Incendio
Revolution (Royal Witch AU)
Chapter Two: Incendio
Draco Malfoy x royal!Reader
Author: @thatfrogkiki
Warnings: slowburn, swearing, political themes, eventual smut (everyone is 18+ in this AU), violence, etc.
Summary: The Reader gets caught by Draco in the forbidden history section of the library, but she’s found her book she was looking for. However, Draco refuses to leave her be without a fight.
Word Count: 1935
Author’s Note: I’m not sure how I feel about this chapter, but I thought I’d post it anyways! I have plans for more interesting chapters, so please stick around for them if you’d like! Any feedback is welcome by the way! I appreciate all your kind words!
Y/n = Your name
Y/m/n = Your middle name (going to be used as your fake last name)
~~~
*Reader’s POV*
I have to find it here… I just have to… If it isn’t here, it isn’t anywhere… I try my best to quickly scan each book on every bookshelf in the history section. The further I go into the forbidden history section, the heavier my chest feels. It makes me feel like I really shouldn’t be here, but I must go on. Nothing can stop me from fulfilling my destiny…
“C’mon, it has to be here somewhere…” I mumble out loud to myself. I sigh and close my eyes for a second. Without opening my eyes, I rest my head on the bookshelf ahead of me. When I get back up and open my eyes, they immediately focus on an unusual book with no name on its spine.
“That’s peculiar…” I go to pick it up, and a shiver runs down my spine. I can hear the chanting of my ancestors beating in my eardrums, but I ignore it. This is the book I was looking for:
Sols and Lunes: A History of Genocide
I’ve found it… I’ve finally found it! Tears begin streaming down my face as I open the book and start to read the first few pages. It’s encoded in some strange language of runes I’ve never seen before.
“And what do you think you’re doing here?” I hear a voice practically yell at me, making me jump out of my own skin.
“H-huh?” I panic and stupidly ask who I now see to be that Draco kid from the dining hall.
“I said, ‘And what…’” He begins again, but I stop him by shushing.
“Shh! We’re gonna get caught if you don’t stop yelling!” I whisper angrily towards him.
“Oh please, no one’s gonna find us all the way back here. No one goes for the forbidden history section, it’s not nearly as exciting as the forbidden spells section…” Draco tries to joke with me, but I’m in no mood to be humorous.
“Can I help you with something, then?” He steps closer to me slowly, and our height difference becomes more noticeable. I can tell he’s liking that, too, which pisses me off.
“Not with anything specific… I just came to apologize for my behavior earlier, but then I noticed you sneaked off into here so I…” He trails off with a slight smirk on his face.
“You what? Thought you have leverage over me or something? Look, I’m not interested in being friends or anything you’re thinking of, so just leave me alone. I’m doing something rather important,” I step to the side and begin to walk away from him, but he holds his arm out to stop me. He grips my shoulder and shoves it gently towards the bookshelves.
“You might want to watch that tone of yours… Most people tend to know who they’re talking to, but you’re new so I’ll let it slide this time.” Draco throws me a wink as if I’d swoon, but instead I slam my shoe into his shin. He drops to one knee in pain, cussing me out.
“Watch your tone, Malfoy. Or else you might regret it.” I spit out with venom, slapping his hand off my shoulder. I start walking away again, but, before I get far enough, Draco stops me with a spell.
“Incarcerous!” He yells with his wand at the ready, and I’m immediately tied up with magic ropes. I stumble forward a little but still catch my balance.
“Heh, not so tough now, are ya?” Draco chuckles to himself as he strides towards me.
“Expelliarmus!” I shout back at him, and his wand flies out of his hand.
“H-how did you do that?! Your wand isn’t out…” He stops with shock in his eyes. I don’t answer him, as I’ve realized how stupid I am. I just informed him that I don’t need a wand to do magic spells, which means he might find out what I am… Before he can figure it out, I unbind myself from the ropes and make a run for it. I slip out of the restricted section and library, then head for the Slytherin dormitories again. Surprisingly, I make it all the way there without seeing Draco again. Once in my private room, I’m able to rest finally. I lean my back against my door and sigh with relief. However, I then get the thought that I’ve made an even more terrible mistake.
“Oh fuck!” In mid-thought, I hear a knock at my door. I panic for a second, but collect myself and unlock the door.
“Hello, Y/m/n. It appears that you’ve left something behind…” Draco smirks, holding my book up to his chest.
“O-oh, yes… M-my mistake… If I could just have that back,” I reach out for it, but he snaps the book up in the air with his long, lanky arm.
“Ah, ah, ah! Where are your manners?” He takes a step forward, but I hold my ground with a glare. He takes another step, and we’re chest to chest. I know what he wants, but it’s not going to happen.
“Give it here, or else I’ll report you…” I try to threaten, but he doesn’t seem fazed.
“Try me.” He leans down and whispers into my ear. I finally take a step back, which seems to make Draco happy. With his foot, he shuts the door, leaving us alone in my room with no quick way out.
“Now, if you’re done sassing me, I’d like to ask you a few questions. I’ll give you your book back if you answer all of them,” Draco promises, but I’m warry to believe him. I know what he’s going to ask about before he does, but I just play along.
“Firstly, how’d you cast a spell without your wand out? Something like that takes years of practice, and no school would ever teach students such power…” He asks, and I try to come up with a good lie.
“I had my wand out, Malfoy. You just didn’t see cuz it was lowered.” I try, but he just quirks an eyebrow in response.
“Sure, you must think I’m as blind as Potter…” He rolls his eyes at me.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told the truth…” I begin to lie again, but Draco is having none of it.
“Just tell me, or you’ll never see your stupid book again,” He bluffs.
“Fine! I was taught from a young age by my mother,” I feel my face heat up from embarrassment. I hate having to talk about this kind of stuff with normal people. They know not what they meddle with…
“Your mother? And who taught her?” Draco asks.
“Her mother! It’s just been passed down in my family since the beginning of magic…” I answer annoyed.
“Since the beginning of magic?” Draco is taken aback by my answer, and I mentally cuss myself out.
“Uh, I mean… you know what I mean… It’s been forever since this tradition started, I guess… I’m not sure how it started…” I lie.
“No, no… You specifically said, ‘since the beginning of magic’. What do you mean by that?” He questions further.
“I didn’t mean anything by it! It was just an expression!” I lie again, but Draco shakes his head in disagreement.
“I… I can’t tell you…” I pip out.
“Why not?” He inquires, but I let out a frustrated sigh.
“I just can’t! I’m not going to endanger myself or you just because you’re curious!” I yell at him, but he stands his ground.
“You? Endangering me? Like you could…” Draco snickers, making me furious.
“Believe it or not, I can be quite powerful when I want to! You’re lucky we’re at Hogwarts, or else I’d have gotten rid of you a long time ago,” I cross my arms in front of me.
“Is that a threat?” Draco looks livid, but I don’t back down.
“Yes, so back off!” I shout, but Draco doesn’t listen. Instead, he brings my book back close to himself.
“I guess you won’t be needing this then,” He shrugs and takes out his wand.
“W-what are you doing?!” I try reaching for the book, but he’s already spoken his spell.
“Incendio!” A small fire sparks through his wand towards the book.
“No!” I scream for the book, but then it seems unharmed by the flames. Draco’s fire dies out, and we’re both left staring in awe.
“It’s enchanted…?” Draco asks himself, but I take the opportunity to snatch the book from his hand.
“Apparently… You should leave… I mean it,” I answer.
“Hm, I don’t want to… I want to know what that book really is, especially since it’s so important to you,” Draco states, but I ignore him. I begin to flip through the book, hoping to find a hidden key for the strange runes.
“What language is that?” Draco asks.
“Not sure… But seriously, you need to leave.” I close the book and glare his way.
“Why?” He questions.
“Because! Because… It’s dangerous for someone like you to be around someone like me…” I answer honestly.
“How so?” Draco doesn’t let it go.
“Because I tend to attract bad people in my life… People that want to do me and all around me harm…” I look away somewhat ashamed of the lifestyle I lead.
“Heh, I feel that… I don’t have many friends that would look out for me either…” I can feel Draco’s eyes on me still, and, for a moment, I feel pity for him.
“I’m sorry… But we can’t be friends.” I finally look him dead in the eyes and firmly state.
“Why not? I know I’m not always the most polite, but I’m not a complete asshole either,” Draco chuckles to himself, but I simply shake my head in disagreement.
“Again, it has nothing to do with how poor your character is. It’s a matter of safety. I’m not going to put anyone at risk just because they want to be friends with me,” I say with a slight broken heart. Admittedly, it’s been rather lonely the past few years on my own. It’s also rather terrifying to not have anyone that can help me with survival…
“I swear I can hold up my own, Y/n…” Draco practically pleads with me, and it takes everything in me to decline.
“I’m sorry, I can’t… Please just try to understand…” I look down at my feet in shame.
“Fine.” Draco spats out at me, and then I hear him open the door and leave.
“God, why couldn’t I have been born into a normal family?” I feel my eyes start to tear up slightly. The people pleaser in me just wants to be friendly with everyone, but the danger I possess can’t risk being closer to anyone else.