The second she stepped into the Slytherin common room, Draco was right there. She had hoped that he would be too caught up in his own things that she would pay no mind to what she had been doing. She silently sighed, telling herself that she should have known better.
The Head Boy came over and wrapped his arms around her. To any who looked their way, it would seem like a fond greeting. She knew that it was something far different. His lips were close to her left ear. "What were you doing? People asked where you were at dinner. I can't have anyone thinking we're fighting right now. You have to be on your best behavior."
Rhyann kissed him, a quick peck on the lips, and gave him a tight smile. "I was walking."
"You might have been walking for a while, but then you were in that room used for Potter's secret meetings last year. What were you doing?" His icy eyes flashed and he kissed her back, keeping his voice low.
"I was doing what I was told to do. My duties. Why do you even need to ask me!" It was a crisp reply even for a whisper.
His kisses traveled down along her neck and he let his teeth graze over her tender skin, threatening a bite more than just physically. "I want to know everything that you're doing. And you're not suppose to be having anything to do with Potter anyway."
"That was just for the summer. We're back at Hogwarts now and I have to see him if I want to keep our Lord informed of what he's doing." Rhyann gripped the front of his robes tightly as if to keep him back or to keep him near.
"Oh, enough of that you two!" Pansy's naturally shrill voice rang out with a little tinkling laugh. "You lovebirds have enough time to sneak kisses. Right now, we have important things to plan! Rhyann, come over here and give us your opinion on the plans we've made so far."
The other girls with her all giggled along. For once, Rhyann was glad she was being summoned by the blonde to do something. Giving her a smile, she then released Draco's robes and walked over without even looking back at him. She knew he would be seething at being interrupted, but he would not say anything since she was helping with Slytherin's event like he had told her to do.
The dreamer glanced over what they had written down, making a few suggestions. Thankfully there was no mention of Veelas in the works. Though there were tentative sketches of 'cheering robes' for them to wear for the tournament. All in green and white, of course. Or, as Pansy wanted to change that to, emerald and ivory. It had them make a much more worthy impression, she reasoned.
It was all Rhyann could do not to roll her eyes. Then when she was asked what particular part she wanted to be in charge of, she quickly chose something that she hoped would be the least time consuming. "I'll take care of finding a way to conjure the Slytherin mascot. A realistic illusion, of course. Maybe some fireworks for it as well."
"Fireworks! Yes, of course!" Pansy gleefully scribbled that down and grinned at the brunette. "Anyone in particular you want to help you? I'll be working on the outfits, decorations, cheers, and catering myself."
"I'll take Millicent and Dru. Between the three of us, we can handle things." Rhyann gave a little nod and glanced over at her two house mates. Millicent did not show any reaction but there seemed a bit of relief in her eyes that she was going to work with her and not with Pansy. Drucinda was a bit surprised, especially when Pansy did not protest losing her help, but gave Rhyann a smile for choosing her.
"Wonderful!" The perky blonde wrote that down as well and then immediately began talking about having snacks for the audience that looked like quidditch balls.
Rhyann slipped away and motioned to the pair she had chosen to help her. She did not care what she was doing to the event nor who she had to work with. She had chosen these two for other reasons. "How about we meet in the library after dinner, say, Wednesday evening? I'm sure it will be easy enough to find a text that will give us exactly what we need. Madam Pince can find anything in a few minutes and then it will be just a matter of learning how to do it."
"We could even ask Professor Snape to do it himself. It is fitting since he is head of the house, after all." Drucinda suggested and gave the dreamer a reason other than her own to visit his office the next day.
"I know where we can get the best fireworks as well." Millicent added in an uncharacteristic manner. "Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. It's in Diagon Alley."
Rhyann raised an eyebrow at the idea. She had not expected much help from Millicent at all until she told her to do something. She especially did not expect a suggestion about a store belonging to the Weasleys. She had heard stories about them though. "Those are the twins, right? The ones that while you were in your fifth year that put a swamp in the halls!"
"It was quite brilliant." Millicent nodded, a small smile flitting across her lips.
Drucinda chuckled at the memories. "They really were clever." She then paused and looked at the other two a little worriedly. "If we do get fireworks from them, best we not tell them they're for Slytherin. They're liable to mess them up on us."
"I have no worries about that." Rhyann shrugged it off. She could use Ron to make sure that his brothers did no such thing, but she could also just find the twins' sleeping minds and make sure they don't do anything herself.
It seemed as though Millicent and Drucinda were going to question that, but the desire to do so faded from their eyes and they nodded, letting the dreamer take responsibility. She could hear Pansy babbling away excitedly about something behind them. Rhyann did not bother to restrain herself from rolling her eyes. "Well, no need to bother ourselves any more with this tonight. I'm going to turn in early."
"Yes, that does sound like a good idea." Drucinda agreed and was the first to disappear up into the girls' dorm. Millicent silently followed along.
Rhyann started to follow them but then directed herself over towards Draco. She knew she would not hear the end of it if she did not behave as he wished, especially after the day they had been having. His eyes were on her the whole time as she came over and kissed him. "Just thought I'd say good night."
"Alright. Sweet dreams then, love." He stood to hug her and kiss her more deeply, giving her rear a little pat right there in front of his friends. The other boys all snickered behind their hands watching them with expressions that seemed to say they knew all the lurid details of what went on between the young couple.
Rhyann didn't bother to react. She could feel the light weight of the book inside of her robes and she wanted to go up to her bed to read it. Of course, there was the greater weight of the list Lucius had sent her. It was only a thin piece of parchment, but it seemed to want to drag her down as she entered the girls' dorm.
Turning to head up the stairs, she almost ran into a little girl who was coming down. Rhyann glared down at the child, leaving other thoughts behind for a moment. She recognized the elegant long braid of dark blonde hair. "You shouldn't be racing down the stairs, Imene. They tend to be slippery."
"I wasn't racing." The eleven-year old stuck her pointed nose up in the air. Even though she was seven years younger than the dreamer, she was only a few inches shorter. "You really should be watching where you're going."
"I was." Rhyann responded flatly. She had no patience for children, especially spoiled brats like this one. "Maybe next time I will just keep going instead of stopping."
Imene stared up at her, studying the teen's expression and assessing it to hold no humor. She then moved to the side and folded her arms. "Did you talk to Draco?"
"What business is it of yours?" She scowled.
"He was suppose to talk to you about Gamene and I. We want to help do something with the event for Slytherin. Draco said he'd team us up with you." Imene made each word sound as though it were snooty but most particularly when she mentioned Draco's name.
Gnashing her teeth, Rhyann silently growled. Her boyfriend knew how much she disliked children. He was doing this to her purposely, punishing her for not putting on a pretty smile and doing whatever he wished. "No, he never mentioned it. I already have my group and we don't need any more help. Go see Pansy Parkinson and she'll give you something to do."
"Draco said we were to work with you." The child did not back down. "We are family after all."
"Family?" She snapped back at the girl.
Imene nodded, her chin raising up higher. "We're second cousins. I would have thought you'd know that by now. Really, you should know these things if you're going to be a Malfoy one day."
Rhyann was ready to march out into the grounds, get a good flexible switch and teach the little brat how to properly speak to her elders. Then she would take that whip to Draco afterwards. "Well, since no one had told me, they obviously didn't think you of any great importance." With that, she started up the stairs.
"You talk to Draco tomorrow. He'll tell you." Imene made an obnoxious huff and started back down to the common room.
The dreamer peered over her shoulder at the retreating child and noticed her twin brother standing at the door of the girls' dorm glaring up at her. Gamene had the same stuck-up look as his sister. They appeared as though they had a hook up their noses and that's why they were constantly up in the air.
If Draco did tell her she was to take those snobbish pests on her team, he would not be receiving her cooperation on that one. He probably thought it was amusing, and, of course, since they were his family, he would tell her they had an obligation to look out for the twins. He also knew what she thought of his view on family obligations.
Shaking her head, not wanting any more to deal with, Rhyann went up to the floor where the seventh years had their beds. She paused just before she turned the corner to go into the room. Imene had been coming from the upstairs. The first years had their rooms at the bottom of the tower. The bathroom was down there as well. Why had the girl been coming from the upper floors?
She reached up her hand to touch the book in her pocket. Why should she care what the brat was doing? If Imene got on her nerves any more, the dreamer could give the child a lesson she would not soon forget. With that calming thought, she readied herself for bed and once she closed the draperies around her canopied bed, curled up under the blankets with Salome's ancient book in hand.