Dragon Rider

Chapter 3: Dark Secrets

We dance round in a ring and suppose,

But the secret sits in the middle and knows

Robert Frost

Donnamira jumped out of the bed, and put the pillow under the quilt, shaping it into a humanesque form.

I hope Madam Pomfrey won't notice.

She sneaked out of the room like a shadow. The hallway was so silent that even a scratching sound on the wall have sounded like it had been under the sonorus spell.

This won't work. Flinch will hear my footsteps and bust me, she thought anxiously.

"Avox Iteris," she whispered softly.

It was the spell used to silence footsteps which, her mother used to do, when she woke up in the middle of the night to check if Donnamira's having a peaceful sleep. Actually, it was the only spell her mother had done. A sad expression flew in her face, but it was just for a moment. Suddenly, she felt like a heavy burden soared out from her feet. She walked. Perfect silence. She smiled to herself, remembering her mother and looked at her watch: 10:45.

Fifteen minutes late, but no problem. I can run now!

***

She was walking briskly down one of the dark, narrow corridors of the dungeons.

Too complicated for me, just like a maze, she complained angrily.

She cursed, mumbling something about bad sense of direction. She was sure that she was lost. Without hope, she searched for a sign of Slytherins somewhere around, but no, only low, damp, mold-scented corridors. She noticed how tired she was, feeling the long day's mental burden on her shoulders. She would never admit herself but she was afraid. This place caused her nerves and fear of the dark to slowly emerged. The thought of being in the cushy, warm hospital wing, was now the most sweetest dream she could conceive of. She even thought of yelling -Malfoy!- hysterically. Just about then, she saw a sharp U-turn. She stared at the beginning of the corridor, and somehow it seemed darker than the others. She carefully walked with small footsteps. Even under the light of her wand, she couldn't see in front of her. Suddenly, something caught her eye, and she could almost swear that she saw a platinum patch somewhere in the pitch dark.

"Malfoy?" she asked in a hesitated tone.

No reply.

"Who's there?" she shouted, trembling.

Again, no reply. She took a few steps.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, how can Slytherins find their way in this hell?" she whispered.

"I guess, we have our own ways," replied a soft voice behind her.

The effect of this reply on Donnamira was powerful. She, jumped involuntarily and while her wand slipped from her hands, she started breathing hysterically.

"Malfoy! Are you mad? If you really want to, kill me, then just simply say: Avada Kedavra!"

Draco grinned, satisfied with his effect on her. "Well, you cannot blame me for being so sneaky. I don't adore your tardiness, Miss Fraudamen. I thought you were different than other females. Honestly, girl, I've waited for you more than I've waited for Slytherin's record-holder Pansy before the Yule Ball!"

"I know, I'm sorry. I've fainted because of migraine and..."

"Okay, I heard what happened." He waved his hand faintly and continued. "Come on, now, we don't have much time."

Donnamira gave him a bewildered look. "Where are we going?"

"Oh, just follow me..."

Draco threw her a rather bossy glance. He seemed conceited. She was nervous, that was for sure. First of all, she didn't feel determined and confident like she had earlier that day when she had blackmailed him. She felt tired and weak now and she still hadn't come up with a plan. What would she tell him?

Do I have any power left in me to make this conversation?

Above all, she was furiously judging a very peculiar feeling. It was new, scary and caused every inch of her body to tense up. She was happy and not about just anything. She was happy that Malfoy had come.

He didn't skip me and tell all Slytherins about it.

At the latter thought, she paused. At least, she hoped he hadn't. Draco was cold and unkind as always, but she didn't care. She was happy because Draco had waited for her and even longer than he had waited for Pig-Faced Parkinson.

Perhaps, the happiness is just because Draco is the perfect ally and now I can have an explanation about Harry and all. What else can it be?

She tried to convince herself, feeling absent-minded and lost in her thoughts.

Draco stopped in front of a wall. He gave her a strange look, but she couldn't sort out the meaning of the evil glitter in his eyes. Then, he drew his wand and draw a huge rectangle on the wall and tapped in the center three times.

"Heir of Malfoy," he shouted with pride.

Suddenly a green light rayed out from the rectangular shape and within a moment, there stood a dark, little room. Donnamira, looking interested, entered the room after Draco.

Draco strutted around the room and began with a snobbish tone."This place was discovered by my father: Lucius Malfoy. I see you recognise his name. Well, he and his gang used to hang out here. It is connected to the Slytherin common room and to other... well you don't need to know what other places it is connected to." He grinned mischievously. "This is where they made serious plans about," he paused for a moment, a venomous spark lighting his eyes, "well... Gryfindorrs, especially Potter's dad and his stupid gang. But that is not our topic. I hope the plan you'll tell me about is worth my time."

She shievered at the tone Draco had when he talked about Potter's father, and gulped. "This place is cool. Ravenclaws don't have anything like this as far as I know..." Draco said nothing. He just stood there, staring with empty, eyes. It was obvious that he was impatient for the plan. Donnamira sat lightly on the black leather sofa. She felt very uncomfortable.

"Look, I need Harry for something I haven't got a clue about."

"OH! That's not a problem. I've got plenty of clues and reasons to hate him, so don't you worry about that dear, now tell me about your plan."

Donnamira took a deep breath and began. "Well, the plan is simply based on dividing the triology: Hermione, Ron and of course, Harry."

Draco smirked. "Good start. It is my precious fantasy too. Go on..."

Donnamira sighed and said nothing for a long time. Draco leaned forword to see her face. Then, suddenly, he paused with a fixed, expression on his face.

"In the name of SALAZAR SLYTHERIN! NO! Don't say that you haven't come up with something."

"Well, not yet, but I will soon," she said trying to give her voice a determined, bossy tone.

By the look on Draco's face, she understood that her attempt was not very persuasive.

Draco shook his head.

"I can't believe that. I knew I shouldn't have come. What do you expect from a Ravenclaw creep anway!!!"

Making a sudden turn, Draco walked to her, grabbed her tight by the shoulders and began shaking her madly.

"Or, are you spying on me Fraudamen? Did Gryffindors sent you? Can't they come and face me themselves? What happened to their mighty courage, faded away in a lion hunt? Sending an odd, annoying girl to me? What's their plan?" he hissed.

Donnamira's eyes opened wide. She was shocked. Nobody in her life had treated her like this before. Draco hadn't seemed that strong, but now that she was face to face with him, she truly felt like an insect crawling under his anger. But she had had enough stress for a day. She just couldn't bear anymore.

She pulled herself away with a great effort and spat, "Look, I saw a stupid vision about some strange crowd who called themselves Riders of the Dragon or something like that and they want Hary Potter. I mean, do you get me? I've seen enough lunatics today, including me, myself. Just let go off me... Draco?"

He seemed overwhelmed by her words.

"What did you just say you saw?"

"Well, who cares?! Riders of the Dragon or something like that."

"Dragon Riders?"

"Oh yeah, that's right Dragon riders but how do you..."

Draco raised his hand to stop her. She eyed him warily wondering what he was thinking of. He stood still, first with a blank expression but then, he fixed his eyes on Donnamira's. He was pondering if the girl was lying or not. Only after a minute or so, he seemed convinced.

"You're not making these up, because you don't have any plan, are you?"

Donnamira shrugged. "No, that's the vision I had but I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh, you will definitely talk about it lady."

Donnamira immediately stood up. She was extremely tired and completely had enough of this boy and his non-stop orders.

"I'm going..."

"You're going nowhere," he spat while he stepped forword to cut her off.

He snatched up her wrist, and Donnamira lost track of how many minutes passed like that, feeling the warmness of Draco's hand on her skin, staring right into his eyes, feeling almost paralysed by the tension of the moment... before he spoke again.

"Look Fraudamen, look at your chances. You come here without a plan and stole my precious time with your mental breakdowns. Above all, you ask for help pathetically and actually, now I understand. Oh, come on Fraudamen, admit it, you are hopeless!!"

She paused, looking bewildered for a moment but Draco with a sudden move, turned around and faced her.

"The hallucination you had... I mean Dragon Riders... I heard my grandfather tell stories about them. He had a friend who was a former Dragon Rider. Believe it or not, they have a very long history. They're ancient. Each of them have dragon tutors and rule their lands. They live in a huge, mountainous Muggle-free area. That's as far as I remember."

"So?"

"So? SO! It's very odd that you had a vision of them, Fraudamen."

"I don't need another odd thing in my life, Malfoy. I'vehad enough with my family, Harry and now Dragon Riders? Who cares?!" she spat.

"What about your family?"

She kept silent.

"No, Fraudamen, really, if you want my company, I need to know you better. That's the Malfoy way. I mean, currently I know you are a Ravenclaw and you are not Mudblood."

Donnamira's eyes opened wide, "How do you know that I came from a wizard family?"

Draco grinned smugly. "Hon, otherwise you could never have entered the room."

He paused and enjoyed the puzzled expression on Donnamira's face.

"This room is re-structured with spells. Only purebloods can enter."

Donnamira gaped."I can't believe that. That's the reason of your odd glare in front of the door, wasn't it? And, what would have happened to me if I was..."

Draco interrupted. " Believe me, you don't want to know that."

***

Draco walked back and forth across the room tensely.

"Fraudamen....Fraudamen... I don't think I heard your surname ever before. Weird. I know all pureblood surnames around here."

Donnamira rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe how Draco was obsessed with this, but she got his point.

She took a deep breath and began."My mom was a Hufflepuff. She fell in love with dad at seventh year or something and they got married and that's the end of the fairy-tale."

"And what's your father's house?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. She never speaks of him. I think she despises him. Whatever," she paused for a moment, sighed and continued with an irritated expression on her face, "She said my father left us after my birth. She changed her surname but my surname is still my father's. My mom wants a "magic-isolated" life. That's what she calls it. She says that being a witch cursed her life. She married a Muggle man two years ago and found herself a Muggle job. She claims it is much easier that way. She thinks she has nothing to hide but she can't run away from what she is. She's a witch and will always be."

Donnamira paused, her expression spiteful.

"You should have seen how long she cried when I got my letter, but I resisted because I knew if I stayed home, I would never find the answers."

Draco had stopped listening in the middle of her speech. He closed his eyes as if he was pondering hardly about something.

"Maybe he's in Azkaban," he murmured.

"What! Who?"

Draco opened his eyes.

"Your father, maybe, he's in Azkaban. That's why your mother didn't want to talk about him."

Donnamira's eyes widened with anger and she hissed in a tone akin to the one she had used earlier that day. "You watch your mouth Malfoy. Think of yourself before accusing others. The whole school knows how your father used to be a Death Eater and killed innocent Muggles. My father would never do something like that."

Draco waved his hand and lazily remarked. "Oh, yeah? How can you be sure of that? At least I know who my father is. Your father left you, abandoned you, never cared for you and you are still protecting him?! How pathetic."

Donnamira stunned. Draco was expecting a sudden rush of anger from her but she just stared at him with empty eyes, saying nothing. Then, she nodded slowly.

"Maybe you are right. Maybe he is in Azkaban, but it still is just an assumption and we can never know."

"Oh don't be so pessimistic," said Draco cheerfully. " I might be able to get some information about that."

"HOW?"

"And they say Ravenclaws are smart! Actually, you said it yourself. We both know about my father's position, and he has some friends in Azkaban. He was in serious danger once, and the thing is, he did some research about Azkaban, just in case," Draco paused and looked venomous then continued, "He has a list of prisoner names and backgrounds."

Donnamira blushed from excitement. She talked briskly and started swinging her hands like she had totally lost her control of her muscles.

"Well, you will get it, right?"

Draco stared at her with a shrewd smirk on his face.

"Let me see. Should I help the invisible outcast of Ravenclaw? Himmm, I just remembered, why should I? She used my time for bullshit, and she still doesn't have a plan to ruin Harry Potter. Let me tell you what will I do, creepy: I'll sneak those lists with my owl and search for your bloody surname, and when I find what a filthy shit your father was...," he paused with a huge grin on his face, "...well, that's the end of the story. I'll know everything and you'll know nothing."

Donnamira paled from Draco's cynical, sharp words. But damn. He was such an actor, playing his role perfectly.

"Boy, oh, boy...," she sighed in a soft voice. Then, she raised her head.

" Draco Malfoy, the world is a grandiose stage and you're the main actor. The play is written by you, and the most tempting lines are yours, aren't they?"

"You know love, you've got a pretty good understanding of the Malfoy way. I'm amused."

She shook her head hopelessly and smiled weakly.

"Oh, come on, you are not giving me a full performance like you did this morning. I admit that you have really scared the hell out of me. But now? Concentrate on your skills, creep."

Donnamira felt exhausted but with a last effort she began with a low, choked tone.

"Look now, you want to learn more about that Rider thing. I can see your interest in your eyes. Well guess what, I'm the portkey. If I turn my back at you, then you will never ever..."

Draco yawned. "Find something more interesting. I can learn that stuff from books, you know."

Donnamira paused for a moment.

"And quickly! I cannot wait you for the whole damn night!"

She held up her hand to stop him, and she was pondering hard about something.

"Okay, Malfoy. I won't keep you long away from your beauty sleep."

Coquettish, annoying bastard, she thought.

Suddenly Donnamira's expression froze as if she was hit by a bludger. Then, she giggled.

"Oh, mighty eagle! I am stupid. I'm really very stupid."

Draco eyed her warily.

"Not a mental breakdown, isn't it, Fraudamen? Because I can't stand one more "hey-I'm-going-hysterical-beware-of-me" type of..."

"Oh, for once, shut up," she said jokingly. "I've found the way to seperate the triology with the ancient Divide and Rule theory."

"So?" Draco asked trying not to sound so curious.

"Well, Cho told me once that Harry asked her to Yule Ball but she refused him because she was with Cedric and..."

Draco smirked. "Potthead's hopelessly in love, eh? So typical for a loser like him. Oh please, go on, I am begining to fall in love with this idea."

"Well, I know he's still interested in her. I mean the way he looks at her, treats her and such. If I can be a matchmaker, then he will spend less time with Ron and Hermione, and I'll sort something for them later. But first, I need to know them better so I'm going to meet Hermione for charms. Himmm, maybe an inferiority complex thing may work for Ron, as far as I know, Hermione being so intelligent and Hary of course the Boy-Who- Lived..."

She was talking briskly, her eyes flashing. She was trembling under the effect of her own words. She could do anything. She would sacrifice everything. She didn't care, if only she could see a small possibility to reach her father. She felt that she was bonded to him with a strange way and of course, her mother... Donnamira would never confess but she was embarassed with her mother because she prefered a Muggle life, denying the magical world.

Perhaps, she did something to make my father very angry. Perhaps, no, probably, she thought.

In the meanwhile, Draco gazed at her, his eyes narrowed, trying to understand what was happening to her.

Oh, Merlin! This girl is really crazy.

He walked toward her and thought more seriously. Such a state of dilemma.

He lightly touched her trembling hand.

"Calm down."

Donnamira did not even realize that he was standing beside her so she was startled and hit him involuntarily on the chest. Draco cried out and knelt down. His white-blonde hair covering his face, he closed his eyes from the pain.

As soon as Donnamira realized what she had done she knelt down, panicked, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-I didn't notice. Oh, I told you before you must not sneak up on people like that..."

"How on earth do you expect me to guard myself against your unconcious, mad moves. Honestly Fraudamen, you are a lunatic," he mumbled.

Donnamira stepped back and stood there, terrified. Blood was dripping, painting his white shirt scarlet.

"Well, lunatic or not, I did not do this, that's one thing I am sure of," she said pointing to the blood.

Draco spat, "You freak, of course you didn't. You don't have that power. It was something else. An old scar and now the wound is open again, thanks to your insane attitude."

"Oh, I'm really sorry, let me have a look at it."

"No!" he yelled, hitting her on the shoulder.

"Oh, don't be such a fool. My stepfather is a doctor and mother always want me to learn muggle stuff from him. I've seen this before. Let me have a look at it."

"No."

Draco turned his face away from her. She hesitated for a moment but then crawled near him and leaned over. She pulled the white-blond strings of hair away from his eyes. His forehead was covered with beads of sweat.

She whispered softly."This is giving you a lot of pain, come on let me..."

Draco gave her a doubtful look and moved restlessly. Donnamira felt dizzied under the tense atmosphere between them. She felt weird, weaker somehow.

Where did I get this courage and he is Malfoy, for eagle's sake! Who cares if he feels great pain or not?!

She avoided looking him in the eyes. Draco was scanning her face, and she felt transparent. His eyes have the power of lightning and for the first time, she sensed something with character, something with real power behind it. It made her weak. She slowly unbuttoned his shirt, under the annoying watch of Malfoy's eyes. Finally reaching the scar, she gaped.

"Eagle, help my heart be great," she whispered and leaned forword to get a better view.

Draco froze. He did not even blink.

"You wanted to see it. Heal it then."

"Who did it to you?"

Draco didn't reply. It was a thick scar which started from his upper right chest and curved down to the lower parts of his abdomen. She touched it softly.

"Lash wound?"

Their eyes met. No answer.

"Who did this to you?"

"Mind your own business."

She pulled a clean handkerchief with purple hyacinthes on it out of her robe's pockets and cleaned the blood dripping from the wound.

"My mother's first knit in the muggle way. I mean without magic. She was so proud of this handkerchief."

She sighed and raised her head.

"Draco, you can tell me. Who did this?"

"I don't trust a person who betrays their friends."

Donnamira narrowed her eyes.

"Ouch! Be careful," he hissed.

"It is a whiplash. Don't think that I haven't noticed it," she snapped. Then, sturdily, "Draco, you are not the person who can blame me for what I am willing to do. I know you understand me on this, so don't talk as if we think different for it would be a big lie."

" Oh whatever, but you should know something by heart: sometimes it is better not to have some people around you."

"We are talking about closest relatives, Draco, my father..."

"Exactly, especially that close. Believe me, sometimes it is better."

Draco looked away. Donnamira stared at him, searching for a clue to understand him. Suddenly Draco stood up, puling his robes on and buttoning his shirt.

"I like your plan. Finally you've come up with something bright. Now, don't loosen up. I'll get the Azkaban list but you must get into action immediately with that Rule and Divide theory of yours."

Draco grinned, shaking his head, then pointed her.

"Not much of a beauty you've got there, but certainly cunning...That quick-thinking is there to save your ass. I wonder why were you sorted into Ravenclaw rather than Slytherin. Perhaps, there's much more in you than what meets the eye."

She opened her mouth to comment on his last remark, but Draco interrupted abruptly. "Save it Fraudamen, this discussion is over. Don't try to talk to me in the hallways. I will just ignore you. I'll keep in touch in my own way."

After saying that, he guided her out of the room so harshly that she just had time to pick up the handkerchief her mom knitted. It was covered with his blood.