When Peace got Screwed Over (Edited)

A Monster In The Dark

"Ron?" Draco asked. "He could potentially mess this up."

"We don't tell him." Harriet yawned. This was such a regular Tuesday.

"You were going to let him be your second in a duel."

"My mistake."

"You can't duel her so you want to poison her?" Draco asked, eyebrows raised.

"I'll admit it's a step down." Harriet shrugged before flopping into an arm chair.

"Honour-wise, yes. Intelligence-wise, no."

"So you agree?"

"What if we're caught?"

"We won't be."

"Look, I'm all for killing her but I don't approve of making people suffer."

"It'll be quick?"

"That would make it obvious."

"True."

"Why don't you ask Hermione?"

"Hermione?"

"She's ruthless. And she would approve of the eye-for-an-eye reasoning."

Harriet nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps."

"Why do you care so much about Diggory anyway?" Draco asked. "I mean, murder? That's extreme. Even for us."

"When did you get soft?"

"Probably when I realised that I'm a horrible person and George would never want to like me."

"Wait, what?!" Harriet sat bolt upright. "When? How?"

"He came to talk to me, after months of silence and told me he likes me, but he doesn't want to like me ergo liking me is horrible and I'm a horrible person."

"Welcome to the club of horrible people. I don't think you belong. Have you considered him feeling guilty?"

Draco laughed. "Guilty? Why? What does he have to be guilty of?"

"His girlfriend was tortured and killed and then he realises he has a crush on someone else. Yeah, totally something someone would feel innocent about."

"Since when do you know how feelings work?"

"Since Vernon Dursley. I got pretty good at reading people."

"Shit. Sorry."

There was an awkward pause. Both sat there, a pressing silence in the room.

"Awkward..." Harriet whispered after a pong moment.

Draco rolled his eyes.

"So, murder?" He asked.

"If you're sure about turning a new leaf, I'll ask someone else." Harriet looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

He had lost. They both knew it. Draco Malfoy was the son of Narcissa Malfoy nee Black and had inherited her will to clean up the disagreeable of the world with own hands, will and magic.

He was going to assist in a murder.

The small part in him, that was Veela purred. This was protecting his family and his mate.

Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'll find out what her favourite snacks are."

"Much obliged."

Harriet stood up and left the room.

Pansy was hiding out at the edge of the forbidden forest. The upcoming full moon was making her skin crawl and itch. She scratched at her arm to relieve at least some of the itch. The bite marks or her leg burnt.

Was this what it would be like forever?

This curse - this life - as a monster. That's what she was now, right? A monster.

Scalp, neck, chest, arms, legs. The scratching wasn't doing anything. Her skin felt like a thousand beetles.

There was nothing that made the feeling go away. It was in her bones. It was in her blood, running through her veins like an angry stampede.

The monster in her howled and paced, dragging it's claws over the metal floor of its cage with a screech she could feel in her soul.

It was waiting, waiting to be released or for an opportunity to tear it's way out.

Was she strong enough to control it? Would it control her instead? Was it her?

Pansy curled up in a ball, trying to burrow further into the tree. She dug her nails into the surrounding roots.

The smell of blood filled her nose, making her hungry.

No, no. That was the monster. The monster smelled blood. The monster wanted blood. It wanted to kill.

She screwed her eyes shut. She could hear a howl.

It wasn't full moon.

Who was howling?

She opened her eyes. The forest around her had turned blood red, dark liquid leaking from the trees.

Another howl. The monster banged against its cage, biting at the bars.

The trees creaked and moaned. Drops fell into a pool at her feet causing ripples. A dark shadow could be made out.

Something seemed to be grabbing her head. Claws digging into the side of her face, it made her look further and further up until she saw what was casting the shadow.

Pansy screamed.

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Why is writing messed up, cliffhanger scenes so fun? Like, I could write a nice, wholesome story but nooooo, my brain goes dark times and we end with this.