A Waltz in Darkness
Chapter Eight
Draco's POV
"So she's fighting him. Good, as long as he does not have complete control over his host it will be impossible for him to wield his true power." Granger spoke, interrupting the painful silence that had erupted after Dalisay revealed her encounter with Pansy, sparing no detail. No, it was not in Dalisay to sugar coat anything; I suppose it was foolish of me to have expected her to keep the part of Pansy calling out my name to herself. Or the helpless, frightened expression riddled about her exhausted features. No, she just kept on. Relentlessly she explained her state and I had about reached my breaking point. My knuckles were stark white from gripping the handles of the leather bound chair.
"That host has a name! Pansy!" Dalisay barked at Granger.
"Oh give it a rest Dalisay!" I finally snapped before springing to my feet. I instantly felt my knees growing weak from the sudden movement but I quickly scrambled to the obsidian kitchen cabinet to compensate support.
"Easy Malfoy, you're still recovering from your-" Granger started but I threw my hand up in objection.
"Not now Granger. Look we need a plan. From what you've said Dalisay, Pansy doesn't have much strength left to continue fighting his control. We can't wait around for the Ministry to devise their master plan of salvation for the magical world as you've suggested Granger. It's up to us." I felt noble in my words but without the strength within my body nor the slightest idea how to even defeat this spirit, my nobility was as strong as glass.
"What? Is something I said amusing to you Granger?" I regretted my harsh reaction to her slight smile above the rim of her cup of tea but still, there was nothing funny about my words. We needed to act and we needed to do so before the Ministry was involved any further.
"Forgive me, I did not mean to belittle your words it's just-"
"It's just what?" I inquired.
"You reminded me of Harry for a moment. That's all." I could have sworn off any feelings I may or may not have for the girl after hearing those words. I was nothing like Potter. Nor did I hope for that fact to change now. He may have saved the world, and all that heroic nonsense but he was not the only person to have suffered in his lifetime. He was not special…he was simply lucky and luck should not be crowned the savior of us all. Everyone was not saved after the war. Not me or any of the other families that are forever cast out as being tied to Voldemort. As if any of us had a choice in the matter. We were used as pawns, products of his amusement that were controlled out of fear, not loyalty. There was no saving for us, not in the least.
"If you value whatever fictional love story you think you're writing with ole Draco there, I suggest you never compare Draco to your friend Potter. Wise up little girl, Potter may have saved you and all the other doe eyed, happy go lucky witches and wizards but he ruined the lives of the families that were destroyed by Voldemort from within." Dalisay quickly came to my defense, knowing I did not have the strength or desire to express my true feelings in the matter.
"Harry didn't ruin their lives; forgive me for saying this but those who willingly joined Voldemort cannot possibly blame Harry for their misfortunes after the war. They chose the wrong side." Granger exclaimed.
"Chose the wrong side? You think any of us willingly joined Voldemort? Really? I suppose it's easy to think that when your on the outside looking. But the reality is Voldemort was a deceiver. He lured, tricked, forced and threatened his way into the hearts of all of his supporters. Do you want to know what would happen to someone who was brave enough to speak out against Voldemort or say that they had finally had enough of remaining by his side under such circumstances? He would have his precious snake strike them where they stood and devour them while the rest of us watched. He would make an example out of every victim he claimed. Death…is a strong motivator." I could have gone on, but the pain of the reality my eyes have seen in the dark years behind me was all to near. I was not yet ready to look back and find any sort of victory like good ole Potter.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think-"
"You're right, you didn't think. Which is strange for you book worm; perhaps you ought to hurry on home and let the adults sort this out. I'm tired of looking at you anyway." Dalisay said while crossing her legs and presenting her with a most impressive sneer.
"Look I'm sorry, It was…wrong of me to assume I knew the entire story." Granger said softly, fearful of meeting my gaze as she spoke.
"My god you're even cordial with your apologies. Ah, you have such a way with words." Dalisay teased until I released a sigh. Granger had no way of knowing, and with how highly she thinks of Potter I suppose her remark was intended to be an endearment.
"Settle down Dalisay, we should cut her some slack. Despite rumors, Granger here doesn't in fact know everything." I said knowing my words were cold but she needed to know what I said was true. She didn't know everything, and she knew next to nothing about me and what others in my position with the dark lord endured. Presuming she did was not a mistake she would make again.
She slouched slightly into her seat; the uncomfortable nature of the conversation had taken its toll. It was strange to look upon her at the moment when only an hour or so ago I had felt her lips upon mine and naturally I did not mind in the slightest, but our differences were more clear to me now than ever before. Her beauty, my long standing interest in her and even the way she challenged me in our youth was not enough to mask the fact she may have more in common with the read headed twit than me.
"Well, it's nearly morning. I'm assuming at the rate this is going I'll have time to go home, clean myself up and ready myself for the awkward adventures of the dysfunctional trio. I'll meet you both outside the shop around noon. I would say to stay away from Draco my dear but I have a feeling that won't be necessary. Ta ta." Dalisay said in a melodic tune before twirling her way out of the apartment. Her way of saying the conversation was in fact to her liking. Anything that would create tension was the perfect dynamic in which she would thrive and of course dominate.
I glanced over at Granger once again, neither one of us knew what to say at this point. I could only imagine she was mulling over a sense of regret for our kiss. Feeling outnumbered and uncomfortable; this was not the way she was accustomed to working with others. Her previous companions were too dim witted and incapable of functioning alone to have ever stand up to her.
"I should go." She said softly. Yes, you should go. In all actuality her presence should be desired like a plague in my mind but still, there was a part of me that wished to ask her to stay. My emotions were a roller coaster with her. Even as children she would capture my attention and sway my very dreams to her beautiful face and then the next moment I was reminded that she and I were polar opposites, living in different worlds. It seems that would always be how our relationship would be, if you could even call it a relationship. We would never mesh, simply collide. Crash into one other only to push away from one another in the moments that followed.
"Did it mean anything to you?" I mustered up the courage to ask as she rose to her feet. With a spin of her head, her lose curls bouncing wildly with the momentum, she faced me.
"What are you talking about?" Playing the clueless card? Ah, your thoughtless statement earlier would not trick me into believing you don't know what I'm talking about.
"The kiss? What did it mean to you?" I asked. She looked at me with an unreadable expression. I found it hard not to feel a sense of panic swelling within me as the moments passed by without so much as a word until finally, she spoke.
"It means you were right, Granger here doesn't in fact know everything."
A/N: Sorry for the late and rather short update, busy time for me at the moment but I do want to thank all of my reviewers (yes all of them), constructive criticism is always welcome. I am merely human, my writing is not flawless nor did I claim it would be, but writing is something I enjoy and glad to see there are some followers to the story and reviewers who are enjoying following along with our story! Thank you! The plot thickens next update and more will be revealed about this new foe and of course the complexities of Hermione's and Draco's relationship will continue to unfold! Hope you continue to follow along!