The Fall of Darkness

Chapter 4

Harry clutched his wand, glancing frantically at his friends who had the same looks on their faces. Together they'd defeated the most powerful Dark Wizard ever and, together, they'd fallen into a trap set by a child not old enough to even attend school. Harry heard the man move, quickly, and he could determine where he was in the room. He quickly rose to shoot a stunning spell at him, firing it silently. He gasped as great, white, wings spread out in front of the man- striking them and falling useless. Harry knew he should be hiding, should duck back down- every Auror instinct he had was screaming at him that he was in danger, but he couldn't move. He just stared, straight into the piercing blue (and seriously pissed) eyes of Narcissa Malfoy.

"Harry Potter- *WHAT* are you *doing*?!" she snapped, her wings fluttering softly in sort of a threat. Narcissa had saved his life in the Forbidden Forrest, and she didn't appear to be trying to hurt him now. Cautiously, he stood, to face the angry Malfoy. Ron and Hermione hissed at him to get down, carefully rising to see who Harry was talking to.

"Narcissa," Harry said, "that was not meant for you... I'm sorry."

"Oh, I know it wasn't meant for me, Harry," she said, her wings folding quietly back into her back. "I just came to see my son, and child, and when I came through the Floo you're shooting curses at him. Honestly, I thought there wasn't going to be any more of this." she snapped, folding her arms tightly across her chest.

Harry peered over her shoulder to see the man, Draco Malfoy, holding Kestral close to his chest, his back turned. He held a stance of protection over the child. Now, he was glancing over his shoulder, furious.

"Kestral," he said, "room. now." and he released her. She burst out into tears and ran off and Narcissa clucked at him, showing disapproval.

"Draco, the child didn't do any harm." she crooned, reaching out to touch his arm. He jerked away angrily.

"Yes, she did." Draco snapped, and then seeing the look she gave him, bowed his head slightly, "Kestral brought *them* here mother, she's been out to Honeydukes today. I should have known she was up to something."

"She was bringing us here to get help," Hermione offered, coming out from behind her and Ron's shelter. Ron grabbed for her but she quickly moved away, "from her uncle."

"I'm her Uncle, Granger. Her godfather. *What* is it that you need? I can get you any type of healing potion, how serious is the illness or injury?" Draco snapped, moving behind the counter and looking very irritated.

"You... you're a Veela, Malfoy?" Harry asked, stepping forward.

"I am." Draco bit out, looking anywhere but at Harry.

"I didn't know..." Harry said, attempting to apologize, "I just saw the Dark Mark... the Death Eaters are helping the Veela's attack people," Harry sighed, exasperated at his own choice of words, "the other Death Eaters, I mean."

"We didn't know Malfoy, we're sorry." Hermione said. Ron rolled his eyes and she glared at him.

"Well, that has nothing to do with me. What sort of healing potion do you need?"

"Round and round and round," Narcissa muttered, "I am going to check on Kestral. I suggest you apologize for yelling at her later Draco." she said, sweeping from the room elegantly.

"We don't need a bloody healing potion," Ron snapped, grabbing onto Hermione and Harry's arms and attempting to drag them out the door, "we don't need anything from *you*, Ferret."

"Ronald!" Hermione snapped, pulling her arm free. Harry also pulled himself free, approaching the counter where Malfoy stood.

"Look, Malfoy, we're desperate. Kestral said you knew how to take out the... other Veelas... you're really a Veela?" Harry asked, still shocked. Draco scowled at him, pulling himself up a bit straighter.

"She did, did she?" he said, glaring toward the door his mother had just swept through, "well, I do. Oh, and *yes* Potter, I am a Veela."

"Can we see your wings?" Harry asked, curious as to what they'd look like. Every Veela he'd seen so far had different wings. He wondered why he'd never seen Malfoy's, he'd certainly made him mad enough.

Hermione gasped, and covered her face with both hands, groaning. Ron turned bright red and spluttered a bit. Harry scowled at them, not understanding and looked back at Draco who stood there, mouth gaping open. Quickly, he recovered and leaned in,

"Not even going to take me to dinner first or anything?" he leered, sneering. Hermione groaned again,

"He doesn't know, Malfoy. Merlin, Harry, you can't just go about asking to see Veela's wings. They don't bring them out for just anything you know. Goodness." she sighed, turning bright red and peering at him through his fingers,

"Why not?" Harry asked, looking between the three.

"Mate, it's like asking him for a lap dance. I asked Fleur that once and Bill broke my nose over it. You just can't do that." Ron said, snickering a bit. Harry visibly paled and then blushed a bit, turning to look back at the youngest Malfoy,

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, "I really didn't know, I was just curious." He quickly glared back at his two snickering best friends, glaring.

"It's okay, Potter, you didn't know. You're certainly not the first. Besides, I don't have any." Draco said, smiling. He found it sort of funny too. "Now, what did you need?"

"Help with the Veelas that are attacking everyone," Hermione said softly, taking a seat at the counter along side Harry, she looked very sad, "if you can provide it. I hope I'm not being too personal... but you said you don't have wings?"

"All Veela have wings." Ron said defiantly, coming to stand behind his wife.

Draco paled a bit, wincing, and took a few deep breaths.

"They were taken from me. In our sixth year, a wing removing spell, and since I hadn't mated with my Chosen, I lived," he said, so softly they almost didn't hear them, "and I suppose I can teach you a few spells to at least defend yourself."

"Merlin, Draco... do you mind if I call you Draco? It's polite, afterall, and you're helping us..." Hermione said, her eyes wide, he nodded his consent, "I'm sorry. I know it doesn't mean much, but... I've been reading all I can on Veela since all this started. I know what they must have meant to you..."

"It's okay, I suppose." he shrugged, "I have a picture somewhere... I'll show it to you if I can find it." Ron scoffed at him and Draco scowled, "it's not sexual if *I* offer, Weasley, only if she does." Draco began rummaging through several drawers nearby, making a strange sound,

"What is that noise you're making?" Harry asked, peering over to look at him.

"Crooning." Draco said, over his shoulder, "I don't do it on purpose, it's just a sound, because I'm thinking."

"They make a lot of sounds similar to birds," Hermione said, "though I've never heard many of them. The warble is supposed to be very pretty."

Draco stood, holding a box of photos and sat it on the counter, pulling a chair to him without looking at it. Ron started,

"How did you do that Malfoy?"

"Do what?" Draco asked, looking slightly shocked, unsure that he'd done anything.

"The chair. I saw both of your hands, your wand is right there. How'd you move it?" Ron said accusingly. Draco scowled and his tail raised above the counter, twisting in a carefree sort of way before spinning around and emitting a crack much like a whip.