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[serpentineego]

Venenatum

Bonus Chapter 13 "A Most Auspicious Meeting" Sneak Peak

                A screen of black met Draco’s conscious mind, sending a wave of panic through him. Why couldn’t he see? He tried to cry out but found his mouth unable to form any coherent words. A pitiful “waaahhh” moaned out weakly was the only sound Draco was able to make.

                “You’ve been dosed with muscle relaxing and pain potions,” came a distant voice which echoed around inside Draco’s head uncomfortably, “it seems I may have given you too much of the former.”

                “Mmwhaaaaa caaaaaa iiiiiiii heeeeeeee,” came Draco’s slurred reply.

                “The muscle relaxing potion has affected your eyelids. You are simply unable to lift them at this time,” the hazy voice replied. Draco felt something cool touch his lips just before a liquid was poured into his mouth.

                “Drink this, and try not to choke,” said the voice. Draco barely managed to swallow the sour liquid. The moment he ingested it, Draco found the might to open his eyes and see for himself that he was not actually blind. Relief would have washed over him if it hadn’t been then that Draco remembered the events proceeding his unconsciousness.

                Professor Snape had used the Cruciatus Curse on him.

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[serpentineego]

Venenatum

Chapter Nine "Never Again" excerpt:

The witch walked, tantalisingly slow, down the dark corridor as she hummed to herself. Draco strained to hear the tune, see if he recognised it, but was unable to catch more than the few notes that were left to hang in the air as she went along. He had been so caught up in trying to figure out the song that he almost ran into the witch when she stopped suddenly in the middle of the hallway. Draco fought against yelling out a curse at the sudden intrusion of personal space, even if he was the reason it had been violated.

               “What the fuck?” Draco asked as he looked down at the witch, watching as her face took on a mask of indifference.

               “What the fuck, indeed,” she replied evenly, “I think that phrase would be more apt coming from my mouth, wouldn’t it?” Granger seethed as she looked at him, eyes dancing with fury, “Why in the hell are you still following me, Malfoy?”

               “Why did you stop. . . wait, what do you mean still?” Draco asked, baffled. There was no way she could know he had been essentially shadowing her every move since the term began. He had been careful and inconspicuous in his pursuit, and he was always one step ahead of the witch, right?

               Right?

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[serpentineego]

Ahh, finally.

Ever Since the Fall Chapter 17 Part II now up on AO3

[serpentineego]

Venenatum

Chapter 13 "A Most Auspicious Meeting" Sneak Peak:

Sixth Year Flashback

                Two days had passed since Draco reunited with his Mudblood. . . and by Salazar, they had been nothing short of glorious in his mind.

                There had been no time wasted in the return to their usual habit of sneaking around the corridors between classes to see each other for quick, heated encounters. The potion Snape gave the girl had worked wonders on her temperament towards him; he had to get the recipe from his professor in case he required it in the future. Since the dose, Granger had been back to acting just as she had the year before, which was exactly what Draco wanted. It was as though the last few months of their isolation from one another hadn’t really happened at all. Now there was a spring to his step, his vigor replenished, focus narrowed and sharpened; Draco was a man made anew. The missing piece of his. . . soul? Being? He wasn’t sure what it was, but it had returned to him at long last. He knew, in his heart, that there would be no way he would survive another separation from the girl again. Not intact, at least.

Find the rest of the story "Venenatum" on AO3

[serpentineego]

Venenatum

Chapter 12 "Side Tracked" sneak peak:

                A window blew out behind him as Draco dodged an exploding hex aimed for his head. He tumbled to the ground and rolled behind a large see-through structure with a bench in it, cursing his choice of poor cover as his attacker instantly spotted him. Draco regained his balance just in time to throw himself once again out of the way of a spell that cut through the enclosure and narrowly avoided his left leg as he landed painfully into the hard sidewalk. Grunting, he threw up his wand arm and shot out a bolt of green light at his opponent, watching the wizard stumbled backwards as he narrowly avoided the killing curse.

                “How many of you are there in your bloody family?” Draco shouted in frustration as he shot up and aimed his wand at the red headed man.

                “Enough to give your lot a run for your Galleon’s!” replied the wizard cheekily as he held his wand evenly at Draco, “Hard lot to kill, us Weasley’s.”