Chapter 8: A Chaste Kiss

Two weeks went by uneventfully.

Every night, the Slytherin students would meet and converse with Octavia. The attitude towards half bloods and muggleborns began to become slightly brighter. There was, however, still much enmity between Slytherin and Gryffindor.

The relationship between Octavia and Draco was steadily growing. Everyone could see that there was a change between them and in Draco's behavior. He seemed to be distancing himself from his relatives and the need to please the Death Eaters and Voldemort.

Most Death Eaters that had taken over the school were either indifferent or curious. But Lucius and Severus were growing steadily more worried as Draco's health seemed to decline and his attitude nastier.

On the last Friday of that month, Draco was called into his father's study after class.

Draco entered the room. His usually pale appearance was whiter, almost a light shade of blue. He had dark bags under his eyes and he was scowling almost as badly as Severus did when he was a student.

Draco sat across from his father and a minute passed in silence.

"How have your studies been, Draco?"

"Good."

"You've definitely been improving," Lucius agreed. "Have you been sleeping?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"How can I not be sure if I'm sleeping? Either I am or I'm not," Draco snapped.

"What about your pet vam—"

Draco stood and pointed his wand at his father. "Stop calling her that," he snarled. "Octavia is not my pet anything."

Lucius stood and slapped Draco's hand away. "Tell me what has been going on between you and that Vampire, Draco."

"Or what? You'll kill me?"

Lucius grabbed Draco by the back of his neck and dragged him to the fireplace. He tossed floo powder into the pit. "Malfoy Manor," he said, pulling Draco inside with him.

They whizzed past pit after pit until they arrived in their house. Lucius didn't bother dusting off. He called for Narcissa and forced Draco into a chair.

"What has gotten into you, Boy?" Lucius demanded. "Are you letting your p—your vampire drink from you? Draco, show me your wrists."

Draco raised an eyebrow and unbuttoned his cuffs and let his father examine his wrists.

The scar from where Octavia used to drink was mostly healed and showed no sign of her drinking from Draco recently.

The door opened. Narcissa entered, curiosity etched on her face. "Lucius, what is it?"

Lucius ignored her. "Your neck, Draco. Have you let her progress to your neck?"

Draco didn't answer, but glared.

"Lucius, what is this about? What's wrong with Draco?"

"I was going t keep silent since he asked me," Lucius muttered. "But it might have been a great mistake." He turned to Narcissa. "Draco is bound to a Vampire."

Draco stood and headed to the fireplace. Narcissa waved her wand and his legs locked together.

"I was just about to check his neck."

Narcissa nodded and had House Elves carry Draco to the couch. "Draco, look at me," she said gently. Draco turned away. His mother cupped his chin and forced him to look into her eyes. "Why are you letting a Vampire have your blood?" Draco remained silent, biting his lip to keep from answering. "Draco, answer me." Draco bit his lip harder. Narcissa sighed and unbuttoned her son's shirt. His neck was wrapped in gauze. "So you have let this vampire drink from your neck."

Lucius watched and crossed his arms.

Narcissa stood. "Lucius, that vampire has to die."

Draco pulled his wand out at aimed it at his mother. "You won't touch her," he growled. "I'll kill anyone who'd dare. Even you, Mother."

Narcissa spun to face him and slapped him. "You'd dare speak that way to your mother?!" She shouted. "What has that Vampire done to you, Draco, to have turned you against your own family?"

Draco walked away. "I'm going back to school," he said, heading back to the fireplace.

"Draco," Lucius shouted. "Why did you let her drink from you?"

Draco stopped and turned to his parents. Their faces were lined with worry. He sighed. "I want her to drink from me." He grabbed a handful of floo powder and stepped into the fireplace. "Hogwarts."

Draco exited his father's study and headed back to Slytherin common room. He headed up the stairs and collapsed on his bed. He closed his eyes and fell quickly into sleep…

Draco woke to someone shaking him. He opened his eyes and glanced irritably at them. "I'm sorry, Draco, art thou ill? I'll hunt in the forest tonight instead."

"No," Draco mumbled, sitting up. "I'm fine." Octavia frowned. He unbuttoned his shirt and removed the gauze. "If you're hungry..."

Octavia shook her head. She took the gauze and wrapped it around his neck again. "Draco, you're sick."

Draco blinked. "No I'm not."

"You're warmer than usual and you're easily angered. Sleep. I'll be fine hunting. You're blood has been running thin, so until you're strength is whole again, I'll hunt."

"No," Draco protested. She pressed a finger to his lips.

"Sleep. I will be fine."

"But what if Aug—"

"He won't dare. Not now. I feel it within me. He won't dare attempt anything right now." She kissed his forehead. "Sleep and regain your strength."

Draco succumbed. He didn't hear her slip out the window. He did not notice the others come in and get ready for bed.

But before long, he noticed something not right.

Draco frowned and opened his eyes. Augustan sat across from him. Draco started and sat up. They stared at each other. "I could kill you right now," Augustan snarled. "But then they might try to kill her. Tell me," Augustan leaned closer to Draco. "Why are you keeping her from me?"

"She doesn't want to go back to you." Augustan pulled back.

"Would you let her if she decided to come back to me?"

Draco was silent. He didn't know. "She doesn't want to go back to you," he repeated.

"But if, in time, she did?"

Draco remained silent. Augustan sighed. He smiled; then began to laugh. "Tell me, Draco?" he said. "Have you fallen in love with her?"

Draco snarled. "And if I have?"

Augustan stopped laughing, but still smirked. "Then I might have to kill you, descendant or not, sometime in the future. Tell me the truth, Draco. Have you fallen in love with her?"

Draco removed the gauze again. Augustan examined the mark. "Does that answer your question?"

"It does," he said gravely. "You've given her your blood willingly all this time, but to have been bitten there. You really must have fallen hard enough to leave you slightly touched in the head. Have you threatened anyone who wished her harm?"

"Yes," Draco admitted. "My mother."

Augustan blinked. He laughed loudly. "That's brave of you. Not many men could stand up to their mother like that and get away with it."

"She slapped me."

"Oh?"

"That's nothing. It's worth it if I want Octavia. Unlike you, I'd die for her—"

Augustan grabbed Draco's throat and squeezed. Draco gasped for air. "Of all things! To lose the woman I love to some brat!"

Draco!

"I'd do anything for her!"

"S…s-o w-wo..u..ld...I."

Draco!

Augustan threw Draco like a ragdoll across the room. Draco slammed into the stone wall. "Impudent brat!" Augustan shouted. "What would you do if you were in my position? Would you be able to tell her the truth? Would you be able to tell a young girl whom you've fallen in love with that you are an animal? A monster in human flesh? Would you be able to tell her what you are without fear of her scorning you and fearing you afterwards?"

"I see how it would be difficult, but I wouldn't tell her like you did—I wouldn't turn her. If I were you, I'd have told her after giving her the kiss she dreamed of getting. I wouldn't have turned her until she was ready to be turned."

Draco! Draco, wake up!

Augustan hoisted Draco up by the shirt collar. "You know how easily I could kill you?" Draco glowered at Augustan, who tapped his sharp nails against Draco's cheek. "I could easily break through your skin and pull out your heart while you're still breathing."

"Vampires aren't that hard to kill either. If I had the right equipment, I'd have plunged a piece of wood in your heart without a blink of an eye."

Draco! God damn it! "Draco!"

Draco opened his eyes. He was wrapped in his sheets and sweating madly. The boys in his dorm were staring at him as though he was from another world. Octavia stood over him, her red eyes gleaming with worry.

"What happened?" he asked.

"You were having a nightmare," Blaise snapped. "Yeesh! We're all tired here, Drake. You could at least do us a favor and not lose your head."

Octavia glared at him. She turned back to Draco. "Art thou alright?"

"I'm fine," he said, tucking a stray strand of hair out of her face. "I'm fine," he repeated, cupping her cheek. Octavia stood.

"Fool," she snapped. "Next time, I might not be so merciful to wake you."

"Sure you won't," Draco slurred, smirking at her. Octavia snarled at him. "I'll go back to bed," he said, pulling covers around himself again. His smirk slowly vanished. If Augustan could attack him in his sleep, he was definitely in danger.

If Draco died, as Augustan said, Octavia would be in danger. And the only reason Augustan wasn't killing him was on Octavia's behalf.

But he certainly came close to killing Draco in his dream.

Draco laid in bed and thought. If he kept going against Augustan, he was sure to die eventually. Even if it wasn't for a long time coming, Draco contemplated the possibility of becoming a Vampire. He would still be much weaker, but it'd be easier to protect Octavia.

No, Draco thought sadly. She won't turn me unless she absolutely had to.

He sat up and felt his neck. The gauze was still in place. He got out of bed and walked downstairs. Octavia was reading on the couch.

"Thou should still rest," she lectured. "I shan't drink thy blood till thou art well."

"That's fine," Draco said. "But I have to tell you something."

Octavia glanced from her book. "Yes?" Draco sat next to her. "Pray tell, what is it thou wishes to speak of?"

Draco took her hand. "I love you," he said. Octavia blinked. She set the book down and waited for Draco to continue. "I understand you might be on guard of me now, after what happened between you and Augustan, but I need you to know that I'll never betray your trust. You've made me no better than a House Elf eager to please it's master."

Octavia giggled. "No, Draco. You are not a House Elf."

"I haven't finished," Draco said. "The point I'm trying to make here is that I'm at your mercy. There is only one thing I ask in return." Octavia tilted her head to the side. "Octavia, I want you to promise me that if anything should happen, you'll turn me into a Vampire."

She frowned. "Dost thou expect something to happen?"

Draco nodded. "Will you do as I ask?"

Octavia turned away. She nodded. "But only as a last resort," she said. "Only if there is no other alternative will I turn thee." She looked at him again. "Did you mean what you said?"

"Every word," Draco said. He cupped her cheek. "Every last word." He leaned towards her, intending to capture her lips, but she turned away. Shaking her head, Octavia stood.

"I feel the same," she said. "But please, Draco, I beg thee not to kiss me. I shall kiss thee when I am ready."

Draco, at first, was slightly stunned. But he nodded. "Alright," he agreed. "I can go with that." He stood and took her hand and placed a soft, chaste kiss on it. Octavia blushed. "Until then, I'll kiss your hand."

Octavia smiled. "Draco," she began.

"I know, I know: go to bed."

"I was going to say I love thee, but that too."

He laughed.

Draco headed back to bed and drifted off into a dreamless, easy sleep.

gah! a weekend of work! Thankfully, I still plan to post...thanks for reading!