Yay nother chapter! Hmmmm don't worry Draco be ok x)
Disclaimer: heh…..-kidnaps Jk Rowling– fine I don't own it x(
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The wind howled and whipped around the castle, the steel grey sky getting darker by the minute. The rain lashed against the walls, hitting them so hard the drops bounced off ferociously. The weather outside did nothing to lift the mood of the students who were stuck inside, unable to get out without getting completely soaked and mud splattered. The Seventh year Gryffindors made their way miserably down the cold stone steps into the dungeons, wishing that the lesson could be over already.
"Is it just me or does it always seem to be Tuesday: double potions day? What's more, I swear we've never had a time table without double potions." Ron grumbled as he, Harry, Hermione and Summer made their way down to the dungeons. The weather had affected him just as much, meaning that he moaned at everything.
"Yeah I guess." Harry replied, rolling his eyes at the other two and tightening his robes to keep some heat in, the dungeons got colder the deeper they went. As they approached their classroom, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise Zabini appeared from another corridor. The two groups glared at each other for a moment before the Slytherins rudely pushed passed into the classroom. As the other four entered, Snape raised his eyebrow questioningly at Summer, who frowned and made her way to the back of the classroom with the others.
They carried on with previous work, though Summer occasionally glanced up at Draco.
"I will be leaving the classroom for five minutes. I expect you to carry on with your work in silence." Snapes cold voice suddenly rang through the classroom as he spoke, as did the heavy door as it slammed shut. The class carried on as he commanded, too afraid to do anything else. Summer watched him leave, wondering why he seemed slightly agitated and restless, but her train of thought was interrupted by Harry and Draco.
"Move it Potter, why do you never get all the ingredients before you start?" Draco snapped irritably as he attempted to get some for himself.
"Well apparently you lack that ability, Malfoy, as well as the one for manners, or do you just enjoy being a prick twenty four seven?" Harry shot back, gripping his wand and glaring into Draco's eyes, not letting his gaze waver. Draco glared back, clutching his own wand, the other hand forming a fist by his side. Suddenly he shot a spell at Harry, who swiftly dodged it, allowing it to hit the wall and leave an ominous black mark there.
"Cant hit anything either, it seems. Can't say I'm surprised really, cant catch the snitch in Quidditch matches, can't hold onto a girlfriend for more than five minutes and are pretty much useless at everything else." Harry said calmly yet tauntingly, picking up a vile.
"Why you little…." Draco growled, trying to launch himself at him, but something held him back. He whirled around to see Summer holding him, he nearly stumbled as she pulled him back further.
"Leave it out would you?" she all but snapped at him, letting go of his robes. "Harry, don't aggravate more than you need to, no point in sinking as low as him." Draco nearly winced at the poison that dripped off of that last word. He was surprised that no-one had figured that she was related to Snape, she could be just as cold, sarcastic and down right evil as him. He silently stepped back behind his desk, glaring at the two as they made their way back to their own places. They all settled back just in time as Snape strode back into the room.
Luckily he was preoccupied with a book and piece of parchment, or he certainly would have known that they had been out of their places.
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The rest of the day went by quietly, as did the week. The weather finally began to change, today being a bright sunny day. Summer made sure that they avoided Draco; she didn't want him and Harry in another fight and she was sure Ron would happily step in somewhere. She sighed and dropped her fork on the table, the noise of the other students in the great hall suddenly rushing back. No-one seemed to have noticed her slipping in and out of the current happenings as she got lost in her own thoughts; they were too busy discussing the up and coming ball.
"Well I am taking someone!" Ron exclaimed as Ginny teased him about going alone.
"Hermione?"
"Sorry Ron I'm going with Pete." she replied, going slightly pink and giggling with Ginny. Ron scowled and looked up and down the table.
"Who are you going with Harry?" Ginny asked, putting down her goblet.
"Well...I was thinking of asking Ally, actually, Heather said she hasn't got anyone to go with yet." he replied, pointing out a pretty blonde girl sitting a while down the table, though he kept glancing at Summer who didn't notice, but Ginny raised an eyebrow.
"Summer?"
"Hmm?...oh I don't know, I've been asked a few times but I'm not sure really." she shrugged and Hermione nodded.
"You could always go with Harry or Ron."
"Hmmm." she half listened, going back into her own thoughts again.
o0o
He had had enough. Really had enough. He had gone past screaming and yelling and throwing things. He felt angry, annoyed and deflated all at once.
Now he half knelt on the window seat in his room, gazing out over Hogwarts grounds, resting his chin in his left hand, using his right to tease a spider. He lifted the small pot up allowing the spider to scuttle forward before trapping it again, much in the way a cat plays with its prey before eating it.
Draco narrowed his eyes and glared as he watched Harry deliberately sit next to Summer outside under a small willow tree at the edge of the lake, then put his arm around her for a moment while he whispered something to her as Ron and Hermione argued over a book. He stared for a moment more before making up his mind. He knew what he had to do.
Striding toward the door, he flung it open, marched down the stair case, out the second door and began to make his way outside. As he turned the corner on the ground floor, Blaise fell into step beside him. Seeing him about to say something, Draco held up his hand.
"Not now Zabini, I've got something to do." he snapped. Blaise scowled but then sighed.
"Fine Malfoy, but I want a word later, preferably after you've finished." Draco nodded as Blaise turned and made his way back to where ever he had come from. Pulling open the door, he took a few deep breaths of the cool air before continuing his stride toward the four Gryffindors.
Stopping few feet away, he bit his lip for a second before taking a final deep breath and stepping forward.
"S...Summer, can I talk to you for a minute, please?" he said before Ron could open his mouth. She looked up at him for a second before standing up herself; she didn't particularly like being looked down on more than necessary. Draco nearly rolled his eyes when Harry and Ron followed suit, Hermione was the only one who sat back and looked up interestedly.
"What do you want? If you want to say something, say it, I'm sure this lot wont mind." she said coldly. He glanced at the others for a minute and then sighed, looking pleadingly at her for a second before opening his mouth. Trying to block out the others and pretending that only Summer was there, he asked:
" Would...would you go to the ball with me?" he gazed at her hopefully, biting his bottom lip.
She looked at him for a moment, her head slightly to one side as she studied him. He could tell she was reading his emotions; her eyes scanning his own, his face, his body language. After half a minute, she smiled and then nodded; he could have danced on the spot then.
"ok, I'll go with you." she replied, her smile widening as she saw the look in his eyes. He grinned back and then nodded, turned and made his way back to the castle.
The four were silent for a moment, just standing watching Draco make his way up toward the castle.
"So that's it? You are going to go with him to the ball, and probably back out with him because he looked at you with that face and asked?" Ron said disbelievingly. Summer and Hermione grinned at him as they sat back down again.
"Yep." she replied, pulling up some of the grass absentmindedly as she gazed over the sparkling lake. Ron shook his head in utter shock and disbelievment, pulling faces at Harry who just shrugged; he didn't get it either.
o0o
Summer stepped out of the sunken grey-blue marble bath, shivering slightly as the cool air hit her warm body. Wrapping a blue fluffy towel around herself, she brushed her soaking hair before wrapping that in a towel also whilst biting the inside of her lip nervously.
She wasn't actually sure why she was nervous; after all she had been going out with Draco before now. Sighing to herself, she quickly dried off (using a drying spell for her hair or it took too long) and pulled on her pyjamas and made her way back to her room.
"Don't forget you said we could do your hair!" Lavender exclaimed as she pulled out her dress robes. Summer nodded and found her own, pulling them over her head.
They were a gorgeous purple-red colour, made out of a soft silky material yet it wasn't shiny and changed black at certain angles. It had an elegant v neck, decorated with thin silver thread in small tasteful curls. The thread had also been used half way down in a v connecting the skirt half to the top. Around the sleeve cuffs and the bottom of the robes, a solid silver colour strip of about three inches had been used to decorate, tying everything in nicely.
Summer looked at her reflection for a moment, admiring the intricate design and handy-work of the robes themselves before applying some makeup.
"Hair time!" Lavender exclaimed happily as she and Parvati settled themselves on either side of her and began to brush, comb and do goodness knows what else to Summer's hair.
By the time they had finished, Summer wondered what could have taken them so long, but didn't dare ask and just smiled. The sides of her hair had been taken back, a few strips of hair left at the front to frame her face. The small part that had been taken back was curled, strips of silvery and red-purple thread interwoven with her hair, though subtly so she didn't look like a disco Barbie.
"Thanks, it looks great." She smiled at the two fellow Gryffindors who grinned back and began to do each others hair.
Looking at her watch, Summer sighed; half an hour until she was meant to meet Draco. 'why the hell does every other girl need four frickin hours to get ready?' she wondered, idly flicking through a book she had carelessly grabbed from the library in an attempt to help herself with her herbology homework.
She frowned as the pictures she saw flick passed weren't of plants but what looked like weaponry and weird instruments, as well as spells and other types of magic. Looking at the cover, Summer couldn't make out the title as the gilt gold lettering had faded from its creased, navy blue leather cover. The small print inside told her that the book was first published in 1427 and in newer looking writing that the book had been banished two months later and that there were only two of the books left in the world but were both under lock, key and spells. Some small initials in the top left hand corner of the inside cover told her that the book was a personal copy, and didn't and probably shouldn't belong in the library or to anyone.
She frowned, what and why was an obvious dark book doing in the library, let alone in the possession of a student or teacher? Looking closely at the closed book in her hands, she noticed the corner of a torn piece of parchment sticking out at the top of the book. Flicking it open to that page, she raised her eyebrow at the title : 'immortal souls'. Interesting. She skim read the two pages, pulling a face at the illustration. 'using fresh new blood of a pure-blood of over a centaury …' "figures pure-blood." she muttered to her self. 'first twelve hours after…' "what the heck does that say?" the words were too faded to make out at the end of the sentence, so she skim read further down. 'water from the fountain of eternal health found in the heart of Greenland's highest mountain...silver dragon tears caught in full moonlight along with fresh morning dew the immediate morning after.' Summer was amazed at this, she thought that only the philosophers stone was capable of immortal life, though seeing as the book was supposedly non-existent she guessed it was the only known way.
Hurriedly shoving it under her pillow, she made her way down into the common room, planning on reading it fully later.
o0o
"Where the hell is that book?" Slamming down the third pile of text books and parchment, the figure angrily paced to another corner of his room, throwing parchment and a chair out of the way in his rag. Pacing infront of the high up, deep set window, he tried to recall where he had had it last. The library. 'Damn. Oh well, no matter.' he told himself, a small smile playing on his lips. Besides, the book wouldn't get far and only revealed its brilliant secrets to a pure-blood, and returned to its owner after two days of being misplaced. Supposing he would have to wait until then, the owner left his room And made his way up the stair case to join the others, blend in and act like he was as clueless as them.
o0o
Draco took a deep breath before knocking on Hermione's bedroom door for Summer, who had gone to help Hermione with her makeup. Or something like that.
The old wooden door creaked open, the light from the room flooding the dimly lit hall, Summers slender figure blocking some of it.
"Wow." was the only thing he could say when he laid two nervous grey eyes on her. She gave him a smile before taking his arm and kissing him on the cheek.
"Hmm, don't look so bad yourself." she grinned, laughing when he raised his eyebrows. "Come on Hermione, Pete won't want to be kept waiting all night, you look great!" she exclaimed, turning to her friend who was hovering nervously by the door.
"Um, well I…" Hermione began, but was dragged by a determined Summer from her room to the main door, a slightly ruffled Draco attempting to keep his feet on the ground stumbling behind.
As they entered the Great Hall (now accompanied by Harry-Ally, Hermione-Pete and Ron-Luna (A/n: xD) Summer gasped. Although she had seen it decorated before, it had out done itself. The room looked as though it was set up in a clearing of the forbidden forest. Trees lined the walls and the occasional creature could be seen darting in and out of the distant trees and bushes further in. bats fluttered by along with other winged animals that she had never seen before. Even the ceiling played its part by making it seem as though the sky was being viewed through leaves and branches, a full moon and twinkling stars casting an eerie silvery, light which danced across the surfaces.
At that moment, the tables were set up for the evening meal, then the students (well the fifth years and up) were able to carry on with the ball while the other students too young to join were to go back to their common rooms and undoubtedly have their own parties.
After they had all eaten and the fourth years and under had left, the tables rearranged themselves at the side of the hall, allowing the students to dance. As Summer placed her hands on Dracos shoulders, she looked around for her friends and almost doubled up laughing.
"What's so funny?" Draco grinned, turning to see. He didn't have to wait long. Ron, with a terrified expression etched across his face was being dragged along the dance floor by an over egar Luna, who was at the same time, chattering excitedly.
"How on earth did he end up with Loony Lovegood?" Draco smirked, watching in amusement as Ron was twirled around at a dangerous speed.
Summer laughed again, too amused to tell him off about nick-names.
"I think Ginny dragged him into it, either by black-mail or a deal. I think it was most likely black-mail."
"Interesting pair, don't you think?" Draco laughed, turning his face back down toward Summer. "look, I'm so sorry about what I did…"
"Shh. Its ok, really." Summer smiled, placing a finger on his lips. He smiled back and took her hand into his as they danced slowly across the floor. Summer thought it was a bit weird really, she had never particularly enjoyed dancing nor did she ever have the sudden urge to do so. But it was different with Draco; thinking about it everything that happened in her life now and everything that she did in the magical world was different and old fashioned in some respects, but she loved it.
After about four dances, Summer and Draco decided to take a break and go talk to some of the other students that were milling around at the edges of the room. Summer sat next to Harry on a bench whilst Draco went to find some punch for them.
"Having a good time? Ally seems nice." Summer commented as she sat. Harry grinned and nodded, but Summer could tell that he wasn't being entirely honest. At that moment, Ally was dancing with a boy from Ravenclaw that she recognised as a chaser from the team.
"So you and Draco ok now?" he asked, though she thought he sounded somewhat hopeful.
"Yeah, we're fine now thanks." she smiled, making room as Draco approached and handed her a cup.
"Potter." Draco acknowledged as he sat, nodding slightly in Harry's direction. Harry gave him a look of recognition back, still slightly annoyed that Summer hadn't let him launch when he had the chance. After a tense moment, Summer sighed and looked at the two boys sitting either side of her, both seemingly engrossed in watching something at either ends of the hall.
"Ok you two, either be sociable now or I'll lock you in a broom cupboard until you stop with the whole ignoring eachother thing." Summer ordered sternly, looking from one to the other. They both turned and scowled slightly, which made her want to laugh, but she managed to keep it back.
"Fine." Harry grumbled through gritted teeth, holding his hand out to Draco. The blond looked at it for a moment before reluctantly taking it. Satisfied, Summer smiled and put her now empty cup on the table behind.
"Mind if I borrow Summer for a dance?" Harry asked Draco, leaning on the table behind And looking squarely at him, who looked back for a moment and then nodded.
"Ok, but only one, still need to get back into this whole being committed thing." he grinned, dodging a playful punch from Summer.
Taking Harry's hand, Summer made her way with him toward where the other students were dancing, and joined in. glancing over to the teachers table, she noticed her uncle giving her a very odd look, but she just grinned and waved.
"Poor Ron, looks like Luna's given him a good run out." Summer laughed as she caught sight of a very worn out Ron slumped on a bench against a table.
"Yeah, he didn't shut up moaning about having to take her all of last night. Did my head in." Harry replied, though he thought it was funny as well. "Hey, you seen Hermione lately? I saw her about fifteen minutes ago."
"Nope. Perhaps she went outside with Pete."
"Yeah, maybe. Um...I hope you don't mind me asking, but do you think you'll stay with Draco for a long time? I mean, like longer than you did before." Harry asked. Summer looked up at him, giving him a strange look and nodded.
"Well, I hope so, I really like him and everything. Why's that?" she replied, noticing him blush slightly, even though the room was quite dark.
"Uh, no special reason is all, just wondering how long I had to be nice to him." Harry said, grinning rather weakly afterward.
Summer looked up at him for a moment, and then decided he was just being strange as guys normally were when talking to girls.
When the song stopped, they made their way back to the bench where they had left Draco.
"Huh, wonder where he's gone?" Summer said, more of a wondering statement then a question. Harry just shrugged then half smiled at the boy that came sauntering over, two silver goblets in his hands, though he looked somewhat dishevelled.
"Hey." Draco greeted, handing one of the goblets to Summer, who looked slightly confused.
"Decided to come back then?" she smiled, taking a sip of the drink that she was handed.
"Yeah, just went to talk to Blaise about our next quidditch match." He replied, looking questionably at Harry who was giving him strange looks.
As she put it down on the table, she raised her other hand and swept back a lock of silvery blond hair into its place. As she did so, Draco jerked his head back and ran his own hand through his hair as though trying to correct what ever she had done.
"Whats wrong with you?" Summer asked, though when he looked at her she looked more confused and slightly concerned rather than hurt.
"Nothing. I just don't like people touching my hair, that's all."
"Oook. You never minded before."
"uhuh. Well, excuse me for a moment, I need to go and sort something out." Draco muttered, putting his empty goblet down on the table, watching three figures slip quietly out of the double doors and into the hall.
"Uh, Drakey?" Summers voice met his ears as he began to make his way toward the door himself. He turned around, looking slightly impatient.
"Yes?"
"Hurry up would you?"
"Sure."
Harry raised and eyebrow and looked at Summer, noticing her give a strange look to her retreating boyfriend.
"Drakey?"
"Exactly." She grinned, though she looked somewhat confused and questioning.
"What do you mean, exactly?"
Summer looked up at Harry for a moment, then sighed, running her index finger around the top of her half empty goblet, thinking about what to say.
"He hates being called that. Actually, he doesn't like pet names full stop, and I agree with him there. Thing is, he never cares if I touch his hair like I did just then. I hope he's alright with me now, I mean we did only just get back together and all." She explained.
"Oh. Well I expect he's probably a bit worried about his quidditch game, it is tomorrow afterall, and they need the points if they want to try and beat us."
"Yeah I guess. Perhaps I'm just not meant to understand him." She grinned suddenly, then smiled at the girl that was approaching them.
"There you are Harry! I was looking for you." The blonde girl smiled, taking Harry's arm.
"Oh, hi Ally. Sorry, yeah I was dancing with Summer when you were dancing with that guy…sorry, I meant to find you after." He said, stuttering slightly. Ally just giggled and kissed him on the cheek and began leading him toward the dancefloor again.
Summer smiled after them, then let her gaze wonder around the hall. The trees had now been decorated with orange lights, and on closer inspection Summer found them to be the faeries used to decorate the Christmas trees. As her dark eyes made their way around the spookily decorated hall, they came to rest on a certain someone who looked annoyed, bored and a little lonely all at once.
Grinning to herself, she made her way over to the head table, eyes now fixed on her uncle. Plopping down in the seat next to him, she leant down on the table to look up into his face.
"Hello." She greeted, her voice sounding knowing and expectant. Charcoal eyes met her own, not seeming to hold any other emotion but boredom.
"What brings you here? I thought you and Draco made up." He said lazily, leaning his left elbow on the table to rest his chin on his upturned hand, his other arm resting on the table in front of him.
"We did. But he ran off, so now I'm bored and decided to come talk to you." She replied matter of factly, her gaze wondering to the dancing students and some of the teachers that had decided to join in. "Didn't want to participate then?" she grinned, laughing slightly at the look of disgust that settled on Snapes face.
"No. and I don't plan to, so don't get any ideas." He responded quickly, seeing the look in his niece's eyes that inevitably meant she was thinking about doing something.
"Aww come on, you know you want to."
"No."
"Stop being grumpy and have some fun."
"No!"
"Yes."
"No."
"You are acting worse than a two year old, do you know that?"
"I don't care." Snape scowled and tried to prise Summers hand off of his arm as she tugged at it, now standing and trying to drag him out of his seat. He scowled, not at Summer but at a certain head master who's blue eyes twinkled with amusement at the situation, then nodded his head softly when he heard Summer plead with him again. "Anyway, don't you think people would find it weird that I'm dancing with a student whom they do not know is related to me?"
He smirked when he saw her thinking about it, but his triumph didn't last long when she grinned and shrugged.
"Oh well, let them think what they like I don't care. Not like its gonna kill me, is it?"
"Might do." Summer rolled her eyes at her Uncles response, but an idea came into her head at that moment.
Severus watched as Summer pulled her wand out of her pocket, a mischievous grin spread across her face.
"What do you think you are doing with that?" still no response, though he could see her lips moving, muttering something. Then a beam of light shot from her wand tip and hit him squarely in the stomach. For a moment nothing happened, and then he felt it; tiny fingers gently wriggling over his skin, tickling mercilessly.
"S…Summer sto..stop it now!" he gasped, bending slightly, trying not to laugh as he squirmed on his seat.
Summer just giggled and pulled at him again, this time managing to get him onto his feet.
"I mean it Summer….if you don…don't take this off now I'll deduct one hundred and fifty points!" he managed to growl, leaning on the table for support. He distinctly heard her mutter 'fine, spoil sport.', and was then relieved of the tickling charm. However, it was now too late for him to escape Summers grasp, and was literally dragged toward the dancing area.
"See? Its not so bad now, is it?" Summer smiled as they slowly moved; Snape refused to be co-operative, but he found it didn't help his situation much.
After three minutes or so, he let out a sigh of relief as he saw a streak of silvery-blond snaking its way toward them.
"What happened to Harry? I thought you were dancing with him." Draco said as he approached. Summer whirled around and gave him a disbelieving look.
"Are you feeling ok?" she asked, letting go of her uncle who just hovered their, apparently interested as to what was going on.
"Yeah I'm fine. What makes you say that?" Draco replied, puzzled by her reaction.
"Well, first off you already know that I finished dancing with Harry, and second you're acting as though you saw me two minutes ago when it was actually fifteen." She looked at him, noticing the look of puzzlement increase.
"But it has only been that long. You went off to dance with Harry and I've just had a quick chat to Blaise about the quidditch game tomorrow."
"Riight. I really think you're loosing it now. Um, goodnight." she turned to her uncle to smile then dragged a very confused Draco over to the benches and sat him down on it. Before she could open her mouth, however, the music stopped and Dumbledore bid everyone a goodnight and sent them off to bed.
"I swear you did. Why would I make it up? Nevermind, I can't be bothered to talk about it now."
Ten minutes later, Summer and Draco sat in the Slytherins bedroom, Summer attempting to make sense of what had just happened.
"Well, maybe I did, I guess I was just too busy to really think about what I was actually doing." Draco reasoned, pulling Summer toward him.
"Yeah that's probably it." she sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder as tiredness suddenly washed over her.
"You ok?" Draco half murmured, stroking her hair absent-mindedly as he gazed into the softly dying fire in the grate.
"Sure, just tired." Summer said quietly, readjusting her position so that she could see Draco's face from where she laid, her left arm gently encircling his torso, hand flat on his back.
"Dancing is that tiring for you?" he grinned, receiving a playful punch, and returned it by pulling her onto his lap and locking her in his arms.
"Hey, gerroff!" she laughed, but wriggling made him tighten his hold on her so she gave up and just leant back into him, placing her arms over his and interlocking their fingers. She rested her head again on his shoulder, and he began to gently kiss her neck before she turned so their lips met.
Summer brushed her lips against Dracos, closing her eyes as he ran his hand upward through her hair and gripped it, willing her to move closer. Just as she turned, however, a coldness washed over her, and the piercing gaze of those cruel eyes almost made her gasp.
Feeling her stiffen under his grasp, Draco opened his eyes and looked at her, silver eyes filling with concern as he regarded her worry filled face.
"What is it?" he asked in an uncertain whisper, noticing the breath Summer held in her throat and the way her eyes darted around the room, scrutinising each dark corner before moving to the next.
"You…you can't feel it?" she eventually managed to choke out, but then relief settled on her features before he could answer. "Don't worry, it's gone now, he's gone, not watching anymore…" she muttered to herself, her tone almost as though she was in a trance.
"Watching? Who's watching? That's just perverted...Summer? Summer talk to me…" Draco grasped Summer by her upper arms, turning her to face him. Still her eyes were glazed over unfocused, and she was muttering something to herself so quietly he couldn't hear it. "Summer!"
She suddenly jumped, staring at him in surprise and slight shock.
"What…Draco..? wh….what just happened?"
"I don't know, I was hoping that you could explain." Summer looked at him for a moment, his face etched with concern and puzzlement and then she smiled.
"Oh, nothing I…nevermind." She waved her hand in dismissal and then placed it on his shoulder.
"Are you sure?" he asked doubtfully, but she just smiled again and nodded, pulling him closer to her.
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Well that was freaky o hmm hope you like it! X)