The Dark Princess (revised)

THIRTY-THREE ~ Free Day

August 6, 1995

Draco smiled as he walked into a spare room, where he found Ariana making potions. The room had many shelves on the walls full of ingredients and there were five tables, all with cauldrons with potions brewing. A record player was in the corner playing ballroom music in the background.

Ariana swayed to the music as she worked. She moved to the different tables, adding ingredients and stirring when necessary. At each station, were instructions given to her by Snape. She kept on looking at the instructions, much more often than usual.

"Having difficulties?" he joked.

Ariana swiftly turned and pointed her wand to his throat. She breathed heavily and her eyes were sending him daggers. Once she realized who it was she faltered and lowered her wand. "Draco..." She hit his shoulder. "Don't sneak up on me like that! Who knows what spell I could have used on you!"

"Sorry." He stuck his hands in his pockets awkwardly. "I couldn't resist. You were so concentrated."

"You need to be more careful," She told him, avoiding his gaze. Ariana went back to tend to her potions. "I really could have hurt you."

"But you didn't. So no harm done! I was going to see if you were ready to go but... You seem to have forgotten."

"Go...?" She paused to think. "Oh right! It's Sunday."

"Yes. It's unusual for you to forget things. Are you alright?" Draco studied his childhood friend. Her hair was in a messy bun on the verge of coming undone. Her eyes and her mind seemed tired. "Are you sleeping well?"

Ariana laughed dryly. "How could I? Whenever I close my eyes I see him." She sneered. "I would like to enjoy his absence but how can I do that when he's plaguing my dreams as well?"

"You're dreaming about him now?"

"I don't even know if they're dreams... It's like... I'm seeing the things that he sees." She remembered her last dream was of her father recruiting giants and other magical creatures to his side.

"Ariana, that's not normal."

"I never said it was!" she snapped, dropping the ladle in her hands.

She regained her composure and picked up the ladle. "I'm sorry. What do you have planned for us today?"

" I was thinking about just going out and about. We could even go to Stonehenge."

"Stonehenge?"

"Yes. I mean, we've lived in Wiltshire our whole lives and haven't went there once."

"Since when were you interested in historical things?" Ariana asked quizzically.

"Never," Draco admitted. "I just know you do."

"Let's go somewhere we both can enjoy. Why don't we go to a pub? I haven't eaten all day."

"Ari! It's past noon!"

"Yes, yes, I know. I'm going to go get dressed."

Ariana went upstairs and got ready. She brushed her teeth and washed her face. She poked at the bags under her eyes and shrugged. It would simply be a sign to others to not mess with her that day. She let down her hair and spent a while trying to get all the tangles out. Afterwards, Ariana changed into a sleeveless blouse and jeans, then went back downstairs to meet up with Draco. "Should we take the portkey?"

Draco agreed. "It'll be the fastest way." They went to the a decorative bowl next to their front door and found the portkey: a rusty key that will send them straight to Wiltshire's little wizarding village.