The cold war; part two.
Trill took her time getting to the great hall. The rest of the students were already waiting at the doors, pushing to get in. She looked behind her to see Amurensis suddenly appear at her side.
"That's quite some dress." He said, glancing at her bare shoulders and low neck line. She puffed herself up importantly.
"Why thank you." And stopped, looking him up and down. "It's no more revealing than yours. Didn't the robes shop have anything wide enough for your shoulders?"
Amurensis pulled uncomfortably at the cloth stretched tight across his broad chest.
"No." He said irritably. "They never do." Trill laughed at him and continued through the door.
Many eyes followed the two of them as they entered the hall. The young females in the room nearly fainted at the sight of Amurensis' snug forest green robes and Trill could feel Harry and Ron's eyes on her back, and Hermione's as well. Hermione was watching to make sure she didn't go anywhere near Ron…or Harry, so she steered clear of them for the moment, scanning the hall for Malfoy instead.
He wasn't hard to spot, accompanied as he was by his two pet gorilla's- Crabbe and Goyle. She sauntered over to him, swinging her hips. All three gulped simultaneously and Malfoy winked at her.
"Your fan club Draco, it's…late, it seems." She smiled broadly.
"Oh no," He answered. "It looks like you made it just fine." He smirked at her indignation and then bowed low. "May I have this dance?" He asked her grandly. Trill smiled.
"I'm not sure…so many people have asked me for a dance and I just don't know if there's room for you…" Malfoy ignored this completely and grabbed her waist and hand in a dancing pose. Trill wasn't surprised and matched his evil grin tooth for tooth. "I must warn you then," she said breathily. "Not many are up to my level of dancing and I could out dance them in any conditions." Malfoy didn't even twitch.
"Bring it on."
The music ended and Trill broke away to fall into a chair with her hand on her stomach.
"I commend you sir Malfoy!" She said cheerily, out of breath. "You dance most excellently! But I must have a breather." Malfoy stood in front of her breathing hard for a different reason.
He had made up his mind before the feast that he was not going to give even the smallest acknowledgement to Trill Talu. She had chosen sides, and chosen Harry, hadn't she? But when she came in wearing her midnight blue dress and bare shoulders and shimmering hair, he couldn't stop himself. And that walk! He didn't think Trill realized how much she swung her hips when she walked. It made him dizzy and sweaty to watch her, and the fast dance seemed to relieve his nerve for a while, until he watched her breathing heavily. Up and down, up and down. His mouth went dry and he started feeling hot and itchy and he felt the driving need to go outside into the cold air. He cleared his throat.
"May I escort you outside, Milady? The fresh air may do you some good." It was hard for him to act sarcastic.
"Of course." She said, and offered him her hand in part of the act. His fingers tingled when he took her hand and he covered the shiver that went up his spine with a stretch. Crabbe and Goyle tried to follow, but Malfoy waved them away and they stayed where they were.
The two of them left the hall and found themselves in the garden. Malfoy cleared his throat.
"And here we have the famous 'Hogwarts garden' complete with water fountain! It's pretty girl-um…pretty good if I may say so." He tried hard not to flush red. He was spared the uncomfortable silence by the sounds of two more people coming up the path.
Trill and Malfoy ducked behind a tall shrub-tree and watched the couple while stifling giggles. Fortunately it took only a few minutes for Vera to get tired of the kissing and she and Robert snuck back to the dance. Trill released the guffaw she had been holding in and Malfoy laughed half-heartedly. So she thought kissing was funny?
"Honestly." Trill breathed happily. "Who just does that anyway?" Malfoy saw her look to him to affirm it, but he was busy staring raptly at her. She looked even more beautiful when she began to squirm.
"I think I'll go back to the dance now." She stood up, dusted off her dress, and turned to go, but Malfoy grabbed her hand and put his other one on her neck. Trill gulped and layered her voice with banshee song.
"Malfoy." He paused under her spell for a moment, but pushed harder on her neck. He had hit unknowingly the only weak spot on her entire body.
"Your skin looks almost white in the moonlight." He whispered, staring into her eyes. She backed away from him but her back hit the castle wall, and the hand now encircling her waist kept her from running. She panicked and tried to terminate the banshee lure, but it would not be withdrawn.
"Stop it right…" But it barely came out as a rasp. She tried weakly to push him away, but without her magic he could handle her like a kitten, and his hand was still on her neck.
He kissed her softly, and she waited helplessly. When he pulled his head away from hers, she struggled and whispered as loudly as she could.
'Let go of my neck!" She turned it frantically. "You're hurting me." And looked him in the eye. He looked at her quizzically and let go of her neck. Her magic poured back into her limbs and she pushed his arms away from her.
"I'm going back to the castle…" But Malfoy had put his hand experimentally back onto her neck. She was silent and weak once more.
"What's this?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow and experimented once more. He let go.
"Sto-" He pushed on her neck. Now she was panicking and nearly crying. He knew the secret. He knew.
