CHAPTER FOUR
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-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH CERISE
RISES EARLY

. . .

IT WAS AS THOUGH THERE HAD been no such interruption in the night prior, because despite Theo and Blaise witnessing Narcissa Malfoy taking both her son and his girlfriend out of the room, neither had the energy nor the soberness to remain awake. But when they did emerge from the depths of their subconcious, they had returned and as had the daytime; light was pouring through the open windows of the Malfoy manor. 

Theo blinked awake, smearing away the bleariness of sleep as he sat up. Collapsed on the mattress beside him was a rumpled looking Draco, who had his arm thrown out like he had been holding someone all night and was still in the suit he was wearing the night before, albeit several buttons undone for comfort. Blaise was still tucked up in the corner, using his arm as a pillow but.. 

"Morning, Teddy." His eyes were drawn over to the windowsill, where he couldn't help but marvel at the sight which greeted him. Cerise was sat on the frame of now open window that framed either side of Draco's bed, and like the rest of them she was still in the same dress from the night before - nude tulle covered in diamond-encrusted black butterflies - except now her sleeves and neckline had slipped down comfortably, and there was a cigarette between her fingers. "Sleep well?"

"Not particularly after Blaise and I watched Mrs Malfoy escorting you back to the meeting." Theo admitted as he pushed himself up, fingers digging into the mattress below him. He carefully extracted himself from the confines of the twisted sheets. 

"You saw that?" Cerise took another drag, smoke directed out of the window and into the blue-skies of the sunny morning. "Well, I can't suppose neither of us had considered the fact that Narcissa, despite her best attempts, would fail to only wake me and Draco. Come, sit."

Theo did as he was told, standing up and only pausing for a moment so that he didn't end up staggering half way there due to a sudden blood rush to his head. "So, did you and the boyfriend enjoy your alone time with the Dark Lord?" He asked, as he took a seat on the window beside her and allowed his legs to hang out, very much aware they were directly above the self-pruning bushes that decorated the paved patio below. 

"We weren't alone. We we were just re-instated into the meeting. Conversations seemed to have been had, because I wasn't threatened with the Mark anymore." Cerise shrugged, as though they were merely talking about the weather. "Here." She held out the cigarette, watching as Theo eyed it. "You've been up long enough that it isn't weird."

"Is this all you consume these days? Cigarettes and-" he leant down, fingers wrapped around a bottle that lay discarded by the nightstand "- cheap Firewhiskey?" Theo waved the bottle around, perhaps a little too languidly as they watched as it slipped from his fingers and went crashing onto the ground below, breaking instantly and the liquid bleeding out in pools of amber. 

"That's such a waste." Cerise eyed the remains with disappointment, reaching her hand out for the cigarette again. "Huh, what a shame. How long do you think it'll take for someone to find it?"

"A while. I don't suppose many people are around at this time of day.. or at all in this house. I suppose Bellatrix is staying here after her escape from Azkaban?" Theo hummed as he passed the smoke once again. 

"Her husband as well. We've breakfasted several times since the beginning of her summer - you would be surprised, she much prefers blueberry jam to strawberry, but some people just have odd tastes." 

"I don't like jam."

"And as it turns out, you're one of them." Cerise laughed; across the room Draco muttered something in his sleep. "But she generally stays out of the way.. I don't know if you noticed with the whole lack of light last night, but she doesn't really do going out in the sun." 

"I figured she wasn't the type to get a tan." Theo nodded. The same couldn't be said for Cerise however, and he watched with baited breath as she unfurled her legs like leaves from a fern, stretching them across the remaining expanse of windowframe remaining, skin glowing as though dowsed in glitter. "What about Voldemort." He hid the rising heat on his cheeks by focusing his gaze on one of the trees out in the gardens, eyeing the tops of the hedge maze. "Where does he go?"

"Haven't got a clue. Often thought about how he must hang upside down like a bat on some tree until he's needed." She watched as he laughed. "I suppose there are other headquarters he goes to - his family must have one, although I'm not entirely sure on his family  background at all, and I know he's been going to Knockturn Alley under disguise, and went to Albania a while ago? All I know is I get invited to meetings and then I arrive and he's there."

"Sounds like the Dark Lord is a hormonal teenager - flighty." He agreed. "How come you're so easygoing first thing in the morning, huh?"

"I got a good night sleep. When drunk enough, alcohol makes you feel all warm inside and then you're out like a light." Cerise was lying through her teeth. She had hardly slept, which was why she was so awake - Draco had fell asleep easily once they had returned from the second half of the meeting which consisted almost entirely of listening to Bellatrix fawning over their leader and watching Narcissa become increasingly worried every time there was a gaze cast towards the two teenagers. She had laid in his arms and stared up at the ceiling until the sun came up. "There won't be another meeting for at least a week, meaning there's more than enough time to worry about it."

"Good. I'm glad. You two seem to be the new initiates. Except they won't let you take the Mark. They of course being your tyrant - I mean - wonder of a mother and your increasingly overprotective brother." Theo gestured into the room, where Blaise rolled over in his sleep.

"I don't want it... I'd take it for Draco, but there's no reason for me to, as long as I aid his rather important task for this year. Narcissa hasn't taken it, and she won't. Her allegiance has been proved in other ways, and as will mine." 

"I don't see why you should take it for your boyfriend."

"I'd take it if needs be, Theo. He's your best friend, there's no need for the remarks." Cerise smiled as the cigarette was plucked from between her lips again. "So, how long are you here for?"

"Until my father deems necessary for me to return to the empty manor. I think I'll be here until the end of the holidays - it's only two weeks - and Father wished for me to attend as many as I could, seeing as I spent the summer..." Theo trailed off, swallowing. Cerise looked particularly interested for a moment, but soon realised that he wasn't going to say anything on the prior events of his summer and remained silent.

It hung between them for a moment, until Cerise took the cigarette back. "We're going horseriding today, and I suppose once our book lists arrive we'll be going to Diagon Alley. There's a lake nearby and the gardens are big enough that there are places where we won't get found all year." She said all in one breath, before taking a drag.

"I believe I'll be coming to stay with Blaise after tonight. Father might be a Death Eater but he's never been a fan of Bellatrix. Besides, Lucius isn't here so he won't be too interested." Theo quickly informed her, glad he had managed to turn to conversation topic away. "But horse riding sounds good. It'll be fun."

"It had better be. Sitting on a saddle for hours is far too boring and does nothing for my arse." Cerise scoffed, raking a hand through her hair.

"Not that you have anything to worry about, love, you have a wonderful arse. Utterly delightful."

"Theodore Nott what in the hells are you saying to my girlfriend?" 

Theo's head shot in towards the room, the pair of them examining the scene of Draco sitting up in his bed, tie loose around his neck and far too uneven. He glared over to the window - although it seemed almost more like squinting than anthing.

"Just reassuring me, Draco." Cerise smiled, passing Theo the cigarette for the last time before sliding off of the windowsill and making her way over to the bed, folding her legs beneath her as she sat besides her boyfriend, leaning over to share a kiss. 

Draco's hand was cupping her cheek instantly, alternate hand hauling her onto his lap.

Theo averted his gaze.

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