A/N: Yes, I'm back with another chapter. Though I probably would've stayed away if a certain "friend" hadn't threatened me first…
Trinity: Hoshi shut the hell up and move those fingers! TYPE ALREADY!!!
Serenity: You're such a slave driver, ya know that?
Trinity: No; I rule a shadow planet & the dark side of the Moon. Get ova it. You're stuck with me until your dying day.
Serenity: sigh This is what happens when you have a yami. Oh, well. Y'all know the drill, me no own, you no sue. LEAVE A REVIEW AT THE END!!! Yah, and uh, VOTES ARE BEING ACCEPTED FOR LEMONS NOW!! So, on with the fic!!!
The Other Half
Will You…?
As Artimis and Draco headed back into the common room, a few of the other Slytherins noticed that she was fuming and he was smirking. Artimis just headed over to an empty corner of the common room and sat down in a chair near the fireplace. Draco had paused to speak to Crabbe and Goyle, then looked to see where she had gotten. When he saw her sitting on the other side of the room, he headed over and sat opposite of her.
When he sat down, Draco noticed that Artimis' eyes were closed as she leaned back in the dark green armchair. He didn't know why, but he began to study the young lady. How her brown locks cascaded just past her shoulders; the way her chest rose and fell with every breath; even how the firelight made her seem to glow a little.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Draco jumped when he heard Artimis' agitated mumble. He glanced back up at her face, but her eyes were still closed. He smirked. "Oh, nothing really. Just admiring how beautiful you look in the firelight." Her eyes slowly opened, and his smirk grew wider as he saw her bite her lower lip.
"Malfoy," she said in a calm tone while looking at the fire, "Don't push your luck with me. You already have my gratitude for saving my ass with McGonagall back there, so what could you possibly want now?" Her tone was slightly sad, which shocked Draco a bit. "Crawford, what is wrong with you? You don't seem to be your usual bad ass self today."
"Look, Malfoy, it's nothing for you to be concerned about. Why don't you go off and get Parkinson to give you a nice blowjob, hmm? Maybe that'd get you to take your mind off of my life for a moment." she snapped. Malfoy arched his eyebrows and leaned back a bit at her outburst.
Artimis sighed. "I'm sorry," she said softly, looking back at the fire. "I'm just tired, that's all." Draco's eyes gave her a soft look. "Tired of what, if I my be so bold?" She glanced at him for a moment before looking away again. "I'm tired of caring, tired of worrying; tired of hating, and I'm tired of being alone." She uttered all of this in a sad, quiet breath.
The last thing in her list surprised Draco. 'So, she's tired of being alone? Well then, I think I can help her with that one.' Draco moved from the chair to the harth and looked up at Artimis. "Why are you alone, then?" Her gaze shifted from the flames to his eyes. "Why? Because I have to be for the moment; why the sudden interest in how I feel, Malfoy? What are you up to?"
Draco sighed. "Look, I overheard Dumbledore talking to a few of t he other professors, and they seem to be planning a Halloween Ball this year. I was simply wondering if you would care to accompany me to it. No catch; just that I want you to have a good time." He flashed her one of his oh-so charming wicked smiles, trying to help sway her answer.
Artimis was shocked by what he had just said. She took a few moments, trying to process this. Malfoy? Wanting her to have a good time? She pulled her mind back to the present and looked into his eyes. He seemed to have something planned, but other than that it seemed pretty well intentioned.
She smiled. "Sure, why not. Alright, milord," she said, mockingly bowing her head, "I would be delighted to accompany you to the ball on All Hallows Eve." Draco couldn't help but chuckle at this. "Alright, fair maiden, I shall meet you right here at seven o'clock sharp on that evening." With that, he stood up and placed a gentle kiss on her hand. He walked away smirking, not seeing the light blush that was creeping into her cheeks.
Maggie woke up the next morning, only to find her heart still fluttering from the night before. She slowly brought a hand up to her lips, and smiled. 'I wonder what Harry'll do today after what happened.' Still smiling, she climbed out of bed and got dressed. It was Sunday, so she slipped into a pair of jeans and a blue, long-sleeved shirt.
Maggie brushed her hair, then headed down the stairs to the common room, to find Hermione and Ron talking to Harry. "Morning, you guys!" Maggie smiled to her friends. "Hay, good morning, Mags." Hermione and Ron turned around to see their friend, while Harry glanced up and blushed, muttering a "Morning" under his breath.
Maggie took a deep breath, before sitting down next to Harry and joining in the conversation. About fifteen minutes later, Ron's stomach grumbled. "Oi, let's get something to eat. I'm starved!" 'Mione laughed. "Oh, honestly, Ron! Don't you ever think of anything besides your stomach?"
They all got up and headed down to the Great Hall, when Harry stopped Maggie and pulled her into an empty classroom. "Maggie, I need to talk to you about last night." Harry said while looking down at the floor. "I'm sorry for the way I acted, and-" "Harry, you have nothing to apologize for. Honestly, if we had known each other for a bit more time, I wouldn't have stopped you." She glanced away, a deep blush appearing in her cheeks.
"You mean that? Well then, um, I was wondering if, um…" Maggie rolled her eyes and sighed. "Harry, if you have something to say, then say it! Oh, and I will go out with you." He glanced up at her. "How'd you know what I was gonna ask?" She laughed while leading Harry into the Great Hall. "Easy. I could tell from the direction the conversation was going in." She leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek as they headed over to the Gryffindor table.
Ron's mouth was hanging open when the new couple walked over to the table and sat down. "D-did you just do what I think you just did?" he sputtered out. Maggie laughed. "Well, that depends on what you think I just did, doesn't it?" Harry laughed at this, while putting an arm around her waist. "Well, Ron," Harry continued for her, "if you think that she just kissed me, which would signify that we are a couple, then yes."
Hermione smiled. "Congratulations, then!" They all began talking for a bit, when Harry and Maggie felt a hand on each of their shoulders. "Well, it's about damn time that you two figured this out." "Artimis! God, you scared the shit out of us!"
She just laughed. "Lil' bro, don't give me that. Besides, I'm entitled to! After 16 years of not being able to, I need to make up for it now, right?" They all laughed. Maggie then noticed something about Artimis. Something was missing from her eyes for once; the coldness was gone. "Um, Artimis? Could I speak with you for a moment?" "Sure, Mags. Excuse us for a moment, would you guys?" Maggie placed a quick kiss on Harry's cheek before standing up and leading Artimis right outside the Great Hall.
"So, what's up, girlie?" Artimis leaned against the wall, propping one foot against it while crossing her arms over her chest. "Well," Maggie said, "I noticed when you came into the room that something was missing in your eyes. The coldness that was there for 8 years is gone. What happened?"
Her smile faded a bit, as she turned he gaze downward. "Oh, Mags," she sighed, "You always could tell when something was different about me. Yes, something did happen last night. Once McGonagall took us into her office, Draco was able to come up with an excuse to get us out of some serious trouble."
"So, you're calling him Draco now?" Maggie smirked. "Well, he must be moving up in your book; which means that Ron and Harry are gonna have a field day!" Artimis glared at her. "Shudd up, Mags. Anyhow, it was a really stupid excuse, but she bought it. I was going to make a comment to him about it once we left, but I was staring to get some respect for him at this point. So, on the way back to the common room, I mumbled thanks to him, and he was still being a cocky ass bastard.
Once we were back in the room, I went to sit away from everyone else at one of the fireplaces to think. I closed my eyes then felt someone sit across from me. I knew who it was, but I didn't say anything, hoping that he'd go away. When he didn't, I spoke up. We got into a discussion about me, when I said something to him that only you know."
"About how you feel when the lights go out, right?" Maggie smiled her all-knowing smile that she sometimes gave. "Yah. Well, as soon as I said that, he sat in front of me on the harth, and then told me that Dumbledore was planning a Halloween ball this year, and asked if he could take me to it. It didn't seem like he was up to much, so I accepted. Then, he kissed me on the hand and walked away."
Maggie just sighed. "Aww, it's just so sweet. I mean, you two are defiantly going to have a steamy relationship-" This earned her a smack to the back of the head. "Oww! Artimis, that hurt!" She began rubbing where the lump was forming. "Maggie, just because I have no idea as to why I told him that, doesn't mean that we are going to have a relationship like that!" Artimis hissed through clenched teeth. "I am single, and I enjoy being single. Besides, I doubt that any male would ever think about me in that way; let alone him. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going to get some nourishment into my body."
Both girls headed back into the Great Hall and sat down at their tables. "What was that all about," Harry asked Maggie. "What'd that sister of mine do to you?" "Oh, it's nothing, Harry. Just debating about her so-called 'non-existent' love life." She sighed as she leaned against Harry's shoulder. "I just wish she could see that there are those other than family and friends that care about her."
Later that evening, Maggie was talking to Hermione in the common room while they watched Harry and Ron play Wizards Chess. After Ron had beaten Harry for the 10th time in a row, Hermione dragged him off to help him with the homework that he had so far failed to do. Harry stretched and sat down next to Maggie, placing an arm around her shoulder. "Hay, Mags?" he finally said after a few moments.
"Yah, what's up?"
"Well, you know how Dumbledore made that announcement at dinner about the ball?"
"Yes. To that, and to being your date to the ball."
"How'd you-?"
"That sister of yours always tells me that I seem to be able to sense emotions, and certain thoughts."
"Ooooohhh."
"Yah. Make sense now?"
Harry turned her face towards him a bit more, before placing a kiss on her lips. When he pulled back, he kept his lips close enough to hers so that they still touched a bit. "Yes; it makes perfect sense to me now, love." She smiled, then placed a quick kiss on his lips before leaning against his chest and falling asleep.
Harry was a little shocked by this, but he didn't have the heart to wake her up. So, he pulled the blanket that was on the back of the couch over them and also fell asleep, smiling while thinking of the woman that was there with him.
Artimis was awake late that night, just staring at the Moon. 'God, it's about the middle of October, and already it's starting to happen. Well, I'm glad that Mags and my bro are getting along as well as they are; with any luck, they'll get married when we graduate next year. I just couldn't imagine living without her as a sister to me; she's the only one that's been there for me through it all. Now, I just need to think about what to do with Draco, and everything will be fine. Oh, what am I gonna do about that one?'
'Maybe you should start believing in yourself more for a change; you might find some answers.' A voice in her head interrupted her thoughts. 'What?? Who is this?' 'Oh, honestly, Artimis. Look outside your window.'
The brunette climbed out of her bed and looked outside. Sitting near the lake was a silver dragon. Artimis just shook her head and smiled. 'Sila, you do realize that if anyone caught you here that you could either be killed or sent to live in a colony?'
The dragon's purple eyes stared up at the window, almost smiling. 'They couldn't catch me if they tried, and you know it. Besides, they wouldn't know what to do with an Ice Dragon that also happens to be a telepath.' 'Hmm, good point, but still…'
Sila shook her head. 'But you would prefer if I used a different form than my true one when on school grounds? Don't worry, I understand; and thank you for worrying about my safety. Would an owl be better?' Artimis nodded, and in the next second the dragon was gone, and sitting on the windowsill was a silver owl with deep purple eyes.
'Is this better, then?' Star nodded while opening the window. "Yes. By the way, where's Starlight?' Just then, she saw a blue Water Dragon with yellow eyes rise out of the lake. 'I'm right here, Artimis.' Starlight also disappeared, then appeared as a blue hawk with piercing yellow eyes next to Sila. 'Hay there. Oh, you guys might want to show up tomorrow during breakfast and surprise Maggie; how does that sound?'
Both birds nodded, then took off into flight again. Artimis smiled, then shut the window again. Climbing back into bead she groaned. 'Damnit, I just remembered that I have detention with Draco tomorrow night! Who hates me up there? Honestly, what'd I ever do to you?!' With that thought, she fell into a fitful sleep.
A/N: Yes, I am finally done with the 7th chapter of my demented little fic. Now, if y'all leave nice reviews, then I just might update sooner, got that? yawns Well, I'm tired, so I am going to rest my creative brain for the night, REVIEW PLEASE, MINNA-SAN!!!
Serenity
Goddess of the Moon