Gemini Malfoy (a Harry Potter OC)

Envenom

Poison has always seemed to Gem the simplest and most sure fire way to kill someone.

Before heading to kings cross at the end of Christmas break, the Malfoy's made a trip to Borgin and Burks. The twins wanted to inspect the functioning vanishing cabinet, thinking perhaps it could help in their task that for weeks had felt futile. The shop owner, as previously discussed in an owl, had a small vial of cloudy white liquid waiting for Gem. "As lethal as they get" is what he'd promised her, supposed to act in seconds and kill in minutes. It'd have to do.

Once back at Hogwarts she let Draco continue on to the feast, wasting no time in breaking in to Professor Slughorns locked office. It had been the last Hogsmede trip before the holiday when she'd heard the potions master boasting at quite a volume about how far back his friendship with the headmaster went, a quick look in his head quickly confirming the bottle of mead he was purchasing from Madame Rosemerta, was intended to be his gift. Professor Dumbledore was traveling over break, and Gem felt confident in her assumption that the bottle would still be sealed and in Slughorns possession.

With little searching Gem tracks down the familiar bottle, the only one still sealed on a shelf of many at the back of his office. She nearly laughed, somewhat surprised he hadn't downed the bottle himself. Pushing the thought aside Gem makes quick work of lacing the mead, and sneaking back into the great hall before supper was over. Professor Dumbledore wasn't at the head table, by her best guess he'd be back in the castle by the end of the week, at which point they'd be waiting on Slughorn.

The affair that took place over break had caused nothing but confusion and worry for Hermione, Ron and Harry. The latter of which had only used the event to further argue about his suspicions.

Their confusion was only worsened by Gem who, as time went by, was finding it easier and easier to act cold when she passed her old friends in the hallway. Her heart still ached, but according to the daily prophet the only casualty from the attack at the Burrow was the home itself. They had each other, and she had bigger things to worry about.

It was late in the evening when Ron had been poisoned in Slughorns office, by the next morning his family had arrived in the hospital wing, and by lunch time most of the school had heard some variation of the news.

"Gem!" Draco calls out once inside the come and go room, hearing a small clatter from somewhere deeper in the piles of rubbish. "Gemini?" He hadn't seen her since dinner the previous night, having heard what happened to Weasley that morning over breakfast.

Following the noise, Draco turns the corner of a wide rubbish pile to find his sister on her knees, surrounded by junk she'd knocked over in anger, with her head buried in her hands. He used to make fun of her when she did that; Growing up when she was upset and didn't have someone to be angry at she'd knock things off of counters, as kids he'd call her a pesky cat and she'd stop what she was doing to be mad at him instead. Now it only broke his heart a little more.

She finally looks up when he crouches next to her. Her eyes are red, her hair is pointing every which way, and her expression is broken.

The pair had never thoroughly discussed what happened between Gem and those guys in fifth year, Draco decided he didn't need to know, but he knew his sister well enough to know that it was something important that she desperately missed.

"He's alive, he'll be fine." Draco put his arms around her, and held her as she cried for Ron Weasley.

"He could have—"

"He's not, everyone's alive, everything's ok." It was a lie for the sake of hearing the words out loud.

Gem knew the effects of the poison like the back of her hand, and the image of Ron dead with his eyes rolled back and foam bubbling from his mouth was stamped to the back of her eyelids. "I don't wanna do this anymore." She spoke hoarsely between shuddering sobs.

Draco stares down the aisle of rubbish where the cabinet loomed. "I know."

Once Gems tears subside the pair sit in much needed silence for some time. "He can beat me at chess you know."

Draco draws back asking incredulously. "Weasley?"

Draco had made progress with the cabinet. A half asleep Gem returned from the library with another stack of books she thought could help, only to see Draco opening the cabinet door, and watching a small whistling bird flying out.

Her breath hitches in her throat. "It's done."

The pair walk into the great hall later that day in a pleasant silence when Draco suddenly stalls. Confused, Gem looks from his pale face to where he's looking; Across the hall at the newly returned Katie Bell, talking to Harry Potter.

"She didn't see you." Gem reassures under her breath, hoping her own uncertainty doesn't come through. Harry turns, his eyes landing on Draco, who turns and hurries out of the room. Harry's gaze meets Gems for a short moment, in which she ever so slightly shakes her head no, hoping he listens, before following after her brother.

"Draco." She hurries into the thankfully empty lavatory behind him. He's already tossed his sweater vest aside and was frantically ripping off his tie, heaving in air like he can't breathe. She rushes to him as he splashes cold water on his face, sobs beginning to wrack his body. She puts her hands on her shaking brother's shoulders, hoping to steady him. "Just breathe Draco, breathe." He stares at his reflection in pain, barely hearing her. "It's gonna be okay." Her voice quivers. "We just—" Gems head snaps to the door sensing movement,  seeing Harry slowly stepping further into the room. "Leave. Harry, I'm begging you." Gem pleads. Draco's head shoots up in shock to Harry's reflection, fear and uncertainty filling him.

"I know what you did Malfoy." Harry ignores Gems plea. "You hexed her didn't you." Facing him, Gem tentatively steps between the boys who were now glaring at each other through the mirror. "Or was it you Gem?

At that Draco turns, pushing Gem out of the way to shoot a spell at Harry.

"No!" Gem shouts, the spell narrowly missing Harry. She quickly pushes herself up as Harry's spell shatters the sink, missing Draco who runs down one of the lines of stalls. Harry follows quickly and Gem, unwilling to hurt either of them, makes to run up behind him, wand up thinking about disarming him or shouting at him to leave, when Draco sends a curse his way. Harry dodges pressing his back to the wall but the edge of it catches Gem, knocking her hard onto her back, winding her completely, her head hitting the stone hard.

She coughs and heaves in a breath. Get up, she wills herself, do anything.

The sound of the hissing water from the damaged tap was broken up by wet footsteps, then the sound of a spell hitting the wall.

Spots still dancing across her vision, Gem pushes herself up, slowly regaining focus. At the sound of more rushing footsteps and another spell she rushes towards the noise, this time another spell follows faster, then another, and another. "Stop!"

"Sectumsempra!" She hears Harry shout and the sound of Draco falling just as she rounds the corner; Spotting Harry slowly lowering his wand, no sign of her brother.

"Draco!" Gem calls out worried, hearing nothing coming from where he just fell out of sight. Potter looks back at her for the first time with a look of shock and horrible uncertainty, only serving to terrify her more. "What did you do?" She starts towards him. "Draco!?" She screams and pushes past Harry and the lavatory stalls, finding Draco gasping for air on the floor, blood seeping from gashes that litter his body and his face contorted horribly in pain. Dropping to her knees and leaning over him a scream escapes her throat, one from sheer anguish at the terrible sight. "No!" She holds her wand over the growing puddle of blood, spells for broken bones and nose bleeds flash through her head but none that could help him now. "Help!" She finally screams, turning to Potter who was standing like a statue at the sight. "What are you doing? Don't just stand there get help!" He doesn't seem to register her words. "Help! Please anyone!"

Tears blur her vision and the words she's screaming seem to lose meaning as Draco's blood on the flooded lavatory floor reaches her skirt. In a blur, Snape walks in, quickly brushing past Potter and leaning over Draco, muttering an incantation. Through watery eyes Gem watches the blood surrounding Draco slowly shrink back towards him and crumples to the ground, too shocked to feel relief.