Abyss

Abyss

When Draco reluctantly opened his eyes, he found out, to his utter dismay, that the thick dark drapes that used to cover the entirety of his windows were now pulled back. This allowed lots and lots of happy sunshine to frolic inside his room, and all that light was really annoying him, especially because it hadn't been that long since he'd fallen asleep. "Who in hell--" he muttered as he straightened up. His first thought was that it was that useless house elf of his again, but as his focus became clearer and sharper, he found out that it was Granger who'd done it. As it was, she had pulled one of the chairs nearer to the open window, and was now reading by it. "Did you pull the drapes?" he asked, just to be sure.

"No," came her distracted voice, "you did. Don't you remember?"

Draco noted that, along with the preoccupied tone, there was a sarcastic undertone of hers that he found utterly irritating, especially at this time of day. He stood up, and walked right to the window to pull the drapes over it again. "Don't you ever think? What if someone sees you?"

"Well," she said as she turned a page from her book, "that someone would have to be flying on a broomstick to be able to, considering your room is on the fourth floor."

He was about to ask how she knew that, when she finally looked up at him and said, "I had time to take a little peek." Granger then returned to reading.

Draco glanced at the grounds below, and noted that at that time there were already several house elves that were busy tending the garden. "Are you completely sure nobody saw you?" he persisted.

"Of course," she said absently, apparently fully absorbed in reading once again.

Draco had had enough. It was one thing to be stupid enough to risk getting exposed over something as silly as pulling the drapes; it was quite another to be rude enough to continue ignoring him when he was speaking. He marched over to her and snatched the book out of her hands, and completely disregarded her shriek of protest. "Pay attention to me when I'm talking to you," he told her. "I do believe you know a little thing called courtesy?"

"Yes, I do. That's why I'm not prancing around here half-naked." Granger tried to snatch the book back from his hands, but he held it up over his head. And considering her height reached only his shoulders... "Give it here, you prat. I was reading that!"

He chose to ignore the jibe, and instead paid attention to the book. Draco sent her an accusing glance. "You've been reading my book without my permission."

She rolled her eyes heavenward. "Well what did you want me to do, listen to you as you talk in your sleep? Besides--" She deliberately continued to talk and did not bother to listen to his protests, "--I was curious. If you're going to transfigure me, the least I should do is know what risks are involved."

"There are no risks." Draco walked towards his desk, pulled open a drawer, and shoved the book inside. He turned to look at her haughtily. "Haven't I told you that I've been studying advanced transfiguration since before I went to Hogwarts? And, besides, we're talking about me, and my abilities as well. I know a lot of things that I bet even McGonagall didn't know. So, there's really no need for your questions, or your doubts."

Granger continued to glare defiantly at him, with her arms crossed over her chest. "I'm sorry, but I'm the one to be subjected to your curse, Malfoy. Therefore, I am entitled to question and doubt you, because only Merlin knows what type of danger you're placing me in with your spells!"

He gave a slight shake of his head. We aren't going anywhere... Draco arched a brow as he stared at her, and that was when he noticed something different about her. "You've changed your clothes." It really won't hurt if she'd change the topic as well.

Lucky for him, she bought it. Granger looked down on herself, and then back at him. "Pansy's robe was not the most comfortable in the world. Besides, did you expect me to continue wearing something that I shouldn't be allowed to wear, as you so eloquently noted yesterday?"

Draco waved that comment off with a luxurious stretch. He noticed that she deliberately looked away, and instead paid attention to his bed. "Prude," he muttered under his breath.

Granger glanced at him, and her eyes were definitely flashing; a definite indication that she heard him perfectly. "What did you say?"

"Nothing," he quickly said. Draco then walked towards the bathroom. "I'm going to have my breakfast downstairs," he spoke as he fetched his own robe and placed it on. "I'm going to send Becky here for yours." When he came back to the bedroom, he found out that she was already browsing through his bookshelf, undoubtedly looking for something else to read. As he was opening the door that led to the hallway, he heard her speak:

"Well, at least you have the latest edition of Hogwarts, A History."

*

"Becky," he said to his house elf as he passed by her. "You know what to do."

Becky nodded vigorously before she stopped wiping the countertop and went straight towards the kitchen.

Draco looked on as the house elf disappeared behind the kitchen door. Then, he walked towards the dining room. He pushed the doors open, and found out that his parents were already eating along with a guest he was surprised to find there. "Good morning, Father, Mother." His parents turned to acknowledge him with a nod, and when the guest turned as well, Draco added, "Good morning, Professor Snape."

"Good morning, Mr. Malfoy," Snape muttered.

"Good morning, Draco." His father motioned to the empty chair beside his mother's. "Come and join us."

Draco nodded, and quickly assumed his place on the dining table.

"As I was saying," his father said to Snape, "it was such a shame that the old fool hasn't been found yet. The attack on Hogwarts was unexpected, and still he and some of the others managed to escape! I'm beginning to think we might have a traitor among the group."

"Perhaps. That is a possibility we cannot ignore." Snape said. He quickly glanced at Draco before he continued. "Lucius, about your plans to take over Hogwarts... they haven't changed, have they?"

"Changed?" Lucius said, almost disbelievingly. "Why would they? Now that the position of Headmaster has been vacated, as it should have been years ago, it is only appropriate that I fill it. After all, such a task has been already delegated to me by the Dark Lord." He drank from his cup, before he continued. "Now, the most fervent wish of Salazar Slytherin will come to pass as we change some of the rules, starting, of course, with us becoming more selective with our students."

"Indeed." Snape lifted his goblet and drank from it.

"Narcissa," Lucius said as he turned to his wife, "I'm afraid you would have to cancel your trip to Knockturn Alley this morning. The Dark Lord requests our audience promptly."

"Of course," Narcissa said. "Oh, that reminds me." She snapped her fingers, and another house elf entered, and in its grimy hands it held a wand. "Draco, here, have this." Narcissa took the wand from the house elf and handed it to him. "I hope you'd make an effort to not lose this one this time." There was a reprimanding tone in her voice that no one can miss.

"Thank you, Mother." Draco took it and tucked it inside his robe.

"It was rather fortunate that your mother and I arrived at Vandel's shop at the time we did," Lucius informed him. Vandel was the name of the wand shop located at Knockturn Alley. "They had just the duplicate of your original wand."

Draco nodded. "Thank you, Father."

"Severus," Lucius then redirected his attention to the professor. "About that Transfiguration professor..."

Draco listened to all these with half an ear; in fact, he was more concerned with how his breakfast tasted more than anything else.

But he cannot dismiss the way Snape had been sending him glances everyone now and then, however discreet these looks were. It was almost as if the professor was just dying to tell him something. As he was wiping his mouth with his napkin, he realized that his hunch was true when he heard Snape tell his father, "Lucius, may I speak with your son for a moment?"

"Certainly. You may use the den, if you'd like."

"Thank you." Snape then stood up. "Mr. Malfoy," he muttered, as he walked towards the den.

Draco understood the silent message that Snape sent him. He politely nodded to his parents, his way of excusing himself, before he followed his professor.

As they entered the den, Draco found out that he didn't have to waste any more time in thinking what Snape could possibly want with him. The moment the doors were closed behind them, Snape immediately rounded on him, his beady eyes dark with intent. "Mr. Malfoy," he said again in that oily voice of his, "do not be mistaken to think, even for a moment, that you are alone in your knowledge of what is going on in this house."

"I don't think I know what you mean, Professor."

"Oh, but you do," Snape told him. He then proceeded to sit on a chair, with his elbows propped up on the arms and his hands clasped together under his chin. Snape looked up at Draco with eyes that were glinting dangerously. "I truly don't believe a review of what happened at Hogwarts is necessary, don't you agree?"

He answered the question with a mere raise of his brow, and an arrogant lift of his chin. "Not to be rude or anything, Professor Snape, but would you mind telling me exactly what it is that you want? All this talk of nonsense--"

Snape pursed his lips. "Fine, then." He drew his wand out, and whispered, "Silencio," before he tucked it back into his robe. "Miss Parkinson died yesterday," he began. "And you killed her."

"Now you are talking nonsense," Draco scoffed.

The professor stood up and placed a not-so-gentle hand on Draco's shoulder. "Do not fool around me, boy," he whispered sinisterly. "I saw what you did to her. It is only your luck that I haven't spoken to anyone about that incident." Snape gave him a hard shake. "You are aware of what they do to those who dare cross the Dark Lord, aren't you? And killing a powerful potential Death Eater like Miss Parkinson...it is a sin punishable with a fate far worse than a dementor's kiss."

Draco briefly glanced at the hand on his shoulder, before he looked straight at his professor's eyes. "If you did see me kill Pansy, then you would've also seen the reason why I did."

Snape removed his hand as he admitted, "A reason that confounds me, yes."

"There's nothing to be confounded about," Draco told him dryly. "I took a life, and I saved one. I believe that makes it even."

"And I believe you are making the worst mistake of your life, you stupid boy." Snape looked at him hard. "This is a great risk you are taking, Mr. Malfoy. Clearly, you are up to something bigger, to bring on a danger like this to yourself. Exposure is a very real possibility, especially because you brought her here, of all the places."

"I don't know how on earth you could've known that, but I assure you that I am not up to something," Draco vehemently denied. "I would not--"

The words died on his lips when he heard a noise coming from outside the room. Snape glanced at the door, and then back at him. "Let us hope," he said as he took out his wand again, "that there is truth in your words, Draco, for Ms. Granger's sake." He then muttered the countercurse.

It was at the exact moment Snape had already hidden his wand that Lucius opened the door. "Professor Snape," he called. "Perhaps you would care for some vintage wine?"

"I'd be delighted." Snape then gave Draco one last brief, meaningful glance before he followed Lucius back into the dining room.

*

Draco slammed the door behind him so hard that it caused Becky to jump up and Granger to wince. It was unquestionably clear that he was in a foul mood. "Go," he barked to the house elf.

Becky bowed low before she snapped her fingers and immediately disappeared.

"What's the matter?" Granger asked as she lowered the cup of tea she was sipping from. She rose from her seat to face him. "Ate something bad at breakfast?"

"Snape."

She raised an eyebrow. "You ate Snape?"

Draco looked at her, ready to call her a thousand different words synonymous to idiotic, but caught himself as he noticed the slight smile on her face. Clearly she was just trying to lighten the mood, but it only served to worsen his already shaken nerves. "Snape knows."

"He knows...?" Granger muttered in confusion, until finally she had it figured out on her own. "He knows... about..."

"Everything." Draco sank on the chair she vacated. "He goddamned knows about everything."

She swallowed, obviously trying to take it all in a cool, collected manner. Obviously, it wasn't working. "How?" she asked, a slight shake evident in her voice.

"He saw me." He raked his hand through his hair in a blatant display of frustration. "He saw what I did to Pansy."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Are we in trouble?"

"If he tells anyone," Draco answered. "And, knowing him, how unpredictable that bastard is... I can't say if he's going to, or not."

Granger cradled her head in her hands in distress. "This is bad," she moaned.

"And it's about to get worse."

Before she could ask what he meant, Draco took out his wand and pointed it at her. "Iva Libros!" She instantly transfigured into a book, and surprise, surprise, she turned out to be the double of his first edition of Hogwarts, A History. He grabbed the book and assumed the look of casually perusing through its pages when the door opened, and at the doorway stood his mother. "Mother?" he asked. "Do you need anything from me?"

Narcissa shook her head, and said, " I just wanted to let you know that Professor Snape left."

"Already?" Draco opted for a tone evident of his disappointment. "It's a pity I wasn't able to bid him goodbye."

At this moment, Narcissa walked into his room. "Draco," she began gently. "Is there something you should tell me?"

He looked very innocent as he answered. "Why, none at all, Mother." A beat, and then, "What made you ask?"

"Nothing," his mother was quick to say. Narcissa then headed towards the door. "Oh, and Draco," she said as she turned towards him again, "your father and I will be gone for about a week. There are some... matters that we need to attend to, I'm sure you understand. And I am also sure that you can manage well on your own."

I always do. "Of course, Mother," he said. "I wish you luck on your trip."

"Thank you."

He waited for at least five minutes after his mother left before he took out his wand again. "Too bad you can't keep as quiet as your book-ish self," he muttered. Draco then placed the book on the floor. "Finite Incantatem."

When the book transfigured into Granger again, Draco found out, to his utter disbelief, that she was unconscious.

Upon closer inspection, he found out, to his utter horror, that she wasn't even breathing at all.