Thanks so much to RedJasper and Isis for the reviews!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot, etc.
Chapter 2
She was actually able to put most of my things back in with space to spare, which surprised me. If only those house elves back home looked like that, I thought. Of course, the most tangible thing weighing down on me was the silence. It was all right to be in the silence alone, like I said, but with someone else, well, that was completely different.
"There." The last robe was put in place, and she stood back up. I did, as well. Was she expecting me to say thank you? The words formed in my head; as most of you know already, I'm very good with words, and I can say anything at all without meaning it.
There must have been something wrong with the messages my mind was sending to m mouth, because I ended up saying "You're almost as good as my house elf, Evans," in a very chilly manner. That, coupled with my already chilly gray eyes should have been enough to bother her. At least, I thought it would. She said nothing, shrugging instead, and walking back to where her trunk was placed. All right, I knew I could be an inconsiderate git sometimes, and obviously, this meeting let her know that too.
On any other occasion, I would have ignored her. Most people were glad to serve the great Lucius Malfoy. But then, she didn't look like she fit into that category. An alien feeling sprang up inside me, and it took me a minute to identify it. Guilt?
Lucius Malfoy did not feel guilt. But it was undeniable, and soon I saw myself walk towards her. Yes, I saw myself. I felt detached from my body somehow, like I was there, yet I wasn't. Hadn't today been confusing enough? I (or at least the person I thought was me) placed a hand on her shoulder, and she turned around. There wasn't even a hint of accusation of my ingratitude in her sparkling sea green eyes.
"Yes?" Her voice. I was almost surprised to hear it. My voice, on the other hand, seemed to have taken a leave of absence. Like many other things, it seemed to enjoy abandoning me when I needed it most. There was a little more of that dreaded silence before I spoke up.
"I'm sorry." You wouldn't know how long it took that second word to form on my lips; I wasn't accustomed to saying it, or even thinking it. "I can be quite inconsiderate at times. What I meant to say was . . . thank you."
Oh, come off it. I didn't sound as pathetic as you think, really. What baffled me was that those simple words granted me a smile from her! Of course, I'd seen it earlier, but I was seeing it again, without my surprise to distract me. I never saw her wave her wand, but she must have done something, because the sun itself seemed to shine brighter.
And something even worse happened. Damn those blasted reflex actions! I found myself smiling back at her. Even worse was this smile wasn't one of my evil smiles, made for the sole purpose of scaring someone. I was actually smiling just to be friendly! What was wrong with me? Thank goodness (or evilness, for that matter; what is a gvillain supposed to say?) I didn't blush right then and there at my mistake. Malfoys definitely did not blush.
"It's okay." Another smile. (I didn't respond this time, but it took every fiber of my being not to) and she turned around, her back facing me yet again. Only then did I realize what she held in her hand; a book.
"Is that a book?" Obviously. I gave myself a kick for being so pathetically stupid.
"It's a muggle book, actually." Now what was I supposed to say? Bloody hell! How was I supposed to know conversations that didn't include death threats and glares were so hard to keep up? Lily must have been telepathic (whereas I was telepathetic), because she continued after another agonizing second of silence. "It's another one of those silly romance novels I like to read. What do you read?"
I was tempted to tell her that I thought all books, save the ones that taught you about the dark arts, were silly and absolutely useless. I didn't, shockingly. "I like scary books. Thrillers." It wasn't entirely a lie; those Dark Arts books in the restricted section were scary, especially when read in the middle of the night.
"People say scary books make scary people, but I don't find that statement correct in your case." She didn't find me scary? Even my fellow Slytherins, Crabbe and Goyle included, found me scary. But this Gryffindor fifth year did not?
"That's nice to know." I decided I was possessed by some freakishly good spirit. At around that time, the station started to fill up, the noise of the carts and trunks crashing against one another replacing the solitude of five minutes ago. I had to know something before I left. "Lily, you're not going to . . ." I paused, unsure of how to finish this sentence.
"I won't tell anyone about the trunk-incident. It's just between you and me." I mouthed a thank you (I didn't think I could stand saying those words again, good spirit possession or not) and walked away, to where my minions stood. At least there, I could be myself again.
*************************** Please R/R!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot, etc.
Chapter 2
She was actually able to put most of my things back in with space to spare, which surprised me. If only those house elves back home looked like that, I thought. Of course, the most tangible thing weighing down on me was the silence. It was all right to be in the silence alone, like I said, but with someone else, well, that was completely different.
"There." The last robe was put in place, and she stood back up. I did, as well. Was she expecting me to say thank you? The words formed in my head; as most of you know already, I'm very good with words, and I can say anything at all without meaning it.
There must have been something wrong with the messages my mind was sending to m mouth, because I ended up saying "You're almost as good as my house elf, Evans," in a very chilly manner. That, coupled with my already chilly gray eyes should have been enough to bother her. At least, I thought it would. She said nothing, shrugging instead, and walking back to where her trunk was placed. All right, I knew I could be an inconsiderate git sometimes, and obviously, this meeting let her know that too.
On any other occasion, I would have ignored her. Most people were glad to serve the great Lucius Malfoy. But then, she didn't look like she fit into that category. An alien feeling sprang up inside me, and it took me a minute to identify it. Guilt?
Lucius Malfoy did not feel guilt. But it was undeniable, and soon I saw myself walk towards her. Yes, I saw myself. I felt detached from my body somehow, like I was there, yet I wasn't. Hadn't today been confusing enough? I (or at least the person I thought was me) placed a hand on her shoulder, and she turned around. There wasn't even a hint of accusation of my ingratitude in her sparkling sea green eyes.
"Yes?" Her voice. I was almost surprised to hear it. My voice, on the other hand, seemed to have taken a leave of absence. Like many other things, it seemed to enjoy abandoning me when I needed it most. There was a little more of that dreaded silence before I spoke up.
"I'm sorry." You wouldn't know how long it took that second word to form on my lips; I wasn't accustomed to saying it, or even thinking it. "I can be quite inconsiderate at times. What I meant to say was . . . thank you."
Oh, come off it. I didn't sound as pathetic as you think, really. What baffled me was that those simple words granted me a smile from her! Of course, I'd seen it earlier, but I was seeing it again, without my surprise to distract me. I never saw her wave her wand, but she must have done something, because the sun itself seemed to shine brighter.
And something even worse happened. Damn those blasted reflex actions! I found myself smiling back at her. Even worse was this smile wasn't one of my evil smiles, made for the sole purpose of scaring someone. I was actually smiling just to be friendly! What was wrong with me? Thank goodness (or evilness, for that matter; what is a gvillain supposed to say?) I didn't blush right then and there at my mistake. Malfoys definitely did not blush.
"It's okay." Another smile. (I didn't respond this time, but it took every fiber of my being not to) and she turned around, her back facing me yet again. Only then did I realize what she held in her hand; a book.
"Is that a book?" Obviously. I gave myself a kick for being so pathetically stupid.
"It's a muggle book, actually." Now what was I supposed to say? Bloody hell! How was I supposed to know conversations that didn't include death threats and glares were so hard to keep up? Lily must have been telepathic (whereas I was telepathetic), because she continued after another agonizing second of silence. "It's another one of those silly romance novels I like to read. What do you read?"
I was tempted to tell her that I thought all books, save the ones that taught you about the dark arts, were silly and absolutely useless. I didn't, shockingly. "I like scary books. Thrillers." It wasn't entirely a lie; those Dark Arts books in the restricted section were scary, especially when read in the middle of the night.
"People say scary books make scary people, but I don't find that statement correct in your case." She didn't find me scary? Even my fellow Slytherins, Crabbe and Goyle included, found me scary. But this Gryffindor fifth year did not?
"That's nice to know." I decided I was possessed by some freakishly good spirit. At around that time, the station started to fill up, the noise of the carts and trunks crashing against one another replacing the solitude of five minutes ago. I had to know something before I left. "Lily, you're not going to . . ." I paused, unsure of how to finish this sentence.
"I won't tell anyone about the trunk-incident. It's just between you and me." I mouthed a thank you (I didn't think I could stand saying those words again, good spirit possession or not) and walked away, to where my minions stood. At least there, I could be myself again.
*************************** Please R/R!
