Bejeweled: A Draco Malfoy Fanfic

10. Slytherin's Grave

"Damn, I really want to kiss you." - idk man i find these on pinterest

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Now that her friends knew she was Hunting, they brought it up every chance they could. Hermione insisted that Ivy should be more careful, and suggested that she brush up on some self-defense spells. Harry kept asking questions about how her Hunt was going, clearly impressed and wanting to know how she was going to obtain the rest of the pearls. Ron declared himself Ivy's lookout and kept a close eye on their whereabouts, inspecting every classroom and corridor for a trace of the pearl. He'd often interrupt conversations to declare he'd found one, only to realize it was a wand or a scrap of parchment.

Ivy was relieved to finally have told her friends the truth - most of it, at least - because she wasn't sure if she could've kept it from them for much longer. When she wasn't in classes or spending time with the trio in the Common Room, she was Hunting. It became almost an obsession, just as much as she obsessed over how Draco was handling the fact that he had lost a pearl.

It had now been a couple of weeks since the day she woke up in his dorm and stole the pearl tiara, and he hadn't spoken to her since. She no longer caught him staring in the Great Hall during meals, and he never glanced her way during Potions lessons. Ivy knew he was avoiding her, and although she couldn't blame him, it was eating her up inside.

To add onto her stress, the state of the school had gotten significantly worse. It seemed that more and more students had decided they wanted to start Hunting for the five pearls, and the death toll was overwhelming. Hunters quickly became the hunted - students known to be participating in the game had gotten anonymous letters from classmates, filled with warnings and threats. Fear hung over Hogwarts like an invisible cloak, and it's constant presence was suffocating.

Needless to say, the upcoming Valentine's Ball was a much needed distraction for everyone. The whole school was buzzing about it because it was the only thing that kept their minds off the Hunt. Harry, Ron, and Hermione agreed to go together as friends, while Ivy was going to be searching for more pearls. They pleaded with her to ignore the Hunt for just one night to relax and have fun, and although the idea was more than tempting, Ivy knew she couldn't pass up an opportunity like this. She still needed three more pearls, and if Draco still had the necklace and bracelet, she would only need to worry about finding one. She decided that she'd have to find a way to steal the other two from him later, something she definitely wasn't looking forward to.

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"Well, I'm off," said Ivy one evening during dinner. "Ron, you can finish my potatoes if you want."

"Fanks!" exclaimed Ron through a mouthful of food, reaching over to add her potatoes onto his plate.

"Going to Hunt already?" asked Harry, looking up from his plate. Ivy nodded.

Hermione's mouth hung open. "Ivy, that's the fourth time today! I know you take this seriously but you deserve a rest! I'm getting worried about you," she said anxiously.

Ivy placed her hand on top of Hermione's and squeezed it gently. "I know, Hermione. But I can handle it. I'm a big girl, okay?" she smiled. "Nothing's going to happen to me. Promise."

"But at least let us go with you!" Hermione pleaded. "Four people is better than one. We could split up and search the castle, and-"

"I won't put you all at risk like that," Ivy said firmly. "I started it on my own, and I have to finish it on my own."

Harry placed his hand on Hermione's shoulder. "She can handle it, Hermione. We just have to trust her."

Ron couldn't say anything because his mouth was full of potatoes, but he nodded in agreement, giving Hermione a sympathetic look.