Harry Potter & the Heir of Darkness

Chapter 9

Draco couldn’t stop thinking about Dylan. His mind continued to torture him with images of her. A week had passed since the Hogsmeade trip, and Draco had barely said a word to anyone. He had searched for Dylan during meal times and even waited outside in the corridor to watch every student walk through the classroom door.

Dylan’s heartbroken expression replayed more than anything, triggered by the student’s hushed whispers. His mind would wander during classes, wondering where she was and what she was doing. Excuses cluttered his mind while images of her under him crept through his dreams.

Draco hadn’t set foot in his second room since that afternoon. He had gathered up anything he would need urgently. Draco, refusing to look at the bed, had locked up the room and took up his place in his old dormitory. Nobody had questioned his decision, though several confused glances were exchanged between the other males.

Guilt crawled through his veins, traveling through every inch of him, seeping into his muscles and causing him to feel nauseous. It wasn’t my fault, Pansy just happened to find out.

He sat in front of the fireplace, the common room was deserted, the students had been asleep for several hours, and all the lights had been extinguished. The flickering flames cast a gloomy light around him, and he found his gaze drawn deeper into them. The only comforting thought Draco could find was the fact that his father had not turned up that afternoon, though this offered little compensation.

Draco closed his eyes in frustration, trying to shut out the memories, however even the darkness behind his eyes held no solace. As if he wasn’t tortured enough, the memory of the soft kiss they shared on the way back to the castle replayed in front of him. He could see it so clearly, her lips so close to his, her body pressed up against his, her hair billowing in the wind.

He shook his head angrily. “Get over it,” he muttered to himself.

“Is something wrong, Draco?” Pansy’s small figure emerged from the shadows, her gaze focused completely on his face.

Draco clenched his fist angrily and turned his head away from her. “Get out of here, Pansy,” he grated. “I haven’t hit a woman yet, I don’t want to start now.”

“Draco,” she whispered. Draco’s stomach clenched; how he had put up with her for all those years he’d never know. “Please, Draco, talk to me.” Her voice was whiny and as she moved closer to touch him Draco physically recoiled away from her.

“Just drop it, Pansy.” Draco stood up swiftly, turning his back on her. “I can’t deal with you right now.” He walked quickly to the common room’s exit and made his way out into the grounds.

The night air was crisp and Draco breathed deeply, pausing on the stone steps for a moment to listen to the noises around him. A wolf howled from somewhere deep in the forest, a rush of wings told him several owls were out hunting, and if he stood completely still he could hear the soft lapping of water from the lake.

Another sound caught his attention, much softer than that of the lake. He opened his eyes slowly and peered around in the darkness. A soft glimpse of light caught his eye and he found his feet moving towards it, straining his ears for the sound.

His feet took him further from the castle and towards the Quidditch pitch. Draco stopped dead at the entrance of the stadium as a bright green light reached his eyes, and he was forced to shut them. Again he heard the small sound before another flash of light illuminated the pitch.

Careful to stick to the shadows, Draco crept slowly towards the centre of the light, trying to distinguish the cause.

“Travien,” Draco froze as that one word was uttered.

He heard the reply before he could see the two speakers. “Dylan? What’s wrong? I know you can do better.” The older man’s voice held a hint of amusement as he addressed the one person Draco had been looking for all week.

“Can we take a break? I’m exhausted. Travien, please,” Dylan breathed.

Draco couldn’t stop himself from moving forward towards the pair, drawn by Dylan’s soft voice. What is she doing out here? Draco’s mind raced as he tried to remain hidden while desperately wanting to see her face.

Another flash of light and Draco had to raise his arm to shield his eyes. The light had come from Travien’s wand, yet he wasn’t too sure what had happened to it. As his eyes finally adjusted to the dark Draco had to mentally stop himself from moving.

There she was, Dylan Thompson, the girl who had tormented him continually for the past week. Draco watched on as the light breeze picked her long hair up and playfully whirled it around her. Her face was one of complete focus and he realized she was in a fighting stance.

As another flash of light burst from Travien’s outstretched wand, Draco watched as Dylan raised her hand, a red glow surrounding her palm, and at once a warm breeze swept around her. Draco tried to keep his eyes open, but the light was so intense he had no choice but to turn his head and once again cover his eyes.

He looked back just in time to see Dylan’s outstretched palm, the red tinge gone, drop slowly. Her shoulders drooped wearily and Draco could hear her gasping for air. “Please, Travien. I can’t do this anymore.” Her voice was so soft Draco had to hold his breath just to hear her.

“Once more, Dylan,” Travien sounded rather tired himself. “That’s all I ask.”

Draco crept forward to watch them from a better vantage point. As she lifted her palm, the red glow surrounding her hand once more, Draco could see her perfectly. Her normally bright blue eyes were a dull grey color, and she looked more pale than usual. Obviously they had been doing this all night.

He needed to be closer still, he needed to talk to her, to comfort her and tell her it was a mistake. He needed her to smile at him.

As he took another step, Draco felt the heat from the bright light and the warm breeze that swam around Dylan’s body. He watched as Dylan’s eyebrows drew together in confusion, her entire stance changed, and as she turned her head towards him Draco’s heart pounded in his chest.

Draco heard her gasp softly as fear flickered across her face and she took an involuntary step away from him. “Dylan,” he whispered softly however his voice was drowned out by Travien’s sharp cry.

Dylan turned back just in time to cross her arms protectively over her face as the giant ball of light collided with her chest, throwing her across the pitch. She landed several meters away from where she stood only moments ago, her body lay completely still on the ground.

Draco swallowed hard and took a step towards her. He heard Dylan draw a sharp breath in before she sat up and stared around through the darkness for him. Instinctively Draco stepped back into the shadows before hurrying back to the castle. The look of shock on her face was reminder enough of what he had done.

His breathing was ragged even as he sat on his four-poster bed. At least you saw her, the sly voice whispered to him. Draco raked a hand through his hair as he lay back against his pillows. Drawing the curtains around his bed he tried to shut out the look of fear that was now playing along with the other memories in his mind, desperately willing himself to sleep.

****

“Dylan, what happened?” Travien’s voice was filled with concern. He followed her stunned gaze towards the entrance that was hidden by the shadows. “Are you all right?”

Dylan nodded slowly, closing her eyes as she struggled for air. Her chest felt tight, her lungs refusing to take in air. He had been here, watching her, he had seen her train. Panic rose up in her stomach, yet another thing to add to his already growing list of possible blackmail material.

She tried to focus her mind to the present; you cannot change the past. Dylan couldn’t see him through the darkness, her eyes not yet adjusted, but she was sure Draco would have fled instantly. Why was he here? Why didn’t I notice him sneaking up?

Travien waved a hand in front of her eyes and Dylan had to force her mind to concentrate on the here and now. “I thought I saw someone,” she said simply. “It was probably a trick of the light, or a figment of my tired mind.”

She shook her head and stood up, swaying slightly before grabbing onto Travien’s shoulders for support. “You look rather pale, maybe we went a little far tonight,” his voice was sympathetic though Dylan knew he didn’t think that was the case.

If it were up to Travien, I’d be working ten times as hard all day, everyday. Dylan smiled back at him sweetly. “Perhaps, though it was probably because I didn’t eat again today.”

Travien put an arm around her shoulder, and Dylan suddenly felt warmer. “Let’s get you to bed, I expect you in class tomorrow.”

Dylan had argued with him several hours ago about her skipping classes. Since it was the beginning of the year, Dylan agreed with him, she should be going to every class, everyday.

However Travien wasn’t the one with a secret exposed. She heard the girls talking about it in the toilets, in the dormitory and every now and again when she walked into a room and the conversation died away instantly, she knew they were talking about her. The other students never really tried to hide the fact.

Travien would never understand what she was going through, at least not in this lifetime. Not to mention her last encounter with Draco Malfoy wasn’t a pleasant one. As they entered through the heavy front doors, Dylan felt a familiar cold rush of air sweep through her mind and her defenses sprang into place. The barrier protecting her thoughts wasn’t very strong; Dylan hoped Travien wouldn’t push too hard against it.

Thankfully, the chill subsided and Dylan breathed softly, keeping her thoughts hidden carefully just in case.

“Good night, Dylan,” Travien muttered softly. His gaze raked over her once and, as his eyes met hers, gave a brief smile. “I will see you in class tomorrow.”

Dylan nodded once before ascending the flight of stairs that would take her to Gryffindor Tower. As she entered the Common Room, she instinctively glanced around for any students still out of bed, though she knew they would all be asleep.

She took her favorite chair by the fire and shut her eyes against the bright flames. What was he doing? Dylan’s mind betrayed her; she had forced herself not to think about Draco Malfoy since their last encounter, busying herself with work or extra training sessions with Travien. However, after one glance at him all other thoughts had left her mind.

It may not have been him, she tried to tell herself. Perhaps it was just a trick of the light. She knew it was hopeless; nobody else could cause that reaction, though it wasn’t until after she had spied him that her mind caught up and recognized his presence. I’ll have to mention that piece of information to Travien. He’ll love training me on that again, she thought sarcastically.

A soft grumble from the couch beside her caused Dylan’s eyes to open and she had to force herself not to jump out of her seat. She peered over cautiously, trying to spot the person in the dark.

A shockingly white hand was the only thing she could see against the dark red of the couch. The owner of the hand gave a loud sigh and, before Dylan could move, threw his legs over the side of the chair and leant his pale body over them.

“Harry?” Dylan whispered.

The boy’s head snapped around to stare at Dylan in confusion. “Dylan?” his tired voice mumbled back. “What are you doing here?”

Dylan knew his eyes could not have focused on her due to the dark; however his gaze was eerily accurate. “I couldn’t sleep. I thought I’d sit here and just think.”

“About Malfoy?” he shot back softly, surprising Dylan. “I know you have been avoiding him all week, I don’t blame you, but it’s a little odd.”

She shook her head. “It’s not entirely odd. How would you feel if you had a rather large secret exposed in the great hall?” She breathed deeply, trying to keep her voice normal. “Yes, Malfoy had something to do with it, but… oh, I don’t know.”

Dylan could see Harry fairly well; his pale body stood out against his red pajama pants, and his raven hair was ruffled from sleep. “You can tell me about it, Dylan. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

She nodded slowly. “We are friends, Harry. I just… don’t know what I should do anymore.” Dylan gave a heavy sigh before continuing. “Malfoy found out about Dumbledore, Snape and Cornelius one night. I was talking to Travien and he overheard our conversation.”

Harry motioned for her to sit next to him and Dylan didn’t hesitate to comply. Once seated next to Harry she felt better than she had all week. Somehow just being near him gave her hope and reassurance. Harry’s arm was thrown around her shoulders and his thumb was softly caressing her skin.

“Keep going,” he muttered.

“Malfoy cornered me later that night, saying that if I didn’t pretend to be his girlfriend he would tell everyone. He wanted to annoy you, I guess.” Dylan suddenly felt cold inside. Harry had stopped caressing her and he had turned his face away sharply. “I didn’t know what else to do. I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know what would happen if I did.”

Dylan could hear Harry’s sharp breathing clearly. “You could have told me about your uncles, even about Malfoy’s threat. I wouldn’t have thought any less of you, hell; I would have helped you get rid of him.” He removed his arm from around her shoulders. “Being Head Boy it doesn’t give him the right to intimidate people.”

Dylan watched on as Harry stood up and began to pace in front of her. “I told him I didn’t want to do it anymore; it was too much of a burden for a secret. So, he put up the banner and you know the rest.”

“Why didn’t you want anyone to know?” Harry had stopped pacing and was staring at her incredulously. “What is so bad about being related to them? Snape, I can understand, but the Minister for Magic and Albus Dumbledore?”

“I thought you, of all people, would understand Harry.” Dylan shut her eyes, willing herself to continue. “In the past, at my old school, people knew who I was, and people who I thought were friends suddenly turned against me. Most used it for their own personal gain, just as Malfoy had done.”

She opened her eyes and stared at a motionless Harry. “They thought I was at the school because of them, that I wasn’t smart enough to get there myself. Even here it’s the same; people think I’m using my contacts to be here.” Dylan sighed. “Maybe I am, I don’t know. I haven’t turned up for a class in the past week, I haven’t been punished for it, and let’s face it my potion abilities are nonexistent. How else could I get into Senior Potions if it weren’t for my uncle?”

“So you wanted to be normal, to fit in. You figured if people didn’t know who you were they would be friends with you?” Harry knelt down in front of her, grabbing her hands as he did so. “I’m still your friend, whether you like it or not. I don’t care if you are related to them, you can’t choose that and I know you deserve to be here.”

Dylan felt a lump in her throat and desperately tried to swallow it. She opened her mouth to reply, however she couldn’t trust her voice not to betray her feelings so she closed it.

“Come to the Halloween party with me,” Harry whispered softly. “It’s really just a feast, but come with me anyway.”

Dylan nodded and threw her arms around Harry’s neck. “Of course I will,” she whispered.

*****

As she glanced down at her clothes, Dylan couldn’t help but feel nervous. The Halloween party was about to start and she was still upstairs worrying about her outfit. Harry hadn’t mentioned what they were supposed to wear, so Dylan had tried on three different outfits before finally deciding on a pair of jeans and a light blue shirt.

She hadn’t seen what the other girls were wearing since she had been hiding behind her heavy curtains waiting for them to leave. Harry had told her to wait for him in the Common Room but Dylan was petrified of leaving her room. What if I’m dressed like an idiot and everyone else is just in their uniform?

Dylan took a deep breath, if she didn’t leave now Harry might think she had already left. With one final look at herself in the mirror she turned and made her way into the common room.

However, the common room was completely empty, not a single student was left waiting on the couch for their friends. Where’s Harry, she wondered anxiously. Dylan slowly made her way towards the exit, and after glancing around one last time she left for the party alone.

What a start, she thought miserably. I hope Harry has already left, and isn’t sitting in there waiting for me.

After they had spoken on the couch two nights ago, Dylan had had butterflies in her stomach, and as she walked towards the Great Hall they returned with vengeance. The corridors were eerily quiet and, as always, the staircases refused to take her to where she wished to go.

Twenty minutes of running around the castle desperately, she finally made it to the hall. She could hear the many voices chattering excitedly, and was greeted with a feeling of déjà vu.

Dylan remembered the last time she had rounded this corner alone, when her entire world had crashed around her. The banner and the events after the Hogsmeade trip flooded back to her. She leant against the nearest wall and shut her eyes. Dylan had to force herself to breathe, what if it happens again?

The feeling of panic began to rise at a rapid rate and Dylan mentally had to remind herself to stay calm, Harry is just around the corner. Her throat closed up, her lungs burned for fresh air and Dylan’s mind chased itself back and forth.

“Dylan?” She opened her eyes and Harry’s face swam into focus. “Are you all right?” he asked softly.

She nodded softly, taking a deep breath of air at the same time. “Yes,” Dylan replied simply. “I thought you weren’t coming.” Her heart beat slowly returned to normal as she stared at Harry happily.

Harry laughed. “Why would I want to miss out on tonight?” he stared at her skeptically. “Unless you don’t want me to be here.”

Dylan flashed him a tiny smile. “Now that’s just silly.”

She glanced down at Harry’s clothes, a pair of black pants and a simple red t-shirt with a lion on the front. Thank you. Dylan breathed a sigh of relief, happy that she had chosen the right sort of clothes.

“Are you ready?” Harry whispered.

Harry held his hand out for her to take and as she grabbed it, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. They rounded the corner and Dylan gasped. The hall looked magnificent.

Pumpkins the size of carriages sat in each corner of the room, live bats flew across the room, trying to find a quiet, shady corner. The ghosts were floating between students, stopping every now and again to chat. A skeleton was dancing on what appeared to be the dance floor however everyone seemed to be too afraid they might be hit with a flying femur; so the dance floor only had the one occupant.

Dylan could feel the stares of the students on her and Harry, the hall had been thrown into silence and Dylan stopped dead at the entrance. She saw Harry turn and stare at her in confusion, felt his arms snake around her and draw her closer to him, and heard him whisper in her ears that it would be all right.

With his arm around her shoulders she began to feel calm once again and was able to slowly move towards the Gryffindor table. “Thank you,” she whispered in his ear as they sat down.

Ron and Hermione smiled at them both and even included Dylan into their conversation about Quidditch. “There’s the World Cup coming up soon. England’s made it in, about bloody time,” Ron muttered. “Dad’s getting tickets for us. Harry did you want to come?”

“Of course,” he laughed. “Do you think I’d purposely miss the World Cup?”

Dylan smiled inwardly, things feel normal again. She was about to speak, however the headmaster stood up and all attention was turned to him.

“Good evening, everyone. I hope you all enjoy the feast tonight, there will be a special surprise later in the evening.” Dylan smiled softly at her uncle; he truly was king of his castle. “Until then, please dig in.”

Once again, food appeared in front of Dylan and she had to laugh. I’ll never get used to this.

Harry stared at her in confusion. “Are you okay?” he muttered.

“I’m fine,” she laughed. Dylan grabbed a bread roll and began the Quidditch conversation anew.

As dinner finished and dessert rolled around, Dylan seemed to have won Ron and Hermione back onto her side. They had joined many other students on the dance floor, though a large circle had formed around the skeleton so no one got hurt.

Dylan couldn’t remember the last time she had danced. She felt amazing, her body moving to the music. Harry and Ron had seemed a little uncomfortable with the prospect of dancing, but a little push from Hermione and they had followed her to the dance floor.

Harry smiled at Dylan as their gaze connected. She had to admit Harry knew how to dance relatively well; at least he wasn’t trodding on anyone’s feet.

Dylan glanced around the circle of students, amazed at the difference a bit of music could make. Crabbe and Goyle stood in the corner, moving rather ungracefully back and forth in time to the music. They look as though they are having a fit, at this thought, Dylan had to fight back a laugh.

Everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves. Dylan smiled. I suppose it’s not every day you get to dance like a maniac with your friends.

As she was turning back another person caught her eye. Draco Malfoy. He was staring back at her with a look of confusion on his face. Dylan couldn’t move, while there were at least another hundred students dancing around them, she could not remove her eyes from his.

Dylan watched on as his lips drew into a small smile. He bowed mockingly at her, keeping his gaze locked with hers, causing Dylan’s heart to speed up dramatically. The music changed to an electronically-fueled frenzy and the students around them screamed wildly.

While she couldn’t discern the beat, the other students seemed to have no problems shaking their bodies; jostling Dylan closer to the one person she wanted to run from. Dylan shut her eyes in pain as an elbow collided with her ribs. That bloody skeleton, she thought angrily.

When she opened her eyes she saw another girl talking with Draco. The short dark hair, the squashed face, even the small stature gave away the identity. Pansy Parkinson had Draco by the arm and was leading him out of the circle. Good riddance.

“Bring it in.” Even over the roar of the music, Dylan heard her uncle’s commanding voice clearly.

She turned her head in time to see the doors open and a large cake being wheeled into the hall by the house elves. Dylan turned around to stare at Harry, however he was enthralled by the three tiered cake with orange icing.

“What a cake!” Dylan heard Hermione whisper. “It has little spiders on it, very fitting for Halloween.”

Dylan swallowed and forced a smile onto her face. “It’s amazing.” Her stomach began to tie itself in knots and her head began to spin. “I think I’ll get some fresh air,” she mumbled as she pushed her way through the crowd.

Just as she’d quietly stepped out of the doors she heard her uncle start to sing, “Happy Birthday” and Dylan ran the rest of the way to the school grounds, pleading nobody would follow her.

She didn’t stop running until she reached the school’s courtyard knowing it was only a matter of time before people started looking for her. Dylan sat on a stone bench and stared at the fountain miserably.

How could he do this to me? Dylan groaned, she knew there would be even more rumors following her around tomorrow thanks to her uncle. She laid her head in her hands and sighed. I knew I shouldn’t have come tonight.

“You know, most people like their birthdays,” a sarcastic voice called.

Dylan gasped softly. How the hell did he find me? She knew Draco Malfoy was standing only feet away from here but she wasn’t going to give him the fight he was obviously looking for. Dylan tried to keep calm; listening to the steady trickle from the fountain helped a lot.

She heard him move towards her, slowly of first, smart enough to stay a fair distance from her. Dylan bit her lip. One step followed shortly by a second. The spicy scent of his cologne floated across the night air, taunting her. He took another step towards her.


The grounds were so silent she could swear Draco would hear her shallow breathing if he got any closer. Dylan could just imagine his face, a smirk plastered across it, his eyes laughing at her misfortune.

“Aren’t you going to at least say ‘good evening’ to me?” Draco’s voice was filled with laughter.

Dylan lifted her head and glared back at him, faltering for a second as she realized how close he actually was. “Why are you bothering me? I came out here to be alone,” she muttered.

“Well, I figured that much,” Draco scoffed. “You realize, hiding is only going to make them gossip even more.”

“While finding me out here alone with you, after I snuck out of the hall, on my birthday isn’t going to?” Dylan replied sarcastically, causing Draco to laugh appreciatively. Dylan liked the deep sound of it. She realized this was the first time she’d heard him truly laugh out loud.

“Anyway, what are you doing out here?” she asked pointedly. Dylan eyed him warily, their previous encounters playing in her mind like a warning.

Draco grinned. “I brought you some cake. Usually people like to eat birthday cake, and since the birthday girl didn’t grab any cake on her way out, I thought maybe you would like some.”

Dylan stared at him as if he were mad. “Why would I want cake?” She glared at his outstretched hand in horror, afraid the piece of cake would attack her at any moment. “Why do you think I left the hall in the first place?”

“Obviously you didn’t want people to know you are a year older.” He paused. “Not that anyone is going to worry how old you are,” he added quietly.

She stood gracefully, trying to keep her breathing steady. The nerve of him! Dylan averted her gaze away from the boy as she paced back and forth. The sound of her feet hitting the cobblestone echoed into the night.

“How old are you anyway?” Malfoy whispered. “I would have gotten you a card-”

“Will you give me a break?” Dylan interrupted. She whirled around to stare at him. “I don’t care about the presents, the cards or the well-wishers for that matter. They mean nothing to me.” She shook her head angrily; all calm thoughts forgotten. “And you? I don’t want anything to do with you.”

Dylan began pacing again, this time in front of Draco, her eyes never leaving his face. “You mean nothing to me. I have my life, and I don’t want you in it. So take your cake and piss off!” Dylan slapped his outstretched hand away from her, sending the piece of cake to the floor.

“It really was a nice cake,” Draco muttered. “What a waste.”

Dylan screamed in frustration. “What is wrong with you?” she spat. “Can’t you take a hint? Go away! You can think of it as my birthday present, if you wish. Just leave me alone!”

She tried hard not to punch him in the face as he just stood completely still, staring at her in confusion. Instead, Dylan made her way to the ledge of the fountain and stared into the water, hoping to regain some composure.

Dylan heard him leave the courtyard, his footsteps gradually dying away. Please don’t tell anyone I was here, she prayed silently. Though she knew what Draco was like, he had placed a giant banner in the hall last time things didn’t go his way, no doubt this time he’d erect a giant neon sign leading the way to her.

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she did so. The soft trickle of water easing her tension away. Once again the night became peaceful and Dylan’s anger was no more.

Glancing at her watch she noted the time; eleven fifty. She walked quickly over to the piece of cake and scooped up a handful of the cream. Ten minutes to go, if she missed midnight this year she didn’t know what she would do.

She began to draw on the concrete two overlapping circles with the cream. Taking her time so there were no mistakes. Every movement was exact, every breath keeping her focused. A pentacle in the middle of the rings was next, each point touching the outermost edge of the circles.

Dylan paused, closing her mind against the invading thoughts. She didn’t want to think about what was to happen, or the ‘what if’s’, she was only to focus on the here and now. Under the moonlight, the white lines were striking against the grayish stones.

Her gaze moved once more to her hand, the lack of cream sent her heart racing. What the hell am I going to do? Glancing back she realized there wasn’t enough left over to finish the symbol. I’m not giving up now…

She drew her thumb to her mouth, biting down as she thought of what to do next. “Ouch!” she cried. Staring down at her thumb she saw a crimson droplet appear. Due to her anxiety, Dylan hadn’t realized how hard she was biting and had drawn blood.

Quickly checking her surroundings, she pushed her thumb to the stone just above her white symbol and drew a short S-shaped line from the top to the bottom. A soft hum vibrated around the courtyard as two transparent doors appeared in front of her.

“Dylan!” The voice startled her and she spun around in fear. “What is that?” Draco asked curiously.

Dylan groaned. “None of your business.” She glanced down at her watch; two minutes to go. “Didn’t I tell you to leave?” Please, just go, she pleaded silently. Knowing full well what would happen if he was still standing there in two minutes.

“Yeah, you did, but I came back.” Draco started towards her, a cruel look on his face. “Do you know why?”

“To annoy me,” Dylan supplied. “You’re doing a nice job of it.” One minute to go. “Please, will you leave me alone?”

She glanced behind her, the doors were flickering wildly. Dylan had to get in there, no matter what, but if Draco didn’t leave soon…

“No,” Draco spat.

Dylan turned her head to face him, stunned to see how close he was to her, there noses were barely two millimeters apart. Twenty seconds, she thought wildly.

His hands grabbed her none-too-gently by the arms and jerked her towards him pressing his lips fiercely to hers. Dylan was too surprised to resist his onslaught, his tongue pushed through her lips and into her own mouth.

“I want you,” he whispered harshly against her lips. “I know you want me too…”

Dylan gasped and pushed against him, throwing them both off balance. Her foot instinctively went behind her to steady them; however it landed in the cream on the floor causing her to slip once again.

She felt Draco’s arms wrap around her body protectively, holding her close to him. One arm snaked its way to her head, holding it firmly to his chest to cushion against the fall. Dylan felt her own arms creep around his body and hold onto him tightly.

She heard the sound long before her mind registered it. The loud whooshing sound of the air streaming through the open doors caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand up. Time seemed to be moving incredibly slow, almost as if someone had hit the ‘slow motion’ button.

She noted the sudden change of temperature, the biting cold of the wind seemed to whip her skin through her clothes. The world was plunged into darkness; there was no light from the moon, the stars or the castle.

Dylan felt Draco roll in mid-air shielding her from the inevitable impact with the ground. Even though she didn’t hit the ground directly, the shockwaves seemed to reverberate through her own body. Draco sounded as though he had been punched in the stomach.

A loud creaking sound filled the darkness causing Dylan’s mind to go into auto-mode. Dylan wrenched herself out of Draco’s grip and turned towards where they had fallen from. The giant doors were closing rather quickly, Dylan could barely see past them, she saw the castle wall illuminated by the moonlight and ran towards it.

The darkness seemed to go on forever, she ran as fast as she could towards her freedom. She heard the fountain one last time before the doors slammed shut, the trickling water unable to soothe her nerves this time.

Dylan felt for the doors in the dark, pounding against them repeatedly. “No!” she sobbed, falling to her knees as the darkness covered her completely.