This chapter is dedicated to xxaishiteru, who has reviewed (methinks) all my fics, and is always there with a positive review. Smile and recive your mental award!
Disclaimer: Stop teasing. I only like to tease Harry's mind a bit, I don't actually own anything.
A dress of lilac
of powder blue
A dress for Lily
But no dress for you
Smile, sweet child
Yes, they hate you.
But try to understand;
That woman made you.
-On Suse, Forgetting Lils- IssaLee (Mine!)
Here, I Can't Do Much But Smile
issalee
Ginny was now sitting inside of the looming gray house, a cuppa firmly in between her hands as she glared steadily at one Draco Malfoy, whose lips kept twitching in a way that suggested he was trying very hard not to laugh.
Behind him, a crowd of his Slytherin friends was chatting good-naturedly. Blaise Zabini was trying desperately to see over Pansy's shoulder as she stirred something in a pot. Theodore Nott was in a heated conversation with Blaise's younger sister Carina on whether or not the Australian Quidditch team sucked arse. Another of Carina's friends, a reclusive seventh year by the name of Chloris Ernestine was talking in low whispers to her twin, Carleigh.
Ginny, however, had decided to ignore this very studiously. Draco decided he wanted to live until he was eighteen, at the least, and so had tried to atone for his past actions.
"I didn't think you would find the black cloaks to be so reminiscent of a Death Eater's." She didn't say anything. "And I didn't know that Blaise had managed to track them down and bring them here so quickly! I was planning to tell you later…"
Ginny's hands tightened around the cuppa. "Someday, Draco Malfoy, you will die a dire death at my hands." Draco had to resist an urge to smirk as Ginny slid off the stool and wandered in Carina's direction.
"Well, mate, you can smile but she didn't punch you." Blaise took Ginny's vacated seat as he licked some sauce from his finger. "I mean, Chloris healed it and everything, but come on, the girl can punch! She should've been a Slytherin…"
"Shame really, that she had to follow her brothers." Draco agreed. "What're we doing once Pansy's finished with the poison?"
"I HEARD THAT!" Draco ducked as a wash towel flew over his head. Blaise started to laugh, until the towel hit him in his face and he was forced to trudge up to the bathroom to wash the soap off his face.
Carleigh waved her wand lazily in the direction Blaise had taken. When Ginny looked at her questioningly, she explained. "It's a rather simple spell, and he hasn't paid me the money he owes me yet. I needed his eyes closed for the spell to work, so…"
A moment later, a scream penetrated the house. Blaise came running into the room, seething. His eyebrows had grown over so that they fell past his eyelids, and his lips. In fact, the hair tumbled to his waist and it was still growing.
He shoved a hand into his pocket, removed it and threw a few coins at Carleigh. "Take it, for God's sake, take it but just GIVE ME MY FACE BACK!"
Carina shook her head disapprovingly. "I dunno, Leigh. I'd pay you twice as much as he owes you to see him like that for a week." When Blaise shrieked indignantly (and sounded much like a girl while doing so) Carleigh merely sniggered and waved her wand again. The hair rolled back up Blaise's face, snapping shut like a curtain at the end. Carleigh scooped her coins into her lap, while Chloris watched quietly.
Ginny rolled her eyes as Blaise stamped away. "Honestly, just like a Slytherin…" then she realized who she was sitting with and blushed. Pansy, however, glanced over at her as she carried the brimming pot full of sauce over to a cooling rack.
"Oh, it's just fine. We aren't Slytherins, really. We're nothing like that dithering moronic bunch that go about spouting anti-Mudblood phrases. In fact, if it weren't for Draco and Blaise, we'd all be outcasts."
"What?" Ginny seemed confused.
"Oh, it's true." Theodore spoke up. "The Malfoy and Zabini houses are pretty well-respected, so what they say goes. And now especially that we find out our dear Drakey-Wakey-Poo is a Urian, it'll be all the better."
"Haven't had one of those for a while." Chloris said as she watched Theodore dodge a swipe from Draco. "They're rare, but very powerful, so naturally it comes out that they'll be more respected."
"Even with the Vampire blood?" Ginny asked.
Chloris' eyes widened. "Well, the Vampire didn't do much besides give Draco here a thirst for blood and the fangs. The Urian blood cancels most everything out, didn't you know that?"
Ginny blushed. "I don't know much about Urians. Draco's case was the first I hear of it. I'd like to learn more, if I could."
Chloris smiled. "Blaise, Pansy and I were going to scour the library for information tomorrow morning. Would you mind hitting the books a bit early?"
Ginny shook her head, beaming. "Not at all!"
"Dinner's ready!" Pansy called from the dining room. Theodore and Draco tried to slip surreptitiously away, but Carina and Carleigh caught them by the ears and dragged them away. Pansy had already ladled some sauce onto a plate of pasta, and they shoved Draco into the seat.
Gingerly (and only because Carleigh was holding a wand to his head) Draco picked up his fork, wound some spaghetti on it and took a bite. A moment later he spit it out.
"Are you trying to poison me! We were just joking before!" he cried. Frowning, Carina leaned over and swiped a finger in the sauce.
"It tastes just fine to me!"
Everyone, including Blaise when he came down had a taste of the sauce, and everyone agreed it was fine, as well as the pasta itself.
"I think," Chloris said slowly. "That we had better start this research as early as possible. Pansy, if you'll bring us up some sandwiches, we'll be in the library." She stood from her seat and walked slowly to the door, Blaise and Ginny right behind her.
The house was just as large as it had seemed from the outside, and Ginny marveled that Chloris could find her way so easily and without aid. Less than a minute after they had left, Ginny walked into a library Madame Pince and Hermione would have had a mud-wrestling contest against each other for.
Blaise immediately conjured up three plushy armchairs while Chloris disappeared. When she came back, she was pushing a trolley with a few books on it. She dumped half of them on the floor and set about working on them, with the other two following her lead.
An hour later, Pansy had joined them, they'd eaten their sandwiches and Chloris had gone back six times with the trolley. Ginny had taken a different seat every time, and now she found herself back to back with Blaise as they read.
She found herself blushing as she felt his toned muscles underneath his thin gray sweater, and she tried desperately to keep her eyes on the book, but she could only read one word.
"They"They what? Ginny goaded herself on; trying her best to ignore how…right it felt when Blaise shifted slightly. THEY WHAT, GINEVRA!
"They are extremely rare."
Very good. Ginny relaxed slightly. Now, what was it that was very rare? She idly turned the book over, skimming it for a title, and found none. Feeling a bit miffed, she flipped back to the page she was on and read the sentence before. Her eyes widened.
"I found it!" she cried, and stood up. Unfortunately for Blaise, this meant falling backwards, and unfortunately for Ginny, this meant her feet were knocked out from underneath her. She gave a squeal as she toppled over and let the heavy tome fall next to her. Chloris picked it up nonchalantly, leaving the two to sort each other out as she read aloud.
"Urians: They are extremely rare. The Urian is closely linked to its cousin the Veela, but is also very different. As said before, they are very rare, thus not much information is known on them.
An Urian usually comes of age around their seventeenth birthday, but if any sort of danger that could disrupt the Urian blood from flowing is detected, it will come up early. Some aspects of the new blood may not be erased, but most of the dangerous ones will be gone.
An Urian will also develop wings, which are not to be shown to anyone until his or her mate has seen them first, otherwise the Urian may die. When the Urian blood comes to the surface, a transformation takes place. The skin will become pale, if already not so, and hair will grow longer. Do not attempt to cut it, as it will just grow back, and doubly so.
The wings of an Urian will reflect something about them; their favorite color, their mate's favorite color, something of that context. If any glamour charms have placed to hide the Urian's features, they will immediately fade after a few minutes.
An Urian will be given a month at the most to find their mate after their blood has surface. If they do not, they will die. Their mate will be found through three simple acts: The Sensing, The Seeing, and The Kiss.
The Sensing is when the Urian's mate is in close proximity with the Urian, and will come in the form of a dull buzzing that will get louder as they get closer. The Seeing is when the two lock eyes, and then the buzzing will stop. The Kiss is also the first step of the bonding process, one of three, in which the two will kiss (Both of them willingly) and when this happens, literal sparks will fly between them.
The second step of the boding process is when they both have complete and total trust in each other, and are somehow willing to lay down their life for the others. When this happens, a firm mental bond will be established within them. They may hear the other's thoughts, but only if the other is willing.
The third and final step is the physical bond. This must be established through actual, intimate physical contact, and when this has been set in place the Urian's mate can also use a selective few of the Urian's powers.
If the mate should reject the Urian after The Seeing, unless they perform The Kiss within twenty-four hours the Urian will die and its mate will forever live with a deep depression.
An Urian has a few powers, and these, besides flight with the use of its wings also include; the ability to bend a few elements to their will, the ability to speak to select animals, and the ability to see the auras and detect magical and soul bonds of other people. They can also detect love bonds.
An Urian may also not have any intimate physical contact with anyone but their mate. If the mate should reject the Urian in any way, both before and after any bonds have been established, it will hurt much more than a physical blow will. Although the Urian is physically more powerful than its mate, truly it is the submissive one in the relationship.
Also to be noted is that when an Urian mates, their mates are also given the same power that enables Urians to live longer. Should either the mate or Urian die first, the other will follow soon after of what no one can explain as anything but a broken heart.
After The Kiss, an Urian has three to four months in between each bond to complete the next until they are fully finished. If they are not completed, the Urian blood will take it as a rejection and, thinking they failed their mate, they will slowly die.
It is also in the Urian's best interest to know that when they are still searching for their mate and before The Kiss, they will throw out something of an attraction that will make anyone, whether they have a love bond or not be attracted to the Urian. Only the Urian's mate will be unaffected by it."
Chloris looked up, smiling shyly. "And this explains all."
Pansy snorted. "What do you mean? Sure, that stuff was enlightening, but it doesn't explain why Draco hated my cooking so much!" She was still sulking, but Chloris ignored it.
"Because an Urian can't have any physical contact with their mate, and I'm sure that Draco's teething habits count as such intimate acts."
"You mean…?" Blaise looked horrified as Chloris nodded.
"He can only drink the blood of his mate, and in this case if his mate should die after his or her blood is drained, then Draco dies soon after."
Still slightly shocked, Ginny shook her head. "This is very bad. I have a fair idea on who Draco's mate is, but neither of them are going to like it at all."
The three scrambled eagerly around her, but then Chloris suddenly held up a hand. "Wait. Maybe we shouldn't pry, and just let Draco find out on his own. Knowing us, as we all love to match make I'm sure, we'll probably end up killing Draco. No, seriously, he can't even make eye contact with whoever it is unless the person is willing to snog him senseless immediately after!"
Everyone in the room sobered at this, until Ginny spoke up tentatively. "So…what is Draco gonna eat while he waits?"
Harry was sitting in an apple tree outside of the Burrow, craning his neck as he tried to get to an apple. He'd been feeling unusually hungry today, and Mrs. Weasley had said lunch wouldn't be ready for another hour or so.
The Weasley brothers were all bemoaning the fate of their little sister, who they stated several times a day had died already and hadn't they better get a team in there already to at least get her body? Ron was just bloody pissed, seeing as at that exact same moment an owl with dark brown feathers and light yellow eyes swooped in, ruffling her feathers as she deposited a letter from Ginny.
The letter said, simply: "I've arrived, I'm alive, and I'm tired. Draco's had friends are over, and I wanted to know if anyone here knows of the Zabini clan? They're actually quite nice, as are the Ernestines."
Fred had practically toppled over. "She's living in a Slytherin-filled world! She'll go mad!" George however, had scratched absentmindedly at his head.
"Zabini…I know them, too nice to be Slytherins. Their mother and father defected from the Voldemort's army, taking him and his sister with them. Sad, though, they had two older brothers and a younger sister that stayed behind to serve. The Ernestines are a quiet lot, never hear much from them, do you?"
Harry went over all this in his mind as he shimmied along a branch, glancing every now and then at the gleaming apple hanging from the end. He had never been teased by a Blaise Zabini…never even heard of him, in fact!
Harry stretched out a hand, grunting, and not from the effort. He had been reflecting on his arch-nemesis quite a lot that day. What Ginny had said about Malfoy was true. He had been arrogant, proud, and pushed them around a little—all right, quite a bit. But hadn't they just gone and done it back? And every time Harry felt a little twinge of hate at Malfoy, because of what his father had been doing, he suddenly realized that maybe that twinge was guilt. He was being as bad as Snape!
He rolled his eyes as he scooted even farther from the tree trunk. Damn Hermione and her stupid common sense. He out of all the boys had been the only one to approach her after Ginny was gone. And for the umpteenth time in his life, she had managed to make him feel like an idiot.
He was sitting on the edge of her bed as she skimmed Why We Cry; A Guide To Healing Spells. "Hermione, really, why didn't you tell us?"
She didn't answer at first, choosing instead to wave her wand lightly in a motion. It sparked at the ends and she smiled, satisfied. "Well, it was simple. I didn't have to."
Harry stared at her. "Didn't have to? But Herm, Ginny was friends with Draco Malfoy! And you didn't say a word!"
"Well, it was her secret. She let it slip to me by a total accident, but Harry, you don't tell Ron and I loads of things. Why should I be any different? I know for a fact Ron had been sneaking my homework out of my bag during breakfast last term, and I've placed precautionary spells on it this year."
Harry blushed. "But Herm, it's Draco Malfoy! Our enemy!"
"Don't call me Herm." She said absently. "And he may be our enemy, but he's not Ginny's. Their families have been fighting a feud for so long they don't even know what started it. Do you know?" She finally looked up at him, and Harry had to shake his head, no.
"They were fighting over where to hold an engagement party for one of the Weasley clan. The locations were thirty-four feet apart. You tell me why they should keep fighting, now."
Harry snatched the apple and immediately bit into it, savoring the cool taste against his parched tongue.
Sometimes, he was sure Hermione could have ruled the world with one hand.
When Ginny woke the next morning, she felt more relaxed than she ever had in her entire life. No older brothers were pounding on her door, demanding that she wake up now so they could eat. No Mum or Dad was walking about, screaming at Fred and George for almost decapitating Harry and Hermione with one of their inventions.
She surveyed the room she was in with happiness. A four-poster bed with red silk sheets, and an armoire sat next to a bookshelf stocked with books. She had to stifle a smile as she also saw a door on the right side of the room, where there was a mirror and a vanity table. Behind that door was her very own bathroom.
Feeling as though she couldn't stand it anymore, Ginny shot up in bed and proceeded to jump up and down, silently giggling.
Oh, yes, life was good when Draco Malfoy was one of your best friends.
Almost two hours later, she grudgingly trekked down the stairs and into the kitchen, where she found Pansy and Carina chatting amiably as they ate their cold cereal. Feeling slightly out of it (She was still reeling from the effects of that amazing bath) she pulled up a chair and dumped some cereal in it.
She peered at the box, and exclaimed. "Cheerios? That's a Muggle brand!"
Carina looked at her, smiling. "Well, yeah. We prefer to eat food that doesn't jump or sing, no matter how much the Wizarding world seems to enjoy it. Nice outfit, by the way."
Ginny blushed, looking down at her jeans with the knees ripped and her white sweatshirt (that she had practically threatened her Mum not to throw out). When she looked up, Carina was laughing, and it was only then that Ginny realized the black-haired girl was wearing the exact same thing, although her jeans had doodles on them and her sweatshirt was red.
Pansy rolled her eyes. "Oh, honestly, you two!"
And they started laughing again, just as Draco wandered in, wearing nothing but silk green boxers. The three girls gaped for a moment, before Carina muttered under her breath "My God, his fascination with silk has truly run the extra mile!"
As they tried desperately to stifle their giggles, Draco glared groggily at them and headed straight for the cupboard. He reached up and grabbed something, leaving the door open as he made his way to the table and took a bowl from the center.
"Maybe we should tell him…?" Ginny said quietly. They had neglected to explain anything about the book to Draco; for fear of making him upset. But now was a good time as any, when he was too sleepy to go find his wand. But just as Ginny started to speak, she stopped, her face twisting in disgust.
In his bowl, Draco had dumped milk, strawberries, Cheerios, slices of banana, Fruit Loops, and Frosted Flakes. And he ate it, too.
"Eww…" Carina muttered under her breath. Pansy colored.
Ginny, however, soon became enthralled. "You know, Harry eats the same thing every morning; he says the first few things cancel out the Fruit Loops and Frosted Flakes so that it's healthy."
Draco's head shot up and his eyes narrowed. "Really? Potter does?"
Ginny nodded, somewhat uncertainly. "Er, yeah, he does." To her surprise, Draco shrugged it off and let a smirk come over his face.
"Excellent. Now Potter can't say he's nothing like me anymore." And he resumed his eating, intent on finishing his breakfast.
Ginny caught Pansy's eye, and both girls knew what the other was thinking. How could he have eaten?
The day was spent in unusual silence, but one that Ginny relished in. She left it up to the Slytherins to tell Draco as she sat outside, basking in the glow of the sun from a hammock strung up between two oaks.
An owl suddenly swooped down, startling her but not enough to make her fall. She squinted, before realizing it was the one she had sent off earlier that day. What was its name?
"You don't have a name, do you?" the redhead said, stroking the owl's downy feathers. The owl hooted mournfully, and Ginny stifled a giggle.
"Ok. I'll name you, then! I'm sure Draco wouldn't mind…what do you think of Lydia? It's a nice name." The owl, now Lydia, snuggled up in the crook of her arm, and Ginny smiled at it as she removed the two rolls of parchment from her claws.
The first one was from her mother and father, both wishing her well and warning her against the Slytherins. She shook her head; typical. The second letter, however, was from Harry.
"What're you doing?"
She sat up in surprise to see Blaise and Draco walking to her. Blaise looked slightly flustered, and Draco seemed a little (hah, understatement of the century) angry as he stared at her in mild curiosity.
Ginny blushed. "I'm talking to Lydia." And then she clapped a hand over her mouth, but it was too late. Blaise was grinning widely, and Draco was smirking. "You named the owl, Weasley?"
"Shut up." She said. "She didn't have a name anyways, it was no big deal."
"I never said it was." Draco replied coolly. "Besides, she's yours. I've had enough owls in my life. My personal one is en route from delivering a message someplace."
"You mean it?" Ginny asked, wide-eyed. "I can really have her?"
Draco seemed uncomfortable. "Er, well yeah. But take her as a hand-me-down, I don't want you thinking I'm nice, now." Ginny and Blaise shared a look, clearly stating what they thought of him and Draco scowled.
"Blaise was just telling me about what you found out in the library yesterday. You didn't read the whole book?" When Ginny shook her head, he drew the volume from behind his back and dangled it above her nose.
"Well, I have, and let me tell you, it makes me wish that Vampire had finished me off. I am basically a slave to my mate."
Ginny sighed. "I only wish it had been me then. To be able to boss the oh-so-famous Draco Malfoy around? What a wasted opportunity." She giggled, much to Blaise's obvious amusement.
Draco looked up at the sky, a deep frown etched on his face. Blaise tapped him on the shoulder. "What's wrong?"
Draco looked back down at him. "I was just thinking…what if Fate cast me a cruel one and paired me with Potter?"
Both boys jumped and turned when a loud thump drew their attention. Ginny scrambled quickly to her feet, with her face coloring rapidly. Lydia was clutched under her arm, looking terrified as the redhead attempted a smile.
"Er, sorry, I sort of—slipped."
"I can see that." Draco said impatiently. "But is that a letter in your hands?" Ginny nodded uncertainly. "Who's it from?"
"My parents…and Harry."
"Potter sent you a letter?" Blaise's eyes were unusually guarded. Ginny had only known him for a day but she knew just as well as anyone that he was open about nearly everything. "What's in it?"
"I—haven't read it yet." She replied.
"So read it aloud." Draco urged. Ginny cast Blaise a pleading look, but he seemed indifferent. With a slight swell of fury in her, she unrolled the parchment and read:
Gin,
Everyone here is sulking, even your Mum and Dad.
Hermione's been pretty quiet, but I talked to her this morning and she got me thinking…so it's ok about Malfoy with me, just don't start dating him or anything. And Fred and George (although they don't want me telling you) say they've heard the Zabinis and Ernestines are the kind of people who get into Slytherin because they're headstrong in their first year, but they mellow through the next few. Blaise Zabini is in my year, and I'm pretty sure his younger sister Carina is in yours.
How is it with the Slytherins? If they do anything to hurt you, owl quickly or Floo back to the Burrow as quickly as possible. Ron wanted an emergency portkey set up but your Mum snapped at him to "shut up and learn to trust someone who isn't red-haired, has a scar on their forehead or is likely to become his wife in the future."
Harry
P.S. Hermione says she'd owl you but Ron has been stalking her to make sure you don't contact her, so she's sending Hedwig tomorrow.
"Your family isn't talking to you?" Blaise said incredulously. "What did you do?"
"Make friends with this beast." Ginny said, looking pointedly at Draco. "But wow…I'm surprised Harry's still talking to me…"
"Why wouldn't he?" Draco was obviously brooding still. "He's the Boy-Who-Bloody-Lived, no one can get on his nerves."
"That's not it." Ginny said nervously. "I sort of…blamed him for your getting bitten, and I may have been trying to make his life hell for the past few days."
The two boys gaped at her, and she rose to her defense. "What? I never told him anything, I just acted really furious at him and bloody flicked him off a few times!"
"But it wasn't his fault!" Draco said. "I told you I wandered out on my own—"
"Yeah, but why did you?" Ginny retorted. "Come on, I know just to disobey your father isn't an answer. There was something more, wasn't there?"
Slowly, the seconds go by. Ginny glared at Draco while he let his eyes focus on the trees next to her. Blaise was glancing back and forth between the two when Draco finally answered.
"He was—he was just so bloody infuriating. His owl, his bloody owl was flapping around Diagon Alley. I didn't plan on staying, I was going to leave, but then I heard his voice, and he uttered a few choice comments about me, after which he left. I didn't know that, of course. I merely trailed behind the owl, hoping it would lead him to me and I'd get to exact some revenge."
"And instead, you got bitten by a Vampire." Blaise hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath until Draco had finished. "So it was Potter's fault?"
"No!" Draco shook his head violently, eyes flashing. "It wasn't his fault, it was mine, for not being smart and staying the hell away!" He spun on his heel and turned quickly, striding back into the house.
Ginny and Blaise watched him go, twin expressions of confusion on their faces.
"Why was he protecting Harry?" Ginny thought aloud as she let Lydia out from under her arm. The owl hooted and settled herself in the tree above them. Blaise shrugged.
"Between you and me, I think he's had a crush on him for ages." Ginny stared at him. "No! Not Harry?" Blaise laughed.
"Of course, Harry! Potter's not exactly bad looking, even the straightest of men notice that, and neither is Draco. But I'm just guessing it took a while for him to notice, and by that time they were pretty much in too deep with their hate/loathe relationship."
Ginny ended up wondering if she should laugh or cry.
Review Replies! Yay!
Bonzai and long life to: ATadObsessive46 (The
new bunny babies are hairless and pink, but they have been named! Harry
James Potter Lapin-Black (we kind of couldn't let that one go)
Bellatrix Lapin-Black (because her first name is just that cool) Albus
Dumbledore Lapin-Black (in memoriam) Necille Lapin-Black, Voldemort
Lapin-Black (don't ask) Liyana Lapin-Black, Lilly Lapin-Black, and
lastly, Ginevra Hermione Veronica (Ron for short) Molly Lapin-Black.
Because she was the first born and we were excited.) Didaskaleinphobia (That's a mouthful of an SN.) xxaishiteru (SEE ABOVE A/N!) MidnightsRose, fudgebaby, Yana5, dblksaiyangurl (erm,
no, Draco won't be bad. Or at least, not too bad...and the Vampire that
attacked him was killed, decimated and quartered by Tonks. I believe
she hung its head in her living room.) Shania Maxwell (Ah, s'ok
bout Draco/Ginny. While I lurve them (see my other fics) I also like
every other pairing there is, such as Harry/Draco, harry/Sev,
Harry/Hermione and so on. I just have issues with the weird ones like
Aragog/Harry and at times, the ever-present Harry/Ginny. And I'll take
your advice, although I wrote and loaded this before I read my reviews
so wait till the next chapter if there's a huge mistake.) siriusandharryluvrr (and ron and draco) (It think I'll refer to you as that from now on. It's coddling me...)
