Title: Dream Me Into Life

By: HikariTsuki

Disclaimer: I own not, so why bother sueing me?!

Warnings: Mature Themes

Author's Notes: The idea came in a swoop of inspiration, so kill me. . I also wanted to take this idea before anyone else had the chance to snatch it up. ^^

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Quote: "For it was not my hand you touched, but my heart; I was not my lips you kissed, but my soul..."

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He sat, dejectedly pondering the direction his life was taking. He really possessed no friends -- he hadn't had the incentive for obtaining them at the beginning, and there couldn't be any turning around now. The cruel, unbearable fact of the gruesome matter was: Draco Malfoy was bordering an outcast's existence.

The horrible idea taunted him daily, almost snickering, jeering painful ridicule. The self-contempt and loathing he felt...well, it was enough to drive him over the jagged edge.

The empty whiskey bottle glared daggers from his hand, burning another hole of scorn into his already tattered heart. With a sneer, the youth flung the item, observing smugly and blearily as it broke in a satisfying shatter against the wall.

He snorted, then, closing his eyes wearily. "I don't need friends. Who was I kidding? I have Crabbe and Goyle, and that's plenty."

Though, an urgent, hushed voice pleaded delicately in his mind, saying that that wasn't true, whilst he drifted off and away to a relaxing slumber.

- ~ - ~ - ~ -

Dream...

- ~ - ~ - ~ -

He stopped, sensing a familiar presence. Only the mist greeted his blind eyes, obscuring the barren wasteland that marked his subconscious. Velvety- smooth arms encircled his waist, and a mop of hair buried itself in the crook of his upper-back, just between his shoulder-blades.

"I knew you'd come." Sounded the barely audible, female whisper.

He was aware of the smile creeping the corners of his mouth, despite his hard resolve for keeping it at bay. Turning, and because the said arms allowed him to, his sight found her.

Tender lips fluttered feathery kisses across his, and molten pools of sapphire rekindled a dormant fire which danced spiritedly within the boy's own eyes.

He smirked against the soft sweetness, murmering amusedly, "Did you, now?"

A nod confirmed the rather rhetorical question, and she frowned, ending their passionate action. "You...you were having trouble again? Something's bothering you, ne?" Glimmering tears rended her eyes helpless to the pure innocence Draco knew resided in her very being.

He shrugged dismissively, hoping to avoid the topic and disperse her obvious sadness. Calmly thumbing the wet-tracks trailing her cheeks into nothingness, he deposited a fine kiss to her brow. "No. Everything's all right. I promise."

The rays that lit her features were gorgeous, and she grinned, chirping cheerfully. "Okay!"

The dream-like world grew hazy about the edges. The girl devoted him one last, parting kiss, before the image ultimately disappeared. "Ja ne, Draco- chan...you're waking up..."

He found himself desperately wanting to stay with her, in the safe haven of his dreams, and would have protested...

- ~ - ~ - ~ -

End Dream...

- ~ - ~ - ~ -

...if he hadn't already opened his eyes to view the glass ceiling of the Astronomy Tower. A colorful string of obscenities graced his tongue. The lingering taste of Serenity clung to his lips, also, hauntingly reminding him of what he had left behind.

'Wait...' The boy paused. '...since when do dreams have taste?' he puzzled. He'd never beheld a dream with her so vivid previously, and he knew what exactly it was like because he'd experienced countless dreams of his Serenity. She was merely an illusion -- a sort of 'make-believe' friend he had one day created to console him.

He groaned, his head exploding in black and white dots. He was drunk. Very. He concluded, finally, that it was the damn alchohal causing him to imagine the honey taste, and stumbled to his feet.

He needed to be outside -- perhaps the fresh air would help. He bothered not to even give a thought to Filch and his cat, nor to the possibility of getting caught, intoxicated AND prowling school grounds after dark. Such offenses could result him expelled from Hogwarts.

Yet still he didn't care. He bypassed torches and staircases, suits of armor and sleeping portrats, the entirety of the time attempting to focus and refrain from tripping.

Several minutes later, he staggered out of the main entrance doors of Hogwarts, tottering into the cool, damp night.

A faintly slurred sigh dwindled up his throat, and he saw his heated breath before him, just until it vanished.

The dark outline of the forest loomed upon the horizon, and Draco moved towards it absently. He was probably ten or so feet a distance from the woods, and he halted dead in his tracks, detecting an ill-defined...giggle?

There, again, the melodious, pleasant tinkle caressed his ears. The sound was greatly fascinating due to the reason that he had heard it prior to now...

And a blurry silhouette materialized in front of him. He was unable to see clearly, and so was forced to strain his eyes to distinguish it.

When he did, he swayed, retracting a few of his steps.

"Serenity?" The aghast query practically echoed ten-fold in his mind. Bewildered, shocked, overwhelmed -- all of these words perfectly and accurately described him...but maybe the best of them would be unconscious, for he fainted, landing with a not-so-mild 'thud' against the earthen ground.

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Quote: "For it was not my hand you touched, but my heart; I was not my lips you kissed, but my soul..."

^^^^

Author's Notes: O-negai, tell me what you thought of this! If you don't review and at least give me an 'I hate it' or an 'I think it needs work' I'll just assume nobody wants me to continue this ficlet.