Dirty Mouth, Dirty Blood [h.g]

thirteen

13

Then

Carina lay with her head in Draco's lap, his hands playing with her hair. Carina stared unseeing at the Black Lake, feeling completely at home in her newly found common room.

"Nothing will change, right Draco? Now that we're at Hogwarts?"

"No," Draco agreed, "nothing. Malfoys have to stick together."

"Always," Carina smiled.

Now

Carina entered the Great Hall next to Harry, and she knew people were wondering why she hadn't clawed his face off yet.

They parted ways with a nod, and Carina sat with a clamor next to Theo. At his raised eyebrow, Carina said "Too early in the year to get a detention, Nottie. Come off it."

"Awe," Theo responded cheekily, "Nottie. I'm growing on you!"

"Don't read into it," Carina snapped, though with slightly less of an edge on it than usual.

Theo sighed, resting his head on her shoulder. "Where'd you go over the summer, Ri-Ri?"

"Don't call me that," Carina sighed, twirling a strand of his too-long hair around her finger. "I went somewhere safe. You could come too, they didn't ask too many questions about why I defected."

Theo turned to face her. "Two Slytherins in one go? Too coincidental. They'd figure out we're..." Theo ran a hand through his hair angrily, biting his lip. "And anyways, where Draco goes, I go."

Carina murmured in agreement, closing her eyes briefly. "If you change your mind..."

"I won't," Theo whispered, "not until he does."

Carina nodded, slipping off the bench and heading over to the teacher's table. She knew people were watching, but at that point she really didn't care. No one was going to question her; they were too terrified of what she could do to them.

Carina rested her folded arms in front of Professor Snape, smiling sarcastically at him.

"Dearest Professor," Carina said, "remember the agreement we had?"

Snape's eyes flashed in recognition. He had promised Narcissa that he would keep Draco and Carina from doing something they wouldn't be able to forgive themselves for. Something condemning.

"I remember," Snape answered, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Well, I need to alter it slightly. If we're ever in a situation, and it's Hermione Granger or me, you can only save one, you save Granger. I would never forgive myself if I knew I let her die. Everything else pales in comparison."

"Your mother," Snape started to reason, but Carina cut him off.

"My mother does not control me anymore. I've been disowned—or hadn't you heard, Sevvie dear?"

Maybe it was her tone, or a certain crazed look in her eyes, but for the first time Severus understood Carina completely.

Severus nonchalantly laid his hand over hers, and in a fleeting moment of companionship, squeezed it.

"Promise."