Chapter 23: Draco's Task
A/n: Hey guys! It's summer and I have more time (woohoo!) and I'm single (not so woohoo), well, enough of my problems, on with the story:
"Ebony?" Draco voiced his concern.
"Yes, that is her name." Lucius' voice was reserved; tired at all that had gone on, yet he knew he had a job to do.
"She is new to Hogwarts, in Slytherine, I'm sure you've at least talked together. Your primary assignment is to keep her close. Get her to trust you, completely. She is dangerous. The prophecy made about her concerns us. If she is told that she supposedly is the greatest vampire, there will be no stopping her. She needs to trust you. Otherwise, she won't cooperate."
When his father had finished Draco simply nodded and left the room. How am I supposed to kill her?... I love her. He mused, tears falling from his eyes.
When Ebony returned to Hogwarts she felt refreshed and renewed. Her relationship with Snape was still somewhat awkward as he was attracted to her, yet she felt good all the same.
Her plan was to ignore Draco. Yes, he had hurt her, and he damn well was going to pay. When he came to apologize she would make him work for it. He would sweat harder until he had paid for every tear he had caused her. She may never forgive him. He did sleep with Ginny. She knew he had hooked up last year, but thought had long since dissipated. Obviously, she was wrong.
She made her way towards Potions when she heard someone call her name. Assuming it was Draco she shrugged it off. When it got closer, she realized her mistake. She turned and almost ran smack into a red-faced Ron.
"Geeze, you are deaf." He panted.
"Sorry, couldn't hear you, too much noise."
"Look, can we talk?" he asked, motioning towards the Room of Requirements.
"Sure." She nodded, wondering what Ron could possibly want to discuss with her.
"What is it?" she asked as soon as they entered. She wondered what Ron had asked the room to turn into. The floor was spaciously carpeted in light blue. Couches surrounded them, along with a roaring fire place. Bookshelves adorned the walls. All in all, the aura was completely relaxing.
"I don't know what happened that night." He said in one breath. Ebony almost didn't understand him.
"Wha-" she turned to face him only to discover that his face was redder than his hair.
"I don't know what happened that night." He said a slower pace.
"I'm sorry for whatever happened."
"Oh." Ebony breathed. She could feel her stomach muscles churning at the memory.
"I know that you were there and I was drunk. That's all. I woke up hours later and was in bed."
"Oh," she said again.
"Well, aren't you gonna say anything else?" he exploded.
"Yes, I just need to think for a minute." She ran a hand through her hair,
"Look, this is what happened: I found you drunk, I tried to help you, you made a move. We were interrupted, then I took you upstairs and you passed out on your bed."
"Oh," Ron's face turned even redder,
"Who found us?"
"Blaise. He apparently spread our little liaison around school. He promised he would pay me back and damn it he did." She groaned, realizing, finally, Blaise's motives.
"Pay you back?" Ron questioned.
"Long story, don't ask." She stated.
"Ok, well I'm sorry."
"No prob. It really was nothing." Ebony moved to leave then stopped herself.
"Ron?"
"Huh?"
"You called me Hermione. Why?"
"I don't know, I was drunk-"
"Yes you do. You're not good at lying."
"Well, she was a girl I know, knew. We were good friends. Actually, we fought a lot, but I loved her. She moved without even saying good-bye."
"I'm sorry." Ebony was getting emotional. Her transformation that had once seemed a relief was now a burden. She felt self-consciously selfish.
"It's no big deal. It's not your problem, its mine." And with that Ron left. Ebony soon followed.
As Ebony walked towards Potions, she found her mind racing.
In love with me? She had known of Ron's affection for her, but she didn't think they were so deep. Poor Ron she mused, well, 'the course of love never did run smooth'.
She wondered what she was going to do. She knew there was no way she could tell Ron the truth, yet part of her longed to.
"I wish I wasn't Ebony! I wish I was Herm-"
"Who are you talking to?" came a voice behind her. Ebony spun around to see Harry; Late for potions and obviously non-concerned with this fact.
"None of your business." She spat. She was perturbed at being caught in a moment of frustration.
"Well, then please continue. 'You wish you were her?' Who's her?"
"No one you should concern yourself with, Potter. Now please just leave me alone." She breathed.
Harry, annoyed at being treated so rudely, responded:
"Well, ok, but you don't have to be rude about it."
"Look, I'm sorry, but I have a lot on my mind and I don't know what to do about it." She defended.
"You could tell me about it." Harry blurted out. Now, where the hell did that come from? He wondered. She has been nothing but rude to me, yet I just offered to help her?
"No," she sighed, "I can't tell anyone this secret."
Most of all, you she added silently as she walked into the potions room.
Draco sat in potions call with Blaise. His partner had this smug, gleeful look on his face. Not unlike the face that Ginny now sported.
Despite the fact that he had clearly stated to Ginny that there would never be anything between them again, she still looked happy. She believed that they would eventually be together someday. Draco highly doubted it.
When Ebony walked in, he felt his heart roll. He knew he still cared for her, but he also knew he had a job to do. Absently, he shifted his right arm. The mark throbbed lightly, much like a faded bruise. He relished this constant reminder. It showed him who was boss; Reminded him of his goal in life. He had no time for distractions, least of all beautiful ones. But, he loved her.
Shaking his head, Draco looked down at his previous Potions exam. A D. Oh, well, he'd done worse. Besides at the time his mind had been occupied with other things.
With him…he mused.
Snape, eying Draco out of the corner of his vision could see him register then dismiss his grade. He's smart, Snape noted, he just doesn't try.
As he handed Ebony her test he noted the sparkle in her eyes as she saw her A on the top of the paper. So much like Hermione, it's a wonder I didn't see it before. What she sees in Malfoy I'll never know. I wonder if or when they will work things out. By the looks of it, it will be a long time before she's going to forgive him. It was then that Snape got his brilliant idea.
After class Ebony moved to the Great Hall. She was hungry. It wasn't for food, but eating did subside her baser needs. She could feel the unavoidable headache coming on and she closer her eyes to try and block the pain. It was then that she bumped into something hard and solid.
"Sor-" she started to mumble, but stopped when she saw who it was.
Draco quickly stated, the awkward feeling enveloping them.
"Good, I won't." she snapped at his kindness and moved to brush past him. He stopped her with a firm hand.
"Hey, what's with the attitude? You bumped into me?"
"Look, just because I let you touch me one doesn't mean you can do it again. After what you did, you should be ashamed to even speak to me!" She raged and walked past him.
"What I did? How about what you did!" he yelled, picking up his pace t match hers.
"What I did! What do you mean?" she stopped, demanding.
"You know what, never mind. It's not worth it!" he barked, turned around and stormed off.
a/n: hey guys! Plz r&r!