Hey everyone! Sorry that I didn't post on Friday. This weekend was my birthday and I was very busy with my friends and family. I hope you all can understand that. Well without further interruption here is the next installment.
Chapter Seven
Ginny's POV:
"Harry!" I cried as I bolted upright from my sleep. I looked around in a panic to see if what I had just witnessed was true but when I looked around I saw no dead bodies with sunken unseeing eyes or blood splattered around me. There were no hexes being thrown or deadly curses being inflicted. I was as safe as I could possibly be in my own little room.
"It was just a nightmare," I told myself as I inhaled a shaky breath to try and calm my nerves but try as I might I could not calm down. These nightmares had plagued my mind ever since my first year, so you would think I would be use to them but they had only gotten worse being so close to Voldemort. They seemed so real. I couldn't help but wonder if they were...
Deciding that I wouldn't be able to fall asleep for a while I scrambled out of my bed and made it to the door to Draco's room. I opened it slightly and peered in. I could just barely make out his silhouette thrown across his bed in a heap of pure exhaustion.
I didn't want to wake him. I prayed that my presence in the room wouldn't stir him from his slumber either. I had learned though that he was a very light sleeper and the tiniest noise, even from my room could wake him. That's why I felt so bad having these night scares. They were keeping us both up at all hours of the night.
As quiet as I possibly could I stepped into the room and made it to the closet. He had told me weeks ago about a secret storage of books he kept under a loose floorboard. From the moment he told me I haven't been able to pry myself from the books. After all it was the only thing I had to occupy my time when he would leave during the day. And even when he returned in the late afternoon I allowed him to sleep since we both knew he wouldn't be able too much during the night.
Slipping into the crammed compartment I knelt to the floor where a single candlestick was kept with a box of matches. It amazed me sometimes just how considerate Draco could be. I smiled to myself and carefully lit the candle then closed the door so the dim light wouldn't reach him.
Once I situated myself I reached for the floorboard and lifted it carefully to reveal a small collection of tomes. There were many spell books however many of the titles I had never heard of. I imagined they were from his parent's own collection and would be placed in the restricted section if they were at Hogwarts. These didn't surprise me in the least. However his large collection of muggle novels did. After all he was so opposed of muggles and anything non-magic.
I muffled my giggles as I traced over the title "Jane Eyre." My Father had bought me a copy for me for my eleventh birthday. Muggle things were not uncommon in my household. We knew we were blood traitors and we were really okay with it. I wondered if Draco knew he was teetering on the line or perhaps he was just being rebellious.
My eyes skimmed past a few more titles. "Quiddich Through the Ages," caught my eye for a moment but I had read it at least a million times. So I kept going down the line until something else caught my fancy. Finally towards the end I saw something that looked like something I would want to read. I pulled it out slowly and read the front. It was a book on the Malfoy line dating back to what looked like the very early B.C.'s.
I had just opened the cover and flipped to the first chapter when the closet door opened. I jumped, startled by his presence. 'I hadn't made a single noise, had I' I thought peering up at his passive features.
"I'm sorry if I woke you," I say politely as I close the book and nestle it between two other tomes knowing that I'll come back to it later in the day. He shakes his head and suppresses a yawn.
"I heard pages being flipped rather noisily." He eyed the book on my lap "I figure you had another bad dream?"
"Yes, but that was nearly half an hour ago." He nods absentmindedly and takes a seat next to me on the floor. I then notice that he's only wearing a pair of flannel pajama bottoms leaving his chest quite bare. I looked over him for a moment then looked to his face. In the candlelight the circles under his eyes look even more defined. "Why don't you go back to sleep, you look dreadful."
"You don't look much better, Weasley," he smirks. I sigh. I'm not going to argue. I know I look wretched. I have been sick non-stop for a little over a month. I keep telling myself that it's just the flu but with each passing day I can feel changes occurring in my body, welcoming this alien existence.
He watches me almost as if he's reading my thoughts just by my facial expression. I close my eyes just to get away from his knowing glance and when I open them I'm having a mug of something hot thrusted into my chilled hands. I smile and look over to him. He nods in understanding and sips at his own cup.
"My mother always use to bring me hot cocoa when I had nightmares as a child," I say gently, nursing the mug against my chest.
"I figured as much." He said then after a few moments a small confession leaked out of his mouth. "When I wanted something a house elf would bring me it." I frowned.
"Your mother never made you hot chocolate?" He chuckled softly.
"Her make hot chocolate? That's a laugh. I don't even know if my mother knows how to boil water."
"Who did you go to when you were scared?" I don't know why I asked this except for the fact I was curious. I had a household of people who would take care of me. It didn't seem right not to have someone hold you when you were frightened and yet I sensed the answer to the question was that he was alone.
He didn't look at me and for a couple minutes I didn't think he was going to answer me then he opened his mouth.
"I didn't go to anyone. I don't get scared." He said this as if it had been drilled into his head.
"Everyone gets scared."
"I don't." He snapped defensively, turning away from me. I paused, examining the structure of his back muscles, his broad shoulders that shook slightly as he breathed, I lost my concentration…
He sighed. "As a young child I thought that I was a freak every time I jumped at the slightest thing." He sighed then continued. "I was scared to death of heights," He mumbled under his breath quietly. So quiet I almost didn't catch it.
"But you were on the Quiddich team." I was astonished by what he was saying, perhaps even more then having him tell me in the first place.
"Yes, well, by the time I was ten I had gotten better at being up in the air as long as I wasn't too terribly far from the ground." He smirked then took another sip of his hot chocolate. "I always hated when Potter went into the clouds. It was if he were taunting me, as if he knew I didn't dare go that high up."
Gently I placed my hand atop his knee. He jumped slightly as my skin came into contact with him. He then just stared at it almost as if he didn't quite understand what was going on. I wasn't quite sure what was happening either. I just had the urge to be close to him. To offer some much needed comfort. It was not the first time I had felt the urge but I had never acted on it, until now.
I was just about to pull my hand away when hesitantly he placed his hand atop mine. His fingers skimmed across the surface of my hand making goose pimples rise across every inch of my body and yet I felt warmer then I had since being here.
The only time I had been so emotionally intimate was with Harry, but somehow this was different. My heart beat faster and my thoughts were more jumbled. I wasn't quite sure what I was feeling. And when I looked at him he looked just as confused.
"What are you doing," I asked cautiously. He shook his head and pulled me inches closer. I could now feel puffs of his hot breath against my cheek. While my fingers played across his taught chest.
"I don't know," he admitted then turned his head slightly and before I could understand what was going on I felt his lips brushing across mine.
My mind screamed at me to pull away and my body tensed up as random memories of the last time he was so close came jumping into my thoughts but I ignored everything and instinctively closed my eyes and let my body just feel.
His lips pressed down firm against my own as he deepened the kiss. Then as fast as it had come he pulled away.
I opened my eyes gradually to look at him. He had his usual mask of control and serenity on. I didn't expect much else and yet I did. His kiss after all was so unguarded. It gave me a taste of the real Draco Malfoy. It scared me that I knew the real him. No longer could I blame certain things on him now knowing his silent confession of innocence. He had just shown me his human side and I wasn't sure if I should feel privileged that I had been one of the few to ever see it or to fear that I knew too much.
"I should get to bed," he said breaking the labored silence that had filled the tiny enclosure.
"Right." I cleared my throat. "I'm just going to stay here, I think." He nodded then stood. He turned to me once then quickly turned and walked to his bed. I watched him crawl under his covers then I turned back to my thoughts. I didn't know what exactly had just happened and I didn't know why it happened but whatever it was it left me in a sundry state of mind.
I sat listening to the sound of my breathing and the tiny snores he emitted late into the night. A few times my eyes would droop and I would start to drift off to sleep when something unknown would cause me to stir. One time I awoke with a start only to find that the candle had went out and I was left in complete darkness.
Squinting through the inky blackness of the closet I found the doorknob. I no longer felt so secure and safe in this tiny area. I was actually feeling fairly claustrophobic which was odd because I had spent a lot of time over the last couple of weeks in this closet trying to stay out of Draco's hair while I read.
Turning the handle slowly, trying my best not to make a single sound, I opened the door and tiptoed out. Just as I closed the door Draco stirred and groaned softly. I cringed and held my breath while praying that he didn't wake. I already felt bad enough about waking him once.
Standing as still as I could for a few moments I waited till I could hear his soft snores again. As I stood there I decided there was no use going back to my own room. Already I was feeling slightly nauseous and I knew it was only a matter of time before I would have to use the bathroom. 'Which means I will wake him soon anyways.' I huffed and made my way to the couch and lay down when I heard a small mew coming from the bed.
Not knowing what exactly I was doing I walked over to the bedside. Perhaps I was just slightly curious but then caught myself mid stride. 'What am I doing?' I thought frantically. I turned on my heal and went back to my own room not caring if I woke him up or not.
He was not someone I was supposed to worry about. Harry was someone I was supposed to worry about. Harry was the one worrying about me. He was my only chance to get home. All of this had been forgotten in one stupid kiss but I wasn't going to let that happen again.
Curling up in my bed with my dingy sheet I snuggled into what ever warmth I could find and pushed all thoughts of Draco far from my mind and thought about vibrant green eyes until I could picture Harry clearly in my mind holding me against his chest and breathing words of comfort and love in my ear until I fell into a wonderfully deep sleep.
Draco's POV:
The next few weeks went by with me once again paying no heed to Ginny and with her doing the same. I mostly kept to myself during the days, finishing homework for the new school year. Yes, I had found out that I would be able to return back to Hogwarts even though I was considered a common criminal.
It turns out that the Dark Lord had in fact been very busy this summer. He had taken over the Ministry of Magic as well as Hogwarts all in the same month. I had to admit I was just a bit impressed. Not too impressed though because even after their last attack of the-boy-who-lived the boy still lived.
I couldn't help but wonder how this year would turn out and how exactly the Dark Lord was controlling Hogwarts but I didn't think much of it. I quite honestly could care less as long as I got to go back. I had also been assured that I would be treated no differently then I had always been. I was a bit suspicious about this part but I pushed all my worries from my thoughts and just thought about being back with people and away from the Dark Lord.
I lay peacefully atop my bed in the middle of the afternoon casually leaning against my headboard while thinking about the last couple weeks as well as the weeks to come. I allowed my eyes to close for a few minutes. I dared myself to fall asleep and I had almost evened my breathing out when a thump on my windowsill could be heard.
Groaning and rolling my eyes in irritation at once again being woken up, I flung myself off from the bed to the window. Perched patiently sat an ink black eagle owl much like my fathers. It looked at me with arrogant haughty beady eyes as I opened the window and stuck its leg out at me while eyeing my hand as it came closer to it's leg.
"If you bite me…" I threatened eyeing its sharp beak. It hooted sharply at me in warning that I had had better hurry up and take the note or it really would inflict some damage. "Bloody bird," I muttered under my breath as I untied the parchment from his leg and offered it a bit of bacon. It took the offered food then went back to eyeing me as I read the note.
Hogwarts Schoolof Witchcraft and Wizardry
Course BooksAll students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 7)
by Miranda Goshawk
The Goblin Wars
by Lucinda Gryff
Transfiguration (Grade 7)
by Emeric Switch
One Thousand and Two Deadly Vines and Weeds
by Gwindila Ivy
Expert Potion Making
by Ophelia Witcham
I glanced over the list then flipped to the next page where a note was attached.
Draco,
I would first like to apologize for not being allowed to tell you what I'm about to tell you sooner. However you have been highly busy this summer. I will say this once, and once only. I am proud of how hard you have worked over the past months; I never doubted your determination, even last year. You put your whole heart into your work and always have.
This year, as I am sure your father has told you, you will be treated no different then you have always been treated. I even imagine that you will perhaps be treated better, seeing as how no student knows what happened up in the Astronomy Tower when Dumbledore died. I am willing to allow you to take the credit to all theories that will undoubtedly arise due to your coming back. Hogwarts will be the one place that you can be respected all always feel safe. I will be respected enough for being Headmaster.
Yes, there will be many changes this year; most I'm sure you will be pleased about. Our dreams are finally coming true, Draco. It has been a long seventeen years but everything is starting to pay off. I know you feel like a failure, but I am telling you that your assistance helped more than what we let on.
Today you are dismissed from your regular obligations to visit Diagon Alley and buy everything on the list attached. You are excused for the rest of the day to do your shopping.
Yours sincerely,
Severus Snape
Headmaster
I read over the note twice just to be sure that I understood everything. Snape had said so many things that I didn't completely understand. Him as Headmaster was one of the things that really did mystify me. I was so curious about how this all happened. But I knew I wasn't going to learn anything until I arrived back at Hogwarts.
Giving Snape's eagle owl another scrap of bacon, I sent it on its way back to Hogwarts and turned to my closet to find something suitable to wear out in public. People haven't viewed me so long. I shook my frets away and remembered what Snape had said in the note. Those who mattered would treat me better and probably left the hell alone by everyone else.
I opened my closet, half expecting Ginny to be sitting on the floor reading but she wasn't there. I was a bit put down by not seeing her. I would never admit it, but I missed having her around. It was nice to have someone know something about the real me.
I didn't feel the need to act superior around her I didn't even feel all that superior when I was with her. I just felt free to say and do as I please and it was refreshing.
Kissing her had been easy. I didn't have to try to impress. It was sincere and relatively intimate even if it was fairly chaste. But I knew it was a mistake as soon as my lips touched hers. I wondered if the only reason she didn't pull away was that she wasn't thinking about me. 'I bet she was picturing Potter' I thought with a growl.
Hurriedly, I tossed away the thoughts before they could ruin my mood for the rest of the day and studied the various selections in my closet for something that would really show me off to the world. It didn't take long before I chose a simple pair of slacks with one of my designer shirts that I hadn't bothered to wear since early last year. It would be nice to wear something other then dismal jumpers and cardigans.
I chanced a quick glance in the mirror just on my way out. From the corner of my eye I caught Ginny sneaking out from her room. Just as she reached the closet door she noticed me and stopped dead in my tracks. I watched her in the mirror but didn't bother to turn around. Not today. I refused to give an ounce of care towards her. I assumed she noticed this when she silently slipped into the closet and shut the door without giving me another passing glance. I smirked and walked out of the room.
For just one day I was going to leave this life and be another attachment of me. I would wear one of my favorite masks that stood out from all the rest and demanded attention and respect. This being my favorite façade I wore it often. Most people knew me by it and nothing more. I had donned it once I received my letter permitting me into Hogwarts and decided from that day on people would know me by it.
It felt nice to know that my stormy grey eyes were no longer a pathetic deadpan grey but sparkled with a cool arrogance and that my old smirk was playing across my lush lips. It was just nice being a Malfoy again. Knowing that you were better then people and demanding them to know this as well.
I knew in reality I was as revered as a piece of shit. The term 'Malfoy' no longer held any honor but not everyone knew this yet. Everyone still thought that I had killed Dumbledore. And as much as that thought twisted my stomach into nauseating knots I would play along just to save my own ass. I wasn't placed in Slytherin for nothing.
With one last glance at the closet and with one last thought about what sat behind it I walked into the hallway deciding that today I would forget all about the real me. I smiled a sad smile then briskly walked towards the staircase where to my surprise I saw my mother standing at the bottom almost as if she were waiting for something.
Her eyes followed me as I practically ran down the stairs. The door was less then twenty feet from me. My freedom was so close. Close enough that I could almost feel the sunshine on my pale skin. And yet everything seemed at a standstill with my mother standing there. I came to a conclusion that she was waiting for me.
'Damn her' I cursed inwardly but made myself extend a warm hello and good morning towards her. Because in a normal world that is how I would greet my mother.
Today I would pretend that last year had never happened. Whatever occurred was only a bad dream. The Dark Lord didn't live in my house; my Aunt was still in Azkaban where she deserved to be, and Dumbledore was still alive. Today would be like every trip to Diagon Alley I have ever experienced.
I would walk around trying desperately to sneak away from my mother by excusing myself to the loo and when I had successfully left her standing calling for me at the door I would make my way off to find Crabbe and Goyle and when they grew tiresome I would occupy my time with Blaise ogling brooms that we knew we could have in a snap. I would then proceed to find the golden trio and end my day with a few well-versed hexes.
Yes, this would be a perfect day. I reached and grabbed my mother's cloak from the hanger and offered it to her. She smiled but just barely. She looked like she had forgotten how too. It was a sad sight to see. It was almost difficult to imagine that this was the same woman that would sneak into my room when Father was asleep and sing me sweet lullabies when I was younger. She had always worn a soft smile that would make everything better no matter what.
"I won't be needing it," she said softly, taking the fine cloak from me and hanging it back up.
"I'm sure it's quite chilly out," I insisted but she just shook her head.
"I'm sure it is, but I'm not going. There is a gathering this afternoon that I must attend." And there went my perfect dream, ruined in one simple statement. "You'll go yourself and I'm sure have a wonderful time."
I didn't say anything even though I wanted to. There was so much I had wanted to say this summer but had kept my mouth shut, now it was just a habit. So I bit the inside of my lip almost to the point of bleeding and turned to the door. At the corner of my eye I could see her watching me.
"Mother," I turned to her, my hand only just reaching out to touch her but pulling back when I made contact with her lacy sleeve.
"Hmm," she sighed, lifting tired sky blue eyes from where my finger had just grazed the fabric to peer into my grey orbs.
"Would you like if I brought you back some of your favorite sweets from one of the cafes?"
"Chocolate covered cherries?"
"Of coarse, what else," I asked with a smile. The corners of her lips twitched and she attempted to show an emotion that she hadn't worn in months.
"I would like that very much." We both knew that I wasn't going to bring her home the chocolates but just like me, she was caught up in a game of make believe.
Hope you all enjoyed! And since this weekend was my birthday I am hoping that you all will give me a lovely review. Chapter eight will be updated sometime next week (hopefully). Reviews I'm sure will help me get the next chapter written
