Disclaimer: JKR owns all recognizable characters.

Dose of Your Own

By: OurLoveIsForever

Chapter Twenty-Two: Flower

"You are simply full of surprises today, Greengrass." Draco bit out dodging the bit of scone aimed at his fat head. In return he threw the newspaper at me over the coffee table. I batted the paper away, shaking my head with irritation. He looked slightly annoyed as he leaned forward to grasp the handle of his coffee mug. With it being so early in the morning, I was not shocked at all to see that that liquid was completely black.

"And you're full of the usual, Malfoy."

I was tired, irritable, and ready to curse someone into oblivion.

Three guesses as to who I wanted to seriously injure.

He was blond, stupid and incredibly self-assured.

"So, big shock, that." He muttered, as he crossed one foot over the other, propping them onto the coffee table. I glared over at him, his head nodded toward where the paper laid on the floor. "Carrow, Crabbe: Still at Large." He scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Two weeks, nothing."

"Two weeks and three murders." I muttered. "Two weeks and one horribly unsuccessful raid."

He leveled a fierce glare in the direction of where Nott usually sat. The chair was surrounded by mounds of books, old coffee mugs and strewn papers. "Just where does he disappear to?" I wondered aloud. "He's nearly always gone. I generally have the whole manor to myself."

"You're the one that chose to stay here." Draco mumbled angrily. As if trying cover up what he had said, he coughed loudly, making me jump. "Nott is probably off with some new prospect. The man is lonely. He's in need of comfort." I knew exactly what he meant by 'comfort'. I chose to ignore him.

"Staying in your Manor was simply not an option. You're the most randy piece of work that I've ever seen." I responded, smirking over at him. "The only way to keep anything intact was to take Nott up on his offer. Well, not all that bad, my flat is finished with repairs and wards today. I meet Laura and the others around noon."

Draco sneered. "Oh, yes, congratulations to you! You get to move back into the shack."

"A shack I damn well earned!" I growled, leaning forward, placing my elbows on my knees. "That aside, I much rather live there, at least I won't have some wily prick chasing me like an old lecher that's been deprived of sex for far too long. Keep that up and I will think that is all you want."

"Isn't it?" He responded, shrugging. "Sex is a large part of any relationship."

"Is that what you call this?" I wondered, glancing away.

He let out a slow breath. "Well, it could be a friendship with benefits. Then again, friends don't snog each other on kitchen tables either…" Or anywhere else for that matter! His voice sounded thoughtful. My eyes rolled. We were far beyond friendship. I knew that I was. With the way he looked at me, I knew that he was too. I knew it better than I knew anything else. Even for that, even if I knew he loved me. He had even said it before without thinking. We had not placed a label on what we were.

Another enigma, another question.

"We both know that you are becoming dependant on me." He sighed slightly, running his hand through his hair. I snorted. "Three weeks of whatever-the-hell-we-are…"

"Yes, 'dependant' explains why you come to my room when I choose to stay inside." I replied snidely. "I can see how horribly mistaken I was."

Draco shook his head solemnly. "Sarcasm is the refuge of a shallow mind."

Shaking my head again, I gave up. He seemed to notice my withdrawal, though I wasn't sure how, and set his feet on the floor once more, easing up to stand. "Simply giving up, Astoria? Not really your style, is it? Most women want a definition of where a relationship stands." His tone was slightly mocking, but underneath I sensed an edge of disbelief.

"I don't really care one way or another, Draco." I ground out, standing as well. "We have far more important things to handle rather than define our apparently complicated relationship." My chin rose defiantly before I turned on heel and headed for the door before suddenly finding myself on the floor, my bum hurting rather painfully. I jerked my head up. "Son of a—"

"Language, language, Miss Greengrass." Nott tutted, reaching down to haul me up from the floor. "You should watch where you're going." He smiled slightly, running a hand down my arm before walking past me to his chair. "You'd think that your blood were muddy with that kind of talk." I growled angrily while he fell into the plush cushions. "Malfoy, we have a meeting with the Ministry this morning."

"Bloody brilliant!" Draco responded dryly. "I'm looking forward to an morning of questioning and torture. It's been awhile since I have been interrogated. I would guess they are going to use veritaserum." He shook his head. "Bloody fools thinking I have anything to do with this."

Nott nodded slightly, pulling in a large breath. "They are suspecting anyone with ties to the old ways. I would say that we are all suspects. I spoke with Blaise this morning. He is due in the Ministry around the same time. He did, however, tell me something of interest."

Draco sat back down, his elbows on his knees as he leant forward. "Do tell, Nott."

Nott's eyes closed slightly as he leaned his head back. "How much did you trust Goyle?"

"About as far as I could throw him."

I snorted slightly, smirking. Draco cut his eyes amusedly at me.

"Well enough." Nott responded. "He has disappeared. His mum told Lady Zabini that he took off with Crabbe three days ago and hasn't been back since. She received a letter however. Goyle said that they are taking refuge at Pucey Manor."

"Oh yes," I sighed, leaning beside the door. Both men turned their faces to me. "Huge amount of intelligence there, but we can't very well send the Ministry on another wild goose chase. They already believed that we set them up from the last time."

Nott's head shook. "Astoria, we both know that you only sent them in because you wanted revenge."

I shrugged. "I assumed there would be something to incriminate. I would bet someone tipped them off."

Draco chuckled slightly. "Ever the conniving wench."

I didn't deign to respond. Instead, I merely allowed a wily smirk to grace my features.

"Either way, I would recommend that you remain here for the remainder of these events, Astoria. Just because they haven't done anything in the past two weeks—"

"Besides kill two people—" I supplied, cheekily.

"—doesn't mean that they won't try to catch you unaware. You are still very much in danger. I would feel much better if you allowed me to handle your flat." I leveled a stern glare in his direction. There was no way! There was no way in hell I was going to remain cooped up any longer I was all for self-presevation, sure, but it had its limits and those limits had been breached too long ago.

No, I was going out and be damned if Theo was going to stop me!

"It is rather curious that you have no qualms with leaving the secured houses." Draco said slowly, looking vaguely at Nott.

"I defeated Jamison. He was the only one that had any sort of threat toward me. It is the two of you, as well as your mother, that I am worried for."

Draco shrugged, seeming to not care either way. I, however, shook my head. "No, Nott, I am going to take care of my flat. I am meeting them at one o'clock to settle back in. Concerning that, if you will both excuse me, I need to be leaving." I began to step out, heading for the stairs. I had to get fully dressed before setting foot on Diagon Alley. If I went out in just my worn sweatpants and Weird Sisters shirt, I would have been laughed to France and back. As I stepped to the first stair, I felt a hand on my wrist.

I didn't bother to turn. "Yes?"

"Are you still confused?" He said in little above a whisper.

I let out a single laugh. "Truly, Draco," Turning, I drank in his shocked expression, one that he didn't bother disguising. He knew I would see it anyway. "I don't care." Smirking to myself, I mounted the stairs. Was that a lie?

Yes.

Yes, it was.

The flat was clean. Spick and span, beautiful as the day I bought it. That, though, wasn't what was amusing me. Rather, it was the slightly hysterical state that Laura Pritchard was in. She was near tears, holding tightly to Evleen's blouse. I thought that perhaps the hysterics had passed when I had received a calm letter from Tiernan St. John nearly a week and a half before stating the whole ordeal they had gone through.

They had tried to contact me, eventually arriving at my flat to find it ransacked and a mess. Automatically they had assumed the worst. It was only through Tatting that they learned that I had taken refuge at Malfoy Manor. During that time, of course, the owls were cut off and all forms of communication were out of the question.

Now, it appeared, Laura was none too pleased. "Just who do you think you are?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Surely it hasn't been that long. I'm Astoria. Pleasure to meet you, Pritchard." I knelt to the floor and picked up the only astray piece of anything within the room. The glass shimmered in the light.

"Don't get sassy, Astoria. She has just been worried."

"I'm fine really." I answered, dropping the glass with chink. "It's been one wild ride." I didn't rise from the floor. Instead, I remained very still. Something didn't feel right. Something was amiss. Glancing around, I noted nothing out of place. Everything seemed very much normal. Perhaps that was what unnerved me. "It's not been too long."

"It's been—" Tiernan was cut off by a red spell hitting him squarely in the chest. I blinked, before automatically diving behind the couch for cover. I heard two more stunning spells hit Laura and Evleen as they, too, fell to the floor.

My heart was pounding in my ears. There was no way they could have known! No way! The only people that knew would have been those linked to us. Pulling out my wand instinctively, I knew I didn't stand a ghost of a chance. A barrage of spells hit the fabric and filling between the two wizards and I. I felt many emotions. Fear. Anger. Rage, even. I had been betrayed. Using the final moments before I was struck with a stunning spell, I performed the Patronus Charm.

"Draco, I-I love you. Not confused." My voice was shaking, filled with fear and desperation as I whispered frantically toward the white light. "I don't think I'll get the chance to-" The crane flew away toward freedom.

Everything went dark.

I screamed at the horrifying sight. Blood. Blood. Everywhere blood marred the walls, the linens, the floors. Below my feet, I could feel the warm, sticky fluids holding to my toes and heels. I wanted to throw up. Before me, I could see a head of white hair, face down on the bed, his back was sliced open. His head was turned sickly to the side so I could see the blank silver stare. I wanted to run to him, but I was stuck. My breathing escalated to the point when my fingers felt icy. My entire body shook with convulsions. Tears pricked at my eyes. It really couldn't be possible. It couldn't be.

I had been too confrontational, not bending to his will at times. Perhaps I pushed him away too much. It wasn't as if he didn't push back, but eventually one of us had to give. Now, I didn't have that chance. He was long gone from me.

Just outside, I could see something in the window, lying on the grounds. The feathers of the peacock were flared out. Prideful, even in death. With no restraint, tears streamed down my cheeks and I screamed.

"She wasn't to be harmed!" A voice hissed irately. My eyes twitched slightly as my breathing hitched from awakening. I felt the coolness of a stone floor underneath me. My entire body was sore and aching. There was the sound of someone being shoved against a wall. I could feel the vibrations through the stone. "If you ever pull a stunt like that again, I will not hesitate to kill you!"

Slowly, I opened my eyes and eased myself up to lean against the wall. Looking about, I realized that I was not the only person being held within the dungeon. Tiernan, Laura, and Evleen were all still unconscious, lying on the floor surrounding me. They were all breathing steadily. Looking at their bruised and dirtied faces, I struggled to stand. I threw myself against the bars, my fingers wrapping tightly around the iron. "Hey, you sons of bitches! Let us out of here!"

There were whispers down the hall, voices arguing back and forth in hushed tones. I jerked at the iron in my rage. I knew that it would do no good. "You bastards! Release me at once or kill me!" Preferably the first.

I was unaware of the amount of time that passed as I continued to jerk at the iron causing loud clanking sounds to echo in the catacomb. My legs grew weak until I could no longer support my own weight. I fell to the floor, the pain of the impact causing me to cry out. My head hung with exhaustion.

After all of the struggle, I was going to die. It seemed oddly ironic. Since I had become woven into the pattern of excitement and trouble that Draco and Theo had surrounding them, I had come to thrive on the anticipation, the adrenaline. Going from the mediocre life that I once led, I could regret one single action, one choice. Not for any romantic reasons, no, those were bonus to the simple feelings that welled within me. I was happy with the exhilaration of everyday life.

"Having problems, Miss Greengrass?"

My head jerked up to look up at the person on the other side of the bars. My eyes widened. "What are you—"

A wand was directed at my head, reaching through the bars. I didn't bother to struggle back. It would be of no use. I saw no reason to scramble around on the floor and embarrass myself. Instead, I sat very still, my mouth snapping shut as I glared up at the figure. Rage. Pure unadulterated rage welled up within me like a viper rearing to strike. I could feel it bubbling and boiling as the man stared down at me with no expression.

"My hand, my tongue, look like the innocent flower," the man knelt down, the walnut wand still aimed squarely at me. "But I be the serpent under it." A grin pulled at his lips before there was a bright flash.

I did not dream. I did not think. I floated about almost, within darkness. It wasn't frightening or comforting. I just was. I existed and that was that. I wondered if that was the sensation of dying. Surely it had to be more extravagant than that! A bit more show, lights, color and sound, not this float around bit. All a bit too built up, death. Much like Draco's ego, I suppose. I wondered how he would like being compared to Death. Probably take it as a bloody compliment, he would.

"Don't you dare push me, Pucey, or I will have your head mounted on my wall."

That same voice awoke me with a start. When I first opened my eyes, I thought perhaps I was back at Malfoy Manor. The room was very similar from the coloring of the walls to the white carpet. I half expected to walk to the window and see a snow white peacock. I allowed my head to roll to the left, toward the voice. My eyes were half-lidded and the figure was blurry.

"You bastard." I whispered hoarsely. The man's head swiveled around to glance at me before he pulled the door shut, glaring at whoever stood outside. "You—"

"Bastard. Yes, I know. Do try to broaden your vocabulary." He replied, dryly. I fisted my hands, drawing my strength to sit up. "No, no. You are very weak. It would be very unwise to attempt anything right now."

"Then kill me."

"An option, but only that currently. You don't want to die. Self-preservation to the last..." He replied, propping himself beside the window. The sunlight filtered in through the thin curtains that hung there casting a bit of a blue light. "If you attempt anything, however, I will not be held responsible—"

"Where are the others?" I asked, interrupting him. He leveled a patient smile toward me.

His tone was slow, thoughtful. "They are safe. We have no issue with them. They will be released soon."

I sighed slightly. I knew that their version of 'released' would be less desirable to anyone else. "You're going to kill them?" He shrugged noncommittally. "Damn you. I thought—"

"Don't you want to know why?"

I snorted slightly. "No. I'd rather not know if that is quite alright with you."

"You're curious."

My head shook. I didn't want to know. I didn't want this! My walls began to crumble while they built themselves up.

"Let's just say that it is a form of payment due to an old friend." He murmured, crossing his arms over his chest. His lips pulled over his teeth in an almost meek smile. "Didn't count on one thing though, it has proved quite the obstacle. You have ruined many plans, Astoria. Many, many schemes have been shattered because of you." His eyes flashed with something akin to malice. I had never seen such a look in those green eyes.

"Well, you know how I hate to disappoint, don't you?" my eyes narrowed as he started to chuckle a bit, his hand running through his hair. "Nott."