towards the far wall. "You pretty much insured that, didn't you?"
"Damn right." Draco growled from somewhere underneath Blaise's hair, and a single obsidian eye appeared moments later. She laughed and said a quick password, opening the huge, walk-in closet. She rifled through their robes, loving how much richer the fabric felt under her fingertips, and pulled out two done in a dark purple that was almost black. She had already dressed, opting for a robe made of blood-red velvet, since it seemed to match her thoughts. She grabbed two pairs of dragonhide pants and left the closet, walking towards the bed and depositing her load.
"Thank you, ma cherí. We could have gotten these, though." Draco said, rising to a sitting position while Blaise nodded. She sighed.
"You are the most stubborn people I know!" She huffed, leveling a mild glare on them. "You're still tired."
"No, we're n-"
"Don't even go there." She cut in, her glare intensifying a bit. "I can feel it, remember?" They exchanged resigned looks.
"Gods, she's right." Draco murmured. "We won't be able to get a parchment cut without her knowing."
"And she'll make us drink tea and rest and-"
"It'll be just like our mothers!" The two seemed to find that extremely amusing, and she smiled sweetly as she approached them. Neither took notice, as they were too busy laughing, but their laughter died when her hands moved in a blur, wrapping around their lengths. They both froze, their breath coming out in hisses, and she smirked as they simultaneously got hard.
"Really? Can your mothers do that?" She asked haughtily, before letting her hands drop back to her sides. Their eyes widened and it was her turn to laugh. "Come on, Pansy will be barging in here before long wanting to know if we're alright."
"That was wrong." Blaise intoned as he slid from underneath the sheets and into a pair of the dragonhide pants while Draco did the same. "And if I didn't know that you were right about Pansy, I'd show you how horrible teasing can be."
"Ooooh, is that a promise?" She taunted as they put their robes on, and immediately knew she should have kept her mouth shut when their eyes turned hungry.
Cursing, she turned on a heel and bolted, barely making it out of the portrait with them right on her heels. She streaked down the short hallway, bursting into the common room and startling quite a few Slytherins before spotting Pansy and Anton. She sped towards them, jumping over one of the couches and twisting as Blaise made another grab for her. She landed on her feet and immediately spun, throwing herself to the left as Draco flew right over where she'd just been. Not wasting a second, she kept going, keeping as low to the ground as possible as she went under one of the tables. When she came out on the other side, she saw a miracle.
"Severus!" She called, making a desperate leap as both of her lovers moved up behind her. She hit the ground at Severus's feet, latching onto a handful of his robes and breathing a sigh of relief. Which she should have known not to do, as they apparently couldn't have cared less and crashed into them both, sending them to the ground in an ungainly heap. Fingers began tickling her before she could even get her bearings, and she shrieked, trying to throw Draco off of her.
"Don't you dare, Blaise Zabini!" She heard Severus shout from beside her, and moved just in time to see Severus getting the same treatment from her other boyfriend. The Professor howled, trying to dislodge him, and she would have helped had the circumstances been different. As it was, however, she could barely draw a breath of her own thanks to the laughter being forced from her throat, and she couldn't stop it long enough to try and escape, so she decided that desperate times called for desperate measures.
"If you two don't stop I won't sleep with you for a week!" She choked out between giggles, and that got them to quit, amid many laughs from their friends. Draco smirked down at her knowingly, but she could see the strain behind it.
"You need to feed." She murmured as he helped her to her feet, her sides still aching. He shrugged and gave her a slight nod before kissing her and pulling away, his black eyes flashing with humor.
"So do you." He shot back, lifting a hand and calling his and Blaise's boots into the room.
"And who shall be so lucky, hmm?" Blaise asked from beside her, a heavily scowling and seriously disheveled Severus behind him. "Because I'm starving."
"Tell me about it." Draco muttered as he caught their boots, and then handed Blaise a pair. They both had them on in seconds, and they ignored Severus's grumbling as the three of them walked over to Pansy and Anton.
"It's not very nice to harass your girlfriend." Pansy reprimanded as they made it to them, and Draco and Blaise rolled their eyes.
"Harass her?" They asked in unison. "Right."
"Hey, I didn't do anything." Virginia argued, and they rolled their eyes again. Vincent, Gregory, Melody and Daphne were sitting around one of the tables behind Pansy, and she noticed them trying to hide something. Her boyfriends apparently noticed it too.
"What are you doing?" Draco asked, his black eyes trained on them. They looked up hurriedly, paling, and Virginia got a queasy feeling. No way, she thought to herself. There's no way that something else has gone wrong already.
"Um…Nothing." Gregory mumbled, shoving whatever it was under his robes. Her boyfriends' eyes narrowed.
"What is that?" Blaise questioned, moving closer.
"Oh, nothing really." Melody breathed out in a rush. "It wouldn't interest you. Don't worry about it." That, of course, only made Draco and Blaise more suspicious. They looked at each other, and then sprung, knocking Gregory out of his chair and onto the floor. They gave him the same treatment Virginia and Severus had just endured, and soon he was begging them to stop as well, tears running down his face as he laughed uncontrollably. Draco's hand shot under his robes, reappearing with a bunched up bundle of parchment, and he howled in triumph, jumping off of Gregory. Blaise followed him, onyx eyes gleaming, and they rejoined Virginia.
"Want to see our spoils?" Blaise asked as he snatched the parchment from Draco, who growled and snatched it back. She took it from both of them before it could be damaged beyond repair.
"Hey!" Draco said belligerently. "I'm the one who got it!"
"Only because I helped." Blaise said, sticking his nose in the air.
"That is such a lie!" Draco countered. "I could have gotten it on my own without your lousy help."
"Whatever. You couldn't so much as get a clue without my help." Blaise shot back, and he was the one to get pounced on that time. He was on the floor almost too quickly for even Virginia's eyes to follow, with Draco straddling him and holding his hands down as he half-way struggled to get free.
"Perhaps," Draco purred. "But I know something else I need your help with." He ground his hips down into Blaise's, and the other could barely stop from moaning. Loudly. A second later, he found their positions reversed, and Virginia used their momentary distraction to her advantage, un-crumpling the parchment she was holding. The other Slytherins were looking at her warily, their attention flicking between her and her boyfriends, and she sighed. Maybe it wouldn't be too horrible. The first thing she saw made it clear that that was not to be the case. Because the headline of the Daily Prophet read:
'Malfoy and Zabini Fight for the Light while a Weasley Turns Traitor!'
The newspaper fluttered from her fingers to the floor, and she knew her mouth had to be hanging open. Fight for the Light? Since when? She'd been expecting the Percy thing, but the first part of that headline was ludicrous. Realizing her error in letting the parchment go, she almost got it back in time. Almost. Blaise had it in hand, moving back to Draco's side, his eyes studying her face intently. Draco was starting to sit down when Blaise handed the paper over, and he actually fell over and out of his chair as he read the huge letters on the front page. Blaise looked startled, his own eyes going to the newspaper, and they widened impossibly before he joined Draco on the floor.
"WHAT!?" They both exploded at once, and the darkfire that had stopped flickering over their skin an hour or two ago came back full-force, while their expressions stayed stunned and horrified. They rose to their feet again, in one smooth, eerie movement, and spun on their friends, their blacker-than-black eyes demanding answers.
"We, um, well…" Anton started, looking as if he'd much rather be somewhere, anywhere, else. "I guess you should just read it. And maybe floo Satordi." They snarled in response, falling onto one of the couches and looking up at Virginia inquiringly. She gave a weak smile and went over to them, sliding down between them on the cushions. Draco's hands were shaking with barely-suppressed rage as he smoothed the parchment out and they began reading.
'Malfoy and Zabini Fight for the Light while a Weasley Turns Traitor!'
by Noreen Flatoon
'Yes, devoted readers, you read that right. This is no joke. Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini, both of whom were the sole heirs to their late fathers' fortunes, are not, in fact, in league with You-Know-Who. We have finally been given the full report on the pictures of them and Virginia Weasley that leaked to us last week, and it is a shocking story. It seems that the two young men had taken her to their Alexandria office before they were to go on a date, and while there, were attacked by Death Eaters. It soon turned into a slaughter, as the young billionaires' security crystals later showed, and the three teenagers left only eleven out of over sixty alive.
They were found by Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape and their mothers, Narcissa Malfoy and Silana Zabini, and the three were taken to the Ministry for questioning. They were not at fault, seeing as how they killed in defense and the culprits were Death Eaters, and their infamous guards, the Ezutîël, more commonly known as the Black Wraiths, weren't with them, because their offices had before been impenetrable. It has been confirmed that the only reason the Death Eaters had gained entrance in the first place is that You-Know-Who used demon magick. So, as you can see just from that, the two young wizards are obviously not working for him.
But that doesn't hold true for everyone. While we might have acquired much with the addition of two such figures to the ranks of the Light, we also lost much that night. It had been reported that during the fight, one Death Eater attempted to kill Virginia Weasley with a poisoned knife, sneaking up from behind her. She was thankfully able to get him first, thus escaping with her life, but the identity of that Death Eater rocked her to the core. For it was none other than her older brother, Percival Weasley, better known as Percy. Once a Head Boy at Hogwarts, where Lords Malfoy and Zabini along with Virginia Weasley are currently enrolled, he was said to be the next Junior Minister.
That's nothing more than a broken dream now, however, and the world is a greyer place since we've discovered that even Weasleys can go bad. And that brings up the hotly debated question: What about Virginia herself? Her boyfriends are practically soaked through with darkness even if they are on our side, and who knows when they might abandon us or decide that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is worth following? Experts say that that is a likely outcome, so where does that leave Ms. Weasley? Will she follow them and meet an end like her lost brother? Will she try and stop them and make them see the goodness in the simple things around them?
We can only hope that should an event like that occur (which we should all prepare ourselves for), that she will leave them to their inherent evil and take up robes of scarlet once more. What does that mean, you ask? We have it on good authority that the youngest Weasley has not slept a single night within her own House, Gryffindor, in almost two months, opting instead to stay in the dungeons of Slytherin. This does not bode well for her future choice or her family, since it seems she is already developing a preference for their company above all else. But another miraculous event occurred just this past night.
It has been told to us by numerous witnesses that after the Quidditch game yesterday, Hogwarts was attacked by a Deep Lord. Now, don't have a heart attack just yet! I know how you feel, trust me. I'd never been more shocked in my entire life then I was when we got word of it last night. The demon managed to break through the castle's defenses, and when it seemed all hope was lost, Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini and Virginia Weasley stepped forward. Lord Malfoy distracted the demon, while Lord Zabini opened an Infedigus portal and Ms. Weasley guarded him. What happened afterwards is something I'm sure no one will forget for a very long time.
Lord Malfoy acknowledged the Deep Lord by name, and defeated not only a yeti, but thirteen werewolves, while another eleven had set out for Ms. Weasley. The Black Wraiths had appeared from nowhere, and that pack was quickly taken care of as well. Lord Malfoy had battled the demon itself, while Lord Zabini pulled off a spell that someone twice his age shouldn't have been able to perform. The portal had opened and Ms. Weasley and Lord Zabini had run out to help Lord Malfoy, who managed to throw the demon into the portal after shifting into a basilisk. Yes, you read that right, too.
It seems that the three are more than just proclaimed Chosen and Elementals to boot, but shapeshifters as well. It is unclear how Ms. Weasley acquired this ability, but it seems that the two young Lords gained it through their illustrious bloodlines. One way or the other, the Deep Lord was vanquished, but Lord Malfoy fell after it. This paper had originally been printed speaking of his disappearance, but emergency revisions were made early this morning. It turns out that Lord Zabini and Ms. Weasley followed him down the portal some hours later, and all three returned this morning. It has not been said, however, what transpired while they were down there.
Many lives were saved thanks to them, and that is why they have been awarded one of our most prestigious honors. All three will be receiving an Order of Merlin, First Class, for their bravery and selflessness. All ongoing suspicions regarding Lord Malfoy and Lord Zabini have been for the moment discarded, although the Ministry warns everyone not to drop their guard. Both are still extremely dangerous and rumored to be well versed in the Dark Arts. Should the draw of evil prove too tempting for them, our newest allies may well become our greatest enemies, barring You-Know-Who himself. We can only hope and pray that such will not be the case.
Meanwhile, the eight students currently being held for indirect attempted manslaughter, which I'm sure you've heard endless stories about, will have their fates decided this Friday, when the rest of their classmates will be preparing to leave for winter break. Seamus Finnegan, who is reported to have been the brains behind the operation, will more than likely get the brunt of the punishment, but I'm sure all of them have regretted their actions lately, having spent the last week in Azkaban as a lesson. Neither Narcissa Malfoy nor Silana Zabini have dropped the charges, and it doesn't appear that they will within the next few days.
On the next few pages, we have enclosed photos of the aftermath in Alexandria, and yes, those three gory figures are who you think they are. The others are from the battle on the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch, proof for your own eyes that we are not fooling you about what you have just been reading. The photographs may be disturbing for some, so we advise that younger children do not view them expect with direct parental supervision and consent. The Dark forces have suffered two major defeats at the hands of these three young mages, so, for now, go ahead and celebrate. But don't forget, even for a second, that serpents are slippery creatures.'
"Sweet gods," Virginia breathed out, her head spinning. She didn't even want to see the pictures. Living it had been quite enough.
"Elles devoir être foutu plaisanterie!" Blaise exclaimed to no one in particular, his black eyes furious. ((They have to be fucking joking!))
"Glissant?" Draco hissed. "Glissant? J'volonté montrer les glissant!" ((Slippery? Slippery? I'll show them slippery!))
"I'm wearing scarlet robes!" Virginia pointed out indignantly.
"Well, this is going about as well as we figured." Pansy said dryly from behind them. Draco spun, growling.
"You think this is funny?"
"Well…" Pansy started, cocking an eyebrow. "Yes. It's utterly absurd if you ask me." She said, and Draco stared for a moment before a ghost of a smile curved over his lips.
"And why's that?" He asked, tossing the parchment to the ground. "Maybe we have decided to fight for all that's good and ethical." Pansy snorted.
"Right, Dray. Neither of you even knows what ethics are."
"We do so!" Blaise disagreed. "We know that you don't hurt your friends or loved ones, we know that you…Hmm."
"What's wrong?" Pansy teased. "Can't think of any more, can you?"
"Oh, fuck off, Pansy." Blaise sighed, falling back against the cushions. "I'm too tired to argue with you." The girl looked at him sharply then, as if noticing his fatigue for the first time, and her eyes shot to Draco, who didn't seem much better off, his head lying on Virginia's shoulder limply.
"And just what has exhausted you that badly?" She asked, those brandy eyes narrowing. Blaise seemed to suddenly realize his slip, which was testament enough on its own to just how worn out they still were. Her eyes then moved to Virginia, and she crawled over Blaise until she was on her best friend's lap. Virginia looked warily at the face mere inches from hers, and stayed still when Pansy lifted her lip.
"I knew it!" The girl crowed when she glimpsed a deceptively dainty fang, and a depraved smirk appeared on her face. "I'll be your first." She half-offered, half-demanded, and Virginia grinned, her anxiety melting away.
Her gaze drifted down to her friend's throat, and the hunger dug in vicious claws when she spied the dark blue veins underneath that pale flesh. She had a moment to see Anton kneeling before Blaise and Melody doing the same in front of Draco, before she took Pansy at her word and struck. Her recently acquired fangs sunk into the girl's skin easily, and pure, powerful blood washed down her throat, throwing her senses into a jumble. Every ancestor that Pansy's blood could claim back to the Awakening flashed through her mind, a long, continuous line that had stayed unbroken throughout the millennia.
There was the tiniest taste of Blaise and Draco, signifying that they shared blood, however little, from past marriages between their families. Intense pleasure was racing through her as the blood acted as an intoxicant, heightening the last of the power-high that they had experienced all day. She could feel her strength solidifying, could feel the vampiric blood dig its roots in, deep and irremovable. She could vaguely hear Pansy screaming in ecstasy through the heartbeats pounding in her head like primal drums, and was distantly aware of Anton and Melody's voices echoing hers. One of the heartbeats began to slow and she pulled back instinctively, falling bonelessly against the back of the couch.
"Fuck." She whispered as her body trembled and shook, Pansy collapsing on top of her languidly. Her eyesight was zooming in and out randomly, scents and sounds were attacking her senses deliciously, and she felt as if she were floating. The other screams stopped, and she felt rather than saw the pairs on either side of her fall into lethargic positions much like the one she and Pansy were in.
"Well." Draco drawled. "I feel much better now."
"Hmph." Pansy agreed, giggling euphorically.
Something brushed against Virginia's cheek, and she looked over listlessly to see one of the little dragons Draco and Blaise had created sitting on her shoulder. She smiled as it rubbed its muzzle against her face, and she could hear more of them settling on her friends and lovers. They had created a little colony in the corner of the common room the first night that they had come into existence, and they mostly stayed there, only coming out occasionally or when summoned. After the first week, Severus had threatened Draco and Blaise with bodily harm if they didn't call off the swarm that had followed him around constantly, and they had laughingly agreed.
"Damn fluttery things." Draco murmured. "Oh no."
"What's wrong?" Blaise asked lazily, and Draco moaned in frustration.
"My nose itches." He pouted verbally, and Blaise and Virginia laughed. "Think its amusing, do you?" He asked, and opened the Marks. Virginia's nose began itching immediately, and she cursed, realizing why he had complained. She could barely move.
"Oh, Seeeveruuuus." Blaise called. "Would you be a darling godfather and scratch my nose?"
"After your assault on my person earlier?" Severus scoffed. "Not bloody likely."
"Fine." Blaise groaned, and a shot of power lanced through their Marks.
Her senses evened out once more and the energy from the feeding opened up for her usage. Draco purred happily and helped Melody scoot over so that she slumped against the arm of the couch. He grabbed one of the cushions and put it gently under her head before calling in a blanket to drape over her. Blaise did much the same with Anton, and he and Draco slid off the couch. Virginia lifted Pansy smoothly, her weight feeling like practically nothing, and laid her down with her head on Anton's chest. Melody moved over automatically, curling up against Pansy before her eyes drifted shut once more.
"You always have taken care of them afterwards." Severus commented, and they turned to face him.
"It's the least we can do." Draco said, his attention going back to their friends. He knelt beside them, running healing fingers over the wounds on their necks. They hadn't spilt so much as a drop of their blood, and their saliva stopped the flow as soon as their fangs left the skin, so there wasn't a mess, just dark bruises. They faded slightly under his skillful touch, but he didn't get rid of them completely, since those three had a tendency to bitch for hours when he did.
"Yes, well, you'd better hurry or you'll miss satisfying a different hunger. Dinner's over in twenty minutes." Severus said, and began walking for the exit.
"We'll be there." Draco mumbled distractedly, placing his hand on each of their…victims' foreheads. Victims, she thought with a snicker. Yeah, right.
"What are you doing, love?" She asked him, and he turned deep black eyes on her as the tiny dragons flew back to their nests.
"Giving them good dreams." He said softly as she kneeled down beside him. "And Pansy needs them more than the others." He added, and she stared.
"Why is that?" She asked, her protectiveness for her friend shining through. His hand dropped from Anton's head and his fingers intertwined with hers as he met her eyes.
"She's been having nightmares since we were Marked. She can't stop dreaming about the state our bodies were in before Cocidius brought us back and healed us. She dreams of us either dying completely, or coming back as nothing more than animate zombies. We've been mixing dreamless sleep draughts for her ever since."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Virginia asked, feeling guilty. Draco smirked.
"She asked us not to mention it. She said you'd feel guilty." He looked at her knowingly.
"But we told her you wouldn't feel anything of the sort." Blaise whispered from behind her, his hand snaking around her waist. "And you're not going to go prove us wrong now, are you?"
"No." She said, leaning back against him. "I know it's not my fault. It's not like I asked to be sucked into the void."
"But…"
"But I can't help feeling a little bad." She sighed. "Come on, let's go to dinner."
"Yes." Draco crooned. "Let's." She glanced at him suspiciously.
"And just why do you sound so pleased to have to face all of those gaping fools?" Virginia asked, knowing how bad it was going to be after that trash in the paper.
"Because," he explained, "Severus left. Therefore, I have no plans on creating a sight shield. It's the damnedest thing. I seem to have forgotten how…" He trailed off and Blaise snickered while Virginia rolled her eyes.
"I suppose I don't get a shield either, then?"
"If you want one." Blaise replied, rising to his feet and offering both her and Draco a hand. "But I know you don't." He finished with a smirk as they got up as well. She couldn't help a small smile.
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Hermione sank onto the bench tiredly, trying not to watch as Harry and Ron shoveled food into their mouths like automatons stuck on fast-forward. Their eating habits were appalling, but she'd had six and a half years to get used to them. Even when they hadn't been friends at first in their first years, she had still had to sit by them. She wasn't the least bit hungry, and doubted she would have been even if they had observed the slightest amount of eating etiquette. She had just left the Hospital Wing, and she couldn't stop seeing Lauren's battered form framed against the white sheets. Today had definitely not been pretty, to say the least.
As if that morning's late Daily Prophet hadn't stirred up enough of a mess, they'd barely been let out for lunch when Pansy had approached the Gryffindors, a horde of Slytherins at her back, and thrown a handful of black salt in Lauren's face. Hermione had tensed immediately, as that's the way one witch or wizard formally challenges another, although it didn't necessarily have to be tossed at their head. Lauren had frozen before nodding stiffly, and they had foregone lunch to take it outside. None of the Professors tried to stop them after seeing the black crystals littering Lauren's hair and robes, and the duel had begun after ruling it a no-death fight and choosing their seconds.
It really hadn't taken as long as it had seemed. They were barely there for five minutes. The circle had been cast by the two opponents, and the curses flew. Watching Pansy's efficiency and prowess, she had once more acknowledged how much they needed the Slytherins' help. Lauren hadn't gotten a single curse past Pansy's well-constructed defenses, while Pansy had clobbered the other girl into the ground. She had been unyielding and brutal, hitting hard and quick with a mixture of spells and fists and feet. Besides having agreed upon the no-death factor, they had also out-ruled blades, since Lauren was one of the few purebloods who had never learned to wield one.
After it was over, Lauren had lain crumpled on the snow while Pansy had spit at her and opened the circle, walking away without looking back even once as her Housemates had congratulated her. Hermione had patched her fellow Gryffindor up as much as she could before they had rushed her to Madam Pompfrey. The healer had taken one look at the damage and the lingering stains that the black salt had left on the girl's skin, and shaken her head disgustedly, mumbling about what a barbaric custom dueling was and how it should be outlawed immediately. They had only just left, having stayed until they knew Lauren would be okay, and had then come to dinner.
"Where's my sister?" Ron demanded after he had cleared three plates. He had very nearly come undone at the seams when he had read the paper earlier, and she'd had to restrain him from storming down to Slytherin all day. The memory of Blaise's eyes was still fresh in her mind.
"She might not come to dinner tonight." Hermione said neutrally, and, of course, the Slytherins picked that time to enter.
She choked on her pumpkin juice when she saw that Draco, Blaise and Ginny still had eyes blacker then the night sky and tiny wisps of darkfire flickering over their skin. Ginny was wearing blood-colored robes, and Hermione wondered if she'd done it purposely because of the article in the paper. The whole Great Hall seemed to freeze as every eye in the place zeroed in on them, but they didn't pay the other students the least bit of attention. Only Crabbe, Goyle and Daphne were with them, and where the other half of their innermost circle was, she had no idea. Maybe Pansy felt bad about the fight she'd instigated earlier. Yeah, she could totally see that happening.
"Come on." Ron said suddenly, hauling her and Harry to their feet.
"Wha-Where are we going?" Harry asked, trying to get a last bite of mashed potatoes.
"To see my sister, what'd you think?" Ron replied, dragging them down the aisle between their table and Hufflepuff's. Hermione was simply wondering if there was any way to glue her eyelids shut within the next thirty seconds.
She could feel the other students' eyes boring into them as they crossed the end of the hall, passing the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws before reaching the Slytherins. They walked to the center where the older students held court, trying to ignore the venomous hisses that followed them down the table. The only three people sitting there that didn't note their arrival were the three they had come to see. Ginny was bent over their goblets, and she thumped each one quickly, the pumpkin juice disappearing. Then Draco and Blaise each tapped the stems twice, and a deep, red liquid filled the cups, causing Ron to blanch.
"That's not…?"
"No, Ron." She whispered back. "It's not blood." Shaking her head, she waved him silent as they stopped next to the three that were currently draining their goblets dry and refilling them.
"Ginny." Ron said, and his sister turned slowly. "What's wrong with your eyes?"
"There's nothing wrong with them." Ginny responded evenly, and a small smile quirked her lips as she saw his relief. Apparently, she could tell that he'd been worrying about her all day, and she rose in a flowing, graceful movement, the darkfire that was tracing her skin dying out, and hugged him. "I'm fine. Really." She whispered next to his ear, and he visibly sagged with relief.
"Thank the gods." He mumbled, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her back tightly. "Fuck, Ginny, why'd you have to go in that thing?"
"You know why." She said softly, pulling back and looking at him. He flinched slightly at the sight of her ebony eyes, but he held himself together remarkably well, considering.
"Yeah, whatever." Ron said uncomfortably, obviously not wanting to get into a discussion about her feelings for the two Slytherins. "I bet mum's not taking that article very well."
"I was going to floo her later. You can come with me if you want." Ginny offered, and Ron smiled for the first time in days.
"Alright. That'd be cool, I guess." He agreed, releasing her and taking a step back. "We can cheer her up for real when we get home on Saturday."
"Umm, about that." Ginny said, suddenly looking a bit nervous.
"What about it?" Ron asked, confused. So subtly that Hermione almost didn't notice, Draco and Blaise slid up onto the tabletop, their booted feet resting on the bench. It looked like a lazy, insolent sprawl, nothing more, but Hermione would have bet everything she owned that they were both tense and coiled under their impassiveness, ready to spring at a moment's notice.
"Well, you know how I stayed with Lauren last Yule, right?" Ginny asked hesitantly.
"Yeah. But I'll doubt you'll be going there this year." Ron said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I'm not." Ginny replied. "I'm staying at the Manor with Draco and Blaise." There was a moment of complete stillness before Ron freaked.
"WHAT!?" He bellowed, causing heads all over the hall to turn. "You most certainly are not!"
"Yes, I am, Ron." Ginny said, her voice becoming agitated.
"No, you're not. You'll never come back if you go inside that haunted crypt." Her brother spat, and the darkfire came back, flickering over her porcelain flesh as her anger rose.
"You don't even know what you're talking about!" Ginny retorted hotly. "Mum came back, didn't she? And she told me I could since their mothers will be there."
"Oh, that's a huge reassurance, Gin." Ron snapped. "Look at the way those two turned out!"
"Goddamnit, Ron!" Ginny exclaimed, slamming her hand into the wall behind him.
Hermione watched, dazed, as the stone crumbled under her fingers, a vague, yet deep, imprint of a hand remaining when she lowered her arm. She drew in a long breath and turned to her boyfriends, whispering something to them before turning and leaving, shooing her brother away with a dismissive gesture when he tried to follow her. She waved a hand when she reached the heavy wooden doors and they flew open, crashing into the walls. Then she was gone, and Hermione saw Draco nod to Daphne, who jumped up and followed Ginny. Murmurs broke out around the hall, and Ron was still staring at the doors in disbelief, as if he couldn't believe she'd just blown him off.
"Are you happy now?" Blaise asked idly, refilling his goblet once again. "She won't come to any harm there, you know. She'll be safer at the Manor then she would be wherever it is that you live."
"The Burrow is perfectly safe." Ron argued, his eyes flashing angrily.
"The Burrow?" Draco questioned incredulously, lifting an eyebrow.
"Hasn't Ginny told you anything about our family?"
"Of course." Blaise intoned. "She just didn't mention that your house was called the Burrow, is all." It was blatantly obvious how hard it was for him to keep the mockery out of his voice.
"And just what has she said?" Ron asked demandingly. Blaise's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"I won't betray her confidence."
"Why? Has she been talking shit about us?" Ron questioned, his voice hard, and Hermione really wished he would shut up. Help, if you could call it that, came from an unexpected source.
"Ron, just leave it, mate." Harry said evenly, before turning to Draco, his eyes shimmering oddly. "I'm really sorry about yesterday, I know that was a lousy way to start out our friendship and-" He didn't get to finish as Blaise exploded off the bench, advancing so quickly on Harry that he barely had time to scramble backwards. "Z-Zabini? What are you-"
"Friendship, Potter?" Blaise hissed. "Have you lost your fucking mind?"
"But…But he said…" Harry stammered, thrown off at the utter fury he had evoked with a single word. Blaise never took his eyes off Harry as he spoke over his shoulder to Draco.
"Are you friends with him?" He asked through gritted teeth, and Draco gave Harry a look that clearly said 'You knocked me into a portal to Hell. Fuck you'.
"Non." Draco said silkily, and Harry's eyes widened. ((No.))
"That's good enough for me." Blaise said furiously, and threw his hand out. Tiny, black crystals rained down over Harry's head, and it seemed as if everyone in the hall sucked in a collective gasp. Harry paled while Ron's jaw dropped, and Hermione's hand flew to her mouth.
"No, no, you can't…" She mumbled through her fingers, but no one paid her the least bit of attention.
"I challenge you, Harry Potter." Blaise said clearly, his velvety voice traveling through the dead silence that had filled the room. "No-death, since our Lord wishes you alive for the moment, and just to make it interesting, no magic. You've pushed your luck too many fucking times, and now that I think about it, I can get a bit of revenge on your little mudblooded whore at the same time. She'll feel horrid knowing how much worse you got it because of her. Come, we do this now."
"Blaise," Hermione said unthinkingly, "Blaise, you can't." She immediately regretted it as those eyes latched onto her.
"I've only got one nerve left, bitch, and you're no longer beneath my contempt." He snarled, and she was taking quick steps backwards before she even knew it. "You just keep coming back to bother us, quite like a bad case of low-class lice."
"If anyone's a bloodsucker it's you!" Harry exclaimed, finding his courage. Blaise laughed, a sinister, spectral sound that creeped over their skin and scared Hermione almost as badly as his eyes had the day before.
"Well, I guess you're about to find out, hmm?" Blaise taunted, and Harry's face settled into a determined mask. She'd seen it before when he'd gone after the Sorcerer's stone, seen it before all of the Tri-Wizard tasks…And she knew, then, that nothing was going to stop this insanity. "Are you coming, Potter?" Blaise called out as he made for the doors, Draco at his side and the other Slytherins rising to flank him, their faces pleased and expectant. "Or are you scared?"
"You wish." Harry said, following him, but she could have sworn she heard the tiniest waver in his voice.
She and Ron trailed after him dutifully, and the majority of the other students followed them out into the deepening shadows as well. All Hermione wanted was for this not to happen. She already knew what the outcome would be, and knew that it wasn't going to be pretty. They trekked out through the snow, everyone but Blaise and Draco floundering through it, sinking into the cold, wet slush up to their calves. Quite thankful that she'd worn her boots, she looked on with envious eyes as the two Slytherins glided over the snow, barely even leaving indentions from their passage. They reached a section of the lawn that was wedged between the forest and the castle wall, where the snow was only an inch or two thick, and everyone stopped.
"Who do you name as your second?" Blaise asked, one of the black swords she'd seen him wield the day before appearing in his hand. "Just in case there's an…accident."
"Ron." Harry said, waving his wand and calling in his own sword before giving Hermione the length of wood. "And you?" Harry questioned, his eyes wandering over to Draco, that odd flash lighting up within them once again. Blaise noticed, much to Hermione's dismay, and he growled.
"Who do you think? The one you can barely take your eyes off of." Blaise replied acidly, and she knew Harry was thankful for the darkness, since no one could see his blush. She knew how he felt.
"Alright." Draco drawled, looking quite satisfied with the situation. "Cast the circle."
Both Blaise and Harry moved forward, one going towards the north, the other towards the south. The watching students backed away several yards as the two young men each dug a sword tip into the snow and spoke the ancient words of sealing. No witch or wizard needed a wand to activate a dueling circle, and no one had ever been able to figure out why. But regardless, the circle sprung up, pushing the students back even farther as it spread to cover a good part of the forest and the small clearing. Harry and Blaise turned back around and faced each other, both giving the traditional bow and moving towards one another.
Their swords met in a clash of metal that sounded absurdly loud as it echoed off the stone around them, and Blaise sneered as he threw Harry backwards with a fierce shove. His sword slashed out quickly, slicing Harry's arm open almost to the bone before he moved agilely back, falling into a defensive crouch. Harry took the bait, running towards him and swinging his sword at Blaise's left side, but the Slytherin moved at the last second, seeming to disappear and reappear right behind him. He pulled Harry close, his sword going to his throat as he laughed again. He made a quick jerking motion across the exposed neck, and Hermione thought he'd really slit Harry's throat for a moment.
But it looked like Blaise had only done it to prove a point, and fully intended to continue toying with him. Which is exactly what he was doing, and it was blindingly obvious to all observing it from outside the circle. He shoved Harry away once more hard enough to send him flying face-first into the snow, but to Harry's credit, he did get up quickly. He advanced slower that time, and metal met metal again with enough force to actually send sparks flying from the blades. They kept it up for a good minute, Blaise testing and judging Harry's skill while Harry looked for a way past Blaise's defenses. By the end of that minute, Harry was bleeding from nine new cuts, all of them deep.
Hermione's fondest wish had changed, and now all she wanted was to sink into the snow and cover her eyes in despair. But she couldn't, she had to stay strong for Harry, because it seemed as if he was going to need all of the help he could get when this…this farce was over. Blaise struck again, his blade meeting Harry's while his foot shot out, kicking Harry hard in the back of the knee and sending him to the ground once more. Again Blaise's sword went to his throat, and again Blaise pulled it back. Oh yes, he was making his point quite clear. Harry made to rise again when the steel toe of Blaise's boot slammed into the side of his head.
"How does it feel?" They heard the Slytherin hiss as Harry fought to stay conscious.
After that, Blaise was merciless. Harry tried to pull him down, and Blaise stomped his heel on the grabbing hand, the sound of breaking bones ringing loud through the silence. Even the small forest noises had died away, along with the breeze, as if the night itself watched this duel with baited breath. Harry gave a strangled scream as the last three fingers on that hand were crushed, and Blaise danced away, letting him regain his feet. Harry stared at the mangled pulp his left hand had become, and snapped. Leaping up, his eyes wide and glazed with pain, he charged at the Slytherin, who had once more fallen into a crouch.
Blaise sheathed his sword when Harry was halfway to him (though where and when he'd gotten said sheathe was beyond her), and right as Harry should have crashed into him, he grabbed the Gryffindor's wrists and flipped backwards, pulling Harry with him. Blaise's feet came up in a blur and kicked Harry savagely in the stomach, sending him flying backwards almost fifteen feet before he crashed into the castle wall, the sound of more bones cracking accompanying his impact. Harry fell onto a heap at the wall's base, wheezing and clutching his side, his ribs obviously broken. He pulled himself up, using the wall and his sword, gritting his teeth in an effort not to cry out.
Blaise waited, having moved to lean up against a tree, and was finishing re-braiding his hair by the time Harry was on his feet again. Harry moved towards him again cautiously, heavily favoring his left side as well as his left hand, and Blaise didn't even look up at his approach. Harry stopped before him, and feinted, but Blaise didn't follow the movement, just stayed completely still. Harry swung for real the next time, and Blaise curved to the side like a snake, his hand flashing out and wrapping in Harry's hair. He slammed the Gryffindor's head into the trunk of the tree, not once but twice, and let him sink to the ground yet again.
He didn't back off that time, though, but whipped out his sword and impaled Harry's upper left arm, slamming the blade through flesh, bone, snow and earth almost to the hilt before ripping it back out. Harry couldn't hold back his scream during that, but it was choked off a moment later when Blaise kicked his broken ribs viciously. He grabbed Harry by the hair again, yanking him upright and tossing him bodily into another tree. Blaise had him again before he even hit the ground, and slammed a fist into his face with another sickening 'crack' before literally dropkicking him halfway across the clearing. Harry hit the ground and rolled, his sword flying out of his hand.
"Had enough yet, Potter?" Blaise taunted, stalking back up to him with the easy grace of a jungle cat. Harry slowly lifted his head, pulling himself up with his good arm and meeting Blaise's eyes.
"It's not over yet."
"As you wish." Blaise replied nonchalantly, and Hermione cursed male pride with everything in her.
Harry somehow got to his feet again, and Blaise approached him leisurely, sheathing his sword once more. Harry threw a punch when Blaise drew even with him, and the Slytherin caught his fist, spinning him around and yanking his arm back harshly. A swift kick to Harry's kneecap and another yank on his arm had them hearing the distinct, stomach-turning sound of bones shattering once more, and Hermione felt bile rise in the back of her throat. Blaise's face was inhumanly pitiless as he ignored the fresh screams torn from Harry's throat, and he finished the fight by slamming Harry's face into his own knee, the Gryffindor's nose bursting like a piece of over-ripe fruit.
"I win." Blaise said simply as Harry fell to the rapidly-turning-red snow a final time, unconscious. The circle came down and Hermione and Ron rushed in with their other Housemates, surrounding Harry and healing what they could before they could get him to Madam Pompfrey. McGonagall appeared from nowhere, glaring pure death at the Slytherins, and helped them stop the bleeding. Suddenly one of the Slytherins shouted, and Hermione turned to see Draco and Blaise clutching their forearms, bent double as they shook. Then their heads snapped up, enraged obsidian eyes turning to the castle.
"What's wrong?" Crabbe asked, and they shouted a single word back to him as they set off for the castle with all speed.
"Virginia!"
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Virginia stormed down hallway after hallway, fuming and wondering how her brother could be so pigheaded. She barely noticed as the walls and paintings around her became dusty and decrepit looking, barely noticed as the torches became fewer and far between. Daphne had caught up to her not long after she'd left the hall, and the other girl trailed her silently, understanding her need for silence. Virginia kept walking, not caring where she ended up, and it was only when the hallway grew even dimmer that she slowed a bit. Something didn't feel right, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. Daphne nearly slammed into her back when she came to a sudden standstill.
"What is it?" The Slytherin asked, looking around and letting her eyes bleed to her Animagus form's, a glowing, golden, wolfish amber.
"I'm not sure." Virginia murmured, letting her senses expand. "Do you smell anything strange? Something metallic…"
"I do." Daphne said after a moment. "I've smelt it before, I'm sure. Something Draco and Blaise showed us once."
"Can you place it? It's unfamiliar to me."
"Gods, I should be able to, but I can't remember." Daphne said, her tone frustrated. Virginia didn't like their new situation at all.
"Stay quiet and move quickly." Virginia whispered, and headed off down the hall.
She'd barely made it another four steps when something crashed down on top of her, knocking her to the floor. She screamed at Daphne to run, but the girl ignored her and made her way to her side. Virginia soon realized that it was a huge metal net that had fallen on her, and she discovered with a shock that it burned her exposed skin. Recognizing it for what it was, she cursed. Davasca. The only metal that could hold a shifter, let alone a vampire. Beginning to panic, she was brought back to reality when Daphne screamed. It was cut short, however, and she twisted in her bonds just in time to see the girl fall.
Praying that her friend was still alive, she fought desperately against the chains, ignoring the metal that could burn even her skin, but she couldn't get it to budge, and knew the magickal qualities in the metal were taking their toll on her strength. A shadowy figure dislodged itself from the surrounding dimness, walking towards her with a black hood pulled over its face and something heavy in each hand. It drew closer slowly, as if making sure she couldn't get free, and she realized that the thing had no scent. It squatted down in front of her and reached through the net, and she balked when she discovered she didn't even have the strength to lift a hand to swat at it.
"You won't be escaping me, little fox." A raspy voice informed her, lifting her lifeless wrists and clamping cuffs of the same impairing metal on them, and then doing the same to her ankles. They were chained together with more of the davascian steel, and she felt the last of her energy being sucked up and eaten by the damned things. The hooded figure lifted the net off of her, but it wasn't as if it did her any good. Some confusion spell was at work on her as well, she could feel it, but she couldn't find the power to fight it.
"I will break you, little fox." The voice harshly intoned, throwing back its hood as it dragged her into an empty room. She was able to lift her head enough to see her attacker, and gasped.
"Marcus Flint?"
"It touches me that you recognize me." He said nastily, yanking her up and fastening her bonds to one of the walls. "And now the fun begins, courtesy of my Lord."
"But you can't be him." She answered hazily. "You don't have a scent." The man laughed sadistically.
"A gift from my Master. He knows what you are." Marcus snapped, driving his meaty fist into her face repeatedly. She knew that she should call for help, but she couldn't remember how, and her head slammed into the wall over and over again as his knuckles smashed the bones in her face. "Ready to be broken?"
"You cannot break me." She managed to spit out, her own blood beginning to choke her.
"We'll see." He said cruelly, and to her horror, he began tearing off her robes.
More blows landed all over her body, and she felt a blade slide into her abdomen before she let loose her first scream. His disgusting lips and tongue were moving over her skin as his nails and knives sliced her open, and instinct took over when he tried to slide his fingers inside her. She put everything she had into a fierce kick, her knee colliding with his groin and knocking him backwards as the confusion spell broke. She threw her Mark open wide with the very last bit of her strength, and she the last thing she knew before darkness took her was her lovers' rage and Marcus's sneering face and hateful promise.
"You're going to pay for that."
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AHHH! It's horrid, I know. Please review!