Author : Thanatos_R.A.T.
Pairing :Draco/Harry , but will eventually be Neville/Draco .
Disclamer:all the caraters mentioned belong to J.K. Rowlings
Rating: PG-13 to R in later Chapters .
Deep Rising :Lucid numbness
Neville Longbottom knew deeply in his heart that his Grandmother had condemned him to a lifelong of misery and utter solitude the day she bethroded him to Draco Malefoy . He never would have imagined that he meant so little to his surrounding family and friends . He knew that he was poorly magically gifted barely above Squib level but in his opinion he was still a human being . Although he was still a minor in the eye of the law; he still thought that decisions such as his married life were his to take only, so unfair was the understatement of the year that couldn't beguin to qualify his Grandmother's decision. He hated the word "yes" with passion ! He hated his Grandmother's business-like tone, cold and unemotional ! He hated his Grandmother period ! He hated the condescendent look Lucius Malefoy gave him as he signed the legal paperwork !Yet he had to admire the man's audacity . It was no secret that Lucius was a Deatheater, but he was also a great strategist . Neville - being the shy introvert and lonely boy he was, and having spent a great deal of his time observing and analyzing his surroundings undisturbed - knew quite well that by insuring this marriage; Malefoy would be able to divert the Ministry's possible investigations especially that the tides were shifting in favor of the forces of good . Noises from the nearby room interrupted his grim thoughts and he was pleased to see that the "Guests" were leaving . But his happiness was short lived as the warm august breeze carried this dreadful sentence " The ceremony will be held next week .".. Neville could almost see his world shatter and his life destroyed .
He would be married at 16 to a boy whom he had never truly spoken too, a boy who made his life and that of every single friend he had a living hell and he had absolutely no choice in the matter . These were the Wizarding World's rules .What was he to expect from Draco . He shuddered just at the mention of his name . Humiliation, disdain, hatred, indifference, contempt . Yet then it dawned on him that the situation wasn't that different from his actual one . Wasn't he treated like a human waste with all the "advantages" that his status offered . As he really pondered on the matter he realized that things would be just more "intense" from now on . The hatred, humiliation, indifference would all be more intense . His life was a vicious cercle of "emptiness" .
So he did the only thing he excelled in doing these days. He cried himself to sleep .
The dreaded day had come . In a few moments he would be Mr Malefoy too, and his Grandmother would have disposed of him in a most spectaculary wonderful way . He knew that deep down in her heart, she loved him in her own way, but not enough to skip such an exceptional - and substantial - way . He wasn't even able to begin to grasp or understand what he was feeling . He felt too much . He was in fact on emotional overload and he felt as if he would breakdown completely at any moment .
-"Neville it is time. Come down already!" Grandmothers were supposed to be these sweet ladies with the everflowing stock of candy, toys or small compliments . They were supposed to be protective and caring and inspire safety and trust . So when he heard his Grandmother's summoning Neville felt as if his heart had been suddenly covered with all of the ice of the poles . It was as if he was observing the events unfolding before him in a completly objective and detached way . He was left with an incredibly lucid mind and it was perhaps his first adult thought :
" I am an orphan, I am marrying a complete stranger, I will have to deal with life on my own ." With this last thought Neville Longbottom stepped into the unknown .
****
Draco was experiencing the strangest day ever in his existence . He was getting married to none other than Neville Longbottom, human waste klutz extraordinaire . He had of course objected at first - well actually practically killed his parents in a temper tantrum - yet he had relented considering the obvious advantages to this union, especially considering that the megalomaniac old fart that was Voldemort was loosing the war . But still he was sure his father could have picked better considering the circumstances .
Anyway his "bride" was arriving and he wanted to greet "her" with all the respect "she" deserved . The Longbottoms had apparated in the Ministry .
Draco had expected one sobbing hysterical Longbottom, all fat and pudgy with puffed eyes and red nose crying his heart out . He had never expected to see a calm, collected and completely serene boy and a not soo bad to look at one too . It was obvious that Longbottom had changed . Although he remained a little bit full, Neville had lost a fair amount of weight as well as he had developped some muscles . Casually dismissing the physical looks Draco was more intrigued by the atypical Longbottom behaviour .
Nobody really would guess that something was off if they did not know Longbottom. He was too collected, casual and calm . Draco really was mesmerized by Neville's eyes. It was said that the eyes were the window of the soul . Well either the common saying was inaccurate or Longbottom was soulless . He couldn't be mistaken about Longbottom's state of mind but it was clear that his emotions were unreadable . The marriage was done quickly . Neville made it seem like a business contract he just signed the legal papers and resumed his silent pose . The "yes" word had been uttered in a cold dispassionate voice, devoided of any emotion . Draco wasn't sure which attitude to adopt, Neville's odd behaviour had blown up all his expectations . He felt awkward and confused although none of his mixed feelings showed upon his face during all the time the ceremony took . Yet he was pleased to notice Neville's slight shiver as their respective rights as wedded couples were read to them, so Neville feared that there would be intimate intercourse . But then again the detached demeanor was once again adopted and Neville's body was once again unreadable .
Then suddenly the ceremony was over and he found himself holding Neville's hand and leading him to the carriage that would take them to Malfoy Mannor .
He absently noticed that Neville's hands were ice-cold .
Neville Longbottom knew deeply in his heart that his Grandmother had condemned him to a lifelong of misery and utter solitude the day she bethroded him to Draco Malefoy . He never would have imagined that he meant so little to his surrounding family and friends . He knew that he was poorly magically gifted barely above Squib level but in his opinion he was still a human being . Although he was still a minor in the eye of the law; he still thought that decisions such as his married life were his to take only, so unfair was the understatement of the year that couldn't beguin to qualify his Grandmother's decision. He hated the word "yes" with passion ! He hated his Grandmother's business-like tone, cold and unemotional ! He hated his Grandmother period ! He hated the condescendent look Lucius Malefoy gave him as he signed the legal paperwork !Yet he had to admire the man's audacity . It was no secret that Lucius was a Deatheater, but he was also a great strategist . Neville - being the shy introvert and lonely boy he was, and having spent a great deal of his time observing and analyzing his surroundings undisturbed - knew quite well that by insuring this marriage; Malefoy would be able to divert the Ministry's possible investigations especially that the tides were shifting in favor of the forces of good . Noises from the nearby room interrupted his grim thoughts and he was pleased to see that the "Guests" were leaving . But his happiness was short lived as the warm august breeze carried this dreadful sentence " The ceremony will be held next week .".. Neville could almost see his world shatter and his life destroyed .
He would be married at 16 to a boy whom he had never truly spoken too, a boy who made his life and that of every single friend he had a living hell and he had absolutely no choice in the matter . These were the Wizarding World's rules .What was he to expect from Draco . He shuddered just at the mention of his name . Humiliation, disdain, hatred, indifference, contempt . Yet then it dawned on him that the situation wasn't that different from his actual one . Wasn't he treated like a human waste with all the "advantages" that his status offered . As he really pondered on the matter he realized that things would be just more "intense" from now on . The hatred, humiliation, indifference would all be more intense . His life was a vicious cercle of "emptiness" .
So he did the only thing he excelled in doing these days. He cried himself to sleep .
The dreaded day had come . In a few moments he would be Mr Malefoy too, and his Grandmother would have disposed of him in a most spectaculary wonderful way . He knew that deep down in her heart, she loved him in her own way, but not enough to skip such an exceptional - and substantial - way . He wasn't even able to begin to grasp or understand what he was feeling . He felt too much . He was in fact on emotional overload and he felt as if he would breakdown completely at any moment .
-"Neville it is time. Come down already!" Grandmothers were supposed to be these sweet ladies with the everflowing stock of candy, toys or small compliments . They were supposed to be protective and caring and inspire safety and trust . So when he heard his Grandmother's summoning Neville felt as if his heart had been suddenly covered with all of the ice of the poles . It was as if he was observing the events unfolding before him in a completly objective and detached way . He was left with an incredibly lucid mind and it was perhaps his first adult thought :
" I am an orphan, I am marrying a complete stranger, I will have to deal with life on my own ." With this last thought Neville Longbottom stepped into the unknown .
****
Draco was experiencing the strangest day ever in his existence . He was getting married to none other than Neville Longbottom, human waste klutz extraordinaire . He had of course objected at first - well actually practically killed his parents in a temper tantrum - yet he had relented considering the obvious advantages to this union, especially considering that the megalomaniac old fart that was Voldemort was loosing the war . But still he was sure his father could have picked better considering the circumstances .
Anyway his "bride" was arriving and he wanted to greet "her" with all the respect "she" deserved . The Longbottoms had apparated in the Ministry .
Draco had expected one sobbing hysterical Longbottom, all fat and pudgy with puffed eyes and red nose crying his heart out . He had never expected to see a calm, collected and completely serene boy and a not soo bad to look at one too . It was obvious that Longbottom had changed . Although he remained a little bit full, Neville had lost a fair amount of weight as well as he had developped some muscles . Casually dismissing the physical looks Draco was more intrigued by the atypical Longbottom behaviour .
Nobody really would guess that something was off if they did not know Longbottom. He was too collected, casual and calm . Draco really was mesmerized by Neville's eyes. It was said that the eyes were the window of the soul . Well either the common saying was inaccurate or Longbottom was soulless . He couldn't be mistaken about Longbottom's state of mind but it was clear that his emotions were unreadable . The marriage was done quickly . Neville made it seem like a business contract he just signed the legal papers and resumed his silent pose . The "yes" word had been uttered in a cold dispassionate voice, devoided of any emotion . Draco wasn't sure which attitude to adopt, Neville's odd behaviour had blown up all his expectations . He felt awkward and confused although none of his mixed feelings showed upon his face during all the time the ceremony took . Yet he was pleased to notice Neville's slight shiver as their respective rights as wedded couples were read to them, so Neville feared that there would be intimate intercourse . But then again the detached demeanor was once again adopted and Neville's body was once again unreadable .
Then suddenly the ceremony was over and he found himself holding Neville's hand and leading him to the carriage that would take them to Malfoy Mannor .
He absently noticed that Neville's hands were ice-cold .
