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"What do you want to know?"
Morning light filtered in from the wall of windows that resided to the left of Draco. He was sitting on a couch with Granger next to him, Blaise next to her, and Lovegood next to Blaise. Potter and the She-Weasle sat in their own little love seat to the right. Brown was not present, as she had told Granger that she wasn't involved with what had happened.
Felix and Valerie sat in front of them in a pair of chairs, their backs against a fireplace. It was a small room with yellow paint. That, coupled with the wall of windows, added a cheery note to a rather tense morning.
The Room of Requirement had not had any lasting effects from the fire, apparently. When Draco had stood in front of the doors, remembering the roaring fire and Crabbe falling to his death...well, he felt sick. He was afraid he'd walk into the room and see all the destruction that night had caused. It brought back memories of coming up here during Sixth year trying to fix that damned cabinet.
He had felt a hand slip into his, and looked over to see Granger standing next to him.
The night before, when they had danced, he could only think about how beautiful she was and the happiness she had brought him.
She did not look at him, but he was glad she was there.
Potter had taken the reins and thought of a place that they could have conversation. He had opened the doors, and they saw the room they were currently in. Valerie and Felix had claimed the two chairs in front of the fireplace, and the rest had followed in.
"So what do you want to know?" Valerie repeated.
The humans had looked back and forth between each other.
"I guess," Granger had started, "whatever you want to tell us."
So Valerie told them.
She first told them the story about how she was Made. She showed them the angry scars on her arm, and explained who Rett was. What had happened with him. She told them who Timira was, about her time at Salem. She told them anything and everything that had to do with her being a Vampire and everything involving the Community. The only thing she did not divest, was the brief kiss with Felix.
They had grown quiet when she told then about the boy from Brazil. Draco didn't remember seeing Valerie so vulnerable.
Draco didn't blame her. She had acted out in self-defense.
"So you have another side?" Lovegood asked.
Valerie looked at her and sighed. "Yes. But trust me when I say, you don't want to meet her," she said darkly.
"Does she have a name?" Granger asked.
"...She goes by V."
"V?" Blaise asked, throwing his hands up in the air. "Really? Another name with 'V'? Actually in this case, the name is 'V'. Valerie, Veela, V! Really people, choose a different name!"
Valerie looked at him and burst out laughing. She laughed and laughed and laughed until she cried. And then she laughed some more.
"Out of all the things you could react to, you choose the fact that my Vampire's name is V."
She settled down a bit, but she gave an occasional chuckle.
"If it helps, Veela wants a name change," Felix muttered.
Valerie looked over at him. "Why? And to what?"
Felix groaned. "Because he feels that calling him by what he is, is demeaning. And he wants to change it to Leo."
"Leo?"
"Don't ask," he grumbled.
There was an awkward silence before they all started laughing.
"So Vampires live forever? Are they the same age they were when they were Made?" Blaise asked.
"Yes. That part of the legend is true. Vampirism is like lycanthropy, in the sense that it is a disease. This disease, well, it replenishes cells at an alarming rate, replacing the dead and dying. Really, it doesn't allow for decay. So those with Vampirism stay young and live forever. They can be killed, though. They aren't invincible."
"How can they be killed?" Draco asked.
"Plotting my death?" Valerie gave him a smile. Even with her fangs showing, he could tell she was joking. "Vampires don't age. That's as far as their immortality goes. Any lethal blow or curse can kill them as easily as you humans. The whole staking thing was just human imagination."
"If Vampires don't age, does that mean you're still 14?" Potter asked.
Valerie looked at Felix before shaking her head. "No. It's...different for Monarchs. Did you see the ceremony last night? With all the Monarchs lined up, and me drinking from a cup?"
They nodded their heads.
"That's Penance. It's like paying tribute to your Monarch and your specie. If you want to be a part of the Community, you must pay Penance. It's a way for the Monarchs to keep track of everyone. The Sphinxes give a riddle, and if answered correctly to the Monarch, that new Sphinxes intellect will become bonded with the Monarch. Ariann requires an emotional connection. Each specie has their own way to hold Penance. The Vampires' way is to drink the blood of the newly Made."
"Seems like you take a lot of issue with a simple ceremony," Draco said.
"It's not just a symbolic ceremony, Malfoy," Felix said.
"Right. It gives the Monarch power over their, uh, subjects."
"What do you mean it gives you power over them?" Draco asked slowly.
Valerie raised her eyes to his.
Draco saw the woman in ropes from last night. Valerie's command and the woman obeying her every word.
"You can control them."
"Only to an extent. Just simple commands like 'stay' and 'go'. Nothing elaborate like dancing the Irish jig. The point is they aren't puppets."
"Still doesn't seem like the best situation."
"The whole point of that was to make sure Vampires wouldn't do something illegal. Like attack a human. The goblet is enchanted, so anyone who drinks from it won't misuse the power."
"Ok. But how does that affect your aging process?" Granger asked.
"Well, most Vampires way back when thought that having the ability to control Vampires and living forever was too much power. Since Vampires don't age, we would have the same Monarch for eternity. That wasn't fair. So they made it to where whoever drinks from the cup, loses their ability to not age. And only Vampire Monarchs drink from the cup."
"So...you're essentially a human that drinks blood."
She sighed. "No. While it takes away my agelessness, the cup gives me a different sort of immortality. I age, but I can't be killed. Any lethal blow won't affect me."
Blaise raised a brow. "Wait, so the Vampires took away your ability to not age because they thought it granted you too much power, so in return, they make you invincible? What kind of logic is that?"
"Whoever said anything about logic? You were in the Circle last night. You saw that we are not creatures of logic. And besides, it's not like I'll be Queen 'till the ripe old age of 80 or something. The longest I can rein is 40 years before they elect a new Monarch. And in that time, things can happen."
"What do you mean things can happen?" She-Weasle asked.
"Just because I can't be killed, doesn't mean I can't disappear. I'm a Queen. I have enemies. You saw that last night."
Just thinking of the Vampire Marcus gave Draco a feeling of dread. Draco was drawn from the memories of last night when Valerie spoke.
"Remember, Potter, I do expect you to uphold your end. I got you out of the Samhain Circle alive and unscathed."
Potter nodded his head. He was leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, hands clasped.
"I intend to keep my end. Besides, after some of the things I heard last night..." He shook his head in disgust. "I wasn't aware our Ministry was that ignorant."
"What makes it worse is that they choose to be ignorant," Felix added.
"The Ministry deals with wizards. That's it. Even when the attacks or crimes are committed by wizards, they turn a blind eye. No all of you are bad, though. I'll grant you that." He flashed him a smile.
"So since we're out of a life threatening situation, why don't we try to enjoy the rest of the day?" Blaise said.
"Yes! I could definitely go for a recreational game of Quidditch."
"I agree," Draco said. The group laughed.
It was weird. Draco Malfoy was in a group with Harry Potter, Hermione 'Muggle-born' Granger, a Vampire, a Veela, Looney Luna Lovegood, and a Weasley. And he was laughing with them.
Valerie got up and stretched. "I could go for a game. Been forever since I've played."
"Wait. You play?" Potter asked.
Felix groaned and slouched into his chair, covering his face with his hand. "Don't even get her started."
Valerie gave them a Valerie type of smile. "Oh yeah. I play."
XXXXX
"Next time mate...next time we should just...not," Blaise groaned from his spot lying on the ground.
"I agree," Draco said, lying right next to him.
"Oh, come on. It wasn't that bad," Valerie smiled, standing above them. She held her broom behind her, across her shoulders.
"You weren't viciously attacked by a Vampire," Blaise said. Draco punched him, and Blaise realized what he said. "By a quaffle! You weren't attacked by a Vampire with a Quaffle. After being hit. That is. Fuck."
Valerie just laughed.
Potter flew down. "Are they going to be okay?"
"Oh, they're just whining because I gave them a run for their Galleons."
Potter chuckled. "Well, I'm just glad that you were on my team."
"Yeah, remind us how that happened again?" Draco said. "Last time I checked it was going to be Slytherins against Gryffindors. Valerie with me and Blaise-"
"Blaise and I."
-and Felix with you and She-Weasle."
"I have a name you know," She-Weasle said, walking up. "And we switched because Hermione thought it would be unfair."
"How was the original plan unfair in any way?"
"Please. Three Slytherins on one team? Too devious," Granger said from beside Draco.
"How do you think regular Quidditch is played?! Admit it; you just wanted me to lose."
"Well..."
"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me."
"Do I want to know?" Pansy joined the group.
Silence.
Draco was lying on the ground, facing up, so he could not see what the cause of silence was.
He sat up and looked around the people who had formed a circle. There was Valerie with a broom she had borrowed, Felix next, then Granger, Potter, She-Weasel, Lovegood, then Pansy holding hands with the Weasel.
"What?" Draco stammered out.
"Eloquent, Malfoy, really eloquent."
"You owe me 30 Galleons," Valerie muttered to Felix.
"Damn," he said, reaching into his pocket.
XXXXX
"I think you broke a rib, Valerie," Blaise complained.
"I barely hit you."
"YOU barely hit me. But the Quaffle-"
"Again, barely hit you. You complain too much, Blaise."
Draco laughed as they made their way their way back to the common rooms. Valerie and Blaise continued to argue with Felix shaking his head at them. Granger was talking with the She-Weasel and Potter. Lovegood was off in her own world and Pansy was holding hands with the Weasel. Still.
Draco made a face.
How in the world could Pansy be with the Weasel of all people? It was just-
He saw Pansy smiling across the Great Hall at Weasley's antics. Pansy in potions class, fighting with him, but the look in her eye of pure joy. Then Pansy in the library laughing with Weasley over something he had said.
Draco shook his head to clear it and whipped his gaze to Valerie. She just raised a brow.
He would have gotten mad at her for invading his head. Should have gotten mad. But then he remembered what she had said about thinking so hard about one thing. A certain thought or a memory. She would just get a glimpse of what the person was thinking, and Draco had thought non-stop about Pansy holding hands with Weasley. So he let his anger fade.
It was weird, but then again considering who he carried a torch for, he had no room to complain.
Pansy did look happier, and he did intend to ask what had happened at the ball and with Weasley. But for now, he was happy for his friend.
Still gross, though.
Draco looked at all his friends in the hallway. Potter and the Gryffindors, sans Granger, were a far cry from friends, but after everything that had happened - and not just the events of last night - Draco figured that he could try. Potter wasn't so bad.
Oh, Merlin. He was turning into a sappy Hufflepuff. He shivered in disgust.
Fine. The Gryffindors - just the one's in the hallway, mind you! - weren't all bad. There. He said it.
He was going to have to go torture some first years to get rid of this feeling.
Again, looking at all of the people in the hallway, he was surprised at how much everyone had grown.
He was even more surprised about how much people had moved on.
Dallying on the past was not worth the effort. No, don't forget it completely. But if you are stuck in the past, how could you look forward to the future?
Speaking of.
They had gotten to the changing stairways, and the Slytherins had to part from the Gryffindors. Oh, and Lovegood. She whispered something in Blaise's ear and he jerked back in surprise before letting a goofy smile grow on his face. Draco didn't want to know.
The Gryffindors were moving away and Blaise and Valerie were moving down the stairs. Now or never. How was he going to do this? He wasn't exactly experienced in this particular department. He wasn't sappy (previous epiphany excluded) and he didn't want to say the wrong thing.
"Hey, Granger?" He called after her.
She turned around, walking backward. "Yes?"
Draco thought for a minute, his time slipping. A thought. He smiled.
"Put a label on it."
She gave him a queer look before stopping and opening and closing her mouth several times. He gave her a wink and turned to follow Blaise and Valerie. They were waiting at the bottom of the stairs. When he got to the bottom he pulled Valerie in for a brief hug. She wasn't expecting that and stood stiff.
He let her go. "You're a genius."
She brushed off her clothes. "Well, I wouldn't want to have to hear you complain about your missed chance for the next three weeks," she grumbled.
Draco smiled.