Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Chapter 12
The Unexpected Present
"What are you doing here Malfoy? How did you apparate? You're not even of age yet? And how did you manage to apparate into MY house? It's unplottable..." Lodina started. Draco drew closer to her and pressed a finger to her lips. "Shh. I'll explain if you stop talking for a bit..." Draco smirked. "Go on then. I'm listening." Lodina crossed her arms and sat back down on her bed. Draco followed suit and sat down beside her. "My father's been teaching me apparition even though I'm not allowed to do it. But there are other 'ways' to apparate without getting a suspension letter from the Ministry. Anyway, enough about that. When I first saw you, Lodina, I knew I had to have you. So I put a tracking charm on you..." but before Draco could finish. Lodina cut him off "You what??!! You put a tracking charm on me? But how? you need like a strand of hair or some part of ME to complete the charm!" "Yes. I did have a strand of your hair. If you remember that night at the Halloween Ball, I did obtain a strand of your hair when I was leaning close to you. I could see the fear in your eyes. I could smell your anxiety. However, you did smell like peppermint that day...." Draco said as he looked deeper into Lodina's eyes. Lodina realised this and quickly turned away. "Sorry, I kinda drifted off for a bit. So that was how I put the tracking charm on you and now, I've tracked you down here. Where is here anyway?" Draco looked around surveying the room. "Never you mind Malfoy! Why on earth would you want to track me down NOW? On the eve of Christmas?" Lodina eyed Draco with utmost contempt. Why was he doing this to her? First he says he likes her. Then he kisses that pom-pom head Pansy in front of everyone in the Great Hall, and now he follows her back to her own house?! "I had to drop off my Christmas present." Draco grinned at Lodina. This made Lodina extremely edgy. "Christmas present? Look Draco. I don't need a present from you. Not now... not EVER!" Lodina eyed Draco with suspicion. "Wow. Now we're on first name basis then? Since when have I become 'Draco' and ceased to become 'Malfoy'?" Draco smirked. "Don't try to get 'smart' with me Malfoy. Are you gonna leave or do I have to scream to get everyone's attention?" Lodina prepared herself to scream. If he wasn't gonna leave she would just have to scream and draw everybody's attention. But that would mean that everyone would now learn the truth! 'Damn! What do I do now?' Lodina thought desperate to get away from Malfoy. Just then Draco drew closer to her. He was now soo close to her that he could now hear her heart beating, faster and faster. "I'd just have to make sure you can't scream then don't I?" Draco said as he drew Lodina close to him and kissed her. He poured out all the feelings he had for her in that one kiss. Lodina was taken aback. She hated Malfoy, but that kiss was exhilarating and as much as she hated to admit it, she enjoyed every bit of it. Draco pushed on and pulled her even closer to him. However, their kiss ended abruptly as Draco pulled away. "I hear someone coming. I guess I'll take my leave then. Goodbye Lodina. I trust we'll meet again." Draco got up and with a soft 'pop' disapparated from the room, leaving Lodina with her thoughts swirling in her head.
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"Dina! Didn't you hear me call out to you? Tonks has snacks down in the Kitchen. I don't know about you, but I'm really starved. You coming along then?" Ginny asked as she stepped into the room. "Oh yea. You go on ahead. I'll just be down in a minute." Lodina said as she mentally prepared herself to face everyone in the house. Meanwhile, Harry, Ron and Hermione were still surprised by what they had just heard up in the room and they were rather silent down in the kitchen. "Ron? You alright mate? You're not eating you pumpkin pastry!" George asked alarmed. "George, you know what this means don't you?" Fred sniggered. "More for US!" both Fred and George said in unison as they reached for the pumpkin pastries in the basket on the kitchen table. Sirius saw the blend looks Harry, Ron and Hermione had on thier faces and approached them. "Come on you three. Lighten up! It's Christmas afterall. Do try to enjoy yourselves a lil' won't you? I assure you, The House may be dark and ancient. But there are definitely no Basilisks or other serpents hidden in some unknown trap door in here." Sirius winked as he turned to hand them a few of the pastries. Feeling considerably better, Ron reached forward and grabbed some pastries for himself. "Yea. He's right you know! It's Christmas Harry! Let's enjoy for a bit. I know you've been on Malfoy's tail all semester but it's time for a break." Hermione said as she smiled warmly at Harry. 'Yea, they're right. Maybe I should give this some rest.' Harry thought as he enjoyed the little tea time snack Tonks had prepared for all of them.
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It was finally Christmas. The Weasleys, Hermione, Harry and Lodina rushed downstairs to the Drawing Room to open their presents. Mrs Weasley had sent everyone of them a sweater with their initials sewn on the front as well as lots of mince pies, as usual. While everyone was unwrapping their presents. Harry caught hold of Sirius alone and pulled him to a corner. "What's the matter Harry?" Sirius asked, concerned. "Oh it's nothing. I just wanted to ask you about the sorting hat. You see, it did want to place me in Slytherin instead of Gryffindor. Do you think that maybe..." but before Harry could finish. Sirius chuckled to himself. "Harry, no. If you're asking me if you're one of the descendants of Slytherin, then the answer is no. The sorting hat does not work that way Harry. It places you into the House you ought to be, based on who you are inside; not on how your blood-line is like. Take me and Lodina for instance. We were both placed in Gryffindor, eventhough we're related to Slytherin himself. Moreover, I knew for a fact that the Potters weren't related to any of the Slytherin descendants. In fact..." Harry was now relieved that he got that off his chest. He was now attentively listening to what Sirius had got to say. "I remember James telling me that his great grandmother was a Drakon too, and that the Potters were descendants of Godric Gryffindor. Now if I remember correctly Harry, you pulled out Godric's sword from the sorting hat when you were battling Tom Riddle in your second year?" Harry nodded his head at once. "Hmm. I have a theory Harry. But it's no more than that. To have pulled out that sword from the hat, one must be a true Gryffindor. I say this in terms of spirit and blood as well. And you being able to hold the sword also proves that you're a true Gryffindor Harry, coz' the sword burns whoever touches it. Only the true heir of Gryffindor would be able to touch it's blade and wield it in battle." Sirius finished and looked at Harry with a warm smile on his face. Harry didn't know how to take in this news. He was related to Godric Gryffindor himself!
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The rest of the Christmas holidays flew by really quickly, and before they knew it, It was time to head back to Hogwarts. Sirius changed back into the great black dog and followed Tonks together with the Weasleys, Harry, Hermione and Lodina to Platform 9 3/4. Just before they boarded the train, Lodina and Harry each gave Sirius a long hug and bade him and Tonks farewell. The ride to Hogsmeade station seemed rather quick as they were discussing the possibilities and consequences of what Sirius had told them over Christmas. Upon arrival at Hogsmeade station, Harry, Ron and the twins decided that they should refill their supply of sugar quills and headed off to Zonko's Jokeshop. Hermione,Ginny and Lodina decided to window shop while waiting for the boys to refill their 'supply'. They strolled along Hogsmeade and stopped by a number of jewelry shops. After the boys had finished their business in Zonko's, the seven of them headed down to Three Broomsticks for a pitstop, to down some of Madam Rosemerta's delicious Butterbeer; they later headed back up to the Hogwarts castle and sat around in the Gryffindor Common room, talking animatedly as they were joined by Seamus and Dean.
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Once in the Gryffindor Common Room, Lodina headed back up to her dorm. It had been an emotionally draining Christmas and she needed to rest badly. She was about to lie on her bed when she saw a small present lying on her bed. It came with a note. Lodina opened the seal and read the note:
My dearest Ice Princess,
Belated Christmas Greetings. I realised I forgot to hand you your Christmas present when we last met. So here it is. I hope you like it.
Love,
D.M.
Lodina couldn't believe her eyes. She tore apart the wrapping on the box, and opened it eagerly. It was the beautiful silver Charm Bracelet she had seen while window-shopping with Hermione and Ginny. She did comment on how lovely it looked and she did express how much she had actually wanted to get that bracelet. Surely, he couldn't have heard that, could he? Besides, she was sure no one else was around them to overhear what she was saying. Lodina examined it further as she ran her fingers down the bracelet. She felt something uneven and turned to look at the underside of the bracelet. There was something engraved in it. It read, "D & L". Lodina knew what it meant. She put on the beautiful bracelet and went to bed with a smile on her face, thinking that things may turn out for the better afterall.
[Tonks was grooving to Brandy's Afrodisiac | 
~ mellow]
~Nymphadora~
~ mellow]