A/N: It's amazing, really. Your life finally gets back on track, a little shacked up, but at least it's all there and nothing went horribly wrong. Until one fateful night when you meet someone, and bang, your life is changed forever, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. How in the name of the Gods are you supposed to handle that?
Morwen24: meh, grammar mistakes and typos are nothing. It's not like you're gona mark and grade it like it's some English paper are you? ::backs away:: you aren't Canadian are you? I have a Canadian English teacher. She scares the shit outta me. I personally have nothing against Canadians, they rock, but man, that is one scary woman ((::shudders::)) I mean, would you prefer me to get this out to you all fast and risk a few mistakes that no one really gives one about, or would you rather I sit and spend waaaaay too many hours going through each sentence with a dictionary and English teacher...? Thanx for the review anyway, it was appreciated. And as for the plot, well, it kinda scares me, where I get the idea from...
Dracademented: greetings, o superior author (guys, read her stuff, it rocks the earth) thank you for the review, it means so much, it makes it all worth it knowing someone with such a cool fic likes it glows with pride ahem, erm, yeah, moving on LOL...
Electra Black: Yo. Omg you created a monster!
Ph34r th3 50u/ m0l3!!!!!
Dedication: well... hmmm. He will remain nameless.
Oh, and Gareth, I'm sorry I kicked you THAT hard, but at least you can still walk, eh?
Winter announced its arrival in a torrent of blizzards and storms. The old castle creaked and cracked, under the fierce blows of the harsh wind, and the ancient magic seeped into the rock over many years kept the castle in one piece. Relatively.
The days became darker now. The students no longer strayed into the grounds, preferring the warmth and protection of the castle. All except one.
The black cloak was slung gently around her shoulders, more likely there for show, rather than warmth. The skies had opened, and the rain-filled mist flowed over the lone figure. Her thoughts rested on a conversation that would most probably take place one day.
"Last time I checked, Gryffindor's main criteria for inclusion were the two points:-
One, you were brave
Two, you are pure of heart.
Indeed you are both, and yet you still doubt your own capabilities. It is the same with me. I am a pure blood Slytherin, yet I do not long to be part of my house's urge for a name of the Dark Side, and yet I am always associated with this practise. I do not believe, nor will I ever believe, that the 'Dark Lord' is a worthy figure of authority. I believe the true source of power to be behind you, and this is why I asked of you in the way I did. Forgive any misgivings about my motives you ever had, for I am loyal to The Queen, and only you."
She led back against the rock, sighing. Life had a new meaning, a new excuse to never waste a second, yet here she was, waiting, ready to carry on her life, next to her Love. Was she really willing to waste two years of her life? And if not, how was she going to use these two years? And her loyalty had yet to be explained. Now Tom had returned, she could love him as a real person, yet something held her back. He was no longer a fantasy; she was expected to love him as she had before. And that was what had been troubling the young queen.
A hand was placed on her shoulder, and looking up, she saw a cloaked figure stood up, behind the small boulder. Shaking the hood down, Draco gazed down at her, a concerned look gracing his features, as he gently stooped down, and pulled her to her feet. Brushing the hair away from her face, he leant in close.
"Come, milady, the darkness is setting in."
"You have an addiction to the cold or something? Do you LIKE sitting on wet grass in the pouring rain?"
"W-what?" but Draco raised a hand, stopping her mid-sentence, and continued.
"Do you WANT me to have to explain to Tom why the hell you'd be down in the hospital wing having odd potions poured down your throat by some filthy muggle-loving-"
"DRACO!"
"What?!"
"Shut the fuck up! I'm fine, I had a covering spell on me, I'm not even damp, will you chill out already? And who the hell do you think you are anyway, ordering me around like I'm some naughty child!?"
"I don't fancy knocking on Riddle Manor door 'Hey, Tom, sorry to drop in like this but I figured you should know, your girlfriend just froze to death-"
"How dare you mock me, and your Lord?"
"I mean no disrespect! I truly worry for your safety!"
"J'ain besoin dette votren confiancen y protection mais por favorette, j'ai besoin dette vous poure mene respectere"
((I need your trust and protection, but I also need your respect!))
"This you have!"
"Bul-"
"I am serious! Why do you insist on assuring yourself I am some untrustworthy filth?"
"Last year, even last month you hated me! Do you expect me to take in this sudden character change?"
"Petty arguments and threats made you think I hated you? Potter, Weasley and that Mudblood, so good and perfect... yeah I hated them, but never you... never." His voice was now a whisper, nearly lost in the cries of the wind, and the crackling of the logs on the fire.
"Well why the fuck not? They were my friends, why not hate me?"
"Because you-"The door slammed open, and Blaise Zabini strode in. He took one look at Ginny and Draco, and hid a grin.
"Milady. Please allow me to steal Ice-Prince over there from you. I need him urgently."
"Ice-Prince?" Ginny looked from Blaise, who was sniggering, to Draco, who was literally growling at the black haired boy. "Have I missed some dig at Draco?"
"Forget he said it, milady. He will be dead before the night ends." He shot Blaise a death glare, daring him to contradict, before leaning closer to Ginny murmuring "Let us finish this conversation one time.", and, after a bow each, followed Blaise out of the Room Of Requirement.
How had she gotten herself sucked into this? Months ago, she was the youngest Weasley, the first girl to be born into the family for generations. Now, she was practically a Queen. This wizard had killed her Mother's family, and Harry's parents... caused so much pain, so much desperation and here she was, willing to betray her family and friends, for a man she only knew bad stories about.
Where along the line had she snapped, and lost all remorse? Somewhere after he had entered her head, and she had realised how fake it all seemed; All the bullshit that seemed to arise as a result of the Chamber incident. Dumbledore's reaction had pushed her into waves upon waves of anger. He had simply offered her some hot chocolate (which she refused) and sent her off to bed. 'Yes yes, the least important Weasley had her mind taken over by a Dark Lord, not that it really affected her or anything.' She could imagine his explanation to the teachers. It pained her to the core.
No one had realised how deep Tom had gotten. He was now a part of her, like a leech, sucking out any hope that things, one day, would get better. And with that lose of hope came the inevitable realisation that although Dumbledore and Harry may be on the Light side, it was really how you viewed things, depending on what side you were on. What was Tom really trying to do? Keep an ancient way of life clean and pure for as long as possible, and some would ask what was really so wrong about that. The Wizarding world really was hypocritical. Here they were, fighting a Dark Lord who stood for the purifying of a race, keeping the magic flowing, safe, and secure in a few trusted families (albeit with dark methods, but his ideas were running out) when the whole Wizarding world was hidden from the muggles in the first place. That deified their taboo if nothing else did.
This loss of innocence brought her to the brink, and now, as her world lay in tatters around her feet, Tom provided a shelter from the debris falling down.
"So, Blaise-baby what was so important that you had to drag me away from a VERY important conversation with our Lady?"
"This." He thrust a piece of parchment into Draco's face, and gave Draco a couple minutes of peace while he read.
'Zabini.
Please tell Malfoy I am aware of how he literally dragged my Love from the rain, and would like to thank him for his intuition. Nothing has changed between us.'
"So, er... say something Draco."
"I-I can- Voldemort sent us a letter!"
"Yeah, I know."
"Doesn't that kinda freak you?"
"It's a letter!"
"Blaise, he sat down, with ink and parchment, and wrote you a letter! Doesn't that seem ridiculous?"
"That's not really the point though, is it? He knew you went after her, to make sure she was ok."
"Yeah but-"
"He knows, Draco, he knows."
He placed a hand on top of her bowed head, signalling her to rise.
"Good of you to join me tonight. You know you do not bow before me, Love."
"Yes, but you know I want you to be aware of how much respect and Love I possess for you." He smiled down at her, and gently pulled her to her feet. She barely reached his shoulders, something he found adorable.
"My small one..." she sighed, and gently bit the side of his neck. "But you are, my preciously beautiful gem." She grinned, and looked around.
"So where are we tonight?"
"The Manor. It is not yet suitable for your arrival, in the flesh, but for now it is suitable for our... needs..."
"Indeed..."
"Knows what?"
"About you, about me, about her."
"About our 'understanding'?"
"No, about the fact you wear socks to bed."
"Er... but I don't-"
"I was being sarcastic, twat!"
"Ok, Ok, and Blaise please, I've got stuff on my mind ok, and I can't take this from you as well..."
"Yeah ok, I'm sorry. But please pay attention. This is important. This could affect our whole lives."
"It HAS affected our lives. We consider a Weasley as our Queen, a half-blood as our King!"
"Too true... I wonder how it will all turn out?"
"You're the one with Seer blood, you work it out!"
"I can't just call it up you know."
"I bet you 20 galleons you aren't even a Seer then."
"Deal?"
"Deal"
"Oh, and Draco? In about five minutes, duck. You owe me twenty galleons..." And with that warning, Blaise strode out of the Common room, and into the dormitories, wearing a sly smile.
"Fucking Seers..." Draco mumbled along to himself, as he stormed out of the dungeons, and onto the main hallways.
His mind wandered to the delicate situation himself and Blaise were in. So much for taking over the world, but you had to start somewhere... Even if it meant bowing to a half-blood-
Without warning, an Ink bottle heading straight towards him hit the wall directly behind his head as his reflexes went into action, and saved him from a messy concussion. As it shattered, red ink was everywhere, covering Draco's back, and the floor around him, like a pool of blood sweeping the stone, swirling patterns of a bloody face looked up at Draco, it looked familiar, but it wasn't him, it was-
"Oh gods, It hit M-Malfoy..." a small 2nd year Hufflepuff panting hard ran up the corridor after the bottle, a ripped bag in tatters, and some Gryffindor 5th years stood sniggering behind her. The corridor was deserted, apart from the Gryffindors down the hall, and the panting Hufflepuff. Draco put two and two together, and snarled.
"Which Gryffindor mudblood threw this ink at me? Answer me now. I dare you to lie."
"I-it was me, we were just messing around, I'm ever so sorry, Sir." The small girl piped up. She was evidently terrified, and he could see the lie in her eyes.
"Nonsense, it was those fools, aiming at you. Am I right?" she paused, then nodded quickly, tears forming around nervous pools. His eyes narrowed at the four lads, who had backed up against the wall. Sussing out the ringleader, he grabbed him by his jumper, and yanked him forward. Whimpering slightly, the boy hung his head, his face pale with fear.
"I couldn't care less about who you bully or why, but if I EVER see you and ink in the same space of a foot, I will rip you limb from limb and feed you to your cowering parents. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"
And with that, covered in ink, he stormed off, to find Blaise, and pummel every bit of him with a hard backed book.
"Fucking Seers."