Stars Go Blue: Chapter 15
Standard Disclaimer applies. Mature.
Draco Malfoy stood in shock, staring in disbelief at the words that had just escaped from Wonderboy's lips.
"You need our help?"
"Yes," Hermione answered for Harry, "and we need this room to be more efficient for a meeting."
No sooner had she spoken than there came a thud from behind Draco. The piano had promptly disappeared at Hermione's words, and Mara had been left sitting on air.
Draco glared at Hermione, who looked sheepish, and then he turned to help Mara to her feet. Standing together, blond and brunette surveyed the room.
Before them sat a small round table with 5 chairs. In front of all the chairs sat a cup of steaming tea, and before one chair there was a long piece of parchment and a quill. Hermione immediately moved to sit at the paper, with Ron and Harry flanking her. Mara stood silently, waiting for Draco to choose which of the last seats to take, and sat down beside Harry after Draco warily sat next to Ron.
"First of all," Hermione easily slid into the role of group leader, "Harry needs to say something."
"Malfoy... I'm sorry."
Draco smirked, "As you should be. Even you should have too much respect for these beautiful features to harm them."
Mara hit Draco softly, causing him to smirk even wider.
Harry took a deep breath, and turned to Mara.
"Mara. I have struggled to figure out where you fit in all of this. I thought that I had it all figured out, and then you met with Voldemort. And now... well, now I've ruined things for you... and put you in a lot of danger. For that, all I can do is apologize... and offer protection as best as I can give."
Draco felt a surge of anger at Harry's words. He wanted to offer Mara protection? What right did he have to do that?
"Aren't you a little busy with the whole 'I must kill the Dark Lord' thing, Potter?"
Mara looked at Draco a bit in shock at the ice behind his words. She knew that the two boys hadn't ever gotten along that well, but this was a tone she'd never heard from Draco before.
"What do you suggest then, Malfoy?"
Draco never hesitated, but merely looked his childhood nemesis in the eyes; steely grey-blue and vivid green locked in a battle that said nothing verbally, but at the same time spoke very clearly.
After a moment, Harry turned away.
"Alright then," he said, "that's settled."
"Indeed," drawled Draco, as Ron, Mara and Hermione looked at each other in confusion.
"Did either of you ever think that maybe I don't need protection?" Mara looked back and forth between the two boys who shared another look.
After an awkward silence, Hermione spoke up again.
"The second item that needs to be discussed is this: How do we stop Hogwarts from being closed because of the perceived danger Mara's identity brings?"
Silence descended once again; four people looking to Mara for an answer.
"There is only one solution," breaking the pregnant pause, Mara shrugged, giving the impression of indifference.
"I shall simply have to leave Hogwarts."
A man sat in a tall chair, his chin resting on his hand, his arm resting upon the table before him. He felt, more than heard, the other man enter.
"I have reached my conclusion, Severus," The Dark Lord spoke without turning to face his servant who stood at the door.
"And, my Lord?"
"She must be brought here for questioning. I will NOT have some little waif of a girl waltz in and abscond with my followers. Even if she IS my granddaughter. You will fetch her."
Severus bowed, and exited the room, already composing his missive to Draco, and leaving the Dark Lord alone.
And as the Dark Lord sat there alone, another man watched him. Watched as he saw the shoulders slump in an uncharacteristic way...
And he knew that the Dark Lord would fall because of his cunning.
Draco Malfoy stood in shock, staring in disbelief at the words that had just escaped from Wonderboy's lips.
"You need our help?"
"Yes," Hermione answered for Harry, "and we need this room to be more efficient for a meeting."
No sooner had she spoken than there came a thud from behind Draco. The piano had promptly disappeared at Hermione's words, and Mara had been left sitting on air.
Draco glared at Hermione, who looked sheepish, and then he turned to help Mara to her feet. Standing together, blond and brunette surveyed the room.
Before them sat a small round table with 5 chairs. In front of all the chairs sat a cup of steaming tea, and before one chair there was a long piece of parchment and a quill. Hermione immediately moved to sit at the paper, with Ron and Harry flanking her. Mara stood silently, waiting for Draco to choose which of the last seats to take, and sat down beside Harry after Draco warily sat next to Ron.
"First of all," Hermione easily slid into the role of group leader, "Harry needs to say something."
"Malfoy... I'm sorry."
Draco smirked, "As you should be. Even you should have too much respect for these beautiful features to harm them."
Mara hit Draco softly, causing him to smirk even wider.
Harry took a deep breath, and turned to Mara.
"Mara. I have struggled to figure out where you fit in all of this. I thought that I had it all figured out, and then you met with Voldemort. And now... well, now I've ruined things for you... and put you in a lot of danger. For that, all I can do is apologize... and offer protection as best as I can give."
Draco felt a surge of anger at Harry's words. He wanted to offer Mara protection? What right did he have to do that?
"Aren't you a little busy with the whole 'I must kill the Dark Lord' thing, Potter?"
Mara looked at Draco a bit in shock at the ice behind his words. She knew that the two boys hadn't ever gotten along that well, but this was a tone she'd never heard from Draco before.
"What do you suggest then, Malfoy?"
Draco never hesitated, but merely looked his childhood nemesis in the eyes; steely grey-blue and vivid green locked in a battle that said nothing verbally, but at the same time spoke very clearly.
After a moment, Harry turned away.
"Alright then," he said, "that's settled."
"Indeed," drawled Draco, as Ron, Mara and Hermione looked at each other in confusion.
"Did either of you ever think that maybe I don't need protection?" Mara looked back and forth between the two boys who shared another look.
After an awkward silence, Hermione spoke up again.
"The second item that needs to be discussed is this: How do we stop Hogwarts from being closed because of the perceived danger Mara's identity brings?"
Silence descended once again; four people looking to Mara for an answer.
"There is only one solution," breaking the pregnant pause, Mara shrugged, giving the impression of indifference.
"I shall simply have to leave Hogwarts."
A man sat in a tall chair, his chin resting on his hand, his arm resting upon the table before him. He felt, more than heard, the other man enter.
"I have reached my conclusion, Severus," The Dark Lord spoke without turning to face his servant who stood at the door.
"And, my Lord?"
"She must be brought here for questioning. I will NOT have some little waif of a girl waltz in and abscond with my followers. Even if she IS my granddaughter. You will fetch her."
Severus bowed, and exited the room, already composing his missive to Draco, and leaving the Dark Lord alone.
And as the Dark Lord sat there alone, another man watched him. Watched as he saw the shoulders slump in an uncharacteristic way...
And he knew that the Dark Lord would fall because of his cunning.