| Girl on Fire |

52

THE NEXT DAY...

VERONICA MALFOY

Draco and I had just sat down in the Great Hall for breakfast and our friend group was quiet. It has been since Draco told them everything. I know they don't judge us, I think it's just because they don't know what to say. "Are you going to work on the cabinet today?" I whispered to Draco. He nodded as he bit into a green apple. "Do you want me to come with you?" I asked. He shook his head. "Draco, can you please talk to me." I said. "I'm fine Ronnie, really." he said. I sighed and nodded. "I have a plan for Potter." I said. He looked at me. "Which is?" he asked.

"The less you know the better." I said. "Ronnie, tell me." he said. I shook my head. "Draco, you and Mattheo can make threats about him touching me all you want but at the end of the day, I'm going to have to sleep with him eventually. That's why you-know-who gave me this task. That's why he made me do what I had to do to do to get the mark in the first place. Because I'm a woman." I whispered. Draco just stared at me

"You're right, I don't want to hear about it." he said. Then he got up and left.

All our friends looked at me. "I'll go talk to him." Allison said. I nodded and she left. The boys were all looking at me. "What?" I snapped. "You are really going to do it?" Blaise asked. I just looked at them. "V, you can't whore yourself out to Potter just-" Enzo started. "I don't have a choice." I said. "There's got to be another way. I mean look at them over there. Smiling, laughing." Theo added. "They don't have a fucking clue about the shit that happens when you aren't under Dumbledore's constant protection." Enzo snapped. "There isn't another way. If we fail, he'll kill us both." I said. "At least let us help." Blaise said. "You wanna help?" I said. They all nodded. "Ok, if you want to help, figure out a way to get Potter up to the Astronomy Tower on Friday night at 10." I said. They looked hesitant but they nodded. "And don't be suspicious about it." I said. "We won't." Blaise said. "Thank you." I said. Then we all went back to eating and I watched Weasley, Granger and Potter all sit there, looking happy.
Fucking bullshit.

I had Potions first and when I arrived Slughorn was just getting started. He began his lesson when Potter and Weasley walked in. I suppose I better start acting. I made myself look sad and distressed. Potter and Weasley grabbed their books and went over to their cauldrons. Fortunately for me, Potter's cauldron was right next to mine. I kept giving his sad glances and watching him. Eventually, he caught on and looked at me. "What?" he snapped. I let my eyes fill with tears and I looked at him. "I'm sorry." I said quietly. His face softened and he looked concerned. "What? What do you mean?" he asked. I shook my head. The rest of class, he kept looking at me. I couldn't help but smirk as I walked out. This is going to be far too easy.

The rest of my classes went by fairly quickly. I was sitting in my dorm doing homework when Draco walked in. "Do you not know how to knock?" I snapped. He shut the door and silenced the room. "What's wrong?" I asked. "I found the cabinet. I found it and started to fix it." he said. "Oh" I said. He nodded and sat down next to me. His hands were trembling ever so slightly. I took them in mine and he looked at me. "We can do this. Together." I said. He nodded.

"Can I see your mark?" I asked. I've been thinking about it for a while. Ever since Mattheo warned me about mine. I wanted to know.... If his body was rejecting the mark too. I lifted up his sleeve and sighed. His mark looked normal. "My body- my magic- it accepted the mark," he said. I nodded. "That doesn't mean anything. It just-" I started. "It means I'm meant for this. It means being a death eater-" he started. "No." I said cutting him off. "I know you. You are my twin brother. This means nothing. You are a good person." I said. He just nodded.

"Oh, I forgot." he said, handing me an envelope. "What's this?" I asked. "From Mattheo," he said. I smiled and nodded. "Thank you." I said. "Yeah." he said. Then he left me to read my letter.

Veronica-

Meet me at the Room Of Requirement every other night at 10. Just because we "broke up" doesn't mean we can't have fun.
M.R.

I smiled and got dressed. Then I snuck down to the ROR. I closed my eyes and the walls shifted. There was a door and I went inside. It was transformed into a bedroom.

"The Queen has arrived," Mattheo said smugly.