Through the Dark (Draco Malfoy x OC)

Chapter One Hundred and Twenty

The library of the Malfoy Manor was almost the same size as the one in Hogwarts. No wonder Draco took over an hour to hunt down his grandfather's school book last year. The tall bookshelves were intimidating, standing by them and looking to the top; it made my head spin enough I could fall backwards. Row after row sat an assemblage of neatly lined up books with their spines facing outward, colour coded with varying shades of gold to silver, emerald to crimson. Despite house elves keeping the treasure trove spotless, the place was so big I could still eye a cloud of dust floating lazily in the air by the candlelight.

Camille sat in one of the many reading corners, feet up on the plush leather armchair, book sprawled open in her lap. She glimpsed up at me, her lips slightly curved with amusement.

"Find it yet?" She asked.

She had tasked me with a particular book. It was supposed to be incredibly old and small, something about historic dark magic of the ages. Basically more ancient rituals she wanted me to read.

"No," I sighed, "but I have probably already read it."

"Not this one," she said. "You would know if you had."

I rolled my eyes, turning to come face to face with stone-like, yellow eyes. Nagini lounged on one of the shelves, embedded in her unbroken sheath scales, she flicked her tongue out playfully. I could measure her mood by the way she held herself. Most people would doubt there was much body language to a snake, most people were probably too afraid to watch them long enough to notice; but I could tell by how she raised her head, flicked her tongue and directed her eyes, if she was happy or angry. The snake didn't have many other emotions. If she did, I had yet to see them.

Thankfully today she seemed happy.

Thank Salazar, as the other day I crossed her in a bad mood and she hissed dangerously at me before flicking pond water in my eyes with her tail. Poor Draco, I'd never seen him run so fast than in that moment, an effeminate squeal piercing the area that we went on to pretend didn't belong to him.

"Whhat are you sssearching for?" She asked, tilting her head.

"Cam is making me read old boring shit again," I sighed.

"Hey!" She scolded in the background at my language.

"Sstill?"

"It's supposed to be old and small, seen it, Nagini?"

"Mossst old relicss are in the Malfoysss sssecured case-hh," she said, slithering down the bookcase leg. I followed her, not missing how Camille watched us disappear into the maze of shelves. She guided me to the protected racks, a cabinet I hadn't touched yet due to its fragile nature. Behind the thin glass, dust collected everywhere, stretched spider webs woven loosely around tattering books.

"I don't think Cam meant these," I said, eyeing the aging works.

Nagini climbed the railing, gliding overtop the chamber to hang her head over the top shelf. Her tongue darted out at one particular book. Small and old. The cover a matured brown with faded writing. I could barely make out the latin words.

"Really?" I questioned.

"Sssmall and old," she said.

I placed my hand over the glass, zoning in on a new spell I had learnt during my stay. The Intangibility Charm was difficult to grasp and a weird sensation to achieve, but given the other advanced magic I put myself through, I was able to learn it. The old Melody wouldn't have even tried to master it. With concentration, my hand slipped past the glass to grip the book. I carefully pulled it out, afraid of losing focus and the glass fixing itself to my skin. Soon, I held the tome between my two hands. Delicately, I blew at the cover, a cloud of dust drifting into the air. I couldn't help but cough at the particles irritating my sinuses.