Thicker than Blood (Draco Malfoy love story)

Chapter twelve: Secrets and Demands

Draco's POV

I sit in a chair close to the fireplace, waiting for Phoenix to get back. I can't help wondering what she is doing. Probably something against the rules, seeing as she was the most aggressive she's ever been towards me.

My eyes start to get heavy around 5 am. I reach over to the table next to me, grabbing my bottle of whiskey and taking a deep swallow.

I hear the door creak, "Finally..." I mutter, turning. All I see is a glimpse of her red cloak, before she runs up to the girls' room.

I mutter under my breath, then start to follow her. "Phoenix? Phoenix, come back! We need to talk." I half yell-half whisper.

She pauses, and cocks her head towards the wall, not looking at me, but showing she was listening. "Tomorrow." She whispered back. Then she ran off.

I walk up to my bed and plop down, exhausted but determined to get some answers.

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I wake up early so that I can ambush her in the common room. I stand there, getting more pissed by the second. What the hell happened last night?

I tense up as she walks out, looking as exhausted as I feel. She sees me, then looks down as she walks over.

"Alright. Go ahead." She says tiredly.

I don't show my surprise. "What happened last night? What did you need help with? Why did you disappear?"

She pauses thoughtfully, speaking slowly. "I needed his help with a... personal project, of sorts."

I look her in the eye, trying not to let myself melt into their dark, molten depths. Normally a bright gold, her eyes are more like dark honey today. "Is that right? And why couldn't I be around for that?" I ask, still suspicious.

She rolls her eyes. "Because you and Hagrid don't get along, for one thing."

"Of course I don't. He's an inbred oaf. But what's the other thing?" I ask casually.

Next thing I know, I'm pinned against the wall, staring into a black pair of eyes that look so hot they could burn through my head. After the shock wears off, I realize that it's Phoenix holding me against the wall. Her eyes are impossibly dark, like black flames.

"Don't EVER talk about him like that! You know NOTHING about him, you selfish, foul-mouthed, pig!" She hisses in my face, her arm pressing hard against my throat, preventing me from answering. As if I could have anyway...

She moves closer, her mouth a scant inch from mine. "You know NOTHING." She repeats. She lets go and walks off, her head held high. She looks elegant, like a proud queen. But the seductive sway of her hips reminds me that she is just a girl. A highly pissed-off girl, but a girl nonetheless.

I take a deep breath, rubbing my throat. She's so complicated... and amazing.

I follow her, running to catch up. I catch her just as we get to potions. She glares at me, and I give her an apologetic glance.

I look at her as we sit down. 'I'm sorry, Phoenix.' I mouth to her, becasue Snape had just silenced the class.

She glares at me for a second, then it's replaced by a small smile. She nods and looks to the front.

"If you will turn to page 229, we will be studying love potions." Snape says, looking less than pleased.

Phoenix lights up with a smile and reaches for her book bag. She rifles around in it for a minute, before frowning. She pulls it up into her lap and pushes stuff around. I hear her give a low groan of misery, then she raises her hand.

"Yes, Ms. Beaxlin?" He asks, looking at her pointedly.

"I left my book in my room. Can I borrow one?" She asks shyly, obviously not liking the attention.

"And what, exactly, were planning to do when you got here? Ms. Beaxlin, just because you are related to the headmaster does not mean you get special treatment!" He says, sneering at her embarrassment.

She blinks in surprise, then holds her head a little higher, her eyes darkening again. Just like the girl I encountered in the hallway. I smile to myself about the surprise Snape's about to get.

"I never asked for special treatment. I won't ever ask for it, because I know I'm perfectly capable without it. However, this was an honest mistake, and I know for a fact that I'm not the first person to forget something on the second day. You gave us homework on the first day, and I completed it as I was supposed to. But I am not yet used to carrying my books. So, may I borrow one, or do you want me to look on with someone?" She says strongly. I get an odd feeling of pride of her.

His face says that he feels the same way. He gives her a small smile and points at a bookshelf in the back of the room. "Grab one off that shelf, Ms. Beaxlin. But do remember to bring your own next time, if you please."

She goes and grabs the only one. It's tattered and falling apart, but it works.

She looks through it, looking surprised, but she flips to the page and reads it.

Snape tells us to start working on the potion after we finish, the directions written on the board.

We read and start gathering the ingredients. Finally, I notice that she is doing everything with her left hand, keeping her right one under the desk and inside the sleeve of her robe. I think back, but can't remember which hand she normally uses.

We get the potion going, her stirring it with her left hand. She looks at me. "Give me the Lacewing, please." She asks, not looking at me. Suddenly, I have to know why I can't see her right hand.

I hand her the wrong bag on purpose she looks at it, then back at me. "No, the other one. Nevermind, I'll get it." She says, stopping her stirring and grabbing the bags, sprinkling them into the potion.

I knock her book off the table, just as her right hand came up towards her face.

Like I knew she would, she snaps her hand out and catches it. And I see her hand.

"What the hell...?" I say, staring at the glowing mark on her hand. The one that I know for a fact wasn't there yesterday.

She blushes and pulls her hand back to her lap.

I open my mouth to ask her about it, but she gives me a warning glance. "Later."

We finish the potion, and the bell rings. We each get one vial of it.

I corner her in the hall. "Tell me everything, now."