Hadrian Potter, Revenge (A Harry Potter Fanfiction)

Truth at Midnight

"Hadrian," Daphne spoke calmly through her irritation, "her father is off limits."

"So... she told you, did she?" Hadrian laughed, turning away slightly.

"Of course, she told me," Daphne breathed in irritation, "you threatened her."

"And what was the alternative?" Hadrian's posture remained the same, only his eyes flicked toward her, "let her become high society's whore?"

"You weren't so concerned when she was the whore in your bed," Daphne snapped.

The words had escaped her before she knew what she was saying. As they fell from her mouth, Daphne instantly regretted them. She watched as Hadrian flinched back, but not out of anger or irritation. This time, the movement was like a whipping slap - pure stinging shock. Despite the brutal cruelness of Daphne's words, the ugly, unsettling truth had hit Hadrian hard. He stared at her, stunned; his brows low and drawn, his lips parted. Daphne opened her mouth as if to say something, but she couldn't find the words.

Hadrian's bright unnaturally green met her own, and at that moment, Daphne wanted to disappear. There was a sudden vulnerability about him that made her want to reach out and comfort him. But then, in a second, it was gone. Hadrian suddenly straightened, all traces of shock and vulnerability abruptly vanishing from his face. A darkening chuckle escaped him, slipping through his perfect mask like water through cracked stone.

"So, what..." Hadrian said, taking a breath to smile, it wasn't a nice one, "I'm just like him?"

Daphne looked away, wishing she had never gone there. She had the instant urge to run and hide, but she knew she couldn't. It didn't stop her from thinking how nice it would be to run into the forest, fall upon the earth, and crawl into a small, dark hole. What a wonderful place to be - all safe and alone. Instead, she just stood there, rooted to the spot with her dark eyes fixed on the side of Hadrian Potter's beautiful face.

"No, no," Hadrian chuckled again as if sensing her mental detachment.

He took her chin, gently between his fingers, and for a moment, Daphne thought the action was almost sincere. And yet, as with everything with Hadrian, there was a violence behind it that she couldn't ignore. Daphne made herself look him in the eyes. They were even more intimidating up close - bright, intelligent green, with motes of darker emerald and silver caught in the iris.

Beautiful eyes, she thought.

Deadly eyes, serpents had eyes like that.

"There you are," Hadrian said, looking down at her through those hooded eyes.

"Hadrian." Daphne tried to warn before he pushed it too far.

Her voice sounded strange even to her own ears, but she ignored it, instead, shifting her weight from one tall, black stiletto to the other. And then suddenly, the beautiful boy leaned down, so he was a breath away from her face. Daphne's eyes widened a small fraction, the dark brown scanning his features, looking for a hint to what he might be thinking. But, she could read nothing in his face about his intent, absolutely nothing.

"No one is off limits." Hadrian snarled with clenched teeth.

Daphne stilled, suddenly frozen to the spot.

She had become a statue.

Now it was her turn to look as if she had just been physically struck. Hadrian stepped back, his gaze locking on to the scattered thoughts that roamed chaotically within Daphne's dark eyes. He took another step back as if to give himself a better view of her... frozenness. At the sight of him backing away, Daphne started breathing again. The breath that blew out of her throat almost burst the seams of her chest, as if the stone of her frame had cracked.