“Harry
is gone with Albus to the Ministry of Magic,” Draco said.
Hermione gasped. “Oh
god no. Why?” Hermione asked. Draco repeated everything that
had happened from the time Albus arrived to what Poppy just told him.
Hermione was shaking her head in disbelief and Ron was pacing in
anger. “Those
fuckers! Don’t they realize that Harry is very close to
nailing Voldemort for good and they keep fucking around with him?!”
Ron spat. “Why don’t they just leave Harry alone?” “We
need to try and find out what charge they’ve got on Harry,”
Hermione said. “I’m
going to the Ministry,” Draco said. “I know the password
through the corridor to the outside passage to Hogsmeade. Harry took
me that way once. I’m going.” “I’ll
go with you,” Ron said. “We know that Ministry building
quite well.” “Then
I’ll come, too,” Hermione said. “I can’t let
you both go without me. Draco, Poppy will be pissed if you try to
leave.” “She
won’t know it,” Ron said with a grin. “What
do you mean?” Draco asked. Ron pulled the invisibility cloak
from his pocket. “How did you…?” “I
brought it just in case,” Ron said. “I’ve had it
with me all day.” “But
Albus gave Harry a cloak when he was here earlier. Whose was that
one?” Draco asked. “Albus
has one, too,” Hermione said. “It was Mad Eye Moody’s
and he left it here for Albus just in case it was ever needed.” “Good
thing. Let’s go,” Draco said. “Tell Poppy that I
was tired and lay down to sleep.” Hermione arranged the pillows
in Draco’s bed to look as if there was someone underneath the
covers while Draco slipped under the cloak. Draco followed Ron and
Hermione from the room quietly and slipped out of the ward while the
pair was telling Poppy that Draco was tired and was lying down to
rest until Harry returned. Poppy nodded to them and they left the
wing heading in the direction of the den. When near the den, Draco
pulled off the cloak and Ron shoved it back into his pocket. “This
way,” Draco motioned and they followed him quickly to the
entrance and Draco muttered the password. Into the corridor they went
and they walked. And walked and walked and walked. “How
the fuck long is this stupid thing anyway?” Ron asked. “Harry
said two miles,” Draco said. “It didn’t seem that
long before.” Ron and Hermione knew Draco was worried and still
a bit weak from the treatments and withdrawals. Finally they’d
reached the end of the longest corridor in the world and had formed a
skeleton plan that was extremely simple. Go to the Ministry and
demand to see Dumbledore and Harry Potter. After
each had climbed the makeshift ladder to the top they were in the
abandoned house. Draco checked outside the windows and it was all
clear. Out the front door they went. Upon deciding to apparate
directly to the Ministry building each gave a nod to the other and
apparated to the location they’d chosen. Each appeared at the
location and took a sigh at starting this dangerous trek. The guard
looked them over closely when they came near. “Wands
please,” the surly guard asked. Ron gave his first for
inspection. It was placed on the device and gave the name Ronald
Weasley and an all clear signal was given. Hermione was next and
Draco was becoming more nervous. Hermione was given the all clear and
the guard asked for Draco’s wand. “I
didn’t bring my wand,” Draco said. The guard looked at
Draco with narrowed eyes. “Your
name, please,” the guard drew a clipboard from the desk and
waited. “Draco
Malfoy,” Draco said. The guard looked up from the clipboard and
gave Draco the once over. Draco stood tall and proud while under
scrutiny. “State
your business at the Ministry,” the man said dryly. “We
are here at the request of Albus Dumbledore,” Hermione said.
“He is inside and asked us to bring Draco Malfoy to him, sir.”
Draco never flinched at the words Hermione so coolly lied. The guard
wrote something on the clipboard quickly and then pressed a lever so
that the door to the Ministry opened. The three moved through the
door quickly and as far from the guard as possible. “Now
where?” Ron asked. “It’s just past seven in the
morning and hardly anyone is here yet. There’s no telling where
Albus and Harry are in this building.” “Albus
mentioned Fudge,” Draco said. “Maybe they’re in his
office.” “That’s
a good place to start,” Hermione said. “We have the
cloak. If we could get to the office, two of us could distract
Fudge’s secretary long enough for one of us to slip into his
office and check.” That plan seemed good enough and they
followed the arrows until they’d reached the hallway leading
down to Fudge’s office. Fudge’s secretary was sitting at
her desk filing her nails and humming just a bit. Hermione rolled her
eyes as Draco slipped underneath the cloak. “We
ready? We know that if Harry is in the office he’ll be able to
detect us outside,” Ron asked. Hermione nodded and the pair
walked down the hallway nonchalantly toward the secretary who looked
up at them quickly and then scowled. “May
I help you?” the woman asked almost kindly. “Yes,
ma’am,” Ron said. “We would like to speak with
Minister Fudge please.” The expression on the secretary’s
face was priceless. “I’m
afraid Minister Fudge is very busy at the moment,” the woman
said trying not to laugh. “Is
Minister Fudge meeting with Albus Dumbledore at the moment?”
Hermione asked. The expression on the secretary’s face told
all. “I’m
afraid that the Minister’s appointments are private and cannot
be divulged to…well, to anyone,” the secretary. “May
we sit and wait for an opportunity to speak with him when he’s
free?” Ron asked. The secretary looked miffed by the question. “There
are the waiting chairs. But the Minister may be a while. He’s
in an important meeting at the moment,” the secretary smiled
with disdain. The pair moved over to the chairs and sat. Draco had
checked the door to the office. Locked. Draco tried several wandless
unlocking spells that didn’t work. “…and
is inappropriate,” Albus finished from the chair in which he
sat. Harry stood closely beside him in pajama bottoms, wrinkled
t-shirt and untied shoes with his hands bound behind him in a simple
level ten spell which Albus had told Harry to allow to soothe the
Ministry’s fear of him. Harry’s unruly hair was up
everywhere and his pale complexion did nothing to highlight the
weakened look in his eyes. Harry had heard every word and had not
spoken himself at all in three hours. Albus in his guardian/parenting
status had quelled almost every argument Fudge and that bastard
Marshall Halls had thrown at them. Harry sighed and stood in his
mockery and then he felt it. Ron and Hermione. Harry looked back
toward the door and their presences were stronger. Draco. Harry
detected Draco here and looked to Albus waiting for a break in the
conversation. “Sir,”
Harry said to Albus. “I have to…I need to use the
toilet, please.” “Certainly,”
Albus said. “Minister, I will accompany Harry to the restroom
and we will return shortly.” Albus stood. “Harry, you may
remove your bindings.” Harry concentrated for a moment and then
brought his wrists in front of him and rubbed them giving Halls and
Fudge a hard look. “See
here,” Fudge said standing. “You cannot remove those
restraints without permission.” “I
had permission from my father, Minister,” Harry said meeting
Fudge’s haughty look with a hard steely glare of pure disgust.
“And I can’t very well use the toilet with my hands
bound. But if you wish to assist in that capacity who am I to argue
with you, sir.” Albus gave Fudge a raised eyebrow. “Cornelius,
Harry has been a bit ill for the last few days,” Albus said.
“We will return to this office in a few minutes.” With
that Albus gently took Harry’s bicep and escorted him from the
office. When they’d exited the office Ron and Hermione were
standing to meet them. “Harry,”
Ron said. “You look awful, man.” “I
feel like shit,” Harry said. “I know he’s here. I
need to…well, let’s go.” Albus didn’t let go
of Harry’s as he walked with him down the hallway with Ron and
Hermione following. Harry pushed open the restroom and the men all
entered. Hermione crossed her arms in irritation and then went in
anyway. Harry went to the urinal and proceeded to relieve himself.
“Don’t worry about it, Albus. Hermione’s seen me
naked a million times. And no it’s not what you’re
thinking. Hello, Draco.” “He
stays in the infirmary so much it would be a bit difficult not to
have seen him naked. He never wears anything if he can help it,”
Hermione said. “Good
thing,” Draco said removing the cloak. “You
idiots,” Harry grinned back to them finishing off and adjusting
his pajamas to turn and face them. Harry washed his hands quickly.
“You all follow me around.” Harry walked over to give
Draco an embrace. “You do realize it’s an offense to
bring an invisibility cloak into the Ministry, right?” “Yes,
I knew that,” Draco grinned. “You
get my cloak confiscated and you’re dead meat,” Harry
said pulling back from the hug with his crooked grin.
“What’s
going on?” Hermione asked. “The
Ministry had detected Harry’s signature at Azkaban after the
breakout,” Albus said. “And
they’re trying every way in the world to keep me here
for…testing or…whatever,” Harry said. “They
want to sedate me.” “Sedate
you?” Ron asked. Albus nodded. “They
fear Harry with destroy the building,” Albus said. “I’m
still considering allowing it.” Harry laughed a bit. “You
give the word and this place is history,” Harry said. “What
charges do they have on you?” Draco asked. “The
theory of the Ministry is that Harry’s presence allowed a group
of Death Eaters to escape,” Albus said. “Harry is charged
with a felony of interfering with a Ministry operation. That charge I
cannot disprove at the moment.” “Are
they keeping you?” Ron asked. “I
have no idea,” Harry said leaning back against the bathroom
stall for support. “I don’t really care at the moment. I
just need to…lie down and sleep. They won’t let me sit
down because they keep me bound with that pitiful spell that they
think works.” Harry rubbed his eyes with slightly trembling
hands. “How
are you? Still feeling it?” Draco asked. Harry nodded. “I
threw up when I got here,” Harry said. “Then I almost
passed out walking down the damn hall. Albus told them I was ill.” “Albus,
they are charging Harry with interfering. Why not have Moody or the
other Aurors give their testimony to the contrary?” Hermione
asked. “The Aurors would have seen Harry cast and apprehend the
first three groups.” “We
are currently waiting on the leaders of the squads now to arrive,”
Albus said. “With their testimony, I’m sure that charge
will be dropped. However, now that Harry is here, Fudge and Halls may
wish to detain us further by asking for testing.” “I
can’t do it today,” Harry said. “I’m already
sick. I’ll lose my containment and control and then I will be
in a more dangerous situation because if I allow my control to waver
then…I’ll…do something that I won’t mean to
do. It just happens. I can’t help it.” “I
will not allow the testing today. As your guardian I have that final
authority,” Albus said firmly. “What must be done now is
wait on the Auror testimonies. Then we’ll know more. And you
three should have stayed at the school. But, I’m not surprised
to see you at all.” “Neither
am I,” Harry grinned wickedly to the three giving him the same
grin. “You
know us. Always chasing you around,” Ron said. “And how
dare you come to the Ministry without us. You know how much we love
it here.” Sarcasm abounded. “Poppy
will kill you,” Harry said to Draco who shrugged. “She
can get in line and take a number,” Draco said. Harry gave a
soft laugh and then coughed hard. “You sound awful. And good
lord you look worse, Potter. For heaven’s sake you’re
pale as…well, as me.” Harry laughed softly again as
Draco tried to smooth Harry’s hair down a bit. “And
that’s hopeless. “I’m
hungry, cold and tired,” Harry said. “Can I get something
to eat?” Harry asked Albus. “We
could get you something from the street since we’re here in
London,” Hermione said. “If Albus would allow that. I do
have a bit of money with me.” “Can
I eat?” Harry asked again. Albus was in thought and nodded.
“Just anything, Herm. And please bring me two cokes. I hate
that the Wizarding world doesn’t completely embrace the joy of
carbonated beverages. It’s ludicrous.” “I’ll
alert the secretary to bring the meal when it arrives,” Albus
said. “And then you three need to return to Hogwarts. We’ll
be back soon.” “I
hope,” Harry said. “Halls wants to put me in a cell. And
right now I wouldn’t care to lie down and sleep. I swear I may
just lay in the floor in Fudge’s office if I have to stay much
longer.” Harry was pale and weak looking. “Draco, give me
a smoke.” “No,
you can’t smoke in the building,” Hermione said as Draco
handed Harry the cigarette and he lit it taking a long draw. “You
shouldn’t smoke, Harry,” Albus said. Harry gave Albus a
wide-eyed frenzied look. “Please,
god don’t upset me right now,” Harry said. “I’m
just a tiny bit stressed out at the moment. Cut me some slack here.”
Albus nodded. “Thank you. I may be weak, but I can still do
some damage when I feel like it.” Harry slid down the stall to
sit in the floor for a moment. “You
look very threatening down there,” Ron teased. Harry flipped
him off. Ron laughed. Draco knelt. “You’ll
be fine in about six hours,” Draco said. “I’m fine
now, I think. But I’ve had a ton of healing spells, too. We’ll
go get you some food. We may just take a trip into London and have a
tour while we’re here.” Draco teased. Harry took Draco’s
hand, turned it over and on the inside of his wrist seemingly wrote
some words. After a moment the small words became visible: Property
of HJP. “In
case you get lost,” Harry smirked blowing smoke up into the
air. “You
asshole,” Draco said. “That had better not be permanent.” “If
I die it’s permanent,” Harry said. “I wouldn’t
worry too much.” Draco laced his fingers with Harry’s. “While
we’re here…” Ron said going over to use the
urinal. Hermione rolled her eyes at him. Albus grinned a bit. “Will
the Ministry want to give Harry a trial for his charges?”
Hermione asked. “Not
likely,” Albus said. “But if they do we’ll humor
them. Again.” “The
Ministry wants to control you both so bad. It’s hilarious,”
Draco said. “Little do they know that you run the place anyway.
How stupid can they be?” “Very
true,” Albus said as Ron came back over. “We need to go
back, Harry.” Harry nodded and pulled himself up with great
effort and a groan. “My
head is killing me,” Harry said rubbing his forehead. Harry
flicked the cigarette but and snapped and it vanished. “Don’t
do magic in the building,” Albus said. “That’s one
more thing they’ll charge you with.” “I’m
scared. Really, I am,” Harry said dryly with sarcasm rolling
his eyes. “Please bring me some food before I starve. Oh, and I
appreciate your heroic efforts to save me.” Harry smiled at the
three. “My noble rescuers. I think you all have been around me
a bit too much.” “Go
to hell,” Ron said. “We’re not even attempting to
save you from anything.” “We’re
just nosey,” Hermione grinned. “And Draco was having a
fit.” “I
was not,” Draco said. Harry gave Draco the look. “Alright.
Just a small fit.” “Did
you apparate or use the Floo?” Harry asked. “Apparate,”
Ron said. “And we could be charged with that since we’re
unlicensed.” “You
criminals,” Harry said with a grin as he and the others
followed Albus out of the bathroom. “You’re picking up my
bad habits. Use the Floo to go back. You can Floo directly to
Hogwarts if you use my connection. Just say ‘Harry’s
place’ and you’ll end up…well, you’ll figure
it out.” “Where
will we go?” Ron asked. “You’ll
figure it out,” Harry grinned. “Secret room. You’ll
find your way back.” “Don’t
send us somewhere creepy,” Hermione said. “Then
you’d better apparate back then,” Harry said. “Just
kidding. You’ll know where you are if you look hard enough.
Well, we’d better go in.” “Paula,
my students at my request are bringing Harry back a meal. Could you
please bring it in to the Minister’s office when they return?” “Yes,
of course,” Paula the secretary said noting them all closely. “Thank
you. Harry?” Albus opened the door and Harry sighed in sadness
at having to return into the room. “I’ll
be back…whenever,” Harry said. “I hope.” “Be
careful,” Draco said softly. Harry kissed Draco’s cheek
lightly and nodded before Albus took Harry’s arm to guide him
into the office and close the door. “I hate this. I absolutely
hate it. They have no right to charge him with anything when all he
did was save lives. It makes no sense.” “Draco,
let’s go,” Hermione said tugging on Draco’s sleeve
and giving Paula a quick glance. The three walked from the office and
down the corridors. “This
is ridiculous,” Ron said. “All he did was go save some
Aurors. And they always want to make Harry out to be some type of
criminal.” “Technically,
he is a criminal. But they leave him no choice,” Hermione said.
“The Ministry knows about the attack coming in Hogsmeade this
weekend. Why would they want to detain Harry knowing that Voldemort
will be there?” “Unless
the Ministry is involved with Voldemort,” Draco said. “But…that
hardly seems likely.” “I’ve
been considering that the Ministry wants to keep Harry here,”
Hermione said. “Why would they want to do that? To keep him
under control. But why? Albus has control of Harry. If Harry were
here when Voldemort was in Hogsmeade, then…maybe the Ministry
is trying to…get to Albus in some way.” “Voldemort
isn’t stupid enough to come to Hogwarts after Albus,”
Draco said. “Voldemort is terrified of the man. With good
reason.” “The
Ministry may be using Harry to get to Albus,” Ron said. “Seeing
how Harry belongs to Albus as his son, then…Albus will go
where Harry goes and will be where Harry is.” “Like
here,” Draco said thinking as the four exited the Ministry by
the guard. “We will be returning with some food for Albus
Dumbledore within the hour.” Draco told the guard who nodded. “You
will need to sign back in at that time,” the guard said from
his chair behind the desk. The three nodded to that agreement and
went to the phone booth and entered it. Hermione took the initiative
and pressed the up button and the floor of the phone booth began to
ascend. “This
is a bit crowded isn’t it,” Draco looked around and was
breathing a bit heavy. “Are
you claustrophobic?” Hermione asked. “Just
a bit,” Draco said swallowing and closing his eyes as Hermione
tried to comfort him. Ron was snickering. “Shut up or I’m
killing you.” “Just
another difference between you and Harry,” Ron said. “Harry
lived in a closet and you hate confined spaces. Amazing.” “You
are both quite different, Draco,” Hermione grinned. “We’re
the same,” Draco said to their confusion. “Both forced
into doing and being something we never had a choice in. It’s
more than the way we look different and are from different
backgrounds. Harry and I connect on another level.” “The
Malfoy and Potter curse draws you to each other,” Ron said. “Like
Harry and I agreed, what we have is not a Malfoy Potter thing. It’s
a Harry and Draco thing,” Draco said. “We’re more
than surnames, Ron.” “I
agree,” Hermione said as they stepped from the phone booth. “I
hate that thing,” Draco said looking at the phone booth and
then around the street. “I don’t see any place to get
food.” The three took off walking down the sidewalk until they
had made many turns in the direction crowded streets. Hermione
spotted a deli that happened to be open and the three went in and
ordered a cup of hot beef broth, a ham sandwich and two sodas.
Hermione paid for the food and they left. When back at the Ministry,
the guard searched the bag of food for a moment before allowing them
access to the building again. “I
hope he don’t get sick on that food,” Ron said. “But
if he puked on Fudge’s desk, that would be cool, too.” “I
think he’ll be okay with this,” Draco said of the bag of
food he carried. “He should be over the nausea by now. Only a
few more hours until he’ll be okay. He’ll be fine.”
When they arrived back at the secretary they handed her the bag of
food and she knocked at the office door. A spell was removed from the
door from the inside and she entered. The three peeped in to see
Harry leaning against a wall sitting in the floor slumped over with
his head in his hands. Harry looked up with a very weak expression
and through the door. Harry mouthed the words ‘thank you’
to Hermione and then grinned at Draco. Harry again mouthed the words.
‘I love you.’ Draco gave the return affection silently
and Paula handed Harry the bag to which he reached up to get. His
hands were bound again and a flood of anger ran through Draco’s
veins at knowing Harry was bound again pointlessly. Albus had said
something to Paula and she nodded before coming back out of the room
and closing the door again. “Your
Headmaster wishes that the three of you go back to the school,”
Paula said. The three turned from her and were soon in the main hall
where large fireplaces lined the left wall. Each took a pinch of the
Floo powder after Draco had dropped nine knuts into the bowl to pay
for it. “Harry’s
place,” Ron said first as he swirled and left the Ministry.
When Draco and Hermione arrived through the floo the three stood in
awe of the room at Hogwarts. Huge was not even the word for this
room. They all looked up. The circular room was a tower and the
ceiling was at least a hundred feet straight up into darkness. “Holy
shit,” Draco said looking about the room. All the furnishings
were old and tattered from years and years of sitting idly. A thick
dust covered everything. There was an old tattered bed with ragged
curtains, a pair of facing thread-bear sofas, many scattered tables
with old dusty candles that looked as if they’d crumble if
touched. The paintings on the walls were dark with grime. “Don’t
move,” Hermione said to them both as she looked to the dusty
floor. “There are footprints through the dust that I can make
out. Look.” Hermione pointed to the trail of footprints that
led from where they were standing over to an armoire and another set
which led straight to another wall. “Hmm. That might be another
passage. That wall. See how the footprints just end there?” “Interesting,”
Draco said. “Why would he send us here?” “Um…you
guys, there is no door,” Ron said. “And no more Floo
powder. So how in hell do we get out of here?” Draco grinned. “That
bastard,” Draco said in humor. “Look
at this,” Hermione said of the parchments and other things on
the round eating table in the room. “These are Harry’s.”
Ron and Draco came over to look over all sorts of maps, charts,
graphs, notebooks, quills and other things. “These are in his
handwriting.” “These
are other jobs he’s done,” Draco said. “Harry is a
thief. He’s very good.” “I
can see that,” Ron said. “Fucking hell. Harry stole Lady
Caroline’s ruby crest?” “Yeah,”
Draco laughed. “He pulled that job. Harry is a master. At…well,
everything.” Draco gave a tiny groan. “Please
watch your hormone level,” Hermione said. “I put the
package that arrived for Harry under the bed in the den.” “And
I sent his correspondences,” Ron said. “I
just know he’s planning something else besides these parchments
of the star magic,” Draco said. “I just know it.”
Draco looked through schematics, drawings and other things over the
table. All three sat and were reading through the pages and pages of
everything. “Harry
has already done research on the parchments,” Hermione said
looking over one large parchment and moving it to the side. She found
a small black notebook and opened it to see Harry’s tiny
scribbling. Hermione read through the miniscule writing trying to
decipher the meaning. “What the hell?” Hermione asked
softly and then turned a few pages in the notebook that was filled
with Harry’s personal thoughts, feelings, passwords to
different rooms, and other secret information. “Holy shit. This
is Harry’s diary.” “You’re
kidding,” Ron said looking at it with a grin. “Let me
see.” Draco leaned over to see Harry’s words. “He
has terrible handwriting,” Draco said. “Always has. What
does that say?” “Those
are…passwords I think,” Hermione said. “Yes, look
at this. Cursed Heart is the password to room HGF 12. HGF?” “Hogwarts
Ground Floor, I would imagine,” Draco said. “Twelve?” “No
idea,” Ron said. “Then there has to be a password for
this room, too. Look and see, Herm.” “Look
at this,” Hermione said. “June nineteenth of last year
Harry says: Finished training with grankas and won at duel. Took my
ladies out to London at Franklin Square. Settling up account with
Crillis over the stones on Tuesday.” “Ladies?”
Ron asked. “What ladies?” “No
clue,” Draco said. “There is no way to know.”
Hermione flipped a few more pages until she came to a few more
drawings. One was a circle with some odd hieroglyphic symbols in it.
“What is that?” “Resembles
a star chart,” Ron said. “See there…the formations
there are…that’s July…and…this is Harry’s
sort of but…not exactly…” “Listen
to this: Harry’s Place is written at the top then it says: left
wall. ‘Riotus Bellasarus Alacrabeta.’ That’s some
type of incantation,” Hermione said. “I’d
bet that incantation opens that left wall,” Draco said. “That’s
where the footsteps end in the dust.” “Let’s
try it,” Ron said. “Do it Hermione.” “Me?
Why me?” Hermione asked. “You
can pronounce it,” Ron said. “I’ll
do it,” Draco took the notebook and walked to the far left wall
and touched it. “Riotus Bellasarus Alacrabeta.” Draco
said and the wall became as a watery barrier. Draco could see through
into another room that he didn’t recognize. There was no
movement in the room and it seemed to be the same and covered in dust
and grime. “Let’s go in.” Draco stepped through the
wall of water brining the notebook with him. The three looked about
around the room. There were three shelves of books that Hermione was
looking over. Ron was shuffling through an empty desk and Draco was
reading Harry’s notebook a bit more closely. After
several pages, Draco looked up a bit and noticed the footsteps from
long ago that trailed over toward one painting and then back. Draco
walked in the footsteps over to the painting and ran his hand over it
trying to feel any magic that may be lingering around or behind it.
There was a trace of something that Draco didn’t recognize and
he pulled gently at the side of the painting and it pulled away from
the wall to show another small handle of a tiny safe. “Hermione,”
Draco said and she and Ron came over as Draco turned the handle to
the tiny safe almost afraid of the contents. There was only one tiny
slip of paper. Draco looked to the other two as he pulled it out and
read the four words: Do you trust me?” “This
needs to be kept in a safe?” Ron said taking slip of parchment.
“This?” Ron held out the paper. Draco looked in deep
thought with a grin. “That
asshole,” Draco said to Hermione who grinned. “He set
this up perfectly for us, didn’t he?” “Harry
is one amazing person, Draco,” Hermione said. “He’s
gone to great lengths to entertain us it seems.” “Do
you trust me?” Ron read again. “What does he mean by
that?” “Obviously
he wants to know if we trust him,” Draco said. “And I do.
Explicitly. Without question.” “That’s
a difficult thing to say, Draco,” Hermione said. “You
trust him with your life? In an instant?” “Yes,”
Draco said flatly. “He’s Harry Potter. If you can’t
trust him, then who can you trust?” Hermione turned back to the
bookshelf and walked to it and ran her hands over several volumes.
One in particular looked newer than the others. Hermione picked it
out and thumbed through it for a moment as Draco and Ron closed the
safe and the portrait. “Another
incantation,” Hermione said of the slip of paper from the book.
“Interesting. ‘Laosa Mendemina.’ Wonder what this
one goes to?” Draco immediately looked to the floor again to
see the footstep patterns. “Ron,
did you make that pattern of footsteps there?” Draco asked
pointing to one set. “I
don’t know,” Ron said of the ones circling the other side
of the desk. “No, I didn’t go that way. I went this way.”
Ron retraced his steps and the three converged on the desk and began
to search it frantically. There was nothing in the desk at all.
Completely empty. “Damn.” Hermione looked at the footstep
prints closely and they led around the desk to another bookshelf.
Hermione walked to it slowly and studied the patterns of the dust on
the shelf. “Interesting,”
Hermione said. “All the shelves have dust but this one.”
Hermione studied it closely and the three objects which sat there.
Two of them were dust covered. One was not. The centerpiece was a
small uninteresting stone carving of some kind. “Ron, come over
here and look behind this little sculpture. I can’t see behind
it, but you’re taller.” Ron came around and looked up and
over the sculpture. “There’s
nothing behind it but…it’s not covered in dust on the
top at all,” Ron said. “Ron,
put your hand on the top of the sculpture to see if it’s
connected to the shelf,” Draco said. Ron put his hand on it and
it was sturdily connected. Ron nodded. “Try to pull or push it
and see what happens.” Ron gripped the sculpture and pushed it
back a bit and it didn’t move but when Ron pulled the stone
forward it tilted as if on an axis. The three jumped when the desk
began to descend into the floor. The three wide-eyed teens stood in
awe as the desk dropped and slid back into some type of hole. There
were steps in a circular pattern leading downward. The three looked
to each other. “I
know I’m not going down in that,” Ron said looking into
the hole. “It’s completely dark.” Draco got down on
his stomach and looked into the deep dark hole. “Lumos
torchelia,” Draco yelled into the hole and immediately the
torches leading down along the circular stones and into the cavernous
room below were lit. Draco looked up to Ron. “It’s not
dark anymore.” Draco challenged. Ron swallowed in nervousness.
“Do you think Harry meant for us to find that?” “I
have no idea,” Hermione said. “But…we did. Are we
going or not?” “I
don’t know, Herm,” Ron looked down again. “That’s
sort of creepy. There’s no telling what’s down there.” “But
we just found the note that said: do you trust me?” Draco said.
“And Harry would never intentionally lead us into anything that
would hurt us. I do trust him.” “And
he did give us the Floo location here,” Hermione said. “Come
on, Ron. Let’s go down there.” None moved for a few
moments. “What
the hell,” Draco said as he took the first few steps down.
“It’s cold down here.” “What
if there’s something down here?” Ron asked in dread as he
also followed and assisted Hermione downward the spiral stair circled
and circled until they reached the bottom of a huge cave like room
which was no longer a part of the castle, but all rough stone walls
with stalactites hanging from the ceilings which would be the floors
of the rooms above. “We’re
below the school,” Ron said of the room. “How cool.” “This
is impossible,” Hermione said looking about. “This cave
would have crumbled by now by the weight of the castle. And…what’s
that?” The three looked on further ahead in the great room.
There were no floors, only the unevenness of rock, and even though
the many torches lined the walls giving a great amount of light, the
part of the floor up ahead looked dark. With much scrambling and sure
footing, the three finally came upon what looked like a huge hole in
the rock. No bottom could be seen at all. “Impressive
isn’t it?” Harry’s voice made them all jump. The
three looked across the hole to see Harry standing in the cave ahead.
Harry was still wearing his pajama bottoms, shoes untied and his
wrinkled shirt leaning casually against the open mouth of cave. “How
in hell did you get there?” Draco asked with a tiny grin. “How
do I get anywhere?” Harry asked crossing his arms. “I
just show up where people least expect to see me. That’s my
thing. And it took you long enough.” “You
set this up, you shit,” Ron said. Harry grinned and looked down
into the hole. “And…what happened at the Ministry?” “I
have to be tested,” Harry said. “After I ate, I lay in
the floor and waited and dozed off for a few minutes. All I know is
that Albus woke me, told me that we were coming back here and that
he’d setup a time for my testing for next week. I don’t
know anything else about the charges or anything. When I got back to
Hogwarts, I came the back way to here to see if you all were as
extremely bright and notoriously curious as I knew you all to be.”
Harry grinned widely. “You’re
an asshole is what you are,” Hermione said. “And…what
is this hole?” “Looks
deep, huh?” Harry said peering over it. “Do you trust
me?” The three gave him an odd look. “Yes,”
Draco said. “Then
come to me,” Harry held out his hand over the hole. Draco
paled. “But…Harry
I can’t get to you. There’s a hole if you hadn’t
noticed,” Draco said as if it were insane. “I
didn’t ask you about the hole,” Harry said. “I
asked you to come to me regardless of your path. You said you trusted
me explicitly, did you not?” “How
did you know he said that?” Ron asked. “I
know things, Ron,” Harry said but never leaving Draco’s
eyes. “Trust me.” Harry held out his hand to Draco. “Harry,
I…” Draco looked into the hole again. “I can’t
do that. I’ll fall.” “I
told you that I would never let anything hurt you, Draco. Did you
believe me then? Do you believe me now?” Harry asked. “I
jumped off the broom and I knew you’d catch me.” “That’s
different,” Draco said. “Is
it?” Harry asked. “You said you trusted me without
question. Are you questioning me now?” “Yes.
There is my death,” Draco said pointing to the hole. “Things
aren’t always what they look like they are,” Harry said.
“Are you coming to me or not?” “No.
I can’t,” Draco said. Harry nodded. “Herm?
Ron?” Harry asked. Both shook their heads. “I see. Well,
then I’ll come to you then.” Harry took a step and the
three gasped as Harry made contact with the top of the hole and
walked right across it to them. “How
did you…?” Ron looked. Harry knelt and picked up a rock
and threw it onto the glass that covered the hole. “It’s
glass,” Harry said. “Do you think that I would ask you to
jump in some damn hole?” Harry looked to the three of them.
“Let that be a lesson to you on trust.” “But
that’s not fair,” Draco said. “We do trust you.
It’s just …you can’t expect us to just…jump
in a hole to our death.” “I
didn’t expect that at all,” Harry said. “I merely
asked you to take a step. One step. But, it’s okay. I’m
just a bit evil that way. I found this place by accident. To my
knowledge the four of us are the only ones who know of it.” “Harry,
just because we don’t intentionally put our lives in danger
doesn’t mean we don’t trust you,” Hermione said. “I
know,” Harry said. “I was just wanting to see how far
your trust went.” “You
make me feel like shit,” Ron said. “You know we trust
you.” “I
know that you have no choice but to trust me. There’s a
difference,” Harry said. “Everyone trusts me because of
who I am. It’s a given that Harry Potter will pull off one of
those wonderful little victory things over Voldemort and all the
munchkins will be free once again.” Hermione giggled at the
Wizard of Oz reference. “Munchkins?”
Draco asked. Harry shrugged. “Wizards,”
Harry said. “Everyone expects things of me and they trust me to
do what it is that I do in regard to Voldemort. And I will do it as
expected. But the real trust comes in just me. Just the person you
know as me. But that was too much to ask, I suppose. Stupid really.
Don’t worry about it. Come on. I can show you more things in
the room upstairs. I hope you didn’t read the whole notebook.”
Harry took it from Draco’s hand. “Why
is that?” Hermione asked. “There
are things on each of you in here,” Harry said taking a few
steps toward the circular stairs going upward. “Harry,
where does that cave you came out of go?” Ron asked. “Near
the Slyth dungeons,” Harry said leading them. “I’ll
show you sometime. But…I need to change out of these damn
pajamas. I went to the Ministry of Magic in fucking pajamas. They
wouldn’t even let me change clothes before we went. Assholes.
That Marshall Halls…I wish I’d have conjured my blades.
I would have diced him.” “You
need to show me your cast on the grankas,” Draco said. In a
flash, Harry had slung out his arms, conjured the round blades, spun
and slung both with a practiced hand and an angry growl. The steel
blades sliced through the air into the cavern in different directions
and after several spine tingling clinks and sparks off the stones,
the spinning blades had ricocheted and had come back to Harry in a
flash. With lightening quick hands both grankas were caught by their
center grips in perfect synchronization and in fighting form. “Holy
shit! Warn us before you do that again!” Ron yelled. “You
could have sliced us to pieces!” Hermione said. “There’s
that trust issue again. I caught them. I used to practice here when
it would rain,” Harry said holding out the blades so that Draco
could hold them. “Do you actually think I’d cut you or
allow you to be hurt in my presence?” Harry gave the look. “Of
course not. But it’s different when I have two razor sharp
blades coming directly at me,” Ron teased. “These
aren’t even metal,” Draco said. “What is this?” “Feridian
alloy,” Harry said. “My own concoction. Will never chip,
bend, or dull. I modified about ten spells and combined them to be
able to create, cast and draw back the grankas in a split second. I
worked on that for several weeks.” “You
did good,” Draco smiled. “Thanks.
Sort of keeps me alive,” Harry said with that shoulder shrug. “All
you do is just to keep you living,” Draco spat. “I hate
that.” “You
hate that I’m living?” Harry teased. Draco snorted. “No,
stupid. I hate that everything you do is just to keep breathing,”
Draco said in some type of guilt and irritation. “It’s
not fair to you, is it?” “I
enjoy the grankas,” Harry said. “I was given the choice
to either learn to use the grankas, or spell cast the Fayahee fire.” “And
you chose the grankas,” Hermione said touching them in Draco’s
hands. “No,
actually I learned both,” Harry said. “I thought…what
the hell. One more weapon I’d have at my disposal. The Fayahee
fire is much easier than learning to cast the grankas. Draco, can you
do a cast for me with the blades?” Draco nodded and with a
fluid movement had cast one blade. The sparkling metal flew out
smoothly without hitting any stones, turned and came back perfectly.
Draco grabbed the granka perfectly. “You
are so graceful when you cast,” Harry said. “I can’t
do that. I’m a quick sling, but I’m not as…exacting
with my casting are you. Good job. I wish I could do that.” “You
are much quicker than I am,” Draco said. “And between
quickness and gracefulness, one will keep a person living longer and
one looks prettier. Now, which do you prefer?” Harry shrugged
to the challenge. “That’s what I thought.” “Let
me hold one,” Ron said of the blade Draco handed him one. “I
don’t know how to use it. I’ve seen them cast and even
held one, but have never cast one.” “I
studied dynamics of flight and geometric figuration of angles of the
ricochet for weeks before I was allowed to cast,” Draco said.
“Did you study that?” “No,”
Harry said shaking his head. “I cast the first day I picked one
up. I know nothing about flight dynamics or any of that stuff. My
training was more of…a crash course thing. I would like to
know those things, but I sort of had only a limited amount of time
with Kiata, the granka master. So I had to learn to throw the blades
on my own for two weeks before she arrived. Lupin gave me a book.” “You
learned to cast from a book?” Draco asked. Harry nodded. “I
didn’t even know that was possible. Learning to use the blades
is more of a hands on teaching principle.” “I
take what I can get,” Harry said. “Have you ever seen
Voldemort cast grankas?” “No,”
Draco said.
“I
haven’t either,” Harry said. “I know no one who has
seen it. I want to know his level of skill.” “I
don’t think he’d be better than you,” Ron said.
“That shit was amazing what you just did.” “I’ve
only had two months training, Ron,” Harry said. “Kiata is
a prodigy of the art with the blades. She’s a natural slinger
and I learned directly from her. She was paid well, though.”
Harry snickered to himself. “What
do you mean?” Hermione said suspiciously. “You
know that mattress I have in my room? She was on it,” Harry
said with a grin. “You
had sex with Kiata?” Draco said with wide-eyed disbelief. “Yeah,”
Harry said. “I made it a habit to nail all my instructors that
I could. I’m a bastard, I know. It was a game to me to see how
many I could get.” Harry laughed in embarrassment. “I
shouldn’t have told you all that.” “I
can’t believe you,” Hermione said with disdain. “Harry,
that wasn’t very nice.” “No,
it was very nice,” Harry said. “She’s got a great
body. She’s only seven years older than me. She was okay. She
just loves me.” Harry teased with a grin. “I
bet she does,” Draco said sarcastically. “She
didn’t like me very much when I won in our duel,” Harry
said. “She didn’t like that at all. She’d never
lost. But since she was here in secret, my win will never count
against her official record of victorious duels. Same thing with the
Fayahee fire. My teacher on that was Jadus Maullin. She was only here
for a few weeks in June. I nailed her, too.” Harry laughed. “Oh
god. I’m a sick person.” “You
screw anything,” Hermione said in a huff. “Harry, you’re
a whore.” “No,
I’m not. A whore gets paid. I’m just a common slut,”
Harry corrected. “Herm, give me a break here. I wasn’t
the only one participating in the act. And…as a matter of fact
all three of my female teachers initiated that contact. I never
initiate anything with females. Never have and never will. You know I
prefer males…well, male. Just one, in fact.” Harry took
Draco’s hand.
“Ladies,”
Draco said. “Did you take all three of your female instructors
to London for dinner one evening in June?” “Yes,
I did,” Harry said. “You read that in my journal?” “Yeah,”
Draco said. “Hermione read it to Ron and me. We didn’t
know who the ladies were.” “Females
are so…weak minded,” Harry said. Hermione snorted. “No,
I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant…well…this
difficult to explain.” “What
do you mean?” Ron asked. “I
don’t want to sound like an arrogant mother fucker,”
Harry said. “Go
ahead. I love it,” Draco said. “Women
throw themselves at me,” Harry said. “It’s that
name of fame thing. And I have the capabilities of using what they
think with them to throw around a bit of charm. I say exactly what
they want to hear and they are putty in my hand. I’m a
manipulator and I make them helpless with me. It’s so damn easy
it’s pathetic to get any female exactly where I want them
because females are generally more soft centered and have that need
for communication. I think that females are more easily swayed by
tender spoken words than males.” “I
can see that,” Draco said. “That’s true I think.
Females respond more to complimentary and delicacy than males. With
women it’s all about seducing the mind and then the body.” “Exactly,”
Harry said. “I have a photo of me and my three female
instructors in my dorm room. I’ll show it to you sometime.
And…I need to change clothes, have a shower and brush my
teeth. I feel yucky.” “Harry,
how did you find this place? This cavern?” Ron asked. “I
know stuff. Come on,” Harry said simply as he started up the
spiral staircases, the others following. When at the top, Harry
reached over and pushed back the small stone statue. With a grinding
noise, the desk shifted in the hole and ascended. With a click, the
floor had shifted into place leaving no trace that there was anything
below. “That’s
so cool,” Ron said. “This school has some very
interesting things in it.” “You
have no idea,” Harry said. “There are hundreds of cool
things in this castle. There are rooms that change all the time
similar to the room of requirement. There are torture chambers, a
spinning room, and two invisible bridges.” “Bridges?
What do they connect?” Hermione said. “One
is directly connected to Albus’ office,” Harry said.
“When I’m walking on it, it looks like I’m walking
on air. Very cool. I’ll show you that one day, but right now
I’m in desperate need of a shower. And…you two have
missed most of classes today. I can get you passes.” “Do
you want to go back to the den?” Draco asked. “No,
I think I’d like to go to Gryffindor Tower to shower and I need
to shave,” Harry said rubbing his face. “The
boy who lived is a man, then,” Hermione teased with a grin. Ron
and Draco gave a short laugh. “Shut
up,” Harry said in irritation walking away and through the
other wall into the first room. The others followed still snickering.
“I hate that boy who lived crap. I hate it! I will personally
kill whoever started that name if I ever find them. I swear it.” “Oh
get off it,” Ron said. “That’s your name so get
over it.” “I’m
not over it,” Harry said. “Every single fucking day I
hear that at least once. Do you know how sick I am of it? Have you
any idea? I’ll be glad when I’m dead. Then I can be the
boy who died!” Harry threw up his hands in irritation and
walked to the table while the others laughed. “And it’s
not funny.” “Relax,”
Draco said. “We’re just having fun at your expense. You
know, like normal.” “Harry,
how do we get out of here? There’s no door,” Ron said. “Secret
passage,” Harry said. “It’s over there near the
bed.” Harry looked over his parchments on the table looking for
one in particular that he found and leaned over. Harry put his hands
on the table and studied the words and drawings for a moment. “This
is a job I was thinking of taking. It’s the removal of a
certain set of precious gems from one location to another.” “You
mean stealing them and giving them to the buyers,” Draco said. “Of
course not. I’m no thief,” Harry teased with a grin.
“This is simply a matter of relocation.” “Yeah,
right,” Ron said. “I
probably won’t take this job,” Harry said. “I don’t
know how to feel about doing this anymore. I suppose I need to stop
being a criminal. It’s not good for my image.” Harry
laughed a bit. “But I like doing it. It’s a thrill for
me. But…it’s also a crime. I’m torn about what I
want to do. After I graduate what will happen to me? What will I do?” “You’re
Auror trained,” Ron said. “Be an Auror.” “No.
I’m tired of that,” Harry said. “Besides I’d
be working for the Ministry. Me. Hell no. I work for no one.” “Liar,”
Draco said. “You work for Albus.” “That’s
different. He’s my dad,” Harry said. “I protect
him. That’s my own thing. He’s old and I have to keep him
safe.” Harry moved the parchments over to get another one and
study it for a moment. “Odd isn’t it? He protected me my
whole life and now I protect him. Very cool.” Harry ran his
finger over the schematics of one plan. “He’s
your dad,” Ron said. “That is so fucked up to hear you
say that.” “I
call him that sometimes,” Harry said barely paying attention to
the conversation. “He loves it. No. I think I’ll not take
this job. It’s too…too physical for me. But Draco could
do it. See this? I can’t apparate and I can’t fragment
past this electrical charge or I’d be fried. So that would
require me to physically climb into the venting system to get to the
goods. I’m not that limber or…well, I’m just
too…not like Draco. Bendy.” Harry grunted his attraction
that Draco had that ability. “I love that you are bendy.”
The pair shared a grin. “And
we’ve not had sex in days,” Draco said. “I’m
freaking out. But yes, I could get through those ventilation systems
easy.” “So
could Hermione,” Ron said. Hermione nodded. “Yes,
in her animagus form, she could. But she’s not registered,
either,” Harry said. “How
did you know that?” Hermione asked. “I
know stuff,” Harry said. Draco snorted a laugh. “What
form are you?” Draco asked. “A
feline,” Hermione said. “Are
you animagus?” Draco asked Harry. “No,”
Harry said. “I could be, but…no. I don’t need that
because I can fragment. You could be.” “I
had considered it,” Draco said. “Hermione, can you
transform here? Let me see.” Hermione nodded and transformed
into a brown and gray cat and jumped up onto the table and sat
regally curling her tail around her. “Get
off my stuff,” Harry said to the cat that perched on his
parchments. The cat hissed before jumping down and transforming again
into Hermione. “Shut
up,” Hermione said. “I should have scratched your
eyeballs out for yelling at me.” “Hermione,
honey, you wouldn’t do that to me, would you?” Harry said
wrapping his arms lovingly around her. “You wouldn’t hurt
me.” Harry said in that charming way to make her melt. “Get
the fuck off me,” Hermione pushed him away. Harry laughed. “That’s
what I love about Herm. She never falls for my crap,” Harry
said stretching his tired body. “She’s Potter resistant.”
Harry grinned. “I
just know you,” Hermione said. “You use that smooth move
to control others and I’m not just any female. I’m
stronger than that.” “You
are,” Ron stated. “Very attractive that you are. Strong
willed and determined. You’re fascinating to me.”
Hermione moved over to take the hug offered. “And
I’m not falling for your bullshit either, honey,”
Hermione said to Ron. “You’re
in his arms. Looks like you fell for it to me,” Draco said. “Draco,
how much do you weigh?” Harry asked. “I’m
not telling you that,” Draco said. “Why
not? I’m five foot nine and about one hundred and eighty
pounds,” Harry said. “Come over here a minute.”
Harry pulled Draco over. “I want to see if you can stand on my
shoulders.” “Why?”
Draco asked. “I
just do,” Harry said. “Try it.” Harry put his hands
on his knees and Draco slipped off his shoes and climbed steadily
onto Harry’s leg. While holding Harry’s hand Draco put
his foot on Harry’s shoulder and Harry stood upright easily.
“Oh god you’re light. You can’t weigh more than a
hundred sixty.” “I’m
a hundred fifty eight,” Draco said balanced perfectly on
Harry’s shoulders. “How
cool,” Ron said of their stance. Harry let go of Draco’s
hand and Draco stood arms out. “Perfect balance.” “You
have great balance,” Harry said to Draco. “Want down?”
Draco took Harry’s hand and did a graceful seductive slide
directly down Harry’s back. “Oh god that felt good. You
sliding down my back like that. You’re like a contortionist.
Totally erotic. And when you put your legs up and over like that…you
know how I like it when we have sex…oh my god…that
blows my mind.” “Let’s
get out of here so you can shower and I can get laid,” Draco
said. “Do
you two ever think of anything else but sex?” Hermione asked. “Sure,”
Draco said. “All the time. Well, sometimes. Actually very
rarely.” “Technically
no,” Harry said with a grin. “Let’s go.”
Harry led the three from the room through a secret passage near the
bed and up several flights of stairs until they popped out of a
portrait behind a suit of armor. The corridor was near the Gryffindor
tower so all three headed in that direction. They passed through the
empty common room noting that all the students were in class, and up
to the boys dorms. Draco lay back on Harry’s bed while Harry
rummaged through his trunk. “Here’s the picture of me and
my ladies. That’s just what I started calling them that night.”
Harry handed the picture to Ron who showed it to Draco and Hermione. “Wow.
You’re in a suit,” Hermione said. “And
look at those dresses they’re wearing,” Draco said.
“That’s a sling shoulder evening gown.” “We
had been to a banquet that night,” Harry said. “Albus had
to speak and all three of the ladies just happened to be here at
Hogwarts so that evening since I had to go anyway, they went with
us.” “Why
did you have to go?” Ron asked. “I
have to be with Albus in public when there are leaders present. He
makes me,” Harry said. “That banquet was a Wizengamot
Council function and everybody who was anybody in the Wizarding world
was there. Fudge, Rowlett, Veckely…all the ones on the High
Five Council including myself…just everybody. It was a
nightmare.” Harry pulled out a pair of jeans. Ron and Hermione
curled up on Ron’s bed and rolled around kissing. “I’m
assuming you have no training today,” Draco said. “No
training,” Harry said. “This is my day off to rest. It’s
Wednesday and Saturday is my big day.” Harry grinned a bit in
apprehension of it. “I’ll lounge around today unless you
have something you want to do.” “Not
really,” Draco said lying back on Harry’s bed again. “But
it feels so good to not need a fix to feel normal.” “I
know it,” Harry said. “That was awful, Draco. The pain of
that withdrawal was absolutely terrible.” “You
passed out in the bathroom. Did you know?” Draco asked. “I
did? I don’t remember it,” Harry said. “I
was sleeping and Poppy found you,” Draco said. “Your scar
had done that…thing and she put you in your bed and bandaged
it.” Harry ran a finger over his scar. “Is
my scar red?” Harry asked. Draco nodded. “It’s
still a bit more red than normal,” Draco said. “Sometimes
it’s almost barely noticeable.” “It
gauges my moods or Voldemort’s,” Harry said. “When
I’m stressed out or when he’s in a killing mood it gets
red or darker. Freaky. When it’s pale then we’re both in
decent moods.” Harry gave a short laugh. “I’m
jumping in the shower. Be right back.” Harry went into the
bathroom and the shower water ran as Draco lay on the bed and relaxed
before he turned his head and noticed Harry’s side cabinet.
Draco moved over and opened the drawer and peered inside. “Nosey,”
Hermione said to him. Draco giggled and rambled through Harry’s
things. “What’s
this?” Draco picked up a small packet of some powder. “That’s
Harry’s medication,” Ron said. “It’s for when
he’d wake up at night with the night terrors. Mix it with water
and he drinks it. It’s something like a calming draught and a
non-dream sleep potion in powdered form. Snape keeps it on hand for
him.” Draco put it back and rambled more. “There’s
no telling what’s in that drawer.” “I
believe it,” Draco said pulling out a few photos of Harry in
Quidditch gear with the team and a few others of the Weasleys and
candid shots of Harry with his friends in different years of school.
“Harry is so…” Draco just left the sentence
hanging. “I
know,” Hermione said with a small laugh. “Collin gave
those pictures to Harry over the years. Harry has more in his photo
album.” “Let
me see it,” Draco said. Hermione went to the trunk and picked
out the album. Eventually she, Ron and Draco were on Harry’s
bed looking through the pictures. Many were of Harry’s parents
and him as a tiny baby. Harry came out dressed in jeans only still
damp from the shower. “You were such a cute baby.”
Hermione turned to see Harry holding his forehead. “You
okay?” Hermione asked. “I
have a headache,” Harry said. “My scar is doing that
tingly thing again. Voldemort’s doing something today so…watch
me and make sure I don’t freak out or something.” “Who
are these people?” Draco asked of the photo. “That’s
the original Order of the Phoenix,” Harry said looking down to
the picture. “Moody, the Longbottoms, Hagrid, Albus, Remus,
Minerva, the Camps, Diddle, Arabella…the rest are dead. All of
them.” Harry sat on the side of the bed sadly. “There are
my parents. I’m in that picture, too. My mom was pregnant with
me at that time.” Draco flipped the pages slowly as Harry told
of all the people in the photos and they talked about all the people,
places and things for hours until Harry had fallen asleep on his bed
at Draco’s side with his arm over him. “He
was so tired,” Ron said. “I can’t believe they
treated him so bad at the Ministry. They wouldn’t even give him
a chair. They made him sit in the floor bound like an animal.” “That
was Fudge’s way of showing superiority over Harry,”
Hermione said. “And Albus allowed it so that the Minister
wouldn’t feel threatened. I can see that.” “Look
at Harry. He’s sleeping like a baby,” Draco said of Harry
lying so still in his sleep. “He’s only seventeen years
old and has so much responsibility. It’s overwhelming to me
sometimes just how he manages to do it all.” “Harry
is fascinating,” Ron said. “He does things that…seem
impossible. He always has. But looking at him now just lying there in
sleep…he’s just normal looking. You’d never know
that he is the most powerful wizard living.” The three just
looked at Harry’s innocent looking form lying so still. Draco
slipped off Harry’s glasses gently as not to wake him. Draco
looked through them and slid them on. “Oh god you look awful.” “You
do look rather horrible in those glasses, Draco,” Hermione
snickered. “Oh
my god. He’s blind,” Draco said. “I can’t see
anything out of these. Oh god how does he stand it?” “He
can’t see,” Hermione said. “Harry’s vision is
very bad.” “I
see that,” Draco said. “I don’t know how he does
anything if his vision is this bad. Good lord.” “I’ve
been trying to persuade Harry to get some new glasses with lighter
colored frames,” Hermione said. “He won’t do it.
He’s stubborn.” “I
could get him to do it,” Draco said. “He’d do that
for me, I’d almost bet on it.” Draco took off the
glasses. “Oh god that gives me a headache just looking through
those damn things.” Draco put the glasses on the trunk at the
end of the bed trying not to move and wake the sleeping one. “I
can’t move. He’s trapped me in.” “Like
you’d want to move with his arms around you?” Ron asked. “You
do have a point,” Draco said. Draco was on his stomach with his
chin lying on his folded arms as Harry slept on. For the next two
hours the three sat and talked about the rescheduled Quidditch match
between Slytherin and Gryffindor, their classes and assignments, the
teachers, and Draco’s life at Malfoy Manor during the summers. “…but
it’s all dark arts,” Draco said. “I could be a
great dark wizard if I so chose to be. But…what’s the
use in it? Besides Harry is very sensitive to dark arts stuff and I
couldn’t do that to him.” “He’s
super highly sensitive relating to dark arts,” Ron said. “Harry
would get sick and throw up after DADA classes when the teachers
would make us touch dark arts relics or when certain dark spells were
cast in class for demonstrations.” “I
wonder why?” Draco asked looking over Harry’s peaceful
sleep. “Why is he so touchy with dark arts? He says he has part
of Voldemort in him from the scar thing. Would that make him more
sensitive to dark arts?” “I
doubt it,” Hermione said. “Wouldn’t that make him
more apt to deal with dark arts with having some darkness within him?
We’ve discussed it before and…I can’t find any
reason why.” “I
bet he knows,” Draco said softly. “I could almost tell
you that Harry knows why he’s so sensitive to those things but
he won’t tell anyone. He keeps so much just to himself.” “For
the last two years, Harry has almost secluded himself from everyone,”
Ron said. “He was on the dope, but I think it was more than
just that. He would rarely speak and…it was like…a
depression of sorts. I tried repeatedly to get him to do stuff
and…and he just wouldn’t do anything with any of us. He
wanted to be alone all the time.” “Since
you’ve come around, Draco, Harry has just…opened up
again,” Hermione said. “I can’t explain it. He’s
like he was before but…well, a bit different, too. I can’t
tell you how glad we are that you’re with him.” “I
can’t tell you how glad I am that I’m with him,”
Draco said giving Harry another look. “He’s just
everything. Everything in the world to me. I can’t imagine life
without Harry. Even when we fought, he was always around. He’s
always been a major part of my life. Even before we met at age eleven
I knew of him. I remember one time when I was so tiny my father
was…he was telling me of Voldemort’s imminent return
and…and I questioned that if Voldemort was so powerful how was
he defeated by just a baby? I remember the first hit with that cane,
but I also remembered never to ask that question again. I hated Harry
for that for years. I blamed him for it. And then before our sorting
I wanted to be his friend so bad and…that was a total flop.” “You
weren’t very nice about it that time,” Hermione said.
“Why didn’t you come back to Harry after that and try
again?” “Foolish
pride,” Draco said. “He’d embarrassed me and I
couldn’t forgive him for that. So it was easier to be his
enemy for me. Besides, my father was a DE and after Harry found that
out he’d have never been allowed around me anyway. I was
actually scared of Harry after the Ministry incident in fifth year.
He was so damn angry every minute. Every time he looked in my
direction he just flared with rage.” “That
wasn’t rage. That was hurt,” Hermione said. “He
felt guilty about putting Lucius and your aunt Bella in Azkaban. He
never admitted it to us in so many words, but…I know him well
enough to know how he feels most of the time.” “How
he feels?” Ron said. “I can’t imagine how he feels
most of the time. Holy hell. More shit has happened to that boy than
the three of us put together. I’d be a mental case if all that
crap happened to me. People trying to kill me everyday and the
Ministry always wanting to put me in prison…I’d just…zap
myself into oblivion to keep from having to deal with it.” “We’ve
been scandalized by just being his friends,” Hermione said.
“Remember all those articles in the teen wizard magazines?
Harry has been voted the best catch for four years in a row.” “Yeah,
and I was ninth,” Ron said with a prideful smile. “Oh
my god,” Draco said as the three laughed. Harry stirred and
opened his eyes at Draco’s laughter. “I’m sorry.
Did I wake you?” “To
hear your laughter is joy in my heart,” Harry said sleepily. “How
sweet,” Draco said kissing Harry’s cheek. “See
how well that worked?” Harry teased about the kiss. “What
are you laughing at?” “Ron,”
Draco laughed again. “He was ninth in the teen magazine voted
best catch.” “Oh
yeah,” Harry laughed. “Those are girly magazines and I
was voted best catch? They need to know I prefer a male companion.” “Don’t
ever tell them that,” Hermione said. “Harry, you know how
the girls here are over those magazines.” “Oh,
believe me I know very well,” Harry said rubbing his eyes.
“Draco, I can’t see.” “Yes,
I know that. I looked through your glasses. You’re blind,”
Draco said. “I
am blind,” Harry said. “Albus wanted me to take this
experimental potion that is supposed to correct vision permanently.
He teases me and says that if Voldemort was as smart as he thinks he
is he’d just take my glasses and win easy against me.”
The other three gave a short chuckle. “I’ll
mention that to Voldemort next time we have brunch,” Draco
teased. “I’m
sure you will,” Harry teased back. “Doesn’t matter
though because I train without my glasses or blindfolded once a week
per Albus’ instructions. The man’s a menace. Do you know
what that idiot wanted me to do? He wanted me to go with him and
Lupin to Sandinburg to fight with dragons. For no reason at all but
their personal enjoyment at watching me with a dragon. I told them to
shut the hell up and leave me alone. I couldn’t believe it.”
Harry rolled off the bed to stretch and his ribs protruded when he
did so. “You
are so damn skinny,” Hermione said. “Harry you need to
gain some weight.” “Hermione,
lay off,” Harry said. “I’m fine. If I get too much
weight I can’t fight like I need to. I can’t move as
well. I have to be careful during the summer not to get too…muscular
and bulky. Like last summer when I was doing the stuff with Bettman
working on stamina and stuff like that. I would run everyday and my
legs were…getting all…icky. I hated that.” “You
have nice legs,” Draco said. “But I can see what you
mean.” “Even
with my chest,” Harry said. “There’s a photo that
Lupin has of my dad and he’s…his chest is more full than
mine. But I could be like that and I don’t like it.” “I
love it,” Hermione said. “Ron’s chest is like that.
Very nice.” “But
Ron has a much larger frame than I do. He’s taller and just
more bulky,” Harry said. “Are
you insulting me? Do I have to come over there and kick your skinny
ass again?” Ron asked. “Oh
please. I’d break you like a stick,” Harry taunted. “Keep
it up little boy and I’ll show you what a man can do,”
Ron said. “Right,”
Harry said sarcastically. “I’m really scared, Ron.” “You’d
better be,” Ron teased. “I’ll put the hurt on you.” “I’d
hurt you so bad you’d want to start wearing a skirt, pal,”
Harry taunted. “Would
you wear a skirt?” Hermione asked Ron. “Hell
no,” Ron said.
“Draco
would,” Harry grinned. “Would you wear a skirt for me?” “Sure,”
Draco said. “I look good in a dress.” Harry’s eyes
widened. “You’ve
worn a dress?” Harry lay back down to hear the details. “Tell
me.” “Yes,
I’ve worn a dress,” Draco said. “I’ve worn
pantyhose and high heels, too.” “Oh
fuck,” Harry said. “That would rule. Will you do that for
me? Like…right now?” “Not
right now, but I will wear that for you in private if you want,”
Draco said. “You
make me crazy,” Harry said with wide-eyed fascination curling
up around Draco. “Oh gods I swear you do. You say things like
that and I can’t even form conscious thoughts.” “Get
a grip,” Hermione said with a few laughs. “I
would love to get a grip on Draco right now,” Harry said
wrapping his legs around Draco. “Harry,
you’re squishing me,” Draco said. “Sorry.
Can’t help it,” Harry said. “I
do have something that you would absolutely bust a nut over,”
Draco said wiggling his eyebrows. “It’s a slick wet look
vinyl skin tight catsuit. Black. Holy shit…very nice.” “Oh
god,” Harry breathed his mind running wild. “Look
what you did to him,” Ron said pointing to Harry’s
expression. They laughed. “Do
you really have that?” Harry asked. “Here?” “Yes,
in my room,” Draco said with a teasing smile. “Oh
god,” Harry whined and pretended to cry. “You’re
hurting me.” “Suffer,”
Draco teased. “You nympho.” “Me?
You like sex just as much as I do,” Harry said. “And you
like it in quantity as well. So don’t dish it if you can’t
take it.” “Are
you challenging me to something?” Draco asked. “No.
I think I won the bet in the shower during our detox,” Harry
said. “I lasted longer than you did.” “You
fucker,” Draco said. Ron and Hermione laughed. “But you
owe me a piss.” The pair laughed over the water sport game from
the shower previous. The sounds of laughing and students from the
common room told them that classes were over for the day. People were
running up the stairs. “I
don’t even want to know what that’s about,”
Hermione said. “And don’t tell me either. You two are
very strange.” “You
have no idea how strange he really is,” Draco said.
“It’s
you. You’re the strange one,” Harry said. “But oh
god I love it.” “What
do you love?” Seamus said as he and Dean entered. “Disemboweling
those I kill,” Harry said with a straight face. Dean paled. “Really?”
Dean asked. Draco burst out into laughter as Harry just shook his
head at the ease of making them believe anything he said. “Hell
no, stupid,” Harry said. “Use your brain.” “Where
was you and Herm today in class?” Seamus asked Ron. “On
a rescue mission to the Ministry to save Harry,” Ron said.
Seamus and Dean laughed. “Now
that’s funny,” Seamus said. “They
were. That’s true,” Harry said. “Draco came along
as well. I was at the Ministry in Fudge’s office all morning in
cuffs.” “Whoa,”
Seamus said sitting on his bed to change out of his school uniform. “What
did you do?” Dean asked as he too was changing into more
comfortable clothing. “I
saved the Aurors and they charged me with a felony,” Harry
said. “I will never understand the Ministry. Every galleon I
own says I get charged with a crime when I take down Voldemort. I
would bet anything I get a charge for that.” “No
way,” Ron said. “There is no way they’d charge you
with that.” “They
charged me with interfering with a Ministry attack at Azkaban,”
Harry said. “Even though every one of them would have died if I
hadn’t gone. I’m not going next time. Fuck it. Let them
all get killed if they’re that stupid.” “You
will go. You know you will so shut the fuck up,” Draco said. “I
know I will,” Harry whined. “Dammit. I need a raise. They
should pay me more.” “Do
they pay you?” Dean asked. Harry gave Dean the look. “No,
stupid,” Harry said. “I get nothing but crapped on every
fucking time I do anything. But Albus bails me out. He’s so
good. He can talk his way out of anything.” “Must
be where you learned it,” Hermione said. “Must
be,” Harry smiled at her. “Seam, was McGonagall in class
today?” “No,
we had a sub. Why?” Seamus asked. “Just
wondering,” Harry said. “And
you weren’t here all day, so how do you know that?”
Hermione asked. “I
know stuff,” Harry said. “Tell
me how you know shit like that. You say that all the time and you
never explain anything, you freak,” Hermione teased. “I
can’t. Albus won’t let me say anything,” Harry
said. Draco snorted and rolled his eyes. “Liar,”
Draco said. Harry grinned. “Go
to hell,” Harry said quietly to him. Neville came in to see
everyone. “Hey,
what’s up?” Neville asked. “My
dick, want to take care of it for me?” Seamus asked. “Fuck
you, Seam,” Neville said putting his book bag on his bed and
flopping onto it lazily. “I finally finished with all those
assignments in Charms.” “You
just finished? I was done with that two weeks ago,” Hermione
said. Everyone in the room gave her the look. “You can all go
to hell.” The boys all laughed at her. “Do
you ever do any homework?” Dean asked Harry. “No,”
Harry said. “I don’t have to. Technically I’m a
graduate. Either that or they think I won’t live long enough to
take finals.” Harry teased with a grin. “Hey,
Harry, when we were in the Headmaster’s office, he mentioned
something about this weekend that you had something very important to
do. What is it?” Neville asked. “Kill
Voldemort,” Harry said flatly. “This weekend. On
Saturday. Final battle. Moment of truth. That kind of thing.”
Neville looked at Seamus and Dean with the look of dread but no one
said a word. “It’s true. Isn’t it, Draco?” “Yeah,”
Draco said nodding with all honesty. “I’m bringing his
sorry ass to Voldemort so he can finish him off.” “Finish
who off?” Seamus asked. “Which
one do you think I meant?” Draco asked. Harry laughed. “You’re
so evil,” Harry said. “I just love that about you, baby.” “Are
you really taking Harry to Voldemort?” Dean asked. “Yes,”
Draco said honestly. “No,
you’re not,” Seamus said in challenge. “Harry,
am I taking you to Voldemort on Saturday?” Draco asked. “Yes,”
Harry said with truth. “Yes, you are. And I’m going
willingly. I’m fucked up like that. I wonder if he’d give
me the dark mark if I asked him to?” “Oh
hell, don’t even go there,” Ron said. “The only
mark he’ll be wanting to give you is like the one you already
got from him. From an AK.” “Draco
gave me three AK, didn’t you?” Harry asked. “I
sure did,” Draco said. “Want another one?” “Sure,”
Harry said. “Go ahead. I’ll just lay here.” Harry
spread out on the bed. “Do
you want one, really?” Draco asked with a grin. “Yeah.
Go for it,” Harry said. Draco just lay on the bed and shook his
head. “I’m serious. Go for it. Go over near the window
and cast an AK and see if I get hit.” “Hell
no!” Dean yelled. “Are you stupid? He could hit one of
us.” “Draco
is better than that, Dean,” Harry said. “He won’t
miss me. Do it, Draco.” “No,
Harry,” Hermione said. “We’re not casting
unforgivables in the dorm. Don’t be dense. Draco could get
expelled for that.” “We’ll
wait until we get to another location and then I’ll try to kill
you, baby,” Draco said kindly. “You’re
so sweet,” Harry said pulling Draco over to him for a deep but
short kiss. “And mine.” Draco held up his wrist with the
imprint Harry had put on him earlier in the day. “I
suppose so since I’m marked by you,” Draco said. “That
will piss Voldemort off. He has the impression that I belong to him.
And I had his mark first.” “He’s
wrong,” Harry said with a jealous streak. “He needs to
bag it up trump tight and take a step before I kick his game with a
capital G.” “What
the hell are you talking about?” Draco asked. Harry laughed. “Street
talk,” Harry said. “I learned that when I lived in London
on the street when I was with Josh and Kyle. I told you about them.”
Draco nodded. “You
didn’t tell us,” Ron said. “Who are Josh and Kyle?” “I
ran away from Surrey after the last time Vernon beat the hell out of
me,” Harry said. “I lived in an abandoned building and
took a job. Josh and Kyle were also runaways like me so we stuck
together. Albus found me eventually and…well, they charged
Vernon with child neglect, but…I don’t know what
happened with that. Anyway, Albus had my guardianship transferred to
him and then the adoption. So…that’s it.” “That
was when you were fifteen,” Hermione said. Harry nodded. “You
lived on the streets in London at fifteen?” “Yeah.
It was pretty cool until I started using dope,” Harry said.
“But I could fight off anybody. I made money fighting
sometimes. I went with this other guy named Todd a few times to
Blackwater. That’s a…it’s a place under the
bridges in the old tunnels where there are street fights. There are
gooks there that took bets on the competitors. I won a few. At first
I had to lose to get the losing record, then I came back and won so
it was more money.” “You
cheated,” Draco said. “No.
I took advantage. There’s a difference,” Harry said. “You
threw a fight,” Dean said. “That’s cheating.” “No,
it’s not,” Harry said. “I chose to lose. That’s
not cheating at all. That was a decision I made. And in the end it
turned out that since I chose to lose the first four fights, that the
stakes on me were higher. When I did win, I got better odds and made
more money. It’s just beating the players at their own game.”
Harry explained. No one knew what to say. “Good
strategy,” Ron said. Harry nodded. “You
didn’t need the money, Harry,” Hermione said. “At
that time, I did,” Harry said. “I couldn’t come to
Diagon Alley, Herm. I was considering never coming back to Hogwarts
at that time. I could live as a muggle and nobody knows who the hell
I am. I loved it. At one point I was thinking: fuck those damn
wizards. Let them fight off the evil guys on their own. Why should I
put my neck on the line? What do I get out of it? But…oh well.
Here I am.” “Now,
see? That’s more like the way I would think,” Draco said.
“Slytherin thinking. Watch your own ass first and then…if
time and effort is minimal, try to help out someone else only if it
furthers you in some way. But you’re so damn Gryffindor, Harry.
I swear you are the most Gryffindor idiot I’ve ever met.” “Can’t
help it,” Harry said. “Gryffindors have so much guilt
over everything and Slyths never have guilt. I have a hard time with
that in my head since I’m both.” At the rapping of the
window, Ron looked to see a brown owl. Ron left Hermione on his bed
and opened the window for the owl to enter. It landed on Harry’s
bed. “Oh crap.” Harry untied the string and took the
note. Draco looked over to see the odd words. “What
the hell is that?” Draco asked. “Makes no sense. Who’s
it from?” “Nosey,”
Harry accused Draco. “It’s in code from my counterpart.” “You
have many counterparts,” Hermione said. Harry nodded and went
to his little desk and pulled out a quill and ink and began to
scribble on the parchment. “Draco,
you will have a message soon from your family,” Harry said. “Okay,”
Draco said. “I’m sure I could guess which one.” “Yep,”
Harry said still writing on the parchment. “I hope it’s
not what I think it might be. But you never know.” “I
don’t want to know,” Draco put his head down on the bed
face first. “You’re
right. You don’t,” Harry said as he folded up the
parchment with his note and tied it onto the owl again. “Return.”
Harry said to the owl and let it out from the window. “Oh god.
This shit drives me insane. Draco, I hate your dad.” “Thanks,”
Draco said. “We’ll form a support group for you. I may
have liked your dad, though.” “Yes,
I’m sure you would have,” Harry said. “If I had
known him, I would let you know for sure. But he had good taste in
women. Don’t you think?” “Yes,
he did. My mother is a babe. She’s very young looking. She
retains youth like all her ancestors,” Draco laughed. “I
need a smoke.” Draco dug into his back pocket for the smokes.
Harry came over to take a cigarette of his own and light them with a
flick of his hand to create the fire. Draco flipped over onto his
back and Harry straddled his crotch on the bed to sit comfortably. “You’ll
be the same way,” Hermione said. “I’m sure you’ll
retain your youthful appearance like she has.” “Hear
that? I’ll be a hot little ticket when you’re all washed
up, Potter,” Draco said. “You’ll end up some rotty
old bag and I’ll still be shaking my young sexy ass in a club.”
Draco grinned. Harry pointed his finger directly at Draco’s
nose. “You
better not even think of leaving me,” Harry said. “I’ll
kick that sexy ass of yours.” “I’m
not afraid of you,” Draco said with disgust. “You
should be. I’m one dangerous mother fucker,” Harry said. “You
don’t scare me in the slightest,” Draco said. With a
lightening fast flick of his hand outward Harry had transfigured a
knife and had it lain across Draco’s throat in two seconds.
Draco never flinched as he took a long draw from his cigarette and
blew it directly in Harry’s face. “Go ahead. Kill me.”
Draco said lazily with his drawl. Harry laughed softly. “Oh
god this is déjà vu,” Harry said. “I have
actually had a dream of having you on my bed with a knife to your
throat.” “You
have? How sweet,” Draco said. “It
wasn’t sweet,” Harry said. “It was rape I think.” “Even
better,” Draco said with a wicked grin. “Oh
god you are sick,” Hermione said. Draco and Harry laughed again
and Harry sat up with the knife. With a quick flick, Harry had reared
back and had thrown the knife across the room to land directly
between the eyes of the poster on the wall of a few Quidditch
players. “Oh
cool,” Dean said. “You nailed him.” “I
see that,” Harry said. “Tonks and I used to throw knives
at each other for fun.” “Foreplay?”
Draco asked. “Something
like that, yeah,” Harry said with a grin as he flicked the
cigarette butt and it vanished. Draco did the same. Harry slid down
slowly rubbing his body hard to lay on Draco and kiss him deeply as
their arms wrapped around the other and held on tightly pulling the
other closer with hands and digging fingers. “You
have curtains on that bed for a reason,” Ron said. “They
don’t care,” Dean said. “I swear they’d get
naked and do it not even caring if we were in the room.” “If
they do, I’m watching,” Seamus said. Harry and Draco
broke their kiss in laughs. “What
must they think of us?” Draco asked. “They
think exactly what I was thinking,” Harry said wiggling his
hips. “Get
naked then,” Draco said. “No,
no, no,” Hermione said. “Draco, don’t say that. You
know the idiot will.” “I
know the idiot will that’s exactly why I said it. And you say
she’s smart?” Draco asked Harry who laughed at Hermione. “You
sorry snake,” Hermione spat in humor. “Which
one of us?” Harry asked. “Both,”
Ron said. “Dean, any new assignments today in class?” “Nothing,”
Dean said. “As soon as I finish these four questions, I’m
done.” Dean worked on his homework. “I’m
done now,” Seamus said putting away his books and parchments.
“Neville, you done?” No answer. “He’s
asleep.” “No,
I’m not,” Neville said sleepily. “I’m
resting.” “Nobody
has homework?” Draco asked. Shakes of heads all around. “Well,
Harry. You could take us on tour this evening.” “Tour?
Of what?” Harry asked. “Anywhere.
One of your little creepy adventure things,” Draco said with a
grin.
“You
haven’t had enough today?” Harry asked with his teasing
grin. “Are you saying you trust me now?” Draco gave a
short laugh. “Hell
no,” Draco said. “Yes, idiot. I trust you.” “No,
you don’t,” Harry said. “Yes,
I do,” Draco said confidently. “You
only say that now because there was glass over that hole and you know
that now,” Harry said. “You want me to give you another
test? Is that it?” Draco thought for a moment as Harry’s
smile grew. “No,”
Draco laughed with Harry. “That shit was scary.” “What
was scary?” Seamus asked. “Harry,”
Ron said shortly. “Oh,”
Seamus said. “What did you do now?” Seamus asked Harry. “I
asked Draco to walk to me,” Harry said. “And he wouldn’t
do it.” “That’s
because there was a bottomless pit between us,” Draco said. “But
I told you I’d never let anything happen to you,” Harry
said. “And I won’t. But you still don’t believe me.
You are so damn stubborn.” “It’s
a bit different when I was on the other side and you asked me to come
to you, Harry. All I could see was certain death between us.” “Then
that shouldn’t surprise you at all,” Harry said. “There
is certain death between you and me and there always has been. Argue
with that.” Draco and Harry each gave the other very odd looks. “You’re
right,” Draco said softly. “Do you think one of us will
die this weekend?” “No,”
Harry said confidently. “I’m working on it. Give me day
or two and I’ll have it figured out by then. My plan is forming
in the back of my mind as always.” “A
plan,” Draco said. Harry nodded. “And I am a part of that
plan?” “Yes,”
Harry said. “Since you are so damn pig headed and won’t
stay here, I have to come up with a different strategy to keep me
alive as well as you. So there. My initial plan was to just kill
Voldemort and take down every DE along with him…and that could
include destroying Hogsmeade in the process. But now, since you’re
involved, I need to revise that plan. You’re a pain.” “I’m
not a pain,” Draco argued. “I’m an influence that
you revere most highly.” “And
if you don’t trust me then why do you want to be hanging around
when I’m in high gear around the bastard?” Harry asked.
“You know there is a good chance you could die and not by him,
but by me. I tend to get a bit…well, volatile when I’m
around Voldemort. You’ve never seen me on that adrenaline high.
I’m a maniac out for blood this time. You’d better
reconsider going along.” “No.
I’m going,” Draco said. “You can’t stop me.
So fuck you. Just don’t hit me with a spell.” “I’ll
do my best, but you better just watch it,” Harry said. “I’m
slinging my hardest shit at that mother fucker and he’s going
down hard after I play around with him a bit.” “Harry,
no,” Hermione said coming up for air from the kiss with Ron.
“No. You can’t be fucking around with Voldemort. Go. Kill
him and come back here and we’ll have a party or something.” “Herm’s
right, Harry,” Seamus said. “Kill the fucker and be done
with it.” “Hell
no,” Harry said sitting up on his bed and letting Draco up to
go to the bathroom. “He’s jerked me around for years. I’m
going to put him through some major shit before I kill him and piss
on his dead body.” “You
may just want to kill him and just come back, Harry,” Neville
said. “And…it might not be easy. Voldemort is…well,
you know how sneaky he is. What if he has something planned for you
that you don’t know about? Just be careful.” “Nev’s
right,” Dean said. “Just kill him.” “I’ll
think about it,” Harry said as he sat cross-legged on his bed.
“But I still want to tell him what I think about him.” “I
think he knows, Harry,” Hermione said with disgust. “Hell,
he’ll expect you to do that anyway. That’s when he’ll
try to make his move.” “Not
true,” Harry said confidently. “Voldemort is all about
showing of his strength. He likes to flaunt it around and tease me
with it. That’s his power play. I’ll play along like he
wants me to before I take him down. And he’ll be just a bit
surprised by that, I think. I can’t wait. I honestly cannot
wait. I’m excited about it.” “Well,
I’m not,” Neville said. “I’m scared to
death.” “I’m
sort of nervous myself,” Dean said. “If by some freak
chance he does manage to kill you, we’re all dead.” “You
have no idea of the abilities I posses, Dean,” Harry said
seriously with full power of himself. “I could show you things
that you would never believe possible by any living being. I could
scare you shitless in an instant. But, I’m not allowed to do
that here.” “Here
as in the dorm?” Seamus asked. Harry laughed a bit softly. “No.
Here as in…” Harry started. “Yes. The dorm.” “Harry,”
Hermione shook her head. “Where?” “Where
what?” Harry asked knowing full well what she meant. “You’re
not allowed to show abilities here,” Hermione said. “What
did you mean by here? Tell the truth.” “I
can’t,” Harry said. “I cannot tell you certain
things, Hermione. I can’t do it. It’s for my safety as
well as your own. Drop it, please.” “You
always do that shit,” Hermione said softly. “Just when
you start to say something…you don’t and then I wonder
about it for months. You get on my damn nerves.” “He
gets on my nerves, too,” Draco said coming from the bathroom. “I
know a few nerves on you I’d like to stimulate,” Harry
said seductively. “Oh
god,” Dean said. “Are
you doing something with us tonight?” Neville asked Harry. “That
depends on what you mean,” Harry said with a grin. “You’re
straight, Neville.” Draco laughed at Neville’s reaction. “I
meant that…I just…the adventure thing like Draco said.
A tour,” Neville said. “I
could take you somewhere if you want to go,” Harry said. “It’s
still daylight outside. I could take you into a place I know in the
forest.” “No,
we can’t go there,” Seamus said. “There’s…all
kinds of shit in that forest.” “Tell
me about it,” Ron said. “Spiders as big as a house…damn.” “That
was fun, Ron,” Harry grinned. “Hey, I saw the Ford in the
forest last summer when I was on drills. It’s all rusty, man,
but…it’s still going. Freaked me out when I ran upon it.
I had an arrow in my leg at the time and I sat on the bumper to pull
it out.” “An
arrow in your leg?” Dean asked. “Oh
yeah, um…we were doing combat drills,” Harry said. “I
got hit with four arrows, three spells and something else…what
was it?” Harry gave a moment of thought. “Oh well. It was
something. Those drills were with the Aurors and squad lieutenants.” “What
sort of drills?” Ron asked. “They
called them drills,” Harry said. “Basically it was: let’s
drop Harry in the forest against sixty militants and see if he can
survive for three days on his own. I did. It wasn’t easy. But I
did have forty-two hits on them and they only had eight on me. I did
okay.” “Okay,
hell,” Neville said. “Why in hell did they do that? There
was no purpose in it.” “Albus
likes the entertainment, I think,” Harry laughed. “He
loves watching me on a challenge. He does shit like that all the time
to me. But…I like it, too, so…it’s fun to see if
I can live through it.” Harry grinned. “I think people
just like trying to see if I really can’t die. I swear that’s
what it is.” “You’ve
been made into the ultimate fighting and killing weapon,” Draco
said in warning. Harry nodded slowly. “Yes.
I realize that,” Harry said sadly. “And I’ve had an
interesting life with it.” Hermione didn’t like the past
tense verb. “What
do you mean ‘had’ an interesting life?” Hermione
asked. Harry gave her a look of some type of regret. “I
just meant that my life was…is interesting,” Harry said.
“That’s all. And I’m starving. Is anyone else
hungry?” “Don’t
change the subject,” Ron said. “Why do you use the past
tense verb? What do you know?” “Not
a damn thing,” Harry said lightly with a laugh. “I know
nothing. There is always more to be learned.” “Harry,
dammit. Don’t go off on a tangent,” Draco said
accusingly. “What did you mean? What will happen to you after
Voldemort?” Harry stilled and swallowed. “I
don’t know,” Harry said. “We’ll have to wait
and see.” “Liar.
You damn liar. I know you know something,” Hermione said. Harry
shrugged a bit. “And
if I do, it doesn’t matter,” Harry said almost sadly.
“We’re not there yet, Herm. Albus has theories and that’s
all. I can’t talk about it because he won’t share them
with me fully. If I knew more, I’d tell you, but I don’t.” “Tell
us what you do know then,” Dean said. Harry got up quickly and
walked into the bathroom and slammed the door without another word.
Ron, Hermione and Draco shared a glance at the uncharacteristic
action. “I
think we just struck a nerve,” Draco said softly raising his
eyebrows. “What happens after Voldemort seems to upset him a
bit. Why could that be?” “I
don’t know,” Ron whispered loudly. “I thought he’d
be happy about it.” “I’m
not sure, Ron,” Hermione said quietly. “Harry is
connected with Voldemort somehow. Harry has mentioned before years
ago that he thought that if he killed Voldemort he might die, too. I
doubt that, but…he was upset over it at the time.” “Maybe
Harry is just pissed because we kept pressing the issue,”
Neville said. “It’s his business, I guess. I won’t
say anything else.” “No,
it’s not that,” Draco said crossing his arms and pacing
beside Harry’s bed. “He said ‘my life has been
interesting.’ Past tense. I know Harry wouldn’t slip like
that. He’s leading us to thoughts of our own. He does that.
He’s a very sneaky little shit. But…if he said that then
I have to conclude that his life will somehow be different after
Voldemort besides the obvious.” Draco paced and he heard the
toilet flush and he sat on the bed quickly and lounged back
comfortably as Harry came out of the bathroom. “Don’t
ask me anything else, please,” Harry asked kindly of them all.
“I’ve had a hard day with assholes trying to put me in
prison and keep me sedated because they think I’m a lunatic.” “You
are a lunatic,” Draco said lightly. “Stark raving mad.” “You
want to see how stark raving mad I can be?” Harry asked. “You
want to see me just let loose and throw all control out the window
for about ten seconds?” “Yeah.
Do it. Scare me,” Draco said. “Harry,
no,” Hermione said. “Don’t.” “You
can handle it, Herm,” Harry said in some sort of calm frenzied
way. “I won’t hurt you. I just want to show you a bit of
what I have to deal with. A little taste of my darker side. Up for a
bit of terror?” Harry grinned wickedly. “Yeah,
do it,” Dean said eager to see what was in store. “Whatever,”
Seamus was also eager. “I
don’t know, Harry,” Neville said in dread. “I
mean…you’re like…scary as shit sometimes and…I
don’t know if I can see that.” “You
better leave then,” Harry said. “I can scare you bad. I
can be just one totally evil bastard that makes Voldemort look like a
limpy little field sprite. I could make you scream like a little girl
at seeing what I could do, Neville.” “You
can make me scream,” Draco said with a grin. “I
plan on that later,” Harry said. “Do
that scary thing, Harry,” Dean said with wide-eyed want. “Come
on. Just for ten seconds.” “What
are you going to do for ten seconds?” Hermione asked. “Nothing,”
Harry said. “I’m going to stand here and not move.” “That’s
not scary,” Seamus said. “But
I’m going to let go of my hold and control that I keep on me at
every second,” Harry said. “I’ll have to hold back
a bit or I could destroy the Tower we’re in, but I can release
what’s in me and let you experience it. You’ll freak out.
I guarantee it.” “Freak
me out, baby!” Draco yelled as he spread out on Harry’s
bed and Harry rolled his eyes at Draco’s needs. “Oh
god you are so fucked up,” Harry said with a growl. “Do
it then,” Ron said. “Do that ten second thing.” “Are
you all sure?” Harry asked. “It’s intense.” “What
exactly will happen, Harry?” Hermione asked the reasonable
question. “A
storm thing,” Harry said. “And…you’ll be
here, but you’ll be in another place, too. I’ll be a
barrier of a cross over so you can still remain here, but you can see
into the other place. Will fuck you up.” “What
other place?” Draco asked. “You’ll
see,” Harry said. “Are you ready?” “Hell
no,” Neville said. “I’m leaving. I can’t
handle it.” “Yes,
you can,” Harry said firmly. “Sit, Neville. Or better
yet, lay on your beds so you don’t move.” They each lay
back and Harry stood in the center of the room. “Now. Don’t
move or make a sound for ten seconds. Ready? Three, two, one…now.”
Harry closed his eyes and the entire room became almost dark. Each
member in the room felt light like air and visions of swirling clouds
that were half human skeleton and half animal but made of smoke
darted around the room looking at each of them with glaring red
glowing eyes and fanged and mangled teeth. The rotted breath sent
tingling chills of ice-cold fear over each of them bringing light
tears and trembles. Something
like lightening cursed through the air making each hair in the room
stand on end. Deafening screams of torture and pain were heard all
over and the bony smoke like figures were trying to touch the room’s
inhabitants. Clawing and gnawing at them. Where their clawed fingers
touched the skin surges of some type of icy energy lingered. Each
heart in the room was at top speed as the lights became brighter and
the smoky figures became more aggressive. The lightening and the
thunder in the room pounded in their ears and eyes reverberating
their quickened pulses. The flashing light of the lightening came
from Harry who held out his hands and let the lightning come from his
body. The smoky human skeleton figures were gathered around each bed
and each one of the students was breathing heavily and terrified. “Go
back!” Harry yelled and then the room was completely normal
except for the students who lay stilled and silent breathing heavy
and frozen in fear. Harry gave a short laugh. “Everybody okay?” “What
in the name of hell was that?!” Ron yelled in terror. “Evil,”
Harry said. “That was evil that lives inside Harry Potter.
Scary, huh?” “Oh
my fucking life,” Seamus said. “I think I pissed in my
shorts.” “You
have evil like that inside you?” Neville asked breathlessly. “Yes,
I do. But I also have something else,” Harry said with a grin.
“I have something much better than evil. It’s a goodness
that reveals itself in light from yet another place. I could share
that with you, too if you want to see it. I showed you the terror
first so that you can appreciate the other much more.” “Do
it. Just get these damn images out of my head,” Hermione said. “Are
you all ready? You’ll love this,” Harry said as he raised
his arms. “Don’t move or speak for ten seconds. Three,
two, one…now.” Harry closed his eyes and let the light
spill from himself and into the room. A heavenly glow filled the room
with a heavy feeling of peacefulness and overwhelming joy that seemed
to hum in a soothing melody that wrapped around each one of them and
brought them up toward the place. The brightest daylight of a
sun-filled carefree summer presence washed over them in waves of
bliss. Each of them felt as if they were flying without worry into
the bright light beyond themselves and it was something so good that
each longed to be inside the light more than anything else. Heavy
lidded eyes on each of the students told of their complete
contentment to remain here forever and their longing to become one
with that bright light that emanated such joy, peace and a love that
was so powerfully strong that it magically embraced them into it’s
welcoming arms. The swell of that ethereal love filled each one so
completely that their minds were at peace. The tremendous power of
that love gave a pleasured tightness in their chests that caught
their breaths but also each felt a presence of comfort and tenderness
that was undeniably Harry mixed within the warm waves. Overwhelming
and satisfied, the surge of love and joy continued to almost the peak
of pleasure before Harry slowly lowered his arms and opened his eyes.
Slowly the brightness from him that had filled the room waned leaving
each member of the room in a heightened state of complete relaxation
and peace. “Oh
wow,” Dean said with his eyes closed. “That was great.” “What
was that one?” Seamus asked sleepily. “Oh god I never
wanted to leave that.” “Me,
either,” Hermione smiled in her saturated love-y feeling. “I
could stay in that place forever and ever and never want to leave it.
Harry, that was wonderful. What was it?” “Light
in me,” Harry said. “That was the place where light
lives. That is what being of the light means. That feeling you got,
that was me as I dispersed myself into this room. It’s hard to
explain. But what you felt was my light. If that makes any sense.” “No,
I know it was you,” Draco said lazily. “I could feel you
there all over me.” “Me,
too,” Ron said. The others agreed. “What
about in the first evil part? Did you feel me there as well?”
Harry asked them. “No.
Not at all,” Hermione said. “Nothing about you was there.
Nothing.” “You
were not in the evilness,” Seamus said adamantly. “You
were not there in the slightest bit.” “That’s
good,” Harry said. “Oh well. I hope you all enjoyed that.
And please, oh god, don’t tell Albus I did that. He’ll
freak out.” “I
can’t tell him because I don’t know what the hell you
did,” Dean said. “Hey,
look at this!” Neville said as he moved his hand in a swishing
motion through the room and little tiny golden sparkles which looked
almost like sparks made a trail behind his hand. “What is
that?” “Magic.
That is me in this room,” Harry said. “I’ve filled
this room so much with magic from myself that I’ve left traces
of me in it. It may take a few hours to dispel. But it’s fun to
play with. You can do swirls and even make a ball of it sort of like
a snowball. Gather it up and pack it together like this.” Harry
pulled the magic to himself and had made a tiny ball of light and
threw it at Draco hitting him in the leg. Draco gasped when it hit
him. “Oh
god that felt great,” Draco said slurring his speech a bit. “It
felt like…well…like…I don’t know what it
felt like but it was so…so…so good.” “Sort
of like that after feeling of orgasm, isn’t it?” Harry
asked. “Yeah.
That’s what it is,” Draco said slurred relaxed on the bed
splayed out. “You feel like this all the time?” “No,
but this is my magic in this room,” Harry said. “And it
will affect each of you differently depending on the depth of my
feelings toward each of you and yours toward me. Neville, please be
careful with it.” Harry gave a short laugh. Neville paled. “I
was kidding. It won’t hurt you.” Harry came to sit on his
own bed and watch everyone playing with the thick magic in the room.
Draco lay on the bed with his shoes off and made swirls and balls of
magic and threw them at Harry who threw them back. “This
feels like love in my hand,” Hermione said of the ball of magic
she held. “Warm and friendly and…just very snuggly
good.” “That’s
right,” Harry said. “That’s sort of similar to the
feeling I give and get from you. That’s why you feel it like
that.” “It’s
comforting,” Seamus said of the tiny ball of lighted magic he
held. “It’s like…refreshing and…exciting.” “You
get excited around Seamus?” Draco laughed in some intoxicated
state. “Well,
no, but he gets excited around me, I guess,” Harry laughed. “I
do get excited around you,” Seamus said. “You’re
always doing something interesting like this. I like it. Very unusual
and sometimes scary as hell, but I like it.” “What
about you, Draco? What do you feel?” Neville said of Draco’s
lazy erotic state. “Oh
god you don’t even know,” Draco said almost sleepily.
“Such…like…so much…” “Okay,”
Ron asked. “What the hell does that mean?” “Draco
is overwhelmed by my love for him,” Harry said crawling over to
lay flush on Draco. “He’s in that floating love heaven of
sated desire. Isn’t that right?” “Yesssss,”
Draco hissed in his dreamy state. “Draco
is almost intoxicated from it because he can’t handle it,”
Harry teased. “You didn’t know I loved you so much, did
you, baby?” “Yes,”
Draco slurred quietly with lots of breath. “Hmmmm. Oh god this
is so damn good I can hardly breathe.” Draco’s head
lulled from side to side on the bed. “This is like a drug to
me…I feel high off of it.” “How
long will he be like that?” Hermione asked with a grin at
Draco’s state. “For
a bit longer,” Harry said kissing Draco’s cheek down to
his neck. “I think he likes it.” “Hmmmm,”
Draco hummed in his bliss. “Oh god, Harry…you’re
so incredible. You just keep giving me stuff like this. I can’t
take it.” “Yes,
you can,” Harry rose up to claim a kiss from Draco’s
sweet warm lips. The kiss was slow and seductive making Draco lose
the small shred of control he had. Draco was almost unconscious with
the powerful feeling when Harry raised to break their kiss. Harry
moved off and sat back against his headboard of his bed and rubbed
Draco’s foot. Harry laughed softly at Draco’s continued
contentment. “Look
at him,” Ron said with a laugh. “Damn, Draco. Get a
grip.” Draco just hummed with a tiny whimper. Harry grinned at
Ron. “I think you overdosed him on it, Harry.” “He’s
fine,” Harry said. “I’m
better than fine,” Draco whispered with his eyes closed. “You
sorry fucker. What did you do to me?” “You’ll
be over it here in a few minutes,” Harry said. “If you’ve
ever been in a…” At that moment the door of the dorm
opened and Ginny was there when she opened the door the magic hit her
hard. Ginny’s eyes went wide and she was falling into the room.
Harry quickly flicked his wrist for the spell to catch her and he
rushed off the bed to help. “Oh crap. She just got blasted when
she walked in here.” Harry scooped up Ginny and carried her
over to Neville’s bed, which was the closest. Neville scooted
over a bit and Harry laid her down. “Wha…Harry?”
Ginny asked in that dreamy state. “What did you…Harry?” “I’m
here, Ginny,” Harry smiled above her. Ginny reached out and put
her arms around Harry’s neck to pull him down into a kiss but
Harry pulled back with a short laugh. “Ginny, you just got hit
with some magic. Just lay here for a minute on the bed.” “Are
you going to stay with me?” Ginny asked in her overly loving
state. Ginny’s eyes told of her longing for Harry. “Harry…” “Just
lay here for a minute, Gin,” Harry said. “Um...Ron?” “I’m
not dealing with that,” Ron said. “Ron,
please,” Harry said. “I think you need to…do
something here.” Ron came over and sat next to Ginny. “Hey,
get a grip, Gin,” Ron said. “Come on.” Ron raised
her almost boneless body up from the bed, as her loving gaze never
left Harry as he moved across the room to sit on his bed. “Ginny!” “Harry…”
Ginny said with her head lulling to the side in want of him. “Ginny!
Damn,” Ron said turning her head to him. “You just took a
blast of magic. You’ll be okay. Now. What were you coming up
here for? To my dorm.” “Oh
um…there was….I don’t know,” Ginny said in
her glazed eyed sway. “Harry,
damn. You must have really blasted her,” Seamus said as they
all looked to Ginny. “I
think that Ginny’s own feelings have a bit to do with it,”
Hermione reminded them. “Oh.
Ooohhh,” Dean said realizing. “I get it now.” Draco
looked to Harry raising an eyebrow. “You
know,” Harry said softly to Draco. Draco nodded that he knew of
Ginny’s continued infatuation with Harry over the years and
that her own feelings toward Harry were the cause of her display at
feeling this magic of his in the room. “You
okay now?” Ron asked as Ginny held her temple and tried to
blink. “What
was that? I just…I almost passed out and…” Ginny
said and then looked to Harry quickly. “What did you do,
stupid?” “I
sort of had a magical attack in here,” Harry said. “I let
loose a bunch of magic from me and it was in the room. When you
opened the door, the magic was trying to disperse itself from the
room and you sort of got a flood of magic from me all at once. Like a
magical overdose of sorts.” “Oh,”
Ginny didn’t completely understand. “Well, I can hardly
remember it. It was…I felt so…it was like….”
Ginny tried to use her hands as the others waited. “Yeah,
I know,” Draco said from his slowly waning state of embraced
love. “Isn’t it great?” “Well,
sort of,” Ginny said. “Very…well, good, I guess.
Comforting and warm.” “Good
thing,” Draco said with a hint of sarcastic jealousy. Harry
gave a short laugh as did Hermione. “What
did you come up here for?” Ron asked as he left Ginny and went
back to Hermione on his own bed and they snuggled up together. “Oh
um…something. What was it?” Ginny asked. “Oh yeah.
For Neville. Debbie is at the common room door for you.”
Neville jumped up and ran out of the room quickly without a word. “Well
damn,” Seamus said. “She’s got him hooked.” “Like
you’re not?” Ginny asked looking at Dean and back to
Seamus. “Come off it. I know everything going on around here.
I’ve been around the trio enough to know how to figure shit out
on my own.” Draco laughed in his dreamy state. “The
trio,” Draco laughed. “I used to say that all the time. I
hate you three people.” Draco laughed again in his giggly state
of euphoria. “What
in hell is wrong with him?” Ginny snickered. “He
got an overdose, too,” Harry said. “He’s not over
it yet.” “You
hit him hard with some magic, Harry,” Hermione said. “Why
is Draco’s lasting longer than ours?” “Feelings,”
Harry said. “The more intense the feeling between the two the
longer lasting it is. He’ll be okay. Draco is feeling no pain
at the moment.” “Oh
god no,” Draco smiled. “Holy shit I feel wonderful.”
Draco giggled and kicked his feet in his good feeling. “I will
want this all the time, Harry. I swear it. You’ll have to do
this to me at least once a day. Along with that other
thing…that…other thing you do. Oh god…”
Draco hummed. Harry laughed softly and rolled his eyes. “I’m
your toy,” Harry said. Ginny laughed. “Oh
Harry, that Ravenclaw boy Hemmlett asked if I’d seen you
today,” Ginny said. “He was wanting to speak with you
about something.” Ron and Hermione gave Harry a look. “Yes,
I need to speak with him. Thanks, Gin,” Harry said. “We
forgot all about that, didn’t we?” Draco asked. “Oh
well. Fuck it.” “About
what?” Hermione asked. “It’s common knowledge what
Hemmlett does, Harry.” “I
know that,” Harry said. “Don’t worry about it.” “You
just went through the detox,” Seamus said. “I
know that, Seam,” Harry said in irritation. “And I told
you I’d handle it. That’s the end of it. I think I know
what I’m doing. Okay? Are we clear on this?” Seamus held
up his hands in mock surrender. Neville and Debbie came into the room
hand in hand. “Another
party?” Debbie asked them. “Oh whoa.” Debbie
swooned a bit and Neville held her. “What is in this room? Oh
my goodness. I feel so…lightheaded in here.” “Harry
blew up,” Dean said as the others laughed. “He
sort of flooded the room with himself,” Hermione said. “Harry’s
full of it.” Harry flipped her off. “Are you asking me
for sexual intercourse, Mister Potter?” “Yes.
Come on over here, Herm,” Harry teased. “I feel so good
after letting off all that magic from me. I need to do that more
often. It feels like…I’m…lighter or something.
Very good feeling for me.” Harry took Draco’s foot and
massaged it gently from the sole up. “Today
in Care of Magical Creatures we were working on strouts,” Ginny
said. The others groaned. “I know. They stink. It was awful.” “They
have litters of hundreds of offspring,” Seamus said. “Sort
of like Weasleys,” Draco said with a grin. Ron threw a pillow
at him and hit Draco in the head as Harry laughed. “That’s
okay, Ron. At least you weren’t supposed to be a girl.”
The others that understood laughed. “I
think you’re perfect,” Harry said. “You are
amazing, Draco. You are. I can’t get over it. And when you do
that thing…that bendy thing…lord god almighty I almost
lose my mind every time.” Draco slid backward on the bed and
dipped his head backward to put his hands on the floor. Draco brought
up his legs and flipped off the bed gracefully to stand upright.
“Holy living hell…you are so damn limber. I would give
anything to be able to do that.” “I
can do more than that,” Draco grinned. Harry’s eyes went
wide. “I’ll show you sometime.” “Now,”
Harry said. “Do it now.” “No,
that’s a surprise for you,” Draco said. “Do
that other bendy thing with your arms,” Harry said. Draco laced
his fingers together as everyone watched. Draco stepped through the
loop of his arms and with a twisted motion of his body, he contorted
around perfectly again. “Oh god I love it! Damn! Get up here
and let me touch you before I go crazy.” “You’re
already crazy,” Draco said crawling up onto the bed as Harry
slid down to wrap around him. “Curtains
would be nice here,” Ron said. Harry was in a heated lip lock
of Draco but he flipped Ron off and then snapped his fingers as each
one of his curtains on his bed snapped closed in a flash as the
others laughed. When the curtains closed, Harry cast a concealment, a
silencing and a locking spell on the bed. The heated, desperate kiss
turned into a hunger for the other.
http://www.ficsavers.com
Tomorrow Will Come
Chapter 12: Chapter 12
By: Kimberjingle
Chapter 12:
Three Visit the Ministry Unannounced and Have An Adventure, Harry
Lets Loose