Hi everyone! I wanted to upload the second chapter so people reading the story have a general idea of what type of story it's going to be and the direction it will be heading. I had most of this written from yesterday. I can't guarantee though that updates will be this regular from now on as I want to put in time and effort into each chapter to shape the story properly.
I also want to thank a few people who reviewed the first chapter. It honestly meant a lot to me to hear what you thought. So I'd like to thank Jacpin2002 ( who was my first reviewer) alongside beautifly92, nobody03, ditte3 and nomoremeow. It means a lot to a writer when you guess take the time out to review stories. So thank you so much, guys!
So please let me know what you think of the story so far and if you like the direction in which the story is going. Any feedback is good feedback!
Much love 3
Draco's Point of View
Pansy slides her hand around my neck, pulling me close. Her fingers slipping under the cuff of my shirt. Her fingertips are ice cold.
"Are you really not going to tell us anything?" she whines. Blaise and Goyle both lean in, eavesdropping. They continue talking amongst themselves but they aren't fooling anyone. I glare at Blaise who smirks in response. Damn fool. I have a feeling he's the one whose put Pansy up to bugging me today.
"Unfortunately I can't. Dumbledore charmed me," I lie, flicking the page in my history book.
"Charmed?" Pansy asks. "He didn't say anything about you having to be charmed during the announcement yesterday," she says questioningly. I sigh ready for the new onslaught of questions.
"Yeah well," I start, running my hand around the back of my neck. Pansy drops her hand.
"Dumbledore felt under the circumstances between the mudblood and me that it would be best this way. As if he knew anything," I comment.
Pansy stills stares at me. Her inquisitive eyes could draw blood from a stone. What I say to her I may as well stand up and announce to everyone else in the house with how quickly she can spread gossip. I need to placate her now before people start to talk and think I'm protecting the mudblood.
"He said I couldn't give away too many details about what I saw but I can tell you it was boring as hell. She marries some poor, unlucky fool from the ministry and has a couple of ugly half-bloods. Nothing we didn't already know. Nothing we can really use against her either," I sigh and eye Pansy. She bows her head l and I know I've said enough to keep her occupied for the time being while she spreads that around the house. Naturally- and not very subtly - she excuses herself and finds the first Slytherin girl she can. Loyalty comes second to gossip in her eyes.
I run my hands through my hair again as an excuse to have a momentary break from everyone's eager eyes. Blaise uses this moment to join me on the two-seater.
"Look Zabini, I have a throbbing headache after dealing with Pansy for the last half an hour. Whatever it is can it wait until the banging behind my eyes stops," I plead. Blaise smirks and folds his legs, throwing an arm behind me on the couch. He surveys the room as he talks.
"She making the rounds quite quickly, wouldn't you say?" Blaise notes the crowd gathered around Pansy as they try to hide. I sigh again.
"Yeah, and whose fault is it that she was bothering me all morning?" I ask, glaring at Blaise. He chuckles.
"Call it punishment," he states, smugly.
"Punishment for what?" I ask incredulously.
"You missed the meeting last night. My father told me, Master wasn't happy," Blaise murmurs low enough that it manages to stay just between us.
"I'm sorry did you not see what happened last night? I was with Dumbledore and the mudblood. I could hardly excuse myself without raising suspicion?" I claim. Blaise accepts this but his expression doesn't change.
"I'm just warning you Malfoy that the Dark Lord notes absences," Blaise warns.
"He can note all the absents he wants. He knows where my loyalty lies," I say with clenched teeth but a sweat breaks out on my back. Blaise raises his hands in defense.
"Don't bite the messenger. I'm just letting you know that your absence was noted is all," he says, defensively.
"Duly noted," I snap back. The mark on my arm starts to burn and I slap my hand over my forearm and squeeze until it passes.
"Hmm," Blaise sneers noticing my discomfort.
"Usually it's sore when it's fresh. But it could almost mean he's not too happy with you," Blaise smirks, picking up a book Pansy left behind and flicking through it nonchalantly.
"Can you just fuck off Blaise I'm not in the mood," I seethe. He snaps the book closed and eyes me with a knowing expression.
"Malfoy you know I'm only trying to help you. I am your friend and I want you to succeed with this," he admits, dropping the hand that was behind me on the couch onto my shoulder. I jolt away as it feels too similar to the way Dumbledore touched my shoulders last night.
"Woah, ease up man," Blaise laughs slapping me on the back. Pansy stops her gossiping for a second to watch the exchange between us. Seeing is there anything going on that might prove more useful to her. When she deems our conversation as below her interest she moves her attention back to the crowd around her, happy in any spotlight she can get.
"Convenient how much you consider us friends now?" I suggest. Blaise smirks again.
"I don't envy you if that's what you're getting at," he laughs sarcastically. I roll my eyes.
"Sure you don't," I say.
"Believe me when I say you weren't masters first choice given Lucius's history," Blaise says, poking at me. Unfortunately, he knows how to get to me. It works.
"Don't let your jealousy show too much Blaise the girls don't exactly like that," I laugh, pointing at him suggestingly. "I mean if you could actually get anyone," I say smirking. Blaise laughs but a little red patches his neck. His face remains solid. It's hard to break through a Slytherins façade. We are all built the same I guess.
"It's good you still have your sense of humor Malfoy. If you don't succeed that might be the only thing left of you," he warns. The conversation between us is a battle; the mood and tone constantly shifting. We are talking but we may as well be playing chess. We both want different end results that are in our favor.
"Hoping I won't succeed?" I suggest. "Want to take my place is it?"
"As I said before, I'm not envious. I wouldn't want to be burden with the task of murdering one of the greatest wizards of all time," he laughs. I glare at him.
"Keep your fucking voice down," I warn looking around to see a few eyes turned our way. They've noticed our conversation tone keeps changing too much. He squeezes my shoulder roughly.
"You should know he asked about what happened last night," Blaise admits.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"Well news spread fast that it was the mudblood's future you saw," Blaise says.
"And?" I say. "I already told Pansy it was a load of crap. Nothing we can use," I lie. Blaise weighs this around for a moment.
"I just thought that was just some shit you told Pansy to get her off your back," Blaise proposes.
"Nope. If there was anything of use I would have contacted the Dark Lord myself immediately," I supply. He seems to accept this. Check. When our verbal spar dwells I feel the tide move in my favor.
"I will let my father know then that there was nothing of use in Granger's future. I'm sure master was hoping there might be some news on Potter's plan," Blaise enquires.
"No, he wasn't even in her future," I lie. Potter had been older in the glimpse I had seen of him and the young weasel. I don't know what that means but if that information got out I don't know how much would change. It could mean that Potter lives. It could mean that he wins. Then everything could change very quickly. Perhaps my education would come second to the cause and my parents would pull me from Hogwarts. The idea of sitting in the manor every night alongside my ever silent mother doesn't appeal to me. I had hoped for two more years of ignorance before I was chosen by the dark lord to carry out this mission. I'm going to enjoy as much time as I can. While I have time left.
"That's good news then," Blaise says smiling. I freeze realising just saying that was enough to give him something to talk about.
"But it was just her future," I interject before his mind can do too much wandering. "I didn't see anyone but her and picking up after a few half-bloods is all," I say, faking nonchalance.
"Waste of my time if you ask me," I say. Blaise laughs pushing my shoulder.
"Must have been horrible to have to see her filthy future," he says, his mouth turning down in disgust.
"I would have gladly given you my place then," I laugh a little too hard. But Blaise joins me quickly and the tension between us starts to ease. Common ground I think. An easy subject to sway the conversation.
"I'm good man," he answers. He steps up away from the chair and scans the room.
"Anyways, let me know if you need anything. I've got your back," he says.
"Yeah, for sure," I respond. He walks away. Checkmate.
Hermione's Point of View
I put my hand down fast on ginny's wrist.
"Ginny, please. Can we just pretend that it never happened?" I plead.
"How can you say that, Hermione? You won a prize that you don't even get because of him. It's not fair and I think you should go and see Dumbledore about it and have Malfoy hold up his end of the bargain. This is not fair on you!" She exclaims.
"I don't mind, really!" I admit. Mostly I don't care. I want to turn back time and pretend it never happened in the first place. Just move on with my life as normal.
"Now we're exactly the same. We both don't know what's supposed to happen in our future and that's the way it's meant to be. Muggles do it every day. It's called 'going with the flow'," I say trying to convince her. She scowls in response.
"Maybe if Harry went and spoke to Dumbledor-"
"I don't want Harry getting involved in this. He has enough on his plate than to worry about something as silly as this. I mean what did you expect Ginny?" I ask.
"Did you think Malfoy was going to forget he hates me and suddenly tell me everything?" I explain. But a part of me wants to sit on the other side with Ginny and berate me for not doing more. But what else can be done?
"No I didn't think he was just going to tell you everything but I would have assumed Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall might have enforced it. Even have him write it down if he didn't want to talk to you. I don't know, Hermione! I expect more than this," she says furiously.
"So did I," I admit.
"Then do something or I will," she warns stepping up away from the table to go to class. I sigh watching her walk away and out the doors of the great hall. I look towards the Slytherin table to see if Malfoy is there but he's nowhere to be seen and neither is his friends. I make my way to potions ignoring the curious eyes that follow me.
Draco Point of View
In potions, Slughorn divides the class into teams of two for an assignment. I end up with Blaise looking oddly smug. The worst part is not that I am stuck with Blaise but that our work table is connected to Grangers. She sends the weasel to the garden outside to pick the necessary plants and ingredients. Blaise follows him outside with a basket and a scribbled note of ingredients. I take out the cauldron and try my best to focus.
Slughorn moves to the top of the classroom and takes out a clear vile from his pocket and the class stops what they're doing.
"Whoever is lucky enough to brew this potion will win this," he says presenting the tiny vile.
"Sir, what is it?" Granger asks in her typical annoying voice. But I already know what it is by the vile it's kept in. I recognise it from something I had seen in one of my fathers older potions books in the library at home.
"Why Miss Granger I would have thought you would know what it is? Given that you currently have the top marks in the class," Slughorn says to which Granger's cheeks flush a bright red. I smirk. Serves her right. Know-it-all.
"Felix Felicis," Slughorn announces. "Also known as –"
"Liquid Luck," Granger interjects.
"Yes, Miss Granger. Very good. I was worried there for a second," Slughorn laughs to which Granger visibly relaxes having redeemed herself in her professor's eyes. I roll my eyes.
"This little potion will make all your wildest endeavors come true, giving you the courage needed to succeed. I have used it twice in my life and I must say both were terribly wonderful days." Slughorn laughs, his eyes fluttering away in memory. He sets the vile down leaning against his ink well on the table.
"Now I shall leave this here as a motivator. Whichever team brews the potion first will be able to claim it. Within the hour of the class of course," he says. Granger turns back to her work station immediately and starts the fire underneath the small cauldron. She rolls up her sleeves and sets about following the order of the instructions. I watch her finger run down the list as her brow furrows uneasily.
Blaise returns with the basket of ingredients and I grab them off of him.
"Woah, someone is excited about potions," he laughs. Granger looks up at me from her notes. I scowl and she averts her eyes to where weasel is struggling in the door with a handful of broken plants and leaves. Granger frowns and runs over to him, helping him carry them to the table. He leaves a long trail of dirt from the garden to their work station. Slughorn sighs from behind his table. Granger flushes even redder than before. She whispers a charm and the dirt gets sucked back out towards the garden.
"I need to get this right, Zabini," I whisper low so Granger or the weasel can't hear. Blaise looks around the room suspiciously.
"Why?" he asks, unsure. I nod towards the vile on the table.
"I need that liquid luck," I admit somewhat embarrassed. Blaise puts two and two together and smirks down at me. Damn him for being a little bit taller than me.
"Wipe the smirk off your face," I demand. He raises his hand in defense.
"I didn't say anything," he laughs.
"Yeah well, I know what you were thinking," I say.
"I was under the impression you weren't having trouble with the task," he questions. I elbow him in the ribs to which Granger's eyes slightly flicker up towards us from her notes. I give him a furious look to be quiet. He shrugs.
"I didn't realise you needed courage?" he explains. I frowned, uncomfortable with the direction the conversation is going and the fact that Granger is a mere foot away from me.
"I don't need courage. I just need it to be done. I need to finish my task. Master is waiting and that vile can guarantee I succeed," I explain. Blaise accepts this response and nods.
"If you say so," he smirks. I push his hands away from the basket and take out the ingredients, lining them up on the table. I work my way down through the list of instructions.
"Lovers tiff?" the weasel says smugly, watching us.
"Surprised you know what a lovers tiff looks like weasel!" I respond, challenging him.
"From what I've heard you haven't much experience with anything like that," I joke. Blaise sniggers beside me. Ever faithful. The weasel's face turns a shade that matches his hair.
"Boys!" Slughorn warns, eyeing us from his desk. I glower before turning my attention back to the bean-like growth on the counter.
"You have to cut it," Blaise says pointing at the notes in the book.
"Do you not see me trying?" I explain as the bean flies around the counter escaping my knife at every turn.
"Give me the bloody knife," Blaise says grabbing it from my hand.
"Be my guest," I say frustrated. I move back to let Blaise stand in front of the cauldron.
I look around the room and notice a few other students are struggling with the very same instructions. I allow myself to look up at Granger. Her hair seems to have eaten something and grown twice its mass. When she turns the weasel visibly moves away from it. Her own tiny bean-like growth darts around her worktable. The more it moves the more sweat gathers in her eyebrows. Weasel tries to help but I can tell by her facial expression that he is more of a burden than anything. She sighs dropping the knife staring around the room at everyone else. When she meets my eyes I think of the necklace under my bed in the dormitory and how it's been cursed, waiting to be gifted to Dumbledore. I look at Weasel, leaning over the instructions in the manual. I remember his hand in hers in the glimpse of her second future. I turn back to her curious expression and I see her lifeless body being dragged away by my family house-elf. That will be two deaths on my hands before I turn 19.
One is an order, the other a choice.
Could I spare one to make up for the other?
An eye for an eye.
In one future Granger lives and in the other she dies.
Regardless of what happens in the first, if I keep her away from Weasel then the alternative can never come true. No matter what future she's left with. If I keep her away from him then she is safe. If I somehow warn her or convince her to stay away from him she can choose her own future. One as far away from me as possible. Maybe saving her can make up for-
"Malfoy, are you even listening?" Blaise asks interrupting my thoughts. I drop my eyes not realising I had been staring so intently at Granger this entire time.
"What is it, Zabini?" I ask. He motions to the juice leaking out of the growth-like bean on the counter.
"You were supposed to cut it," I say, reading the instructions I've read a thousand times in the last 40 minutes.
"My knife slipped and I accidentally crushed it," he admits.
"Well put it in! Come on," I urge him.
Slughorn lets out a loud roar.
"Oh Congratulations, Mr. Potter," Slughorn exclaims. "Students come! Gather around. I believe Mr. Potter here has done it," he shouts beckoning the class. I throw the book down on the counter in frustration. It flys across the worktable and hits Granger's bag off the table. Her bag tips over and her books tumble out across the floor.
"Malfoy you did that on purpose," the weasel shouts. I smirk at him, seething. Out of the three, I've really always hated him the most.
"So what if I did?" I ask, stepping towards him. My 6 foot 2 dwarfs his 5 foot 10 but he still steps forward. I leered down at him.
"Do you always have to be such a dick," the weasel asks. A few students have noticed but Slughorn is still praising Potter. I stare at the liquid luck for a minute and think of just grabbing it while everyone is distracted.
"Only when it comes to her," I say motioning towards Granger. She blushes and zips her bag up.
"Ronald, leave it," Granger begs, pulling on his hand. I look down as he cups her fragile hand in his. Heat builds in my chest. Anger. Blood red. I feel Blaise beside me, watching me. I squeeze my fist and let the anger focus on that one point.
"Easy Malfoy," Blaise whispers, real low, "Not here," he suggests, eyeing some of the students watching the altercation.
"Another time weasel," I sneer. He smiles in response. "Anytime." Granger pulls his hand as he backs off but she eyes something as he turns. When I look down I realise it's my slightly exposed forearms. I catch her eye again. She's looking for the mark that she wonders is there. But she's not stupid enough to know I wouldn't charm it if it was there. Her eyes are filled with curiosity and fear and I glare at her. I laugh as Blaise pulls me back. She frowns and turns to join the rest of the students praising the prodigy potter. What a joke to think a future is possible where we are able to be together, let alone actually co-exist peacefully.
"Let's fucking bail," I say. Blaise grabs his books off the table and follows me out of the classroom. A curious set of eyes follow.
Please Review. It would mean a lot to me.