Saturday, June 14, 2008
Continue Story (I copy and paste from internet) - Chapter 20 - 'DRACO, LOVE'
CHAPTER 20
Finally, it was seven and she jumped, startled by the rapid knocking on the door. She crossed the room quickly, pulling open the door to see Malfoy standing there, fully dressed and looking remarkably rested for someone who’d been up just as long as she had, possibly longer. He wore a black dress shirt and black pants, his hands stuffed in his pockets and pale blond hair slicked back, wet from his shower. Why he hadn’t bothered to dry his hair magically Hermione wasn’t sure, but his cold gaze moved over her, dressed in a pair of jeans and a black v-neck sweater. Her hair hung loose waves, glossy and thankful for the second wash her hair had received in months.
“Come on,” Malfoy said, stepping backwards out into the hallway to allow her to walk alongside him. Hermione followed him slowly, closing the door behind her. She didn’t have the courage to ask him what was happening or what would happen that morning, besides Seamus dying at her hand. He walked steadily beside her, his light blue eyes focused ahead of him. Hermione’s eyes stayed stuck on his face, her eyes gliding over his striking features.
“So, I guess congratulations are in order,” Hermione said softly, “you are engaged to be married.” She didn’t know why she’d asked. In some ways, she was jealous. How dare they be happy, when people like her were out there suffering? They were getting married. Didn’t it occur to them that maybe that was the path she had been on before they had ripped it all away. She’d loved Ron and now he was gone.
Draco nodded and Hermione saw a flicker of joy cross his face before being replaced with his steely gaze again. “Yes, well, thank you.” He said nothing else and they kept walking down the empty corridors, Hermione following him not paying much attention to the turns they made and the doors they passed. When they stopped they stood in front of a set of tall double doors that Malfoy opened and led her through. They stepped down a series of stone steps outside into a blissful garden with a burbling fountain and flowers in full bloom even though it was nearing winter.
Kendra was sitting on a stone bench wearing only a black top and a too big black jacket that was obviously Malfoy’s and jeans. Her hair was in a neat French braid that fell down her back. Malfoy moved towards her, standing at her side and entwining his fingers with hers. He kissed her forehead and Hermione was once again stunned by his tenderness toward her. Hermione wrapped her arms around herself, the biting wind cold against her skin. “I’m sorry about the cold,” Kendra told her apologetically. “We were going to meet in the Conservatory. But it seems it’s occupied this morning. This won’t take long, I promise.”
Hermione merely nodded and rubbed her hands along her arms, warming her body with the friction. “Well, what is it?”
“You said you wanted to see the others,” Kendra reminded her slowly. “And you will. Bill and Fleur will be here tonight as you requested. Neville will be arriving later on.” She leaned into the crook of Malfoy’s arm, their bodies merging into one. “But that’s not the reason we wanted to see you.”
“And what is?” Hermione questioned.
“It won’t be much longer until it’s time for you to complete your task,” Kendra explained. She opened her mouth to continue but stopped when the doors behind Hermione swung open and Oliver walked outside, his arm linked with Raquel’s. Malfoy seemed to pull Kendra closer as he saw Oliver and his eyes narrowed into slits. Hermione turned to see Oliver, wanting to see if he noticed Malfoy’s clear annoyance at his presence.
He did. Oliver’s own eyes were just as dark, but his expression lightened if somewhat smugly when Raquel planted a kiss on his cheek. But he wasn’t looking at Malfoy anymore. He was looking at Kendra. Their eyes were locked and Hermione couldn’t even begin to imagine what they were thinking. There was such rage there, she could feel it circulating around her. She was filled with the perverse need to know what they were feeling, why Raquel seemed to hate the sister that adored her, why Malfoy and Oliver continued to butt heads over literally nothing and why Kendra and Oliver seemed friendly but not quite as friendly when Malfoy was around. Why had Oliver taken up with Raquel over the space of a few hours? Had this been a long time coming? Clearly Oliver and Raquel had met before, maybe they were more a couple than she’d thought.
“Good morning, Hermione,” Oliver said kindly. His eyes were turned to her if only momentarily before his gaze returned to Kendra and Malfoy. “Draco.” A slight smile went across Raquel’s face as she viewed her sister and future brother-in-law standing together. She wore a heavy black fur coat that covered her down to her ankles, her glossy brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Oliver didn’t look nearly as fancy as his companion in a red sweater and black jeans.
“Oliver,” Malfoy hissed. “Hello, Raquel, did you sleep well?”
“Just fine, Draco,” Raquel said slyly, tightening her grip on Oliver’s arm. “And yourself?”
“Amazingly well, with Kendra at my side,” Malfoy said it in such a way that Hermione was sure he meant it to upset someone, most likely Oliver. Unsure of why such a remark would anger Oliver, Hermione pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind.
“Why am I here again?” Hermione asked loudly. At the sound of her voice, Kendra’s head turned to look at her and she smiled.
Kendra opened her mouth to respond, but Oliver spoke first. “I’m sorry, Kendra, but this will have to wait. He wants it done now.”
Hermione’s heart clenched as Oliver spoke. Kendra looked at her and nodded slowly. “Oh, well, Hermione, moment of truth.”
Malfoy looked at her, his blue eyes locked with her own. “I’ll take her,” he said gruffly. “Oliver, you and Raquel should go and find Snape. Tell him it’s happening now.”
# posted by Sek Koon @ 7:02 AM 
