dragonwing: More about d'Arbanville is coming up in this chapter. Since you were looking forward to this chapter, I hope I won't let you down.
Chapter 10 - Ghost of Yesterday
'Why the hell is that woman holding back my girlfriend?' thought Draco as he leaned against the wall of the hallway that the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom was located in. He had never experienced that a professor held someone back just after they'd met for the first time.
Rhiannon hadn't seemed too thrilled by the prospect of meeting with their new professor, either. It worried Draco, he had become even more protective of her after they had got together again. He hardly let her go anywhere without him, except when he was sure racy would be with her. He could hear Rhiannon and d'Arbanville talking inside the classroom.
Draco sighed and looked out of the window next to him. Nothing of interest was happening down there, except for a few snowflakes tumbling down from the sky. It was probably too cold for the students' taste. After a short while he saw a girl with a Slytherin scarf go down to the lake. What was she doing out there?
He narrowed his eyes to get a better look at her. Mousy hair, dumpy and the hem of her robe glittered silvery - it had to be Pansy. Only she had a flashy school robe like that. He briefly wondered what she was doing down there. Going outside and taking walks had never really been Pansy's thing. Draco didn't let her out of his sight until she disappeared into the Forbidden Forest.
Wait... the Forbidden Forest?
He had been in there once and this one time had been enough for him. That and the centaurs would probably rip her into tiny shreds if they could get hold of her. For a moment Draco thought about informing d'Arbanville - the professor closest at hand. She would be able to get Pansy out of the forest...
Then he decided against it. He was not her babysitter and he was an ambitious, cold-blooded and back-stabbing Slytherin. If he did inform the professor he'd be sitting with the Gryffindors at breakfast quite soon.
Draco shrugged and turned away from the window. It wasn't his business.
Rhiannon shivered as she walked up to her new professor. She had done nothing and only met her once - there was nothing that would need to be discussed between them.
"I'm here, professor," she said. She was almost certain she was giving a fearful impression.
d'Arbanville looked up, she had a smile on her face. It bothered Rhiannon that she couldn't see both of her eyes, it would have been easier to read her emotions then.
"Rhiannon, please call me Vanora."
'What?' thought Rhiannon for herself. This woman was clearly not your normal, every day professor. So Rhiannon just nodded to please her.
"Good," said Vanora. "It's been a long time that I've waited for you."
"Waited for me? I don't understand. We have only met that one time in Hogsmeade."
Vanora sighed. Rhiannon looked quizzically at her.
"No, that's not entirely true. You don't remember, but that was to be expected. You were too little then to remember anything."
"I... don't understand."
"I thought so." Vanora paused and smiled. "Rhiannon, when you look at me what happens then?"
Rhiannon looked to the ground. "My head hurts; only for a second, but it hurts." She waited for Vanora's response. What would she say? Tracy had only said Vanora was suspicious when she had told her. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to be alone in room with her.
'But if I should be able to deal with Voldemort, it should be easy to deal with her...' The thought crossed her mind out of the blue. And it made her feel sick. Rhiannon gulped and looked up at Vanora again.
"I'd like you to think about me as hard as possible," she said. "You have to overcome the pain."
"Why?"
"I won't tell you today, maybe at some later day, when it becomes clear that you can't do it on your own. Rhiannon..." Vanora leaned forwards and clasped her hands around Rhiannon's shoulders. Her gaze had something determined in it. "You have to do it. Please! I promise that it won't do you harm. That I won't do you harm. Please..."
Rhiannon stepped back, freeing herself of Vanora's grip.
"I'll... I'll think about it. But I have to go now. My friend's waiting for me." With that Rhiannon ran out of the classroom.
Vanora stood frozen in her place, staring after the girl. Next to her Albus Dumbledore slowly appeared.
"Vanora," he said. "Maybe you should have told her straightaway."
"Maybe," she replied and hung her head. "But I couldn't hold myself back when I told her to think about me. I've missed her for almost sixteen years."
"Draco!" Rhiannon flung herself into her boyfriend's arms. "This woman is crazy."
"What happened?" He hugged her briefly and then led her away from the classroom, in the direction of Slytherin dungeon, while Rhiannon was retelling her encounter with the professor.
"... and then she just grabbed me and told me I had to think about her. And with that crazy look in her eyes. It was scary. And then I just ran away."
Draco pressed her hand.
"It's all right. I think everyone would have done that." He continued to lead her. Rhiannon didn't protest when their little walk ended in Draco's Head Boy room.
"My mum sent my more sweets yesterday." He pulled out a parcel from under his bed and opened it. He gestured for Rhiannon to sit down on his bed. "You've had much on your plate the last days. Relax a bit. Here."
He handed her a chocolate frog. Rhiannon took it and let herself drop onto her back with both arms outstretched. She put the frog besides her and closed her eyes.
"If I just knew what d'Arbanville wanted me to achieve with thinking about her."
"Rhiannon, drop it. I told you, relax. Don't think. Here, let me help." He bowed down and kissed her. They parted again and Rhiannon sighed.
"Hmm... I think that really did helped."
"Never got around to much kissing, did we?" Draco said. "Maybe we should make up for that." Draco pressed his lips onto hers' again, this time with more passion. His hands wound into Rhiannon's silky hair and slowly he felt losing control over his body's movements and lust taking over.
Rhiannon responded to his kiss. Her arms embraced him and pulled him closer; it was as if she was holding onto him for dear life. Gently Draco parted her lips and began exploring.
Just then they both heard some clear his or her throat. They froze immediately at the sound and parted again. The sound wasn't coming from the door, but from a corner of the room. Sitting up Rhiannon released Draco and straightened her grey school sweater.
"Oh. Err... hi Rowena," she murmured. In the corner of the room stood a mirror and this mirror now displayed the person of Rowena Ravenclaw.
"I really hate to interrupt you, but I'm doing this for the first time and I didn't know when I would finally get throuhj." She grinned a bit. "Glad you're getting on so well. That will make everything a lot easier."
"She has incredibly bad timing," Draco whispered into Rhiannon's ear. Rhiannon giggled shortly.
"I heard that, young lad, and it's not polite. Anyway, I just saw you had some trouble today, Rhiannon." She sounded very kind despite Draco's rudeness; it eased Rhiannon.
"Yes," she said. "Our new professor. I don' know if I can trust her with what she says. Can you tell me anything about her."
Rowena thought for a bit. "Well... Vanora is a good woman. Her intentions are good too. You can trust her with everything concerning you. When she said she meant no harm to you she was telling the truth."
"Can't you tell me more about her?" Rhiannon asked her. She sat bolt upright and her eyes were fixed on Rowena. Only through this Draco noticed how much this meant to her.
"I could," replied Rowena with a smile. "But she didn't tell you and so I'm not going to tell you either. But if you follow her advice to think about her, you'll maybe find out on your own."
"Please."
"No. I have to go anyway. This is taking out much more of me than I originally thought." She was right, her image had already begun to fade. "Good bye for now. But I'll visit you again." The two saw her smile again and then she was completely gone.
"Draco," Rhiannon said after a moment. "I have to go."
"Why?" asked Draco in an annoyed tone. He didn't want her to leave yet.
"I have to think about d'Arbanville."
A/N: Hey, guess what! Today (8th June) is my birthday. And reviews are not only great Christmas presents. They also make great birthday presents!