-1Chapter Sixteen
Malfoy's POV
Is she going to come? I'm sitting here. In the dark. No hand of glory with me this year. I could never stand that wrinkled old relic anyway - seems far too medieval for someone as well off as me. Correction, rich. And well-spoken, well connected, and well paid. If I do things right…
Tonight's the night Granger comes here and learns what I've felt all along. All the time. Tonight's the night I avenge myself. Tonight… if she comes. I don't know what will happen. Will I back down? Will I 'chicken out'? I know I can't… it's all about my life. How I want it to turn out. Good, bad, non existent or… sometimes I wish I had listened to that crackpot fool Dumbledore just a little more last year. How his Phoenix gang could protect me. I doubt it, but it was a tempting offer.
I look at my watch. Solid silver inset with emeralds. I'm not sure I like it. It's way too suggestive of my link with Slytherin - not the guy, the house - and I don't belong there any more. My loyalties lie elsewhere. Besides, I always did like gold better. It has a higher selling price.
Three minutes till midnight. I don't think I can wait anymore. Tapping myself on my head, I cast a disillusionment charm on myself, just in case Filch comes along, and then flick my wand, muttering 'Legilmens!' into the close air.
Granger is in the common room, studying. Great. So she's not coming. I would withdraw there, but my thirst to know what she's doing is too much to bear. She looks at her homework, sighs exasperatedly, and then rifles through a book. Seemingly this holds no relevant information, and she throws it in anger. Well, I always did know she has a temper. I just thought she was the type of person who apologized to first years when her book nearly concusses them.
She opens a second book, and some pale blue parchment falls out. I can't sense smell, but I know instantly that it's perfumed. I smile. So she never received it. Then, I glance more closely, if that's possible. I don't know if it is - glancing at someone else's recollections. But someone's been at that note - undone the ribbon and crumpled the paper. I bet it was Weasley! Lanky blood-traitor git!
Even so, she reads the note without much interest at first, and then as she finishes and folds it up, placing it lightly in the pocket of her robes, there's a quizzical look on her face - as if she's finally found a problem she can't solve. She puts her fingers to her temples and when she looks up again, she got a strange smile on her face. Tapping her wand lightly against her forehead, she exits her chair and makes her way to the exit of the common room. I watch with interest. After all, there are many tasks at hand, and knowing the Gryffindor password would be a good way to get to Victim A. The lanky git.
'Hedgehogs!'
I always did think that Gryffindors were slightly strange. Well. Stark raving mad. Bonkers. Loonies. They all belong in the mad house.
But at least she's coming. At least I've got that. I put my wand away, feeling a certain pleasure at getting the girl I've liked for so long to go on a date with me. Of course, there's always that revenge I kept thinking about before, but…
And then there's knowing how to get to Weasley. Of course, I'll have to find the Gryffindor common room, but I've got that already. I know exactly what to do. World - watch out. Draco Malfoy is on a mission, and his stupid crackpot father hasn't got anything to do with it.
I don't know how long I wait there for, just that it seems to stretch out like hours.
Footsteps sound behind me.
I look round, forgetting about the Disillusionment charm that covers me, and actually smile as Granger nears. I haven't smiled in such a long time out of actually being pleased - I've sneered and I've faked smiles, but they haven't been genuine. It's scary. I've held hate for this person so long and I'm still not sure of my footing. I'm not the loving, kind type. I'm always out for what's good for me and yet here I am, some pathetic loser looking on a girl.
She looks around and relaxes against the wall beside me. I don't think she knows I'm there. I take my wand out of my pocket, despite the good feeling I receive from her that seems to radiate from her very being. She looks tired. Maybe she knows where Potter is.
Flicking my wand, I silently lay the charm on myself that will change my voice. I have learnt many things from my master over the past months - not that anyone controls Draco Malfoy.
'Hello?' I say, my voice layered thick with a hoarse… Scottish accent.
Granger jumps and her wand goes to her pocket. Typical! She's too headstrong and intelligent to talk before she thinks.
'There's no time for wand games. I, uh, I'm not… going to harm you…'
If only that were true.
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SP says: -gasp- The suspense! The horror! Well, I'm sorry it's taken so long. I've had mock SATs and an election… o no, not the old type of election. A Youth election. Hm. Wonderful -cough-. Joy to the world!