Green Eyed Monster | Draco Malfoy

73. Hidden Meanings

Chapter 73 - Hidden Meanings

"No," I repeated for the fourth time. It was impossible not to hear the edge to my voice as it cut across the desk. "I said I'm not practicing Occlumency with you."

"Is this out of fear for Mr Malfoy, or out of fear for your own discretions?" Snape asked me snidely, his face crooked with a sneer. "If that be the case, I believe neither are relevant arguments."

"You never see anything you like seeing anyway - it makes you just as tetchy as me. I want to work on something else," I told him, crossing my arms around my chest. Snape and I had been taking the past few weeks to focus my time and energy into my Magnuse but now that he wanted to move on I was hesitant. It wasn't fair that he was trying to get information out of me by ways of Occlumency - though he denied this motive - but I didn't have to be a master Legilimens to know that was his plan. "I want to work on my Astral Projection."

"Hardly of use now that you can use Magnuse, don't you agree?" Snape asked, raising a curious brow. "I would think Occlumency a more useful tool."

"It's not. If anything, I'd like to continue working on my Legilimency." Snape frowned; I couldn't help but wonder if he sensed the threat lingering in my voice. "See? It's not that appealing to you, either."

"Using your Legilimency is actually a good idea," he said slowly, though he seemed loathe admitting it. "I have not yet seen example of it and you say that it only works while in trouble?"

"No," I drew out the word so I could take the time to sit back down and finally take a moment to stretch out my feet. I was getting exhausted quickly; realistically after doing so many Magnuse-related exercises I wouldn't be able to do many more exercises of any category tonight. I still wasn't fully healed from the damned poison when it came to my lack of energy and dearest Snape was doing a horrible job with hiding his concern. "I was able to use it on command once with Draco."

"Ah yes," my professor sneered, "most things involve Mr Malfoy nowadays."

"Be happy that things are involving you nowadays," I fired back, bristling immediately at the newest mention of Draco while I was stuck in a lesson that was supposed to be about ruining him and saving him all at once. "I want to be able to look into people's minds instead of just letting people glimpse into mine."

"Have you ever gone so far as to accomplish this?"

"Never," I told him honestly, unable to keep the disappointment from my voice. "Not that I've really given it a go. And like all my magic, it seems I can only put thoughts into people's minds using skin-to-skin contact."

"A suspicious complication," Snape thought aloud. "Never have I known someone incapable of projecting their Magnuse outside oneself."

"I'm an anomaly," I told him bitterly, even though it was supposed to be in jest. "I always have been."

"You are the Girl Who Coerces Dragons," he told me, a smirk tugging at his lips. Godric, he knew how much I hated when people brought that up - it really was an accident, not a special feat of skills. It's not like I had done it on purpose, I was dying: I don't know why the dragon actually decided to listen to me...perhaps senility or a fit of post-partum madness? "But still, it is a flaw to your magic and frankly it is a liability."

"I agree," I muttered. "So help me fix it."

"Your Magnuse is under enough stress as it is," Snape said carefully. "We may just have to admit that you are not one who will be able to properly project your magic."

"But that's not fair," I couldn't stop myself from sounding like a child by whining. "I'm likely the only person to ever be unable to use Magnuse properly - I mean, the idea is if you're strong enough to use it you should be smart enough to control it."