Title: What Lies Ahead?
Author: Keiko
Rating: R (For Later Chapters and to be safe)
Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling, Warner Bros. and various publishing companies. I do not own any of them and no profit is being made from this story.
Pairings: Harry/Draco, Ron/Hermione cameo
Spoilers: Books 1-4
Warnings: Slash (nothing graphic, just some fluffiness)
Summary: Harry and Draco get an unexpected glimpse into the future. If I say anything else, it will give away the plot.
Chapter 1It was unseasonably warm for September, as Harry started his sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. One of his first classes that year was Potions with Professor Snape, much to Harry's dismay. If it was hot or cold outside, Harry could always rest assured that it would be scorching or frigid in the dungeons of Hogwarts. True to form, a sweltering heat rushed at Harry, Hermione, and Ron as they opened the door to enter Snape's classroom.
When the class was finally over, Harry felt so relieved to leave and search for a cooler spot. Just as he was ready to walk out the door, he heard Professor Snape's acidic voice echo, "Potter and Mr. Malfoy, I want you to stay for a few moments."
Harry had thought it was too good to be true to have a Potions class end without Gryffindor losing house points. Now he assumed that Harry would once again lose points due to some whim of the potions master. The only problem was, he had no idea what he could have done wrong this time. Even more surprising, was the fact that Snape had also requested that Draco remain as well.
He and Draco had not had a fight for over a year, so he knew that this could not be the cause of the delay. Draco had publicly announced at the beginning of fifth year that he wanted nothing to do with Lord Voldemort and would be working for Dumbledore and Harry's side. Harry had grown to respect Draco since that day, having to work closely with him with the Order of the Phoenix, even though Malfoy was still and always would be an arrogant prat. The two could even be seen together quite often, enjoying each other's company, now that Ron and Hermione went almost everywhere hand in hand. Harry quickly glanced at Draco for some kind of clue. Draco was obviously unaware of the reason for Snape's request too, as the two young men gave each other a slight shrug.
After all of the other students left the classroom, Snape broke the silence. "Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter, I need for you to run an errand for me, since you both have a free period now. I am need of a very important Potions book, which has been locked away in a storage room, clear on the other side of the castle on the seventh floor. As you are both well aware of, not only am I teaching Potions this year, but I am also alternating with Professor McGonagall for the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. On top of that, I am forced to remain in the dungeons all night guarding the Slytherins under my care, due to the constant threat of Voldemort. Therefore, I only have meal breaks, which do not allow me the time to travel across the castle to retrieve my book. Understand?"
"Yes professor," Harry and Draco replied robotically as the heat was making them drowsier by the second.
"Good. Here is map showing you how to get to the storage room, this is the name of the book and here, Mr. Malfoy is the key to open the lock. Before you go though, I must also give you a strict warning. The storage room in question contains many invaluable items that were kept here at Hogwarts in case Gringotts was ever infiltrated by Voldemort. Mr. Malfoy here is my most trusted student, so I know I can depend on him to use utmost care when in that room. As for you Mr. Potter, if anything happens to any of the articles in that room, I assure you that I will arrange for your immediate expulsion. Do I make the importance of this clear to the both of you?"
"Yes sir," the two said impatiently and made for the door before Snape could detain them in the heat any longer.
Harry couldn't believe he was forced to play fetch for his least favourite professor and felt that a trek across the castle in this heat was cruel and unusual punishment.
Draco was concentrating on the map, his brow furrowed and his lips in a slight pout. "Is Professor Snape crazy; it will take almost an hour to reach this room from here in the dungeons. Who does he think he is turning a Malfoy into a gopher? And in this heat; I might suffer from heat exhaustion."
"Oh stop your whining, Draco. I was looking forward to doing much better things too, like lowering my body temperature; but, since we are stuck running this errand for Snape, we might as well make the best of it. We're near the kitchens anyway; I'll get Dobby to fetch us some cold glasses of pumpkin juice before we embark on our journey."
"Well, I guess that's better than nothing. At least I won't die from dehydration." Draco muttered.
!!!!!