If Only
By Jeni Draco's Girl
WELL! This has been a long time coming, hasn't it? Have just realised a rather important mistake that I've made, which is all mentions being of Draco's upcoming 18th birthday, when REALLY it should be his 17th, since that's the equivalent, isn't it? So, since I am completely inept and lazy, I shall just note here that all past references should be changed accordingly, and from now on, Draco is 16 going on 17. just like in 'The Sound of Music'! But no worries, this isn't a songfic, or anything else so horrifying…
Just a quick note about foreign languages that will appear from here on – all translations (and other necessary explanations, including obscure references) will be given at the end of the chapter that it's relevant to; as I think it looks ugly and breaks the flow to include translations at the end of each sentence.
Finally, I don't think I need to say this to anyone who's gotten this far, but I recently received a very…mean review for this fanfic, and I'd like to point out that it is quite clear what this story is basically about and I'm not forcing it on anyone…it should be obvious that it's someone's choice to read this, and so by posting this on the internet I AM NOT "subjecting" anyone to my "private fantasies". I write this story because I like to, and I post because someone asks me to.
Jeni lay in bed the next morning, still half asleep, thinking about the events of the day before. Making up with Draco had been just as unexpected as Slytherin's win against Gryffindor, something that the whole school had been talking about non-stop. It still didn't feel to Jeni like she actually had agreed to go to the ball, which she maintained would put her in immense danger, but at the same time, her insatiable curiosity about whatever it was that everyone was intent on hiding from her made her determined to go and find out…hopefully, she thought, she didn't have to add 'even if it's the last thing I do!'
The day passed dreamily; it was cold enough for snow, so Jeni and Draco spent the day outside, throwing snow balls and making snow angels. Henri would have joined them if he hadn't been busy with…other things, but secretly Jeni was thankful for having some fun time alone with Draco – it was better than whatever argument they chanced having otherwise. The week went similarly; classes, meals and study, with a few brief 'meetings' in empty classrooms, and that Friday evening, she met with Draco and Henri in a small room one of them had discovered – there was a cosy fireplace and some comfy couches, one of which Jeni was sharing with Draco, snuggled up warmly against him.
"I'm surprised she finally let you get away for a moment," Jeni teased, giggling softly as Draco stroked her back.
"Now, now, Jeni," Draco said. "She's got to let him have a break some time!"
"Oh stop it, you two!" Henri replied. "Besides, as if you ever keep your hands off each other." Jeni and Draco looked at each other and shrugged. "In any case," Henri continued, "that's not what we're here to discuss, is it?"
"No, professor," they chorused in reply. Jeni added, "So what do we have to talk about?"
"Well," Draco began, "I thought we'd all feel a lot more comfortable if we talked about the…event, and what our story is to respective parents."
"You mean to both of your fathers," Henri corrected, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. "My parents are going to be there, remember? They're not deatheaters," he said to Jeni, who had looked up, alarmed at the news that his parents would be there. "My father feels it prudent to…play nice with both sides, if you will. No matter the outcome, he doesn't have to worry. Of course, it is pretty obvious to most people, but they don't seem to mind since he proves himself a valuable source of information – he works in foreign relations for the ministry, keeping things friendly with China. My mother's in the same department, actually, although she deals with France."
Well! Jeni thought. That explained a few things. She'd noticed from the start that Henri didn't look entirely Asian, and now she knew why. (AN: and why his name has an 'i' and not a 'y' at the end!) "I have to admit, it's a bit of a relief that they're not," she said. "Draco's father's enough of a worry for me!"
"Yes, well, I believe that's the problem," Henri continued. "Now I think our story to your father is to be that you're staying with me for a week, so that he doesn't worry – I'm sure he knows who my parents are anyway, and they're perfectly trustworthy despite my father's tendency to live a little recklessly."
"So then there's what we tell my dear father, kitten," Draco said.
"Kitten?" Jeni repeated, getting sidetracked for a moment. "Where did that come from?"
"I've decided it suits you," Draco stated confidently. "It wouldn't do for me to call you 'sweetheart' or anything else of that ridiculous ilk, and besides, your hair's so nice and soft…and the way you're snuggling into my side like that… I decided I'd take a guess at what kind of animagus you'll have."
Jeni just blinked, still shocked. She recovered, then murmured, "Well I guess that yours will be a ferret."
"Excuse me?" Draco asked politely, having heard exactly what she'd said.
"Nothing," Jeni chirped in reply. "Now, what were you saying about your loving father?"
"I'll have you know that I already know what my animagus form is. And it isn't a ferret, either," Draco said disdainfully, ignoring Jeni's previous comment.
"Really?" Henri asked.
"What is it?" Jeni demanded simultaneously, both of them having been shocked by Draco's casual revelation. "Can we see, then?"
Draco sighed, although he was clearly quite happy to have the attention. "If you must," he said. "But you'll have to get off me first," he directed at Jeni.
She moved obligingly. Draco shut his eyes and concentrated, and a few seconds later, Henri and Jeni weren't very surprised to see, sitting in his place, a rather large snow leopard. Jeni reached out tentatively to touch him, soon figuring out that, just like any normal cat, Draco liked being scratched behind his ears, which made Henri chuckle. The leopard pushed his way onto Jeni's lap and rolled over onto his back. She stroked his head and was rather shocked a second later to find herself stroking the hair of an almost purring Draco. Jeni burst out giggling almost immediately. Draco just smirked.
"I couldn't help it," he said almost defensively, but still smirking. "Technically, I may be a human, but as a cat that still feels good."
Henri just shook his head dazedly. "And here I was thinking that the whole point of becoming an animagus was to be able to sneak around, and blend in! After all, how many snow leopards are there wandering around the English countryside?"
"Oh," Jeni said disappointedly. "I thought it was so you could turn into an animal, you know, that reflects your inner personality…Besides; he'll blend in with the snow!"
"Exactly," Draco continued. "See Henri, I will blend in," he said jokingly.
Henri ignored this last comment. "In any case, when on earth did you find the time to do this?"
"I got particularly bored these last summer holidays," Draco explained, showing no signs of moving from Jeni's lap any time soon. "Spent so long holed up in my rooms avoiding father that I thought I may-as-well do something useful with my time. Not to mention I was curious, of course. I mean, who doesn't want to know what they'll be? And I had to prove to myself that I wasn't really going to turn into a ferret…wasn't going to tell anyone if I did, though."
Jeni laughed. "So," she said, "back to what we were talking about before, since even if I did ask you why you haven't told us all this before you wouldn't say, what are we going to tell your father?"
"Actually, despite what you think, I can tell you. It takes an awful lot of practise to get the hang of changing without having to meditate or any of that, and to manage to come back with clothes on. I wasn't about to risk telling you both and having you demand to see, and then accidentally change back naked." Henri laughed at the look of mock disappointment on Jeni's face. "Now, like you said, back to the topic. All we have to do is change your surname, and come up with some sort of family background for you. What your parents do, where they live, all that. I've already come up with a name which I thought suited."
From Draco's tone of voice, it didn't sound good. Jeni looked worried.
"What?" Draco asked. "I had to come up with something that doesn't exist, so that no one can associate it with anything. So for one week, you will be known as Miss Jeni Starre. It's simple, and close in theme to 'McNite', so you shouldn't forget it. It just wouldn't do for you to forget that you were supposed to have a different name. Besides, if it is a bit silly, then that should help you remember it."
"Right," Jeni said. "But how am I meant to pretend that I have a mother?"
"Not that it's likely to come up often in conversation, but it's easier if you're just able to give simple answers to what your parents do for a living, rather than explain that one's dead, isn't it?" Draco reasoned.
"I guess so," Jeni agreed. "But what do they do?"
"It would have to be something that my father's not connected to, which cuts out anything to do with the ministry, foreign affairs or trade and major businesses. Yet, at the same time, it has to be something that indicates you to be well-off and dignified enough for him and his friends to approve of me having brought you. I know your dad's an auror, but is there possibly anything else he ever wanted to be?"
"I don't know, really. What about if he was a healer or something? Is that prestigious enough?" Jeni asked.
"Actually, that might just do," Draco said. "We can make it that you live in a small wizarding town somewhere, and your parents own their own medical clinic there. It's small enough that he shouldn't know of it or be curious, but enough for you to come from a decent background," he said, rather in the same tone that she had before, as though mocking his father's aristocratic standards.
"Somewhere by the sea!" Jeni added. "I always wanted to live there!"
Draco smiled indulgingly. "Anywhere you want, kitten," he said teasingly.
"I'll think of somewhere then," she replied.
"Is that everything settled for now?" Henri asked, looking fidgety.
"Why?" Draco asked, acting oblivious. "Do you have somewhere to be?"
Henri looked even more uncomfortable.
"Go on then," Draco said, sitting up. "I think everything involving you has been covered." He slipped an arm around Jeni's shoulders, and then as soon as Henri had left, Draco shifted around to kiss her.
His lips had almost touched hers when Jeni said, "Draco?"
"Hmm?" he replied, sounding just a little frustrated.
"Um…"Jeni continued.
Draco lent back again. "What is it?" he asked, his hand resting just under her ear and his thumb gently stroking her soft cheek. "Is something wrong?"
"Well," Jeni said, peering up at him worriedly, "what do I wear to the ball?"
Draco laughed. "Gods," he said, "girls get so worked up about clothes!" Seeing that she didn't look any calmer, he added, "Don't worry. There's a Hogsmeade weekend soon, I'll buy you a dress then."
"You'll…but…you can't…" Jeni had to admit, she was very shocked by Draco's casual statement.
"Your father would find out somehow if you bought one yourself, wouldn't he?" Draco covered. He got the impression that Jeni was rather uncomfortable with the idea. Still, he hardly thought that she could afford it herself. "I'd have to at least come with you, since I'm guessing you are…unsure of the situation, am I right?"
Jeni nodded.
"Then it's settled. I think it's…tomorrow, isn't it?" he asked, considering the date briefly.
"Oh!" Jeni said. "That's very soon!"
"Yes," Draco agreed. "And, this might sound strange, but in 'our world'," the way he said it, there were almost visible quotation marks, "people dress formally to go formal dress shopping. Think of that as a warning, of sorts." Jeni was looking concernedly at his tie. "Don't worry so much!" Draco said comfortingly. "Remember," he added with a smirk, tilting her chin up with a finger, "you'll be with me!"
Jeni giggled. "Oh, come here," she said, slipping her hand up to his neck and pulling his lips finally down to hers.
Despite how much Draco had tried to play down what he'd said to her the night before, Jeni still took extreme care in dressing herself for Hogsmeade the next morning, after breakfast. Black, she thought, was probably safest, even though people always said young girls shouldn't wear black. Still, she reasoned, she was sixteen, and that was plenty old enough. She was very glad though, that she had packed a few nice items of clothing, without really giving thought to whether she'd have the opportunity to wear them. She cast quick pressing spells on a knee-length black suede skirt that she's bought on a trip to London once with Char, and a silvery-grey blouse. She added a tight forest green vest with a low-ish v-neck, and black pantyhose and heels. Then after waving her wand in the general direction of her head to de-frizz her hair, slipping on some silver jewellery and grabbing her formal black cloak, she was out the door and hurrying down to meet Draco in the entrance hall.
She found him waiting around the corner at the bottom of the staircase glaring sinisterly in the direction of a group of giggling Hufflepuff girls, dressed entirely in black and with his hair all slicked back.
Jeni frowned. "Do you have to do it that way?"
Draco's attention snapped to her, and she felt his stormy eyes burn into hers. He moved forward and slipped his hands under her cloak, resting them around her waist, and dropping a quick kiss on her lips, his gaze softening. "That's the greeting I get?" he asked, pulling her close. "No, 'Hello, Draco,' just, 'What the hell have you done to your hair?'"
"I didn't phrase it quite that way," Jeni muttered.
"Well I, for one, shall begin correctly." He cleared his voice, then bent down so that his mouth was just by her ear. "Good morning, kitten," he said, in fact, almost purred, softly. "I notice you're wearing my favourite colours today." Jeni could as-good-as feel his smirk. She was glad they were standing in the shadows, out of the way of the other students, as she was starting to feel a little flustered. Especially since Draco had just run his hand gently down the side of her leg. "I think I'll have to investigate this skirt of yours further when we return," he continued, his breath tickling her neck. "And," he added, his hand returning to her waist where the bottom of her top peeked out from under her vest, "this blouse."
Jeni breathing had become very shallow, and she was beginning to feel rather like a small animal being toyed with by a predator. She decided then and there that in the future, she should be more careful about wearing things that felt as nice as satin or suede.
"But for now," Draco said, moving his head back to rest his forehead against hers, "I shall have to content myself with this," – he kissed her lingeringly – "as it would appear that we're leaving now." He stepped back, sliding his hands out of her cloak and taking her left one in his right. They joined the queue that was forming to get their names marked off. Jeni could feel her cheeks still burning from what Draco had said.
Once they had left the hall and were on their way, with sufficient space between them and any other students, Draco addressed her again.
"There are a few things, kitten, that you need to know before we go into any shops," he said.
"Like what?" Jeni asked, confused.
"Well, they are things that will apply also when we're at the manor, so today is almost like a test run." He paused to make sure Jeni was following along alright, and then continued. "Firstly, and this is the point from which everything else stems, the world which you are about to enter is extremely chauvinistic."
Jeni didn't like the sound of where this was going.
"I know you're not going to like this, but this generally means that I speak for you. Do you understand?"
Jeni sighed, feeling any independence she may have had slipping away from her. "I think so," she responded.
"Don't be too upset," Draco consoled her. "It makes things easier for you really. Although I do understand that it's hard not to have your own opinion."
"I don't have any opinions? Then what's the purpose of today?" Jeni demanded, feeling a little insulted, though by what she wasn't sure.
"Practise, like I said, and also…there's a slight agenda to this, I must admit. This might be something you'll find easier to accept."
"What's that, then?"
"I need to be seen with you," Draco said, then went on to explain: "Some of the people you will meet today, the shop owners, that is, are people who report to my father, on anything they observe. Thus, our being together is normal as preceding my taking you to the ball. This does bring me to another point, which is how you need to begin acting."
Jeni riled at the suggestion that there was anything wrong with the way she acted.
"Not that there's anything wrong with it for when we are normally together; but, like I said, in my father's circle, women are generally…inferior. There is this, and also the fact that you will need to conduct yourself more aristocratically. Don't worry about all this for today though. Henri and I will give you lessons before the holidays, so by then you'll be fine. For now, just speak as infrequently as is suitable, and always maintain a gentle tone; avoid speaking to anyone except me unless you are directly addressed, and in these cases do not give them any title or name, thus implying that they are socially below you; remember what I said about how my opinion is your opinion; and keep your chin up and your back straight."
Jeni wondered to herself just how she was supposed to remember the long list that Draco had just recited very quickly. And just what did 'as infrequently as is suitable' mean?
"Oh," Draco added, "one more. No thankyous, pleases, or saying things are pretty, like I know you will want to. Remember, use the minimum of words that you require, and most often it is appropriate to say nothing at all."
"Right," Jeni replied, sounding slightly dazed.
"Don't worry," Draco said. "It'll be fine. Now, are you ready?"
"Ready for what?" Jeni asked.
"Well we've been standing outside this shop for almost five minutes while I finished explaining."
Jeni finally noticed the very expensive looking dress shop they were standing in front of. "Ah," she finally managed to say.
Draco smirked, and Jeni saw his face return to how it always had been to her before she'd known him: cold and entirely unreadable. He held open the door for her, and motioned her inside.
The shop was very large, with dark marble floors, a high ceiling, and many paintings and mirrors in gilt frames. Jeni tried to do as Draco had told her and not act at all in awe of her surroundings. However, she couldn't help but notice a conspicuous lack of dresses in the shop. Her gaze settled on a man working at a large ornately carved oak desk in a back corner of the shop. He looked to be in his fifties, and was wearing neat dark grey robes. A few seconds after they entered, he looked up, and, seeing Draco glancing around expectantly, his eyes widened as he rushed across the room, stopping to bow deeply in front of Draco (he seemed just short of throwing himself at his feet, Jeni thought).
"Master Malfoy!" he exclaimed. "How are you? What can I help you with?"
Draco then said just one thing which demonstrated what he'd said before about social ranking. "This is Miss Starre," he drawled, ignoring the man's first question and not giving any indication of who he was. Jeni decided that the whole thing was not only old fashioned and stupid, but utterly useless. Although, maybe Draco was just helping her not to address the man by any title, since he didn't have one now. "And what you may help us with," he continued, speaking as though the man was a very slow child, "is her dress for my father's ball this Christmas."
"Of course, young master," the man said, sounding thrilled at the task. This whole set up was starting to make Jeni feel a little ill. "What were you after?" he enquired, not even having glanced at Jeni this whole time. There wasn't any point, she figured, since she wasn't allowed to speak.
"Something simple, elegant," Draco was saying, sounding deliberately vague, as though he was trying to make it hard for the poor man. "The colour of her eyes, I was thinking."
"Very good, sir," the man replied. "Would the young lady be so kind as to step up here?" he said, indicating a small island-like platform that had appeared near one of the huge mirrors to their left. He offered her his hand to help her up. Jeni didn't feel it necessary, but she took it anyway. She stood, slightly nervously, with her arms held out from her sides – having passed her cloak to the man who'd hung it near the door – as a tape-measure appeared and started whizzing all over her body, measuring things she wouldn't have even thought one needed to know. Once the tape had finished measuring everything from the usual things like her waist and height, to the circumference around each of her fingers, it disappeared, and Jeni lowered her arms, feeling rather idiotic.
She continued to stand there, clutching her hands in front of her and picking nervously at a fingernail, starting to understand the 'inferiority of women' part of what Draco had said, as the two males went across to the desk, where the man took out a sketch book and started to consult Draco on the finer details of what he wanted. Jeni could only hear snippets of what they were saying, things like "strapless", "silk" and "beading"; which only served to make her more nervous and uncomfortable than before. Still, she thought, Draco was…well…Draco, so she did trust him to know what suited her. She sighed. It seemed she was already becoming used to this chauvinistic, hierarchical society.
After a few minutes, Draco turned and walked back over to her, whilst the man went out through a back door she hadn't even noticed before.
"So?" she asked, as soon as he'd gone.
He smiled softly at her. "So," he said, "I hope you like it."
Draco's face turned blank again, as the man returned carrying a stunning blue-grey dress. He conjured up a stand next to Jeni which he hung the dress on, before magicking up curtains around her.
Jeni presumed this was an indication that she should change. She managed to get the dress on – no mean feat – and as soon as she had it close to right, the dress arranged itself, and zipped itself up, the zip vanishing before she knew what had happened. Well! Jeni thought. None of my clothing has ever done that before! She barely had a moment to compose herself before the curtains vanished, and just as she opened her mouth, she saw Draco give her a warning look, to stop her speaking as she'd intended to. Jeni sighed internally. It was harder than she'd thought not to speak at all! Instead, she turned around to examine herself properly in the mirror.
Jeni fell in love with the dress immediately – partly for the way that it made her look, clinching in her waist and actually giving her cleavage (Jeni cheered inwardly), something that she'd never had before; but also for the way that it was a princess dress, pure and simple. She pushed herself up to stand on her toes more, imagining she was wearing high heels, and ran her hands over the huge skirts which dropped almost straight down the front, and were fuller around the sides and back. Jeni turned from side to side, making the skirts swish gently around her legs.
It had to be the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.
She turned around and looked into Draco's eyes. Since she shouldn't talk, and he could always read her expression…Luckily he took the cue immediately.
"I'll take it," he said blandly to the man. "Send it on to the manor."
"Yes, at once, sir," the man replied, obviously trying to control himself but clearly happy.
The curtains reappeared around Jeni, and as she reached back for it, so did the zip. Brilliant, she thought, almost sarcastically. My dress zip is psychic. She hurriedly changed, the curtains disappearing as before just after she was done and had rehung the dress on the stand. She tucked her hair neatly behind one ear as she accepted the man's hand to step off the platform. Then, without a second glance back, as she felt was appropriate, she walked over to where Draco was standing near the door, let him help her put her cloak on, and stepped out into the cold when he opened the door.
Draco led Jeni a little way down the street before turning into a small space between two shops. Pulling her close against him, he cupped her face gently.
"Well done," he whispered, before placing a lingering kiss on her lips. Jeni settled into the embrace, and sighed. Dresses and kisses – what girl could ask for more? Little did she know, however, that the shopping had only just begun.
"Now," Draco said, as they continued down the street, "the serious shopping begins."
"The serious shopping?" Jeni asked. "But…I thought we only came for the dress."
"In that case, let me ask you something. What were you planning on wearing for the week you will be spending at my house? Not to mention the dinners each night, and whatever other events father may care to throw at us."
"Oh," Jeni said, shortly.
"Exactly. So now we are looking for evening dresses."
"How many do I need?" Jeni asked, feeling the worry build up in her chest, just like the previous night. "Surely one or two…"
"Six," Draco answered bluntly.
"SIX!" Jeni cried.
"You will be there for seven nights, one of which is the ball, on Christmas Eve," Draco explained. "Therefore, you'll need one for each other night. Six."
"Gods," Jeni replied.
"One of which," Draco continued, not in the least but phased by Jeni reaction, "will be particularly nice, for Christmas Day. It's traditional for women to wear red or green. I was thinking green, since red isn't really your colour."
Jeni didn't take any offence, since this was something she already knew quite well.
"I'm guessing I can't talk in this store either," she said glumly.
"There's…a little more freedom here," Draco replied, "since…well, you'll see."
He opened the door they had stopped in front of for her, and she stepped inside, noticing straight away what he had meant. There were actually dresses in this shop. Racks upon racks of them lined the walls. Draco took her cloak from her.
"Go on," he said. "Have a look around."
Jeni did so immediately, although she managed to remember to hold herself correctly, back straight and all that. This was a lot more like…normal shopping, she thought. She was able to actually walk around and choose. She soon realised that there was a small clothing rack following her around like a puppy. How convenient, she thought, hanging the dresses she'd chosen on it.
Once she'd completed a tour of the store she'd collected about ten dresses, all in colours she hoped would suit her. There were a couple in green, one emerald, and one forest, which could be apt for Christmas. When she was done she looked around, finally spotting Draco talking to a young shop assistant. She made her way over to them, the dresses following along, and was led without words by the girl to a very spacious fitting room. Jeni opened her mouth to say thank you, then thought better of it.
There were three dresses which Jeni discovered didn't suit, as soon as she put them on. The other seven, though, were wonderful. But there were the two green ones, and Jeni decided she only needed one. After a short consultation with Draco, the dark forest green one was selected, and they left the shop, just as before.
"Now then," Draco said.
"There's more?" Jeni theatrically exclaimed despite herself.
"Seven days worth of day wear. And pyjamas," he added as an afterthought.
"Pyjamas?" Jeni asked suspiciously. "Why does is matter what pyjamas I wear?"
Draco smirked. "Well, I thought that you and Henri and I could have…what is it that you girls call it…ah!" he realised. "Slumber parties."
"Really?" Jeni cried happily. "Pillow fights!" She punched the air.
Many people stopped in the street to see what the commotion was. Jeni froze; arm still raised, then tried to hide behind Draco. "Oh, come on," he sighed, pulling her off down the street. "You know, I think this whole pyjama thing is something I'll do by my self, after that little outburst."
Jeni pouted. She liked pyjamas very much. "Just keep it decent, alright?"
"Of course," Draco replied, smirking slightly.
Jeni tried to ignore him.
"In this next shop, I don't think they know me too well, so feel free to act normally," Draco told her.
"Hoorah," Jeni said, with more than little sarcasm as they stepped inside.
Once more, Jeni was graced with the joyful sight of actual clothes in an actual clothing shop. That first place was just stupid, she decided. Whilst Draco had told her that this place was more casual, the general tone of the store was still conservatively aristocratic. However, no one even looked up when they entered, let alone tried to throw themselves on the floor to kiss Draco's shoes, so Jeni decided she rather liked this shop.
They were able to look around together this time, with another handy puppy-stand, as Jeni had previously christened them. They chose various tops, jackets, jumpers and skirts ("No pants," Draco told her) and Jeni was able to make her own way to a changing room. Draco decided it was necessary for him to pop his head in to check each outfit for himself, and in this way seven sets were decided upon. Most were sent to the manor, with one lot sent to Henri's house. Jeni wondered what Henri's house was like. They would be going to Draco's via Henri's, so she hoped she would get a good look then.
"Are we done now?" Jeni asked, as they left the third store.
"Almost," Draco replied. "I'm going to leave you just down here, and go pyjama shopping," he said with a wink.
"Just down where?"
"Here." They stopped outside what appeared to be a lingerie boutique.
"Eh…" Jeni said.
"I trust you can manage this yourself?" Draco asked jokingly. "Take this," he added, holding out what looked like a business card.
"Why do you have one of these?" Jeni asked.
"For situations such as this, of course," Draco replied.
"Oh? Send many girls to lingerie stores, do you?"
"Well, fine, not situations exactly like this," he amended. "But you know what I mean."
"Not a clue," Jeni said.
Draco ignored her. "Give this to the lady when you go in. I'll be waiting outside when you're finished."
"Right," Jeni said defeatedly, finally taking the card. "I'll see you back out here then." She took a deep breath and entered the store as Draco turned back up the street.
A bell tinkled gently as Jeni entered, and was greeted by the sight of the most bras she's ever seen in one place at once.
"Oh my…" she breathed.
"Good morning, young lady," chirped a middle-aged woman at Jeni's side, causing her to start. "What may I help you with?"
"Oh! I…um…" Jeni gave up on explaining immediately and simply handed the woman the card Draco had given her.
"Ah," said the woman pleasantly. "Miss Starre. We've been expecting you."
Oh really, Jeni thought. It would appear Draco organised today much more than she had originally thought.
"Now, let's see," the woman continued, leading her around the shop. "You look to be around a size ten, so you can try this one, and this one, and this one…not that…this might do though…" She continued like this for quite some time, until it appeared there was a mountain of various things for Jeni to try on.
"In here, dear." Jeni found herself steered into a changing room. "Now when you have each one on, call me in and I'll check they're alright."
Great, thought Jeni, I get a stranger poking around in my bra. At least she's nicer than the other sales assistants I've met today.
About twenty minutes later, everything had been packed into boxes to be sent to their appropriate destinations, and Jeni was back out on the street.
Draco wasn't there.
Jeni took a few moments to orientate herself, and realised that she hadn't a clue where she was. However, there was a rather enticing gift shop across the way, and since she hadn't yet had a chance to go Christmas shopping, Jeni walked across and into the store to find presents for Draco, Henri, Char and her dad.
When she emerged, Draco was there, and although he wasn't carrying anything, he looked rather smug, so Jeni assumed it was mission accomplished. She hurried across the road and flung her arms around his neck, careful not to whack him with the bags she was holding.
"Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you so much!"
Draco pulled away, smiling, and kissed her on the forehead. "You're welcome."
"Are we done now? I'm rather tired after all that."
"I think we can head back now. And like I said earlier, I believe I have some investigating to do."
Jeni blushed.
Some time later, they arrived back at Hogwarts. After stopping by Ravenclaw so that Jeni could leave her cloak and shopping, they made their way to the room they'd been in the night before.
Draco peeked in the door, then softly closed it again. "It appears to be…taken," he said.
Jeni took this to mean Henri and Emily had gotten there first.
"What'll we do now?" she asked.
"Follow me," Draco replied, taking her hand. Jeni did so for several corridors before they stopped, seemingly randomly. He left her by the wall, then started to walk back and forth, as though pacing.
"Draco?" Jeni said, confused. A second later, a door appeared in the wall. Draco opened it.
"After you," he said, ushering her into the room. Jeni entered to find one very similar to the one they'd left Henri in. There was a big fire and a large comfortable couch. Draco took off his cloak and hung it near the door, whilst Jeni kicked off her shoes and followed, snuggling into his side when he sat down on the sofa. He put his arm around her, stroking her hair. Jeni sighed happily, letting her eyes fall shut. If only she could stay like this forever, she thought.
"I can't wait to see you in those dresses," Draco murmured.
"Really?" she replied amusedly, looking up into his eyes.
Draco chose not to answer, instead pulling her onto his lap and kissing her gently. One of his hands began stroking the suede on her hip and thigh, the other slipping up her vest to feel the silky touch of her satin blouse across her back. Ah, yes, thought Jeni, slightly incoherently as her stomach fluttered. The investigating.
Some time later, Jeni was still on Draco's lap, nearly asleep in his arms. After all, it had been a very tiring day. All she was really aware of was his warmth, and the lingering scent of cinnamon. Jeni sighed contently, and heard Draco chuckle quietly.
She looked up, suddenly wide awake. "What?" she demanded.
He laughed again. "Just marvelling at how right I was, kitten."
Jeni tilted her head.
"Curled up on my lap like this, going from asleep to alert in seconds. Sometimes I amaze even myself at my brilliance."
Jeni decided he wasn't serious and put her head back down on his shoulder. His arms wrapped tightly around her.
"So tomorrow, Henri and I can start your training."
Jeni's eyes shot open again. "What?" she asked a second time.
"Like I said, today was a practise. But now Henri and I need to teach you properly, so that you don't have to just take the easy way out and not speak for a week."
"Ah." Jeni felt slightly dazed by this sudden revelation.
"Since tomorrow's Sunday, we'll have time. Weekdays will be a bit more difficult, but I'm sure we can work something out around all of that."
"Right," Jeni said. This cannot be happening, she thought to herself. It just can't. "And I suppose now that you've bought all those things today, I can't just say that it'd be easier if I didn't do all this." It was more of a statement than a question.
"Exactly," replied Draco with a smirk.
Jeni sighed again, although without any trace of the contentedness of before. "This is going to be hard isn't it?" she asked flatly.
"Maybe," Draco answered, "but you never know, you might enjoy it."
Jeni muttered something that could have been 'yeah, right'.
And so the next day came, like next days are wont to do, and Jeni found herself in the room of requirement again - although this time it resembled a large hall - with Henri and Draco, and a book on her head.
"Remind me what the point of this is again?" she asked grumpily.
Henri sighed. "It helps you to walk straight. And you've been trying to do this for half an hour. Are you sure it's not getting any easier?"
"Yeah," added Draco, "we need to get on to the dancing with a book on your head."
"What?" Jeni cried, causing the book to hit the floor once more.
Both boys chuckled. "He's just kidding," Henri said.
Jeni ignored them. "The thing is," she said, "you told me to walk on the line. But I can't see the line without looking down, and if I look down, the book falls off."
"Why didn't you say so?" Draco said exasperatedly. He pointed his wand at the far wall and a red dot appeared. "Look at that instead."
Jeni did so, and managed to walk a whole four metres before she had to grab the book as it slid off.
There was a small round of applause from behind her. Jeni fumed silently, replacing the book, and continuing towards the dot.
She finally made it, twenty metres and three book-saves later.
"Well done," Henri said. "Now turn around and walk back."
Jeni did turn around, but then sent the two of them a look which read, 'you'd better be kidding this time too.'
Apparently they weren't.
She managed to get all the way back with only two rescues; however, it seemed there was something even more difficult to come.
"You need to learn to dance," Draco stated, leaning against a convenient table.
Jeni stared. She'd always wanted to learn to dance, but…
"It's not as hard as you think really," Draco added. "Just a waltz, and maybe foxtrot too. What do you think Henri?"
"Yeah, that should do," he replied casually. "Oh, wait…"
"What?" Jeni asked concernedly.
"Ah," Draco said. "That."
"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" Jeni pleaded.
They looked at each other, then at her.
"This is just getting scarier, you know," she said.
"We have to do a performance dance," Draco finally told her, after a long pause.
"Per…perform?" Jeni stuttered. "As in, in front of people?"
"Well, since it's my seventeenth birthday, it's kind of like a social introduction, birthday party and resurrection all in one."
Jeni still looked blank.
"So, going back again to our favourite word, tradition, it's traditional for us to perform a dance. Which I can choose, but, once more, it's traditionally tango, of all things. Sounds silly, I know, but I think they thought that it expressed the general tone of the family well. You know, disdain for all living things."
"I need to sit down," Jeni muttered. A chair conveniently appeared behind her and she dropped onto it. "I can't do this!"
Draco bent down to her level, nudging her chin up with a finger. "You can do it," he said, "and you will. After all," he joked, taping her gently on the nose, "you don't want to make my father mad, do you?"
Jeni almost turned white at this, joking or not.
"So how about we start with the waltz, since that's the easiest."
Jeni sighed, and let Draco lead her to the centre of the room. "Don't you dare laugh, Henri," she said over her shoulder.
"Wouldn't dream of it," Henri replied with a slight smirk.
Draco placed Jeni's left hand on his right shoulder, his right hand in the centre of her back, and took her right hand in his left.
"Now," he began, "you're going to step back on your right foot, and then side left, together." Draco continued to call the steps and lead Jeni through a very basic waltz pattern.
"That should do for now," he said a minute later. "Do you think you can remember any of it?"
"Hum." Jeni blinked.
"Let's go again then," Draco said patiently. He knew waltz was a little hard to pick up at first, but once you've done it enough, it becomes automatic.
They went through it a few more times, adding music as well which the room kindly provided. When they finally stopped, Jeni flopped back in the chair again. They'd been there most of the day, and she was exhausted.
"Is this what finishing schools are like then?" she asked.
"Somewhat, I suppose," Henri answered. "But we're not teaching you embroidery or any of that useless stuff."
"I like embroidery," Jeni muttered.
"Nothing wrong with it, I'm sure," Henri replied, "but it's not very useful, is it?"
"So all the women at this ball aren't going to sit around and embroider and chat in their free time?"
Draco laughed. "Not that I know of. Although, come to think of it, I don't really know what they do."
"You mean I'm not going to be with you guys?" Jeni asked anxiously.
"Um…" Henri and Draco looked at each other.
"Draco! Henri! You can't leave me alone with a bunch of death eaters' wives!"
"There'll be other girls your age there," Henri said defensively.
"Oh really? I'm guessing you mean girls like Pansy or Millicent or Emily, huh? Yeah, I'm really going to be safe with them."
"Well…"
"Guys! You said if I went, then I'd be safe! So that means one of you has to be with me any time!"
Draco sighed. "She's right you know," he told Henri.
"I know. And it's probably going to be me, isn't it? You have all sorts of other things you have to do that I don't think we want to know about."
Draco looked away. "There's nothing I can do about that."
"Draco, you're not really going to become one of them, are you?" Jeni asked, standing and walking over to put her arms around his waist. "Draco, you can't!"
He continued to look away.
"Draco, please," Jeni pleaded, feeling close to tears. "I know I didn't say anything before now, but I didn't think then that you would actually go through with it! Surely Dumbledore can do something!"
He remained silent, but wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her head to his chest. She held him tightly.
"Draco…" she murmured.
He rested his chin on her head. Henri sensed this was a good time for him to leave.
As the door shut quietly behind him, Draco spoke: "I've already talked to Dumbledore about this," he said, "and he's agreed that it's for the best." Jeni looked up and opened her mouth to speak but Draco cut her off. "I can't risk my father disowning me. And this way, I can work for this side."
"Draco, I don't want you getting hurt! It'd be easier if you just-"
"There's nothing else I can do. I can't just walk away from this whole thing, not when my father's in the middle of it. I have a responsibility to…deal with him."
"You're not an auror! It's too dangerous! Draco, I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you!"
"Kitten, I have to do something! Surely you understand?" Draco lowered his voice. "I don't think I could bear it if something happened to you. So I'm not going to let it. Jeni, I" – he cupped her face – "I think I'm in love with you."
Jeni started, stepping back quickly, as though she'd gotten a slight electric shock.
"Draco, I…" Jeni said, her breathing suddenly heavier. "I…have to go now," she finished weakly, turning and running out the door.
Draco swore, walking over to the wall and punching it as hard as he could. The room saved him from serious damage by placing a mattress there just in time. Draco growled in frustration, then leant against the wall and slid down to the floor, resting his head on his arms on his knees.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid," he muttered to himself. "Just had to go and tell her right when she's found out you're actually going to be a death eater, didn't you?"
Draco didn't know what to do. It was clear to him now that he shouldn't have told her, not now, not like this, but obviously this was something he only knew in hindsight. And now he'd gone and scared her off. Hopefully she'd come round, he prayed she would, hopefully she just needed a little time to come to terms with everything – after all, a lot had happened in the last three days. There was still more they had to get through, but there was plenty of time really.
Draco just hoped he hadn't ruined everything.
Jeni stood outside the door to the room where they'd been meeting. She knew Henri had come here, at least she hoped he had, because she really needed to talk to him.
Henri looked up when Jeni opened the door, and, seeing her tear stained face, he went over and pulled her inside, closing the door and sitting her down near the fire. Then he sat down himself next to her and waited.
"Oh Henri!" Jeni cried, hiccupping as the tears started flowing again. "I don't know what I've done! I shouldn't have left!"
Henri remained silent. He knew Jeni would explain in her own time.
"I mean," she went on, "all I did was say that I didn't know what I'd do if something happened to him and then he goes and tells me he has to become a death eater because he's in love with me!"
Henri frowned. "Are you sure that's exactly what he said?"
"Well, not exactly, but that's what it seemed like. That is, he said he has to become a death eater because he has no other choice, and something about Dumbledore, and working for this side…and being responsible for his father and not letting anything happen to me…Henri, I just don't know what to do! I should've stayed there, but what was I suppose to do? He just went and sprang all that on me like that, and it was the last thing I expected."
Henri sighed. Draco may go on about controlling what one said and all that, but when it came to things between him and Jeni, he seemed to lose all tact – the whole episode about Jeni's mother and now this…but still. At least now Jeni couldn't have any doubt as to whether Draco was concerned for her safety.
"Jeni, you don't have to be so upset. Draco's probably feeling like a right ass himself right now. I bet he hasn't left the room yet, either. You could go back."
"I could? Well, I…perhaps I should."
Henri smiled. "You'll feel better if you get all this resolved now."
"Yes…I suppose you're right…" Jeni stood and made her way over to the door, slightly unsteady on her feet.
Standing outside the room of requirement, Jeni took a deep breath. She had to try to not look so upset. She rubbed her cheeks, closed her eyes and opened the door. But as soon as she saw Draco sitting curled up against the wall, any inner resolve she'd managed to garner completely broke down. She ran across the room and threw herself down beside him.
"Draco?" she cried. "Draco? Are you okay? I'm sorry! I shouldn't have left like that! It's just that I didn't expect what you said, and the thing is, I think I'm…"
Draco looked up, his eyes searching.
"It's just that, I think I'm in lo-" Draco cut her off by placing a finger on her lips.
"Shhh," he whispered. "You don't have to say it."
Jeni remained silent, but her eyes said it all. Draco sighed. This just made things more difficult. He reached out, shifting around and tugging her into his lap, content just to hold her for a while.
She'd come back.
"Sunday was certainly interesting," Henri commented to Draco a few days later as they were waiting for Jeni for another 'class'.
"I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't sent her back," Draco replied gratefully. "I don't even know what made me say it in the first place. I mean, gods Henri, you know me – it's not something I do, bursting out with things like that. But with her…it's like everything I've ever learnt is gone; like I can't control anything any more." He sighed. Just at that moment, before either of them could say anything, the door opened any Jeni entered.
She frowned. "Why do I get the feeling you were talking about me?"
"No idea," Draco replied quickly, moving over to her. They were soon going through the waltz again.
It was Henri's turn to sigh. It was clear to him already that there would still be more that they had to go through before they'd be able to just have a normal relationship. Already in three days Jeni had had to go through coming to terms with surrounding herself with the 'enemy', having ridiculous quantities of clothing, and Draco's plans for becoming 'one of them' whilst still fighting for the right side, plus…Draco's little confession. He wondered whether Scarlet knew what she'd done, making Draco promise her that last holidays. Mind you, knowing her, she probably did. In fact, this whole thing had most likely been her little plan. He just hoped she was prepared to deal with the consequences of her actions.
As the few remaining weeks before the holidays unfolded, the lessons continued, and Jeni learnt the rest of the dances, as well as how to sit, walk, and ride in a skirt (the room had kindly provided them with some horses and a large field), and also how to eat – Jeni didn't think she'd ever seen so many different types of cutlery, although Henri assured her that they never used them all at once.
And so it happened that Jeni felt like someone had pressed a fast-forward button on her life. The start of December had passed her by in a flash, and she now found herself standing in the Entrance Hall, on the morning of the day they were to leave for Henri's house – a few days after the start of the holidays. She only had a small bag of personal things, since Draco had had all the clothes he'd bought her sent ahead, and Windcharm in her cage. After a few minutes she spotted Henri and Draco emerging from the entrance to the dungeons. Draco had something hidden behind his back.
Jeni frowned. Draco smiled. This only caused her to become more disconcerted. "Draco, what is that behind your…" Jeni trailed off when Draco revealed a huge bunch of bird-of-paradise flowers. "I…that…but…" she stuttered. Draco was only just able to move the flowers out of the way in time before Jeni threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "How did you know what my favourite flower was?"
Draco laughed. "Boyfriends are paid to know these things," he replied.
Jeni laughed herself. "Well I guess that explains it," she joked. "So how are we getting to Henri's place?"
"By floo," Henri replied, "from Snape's office."
"Do we…do we have to?" Jeni asked, her good mood instantly quashed. She'd always been a little afraid of Snape, but really, who wasn't? Oh, right, she thought, the two boys standing in front of her weren't.
"Is something wrong?" Draco asked, concerned.
"No, no," Jeni reassured him. "At least…well, Snape's just…"
"Just what?" Henri prompted.
"Just…a bit scary."
"Ah," they both said at once. "Well," Draco continued, "you'll just have to get used to him, because Snape's going to be at the ball. In fact, he'll be there the whole week, just like everyone else."
Jeni opened her mouth, and then closed it again.
"Don't worry," Henri told her, "you'll live."
"Oh, really," Jeni muttered. Draco picked up her bag, and, Jeni carrying her cage, they set off back down the dungeon corridor, arriving at Snape's office a few minutes later.
He was standing waiting for them. Jeni was amazed at how the man's robes billowed gently even with a clear lack of wind. She found it rather spooky. Couldn't the man just be normal? Cut his hair? Wear a colour other than black?
Apparently not.
Jeni sighed, and then decided that now was as good a time as any to begin acting as she had been instructed. She straightened her back and removed all emotion from her face – well, at least as best she could.
Draco and Snape spoke briefly, in such hushed tones that Jeni couldn't hear a word that was said, and then she was watching Henri sprinkle floo powder into the fire, and stepping into it, her arm linked with his as he spoke their destination…
"Henri!" Jeni heard a woman cry as they stepped out of the fire at Henri's house. "Ah! Vous êtes arrivés enfin," she continued in French.
"Oui, maman," Henri replied, sounding annoyed. "Je t'ai dit que rien…"
"Je sais que tu le dis toujours, mais on ne sait jamais, mon petit chou!"
Draco laughed. Jeni jumped as she realised he was standing right behind her. "She just called him her little cabbage," he whispered in her ear.
Jeni giggled. "That's an endearment in French?" she asked.
"Yep," Draco said. "Odd language, huh?"
"Yeah, I gue- wait! You speak French?" Jeni demanded.
"Um…yeah," Draco said, then sighed. "Father thinks it's suitable, or whatever."
"Ah…" Jeni replied. She sighed internally. How jealous she was! But there was no time to feel miserable, as Henri had turned back to them and was making introductions.
"Mum, this is Draco and Jeni," he said. "Draco, Jeni, this is my mother."
"Nice to meet you, Mrs Cheng," Jeni said, holding out her hand to shake hands with Henri's mother. The woman laughed, then took it.
"Nice to meet you too," she replied, "and you may call me Sylvie. Now, you three probably want to go up to Henri's rooms to get ready, yes?"
"Yes, mum," Henri said tiredly. "Come on guys."
They left the room, and once they'd walked down enough corridors and up and down enough stairs to get Jeni thoroughly lost, they arrived at a door.
"Go on," Henri said to Jeni. "I just want to talk to Draco for a minute."
"Oh…" Jeni replied. "Alright." She opened the door and disappeared inside.
When the door was shut again, Henri slumped against it. "I can't believe we forgot to teach her how to be introduced," he groaned.
"Well, we'll just have to go in there and do it right now," Draco said, matter-of-factly.
"At least my mum just thinks she's cute," Henri continued. "Mind you, she's pretty hard to offend. My hope is she just thinks Jeni is…countryish. Which I suppose in a way she's meant to be…"
"Look, it doesn't matter," Draco told him. "We can teach her now."
Henri sighed. "Yes, alright."
Meanwhile, Jeni was in awe. There wasn't really any other word for it. She'd walked into a rather large common room – there was a big fire and some large couches. Everything was…well, a lot happier looking then she'd been expecting, she had to say; although that must be the influence of Henri's mother. After all, it did all look rather French. There was a lot of green, which was a given, but also cream and brown, and it was all very nice. She put her flowers down on a table and walked over and sat down by the fire, sinking into the fluffy cushions. Then the door opened again.
"Jeni, we…have something else we need to teach you," Henri said.
Jeni instantly felt slightly ill.
"Introductions," Henri continued. "We completely forgot…"
Oh dear, Jeni thought. "I went and made an idiot out of myself, didn't I?"
"Not really," Draco said comfortingly.
"Not really means yes," Jeni replied miserably, curling up into a ball on the couch.
Henri looked pointedly at Draco, as if to say 'you've done it now'. He went over and sat next Jeni. "It doesn't matter at all," he told her gently, "since it was my mum. It just…let us know that there was something we'd missed. Which in a way makes it a good thing, doesn't it?"
"I suppose," Jeni mumbled.
"So up you hop," Henri said brightly. "We'll teach you now." He stood, and Jeni soon followed, looking slightly happier.
"Now," Henri said, not giving Draco a chance to say anything even stupider, "there's a difference between men and women, and between social and business situations, and between social levels."
"Wonderful."
"Yes, isn't it?" Henri chose to ignore Jeni's sarcasm. "Not that you have to worry about that really, but it makes a nice introduction. What you did before would normally occur strictly in business situations only. All we really need to teach you is how to be introduced to men and women. So let's pretend Draco's his father," – Jeni gulped – "and that you're being introduced to him. Because he's of higher social standing, he gets to know who you are first."
"Of course," Jeni muttered.
"Lord Malfoy," Henri began, "this is Miss Jeni Starre. Jeni, this is Lord Malfoy."
Draco held out his hand, palm up.
Jeni turned to Henri for direction. "I thought we weren't supposed to shake hands."
"You don't," Henri replied. "You rest your fingers gently on his."
"Okay," Jeni said, lifting her right hand.
"And then you curtsy," Henri continued, "and he bows."
"I curtsy how exactly?"
Henri sighed. "Move over and we'll demonstrate then. That might make it a little easier."
Jeni moved obligingly, and Henri stepped into her place, resting his fingers on Draco's and curtsying surprisingly gracefully, lowering his head at the same time. Draco bowed at the same time, and kissed Henri's fingers. Jeni couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"That's got to be one of the funniest things I've ever seen!" Jeni managed to say, in between giggles.
"Yes, well," Draco said, trying to maintain his dignity, "I'm not going to do it again."
"Me neither," Henri added. "So do try to get it right."
Jeni took a deep breath, finally managing to control herself. She rested her hand on Draco's, and curtsied with as much grace as she could muster, feeling Draco's lips brush her fingers. She looked up, at the same time as he did, and their eyes met.
Jeni smiled shyly.
Draco smirked.
Jeni giggled.
"What?" Draco demanded.
"You look just like I imagine your father would," she explained.
"I do not!"
"Do too," she replied cheekily, smirking herself.
"Guys, please!" Henri said, trying to separate them. "Now, Jeni, your clothes that Draco sent here are just over there, so…"
"So you can leave now, Henri, and let her change," Draco interrupted.
"Oh, and you're not going to?"
"Well, I don't think that's entirely necess-"
"Both of you, out!" Jeni cried over their bickering.
The two boys fell silent. Henri sighed. "Come on, Draco," he said, leading him off into a different room. "The boxes are over there, Jeni." He pointed.
"Thanks, Henri," Jeni said, feeling relieved but not exactly sure why.
She went over to where the various packages were stacked neatly against the wall and sorted through them. She was surprised for a second to find a pair of shoes in amongst it all, but then, she supposed, it was to be expected, wasn't it? Draco wouldn't have bought her underwear and not shoes, after all.
Once she'd changed, Jeni had a look around some of the rooms attached to the one she'd first entered. After a moment, she was able to find one with a mirror, and was thus able to adjust her clothes and fix up her hair, as well as performing a few simple make-up charms.
When she returned to the main room, the boys were back.
"We figured you'd be done by now," Draco said.
"No," Henri corrected, "you thought she'd be done. You wouldn't believe how desperate he was to get back in here," Henri said to Jeni, "probably just wanted to try and catch you when you weren't decent."
Jeni blushed.
"I did not!" Draco retorted. "I just don't see how someone can take that long to get changed!"
"Haven't you ever heard of taking your time?" Henri replied.
"Enough!" Jeni cried. "Jeez, you guys have got to stop fighting about such stupid things." She flopped into the soft cushions of a couch.
"Jeni!" Draco scolded. "Didn't we teach you how to sit properly?"
Jeni groaned. "But it's just you two here!" she complained.
"So?" Draco said, raising an eyebrow and glaring at her slightly until she sat up properly. "That's better."
Jeni sighed. "When are we leaving then?" she asked. "We won't be going that late will we?"
"No," Henri answered. "But we'll be having lunch with my mum before we leave. And I think Snape's going to be joining us."
"What?" Jeni promptly lost all control of her posture.
"Jeni," Draco warned.
She sighed, but sat up straight. "What was that, Henri?"
Henri laughed. "You know very well what I said."
"Yes, that's true," Jeni continued airily. "Lunch with Snape – how delightful!"
"You've done it now," Henri muttered to Draco.
"Let me see," Jeni was saying. "It's about two o'clock now, so surely lunch will be soon."
"You're right. We should be going," Henri said, walking over and opening the door. Jeni and Draco followed. "After you," he said, ushering them through.
Lunch proved to be an enlightening experience. The five of them were grouped together up one end of a very, very long table, which struck Jeni as rather pointless. Still, she was further distracted by having been seated next to Snape, hardly the most desirable thing.
"Miss Starre," Snape said.
Oh my God! Jeni thought. He's talking to me!
"How are you enjoying your holidays so far?" he continued.
This, Jeni decided, was to be the ultimate test of her abilities. At least, it would be until she had to talk to Draco's father. "Very much, thankyou Professor," she replied, as brightly as she dared. Maybe Draco was making Snape test her. "Henri's house is just so beautiful, isn't it?" she added, as an attempt at conversation.
"Yes, indeed," the man replied. "In fact, I believe his mother did it all herself. Isn't that right, Sylvie?"
Sylvie looked up. "Yes," she answered. "I'm glad it pleases you."
Jeni breathed a temporary sigh of relief as Snape continued talking to Sylvie. Well, she thought, that hadn't been entirely disastrous. Although it now seemed that the adults were talking about antiques. How boring – sure they were pretty, but beyond that, she wasn't really fussed about age or origin, or whatever. Noticing that she had become a gooseberry, Jeni felt free to turn her entire attention to her meal. She had a feeling that she would feel alone rather a lot over the next week, as this was a world she clearly did not fit into. Not that she'd every fit in anywhere, it seemed. Char had been all she'd had, and now she was in France. It occurred to her briefly that maybe Sylvie knew Char's dad, but she was too scared to ask, and what did it matter anyway?
Come to think of it, what did any of it matter?
Jeni looked glumly at her plate. Maybe it was just that time, but she felt thoroughly depressed and it had to be due at least in part to where she was, and this whole stupid situation. Why had she come? Oh, that's right – to dig up old pain about her mother. Sure, the woman had been gone before she'd known it, and everyone always said you can't really lose what you never had, but…well, it shouldn't have been this way, should it? Children were supposed to have mothers, and then said children should not be going to where all the evil things that killed their mother-that-should-have-been-there were.
Jeni was far past confusing herself and finally decided that such thoughts were for the kind of nights where no one finds you crying, rather than at lunch. With other people.
Oh, right, Jeni realised. There were other people there, who, had they been paying any attention to her whatsoever, would probably have noticed her looking very out of it.
She glanced around the table, and discovered that there didn't seem to be any immediate risk of that. Jeni decided she should still look interested in something, whether she was being ignored or not.
Mind you, what she could look interested in was limited. It extended to the aforementioned antiques conversation, and some secret discussion that Draco and Henri were having very quietly.
Thankfully lunch did not last long, and they were excused from the table. Jeni trailed along after the boys on their way back to Henri's rooms. They didn't seem to notice her at all.
Well, it's just like it always had been before, Jeni reasoned.
But as soon as they were inside Henri's common room, both boys turned to Jeni excitedly.
"You explain it," Henri said. "It was your idea."
"Oh, alright," Draco said. "So! We have come up with this," he said, proudly holding up a thin gold necklace with a tiny charm of an entwined snake and raven. They both looked at Jeni expectantly.
"Um…" Jeni said. "That's really pretty guys."
"She doesn't get it," Henri said, mystified. "Oh, yeah," he added sharply. "That might just be because you didn't explain."
"I was getting there," Draco said defensively.
Henri muttered something about how they would be here for a year.
Draco sighed as though Henri was just being immature, which he most likely was.
"As I was about to say," he continued, "this necklace is charmed with basic protection spells, so that you'll be safe from surprise attacks and 'stupefy', things like that, and so that also, should you be in danger and neither of us are there, we'll know and we can come and, well, rescue you, so to speak."
"Aww," Jeni said. "That's so sweet of you both." She instantly felt better from her mood of before, and was nearly bouncing where she stood.
"There's one more thing," Draco said. He undid the clasp and reached around the back of Jeni's neck, fastening it again. Jeni looked down…and couldn't see it.
"Where did it go?" she asked, reaching up, only to discover she could feel it.
"That's just it," Draco said. "It's invisible when you're wearing it. But it's still there. Pretty amazing, huh?" he asked, slipping back into his old over-confident mode.
Jeni laughed. "Definitely."
"Feel safer now?" Henri asked. "You spent most of lunch looking pretty gloomy."
So they had noticed! "Oh, well, you know," she said. "Just talking myself under a cloud I guess."
"We understand," Draco said. "Still, you've no reason to be anything other than happy for the rest of the week."
"Oh really?"
"Of course," Henri said quickly. "But…well, it's a surprise."
"Ah-huh," Jeni said sceptically. "And that means you won't tell me."
"Precisely."
"Still, I must be going to find out soon, right?"
Henri and Draco looked at each other.
"Soon enough," Draco eventually replied.
Something gave Jeni the feeling this wouldn't be an entirely happy surprise, although she couldn't imagine what it was.
"Anyway," Henri said – Jeni could tell he was trying to change the topic. "We're leaving very soon, so are both of you ready?"
"I think so," Jeni said. "We don't have to do anything before we go do we?"
"I don't think so," Henri replied. "Looks like we're off then."
Jeni clapped her hands excitedly.
Henri and Draco stared at her.
"Enough of that now, alright?" Draco told her. "Formal mode now."
Jeni sighed. "Yes Draco," she said with a scowl as she picked up her flowers.
He just laughed. "Come on," he said, taking her hand and leading her out the door after Henri.
They went back to the room they had arrived in, which Jeni decided must be the floo room. Sylvie and Snape were both there already.
"We will join you later today," Sylvie said. "We both have some business to finish before we leave." She moved forward, and kissed each of them on both cheeks.
Jeni was glad that Snape settled for shaking hands with both boys and nodding to her. She returned this with a smile as best she could.
"Right," Draco said. "We're all going to go together so no one gets lost. Which you would without me, since you're not linked to the house."
Jeni was confused, but held onto Draco's hand tightly all the same. Henri threw a large handful of powder into the fire, and as the flames turned green, Draco took hold of Henri's arm and they stepped into the fire, as Draco spoke the word: "Home."
As they started spinning, Jeni clung to Draco's arm as tightly as she could, her eyes squeezed shut.
After what seemed like an eternity, they landed abruptly in a rather large, but bare, room which simply contained several other fireplaces.
"Quick," Draco said, "tidy yourselves up. Father will be here soon."
Jeni looked around and saw a mirror on a nearby wall. She brushed the bits of soot off of her clothes and straightened her hair. She'd just walked back over to Draco when the door opened.
And so it ends. But I have to say, I'm amazingly proud of myself, because I have achieved my goal of fast-forwarding (sort of) all the way to Draco's house, and I have also written my longest chapter ever, about 11 800 words. XD So proud. Normally, this would be at least four chapters worth of story, but for once, I'd like to have a tiny little scroll bar on the side…so, yeah.
Now, to the translations (I shall simply copy the necessary section, then write it all in English.):
"Henri!" Jeni heard a woman cry as they stepped out of the fire at Henri's house. "Ah! You have finally arrived," she continued in French.
"Yes, mum," Henri replied, sounding annoyed. "I told you that nothing…"
"I know that you always say that, but one never knows, my little cabbage!"
And now the explanations:
"Little cabbage" is just "darling", really. Ah, how I love French.
Sylvie says at lunch "I'm glad it pleases you," which works a lot better in French, and what we'd say is, 'I'm glad you like it'.
Jeni says shortly after that she's become a gooseberry, something which I picked up from the GAT last year…which means that the people sitting on either side of you are talking to the people on the other side of them, and you have no one to talk to.
Finally, I don't know if this needs to be said, but in France, people do kiss cheeks a lot, and in my opinion it wastes a lot of time. But still…when I was there, a lot of the time they'd ask first…I guess they don't want to freak out the foreigners. Still, whilst it is time consuming, I'm not about to complain…considering how many cute cousins my host sister has. :D
So hopefully this is enough to tide you over until the next installment, which perhaps I shall try to get done for the end of next term, but it all depends on how busy I am.
Love and hugs (but not to any evil people who flame me), JDG.