Chapter 37: The one where I pay my debts to the devil.

Disclaimer: I am just a mere visitor in the sublime world constructed by J.K Rowling. Anything that rings a bell is hers.

Chapter 36

"You're an ugly crier."

I looked up and saw pompous ass number one staring down at me, his expensive cologne just as potent as the last time I was forced into his presence.

"And you're just ugly." I retorted, apparently that didn't frighten him. He instead took a seat next to me on the floor.

"You're a liar. Do you not see these cheekbones, and if you run your hands through my hair…just go ahead. It's a sensation that can't be put into words."

"I don't know if you're narcissistic or delusional."

"Maybe I am both. Maybe I am neither. Here." He held out his hankie and I looked at it. I smirked, grabbing it and found what I was looking for. Of course, he had a monogrammed hankie; I blew my nose right over the 'DM'. I handed it back to him,

"You can keep it."

We sat in silence for a bit.

"I have my period." The look on his face was priceless. It actually made me laugh.

"That's nice…at least you know you're not with child…"

"A girl tells you she's got her period and that's how you react."

"Forgive me, but a girl has never told me she has had her period before."

"So, I've taken your 'period confession' virginity."

"I highly doubt that that is even a thing, normal girls do not disclose such information. It isn't proper."

"I'm not proper."

"You don't have to convince me on that aspect. Should I apologise."

"For?"

"For you having your…week."

"Nah it's OK. Your apology won't stop my stomach cramps and it definitely won't reign in my hormones."

"Is that why you're sitting on the floor of the dungeons crying."

"No…. well actually I guess it had its part to play. I'm not a big fan of tears."

"Neither am I. Let me guess…your ball gown arrived, and they sent the wrong shade of pink." He smirked down at me.

I laughed and gestured with my hands emphatically, "What kind of idiot doesn't know the difference between coral and cerise!"

"The same kind that pairs stripes with polka dots." He winked at me, and I laughed again.

"You're not being an ass. Why aren't you being an ass?"

"Maybe it's because…. I don't know…I'm not an ass." He looked at me seriously and a second later we both burst out laughing.

"I thought for a second that you were almost serious." He looked at me thoughtfully,

"Well, I have my reasons for being less than friendly. But let's not pretend you're an innocent little bystander."

"I admit I give as good as I get."

"Thornton…you give better than you get."

"I won't apologise for that."

"Never apologise for that. Tell me something...why do you hang out with Potter. And the Weasel?"

"Why do you hang out with Crabbe and Goyle? I also hang out with Mi; I thought you of all people would question that most."

"Granger may have inferior blood status but I'm not a fool. She is not without intelligence."

"That almost sounds like a compliment. Don't expect me to say something nice about Crabbe and Goyle though."

"I wouldn't because there is nothing nice to say about them."

"Why do you hang out with them then?"

He remained quiet for a little while; I almost thought he didn't hear me. "Friendship is for the weak. For the Potters and the Weasels of the world. Associations should be forged on the basis of progress. Crabbe and Goyle know that I am on my way to the top and don't mind riding my coat tails. I am not an idiot like many of my predecessors, idiotic henchman are a Knut a dozen but loyal idiotic henchman, that is a rarity. Loyalty is harnessed through time, hence the formation of our early…'friendship.'"

I looked down at a crack in the floor and busied myself with making it bigger with my shoes. Malfoy obviously thought that rule was solid. Mi proved just the other day though that loyalty comes not with time…but with choice. You choose to truly see, to truly know, to truly trust in a person's character.

Malfoy had a warped sense of the world, but how could I blame him. His father was atrocious, the fallen angel flashed through my eyes. Imagine having to live with that monster, masked by all his airs and graces publicly but in the privacy of his own household…I looked at Malfoy again, really looked at him. I never did before; all I saw was his fathers' eyes with a shock of white-blonde hair. I saw a blood supremacist, a snarky sarcastic little bastard, an intelligent ignorant boy. But what else has this world afforded him to be?

If you are told that one plus one equals three from the cradle, consistently, when the time comes when somebody tells you one plus one equals two, who do you believe? A stranger or the person you've known from birth. I looked at Malfoy and saw so much more than just him, I saw Crabbe and Goyle and the tall dark boy that he hung out with occasionally. The skinny one that was more of a loner. I saw Pansy that irritating bitch and Bullstrode the ugly toad…. I saw them all. The next generation of misinformation.

Because that is what they were…led in the wrong direction. And they continue walking in the wrong path because it is a path very rarely crossed by a Puff, a Claw or a Lion. So, they continue with their ignorant thoughts and develop their depraved minds, whilst we all sit in our ivory towers and tell them that it is two. But why believe us-

"Are you getting lost in it?"

"In what?"

"My handsomeness of course. You see it now, don't you?"

"Yes Malfoy, I see it all clearly."

I jumped off the floor and turned and looked down at him. "We have a lot of cleaning to do. And I don't fancy having to come back here, I have much more pressing things to do with my time and I'm sure the feeling is mutual. But I don't work in silence, so consider yourself warned."

He stood and dusted himself, "Well I'm horrible company, so consider yourself warned."

I walked down to the room and laughed at his statement. "The last few minutes contradict that statement."

He was silent at that, probably dissecting each word, making sure there was no insult hidden in there.

I started sorting through a pile, finding the matching pestle for the mortar we found the last time, our backs facing each other.

"What did you get detention for anyway?"

"You heard Filch. Caught out of curfew."

"I know that. I mean why were you out of curfew?"

"Making out with Pansy. Pushed her away when we heard Filch coming, figured we wouldn't get docked points if we were just caught out of curfew and not for indecent exposure."

I tried not to imagine indecent exposure. "I never thought of you as the romantic Malfoy, taking the blame for it all, pushing the damsel out of the way."

He chuckled darkly, "I wasn't pushing her out of the way. I thought he was coming from the left and pushed her towards that side and tried to hide behind the statue of Samson the Sneak and then he saw me. I learnt my lesson though."

"Don't snog girls in random corridors."

"No. Don't snog girls who are not willing to take the punishment if caught…in random corridors."

I turned around and looked at him; he heard my movement and turned as well.

"So, you expected Parkinson to what? Turn around and wave at Filch as a distraction whilst you ran off?"

"It would have only been the decent thing to do."

"You're insane. And a total chauvinist."

"I am not chauvinistic. I didn't treat Pansy that way because she is a girl, and I am a boy. I treated Pansy that way because she is Pansy, and I am Draco."

"Draco only watches out for Draco."

"Precisely." He turned back to his work, "And you?"

"You must know why I am in here."

"Thornton you get detention so often it would waste time hazarding a guess."

"Blishwick."

He laughed loudly, "Ahhh Bariston, ohhh that was good. I must compliment you on your wandwork, it was admirable. And I for one believe his face much improved. Fuck…he had to drink through his nose because you swapped his oral and nasal passages and he had to snort food. And the chins on his forehead…I remember walking into the common room that day and seeing him sitting at the fire bawling his eyes out, snot dripping from his ears. I laughed so hard I actually teared."

I smiled in reminiscence, "I thought you would be angry though. What with him being a Slytherin."

"We snakes are not idiots like you lions. We don't get cut up when our 'friends' get hurt; you lot actually do us a favour. Weeding out the weak. Anyway, Blishwick is an annoying bastard. He is the worst kind of idiot, an idiot with money."

"So, I better watch out for you then."

He smirked at me, "Thornton…money or no money, idiot or not…you better watch out for me."

I rolled my eyes, "Well I'll do it again, in a heartbeat if somebody insults Mi."

"Is that a warning?"

"What? No, no, no. I would love for you to try. I always imagined what grey eyes would look like on pink lips."

"My lips are not pink!"

"Oh, they are so pink! Coral actually to be specific."

He laughed at the pouting face I made at him.

"So, who are you going with to the Ball?"

I rolled my eyes. Ugh this topic. "Who're you going with?"

"I asked first."

"Wow Mr Maturity. Let's settle this like men. Rock, paper, scissors. Whoever wins gets their answer first."

He stared at me in confusion and then I remembered he was a prejudiced pureblood. "It's a game. Rock beats scissors, scissors cuts paper, paper wraps rock. When we say scissors, we choose a tool. So, its rock, rock, and then you choose a tool." I acted out what I said, and he nodded reluctantly. "Are you ready?"

He nodded reluctantly again. "Rock, paper…scissors. Crap."

He laughed maniacally at having thrown scissors when I threw paper. I guess he wasn't that dumb, he caught on quick. "So, Thornton, who is the unlucky bastard."

"Nobody. I'm flying solo. Now don't you feel like an idiot for asking?"

He looked at me in absolute shock, "Nobody asked you? I always said those Gryffindor boys are chasing for the other side, but this would have to be proof. I guess I don't owe Nott ten galleons."

"What? Why?"

"He seemed to think you would go with Potter."

"Who did you bet I would go with?"

"Weasel. Figured he wasn't man enough to ask Granger and then he would have no date, you'll pity date him."

"Nope, Ron has a date."

"Well, isn't this the most interesting turn of events…Thornton I have a proposition for you."

"No."

"You haven't heard it yet."

He faked a thoughtful expression, "Lamian leave sap…owe you one…Salazar's sac…Thornton…this can be the one, you know the one, the one you owe me."

I threw a rag at him, and he dodged it. "So, you'll come to the ball with me."

"You could use this 'one' on anything at any time and you choose to use it to force me to go to the Ball with you."

"Yes."

I shook my head at him, "Why do you even want to go with me to the Ball? You don't even like me. I slapped you and I would have done worse if Harry didn't stop me."

"I remember that-"

"Is it for revenge? Because if it is, remember I give better than I get."

"Will you shut up and let me say why."

I kept quiet and waited, "You're rude and improper and have almost no etiquette. You have disgusting taste in friends, and you have all the embarrassing qualities of a Gryffindor."

"Wow, I sound like quite a catch in your eyes, don't I?"

"But…you're the hottest girl in our year."

I raised my eyebrows at him, "That's why you want to go to the Ball with me?"

"Isn't that why anybody goes with anyone to these things."

"Yes, but you're not anybody and I'm not anyone."

"Oh, so the brave little lioness is afraid of a little gossip and the odd hex or two. Jealous girls can be vicious. Unless you're scared to upset Prince Potter-"

"No, it's not the immature feud you have going on with Harry and Ron or your fan club. You know why I won't go with you."

He rolled his eyes and leaned against a table. "Look, I am not going to apologise or take back whatever I said about her. If I did that would be a lie and you would most definitely have to offer me more than just a hand to hold. But I would refrain from saying things about her or others of that type for the night…a little amnesty."

I looked at him and remembered what I had thought earlier on. This was a chance to cross paths was it not? If I say no, then he'll continue to insult Mi and continue to be misinformed. But if I say yes…maybe this could be the difference that we all needed. He was still Malfoy though,

"Why are you really asking me?"

"The very same reason that I stated previously. It baffles me, believe me, but you are beautiful. You have the most…provoking figure of our year and it only makes sense that we go together. Me, the best-looking guy and you, the best-looking girl in the year. Plus, I have a fifty-galleon bet with Zabini that I could get you to go on a date with me."

"You boys seem to talk about me a lot."

"You come up in conversation. You're a new toy that everybody wants to play with, but you've always just been on display."

"There will be no playing if I agree to this."

"Of course not. Unless you ask for it then I will politely oblige."

"Your father won't be too impressed. I am Dumbledore's granddaughter."

"I don't care."

That's what sold me. He replied quickly and I could read his face, it was the truth. That's what I needed right? For him not to care that his father disapproved…

"There will obviously be ground rules. Firstly, I don't dance. You'll have to entertain me in other ways that are all decent. Secondly, I bore easily, and I cannot stand boredom. If I feel it, you shall let me leave and not make a moan about it. Thirdly and I cannot express this enough, Mi will be around. The only reason why I am going for this thing at all is because of her and when she is around, I will not tolerate any slight on her character, be it a sneer or the most masked of insults. I won't just leave I will make sure I leave a bloody trail in my wake."

"Done, done and…done."

And just like that I had a date to the Yule ball. I turned around and got back to my work trying to figure out a plan on how to break it to Mi.

I walked into the dorm at midnight, finally having cleaned the room. Malfoy and I actually found a few interesting potions equipment and I came across a set of cauldrons and scales that I'm sure are not in production anymore. I saw the bushy mane stick out from between the hangings and I walked over to her bed, pushed the hangings aside and got in.

"Maybe we should make a rule that you don't have to wait up for me if my detention goes past midnight." She sighed,

"Why don't we make a rule that you will stop getting detention? Anyway, I don't mind, I was catching up on some reading. How was detention?"

"I'm going to the Yule ball with Malfoy."

She was silent for a second; I think my quick like a band-aid approach might have resulted in a heart attack. "Which Malfoy?"

"Narcissa, she has decided she's going to stop being a housewife and become a lesbian paedophile."

She was quiet again for a few heartbeats. "Harry and Ron won't like this."

"I don't care what Harry and Ron say. I do care what you say. If it will make you feel too uncomfortable…"

"No, I'm fine with it. I'm sure you have your reasons…. he isn't blackmailing you or drugging you or something."

"Well, he thinks I'm doing it because I'm paying a debt and I'm going to continue letting him think that he is. I want to go with him, if I must go to this blasted event, I might as well achieve something in the process."

"Make Harry jealous?"

"Huh, no." Going with Malfoy would annoy Harry, and I wasn't above enjoying that, but why would he be jealous. "I think some inter-house exposure is just what the Snakes need."

"OK, but just be careful, some snakes are more poisonous than others Ky."

"Lucky I'll have my lioness there with me then." I turned and flopped onto her bed. She lay back down as well. I looked up at the scarlet hangings knowing she was doing the same.

"I saw Viktor a while ago. After you left for detention, he sent an owl for me to meet him in the library."

I smiled, "Did he kiss you?"

She laughed quietly, "On the cheek. He's actually quite shy. I guess that proves it."

"Proves what?"

"You can never judge a book by its cover. I mean he is an international quidditch player...and I'm just…"

"The best thing that will ever happen to him. One day he'll be the one that says, 'I dated Hermione Granger' not the other way around… nervous?"

She sighed and snuggled into the blanket, "What's there to be nervous of when I have my lioness with me?"

I smiled and let sleep claim me, agreeing with her completely.

A/N: Reviews as always, are appreciated. I know a lot of people are not going to like this but just look on the bright side, you're not as angry as Ron and Harry would be…or is that a bright side?

Kalina