AN- hey guys,
Sorry for the small interruption in updating, I was kinda busy but now I've
FINALLY brought up the new chapter.
Thanks again to all the people who reviewed, you know I love you for that. Disclaimer- I am NOT JK Rowling, who by the way is the only person who owns Harry Potter, and though both Auralie and Bowelroot are mine, Harry, Mione and Draco all belong to HER. I wouldn't have thought it necessary to mention that.
'Ha!' Ron said, triumphantly, 'I won!'
'Nothing knew to that,' Harry said, rolling his eyes and throwing a pitiful glance at his no-longer-in-one-piece king, who had been devoured by Ron's knight.
Mione giggled. 'We're almost at Hogwarts,' she said, 'We ought to change.'
'Good point,' Harry said. 'Why don't you go to the next compartment? Though of course, if you wanted to stay here...'
'Oh, shut up,' Mione said, good-naturedly. She left the room, and changed into her newly-altered school uniform. The white shirt had been made tighter, her skirt several inches shorter, and the gold and scarlet striped tie was perched at a jaunty angle. She changed the highlights in her perfectly straight hair to gold, and tapped her face with her wand, changing her eye shadow and glitter to a pale gold color. Then, she entered Harry and Ron's compartment. Both were already dressed. When they saw Mione Harry raised his eyes in admiration.
'I see you've been making a few- uh- changes,' he said, finally.
'How kind of you to notice,' Mione said, serenely and all three broke out laughing. The train began to slow down. Mione quickly put a featherweight charm on her trunk again, and levitated it behind her. She helped the boys jinx theirs. As they exited the compartment, she bumped straight into a platinum blonde hair, and familiar silvery eyes. She choked and stumbled.
'Uh- Malfoy,' she stuttered.
'Sod off Granger,' Draco said, coolly. Harry and Ron immediately moved forward.
'You might want to be a bit more polite, Malfoy,' Harry said, in a dangerous tone.
'Unless you want to find yourself a giant slug, like the end of the fifth yer.'
Malfoy went purple with rage.
'You're so cocky, Potter,' he snapped. 'But you might want to change your tone.'
'or I might not,' Harry said, coldly. 'Why don't you just fuck off?'
'You're right, I don't want to expose myself to such filth,' Draco snapped, and set off.
Ron threw an extremely dirty look at him.
'bastard,' he muttered, 'he's even worse this year.'
'Pansy was telling me something about him this summer,' Mione said. Harry and Ron wheeled around and faced her.
'pansy?
'That cow?'
'She's not a cow, you know, she's quite nice,' Mione said, and told them about her meeting with pansy.
'Who would've known she had it in her,' Harry whistled when she finished. 'what did she tell you about Draco.'
'He kinda left the dark side,' Mione said, 'ran away from home and his father disowned him. Doesn't seem to have changed him.'
'Malfoy left home?' Ron said, 'wow!'
'I swear,' Harry agreed. 'what's happening to the world we live in?'
'I'd like to know,' Mione said, with a trace of sadness in her voice.
The exited the train, and stepped onto the dark Hogsmeade station. From far, they could hear Hagrid summoning the First years. They themselves climbed into the Thestral carriages.
'You know what,' Mione said, thoughtfully, 'I just thought of something. Maybe I can get that new student- Celia to join SPEW!'
'Don't count on it,' Ron said, in a mock dark voice. 'I say some hotshot like her wouldn't like to go around wearing a badge that just as well says vomit.'
Mione threw him a very dirty look. 'I might just change the name,' she said, loftily. 'Considering the snide remarks you keep making on it.'
'yeah...' Ron said, looking thoughtful (a twinkle in his eye gave him away), 'what about- SPIT?'
'Spit?'
'The Society for Promotion o Irritating Toe-Rags,' Ron explained, and Harry burst into laughter. Mione on the other hand looked insulted, and didn't speak to them the rest of the trip. Instead, she started thinking once more about Robbie...... she was shocked by the way he had treated her. Robbie had been so kind and sensitive...how was it possible that this Robbie was Draco Malfoy?
Then, she realized something.
There was a time when Draco was close to human...he was corteous, perhaps even kind to other Purebloods. They were, after all his equals, and he remained friendly with them. But then, why had he befriended her in the first place?
And even if he just befriended me because of my looks and the possibility that I was a witch, why did he continue....why did he allow us to go into such a deep relationship. He must have tried to find out if I were a Pureblood,' she though
Then, suddenly, it struck her.
The Ring of Blood!
She gasped, and her hand went to her mouth. Harry and Ron looked worridly at her. 'It's nothing,' she told them, 'I just realized I was ravenous.'
'It took you long enough,' Ron said, gloomily, and massaged his stomach.
Mione continued thinking.
That must be it! The ring he gave me, with the phoenix on it must have been a Ring of Blood! That would explain the light heat I felt on my finger when I put it on...It mst have flashed!
But...but, I'm not a pureblood. Why did it flash? Was it malfunctioning. Or is there something about my past I don't know about...
She sighed. Things were too confusing now. Perhaps, she should talk to Dumbledore. Of course! That was the very thing to do...she would talk to him tomorrow, during break.
The carts suddenly jerked to a stop, and Mione realized that they were at the castle porch. She, Harry and Ron climbed out of the carriage... it was dark, and thunderclouds were swirling in the sky, but there was no sign of rain yet, they limbed up the front steps, and the door of the castle magically opened for them. Then, they entered the Entrance Hall that was filled with soft yellow light, coming from the lanterns that were hooked onto the banisters. Mione inhaled the parchmenty smell coming from the castle, and heaved a satisfied sigh. She suddenly felt at home.
They crossed the entrance hall, as more students began pouring in. they then entered the great hall that was looking large and magnificent, just like Mione remember. Harry, Ron and Mione seated themselves at the Gryffindor table, next to lavender and Parvati and Neville. Mione fixed her eyes on the Slytherin table, and saw Draco coming and sitting down. He looked at her and for a minute their gazes locked. Then, his cold sneer tacked itself upon his face, and she looked away.
Mione suddenly found out that she was starving, she looked expectantly at the High table, and scanned the teachers. There was professor McGonagall, wearing bright red robes, and a red hat that covered her face. Snape, wearing his usual black, and looking evilly at everyone from behind his curtain of black hair. Flitwick, sitting on top of a thick copy of Arithmancy- a detailed description, and beaming around, and Professor Sprout, who was wearing green robes with yellow trimmings, and smiling from underneath her brown hat. In the centre was Dumbledore, in robes of midnight blue, smiling at everyone in his fatherly fashion.
And next to Dumbledore was someone Mione recognized as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
It was a tall, pale woman, with long black hair that was straight and fell to her waist. She was wearing black robes that were fastened around her thin waist with a silver belt. Her eyes were deep gray, and she had thin, red lips. Her elegant, pale hands were rested on her lap, and her elegantly arched eyebrows raised. She was surveying the hall with a disdainful air.
Mione sneaked a glance at Harry. He was staring at the woman. She immediately understood. Dumbledore was training Harry to sense Death eaters as a part of Occlumency, since the time of the final Battle had arrived, and he would have to battle Voldemort this year. He was probably sensing something amiss about this woman, Mione judged, from his perplexed, weary expression.
Dumbledore stood up. He smiled warmly at everyone.
'Welcome!' he cried. 'Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! I'm not going to waste my time telling you the list of items that Mr. Filch has prohibited this year...anyone interested may check the board outside his office. Now, to more important notice...I am very pleased to welcome Ms. Auralie Lestrange as our new DADA teacher. She will be with us for a year.'
Interested glances were thrown her way
Mione, Harry and Ron went deathly pale.
'Lestrange?' Mione asked, her voice choked.
'I can't believe it!' Harry muttered. 'How could Dumbledore-.'
'I doubt it was his fault.' Ron whispered. 'dad was telling me that though it was quite clear now that Voldemort had returned, Fudge still trusted Death eaters that Dumbledore didn't approve of. Maybe since he wasn't able to get any, Fudge must have posted her here.'
'The old dingbat,' Harry muttered. 'There's something wrong with her...I can feel it...'
'Sh!' Mione said, suddenly, 'Dumbledore's going on.'
'We have yet another new teacher with us, this year!' he announced, and Mione's gaze fell on a tall, dark man, with pale red hair, and flashing blue eyes, that glinted in the lights coming from the candles. He had high cheekbones, and a wide smile, that showed plenty of white teeth, deeply contrasted by the brown face. He was dressed in robes of pale blue that matched his eyes, and over that, he wore a white cloak embroidered with bay leaves. 'Who on Earth is he?" Harry asked, his mouth open with wonder.
'This is Professor Ignatius Bowelroot,' Dumbledore explained. 'Professor Binns has decided to retire this year, and professor Bowelroot will be taking his place and teaching History of Magic.'
'That might be a pleasureable change,' Harry muttered.
Dumbledore sat down, and immediately, all sorts of delicious dished appeared in front of them.
'Why do you think Fudge still trusts the Death eaters?' Ron asked, as he helped himself to a baked potato.
'I'm not sure,' Harry replied, piling Spanish Rice on his plate. 'But there's one thing strange...remember when I was looking at the family tapestry at the House of Black with Sirius, before the fifth year? Well, Auralie lestrange wasn't on that tapestry.'
'Odd,' Ron declared.
'No wait,' Mione said, as she served herself salad. 'Neither was Siruis's name.'
'His mother blew it out,' Harry explained, 'because he ran away. There were quite a few other burns in the tapestry too.'
'So maybe her name was one of them,' Mione suggested.
'It is possible,' Harry said slowly, 'meaning maybe she went against the Blacks and left the dark side. But then why do I feel this thing about her?'
'What thing?' Ron asked.
'well- it's like something's very, very wrong with her,' Harry said, 'Like she's hiding something....as if she's got a cover.'
'It's very odd,' Mione muttered. 'and whwta do you make of Bowelroot?'
'Oh, there's nothing to him,' Harry said, with a dismissive nod. 'he's quite a decent chap, by the looks of it, and there's nothing unnatural about his aura...'
'Maybe not,' Mione said, frowning, 'but why did Binns suddenly deicide to retire. It's not ike him. I think Dumbledore had a specific purpose for calling him here,'
'Maybe,' Ron said, not really caring since dessert course had just arrived, and he was tucking into treacle tart.
'Ginny!' Mione snapped. 'What took you so long?'
'I was out...' Ginny mumbled, going red.
'Oh I see,' Mione said, raising her eyebrows. 'With Blaise, I presume?'
She eyed Ginny's swollen lips accusingly.
'Sort of, yes,' Ginny muttered.
'You missed the Sorting,' Mione told her, 'We got a couple more shrimps into our house...'
'Oh,' Ginny murmured.
'anyway, come to bed,' Mione said. 'We have classes tomorrow.'
Ginny slipped between her sheets, and lay down. With a flick of her wand, she truend the lights off.'
'oh, and by the way,' Mione asked, in the darkness. 'Whose the new head girl and Head boy?'
'No idea,' Ginny said, sleepily. 'Luna was saying that Dumbledore is still deciding and that we would be informed tomorrow. It can't be me, of course, since I'm still in the sixth year. But just think, Mione! A dorm and common room all to yourself! Though, you'd have to share with the head boy, of course.'
'Hm,' Mione thought, and her last thought were of a beautiful, private dorm, before she drifted into deep sleep.
In the Slytherin common room, Draco was writhing in bed, unable to sleep. He kept thinking of Granger, the filthy Mudblood. He couldn't understand anything...
He slowly drifted into an uneasy sleep, haunted with dreams and visions.
He was sitting on the portico of his Manor, and his father was sitting beside him, talking earnestly to him.
'You are a Pureblood,' he father told him, 'you will grow up to be strong, swift, silent and cunning my son, for your blood runs freely in your veins, untouched by any filth. You will grow up with the strength of cold steel, but no one shall no, fir it will be a secret...and you will one day choose a woman, who will be pure of blood and will hold the threads to her life strongly in your hand. For she will be yours, and no one else's, and you will do what you want with her...
The dream changed.
Draco was moving across the dungeons, his supple body making no noise. He walked like a coiled cat with muscles of cold steel, and his feet walked lightly across the stone. He reached a door made of silver, and touched it lightly with his hand. Immediately, an icy feeling spread to the tips of his long fingers, and the door slid open. He walked inside and faced a large mirror that he peered into. And in it, he saw a face, thin and pale, with swollen red eyes, and brown hair,
Enraged, he flung a stone at the mirror, and it was shattered into a million pieces, glass flying every where, and piercing his long white arms. Within moments, bloody scras and blemishes covered his body...he screamed, and screamed for the voices of hell to hear him...
'Draco! Draco!'
'Wha-What?' Draco asked, sitting up in bed, his eyes unfocused.
'It's me,' Blaise said, 'you were having a bad dream.'
'Hm, maybe,' Draco said, suddenly glaring. The necklace was still hot around his neck.
'You were shouting,' Blaise told him, 'You were saying "it's not her! It can't be her!".'
'Maybe,' Draco said again.
'you're pissed off aren't you?' Blaise said.
Draco looked thoughtful.
'Oh, let me see...considering the fact that I just realized my two best friends glued some stupid necklace onto my neck, yes I am.'
'You should take it off, then,' Blaise said, with a smirk, 'Not that you can, exactly.'
'Yeah, you're the only person who can, and you're not going to,' Draco snarled.
'Oh, not me,'
'Pansy then,'
'Nope, not her. Someone else.'
'Who?' Draco asked, his ears pricking up.
'Well, it's a sort of flaw, actually. We just realized I was out with Ginny right now-.'
'Why you're lips are so swollen,' Draco muttered.
'Whatever. Basically, she was able to take mine off like that, and she didn't even know the spell. Pansy and I came to a conclusion- only the person who truly loves you can take it off...'
'What?'
'True love,' Blaise said, with a smirk. 'Not that you have anybody,'
And he turned around and left.
Draco stared at the wall. True love...true love, did he say. Well, he did have somebody...someone who was going to be very keen to take it off his neck, if he asked her properly.
'What do you want?' Mione asked, sharply.
'Nothing much...' Draco purred. He had cornered her after the Potions class in one of the dungeons.
'then what?' Mione demanded, and face paled a little.
Draco put out a hand, and stroked her cheek. He traced his finger along the curve of her lip. She shuddered, visibly.
'What do you want?" she demanded, again, her voice cracking.
'You...' Draco breathed, and before Mione could do anything, he disappeared. Mione looked nervously around. What was wrong with him? First he was cruel to her, then he ignored her, then he tried to seduce her, and then he vanished.
'Malfoy, where are you?' she muttered, viciously. Draco chuckled silently from under the invisibility spell. He had stayed up all night rehearsing this...it was actually fun, seeing her so flustered.
She looked around one more time, and then cautiously made for the door. But Draco reached there before her, and slammed it shut, locking it with a quic spell. All she saw, however, was a door slamming shut on its own, and a small streak of pale green hitting it from nowhere. She paled more, and looked wildly around.
'Where are you!' she whispered, wildly.
'Here...'he breathed, next to her ear. She shuddered, and leapt around, feelinghis warm breath on her ear lobe. And she screamed, when she felt cold arms, wrapping around her.
'Stop it!' she cried. 'Leave me!'
'It's no use sreaming,' Draco purred. 'This room is blocked. Et go, Mione..you want this...you know that...'
he trailed his lips down her throat. She couldn't see him, but could still feel him there, and moaned, as she felt him gently biting her neck. He removed the Invisibilty spell, and continued with his work. Then, he raised his head, and stared straight into her eyes.
'Take off my chain...' he whispered.
'No... .'
'Take it off,'
Entranced, her hands came up, and Draco felt something cold slip of his neck. Satisfied, he got up.
'Thanks a bunch,Granger,' he said, smiling sardonically. 'That's all I needed. You can fuck off now.'
Mione's jaw dropped.
'what!' she said. 'that's all you wanted.'
'Nah, I just wanted to fuck you,' Draco said sarcastically, 'Course that's all I wanted.'
If Draco had had any brains, he would have walked out right then. No surprise, he just stood and smirked at her.
Mione drew herself up into an enraged position. She tapped the necklace with her wand, muttered his name, and threw it into the air. It fell onto draco's burnt neck again, and he jumped and yelled.
'Bitch! Take it off now!'
'I don't think so,' mjione said, coolly, 'Goodbye, Mr. Malfoy.'
She quickly surrounded herself with a shield, incase he tried to attack, and left.
Thanks again to all the people who reviewed, you know I love you for that. Disclaimer- I am NOT JK Rowling, who by the way is the only person who owns Harry Potter, and though both Auralie and Bowelroot are mine, Harry, Mione and Draco all belong to HER. I wouldn't have thought it necessary to mention that.
'Ha!' Ron said, triumphantly, 'I won!'
'Nothing knew to that,' Harry said, rolling his eyes and throwing a pitiful glance at his no-longer-in-one-piece king, who had been devoured by Ron's knight.
Mione giggled. 'We're almost at Hogwarts,' she said, 'We ought to change.'
'Good point,' Harry said. 'Why don't you go to the next compartment? Though of course, if you wanted to stay here...'
'Oh, shut up,' Mione said, good-naturedly. She left the room, and changed into her newly-altered school uniform. The white shirt had been made tighter, her skirt several inches shorter, and the gold and scarlet striped tie was perched at a jaunty angle. She changed the highlights in her perfectly straight hair to gold, and tapped her face with her wand, changing her eye shadow and glitter to a pale gold color. Then, she entered Harry and Ron's compartment. Both were already dressed. When they saw Mione Harry raised his eyes in admiration.
'I see you've been making a few- uh- changes,' he said, finally.
'How kind of you to notice,' Mione said, serenely and all three broke out laughing. The train began to slow down. Mione quickly put a featherweight charm on her trunk again, and levitated it behind her. She helped the boys jinx theirs. As they exited the compartment, she bumped straight into a platinum blonde hair, and familiar silvery eyes. She choked and stumbled.
'Uh- Malfoy,' she stuttered.
'Sod off Granger,' Draco said, coolly. Harry and Ron immediately moved forward.
'You might want to be a bit more polite, Malfoy,' Harry said, in a dangerous tone.
'Unless you want to find yourself a giant slug, like the end of the fifth yer.'
Malfoy went purple with rage.
'You're so cocky, Potter,' he snapped. 'But you might want to change your tone.'
'or I might not,' Harry said, coldly. 'Why don't you just fuck off?'
'You're right, I don't want to expose myself to such filth,' Draco snapped, and set off.
Ron threw an extremely dirty look at him.
'bastard,' he muttered, 'he's even worse this year.'
'Pansy was telling me something about him this summer,' Mione said. Harry and Ron wheeled around and faced her.
'pansy?
'That cow?'
'She's not a cow, you know, she's quite nice,' Mione said, and told them about her meeting with pansy.
'Who would've known she had it in her,' Harry whistled when she finished. 'what did she tell you about Draco.'
'He kinda left the dark side,' Mione said, 'ran away from home and his father disowned him. Doesn't seem to have changed him.'
'Malfoy left home?' Ron said, 'wow!'
'I swear,' Harry agreed. 'what's happening to the world we live in?'
'I'd like to know,' Mione said, with a trace of sadness in her voice.
The exited the train, and stepped onto the dark Hogsmeade station. From far, they could hear Hagrid summoning the First years. They themselves climbed into the Thestral carriages.
'You know what,' Mione said, thoughtfully, 'I just thought of something. Maybe I can get that new student- Celia to join SPEW!'
'Don't count on it,' Ron said, in a mock dark voice. 'I say some hotshot like her wouldn't like to go around wearing a badge that just as well says vomit.'
Mione threw him a very dirty look. 'I might just change the name,' she said, loftily. 'Considering the snide remarks you keep making on it.'
'yeah...' Ron said, looking thoughtful (a twinkle in his eye gave him away), 'what about- SPIT?'
'Spit?'
'The Society for Promotion o Irritating Toe-Rags,' Ron explained, and Harry burst into laughter. Mione on the other hand looked insulted, and didn't speak to them the rest of the trip. Instead, she started thinking once more about Robbie...... she was shocked by the way he had treated her. Robbie had been so kind and sensitive...how was it possible that this Robbie was Draco Malfoy?
Then, she realized something.
There was a time when Draco was close to human...he was corteous, perhaps even kind to other Purebloods. They were, after all his equals, and he remained friendly with them. But then, why had he befriended her in the first place?
And even if he just befriended me because of my looks and the possibility that I was a witch, why did he continue....why did he allow us to go into such a deep relationship. He must have tried to find out if I were a Pureblood,' she though
Then, suddenly, it struck her.
The Ring of Blood!
She gasped, and her hand went to her mouth. Harry and Ron looked worridly at her. 'It's nothing,' she told them, 'I just realized I was ravenous.'
'It took you long enough,' Ron said, gloomily, and massaged his stomach.
Mione continued thinking.
That must be it! The ring he gave me, with the phoenix on it must have been a Ring of Blood! That would explain the light heat I felt on my finger when I put it on...It mst have flashed!
But...but, I'm not a pureblood. Why did it flash? Was it malfunctioning. Or is there something about my past I don't know about...
She sighed. Things were too confusing now. Perhaps, she should talk to Dumbledore. Of course! That was the very thing to do...she would talk to him tomorrow, during break.
The carts suddenly jerked to a stop, and Mione realized that they were at the castle porch. She, Harry and Ron climbed out of the carriage... it was dark, and thunderclouds were swirling in the sky, but there was no sign of rain yet, they limbed up the front steps, and the door of the castle magically opened for them. Then, they entered the Entrance Hall that was filled with soft yellow light, coming from the lanterns that were hooked onto the banisters. Mione inhaled the parchmenty smell coming from the castle, and heaved a satisfied sigh. She suddenly felt at home.
They crossed the entrance hall, as more students began pouring in. they then entered the great hall that was looking large and magnificent, just like Mione remember. Harry, Ron and Mione seated themselves at the Gryffindor table, next to lavender and Parvati and Neville. Mione fixed her eyes on the Slytherin table, and saw Draco coming and sitting down. He looked at her and for a minute their gazes locked. Then, his cold sneer tacked itself upon his face, and she looked away.
Mione suddenly found out that she was starving, she looked expectantly at the High table, and scanned the teachers. There was professor McGonagall, wearing bright red robes, and a red hat that covered her face. Snape, wearing his usual black, and looking evilly at everyone from behind his curtain of black hair. Flitwick, sitting on top of a thick copy of Arithmancy- a detailed description, and beaming around, and Professor Sprout, who was wearing green robes with yellow trimmings, and smiling from underneath her brown hat. In the centre was Dumbledore, in robes of midnight blue, smiling at everyone in his fatherly fashion.
And next to Dumbledore was someone Mione recognized as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
It was a tall, pale woman, with long black hair that was straight and fell to her waist. She was wearing black robes that were fastened around her thin waist with a silver belt. Her eyes were deep gray, and she had thin, red lips. Her elegant, pale hands were rested on her lap, and her elegantly arched eyebrows raised. She was surveying the hall with a disdainful air.
Mione sneaked a glance at Harry. He was staring at the woman. She immediately understood. Dumbledore was training Harry to sense Death eaters as a part of Occlumency, since the time of the final Battle had arrived, and he would have to battle Voldemort this year. He was probably sensing something amiss about this woman, Mione judged, from his perplexed, weary expression.
Dumbledore stood up. He smiled warmly at everyone.
'Welcome!' he cried. 'Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! I'm not going to waste my time telling you the list of items that Mr. Filch has prohibited this year...anyone interested may check the board outside his office. Now, to more important notice...I am very pleased to welcome Ms. Auralie Lestrange as our new DADA teacher. She will be with us for a year.'
Interested glances were thrown her way
Mione, Harry and Ron went deathly pale.
'Lestrange?' Mione asked, her voice choked.
'I can't believe it!' Harry muttered. 'How could Dumbledore-.'
'I doubt it was his fault.' Ron whispered. 'dad was telling me that though it was quite clear now that Voldemort had returned, Fudge still trusted Death eaters that Dumbledore didn't approve of. Maybe since he wasn't able to get any, Fudge must have posted her here.'
'The old dingbat,' Harry muttered. 'There's something wrong with her...I can feel it...'
'Sh!' Mione said, suddenly, 'Dumbledore's going on.'
'We have yet another new teacher with us, this year!' he announced, and Mione's gaze fell on a tall, dark man, with pale red hair, and flashing blue eyes, that glinted in the lights coming from the candles. He had high cheekbones, and a wide smile, that showed plenty of white teeth, deeply contrasted by the brown face. He was dressed in robes of pale blue that matched his eyes, and over that, he wore a white cloak embroidered with bay leaves. 'Who on Earth is he?" Harry asked, his mouth open with wonder.
'This is Professor Ignatius Bowelroot,' Dumbledore explained. 'Professor Binns has decided to retire this year, and professor Bowelroot will be taking his place and teaching History of Magic.'
'That might be a pleasureable change,' Harry muttered.
Dumbledore sat down, and immediately, all sorts of delicious dished appeared in front of them.
'Why do you think Fudge still trusts the Death eaters?' Ron asked, as he helped himself to a baked potato.
'I'm not sure,' Harry replied, piling Spanish Rice on his plate. 'But there's one thing strange...remember when I was looking at the family tapestry at the House of Black with Sirius, before the fifth year? Well, Auralie lestrange wasn't on that tapestry.'
'Odd,' Ron declared.
'No wait,' Mione said, as she served herself salad. 'Neither was Siruis's name.'
'His mother blew it out,' Harry explained, 'because he ran away. There were quite a few other burns in the tapestry too.'
'So maybe her name was one of them,' Mione suggested.
'It is possible,' Harry said slowly, 'meaning maybe she went against the Blacks and left the dark side. But then why do I feel this thing about her?'
'What thing?' Ron asked.
'well- it's like something's very, very wrong with her,' Harry said, 'Like she's hiding something....as if she's got a cover.'
'It's very odd,' Mione muttered. 'and whwta do you make of Bowelroot?'
'Oh, there's nothing to him,' Harry said, with a dismissive nod. 'he's quite a decent chap, by the looks of it, and there's nothing unnatural about his aura...'
'Maybe not,' Mione said, frowning, 'but why did Binns suddenly deicide to retire. It's not ike him. I think Dumbledore had a specific purpose for calling him here,'
'Maybe,' Ron said, not really caring since dessert course had just arrived, and he was tucking into treacle tart.
'Ginny!' Mione snapped. 'What took you so long?'
'I was out...' Ginny mumbled, going red.
'Oh I see,' Mione said, raising her eyebrows. 'With Blaise, I presume?'
She eyed Ginny's swollen lips accusingly.
'Sort of, yes,' Ginny muttered.
'You missed the Sorting,' Mione told her, 'We got a couple more shrimps into our house...'
'Oh,' Ginny murmured.
'anyway, come to bed,' Mione said. 'We have classes tomorrow.'
Ginny slipped between her sheets, and lay down. With a flick of her wand, she truend the lights off.'
'oh, and by the way,' Mione asked, in the darkness. 'Whose the new head girl and Head boy?'
'No idea,' Ginny said, sleepily. 'Luna was saying that Dumbledore is still deciding and that we would be informed tomorrow. It can't be me, of course, since I'm still in the sixth year. But just think, Mione! A dorm and common room all to yourself! Though, you'd have to share with the head boy, of course.'
'Hm,' Mione thought, and her last thought were of a beautiful, private dorm, before she drifted into deep sleep.
In the Slytherin common room, Draco was writhing in bed, unable to sleep. He kept thinking of Granger, the filthy Mudblood. He couldn't understand anything...
He slowly drifted into an uneasy sleep, haunted with dreams and visions.
He was sitting on the portico of his Manor, and his father was sitting beside him, talking earnestly to him.
'You are a Pureblood,' he father told him, 'you will grow up to be strong, swift, silent and cunning my son, for your blood runs freely in your veins, untouched by any filth. You will grow up with the strength of cold steel, but no one shall no, fir it will be a secret...and you will one day choose a woman, who will be pure of blood and will hold the threads to her life strongly in your hand. For she will be yours, and no one else's, and you will do what you want with her...
The dream changed.
Draco was moving across the dungeons, his supple body making no noise. He walked like a coiled cat with muscles of cold steel, and his feet walked lightly across the stone. He reached a door made of silver, and touched it lightly with his hand. Immediately, an icy feeling spread to the tips of his long fingers, and the door slid open. He walked inside and faced a large mirror that he peered into. And in it, he saw a face, thin and pale, with swollen red eyes, and brown hair,
Enraged, he flung a stone at the mirror, and it was shattered into a million pieces, glass flying every where, and piercing his long white arms. Within moments, bloody scras and blemishes covered his body...he screamed, and screamed for the voices of hell to hear him...
'Draco! Draco!'
'Wha-What?' Draco asked, sitting up in bed, his eyes unfocused.
'It's me,' Blaise said, 'you were having a bad dream.'
'Hm, maybe,' Draco said, suddenly glaring. The necklace was still hot around his neck.
'You were shouting,' Blaise told him, 'You were saying "it's not her! It can't be her!".'
'Maybe,' Draco said again.
'you're pissed off aren't you?' Blaise said.
Draco looked thoughtful.
'Oh, let me see...considering the fact that I just realized my two best friends glued some stupid necklace onto my neck, yes I am.'
'You should take it off, then,' Blaise said, with a smirk, 'Not that you can, exactly.'
'Yeah, you're the only person who can, and you're not going to,' Draco snarled.
'Oh, not me,'
'Pansy then,'
'Nope, not her. Someone else.'
'Who?' Draco asked, his ears pricking up.
'Well, it's a sort of flaw, actually. We just realized I was out with Ginny right now-.'
'Why you're lips are so swollen,' Draco muttered.
'Whatever. Basically, she was able to take mine off like that, and she didn't even know the spell. Pansy and I came to a conclusion- only the person who truly loves you can take it off...'
'What?'
'True love,' Blaise said, with a smirk. 'Not that you have anybody,'
And he turned around and left.
Draco stared at the wall. True love...true love, did he say. Well, he did have somebody...someone who was going to be very keen to take it off his neck, if he asked her properly.
'What do you want?' Mione asked, sharply.
'Nothing much...' Draco purred. He had cornered her after the Potions class in one of the dungeons.
'then what?' Mione demanded, and face paled a little.
Draco put out a hand, and stroked her cheek. He traced his finger along the curve of her lip. She shuddered, visibly.
'What do you want?" she demanded, again, her voice cracking.
'You...' Draco breathed, and before Mione could do anything, he disappeared. Mione looked nervously around. What was wrong with him? First he was cruel to her, then he ignored her, then he tried to seduce her, and then he vanished.
'Malfoy, where are you?' she muttered, viciously. Draco chuckled silently from under the invisibility spell. He had stayed up all night rehearsing this...it was actually fun, seeing her so flustered.
She looked around one more time, and then cautiously made for the door. But Draco reached there before her, and slammed it shut, locking it with a quic spell. All she saw, however, was a door slamming shut on its own, and a small streak of pale green hitting it from nowhere. She paled more, and looked wildly around.
'Where are you!' she whispered, wildly.
'Here...'he breathed, next to her ear. She shuddered, and leapt around, feelinghis warm breath on her ear lobe. And she screamed, when she felt cold arms, wrapping around her.
'Stop it!' she cried. 'Leave me!'
'It's no use sreaming,' Draco purred. 'This room is blocked. Et go, Mione..you want this...you know that...'
he trailed his lips down her throat. She couldn't see him, but could still feel him there, and moaned, as she felt him gently biting her neck. He removed the Invisibilty spell, and continued with his work. Then, he raised his head, and stared straight into her eyes.
'Take off my chain...' he whispered.
'No... .'
'Take it off,'
Entranced, her hands came up, and Draco felt something cold slip of his neck. Satisfied, he got up.
'Thanks a bunch,Granger,' he said, smiling sardonically. 'That's all I needed. You can fuck off now.'
Mione's jaw dropped.
'what!' she said. 'that's all you wanted.'
'Nah, I just wanted to fuck you,' Draco said sarcastically, 'Course that's all I wanted.'
If Draco had had any brains, he would have walked out right then. No surprise, he just stood and smirked at her.
Mione drew herself up into an enraged position. She tapped the necklace with her wand, muttered his name, and threw it into the air. It fell onto draco's burnt neck again, and he jumped and yelled.
'Bitch! Take it off now!'
'I don't think so,' mjione said, coolly, 'Goodbye, Mr. Malfoy.'
She quickly surrounded herself with a shield, incase he tried to attack, and left.