I Speak Parseltongue.

"Draco, stand up straight," Narcissa, Draco's mother, hissed and whacked him on the back.

Shaking, he straightened himself and brushed the nonexistant dust from his blazer. The young boy, not even seventeen, was a time bomb of nerves as he stood outside two large, wooden doors. These doors were the only thing seperating him from The Dark Lord, Voldemort, who resided just on the other side. There was another thing that was inside the doors, waiting for Draco. A task. While the snowy-ahired boy was aware that the Dark Lord had chosen him for a job, he wasn't sure what it was exactly.

And it terrified him.

Lucius, Draco's father, slowly lifted his silver-polished walking stick and gave the doors three, hard knocks with the silver serpant head at the end of the cane.

From inside came a muffled voice, then some scuffling and the doors were opened by Wormtail, the Dark Lord's servant.

"Ahhh, Draco," Voldemort's raspy voice echoed through the great dining room that the Malfoy family had entered, "Come in, come in. Take a seat. Our meal will be served in a few moments."

The Malfoy family was directed to each of their seats at the long table by Wormtail. Draco sat at the end of the table, opposite from the Dark Lord. His parents sat on either side of the table, beside Voldemort.

A few minutes of silence ticked by before Draco cleared his throat and pulled on his tie, which suddenly seemed too tight.

"Uhmm... My- My Lord," he swallowed a lump in his throat, "What is this... task that you have for me? If you don't mind my asking."

"Draco," Lucius hissed.

Voldemort only chuckled, "Eager, are we now? We will get to that all in good time, my boy. But now, we eat!"

Wormtail had begun bringing out platers, that he levetated to each of the guests. Draco looked down at the elegantly arranged crab leg meal that was placed in front of him, and all but vomited.

While staring at the plate in disgusted, he suddenly felt eyes on him and looked up to see his parents and the Dark Lord looking at him.

"What's the matter, my boy? Do you not like crab legs?" Voldemort question.

"Oh, no... no, sir," Draco shook his head, "I love crab legs. They look delicious. It's just... sour stomach."

The three adults continued looking at him, so he cracked one of the legs and pulled the meat out as quickly as he could before cramming it into his mouth, "Mmm. Yum"

The Dark Lord laughed, "Quite the joker you two have here."

"Uhmm... Yes, My Lord. A joker," Lucius glared at his son who looked back down at his hands in shame.

While his parents and the Dark Lord ate and conversed between themselves, Draco took to watching a rat that was running back forth along one of the walls.

After what seemed like hours, Draco heard some clear their throat and his gaze snapped from the rat.

"Now, down to business," the Dark Lord folded his hands on top of the table, "There's a war approaching, Draco. Or not so much a war. That implies that either side has the same chance of taking down the other."

"Of... Of course my lord," Draco stammered.

"Now, I have no doubt that Potter and his friends will try to defeat me," Voldemort sat up straighter, if even possible, "but they are not what worries me. There's a girl. Halynn Aragorn. I have reason to believe she is threat to my power."

"Who could ever be a threat to you, My Lord?" Lucius smiled shakily at Voldemort, who only ignored him.

"What I want you to do," the Dark Lord looked long and hard at Draco, as if he were trying to root out all of his darkest secrets, "is kill her."

Draco nearly choked on his own tongue, "K-kill her? A girl? What could she possibly be capable of-"

"'Draco," Narcissa said warningly.

"My boy, I advise you to do as I ask," the Dark Lord glanced over at the wall Draco had previously been watching, "Or I will have to act on this disloyalty. Avada Kadavra!"

A bolt of green shot from the Dark Lord's wand, and the rat Draco had been studying lay dead on the cold stone flooring.

~~~~~

Draco watched the outside the window of his compartment intently while Crabbe and Goyle chatted quietly amoungst themselves, wondering what had Draco so out of it.

The Dark Lord said that Halynn Aragorn would be attending Hogwarts that year as a transfer student from Beauxbatons. He offered no clues as to how to find her, except that she would be a sixth year, like Draco.

There was a knock on the compartment door before it was yanked open to reveal one of the Slytherin prefects, Marcus Whiffle.

"'Ello boys," he smirked, "This young lady here is new. A transfer student she says. I'm leaving it up to you, Malfoy, to make her feel a home here."

The prefect then swiftly left, leaving the girl standing there looking awkward and shy.

Draco swallowed nervously. This must be her...

"Halynn Aragorn?" he questioned.

"Uhmm... Yes," she gave Draco a curious look, "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess?" he shrugged, "Go on, take a seat. I don't bite."

He smirked as the brunette girl sat down beside him.

The terrified and jumpy boy from the confrontation with the Dark Lord was now were to be found in Draco body language and words. This was Hogwarts--- or at least the Hogwarts Express. This was his territory. And with no Dark Lord around to smite him at any second, he was confident. Some would even say arrogent.

"I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy," he stuck his hand out to her. When she placed her hand in his, he slowly brought it to his lips and lightly kissed it. He was a charmer, and he wasn't going to change that for anyone. Not even the girl whose life he intended to end.

"What is with everyone hear and introducing themselves that way?" Halynn raised an eyebrow and moved a fraction of an inch away from Draco, "I've had three people already introduce themselves last name, first name, last name."

"We tend to go by our last names at this school," Draco shrugged, "It's sort of routine."

Halynn cracked a smile, "Routine or not, I am not going by Aragorn. Sorry, but I think I'll stick with my first name."

Draco smiled back at her.

"So, tell me about yourself," he insisted.

Halynn bit her lip and got a thoughtful expression for a moment, "Well, my name is Halynn Aragorn, as you know. I'll be sixteen in a month, on the twenty third, just in case you feel the need to buy me a gift. I usually come off as shy, but I'm not. At all. I fall in love quickly, and fall out hard. I have many secrets, and no, I won't tell you any of them. Both of my parent's were purebloods..."

"Were?" Draco questioned.

"Mum was killed by Death Eaters three years ago," Halynn sighed, "I never knew my father. All I know is what mum told me. He was a great wizard who made bad choices long ago, she would say."

"Killed by... Death Eaters..." he mumbled.

"What's that?" Halynn questioned.

"Nothing... It was nothing," Draco smiled at him.

They talked a for a bit longer, before Draco had to take on his responsiblity of being a prefect and make his rounds.

Bloody hell... She's gorgeous, he thought as he walked the narrow passageway of the train, Surely doesn't seem like a threat to the Dark Lord. She's far too... innocent looking.

The image of Halynn's loosely curled, long, brunette hair, fair skin, petite body and sparkling, hazel eyes remained in his mind until he saw the real thing again.

"Hello, Darling," Draco smirked and drapped an arm over Halynn's slim shoulders, clearly flirting, "We are almost to the school, so I advise you to change into your robes. Now, if you don't feel like giving us the show of changing in here, there's a bathroom right down that'a way."

Halynn smirked back at the blonde boy, "Sorry, Malfoy, I know you want to oogle at me as I undress, but I'm not that kind of girl."

She slap a hand on his knee and pushed herself up, grabbing the robes that she been given, "I shall return."

And with that she walked out of the compartment, having Draco watching her intently as she walked away.

"She is something else..." Draco muttered.

Don't get involved, Draco... You have to do as the Dark Lord asked, Draco thought sternly.

"Draco, she's a right good peice of arse," Goyle snickered, "and she seemed interested. You should really try to---"

"Try to what?" a voice snapped from the doorway, where Halynn stood with an angry look on her face.

"I uhhh..." Goyle looked terrified.

"You what?" her angry eyes shifted to Draco, "And you? What do you have to say? Nothing, eh?"

Halynn went to pick up a small make-up bag and Draco, trying to help, reached for it as well. Halynn yanked it up just as Draco got fingers on it and a small vile of liquid fell to the floor. Halynn snatched it up and began walking out.

"Wait!" Draco shouted and jumped up to follow her.

He grabbed her forearm and spun her around to look at him, "I'm sorry about Goyle. He's a git. If it means anything, I'll curse him for saying it."

Halynn smiled softly, "It's fine, Draco. Just promise me something, ya'?"

"Sure," Draco smiled.

"Show me around the castle later," she insisted.

"Sure, sounds like a plan," Draco smirked.

"Well, I have to go change," Halynn smiled and began walking away again. This time Draco let her.

He returned to the compartment to find Crabbe and Goyle talking about the vile that had fallen from her bag.

"I bet it's some potion to make her boobs bigger," Goyle scoffed, "No way are those natural!"

"Shut your foul mouth, Goyle," Draco snapped.

"S-sorry, Malfoy," Goyle stammered.

The train began to slow, then came to a stop. Draco found Halynn and showed her to their ride to the castle. On the way there he told her everything she would need to know about life at Hogwarts. When they arrived, Professor McGonagall led the brunette girl away to be sorted in the privacy of Dumbledore's office.

Inside the Great Hall, Draco sat at the Slytherin table, giving anyone who spoke to him the cold shoulder. The first years were soon led to the sorting hat to be sorted and after that Dumbledore gave his speech, then the feast began.

"Bloody hell," a voice said from behind Draco, "That's a lot of fucking food."

Draco turned around to see Halynn staring at the table in awe.

"You got into Slytherin?" he asked.

"Yupp," she smiled and motioned to the seat beside him.

"Go ahead," he grinned.

She sat beside him and began piling food on her plate.

After the feast, Halynn made Draco own up to his promise to show her around. He showed her all the classes and where the library was and other useful places before stopping on the fifth floor.

"This, is my favorite place in the castle," Draco grinned and said the password to open the door to the prefect's bathroom.

"A bathroom?" Halynn giggled.

"It's very... private," Draco shrugged.

"I do have to admit, it's very lovely," Halynn smiled.

Draco chuckled then looked at his watched, "Oh, fuck. We need to get back to the common room. It's late."

The two made their way to the dungeon and Draco showed her to the girl's dorms.

Halynn smiled at Draco for a few moments before Draco question what she was smiling about.

"Nothing," she shook her head, "I had fun today. I really did."

Draco forced a smile, "That's good. Goodnight, Aragorn."

Halynn laughed, "Goodnight, Malfoy."

Draco went to his own dorm and plopped down on his bed, thoughts of Halynn racing through his mind.

She's beautiful.
She's amazing.
She's smart.
She's stunning.
She's funny.
She's---
Oh, shit.

~~~~~
The next morning, Draco met Halynn in the common room to go to breakfast. The made their way to Great Hall together, only to run into Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley.

"Mudblood," Draco spat at Hermione.

"You prat, Malfoy, I'll hex you!" Ron shouted and pulled out his wand.

Harry held him back and Draco just pulled Halynn away chuckling.

"Who... Who was that?" Halynn asked, "Was that..."

"Harry Potter? Yeah," Draco rolled his eyes, "Real attention whore, if you ask me. He's really not all he's cracked up to be."

"It seems so..." Halynn frowned, "I don't like him."

Draco laughed, "Well, isn't that just dandy. You don't even know him and you don't like him. Not that I disagree, but do you mind me asking why?"

Halynn shrugged, "I'm not sure. Disliking him is just in my blood, I guess."

"In your--?"

"Come on! I'm starving," she said quickly and pulled Draco into the Great Hall.

~~~

Weeks passed and the two grew closer, while Draco's fear grew stronger, knowing there would soon be a deadline to when he had to... finish her off. This task was really beginning to eat at poor Draco. He was becoming so close to her, he wasn't sure he could do it.

But he knew he had to. Or the Dark Lord would kill him.

"You know next week is my birthday, right?" Halynn grinned as she sat next to Draco in the Slytherin common room.

"Why, I never would of guessed," Draco rolled his eyes, "It's not like you haven't been telling me this every day for the past few days."

"Oh, shut it," Halynn smiled, "I was wondering if you could take me to that bathrrom you showed me the first night we were here? The one with that big pool-of-a-bathtub?"

"And what? Bathe with you?" Draco smirked.

"No!" Halynn blushed, "It's just so pretty in there. I figured we could find something to do."

Draco smiled, "Sure. I'll take you there."

~~~

When Halynn's birthday rolled around, Draco was actually excited about taking her to the prefect's bathroom. He planned on having a little picnic by the bathtub, that magically decorated itself to look like a pond with lilypads and animals and what not.

It was around ten when the two made their way to the fifth floor.

"Draco, this is beautiful," Halynn smiled and hugged her friend.

They sat down to eat the food Draco had set out and chatted quietly.

"So, I have a question," Draco leaned back on his elbows.

"Mmm?"

"That first day, on the train, what was in that vile that fell out of your make up bag?" he asked

Halynn shrugged and looked down, "A potion. It uhmm... It blocks your mind from connections with others. So no one can read my thoughts. And... Say, find out where I am."

"Oh..." Draco nodded.

"The water looks so inviting," Halynn smirked, changing the subject.

She stood up and began unbuttoning her cardigan.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked cautiously.

"Getting in, what does it look like?" the brunette slipped her skirt off, leaving her in only a form-fitting wife beater and boyshorts.

"No, Halynn don't!" he yelled and grabbed her hand, but it was too late, she was already jumping in and taking him with you.

The two popped up out of the water, Halynn giggling and looking at Draco. He gave her a half grin before noticing something in the water behind the girl.

"Halynn..." Draco began to raise his wand, "Don't move."

She turned around in time to the snake strike at her and miss. Draco was about to cast a spell when he heard an unsettling voice speaking a language he didn't know. The snake froze in it's spot and Draco took his chance and hexed it.

"You... You speak parseltongue?" Draco asked, pulling Halynn closer to him and hugged her.

"I speak parseltongue," she mumbled.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Draco pulled away from the hug and looked at Halynn's eyes.

"I... I guess I'm ashamed of it," she said and looked up to stare back into Draco's eyes, just as he was doing to her.

"You don't have anything to be ashame of..." Draco whispered, "You're perfect."

He then lightly pressed his lips to Halynn's, knowing in the back of his mind that it was a mistake, but not caring. She was in his arms, and that's all he wanted. He let his tongue slip over her bottom lip and hapily began exploring her mouth when her lips parted.

From somewhere in the shadows, there was a slow clapping that alarmed them both enough to cause them to jerk away from each other. A woman emerged from the shadows with a wild look in her eyes.

"Aunt Belletrix..." Draco gasped, "How..?"

"Is this what you call killing the girl?" Belletrix Lestrange cackled, "You're parents would be so disappointed if they were here."

"Not as disappointed me, however," a raspy voice hissed and the Dark Lord himself walked up from behind Belletrix.

"How... How did you get in here?" Draco stuttered.

"Magic," Voldemort hissed, "Get out of that water. Now!"

The two hurridly got out of the bath and back themselves up against a wall.

"Draco, what's going on?" Halynn asked quietly.

"Girl! Hush up!" Belletrix yelled, "Crucio!"

Halynn fell to the floor beside Draco, screaming out in pain.

"Stop it! Belletrix, stop it!" Draco yelled, flourishing his wand.

"You know how to stop it," Voldemort said, "Kill her."

Draco felt tears on his face, "No! I can't..."

Halynn screamed again, another bloodcurddling scream and the Dark Lord was suddenly at their side, jabbing his wand into Draco's cheek, "Either way, she'll die."

"Alright! Alright!" Draco yelled, "I'll do it. I'll do it..."

Belletrix lowered her wand and Draco raised his, Halynn looked at the boy who meer moments before she had been kissing.

"I have to do this... I have to kill you..." Draco choked on a sob, "or he'll kill me."

He blinked be tears and tried to force the curse past his lips. But he couldn't do it. He couldn't bring himself to kill her.

"Do it!" Voldemort yelled.

"I can't!" Draco yelled back, "I... I can't do it."

"Well, then I will!" Belletrix raised her wand again, "Avada Kadavra!"

"No!" Draco shouted, but it was too late. Halynn's whimpers seeced, as did her heart.

The Dark Lord knelt beside her and carressed her face, "My daughter... What a shame. She could have been great."

"You... You're daughter? But why kill her?" Draco asked.

"Don't you see it, boy?" Voldemort yelled, "She is my flesh and blood, she is the only one who truely has the power to finish me off. She knew I'd come for her, so she tried to block our connection with a potion, but I found her. And now, I won't anyone to stand in my way."

"You have me," Draco growled and raised his wand.

"Avada Kadavra!"

He wasn't fast enough. Draco fell to the floor, a lifeless stone. Belletrix cackled and slipped her wand into it's place in her cloak.

"Come, Belletrix," the Dark Lord smirked, "We have things to do now."