Chapter 7
Ashen
(A/N:: Not mine...never has been never will be.)
Drake stumbled from the portal slightly queasy. It was worse than floo and apperating combined. Trying to get his stomach in order, he looked around. He was standing in a dark alley in the middle of downtown London, a puddle of darkened sludge right next top his foot. The water smelled of death and garbage and somewhere behind him, he heard the skittering of a rat. He ran his left hand through loose blonde hair, trying to regain his bearings, this dank place brought back memories of Malfoy manor and the punishments and entertainments that Lucius enjoyed. He looked down at his right hand, in an iron grip he held her robe. His fingers buried so deeply in the weave of the fabric his knuckles turned white, the quicker he left the quicker could find Granger and then possibly My.
Pulling his wand from the inside pocket of his sleeve, he shrank Granger's robe to a size more suitable for a baby doll than for a person. Drake tucked the miniature robe in one of his pockets and cautiously left the alley, searching for a tiny girl in vinyl pants.
As soon as he exited the alley he knew that he was in trouble. All around him dark figures streamed towards a forbidding building
Ashen.
The new and very successful club that catered to the tastes of the dark, the lonely and the alienated. Girls and men walked by in leather and vinyl, high heels and heavy eyeliner. Hair dyed matte black or streaked and dreaded. There was no way that the bookish girl he had lived to torment would journey into such a place.
He crossed the street towards it, the streets were empty, not once did the twin orbs of headlights interrupt his search of the street. He aimed towards the curb, planning to stay away for the crowds at Ashen's doors, to wander farther down the street to search for the Gryffindor queen.
Something held him, pulled him closer.
Pulled him towards the dark entrance insides glowing red.
He felt the force close in on his heart and force him towards the door. It was the same familiar pull he felt during the summer. The same force that led him to My each night. It was how he found her, her presence called to him, pulled him forward. He could hear Snape telling him to only look for Granger, but the pull was to strong. A magical calling he couldn't and didn't want to refuse.
Confirming the security of his wand tucked in the robe sleeve pocket, he stepped forward. Bypassing the entrance line, Drake walked towards the bouncer, held out a wad of bills and waited. Waited as the bouncer looked him over. Studied the expensive shoes he wore, the black woolen robe, shaggy blonde hair and shielded empty eyes.
As always, after a quick count of the money on hand and a glance at the ID, the bouncer nodded.
"Welcome to Ashen Mr. Malfoy."
Drake nodded and stepped through the entrance into an inferno. Red lights and dark dancers surrendering to the pulse of the heavy bass line. He could feel it pulse for him. It lured him closer, the beat of the club echoed in his head and heart. The red lights swirled and in front of him a phantom appeared, My's transparent body stood in a empty space, her eyes meeting his. Her body moving to the beat. He opened his barriers and let the music take him, take him to the place he shared with My, where only the music mattered.
*~*~*
Across the floor she danced, wrapped in a cocoon of music and dreams, in the music she was safe and connected. Closer to him, even if he was far from her.
*~*~*
And so they danced. Rational thoughts were driven from their minds. There was no room for anything but the beat and the dance. From opposite sides of the floor there bodies moved in tandem, a magnetic force drawing them forward. The press of bodies and the dull light deadened Drake's senses, deadened his mind, made him feel safe enough to let go of the ever-present tension that living in Malfoy manor caused. Made him feel secure enough to close his silver eyes.
Close his eyes the moment chocolate cherry hair came towards him.
They danced oblivious to each other, back to front, lost in a world of ghosts, dreams, and music. They could have danced alone all night.
Fate had other plans.
A jealous girl accused her boyfriend of hitting on someone else and hit him. Blood rushed to the man's cheek, and his volatile temper rose, he raised a fist ready to hit the smaller girl. Observers rushed in, trying to stop the man from doing something he would regret. The group around the couple shifted the dynamics of the dance floor. All around her the crowd shifted, breaking the untouchable rhythm that My had with the music. She lost her footing and slipped on the slick dance floor, falling backwards.
*~*~*
My felt the crowd shift, push her. Felt herself fall back.
She braced herself for the hard floor but felt nothing.
Nothing but warmth.
Familiar warmth and comfort.
She opened her eyes to see silver eyes.
A pair of perfect eyes.
*~*~*
Drake stared at the petite body in his arms.
Stared at the chocolate hair.
At the amber eyes.
At the well loved face.
It was her.
*~*~*
It was him.
My watched the beloved face smile, and twist. She saw the questions in his eyes and in the movements of his lips. But no questions would ruin this.
This example of fortunes favor.
He set her onto her feet. She stared, deep into his eyes, she saw his love.
She placed a finger over his soft lips and rest her head on his shoulder.
Looking up into his eyes she whispered, "For tonight, for now, all we have is the dance."
Drake nodded, and the music enveloped them.
Till Next Time
A/N:: Alright, this is kind of a random chapter, its the dance between chapter six and the long awaited chapter 8, At Last. In chapter 8 the moment you have all been waiting for occurs, they figure it out, and then have to deal with the fallout. My classes begin on Tuesday, and At Last is only partially written so I don't know when it will be completed, but as you wait you can wonder what is going to happen next.
Thanks to all who review...it is much appreciated.
