Gemini Malfoy (a Harry Potter OC)

Evanesce

Gem cried herself to sleep that night.

Katie Bell had to be transferred to St Mungos, apparently they weren't sure she'd make it. She could only imagine what was going on in Draco's head at the news, but she knew he'd bottle it up, until one day he'd overflow.

Slughorn was having a Christmas party the following week for his club of "special students", including but not limited to the chosen one, and the brightest most beautiful student in their year. Gem liked to think if things were different Hermione might've asked her to be her date, but instead she'd be sneaking out to hunch over that infernal cabinet again. They'd made almost no real progress in mending it yet, so they'd be spending every free hour leading up to Christmas break in the retched Room of Requirement. It made Gem sad to think all the happiest memories she had were in that same place.

The week passed and the pair of Malfoy's walk silently through the halls after another unsuccessful go at their task. "We need to do something about our other task again." The taller twin breaks the silence.

"I know, I have an idea." Gem answers quietly. "But it'll have to wait until after the holiday."

"Gotcha!" Filches scratchy voice accosts them as they turn a corner. Only party goers had permission to be out and about, which they'd assumed might pull attention away from being out after hours— no such luck. "It's past curfew children." His tone is nearly gleeful.

"We've been invited to Slughorns event, we're perfectly allowed to be here." Gemini improvises.

"Let's see what he has to say about that." He roughly grabs each of them by an arm and pushes them ahead of him towards to bustling sound of Christmas music. Thanks to Filch dragging them in and Draco shouting profanities at the man they cause quite the scene upon entering. The hum of chatter seems to die out and the room packed with people all turn to check out the commotion.

"Take your hands off me to filthy squib!" Draco shouts again. Gem keeps her head down but can't help her eyes from slowly finding Hermione, wearing a frown and a red dress. The girl scowls at the addition of Cormac McLaggen finding Hermione and placing an arm over her shoulders.

Hermione had been so preoccupied evading her date for the evening that it had been one of the longest she hadn't thought about Gem. Meeting her eye now she remembered why it was so hard. She wore a long black dress, one that was clean and proper, no doubt a family heirloom that matched her brothers suit; Her eyes are sad and exhausted, even more so then they'd been on the train in September, and her posture small and embarrassed.

"Professor Slughorn sir I've just discovered these two lurking in an upstairs corridor. They claim to have been invited to your party." Filch accuses.

"Okay, okay, we were gate crashing!" Draco shouts, knowing their fib wouldn't get them out of this. "Happy?" Gem diverts her gaze from Hermione, wanting nothing more than to disappear into the gold decor.

Snape steps forward to speak, directed at the twins. "I'll escort them out."

"Certainly Professor." Draco answers, unhappy.

Hermione can't seem to look away as Snape pushes the pair towards the door, taking in Gems look of shame as she glares at the floor, and recalling the look that was so clearly begging for help when she'd looked up at her. Gem's destain when Cormac had stood next to her stood out too, in a way Hermione would never admit was just a little reassuring. She only snaps out of it when Harry brushes past her, following the Malfoys out the door.

Soon as he's out the door Harry creeps slowly through the dim lit corridor to peer around the corner in to the direction of the hushed bickering voices.

"Maybe I did hex that Bell girl, maybe I didn't. What's it to you?"

Snape turns suddenly and pushes Draco against the wall. "Stop this!" Gem catches up to the pair in an attempt to intervene.

"I swore to protect you. I made the unbreakable vow."

"We don't need your protection!" Draco hisses. "We were chosen for this!"

"Mummy feeling guilty and turning to you is not our problem, Severus." Gem chimes in over his shoulder, then taking a deep filtered breath through her teeth. "We won't fail him." She hisses in a low voice, hating her words, her voice nearly breaking. "We can't."

"You're afraid." Severus continues to push. Gem turns on her heal with a shaky breath, squeezing her eyes shut in a desperate hope to distance herself from everything. "You try to conceal it but it's obvious, let me assist you."

"No! We were chosen for this. This is our moment!" She looks over her shoulder as Draco lashes out and feels angry tears well in her eyes.

She rolls her shoulders back and storms down the hall, her eyes glistening as tears barely start to fall. Oh the glory of it all, Gem thinks sarcastically as Draco and Snape's voices faded behind her. Not spotting Harry watching her leave.