Witch Me?(Witch or Shadowhunter?Book 2)

Valentine has a Day?

  When February 14 comes around, I wake to Nightmare pawing at my face. I'd sent him home with his new harness a few days ago, knowing my family and friends would want to sent me birthday greetings. I groggily push him off me and sit up, losing the remains of Raziel and the golden haired Jace from my dream. I'd hoped the dreams would give me peace for my birthday, but apparently not. Ms. Know-it-all's bed is empty so I can only assume she's already at breakfast, having returned from the Hospital Wing some time ago and having no need to return. After reading the letters, one each from Grace, Valentine, and my parents, I dress quickly and leave Nightmare to get breakfast. As I get closer to the Great Hall, I begin to notice students leaving in a rush to tell their friends something. Utterly confused, I step into the room and immediately freeze. Struggling to take in all the pink, red, and white decorations and their reason, I slowly make my way to the Gryffindor table. Ms. Know-it-all is practically bursting with excitement and I sit across from her and Mr. Eats-a-lot, ending up next to Mr. Thunderhead. I glance at him curiously and ask, "What's with all the decorations?" While waiting for him to register that I asked a question, I help myself to fluffy pancakes with raspberries. "Don't you know what day it is?" Mr. Eats-a-lot asks me around a mouthful of food. I shrug, "February 14th? The second week of the second month of the year?" I stop myself before adding, "my birthday?" Mr. Thunderhead looks at me in confusion, "um, don't you realize it's Valentine's Day?" Valentine's WHAT???? "Uh, what?" I question, earning gasps all across the Hall. From everyone who hears me in fact. Before any of them can reply, Mr. Bright Teeth begins talking. "Happy Valentine's Day!" he shouts, beaming. I tune him out and turn to the others and demand, "someone PLEASE tell me what this 'Valentine's Day' thing is?" Ms. Know-it-all stares at me strangely for a moment before explaining, "its a day to send love notes, Valentines, to your crush or someone and to hang out with your girlfriend or boyfriend." Shaking my head in confusion and wishing I was at the London Institute instead of here, I return to my breakfast.

  The "cupids" Mr. Bright Teeth hired chase students down all day and I ponder over the idea of glamouring myself. When one of them heads for me at the end of one lesson, I pull Tinea from the shoulder sheath I'm using and hold her readily at my side. Seeing this the dawf holds up its hands in a show of peace and I grimace, lowering but not sheathing the sword. Knowing what I'd readily do, the dawf shakily hands me a 'Valentines' and hurries away. Rolling my eyes and slipping Tinea into her sheath, unnoticed by all but Ms. Know-it-all, I continue on my way to History of Magic. Once I've taken my seat in the classroom, I open up the letter and read it silently. Ms. Know-it-all, next to me, attempts to read it over my shoulder and I shrug her away, reading it out in a whisper for her. "Nightcross, I don't know what you've done to me. All I can think about anymore is you. I never knew anyone could make me feel this way. I want some time with you, without others around. Maybe at the edge of the Forbidden Forest tonight at 9:30? See you then, D.M." Ms. Know-it-all frowns and takes the letter from my hand, "D.M.? Is this from Draco Malfoy?" I shrug and whisper, "duh, who else?" "You mustn't go, he's trying to get you in trouble. In all the years-" I cut off the silly mundane with a wave of my hand. "Of course I know that. I've been sent many love letter, by many different people, and I know how to tell when its fake. The way he called us 'Mudbloods' after those pixies let me know he'd be a hard one to break. But yes, I'm going." After that I take back the letter and ignore her for the rest of the day.

  At 9:20, I slip into one of the couple cheap leather jackets I brought, having not thought about my gear. Ms. Know-it-all, the only other girl awake in our dormitory, glares at me from her bed. Turning my back to her, I apply a glamour rune to my right wrist and shake out my hair. "I know you can see me, because you have the Sight, but none of the other stupid mundanes at this school can see me now," I say, turning back around. She grunts in reply, obviously wanting me to stay but having no way to make me, especially since I no longer need tutored. Shrugging, I step out the door and make my way through the castle, only having the slightest trouble with teachers posted guard from the Chamber of Secrets attacks. I silently make my way across the grounds towards the Forbidden Forest, listening to the slight sounds of hunting vampires. My demon blood does heighten my sight, but not enough at night, so I pull out my steele and apply a quick Night Vision rune. The Mark burns against my elbow as its affects start working. I spot someone with blonde hair just inside the Forest, and don't realize who it is until I'm much closer. I pause and glance towards the castle quickly before steeping over to the tall figure. "Valentine, what are you doing here?" I hiss quietly. In mock shock Valentine places a hand over his mouth, "am I not allowed to visit my favorite experiment where she's stuck with mundanes 24/7?" Rolling my eyes, I glance towards the castle again and spot Draco slipping through the shadows. "Look, its good to see you and all, but I've gotta go, sorry." I turn away from Valentine, figuring it best to not tell him about "Valentine's Day", and step back out of the trees. 

  Draco pauses a yard or two away and glances around, obviously looking for me. Swiftly disabling the glamour I walk over to him, coming from behind. "Hey Drake, what's up?" I say in a sickly giggly voice. He jumps about a foot in the air and spins around, eyes round as watermelons. "Don't sneak up on me like that! And were where you, I couldn't see you?" He demands, glancing around. I shrug and point towards the treeline, catching a glimpse of glowing eyes and barely containing my fury. Walking back towards the Forest, I unsheathe my non-glamoured short sword in my left hand and a dagger in my right. I stalk towards the wolf, not once taking my eyes of it. Suddenly the eyes rise and darken and I charge, or attempt to. Draco freaking Malfoy, an idiotic mundane, grabs my upper arm just as the human werewolf vanishes. I spin on him before I can even process what happened and lash out, slicing his cheek with my dagger. Fury and hate blind me as I take deeps breaths and he raises a hand to the cut, eyes wider then when I surprised him. Slowly I come to my senses and realize what I did, and let out a screech so demon-like I almost don't realize it was me. Draco backs up, eyes glistening with tears of pain, as I slump to the ground, Tinea thumping down beside me. Numbly I slip my wand from my robe and mutter a healing spell, not even looking up at him. After a moment of my body being racked by silent sobs, the Slytherin Prince kneels next to me and drapes his arm around my shoulders hesitantly. I slowly raise my head and meet his gaze, not daring to look at his cheek and the scar I undoubtedly just gave him. "What just happened there?" He questions me in a whisper, still in obvious shock. After fumbling for words for a moment, I manage to get out, "Shadowhunter.....mandate.....I just...b..broke it!" When he stares at me blankly I guess I must've spoken in a different language by accident, and try again. "Mandate...protect...broken...life purpose..." I break off and gasp, shuddering uncontrollably, and only his arm keeps me upright. Closing my eyes, I breathe in and force out one last word, "leave." To my relief and expectation, he listens, making his way up to the school, and I lay down. Staring at the night sky, unglamoured, gasping for breathe, and still shuddering, I feel myself lose consciousness as my previously slightly pointed teeth sharpen against my lip.