Draco Malfoy and the Disownment Project
Chapter Nine
Disclaimer: See Chapter One
They left Nott to his letters, after Blaise made the arrangements for the attack on Seamus. It would happen the next morning before class started for the day, outside of the Great Hall. She had also arranged it so Draco's acting skills would be put to the test. He was certain that he would perform with flying colors.
They made their way to an isolated corner of the common room, Blaise taking the lead. She plopped down on a chair next to a table, then fixed a critical eye upon him.
"I think what you need right now is to sit back, relax, refocus, and regroup," she said at last.
"No, I must jump up and down with joy!" Had he just said that out loud?
Blaise's lips twitched. "Yes, I'm sure that would be entertaining, but it would attract a lot of attention."
Draco sank back into a chair, sighing deeply. Blaise looked preoccupied.
"What's wrong, my clever pal?" he pressed. "Rejoice! Things are falling into place!"
"Don't you think you are... veering off track a little?" Blaise asked.
"How so?"
"Well," she said, "sometimes I wonder if you actually know what you're doing. Just hear me out!" she said over his protests. "You go into super-spy mode, and you get really into following people around, and I don't know, don't you think you kind of overdo it?"
"Of course not! I know exactly what I am doing. My grand Plan is always at the back of my mind." He swung his arms grandly. "Once Lavender is within my clutches, I can start invading the Gryffindors. Word of my new companions will leak to my father, and he will have no choice but to disown me. Then, disowned and free from familial ties, I can start secretly observing my enemies. Once I leave school, I will be poised and ready to take over the world!"
Blaise pursed her lips. "Well, good. As long as you remember the big picture, we're fine."
"I'm glad you feel that way, oh lovely companion of mine!"
Blaise opened her mouth to speak, then shut it again. She paused, looking at him as if trying to figure him out.
"Why, exactly, are you speaking to me like that?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, my rapture is far beyond words, dear Blaise," he said buoyantly, "so instead, I choose to rhapsodize over you, my bright little accomplice."
Blaise laughed. "You really do amuse me sometimes, Draco. You're quite eccentric."
"Eccentric in a good, unique way, or eccentric in a toeing derangement way?"
"Both, I think."
Not quite sure what to make of that statement, Draco pulled out the novel from his bag, leaned back to make himself comfortable, and started reading. He put his feet up on the table; Blaise looked at him in what could have been puzzlement or disgust, then pushed them off.
"What, did I trod in something vile?" asked Draco absently.
"No," said Blaise, standing up. "Your shoes are perfectly well-kept."
Draco smirked. "Of course they are! I am always the picture of impeccable grooming! Hey, what are you doing?"
Blaise had snatched the book from out of his hands, and was marching to where Pansy and Millicent had just sat down, in a spot across the common room. They were giggling in a very strange, un-Slytherin way.
"Here's your book, Pansy," Blaise said, tossing it to her.
"Thanks," said Pansy, looking at it curiously, "I've been looking all over for it! Where did you find it?"
For one horrible moment, Draco thought Blaise was going to tell Pansy the truth. Instead, she looked over at him, then back to Pansy, and closed her eyes.
"I borrowed it," she said. "I thought I had told you. A bit of reading to take my mind off lessons, you know."
"Oh! No problem, Blaise," said Pansy. "I'll loan you my novels anytime you want. I didn't know you liked this sort of thing."
If Draco was not mistaken, Blaise's face was starting to get slightly flushed.
"Yeah, well," she said, "I'm unpredictable."
She walked back over to Draco, rather more frazzled looking than what was normal, and still peculiarly red around the ears.
"I hope you remember what I have just done. I have subjected myself to ultimate mortification for you."
"Blaise!" he cried out in suffering. "Turlough was just about to propose to Siobhan!"
Blaise looked at him incredulously, made a noise somewhere between a huff and a snort, rolled her eyes, and then walked back over to Pansy.
"Actually," she said, her voice sounding oddly strained, "I wasn't quite finished yet. Could I have it back?"
"Sure, Blaise!" said Pansy. "I'm just so excited! I thought only Millicent and I liked romances! Now we can talk with you, too!"
"Great!" said Blaise, trying to sound cheerful. "I have to finish this one first. I'll tell you how I liked it when I'm done with it."
She walked with her back facing Draco, still smiling at Pansy and Millicent in what she must have thought was a friendly way, then came to a stop in front of Draco's chair, almost toppling onto him. Whirling around, she gave him a terrifying glare that could have given the Basilisk a run for its money.
"I promise you," she whispered in a deadly tone, "that for every hour I have to spend listening to them talk about who's with who in these stupid books, I will find a way to get back at you."
"Blaise," said Draco in alarm, "settle down, girl! Your blood pressure is rising! It's only a book."
"It's only a book, he says!" Blaise exclaimed to no one in particular. "What he thinks is only a book is actually unjust misery for me!"
But she was starting to smile, so Draco knew he was safe.
"Say, Blaise," he said, pushing his luck, "you wouldn't want to strike up a deal here, would you?"
"What kind of a deal?" she asked suspiciously, throwing herself back into her seat.
"Well, it's not that hard of a thing, really," said Draco, buying time.
"Stop dawdling and get out with it," she said, grabbing a quill and writing something on a piece of parchment.
"What's that you're writing?" said Draco, grateful for a distraction.
"I'm making plans," said Blaise. "Really, you should tell me this deal now, before I lose interest."
He knew very well that when Blaise lost interest, she wouldn't hear another word on the subject.
He took a breath, then said very quickly, "You get me books from Pansy whenever I need them, and I'll..."
He trailed off, not knowing quite what he could do in return. Blaise glanced amusedly at him from over the top of her quill.
"Draco, if you're that desperate, I'll do it for free. Lord knows that it's better to hear Pansy and Millicent squealing about romance novels than it is to hear them squealing about Harry Potter."
Maybe he hadn't understood her.
"They squeal about who, Blaise?"
"Harry Potter."
Oh God, he thought. I'm going deaf, or insane. Or both. That's twice I thought I heard that name spoken. Perhaps there's someone whose name rhymes with Potter.
He tried desperately to come up with any name that could possibly be misinterpreted as the one he had just heard. Coming to no conclusive results, he tried a different path.
"Please tell me that 'Harry Potter' is really just a codename for someone else," he said, trying to stay optimistic.
"No, they really are squealing over Harry Potter," Blaise assured him.
"WHY!?"
Blaise shook her head. "Search me. They hate him, but they think he's cute. I don't understand it, but there you are."
"That," said Draco firmly, "is truly disgusting. Now I am going to go quietly back to my reading and try to forget about that revolting revelation."
"Hey, at least you aren't exposed to it for hours on end," grumbled Blaise. "I get to hear about it in all of its detestable glory."
"Stop now, Blaise, I'm begging you, my soundness of mind depends on it."
She wouldn't quit complaining (he thought she was doing it just to rile him and he was quite right), so Draco was forced to go to his dormitory. He promised himself he would stay up and practice for the next day's events, but before long, he felt himself drifting off to sleep, a smile curling his lips. If things went as planned, he would be in very good stead indeed.
He woke the next morning, butterflies in his stomach, which was not a manly enough term for his liking. He dressed conscientiously and carefully, and was quite torn between the silk and the satin robes. He studied his reflection in the mirror, his brow creasing slightly, trying to ignore the compliments now spewing forth from the looking glass. Honestly, couldn't it see that Draco was making a drastic decision? After ten minutes' scrupulous deliberation, he pulled on the silk robes, making a note that if blood starting flying in Theodore's little battering of Seamus, he should stay at least ten feet away. After applying his hair gel (the mirror was now making kissing noises), he headed out of the dormitory.
Millicent whistled as he walked into the common room.
"Hey there, gorgeous," she said, waving her massive hand and winking. "Pansy, you may want to come out from there."
Pansy had been trying to retrieve one of her books from behind the statue of Salazar Slytherin. She was muttering, "Now really, what good is this statue, anyway? Do they expect us to be bowing down to it or something? It's just plain scary, and this is the second book I've dropped behind it—"
She stopped suddenly as she got a good look at Draco, her jaw dropping slightly.
"Wow, Draco," she said flirtingly, "don't you look dashing this morning."
Draco was beginning to experience that smug, haughty feeling he got whenever people were fawning over him.
"Thank you, ladies," he said, silently wondering if it was an accurate term for Millicent. "I try."
He waited for Blaise, posing for Pansy and Millicent's benefit. She finally came into the common room, tossing her bag over one shoulder and brushing her hair out of her eyes.
"Before you say it, Pansy," she said, "I'm not done with your book yet."
Draco looked at her expectantly.
"What?" asked Blaise. "Do I have something on my face or something? Is my hair offending you? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Well," said Draco exasperatedly, "what do you think?"
He got up and turned around. Blaise said nothing. He thought it might be because she was struck dumb by his beauty, but one look at her face told him this was not the case. She was just staring at him blankly.
"Blaise? A critique, please? I usually don't have to ask for your opinion, what is wrong with you today?"
"What's there to say?" she asked. "You look the same as usual."
Draco put a hand to his wounded heart, as Pansy ran up and grabbed his arm.
"Don't listen to the mean witch," she cooed. "You look fantastically handsome. You always do, of course."
He wasn't looking, but he was pretty sure Blaise was rolling her eyes.
"Yeah, yeah, you look great, let's go," said Blaise impatiently, removing Draco from Pansy's clutches.
"You really think so?" he asked as they walked down the corridor to the Great Hall.
"Draco, really, all the silk looks the same to me. Pansy is an expert, and you can spot the finest fabric in a room, I'm sure, but I can't. Sorry."
"But do I look good?" Draco pressed.
"I've told you before, I won't assist your already tremendous ego by answering you when you are tenaciously fishing for compliments."
"Come on, I need an answer here!"
"You look fine, Draco, shut up."
They arrived at the Great Hall and took their seats at the Slytherin table. Blaise passed a note to Nott, who read it grimly, then nodded.
"Everything's set," Blaise whispered. "Now we wait."
Breakfast dragged by slowly. He didn't touch his food; he only watched the clock tick slowly. His stomach clenched painfully as the Great Hall began to empty.
"This is it," Blaise said under her breath, getting up and taking Draco with her. Nott was already halfway across the hall, following Seamus, who was ten feet in front of him. "Let's go."
When it happened, it happened quickly. They had just exited the Great Hall when Nott positively leapt on Seamus, landing a hard punch on the Gryffindor's jaw. Seamus staggered as girls around them began to scream.
"I don't think I want to watch," said Blaise, pushing Draco toward the scene. "Go do what we planned."
She walked away to the dungeons for Potions, their first class. Draco watched, as if in a daze, as the fight wore on.
"Where are the teachers?" Harry Potter asked.
It was a good question, one Draco didn't have the answer to. The sight of Lavender sobbing and being held back by Parvati brought him back to reality.
"Hey, stop it!" he said, running toward Nott. This had been Blaise's plan—impress Lavender by saving her boyfriend from the evil, nasty Slytherin. "Get off him, Nott!"
Nott, who was also in on Blaise's plan, growled, "Stay out of it, Malfoy."
Draco grabbed Nott by the arms and pulled him away from Seamus, who was curled up on the ground, obviously shocked and trying to minimize his injuries.
"What are you thinking?" Malfoy asked in a very convincing tone.
As if on cue, the teachers came out of the hall and immediately went into their Disciplinarian Mode.
"What in the world is going on here?" said McGonagall coldly, her eyes flashing as she took in the scene.
"Nott attacked Seamus," said Harry Potter, "and then the world came to an end."
"What, Mr. Potter, is that supposed to mean?" asked McGonagall.
"I think he means that Malfoy actually tried to get Nott to stop," said Ron Weasley.
McGonagall looked taken aback.
"What?"
"Believe me, we're just as shocked," said Potter fervently. "I think there was something wrong with the pumpkin juice. You should probably look into that."
Draco glanced around. The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws were wearing matching looks of shock and confusion. The Hufflepuffs seemed to be teary; with joy or sadness, Draco couldn't tell. The Slytherins were all staring at him, angry and confused. He gulped.
"All right, off to classes," barked McGonagall. "Fifty points from Slytherin. Nott, come with me, you are going to Dumbledore for this one. That's twice in one year you've gone after Mr. Finnigan."
They marched off to the headmaster's office as the students began to clear away to their classes.
Draco felt a tap on his shoulder, and turned to see Lavender facing him.
"I just wanted to say," she said, tears rolling down her cheeks, "that I think it's really great what you did for Seamus. Thank you."
"Oh," said Draco. "Sure. He didn't do anything to Nott, and it was only fair, wasn't it?"
"Yeah," said Lavender. "You've really changed, Draco. For the better."
She walked away with a short wave. Draco blinked, then was forcibly reminded that his housemates were becoming progressively more murderous. He was saved by Snape, wonderful teacher that he was.
"If any of you fools are in N.E.W.T. Potions, follow me. And the rest of you had better get to your classes or I'll start taking points."
Snape took the lead as they walked to class, the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws muttering among themselves.
"Did that just happen?" Potter asked Padma Patil, his Potions partner. "I'm serious. Did hell freeze over without my knowing it? Have pigs begun to fly?"
"The better question is," said Padma, looking stunned, "has Malfoy gone completely mad? He just helped a Gryffindor."
"What's next?" said Weasley. "Is he going to start befriending the Hufflepuffs?"
Hermione Granger was staring at Draco in awe. This seemed to be the general reaction from all of the students from the other Houses. The Slytherins, however, were starting to disturb him. He clearly heard Pansy say, "Malfoy had better have a good explanation for that, or I'm going to go tear all of his robes."
Much more than Draco's life was at stake here. The Slytherins clearly held nothing sacred if they were going to come after his wardrobe.
Draco slipped into a seat next to Blaise in the Potions classroom, but found he couldn't concentrate. Potions couldn't end soon enough, but even that brought problems.
Blaise walked him out of the classroom quickly, and into a nearby room, which was empty. She bit her lip, then patted Draco briskly on the arm.
"Watch your back today," she said seriously. "I get the feeling our fellow Slytherins aren't precisely pleased with you. It was stupid of me—I should have warned then beforehand."
"Blaise!" he said frantically. "What am I going to do?"
"You are going to do nothing," she said adamantly. "Leave it to me. Just be in the common room as soon as your last class ends. And really, keep an eye out. Avoidance is your best course of action until I can get all the Slytherins together."
"Blaise, this is not good."
"Just trust me, Draco," she said. "It'll work out. But I cannot stress enough how important it is that you be careful." She broke off, looking anxious. "I think it'll be best if you skip lunch today. Stay with a crowd between classes, and sit in the front row so you're under the nose of a teacher."
Draco must have still looked scared, because she smiled weakly, and said, "Well, don't be paranoid. I just want you to be cautious. Constant vigilance!"
Her last sentence was accompanied by a frighteningly accurate impersonation of Mad-Eye Moody, which did not help things. Blaise sighed.
"Do you want me to follow you around from lesson to lesson?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.
He wanted this very much, but some odd sense of pride kept him from saying it.
"No, I'll be fine."
She looked at him for a long moment. "If you say so. But I want you to be alive by the end of the day. Are you sure you're all right?"
"Positive."
"Have fun in Arithmancy, then."
Draco watched her go wistfully, then, heeding her advice, kept a low profile as he went to his next class.
How he managed to keep from being killed, he did not know. When lessons ended for the day, he sneaked back to the Slytherin common room, eager to get the inevitable confrontation over with. The sight that greeted him made him drop his schoolbag in fright. The entire Slytherin population was glaring at him, all clearly enraged. This did not look good.