.:Felix Felicis:.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Chapter 2

Aphrodite's Curse

Ginny felt tingly all over. She never knew a kiss from Draco could be so sinful yet captivating all the same. She didn't love Draco the way she loved Harry. No, definitely not. But there was some sort of animal magnetism between them. She lusted for him, but felt no love for him. Was that even possible? Ginny's head was throbbing from all the thinking she was doing. She thought it best to seek comfort from her best friend Lodina. Ginny hurried to the Gryffindor dormitories to find her only source of comfort.

"Dina! I've been looking all over for you!" Ginny exclaimed in relief as she reached forward and gave Lodina a friendly hug. Lodina didn't reciprocate the hug but Ginny was too eager to explain everything that had happened earlier to even notice the change in Lodina's hospitality. Ginny and Lodina shared the same room and thus, had the room all to themselves. Quickly, Ginny ushered Lodina to her bed-side, swung the curtains to screen out the scenary from the windows and started unravelling the day's events to Lodina. Lodina tried very hard to remain calm but tears began to well up in her eyes. Fortunately, Ginny was still too dazed by what had happened to notice anything amiss with Lodina. "He just kissed me Dina! I didn't know how to respond! I mean i enjoyed it... it was oddly satisfying... but i knew it was wrong... i love Harry, Dina... but i don't know why i'm starting to feel things for that Malfoy git too... it's all soo confusing right now... i wish i don't have to see Malfoy ever again.... he just took off after saying those words to me! i mean what was a girl like me expected to do in that kind of a situation? and right after he said that... he walked away so fast... i don't know what to think anymore Dina... What was he thinking?"Ginny said as she slumped back down on her bed. Lodina heaved a heavy sigh before she answered Ginny. She didn't want to look at Ginny in the eye for fear of revealing more than she intended to. "Gin, I really don't know what Malfoy was thinking at that point of time... I have no clue as to what made him say those words to you... i mean he may not have known what he was doing since he was drunk..." Lodina started but was quickly cut off by Ginny. "How did you know he was drunk?" Ginny asked meticuluously as her eyes narrowed. "Oh... i mean him being drunk could be the only possible reason right? i was just making a suggestion Gin... " Lodina covered her tracks as she waited for Ginny's nod of acceptance. Lodina couldn't believe she was still sticking up for Draco. Perhaps that was her own concocted alliby to keep herself from getting hurt some more. But the truth was still inevitable. Drunk or not, Draco did kiss her best friend and whatsmore, he told her he loved her! Accepting Lodina's cover-up, Ginny merely shrugged and slumped back onto her bed. "I suppose you're right Dina... i did smell some sort of alcohol in his breath when he kissed me... but i tasted something else too... something sweet ... it tasted a lot like cocoa.... only more intoxicating... anyway Dina... I'm exhausted right now... i think i'm going to hit the sacks.... I'll see you in the morning... and Dina... thanks for everything... " Ginny smiled as she pulled the covers of her bed sheet over her head. She needed all the sleep she could get. She figured things would be alright in the morning and slowly drifted off to sleep with the happy thought that she'd get to see Harry at breakfast.

~-~

Lodina couldn't sleep. Her best friend had just sought comfort for something that hurt her more than anything in this world and yet who was to comfort her? She couldn't possibly go to Harry as it might break his heart to learn the truth about his Ginny. It was already late at night and almost all of the students were fast asleep. Lodina paced the Gryffindor common room in the hope of getting some answers but to no avail. Just then, the portrait hole swung open.

"I distinctly remember us having a date tonight at my chambers... What held you up luv?" Draco drawled as he straightened himself up and out of the portrait hole, leaning against the wall. "Oh... nothing... Ginny was confused... and she needed me to be there... so yea... i couldn't go over..." Lodina said determined to not make eye contact with Draco. Unfortunately, her tactic didn't work this time around. Draco new something was amiss. He went over to Lodina and placed an arm around her shoulders. "Don't... Don't come any closer Draco... you disgust me... just how many people have you been snogging in deserted staircase landings? I trusted you... and this is what you do behind my back?" Lodina glowered as she shrugged off Draco's arm and retreated backwards. "you didn't... Ginny told you? but why would she? unless... you didn't tell her about us Dina? but why? I thought we agreed that you would tell the others..." Draco started off but was immediately cut off by Lodina who was now holding out her wand arm, wand outstretched. "You're missing the point totally Draco... You kissed her! and you told her you love her! Why did you lie to me?" "Dina... just put the wand down... I'll explain everything right now..." Draco said as he placed a silencing charm around the common room so that none of the Gryffindors would hear their bickering in the middle of the night. "Alright Draco... I loved you... and I still do... for that reason alone, I'm giving you a chance to explain yourself... you have 2 minutes... but the wand stays where it is... I'm not putting my wand down...." Lodina said with a sort of finality in her voice. Deep inside of her, she wanted to believe Draco's explanation, but her mind said otherwise. "Alright Dina... you can keep pointing the wand at me... but can we at least have a seat?" Draco asked as he ushered Lodina to one of the Gryffindor couches and started unfolding the day's events.

"You said you loved her, but you didn't mean it? Draco... what were you playing at? Have you gone mental?!" Lodina lashed out in sheer anger and frustration. "No Dina... you don't understand... I love you... nothing and no one can ever change that... but this feeling i have for Ginny... i can safely say it's artificial... it's not like what we have... it's something different... things started to become topsy turvy right after my second drink of Mai Tai at the Welcome Feast... I don't understand why..." Draco said while studying Lodina's expressions carefully. A sudden wave of nausea swept over Lodina as she realised what could have made Draco act the way he did. "Draco... do you remember how that Mai Tai tasted? Was there some sort of cocoa blend to it? You've got to remember Draco... I think someone could have drugged you with a dose of love potion... " Lodina said as the anger and frustration that had built up within her earlier slowly subsided. "I can't remember luv... but cocoa you say? what makes you so sure it's a love potion then? Love potions usually have a sort of bitter taste to them... cocoa's sweet, am I wrong? how could it have been a love potion?" Draco asked, perplexed. "I don't know for sure Draco but I'm going to find out.... and I'm sorry for acting so irrationally just now Draco... I was just..." but before Lodina could finish her sentence, Draco pulled her close for a hot and passionate kiss. His hands started to wonder along the soft curves of her body until he finally cupped her bum. Lodina pushed away from the kiss suddenly looking downcast once more. "What's wrong luv?" Draco asked still puzzled as to why she pulled out of the kiss. "Nothing Draco... It's just... I don't feel comfortable doing this anymore... not when i know you may have feelings for my best friend... i think we should take a break for awhile... at least until we can sort this out... after we find your antidote... maybe then we could try to pick up the pieces..." a tear escaped from Lodina's eyes and Draco motioned to wipe her eyes dry, but was stopped by Lodina herself. "Don't Draco... I love you and as painful as this is for me... i know i have to do this... I can't concentrate on helping you while knowing that you might be cheating behind my back... I can't ... " Lodina said as she moved away abruptly from Draco's embrace. Draco took the cue and turned to leave the common room. Just before he left the portrait hole however, he turned back to see his Lodina once more. "Just know this Dina... I love you.. and nothing can change that... not even the most ancient of love potions would be able to erase the love i have for you... and i swear... i will make the insufferable prick who did this pay dearly... for now i will do as you wish... but it will only cause great pain to the both of us..." having said this, Lodina let out a soft whimper as another tear rolled down her cheeks. She shut her eyes tightly for she couldn't bear to see Draco leave. "I love you Dina..." Draco said as he closed the portrait hole shut leaving a weeping Lodina huddled up in the Gryffindor common room.

~-~

'A love potion? nah... it couldn't be... could it?' As far as he knew, love potions didn't taste anything like cocoa; plus he would have recognised it from the smell immediately. 'It must be something else...' Draco thought out loud as he paced up and down his room. He wanted to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible so that things with Lodina could be back to normal. If it was a love potion, he'd have to start searching the books of the Hogwarts library as to which type of love potion it could have been. But there are trillions of books in the library! Just where should he start first? Deciding that he shouldn't waste any time, Draco finally decided to seek someone's help. Someone he was sure knew the Hogwarts Library inside out.

~-~

"Granger... how are you this morning? It is a lovely sunny day... what are you doing indoors on a day such as this? Not picking up after Longbottom are we?" Draco smirked as he rounded off Hermione just after breakfast the next day. "Ah, Malfoy... to what do I owe the displeasure of your company then?" Hermione returned his smirk with a friendly wave. "Oh nothing... it's just that i need a favour..." Draco said in hushed tones such that Hermione thought she had heard wrong. "Come again? Did YOU, THE DRACO MALFOY, ask ME, the so-called 'Mudblood' a favour?? I'm sorry... tell me i heard wrong Malfoy..." Hermione blinked in shock. Draco was half surprised Hermione had refered to herself as a 'mudblood' but decided that there were more pressing issues at hand to attend to instead of mulling over that. "Yes.... I asked you for a favour alright...don't wear it out... it's really important... and i know you as good as live in that library... so could you do me a favour?" Draco was persistent and Hermione sensed the urgency in his voice. Deciding against pursuing the real crux of why Malfoy had gone to her for help, Hermione lent Malfoy a listening ear as he told her what he was looking for. "So let me get this straight.... you want me to look up the books for this supposed 'love potion' ... and tell you what it does?" Hermione held Draco's gaze. "Yes... let's just take it as I owe you a favour as of now shall we? oh and Granger... do keep this a secret... I don't want Pothead and Weaselboy to know about this..." Draco said with a stern finality in his voice as he walked away, not hearing Hermione's reply to what he had just said.

Draco marched off for Potions Class, his favourite class of the day. Seeing that it was Potter's least favourite class made Draco all the more inclined to tick him off under Snape's nose. But today was different. He needed to talk to Potter, but with the piles of homework they've been getting in preparation for their OWLs, Draco hardly saw Harry other than in class. Clutching the Dragon's seal, Draco muttered the communication spell and connected with Harry's mind. "Hello Pothead... you're mixing up the eye of newt with the scarab beetle shell... something seems to be getting under your skin... " Draco smirked as he glanced over at Harry's cauldron. "what do you want Malfoy?" Harry grimaced as he quickly replaced his scarab beetle shell with the eye of newt. "Oh nothing... well.. i was just wondering... how you would take it if someone snogged your precious little red head behind your back?" Draco deepened his grin as he watched Harry's fists clench tightly together. "What do you mean Malfoy... what did you do to Ginny??" Harry glowered as he turned red with anger. "Potter, why are you staring across the classroom? Are the instructions for the concoction of this potion written on the windows perhaps? Ten points from Gryffindor... get back to work Potter..." Snape drawled as he swept past Harry. "Careful Potter... you might just land yourself in detention..." Draco let out a stifled chuckle as he turned his eyes back to his own cauldron. "Something's up Malfoy... and you better spill... what did you do to Ginny? I swear... i will rip your heart out and wear it round my neck as i watch you die Malfoy... you just wait..." Harry was immediately cut off by Draco. "Relax Pothead... you can keep your girlfriend... I was just having a lil fun...besides...red-heads aren't my type... " Draco communicated as he muttered the couterspell to the communication spell. But deep down inside Draco knew that as much fun as it was to taunt Harry, the real reason for asking him that question was to gauge his reaction. 'Yup... definitely not telling Pothead... he'd skin me alive for sure...' Draco thought as he slumped back into his seat and quietly finished his potion throughout the rest of the class.

The potions class seemed longer than usual, but maybe that was because the potion that Snape had set them seemed incredibly difficult even for a sixth year to manage. Once the bell signalling the end of class had rung, Draco put his books into his sling bag and headed off to the Great Hall for lunch, but not before he was caught off guard by none other than Hermione herself. "Malfoy... I've found what you're looking for..." Hermione said in a whisper. 'Man... she's good... that was fast...' Draco thought to himself as he let himself be guided into a small corridor by Hermione. "Malfoy... How much do you know about Aphrodite's Curse?" Hermione asked to a now, dumbfounded Malfoy...

~Nymphadora~

[Tonks was grooving to Disturbed's Voices |

~ bummed out]

8:42 PM

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