Hey...sorry this took so long.
The next update will be a while as well, because I'm going to be away all summer.
By the way, info to know: The centaurs essentially have two groups, those proficient in physical things such as fighting, hunting, even cooking and such; and also those few that have magic. Only mages have both, and haven’t been seen for years. Naliana has magic. Azlidun originally could fight, but at some point in his exile, gained magic. Explanations later? You'll have to wait and find out.
Thanks to Iluvcaptainjack for being the only reviewer last chapter.
As usual a big hug to my beta Mars.
Ginny sat in her room, thinking. She had no idea why she had freaked out at Malfoy.
She shook her head. That wasn’t entirely true. She had heard a voice in her head, telling her to give in, but it wasn’t hers. She had fought the urge, the desire, leaning back on her promise to Harry.
Yet, she still wanted Malfoy. Though she barely let herself admit it. She still wanted him, badly.
Her imagination ran wild and she lost herself for a minute in that hair, that mouth, that-
“Ginny?”
She sat bolt upright on the edge of the bed, slamming her legs together and removing her hands from places she wouldn’t admit they’d been.
“Go away ‘Mione.”
“Ginny, come on. I’m worried about you.”
Ginny was silent.
She heard a new voice outside the door. “You won’t get through to her that way, let me.” The voice got louder. “Honey, you better have clothes on, because I’m going to break down this door.”
Ginny flung open the door, almost hitting the snarky Slytherin in the face. Blaise smirked at Hermione. “I told you.”
The girls entered.
Hermione started. “Ginny, what’s been going on?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
Hermione began to speak again, but Blaise interrupted. “I’ll be blunt. I don’t care how you’re feeling, but you owe me.”
“Wait, what?” Hermione asked.
Ginny turned to Hermione. “My second year, when I was recovering from the Chamber I-” Her voice caught in her throat. “I tried to kill m-myself.” She sat heavily on her bed.
Blaise took over talking, ignoring the older girl’s stunned look. “I found her and forced her to go to Madam Pomfrey. Had to snap her wand to stop her from using it on herself.”
Ginny pulled the old wand from the pocket of her robes. “I still have it. Right here.”
“What have you been using?” Hermione asked.
“I bought her another,” Blaise supplied.
“Ginny, I-I didn’t know.” The girl looked ready to cry herself.
“It’s alright, Hermione.” Ginny turned to Blaise. “You came to call in your favor then?” A nod. “What do you want?”
The Slytherin almost looked away. “Draco’s gone.”
Azlidun walked through the forest calmly. The twisted trees could have hidden anything, but he did not fear it at this time. He had proven his strength.
He heard a voice to his left. “Who enters the council circle?”
Looking around him, Azlidun realized that he had stumbled upon the circle without meaning to. Around him was a circle of eight perfect trees. At seven of them a centaur elder stood. One tree held no representative yet.
“Well?” The elder who had spoken before stepped forward. “Who are you?” His grey coat and shrunken stature reflected his age. His beady eyes studied the intruder.
Azlidun stood tall, towering over the elder. “I am he who speaks with wind. I have been on a journey and return now with advice to the council.”
Another of the elders spoke up. “A journey? We banished you five years ago.”
Greybeard and Azlidun turned as one, hands on their swords. “You speak out of turn, Keeper of the Earth.”
“And what would you care of the laws, Outsider?” An accusing finger was pointed. Azlidun looked around realizing he was again alone in the center of the council circle.
“I care deeply for the rules when they don’t require me to sacrifice innocent lives.”
“It was a human. It was not innocent at all.”
“The child had not done anything.”
“SILENCE!”
A female centaur crossed the circle to stand in the center.
“But Fire-dancer, the outsider-“
“Has my permission to speak. Do you deny my claim on my father’s position as clan leader?”
“No. I acknowledge your late father’s wishes.”
She gestured to Azlidun before crossing to her position at the edge of the circle.
Azlidun stood in the center of the circle. He looked at each of the council members in turn. Then he said the words none of them wanted to hear. “It is again time that we became involved in the affairs of men.”
There was uproar among the circle until he roared for order. “Listen to me! The four are again stirring in the castle.”
Not a word was spoken, until finally Earth Keeper said, “How do you know?”
Azlidun’s false courage faltered a bit. “I can…feel it.”
The councilor laughed. “So. You think you’re a mage, eh? The outsider is proficient with a sword and magic, is he?”
Naliana held up a hand. “Hush, Earth Keeper. I believe what he says.”
“What? Have you lost your mind?” The council member drew his blade. “I’ll end this now.”
“You will do no such thing. Have you spent days out in the forest? Have you heard him speak? Have you walked with him?” She broke off, realizing what she had said. After a moment’s pause, she stepped into the center of the circle.
The Keeper of the Earth looked at them standing there. “So. The true colors shine through.” The centaur lifted his blade. “You are removed from duty, and banished.”
The blade began to fall, but Azlidun was faster. He ripped his sword from his flank and blocked the blow.
No one moved. The councilor looked shocked.
“Run, Naliana,” Azlidun whispered calmly. “Run. Now!”
At the word, he pulled back his blade for another swing. His opponent fell back, parrying his swings.
Looking over his shoulder, Azlidun almost didn’t parry the counter-strike.
As the red blur disappeared through the trees, Azlidun focused back on the fight. He parried three quick strikes, then slipped forward under the councilor’s guard.
Sheathing his own sword, he wrenched the sword out of his opponent’s grip.
He stood there, sword in hand again, towering over the councilor.
“I’ll remember this, outcast,” the councilor said. “I’ll remember this when I kill you.”
Azlidun looked down at him. “Goodbye, Uncle. I hope your pride does not destroy the clan.”
Azlidun turned and left the circle.
Draco sat looking out over the forest. The dark landscape was oddly beautiful. He thought of the Tree Guardian, and the words he had said. Was he truly pursuing Ginny because he felt something for her, or was he doing it to go against society’s rules?
One more question rang in his head. Since when had he cared? He was Draco Malfoy, why did he actually care about anyone?
“You are a hassle, you know that?”
Draco looked over at the person invading his thoughts. “Hello, Weasley.”
She stepped off her broom and sat next to him. She looked side-ways into his eyes, and followed his gaze out over the forest.
“Your friend was looking for you.”
He glanced at her. “I didn’t want to be found.”
She nodded. “I’ll go then.”
He held onto her arm. “Please don’t.”
She tilted her head. “What’s going on in your little ferrety head?”
He shrugged.
“What? No banter? No witty comment? Seriously, Malfoy, what is going on?”
“Since when did you care?” His eyes widened as he realized the words that he had just said. “Never mind. Just please, go.”
“No.”
“Weasley, you just offered to do so. If you would please-“
“You think I meant that? I’m trying to be your friend, Draco. Now tell me what’s wrong.”
“What’s wrong, Ginny Weasley, is that I find myself attracted to you.”
They were both standing by now, but when Draco heard his own voice, he retreated to the edge of the roof.
She crossed back to him. “I-” The words refused to form.
“Don’t strain yourself, Weasley.”
“Git,” she responded, putting her hand on his arm. “I wish I could respond as you deserve, but…”
He watched her eyes and started fishing around in his pockets.
“What’re you doing?”
“Convincing you to follow what you want.”
“Draco, I told you, my heart-”
He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket.
Ginny gaped at him. Slowly, she opened the folded paper to see the heart that she had drawn there.
She wrapped her arms around him.
“That’s all it took?” he asked. “A piece of paper with a heart drawn on it? That would’ve made my life a lot easier.”
She smacked his arm. “It wouldn’t have helped before. You were Malfoy then, not Draco.”
“Still…”
She put a finger to his lips. “Sh…enough. I will argue until you’re content, but not now. Right now…” The tone in her voice drove shivers down his spine.
She stared into his eyes and brought her mouth to his. A spark shot between them. Her mouth hungrily moved on his, trying to get more of him. His body responded in turn grabbing her neck, her sides, her waist. Anything to get him closer to her.
He pulled away abruptly.
“What?” she asked, disappointed that he was finished so soon.
“Something’s wrong,” he said calmly.
She followed his gaze back over the forest. “Draco? What are you looking at?”
He pointed behind him, intoning, “Accio broom.” His broom rose to his hand. “Ginny, there’s something I have to check on. I’ll see you i-…when I get back.”
She was already standing next to him, her own broom in hand. “If you think you’re leaving me behind after that, you’re crazy.”
In the forest, a tree burst into flames. “Go!” he shouted, kicking off into the forest.
The next update will be a while as well, because I'm going to be away all summer.
By the way, info to know: The centaurs essentially have two groups, those proficient in physical things such as fighting, hunting, even cooking and such; and also those few that have magic. Only mages have both, and haven’t been seen for years. Naliana has magic. Azlidun originally could fight, but at some point in his exile, gained magic. Explanations later? You'll have to wait and find out.
Thanks to Iluvcaptainjack for being the only reviewer last chapter.
As usual a big hug to my beta Mars.
Ginny sat in her room, thinking. She had no idea why she had freaked out at Malfoy.
She shook her head. That wasn’t entirely true. She had heard a voice in her head, telling her to give in, but it wasn’t hers. She had fought the urge, the desire, leaning back on her promise to Harry.
Yet, she still wanted Malfoy. Though she barely let herself admit it. She still wanted him, badly.
Her imagination ran wild and she lost herself for a minute in that hair, that mouth, that-
“Ginny?”
She sat bolt upright on the edge of the bed, slamming her legs together and removing her hands from places she wouldn’t admit they’d been.
“Go away ‘Mione.”
“Ginny, come on. I’m worried about you.”
Ginny was silent.
She heard a new voice outside the door. “You won’t get through to her that way, let me.” The voice got louder. “Honey, you better have clothes on, because I’m going to break down this door.”
Ginny flung open the door, almost hitting the snarky Slytherin in the face. Blaise smirked at Hermione. “I told you.”
The girls entered.
Hermione started. “Ginny, what’s been going on?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
Hermione began to speak again, but Blaise interrupted. “I’ll be blunt. I don’t care how you’re feeling, but you owe me.”
“Wait, what?” Hermione asked.
Ginny turned to Hermione. “My second year, when I was recovering from the Chamber I-” Her voice caught in her throat. “I tried to kill m-myself.” She sat heavily on her bed.
Blaise took over talking, ignoring the older girl’s stunned look. “I found her and forced her to go to Madam Pomfrey. Had to snap her wand to stop her from using it on herself.”
Ginny pulled the old wand from the pocket of her robes. “I still have it. Right here.”
“What have you been using?” Hermione asked.
“I bought her another,” Blaise supplied.
“Ginny, I-I didn’t know.” The girl looked ready to cry herself.
“It’s alright, Hermione.” Ginny turned to Blaise. “You came to call in your favor then?” A nod. “What do you want?”
The Slytherin almost looked away. “Draco’s gone.”
Azlidun walked through the forest calmly. The twisted trees could have hidden anything, but he did not fear it at this time. He had proven his strength.
He heard a voice to his left. “Who enters the council circle?”
Looking around him, Azlidun realized that he had stumbled upon the circle without meaning to. Around him was a circle of eight perfect trees. At seven of them a centaur elder stood. One tree held no representative yet.
“Well?” The elder who had spoken before stepped forward. “Who are you?” His grey coat and shrunken stature reflected his age. His beady eyes studied the intruder.
Azlidun stood tall, towering over the elder. “I am he who speaks with wind. I have been on a journey and return now with advice to the council.”
Another of the elders spoke up. “A journey? We banished you five years ago.”
Greybeard and Azlidun turned as one, hands on their swords. “You speak out of turn, Keeper of the Earth.”
“And what would you care of the laws, Outsider?” An accusing finger was pointed. Azlidun looked around realizing he was again alone in the center of the council circle.
“I care deeply for the rules when they don’t require me to sacrifice innocent lives.”
“It was a human. It was not innocent at all.”
“The child had not done anything.”
“SILENCE!”
A female centaur crossed the circle to stand in the center.
“But Fire-dancer, the outsider-“
“Has my permission to speak. Do you deny my claim on my father’s position as clan leader?”
“No. I acknowledge your late father’s wishes.”
She gestured to Azlidun before crossing to her position at the edge of the circle.
Azlidun stood in the center of the circle. He looked at each of the council members in turn. Then he said the words none of them wanted to hear. “It is again time that we became involved in the affairs of men.”
There was uproar among the circle until he roared for order. “Listen to me! The four are again stirring in the castle.”
Not a word was spoken, until finally Earth Keeper said, “How do you know?”
Azlidun’s false courage faltered a bit. “I can…feel it.”
The councilor laughed. “So. You think you’re a mage, eh? The outsider is proficient with a sword and magic, is he?”
Naliana held up a hand. “Hush, Earth Keeper. I believe what he says.”
“What? Have you lost your mind?” The council member drew his blade. “I’ll end this now.”
“You will do no such thing. Have you spent days out in the forest? Have you heard him speak? Have you walked with him?” She broke off, realizing what she had said. After a moment’s pause, she stepped into the center of the circle.
The Keeper of the Earth looked at them standing there. “So. The true colors shine through.” The centaur lifted his blade. “You are removed from duty, and banished.”
The blade began to fall, but Azlidun was faster. He ripped his sword from his flank and blocked the blow.
No one moved. The councilor looked shocked.
“Run, Naliana,” Azlidun whispered calmly. “Run. Now!”
At the word, he pulled back his blade for another swing. His opponent fell back, parrying his swings.
Looking over his shoulder, Azlidun almost didn’t parry the counter-strike.
As the red blur disappeared through the trees, Azlidun focused back on the fight. He parried three quick strikes, then slipped forward under the councilor’s guard.
Sheathing his own sword, he wrenched the sword out of his opponent’s grip.
He stood there, sword in hand again, towering over the councilor.
“I’ll remember this, outcast,” the councilor said. “I’ll remember this when I kill you.”
Azlidun looked down at him. “Goodbye, Uncle. I hope your pride does not destroy the clan.”
Azlidun turned and left the circle.
Draco sat looking out over the forest. The dark landscape was oddly beautiful. He thought of the Tree Guardian, and the words he had said. Was he truly pursuing Ginny because he felt something for her, or was he doing it to go against society’s rules?
One more question rang in his head. Since when had he cared? He was Draco Malfoy, why did he actually care about anyone?
“You are a hassle, you know that?”
Draco looked over at the person invading his thoughts. “Hello, Weasley.”
She stepped off her broom and sat next to him. She looked side-ways into his eyes, and followed his gaze out over the forest.
“Your friend was looking for you.”
He glanced at her. “I didn’t want to be found.”
She nodded. “I’ll go then.”
He held onto her arm. “Please don’t.”
She tilted her head. “What’s going on in your little ferrety head?”
He shrugged.
“What? No banter? No witty comment? Seriously, Malfoy, what is going on?”
“Since when did you care?” His eyes widened as he realized the words that he had just said. “Never mind. Just please, go.”
“No.”
“Weasley, you just offered to do so. If you would please-“
“You think I meant that? I’m trying to be your friend, Draco. Now tell me what’s wrong.”
“What’s wrong, Ginny Weasley, is that I find myself attracted to you.”
They were both standing by now, but when Draco heard his own voice, he retreated to the edge of the roof.
She crossed back to him. “I-” The words refused to form.
“Don’t strain yourself, Weasley.”
“Git,” she responded, putting her hand on his arm. “I wish I could respond as you deserve, but…”
He watched her eyes and started fishing around in his pockets.
“What’re you doing?”
“Convincing you to follow what you want.”
“Draco, I told you, my heart-”
He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket.
Ginny gaped at him. Slowly, she opened the folded paper to see the heart that she had drawn there.
She wrapped her arms around him.
“That’s all it took?” he asked. “A piece of paper with a heart drawn on it? That would’ve made my life a lot easier.”
She smacked his arm. “It wouldn’t have helped before. You were Malfoy then, not Draco.”
“Still…”
She put a finger to his lips. “Sh…enough. I will argue until you’re content, but not now. Right now…” The tone in her voice drove shivers down his spine.
She stared into his eyes and brought her mouth to his. A spark shot between them. Her mouth hungrily moved on his, trying to get more of him. His body responded in turn grabbing her neck, her sides, her waist. Anything to get him closer to her.
He pulled away abruptly.
“What?” she asked, disappointed that he was finished so soon.
“Something’s wrong,” he said calmly.
She followed his gaze back over the forest. “Draco? What are you looking at?”
He pointed behind him, intoning, “Accio broom.” His broom rose to his hand. “Ginny, there’s something I have to check on. I’ll see you i-…when I get back.”
She was already standing next to him, her own broom in hand. “If you think you’re leaving me behind after that, you’re crazy.”
In the forest, a tree burst into flames. “Go!” he shouted, kicking off into the forest.
Author notes: Review please! ^__^
To Be Continued.
Lynth is the author of 1 other stories.
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