Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling, except Graces Malfoy & Thomas Higgs, who are my own. I do not claim any ownership of the characters or settings contained within. This story is for entertainment only and is not part of the official story line
Author's notes: Thanks so much to my beta ArthurDent2 for editing this chapter!
Special thanks to noone297,A Crey, galyardt, ToxicCrackerz, Cavnn Braddick, spannieren, Goomy Goom, Mackayo, rose, and Manoirmalfoys for their reviews!
Chapter 23
"How was your day today?"
Graces looked over at her brother. He looked so worn these days. The childishness that had once played along his face was gone, replaced with the shadowed look of a man that had an ocean of woes.
"It was a day." She shrugged, looping her arm through his and resting her head on his shoulder as they strolled along the sleeping castle, attending to their prefect duties, a content hum musing from her as Draco placed a hand over hers while they walked arm in arm. Graces loved this part of her day, the part where her and Draco could be alone together. These days there was usually a lack in conversation, but both her and Draco enjoyed the comfortable silence and the unspoken words just fine.
"I never did thank you for doing so much of my homework," Draco said quietly.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Graces said innocently, "You did your homework, remember? We were originally going to study in the library, but you wanted to study away from so many people so we found an abandoned classroom and worked there. That's why you and I have been absent so much from the common room."
"Oh, yes that's right," Draco chuckled, playing along with Graces' story and giving her hand an affectionate squeeze. "How I ever could forget is beyond me. If I keep going on like this people will start calling me Longbottom."
Draco was so busy laughing at his own joke, he didn't notice the uncomfortableness it caused his sister.
"Did I tell you I pruned a fanged Geranium the other day?"
Draco frowned and looked down at his sister, clearly examining her face for some hint of this being a joke. After finding none, his eyebrows went up and he had a faint hint of delighted surprise to his voice.
"I'm impressed. I honestly thought there would be no way for you to pass that part of the class. How did you manage it?"
"Longbottom," Graces shrugged coolly. "He's very talented in Herbology."
There was silent for a moment as the strolled along the corridor, their steps echoing off the stone walls.
"How did Longbottom help you?" Draco asked frowning.
Graces casually told him about the situation, making sure to keep out anything that would give Draco the slightest hint that her and Neville were involved, but glancing at his face to see his reaction to Neville's finer points.
"I suppose even a maggot has use for something," Draco sneered, pulling Graces tighter to himself.
"He did save my life," Graces reminded, still maintaining an indifference in her voice.
"You are in more danger now than ever because of him and his friends," Draco muttered darkly, thinking of the ministry and their father being gone. "Fucking blood traitor. I hate that you have to tutor that idiot."
Graces, realizing that bringing up Neville was a mistake, quickly changed the subject.
"Speaking of tutoring, I was wondering if you could tutor Nott in potions."
"Nott?" Draco asked in surprise. "Why would I need to tutor Nott? He's very skilled in potions."
"Well, apparently he needs some help." Graces shrugged. "He asked me if I could aid him, but unfortunately I don't have much time these days."
"When did he ask you? I don't recall him ever asking you that."
"He approached me after dinner in the halls yesterday."
"Alone?"
"Yeah, he asked me when I was walking to tutor Longbottom."
Draco sent a sideways look at his sister. There was something too casual in her voice, and while he liked to believe the matter was this simple he had an odd feeling that there was something she wasn't telling him.
"What's going on with you and Nott?"
"Nothing," Graces lied cooly. "I just don't want to be around him."
Draco, remembering his last conversation with Nott, scowled.
"You would tell me if he was doing anything right?"
"Doing anything?" Graces repeated questioningly.
Draco growled in frustration, and moved away from Graces embrace so he was standing in front of her both hands on her shoulders and looking her directly in the eye.
"Don't. Don't you dare play coy with me. If something is going on I want to know about it. I'm not a bloody idiot. I know that Nott is trying to get you back, and I realized he was trying to frighten you during that meeting. So tell me right now, is there more I should know?"
Graces knew by the look on her brother's face that all she had to do right now was tell Draco what Nott had done and he would storm into the dungeons and kill him. There was just this glint in his eyes and a tightness to his jaw that told her that he would gladly rip Nott to shreds. Ripping Nott to shreds will only get him killed by the Dark Lord.
"It's nothing like that, Draco," she lied quietly. "He is just so pushy about us being together, and it makes me uncomfortable."
Graces tried for a face of innocence as Draco stared at her. After what felt like eternity, Draco stood up and moved out of her space, though he was still frowning and had this look of displeasure to him.
"You are not to be alone with Nott, no matter what the circumstances. Do you understand me?" Graces nodded, and made sure not to smile or show any signs of pleasure at the order.
"You don't think you are over reacting a bit?" she asked, wanting to maintain a perfect facade.
"Nott has changed a lot since his father was sent to Azkaban," Draco whispered darkly. "I don't know if he is dangerous, or just playing the part, but I don't want you around him until I know for sure."
"What makes you think he is dangerous?" Graces asked, still tempted to divulge to her brother what had really happened with Nott.
"Just the conversation we all had together mostly," Draco admitted grudgingly. "Still, I don't want you two alone together."
Graces nodded her head in agreement. "Of course, Draco. Whatever you say," she said hollowly.
"It's just to be safe," Draco gently reassured. "There's no need to be frightened. I just… I just want to be sure."
Slowly, Graces nodded her head, keeping her wide eyes on her brother's matching pair.
"I need to go," Draco said somberly. "It's late, you should go to bed."
"I could go with you," Graces suggested hopefully.
Draco gave her a sad smile and pulled his sister into him. Holding her tightly against his chest as he kissed the top of her head. "Absolutely not."
Graces stood in the empty hall, watching her brother leave, trying to decipher how she felt. She knew what her brother was leaving to do, and though she did not know any of the specifics, she wondered if he was going to be able to do it. At the beginning she had felt an array of emotions about her brother's task: fear, horror, worry, anxiety, misery, and a very present sensation of hopelessness. But now, she didn't feel any of that. She just felt… numb.
It was an empty sort of numbness. Not like the kind of numbness you get from a few good stiff drinks, where your mind let go of what was going on and you eventually fell asleep. It was the sort of lack of emotion that you have to acknowledge, because it felt like a void inside your soul. Immediately she began to think of Neville, wanting him with her.
She had seen him earlier in the day during class and they had talked a little, but that was sadly the extent of them seeing one another. He had asked if she wanted to meet, and while she did, she had declined. It wasn't that she was trying to run away from him, it was just that she needed a little time to gather herself. Neville had this ability of getting her to talk, and that was beginning to become more and more out of hand. She had told him yesterday that her father had killed someone. And it wasn't even until she had woken up the next morning that she realized what she had done.
She had never told another living soul about that night. Draco wasn't even aware. Draco who shared her blood. Draco who she loved unconditionally. Draco who she would gladly give her life for. She had kept this secret since she was a child from her own brother, and yet she had told Neville all the details of that night with only a moments pause. She didn't even want to think of what kind of betrayal that was on her father.
I'm a poor excuse for a daughter, Graces thought morosely, her numbness starting to disappear as a guilty sinking feeling began to well inside her stomach. Dear Gods above, just don't let me be a poor excuse for a sister.
The echoing of another person's steps awoke her from her thoughts. Not wanting anyone to see her so late out past her rounds, she moved to behind a suit of armor. She had expected to see Flinch or even one of the other professors prowling the halls, and her heart gave an excited leap when she saw a head of familiar sandy hair.
"Longbottom?"
Neville, startled, turned to face her clasping his hands over his mouth.
"Grasheesh?"
Graces stepped out from behind the armour, frowning at Neville's odd behavior.
"What are you doing?"
"Uh…"
"Why are you covering your face like that?" Graces was now moving forward with her hand out stretched as though to take Neville's hand away. Neville; however, seemed very determined not to allow that and he quickly moved away from her.
"Naw- naw- naw. I hine."
"I don't even know what you are saying," Graces said irritatedly, still moving to take his hand away from his face.
"I hine," Neville stressed, still managing to keep Graces off him. Silently thankful he was taller, and a bigger build than her, but beginning to worry that she may use her wand.
"Oh, yeah?" Graces asked, now thoroughly annoying with the boy in front of her. "Then why won't you let go of your mouth?" When that didn't work, she made an indignant noise and took out her wand. "Okay, Longbottom, last chance to remove your hand yourself."
Graces watched as Neville turned a deep shade of maroon. He obviously didn't want to tell her what was going on and she felt herself becoming more and more enraged as the time ticked by. She was just about to turn and go, leaving an empty threat, when Neville slowly removed his hand. Graces, despite herself, gasped at what was revealed. Neville's two front teeth were elongated past his chin and they were twisted around themselves in what looked to be very painful. It looked like Neville wasn't even able to close his mouth. Closing it looked like it would pose the risk of damaging his lower lip or chin. After a moment of shock, she slowly started to regain herself, and a whole different kind of rage began to set in on her.
"Who did this?" she asked darkly, tightening her grip on her own wand.
"O on," Neville stated hurriedly.
"Oh, so you just woke up in the middle of the night and your teeth were like that? They just started growing and twisting with no aid from anything?"
"Ot exacly…" Neville said coyly, his hands now back over his mouth. Graces persisted in her glare, waiting patiently for him to continue. "I id it ta iselb." The look on Graces face must have said it all because Neville quickly added what could only be contrived as the word accident onto his poor explanation.
"Did a spell backfire?" Graces asked, hoping that Neville wasn't stupid enough to be playing with his teeth. When Neville tentatively shook his head she felt something inside her snap.
"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WERE YOU THINKING!" Graces shrieked, losing all of her composure as she took her wand and hit Neville over and over again on any part of him she could reach. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DANGEROUS THAT KIND OF STUFF CAN BE! HAVEN'T YOU EVER HEARD OF NERVE DAMAGE! IF YOU'RE TEETH WOULD HAVE WENT UPWARDS AND NOT DOWNWARDS YOU COULD HAVE RUINED HALF THE NERVES IN YOUR FACE! IMAGINE DRINKING AND STUFF ALWAYS COMING OUT OF YOUR NOSE! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THIS TO YOURSELF AND-"
Graces ceased her ranting at once when she noticed a shadow dancing along the corridor walls. She turned to see Mrs. Norris staring at her. The cat's yellow canary eyes staring at her maliciously, clearly proud of finding her and Neville in such a predicament. Graces knew that where Mrs. Norris was Filch wasn't far behind, so in an instant of panic she took her wand out and before the cat could dart down the hall for her owner she exclaimed, "Stupify!"
Neville was now making some noise behind her that sounded like he was asking if she was insane, mad, and a few other things, but Graces just pocketed her wand cooly.
"Sorry? What's that? Can't seem to understand you, sorry," she chided with a smirk. Neville stopped his rant, and just glared silently at the girl before him.
"Longbottom," Graces whined, "we would have gotten caught. It's an annoying cat anyways."
"Ow e eally are oing oo be in ouble," Neville moaned.
"Only if we get caught," Graces retorted, beginning to run away from the scene as she heard the footsteps of Filch approaching.
Neville, not wanting to be anywhere near when Filch found his beloved cat stupefied in the hall, quickly joined Graces in her flee, however he wasn't nearly as fast, from a combination of the shape he was in, and him holding his hand to his mouth. He was immensely grateful though that Graces, upon noticing this, just laughed and grabbed at his arm pulling him forward with her. Soon they could no longer hear Filch in the distance using a rather large assortment of curse words, that both Graces and Neville guessed were directed at them. It seemed just to amuse Graces more, though she did not stop her running to enjoy the names that Filch was calling. After a few sharp twists and turns both students ended up barging through an empty classroom door.
Neville clutched at the stitch in his side and leaned against an empty desk, while Graces continued in her laughter.
"I always wanted to hex that cat!" she giggled. "Did you see Filch's face? It was glorious! He really had no idea what was going on! Good thing he didn't see much of us! I think he would kill up both if he knew. That was so much fun! We should hex his cat more often!"
Neville, still leaning on the desk, looked up and gave Graces an 'are you mad' look, that didn't really help her little fit. Upon seeing his face still messed up from his teeth Graces gave a rather undignified snort and proceeded clutching her sides, now laughing at him. Neville quickly put his hands up against his mouth, and was about to turn and leave when Graces held his arm.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she apologized, still laughing. "You must admit though, it is a little funny."
Neville blushed, but made no attempt to move away.
"Sit down," Graces ordered, smiling. "I can fix this for you."
Neville was a bit skeptical at allowing Graces to fix his teeth for him. Not because he was worried about her skill, but because he was worried about her seeing. Graces, seeming to sense this, put on a more somber expression.
"I promise I won't laugh again," she vowed, patting the seat, gesturing for him to sit next to her. "Come on, Longbottom, let me help you."
Neville, deciding that he couldn't possibly embarrass himself any further, took the seat. He could feel the heat of his embarrassment rise up along his collar and spread throughout his neck, but he tried to maintain as much dignity as possible while he waited for Graces to proceed. The blonde took her time examining his mistake. She nudged parts of his gums with her wand, poked his teeth here and there, before eventually giving a confirming nod to herself and tilting his head back.
"I'm going to numb you, but it will still probably hurt," she informed, rolling up her sleeves. "First I am going to untwist your teeth, that is going to be the most painful of the procedure, then I will shrink them back to size."
Neville gave a short nod, and Graces moved so that she was standing over his lap. For a brief moment Neville thought of a completely different scenario with Graces standing over him like this, but that fantasy was ripped to shreds when he felt his teeth begin to unhook from one another. He was so surprised by the pain that he hadn't even realized that he had reached out both hands and was clutching Graces' hips.
"This is what happens when you don't see a healer," Graces sang, before continueing to mutter the incantation to untwist Neville's teeth. "Really, Longbottom, how could you have thought for one second this was a good idea. You really were being daft. You're lucky I am not my father. When Draco and I did silly things like this to ourselves our father would insist we stay that way for a week, or that whatever injury we caused upon ourselves was to heal the muggle way, just to teach us a lesson."
Neville groaned as she untwisted his teeth closer to the base, but Graces just continued on.
"Draco, I think, got the worst of that rule. I'm sure as a guy you can guess why."
Neville frowned unable to think of a reason why him being a guy would make that rule worst, and then it suddenly dawned on him. Suddenly the pain he was feeling from Graces fixing his teeth didn't seem nearly as bad. The blonde, sensing where his thoughts were, giggled softly.
"Yeah, I suppose it could always be worse," Graces mused. "I would have been much more angry with you, had you spelled yourself in that particular area. Definitely would have put a damper on our fun, now wouldn't it?"
Neville physically cringed at the suggestion, but Graces just continued to laugh.
"Okay, they are now separated," Graces proclaimed, examining her work and moving so that she was now sitting right above his knees, one leg on each side of him. "I need to shrink them now, so keep your head facing straight and even. This shouldn't hurt at all really, just feel uncomfortable."
Neville nodded, but his thoughts were very far away from his teeth. Graces, on the other hand, seemed completely absorbed in what she was doing. She was muttering incantations after incantation and had a small frown as she hunched down to have a better view of Neville's mouth. Neville should have been feeling quite awkward with Graces paying so much attention to his mouth, but he didn't. He was too busy admiring her talent at healing to be thinking of the awkwardness of the situation.
Neville imagined Graces could be many things. She was smart, talented, charming, and had enough money and power to allow her into any profession, but it was so obvious she was destined to be a healer. It wasn't just the talent that made it obvious, it was the way she worked towards the goal and how her face lit up whenever she had the opportunity to practice her healing skills.
"I think I got it," Graces smiled, placing her wand back in her robes and taking out a small compact mirror for Neville to see.
Neville smiled and looked into the mirror, but immediately was disappointed. Graces had returned his teeth to exactly how they had been before.
"Is something wrong?" she asked worriedly.
"No, no, everything is fine," Neville assured, giving her a small smile. Graces didn't return the smile, she just sat looking confused.
"They're exactly as they were before," she pointed out, ignoring Neville's smile.
"They are," Neville confirmed, kissing her on the cheek in thanks.
Graces sighed at Neville's response. "If you tell me what it is, I can fix it."
Neville sat there for a few moments debating whether or not he wanted to tell Graces what it was he wanted, but after some internal debate decided to say it.
"I… I don't like my teeth…" he said quietly, pinking a little from how vain it sounded out loud. "I had tried to fix them myself, but… as you saw, that didn't work out."
"I see," Graces said slowly, now narrowing her eyes at him. "Is this about what your friends were saying? Or what Nott said?"
"No, it's because I don't like them." Graces gave Neville a sceptical look. "It really is because I don't like them. I've wanted them fixed for some time now."
"Have you?" Graces asked suspiciously. "And yet, here you are in your 6th year at Hogwarts, patriarch to your family, and you have never seen a healer to cosmetically alter them."
Neville blushed, and looked upward. "It's complicated," he muttered.
"I'm a smart girl," Graces quipped coldly. "Explain it."
"My Gran likes them as they are," Neville murmured quietly. "It reminds her of my father."
"I've seen photos of your father; when our mother was telling us about your family." Graces admitted. "He was very handsome, perfect teeth."
Neville raised an eyebrow at the girl sitting on his lap, not sure how he felt about her pointing out his father was very handsome.
"He was..." Neville acknowledged slowly. "But his teeth were not always perfect. He didn't get them spelled till he was a first year."
"Then why weren't yours fixed first year?"
"My gran wouldn't let me," Neville shrugged. "As you probably realize I don't favor my father in looks; I favor my mother. I think my gran wanted me to keep my teeth as they were because it was the one thing about me that reminded her of him."
"And you just went along with this?"
"She lost her son," Neville sighed. "I can't imagine how much pain that would cause… I just wanted to ease some of that grief. I think she had always hoped that I would be like my father, a way of having him back, but I've disappointed her. I'm not really anything like my father. Keeping the teeth was the one thing I could give her."
"I'm sure you have not disappointed her," Graces argued, not at all liking the things she was hearing.
"I have," Neville said patiently.
"She seemed proud of you in the newspaper article about the ministry came out," Graces frowned.
"She was very proud of me," Neville nodded. "She said I was finally starting to act like my father's son, but she made it very obvious it was only a start. She expects a lot more from me than a few hours fighting at the ministry. She wants me to-"
"Uphold the family honor," Graces deadpanned, remembering a howler Neville had received earlier in the year.
"Errr, yeah," Neville blushed.
"So why now?" Graces continued. "Why change your teeth now? Don't you still want to make your gran happy?"
Neville leaned back in his seat and evaluated Graces for a moment before answering.
"I do," he started slowly, leaning his chin down so he was eye level with the girl in his lap. "I care very deeply for my gran. She's done a lot for me, and I know it couldn't have always been easy. But I feel it is time for me to be my own man, and stop allowing myself to live in my father's shadow. As much as I love her, I've decided I can't spend the rest of my life trying to please her."
Neville sat there trying to figure out what Graces was thinking. She had yet to make any comments about the information he had given her, instead she sat in silence, her face devoid of any emotion, staring at him. It took all of Neville's willpower not to fidget, but eventually it paid off and Graces took her wand out of her robes.
"Look forward and don't move," she ordered.
Neville did as he was told and only flinched once as his two front teeth were being pulled together. After that initial procedure was finished it only took Graces a few seconds to shorten his front teeth. He had thought that she would have stopped there, but the blonde continued muttering spell and after spell straightening the rest of Neville's teeth all the way back to his molars. Neville watched as she seemed to be scrutinizing every tooth in his mouth, before nodding her head and holstering her wand in her robes.
"Have a look," she said, handing Neville the silver emerald jeweled compact.
After a few moments of fiddling with the compact, Neville finally had it open and Graces sat patiently back waiting for the results of her hard work. She was not disappointed, Neville smiled widely at seeing his perfectly aligned teeth. And Graces, despite herself, couldn't help but flush when he turned his smile towards her.
It wasn't as though Neville's smile hadn't affected her before. On the contrary his smile was one of the first things she ever noticed about him, but now rather than his smile just being something she enjoyed because of the warmth it held, it added something to his face. Leaving the result not just handsome, but-
Sexy, hot, roguish, dashing. Need I go on?
Graces took a deep breath and suddenly became very aware of how she was seated on Neville. She awkwardly cleared her throat and moved her hair behind her ears. She was about to make to subtly move off Neville, so she was no longer straddling him, when the Gryffindor pulled her close to him and kissed her.
"Thank you," he whispered against her mouth, both his hands wrapped in her hair.
"You're welcome," she breathed, forgetting why she wanted to move in the first place.
"You were distant today," Neville murmured, his forehead resting on hers.
"Was I?" Graces asked, her voice to high to sound casual.
"You know you were," Neville said sadly, pulling her closer breathing her in. "Is it because I forgave my friends?"
"No," Graces reassured, closing her eyes and letting Neville hold her. "Nothing like that. Though I still think you just forgiving them and acting like nothing happened is stupid."
"Then what is it?"
Graces continued to keep her eyes closed, as though not seeing that Neville could make things easier for her. She could feel the guilt swirling in her stomach and the unsteady beat of her heart hammering in her chest.
"Are you going to tell?" she asked, her voice smaller than what she intended.
Neville frowned against her forehead.
"About us? Of course not."
"No," Graces quivered. "about my dad."
There was a ringing silence as Graces waited for Neville's response and she could help but feel panicked at the lack of one.
"I'm sorry, Graces, but I don't know what you are talking about."
"I-I told you about my father killing a man," Graces rasped, trying to speak over the lump in her throat. "Are you going to tell?"
She felt Neville move away from her, but couldn't bring herself to open her eyes. She was too frightened. Neville was a good guy, and she wanted to trust him, but he was a Gryffindor. Gryffindors tended to have a very set moral compass, one that always said killing was wrong. Something like this would ruin her father's chances at an appeal, or worst get his sentencing from a life in Azkaban to a dementor's kiss.
"Graces, look at me." Graces didn't want to. Right now the only thing keeping her together was closing her eyes tightly. She felt Neville place a gentle hand on her cheek, and she opened her eyes despite herself. "I would never betray you like that. What you tell me about yourself, and your family is always going to be between you and me."
"But he killed someone," Graces pointed out. "Doesn't it go against your Gryffindor code to keep that a secret or something?"
"Yeah, well, I think I am already breaking that code sleeping with a Malfoy," Neville joked warmly. "You know the whole point of that necklace was so you wouldn't worry," Neville reminded.
Graces bit her lip for a moment and pulled at the chain around her neck until the pendant was in her hand.
"I still feel like an awful daughter for telling you," she whispered quietly, playing with the pendent so the light shined in the sparkling dust.
"You're not," Neville promised. "Now, if you told Hermione, Ron, or Harry then yeah that would put you in the running for being an awful miserable excuse for a daughter, but as it is now, you're good."
Graces laughed and didn't even put up a fuss when Neville pulled her into himself. She simply laid her head down in the crook of his neck and held him back. Allowing herself to feel safe with him.
"Did you talk to your brother about Nott?" Neville asked, his words muffled as they were said against her neck.
"Yes, it's taken care of. Draco will tutor Nott, and he had forbidden me to be alone with him. Which means he will be telling Nott he is not to be with me without a chaperone as well."
"And it's just that easy?" Neville asked skeptically.
"Yep, that easy."
"I don't think-"
Neville's sentence was cut short by Graces' lips capturing his, making him forget all about Nott for a brief period of time.
"It's taken care of," she whispered pulling away.
Neville, his head swimming from the kiss, agreed and began gently kissing Graces again, letting his hands wander at the sides of her legs.
"It's late," Graces argued, as Neville began nibbling at the base of her throat.
"So?" Neville asked, beginning to unfasten the first few buttons of her blouse.
"You take to long," Graces giggled, pushing Neille away, but making no attempt to move off him.
"Well if that is your complaint, I am very glad," Neville chuckled, grinding his hips forward so that his length was right between Graces legs.
"We have class tomorrow," Graces retorted, though Neville had a hard time taking her statement seriously as she had moaned it and had started moving her hips so that she was now rubbing against him.
"Well then," Neville began, moving her panties to the side and thrusting himself between her velvety lips hissing with pleasure as Graces soft core surrounded him. "I shall make sure you are well rested."
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