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Chapter Nineteen
Hogsmeade Dawn was putting the finishing touches on her make-up the next morning when there was a knock at her door. She called out a quick, “Come in,” and began applying her lipstick. “Are you ready to go?” She heard Ginny ask. “Actually, I’m going with someone else today, Gin. I hope you guys don’t mind.” “It wouldn’t happen to be a certain blond Slytherin now would it?” Ginny asked as she sat on the bed. “Yes, it is.” Dawn said laughing. “Is Harry allowed to go yet?” “I think so,” Ginny said hopefully. Dawn looked at her sharply and stated, “You still like him.” Ginny felt a light blush creep onto her cheeks. “Kind of.” “What do you mean kind of? You either do or you don’t.” “I do, but I know it’s hopeless. He’ll forever see me as little Ginny, Ron’s baby sister.” “Never give up hope. Spike loved Buffy from afar for years until she finally came to her senses and look at them now.” “If you say so.” “Of course I say so.” Dawn gave herself a final look over in the mirror then grabbed Ginny’s hand and pulled her toward the door. “Don’t worry. I’ll come up with a plan that will cause Harry to fall head over heals for you.” “But what if he only likes me cause he can’t have you?” Ginny asked fearfully. Dawn stopped in the doorway and looked Ginny in the eye. “Once I devise a plan and put it in action, he’ll be saying Dawn who. Got it?” “Got it,” Ginny replied uncertainly. “Now, I have to continue my own plan of getting a man,” Dawn said eagerly. “He’ll never know what hit him,” Ginny giggled. They were still giggling as they exited the Tower. “What’s so funny?” “Nothing Draco. Ginny was just telling me a funny story about Ron,” Dawn said between giggles. The blond just quirked an eyebrow that clearly said he didn’t believe her, but dropped the subject. “Are you ready?” “Yeah. I’ll see you there, Gin.” “ Have fun,” Ginny said with a smirk. Dawn shot her a look that clearly told her to shut up then cheerfully took Draco’s arm. He gave her a strange look then began leading her down the hallway. They soon made it to where the rest of the students were waiting for the carriages to carry them around the lake. They drifted over to Buffy and Spike. “So, did you convince Dumbledore?” Dawn asked. “Yeah. Took forever to talk Albus into it. I know he’s worried about the kid, but he can’t protect him forever.” Spike replied. “We just have to accompany Harry everywhere.” Dawn felt a tug on her arm and then Draco whispered in her ear. “Since Potter’s going, I guess you don’t need me.” He began to pull away and Dawn tightened her grip on his arm to stop him. “I’m already with who I want to be,” she said, then flashed him a dazzling smile. Draco swore he could feel his heart beating in his throat. Was she really choosing him over Saint Potter? He couldn’t say anything, only stare at her in amazement. She laughed and pulled him toward an empty carriage that had arrived without him noticing. They had just gotten seated next to each other when Ginny and Hermione climbed in and sat opposite of them. “Aren’t you suppose to be with Potter and the other Weasley?” “Harry has to ride with Buffy and Spike and Ron decided to accompany them. Therefore we had to choose a different carriage. Merlin only knows why Ginny chose this one.” Hermione replied in a slightly condescending tone. Dawn, in the mean time, had been sending Ginny looks that clearly told her to behave herself. The redhead just smirked back at her and turned to Draco. “So Malfoy. Where are you planning to take Dawn today?” She asked in a voice oozing with politeness. He looked at her suspiciously and slowly said, “don’t know. Haven’t really decided.” Ginny feigned an innocent look. “Surely you’ll take her to Three Broomsticks and buy her a butterbeer.” “The thought crossed my mind,” he said even slower than his last statement. He was trying very hard to figure out where she was going with all this. This had been the most the girl had ever said to him at one time. By this time Hermione was giving them both queer looks, especially Ginny. She looked over at Dawn to see if she was just as confused but saw that her face had turned a deep red. Comprehension began to emerge in Hermione’s mind. “Oh, and you have to make sure that you take her to Honeydukes! Cause girls just love candy,” Ginny was gushing. Hermione was finding it hard not to laugh at everyone’s expressions. Ginny was a picture of sweet innocence that Draco looked suitably suspicious about. And Dawn. Poor Dawn looked like she was about to suffer an apoplexy. The bushy haired brunette decided to take pity on her fellow Gryffindor and placed a hand on Ginny’s arm to signal her to stop. Ginny flashed a smile that could have rivaled Dawn’s from earlier and finished by saying, “I bet you two will have a lot of fun together today. Maybe we’ll see you around.” Dawn sent her a look that clearly said not if I can help it. Before long Dawn’s face returned to it’s natural color and she regained her voice. “So what do you guys have planned today?” She asked. “I need to pick up some things at Dervish and Banges for a class,” Hermione said. “Ron and I are going to stop in Zonko’s Joke Shop to see Fred and George,” Ginny said excitedly. About that time the carriage came to a stop at the edge of Hogsmeade and they all climbed out. Ginny and Hermione began looking for Harry and Ron when Dawn said, “See you guys around!” Then she and Draco headed down the street. Again Dawn slipped her arm into Draco’s and asked, “So where to first?” Draco knew that Dawn was oblivious to the stares they were receiving, but he keenly felt them. He knew everyone was trying to figure out why he, a Malfoy, was willingly spending time with a mudblood. But he knew the reason why, because he loved her. Not that he was ready to admit that to her or anyone else. She didn’t see his fortune, past, or prestige. What she saw was him now and what he could possibly become. She was giving him the opportunity to show her the real him, not the façade he had created. He suddenly gave her a true smile and said, “Let’s just wander and stop wherever you would like.” Dawn felt a warm tingle in her stomach as she was graced with one of his rare smiles. “Then let’s start with Three Broomsticks since it’s first and I’m a little thirsty.” They quickly entered and took a small booth in the corner. Draco went to the bar and soon came back with a butterbeer for each of them. “You didn’t have to do that,” Dawn said. “Yeah I did,” Draco said shyly. The two suddenly found themselves alone together and realized that neither had a good idea of how to start a conversation. Most of their time spent around each other had been during classes, training, or scooby meetings. They knew so little of each other that they didn’t know where to begin. Dawn began to think that maybe she should have at least brought someone else along so that the conversation could at least begin. Little did she know that Draco was thinking along the same lines. “So what was it like growing up as a muggle?” Draco suddenly asked. She looked at him in amazement. “Well, considering most of my memories are fake...” Draco winced, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.” The brunette gave him a gentle smile, “No, it’s all right. I don’t mind.” She began to tell him about growing up in L.A., and moving to Sunnydale. By that time they had finished their butterbeers and were again walking down the street. “After that it wasn’t really a muggle life. After all it was the hellmouth.” “Hellmouth?” “Oh my god! None of us told you! Sunnydale sits over the hellmouth, which is literally what it is. All sorts of demons are attracted to it and are always trying to open it. It’s one of the reasons Buffy ended up there; it was where she was needed.” Draco found himself at a loss. No wonder she was used to defending herself, she had been surrounded by demons for the past seven years of her life. “So how long have you been fighting demons?” He asked as they entered Honeydukes. “Just the past couple of years. Buffy wouldn’t let me at first cause she was worried about me getting hurt, but she eventually realized that she wasn’t going to be able to protect me forever.” The conversation soon switched to all the candies she found inside the shop. She couldn’t help be gawk at all the different sweets she found. When Draco was finally able to drag her out of the store she had nearly bought one of everything. After Dawn had talked about her past, conversation suddenly became easy for the both of them. They talked animatedly about nearly everything as they slowly walked through Hogsmeade, occasionally stopping into certain shops along the way. They had just stepped out of Gladrags Wizardwear and were heading back to Three Broomsticks when the pleasantness of the day ended. If either of them had seen Pansy approaching them, they could have avoided it. In her whiny voice she called out so everyone around them could hear. “So why are you talking with that mudblood, Drakie?” Draco’s eyes narrowed dangerously, no one would insult his angel and get away with it. “I suggest you apologize to Dawn now,” he said menacingly. “Why would I do that? She ain’t worth it.” A large crowd began to gather around them anticipating a fight. Before Draco could retort he heard Dawn in his head, ~Be careful Draco. She’s trying to goad you into something.~ He turned to Dawn with wide eyes but didn’t say anything. He returned his attention to Pansy. “This isn’t about her is it?” The blond said, suddenly figuring it out. “We heard how you turned against your father. It’s bad enough that you disobey him, but to associate with this trash, you’ve really sunk to a new level.” Draco guessed his father had heard about his betrayal. “I don’t think it’s any of your business about my relationship with my father, Parkinson. Nor the one with Dawn. But I’ll be damned if I let you insult her again.” He stepped up to her and glared down at her. He was inwardly thrilled to see her shrink back a little. “I suggest you apologize now.” “She’s hardly significant,” Dawn said nonchalantly. “Barely a blip on my radar. She speaks and all I hear is an annoying buzzing sound.” Draco smirked. “She is rather inconsequential, isn’t she.” Dawn’s voice had calmed him somewhat and he was enjoying Pansy’s indignant look. Buffy and Spike, who just noticed the growing crowd as they stepped out of a nearby store, began to approach. They exchanged looks that clearly said whatever was going on couldn’t be good. With their attention away from Harry for that brief moment gave the lurking demons in the alley the chance they had been waiting for. Suddenly the street erupted into chaos as a ten D’gathi demons came running out of the alley and one of them tackled Harry. All of the Slytherins who had previously surrounded Dawn and Draco made hasty retreats leaving the Gryffindors and a sole Slytherin with the demons. Buffy and Spike began making their way towards the one on top of Harry. The poor demon, however, had not planned on his victim being capable of fighting back. Harry was able to flip the large demon off of him and quickly got back on his feet. He was finally able to get a good look at the thing that attacked him and found himself disgusted by what he saw. The demon’s skin was ink black with pupil-less white eyes staring out of a heavily tentacled face. Struggling to keep his lunch in his stomach, he ducked a cumbersome swing and placed a strong kick to its stomach. He searched frantically for a weakness when he saw Buffy out of the corner of his eye break the neck of another one. Being more agile than the demon he was facing he ducked several more swings and finally found himself in position. He jumped on the demon’s back, got a firm grip on its head, then twisted. What he didn’t think to brace himself for was how quickly the demon dropped. He soon found himself stuck underneath it and no leverage to throw it off of himself. He sighed and resigned himself to waiting. Dawn and Draco, in the meantime, had taken on three of the demons on their own. The two were keenly aware of where the other was at all times and seemed to move as one. When Draco, following Buffy’s lead, had killed one demon had heard in his head, ~Good Draco, but don’t get cocky.~ He had to admit, hearing Dawn like that was a little freaky and he was going to make damn sure he asked her about it when this was over. The blond looked over at her in time to see her drop the last demon. They all began to look around, but it was Ginny who asked, “Where’s Harry?” They heard a muffled cry and followed it to one of the demons. Buffy quickly moved it to reveal a thankful Harry. “About time, another minute under there and I was going to loose my lunch!” Previous Chapter The Slayer... Menu Next Chapter |
