Monsters

Chapter 15

                Anna finally received an owl from Draco in late June. It happened late one night when she was about to drift off to sleep. He asked her to meet him at the park in the nearby village they lived in. So she was to meet him tomorrow night at around midnight. Anna could hardly sleep. The next day she walked around with a smile and it was all she could do to contain the joy to herself that she would finally see Draco. Tonks and her father watched her suspiciously, but didn’t say anything.

                Finally, it was late enough for her to head out and Anna quickly climbed out her open window. It was a long walk to town, at least a few miles. When Anna finally got there she started walking the trails looking for Draco. She looked ahead and there in the softly lit gazebo stood a dark shadowy figure. Anna was wary at first, but then she saw shiny platinum hair as he moved into the light. Anna ran the rest of the way, throwing her arms around Draco. She couldn’t stop the tears from coming as she felt him wrap his arms around her.

                “Oh Draco,” she sighed, breathing him in, “I’ve missed you,” she took his face in her hands looking at him deeply. He was the same, and yet he wasn’t. He seemed older and very serious. There was sadness there too, “Are you okay?” she whispered.

                Draco looked down at her, his ice blue-gray eyes warming some, “I am now,” he whispered roughly against her mouth, and then he captured her mouth in a kiss unlike any they had before. It was filled with need and want. Anna returned his kiss passionately, melting into his arms. Draco broke the kiss and then hugged her tightly to him, resting his chin on her shiny dark head.

                “I am sorry about your father,” she whispered.

                “It’s hard, Anna,” Draco rasped out, “it’s all up to me now. To take care of my mum and I’m expected to fill my father’s shoes.”

                Anna felt for him. She didn’t dare ask him if it was true, that his father was a death eater because she knew the answer to that. Her own father, Lupin, and Tonks had told her all about what happened that night at the Ministry. The night Voldemort attacked Harry and Sirius had died. She knew better than to bring it up. This was Draco, and even though he was his father’s son, he seemed different. Anna just had to believe there was good in him.

                Anna stood back a little, looking him over.

                “What is it?” he laughed slightly.

                “You seem different. And what’s up with the all black clothing?” everything he had on was black and very sinister looking.

                “I guess it was time to put up childish things,” he smirked, “besides, I like wearing all black.”

                “Oh well,” she shrugged, at a loss, “Maybe I should try wearing all black,” she joked.

                “NO, besides it wouldn’t suit you,” he laughed, touching her cheek, “you are too angelic. You would look like a dark angel. I’d rather see you in a sexy Slytherin green dress, something that would match your eyes.”

                “Yes, well that will not happen,” she laughed.

                Draco found a bench in the gazebo and led Anna to it, sitting down and pulling her sideways onto his lap, “I’ve thought about you constantly, “ he whispered against her silky, dark long hair, breathing in her flowery scent, “but until Blaise gave me your note I had no idea where you were.”

                Anna’s head rested against Draco’s chest. She just wanted to stay there in his arms always, “Tell Blaise thank you for me,” she looked up at him, “You are coming back to Hogwarts for 6th year?”

                “I don’t know,” he said coolly.

                “Please Draco, you have to. I know you are going through a lot, but don’t leave the school,” Anna pleaded. ‘I may never see you again and I might lose you,’ she wanted to shout.

                “We will see,” and he changed the subject, “So, did they ever find your parents?”

                “No,” Anna said sadly, “but I have a new dad.”

                “A new dad?” Draco repeated in shock.

                Anna debated on telling him, but she wanted to be truthful with him.

                “Yes, my real father,” and Anna proceeded to tell him what all had happened with her so far. When Anna gave him her father’s name a look of shock, horror and something that looked like disgust came over Draco’s face.

                “You know he’s a werewolf, don’t you?!” Draco blurted out in disgust. Anna could feel Draco’s body stiffen up.

                “Yes, I know,” Anna responded.

                “And he is your father. Professor Remus J. Lupin is your real father,” he repeated as though trying to take it in.

                “Yes Draco,” Anna said hurt, “don’t look at me like that,” Anna cried, getting off his lap and standing above him.

                “Look at you like what?” Draco questioned, “Anna, your father is a werewolf. How do you think I am supposed to take it?”

                Anna could feel her anger rising and her cheeks flushing, “Draco, he is a man like you, he can’t help what happened to him, so don’t judge him! At least he’s not a death eater like yours!” Anna’s hand went over her mouth when she said it; she hadn’t meant to bring up his awful father, Lucius Malfoy. But he made her so angry with all his prejudices.

                “My father is none of your concern!” Draco stood up, shouting this time. Anna started backing away from him, “At least he doesn’t turn into a monster every full moon cycle!”

                “NO!” Anna hissed loudly, “your father is just a monster all the time.”

                “You’re going too far, Anna,” Draco sneered, and started walking across the gazebo towards her, his eyes dark, giving him all the sinister look of a dark wizard. Anna steadily moving back, “Did his blood taint you also?” Draco said smartly, he was almost upon her. Anna turned to run, and her feet went out from her as she begin to fall sideways down, not realizing the stairs had been behind her. Draco jumped out for her, grabbing her to him and quickly using his wand to levitate them both just inches from the concrete walkway.

                Anna had started sobbing by now. Her anger replaced by hurt. So she was getting a small taste of what her father had grown up his whole life enduring. The fear and prejudice hurt, especially coming from Draco. Draco held her there on the ground, trying to soothe her.

                “Anna, I’m sorry,” he whispered against her ear, “I shouldn’t have said that to you. You can’t help who or what your father is any more than I can.”

                “I’m sorry too,” Anna looked at him teary eyed, half lying on top of him. Draco kissed her gently on the lips and then he stood, reaching down he grabbed her hand, pulling her up in front of him.

                “I probably need to be heading back home before they find me missing,” Anna hated to leave him, but he had hurt her.

                “Yeah, I need to get back myself.”

                “How did you get here?” Anna asked.

                “I flew of course,” Draco laughed at her look as his broom came flying into his hand, “Didn’t you fly?”

                “Oh no,” Anna said uncomfortable, “I walked.”

                “And how far did you walk?”

                “Not far,” Anna evaded him.

                “How far?” Draco asked again louder.

                “I guess about three miles or more. But I needed the exercise.”

                “Anna, did you never learn to fly?” Draco was surprised. She did everything else so well in school that it was hard to imagine she couldn’t fly.

                Anna turned pink with humiliation, “Not very good,” she admitted.

                “Well,” Draco brightened up, “I will just have to teach you,” looking forward to working with Anna.

                “Good,” Anna said brightly, looking up at him, “you can teach me next year at Hogwarts.”

                “I told you I don’t know if I will be back,” he said darkly.

                “You will, because you can’t resist the challenge of teaching me to fly,” she said softly, grabbing his hand in hers.

                Draco looked at Anna with longing. Why could he not resist this girl? She was not really his type because she was far too good and sweet. And she had just revealed that her father was none other than the werewolf, Remus J. Lupin. But after the initial shock, he didn’t care. Draco knew Anna was no werewolf, but it did explain why she got sick almost every month, but even so he didn’t care. Just being around her gave him peace and she made him feel needed for himself and not some puppet. Anna could be tough when she wanted, but Draco knew she was really very fragile and vulnerable. Draco didn’t want to hurt her and hoped he never did again.

                “You want a ride?” Draco asked, watching her eyes light up.

                “Do you mean with you?” Anna asked, her eyes sparkling.

                “Of course, silly,” Draco laughed, “Come on,” and he put her behind him, her arms around his waist, “Hold on tight,” he warned, and she did.

                Draco flew her around for way longer than it took to get to her house. And Anna was thrilled at being to hold on to him. Draco did all kinds of fancy moves and laughed when he heard her gasp or grab him tighter and then she would laugh, then he would speed up, going super-fast, enjoying Anna holding him tighter, her face and cheek pressed against the back of his neck. He finally slowed down to a normal speed when he felt her yawn. Draco realized she was tired. He finally dropped them down in the road not far from her cottage.

                “That was great,” she yawned, “I much prefer riding with you than on my own. Can we do it again soon?” Anna was hoping he would say sure, how about every night?

                But instead, “Anna, I don’t know when I will see you again. I have a lot to deal with, but I will try my best.”

                Anna tried not to be too disappointed, “I understand,” she whispered.

                “Take care okay?” Draco said, giving a quick kiss to her lips and then, mounting his broom, he flew up.

                Draco looked back at Anna standing there in the shadowy road way, watching him fly out of site. It took all his control not to swoop back down, snatch her up on his broom and fly away with her. The look on her face when he left her was haunting him, but he knew he had too much going on and just hoped that what he would soon do would not lose Anna to him forever.