Profoundly lacking in reviews; but thankyou to the loyal few. Was the last chapter really that bad?
Anna's related to Draco? HOW ON EARTH DID YOU GET THAT? Good idea though.
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Lucius swept into the room, his hand possessively around his stunner wife; Harry, who posed as Draco, followed in suit as their son.
There were eight people in the room; 4 occupying each side of the table. Lucius sat in the head of the table, Narcissa directed herself to his left; so Harry sat himself to Lucius' right. Many of the guests were around their prime, if not passed. No one Draco's age.
"Well, boy, looks like you're back!" someone greeted warmly, only to be sneered at by Lucius, who looked down at him from his high chair and tilted head.
"Uh...yes," Harry didn't know what to say,
"How's school? Passing the word still? Potter boy fallen into a sham?" another asked, their attention on him. Narcissa sniffed, scrunching her nose at the attention payed to her son, as opposed to her.
"Schools... normal. Passing the word you say? Uh... the word? Um... yes... the word has been... passed. P-Potter? Sham? Never!" Harry defended himself awkwardly. Everyone openly displayed his – or her for Draco's mother's sake – disappointment. Harry gaped at them. Guess he wasn't universally loved like he thought he was. Typical death eaters.
"Nevertheless," excused the first gentleman who addressed Harry, "I've heard some... disturbing information from my daughter, but I'm sure it was just...gossip. You know how Pansy can get," the expression on the elder Parkinson's face didn't agree with his latter statements.
Harry wouldn't have a clue what on earth the man, who was probably Pansy's dolt of a father, was complaining about,
"What... do you mean?" Harry chanced to ask,
"Err..." the man coughed and shifted awkwardly in his seat, "there were news concerning you and a... Mudblood," he gulped, "in a relationship,"
Everyone gasped.
Of course by everyone, it is meant, everyone – especially Harry, who was worried what everyone was so horrified at - but the calm Malfoys. Lucius and Narcissa just continued eating and drinking, whatever they were doing, as if nothing was wrong. As far as Harry concern, nothing was wrong; then he remembered; 'Mudbloods' were very bad. Harry cursed his Muggle upbringing.
"Would it be so bad if I was associated with this... Mudblood?" Harry asked, his nose consciously in the air,
Everyone continued to gape; was Draco on crack? The Malfoy's only spared a questioning glance at their son. Lucius stabbing Harry with his gaze.
"What I mean is..." Harry sighed, what the hell did he mean? "I-I" Draco hadn't told his parents about Hermione? What about Draco's friendship with him? Harry guessed that too wasn't acknowledged. Especially since Draco didn't acknowledge it himself. "No. I don't know what Pansy was talking about." He'd let Draco sort out this mess by himself.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"Anyway..." Lucius drawled on, tired of small talk, "Our Lord has given me word; He will be arriving shortly to the Manor. A special visit." many of the visitors smiled, or at least tried to, others cringed in fear. Lucius smirked at Harry.
"We'll have to fix you up with something special, Draco." Narcissa's eyes sparkled.
Harry assumed it would be yet another dressing robe. Harry shuddered as the memories of an hour ago when he and Draco were trying out different Malfoy family robes. Harry was wearing all black, with a very distinct design and the material stuck to his skin; he felt like a fagot in a tutu.
"Of course," Harry agreed in a strain voice.
"Perhaps then, we'll prove Pansy wrong," Lucius tried to give him a twisted smile.
What was he talking about?
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"Where's Hermione? And Harry?" Ginny asked of her brother. Ron shrugged, they were drifting further and further apart. Especially with that Malfoy coming in and ripping everything apart.
"How would I know?" Ron asked absently, returning to his thoughts about Candice; a certain dark-haired Ravenclaw beauty who he shared a Herbology lesson with. Ginny out her hands around her hips.
"You're supposed to be concerned about them. I thought you were friends." Ginny haughtily retorted, storming off when Ron only nodded his head inattentively.
"So did I," Ron murmured and he closed his eyes as he wondered how it led to this.
Ginny stormed out of the Gryffindor common room, she roamed the castle unsure of where she was going, but searched in the most unlikely places just for that little chance she might find either of them. Or both of them.
"Where's Hermione?" Ginny demanded again, but now in the presence of the Slytherins.
Hermione had been spending time with her boyfriend, and so she spent time with his housemates. The eerie thing was Gryffindors and Slytherins weren't meant to associate, Ginny never thought it would last. Somehow Hermione made it through; managing to choose the loathsome Malfoy over her gorgeous Harry.
A blonde haired Slytherin stepped forward.
"Don't know," she drawled, looking at Ginny with contempt. Their pleasant reserves were for Hermione only; the façade of friendliness – due to the authority of Malfoy over their house - was shattered when they met another Gryffindor. "Haven't seen her all day, last time I talked to her was after potions," she offered, arrogantly flicking her hair.
"What about Malfoy?" Ginny chanced to ask. Anna sneered, along with the other Slytherins.
"Why do you want him, Gryffindor?" She spat the last word, "Trying to poison him and turn him into one of you?" she cursed,
"I want to find Hermione," Ginny reminded, cowering away from the Slytherins' over-protectiveness; she never knew they felt this way. There was no way Malfoy and Hermione could last. Just the reason of the hatred between the two houses was enough to justify it.
"Right," Anna regained controlled of herself, "Sincerest apologies, little Gryffindor," she cried elaborately, heavily coated with sarcasm, "I have no idea where she is. Draco has gone home; and if you were dense enough to ask where that Potter is, Draco decided he'd take the Scar Face with him. They left this morning, but Hermione was still here. I suspect she's moping around somewhere, tear stricken that beloved Draco has come to his senses and left her behind," She emphasized the name with a smile that never reached her eyes. Her speculation was rather off-putting and realistic, "try the library," Anna grimaced.
Ginny already had; it was as if Hermione disappeared off the face of the earth. So much had happened that Ginny didn't even know. Harry had gone with Malfoy to Malfoy Manor, did he realise how many hexes are on the front door alone? Not only this; but Harry forgot to tell her.! And Hermione was missing. Did she try going to Malfoy Manor as well? Did Hermione know that there are even more curses to get rid of Muggles and Muggleborn?
Pansy strutted pass with more arrogance than usual, a smirk played on her lips. The malevolent glint in her eyes told Ginny she was up to something.
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"Espertatoi!" Draco murmured, unlocking the last of a chain of charms on his father's door. Such Dark Magic was uncommon, illegal and dangerous; Lucius made sure his son was well education in such areas, and definitely well practised.
Draco snuck into his father's room. The plan was going perfectly so far. Harry had to maintain the decoy, not only was his Father busy with the guests, Potter and his rattle would probably mind-boggle them all.
He crept across the room; careful not to touch anything other than it was necessary. It was a very private room, house elves were not allowed in, if Lucius noticed any change; all would be lost.
The desk was... tidy, yet cluttered. The look of one holding numerous things and papers, though orderly kept, was an eyeful.
"The list," Draco murmured, chanting his goal and objective as he scanned the lid of the desk. Somehow knowing Lucius wouldn't keep such an important parchment in the open, Draco gave up and opened the colossal drawers to reveal masses of parchment.
Draco sighed inwardly and set off to work, filtering through them all, looking for the one he and Harry had travelled all this way for. Lucius would definitely notice it missing, but by that time, hopefully Draco could excuse himself back to Hogwarts and his father's colleagues would be blamed. They'll be the one who ends up with his and The Dark Lord's wrath upon them.
And then Hermione would be safe.
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Soz I couldn't write, exams are coming and I really need to study! Please review, it makes it a whole lot easier!
