Party Crasher

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"Professor Slughorne!"

The idle chatter of the party came to a standstill. All eyes turned to the source of the shout, an older greasy looking wizard held a sour looking boy by the arm.

Emerald's eyes widened.

Draco.

"I found this one claiming he had an invite to your party and that he was just getting a late start. Is that true?"

Draco broke free from filch's grasp.

"Alright fine!" He shouted at the old man who had caught him.

"I wasn't invited! I just wanted to crash!" "What shall I do with him?" Filch snatched him by the arm again.

"You know Dumbledore is real strict on these kids mulling about after hours without permission." "Let him stay." Slughorne announced as he offered Draco a smile.

"It is Christmas after all." Filch offered a huff of anger as he let Draco go and wondered off to go catch more students out of bed.

"Thank you professor." Draco said. "I did know your grandfather after all." "He always spoke highly of you sir."

"Draco!" He turned to see a bewildered Emerald.

"What are you doing here?" "Didn't you hear? I thought I announced it to the whole party." "Yes I heard, but why?" "Couldn't let you have all the fun now could I?"

But Emerald noticed it. Draco looked more pale than usual. It was more than that, Draco looked sickly.

"I would like a word with you Draco." The two were torn from each other as a wildly unhappy Snape marched forward.

"Now Severas- it's Christmas don't be too hard on him". "I am his head of house I shall be as wise with him as I please." Snape said as he escorted Draco away from Emerald and leaving the party.

✮ ⊹₊ 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 𓆏 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊₊ ⊹ ✮

"Did you see that?"

Emerald made her way back over to Harry.

"You mean Draco?" "Yeah." Emerald said. "I did." Harry nodded. "Did he look unwell to you?" He nodded again. "He did."

Emerald became much more worried about the Slytherin boy. Already she had been worried about him being on his own, not invited or included in anything. But now he looked sickly.

What had he been up to? What had he been doing that he wasn't telling her about?

"I'm going to follow him."

"What? No! Harry-" Emerald reached out and grabbed his hand.

"What if they see you? That could land you in some huge trouble. Snape already doesn't like you like at all." "I'll be fine." He assured her as he turned to look at her.

He placed a hand on her cheek, gently reassuring her. Emerald's brows furrowed in confusion as she looked down at his hand on her cheek but before she could register it Harry had leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Her cheeks flushed green again with embarrassment. Draco would be furious if he knew.

"Like I said, I'll be fine." He said again with a smile. "Be back in ten." He winked.

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It had been longer than ten minutes. Emerald grew tired of waiting.  She snuck out of the party herself and whispered

"Hharrryy"

As soon as she was in the hallway. No response.

She sighed and began to stumble down the hallway, her heels digging into her skin as she walked.

She cupped her hands over her mouth and whispered again "HARRYY" no response. She continued walking down the hall when she saw someone exit a classroom down the hall. She recognized them immediately.

"Draco?" "Emerald." He said, his voice almost in a whisper.

"What are you-" Come with me." He took her hand and began walking briskly down the hall.

"What the- where are we going?" She asked as he dragged her along, stumbling in her mother's heels behind him.

"I want to show you something." He said. "Uh huh. And you have to drag me behind you for that?" He turned around briefly only so she could see him smirking at her.

"Why I do indeed."

✮ ⊹₊ 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 𓆏 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊₊ ⊹ ✮

Emerald tilted her head to one side as she squinted her eyes, examining what was before her.

"A cabinet?"

She turned to Draco.

"You're joking, right?" She asked and Draco paled, more so than he already was.

"You dragged me all the way here to show me a cabinet?" "Not just any cabinet." Draco said as he took out a green apple from his pocket and placed it inside the cabinet.

"Watch."

He instructed as he closed the door. "I think you need some sleep." Emerald sighed but when he opened the cabinet back up the apple was gone.

"Where did it go?"

"To it's twin."

"What."

Emerald deadpanned and Draco chuckled.

"This cabinet has a twin somewhere far away. When you place something inside and close the door it takes it away to it's twin." "why?" Emerald asked.

"Why did you want to show me this?" "Because, Emmy, it's all part of the plan." "What plan." "Don't you see?" "No... actually I don't." Emerald took a step back, away from Draco.

"It's his plan." "Who's?"

"The dark lord."

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"Draco please not this again..." "you don't understand." "Of course I don't, I'm not a death eater." Emerald snapped and Draco stopped.

"You've been around Potter too much." "So you are one then?" "Yes." He admitted with a sigh.

"And you- you could be so much more. The dark lord could help you use your power beyond ways you ever imaged. Elphaba was a wicked witch, So is the dark lord. He could help you explore your wickedness." "No." Emerald said.

"The dark lord had my mother killed." She said firmly. "He wants power. I have it and he doesn't, not my power, not Oz power."

"You could give it to him."

"are you mad?" "You could give him your power then you could be a normal witch just like you always wanted."

"I am not giving the dark lord my power. I am not letting him use me like he uses you."

there was silence.

Draco shivered.

"Draco- no- oh I didn't mean-" "Course not." Draco said, his voice breaking.

"You couldn't have known. He plans to use me. You couldn't have known." Emerald rushed closer to him.

"So don't let him. Don't let him use you, Draco."

"I can't! Don't you see? He wants to use me to do such horrible things! And I've got to!" "No you don't Draco, you have a choice." "I don't!" He snapped at her.

"If I don't..." His voice was much calmer now. "He'll kill me."