Draco Comes to Realize
I woke up and rolled to my right. Not being comprehensive of my surroundings, I felt the carpeted floor kiss my forehead none-too-gently. The pain blasted all my senses to full consciousness. I groaned as I cradled my head. Not the way I wanted to woken up on Friday.
I sat up and remembered where I was. I recognized the browns and greens. I sighed and rotated my stiff shoulder. I pushed myself up to my feet and saw the clock. I nearly decided to go back to sleep.
The clock read five O'clock in the morning. I scrubbed my face with my hands and started for my door. My right shoulder felt bare, so I stopped short and looked around for Denali. All I saw was the colorful walls and cushions on the chairs and the couch.
I did not feel disappointed that I did not see him. I was long past that. I was enraged, at both him and me. Me for being so selfish that I would chase him away for so long. Him for being so selfish that he would stay away for so long. Even more so because I could do nothing about it.
I walked through my bedroom door to the bathroom, grabbing my towel. I took a quick glance around for my trunk. I almost smacked my head with my hand when I remembered it was not going to be in here. Boy, I am forgetting a lot this morning.
I sighed and went into the bathroom. I was blasted with steamy, moist air. Draco had already taken his shower. I realized how he was avoiding me. He would wake up at four in the morning to take a shower. I shrugged it off.
I threw on the water and took my shower. I stepped out and began to dry off. I thought about the little piece of paper that was handed to me four days ago. The piece of paper I had not even looked at.
I was dressed before I even registered I was doing anything else besides drying off. I did not even remember pulling clothes out of my trunk. I looked at my hands for no particular reason. They looked almost foreign.
When I came out of my own thoughts, I dug around in my trunk. When I surfaced with parchment, I unfolded it and read the handwriting.
And my heart jumped to my throat. Then I felt hot fury flood into my veins. It was so hot that I felt my control snap and the mirror exploded. I took a deep breath and clamped down the lid over my magic. A door opened and I zipped my head towards the sound.
"What happened?" His voice was calm and indifferent. I took another deep breath before I answered.
"Oh, I am fine. Thank you for asking." my response was littered with sarcasm. Draco's face cracked into a small smile.
"What is the matter?" I did not know how to answer him. So, I said as much.
"I...I don't know." I stuttered, "What if I had been undressed?" I changed the subject. Draco raised an eyebrow.
"Then it would have only added onto what I have already seen." he responded with some seriousness. Not much though.
"Smart ass." I snapped back.
"Testy, are we?" he said coyly.
"Very. Now leave." I pointed to his door with a finger.
"It still amazes me how you switch from being so happy to so cold." Draco's face visibly shut down. "I am almost a little jealous." he added, his voice deathly calm. I took two beats to try and gauge his mood.
"It's not that hard. You do it all the time." I responded cautiously, "Why would it amaze you?" I was still cautious. I could not figure out his mood.
"Because you do it so randomly and spontaneously." his voice was still calm and quiet. It was starting to worry me. "Not to mention smooth."
"Then don't." I shot back, "It's not that great. Just something I picked up." I narrowed my eyes at him and realized he was angry. I also had a guess as to why.
"Actually, I lied. It really pisses me off." Draco's face lit up with a fire. His addressing the emotion let it break through and be shown. "To show someone how you feel and then cut them off like they don't matter is wrong. That is low, even from a Slytherin's point of view."
"I'm glad you got that off your chest." I said with a scowl and slight sarcasm, "Anything else you want to share with the class today?"
"Yeah, you are a bitch!" he snapped back.
"Thank-you Captain Obvious!" I retorted.
"Captain Who?" Draco looked confused.
"A muggle expression." I replied shortly. My temper had been ignited and I needed a way to calm down. So, I thought about the only thing I could, "You know what, if you and I ever had sex, it would be angry sex." I felt my blood pressure drop a little at my own distraction. Draco looked staggered.
"What?" he looked even more confused, "Why would you say that?"
"Because it is true." I said simply.
"How about we gamble." Draco seemed distracted enough to have a somewhat civil conversation. Gambling was not all that civil in my book. "If I can get you to sleep with me and we have calm sex, you have to tell me what was bothering you earlier. If I get you to sleep with me and it is 'angry' sex, then you get to kick my arse again." He paused a second. "Sound fair?"
"By when?" I was a bit curious. And I was dead set on winning.
"By when?" he stared at me. He was not calculating, or trying to look deep into my soul. "How about by next Saturday?"
"What happens if we don't have sex at all?" I asked.
"We can promise to help each other with homework the rest of the year." He smiled and showed his white teeth.
"Ok, have fun!" I exclaimed with a smile before I spun on my heel and walked into my room. I think he knows that he is not going to win.
"What are you smiling about?" a deep rumble came from one of the beds. I looked up into deep pools of envy green. "And by the way, figure out that riddle yet?"
I nodded yes. I walked over to my vanity and snatched one of the pens I had brough from Sitka. I wrote down the answer and folded the parchment again. I padded softly to Harry's bed and placed the answer at the foot of his bed.
"You have fun with that one." I said with acid dripping from my voice. The answer still peeved me off.
"What do you mean, 'have fun?'" Harry asked.
"When you read it, you will see." I answered as I grabbed my bag with my books. "Don't worry about cleaning up. I can do it faster and without the use of a wand. I hope, when I see you guys next, that you will look a hell of a lot better then before." I walked to my door to leave.
"How do you know we are going to leave?" Harry's voice was soft. I had my hand on the doorknob before I decided to answer.
"Because you told me five days. You were specific." I said, "Those five days are up." and I stepped out into the Common Room.
My fifth day at this school had started out interestingly. I thought about it as I went down for breakfast in the Great Hall. My thoughts mainly circled around why Harry seemed reluctant to even think about leaving. I know that he was dead set on going after five days, so it seemed strange to me that he was having second thoughts.
I must have found it very, very interesting because I ran into a wall. Although, on closer inspection of the wall's shoes, I found that it was a female person. I did not want to look up in fear of seeing that this female person was part wall.
"'Ey, American, watch where you are going!" the voice of this female nearly grumbled. I felt my pride and perhaps my ego sting a little. I stood up with a hell of a lot more grace then I did falling down.
What I saw was a burly female girl with dark brown hair. Her face was covered in boils and she was extremely tall. Her eyes were cold and brown. Actually, they were almost black they were so brown. I felt small and insignificant standing in front of her.
"Perhaps, seeing as you do not have a Head Badge," I glanced down at my own chest, "as one of your possessions on school grounds that you should watch where you are going."
"That is what I must have forgotten to pick up at the beginning of the term." she snarled at me. I may not scare easily, but she was freaking me out. I could tell she was in Slytherin, but that was all I knew.
"As far as I know, you didn't even deserve it at the beginning." I snapped back. I really wish I knew her name. That would make this a lot easier.
"Trying to rub my nose in something, American?" This manly girl sounded like she wanted to hit me. Plus, she was using that foul name that Draco had used once and everyone was naming his or her child after.
"No, just stating facts." I swallowed my fear and pushed past her. "Before I forget, I will be reporting you to Professor McGonagall and she will deal with you accordingly." I walked through the doorway to get some food.
I glanced up at the teachers' seats. There was a lack of bodies in that department. Their absence made me wonder what they were going to do to me next. I learned that when they were gone, they were voting on some new thing I could or could not do. Earlier this week, they told me not to have my 'teacher face' on. They said that since most of the peers were my age, I could have a little fun. As if they did not realize that I was taking care of three people, preparing lessons for the day and doing my homework. Oh! And grading papers.
I hate my life.
I chose to sit with the Hufflepuffs. They seemed to accept me more then the Gryffindors and the Slytherins. Even some of the Ravenclaws were suspicious of me. I guess Draco was right, him and the rest of the student body saw me as a mystery. It also seemed that only one house could accept any of that.
I had just begun to eat some cold cereal when the post arrived. I did not even look up from my food. I missed the owl heading for me. I did not notice it until the shadow flew across my bowl. When I snapped my head up, time and my heart, stopped.
My breathe was caught in my throat. Those beautiful black feathers were shining as bright as the sun. Denali had finally come back. I dropped my spoon with a clatter. The noise drew a few peoples' attention my way. Like I cared much.
"Denali?" I whispered, not daring to believe it was real.
A hoot I knew so well reached my ears and I sprung up from my seat like it was on fire. I held out my right elbow and Denali landed on it. The weight felt so comforting and normal that it had a tear rolling down my cheek. My heart thrummed against my chest with relief.
"Baby, are you home?" My face broke into the biggest grin I could muster through tears. His reassuring hoot had me kissing his left wing.
"I see your bloody bird is back." a voice whispered into my ear. I had been so wrapped up in my own world that I forgot about reality. I jumped at the sudden dawning.
"Um, yeah." I replied lamely. I mentally shook my head and felt myself steady. "Yes, actually, and now you will feel his wrath." I glanced at Denali, "Denali, go sic." I added quietly.
Denali pushed off my shoulder and swooped towards Draco. I suppressed a smile at the yelling Draco was doing. Only Denali and me knew he was not going to attack. But that was only Denali and I.
"Back Denali!" I ordered, "Play nice with ickle-Drakey-kins." Denali gave me a hoot and I almost started laughing.
"Your bird is a menace!" Draco snarled.
"No, he just likes to cause fear and chaos." I replied simply before I grabbed my bag and walked out to my first class.
My feet were sore and my head ached like no other. Today was lectures. I stood up for most of the day. The only thing I wanted to do was lie down on my couch and sleep off my aches before dinner. I walked through the Common Room door and my heart sank. Apparently, higher beings had other plans.
"Henria, we need to talk." a voice said as soon as the door closed behind me. Denali flew off my shoulder onto the mantel for the fireplace.
"I already told Paige the kid is not mine." I responded, "Paige needs to find someone else to harass, the dirty little-"
"Shh." Hermione hissed. I smirked at her.
"Fine, I won't joke around." I flopped down into a chair. Actually, it is a soft cushy chair. I sighed with relief "What do you need?"
"Do you know where we can find this...Holy Grail?" Harry asked with some confusion, "What the hell is a Holy Grail?" he added.
"One, hell and holy do not belong in the same sentence. Don't do it again." I snapped, "Two, the Holy Grail is what the Knights of the Round Table were after. They never found it because it was suppose to not have existed."
"Why is it the Holy Grail?" Ronald asked.
"Because it was said that Jesus Christ drank from the Holy Grail, a goblet, and anything Jesus Christ touches is holy." I said with my head against the back of the chair and my eyes closed. "Thank God it is the weekend."
"Thank Merlin it's been five days." a voice sneered from the doorway. I did not open my eyes to see who it was. I already did. I smiled
"Come to have more fun with Denali, Draco?" I asked and my smile turned into a smirk. I heard Draco mumble something. "No? Aw, too bad." I opened my eyes to see Draco glaring at me from behind the couch.
"Oy! Death Eater, why don't you go and kiss your Dark Lord's feet?" Ronald asked nastily.
"Better yet, why don't we just kill him?" Harry add with a dark look in his eyes.
I stood up as Harry pulled out his wand. Draco started reaching for his. Ronald pulled out his wand and Draco stopped going for his. Hermione had stood up and looked ready to reach for her wand at any given moment. She looked more worried then angry.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, "Put your wand away!"
"Did you forget what he almost did last year?" Harry ground out. My spidey senses tingled.
"What did he almost do last year?" I asked. Harry blinked and looked at my like I was crazy.
"Um, now is not the time, Henria." Hermione said quietly. She looked nervous now. I brought my gaze to her eyes.
"Now is a lovely time, Hermione." I replied firmly. Draco looked angrily at Harry.
I was missing something major. Denali sensed it as well. He flew off the mantle and landed on my shoulder. I reached up and stroked his wing. He hooted as if saying he was waiting for a command.
"Down Denali." I said quietly. He relaxed a bit.
"I think I will go to my room." Draco said with a scowl on his face.
I waved my hand in the direction of his door. There was a soft click and he swiveled his head around to look at me. His eyes were hot plates of steel. I returned his glare with one of my own.
"You also get to stay and listen in on story time." I said coldly. I turned to the Golden Trio, "What did he almost do that last year?" I asked again. Hermione coughed and Ronald smirked at Draco.
"Well, um, you know how your great uncle died last year, right? Hermione began.
"Of course, I rue the day." I growled. Memories floated into my mind.
"He tried to kill him!" Harry exploded. He pointed a finger at Draco. Draco looked confused. I had to admit, I was a little confused as well.
"Tried?" I inquired softly.
"He couldn't do it, the little bastard." Ronald said.
"Watch your tongue, Ronald!" I shot out, "He tried to kill my uncle?" I could not wrap my mind around the idea, "He tried to kill Albus Dumbledore?"
Hermione looked almost scared even though I erased all emotion from my face. Harry nodded his head and Ronald looked triumphantly at Draco. I guess he figured I would kill him on the spot. Draco's face showed the signs of someone who had connected the dots. His eyes were surprised. He just realized whom I had been taking about this past week. Even though my face and eyes were portraying nothing, I was fuming on the inside.