The Half-Blood Black

Chapter Twenty-One✨

My eyes flutter open as I gasp and sit up, my hair falling in front of my eyes in a black curtain. I take deep breaths to calm myself and squeeze my eyes shut, slowly pushing my hair back. The last thing I need right now is a giant mat on the top of my head. Bright light filters into an already stark white room, blue curtains hanging around me. A wet rag falls into my lap and I throw it off of me onto the ground. 

My head is fuzzy and my eyes hurt at the lights. Confusion stops me from thinking about where I am or how I ended up here and I can't stop this incessant pounding in my head. I roll my head on my neck and swing my legs over the edge, pins and needles prickling my toes as I plant them on the floor. It takes all my arm strength to pull open the curtain next to me, where I find a boy with blondish brown hair sitting up with a toad in his hands. 

"Hey, sorry to disturb you, but I--" I start. 

"I've been wondering when you would wake up. Neville Longbottom, son of Alice and Frank Longbottom." he sighs and reaches to close the curtain in my face. "I'm sure your Slytherin counterparts could tell you all about them. Anyway..."

And he does. He closes the curtain right in my face. 

"You collapsed." someone to the right of me says.

My heart beings to beat fast and I crane my heavy head slowly, the room spinning again. Draco Malfoy sits on a chair next to my bed, with the open Book of Black in his lap. He leans back lazily and looks at me that suggests half concern half boredom. How he manages to always come off so cocky I'll never know. 

"Why are you here?" I ask him, stretching my arms above my head and groaning. "And what the fuck did they do to me?"

"You fell on me, plus Professor Snape did assign me to watch you all the time. So I am pretty much obligated to be here. Madame Pomfrey, if you remember her, gave you something to calm you down. You were hyperventilating in your sleep. You've been in and out of consciousness for a while. Eyes rolling back into your head and all that." He pauses and looks down. "I was also worried about you."

My hospital gown falls under my knees and I try to ignore the numbing sensation in my feet. Some drug. I shuffle to where he sits on the chair and rip my book from his hands. "How much of this did you see?"

"Belvina Black, 1886 to 1962. Married Herbert Burke, two sons and one daughter." He hesitates. "The Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. Your principles are close to my fathers."

"There is no 'your' anything." I swing my black coat around my shoulders. If this school didn't have enough to say about me, they will once word spreads I walked through the castle in my hospital gown and grippy socks. "But I'm not surprised. I haven't made it very far but I can't think of one good thing about anyone in that book. Funny how that works."

"Listen, I didn't have to wait here for you." He hands me my book bag and I take it grudgingly, shuffling towards the exit. He groans and I hear his shiny shoes clicking on the tile behind me. "I did it out of the kindness of my heart. If you're going to be like this, then next time I'll let you crack your skull on the floor." 

"Maybe then your voice wouldn't be knocking through my skull like a quaffle." I sigh and turn around, weak already. Draco is finally opening up to me, I can't mess this up now. A friendship built on secrets and lies is better than nothing at all, I guess. And I could really use a hand getting back to Gryffindor Tower. 

"What, you want to see my face while you berate me some more?" He asks as he walks past me, turning on his heal to walk backwards as he does. "I am so sick of your mood swings, Black. Do you want me or not?"

Malfoy's voice bounces around my heat and that bloody light is killing my eyes. 

"Will you please help me back to Gryffindor Tower?" I ask with a sigh. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm just ... not feeling well. I would really appreciate it." He doesn't seem convinced, so I drop my book bag for dramatic effect. "I'll even tell Snape you spoon fed me soup if it helps?"

Finally, he scuffs, and comes back to wrap an arm around my waist, picking up my book bag as he does. Against my better judgement, I slump against him. We gain much more ground this way, the empty halls a welcome greeting. I let out a sigh of relief, if he notices he doesn't say anything. We continue up the stairs slowly and in silence, stopping every now and then as I slowly gain my strength back. 

Draco suddenly stops, pulling me behind a large drape. I open my mouth to ask him what he is doing but he puts his hand over my mouth. My eyes grow wide as fear pulses through me, battling with the after effects of the drug Madame Pomfrey gave me. 

"Go to the Yule Ball with me." He whispers. "Please."

"Are you fucking crazy?" I rip his hand off my mouth, holding his wrist in my hand. His pale skin grows red and I stop myself from calling him a sociopath. "I'm ... I'm sorry. I just, what?"

"Go to the Yule Ball with me. Not because you lost the duel--"

"-- I didn't lose the duel--"

"-- not because you don't have anyone else, not because of any other reason besides you want to come with me."

I shake my head and say, "Listen, Malfoy, I understand that Snape has set you up to be my guardian and all that, but really you don't need to do this. I know you think it's the right thing to do and all, but don't do it out of pity." 

I pick my words carefully, stroking his ego. He needs to think he's the dominant one, that he is in charge here. A white knight rescuing the pitiful lonely girl. 

But by God does it feel good to dream. The Yule Ball? Dancing, drinking, fancy finger foods. A long ball gown and heels. I let myself imagine it for a moment as he stares at me in silence. Cedric may even save me a dance, and the look that Cho would give me alone is enough to convince me. But it's his move, I have to let him think he's saving me. 

"I want to bring you, Lyra. Screw Snape, screw Gryffindor, screw them all. If you make me get onto my knees, I will be thoroughly mad. And it will ruin my moment. Please, I want to. I want to go with you."

There it is. 

I've got him right where I want him. I procure a coy smile and lean into him, burying my head in his chest as his arms come around me. Draco lets out a sigh of relief and I take the chance to lean in closer to him. I've got him now, from here I just have to play my part right. Choose my words carefully, watch who I speak to around him. If I eat out his hand, I'll have him eating out of mine.