The Dragon Variation

Chapter Eighteen

F R O M D U S K T I L L D A W N

Ophelia DeLevisay

The past few days have been blissful, embracing the feeling of winter. I've had heart to hearts with Eden, witnessed Blaise figure out how to cast the Muffliato charm and then proceeding to try and convince us it was for his 'snoring' at night, thinking we would believe him over the truth that it was really for him and Eden. Eden and I would stay up late with the boys in the library, getting drunk on the Malfoy's fine wine collection and sophisticated whisky.

During daylight at the manor, me and Eden and sometime Draco would go horse riding out the in the frost of the mornings, Draco let me ride his horse 'Fraser', a white thoroughbred with beady black eyes and ash grey freckles. From what Eden tells, Draco used to go out on The Great Hunts with his father but promptly stopped when he turned 16 years old.

Blaise made it very known that he doesn't like horses, so he stayed inside to play chess with Narcissa. The dresses arrived yesterday and hang proudly in my closet, I get it out every now and then just to admire the mastery of the weaving and sewing of the fabrics.

I steered clear of Formi around the house, it's a fucking big house so it was fairly easy to stay as far away from him, apart from when it came to dinner time when he would jab at his food while giving me eyes as if he was plotting my death in his head, imagining I was the carrot he was repeatedly stabbing on his plate. I can understand why he was so mad; I won't stand for his shit.

Draco and Formi were instructed to stay completely separate by Narcissa after the altercation in the kitchen last week, Formi ended up having to move rooms to the West wing of the mansion.

One evening, myself and Eden were lounging in the great study by the fire, Eden laying her head in Narcissa's lap as Narcissa stroked and platted her hair. I was laying comfortable on the rug by the smouldering glow of the fire, holding my book above my face, quietly reading Mr Darcy confess his undying love for Elizabeth Bennett.

Eden expressed her annoyance that Draco didn't tell her he was a death eater, 'He's basically like my brother, no he is my brother, why wouldn't he tell me?' she said over and over again. Draco is practically Eden's brother, Eden has never talked about her family, if she has one, I just accepted not to ask or raise the subject.

I can confirm that she does not see Formi as a brother, however. He is foul. Narcissa tried to console her that it must have just slipped his mind but in reality, Draco didn't want Eden to panic or worry, he wants to protect her. Narcissa went on to tell us how Formi has always been a nightmare but since Draco was chosen over him, he's starting to become even more horrific than usual.

Narcissa was clearly scared of Formi; he's a landmine, tread carefully and you should be safe...but step even an inch out of line and you'll lose a fucking leg and that's only if you get off lightly, otherwise I'm sure he'd fucking kill you.

I should have never gone there, I would have never let him...do what he did... no, I didn't let him...he demanded while I was under his influence.

I'm just thankful I scrambled to get out when I did, and nothing went any further. I still feel evil for using it against Draco when I confronted him in the Room of Requirement, it was in the heat of the moment and I wanted to hurt him for hurting me.

Does that make me a bad person? I guess it does. I just don't want to talk about it but if he knew what really happened, I'm confident Draco would have attempted to actually kill him; smother him in his sleep, stab him to death, rip his eyes out, light him on fire; anything. Plus, Eden doesn't know about what happened at the Slytherin party and if she ever found out, she would rip Formi a new one.