Lust, War, and... Love?

Chapter 21: Slytherin Manoeuvres

     Draco leaned against the back of his chair. He had completed several feet of essays for Transfiguration and Charms, which gave him a pleasant feeling of accomplishment. There were still two texts to translate for Ancient Runes, and a past due assignment for DADA, but it was major progress, nevertheless.

He looked around the Slytherin Common Room. At this late hour it was almost empty, except for three Second Years engrossed in a game of Exploding Snap. Draco put on a mean face and Accio'd their cards. When the boys jumped to their feet, he barked at them to quit fooling around and go to bed in an instant. The students didn't dare to argue with him and scurried off to their dorm.

Draco sent the cards to the blazing fireplace, where they erupted in merry sparks. He stretched out in his chair and reached for one more donut on a plate next to his parchments.

It was good to finally have the Slytherin Common Room all to himself.

Draco surveyed his DADA assignment. Knowing he would be handing it in late, he couldn't expect a good mark for it. Whatever. His marks hadn't been stellar lately, anyway. In fact, they did not hit rock bottom only thanks to Granger's generous assistance. A mushy feeling filled his heart when he thought of Hermione. Merlin's bloody pants, she was brilliant both in bed and in studies.

His visit to Snape two days before turned out better than Draco expected. The teacher was about to leave for a meeting in Dumbledore's office, and he wasted no time on discussing the issue with Draco. Snape dished out a curt permission right away, before bolting down the corridor.

Draco waited till the next day to write his Mum, making sure she'd hear from Snape before her son's news arrived. As he expected, she gave him a blanket approval for whatever holiday plans he had.

Auntie Bella issued a few shrieks through the enchanted Galleons, but Draco suggested that she should go and talk to Snape. In addition, Draco pointed out that he would do a much better service for Lord Voldemort by repairing The Vanishing Cabinet than by participating in the Christmas party plans. Anyone could do the job of kidnapping the Muggle kids just fine, right?

A door formed in the stone wall. To Draco's displeasure, several girls came into the Common Room: Pansy, Millicent, Daphne and her younger sister, Astoria. All of them, except Pansy, headed straight to the dorms. Draco braced himself for another round of fending his fiancée off.

"I've made up my mind," Pansy said cryptically, as she settled in a chair next to him. "Mum agrees, wholeheartedly."

"Agrees with what?" Draco replied, pointedly staring into his parchments.

"With my holiday plans." Pansy plucked a donut from the plate.

She didn't even bother to ask for permission, Draco thought with disgust. Pansy was acting as if she was entitled to whatever he had, and it irked Draco a great deal. Hermione was more considerate and asked him first, even given the fact she was on more intimate terms with him than Parkinson.

"Oh. Have fun during the holidays," Draco said flatly. "I'm staying at Hogwarts - Mum wants me to improve my grades next term."

"I know. She already told my Mum." Pansy took a bite of the donut, the fine sugar powder sprinkling on the edge of one of Draco's parchments.

"Scoot over there, okay?" Draco grumbled. "Flitwick subtracts grade points for stains on the homework."

"Guess what? I've got a little holiday surprise for you." Pansy glanced at him flirtatiously, oblivious to his grumpy tone. She swung her straight jet-black hair over her shoulder; her neck was snowy white in comparison with her locks.

"Oh. You mean an early Christmas gift?" Draco wondered what she had in store for him. He doubted it was anything good. "That's sweet, Pansy."

"More than that!" she giggled. "I'm staying at Hogwarts for the break, too!"

Draco struggled not to show his shock at her words. "Are you sure Snape would permit you? Hogwarts isn't safe anymore."

"Mum is going to speak to him in person, tomorrow. She's positive he'll agree."

Bloody Merlin, he'd take anything but this! Draco felt a sudden urge to evaporate Pansy with his wand on the spot.

"I'm going to be busy, Pansy," he stated firmly and reached for another parchment. "I have remedial lessons, and I'm volunteering at the greenhouses, as well."

"You're so hard-working, Draco," Pansy crooned. "That's why I want to be with you - to help my darling fiancé. Want a bite, sweetie? " She brought her half-eaten donut to his chin, making him cringe.

"Don't you see I'm doing my homework!" he snapped, throwing his book on the table.

Pansy's face stiffened, and a dogged determination appeared in her eyes. Her fingers clutched the donut, and she straightened up in her chair.

"We are engaged, aren't we?" Her brittle voice bordered on hysterical. "After all, we belong together!"

Not answering, Draco furiously grabbed a quill, and started translating the Ancient Runes text. But the runic words blurred in his eyes. Why did she have to have this damned sense of entitlement? "Is - is the other girl staying at Hogwarts too?" Pansy asked in a tone of a wounded animal. "The Mud - Mudblood Granger?"

"Shut up!" Draco yelled. "How can I know about the Mudblood's plans, stupid girl? Go, ask her, okay?"

He pulled the Ancient Runes book closer and peered into his parchment, avoiding a look at Pansy. He heard the chair legs screeching away from the table, then her steps retreating hastily in the direction of the dorms.

Draco stared at his Runic texts and wondered if Snape would give in to Mrs. Parkinson's pressure. His cursed Mum was plotting against him again. Merlin's stinking beard, his parents had trapped him in that engagement, square and good.

He swallowed two more donuts, stared at his DADA textbook but his brain refused to engage in any intellectual activity. He ought to drink a dose of the Calming Draught and hit the sack, he thought.

Draco pointed his wand at the parchments in order to gather them. All of sudden, his wand flew out of his hand. The sheets rose from the table and floated towards the fireplace.

He sprang to his feet to chase his parchments, but a voice from behind halted him. Draco whipped around.

"Stay where you are or your homework will go up in flames!" Theo, who was one of the best at nonverbal spells in Hogwarts, was perched on the arm of a plush armchair. The red Veuve Gauthier box was nestled in the plush seat.

"I've got your wand, Malfoy," a smooth voice poured from another direction. Zabini, his imposing frame nearly filling the doorway, held his and Draco's wands in his dark-skinned hand. A condescending smile curved his full lips. "Let's have a little talk outside, shall we?"

"I'm not going anywhere this late at night!" protested Draco. Why did everyone have to converge upon him at the same time?

Theo waved his wand, and the parchments glided closer to the fire.

"Stop it, damn!" Draco jerked nervously. "I worked on it for five hours straight!" The parchments floated away a couple of feet from the fireplace, and he fell back in his chair. "What do you want from me?"

"Let's go and talk outside," Zabini repeated, his black eyes trained on Draco. "We've got some business to sort out, Malfoy".

Draco gathered his books and quills, his heart heavy with foreboding. If he were about to get beaten up, it would be probably the lesser evil he could expect. His brain was working frantically, searching for a way to get his wand and parchments back, and to wiggle out of the ominous 'talk'.

Finding no better solution, he slapped his school satchel closed, and trudged to the entrance. Zabini strolled after him, his wand pointing at Draco's back. Nott collected the parchments and picked up the bonbons and followed the two of them.

Once settled in a gloomy dungeon classroom, Nott piled up the parchments on a desk and sat down on them, making Draco wince. But with Zabini holding on to his wand, there was little he could do.

"So, what's this all about?" Draco asked, his head cocked and arms folded on his chest.

"It's about your sleazy tactics," announced Nott. "Time to teach you a lesson, Malfoy."
"Get off my back, wanker," growled Draco. "Do you think I don't know what you and Padma are doing during your patrols?"

"And don't you stoop so low to sink your fellow Slytherins for a filthy Mudblood, as you call her?" Theo sent the box circling in the air around Draco, infuriating him further. "What did you put in the bonbons? A potent love potion?"

"I put nothing in them!" Draco attempted to catch the box but it slid away, instantly. Blaise laughed harshly.

"And you'd better mind your place, Zabini!" Draco said in the most threatening tone he could muster. "My family has got some very influentialconnections, you know."

"Your connections will go down the drain once everyone knows you're after a Mudblood!" sneered Nott. "Let's talk about damage control."

"What damage control?" Draco hastily wondered how much Nott and Zabini knew about his affair with Granger. "And what have I done to you, Zabini?"

"I didn't enjoy being questioned by Aurors about why I lurked about the ladies' loo at the Three Broomsticks!" Zabini said coldly. "If you want to peep on Granger in a toilet, don't disguise yourself as me!"

"I didn't lurk about the ladies' loo!" groaned Draco. "I was outside in the corridor!"

"Do you want Peeves to advertise your Peeping Tom inclinations all over the school?" Zabini said menacingly, twiddling the both wands. "He'd be very happy to do it. Especially if it involves Granger."

"I'll kill you!" Draco screamed.

"You know, I might not be returning to Hogwarts after the break," Zabini drawled, giving Nott a very smug look. "Unless you help me with my homework, Malfoy."

"How?" asked Draco, already at the end of his wits.

"Here's the deal," said Blaise. "You do my Potions homework for the rest of the year, and I kindly forget about the episode at the Three Broomsticks."

"I suggest you listen to him," Nott said in a mock paternal tone. "You'll stand a better chance with Granger, if the matter doesn't reach Peeves. Granger isn't very keen on the publicity, as I know."

"How'd you know?" sneered Draco. "Did she tell you her heart's secrets?"

"Actually, we've got a working pact with Granger," Zabini smirked.

"You - you've got an agreement with Granger?" Draco couldn't believe his ears. Merlin's bloody pants, what's going on in this castle?

"As you can see, I'm returning this gift of yours to you, per Granger's personal request," leered Nott, and the box made a circle around Draco's head, nearly hitting him on his nose. "My only wish is that you open it and eat the chocolates in our presence to prove they aren't spiked."

"They aren't!" Draco lunged at the box, but it flew away. "What did Granger tell you about me?"

Nott and Zabini exchanged glances.

"It's confidential," Nott said darkly.

Draco studied their poker faces. Either she blabbed a good deal to them, or the blokes bluffed, he thought. Most likely the latter. Draco resolved to play the game too. After all, doing some homework for Zabini wasn't the worst outcome.

"All right, I guess things turned out differently than I thought." Draco was stalling the matter, trying to figure out his best strategy. "Who knew that the Katie Bell accident would happen the same day, right?"

"Accident or no accident, you had no right to act like that in my disguise!" Zabini retorted angrily.

"All right, all right," Draco pushed ahead. "I'll do your Potions homework, and we keep it mum. I know that you're pawing a Gryffindor girl at night."

"I trust you'll do my homework properly," hissed Zabini. "No shoving it off to Crabbe or Goyle!"

"How about my getting Granger to do some of your homework?" Draco tossed his words, waiting for the effect.

"That's rich, Malfoy!" smirked Nott. "Doubt Granger would ever listen to you, unless you Polyjuice yourself into Potty!"

"Ha!" Draco said triumphantly. "Now, give me the chocolates. If I act normal after eating them, you'll forget what happened, Nott. Otherwise, want me to set Thornton on Zabini some night?"

"I'm not responsible for Blaise's antics," Nott said flatly. "Eat the bonbons. I'm not forgetting anything, yet." The box landed on the floor in front of Draco, which he pried open.

Zabini shot a dirty look at Nott. "I'd agree in your place!"

"Okay, I could let it slip out that two Slytherins ganged up with Potty's best friend." Draco mused, as he plucked a flavourful bonbon out of the box. "The Slytherin girls will be so thrilled. Old Nott would be plain excited. Even better, two Pure-bloods are hobnobbing with Dumbledore Army members. Remember, you sink me, and I'll sink you too, Nott."

Draco eyed the boys. Zabini's dark-skinned face was overcome with thought, and Nott stared at the opened red box.

The rich fragrance of the finest chocolate and truffle filling spread in the dark room, completely expelling the stale and mushy odour. Draco plucked another gleaming dark brown nugget and popped it in his mouth. Nott and Zabini followed his movement with their eyes. Draco ate one more bonbon, savouring its titillating taste, sweet, tangy and sensuous.

"Well?" Draco asked; his gaze trained on Zabini and Nott.

"All right, we accept," nodded Nott. "Have the box, and we count on each other's silence."

"The homework thing is still in force," interjected Zabini.

"No argument," affirmed Draco, and remembered his earlier talk to Pansy. He'd better be on good terms with the boys in case he needed their help, Draco thought. "Don't you think Pansy is nuts lately?"

"Your fiancée?" Nott smirked. "Well, if you're chasing Granger. . ."

"Seems everyone in Hogwarts thinks I'm after the Mudblood!" grumbled Draco, collecting his parchments.

"Only those who pay attention," Zabini said smugly, handing the wand back to Draco. "And Parkinson pays a lot of attention!"

"Too bad for her!" grunted Draco.

"My advice? Try to distract her with something," said Nott.

"Like what?" asked Draco. "Doubt anything would help. She's obsessed."

"Set Goyle or Crabbe with flowers in hand upon her," snickered Zabini, heading out of the dungeon.

They sneaked back to the dorms, and soon everyone was fast asleep in their beds except Draco. He lay awake, thoughts rambling in his mind.

He wondered if Granger could have any ideas what to do about Pansy, and resolved to talk to her during their regular Saturday date. A girl could figure out another girl much better. Then his mind drifted to The Vanishing Cabinet and Zabini's cursed homework. Thank Merlin, Nott did not impose anything on him, but he still had to be careful with Theo.

Draco grunted and turned under his duvet, conjuring a long line of sheep in his mind.

After counting up to two hundred eighty-nine sheep, he gave up and reached for the bottle of the Calming Draught. Not bothering to conjure a tablespoon and measure the dose, he took two big gulps from the bottle. In a few minutes, he drifted into a dreamless slumber.