Wait | By : Meggie Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female Views: 2055 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. |
Chapter 6
I knew I was Right
"Ive Been Reactivated? Thats what you said, Di? Honestly, no wonder he went nuts." Diana gave Hermione a nasty look and flopped helplessly on the long couch in Harrys flats family room.
"Well, how was I supposed to know that? And besides, he didnt go nuts."
Hermione held up the remnants of Dianas auror necklace. The long, silver, supposedly-unbreakable chain was dangling in two pieces from the pendant. The ends of the clasp were no where to be found. "Of course not, Diana."
Diana sighed. "Well, Hermione, you tell me, then! What the bloody hell am I supposed to do? I cant just tell Harry no, can I?"
"You can, and you should. You got out of this two years ago. It isnt fair to ask you to go back in again just when things are getting worse." Hermione folded her arms.
There was a heavy pause, during which time Diana stared absent-mindedly at the dangling trinket in Hermiones hand, a remnant from darker days, when Diana couldnt even be sure that a trip to the market would bring her home again safely. Now, though things were different. She had a shop to run, a wedding to plan, a fiancée and (dare she think it?) children, possibly, in the near future. "Youre right, Hermione. I shouldnt feel obligated to Harry."
She stood up, slowly. "Thanks for your time." Diana reached forwards to take the necklace back from Hermione.
"Waitcan I put some tea on for you? Maybe you should rest a bit before heading back."
"No, thank you. I think I had better go and find Draco now before he does anything that may permanently injure Harry." Diana smiled wanly, then turned, taking her cloak up from the coat rack. She slung it over her shoulders, thanked Hermione again, and apparated out.
Draco had long since resigned himself to lying face-down on the dark sheets that were twisted and tangled on his bed. He was still not sure whether Diana was mad at him or whether it was he who should be angry with her. Gripped between his thumb and forefinger was a tiny silver clasp which had inexplicably clung to his hand when hed ripped the pendant off Dianas neck. At the time, he had been swearing quite vehemently that hed never see her back on active duty in the Aurors legion. Now, though, he would take it all back in an instant. He shut his eyes tightly, remembering the harsh words hed screamed an hour earlier.
Diana, you are not going back there to die! Hed grabbed her shoulders. How can you even think of going back? Then the necklace. Ill die before I see you return to the Aurors. He ripped the necklace off, more out of desperation than anger, but he could see that he scared her.
She took two steps back, mouth agape, then, as the effect of his words hit her, her stance changed. She narrowed her eyes and strode forwards again, ripping the necklace out of his hands and apparating out without a word.
He shook his head, overcome with a sudden, heavy wave of guilt. She had every right to return to the Aurors, but he was so afraid of losing her that his instinct took over. He sighed, shaking his head, then started to sit up. He had to find Diana, before she found someone who made her realize what an ass hed been.
"Draco?" her soft voice echoed around the room. She stepped in, hair hanging mussed and in disarray around her face. Her face revealed hesitance and fear, making Dracos guilt grow even more. She sighed audibly when she saw his face. "Draco, Im sorry. I didnt think before I agreed. I promised I wouldnt go back to the aurors, and its not fair to you."
"No, its my fault, Di. You should not have to get permission from me. Go back to the aurors if you want to." He took a step forwards hesitantly.
"Can I show you something?" she took his hand, turning it over and depositing the broken chain of her pendant into his palm. "The necklace broke when you grabbed it, Draco."
"Im sorry," he interrupted quickly. "I didnt mean"
She cut him off, continuing with her calm, quiet voice. "Theres only one way it can ever break."
Draco hesitated, then after a moments consideration, cautiously asked, "Whats that?"
"If I decide that I dont want to be an auror anymore."
Draco remained quiet for a long while after she said this, staring at the pendant and burdened with the weight of the words shed just spoken to him. "Youyou dont want to be an auror anymore?"
She shook her head. "I served, and I did my part. But now, I want to settle down. I want a family and I want to run my flower shop. I cant have that if Im an auror."
Draco smiled slowly at her. "So you arent mad?"
"No. Our life together comes before Harrys wishes. You were right."
"Of course I was right." Draco tilted his chin up. "I knew I was right."
"Shut up." She slapped him lightly on his arm. "Im going to sleep."
Diana was roused late that night by the intensity of the moonlight shining through Dracos open bedroom window. A light breeze tickled the air, and the sheer curtains danced like cloaked ghosts in the silvery light. The house was eerily quiet, holding its breath for any sign of the nights awakening, and Diana was compelled by the same sense of foreboding to slip out of bed.
Beside her, Draco rolled over, looking pallid and wan sprawled out in the light. He had long since kicked off the heavy down comforter in the hot and oppressive night air, and was swathed from the hips down in black satin sheets. His stomach was white and smooth. This series of details flashed swiftly through Dianas mind, a by-product of ingrained auror instincts. She stood up, wriggled her toes on the cold marble floor, and took two hesitant steps towards the open doors which led onto the bedroom balcony. She glanced to her left and absorbed her image in the full-length mirror across the room. Naked, she looked frail fadefaded, long spindly legs seemingly frozen in their trek across the room, arms trailing behind her in a spectral flow. She put a hand over her abdomen, and for a moment felt it swell, smooth and stretched, under her fingers. Images began flickering in the mirror like candles plagued by a breath of warm air from pursed lips.
An infant, pink wrinkled, coddled in a blue blanket.
A blond boy, green-eyed and laughing.
A girl, red hair, brown eyes.
A coffinDiana put a hand to her head
Her wedding dress, stained red with blood.
Rons smiling face.
Dracos.
Diana stepped forwards, drawn to the mirror, but the images faded away. Draco remained still and sleeping on the bed, and the night pressed in around her. A soft, lilting melody was now drifting through the windowa quiet song that drew Diana into the moonlight and out onto the balcony.
She felt hazy, her head clouded with the beauty of the song that filled her head. She stepped to the railing and gazed down at the ground below.
A piercing howl rang through the air, almost tangibly shattering the delicate song. A shadow raced by below, massive and hairy, on all fours racing from tree to tree. A sharp snout protruded, exposing jagged teeth and a panting tongue. She recognized it immediately.
"Remus," she whispered, and felt her feet slide from under her.
Draco found her the next morning. She was completely naked, sprawled out on the stone balcony in full sunlight. He hair was wild, draped in a makeshift veil over her face and shoulders. Her skin was tinged pink with sunburn, almost unnaturally so in the early morning sun. Within ten minutes, he had a doctor make a house call, and within fifteen she was in a hospital bed in the creature-induced injuries ward at St. Mungos.
"A vampire?" Draco asked incredulously, staring at the twin puncture marks on her neck, revealed by a nurse who had swept aside a few locks of Dianas hair. "How could she have been bitten by a vampire?"
The nurse gave him a cold look, scuttled to the edge of the bed and began smearing a cooling salve on her burned skin. "Shes lucky, Mr. Malfoy. The effects will fortunately be only temry."ry." Draco was still looking shocked, so she continued. "This it obviously only her first bite. She should wake up in a few hours, and then we can see if she remembers anything, although I doubt that she does."
Draco cleared his throat. "And why do you think that?"
She gave him another look, obviously exasperated and not terribly eager to begin explaining anything to him. "Vampires tend to visit visions on their victims in order to prevent them from remembering the actual attacks."
"What kind of visions?" Draco persisted.
"Why dont you just ask her when she wakes up!" the nurse said, finally giving up.
"Fine, Fine." Draco sighed. "Look, you might want to call her cousin. Hed probably want to know about this."
"Her cousin?" the nurse looked skeptical.
"Yeah, her cousin." Draco made a face before sitting down on a chair placed next to Dianas head. "Harry Potter."
By the time information of Dianas attack reached Ron, it was either so twisted as to give the impression that Draco himself had attacked his fiancée, or Ron decided on his own that this was the case. Either way, the first thing he did upon reaching the hospital wing that now held Diana, Draco, Harry, and Hermione was to swing straight at Dracos face.
"You bastard!" hissed Ron as he landed a perfect right hook on Dracos left eye. "What the hell did you do to her?"
Draco was completely taken aback by his course of action, and stepped back quickly as Harry moved to restrain Ron. "Me? What do you mean, me, Weasley?" Draco narrowed his eyes. "I didnt do a damn thing to her."
"The hell you didnt, Malfoy!" yelled Ron, face matching his hair as he struggled to get around Harrys restraining arms. "I knew something like this would happen eventually!"
Draco rolled his eyes. "Shes in creature injuries, you morHow How the hell could I have done something?"
Ron seethed, gritting his teeth and glaring at Draco. "Ron," Harry cut in, "Draco didnt do anything. It was a vampire."
"A vampire?" Ron stopped at this, confused and looking at Harry in consternation. "Since when do vampires come to England?"
"The last one was in 1808," spoke up Hermione, from the corner of the room where her nose was buried in an old and tattered looking book. She looked up at Ron and arched an eyebrow. "And it was a vampire, Ron. She has all the classic symptoms. Unconsciousness"
"And thats such a decisive one, too, Granger," Draco cut off, his eyes flashing from beside the bed, where he had once more claimed his chair.
"Shut up, Malfoy," Hermione said, tossing her head slightly, before continuing. "The bite marks, obviously. Sunburn, severe dilation of the pupils. Not to mention that Draco found her outside, which makes it likely she was lured out of bed."
"Someone could have faked all that," Ron persisted with the stubbornness of a small child trying to blame a classmate for breaking a toy. He glanced at Draco with narrowed eyes. Draco returned the favor.
"It was a vampire," came a voice from the door. They all turned to see Remus Lupin step inside, looked exhausted. "I saw him."
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