The Mistresses of Draco's Heart

Chapter Five

Cheers, Lucius!

Draco went straight to his room and tumbled into bed. He felt a little mixed-up. His own father had tried to made him sleep with a Weasley, and then he had left without saying anything. His mother must have locked up in her room. Potter and Granger are God knows where and what's more, there were two Weasleys roaming in the Manor. Nope. This day can't get any worse! Draco thought and rolled over, so now he was lying on his stomach. He continued to wonder about the theme he had been wondering about the last three days. He still hadn't made out whom he liked best - Granger or Weasley. Weasley is out of question and so is Granger. What is it with you, Draco? You are a Malfoy! You are followed by hundreds of beautiful girls, but you are stuck on the two who happen to be your enemies! What about Pansy? Draco sighed. Yeah. What about her? I'd rather have a girl with brains, I suppose. Draco got up from the bed and went out of his room. Draco got up from the bed and went out of his room. He went up the stairs leading to his mother's apartments. When he got there he first put his ear to the door and listened attentively, if Narcissa was not crying. Then he lifted his hand and knocked. A woman's voice called:

"Come in!"

"Mother," Draco said coming into the room. His mother was sitting on a sofa and reading magazines.

"What do you wish, Draco?"

"I came to ask...where is Father?"

Something changed in Narcissa's expression. It became tensed.

"Why do you wish to see him, son?"

"It's just...well...a boy talk, you know..."

"There is nothing you can't talk with me about, Draco. Are you hiding something from your mother?" she asked, putting away the magazines. Her blue eyes explored Draco's, looking for the answer.

Draco felt a little awkward and stuttered, "Mother, I...you know that I'm not hiding anything from you..."

"Draco, I have known you since your before your birth. When you were born and I held you in my arms for the first time, I looked into your eyes and I saw there that my son was going to be like his father. Handsome...strong...clever...alert... Your eyes told me that when you are angry, others will pull away from you ...but not for long. Your natural charm will attract girls, and when you love someone...it will be love without hesitation, be she your enemy or your friend. It will be an immense affection, but you will always know what to do for your own benefit. There are things for you to learn in love and relationships. You can hurt people without knowing that you are doing it. But the things you know already will help you...remember to be gentle with others, to help them... and do not hide your feelings from others, that won't help you. Come here," she said and opened her arms. Draco came closer and let his mother hug him heartily.

"And now, boy, your father was taken to Azkaban."

"What?" Draco tore out of his mother's hands.

"The Minister of Magic took him away a while ago."

***

When Draco had left the library, Ginny stood in the middle of the room staring at the door with her mouth wide open, when suddenly she was disturbed by a hissing sound coming from the fireplace. She turned and saw the silver words disappear in the air. She turned again and went to the door. When she opened it, Draco was nowhere to be seen anymore. Ginny hurried down the corridor to her room and undressed. She put the new clothes that she had been wearing aside with a sigh, because she really liked them and opened the wardrobe, and pulled up her old robes. Then she went out of the room and tried to find the door that led to Ron. Ginny remembered Lucius saying that Ron was in the next room, but the problem was that there was no door. She started to walk down the corridor, looking for the entrance.

***

When Harry and Hermione reached Lupin's house, they were tired to the bone. Harry reached for the doorbell, but before he had a chance to press it, the door opened and Lupin drew both of them into the house.

"You again? The holidays are over - why aren't you in school? And...Hermione? Is that really you? I thought that you would have talked Harry out of coming here! The Death Eaters keep sneaking around my house like cockroaches! And..."

"Lupin! Just calm down, please! We have had adventures up to ears and now we are falling off our legs and you keep roaring on at us like it's our fault that Malfoy tried to kill us!"

"He what?"

"Tried to kill us. I told you last time that he was going to. And he tried to rape Hermione..."

"Harry! He did not! Lupin, you...you must believe me! I..."

"And we came here to ask you to make us a Portkey so we can go back to school as soon as possible, please."

Lupin was stunned. He didn't know what to do. Finally he said, "Okay ... okay, Harry, Hermione, I understand that I can't do anything here, except to make a Portkey. Fine...I'll do it and let Dumbledore take care of you. Follow me."

***

Draco left his mother's apartment feeling quite bemused. His father had been taken to Azkaban. His father! Okay, Lucius was a jerk sometimes, a big jerk, but...still. That was no reason to take him to that place. Draco knew many Death Eaters. They were at all of his father's parties, bragging about the killing that they had done. Lucius was Voldemort's follower - so what? Draco knew many ex-Death Eaters who had lied about being under the Imperius curse after Voldemort's fall. No one believed them, of course. Draco had spent many sleepless nights when the ex-Death Eaters were being punished in Lucius' dungeons. They were begging for forgiveness, but none received it. Draco winced. He didn't like listening to their begging.

If you have done something, then don't be scared to own up to it, Draco. There is such thing as responsibility, my son. The people that you see going into the dungeons, the ones who don't come out - they don't have a backbone. They do whatever is best for them, they are not loyal. Choose your path and keep going on it until death asks you to come, son, and then you will be rewarded .Yes, Draco could still remember what Lucius had told him when he was six. Now he had to figure out a way to get his Father out of prison.

As Draco walked to his room, he saw a shadow walking in front of him. He took a look at his watch and saw that The Promised Hour had passed. He grinned broadly and hurried after the shadow. No, he was not a person who would give up an opportunity to annoy someone.

***

"I guess that I forgot that I was talking to a Weasley an hour ago." Draco had taken a short-cut through a small tunnel he had discovered recently. Now his back was pressed against a wall, and as the corridor in that place was very narrow, Ginny couldn't pass him.

"Let me go by!"

"Now, now...I wouldn't talk to a host like that, girl. But it looks as though the Weasleys have not only bad manners but short memories too." He showed her the watch he was wearing.

"I couldn't find Ron, and I'm not going to leave without him."

Draco sighed melodramatically. "He was in the next room to yours, silly."

"There were no doors next to mine."

"Did you look in the other direction?"

Ginny blushed. Now she remembered clearly that she had not looked the other way. She had rushed out of the room and gone right. Apparently Ron's room was on the left side of her room.

"Gryffindors..." mumbled Draco, and he started to walk down the corridor. Ginny couldn't think of anything better to do than to follow him.

They walked without speaking. Ginny was walking some steps behind Draco, but now she hurried to catch up with Draco. She caught his sleeve.

"Draco..."

"What?"

"I...I wanted to say that I'm sorry ... I really should have respected your feelings, but I just...spit it all out not thinking of anything. I...I really, really do lo -" She didn't end, because Draco had put his hand over her mouth.

"Do you really want me to hear that now?"

Ginny looked up in Draco's eyes and saw her reflection there. She lowered her lids and shook her head.

"I won't say that I don't like you, Weasleybint, but I like other girls too. I can't imagine us together...like a boyfriend and a girlfriend...maybe later, who knows? But I am not sure about that, not now. I'm not giving a hope to you. I am a fighter, Ginny, and you should remember that. I don't like girls who throw themselves at me. I despise them...because I am a Malfoy. Malfoys can't change themselves. That's why they search until they have found the best for them. And one who can cheapen herself just to get a boy, whom she can leave any time she wants...that is a sorry sight. Don't you ever do so, understood?"

He took his hand off Ginny's face and leaned closer. She thought that he was going to kiss her on lips, but instead he gently brushed her cheek with his finger. She felt herself blush.

"Don't you ever kiss someone on his lips, until you are sure that they are The One," Draco said, and continued walking.

"Have you ever tried to kiss someone on the lips?" Ginny asked rushing after him. She was still a little behind him, so she couldn't see him smile, but she heard him say:

"Well...you can get around every prejudice, you know..."

***

Lupin had made them a Portkey to Dumbledore's cabinet. Now Harry and Hermione were sitting in armchairs in the Headmaster's round office. Hermione noticed that these were not as comfy as the chairs in Malfoy's house. Dumbledore hadn't come yet, so they just relaxed and waited for him. Harry glanced around the room as he always did when he was there. No new instruments had showed up on the shelf with its Dark Detectors and Lie machines. The Pensieve was placed on a small table now. Harry fought his curiosity to go and have a look in it. His eyes slid on Fawke's cage. There was no sign of the bird, only a pile of ash. Humming could be heard and Harry wondered if that was Dumbledore. He looked at Hermione and saw that she was staring into the fire again, with the hazy look in her eyes that she'd* had some days before. Now he understood that it was Hermione humming. He wanted to wake her up from her day dreams, but the moment he got up from his chair, Dumbledore came in.

***

Draco led Ginny to Ron's room. She entered it with a happy smile on her face and closed the door behind her. The same moment the door had closed completely, Draco banged his head against the wall. Man! Don't girls see that I turn into liquid in their hands?! I'm a Malfoy! Mal-foy. That means that I'm supposed to be nasty, selfish, nasty again, critical, and again nasty Look at me! I start joking and teaching Weasleys, I touch a Mudblood...I kiss with a Mudblood... Thank God I keep myself in good shape with Potter. I should have put Avada Kedavra on all of them, but I didn't, and now look - they are still right as rain! He banged his head against the wall again. I hope that I get back to school again as soon as possible. I think that a change of climate might help me. No stupid Gryffindors running around, no bored Hufflepuffs sitting and playing chess with house-elves... He didn't finish his thought when the door opened and a smiling Ginny and Ron, looking as if his birthday had been announced to be twice a year, came out of the room.

"We're going...Malfoy," Ron said.

"Yay! Peace at last!" Draco exclaimed and threw up his hands.

***

Hermione jumped to her feet, and so did Harry. Dumbledore looked at them and went behind his desk. He started to dig through his papers and meanwhile asked them both:

"What are you doing in my office so early in the morning, Ms. Granger and...Harry?"

"Headmaster, Lupin sent us here with a Portkey."

"But as far as I know ..."

"Yes, Headmaster, I read it too. But the rules are changed this year, as you know and you can't Portkey in Hogwarts territory unless..."

"...you have a permission of the Headmaster..."

"...and we knew that..."

"...you would have given the permission to Lupin..."

"...because there may be situations when..."

"...you need him. Voldemort..." Harry started, but Dumbledore hushed him.

"I see that you got the idea, Harry, Ms. Granger." He went around his desk and gazed in Harry's eyes. After some minutes Dumbledore said:

"You two have had a lot of adventures as I can see. I don't like to do this, but...I think I can only punish you two for non-attendance in lessons. I want you to owl your parents about this, Ms. Granger and tell them everything. As for you, Harry...go to your dormitory and try not to wake up your roommates. And be careful with the new Gryffindor - he is a light sleeper. Goodnight, you two."

Harry took Hermione's arm and they both went out. When they had closed the door, Hermione pulled it out and went a little before Harry. In the common room they separated and went to their dorms.

***

Some days later Draco appeared at the Slytherin table. He was pale and exhausted. He played with his oatmeal and didn't seem to be from this planet. He had fixed his misty gaze on the Gryffindor table. After the meal, he disappeared into the dungeons and no one saw him again that day. He was not in the Care of Magical Creatures or Potions. After lessons were over,some Ravenclaws had seen Madam Pomfrey leave the dungeons with a wistful expression on her face. Later some saw Draco Malfoy leave the castle in a black carriage pulled by six Thestrals, but of course not everyone could see the powerful animals.

***

The days rushed by. Harry noticed that Hermione was not studying as hard as she had used to. Instead she was drawing something during classes, and when Harry tried to glance at her pictures, she hid them quickly. In the evenings she nestled herself in the armchair by the fireplace, stared in the fire and silently hummed something. Harry was thankful that Malfoy had not showed up. He felt jealous. Hermione had changed since she met Malfoy, and Harry was sure that he didn't like it. He felt something more for her than friendship. He had broken up with Cho long time ago, but he hadn't told that Hermione. Maybe he should tell her? And he was still worried about the fact that neither Ron nor Ginny had appeared at school. Harry stood up when he saw Hermione approaching him.

"Harry, have you got any plans for the Saturday?"

"Nothing except studying for Potions. Why?"

"I just wondered...maybe you would like to come with me?"

"Where?"

"Well...it's a surprise..."

"Okay. I'll come." Devil, Yank that Ron and Ginny! Hermione is...she's planning something for both of us. Maybe...maybe...for her it is also more than just friendship between us...

***

That Saturday, Hermione and Harry went out of school and headed down to Hogsmeade. From there they Flooed to a nearby stud farm.

"What are we doing here, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Well...I have always liked horses and now I have permission from Dumbledore to come here whenever I want to ride ."

"But you don't know how to!"

"I will take lessons," Hermione said, and started to look around for someone.

***

"If that Malfoy were a normal wizard, he would have given us brooms or something..."

"If you hadn't turned North instead of South, we would be home already!" Ginny hissed back. They had been walking for days, and they were exhausted. Really exhausted.

***

Harry was peevish. He had a small and fluffy horse with a bushy tail and mane and it looked the same as the one Malfoy had brought him. Hermione had a silky, grey horse. Hermione looked assailed with doubts, but she mounted it. The stableman was old, he didn't want to go with them because he had rheumatism problems. When they had ridden for half an hour, Harry's horse started to hobble, so Harry turned around and walked the horse back to the stable. Hermione continued her ride. It was a cool morning, rain was drizzling, and there was a fog falling. Hermione was riding through an old park. She could hear a hunter's horn farther up ahead. Her horse started to neigh. She tried to calm it, but it was impossible. If she had known something more about horses, she would have noticed that her horse was a hunter type. If she had been a little more experienced, she would have asked the stableman what people usually rented this horse for, and then she would have gotten the answer that local hunters used to rent it for hunt. Now hearing the horn made the horse nervous, it wanted to go - run as fast as the wind and not feel the weight of a rider. It reared, and Hermione nearly fell off. Then she nearly fell off again when the horse started to run. She despairingly tried to stop it, but it wouldn't listen. Suddenly they rushed into a grassland where the hunters had gathered. All looked at her disbelievingly as she passed them. Only one young hunter on a huge black horse left the group and rushed after the girl. There was another horn blow, and the two riders disappeared in the fog.

***

Lucius was sharing an armchair with Narcissa. She was sitting in his lap and playing with his fair hair. Sometimes she leaned closer and kissed him on the lips or in a very interesting place behind his ear only she knew that made Lucius flood with happiness.

"I see you missed me as much as I missed you, Narcissa."

"More."

He pulled Narcissa closer and slid his arm under her robes. It was cold, and Narcissa automatically contracted.

"My goodness! What is it with your hands? Why are they so cold, Lucius?"

"It's Azkaban. I'm happy that Draco got me out of there. Some days more and...who knows, maybe I would serve the Dark Lord only as a pile of meat for breakfast."

Narcissa shivered.

"Don't you ever...ever say something like that, Malfoy!" She tried to get up on her feet, but Lucius wouldn't let her.

"I'm sorry." He apologized and kissed her on her lips. She answered him with the same passion as he did.

***