Okay, yes, im cruel and mean and selfish to have not updated before now, but I have been swept up in the exciting world of windsurfing, coursework and boys! shocked face but I have NOW…so be pleased you ungrateful little swines! Kidding…read on my luvvies!


Chapter 16

Draco whimpered softly as Ebony strode down the hall towards her room, the bleeding young man gathered in her arms as her glinting wings rose behind her, the razor sharp edges of the cut-throat feathers catching the bright blue witch fire that hung in iridescent orbs all the way down the corridor. The light reflecting off the feathers and half blinding Remus' ultra-sensitive eyes as he stumbled after her, calling out to her in vain as she walked on regardless. Ebony heard him cry out her name as she softly stroked Draco's hair, it was stuck to his forehead, wet, and matted with sweat. And she spoke calming words of nonsense to him, while fretting inside her head over how hot he was, how his delirious, fever filled mumblings scared her so. She slammed the door of her room shut, and she knew that Remus would interpret the gesture correctly and stay well away.

It was cold, so very cold, the chill reached inside his bones, creeping around his body and blood, freezing him, even while his skin prickled with burning heat and sweat poured into his clouded eyes. Where was she? He couldn't see her, couldn't see anything, his vision was so blurred, but she had to be here, he had seen her, felt her wings gather around him, nestled into her chest, safe from harm in the endless haven of her dark coffee eyes…wings? Surely he was mistaken…but no, even in his feverish state, he could recall the wings of shimmering black feathers, so like her eyes…they were there now, black no longer, but a shining platinum, rainbows glinting off them as they folded neatly across her back while she stepped away from him and looked down with worry and care etched upon her face, tears making glimmering tracks down her cheeks, from her sorrow filled eyes…the colour of darkest wood…the rainbows across his vision…her eyes…the colours…darkest blackness…the bright dyes...

And he slept…

She was still there, stroking his blonde curls, eyes closed and wings wrapped dormant around their two bodies, when Remus tentatively opened her bedroom door a few hours later. She opened a bleary eye and gazed at him through burning pits of sleepy darkness, before closing her eyes once again and moving her arm protectively across Draco's chest. Remus took that as a good thing, and strode in with his wand held out in front of him, he, himself, was not sure whether it was because it was lighting the room before him, or because he was afraid of the two young adults lay on the bed, one a powerful wizard, and the second…the second a metamagus, a powerful being with all of natures weapons at her disposal, and that made Remus nervous. He crouched at the side of the bed and gently waved his wand over Draco's body, and part of Ebony's, considering she was half draped over Draco anyway, while muttering soft spells for healing and calm, along with some medicinal spells for the relief of fever and a hydrating spell to replenish all the fluid Draco had lost.

Once he was done, Draco's breathing was much more regular, his pale pallor had regained its rosy hue, which was reassuring, as Remus knew he never caught a tan, and he had moved his arm to cradle Ebony softly as they both slept. Remus smiled as he watched them, and crept quietly out of the room, back down the stairs, to the kitchen, where he was forced, by an anxious group of Order members and Hogwarts students, to tell them everything he knew, with Hermione filling in the blanks of Ebony's stay with the Malfoy's.

As he explained, upstairs, Ebony stirred slightly, and her eyes snapped open, a course mist smelling of grave dirt and the coppery tang of blood poured out of her mouth, her sight blank and a pale veil covered her eyes as Draco sat up blearily next to her. Her hand snaked out to grasp Draco's neck as her teeth elongated, her nails growing sharp and long as they cut into his flesh. " i temptation will present itself…well, well, well, temptation from a Malfoy…how novel…you're not so slippery now are you Draco?…but then…dragons don't tend to be slippery…although they make splendid clothing…maybe I'll make a piece of clothing out of YOUR skin, eh Draco? Do you have enough skin to make a jacket? Or a pair of boots/i " her voice was harsh and grating, a metallic peeling to it, painful to the ears in its high pitch, and Draco tried to clasp his hand over his ears. She snickered quietly, sounding like a hissing snake, " i it's funny…how so many powerful people are my pawns…your love here is…and your father's master, he thinks he's so strong, but he's still kept under my thumb…so powerful…yet so weak to temptation…it's what all my pawns have in common, an amour for temptation…and in this little ones case, an amour for gorgeous blondes…I don't HAVE temptation…I have all I want…except one thing…but alas, I could tell you now…but surely that is where all evil genius' fall down, is it not? They are so sure they will kill their adversary that they spill their deepest secrets, then the hero escapes, to live another day and cut the villain down…so I shall not tell you, too many people… b underestimate /b …their opponent, and admittedly, you are not my main opponent, just as your love here is not my main pawn, we both know who THEY are…but none the less, my mouth is sealed, you have enough to be getting along with…and don't forget now…let little old Ebony know she's a vessel for a greater power…a pawn…a helpless player…it may just break her soul just enough for me to take what I want and leave her…whether or not that's a good thing…I'll leave for YOU to decide…after all, wouldn't want you feeling useless would we?" /i and as the voice stopped, an cold iciness grew over Ebony's hands and body, and with a wrench, her hand removed itself from Draco's neck and the mist collected around her froze in its winding journey from her mouth, curling and snaking its way in a reverse path as it wound round her neck, through her mouth and nostrils, till she was left, frozen and cold, eyes blank and staring.

Draco shook Ebony gently, the rose flourishes of potential bruises blossomed over his neck as crimson blood dripped lazily down on the collar of his shirt…

She won't wake? Oh why won't she wake?…her eyes…even behind closed lids I can see the burning fire from them…she's so cold…and that copper smell lingers on her clothes…the tang poisons her lips…so cold…so lifeless…not the darkness…she can't be in the darkness…where is she?...so cold…so dark…


MWAHAHAHAHA I shall leave you there! Admittedly, it is a tad shorter than usual, but many apologies for the inconvenience…I will update soon…MAYBE! -cackles-