The Dragon's Gambit

The Dragon’s Gambit Chapter 1

(Present Time: Valentine’s Day 1997)

It was a bitterly cold day in more ways than one for Cho Chang. The raging snowstorm only served to enhance the frozen state of her heart and mind. She hated Valentine’s Day with a passion, so she was relieved that her whole morning would be focused on her work/study program with Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing.

She sat in the crowded Great Hall, morosely pushing her food around with a fork so that it looked like she was eating and mentally counting the seconds before the first class. It was difficult for her to sit through breakfast. Watching the cards, flowers, and candy float down to their intended recipients from the hundreds of delivery owls that swarmed the room made her feel sad and so very alone. This day of love tokens was just a sharp reminder of what she had lost. Though time had done much to heal the pain caused by Cedric’s death, she still felt the stabbing, bittersweet pangs of longing every once in a while. She still missed Cedric, her first love, but she had learned to cope with the anguish that held her captive in the months following his death. The day was also a grim reminder of the death of a friendship. The loss of her best friend hurt her more than anything, but she would be damned before she allowed him to see her wounded countenance. Forcing a gaiety she didn’t feel, Cho strove to converse normally with the other Ravenclaws by bantering with her friends and admiring the gifts that overwhelmed the table.

A sudden burst of laughter from another table almost decimated her composure. Cho fiercely willed herself not to stare at a certain blond haired Slytherin and his obscene pile of Valentine correspondence. Draco’s distinctive drawl was easily identifiable to her ears, even through the cacophony of other voices. Listening to him brag about his plans for the day sent waves of jealousy coursing through her veins, but she couldn’t ignore the conversation. Things like that helped her to embrace the pain of loneliness, and to add even more distance between herself from her former friend. She was relieved when the Hall emptied, leaving her with just her thoughts. She wasn’t due at the Hospital Wing for another 30 minutes, and she badly needed some time alone.

An eagle owl landed next to Cho and encouraged her to take the package it had clutched in its beak. The small box was beautifully wrapped in a sumptuous green, blue, and white plaid silk scarf with a rare, fragrant, purple honsou flower tucked into one of the folds. Carefully untying the silky knotted bow formed with the ends of the scarf, she paused to inhale the spicy scent of the flower. She was literally stunned. Who would send her such an outrageously expensive gift that contained so much meaning? Honsou flowers were in season for only five days each year, but the blossoms stayed fresh and full for two months. Those of the purple variety, however, were notoriously difficult to grow and propagate due to a strict five year maintenance plan. Only about 10 made it to market each year, but there was a long waiting list to even make a purchase. With proper care, the single purple honsou stayed in full bloom for roughly one hundred years. The flower was universally recognized as the wizarding symbol of lasting love. She closed her eyes and sniffed it one more time before reverently tucking it back into its silk nest. Cho picked up the green velvet box feeling her fingers sink into the deep luxurious nap. An exquisite crystal brooch fashioned into the shape of dragonfly winked merrily up at her, almost causing her to drop it. She carefully placed the pin on the palm of her hand and looked closely at it. It was breathtaking piece, simply crafted, and charmed to wiggle and twist to catch any available light, making it bounce off its many facets. Her breath caught in her throat as she set it down.

Turning to face the delivery owl who was fastidiously helping himself to Cho’s uneaten breakfast, she said, “There has to be some mistake. These can’t be for me because somebody spent a whole lot of time, effort, and money picking out these presents.” Cho sadly eyed flower and pin and sighed. “The giver obviously loves the person these were meant for, but since there is no one in my life right now, they can’t possibly be for me.”

Cho turned to pick up the items, meaning to give them back to the owl when a feathery wing and a soft hoot stopped her in mid movement. The owl glared reproachfully at her because she insinuated that he hadn’t done his job properly.

“Are you certain they’re for me?” Cho asked. “There’s no card.

The owl, however, remained steadfast. He hopped towards the gifts and with the light flick of a wing, sent them sailing smoothly into her lap. Stepping close to her face, he proceeded to read her a scold her by ruffling his feathers, hooting in fits and starts, and huffily bobbing his head.

A chastised Cho apologized to the indignant owl and offered him the special treat that she had gotten from Eeylops Owl Emporium. It was intended for her own owl, but the one in front of her needed immediate soothing. He gruffly accepted her peace offering, and allowed her to stroke his downy head before flying off.

With a wistful smile of wonder she picked up the dragonfly and affixed it to the navy blue cashmere jumper she wore underneath her robes. It stood out like a luminous moon in the inky darkness of the night sky. The honsou was tucked into a Muggle book of sonnets, its soft, but hardy petals protected by a strengthening spell. It served as a marker of sorts for her favorite piece: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...” Cho was still a bit leery of accepting presents from an unnamed source, but they cheered her considerably and warmed her icy heart. She walked down the multiple corridors to Hospital Wing, pensively pondering who would give her such lovely things.

Cho was industriously mixing and filling bottles full of flu elixir when the door to the Hospital Wing suddenly flew open. Harry and Ron half carried, half dragged a kicking, squirming student who was delirious with pain. Used to such emergencies, she and Madam Pomfrey instantly moved to help. Cho’s face whitened in shock when she saw that it was Draco.

The Slytherin broke free of the grasps that restrained him and aimed a vicious punch at Ron’s unprotected face. Ron fell over backwards. Stunned, he sat on the floor, holding his nose with both hands while blood seeped through his fingers. Draco hopped on top of Pomfrey’s desk, brandishing the ornamental wooden sword that decorated her work space. One of his hands was blue and two times its normal size. Something white protruded from side of his palm. Draco’s stormy orbs seemed to be ringed with fire and his pupils were dilated. “Keep away from me,” he panted desperately. “I know that you’re trying to kill me.” An unearthly shriek erupted from his throat and he began to throw beakers and bottles at the onlookers.

Pomfrey quickly overturned a table with the wave of her wand. She ducked behind it while Harry and Cho pulled Ron to its sheltering safety.

“What happened to him?” Pomfrey asked tersely.

“I don’t know exactly,” replied Harry. “Ron and I were walking back to the Gryffindor Commons when we encountered Malfoy by Professor McGonagall’s classroom. I think he did something to Anastasia because we had to pull her off of him. I think she bit him.”

“Anastasia?” cried Cho in patent disbelief. “Professor McGonagall’s delicate little pet? The hoyletrew?”

“That bird is mental,” said Harry decisively. “Well, maybe Malfoy did something to her because she was furious. She was having a rampaging fit. Feathers were flying and she clawed me.” He pointed to a series of scratches on his thigh.

“Listen carefully,” said Pomfrey authoritatively. “Malfoy is gravely ill. A hoyletrew bite, while extremely rare, is very deadly.” She looked at Harry and Ron. “I need both of you to go to Professor Snape. Tell him to make a batch of Calalie potion and help him mix it. It’s the antidote.”

“We can’t go and leave you alone to deal with him,” protested Ron.

“Miss Chang and I will be all right. We are capable of protecting ourselves,” said Pomfrey. Cho nodded in agreement. “Pinch your nose, Weasley, and I will fix it after this crisis. Now go. Hurry. Quick.”

Ron and Harry scuttled out of the Hospital Wing under the steady bombardment of medical supplies. Draco feverishly threw anything he could get his hands on.

Pomfrey crawled to one of the counter drawers and extracted a wickedly sharp tool. “I need to remove the splintered tooth from the wound,” she told Cho grimly. “We can’t use magic to knock him out. In his weakened condition, it could be detrimental, and we dare not risk it. The poison is still infusing. If we don’t hurry, it will completely take over his mind. And if that happens...” Her voice trailed off.

“He dies,” said Cho tonelessly. Ruthlessly suppressing the worry that threatened to consume her, she methodically studied the situation and planned her move. Draco had jumped from the desk to a nearby bed where he was sitting and shredding a pillow with his fingers. He still had a firm grip on the sword, and a menacing look on his face. “If you can distract Malfoy for a few seconds, I think I can restrain him long enough for you to tie him down.” Cho quickly told her the rest of the plan.

Pomfrey looked dubiously at her tiny assistant and saw the raw determination in the Ravenclaw Seeker’s face. They desperately needed to try something...anything before it was too late. Pomfrey stole behind her desk and lobbed a rolled bandage at Draco, bouncing it off of his shoulder. He growled at the nurse and climbed off the bed to do battle.

Cho saw an opportunity and took it. Years of Quidditch training had honed her reflexes, enabling her to time her move perfectly. She sprinted towards Draco and launched all of her weight at his chest as she tackled him. He toppled over backwards onto the bed with her on top of him. She clung to him even as he tried anything he could to buck her off. Draco smashed the sword down on Cho’s head, splintering the wood. Throwing down the handle, he grabbed a fistful of her hair which loosened from its tidy knot, and twisted it cruelly. Tears and stars sprang to her eyes, but she would not let go. Draco took his deranged anger out on Cho as he slammed his fist repeatedly into the side of her head. She cried out, but she resolutely remained latched to him. She was dimly aware of movement from the side of the bed.

Pomfrey hurriedly charmed leather restraints around the thrashing pair, lashing both of them down to the bed. After charming a special restraint around Draco’s flailing fists, she was able to start the daunting task of removing the pieces of the hoyletrew’s tooth. It was an exacting and long process made difficult by Draco’s constant and startling howls. She couldn’t gag him because she was worried about the raspiness of his breath. A bruised Cho talked soothingly to him throughout the whole ordeal while she bathed his face with a lavender water soaked cloth that Pomfrey had handed her. He gradually quieted down. His breathing was still painfully labored, but the restraints couldn’t be removed just yet.

Pomfrey was extracting the last tooth chip when Harry and Ron staggered in carrying a vial of amber liquid. Their jaws dropped when they took in the scene before them, but studiously avoided comment for fear of disturbing Pomfrey’s delicate task. With a relieved sigh, she took the vial and instructed the pair to meet her in the waiting room. After they left, she began the infusion process. She levitated the bed and moved it into the adjacent sitting room. Pomfrey waved her wand, and fire began to crackle in the hearth.

It took ten minutes for the Calalie potion to infuse. Thankfully the poison had been leeched from Draco’s body on time. He fell into a healing sleep. His hand shrank to normal and resumed its natural hue. All that was left was a small puncture wound that would take several days to heal. Pomfrey cautiously removed the leather straps and bent to help her assistant up. Draco muttered fitfully in his sleep and wrapped his sinuous arms and legs around Cho’s slender form, effectively trapping her on top of his body. He buried his nose in her hair and sighed. She wiggled, trying to escape her living cage. A slight frown marred the patrician brow, and he tightened his hold on her.

“Don’t move,” said Pomfrey quietly to Cho. “It’s essential that Malfoy get some rest so he can heal properly.

“But,” sputtered Cho. “I can’t stay here like this. Malfoy thinks I’m his teddy bear.”

Inwardly Pomfrey grinned. The school staff was more than aware of the energy that encircled the Slytherin and the Ravenclaw. It was highly unlikely that Draco thought of her as a cherished teddy, but it was up to them to sort things out. A romantic at heart, she decided to help by giving them a nudge in the right direction.

“Malfoy needs to sleep, Miss Chang, and he cannot be disturbed. I’m afraid that you will have to stay where you are until he wakes up,” said Pomfrey firmly. She blithely ignored the look of horror on Cho’s face, and continued on. “I will send owls to your professors, excusing you from your afternoon classes.” She gestured to a small pitcher on the cabinet. “That contains hot chocolate. You are to see that Malfoy drinks every last drop when he awakens.” She carefully rubbed a balm around Cho’s blackened eye and on the bruises under her hair. “You must rest as well,” said Pomfrey briskly. “And try not to move. Now, I must attend to the injuries of Potter and Weasley.” The nurse rushed out before Cho could utter another protest. She huffed and silently resigned herself to spending more time with Draco.

Cho studied his face carefully. The gentle glow from the fire softened the features that habitually wore a haughty mask of perpetual disdain. Before she could stop herself, she reached out and tenderly smoothed the ruffled fringe that fell across his forehead. She traced his brows and the finely chiseled contours of his cheeks, nose, and chin before slowly sweeping her fingers daringly across his lips. It was pure indulgence on her part, of course. Never again would she have this opportunity, so she grudgingly let her guard down, and allowed her senses explore the essence that was Draco Malfoy.

Trembling from the sheer intensity of her emotions, Cho fought hard to still her quivering body. She stared once more at Draco’s face, capturing the picture he presented in her mind and filing it away for a lonely day. “You’re so pale,” she whispered fretfully. “Paler than usual. I wish I could give you some of my strength.” She leaned forward and placed whisper light kiss on his lips.

“350 students at this school, and I just had to get stuck with you for a patient,” said Cho softly as she gazed at Draco. “Unbelievable. And why did Anastasia choose to attack you? Hoyletrews have to be the most docile, slothful, sweet natured creatures on earth. They’re so lazy that they sometimes starve themselves before foraging for food. Just what did you do to that bird anyway, Malfoy, to make her so angry? You would have been in serious trouble if Pomfrey hadn’t been able to extract the tooth.” She sighed and shook her head in exasperation. “Whatever your reason, I certainly hope it was worth it.”

Cho buried her face into his chest, inhaling Draco’s unique scent. He always smelled like an alpine forest on a cold winter day - sharp, clean, woodsy, and intoxicatingly sexy. She pressed her ear next to Draco’s heart, comforted by the strong steady beat. Tiring late night study sessions, the upheaval from the morning’s events, and the warmth blanketing her all combined to make her feel drowsy. She closed her eyes and immediately fell into a deep, restful slumber.

A pair of sleepy silver eyes opened and looked at the head nestled so trustingly on his chest. “It was definitely worth it, sweetheart,” he whispered. “I plucked that damn bird’s tail just for you.” He closed his eyes, unconsciously tightening his arms around his precious bundle. “It was worth it.” He drifted off to sleep, a peacefully contented smile playing on his lips.