"SO," DRACO BEGAN, TAKING A SIP FROM HIS REFRESHMENT AS HE SCRUTINIZED THE CIRCUMAMBIENT DRUNK TEENS. "DID...DAD, UM, CHASTISE YOU FOR THAT DERANGED STUNT YOU'D DECIDED TO PULL?" Gemini, already inebriated, laughed gleefully; responding, "Well, ensuing the adulation he bestowed upon Harry for his Patronus, though be it was used against your former...acquaintances, and for catching me, of course - obviously he upbraided me. My punishment being that every Saturday night, for the remainder of this school year, you and I are expected to have a sleepover with him."
Draco sniffed, amber orbs fleeting about; meekly probing, "He was serious then? I was informed that I was to be punished for averting him from his own suicidal tendencies, but I'd just assumed that was merely a jest...on account of us being in the public eye and everything." Notwithstanding her drunk state, silver eyes softened as Gemini regarded her brother. Simply a question...but the jittery nature of the ordinarily commonsensical boy stood as an indicatory attestation. "Draco, look at me," she delicately whispered; placing her extremity on his quavering bicep, "I...I'll never have dealings with what you've exactly been subjected to in the past. Even...even with all you've told me, I can't. I can't ever connect to you in that way. But I can, and will, correlate myself with you regarding the opportunities, unwavering support, and unconditional love you'll receive from here on out. And, aside from that, I promised. Remember? Before we'd even commenced with this whole thing, I promised you'd never have to deal with anything like that again, and I meant it. Apart from Sirius Black, the murderous mother...my dad, Remus Lupin, our dad...there isn't a cruel bone in that man's body. You know that, right?"
Draco gestured his head in confirmation; voice cracking as he muttered, "Obviously I know that. He has the kindest soul, and I mean, hell, he accepted me without question. Well...after fainting that is. - It's just...just old habits die hard, I suppose." Gemini, solemnly, drew the spiraling boy into an amiable hug. "Merlin," Draco swallowed; welcoming the embrace without hesitation, "Who'd have thought you were such a sappy drunk." This disclosure was allocated by being, buoyantly, nudged away by his sister. "Whatever," she cachinnated; eyes winking over her red solo cup as she took another, generous gulp. Continuing, "So, putting a halt to his own suicidal tendencies, did you? What happened?" He shot her an incredulous look. "You dove to your assumed death, what do you think happened?," he reprehended, "If I hadn't have been there, conversant with what play you were about to execute, holding him back by his cloak, he'd certainly have jumped after you."
"Ah, that's the wol- uh, parent instincts kicking in, that is," Gemini revealed, "Remus Lupin, the most astute wizard alive, until one of his cubs are in danger. - But, since we're on the topic of you knowing what I was about to do, ever think you'll return to the pitch?" The boy ruffled his curls; confessing, "No. No, I don't think so. I actually never really liked playing, but Fa-...Lucius had insisted of my participation in the sport."
"Hello, pretty boy, Gem," Fred Weasley spoke; greeting the pair abaft of Draco, immediately swaddling the shorter male, "What is the topic of discussion?" Draco chortled; misleading, "Oh, not that she'd ever permit anyone else to know, but Gemini was just asking me about what my exact hair routine is. You see...her routine, itself, just doesn't seem to be...working anymore." The repudiating squawk evinced from her was loud enough to catch the attention of many, if they already weren't eavesdropping. "Calm down, Gem," her brother teased; disarranging her own set of coils, "Wouldn't want others to know that you asked me for hair advice, now, would you?" Pushing his hand away, conscious that he'd omitted the truth since he wasn't yet ready to reveal such horrors to Fred, she kept her mouth figuratively shut; opting to, instead, stick her tongue out. And the gratified glimpse sent her way had not gone unperceived.
"Well, uh, alright then," Fred spoke; a tad sloshed himself, "Anyway, Love, I brought you a few Peppermint Toads back from Georgie and I's excursion. I know they're your favorite, so I put a separate bag away for you in our dorm." - Even drunk and running on deviltry, Fred had thought of Draco. - "Oh, thank you, Darling," her brother lauded; leaning back on the ginger, "However did you both manage to bring back bags full of Honeydukes sweets, though?" Meeting silver eyes, Fred winked, and said, "All completed with a little help from Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. - Now come on, let's go upstairs and eat some sweets." Draco looked at Gemini, who simply waved him off. "Go on," she instructed; downing the rest of the contents in her cup, "I've got to comb through this crowd for Harry, anyway. Told him I'd be back five minutes ago. - But Draco? Do not think how you addressed Dad went unnoticed. While I am aware that it will take some time for you to announce it before him, do try to not stress yourself over it. There would be no...damaging reaction. And though I know he'd break down from happiness if you said it, there is no pressure. He'll continue to love you either way. - I love you. Both of you. Have a great time eating sweets."
"Merlin," Fred astonished; watching the girl step away, tightening the grip on his beau, "I'd forgotten how much of a soppy drunk she was. In this state it'll be like a free therapy session for anyone who has a conversation with her."
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A bloodcurdling scream. That is all it took for Gemini, in her plastered achieved slumber, to wake as suddenly as though she'd been walloped across the face. Disoriented in the total darkness, a little uncertain as to how she ended up in her bed in the first place, she fumbled with the hangings that shielded her from the other females. Vaulting herself onto the dormitory floors, wand at the ready, the lioness regarded her additional, groggy bunkmates. "What the fuck is going on? Who screeched?," she questioned. Lavender Brown, hand on her own racing heart, shakily replied, "I...I'm not quite sure. It wasn't one of us though, I was awake. But, honestly, it sounded as though it came from the common room or something."
Gemini nodded, wasting no time as she stormed out of the sleeping quarters. Where she should've been sleeping.
The common room was lit from the glow of the dying fire, and still littered with the debris from the party. But the morosed room remained populated by the third-year Gryffindor boys. Most notably, frightened and half-dressed third-year Gryffindor boys. But Gemini was too drooping, and too stymied, to assume something of a much more serious nature. So, taking in the sight before her, postulating, she castigated, "Look, I am not one to typically kink shame, but seriously? Couldn't you lot have conserved this to your own dormitory - where I am sure the walls would've muffled everything in a more excellent manner?" They all examined her, stunned. "Gemini," Dean exhaled, "What the bloody fuck are you on about?" She scoffed, why typify her as dull out of everyone? Perhaps it was merely the embarrassment appertaining to being caught. "Alright, pay attention," she started; crossing her arms in impediment, done before it'd even began, "It is a universal induction that all proceed physically through, specifically curious teenage boys. Truly, I am not judging any of you for this...investigation of sorts. But I am way too tired for this, so go back to your room and know I support you all." The number of individuals collectively precedent to the lass gaped, dumbfounded, actually not knowing what to remark.
In the maladroited stare off, a few of the other girls, pondering what had occupied Gemini for an extended time, came down the staircase, pulling on dressing gowns and yawning. Boys, too, had begun to reappear. - "Excellent," George Weasley brightly exclaimed; ginger locks a right mess, "are we carrying on with the party?" Gemini snorted; mumbling, "Definitely carrying on with a different sort of party, that's for sure."
"Everyone back upstairs!," conducted Percy, scurrying into the common room and affixing his Head Boy badge to his pajamas as he spoke. "Perce - Sirius Black!," alleged Ron, faintly, cutting off any instructions, "In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!" The common room went very still. And all Gemini could comprehend was, fuck. She'd managed to transpire way, way off.
"Nonsense!," eschewed Percy, looking quite startled, "You had too much to eat, Ron - had a nightmare - ." But the youngest ginger male hadn't the time to contend, Professor McGonagall was back. Previously having turned up in the same tartan dressing gown and hair net at one in the morning to put an end to the party, the portrait slammed behind her as she entered the common room and stared furiously around. "I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous," she seethed; twisting to face the Head Boy, "Percy, I expected better of you!" Puffing himself up indignantly; Percy fervidly appealed, "I certainly didn't authorize this, Professor! Why, I told them to all return back to bed just a moment ago! My brother Ron had a nightmare, that's all."
"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE," Ron yelled; maddened from not being taken seriously, "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KIFE!" Professor McGonagall eagle eyed him; instantly opposing, "Don't be absurd, Weasley, how could the man possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?" Ron frustratingly shrugged. "I don't know how he got in, I was a bit engaged with dodging the knife! - Ask him," he offered, pointing a shaking finger at the back of Sir Cadogan's picture, "Ask him if he saw - if he saw Sirius Black!" Glaring suspiciously at the unnerved boy, Professor McGonagall shifted the portrait back open and made for outside. And as the whole common room auscultated with bated breath; McGonagall inquired, "Sir Cadogan, have you recently allowed a man permission to enter Gryffindor Tower?" The portrait, in answer, cried, "Certainly, good lady!" There was a stunned silence, both inside and outside of the common room. And Harry Potter incontrovertibly hurried over to Gemini, an overwhelming impetus to protect the rattled girl.
"You - you did?," McGonagall stuttered. "But, but the password?!" Contemptuously, Sir Cadogan countered, "He had 'em! Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper." The customarily composed woman pulled herself back through the portrait hole to face a frozen horde. She herself was white as chalk. "Which person," she evoked, a tremor to her speech, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying about?"
There was an utter silence, broken by the smallest of aghast squeaks. Neville Longbottom, trembling from head to fluffy slippered toes, rose his hand unhurriedly into the air. "Neville," Professor McGonagall heavily breathed, "Is it always going to be you?" Abashed, the boy muttered, "I'm afraid so, ma'am..."
The woman, swiveling to the group at large, particularly Harry and Gemini, then advised, "While we apperceive Sirius Black no longer present tonight, I think you can safely assume he will, at some future time, attempt to, once more, achieve his arrival. So, let me be clear. You are not to move about the castle alone, and you are not to write down any ensuing password! Is that understood?" With a collective nod of the head, McGonagall gave the ties on her robe a sharp tug. "Very well then," she concluded; furthering in gathering herself, "Go to bed."