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Hollister · 10-10-2007, 04:18 PM

OK, so we've got the entries, and now it's time to vote =]

Either PM myself (HayleyHunt) or Sky (DracosTheBest) and we will add up the votes to see who the winner is.

Here are the FF's:

FUTURE DRACO - A LESSON IN LOVE - Linda Black
Scorpius Malfoy had a secret. The truth was, there were a lot of things about him that people didn’t know. All anybody mostly saw was the 16 year old Slytherin student who was now in his sixth year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. They saw a shy, somewhat restrained and aloof boy who would one day become a powerful wizard, but that was only part of the picture. What they didn’t see was his love for Lily Potter, daughter of the great Harry Potter himself.

It had all started innocently enough at the beginning of term, the first time they had spoken to each other and they felt a connection.

From that day on the Gryffindor and Slytherin spent a lot of time together, sharing stories, taking walks together, pondering homework and just generally getting to know one another. Now Scorpius wanted to take Lily to his parents’ house and introduce her as his girlfriend but he wasn’t sure whether they would accept her or not, especially his father. He thought about his father with a sigh.

In the old days, he knew, his dad and Lily’s dad had been huge enemies. The differences and rivalries between the houses were a lot more pronounced in those days, and no houses were greater rivals or hated each other more than Slytherin and Gryffindor. Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter were civil to each other today, at least, and he knew the reason why, because Harry Potter had saved his life and his dad would never forget that. Scorpius’ father would never be close friends with Lily’s dad, everyone knew that, but there would always be respect and a grudging admiration there. Still, how would his dad take this kind of news? He didn’t want to make him angry or hurt him in any way.

Both Lilly and Scorpius knew there would come a time when they would have to tell Scorpius’ parents how they felt about each other, and now the time had come. They had already told Lily’s parents and they were both okay, they only wanted her happiness. Scorpius knew it wasn’t going to be so easy telling his father the news.

“Don’t freak out, just trust me and let’s get it over with,” Lily whispered to Scorpius as they entered the dining room together, sensing his fright. “It has to come out in the open someday and everything will be all right because we were meant to be together.” She gave his hand a squeeze and winked at him.

Scorpius wasn’t so sure, but he took a seat and prepared to face the two most important people in his life.

Scorpius considered each person individually. There was his mother, Luna Lovegood Malfoy who had always been a pretty understanding person, very easy to talk to and confide in. He wasn’t so worried about her. But there there was Scorpius’ father, Draco Malfoy. He was heir to the proud and scornful saga of the Malfoy family where the bloodline had to be kept pure and Slytherins stuck with other Slytherins. He gave a small shudder.

It was best just to get it over with, Scorpius decided with a small gulp. “Father, mother, Lily and I have something we would like to tell you,” he started, hesitation in his voice. “I’m not even sure how to say it.”

Suddenly Lily decided to take over the explanation, to Scorpius’ relief. “You see, we’ve found out that we want to see more of each other. We really like each other,” she stated simply. Scorpius looking around, fearing what was going to happen next. He wasn’t at all surprised to see a look of shock on his father’s face.

“Scorpius, you are a Slytherin. You know you can’t possibly be that close with a Gryffindor, it simply isn’t acceptable. Your grandfather and I have been telling you this for years.” Scorpius’ father had a look of scorn and disgust on his face. Things were bad. But then, his mother interrupted.

“But Draco, you know that that’s not true. Slytherin doesn’t always have to stay only with Slytherin. After all, look at the two of us,” Scorpius’ mother said in her soft voice which he loved. She was always a comfort to him, though he knew there were some who found her strange. “Who would have ever thought that I would end up with a Slytherin? None of those things matter, the important thing is how two people feel about each other deep down. Search your heart, at one time I’m sure you never would have believed that you would end up with me.”

Her words had an amazingly calming effect on Scorpius’ father. “Well, maybe you have a point, Luna, but a Gryffindor? You know how my family feels about that.” But he didn’t seem as angry as he had a few moments earlier. He seemed a lot more willing to listen.

“It doesn’t matter. If it wasn’t for a Gryffindor you wouldn’t even be here today. We both know that,” Scorpius’ mother answered. “Harry and Ginny are two of the best friends I’ve ever had, they’ll be my friends for life. What difference does it make what house a person was sorted into? Forget your family traditions and beliefs and give our kids a chance. The things that were true back when you were a child are no longer so true today. If Scorpius and Lily like each other, there’s no reason they shouldn’t see each other.”

Scorpius’ father sat there in deep thought for what seemed like an eternity but was actually only a matter of a few minutes. Finally he said, “Well, I suppose there might be a chance they belong together. Maybe we should give them some time to see if they really want to stay with each other.”

Scorpius was relieved that things were going this well, much easier than he expected. Things were going to be okay after all.

FUTURE DRACO - COFFEE & CONFETTI - *fairydust04*

He reclined on the sofa in the coffee bar, sipping his piping hot black coffee. His eyes flicked to the doorway, as a new customer entered, and then lit up, as the man’s vivid red hair caught his eye; Ron Weasley. Ron had evidently not seen Draco yet, so he waited until he was parallel with the sofa on which he was sitting before speaking.
“I didn’t know you worked in here Weasley,” he said in a carrying voice.
Ron stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Draco, his eyes narrowed.
“I don’t, I work-”
Draco interrupted him.
“Well you surely can’t be coming in here to buy something. These coffees cost money Weasley, and I was under the impression you didn’t know what that looks like.”
“I know what a prat looks like Malfoy, and you fit the bill pretty well,” retorted Ron, his face fuchsia with embarrassment at being humiliated in front of a café full of people.
Draco merely smirked.
“You’re going to have to watch your tongue Weasley-”
“Or what Malfoy?” interrupted a defiant female voice from the entrance to the café. Ginny Weasley was framed in the doorway, a couple of colleagues beside her, her brown eyes flashing.
“Oh look Weasley! Your little sister has come to fight your battles for you. I really do feel like I’m back at school,” exclaimed Draco.
“You’d better learn some manners Malfoy. If I had my way you and your parents would be locked away in Azkaban with all the other Death Eater scum,” hissed Ginny, “Come on Ron, I don’t want to be within a two mile radius of this idiot.”
She almost spat the last few words, and then whirled round, and strode away, her brother and friends close at her heels.
Draco raised an eyebrow, and was about to sit back, when he noticed one of Ginny’s colleagues who had stayed behind, approaching him with a mug in her hand. She was tall and statuesque, with long, straight silky black hair and sparkling green eyes. She stopped in front of him and indicated the sofa opposite.
“Do you mind if I sit there?”
Had it been anyone else, he would have said no, that it was reserved for a friend, as he did not much like the company of people he did not know or trust, and he found small talk wearing and mundane. However, there was something about this girl that made him nod his head, smiling as he did so.
“You’re not from ‘Camp Weasley’ I assume, as you’re currently sitting within a two mile radius of me?” he said with a wry smile.
“No,” she said grinning, “Ginny works in my office, and I get on with her well enough, but I wasn’t going to leave the café because her temper had got the better of her again. I need my coffee fix too much. I’m Grace by the way, Grace Stone.”
“Nice to meet you Grace, I’m Draco Malfoy.”
“I know.”
She contemplated him as she took a sip from her mug, her green eyes alert and watchful. He wondered why she had chosen to sit here, as there were plenty of other sofas free. He didn’t mind though, as he liked her already, and he sensed she felt the same way.

* * *

Birdsong sounded from a nearby tree, and he looked up, awoken from his reverie. He felt like he was standing in a fairytale. Behind him were rows and rows of family and friends, emitting a low buzz of chatter, which he found strangely calming and hypnotic. He was standing beneath an archway consisting of two intertwined trees, their branches plaited together intricately, each adorned with beautiful white flowers.
The afternoon sunlight bathed the garden in a golden glow, and birds soared from tree to tree. He turned to look behind him at his home, vast and regal, the windows ablaze with sunlight, and he couldn’t think of anywhere he would rather be.
His mind slipped back to the first time he had brought her to this house. They had apparated onto the tree-lined driveway, speckled sunlight glinting through the trees as they strolled towards the house. As they rounded the corner and the house came into view, illuminated as it was now in the evening sunlight, she had fallen silent. He had taken her into the garden before she met his parents, and they had wandered hand in hand through the vast, verdant lawns and sweetly scented rose gardens.
Finally, they had settled in the grass next to the lake, and watched the fiery orb of the sun submerge itself in the glowing water.
“You don’t know how lucky you are to live here Draco. I always dreamed of getting married somewhere like this, but I never imagined knowing someone who lived here,” she had said, her head resting on his shoulder.
He had always remembered these words, so when he proposed almost four years later, there had been no doubt in his mind about where the wedding would take place.
He jumped as his best man nudged him and gave him a reassuring smile. The gospel choir she had requested began to sing unaccompanied, their deep, soulful music soaring on the breeze.
He turned his head. She was halfway down the aisle, arm in arm with her father, her two sisters following carrying bouquets of roses. Her dress was simple, ivory and fitted until just below her knees, where it spread into a pool of luxurious material, the train spreading out behind her . Her hair was pulled up behind a twinkling tiara, and soft curls cascaded over one shoulder. As she drew level with Draco, she gave him a radiant smile, her green eyes sparkling, then turned to face the vicar.
He cleared his throat and then said loudly, “We are here today to witness the joining of Grace Annabelle Stone and Draco Abraxas Malfoy in holy matrimony…”

WIZARD DRACO - WHILE DEATH EATS HIM AWAY - mypatronusisafox

He couldn’t hear the second hand on the clock ticking; his thoughts must have been too loud. Normally that thing would tick so loud, he felt like taking out his wand and blowing the stupid thing up. He sat in a handsome dark green arm chair in front of the common room fire. His forearms lay on his thighs, right hand cupped into his left, while he stared down at the floor just in front of his feet. Black robes covered his pale skin; his neck, face, fingers, and bright blond hair were the only things exposed.

“Ah!” he hissed as he grabbed his left arm. It had been itching and burning for several days now, but tonight the pain seemed be trying to rip him open, and almost challenging him; Draco knew that he was losing.

He drew back the long sleeve on his left arm. His fingers felt ice cold, even though he had been sitting in front of the fire for a couple hours now. The minuscule blond hairs on his arm stood up as he touched his milky skin. As his sleeve reached his elbow, he turned his head in utter disgust. The tiny snake burned into his arm, hissed at him menacingly, as she coiled around the large skull that stared at him with its blank, black, empty sockets. Specks of blood lay splattered on his am; it had started to bleed again without him realizing. He didn’t care. He could very well bleed to death from this obscene mark and he wouldn’t care.

A light flickered from the entrance to the girls dormitories. Draco looked up, his face exposed in the light. Dark rings has formed under his eyes, his lips had lost most of their color, and his face seemed to be hallowed out and carrying a sickening look. Draco let his eyes focus there in the dark. He could make out a figure, but wasn’t sure who it was, nor did he care. He just wanted to be left in his own pity, anxiety, and thoughts. He dropped his head, praying the figure would go back to their dorm and not think of what they may have seen. It wasn’t until the figured glided by him, and he had felt a slight rush of air from their night clothes that he realized his prayers wouldn’t be answered.

“Why are you sitting out here?” a voice whispered into his ear, as his head was still down. The breath, attached to the voice, tickled the thin skin on his ear causing the hairs on his neck to stand straight. A feeling of repulsion and fear crept through him as the voice floated into his ears; the same feeling he had felt only hours ago when he had left the school with his father and had been presented in front of the Dark Lord. Draco shivered remembering the disgusting, once-human figure that had touched him, spoke seductively to him about power and control for only pureblood wizards, and had branded him with his unforgiving ‘mark’. His thoughts vanished, but the figure hadn’t. She, whoever she was, was still looming over him, apparently waiting for his response. His throat was too dry to speak; he couldn’t even taste spit in his mouth. His tongue was sore and felt like it was burning and stinging. He had been screaming earlier, when no one was in the common room. He had been cursing everything and everyone; his father, the Dark Lord, Harry Potter, the pain in his arm, and Dumbledore.

“Did you hear me? Are you okay?” the quiet, but quite feminine voice asked him again. She seemed to be a little further from his ear now, perhaps roaming over his form with her eyes, trying to see any signal of a curse or injury. Injury? Draco realized his sleeve was still exposed. He quickly shook his sleeve down back over his forearm, covering the mark that would curse his life forever. He knew she noticed the abrupt movement, but wasn’t sure if she had seen his arm. There was no gasp or question, so he assumed she hadn’t. But she was still standing there, and Draco couldn’t take it.

“Please,” he hissed through gritted teeth, “Leave me to my thoughts.” He kept his head down and eyes closed. He had to focus on his task. He was to do something he had never done tonight, to commit an act he couldn’t re-do or apologize later for. He could think it through, forget his nerves and his heart never being in it, and just do it; like his father would, like Snape would. If only this damned girl would go away!

“Your arm! It looked as if – you…,” she stammered and backed away from him. She had seen, or at least she thought she had seen. Draco looked up at her for the first time. He knew who she was; a third-year girl who had fancied him for some time now. He wasn’t sure of her name, but he had noticed her. She was too young for his liking, but was exceptionally pretty, with striking features and pale blond hair. It was almost as if she should have been born a Malfoy as well. She gasped at the sight of the usually handsome boy, who now looked like he should have been on a death bed.

“Forget what you saw!” Draco demanded standing and towering over the girl. Even at his thin and fragile frame, he was intimidating and frightening.

“But THE mark,” the girl said, pointing to his left arm and backing up from him. She didn’t have her wand, but if she had he suspected she’d use it on him, because he knew he was coming frighteningly close to her. He shook his head, and mouthed the words, ‘Wrong Answer’ as he drew his wand and light emitted from it. A second later, she was on the ground. She wasn’t dead, simply stunned, unable to speak or move. It was the slight, twisted warm-up he needed. He glanced back at the clock, and walked toward the door of the common room. Someone would find the girl, and normally he would be in a heap of trouble, but tonight wasn’t normal, and by the time someone realized he had done it to her, he’d be gone from Hogwarts and the headmaster would be dead.

The rest are in my next post

10-10-2007, 04:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
Hollister DMFC Co-President TFFC Scribe AWESOME Person Spamarama Werewolf Location: Neverland.♥ Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 27,504 Hogwarts RPG Name: Miles Vincent Parker Fifth Year	DMFC FF Competition OK, so we've got the entries, and now it's time to vote =] Either PM myself (HayleyHunt) or Sky (DracosTheBest) and we will add up the votes to see who the winner is. Here are the FF's: FUTURE DRACO - A LESSON IN LOVE - Linda Black Scorpius Malfoy had a secret. The truth was, there were a lot of things about him that people didn’t know. All anybody mostly saw was the 16 year old Slytherin student who was now in his sixth year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. They saw a shy, somewhat restrained and aloof boy who would one day become a powerful wizard, but that was only part of the picture. What they didn’t see was his love for Lily Potter, daughter of the great Harry Potter himself. It had all started innocently enough at the beginning of term, the first time they had spoken to each other and they felt a connection. From that day on the Gryffindor and Slytherin spent a lot of time together, sharing stories, taking walks together, pondering homework and just generally getting to know one another. Now Scorpius wanted to take Lily to his parents’ house and introduce her as his girlfriend but he wasn’t sure whether they would accept her or not, especially his father. He thought about his father with a sigh. In the old days, he knew, his dad and Lily’s dad had been huge enemies. The differences and rivalries between the houses were a lot more pronounced in those days, and no houses were greater rivals or hated each other more than Slytherin and Gryffindor. Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter were civil to each other today, at least, and he knew the reason why, because Harry Potter had saved his life and his dad would never forget that. Scorpius’ father would never be close friends with Lily’s dad, everyone knew that, but there would always be respect and a grudging admiration there. Still, how would his dad take this kind of news? He didn’t want to make him angry or hurt him in any way. Both Lilly and Scorpius knew there would come a time when they would have to tell Scorpius’ parents how they felt about each other, and now the time had come. They had already told Lily’s parents and they were both okay, they only wanted her happiness. Scorpius knew it wasn’t going to be so easy telling his father the news. “Don’t freak out, just trust me and let’s get it over with,” Lily whispered to Scorpius as they entered the dining room together, sensing his fright. “It has to come out in the open someday and everything will be all right because we were meant to be together.” She gave his hand a squeeze and winked at him. Scorpius wasn’t so sure, but he took a seat and prepared to face the two most important people in his life. Scorpius considered each person individually. There was his mother, Luna Lovegood Malfoy who had always been a pretty understanding person, very easy to talk to and confide in. He wasn’t so worried about her. But there there was Scorpius’ father, Draco Malfoy. He was heir to the proud and scornful saga of the Malfoy family where the bloodline had to be kept pure and Slytherins stuck with other Slytherins. He gave a small shudder. It was best just to get it over with, Scorpius decided with a small gulp. “Father, mother, Lily and I have something we would like to tell you,” he started, hesitation in his voice. “I’m not even sure how to say it.” Suddenly Lily decided to take over the explanation, to Scorpius’ relief. “You see, we’ve found out that we want to see more of each other. We really like each other,” she stated simply. Scorpius looking around, fearing what was going to happen next. He wasn’t at all surprised to see a look of shock on his father’s face. “Scorpius, you are a Slytherin. You know you can’t possibly be that close with a Gryffindor, it simply isn’t acceptable. Your grandfather and I have been telling you this for years.” Scorpius’ father had a look of scorn and disgust on his face. Things were bad. But then, his mother interrupted. “But Draco, you know that that’s not true. Slytherin doesn’t always have to stay only with Slytherin. After all, look at the two of us,” Scorpius’ mother said in her soft voice which he loved. She was always a comfort to him, though he knew there were some who found her strange. “Who would have ever thought that I would end up with a Slytherin? None of those things matter, the important thing is how two people feel about each other deep down. Search your heart, at one time I’m sure you never would have believed that you would end up with me.” Her words had an amazingly calming effect on Scorpius’ father. “Well, maybe you have a point, Luna, but a Gryffindor? You know how my family feels about that.” But he didn’t seem as angry as he had a few moments earlier. He seemed a lot more willing to listen. “It doesn’t matter. If it wasn’t for a Gryffindor you wouldn’t even be here today. We both know that,” Scorpius’ mother answered. “Harry and Ginny are two of the best friends I’ve ever had, they’ll be my friends for life. What difference does it make what house a person was sorted into? Forget your family traditions and beliefs and give our kids a chance. The things that were true back when you were a child are no longer so true today. If Scorpius and Lily like each other, there’s no reason they shouldn’t see each other.” Scorpius’ father sat there in deep thought for what seemed like an eternity but was actually only a matter of a few minutes. Finally he said, “Well, I suppose there might be a chance they belong together. Maybe we should give them some time to see if they really want to stay with each other.” Scorpius was relieved that things were going this well, much easier than he expected. Things were going to be okay after all. FUTURE DRACO - COFFEE & CONFETTI - fairydust04 He reclined on the sofa in the coffee bar, sipping his piping hot black coffee. His eyes flicked to the doorway, as a new customer entered, and then lit up, as the man’s vivid red hair caught his eye; Ron Weasley. Ron had evidently not seen Draco yet, so he waited until he was parallel with the sofa on which he was sitting before speaking. “I didn’t know you worked in here Weasley,” he said in a carrying voice. Ron stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Draco, his eyes narrowed. “I don’t, I work-” Draco interrupted him. “Well you surely can’t be coming in here to buy something. These coffees cost money Weasley, and I was under the impression you didn’t know what that looks like.” “I know what a prat looks like Malfoy, and you fit the bill pretty well,” retorted Ron, his face fuchsia with embarrassment at being humiliated in front of a café full of people. Draco merely smirked. “You’re going to have to watch your tongue Weasley-” “Or what Malfoy?” interrupted a defiant female voice from the entrance to the café. Ginny Weasley was framed in the doorway, a couple of colleagues beside her, her brown eyes flashing. “Oh look Weasley! Your little sister has come to fight your battles for you. I really do feel like I’m back at school,” exclaimed Draco. “You’d better learn some manners Malfoy. If I had my way you and your parents would be locked away in Azkaban with all the other Death Eater scum,” hissed Ginny, “Come on Ron, I don’t want to be within a two mile radius of this idiot.” She almost spat the last few words, and then whirled round, and strode away, her brother and friends close at her heels. Draco raised an eyebrow, and was about to sit back, when he noticed one of Ginny’s colleagues who had stayed behind, approaching him with a mug in her hand. She was tall and statuesque, with long, straight silky black hair and sparkling green eyes. She stopped in front of him and indicated the sofa opposite. “Do you mind if I sit there?” Had it been anyone else, he would have said no, that it was reserved for a friend, as he did not much like the company of people he did not know or trust, and he found small talk wearing and mundane. However, there was something about this girl that made him nod his head, smiling as he did so. “You’re not from ‘Camp Weasley’ I assume, as you’re currently sitting within a two mile radius of me?” he said with a wry smile. “No,” she said grinning, “Ginny works in my office, and I get on with her well enough, but I wasn’t going to leave the café because her temper had got the better of her again. I need my coffee fix too much. I’m Grace by the way, Grace Stone.” “Nice to meet you Grace, I’m Draco Malfoy.” “I know.” She contemplated him as she took a sip from her mug, her green eyes alert and watchful. He wondered why she had chosen to sit here, as there were plenty of other sofas free. He didn’t mind though, as he liked her already, and he sensed she felt the same way. * * * Birdsong sounded from a nearby tree, and he looked up, awoken from his reverie. He felt like he was standing in a fairytale. Behind him were rows and rows of family and friends, emitting a low buzz of chatter, which he found strangely calming and hypnotic. He was standing beneath an archway consisting of two intertwined trees, their branches plaited together intricately, each adorned with beautiful white flowers. The afternoon sunlight bathed the garden in a golden glow, and birds soared from tree to tree. He turned to look behind him at his home, vast and regal, the windows ablaze with sunlight, and he couldn’t think of anywhere he would rather be. His mind slipped back to the first time he had brought her to this house. They had apparated onto the tree-lined driveway, speckled sunlight glinting through the trees as they strolled towards the house. As they rounded the corner and the house came into view, illuminated as it was now in the evening sunlight, she had fallen silent. He had taken her into the garden before she met his parents, and they had wandered hand in hand through the vast, verdant lawns and sweetly scented rose gardens. Finally, they had settled in the grass next to the lake, and watched the fiery orb of the sun submerge itself in the glowing water. “You don’t know how lucky you are to live here Draco. I always dreamed of getting married somewhere like this, but I never imagined knowing someone who lived here,” she had said, her head resting on his shoulder. He had always remembered these words, so when he proposed almost four years later, there had been no doubt in his mind about where the wedding would take place. He jumped as his best man nudged him and gave him a reassuring smile. The gospel choir she had requested began to sing unaccompanied, their deep, soulful music soaring on the breeze. He turned his head. She was halfway down the aisle, arm in arm with her father, her two sisters following carrying bouquets of roses. Her dress was simple, ivory and fitted until just below her knees, where it spread into a pool of luxurious material, the train spreading out behind her . Her hair was pulled up behind a twinkling tiara, and soft curls cascaded over one shoulder. As she drew level with Draco, she gave him a radiant smile, her green eyes sparkling, then turned to face the vicar. He cleared his throat and then said loudly, “We are here today to witness the joining of Grace Annabelle Stone and Draco Abraxas Malfoy in holy matrimony…” WIZARD DRACO - WHILE DEATH EATS HIM AWAY - mypatronusisafox He couldn’t hear the second hand on the clock ticking; his thoughts must have been too loud. Normally that thing would tick so loud, he felt like taking out his wand and blowing the stupid thing up. He sat in a handsome dark green arm chair in front of the common room fire. His forearms lay on his thighs, right hand cupped into his left, while he stared down at the floor just in front of his feet. Black robes covered his pale skin; his neck, face, fingers, and bright blond hair were the only things exposed. “Ah!” he hissed as he grabbed his left arm. It had been itching and burning for several days now, but tonight the pain seemed be trying to rip him open, and almost challenging him; Draco knew that he was losing. He drew back the long sleeve on his left arm. His fingers felt ice cold, even though he had been sitting in front of the fire for a couple hours now. The minuscule blond hairs on his arm stood up as he touched his milky skin. As his sleeve reached his elbow, he turned his head in utter disgust. The tiny snake burned into his arm, hissed at him menacingly, as she coiled around the large skull that stared at him with its blank, black, empty sockets. Specks of blood lay splattered on his am; it had started to bleed again without him realizing. He didn’t care. He could very well bleed to death from this obscene mark and he wouldn’t care. A light flickered from the entrance to the girls dormitories. Draco looked up, his face exposed in the light. Dark rings has formed under his eyes, his lips had lost most of their color, and his face seemed to be hallowed out and carrying a sickening look. Draco let his eyes focus there in the dark. He could make out a figure, but wasn’t sure who it was, nor did he care. He just wanted to be left in his own pity, anxiety, and thoughts. He dropped his head, praying the figure would go back to their dorm and not think of what they may have seen. It wasn’t until the figured glided by him, and he had felt a slight rush of air from their night clothes that he realized his prayers wouldn’t be answered. “Why are you sitting out here?” a voice whispered into his ear, as his head was still down. The breath, attached to the voice, tickled the thin skin on his ear causing the hairs on his neck to stand straight. A feeling of repulsion and fear crept through him as the voice floated into his ears; the same feeling he had felt only hours ago when he had left the school with his father and had been presented in front of the Dark Lord. Draco shivered remembering the disgusting, once-human figure that had touched him, spoke seductively to him about power and control for only pureblood wizards, and had branded him with his unforgiving ‘mark’. His thoughts vanished, but the figure hadn’t. She, whoever she was, was still looming over him, apparently waiting for his response. His throat was too dry to speak; he couldn’t even taste spit in his mouth. His tongue was sore and felt like it was burning and stinging. He had been screaming earlier, when no one was in the common room. He had been cursing everything and everyone; his father, the Dark Lord, Harry Potter, the pain in his arm, and Dumbledore. “Did you hear me? Are you okay?” the quiet, but quite feminine voice asked him again. She seemed to be a little further from his ear now, perhaps roaming over his form with her eyes, trying to see any signal of a curse or injury. Injury? Draco realized his sleeve was still exposed. He quickly shook his sleeve down back over his forearm, covering the mark that would curse his life forever. He knew she noticed the abrupt movement, but wasn’t sure if she had seen his arm. There was no gasp or question, so he assumed she hadn’t. But she was still standing there, and Draco couldn’t take it. “Please,” he hissed through gritted teeth, “Leave me to my thoughts.” He kept his head down and eyes closed. He had to focus on his task. He was to do something he had never done tonight, to commit an act he couldn’t re-do or apologize later for. He could think it through, forget his nerves and his heart never being in it, and just do it; like his father would, like Snape would. If only this damned girl would go away! “Your arm! It looked as if – you…,” she stammered and backed away from him. She had seen, or at least she thought she had seen. Draco looked up at her for the first time. He knew who she was; a third-year girl who had fancied him for some time now. He wasn’t sure of her name, but he had noticed her. She was too young for his liking, but was exceptionally pretty, with striking features and pale blond hair. It was almost as if she should have been born a Malfoy as well. She gasped at the sight of the usually handsome boy, who now looked like he should have been on a death bed. “Forget what you saw!” Draco demanded standing and towering over the girl. Even at his thin and fragile frame, he was intimidating and frightening. “But THE mark,” the girl said, pointing to his left arm and backing up from him. She didn’t have her wand, but if she had he suspected she’d use it on him, because he knew he was coming frighteningly close to her. He shook his head, and mouthed the words, ‘Wrong Answer’ as he drew his wand and light emitted from it. A second later, she was on the ground. She wasn’t dead, simply stunned, unable to speak or move. It was the slight, twisted warm-up he needed. He glanced back at the clock, and walked toward the door of the common room. Someone would find the girl, and normally he would be in a heap of trouble, but tonight wasn’t normal, and by the time someone realized he had done it to her, he’d be gone from Hogwarts and the headmaster would be dead. The rest are in my next post