Love's Talent
Chapter 12: Contestants Arrive
LunarianPrincess
A talent contest and performing class brings new alliances and blooming romance, but is a sinister force trying to prevent it from being successful?
Pairings: GW/DM; KS/DS; some HP/LL and HG/RW
SDA, I do own Darien Solaro and Kassara Saravati. This is in Ginny's sixth year and some of the characters might seem OOC, but bear with me. Feedback is appreciated, but please try to keep criticism constructive, Thanx in advance
This is a dumb title but that whole alliteration thing was getting hard to keep up with.
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Last Chapter-------
"Well, since it won't be that late would you wait here, we could meet you after we talk and get my sister settled," Dare said looking into Kasi's eyes. She nodded and turned a faint shade of pink. The boys nodded and grabbed the trays, planning on returning those before they headed to the headmaster's office. They headed out of the room and down the stairs.
Now---------------
Draco and Dare walked hurriedly up the steps towards the headmaster's office after dropping off the used trays. Neither said a word as they stood before the door to the headmaster's office. The door swung open to reveal the headmaster, and behind them Darien's sister looking at them expectantly from the chair in front of the headmaster's desk. The headmaster motioned them inside and they sat next to his sister in front of the large desk.
"Welcome Mr. Solaro and Mr. Malfoy, I want you to know that we have received your sister's transcripts and are very impressed, also she has just been sorted this evening and this evening will be joining Gryffindor," he told the, Draco was surprised but not totally shocked, from what he had seen of her Jade was a brave girl. Darien and his sister sat in stunned silence, shocked that they had been put in separate houses. There was a crestfallen look on Darien's face while Jade looked triumphant, there was a weird glint in her eyes and her smile was faintly feral.
"Gees, Dare, can't even say hello to your sister," she stated sardonically. "Oh, hi, Draco, how are you?" she asked before flipping her golden curls over her shoulder.
"Hi, Jade how's life," Draco responded on instinct.
"Oh you know," she said her expressive jade colored eyes laughing.
"Jade Desdemona Solaro what the hell did you do to have mum kick you out?" Darien demanded of his complacent sister. She raised an eyebrow before responding.
"Well, went out with the wrong guy and got a tattoo," she told him bluntly, smiling at her older brother. His jaw dropped and Draco chuckled quietly but when his friend glared at him he covered it with polite coughs. At first he was struck by how much Jade had changed, when he had last seen her she was refined and grounded, now she seemed flippant and edgy. Her robes were open and under her expensive black robes she wore black hip huggers and a black halter top. Around her neck was a silver fang with a length of leather cord, it seemed to radiate and gave him a weird feeling. He dismissed the odd aura he felt around Jade, rationalizing it as natural teenage rebellion. He watched as Darien looked at his sister in shock and disappointment.
"Dare, perhaps we could discuss this elsewhere, besides it is rude to keep a lady waiting," he said hoping that Dare would be reminded that he had said he would meet Kasi. Dare nodded and walked to the door, Jade followed nonchalantly. Draco grinned wryly at the headmaster and went to follow them out, he noticed that Dumbledore had his gaze fixed on the odd charm on her neck and seemed confused by something in Jade's manner. Dumbledore turned his assessing gaze on him and smiled, Draco returned the smile and closed the door behind him.
The trio walked silently back to the astronomy room. Draco turned his thoughts to the upcoming Contest, what was he going to sing? He thought about his experiences and as if struck, the words flooded into his head. Blessing his wonderful memory he smiled, for he wouldn't be able to write them down for a while if all went as expected. They soon returned to the room, Dare opened the door and went in followed by Jade and Draco concluded the small procession.
His eyes widened when he entered. Ginny's eyes were fixated on the fang around Jade's neck, Kasi was talking to Dare aside, while he ranted, and Jade had a maniacal, triumphant sneer on her face as she eyed Ginny. He cleared his throat loudly and the odd tableaus were broken. Jade's benevolent face had returned, Kasi was smiling, Dare was quiet, and Ginny was smiling gratefully at him. He smirked at her and was rewarded when she blushed slightly.
"Dare are you going to make introductions or should I?' Draco asked dryly. The group chuckled and Dare stepped forward.
"Kasi, this is my sister Jade, Jade this is Kasi, and this is her friend Ginny," he said. Jade stepped forward and shook Kasi's hand, then she stepped back and surveyed Ginny. Her face betrayed nothing, but the glint in her eyes was mercenary. She brought her fingers to the fang that lay in the hollow of her throat and stroked. Ginny's eyes locked with the odd charm and she went pale. Draco watched in bewilderment as the color drained out of Ginny, Jade smiled widely as Ginny leaned weakly against the cabinets. Dare and Kasi were oblivious as they had turned and were conversing quietly, away from the rest of the group.
Draco stepped forward, between Jade and Ginny. He put his hand on Ginny's shoulder and she closed her eyes weakly. "Did you remember to take that potion Madame Pomfrey gave you?" he asked quietly. She looked up at him in surprise and nodded distantly.
"Yes, it mustn't have taken effect yet," she said as if trying to convince herself of something. He watched her carefully while Kasi and Dare continued to talk. He left her and headed towards Darien. He looked at his watch and was not at all surprised to note that it was 8:30, it had been an odd evening.
"Dare, it's getting late, don't you think that we should head back to our dorms?" he suggested. The two nodded and Kasi headed towards Ginny.
"Kasi, would you mind showing my sister up to the Gryffindor tower?" Dare asked her quietly as the other three headed for the door. She leaned towards him and hugged him.
"Of course I will, don't worry, she'll be fine," she said comfortingly. He kissed her hair and released her, they exited the room and pulled the door closed behind them.
"Well, we'd better be going, if you want them to show me my new quarters," Jade said wryly as the group separated. Draco and Dare headed to the right where a staircase led directly to the Slytherin dungeons. Ginny, Kasi, and Jade went straight down the corridor in front of them, which led to the main staircase. They traveled up the staircase when Ginny, not really paying attention to where she was going, having been tired and in slight pain, ran into someone.
"Terribly sorry," she remarked as the person bent to pick up a small journal.
"Oh Ginny, its you, here I was going to ream some unsuspecting student, darn," a voice remarked wryly. Ginny smiled as she raised her head to look at the girl on the stair above her.
"Hi, Kat, how are you?" she asked of the older, petite girl. Her hair, strawberry blonde and shoulder length, hung in twin plaits over her generous chest. Her blue eyes twinkled playfully as she responded.
"Alright, I suppose, I have just returned from an encounter where a crazed red-head almost ran me down, and you?" she returned. The group giggled slightly and Ginny turned to include her friend and their new acquaintance.
"Well, I have just come from a very enlightening meeting, where I learned that we have acquired a new Gryffindor, Kat this is Jade, Jade this is Katherine King, she's a 7th year and beware, she's one of the best members of the debate and dueling team," Ginny joked. Kat laughed and held out her hand, Jade gripped it and smiled.
"Well, I am glad to find a girl who knows the advantage of humor," Jade joked, her laughter tinkling. When Ginny turned to her however, she lost her playful spirit, and became grim and menacing, though the other girls seemed not to notice. Ginny shivered, there was something about that vague gaze that reminded her of something.
The girls headed up to the common room where they asked Jade all about her life in France. She told them all about her stint as a model and her family and her relationship with Draco. When she told them that she and Draco had a "special" relationship she looked at Ginny and arched her brows, as if to challenge her. Ginny just gave a brittle smile. The talk continued for a while, interspersed with awkward, tense silences between Jade and Ginny. After a while they all went to bed.
Ginny sat with her arms wrapped around her legs. She stared at the ceiling considering her feelings, she realized she was jealous. She was jealous of Jade's relationship with Draco. She had finally come to terms with why now too, she felt something for him. That was something, a Weasley caring for a Malfoy. What a laughable idea. She could never reveal it, no matter how neutral and passive he was towards her lately, if he found out she would never hear the end of it. She fell to sleep slowly, too worried about what would happen if her secret was revealed.
I know that was really short, but I seem to have hit a snag on how to transition from this point to the next conflict. I would love any suggestions you have!
Comments to reviewers
Dracosbaby7: actually that is a good idea kind of an orientation idea, good thinking, thanks! Hey if you know how to tango do you think you could write some basic instructions for me? If not that's cool, it's just the only dancing I know how to do is waltz and salsa, actually I was thinking of something along the lines of Ginny interrupting a moment with Draco and Jade and misinterpreting, like the whole sister feeling but I don't know how that would work. Well thanks for the support! PS help on A Thousand Eyes would be really great, I might e-mail you for some ideas.
Deth's Flaming Arrow: actually it did give me an idea, thanks for your help and I will definitely work Brie in there, thanx for reviewing!
Hoppers: guys are evil mean gits either way, it's just a matter of if we can live with their git-iness or not, if that made any sense kudos to you! J/K I'm glad you liked the tension, as that comes from real life experience with a boy who is a complete brainless prat who wouldn't see something if it was in front of his face, sorry for that little rant. Actually I was going to do something like that, so I'm glad someone thinks it's a good idea.
beckysue2: you're right you can't get pneumonia that quickly, but that can cause it, believe me, I had it, it was horrible. Well, of curse I would love to have a boy like Draco carry me around but its never gonna happen, thanks for reviewing!
Sunny Joe Bob: omg I am so sorry I never responded to your review, I really liked your character suggestion, I love Orlando Bloom too. The librarian I work for loves Keith Urban, so I'm glad someone else knows who he is. Thanx for reviewing!
Hey guys I have a list of who hasn't been in a cameo, tell me if you're not on the list:
Giana Jenson- Dracosbaby7
Aryn Little- dreamingofhorses
Ria (Annamaria) Martinez-PnAyxTrAcKsTaR01
Brie Haun-DethsFlamingArrow
Jenni Baily-Sunny Joe Bob