Disclaimer: I own nothing. I bow before the genius that is J. K. Rowlings.
A/N: Haven't yet decided if this is a prelude to the first chapter... probably will be...
*denotes character's direct thoughts*
Draco Malfoy sat still, staring. The spider hung from the center of the web. A gentle breeze rocked the web, and reflected moonlight played along the silken strands. The imperfect symmetry of the web fascinated him. How could something so beautiful be created by something so feared, so ugly? As he turned and stared at the spider, Draco realised that he didn't think it was ugly at all. It was small and alien, a smooth emerald green creature with spindly delicate legs. It moved so... gracefully? No, not the right word. It moved with surety, navigating the fragile web with ease. He smiled gently to himself. Last night he had watched the spider devour a struggling fly. It had him as entranced by its fierceness then as it did with its grace now. Lost in thought, he failed to hear the door swing open behind him.
"Malfoy? What are you doing hear?" a voice behind him demanded, shattering the illusion of peace and shaking him from his reverie. He sighed, recognizing the voice. "None of your bloody business, Potter. And, incidentally, I might ask you the same thing." At this he swung around, smirking, only to find himself staring at an empty room. His gaze swept the space before him. "P...Potter?"
*Oh, great, hallucinating again. Wonderful.*
"Yes?" the voice echoed from somewhere in front of him. Draco blinked and stared hard at the emptiness before him. He stood slowly, shaking his head. "Oh fabulous Draco, now you're hearing voices. Always a good sign." He scowled to himself, looking nervously around the room. "Malfoy, what ARE you talking about?" The air in front of him asked.
"ARGH!" Draco threw himself backwards, eyes darting around the room.
*Oh lord, I'm cracking up. I'm no longer certifiably sane...*
"Who's there? Potter? What the HELL is going on?" He heard a startled exclamation from the empty space, then a soft "Oh!" of realisation. Draco blinked again, and upon opening his eyes, found that the room was no longer quite as empty as he had thought. Harry Potter had appeared in front of him. "ARGH! Where the bloody hell did you come from?" He demanded. Harry stared at the warring confusion and indignation playing across Draco's features. He struggled gallantly to keep the laughter bubbling in his chest from breaking. He succeeded for about 5 seconds. "Oh, oh you should see your face right now. Brilliant." Draco scowled at him, picking himself up and dusting himself off with as much dignity as he could muster. "Well, if you're quite finished..." he trailed off to glare at Harry in faint disgust as the other boy fought not to dissolve into another fit of laughter. Silver eyes narrowed. He'd be damned if he were going to stand around and be laughed at by Potter, of all people. He spun towards the door. "Malfoy, wait..." Harry called after him, mirth evident in his tone. Draco ignored him, slamming the door shut behind him. He stalked back towards the Slytherin common room, his mood foul.
*How dare he! That Potter, waltzing around like he owns the bloody school!* Sneaking up on him like that... Draco pondered that for a moment, suddenly remembering that Harry had seemingly appeared from thin air...
*Damn him! How did he do it?*
The thought was abandoned as he reached the common room. It wasn't until some time later, drifting towards sleep, that Draco realised he'd left something in the tower...
A/N: Haven't yet decided if this is a prelude to the first chapter... probably will be...
*denotes character's direct thoughts*
Draco Malfoy sat still, staring. The spider hung from the center of the web. A gentle breeze rocked the web, and reflected moonlight played along the silken strands. The imperfect symmetry of the web fascinated him. How could something so beautiful be created by something so feared, so ugly? As he turned and stared at the spider, Draco realised that he didn't think it was ugly at all. It was small and alien, a smooth emerald green creature with spindly delicate legs. It moved so... gracefully? No, not the right word. It moved with surety, navigating the fragile web with ease. He smiled gently to himself. Last night he had watched the spider devour a struggling fly. It had him as entranced by its fierceness then as it did with its grace now. Lost in thought, he failed to hear the door swing open behind him.
"Malfoy? What are you doing hear?" a voice behind him demanded, shattering the illusion of peace and shaking him from his reverie. He sighed, recognizing the voice. "None of your bloody business, Potter. And, incidentally, I might ask you the same thing." At this he swung around, smirking, only to find himself staring at an empty room. His gaze swept the space before him. "P...Potter?"
*Oh, great, hallucinating again. Wonderful.*
"Yes?" the voice echoed from somewhere in front of him. Draco blinked and stared hard at the emptiness before him. He stood slowly, shaking his head. "Oh fabulous Draco, now you're hearing voices. Always a good sign." He scowled to himself, looking nervously around the room. "Malfoy, what ARE you talking about?" The air in front of him asked.
"ARGH!" Draco threw himself backwards, eyes darting around the room.
*Oh lord, I'm cracking up. I'm no longer certifiably sane...*
"Who's there? Potter? What the HELL is going on?" He heard a startled exclamation from the empty space, then a soft "Oh!" of realisation. Draco blinked again, and upon opening his eyes, found that the room was no longer quite as empty as he had thought. Harry Potter had appeared in front of him. "ARGH! Where the bloody hell did you come from?" He demanded. Harry stared at the warring confusion and indignation playing across Draco's features. He struggled gallantly to keep the laughter bubbling in his chest from breaking. He succeeded for about 5 seconds. "Oh, oh you should see your face right now. Brilliant." Draco scowled at him, picking himself up and dusting himself off with as much dignity as he could muster. "Well, if you're quite finished..." he trailed off to glare at Harry in faint disgust as the other boy fought not to dissolve into another fit of laughter. Silver eyes narrowed. He'd be damned if he were going to stand around and be laughed at by Potter, of all people. He spun towards the door. "Malfoy, wait..." Harry called after him, mirth evident in his tone. Draco ignored him, slamming the door shut behind him. He stalked back towards the Slytherin common room, his mood foul.
*How dare he! That Potter, waltzing around like he owns the bloody school!* Sneaking up on him like that... Draco pondered that for a moment, suddenly remembering that Harry had seemingly appeared from thin air...
*Damn him! How did he do it?*
The thought was abandoned as he reached the common room. It wasn't until some time later, drifting towards sleep, that Draco realised he'd left something in the tower...