OOM: Draco at the castle

[lady_moon]

They step from Milliways onto the sand outside the castle. It's very white. Snow-white. And just as fine and powdery. The ocean laps at the stone walls of the very large building in front of them, and it's unusual because the water isn't blue.

And the sky isn't, either.

Since dawn has just recently broken, the sky is tinged a cool pinkish lavender as the red-orange sun rises. It shines on an ocean the colour of jade, with white foam kissing the waves. Moon smiles at Draco.

"We're the only ones who live on this plane," she explains. "Nothing changes here unless we want it to." Moon points to the battlements of the castle. "I still don't understand why they insisted on battlements. Battlements are for battle and there's no one to battle here."

This is the home of the tarot cards.

Comments

[lady_moon]

"Draco, there is Security. They won't let anyone kill you. Not to mention, someone kills you while you're wearing my pendant, I'm going to be right pissed." Moon takes her responsibilities seriously. "And you've been beaten up quite a bit, so you must know how to fight back where that's concerned."

[dragonofgrey.livejournal.com]

"...Not really. I just would use magic." Draco glumly replied. Her comment about nobody trying to kill him while he had the pendant was reassuring... slightly.

[lady_moon]

She would not stop protecting him.

He and Miniver had given her their trust, and she wouldn't leave Draco completely without a weapon.

"You see? By learning to use only your wand and your harsh words, you have nothing to fall back on. I should have realised this, since Harry did put you in your place after that one Quiddich match," she muses. "It doesn't matter. You are stunted. More so than I imagined. If someone wants to hurt you... my suggestion is either call me for help, call Security for help, or hide. Part of this is your learning to depend on others."

[dragonofgrey.livejournal.com]

Draco glowered at the reminder. "He got put in his place afterwards for it at any rate." That he was happy for, even though the ban was lifted the following year.

"I've done some training with knives and swords, but that will put me in the cells again," he remarked, rather offended by the stunted comments.

[lady_moon]

"You shouldn't have said what you did about Molly," Moon chastises. "It was cruel and unnecessary to poke fun at the Weasley family. At least they are a warm, loving, and healthy family, if lacking in funds."

She's honest.

Bluntly so.

While Draco might have had everything he ever wanted materially, he hadn't gotten everything he needed emotionally. This whole experiment was proof of that.

"Winding up in the cells isn't a good idea. And swords and knives tend to lead you into poking people. Bleeding. Death. All very bad."

Moon ignores his offence.

It doesn't matter, because she's right.

[dragonofgrey.livejournal.com]

She was. About all of it. Not that he wanted to admit it though.

"It is if you want to insult and give them a good wind up. And I know, so I'm defenseless anyway."

[lady_moon]

"Being a prat isn't helping matters," she says to him. "That sort of thing is likely to get your rear end pummeled."

Not that she would pummel him.

She might fwap him, though.

"You aren't defenseless. Try using tact and a little compassion when speaking to people."

[dragonofgrey.livejournal.com]

"Even if they don't deserve it? Do I have to?"

[lady_moon]

"Who are you to decide if they deserve it?" She tilts her head. "And how is it decided what's deserved or not?"

[dragonofgrey.livejournal.com]

"Well, some people are idiots. Especially some muggles." Which he now was...

He really wanted to scream or cry again.

[lady_moon]

Moon gets a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Draco, do you have any friends?"

[dragonofgrey.livejournal.com]

Guilty look.

"A couple now? But one of them I haven't seen in a while. Only people I've met here."

[lady_moon]

"You think it might be because you disqualify people as idiots before you ever let them close enough to you that they want you close to them so you see that they aren't idiots? Because, I've noticed the people you keep around you... tend to be people you're boinking or want to boink."

Excuse her language.

She can be too cute sometimes.

"And boinking does not friends make."

[dragonofgrey.livejournal.com]

"Not all!" Draco whined. He certainly never even consider hitting on Danny.

[lady_moon]

"I didn't say all. I just say tended to be."

Moon draws her knees up.

"Aren't you lonely being all by yourself all the time? Doesn't it bother you that, even those who dare to call you a friend, wince when they do so because they know they aren't really?"

[dragonofgrey.livejournal.com]

Another guilty look, and a nod.

"It's just hard to connect really." Or understand. Usually they're a minion, or someone he ends up physically attracted to. Older people were mentors.

Danny was really the one exception.

[lady_moon]

"I know," she says gently. "But, well, now you're no better off than any other purely human individual in Milliways. Like Will."

She gives him a smile at that.

"Maybe now you'll be able to connect."

[dragonofgrey.livejournal.com]

He just sagged some more at that.

[lady_moon]

She looks at him.

"I care about you. I have no idea why, and it's never a wise thing for a card to care about a sentient who walks their sphere as often as you do. Emotional involvement tends to cloud things. But I care you. Even sobbing and broken, you can't depend or trust yourself to people. It's a bad thing."

Moon stands up and offers him her hand.

"Now, what's done is done, you can't change it, and the people who care about you are trying to help. Why don't you come have tea and tell Sorrow you don't wish her dead. Another lesson: your pain hurts her because she cares about you and your happiness. Miniver will behave the same way when he knows you hurt. As will Mia, I'm sure. They want to share your pain. Let them."

[dragonofgrey.livejournal.com]

"But people usually let you down." Partly why the trust was a problem. Also he tended to knife people in the back metaphorically, expected the rest to be the same.

Draco sighed, and admitted, "I could use a cuppa. Or a drink. Maybe a few."

[lady_moon]

She helps him up from the ground.

"People let you down, yes. And you let people down, too. It's a fact of life."

Inside, one of the tables has been set with light fare, bottles of wine, wine glasses, and a tea service.

[dragonofgrey.livejournal.com]

Draco sank wearily into one of the chairs with a heavy sigh. Don't expect the sulk to leave anytime soon.

[lady_moon]

Moon didn't think it would.

Not for quite a while.

She pours him a cup of reddish tea and pours a healthy dose of brandy into it before scooting the cup over to Draco.

[three_of_swords]

Sorrow slinks into the room, worrying at her lower lip, her hands behind her back.

"Do you mind if I have tea with you?" she asks quietly.

[dragonofgrey.livejournal.com]

He just waved a hand vaguely at her, and took the tea. A large swallow.

"Go ahead."