The Siren's Call (A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

42. One Month Free Trial

Dioleh,
We need to talk. Meet me in the woods tonight after dinner. You can bring the others like you.
Sirius

Dioleh stared in surprise at the letter she had been brought that morning with surprise. "What is it?" Imani asked, looking over from where she was busy with her toast. Without answering, she discreetly showed it to her. Imani's eyes widened as she read just as Andre sat down across from them.

Frowning, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Lowering her voice to just above a whisper, Dioleh explained, "Sirius wants to meet with the three of us tonight in the Forbidden Forest."

"What for?" Andre said, scanning through the letter again.

"No idea," Dioleh replied. "What do we have today?"

"Moody," Imani said. The other two groaned.

Setting down her fork, Dioleh said, "I get that we should know about curses like that, but isn't it a bit insensitive? I mean, the kids here are the children of the war's victims. Some of them even lost parents because of it. My point is, showing them the same spells that tormented their parents is just cruel."

"Yeah, well, some of them are also," Andre said, before glancing over at where Draco was sitting and then looking a good way down the table at Theodore Nott, Crabbe, and Goyle. Lowering his voice all the same, he added, "Some of them were also the children of Death Eaters."

"Really?" Dioleh said with wide eyes. "Who?"

"Your little boy toy, for one," Andre said. Dioleh rolled her eyes. "His father was in You-Know-Who's inner circle. Then Crabbe and Goyle. And even." He hushed, noticing with wide eyes that Theodore was approaching them.

Dioleh had to repress a shutter as Theodore sat down next to her, slinging his arm around her shoulders, and said, "Talking about the Dark Lord, are you?" Dioleh pursed her lips, her upper body unusually still and tense. "Want to join him?" Dioleh didn't respond, only raising her chin an inch and setting her jaw in an attempt to quell her nerves. "I heard he's still out there. Waiting. Watching. Wouldn't want to end up on the wrong side of the Cruciatus Curse, now would you?"

Before Dioleh could think of a response, a voice snapped, "Oh sod off, Nott." Dioleh never thought she could be so relieved to see Draco. He was standing on the other side of the table as Dioleh, behind Andre. Sounding annoyed, Draco added, "No one wants to hear about how one day you'll be his right-hand man." Nott scoffed, shoving off Dioleh and walking off, glaring angrily at Draco.

"Bloody hell was that about?" Imani said irritably, her voice an octave or two higher than normal.

Ignoring her, Draco sat down beside Andre and asked, "What all did he say? I didn't hear the beginning of it."

"Nothing, just talking about Voldemort," Dioleh said, causing Draco and Imani to flinch. "Thank you, Dray."

He nodded, replying, "If he bothers you again, just let me know." He got up to leave, but Dioleh rushed after him, grabbing her stuff.

With a sigh, Imani said, "Here we go again. She sees light in him, he's nice for a week and then does something to piss her off."

"The endless cycle," Andre replied, glancing over to see that Dioleh had finally caught up to Draco. As the two began talking, Andre muttered, "Three gallons they get together by the end of the year."

With a gasp, Imani widened her eyes and whisper-screamed, "Andre."

Looking up at her with a smirk, he said, "Oh come on, Mani, don't tell me you can't see it too."

Looking back over at the two, Imani sighed, "You're on. I'm betting they'll get together by the end of fifth year."

"If you say so," Andre replied.

"Wait, Dray!" Dioleh called, running around the end of the table to get to him. He stopped, facing her. "We should, er...." Draco smiled, looking down to try and hide the small blush crossing his cheeks. Clearing her throat, Dioleh said, "Walk me to class?"

"Sure," he replied. After an awkward pause as they walked along the corridors, Draco said, "Dioleh, I am sorry for the back and forth from the past years." She looked up in surprise. "I'm trying, okay. Please don't keep ignoring me."

With a small laugh, she said, "Dray, if I was planning on ignoring you why would I have chased you down?" He shrugged, adjusting his bag on his shoulder. As he did so, a piece of parchment fell out and onto the ground. Both quickly dove for it, one out of panic and the other out of instinct. Dioleh got it first and started to hand it over before a small portion caught her eye.

-that Granger bitch.

Dioleh frowned as Draco snatched it back, his eyes wide. Dioleh couldn't help the sudden ache in her chest. Her voice suddenly shaking slightly, she asked, "Dray, what is that?"

Crumbling it up and stuffing it into his bag, he lied, "Nothing. Just a letter."

"Oh," Dioleh said softly. They stayed staring at each other, neither moving. "A letter calling me a..."

"Dioleh-" Draco began before breaking off. After a moment, he said, "My father's just..."

"A blood-supremacist," Dioleh said. Biting her lip, she began to wonder if this was all a mistake.

"Yes but that doesn't mean I am," Draco said. Dioleh scoffed, although Draco could tell she was forcing herself to cover her hurt with anger. "I'm trying, okay. You know what, I'll make a deal with you. Give me one month. One month to prove myself to you and if I don't then you can forget me forever but if I do then...well, friends again?" Dioleh could see the desperation in his eyes.

With a long sigh, she said, "Okay. But this is your last chance, Dray."

Smiling, Draco replied, "I won't let you down, love."

Unable to resist smiling, Dioleh said, "Good."