Year of the Dragon

Chapter 2:

"Of course my Lord. Draco would be honoured to be one of your Death Eaters. But why so soon? I myself did not become one of yours until I was 18. Draco is only 15 now. He doesn't know enough dark magic. He would be of little use to you. He is a rather worthless child really."

"I have my reasons, Lucius. The boy must be taught obedience to his master. Most learn better at a young age. Why should your son be any different?" answered a cold voice. The voice of Voldemort.

"I understand, my Lord, but I have taught him to obey. You must have -."

Voldemort cut Lucius off. "You? Teach proper obedience?" He laughed harshly. "You are an idiot Lucius, if you think that is all I want of your son. With proper training, by the time he reaches the age of 25, he will not only be one of the most powerful wizards, he will be transformed. He will be my second in command. He will be honoured like no other."

"But my Lord, Draco is a stubborn child. He will not bend easily."

"He does not have to bend," Voldemort said. "He has to break."

* * * * *

Beep! Beep! Beep!

"Ungh! Bloody alarm!"

Beep! Beep! Beep!

"Shut it you idiotic device!"
Beep! Beep! Beep!

"Alright! I'm bloody awake now so just...shut off or something."

"Not to interrupt your very effective way of shutting off the alarm charm, but if you want it to stop, you have to get out of bed."

"I know that Harry, but we have Potions first thing this morning and I don't want to go."

"You don't want to see the un-Slytherin-ly Slytherin?"

"Huh?" 'I wouldn't have understood that if it wasn't 6:45, but it is, and that makes it doubly hard.' "Speak English you great prat!"

"Jenny. Remember?"

"Jenny? Where? Is she in here? Did they transfer her?"

"Actually, she'll be in the Potions dungeon at precisely 8:00 a.m., or a little later if she's dreading going as much as we are."

"Really? Well, come on Harry, you're holding me up! Let's go!"

"You might want to check what you're wearing. Although paisley pajamas might be the new fashion trend, I'm doubting Snape would approve of them.

'Guess I got just a little carried away...'

* * * * *

After I woke up to the ritual 'Let's-See-Who-Can-Snore-Loud-Enough-To-Wake-Draco-Up' Festival, I contemplated why I never used a silencing charm around my four poster. 'You'd think after 4 years of sleep deprivation I would have thought of that before.' Not that I needed my beauty rest.

Groaning on the floor, since Blaise left his bloody Herbology textbook on the floor and I, of course, tripped on the damn thing, I decided to act like my typically pessimistic self and decided that today was going to be terrible. It was time for some deep thought. 'I hate Mondays!'

After I got dressed in a somewhat normal fashion, I realized it was 5:30 am. 'Why am I awake?' I gave the snorers a death glare, which of course, they didn't notice at all.

Following the immortal words of Rene Descartes, I began to think. Various people came to mind, including Jenny. That's when I started feeling...weird. I tried to remember the last time I was sick, and then I understood. 'Draco, you bloody idiot. This is what it feels like to love someone besides yourself. This is what you promised WOULDN'T happen to you.' And I had assured myself that I would never fall in love. It wasn't something I wanted or needed. It was just an extra, and a crappy one at that. It made people go crazy. It made them feel like trash if they were rejected. It was something people died for. It was something you couldn't fight. It was a feeling you took to your grave.

* * * * *

"Mr. Weasley!"

"Huh?"

"If you cannot pay attention in my class, then perhaps a seating change would help. Mr. Baddock, please change places with Mr. Weasley. Mr. Longbottom, you will switch with Mr. Malfoy. Understand?"

"Yes professor," squeaked poor Neville.

Ron said nothing, but he gathered all his ingredients and took his cauldron, obviously angry that Snape had made him go sit with the Slytherins. 'I don't understand why everyone hates the Slytherins. We're not that bad, really.'

Draco was taking his time moving to the Gryffindors' side of the room. 'He's probably mad that he's being forced to sit with Harry. They really hate each other.'

"Well, see you in Transfiguration. Don't let Longbottom melt your cauldron," Draco told me.

"I was planning on using his anyway, but thanks for warning me."

"As I was saying before Mr. Weasley's interruption..."

"Bastard, you interrupted your own class," Ron said quietly. "I didn't say a word."

"The aging potion is very complex and difficult to brew. Everyone will be working with a partner, in which time you may be allowed to talk quietly so that you can put the correct ingredients into this potion. Hopefully no one in my class will be acting incompetent today." Snape looked straight at Neville.

"Besides you, I can't think of any other incompetent people in this room, you slimy git."
'Must not laugh, Snape will kill me. Must not laugh, Snape will kill me...'

"At the end of class, the two best potions will be selected and tested on a volunteer."

"I wouldn't volunteer if you paid me a thousand galleons."

"I would." 'Who wouldn't? A thousand galleons is big money!'

Ron looked at me like my nose had just fallen off and started tap dancing to Britney Speares. 'I hope my nose wouldn't sink so low as to dance to her music...' "He'd probably poison you!"

"He wouldn't. I'm a Slytherin, remember? But thanks for being concerned," I said, smiling.

"Like I wouldn't care. I mean, we are friends."

'We're friends, but don't get any ideas, lover boy.'

"Yeah, we are...Oh no! Neville what have you done to our potion? It's navy blue! It's supposed to be light orange! I guess you didn't put enough dried asphodel roots in there, huh? And I think you forgot the tiger swallow caterpillar eggs too."

"I'm, I'm sorry. I don't do well in Potions. Professor Snape, he, I, I'm scared of him," spluttered Neville. "I'm sorry if I make us get a bad grade."

"Say no more, I can fix it. I hope Snape doesn't look at ours for awhile, or he'll blow."

'Thank God I'm good in Potions. Arithmancy, on the other hand...'

"Mr. Longbottom, class, has once again managed to bungle yet another potion. Tell me, Longbottom, is it difficult to understand a list of instructions? Even a list which clearly states the needed ingredients and the amount necessary? You disgust me. Miss Chambers, perhaps you can explain why this potion is...not what it should be?"

'Must think of excuse, must think of excuse...'

"Uh, well, you see Professor, Neville told me how bad he was at Potions, and how he always has to have help, or else his potions don't turn out. So I thought if he tried to make this potion himself, he could then, um, learn how to brew potions better. I mean, he has to be good at something other than Herbology, and everything that involves a wand ends in a disaster for him, so I thought, why not get good at Potions? I can fix it, don't worry Professor, it won't explode or interrupt class or anything."

Snape just looked at me for a minute, obviously confused. 'Dude, he really does need to wash his hair. I mean, there's just no excuse for it at this stage in his life.'

"Well, if you think you can fix it, Miss Chambers, then go ahead and try. Ten points from Gryffindor, Longbottom, for having less talent than a blind porcupine," Snape said, and walked away.

"Hoo, that was close huh? Sorry I had to say that stuff about you, Neville. I don't think he would have liked the excuse, 'Oh I was talking to Ron, so I let Neville do the potion.'"

Neville was also looking mixed up. "But, you're a Slytherin, you should hate me, you should have whined, you should have blamed it on me, that, that was really nice of you."

"No problem."

* * * * *

"It's not fair! She talked to Neville more than me! She totally ignored me!"

"Yeah, who would have thought Neville was a chick magnet?"

"I'm serious Harry! Jenny hates me."

"No she doesn't!"

"Yes she does."

"She doesn't."

"She does."

"Doesn't."

"Does."

"Doesn't."

"Does."

"Doesn't times a hundred."

"Does times infinity."

"Doesn't times infinity plus one."

"Does times infinity plus..."

"No!" we both said at the same time. 'Sometimes, you really need to loosen up Herm.'

"Sorry Herm," I told her.

"It's alright, I'll just go to my room. I should get to bed pretty soon, but I just checked this book out from the library," she said, holding up what looked like three Hogwarts, A History's fused into one. "I really want to start on it, I know it'll be really interesting."

'Only Hermione would think 'Raeda in Fossa Haeraebat' sounded interesting. That thing must be over 4,000 pages. I couldn't read it in a year, not that I would want to or anything.'

"Have fun then."

"I will," she said, and climbed the stairway.

"So Harry, why don't you like Hermione?"

"I like her fine."

"You know what I mean."

"What are you bloody talking about Ron?"

"Hermione likes you Harry! You've been ignoring her for four years now and..."

"I have NOT been ignoring her."

"Yes you have, and AS I WAS SAYING, Hermione likes you, so why don't you like her?"

"It's not that I don't like her, it's that I don't think we're...compatible. I mean, she doesn't know the first thing about Quidditch. Half the time she acts too smart for us. She's, well, I don't know, I just don't like her that way. And you know how I feel about Cho."

"Oh. Well, if you feel that way, I guess...oh never mind Harry. I'm going to bed."

"At 8:15?"

"Yeah, I'm getting up early tomorrow."

"Whatever, I'll stay down here for awhile."

"Okay, see you."

'Harry, you are totally missing out on a girlfriend, and a really good one at that.'

I climbed up the steps, only to find Hermione crying. Her beautiful amber eyes were red, her rosy cheeks were all blotchy, her golden brown curls were starting to frizz, and she just looked terribly forlorn.

"Oh my Gawd! Hermione, what's wrong?"

She turned around, flung her arms around my neck, and just started bawling. 'I would really be liking this if you weren't crying me a river, Herm.' "Hermione, what's the matter? You can tell me."

"Oh Ron! It's Harry! Four years! Four bloody years!"

"It's ok, Herm. Don't cry."

"But I love Harry, and he doesn't even CARE about me. We are bloody compatible!"

"Hermione, Harry doesn't know what he's missing."

She looked up at me. 'Oh blow, what did I say wrong now?'

"Look, Ron, for the millionth time, I like you as a friend. Okay? I do not want to be your girlfriend. I do NOT want to get all kissy-kissy with you. Alright?"

'Oh thanks, Herm. Why don't you just buy some boots with metal spikes and jump on my heart with them, huh?' "Alright." I said with very little enthusiasm. Apparently, it wasn't good enough.

"Ron," she said through gritted teeth. "I am going to try and get this through your bloody head. I do not want your attentions now, and I do not want them EVER. Got it?"

"ALRIGHT! Go stalk bloody Harry, just like he stalks bloody Cho. I'm sure he'll notice that you're alive one of these days, Herm. Maybe he'll even bloody wave at you, and give you a little sickening smile that says 'My brain's on vacation right now.' If that makes you bloody happy, Hermione, don't let ME stand in your way. And don't ever ask me for my bloody sympathy when he breaks your bloody heart, because it'll be the same bloody thing that you just did to me." 'I did not just say THAT.'

Hermione appeared to be in a state of shock. After a minute or so, she un-froze and ran into her dormitory, crying all the way there.

'Way to go Ron. You just lost any chance you had. And you're talking to yourself. Isn't this great?

"What were you and Herm yelling about, Ron?"

"Harry, do not EVEN ask."

* * * * *

It was Saturday, a day before Halloween, and we had nothing to do. No homework, no Quidditch practice, no classes - nothing. All of us (Jenny Malcolm Blaise, Pansy, and myself) were gathered in the common room, discussing plans.

"We could sneak into Hogsmeade," Pansy suggested.

"Already been done." I was the official decider and I must say I did my job very well.

"We could have an auction."

"And what do you suggest we auction, Blaise?"

"Um."

"We could practice Quidditch," suggested Malcolm.

"Hey! Some of us don't play, remember?" Pansy complained.

"Only you. But no on the Quidditch anyway."

"Hey! I've got it!"

'Oh no! Jenny has an idea. Be afraid, be very afraid.'

"Let's go visit the Gryffindors!"

We all stared at her for a moment.

'I guess if there's nothing better to do....'

"I don't want to go," said Pansy. "They don't deserve our attentions."

"Fine. You don't have to."

"Draco!" she whined. "You don't want me to come?"

'Harder to get rid of than acne. Stickier than a whole tube of superglue. More annoying than 10 three year olds, it's Super Pansy.' "Not really."

She stormed out of the room in a huff as she pretended to cry. 'If only it was that easy the rest of the time...'

"Won't they chase us out?" Blaise asked. I thought it was an excellent point, although 'chase' might not be a strong enough word for what they were going to do.

"Well, considering that the two best looking people in the school will be coming to their common room and hanging around for the whole day, it's doubtful that they would."

'The girl has a point.'

Besides Pansy, everyone seemed to be eager to get moving. "Alright fellow Slytherins. We're off to the Gryffindor Common Room!" I announced.

'Wait a second. Since when do we know where it is?'

* * * * *

2 hours and four run-ins with Filch later, we found the Fat Lady.

"Password?" she said.

"Ummm."

'Well we certainly planned this out nicely.'

"Go Gryffindor. All hail Potter. Lions for the cup."

"Good guesses, cutie. But no," said the Fat Lady to Draco, who was obviously disturbed that he had just been called a cutie by an overweight picture.

"I hate Malfoy. Slytherin sucks. Chambers is a tart."

"Dear, the Gryffindors are not a hateful group," said the disheartened Fat Lady.

"And thanks for fluffing up the old self esteem pillow, Jen."

"No problem Draco."

'We are never going to get in! Never! All is lost! Well...okay that was a little dramatic.'

"Hey! I know it!" shouted Blaise. "It's 'powdered donuts'."

Amazingly, the Fat Lady said, "That's correct sugar!"

'Blaise knew the password? Interesting, veeerrry interesting.'

The portrait swung open to reveal a busy common room. Parvati and Lavender were talking about some hot guy in Hogwarts, Dean was writing something, Harry and Ron were playing Chess, or in other words, Harry was fighting a hopeless battle, Ginny was smiling at Harry from afar, Hermione was reading a book (surprise surprise!), Neville was in a corner struggling with a Potions essay, and Seamus was nowhere in sight. 'Weird. Oh well, its time to terrorize.'

"I can't believe they haven't noticed us," said Malcolm, and he had a point. Nobody had looked up from what they were doing. 'Maybe the Invisible Man has shielded us from their gaze because we are just too damn sexy to be in the Gryffindor common room.'

"Aaaaagghhh!" screamed Lavender. "It's Draco Malfoy!"

'Then again, maybe not.'

"DRACO MALFOY?" shrieked Parvati. "Where?"

"Right there, by the portrait-hole!"

Draco cringed next to me. "Oh no. Not my Gryffindor fan club. Not now."

'I almost feel sorry for him. Almost.'

"Parvati! Lavender! Control yourselves! There're two of you and one of me. If you both jump on me, I will collapse."

"We're not going to jump on you now, silly. We're going to give you..." here Parvati giggled. "We're going to give you a tour of the girls dormitory!"

"Um, maybe later. Maybe when Snape decides to wear a pink frilly robe, washes his hair, dyes it lime green, and sings 'I'm a Little Teapot' in front of the whole bloody school!"

This sent Parvati, Lavender, the band of Slytherins (including me), Ginny, and Dean into fits of laughter. The Trio looked dumbstruck, and Neville appeared to be very confused. "Oh Draco you are so funny!" said Lavender. "We'll just have to use a Summoning Charm if he won't come willingly."

"Damn straight I won't come willingly!" He turned to me. "Help!"

'Draco Malfoy is asking for HELP? This is new.' "Don't worry. I know how to make our friendly neighborhood Gryffindors use their honor and kindness against them. Watch and be amazed."

He just smirked and said, "Go right ahead."

"Hey! Before you go summoning MY BOYFRIEND up to your dorm..."

I didn't get any farther than that. "Oh my gosh! Jenny I'm so sorry, I had no idea he was your boyfriend!" said Parvati, who was beginning to hyperventilate.

"Me too, Jenny! I didn't know!" Lavender assured me. "Hey, how long have you two been, you know, an item? I haven't heard about it."

'Shit!' "Ummmm..."

"Two months," Draco put in.

"Wow. You met over the summer then? I didn't know you knew anyone in Britain, Jen."

'Draco, you are so going to pay for that.'

"We didn't know each other. We met in Diagon Alley."

"Oh that explains it then," said Parvati. "Come on, Lav! We have to go see what Seamus is up to."

The girls dashed up the stairway, leaving the rest of the Common Room staring at us. 'Well, we're not going to sprout wings and fly around the room, guys, so ya might want to stop watching our every move.'

"So, why are you in our Common Room again?" asked Hermione. 'Thank you! You are the only Gryffindor who makes sense!'

"Well," began Draco. "We were bored, so we were hoping that you all weren't doing anything. Some of us," and here he looked at me, "convinced us on the way here that we should make friends, so we're here to be un-hostile," he finished, and gave them what he thought was a winning smile.

I don't know that the Gryffindors could have looked more confused if McGonagall had told them she was marrying Neville. They just sat there and gave Draco looks that plainly stated, "What are you trying to pull, Malfoy?"

"Okay, fine. We had nothing to do today, so we decided to come up here and steal Potter's broomstick so we can sell it on the Black Market."

"WHAT?" asked Harry, who had not recognized the easily recognizable joke.

"Joking, Potter. I'm bloody joking. Now the rules are..."

"Wait a minute Draco. They like me better. I'll tell them the rules."

Draco spluttered with indignity.

"Rule #1: If a Slytherin talks to you, you must make conversation with them."

"Rule #2: You will not start beating up someone if they provoke you."

"Rule #3: You must follow all these rules, or I will transfigure that chair into a blast-ended-skrewt and set it loose in the tower," I finished. "And you all know how good my transfiguration skills are."

They all nodded. 'Gryffindors are so easy to manipulate. And they actually think I CAN transfigure the chair. I'm good, but I'm not that good.'

I began to walk towards Ginny, which seemed to cue all the other Slytherins into chatting with a Gryffindor. 'It's like 'Adopt a Grandparent,' except with Gryffindors. Oh well, it's the same mentality level with both.'

* * * * *

I walked over to Granger's table. 'She's the only Gryffindor with any brains. I'll talk to her for quite awhile. That is, until she chases me away...'

"Hello Granger."

"Malfoy, why are you bothering me?"

"Because," I said as I put my feet on her table, "You're the only person in this bloody tower that's smart enough to talk to." 'I am SO charming.'

"Well then Malfoy, seeing as I'm the clever one, I shouldn't be wasting my time on you. You might as well have called yourself an idiot and been done with the whole thing."

'Oooh, she is good.' "I said smart, Granger, I didn't say total genius."

"Malfoy, get your feet off my table and go get in someone else's way. I'm trying to read if you didn't notice," she said, and gave me a this-would-even-scare-Voldemort-so-you-better-run glare.

Not that I was going anywhere.

"So Granger, has Potter been paying any more attention to you?"

"What?"

"Well, it's blatantly obvious that you like him. You glance at him every two seconds in Potions."

"I do NOT!"

I snickered. "Right Granger. And Elvis is living in the Chamber of Secrets."

"Look Malfoy, even if I do, you know...like Harry, it's not because - did you say Elvis?"

Making mental note: Jenny, never give me the names of any Muggle entertainers AGAIN!

"Actually, yes I did. If you're wondering if I listen to him, no I don't. If you're wondering if Jenny listens to him, yes she does. Go on."

Hermione appeared to be thinking for a moment. Did I just call her that? I meant Granger, duh.

"I'll make you a deal Dra - Malfoy." 'She's slipping too. Interesting...' "If I tell you about...my problems with Harry, then you have to tell me about Jenny." 'Granger, you are a cruel beast.'

"Malfoys don't make deals with Mudbloods."

Her tone quickly switched. "Yeah, well I don't enjoy the company of an arrogant, self-absorbed, death eating...albino, so either you leave or you become a ferret again."

I grabbed her by the wrist. "Granger, I may be self-absorbed, but I am not a Death Eater. I am not like my father, and it is not my secret ambition to be like him. Now if you don't mind, I'll be getting back to my Common Room."

As I walked away I glanced back for a moment. "And I am NOT an albino."

'That was really powerful, Draco.' "Shut it, sarcastic inner self!" A couple Gryffindors stared at me. 'Was that out loud?'

* * * * *

I sighed and went back to my book. 'Stupid Malfoy. He's so...gorgeous... I did not just say that.' Why did he even start talking to me in the first place? Idiot boy. Ugh! I'm never going to be able to concentrate on my reading if I keep thinking about HIM. 'Maybe you should take a break, Herm.' Well, I guess a few minutes couldn't hurt.

I looked around the Common Room. Blaise Zabini seemed to be making friends with Dean. 'Weird. He's always so mean. All of the Slytherins are. Even Malfoy was, well, pleasant. For himself, anyway.' I tried to figure out what was making all the Slytherins so friendly all of a sudden. And then I saw the reason. It had to be Jenny. She was so nice to us on the train. It didn't make sense that she was in Slytherin. 'Maybe I should talk to her instead of Malfoy. SHE won't make me feel so...uncomfortable.' I walked over to the Chessboard where Jenny was having a vicious battle with Ron, who was, as always, winning. 'She must have enchanted those chess pieces to be extra violent.'

"Um, Jenny."

"Hmm? Oh hi Hermione. How's your reading?"

"Alright, I guess. I can't seem to concentrate properly. Can I talk to you?"

"Sure," said Jenny, not moving away from the Chessboard.

I cleared my throat. "Privately?"

Jenny seemed to get the point that it was something serious. "Ron, you don't mind if I take a break do you?"

"Huh? But we didn't finish," said Ron the ever awkward.

"Hey, you've beaten me four times in a row. I don't think I'll be winning any time soon," she grinned. "Besides, I, um, need help with my Arithmancy."

"What?! Er, well, I mean, you get the best grades in the school."

'She does not! I have the best grades! I know it!'

Ron obviously did not want her leaving for awhile. It was so easy to tell what he was thinking. 'Maybe because you've known him for such a long time?' No, he always gave away his feelings. That was just the way he was.

This called for serious action. "Come on Jenny," I said and yanked her away. 'Pulling - 100% effective and efficient.' She acted like she was fighting and waved goodbye. 'Jenny IS smart. She catches on really quickly.'

I took her past the chairs where Harry and Malcolm Baddock were discussing Quidditch. 'Quidditch is such a dumb sport. I don't know why anyone plays it.'

"So, what did you want to tell me Herm?"

"Oh that." It sounded so dumb in my head. "Why do you like Malfoy?" 'Oh that's a really good way to start out. Why don't you just tell her you hate him? That would really win her over.'

To my surprise, Jenny laughed. "You believed that he was my boyfriend? I only said that so Lavender and Parvati would stop bothering him. Draco didn't deserve THAT."

'WHAT? He isn't! He's eligible, then. Not that I would want him. Nope, not a bit.'

"So you don't like him?"

"Well," she smiled. "I didn't say that. I mean, if he was my boyfriend, I wouldn't," she paused. "I wouldn't MIND. What I'm trying to say is that I don't know if I like him like that or if I just like him as a friend. He has some really good qualities. Unfortunately, he has more really bad qualities." Jenny pushed a loose strand of hair back as she grinned again. "Not that I couldn't overlook them."

"Besides being overwhelmingly attractive, what other good qualities?"

"Well, he's a really good tutor," she must have seen the confused look on my face. "Arithmancy, you know, it's not my best subject. He always listens when you talk to him. Even if it's something he doesn't care about, like Muggle stuff, he totally pays attention. He's funny..."

At this point I interrupted her. "He's FUNNY?"

"Okay, he's funny if you're a Slytherin. He's daring, he's a pretty good Seeker, he, ummm," Jenny said, as she apparently ran out of qualities. "Oh, and he's really caring."

I burst out laughing. 'Draco Malfoy, caring? Hah!'

Jenny put on a half-smile. "I know he doesn't, uh, appear to care about anyone but himself. His whole personality contradicts itself. Draco, how he thinks and how he acts, doesn't make sense. But he cares, I know he cares," she stated, and I could tell in her eyes that she honestly believed it. Had I looked in a mirror, I would have seen that same expression in mine.

Jenny seemed to have a sudden epiphany. "He didn't bother you did he?"

'When does he NOT bother me?' "It's not anything to worry about."

"Whatever. You didn't bring me over here to talk about Draco, did you?"

'Partially. Him and Harry.' "Not exactly. I wanted to talk about someone else."

"Does someone else have a shorter name we could use?" she asked in her weird humor. "I mean, I'm not opposed to using Someone Else, but it's a bit inconvenient."

I smiled half-heartedly. "Harry'll work I guess."

"Oh. He's the problem. He hasn't noticed you're living in four years, Herm, and would you really want to date someone who ignored you for that long?"

'Yes. Yes I would.' "He could change," I said. "He knows how I feel about him."

"And there's the fact that he doesn't care how you feel about him. He'll always chase Cho."

'Stupid, stupid Miss Perfect Cho.' "But why? He doesn't have a chance."

Jenny sighed. "Hermione, you're in the middle of a love triangle. I can't help you."

"But I don't want to be in a bloody love triangle!"

Jenny gave me a weird smile. "There's a really easy way to get out."

"What's that?"

"Go with the person that likes you, don't chase the one that doesn't."

Ok, so that's done. Next chapter will be the Yule Ball! I know it's still not un-cliché yet, but by it will be! Promise!