Dungeons and Distractions

Dungeons and Distractions (2/?)

Chapter Two - A Predilection for Half-Truths, Extispicy and Aramantal

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Predilection

predi-lek-shen

n. favourable prepossession of mind; preference

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"What the hell just happened?"

That seemed to be the general summation for the last few minutes in the hall. Draco stumbled to his feet; holding his head as stars danced across his vision and he blinked around blurredly - only slightly aware when Professor McGonagall grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the hall - leaving the students to deal with the events and their own explanations. Draco winced as the forthright teacher yanked him into the nearest classroom and performed a quick silencing charm on the walls.

"What on earth do you think you were doing? In all my time... I´ve never seen everything so frankly stupid in my entire life! Professor Snape is unconscious, I wouldn´t be surprised if he´ll want you both excluded after this stunt, I have no idea what it was about, but -"

Draco held up a hand to quickly interrupt the raving transfiguration teacher; wincing as he realised he must have been hurt more than he thought he had from the scuffle in the hall. Professor McGonagall´s eyes narrowed at the interruption.

"It was for Professor Dumbledore," the blond said quietly; holding his hand to his head - sure that a new crimson bruise was blossoming across his cheek again. Professor McGonagall´s mouth snapped shut and her eyes widened.

"Oh," she said quietly. "I had no idea they´d got in."

Draco grinned cheekily. "Then the distraction worked perfectly. Can I go now then?"

"I..." The frank admission had completely startled Professor McGonagall and her mouth snapped shut. "You do realise the rest of the school will be informed of your punishment..." At Draco´s horrified stare she smiled softly. "Relax, Mr. Malfoy, you will only have to turn up at the appointed place, not do any work." She paused reflectively. "I should have known Albus would pull something like this. Anyway, I advise you to catch Mr Potter, get yourselves back to the infirmary - my, you two seem to spending an awful lot of time there recently - and inform him the detention will take place at eight o´ clock in my office." Professor McGonagall turned away and flicked her wand; dispelling the silence charm. "You may go now."

Draco nodded; briskly turning and walking away. Minerva watched him go; a soft smile playing on her lips. She should have guessed Albus had something to do with the stunt in the hall... As usual, it had worked. She hadn´t even known that the order of Cantial had successfully entered Hogwarts. Quickly forcing her lips into a stern line, she swept out of the room; trying to look suitably stern - just as she would be if what had happened in the hall had been any normal fight. She figured she´d better be there when Severus woke up; else all hell would literally break loose.

-----

Outside, Draco stormed past a group of giggling Ravenclaws without taking a second glance at him. Seeming to know instinctively where he was going, he turned up the stairway on the left, took a right and found himself on the corridor leading outside to Hagrid´s hut. Sighing, he moved forwards - guessing Harry had gone to see Hagrid - and was completely shocked when a hand shot out and grabbed his arm.

Yelping in surprise, Draco flushed uncomfortably when he realised who it was. "Harry - wait, I can explain," he said softly; without looking at the person who had hold of him. Harry released his arm gently and moved so he was next to Draco. Mechanically, they began walking along the corridor; gazes fixed straight ahead.

"What did McGonagall say?" Harry asked; his tone flat and free of emotion.

Draco swallowed; unused to the devoid nature of the slender Gryffindor walking noiselessly beside him. "She... We have detention, eight o´ clock in her office."

Harry let out an almost inaudible sigh. "Typical. That´s the last time I try and help anyone."

Silence fell as they continued along the corridors, following twists and turns that as usual in Hogwarts changed so that the entire place was a myriad maze of corridors, staircases and rooms that were only found in certain phases of the moon. Draco felt a blush rising of its own accord and he stopped suddenly; looking down at his feet. He was quietly aware that the other had stopped and was now looking at him. Draco raised his eyes defiantly; ash-grey eyes clashing with bright green in a battle of wills in which Draco lost almost immediately. He looked away, fighting the burning in his cheeks and eyes.

"Why did you lie?" Harry asked finally; his voice hushed and doubtful.

Draco shrugged mutely before realising that answer would never be accepted; not by the firebrand that was asking the question. He raised his eyes again; noticing the intense bottle-green eyes trained on his won and he held down the burning desire to flee or drown in them forever. "I was scared."

Harry closed his eyes at the brusque whispered admission; letting the words float over him. Opening them again he stared flatly at the blond; a sudden spark lighting his eyes - whether it was disgust, recognition or some other mysterious emotion Draco wasn´t sure. "Thank you," Harry said simply; abruptly turning and wordlessly leading the too-familiar way to the infirmary.

Madame Pomfrey wasn´t too overjoyed to see the two young men hovering at the doorway. In fact, she looked entirely displeased at seeing Draco but brightened on seeing Harry.

"You two again," she sighed; taking in the surface injuries and shaking her head. "Come on in. You´ll be pleased to know I´ve already treated Professor Snape. He´ll be just fine. You may be equally pleased to know he doesn´t remember how he got knocked out. Professor McGonagall said simply it was an accident." Her eyes narrowed. "However, I know with you two, nothing is ever an accident. I swear Professor Dumbledore is a bad example on his students, but no-one listens to reason nowadays." She regarded them with a stern glance. "Well? Go and sit down then so I can treat you!"

Startled, both Harry and Draco quickly sat down on the seats and watched as the nurse bustled around; finally picking up a couple of small blue tubes. She handed them over and Draco looked at the tube; noticing only the lettering on the side `Savalon.´

"Savalon?" Draco frowned at the words. "Is this some new kind of medicinal thing?"

"It´s kind of a muggle medicine," Harry cut in. "You rub it on any cuts and it acts as an Antiseptic to stop your blood getting poisoned. It´s perfectly safe and works well."

Madame Pomfrey nodded. "Sometimes the physical, muggle remedies work better than magic ever could. Now go on, get out of here before I have to throw you out."

Harry smiled charmingly at the nurse. "Thanks for this, Madame Pomfrey."

Madame Pomfrey blushed and looked at her feet before lifting her gaze and flatly staring at them. "Out."

-----

Harry stared at the tube of Savalon in his hands; remembering the time that he cut his head open when he was seven and his Aunt Petunia had literally covered his head in the white, smelly antiseptic cream. Dudley wouldn´t go near him for a few days, claiming he stunk out the house. Harry let himself smile briefly. He had rather stunk out the cramped space of 4 Privet Drive. Mind you, the smell had also not left his cupboard for a good couple of months later. He suspected Dudley might have had something to do with that, but without appropriate evidence it couldn´t be proved.

"What´s so funny?" Draco asked. Harry figured out he must have seen the sudden smile on his face.

"I was just remembering something about this stuff," Harry said shortly; frowning. "Hey, aren´t you going to be all offended because you have to use something that´s made by muggles?"

"Martial arts were made up by muggles, if I recall, and I do that without complaining." Draco cocked his head. "Well, without complaining much."

Harry laughed but had to agree with the small distinction. "If you hadn´t have added that much I was going to firmly remind you of the first time Professor Trelawney told us that´s what we were going to learn." He paused and put on a high, mocking voice. "´That, I can´t do that kind of muggle thing!´"

"Oh shut up," Draco remarked; giving Harry a playful shove. Harry laughed and let the shove pass; noticing that in this last fight that Draco had sustained most of the injuries. "You know what," the Slytherin added.

"What?" Harry asked; frowning as he turned to regard the blonde.

"No, I was asking if you know what what is," Draco said; grinning toothily. Harry groaned and made to deck him around the head until Draco ducked. "No, seriously... I´ve forgotten what I was going to say." Draco stopped in the middle of the corridor and managed to look pretty distraught. "I´m never like that! I never forget what I´m going to say!" He leveled a glare at Harry. "It´s all your fault!"

Harry took one exasperated look at Draco and vehemently pretended to smack his head on the wall. "Argh! Why do you always say that!"

"Because it´s the truth?" Draco tried; then something flashed across his face which he covered up quickly again. Harry started to be a bit frightened of the sudden transition and he swallowed. Draco looked at Harry pensively. "It is your fault -" Draco repeated firmly; his throat going dry. Harry raised an eyebrow and waited for at least a rational response. "I mean -" Draco closed his eyes; trying to put it all into words. He opened them again finally; dull grey eyes silently settling on the view out one of the windows. "I mean - I can´t think straight when I´m around you."

Harry blinked at the startlingly frank confession and he nodded slowly.

"Well?" Draco protested.

Harry´s wrenched his gaze up off the floor to look at Draco perplexedly. "Well what?" He asked; not trusting himself to say anything more.

"Are you going to apologise or what?"

Harry just blinked at the blond before shaking his head in vexation before a sudden thought struck him. "Are we really going to have to do detention tonight?" Harry pulled a face. "Because that would suck," he added plaintively.

Draco nodded. "Yep." At Harry´s slow incredulous look he laughed. "OK, OK, we have to pretend we are, but we don´t have to do anything."

Harry let out a sigh of relief. "That´s good. I hate being punished for doing the right thing."

"We still don´t know if it was the right thing," Draco said suddenly; strangely thoughtful. Harry fell silent; not meeting the others gaze. Draco grinned impishly and Harry was scared for a moment. "So? Where´s my apology?"

Harry groaned and started to stalk off. The blond had not changed one bit at all.

-----

"I don´t know what´s happening to me." The words were frank and spoken with complete sincerity. "I mean, one minute we´re the worst enemies, I mean we can´t stop fighting, but the next moment we´re talking like we´ve been friends forever."

Hermione and Ron looked at Harry flatly as the raven-haired boy looked up at the sky. The three were outside, lying on the grass and cloud-watching.

"Well, you have to admit, he is a complete moron," Ron offered. "Mind you, I think that very possibly you´re the one person in this world you could calm him down and make him into some sort of rational human being."

"There´s one that looks like Pig," Hermione offered quickly. Ron and Harry quickly stared up in the direction she was pointing; noticing the small round-ish shaped cloud.

"That doesn´t look like a pig," Harry said; squinting at it. Hermione decked him in the stomach.

"Pig... As in Pigwidgeon..." Hermione explained slowly; rolling her eyes. Ron laughed and Harry scowled at him.

"It´s the lack of glasses. It´s affecting his brain," Ron offered sagely.

"Or all the bludgers to the head," Hermione added.

"Or all the times Pig´s clouted him in the head," Ron suggested.

"Or all these fights you´re getting into with Malfoy," Hermione said; shrugging.

"Draco," Harry corrected automatically; then he flushed. "This could only happen to me, couldn´t it!"

Ron patted his friend´s shoulder comfortingly. "Don´t worry. We´re already saving up so we can afford the funeral."

"Ha, ha," Harry said flatly; scowling and turning back to the sky. "Hey, there´s a cloud that looks like Seamus," he exclaimed brightly as the sandy-haired boy clouded his vision. Seamus looked down at Harry, perplexed, before sitting down cross-legged to the three Gryffindors on their backs gazing at the sky. Harry frowned as Seamus waved his hands over his eyes.

"Grab my wri-ist," Seamus sang quietly and Harry suddenly got to his feet; rolling his eyes when Hermione and Ron didn´t even notice his departure.

"What´s this about?" Harry asked; looking at Seamus as they quickly crossed the lawn.

"Professor Dumbledore wants to see you," the sandy haired boy explained. "Something about that fight you had with Malfoy?" Seamus gave a little frown. "What was with that fight yesterday, then?"

Harry gave a small shrug as they dodged a crowd of chattering first years that stopped chattering instantly as they recognised the tall, serious looking seventh year that had brushed past them. Seamus snorted derisively.

"Seamus..." Harry warned gently; rolling his eyes to the sky.

Seamus stifled a laugh and quickly continued under Harry´s quailing stare. "He told me to tell you he´ll meet you outside the entrance to his office. I´m going to presume you know where that is."

Harry nodded. "I´ve been there more than enough times," he said morosely.

"Oy, Seamus!"

Both Harry and Seamus looked up to see Dean and Neville waving to the Irish wizard and Seamus tipped Harry a wink before starting to run off.

"And this is where I leave you," Seamus called softly; leaving Harry to chuckle and re-enter the main building.

"Thanks Seamus," Harry muttered fiercely to himself as he jogged up the stairs and padded along the corridors to where Professor Dumbledore´s office was situated. His breath caught in his throat when he saw a familiar nonchalant figure lounging against the wall; examining his fingernails and looking extremely bored. He unconsciously slowed and took a deep breath; quietly approaching the gargoyle.

"Harry," Draco greeted quietly; without looking up.

"Draco," Harry returned; trying to keep his tone level as his treacherous brain started to run away with him... The kiss had been so nice... He couldn´t help but wonder what it would be like in daylight... Shaking his head furiously Harry tried to get his thoughts back in complete order as he lounged against the wall a little distance away from the smirking Slytherin.

"Did you know we´re not the only one to have been getting different tuition?" Draco asked suddenly. Harry blinked; not knowing how to answer the question as he didn´t get the question in the first place.

"Well, you know, we have Divinations on Saturday afternoons... And according to the general rumours in the common room, in the lessons we have on Saturday Afternoons, another sort of skill is taught," Draco said; still lazily examining his fingernails.

"Really?" Harry thought this over, thinking that that was something that the Hogwarts professors would do... "Have you any idea what those classes are?"

"Apparently the Arithmancy students are learning how to cook muggle style, I really don´t see the point in that. Potions students are learning war strategies. Transfiguration, logic problems. Study of ancient runes, they´re learning fisticuffs or something like that. Mind you, as far as I know, they´re all only getting one lesson a week while we´re getting like five... Totally not fair, of course," Draco drawled; now inspecting the floor.

Harry raised his eyebrows as he thought it over. "Well, what we do requires more training... Does anyone know what we do?"

Draco laughed humourlessly. "The rumour about the Divinations students is needlework. I´m not about to correct them, though, I kind of get the impression what we do is supposed to be kept quiet."

Harry nodded; his eyes distant as he tapped his toes against the floor. "So do I... But cooking muggle style? Why would that be useful unless..." Harry stopped as a hideous thought suddenly struck him; clouding his brain and make his entire world stop for a second. He put out one hand to steady himself and was aware of Draco now hovering somewhere near his elbow - looking very concerned.

"Unless?" Draco prompted.

Harry´s brow creased and his eyes darkened as he thought about the prospect; the idea gaining for validity with every passing second. "Unless Professor Dumbledore thinks that, some time in the future, Hogwarts may be without the use of magic."

The whispered words didn´t have quite the effect that Harry had almost hoped. Draco stared at him, bewildered.

"But Hogwarts could never be without magic, how could that -"

Harry sighed in frustration and leaned backwards. Trust Malfoy to be this dim about it all. "I don´t know, perhaps there´s some way to block magic or something..."

Draco suddenly gasped; his mouth dropping open.

"See, that would be a bad thing," Harry said very slowly. Draco nodded.

"I heard my father mention something like that once," Draco said softly; his tone troubled. His gaze fixed somewhere beyond Harry and the black-haired Gryffindor suspected he was finding it hard to remember what had exactly been said. "Something about... an object that can suppress all magic in a limited compact area, and trap everyone inside it... But the thing about it is that it stops all magic, meaning that once it is used even the caster can´t use magic." Draco´s gaze slid to Harry´s; he was obviously horrified. "Harry, that could be completely drastic, I mean Hogwarts would be completely unprotected..."

"Not completely," Harry broke in; his steadfast gaze disturbed. "But he must know Professor Dumbledore would go to some means to protect Hogwarts from within just in case it happened, so he must have found something that would work without magic to attack us too..."

"Well that settles it then," Draco said firmly. "We have to increase our efforts... We can´t let him win."

Harry nodded and drummed his fingertips against his palm; looking pensieve before twisting around. "Where is he?"

Draco looked flabbergasted for a second. "I don´t know! If I knew then it would all be a lot easier!"

"Huh?" Harry frowned; then his eyes widened and he laughed. "I meant where´s Professor Dumbledore?"

Ruffled, Draco pouted. "That´s what I was talking about too," he said quickly; before looking away. Harry stared at him in bewilderment.

"But if you -"

"Ah, Harry, Draco, sorry to have taken so long. I had a quite interesting chat with Professor Trelawney and couldn´t get out earlier. I´m so glad you got my messages," Professor Dumbledore said; beaming at the two boys. He turned to the gargoyle and frowned for a second.

"Please don´t tell me you´ve forgotten your password, sir," Draco said; rolling his eyes to the ceiling and looking impatient. "Honestly." Professor Dumbledore managed to look quite abashed.

"Oh... Uh... Frizzing Whizbees," the absent-minded Professor suddenly declared. Draco and Harry stumbled back as the gargoyle sprung into life and swung by to let them in. As they quickly followed the Professor up the narrow passages and stairs to his office, Draco winced as the gargoyle sprung shut behind them.

"What did you want us for?" Harry asked conversationally as they made their way up the winding passage.

Professor Dumbledore smiled. "I thought you wouldn´t mind meeting some of the people you helped in the hall. Especially one of them, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco looked completely perplexed and as they stood outside of the office Harry looked at hi questioningly. Draco shrugged; confounded. As the door opened, though, and they stepped inside Draco´s heart leapt into his mouth and he spun on his feet as one of the vampires rose to her feet; fair hair shining and skin as pale and as white as milk.

"Rebecca!" Draco said softly; looking complete staggered.

The fair haired vampire curtseyed. Harry noticed that she couldn´t have been more than six years old and watched in astonishment as she crossed the soft carpeted floor and hugged Draco firmly; whispering a greeting in his ear which everyone heard none-the-less.

"Hello brother." She cocked her head to one side and stared up at him. "It´s been a while."

"Indeed," Draco responded; his voice guarded and eyes widened with shock. Then he turned to Professor Dumbledore and Harry with a strange look on his face. Harry noticed that the blonde´s fists were clenched and that he was finding it hard to speak. "Somebody," he said slowly; his tone low as he hissed at them, "better explain things to me. And fast."

Professor Dumbledore nodded slowly. "And an explanation will come," he said slowly. "Soon."

"Better be soon," Draco hissed; his arms folded and his face an expressionless mask. "I want to know what the hell is going on, or... or... or..." He looked desperate; as if the tiniest little thing would send him spinning off into chaos. "Or else I may end up doing something I will later regret," he said finally; his voice sounding small in the tiny office.

-----

Fred and George Weasley were not mischievous by nature alone. Nurture was a great contributor to their growing up. Growing up in a hectic and close household, with very little to distinguish yourself from close siblings, it had been a constant struggle for the identical twins to earn their individuality.

And earn it they had.

After passing more NEWTs in the Seventh Year than anyone had reckoned, Fred, George and Lee Jordan took a secret course over the last year sanctioned and taught by Professor Dumbledore. The year before they´d gone out to do some training in their field of work, and this year they were finishing the course off under Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore´s strict supervision.

The prospect of going back to school had, at first, daunted the twins and their best friend Lee, but return they did. Smiling and back up to their wicked tricks, the three returned to the Gryffindor life with barely a crack. Of course, they declared vehemently to the whole house they were indeed Seventh Years. All the rest, accordingly, would be dropped down three years to have the appropriate title in accordance with their ages.

Fred and George spent the first few weeks of the term laughing at Ginny, and making sure they called her a "third year" as often and as loudly as they could; repeatedly in front of Slytherins, if it was at all possible. Ginny would turn redder than her hair, and run to Ron and Harry; demanding help from the real Seventh Years of the school.

The last time that had happened, Harry had taken them aside and put delicately that the "mysterious benefactor for their Weasley Wheezes enterprise might get angry and remove the balls of said enterprise company managers" if anything like that happened again.

Ginny now basked under a twin-free term, as they mostly get out of her hair, and all the Gryffindor table had to put up with was being told they were in a different year group than they were in. Oh, and getting turned into a crocodile or aardvark once in a while as new products were summarily tested on the house.

More often than not, the bizarre explosions took place at the teachers´ table or at the Slytherins´ table.

The three were training for the position of Dark Arts Defence teacher. Together. Dumbledore had figured the only way to break the curse was to stop feeding it fuel. Three people were hard to get rid of, even if they were simultaneously running a successful magic tricks enterprise at the same time.

Fred scratched his nose, and grinned at George, who shuffled a bit to the left and waited with a small white bag in his left hand. It was much easier to tell the twins apart now. A silvery scar that ran down Fred´s left cheek identified him as different to George, and was a result of an encounter with a Manticore in the Alps. The deities knew how they escaped, but escape they did, and now the twins had more practical Defence against the Dark Arts experience than the last six teachers respectively.

"One fourth year making their way down the hallway," George whispered, mock-prissily. "Draco Malfoy."

"Stupid prick," Fred muttered.

"Wait, another fourth year. It´s Harry," George muttered, edging closer to the peephole. "Looks like they´re arguing."

Fred smiled. "Those two might be the perfect targets."

George nodded. "One, two, three!"

On the count of three, they pushed the portrait open and jumped forwards. George took aim and threw the white bag at them. It hit Draco, covered the startled Slytherin in bright purple dust. Harry stumbled back, before casting a scandalized glance at the twins.

"What the hell did you do that for!"

Fred and George exchanged a worried glance. Then Fred´s mouth dropped open.

"Oh no, you´re dating him, right?" Fred slapped his forehead with the heel of his hand. "I completely forgot. Harry, I´m so sorry!"

Harry cast a scandalized glance at him, hands akimbo as he watched the purple cloud start to disperse into the air. It cleared to leave a frog, sitting on the ground and blinking up at them with large, startled, silvery eyes.

"We´re not dating," Harry snapped impatiently at the twins as he bent down to examine the frog. "It´s just a vicious rumour that´s all Professor Trelawney´s fault, isn´t mine at all, I do not have any fricking feelings for him and I´d thank you not to think I do, and not spread any more rumours because I´m not dating him, I don´t even like him at all! This whole thing is so bloody crazy!"

Fred opened his mouth to apologise, when George gasped suddenly and elbowed Harry sharply in the ribs.

"You´re babbling," George informed Harry. Harry looked up; his shock of midnight hair tumbling over his eyes and a jolt of emotion flitted through the green depths hidden behind the hair. "And we never said anything about emotion or feelings."

"That was you," Fred added helpfully.

Harry could only stare wordlessly for a few seconds.

"How long does this last?" Looking away, Harry mumbled the question.

"Ten minutes," George replied softly, watching as Harry picked up the frog/Draco and carried it gingerly in his hands; not saying a single words as he walked unsurely back the way he´d come from.

Fred stared mutely at his twin for several long seconds, and George stared back. Both were sure they´d witnessed some kind of transition, but whether it had been them or Harry they couldn´t determine even years later.

----

Professor Dumbledore looked up, sharply, as the door crashed open. The Order, huddled into some kind of group by his wall looked up, shocked.

Harry stalked forwards, ignoring the surprised glances of the pale-skinned vampires watching him from the side. He brought his hands forwards, and dropped something on it. Dumbledore blinked owlishly as he peered forwards; eyes clouded over in thought as he observed the frog that belched loudly and stared back at the headmaster.

Perplexed, Dumbledore moved back and fixed Harry with a piercing gaze. "Excuse me, Harry, but are you okay? What´s this frog got to do with... anything?"

Harry frowned; folding his arms and narrowing his gaze dangerously at the frog. "You know how ten minutes ago Draco stormed out of here because you couldn´t give him a satisfactory answer?"

Dumbledore coughed. "I.. Well, Harry... The answer would take a while to completely relay. Draco didn´t stay here long enough to hear it..."

Harry shrugged. "Well, he´s here now."

Dumbledore opened his mouth to reply, but whatever he was trying to say was masked in the small explosion. A purple cloud suddenly surrounded his desk, and there was a clatter as the wary vampires pushed backwards; trying to get away from the strange explosion.

Moments later, the cloud had dispersed, and Dumbledore was sat wide-eyed in his chair, staring at Draco. The blond was perched on the end of the desk, eyes clouded over and expressions confused and bewildered.

"What in the --" Draco snapped his mouth shut and quickly scrambled off the desk.

"The twins," Dumbledore said hollowly, his voice cracking in sudden realization.

Draco narrowed his eyes and turned his back; folding his arms in an unconscious mirror of Harry´s position. "I´ll kill them," he said quietly.

"Draco, if you´d just listen..."

Draco turned, his expression turning quickly again to disgust at the white, shimmering blonde who was looking up at him with pleading silvery eyes.

"Get the hell away from me!" Eyes widened, and breathing ragged, Draco screamed at the top of his voice, before collapsing to the ground; a mess of shaking, tangled limbs. "Get away from me." His voice grew weaker, trailing to a last desperate sob. "Please."

Rebecca turned her head away; burying it with a shaken gasp in the black taffeta clothing of the shortest of the Order of Cantial, obviously the leader by her almost regal bearing. "I told you he´d hate me, Esmerelda," the blond vampire whispered, her hands curled into fists. She smashed her fists against Esmerelda, collapsing against the dark-haired vampire desperately. "I told you."

Esmerelda didn´t say anything, just pulled the girl closer and raised her eyes pleadingly to the heavens.

"I don´t."

The aching, embarrassing silence was broken by the soft whisper. Rebecca turned, tears decorating her cheeks making it seem like she was pure silver as she glowed in the firelight. Draco lifted his head; blond hair heavy against his cheeks, plastered with tears. Harry moved unconsciously to do what he didn´t exactly know, but he was stopped by a restraining arm from Dumbledore

`When did he move?´ Harry wondered as he helplessly watched the scene.

Dragging himself to his feet, Draco looked at the blonde vampire slowly. "I never hated you, Rebecca. I... Just can´t accept that you... That you left me..."

Rebecca looked away. "I´m sorry, Draco. You have to understand, though. The Order of Cantial saved what was left of me to save. It is better that I am here now so I can help save you rather than I had died that day ten years ago."

Draco nodded slowly. "I see your logic, but..."

"But?"

"I don´t have to like it," the blond said firmly; his gaze lifting up challengingly to Esmerelda´s gaze this time. "You may have meant well, vampire, and I hope that this all works out, because else your non-life will not be worth living."

Esmerelda nodded; dark eyes alight with understanding. "I will protect her as my own," she said firmly; one arm on Rebecca´s shoulder. Draco nodded stiffly; his pose that of a defeated man. Rebecca moved forwards slightly, one hand slightly extended towards Draco and the blond flinched.

"Don´t even think of touching me, Elegeia Rebecca Malfoy," Draco snapped. The harsh words showed instantly on the young girl´s face, but Draco turned away unaware. If he did notice, it didn´t show.

There was a slight cough from the corner, and they all turned to see Professor Dumbledore; his expression soft and unreadable. "Draco, Harry, I do not need to inform you again that this is a secret. No-one must find out about the Order of the Cantial. It´s imperative."

Draco looked at Harry, then at Dumbledore. "You have our word," he said simply, moving to the door and leaving abruptly. Harry watched him leave, his face a blank mask as he turned and walked over to Esmerelda. She blanched involuntarily as he leaned in; green eyes narrowed dangerously at her.

"Don´t even think of breaking your promise," he said abruptly, turning on his heel and exiting the cramped office.

"Albus, are you sure those two won´t tell anyone?" A formidable looking female vampire near the back, with longish blond hair and striking features, looked across at Dumbledore, but was interrupted by Esmerelda snapping a hand around her wrists.

"Shut the hell up, Therese," Esmerelda snapped. "Those two have given up a hell of a lot for us already."

"And will have to give up a hell of a lot more," Rebecca added, her voice barely audible as she stared into the flickering flames in the fireplace. Esmerelda´s eyes softened, and she squeezed the slender girl to her as they all stared off into oblivion, contemplating the future tomorrow would bring.

-----

If there was something, some kind of supernatural evil being, that inhabited the fiery pits of hell, then Draco wished that it would come and take him away. Or take McGonagall away, who had subjected him to this torture.

They weren´t given detention, all right, but they were forced to stand outside her office. For two hours. It wouldn´t have been so bad if it hadn´t been the busiest hallway in school. Barely two minutes would pass, and some students would walk past, sniggering at their predicament.

Thankfully some small respite came a short time before the ordeal was due to be over. Hermione and the Weasel came to talk to Harry, and Draco had to admit, their animated chatting and gossiping brought a restful respite from the recent hectic activities.

"Of course, you missed it in Herbology," Ron was laughing, his cheeks flushed. Draco folded his arms and tried to pretend he wasn´t listening. "Professor Snape came by to ask Professor Sprout for some dried Arcanthia root, and he accidentally bumped into the baby Devil´s Snare we´ve been cross-breeding with the Venusian Spider traps! Professor Snape ending up being carted off to the infirmary, suffering from near-asphyxiation from where it grabbed him round the neck, and he has huge bite marks down his arm!"

Harry laughed a little as he leant against the wall, smiling at his two friends. Draco watched him, and the sudden thought that hearing Harry laugh wasn´t such a bad thing, more like one of those things that makes your spine tingle and the hair on the back of your neck rise up, shocked him possibly more than anything else that day.

Not only was Harry the only one who could get under his skin like that, into his psyche, the little bastard was making him be sentimental over tiny, inconsequential things.

Oh crap.

He looked up, startled, from a jab in the ribs by Ron. The grinning redhead had poked him in the side with his wand. "I heard my brothers froggerized you today."

Huh?

"Froggerized?" Draco blinked at Ron, completely and utterly confused.

"Froggerized," Hermione repeated slowly, enunciating each symbol carefully. Harry laughed lightly, which distracted Draco a little before the blond frowned in confusion.

"They turned you into a frog," Ron explained. Draco nodded in recognition, then scowled. "Froggerized," the redhead tacked onto the end glibly, as if the word explained everything.

Draco carefully filed the word away into the little recycle bin at the back of his brain where he put all the stupid words to be stored until they could be pushed out rapidly.

"Oh, have you two heard the rumour yet?"

Harry let out a low whistle. "My, my, Hermione Granger. Gossiping like the lowly beings the rest of us are..."

Hermione smiled sweetly at Harry, and sent a two fingered gesture in his direction. Draco gaped. Looked like the Weasleys were a very bad influence on the prim and proper Gryffindor genius.

Harry laughed at the death glare he was getting from Hermione. "No, we haven´t heard any rumours."

"Apart from the Snape and blue paint one," Draco added lightly. Harry elbowed the blond sharply, and Draco surprised everyone (mostly himself) when he didn´t react violently. He merely stuck out his tongue at Harry. From the sudden look in Harry´s eyes, though, that gesture might have had nearly the same effect as a retaliatory jab or punch.

"Anyway," Hermione said firmly, glaring at Draco for a second, "there´s loads of meat being shipped into the school, more than is usual, anyway. The house elves normally hate meat, they handle it as little as possible - only to serve their high and mighty masters." There was more than a little amount of scorn in her voice at those words. "And this meat is being shipped in the form of dead carcasses. That is so strange."

"You´d better file it in the X-Files, Scully," Harry joked lightly. Hermione looked surprised.

"You... Was Dudley an X-Files fan or something?" Hermione looked a little shocked. Draco and Ron wore almost twin expressions of absolute confusion, which made Harry smirk a little.

"Yes, he was," Harry nodded; grimacing. "It´s a good show. It´s a bad thing that Dudley got obsessed. I fell asleep every night for six weeks hearing that damned tune." For effect, Harry whistled the X-Files theme. Hermione laughed.

"The twins have set up an illegal pool, with surprisingly good odds that we´re all going to be forced to become meatitarians in defiance of muggle vegetarians." Hermione pulled a face. "I don´t think the twins get the concept of vegetarianism much. The rumour, though, is that the school has Manticores. Chained up beneath the school. The carcasses are to feed them."

"Well they´re definitely here to feed something," Draco smirked suddenly, pale face twisted in slight amusement. One of Ron´s eyebrows quirked upwards, and he and Hermione turned to stare incredulously at Draco.

"You mean you know why the carcasses..." Hermione began.

"Extispicy," Harry interrupted sharply; folding his arms across his chest and fixing Draco with a heavy glare. Draco´s mouth opened, then shut, and then somewhere inside Draco´s head a light switched on.

"Extispicy," Draco repeated, nodding hastily.

"Extra spicy?" Ron blurted out, looking from Draco to Harry, then back to Draco again. "What?"

"Extispicy," Harry repeated slowly. "It´s for Divinations. It´s the art of ripping open a dead animal and looking at its intestines to predict the future."

"The ancient Romans used to do it a lot," Draco supplied. "Very popular amongst the muggles as well as the witches and wizards."

"My, I admire how you put that, Harry," Hermione said, a little shaken.

Ron looked a little upset. "I knew it was a bad idea dropping divination!"

"Oh, no, it was a very good idea," Harry said, laughing a little.

"Yes," Draco added. "Ripping up animals, smuggling in illegal --oomph!"

Hermione and Ron stared in complete shock as Draco wasn´t allowed to finish his sentence. What was stopping Draco from finishing his sentence, or indeed talking in general, was the way Harry had seemingly out of nowhere pushed him up against the wall and was now firmly kissing him.

Ron and Hermione exchanged a startled glance.

Draco let out a startled squeak as hot, determined lips claimed his own. He stood there, overwhelmed, helpless for a few long seconds until his brain kicked in. This is like it was before... Warm against him, it was nothing more than Harry´s lips pressed to his own, but the rush of warmth that spread through him that danced across his skin and tingled down his spine was enough to tell him that... That this wasn´t worth ignoring.

His brain fuzzy, he barely registered when Harry pulled away, and twisted his head, to see if anyone was around. From the looks of things, Hermione and Ron had run off. Draco´s mind was reeling, and he was aware of the dull flush that was colouring his neck and his cheeks. Trying to get his breath back, he glanced up briefly at Harry, who was looking away from him steadfastly.

"You were going to tell them about you-know-who," Harry whispered, still looking away from Draco.

Draco blinked, startled. "Voldemort?"

Harry turned suddenly, one eyebrow raised and eyes wide with surprise. "I.. Uh... No... The you-know-whats..." His gaze met Draco´s for a moment, and he flinched. Harry was having trouble staying still, and he tapped his fingers against his leg before pulling away with an irritated sigh.

"If McGonagall returns, tell her I needed to go to the little wizard´s room," Harry muttered softly, his back rigid as he stalked away stiffly.

As Draco watched Harry go, his mind ran over what Harry´s meaning had been and he collapsed against the wall in despair. Harry had just kissed him to stop him from being an idiot and telling Hermione and Ron about the vampires, and he´d actually thought Harry had... What? Wanted this? Wanted him?

Wanted him like he wanted Harry?

-----

Harry kept his head down. What on earth had he been thinking? It would have been easier for him to cut in, say something witty, and then make sure Hermione and Ron left quickly, but nooooooo, he had to do something dumb and mess it all up!

He felt his cheeks darken, and didn´t even notice that he passed Hermione and Ron in the hallway.

It was all simple. He´d have to avoid Dra-- Malfoy. He´d have to avoid Malfoy for the rest of the year, and then, then he was free to do whatever he wished without feeling he was completely losing control.

"Hello, dear, I thought you´d be passing by right about now."

Harry stopped still at the silvery voice and turned sharply to see Professor Trelawney, eyes wide and clad in a shimmering blue cloak that swept to the floor. "Had a little incident with Mr. Malfoy?"

Harry´s mouth dropped open. "I... I..."

Professor Trelawney patted him on the shoulder gently, a hint of a smile on her face. "Come on, come sit with me for a little while," she instructed gently. "We can have a nice cup of tea, and discuss those Astrological Charts due on Tuesday, before we head off to the dungeons for tonight´s activities."

Harry nodded slowly, almost glad of the reprieve, but he felt her curious gaze on him and he sighed. The problem with divination teachers was that they did know way too much about the future. At least there was only an hour to go till tonight´s activity...

His head lurched up despite himself.

Tonight´s activity.

Tonight was Friday.

Tonight was invisible fighting night.

Harry sighed bitterly as Professor Trelawney busied herself with a teapot.

So much for avoiding Draco then.

------

Aramantal

(Undying, Forever, Everlasting)

Harry approached the night´s lessons with a little less vigour than usual. He didn´t even say anything in return to Ernie´s tentative hello, or Lisa´s attempt at conversation, instead preferring to storm down the corridor blindly. He wasn´t so mad at Draco any more, that much was for sure. Ten minutes before he was due to head down to the dungeons and the midnight lesson, Harry hit on an epiphany on to who he was mad at. It wasn´t even Professor Trelawney.

It was himself.

This epiphany kept his mind more or less occupied, and he let Trelawney Charm him invisible almost without making the mandatory withering glare he normally made at her as she pranced around in her silvery clothing. It had been the stubborn desire of every student in the Seventh Year to give Mrs. Norris a sturdy kick, that much was still true, but this desire had increased to wanting to `accidentally´ kicking the snooping moggy into Professor Trelawney and have said teacher fall with the cat down a long set of stairs. Or into an open pit that led to hell.

Oh, the Divinations class knew by now that she was a lot more genuine at predicting the future, but, as always has happened in the course of history, she became despised in the class of "smart arse." It wasn´t so much that she was always constantly annoying right that was the matter. It was her saccharine falseness and bright colours and occasional dim-witted sentences and more than occasion dumb ideas that drove her class, and the staff, up the wall.

As Harry began to stumble, invisible, through the doorway into the dungeon room that he normally trained in on Fridays, he resisted the urge to give Professor Trelawney and Sensei Matani a good shove, and instead focussed himself on concentrating. His stomach grumbling suddenly and viciously didn´t help him much either. He´d skipped dinner to concentrate on his own problem.

Sickened at himself, and his own `me, me, me´ attitude, Harry felt a small movement near his left elbow and lashed out neatly with his left leg. A satisfying thud later, Harry felt a grin widen on his face and the warmth of success blossom, and lifted his leg to kick Draco now he was on the floor. At my feet, Harry reflected sunnily.

"Mr. Potter, please refrain from hitting your opponent when he´s down."

Harry´s gaze lurched to the window where Sensei Matani was standing impatiently and looking bored, and winced as he put his foot down. Then he flushed as he realised what had just happened, and he started.

"Sorry sensei." A sudden grin crossed Harry´s face in spite of the churning worry that was currently twisting in his gut. If Matani could see them both despite the invisibility Charm... Well, of course it made sense, Harry didn´t know why he hadn´t considered it before, but... If Matani could, then he would have seen The Kiss. It was definitely an event requiring capitals, even though it wasn´t the only kiss that had happened now, but if Matani had seen... Harry searched fruitlessly for an adjective to describe the situation, and the only ones he could come up with had four-letters in them and were detention-material. "He does deserve it, though."

Matani actually chuckled, and from the grunt, Harry knew his opponent was getting up.

"Bloody well didn´t," his opponent grunted, the accent and intonation confirming that it was Draco. There wasn´t anybody else it could have been, of course, but Harry liked to have confirmation all the same. It gave him a sense that revenge was definitely essential, and vindication requisite.

"You bloody well did, Malfoy."

"I bloody well didn´t," Draco instantly protested, surreptitiously rubbing his leg and glancing curiously at Sensei Matani who was looking straight at them. He glanced across to where Harry´s voice was coming from to check that the Invisibility Charm was still working. It was. All he could see was white padded walls, and got that thin rush of nausea that this was a room they used to put insane people in... There was the gap where the doorway was, and the large panel window that Matani was currently leaning up against and looking at them through. "Besides," Draco added to overcome the sense of nausea the white walls brought on, "everything is always your fault anyway, Potter."

Harry resisted the urge to flick a two-fingered insult at the insolent blond; instead he glanced back at Matani.

"Sensei, can you tell him it isn´t my fault?"

Matani frowned. "No. But I give you permission for a free hit with your bo."

Before Draco had time to blink, Harry had hit out with his bo where he figured Draco was from where his voice had come from, and Draco tumbled to the ground.

"Hey!"

Draco frowned, massaged his leg for a second before gathering his strength. He leapt to his feet in one swift movement, swiping his bo out to the left. It clashed with Harry´s, and the sound of wood and wood filled the air as they were brought up again and again with resounding clashes.

Harry was having difficulty holding the just-under-six-foot wooden pole. The constant blows from Draco, and the ones he returned, were making the bo vibrate under the strain, and his arms and hands were both aching. Soon all enmity was almost completely forgotten as adrenaline surged and the thirst for blood rose up, an animal instinct, before either could vocalise or even really understand what was going on. Harry felt the sudden thrill of being a predator as he felt Draco weaken, and he decided to end it. Striking Draco´s bo full on, the blond was forced to drop it as it shuddered out of his hands, and Harry dropped to one hand, kicking Draco´s legs from under him. The Slytherin dropped to the ground for the third time that session, and shimmered visible.

Shocked, Harry´s gaze lurched up to Sensei Matani, but the balding martial arts master was already stunned into action. The door was flung open, and the Sensei rushed in, waving his wand and making Harry visible again. Matani leant over Draco, and felt his pulse, a worried frown on his face. Harry felt panic rise like bile in his throat, and the whole nausea that had lightly been plaguing him all day overwhelmed him. He vomited as Matani checked on Draco, and Harry turned in time to see Matani hoist Draco over his shoulder and look at Harry´s mess and then at Harry squarely.

"You knocked him out," Matani explained to Harry, as Professor Trelawney fluttered into the room on her high heels, looking like an overgrown butterfly. Trelawney gasped, and held her hands to her face at the scene which had distracted from the perfect routine that she had concocted in her own head. "I´ll take him up to the infirmary," Matani added, shaking his head in wonder at Harry before striding out of the room.

Trelawney looked flatly at Harry. Harry was pale and shaking, sweat on his forehead and drenching his hair which was plastered to his forehead. He dropped his bo on the floor, and it clattered to the soft ground. Trelawney watched it fall before looking at Harry, her eyes which were heavily rimmed with mascara open and wide with shock. Harry stared at her, the curiously green shade of his eyes burning into Trelawney´s consciousness until it almost blinded her, and she looked away from the burning gaze.

"Didn´t foresee this, did you?" Harry sniffed in disgust, and stalked out of the room angrily. He was disgusted at himself, but Trelawney translated the shock as repulsion at her and she dropped to her knees, wondering what they´d done to Harry. He´d been naïve, open, and innocent when he´d arrived at Hogwarts and now... Now he was changing, and she wasn´t sure as if they´d like what he changed into.

Thinking quickly, she scrambled to her feet, feeling nauseous from the smell of Harry´s physical disgust, and he ran after her student.

"Harry, wait!"

At the end of the corridor, Harry turned, his gaze still accusing as he waited for the fragile teacher to catch him up.

"Yes, Professor?"

"This is all my fault. Our fault. We made you like this."

Harry stared at Trelawney like she´d grown an extra head. Trelawney resisted the urge to bite her flamboyantly painted fake fingernails, and recognised what had happened in part to Harry. He had a self-assured confidence in herself that she rarely saw in students. Harry was no child, she saw that now. The seventh year was an adult, and had been forced to mature far more rapidly than anyone should have.

"I won´t deny that," Harry replied, his voice calm and cool which scared Trelawney more than if he´d screamed at her. Anger she could deal with, but this Harry - silent and calm, like a predator ready to pounce on his helpless prey - it scared her more than anything. A chill ran along her spine like when she´d had her first ever true prediction.

When she´d predicted Harry´s entrance into the world and how important he may eventually be. A warrior of all that was good and right.

"When you... came here... You were naïve. Young. Innocent. What happened?"

Harry snorted derisively as if she was completely stupid. "I grew up." His gaze met hers challengingly. "A lot faster than I was supposed to. I grew up when someone died because of me. Twice it´s happened, and I won´t let it happen again." He clenched his fists, an unconscious gesture. "I won´t," he repeated. He stepped closer to Trelawney then, and she stifled the scream that started to rise in her throat, but instead he squeezed her hand gently. He was much more the adult than she at that moment. "I need you to find something wrong with the augurs. Something fake."

Startled, Trelawney blinked, not thinking to move her hand. Harry´s grip was firm, and her slim hand was turning white. "Wh- what? But there´s nothing wrong with--"

"I know that." Harry looked at her again, and Trelawney knew he was no student any more. Not a child, but a warrior that they had shaped in their own image, with their knowledge and with a power they knew nothing of. "Fake it. I need..." Harry shrugged, then, seeming lost in himself, in everything. His stature that had seemed to great, so adult and mature, moments before seemed to melt away in a moment and he was lost - a small speck of dust in the infinity of the universe. "I don´t need anyone close to me. I don´t need to lose anyone again."

Trelawney nodded, feeling her throat tighten up. "I guess... I can find something. But you love him, don´t you?" She lifted her gaze up resolutely, an unspoken challenge in her voice, and Harry dropped his gaze to the floor. He nodded, once, before letting go of her hand. "Forever," was all he said, before silently padding out of the dungeons and out of sight.

She didn´t know how long she stood there. Long enough for the other students to finish their specialized classes, and long enough for them all to have left. Long enough for Sensei Matani to come back down to the dungeons and wrap his arms around her, comforting her, submerging the immense inexplicable sorrow she felt that burned and would not go away for a long time.

-----

When Draco finally regained consciousness in the small hours of Saturday morning, he´d almost instinctively known that Harry had been watching him, but wasn´t there now. Struggling upright, he blinked a bit and waited for the dizziness of sitting up too fast to pass, before looking around the dimly lit infirmary. He wasn´t the only occupant. Two beds over, a blonde girl in plaits hugged her teddy bear and was resplendent with her violet skin. He chuckled to himself, remembering when he´d turned Crabbe yellow in Potions a few weeks ago. The three beds after the violet-and-blonde girl were all occupied by boys. One of them looked like he was half-cat, half-human, one had violent warts sprouting all over his face and arms, and the third kept rising up off the bed two feet, fluttering his arms a little before sinking back down onto the bed.

Draco closed his eyes, feeling the coolness of moonlight streaming in from the windows to caress his face for a few seconds before he opened his eyes again. On the narrow wooden table at the foot of his bed was a single roll of parchment. He figured it had to be some kind of scrawled apology from Harry, and leant forwards, ignoring the flash of pain that skidded across his leg and head. Twisting, and unrolling the parchment, so that he could read the words in the moonlight, Draco frowned and began to read.

"Draco.

"Sorry."

Draco smiled to himself at the first two words, the scruffy words proclaiming itself as Harry´s writing before he looked down to the bottom for the signature. It was an apology. Draco surprised himself at his own clarity of clairvoyance sometimes, or perhaps it was Harry´s own Gryffindor reliability, always doing the honourable thing.

Rolling his eyes melodramatically even though no-one was around to witness his scorn at the Gryffindors, but still wanting to keep in practise, Draco felt a tingle through his hands. It was something that had happened over the last couple of weeks to be honest. Every time Harry was near he just felt... different. Stupider. Like the floor was jelly beneath his feet. He smiled to himself, feeling happy despite the pain, and read on.

"Of course it was your fault, it can´t have been mine - after all I couldn´t see where you were, you were invisible - so if it wasn´t mine it must have been yours. Anyway, I found out Sensei Matani can see us when we´re invisible! Weird, really, I should have thought of it. He hasn´t said anything of course, but I´m sure that incident will be mentioned eventually, and when it does I´ll thank you to deny it. In my mind it never happened. Professor Trelawney has admitted the love augurs were all wrong anyway, she was just kidding around for a reaction. Sorry if you took it seriously, but did you really think it was serious? Did you ever think that we´d never be apart, like an eternal heart-to-heart? We´re worlds apart, Malfoy. Universes. More the fool you, if you did.
"Anyway, again, I´m sorry I knocked you out. Unintentional, but pleasing, considering your house. This message will self-destruct in a few moments, enough to hope you understand my apology for knocking you out.

"Your sincerely, Harry."

Draco had barely time to register the words as the parchment suddenly caught on fire, and he instinctively dropped it. Realising his error, that his blanket would go up in flames, he moved to pick it up and throw it to the ceramic floor tiles where it would cause less damage, but it wasn´t necessary. The Charm Harry had used on the parchment caused the thick paper to burn up but nothing else.

Stunned, Draco wished he could read the parchment again, thinking maybe it was a dream, or he´d misread it, or something. He felt his eyes burning, and he rubbed at them furiously. He was all too ready to brand Harry as arrogant for thinking he´d taken it all seriously, but the truth was that he had taken it seriously. With Rebecca and the vampires and everything... It was all too much. Rubbing his eyes feverishly, Draco felt his throat constrict and couldn´t breathe. He´d honestly thought it had meant something to Harry, that the other had actually - as silly as it sounded now - felt something.

Thinking back on things, Draco felt like he had, really, initialised everything. He´d been the one to voice his feelings. The first kiss would have just been the product of raging hormones. He knew as a teenager it was one´s first primal urge to hump everything in sight, especially at seventeen like they both were. The second kiss had been instrumental. Harry speaking to him was just his Gryffindor stupidity - preferring to go along with something rather than hurt someone. He´d probably felt forced to at least try and be friends with Draco because of the augurs, but it was a lie. A stupid lie.

Draco stopped rubbing at his eyes as the heavy truth hit him, hitting all of the breathe out of him in a whoosh, and he flopped to his pillow in disgust. Disgust at his own sense of futility that he couldn´t do anything. Disgust at his own thoughts and feelings. Disgust that he had... he had started to fall for someone who couldn´t honestly give a damn about him, except to occasionally insult him in the corridors.

Disgust at his own weakness.

Draco pulled the blanket over his own head, and, for once, just let the tears fall.

-----

He visited Rebecca on his own in the morning.

Dropping off into the hall for just time long enough to wrap a few bread rolls in a napkin and avoid the composed glance of Harry from across the room, Draco ignored the mutterings and glances and ran up to the teacher´s table. After getting permission from Dumbledore, Draco ran down to the dungeons, where Dumbledore had explained his sister was. Feeling slightly sick as he passed the room where he did invisible fighting on Friday nights, and passing the two advanced Potions dungeons on the next level down, Draco found himself running.

He ran down the stairs to the lowest level of Hogwarts dungeons, using the pain in his side and legs to focus on rather than on his own troubled feelings, and approached the gargoyle at the end of the long corridor. The corridor was full of crawling bugs and insects that Draco chose to ignore.

Stepping back, Draco tapped his wand three times on the protruding beak of the gargoyle, and it sprung backwards to reveal a richly furnished room. Crimson and silver hangings dropped from the ceiling in a criss-cross of rich and thick material, and several beds decorated with crimson blankets were lined up against one wall, while the opposite wall was lined with tables and large comfortable armchairs.

"Uh, hi." Feeling foolish, Draco stood in the doorway holding his parcel of bread while several pale faces watched him expectantly. Rebecca hopped out of her chair at the sound of her brother´s face, and ran over to join him at the doorway. Knowing better than to touch him, she indicated for him to follow her, and walking slowly Draco joined his vampiric sister in one corner. The blonde vampire was holding what looked to be the leg of a cow in one hand, and Draco blanched. Rebecca dropped it to one of the tables by the side before sitting in an armchair opposite Draco.

"This is a surprise," Rebecca said slowly, looking at him with wide silvery eyes that shone with hope and fear all at once.

Draco shrugged. "I needed some space. Besides, Elegeia, you are my sister, despite your grossness."

Rebecca screwed up her nose, and wiped something that looked too much like blood to Draco´s taste off her cheek. "I told you when I was three, Draydoo, don´t call me Elegeia."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Rebecca," he said, drawing out the syllables exaggeratedly. "Don´t you ever mention that name again."

Rebecca stuck her tongue out, knowing how much being called Draydoo enraged her brother. It had been all she´d been able to say when she was little, the closest approximation she could manage to her brother´s name. "So... how are you?" Rebecca nodded at the various bruises on his arms, and a nasty looking cut on his left hand. Draco shrugged and unwrapped his bread, munching thoughtfully on one of the rolls before raising his eyebrows.

"I don´t know really. I guess I´m feeling a little down," Draco admitted, looking at the floor and twisting some of the bread between his fingers. The crumbs drifted to the thick pile carpet, but he didn´t seem to notice.

"Is this to do with that boy?"

Draco´s gaze lurched up. "What-- How did --"

Rebecca hid her face behind one hand as she giggled. "Oh please. You two were so sickeningly sweet."

At her words, Draco seemed to slump further. Suddenly concerned, Rebecca slid forwards to stare intently at her brother.

"What has he done? I swear if he´s hurt you I´ll kill him..." Rebecca snarled. Draco looked a little surprised, but murmured his thanks. "Well," Rebecca amended, remembering her vows, "injure him a little."

"No, no, it´s all right," Draco said eventually, chewing reflectively on the bread. "I think I´m just irreversibly screwed up."

Rebecca snorted. "Join the family," she said derisively. Draco arched one eyebrow, looking incredibly sombre and almost as pale as the vampires around him before a rare smile broke on his face and suddenly they both were laughing, laughing hysterically, the only thought of the hilarity of the situation and no thought of the pain that bound them both together, but pulled them apart at the same time. The laughing subsided eventually, and the siblings were looked at curiously by some of the other vampires, but Draco suddenly looked sombre again; sadder and more troubled and impossibly older.

"I´ve lost it, `Becca," Draco whispered, the words catching and burning in his throat. "I´ve lost everything." Forgetting his fears, his repulsion, Draco let Rebecca slide his arms around him and he cried in the arms of his sister; lost in the eternity of his own sorrow and loss.

-----