Till Death Do Us Part

22 ~ beauty and brains

For the next few weeks, Vienna was sure to maintain her friendship with Harry. They never repeated what had happened that night, but she just wanted to keep him at arms length so he was in her grasp when she needed to use him.

She was a clever girl. She knew how to play the field and use everyone around her as a pawn. She had the beauty and the brains, and she knew how to use both of them to her advantage.

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer is what she lived by.

However, her friendship with Harry angered the Slytherins. All they wanted was to have her back with them. They missed competing for her because all three of them did want to win her over from one another.

One day, however, Vienna arrived to History of Magic alone and without Harry. Blaise smiled at her as she took her seat beside him. Of the three Slytherins, he was the most calm and collected.

"Morning, Vienna," he said.

"Blaise! Hi!" she exclaimed. "I feel like it has been forever."

He smiled gently and nodded. She appreciated that he did not grill her about being friends with Harry. There were reasons for the friendship and she enjoyed that he did not try and nosey his way into knowing every thing.

"Me too. How are you feeling about classes?" he asked.

"Good, good! We need to get together sometime again," she said.

"I agree. We do have a potions exam coming up... maybe we could study for that together?" he asked.

"That would be amazing. How about this weekend? In the library."

As she spoke, Pansy and Theo took their seats. "Would not miss it!" Theo exclaimed. "I've been waiting to hangout with my favorite Ravenclaw."

Vienna glanced at him with a small smile and laughed. "You two are more than welcome to join too."

However, she knew if they were there, not as much would get done, so when leaving class that day, she caught up to Blaise.

"Blaise!" she called as she hurried up to him.

He stopped and turned, and smiled at her as she approached. "Dumont." They began to walk down the hall together.

"Would you want to meet an hour or two before we study with them so we can get more done? I know they won't want to study as much as we will."

"I am actually so happy you asked that because I knew very little would get done. We can go to my dorm then beforehand?"

"That would be great. I'll see you around 4:00 on Saturday then?" she asked.

"Sounds perfect. See you then."

-

Following that same day, Vienna made her way deep into the castle, which is something she does a couple of nights a week so she can check on the Cabinet. She entered the Room of Requirement and made her way inside to where the Cabinet was.

To her surprise, Draco was in there working. Usually, he does not work on it midday. However, she did not mind, so she approached and sat down on the couch beside the Cabinet. Sensing her presence, he turned to look at her, and the usual look of disgust formed on his face.

"Tired of hanging around Potter so you have to come pester me now?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Like I'd stoop so low."

"What're you implying?" he asked.

She smiled innocently at him. "Nothing, Draco, nothing."

He grimaced at her before turning back to the Cabinet. "Just know, Potter is the enemy. I think it's dumb that you have been following him around like a lost puppy dog. What will the Dark Lord think when he hears his perfect, little follower is riding the enemies dick?"

Vienna chuckled softly as she sat back and crossed her legs. "He won't be upset when I tell him the enemy suspects one of his followers of being a Death Eater. You suck at staying undercover," she said.

Draco whipped around with wide eyes. His cheeks were red as he stared at her. "What do you mean!? Did you tell him!? Dumont, I swear, what the fuck did you do!?"

She stuck her hands up in the hair. "Whoa, Draco, you are so hostile. Take a breather!"

"Don't be a bitch, what the fuck did you do!?"

"You are so bitchy all the time, Draco," she teased. "I would never say such a thing. I like to up the stakes for myself. Makes me work a little harder, you know?" she asked with a smirk while leaning forward.

"Work harder?" he asked. "You are lazy. What have you done towards the task?"

"Um, found out that your enemy thinks you are shifty and a part of the Dark Side? So you're welcome."

He glared at her. "Are you trying to get me killed?"

"What kind of question is that?" she asked. "I actually just helped you so now you know to stop acting so shifty."

He stayed quiet, just glaring at her, unsure of how to respond.

"You can thank me by finishing the Cabinet," she said.

"You treat me like I'm you're slave."

She smiled. "You are! Ultimately, whoever finishes off Dumbledore wins; that is what really matters, so once that is all said and done, I'll strike because I know you do not have the courage to fulfill that part of the task."

"Who says I won't? You underestimate me so much."

"I underestimate you because you shake every time you enter the meeting room. You can't look the Dark Lord in the eye and you sure as hell are not proud of the mark. No one sees you as a threat. Not even Harry. You are a weakling."

He crossed his arms and gazed at her. "And what have you done that proves you are so strong? All you have on your resume is that you fucked the enemy. How would your papa feel about his little girl doing that?"

She stood up suddenly and closed the gap between him and herself. He towered over her but she did not care. He did not scare her.

"Don't bring my family into this. Getting in with Harry will bring us so many advantages. I will do what I have to do, and he likes me enough to cough up info. Maybe you should try being likable and gather information. You fixing the Cabinet will not matter when you are dead," she bit.

"Did I hit a nerve?" he asked with a soft smirk. "When I come out on top, your family won't care about you anymore because you will have lost. You are a loser, Dumont. You may not see it now, but I do. Your reputation will be diminished when I come out on top."

She scoffed. "No need to talk about reputations when you are suspected of being a Death Eater. You are a coward and the loser. Now get back to work and I'll see you later, bye Draco."

As she walked away, he shook his head because she underestimates him so much. She is so cocky. She thinks she has the beauty and the brains, but she does not, and she has yet to realize that working for the Dark Side is not glorious. She is manipulative and he hates the fact that everyone at Hogwarts falls at her feet because she is a loser. She has yet to realize it, but he cannot wait for the day she does, because all she is, is a cocky brat.