Harry Potter and the Black Secret

Chapter Ten

Early One Morning

A knock sounded on Kristine's bedroom door.

It was ten in the morning on Christmas Eve and Kristine was tying her hair back into a ponytail in front of the full-length mirror. She had woken up about half an hour ago and taken a shower in the en-suite bathroom that adjoined to the guest room to which she had been given very late last night, well, earlier this morning really.

The events of last night seemed a little surreal to Kristine, hazy with a dream like quality. The occupants of the house had all retired to bed, hoping that things would be clearer in the morning.

Kristine had almost forgotten to contact Hermione, but at two in the morning she text her friend and apologised, making up some excuse of there being no signal and having to magically manipulate the electronic waves. Hermione got the message thankfully, so that was one bomb defused.

It was a beautiful morning, almost picturesque, like a photo on the front of a Christmas card. The rain that had been falling last night had frozen and was now falling as snow, sugar coating the acres of land around the country house. Kristine had looked out of the window as soon as she arose. It had been far to dark to get any real impression of where she was last night. Now however, she could pick out the eloquent carvings around the brickwork, the lattice that would support creeping ivy in the summer and the wide-open space that surrounded them, the only entrance being a small ochre driveway that stretched for at least half a mile to the main road.

The cold didn't penetrate the house, but Kristine had dressed warmly all the same. It would have felt strange to not do in the dead of winter, the day before Christmas. She had opted for a black sweater with a loose polo neck and a pair of dark blue baggy jeans. Simple, yet flattering. She had put on very little makeup, but a little all the same. It was a small luxury forbade at school. Now as she put the finishing touches to her appearance, she was forced to face the situation she had put out of her mind for as long as possible in order to actually get some sleep.

"Come in," she called grudgingly, expecting to see Draco enter her doorway, ready to take her downstairs.

It was not Draco who entered however.

"Good morning," Sarah said, "Did you sleep well?"

Kristine nodded, words failing her for the moment.

Sarah closed the door behind her gently and walked over to the edge of Kristine's double bed, which had been freshly made (presumably by house elves) when she had been showering.

Kristine stepped up in front of Sarah who was now perched on the end of the midnight blue bed.

"Would you like me to leave?" Kristine asked her.

Sarah's head snapped up to look Kristine in the eyes.

Kristine couldn't pick out what the emotion she saw was behind Sarah's eyes. Bewilderment? Surprise? Admiration?

Sarah stood up and took Kristine's hands in hers.

"Don't think that. Of course I don't want you to go, in fact I'd be insulted if you did. I'm sorry about last night, my reaction was despicable and I'm ashamed of it. It was just such a shock," Sarah said, her voice trailing off near the end.

"You don't have to apologise, and I wouldn't blame you if you never wanted to see me again. I'm the last thing you need to be worrying about," Kristine said.

"Kristine," Sarah said, a fresh look of determination in her eyes, "I only met you yesterday, but I can plainly see why my son loves you, and he does love you, I can tell that much. Believe me, I will be worrying over you, just as I worry over Draco, but I don't want you to feel guilty about that. I am proud to be able to protect you. You are not a burden, and I'm very glad that you were honest with me about who you are and what it means.

No one should have to go through what you have or face what you are going to have to, but we play the cards we have been dealt. All we can do is make sure that we play as a team."

Kristine was smiling broadly.

"You are an exceptional woman. I don't know what else to say," Kristine said.

"Welcome to the family," Sarah said, and with that she pulled Kristine into a hug.

"One question," Kristine said as they pulled apart, "How do you know my dad?"

Sarah smiled.

"We were at school together. Lucius is a few years older than me and I'm a few years older than Sirius. By the time your father was at school, Lucius had left and I was in my fourth year. I was a Ravenclaw, and I tutored Sirius in potions for a while, not that I'm sure he every learnt anything," she said thoughtfully.

"So you don't know who my mother was?" Kristine asked.

"No, I don't think Lucius even found out her name when..." Sarah tailed off, "I'm so sorry Kristine, I really am."

"It's not your fault," Kristine said, "I'm just trying to figure everything out."

"Let's not dwell on sad times now. It's Christmas Eve and it's snowing, that's the world's way of telling us to enjoy the time we have. Come on, breakfast is waiting, and I doubt Draco will be up for at least another hour, plus the extra two hours he'll need to fix his hair, I swear, he doesn't get it from me..."

Kristine walked downstairs chatting and laughing. It was going to be a good Christmas.

*

Ron lay awake running over what his parents had told him. Harry slept soundly in the second bed in Ron's psychedelic orange, Chuddley Cannon's bedroom. He could hear his best friend's gentle snores of contentment, no doubt due to Mrs Weasley insisting that Harry eat at least three helpings of everything on the table. It didn't help that Harry looked even smaller next to Ron's six-foot tall figure.

It was half an hour past midnight, and that meant that technically, it was already Christmas Eve.

It was no use Ron thought as he climbed out of bed; sleep was going to be an impossible task. He pulled on a pair of dark blue jeans over his black boxer shorts in which he had been 'sleeping' and grabbed a black sweater and his winter cloak from the wardrobe.

The Burrow was silent as the redhead crept down the stairs into the kitchen to retrieve his Comet broom and head out the back door.

Flying made everything seem so simple, nothing but the wind rushing past at great speeds, caressing his face and stroking his hair. All the complications of the terrestrial world vanished into the night, but Ron needed to think, that's why he had come out after all. He was headed for Inspiration Point about 3 miles from The Burrow, landing to look over at the infinite stretch of terra firma all around him.

"This doesn't change anything sweetheart," his mum had said.

Ron tried to shake away the memory, but it wouldn't leave. She was wrong. Everything had changed.

"Night Mum, Night Dad," Ron had called into the kitchen as he made for the stairwell with Harry and Ginny.

"Ron, wait a minute please," Arthur said, "Your Mother and I need to talk to you."

Ron shrugged his shoulders at Harry and his little sister.

"Go on up, you know the way by now," he said to his best friend, "Night Gin."

"Night Ron," they mumbled, "Good Luck," Ginny added in a whisper.

The pair went upstairs and Ron walked casually into the kitchen where his parents were seated at the large kitchen table waiting for him, both with rather sombre expressions on their faces.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked worried by their expressions.

"Nothing's wrong dear," Molly said munificently, "We just have something we need to talk to you about. Sit down."

Ron took a seat opposite his parents and waited for the to explain what the hell was going on.

"Ron," Arthur began, "Your mother and I, we've been meaning to speak to you for a while about this, but there really hasn't been a good time. No, that's not true, in all honestly we were hoping we wouldn't have to tell you about this, but after this year, what with your new friend and all..."

He was rambling and Ron was even more confused now than before his father had started talking. What was 'this'? What new friend? Kristine? What did she have to do with anything? They hadn't even really met her.

"Sweetheart, Molly said, picking up her husbands thread, "Perhaps you could tell us exactly what you and Kristine do at school. That may give us somewhere to start from," she said.

"Well," Ron said charily, "Kriss channels magical energy through herself without using a supernatural entity, she can focus it through something in herself, I don't really get it. Anyway, the magic inside of her sort of releases itself on its own occasionally, like, when she dreams. Excess power or something, and it manifests in the form of telekinesis.

She's been teaching me how to do that, but without the extra stuff, you know like wandless magic, she says its dangerous for me, I don't really get that either. It's really hard to explain," Ron sighed.

He suddenly had a thought.

"Look," he said, focussing his mind on the fruit bowl in the centre of the table. After a couple of seconds it vibrated, then levitated off the table smoothly, and glided over to land in front of Ron on the table.

"Oooh, peaches," he exclaimed taking a piece of fruit out of the bowl.

"This girl, Kristine was it?" Arthur said.

Ron nodded an affirmation.

"She told you it would be dangerous for you to open your mind to magic?"

"Well, she said it was possible for me to do it, but I should stick with a wand. I just took her word for it. Why? What has this got to do with anything?" Ron demanded.

Molly sighed.

"It was that letter you sent a couple of weeks ago that did it. We were worried the first time you mentioned telekinesis, but I guess we were just deluding ourselves, hoping that it wasn't connected. But when you described how it felt, how you felt you had 'opened a door' to something, we had to look it up, and as it turns out, our fears were justified."

Ron now felt a little panicked by his mother's words. Fears? Delusion? What the fuck is going on! His mind screamed.

"Ron, when you were born.... in the routine checkups.... they found something...not normal...very rare in fact," Arthur stuttered out.

Molly took her husbands hand in hers and gave a small encouraging smile.

"You're a Seer Ron," she said.

"A What?!" he exclaimed.

"A Seer. A Prophet, A Soothsayer, A Clairvoyant, An Oracle, A Fortune-teller. A Psychic. Whatever you want to call it," Molly said.

"But I'm crap at Divination!" he exclaimed rather loudly, saying the first thing that popped into his head.

"That makes no difference. Divination deals with the Inner-Eye, it requires some sort of physical means to determine the future. It can be hazy and confusing. There are very few real Seers in the world, that Professor of yours, Trelawney? She is a very basic Seer, has only had two predictions if I recall. You on the other hand, you had a power about you, it's getting stronger all the time. This telekinesis, it draws on the same source of magic as your connection to the prophets. The fact that one ability is developing suggests that the other will prevent itself soon as well.

From what we can gather, the visions you will get, they will start when your mind and body are in control of the magic that you possess. You've clearly demonstrated that you are in command of your power, and so it is likely that they'll start coming soon. We had hoped that there had been a mistake, but now we're not so sure. It's only fair that you know before hand..." Arthur trailed off.

"Ron, we don't want to alarm you, but you need to know. You will start receiving visions, and what with the rise of You-Know-Who, it'll probably be sooner rather than later. They're going to be unexpected, and they're going to be painful, at least at first," Molly choked out, "But it will get easier I promise. In time your body will get accustomed to them, and they will be calmer. Just to begin with, they're going to hurt."

"Why?" Ron croaked, then he cleared his voice," Why will they be painful? Harry saw Professor Trelawney have a vision and she just went into a kind of trance."

"Her visions come as information, basic knowledge. Unclear in their meaning and enter through the subconscious. That is why they are few and far between. You on the other hand, I can't fully describe what it will be like, but I know that you will be able to see the message, experience it as if it were real. The message will be in your conscious mind allowing you to remember the details, to put what you see to use," Arthur explained.

Ron nodded his head mechanically. It was a lot of information to take in.

"This doesn't change anything sweetheart," Molly said, reaching across the table to touch her son's hand.

"I'm okay," Ron said, "It's just, a lot, you know?"

"We understand love, but its better that you know."

Ron continued to nod his head gently.

"Are you going to be alright? Do you want to ask us anything?"

"No, I'm fine. I think, I'm just going to go to bed. I feel really sleepy all of a sudden," Ron said monotonously, rising from the table.

He noticed the worried look pass between his parents and put on a brave face.

"Really, I'm okay," he said forcing a smile, "I just need some time to think that's all."

They nodded.

"Goodnight son," Arthur said.

"Night Dad," Ron replied, then pecked his mum on the cheek, "Night Mum."

"Night Love," his Mum replied, and Ron had climbed up to bed, Harry already fast asleep.

Ron rubbed a hand over his face and sighed in exasperation. All his life he'd wanted to be special, to have something that defined him clearly as 'Ron', not just another Weasley or as Potter's best friend. Just for once he wanted to be in the spotlight, not just basking in its reflected glow. Well it looked like he'd got his wish.

Then why was he so angry about it? Why wasn't he happy, excited?

He almost laughed out loud. There was no point in denying it; he knew the problem. He was scared. No, forget scared, he was downright terrified. Terrified of the pain that was coming, afraid of the not knowing when a vision would strike. He felt so alone.

In that instant he made a snap decision. He needed to see her, to hold her. It was late, he could make it there and back before morning, Floo back if needs be.

He mounted his broom once more and headed off into the night.

*

Hermione couldn't sleep. Kristine hadn't called her and it was now almost midnight. Surely it couldn't have taken that long to get home? Maybe she had forgotten?

There was no way she was going to be able to sleep until she knew that Kriss was okay. She climbed out of bed, switching on the bedside lamp and illuminating her spacious room. It was good to be home.

Hermione's room was just how you'd imagine a Muggle teen's room to be. The walls were a soft misty green, changed from the rose pink of her youth a few years ago now. The remnants of her childhood remained in the room though. A Wicca chair covered with soft toys as well as one on the bed, specifically a worn out pink bunny that she had been given on the day of her birth. Hermione vaguely recalled it being named the ingenious name of 'Bunny' for a while, but as soon as she had discovered the magic of reading, it had been changed to Viola, from Shakespeare's works. It made sense to name her favourite toy after a character written by the same man who had provided her namesake.

Bookshelves lined the walls filled with volumes of both Muggle and Wizard origin. Posters were on the walls depicting Hermione's favourite bands, an exceptionally large one of 'Ghost of the Robot' surrounded by 'Four Star Mary', 'Linken Park' and 'Good Charlotte'. Not what most people would have expected of Hermione, but all the same, that was what she liked.

It was chilly in the room. Well it was December, what did she expect. She slipped on her white dressing gown and slippers then went in search of her phone. It was somewhere in her suitcase, she knew it was. Ah ha! Got it!

She plonked herself back down on the bed and started to type a text message. A tap on her terrace window interrupted her.

She cautiously walked over to the locked window. It was locked, she was safe she comforted herself with. With a cautious hand she lifted the curtain and peered out the window. Standing there in the cold, was that snow? Was Ron.

Hurriedly she pulled back the curtain and opened the glass door to her balcony.

"Ron! What are doing her? Are you okay? she babbled.

Ron smiled at her.

"It started snowing about on the way over here and I'm bloody freezing, but apart from that, no I'm not okay," he said.

Hermione stepped aside and pulled him inside closing the door behind them, shutting out the bitter cold.

Ron propped his broom up against the wall and faced a very concerned looking Hermione.

"Did I scare you? Were you asleep?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"I was up. Ron, what's happened? You look terrible."

"Thanks," Ron said, a sad smile on his face.

Hermione stepped forward and placed a warm hand against his cold cheek. He stared into her eyes, and then poured out his heart.

*

Draco made his way downstairs at mid-morning. He was wearing Muggle clothing again, it was warmer than robes anyway. Couldn't have anyone spotting them for what they were. As far as the town nearby was concerned, Draco, well, Liam really, lived with his Mother in the country house when he was home from a special boarding school and Lady Sarah took a break from her work as an artist. She was a widow and raised her son alone, living off the inheritance they had been left by her deceased parents and husband. She was of noble blood, and that alone was enough to keep most people away.

Draco was worried about Kristine. She hadn't been in her room when he had gone to take her downstairs. He wasn't sure which option he preferred; that she had panicked and run off back to Hogwarts, or that she had gone wandering the house alone and run into his mother. He picked up speed.

It had been a hectic night and although he knew that his Mother would never betray their confidence, she did seem fairly shaken up by the story he told her.

Laughing sounded from the sitting room. Not the large room they had been in last night, the smaller family room. He walked cautiously up to the door and peeked inside. There on the plush blue couch sat his Mother and his girlfriend, a familiar red book spread open on their knees. They were laughing together happily. Two cups of coffee were on the table in front of them as well as a late of half eaten toast.

He warily walked inside.

"Morning," he said to them both, alerting them of his presence "What are you doing?" he asked, dreading the answer.

"I'm just showing Kristine your baby pictures Draco," Sarah replied cheerfully, knowing full well what her son's reaction would be.

There it was. The look of pure horror twisted onto his face.

"The first time I bring home someone to meet you, and you do this. Are you trying to traumatise me Mother?" he said irksomely.

Sarah smiled sweetly.

"I'm your Mother, it's my duty to do this to you."

"I take it from this little scene that everything is okay then? Your not mad and your not going to try and murder me I my sleep?" he said.

"Everything is fine," Sarah said honestly, "Now you two, its Christmas Eve, there is snow all over the grounds, go out and enjoy it."

Draco smiled and took Kristine's hand.

"Come on, I'll show you my collection," he said.

"Collection of what?" Kristine asked as they left to grab their cloaks.

Sarah smiled as she ran her fingers over a Muggle picture of a six-year-old Draco smiling up at her sweetly. Her little boy was all grown up, she thought sadly, yet strangely content. She closed the photo album.

*

"Bloody Hell!" Kristine exclaimed as Draco led her in a very large garage.

"What do you think?" he asked grinning from ear to ear.

"It's...it's...Draco, it's amazing, how many have you got?"

"27 cars and 14 bikes in all, although not all of them run yet, and a couple of the bikes are going to have to be stripped down for parts."

Kristine was lost for words. This wasn't what she had been expecting when Draco had said collection.

"You fixed these up?" she said in amazement.

"Is that so hard to believe," Draco replied indignantly, but still smiling.

"Well, I just, I mean, you're a wizard, I wasn't expecting you to be interested in....Are they just regular cars? You haven't bewitched them to fly or anything have you?"

Draco laughed.

"Who in their right mind would do that? The Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office would be after my blood!"

"My Dad used to have a flying Motorcycle," she said deprecatingly, but decided it best to keep quiet about Mr Weasley's flying Ford Anglia.

"Really?" Draco said, "Think he'd teach me how to make my Harley fly?"

Kristine laughed.

"You really did these yourself though? All of them?" she said.

"I did. They were more or less scrap heaps when I brought them, and I've been fixing them up and selling them on. I'm a bit attached to a couple of them though, so I kept them. That Jag for example, that was my first car. Took me 3 years to rebuild, and I couldn't bear to part with it."

"I had no idea," Kristine said half to herself, then noticing Draco looking at her said "There's just so much about you, your life I don't know."

"We've got all the time in the world to get to know each other, and besides, I think I know you pretty well."

"Oh really?" Kristine said wryly, "What's my favourite movie?" she quizzed.

"Easy," Draco replied, "Pulp Fiction."

Kristine was startled.

"How did you know that?" she asked bewildered.

"I didn't, it's my favourite movie, I was just guessing, but I guess that proves how good we are together doesn't it?" he said complacently.

"How about my favourite song?" she grilled further.

"Bed of Roses by Bon Jovi," Draco said.

"Is that your favourite song?" Kristine asked surprised.

"Yeah, why? What's yours?"

"Faith of the Heart by Russell Watson," Kristine said.

"Never heard of it."

"Oh Draco," she said in mock displeasure, taking a step towards him, "We're really going to have to educate you," and with that final statement she kissed him.

*

It had been a good day. Kristine and Draco were now sitting on Draco's bed after a day of chatting and laughing. It felt so good to be able to be so open with Draco. They didn't have to hide from anyone. It was just them.

Sarah had gone down into the small town to visit some friends that evening and left Draco and Kristine to themselves. It was now ten at night. Only two hours to Christmas day.

There were CD's spread over the floor and a half empty bottle of champagne between them. Music was playing in the background, Bed of Roses. Draco was trying to bring Kristine round to his point of view.

"It's a great song!" he exclaimed.

"I'm not saying it isn't," she replied, "In fact, yes, it is on my top ten list, but I still think Faith of the Heart is the best song ever!"

Draco groaned in frustration and Kristine laughed.

The track changed.

Kristine recognised the song immediately and she caught Draco's gaze.

In that instant they covered the distance between them and met in a passionate kiss.

Draco's lips felt soft and warm against her own and her hand found its way to his face as he pulled her closer with an arm wrapped around her waist. After what seemed like a lifetime, but still not long enough Draco pulled away for air. She started to kiss his face, any skin that she could reach and he moaned at her touch until she found her way back to his mouth.

Draco explored her mouth with his tongue before moving to caress her neck with his lips making her groan as she had done to him.

He felt her hand slide up to his collar and hover over the first button, as he looked her in the eyes, reading in her expression what she wanted to do.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Kristine smiled and answered him with another kiss and started to unbutton his shirt.

She ran her hands over his chest, still kissing him as he slipped his hand under her top and along her soon naked back. Passion took over their minds and they made love to each other, never breaking apart as the song finished.

I would do anything for love.