Bloodlines || A Draco Malfoy Romance Fanfiction

Midnight Message - 144

Aphry

I could not bring myself to look at the staff table as the first year got sorted and the beginning of term feast commenced. My mind was cleared, occlumency in full use. Dumbledore was a powerful enough wizard, and the might have been an incredibly strong legilimens.

Draco was far too arrogant, hardly hesitating as he told his Slytherin mates sitting around us how he crushed Harry's nose after the Gryffindor had come into the great hall with no robes and a bloodied face. They laughed and encouraged him, and I sat with an unreadable, demure smile, seeming as if I was proud of my boyfriend's actions.

As the students finished their puddings, I noticed from the corner of my eye that Dumbledore stood up from the staff table. He started his speech, diving straight into the current situation with Voldemort plaguing the wizarding world.

Draco was to my left, and I noticed his mood had dampened immensely. He also avoided looking at the wizard he intended to kill in the near future. I watched as he took out his wand, and I worried for a moment he had decided to gather up his courage and kill the headmaster right now to get it over without regard for the vast number of witnesses. Instead, he focused on levitating his fork. I also focused on the hovering fork, allowing it to distract me.

Moments passed, but it felt like ages when the old wizard dismissed us to our common rooms. Draco and I seemed to take small, synchronized sighs of relief, then, hand in hand left to the dungeon common room as quickly as possible.

Of course, the Slytherin common room was full of gossip. And, of course, the main topic of conversation was, awkwardly enough, the new Slytherin power couple. We claimed our favourite spot on the black leather chairs in front of the fireplace. I was annoyed as I felt the curious stares directed at Draco and me from all around the common room, wondering if what Daphne Greengrass was running up and down train cars stating was true.

"So," Theodore Nott joked, "When the Slytherin Prince and Princess finally get together, do they become the Slytherin King and Queen?"

I visibly cringed. "I thought people had stopped calling us that." I didn't particularly like the monikers.

"Oh, please," Draco said, revelling in the attention. "You don't mind when your father calls you 'Princess,'" he teased with a smirk as he sat back with his arm stretched on the bouch behind me.

Rolling my eyes, I immediately rebutted. "That's different, Draco."

Draco's only response was a small chuckle.

Soon enough, Daphne, Pansy, and I left for bed together, determined to get to bed in time to tolerate classes the next day. Pansy was now suddenly being polite to me as if our rivalry and jealousy over the past three years were nonexistent. When I plainly asked her why, she stated, "It always seemed like Draco was going to end up with you. Even when we were together, he was always more concerned about you. So now that you're properly together?" She gave a dry laugh. "I know when to cut my losses." I was sceptical but took over the unnecessary bullying any day.

I woke just after midnight to my necklace tingling. Merlin's name, what is he up to? We've barely been back to school twenty-four hours.

In the past years, the tingling was always just general mischief. I'd decided to ignore the necklace unless it went cold, as my protest to keep the stubborn boy out of trouble would most often go ignored. Now, however, the chill was constant to the point that I'd become adjusted to its constant, and the tingling could be detrimental to our plans.

I left my bed, careful to not disturb the sleeping girls around me, putting on a pair of slippers before heading to the common room.

Draco was near the stairs leading up to the common room's exit when I got there. He turned around just as my feet softly padded down the stairs, the only sound aside from the softly crackling fire in the empty common room.

A satisfied, sideways smile appeared on his face. "Ah, there you are. I was hoping you would get the 'message' and come down."

My brow furrowed in confusion. "Get the message," then it dawned on me. "Draco, are you sending me false alarms through my necklace? That could be incredibly dangerous!"

He chuckled. "I attempted to send a false alarm. Tried thinking about a few things that could set it off. Stealing something small, piercing my hand with a letter opener, even throwing myself in the fire." I gasped, covering my mouth. "Only thinking, darling. However, the charm seems to account for intentionality. It was only when I was determined to go out into the castle looking for the cabinet that you finally came down."

I crossed my arms. "Why on earth do you need to find the cabinet this time of night? It's on the first floor, isn't it? You know where Montague was patrolling when the Weasley twins shoved him in."

Draco nodded. "Yes, but I want to confirm it's still there. And I've got to think about how I'm going to fix it if it's just sitting in an open corridor."

My brow rose. "And you have to do that tonight?"

"No," Draco said with a shrug. "I just wanted to see you." He looked me up and down. "That's a different nightgown. Not sure I like it as much as your others."

I looked down at the emerald nightshirt that reached my midthigh. It was most definitely not my style and contrasted vastly from my long, flowy nightgowns and matching robes. "I agree. But I needed something with long sleeves," I said, a bit irritated that was his reasoning for waking me up. He nodded, the reason for the change in my usual dress now understood between us. "Is that really all you intentionally woke me up for?"

"No," He said, his voice lowering a bit. He walked a few paces to stand inches away from me. I had to lift my head to look at his face. "We did have a conversation to finish." 

A short scoff left me. "Are you talking about that conversation right before we got in the carriage? Because I don't believe there is anything further to discuss."

His brow furrowed. "Aphry, I need you to be careful."

"And just allow you to be reckless Draco?" I said in a whispered shout. "This is not just you and me whose lives are at risk. You parents, my father, Snape..."

"Well that's his fault," Draco interrupted with a snap of anger, "he shouldn't have done the unbreakable vow in the first place."

"He's making a huge sacrifice..."

"No," Draco said, interrupting again. "He is trying to steal my glory."

Anger fired within me. "Glory, Draco?" I spat. "That's what you're doing? Killing an innocent man for glory? I thought this was to save the lives of the people you cared about most." The hurt was apparent on my face. How stupid of me for thinking that he was doing this because he held any sort of affection for me.

The anger dropped from his face. "Aphry..."

"Don't," I said softly, holding up my hand. "I don't want to hear it." I took a moment to collect myself, then looked at him with a huff. "Go look for the cabinet. Don't get caught. I'm going back to bed."

Draco looked sorry at that point. Frowning as he looked toward the ground. But the pitiful expression on his handsome face wasn't enough. I turned, walking back to my dorm, and tossing myself around the covers for much longer than I'd like before finally falling asleep.