The Shattered Dragon

Chapter 14: Possesion

Draco sat at the bar nursing a drink, staring at himself in the smoky antique mirror behind the shelves of various bottles and glasses glittering in the low candlelight of the room. It was a Wednesday and fairly early in the evening so things were quiet.

"If it isn't Master Malfoy, Lord of the Manor," Theo bellowed, shattering the silence and clapping him hard on the back.

Draco closed his eyes and took a deep, cleansing breath to gather himself, preparing to deal with Nott, one of the last people he wanted to see.

"Good to see you again Draco," and Trevor Archlight, the other one, who seemed to be continuously at Theo's side.

After a few visits to the Dragon, Theo had nominated Trevor for membership, assuring Draco that landing the future owner of Archlight Printers was an incredible win for the club...he had money and influence and could bring in more members...pureblood members. But Draco had not forgotten Theo's treatment of Hermione...the names he'd called her, slipping her the lust potion.

"I'm not interested in catering my business to please the purebloods," Draco had said. "I'm not letting a bunch of bigoted assholes march in here and torture the girls I swore to protect because it gets their dicks hard, Nott."

"Of course not mate...Trevor's not like that. He's just looking to have a little fun outside of work. You know what it's like out there. We need a place to let our hair down. It's all up to you of course, mate. Private club."

And yet there they were, with Trevor Archlight now a member in good standing. He'd taken quite a liking to Sarah, having visited her four times in the past month, something she seemed to be all too happy with. Draco had watched her memories carefully, looking for any reason to bar him from returning, but he was respectful and kind, a gentle lover, if not a bit boring.

"Not your usual type, eh Lark?" Draco had said, pulling the memory from her temple and slipping it into a vial for safekeeping. "Perhaps you need to show him a few tricks so you can stay awake."

"He's perfectly fine, Mr. Malfoy. You won't catch me complaining about a man who treats me like a queen. Don't you worry about me."

The men sat themselves on either side of Draco, signaling to the bartender for drinks.

"I don't have you boys in the books for tonight. To what do I owe this...pleasure?" Draco asked, his jaw tight with tension.

"Can't a man escape the hustle bustle of the city and come enjoy a drink with his mates? Play a few hands of Durak?" Theo asked, throwing back half of his gin and tonic in one gulp. Draco could tell that he'd already had a few cocktails, making him even more boisterous and erratic...unpredictable.

"Of course he can, I was only curious, making conversation." Draco signaled for another drink and caught a reflection in the mirror.

It was Hermione standing just outside the entrance to the bar, framed perfectly by the open doors. She was dressed in a midnight blue satin gown and robe, her hair pulled back in a long braid that hung over her left shoulder. Even in the low light he could see the scattering of freckles across her nose, the caramel bronze color of her eyes. Locking on to his gaze in the mirror she smiled and nodded. He flicked his eyes to the left, tipping his head, indicating she should leave, go upstairs, to the kitchens, anywhere but where she was standing. But it was too late.

"Little Sparrow!" Theo called out.

He stood and sauntered towards Hermione, throwing an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into a loose, familial hug, kissing the crown of her head. She held her breath, looking to Draco for help, but he only stared, looking both helpless and angry. It was clear she was on her own. Of course, it wasn't Theo she was worried about.