𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸, harry potter

˗ˋ 52

CHAPTER FIFTY TWO
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-: fifth year :-

── IN WHICH DRACO ATTEMPTS 
DAMAGE CONTROL (AND FAILS)

. . .

"What in the hells was that?" Draco stormed across the common room as though he had finally found some purpose in life, his upset directed towards none other than the pretty brunette girl sat in front of the fire, the sofas and armchairs around her void of any other student, despite the rest of the room being bustling with students, coming, going and studying amongst friends. 

It would have hardly surprised anyone who stumbled upon the scene to know that anyone who had dared come close to the prime position of the Slytherin dungeon had been quite viciously been directed away by the barked orders of Aviana, with the top button of her blouse done up and a black and green striped ribbon around her collar. 

"Oh please, like you haven't witnessed flirting before." Aviana hummed.

"That was flirting?" Draco slumped down into the leather chair to her right, hunched over as he questioned her, elbows balancing on his knees as he stared at his friend.

"Are you really that naïve?" She giggled to herself, continuing her reading. "That was Potter, for crying out loud, the only reason I spoke to him and resonated with the message he was pushing was simply because I hate that insipid woman." Her gaze wandered, landing on the fire as though she was full of thought. "If I wanted it to be flirting I could easily make it so... I don't think anything would piss Umbridge off more than if her two most hated students ended up shagging."

"You're going to sleep with Potter?" Draco hissed, eyes so wide it made his alabaster skin even paler.

"Merlin, you're gullible."  

"You can't blame me, you're acting so erratically these days that none of this would surprise me." Draco scoffed, settling back in his chair with his arms folded before deciding otherwise; this was more certainly a conversation for the prying eyes and ears of the entire Slytherin student body. "Seriously, Rosier, what do you think you're doing?" 

"Reading." 

"Insufferable twat." Draco breathed out. "Fine, I'll spell it out for you. Why in Merlin's name are you suddenly going on about the Dark Lord as though you thoroughly disapprove of his actions." 

"If you believe that is what I was doing then, and I mean this sincerely, Draco, then you simply weren't there for the entirety of the conversation. This is not about Voldemort, this is about the Ministry's sudden overhaul and use of frankly, dictatorial tactics to abuse the power they have over the school and thus the students within it."

"And if you think that this is just about your disliking of our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, then you're far more naïve then I am." Draco scoffed. "Do you know how much trouble this could get you into?" 

"Ah, so you're Voldemort's little lapdog now, go running to him with all the little problems you face?" Aviana sniped. "You seriously think siccing the Dark Lord on me will end up with, what, me dead? I think he might be a little preoccupied with his whole 'return' to the wizarding world after so long to bother with some girl." Aviana rolled her eyes, finally taking her attention away from her book. 

"But you're not just 'some girl' are you, Aviana?" Draco hissed. "And keep your voice down."

"Well, I'm glad you think I'm so special, Draco." Aviana replied mildly, as she closed the book on her lap and ran her pointed fingernails over the leather cover. "I can't say I'm surprise, although it is interesting you decided to reveal your little crush now." 

"What in the living hell are you talking about now?" Draco said. "I'm being serious. You're Aviana Rosier."

"Why yes I am, glad for that reassertion of identity, I was losing it a little there."

"Shut up. You're the daughter of a prominent Death Eater, the daughter of a prominent Death Eater family. Your Uncle Evan-" 

"Was killed by the Ministry." 

"Fine. Your father-"

"Is in prison for murdering muggles. And... probably, just maybe, considering that Barty Crouch Jr. was most definitely out of his mind after pretending to be Moody for a year, being a known Death Eater." Aviana's nails thrummed a beat against the cover of the book. "And in case you forgot, my mother deserted the world-renowned position of Death Eater wife and ran away to France. So really... how prominent is my family in the eyes of the Dark Lord? There's just me left." She shrugged. "And what am I going to do?" 

"Considering you know as much as I do about the Dark Lord, his return and his secrets, I'm going to suggest you have the potential to do quite a lot."

"So you think I should stay under the radar? Not go to Hogsmeade, stay out of any particularly shadowy corridors?" Aviana stared at him. "Well? You didn't responded in any matter to my earlier comment about being Voldemort's lapdog so I'm guessing that you're not going to go running to him to shout about my misdoings." 

"I-"

"No, I'm on a tangent here." Aviana waved away his interruption. "Umbridge might be a prick but she's under the Ministry's thumb, not Voldemort's. Pansy runs around like she's my lapdog, so she's out of the running. Theo wants to sleep with me. Blaise doesn't get involved at all. Crabbe and Goyle are your lapdogs so if you don't tell them to they won't do anything and somehow I can't imagine that it's going to be Potter running to tell him." 

Draco sighed. His anger had fizzled out, seemingly, and knew there was no bypassing any of her argument to push his point. In that sense, he knew she was entirely correct. "Aviana... just be careful?" He offered as some kind of rebuttal.

"Fine, I won't go shouting about the Dark Lord in front of anyone who means anything." Aviana replied sagely, reaching for the black leather bag by her feet and slipping her book into it. She stood up, slung the strap over her shoulder and adjusted her skirt before carefully stepping over Draco's outstretched legs.

"Where are you going now? We have Potions homework for tomorrow." 

"I'm going to shag Potter." Aviana said, quite calmly. "Before our little detention date with a certain Dolores. Have a lovely evening, Draco."

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