Chapter Two

"Draco, we don't permit smoking in this house." Draco quickly crushed the cigarette onto the railing as he and Alex blew out the last vestiges of smoke from their lungs. He saw Alex grimace at Remus' appearance; she kept her back to him.
"Draco, what do you have to say?"
"Sorry," Alex said and raised her hand, her back still to Remus. "My fault."
"Alex, we have had this discussion."
Alex shrugged. "Your point?"
"I don't want you doing it."
Alex laughed and turned around, leaning her back against the railing. "And what are you going to do about it? You're not my father."
"I wasn't suggesting that I was," Remus said calmly. "I am merely saying that Sirius wouldn't want you to start."
"Start again you mean?" Alex asked. She knew she was toeing the line, and that she was about to cross it. "Well, guess what. Sirius isn't here right now. In fact, he's not ever going to be here again, because he is dead. He is fucking dead, and you still won't deal with it."
Remus' eyes narrowed. "I have dealt with it in my own way."
"Bullshit."
"Alexandra!"
"What?"
"Why are you being selfish?"
"Because I was just orphaned. I thought I had been when my mother died." Alex suddenly had a craving for another cigarette, but she kept the pack in her pocket. "Then Sirius showed up and it was like, Wow. A new chance to start a new life." Alex shook her head, and snorted. "What a load of shit. You and Albus kept a tighter leash on him than you tried to on me. And now that he's gone. Hell, I'm an orphan again."
She closed her eyes. "I've never been orphaned twice before, so I don't know how I'm supposed to act."
"How about," Remus suggested, "You go and talk to Harry."
Alex's eyes snapped open as she spat out, "No way in hell!"
"Why not?"
Alex struggled to come up with an answer. "Because...because... I mean, he's bloody Harry Potter for Christ's sake! I can't just waltz up to him and say 'Hey Potter. We're both orphans. How does that make you feel?'" She put on a cheesy smile, then let it drop as she rolled her eyes.
"He does have a point Alex."
Alex turned and glared at Draco. "You hate Harry as much as Voldemort does." Draco shrugged. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean you have to. I was taught to hate Potter, and I don't think I can give that up." His eyes twinkled wickedly. "It's too much fun."
Alex rolled her eyes, and turned back to Remus. "You really want me to?" she asked finally.
Remus nodded and said, "Yes, I do."
Alex sighed. "Fine."
She walked past Remus, and stuck her head inside the house. "Oy! Potter get up here!" She shot Remus and Draco charming smiles before shoving them both out of the room and leaning back against the railing to wait for Harry.
Soon enough, he and Ron appeared on the stairs. "I've never been here before," Harry said slowly, looking around.
Ron pointed at Alex, and said, "There she is."
Harry stared at her. She had an air of complete confidence that was apparent in every move she made. Her wavy, midnight colored tresses were long, and her forest green eyes stood out from her pale face. She was attractive, but in a dangerous way.
Ron smirked as they watched her beckon to Harry. "She's not going to bite." Harry was pale. "Are you sure?"
Ron laughed, and pushed him out the door. "I'm sure."
Harry stood in front of Alex as she surveyed him. His untidy black hair seemed to have gotten wilder from the picture she had seen last summer, and the eyes behind his glasses were that exquisite, emerald green color that is so very rare. He had gained a bit of muscle over the school year, and a bit of height as well. But he was still rather skinny, and his clothes hung a bit loose. She smiled at him finally, and held out her hand. "I'm Alex."
He took it. "Harry Potter." He felt like he had to stoop to see her properly, which wasn't something he had ever encountered.
She gave him a grim smile. "Yes, I know. Being only 5 feet tall does have its disadvantages. So, lets sit."
She motioned over to a table and two chairs that seemed to have appeared out of thin air. She took the seat closest to the house, and crossed her legs as he sat down opposite her.
"Who, exactly, are you?"
Alex smirked. "Well, very blunt aren't you?" She pressed her fingers together in the same way Dumbledore did, and spoke quietly. "My full name is Alexandra Serephina Bordeaux-Black. Yes, quite a mouthful, I know. My father was Sirius Black; my mother was Vienne Bordeaux. My mother was a French witch in the same year as your parents. She transferred from Beauxbatons in her second year when my grandfather was himself transferred from the French Auror Department to the English Auror Department. Big change, because she only spoke a bit of English. Lily Evans, your mother, had taken French for quite a few years so she was able to help my mother learn English.
"Am I going to fast for you?"
"No, go on."
"Anyways, so my mother, Lily, and Diana became friends-"
"Wait," Harry interrupted. "Who's Diana?"
Alex stared at him. "Remus hasn't told you about Diana?" Harry shook his head slowly.
Alex finally lowered her fingers. "Has he told you about Maria?" Harry looked even more bewildered.
"Well that explains a lot." She spoke carefully after a minute. "Diana was Remus' wife. She was in the same year as our parents." She paused, took a deep breath, and continued. "Diana and Remus had a baby girl, Maria Kendall. The same man killed Diana, Maria, and Vienne, my mother, on the same day, 10 years ago. It was my birthday and Janet, one of our mother's friends, was going to take Maria and me to the zoo. Mind you, I was only 6, so that was really cool for us. I had come down with a cold about a week before, and the day of my birthday, Maria had the cold, and I didn't. So Janet picked me up at Diana's insistence, and we went to the zoo."
Her voice became hard as she looked out at the grounds and continued. "While we were gone, Lucius Malfoy came looking for me, and when he didn't find me, slaughtered Vienne, Diana and Maria. When we came back, we found their bodies. It was horrible." Her voice caught and she closed her eyes. "Lucius, being the monster he is, hadn't actually killed them. They were still half alive when we got there, and that was when my mother gave me to Dumbledore, and I became an orphan once Dumbledore put them out of their misery."
Harry was silent as Alex wiped her tears away angrily. "My mother had nightmares Harry, of what my father had done to all of those people, and she told me that he was a horrible person because of it, but I still loved him, because he was my father, and I wanted a father, because I didn't know what it was like.
"So, when Sirius showed up two years ago, I wasn't an orphan anymore. I had a real father, someone who loved me for me, no matter how long it had been since we had seen each other."
She stopped, and looked at him. He was pale, and looked like he was about to cry.
"Alex," he said softly after a moment, "I think that we may get along rather well, even if you are friends with Malfoy."
Something was different inside of him. He felt as if he had finally found someone who would understand what he was feeling, and not just say that they did. He had found someone else who felt as if they'd been orphaned twice, once by their true parents, and once by Sirius Black.
"So," Harry said finally, "Where have you been all of these years?"
Alex smiled. "Around. Dumbledore is officially my guardian, so he can stick me wherever he wants. I stayed with the Weasley's quite a lot during the school year. He also had me stay with the Malfoy's, as odd as it sounds."
Harry stared at her. "But Lucius Malfoy killed your mother. Why would Dumbledore want you there? Wouldn't he try to kill you again?"
Alex nodded. "Of course. I don't have the real reason but I think it was to keep some eyes and ears inside the Malfoy household. Narcissa isn't a bad woman, she's just been manipulated by Lucius for far too long. She came to Dumbledore quite a while ago, and asked for help. So, he sent me in. She knew the reason, I didn't. I was there under the pretense that I was the daughter of one of Narcissa's friends, a single mother who felt obliged to leave her child with the Malfoy's when she needed to travel abroad."
Harry's eyes suddenly sparkled. Blackmail on Malfoy. Alex laughed as she saw the look on his face. "No, I'm not going to help you humiliate Draco. I know that you hate each other, but I will have a talk with Draco. He can be a very good person, I promise you that."
Harry snorted. "Yup, and I'm Voldemort's son."
Alex laughed again, all traces of her earlier sorrow gone.

Alex rifled through the pages of the book she was reading, not paying attention as the tape measure fell to the ground. "Miss. Bordeaux-Black, if you please."
Alex looked up at Mr. Ollivander. "Yes?"
Mr. Ollivander sighed. "If you would set down the book we can start. You're wand is unfixable, therefore you must find a new one."
Alex nodded and handed her book to Remus. "Yes, of course."
"Ironwood, phoenix feather, 13 inches."
"Ash, unicorn hair, 8 inches."
"Yew, dragon heart-string, 10 inches."
"Bamboo, phoenix feather, 11 inches..."
It seemed to go one forever, Ollivander snatching each wand out of her hand before she had a chance to use it.
Finally, it happened. "Ash, Dragon Heart string, 7 inches."
A warmth spread up her fingers and a smile of relief was on all three faces as sparks flew from the wand tip. "Very good," Ollivander said, taking the wand and boxing it up. She paid for it and they left.
People suddenly seemed to skirt them as they walked out of the shop and towards the Leaky Cauldron. Remus hardly noticed it, but Alex was unnerved. "Remus, are people always like this?"
"What?" Remus looked over at her, then out at the people skirting them, their eyes downcast. "Oh, yes. Sometimes I feel as if I have werewolf tattooed across my forehead."
Alex snorted. "It's better than a moon on your back and a black quill on your ankle. Why I ever got drunk and decided to do that, don't ask me."
"Why Sirius never kept the liquor cabinet locked, don't ask me."
Alex laughed. "Yeah, that was fun though, you have to admit it."
Remus rubbed his forehead. "I don't even want to think about it, it gives me a headache."

Alex hiccupped as she downed the last of the whiskey in her glass. "And you know," her words slurred together, "Dad thinks that I'm asleep!"
Remus burst into giggly, hysterical laughter, and Alex followed him. "And he thinks I'm out watching Harry..."
Alex was confused. "You're supposed to be on duty?"
"No... I just told him I was. Is there any er... whassit called... that sharp stuff..."
"Oh god you two."
Alex and Remus looked up at Sirius, and silence reigned until Alex hiccupped and burst into hysterical laughter.
Sirius groaned, and went over to the liquor cabinet. "I hope you two didn't empty this, not like there was much in there anyways... you did!"
He turned to them, and snatched the rum from Remus, and the whiskey from Alex. "What is wrong with you two?" He shook his head as they both went on in hysterical laughter. "Go to bed, now."
The two of them woke up with terrible headaches the next morning, and Sirius nearly killed them for it.

Alex laughed. "We pissed him off."

Alex rolled over, her eyes opening to the darkness. What had woken her? She rolled back over, realizing that she felt sticky and wet. She pulled the covers off of her, realizing that it was probably her period. She sat up, and turned on the light, wincing at the brightness.
She pulled her hands up to wipe her eyes, but soon realized that they were red and sticky. She shuddered, and went to wash them off, not fully comprehending what was happening. As she slipped back into the bed, her brain finally understood that the blood was everywhere; on her pajamas, on her bed sheets, on the lamp where she had turned her light on.
The blood was coming from the ceiling. He eyes traveled up the bed posts, to the ceiling above her bed. There, sliced and diced, and skewered onto her ceiling was Sean, his eyes open and his blood everywhere.
She screamed, and tore out of the room, hurrying to get her pajamas off and the blood off of her. She ran into Draco at the top of the stairs and he held her upright. "Alex?"
Her body shook with sobs as she tore off her huge pajamas, revealing the skimpy clothes underneath.
"Alex, what's wrong? What happened?"
Lights flickered on as people hurried out of their bedrooms to see what was going on. Draco pulled Alex into his arms, and she sobbed into his chest. "It's him... His blood. It's everywhere. He's dead. He's skewered with a fucking flag pole onto my ceiling..."
"Oh god." Draco understood immediately. "Alex... oh, this is my fault. I'm so sorry..." Draco held her tighter as he staggered back into the wall. "Alex... oh honey..."
She sobbed harder. "Don't call me that!" She hung onto him tighter as nearly the entire house came hurrying out to see what was happening.
Remus got there first.
"Go into the bedroom," Draco said to him, "And look on the ceiling above her bed. Tell me if it's Sean."
Ron, Harry, Hermione and Ginny came next.
"You two go get something to clean this blood off," Draco commanded, looking at Ron and Harry. "Granger, go into her room and get her bath robe for me."
"It's him alright," Remus affirmed, looking ready to throw up. Draco leaned his head back against the wall as Alex fell silent. "Damn."
The rest of the Weasley's showed up in a troupe, and demanded to know what was going on. Remus explained, and as he did so Alex let off a dry sob into Draco's chest.
Remus turned to Draco and Alex. "Get her out of here; take her into the kitchen and get her some hot chocolate, or coffee or something," he ordered Draco.
Draco nodded, and let go of Alex except for her hand, by which her led her to the kitchen. He sat her down and conjured two mugs of steaming hot chocolate.
They sat there, silent and staring. Alex stared at the wall, every once in a while letting out dry sobs, and Draco stared at Alex, feeling inside of him every single word he wanted to say, but not daring to speak.
So they sat there, and stared.

"Sean was a good person. He cared for everybody and everything." The words rang out over the cemetery. The sun beat down on the mourners, all of them viciously feeling that it had no right to shine so vividly down on the day that their loved one was being said goodbye to.
Alex looked down at the opened casket as the eulogy was finished. Remus had made sure that the mortician was magical, and that he could fix Sean up to look like he had died of natural causes. The man had done a good job.
The casket was closed, and Alex looked up at Lauren, Sean's father, as his hand rested on the casket, and locked it. She couldn't watch as it was lowered into the hole, and she turned around, tears streaming down her face as she felt Laurens arms around her. He hugged her tightly, then let go, and went over to his wife.
As the ceremony finished, Alex left quickly, and heard the whispers as she passed by.
"She's the one who found him."
"They think she killed him."
"That's his girlfriend, they think she did it. She found him after all."
Alex held her head high as she passed, and when she reached the street, a black car pulled up. The window rolled down, revealing Draco at the wheel. "Come on," he said, "Get in."
She climbed inside, realized that the car had only the illusion of a small black Escort. It was truly a convertible, one of Lucius' many. Even though he hated Muggles, he had a strange fascination with their cars.
The car sped away, and Draco spoke lightly to her. "How did it go?"
"Fine."
"Sorry, it was a stupid question."
"No, it's fine."
Draco glanced over at her as silence reigned. They were halfway to Grimmauld Place when Alex suddenly burst into tears, scaring Draco so badly he nearly drove the car into the Ferrari next to him. The Ferrari honked at him as he jerked the car back into place and glared at Alex. "Warn me next time."
He pulled over to the side of the road, and let Alex cry as he turned off the car. Soon it became too much to bear and he sighed, and got out of the car, allowing her to cry in peace. He went over to the wooded area next to the highway, and relieved himself.
After he was done, he stood there, toying with the thought of pulling a cigarette out of the pack he had bought. As he was about to, a scream came from the car and he whirled around.
The car was completely enveloped in Shadow, and the screaming was Alex's. Draco ran forward and pulled out his wand, roaring a spell. A steady stream of violet light exploded from his wand, hitting the Shadow and killing it instantly. It fell away from the car and Alex jumped out, her screams dying away.
"You bastard!! What the fuck was that?!" Alex screamed at him as she struggled to get the last of it off of her. Her forest green eyes were wild and her pale face was livid. She reminded Draco suddenly of a vampire.
"It was Shadow... Alex, calm down." Draco tried to talk as she screamed at him.
"I can't believe you-"
"Alex," he cut in finally, "Shut the hell up."
She closed her mouth, and looked up at him, her body language clearly saying 'Tell me right now or I'll kick your ass back to your childhood.'
"It was Shadow. They usually only come out at night... they're looking for me. I'm sorry," Draco apologized, watching as her anger melted away.
"Why are they looking for you?"
"I don't know."
"Are they trying to kill you?"
"Probably."
Alex sat down on the ground, hard. Draco went and sat next to her, putting an arm over her shoulders. "I'm sorry that they came after you. I'm going to find out why they want me, and why they decided to come after you."
"They're the ones that killed Sean, aren't they?" Alex asked, leaning into him.
Draco nodded, putting both of his arms around her. "Yes, they are. They can get past any barrier except the ones specifically tuned to them."
"Oh god," Alex cried, burying her face into Draco's shirt. "I want to go home. I want to go to sleep. I don't want to have to deal with anything else."
Draco nodded. "Okay, we'll go back to Grimmauld Place."

Draco examined the muggle clothes, then looked at Alex. "Do muggles seriously wear this stuff?"
Alex laughed. She herself was wearing muggle clothing, and beautifully too. "Yes, seriously. I think that you might be a little bit more comfortable in them than in robes. They are a little different, but I think that you'll take a liking to them."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Hmm... if you say so."
Alex let him pick out a multitude of clothing, then stood back as he tried it on in the dressing rooms. He came out finally. "This is very weird."
Alex stared at him. He had on a black skintight shirt and dark jeans. He looked at her in the mirror and whirled around to look at her normally. "What? What is it?"
"Draco... who exactly are you trying to impress?" she asked softly. "Because if you step a foot out of this store in that clothing, you will have girls fawning over you like a sex god."
He grinned at her. "You think?"
She rolled her eyes. "No, I'm kidding." His face fell and she laughed. "Of course I am serious. Go try some more on."
Draco looked over at her. "Wait, why do I have to do this again?"
"Because I think that you might like them better than Wizarding clothing. They look better on you for one thing, and for another, I need to keep my mind off of everything that is going on right now, and this is the perfect way to do it."
Draco was slightly confused. "Okay.... Well you think I look good then?"

Draco lounged out on the couch in his new muggle clothing, his dragon patterned socks propped up on the arm as he read the newest edition of Quidditch Through the Ages.
He had been sitting there a good ten minutes when an 'eep' and a crash was heard. He looked over the top of his book at Ginny Weasley, who was staring at him like she had never seen him before. A tea saucer was in one hand, and the tea cup was on the floor.
"Listen Ginny, if you have a problem with my socks I don't really give a damn," he said nonchalantly, and looked back at his book.
"You called me Ginny," she spluttered.
He looked back at her. "Yes, that is your name, isn't it?"
"Why?"
Draco shrugged. "I don't know why you're parents decided to name you Ginny. It's an odd name if you ask me. But don't take my word for it, ask them."
"No, I meant why did you call me Ginny and not 'Weasley'? And my parents named me Ginevra, not Ginny."
"Oh." Draco set his book down onto his lap and looked fully at Ginny. "Well," he said finally, "I guess I decided to because there are seven, no eight Weasleys in this house. If I call you all 'Weasley' then you won't know whom I was talking about. And besides," he shrugged and picked up his book again, "It gets boring calling you all the same thing."
Ginny stared at him a moment longer but when he peered over his book to look at her she was gone. Draco went back to his book.
Ginny had in fact gone back to the kitchen and sat down next to Hermione and Alex. "I can't do it," she whispered, setting down the saucer.
Hermione was exasperated. "Oh for heavens sake Ginny."
Hermione stood up and went over to clean up the smashed teacup. As she looked up, she caught sight of his socks, and snorted. "Nice socks Malfoy." She stood up, and cast a wary eye over him. He did look good... very good, in fact.
"Thank you Granger."
"Listen, do you know of the Theatre Love Potion? The one we did in third year?"
"Mm hmm..."
"Alex wants you to be her test subject."
"No."
"Oh come on Malfoy."
"I said no Granger, now get out of here."
"Why not?"
"Because love potions don't work on people that already love the subjects. And if you tell her that I'll kill you."
Hermione was silent as Draco flipped the page. "Are you serious Malfoy?"
"No."
"Wait, no as in no you're not serious, or no you're telling the truth?"
"You figure it out."

Draco stripped down to his boxers, and looked down at the scars and wounds that decorated his body. Thankfully, there were more scars than wounds, and the wounds had healed most of the way.
He examined two of them that crisscrossed his chest, running from his shoulder to the end of his ribs. He pulled out his wand, and ran it along the wound. Mrs. Weasley did not want him to touch them with magic, but he couldn't stand having them a moment longer.
The wound knitted together under his wand, and he did the same with the other. It did leave faint scars, but they faded away after time, and if they didn't fade away, then they would be able to be charmed away.
He looked down at the others, and knowing that Mrs. Weasley would murder him, he peeled of the rest of the bandages and healed each of the wounds.
"Admiring your dick or your scars?"
Draco whirled around to face the speaker. It was Potter. Draco grabbed his shirt and slipped the black beater over his bare torso. "How the hell would you know how big my dick is?"
Harry snorted. "I don't. Neither do I want to know. I'll leave Alex to that."
Draco stared at him as he pulled his pants back on. "What are you talking about?" Harry glared at him. "Look, I know you like her, and I know that you like her as more than a friend. I have learned a lot about her, and I will tell you this; she isn't ready for a relationship."
Draco snorted. "What the hell do you know about relationships Potter? You've never had a girlfriend in your life." Draco leaned against the wall, waiting for his response.
Harry's mouth twisted into an ironic smile. "True. I don't know a whole lot. But she has told me that she isn't ready. Sean was just about the last straw for her. She doesn't like having people walk out on her after she's told them that she's a witch."
"You would have thought that she would have learned by now."
Harry nodded. "Yes. I haven't known her for long, but she and Ron grew up together. Besides dropping her at your place after her mother died, Dumbledore also left her with the Weasley's quite a lot. Especially during the school year, because then she had someone to talk to until Ginny went to school. After that, she turned to Muggles."
"I know all this."
"Yes, I know you do, but I don't think she's told you everything."
"Fine Potter. Go on."
"Listen Malfoy, I don't like you and I'm just doing this for her sake. If I could, I would blast you to smithereens but I can't because then Alex would skin me alive for murdering her best friend."
"She thinks I'm her best friend?"
Harry nodded. "Yes, she does."
Draco shook his head and let out a low whistle. "Fine. Get on with your story Potter."
"So, as I was saying, she turned to Muggles; muggle men specifically... er, boys. As you've obviously noticed, she's rather pretty, so they hooked up. But each time they got serious, each time Alex decided to tell them the truth, they walked away. Alex had to follow them and cast Memory Charms for the ones she told. She let the ones that she hadn't told walk.
"She doesn't like being looked at as an object Malfoy, and she's afraid that that's how you look at her."
"I know all of what you said Potter." Draco pushed away from the wall. "Except for that last bit. Does she seriously think that I would look at her like that?"
Harry shrugged, and Draco swore. "I can't believe that... If anything I would say that I have been a little over protective but... an object?"
"Malfoy, I'm not serious," Harry said, looking at him with those cool green eyes of his. "I just wanted to know how you really thought of her, because I want to know whether Sirius would have thought you worthy."
Draco stared at him, then let out a chuckle. "Nice one Potter. I am going to kill you now." He lunged after him.

Draco's sleep was unpleasant. Too many things had happened for him to be able to process them correctly, and he dreamed.
He was 14 years old again, almost 15 and just out of school. His day had been going pretty well; Alex had come over a couple weeks ago, and was planning on leaving tomorrow. Okay, it wasn't very great, but it was good to have her around.
He was treading carefully to his room after lunch when his father decided to come around the corner, and wallop him. Lucius' face was nasty as he watched his son crumple to the floor. "Off with that traitorous witch again? Making out, no doubt."
Lucius hit him again, and Draco hit his head against the stone wall, groaning.
"Draco?" Alex was looking for him. "Where are you?" She came up the stairs and caught sight of Lucius bending over his son, getting ready to hit him again. She ran forward. "NO! What are you-"
THWACK! Lucius hit the girl across the face, and she reeled backward from the force. He leaned forward and grabbed her chin, painfully forcing her to look up at him.
"Girl." Lucius' breath stank of alcohol as he spoke to Alex, so close he could have kissed her if he had chose to do so. "You keep those red lips shut or I'll slit your pretty little throat."
He threw her to the ground, and walked away. Draco crawled over to where she lay, her eyes closed and her beautiful body heaving with effort. A red mark was slowly forming on her cheek where Lucius had hit her, and blood was on her throat, the vehemence of his threat nearly committing the act.
"I'm sorry," he said, stroking back hair from her cheeks.
"No, it's my fault," she said, sitting up. "I shouldn't have gotten involved."
She saw the sickly bright blood at the back of his head, stark against his pale blond hair. She touched it, and it came away on her finger. She rubbed the blood between them, looking down as it stained both of her fingers.
She stood up and grabbed his wrist. "Come on." She led him to the fireplace, and together they Flooed to Grimmauld Place. She showed the people there what had happened, and he was whisked away.
Sean, living only three doors down, had come over to see Alex. The two of the stood out on the balcony, and from there, Draco could see him from his window, and could hear what they were saying.
"I can't believe his father did that to him!"
"The Malfoy's are different."
"I don't know why I didn't see it before."
"Alex, he's a wizard; he probably hid the scars or something."
"Sean, you don't know the first thing about wizards. You only know what I have told you."
Sean shrugged. "It's that enough?"
"No, you wouldn't even know about us if I didn't tell you, because we're going out." Alex shook her head. "I don't know what to do. He's my friend and I don't want to see him hurt like that."
Sean enveloped her in his arms as tears fell down her face. "It's okay, everything will turn out fine."
Draco turned away; he didn't want to see him kiss her.

He rolled over, and with a thump, fell out of bed. He groaned as he sat back up, leaning against the mattress.
His fist came down on the floor as he fought not to let out a string of swear words that would wake the whole house. "Fucker," he uttered finally.
He could suddenly hear someone sobbing, and he stood up, following the noise, all thoughts of his dream whisking out of his head. The door to the girls bedroom was open, and when he looked in, he saw Ginny, Alex and Hermione huddled together, Alex sobbing as the other two tried to console her.
Draco sighed, and did the only thing he could; he left. He grabbed one of the spare cloaks and left a note on the door to the bedroom he was staying in.

Have unfinished business to attend to. Don't wait up.
-DM

After sticking the note to his bedroom door, he crept out of the hallway, and into the kitchen where the fireplace was. He lit a fire so he would be able to get back, and threw some Floo Powder in. He stepped in. "Malfoy Manor, Draco Malfoy's Room."
After what seemed like a century, he stepped into the bedroom.
He surveyed the cold, bare picture it presented, even though is was decorated in Slythern colors. He went over to his large, mahogany wardrobe and pulled out his finest Malfoy attire. He switched out the shabby robes he had been given for the Malfoy robes.
As he buckled the 'M' and dragon intertwined clasp at the throat of his cloak, he inspected his reflection. His hair was slightly unkempt, and darkness was growing under his eyes, but that was just from waking in the middle of the night.
He left his room, and went straight to the ballroom, getting himself ready for what he had to face.
He stood in the middle as he watched the Shadows gather. They blocked out all of the moonlight and dulled the shimmer of the huge chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. When it seemed as though there was no more room for any more, he spoke. "What do you want?"
With the opening of his mouth, they entered him and took a hold of his soul. His body went rigid and his breathing became labored as pain coursed through his body.
"We want the boy."
"Which boy?"
"The Potter boy."
"Why?"
"Because he is the key to our release."
"You're release? What release? You have been bound here by your ancestors."
They twisted his soul and he let out a cry of pain, falling to his knees. "Fool! You think we only serve you? The man who calls himself the Dark Lord has taken us, and will not give us back until he gets the Potter boy."
"Why did you go after Alex?"
"To get you to come here. We pushed Sirius, and still you did not come. Then we killed Sean. And still you did not come. Finally, we attacked Alex, and then, you came."
"You nearly lost your only bargaining chip."
"So?"
"I'm not going to give you Potter."
Their rage flared up again, and they twisted and pulled at his soul. "Then suffer the consequences!"
Draco let out a choke of pain as their Dark Magic reopened the whip wounds, then he gritted out, "Go to hell."
With a final pull, their grip vanished, and so did the darkness. The ballroom lit up as the moonlight filtered in, and the chandelier glimmered again. He kept on his knees, his breathing labored as he closed his eyes.
"Draco?" a soft voice came from the ballroom doorway. Alex caught sight of Draco kneeling in the middle of the ballroom, breathing heavily. She went to him, and knelt in front of him. "Draco? Love, are you alright?"
His eyes snapped open and he looked at her. "Why did you call me that?" She looked confused.
"Call you what?"
"Love, why did you call me love?" Draco asked, looking her fully in the eyes. She looked back at him, then touched her lips as if she hadn't realized that they were there. "I... I don't know. Does it matter? Are you alright?"
"No." Draco shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I'll make it. We have to get back to Grimmauld Place." He stood up, and looked down at her, still kneeling before him. "Come on." He reached down and grabbed her hand, pulling her up. He turned away from her, and started to walk away.
"Draco?" Draco turned back to Alex. She still stood where they had been before, and she was examining her hand. It was bloody. He walked back to her. "What's wrong?"
She drew her hand back and hit him, hard. He stared at her, holding the side of his face. Suddenly, she came at him again, pulling a knife from her pocket. Before he had a chance to think, it was lodged in his ribs.
He choked, and as he fell to the ground, he watched a cruel smile flicker onto her face. Then, she disappeared into the darkness.
AN: oooh, spooky! Well.... this is up soon after the first chapter went up so I really don't expect to get any review in between. I'm about halfway done with the third chapter... it'll probably be up by the end of the week. Soo... yup!! Anything your confused about let me know and I'll see what I can do... except it might supposed to be that way and then... well, you'll learn later.

R/R!!