"The Mudblood" One-Shots

Clowndemort

Year: 6

Canonicity: Canon to "The Mudblood", between Chapter 119 and Chapter 120

Point of View: first person, Lainey Fitzroy

Notes: This prank was mentioned in Chapter 110, but I never had the opportunity to fit it in the story.

The white moonlight seeping in through the window, coupled with the faint flickering of the candles scattered along the library's walls, was all that illuminated the stone chessboard that separated Draco Malfoy and me.

It had only been twenty-four hours since we'd returned from Garren and Bethanne's wedding in France. As promised, Rookwood hadn't uttered a word about the affair to Voldemort, who was too preoccupied with his hunt for Harry Potter to care if two of his Death Eaters attended a Muggle wedding. We'd spent most of the day in relative peace, reading our own books within close proximity to each other. The silence between us hadn't been strained, but I had been relieved when he'd demanded that I play wizard's chess with him about two hours ago. And now I was less than relieved knowing that he'd won two games and was about to beat me in a third.

"Checkmate," he crooned, leaning back in his chair and eyeing me haughtily. It was a struggle not to let my chagrin show as his knight demolished my king.

"Prick." Though I'd meant only to think the word, I knew I'd voiced it aloud when his smirk broadened. "This game is rubbish."

"Or, perhaps, you're rubbish at this game."

"Sorry I was raised to exercise outside rather than excel at meaningless board games."

His arrogance waned at my demeaning statement. "Would you fancy going outdoors for a midnight session of your beloved Muggle football?"

"I would fancy going to bed." My feet ached from dancing at the wedding and my brain ached from the stress of being in this wretched Manor and my heart ached from all that had transpired between Fred and me the night before... But, of course, I divulged none of this to Draco. With an exhale, I simply said, "It's late, and I'm exhausted."

"I'm not opposed to going to bed," he mused, his eyes dancing playfully. "Whose'll it be tonight, Mudblood?"

"Funny, Malfoy," I droned with an eye roll, but I was unable to refute his banter any further before an eagle owl came swooping into the library. I'd expected it to be Demy, so when Dev landed on my shoulder, I nearly jumped in surprise. "Hello..." I greeted my owl tentatively, studying the parcel that was attached to his leg. The little bugger nearly flew off before I got the opportunity to untie it.

"A gift from your Weaselbee?" Draco drawled sourly.

"Yes, actually," I replied upon seeing the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes seal on the package. When I peeled off the wrappings, I found a small note within, written in Fred's scrawl.

Fitz, seeing you last night reminded me of these. Enjoy.

With pursed lips, I unfolded the flaps of the box and discovered that two red clown noses rested within. At first I didn't understand, but then the memory slammed my brain, causing me to drop the box on top of the chess pieces. The conversation Fred and I had had about pranking Voldemort with a clown nose... The conversation that had occurred after we...slept together at Bill and Fleur's wedding...

Intrigued by my sudden shock, Draco peered over into the box, and his frown intensified. "Is this some sort of sexual innuendo?"

"What—no," I blurted much too quickly. "It's...a prank idea I came up with."