A/N: This is for the International Wizarding School Championship but can be read by anyone!
School: Mahoutokoro
Year: 3
Main Prompt: Astrononomy Tower [Setting]
Second Prompt: "I'm not crazy, my reality is just different from yours," [Dialouge]
Year Three Writes For Year Four: Theme- Orion
WC: 1,444 (Using 10% under)
Disclaimer: I don't not own Harry Potter. All Rights go to J.K. Rowling.
Also, it should be understood that the dog in this story is none other than Padfoot. Draco, sadly, does not know this.
He was in the Astronomy Tower. Well, in truth, he was always there.
For some reason, the Tower brought him a sort of comfort that not even the Slytherin common room could. It let him drift away from the thoughts that he was constantly bombarded with and free himself from a war he didn't even want to be a part of. In short, it allowed him to be Draco Malfoy.
But not tonight.
Tonight, instead of a jumble of thoughts or even a clear mind, he was left with a repetition of a single thought: I can't do it.
Because he couldn't do what Lord Voldemort wanted him to. He just couldn't. It was like asking him to break into Gringotts by walking in and asking nicely.
Sighing in exasperation, Draco walked over to one of the windows that overlooked the rest of the school. He let his hands rest on the sides, putting most of his weight on them because his feet could no longer hold him up. Closing his eyes, he bowed his head and shook it vigorously.
"I can't do this." And despite his voice being extremely shaky, he managed to speak. His fingers curled into tight fists as he pounded them repeatedly against the stone wall. Small drops of blood fell from the cuts, but that didn't stop him. He just kept going because he was letting loose the pent up frustration that had a tight hold on him.
He wasn't sure how long he did that for, but at some point, when he finally looked up, he saw that the moon has risen to its apex. The stars seemed to shine brighter than usual and danced around the moon in perfect unison. They were almost mocking.
There they were, far away from everything that really mattered. Far away in the sky, where no one could touch and mess with them. Free. They were free.
So much unlike him.
Resigning himself at last, the young Malfoy let his hands fall to his sides and hopelessly dragged his feet along the floor and towards the staircase that would lead him away from the one place he considered a safe haven.
But just as he reached the stairs, a startling noise emerged from the shadows. It was a bark.
Draco waited, albeit hesitantly, drawing his wand just in case.
"W-who's th-there?"
Silence.
Then, another bark.
Walking cautiously towards the shadowed figure, he tried to point his wand threateningly despite the shaking of his hand.
"Sh-show yourself."
More silence.
And then, the figure was jumping onto him, knocking him to the ground with a yell and his wand to the far side of the tower. His eyes closed on instinct and he brought his hands up to his face for cover, waiting for whatever incoming blow that would no doubt follow.
But it never came. Instead, a warm, slimy feeling befell his hands.
"W-what?"
Parting his hands slightly, his eyes opened just a sliver so he could see his attacker.
Big, dark brown eyes filled his vision as they stared at him expectantly. And they belonged to none other than the dog in front of him.
His eyes widened in confusion, and he couldn't stop himself from yelling out, "A dog?!"
In response, the shaggy black mutt barked in response. It seemed happy enough and that itself angered Draco.
Pride stained, some of his confidence returned and it was fueled towards his anger.
"Get off me! Do you have any idea who I am?!"
The dog, clearly startled at this change of tone, immediately gave him… a disapproving look? But nonetheless, it leaped off his lap and took a seat by his side.
Watching with weary eyes, Draco sat up straight and broke eye contact with the dog to look for his wand in case he needed it. Spotting it on the other side of the tower, he groaned in annoyance.
As if sensing why he was distraught, the dog rose to his paws and bounded over to where the wand lay and grabbed it with his mouth before padding back over and laying it down at Draco's feet.
Shocked, Draco looked at it. This mutt, who had just been responsible for him losing his wand in the first place, had brought it back to him. What the hell was going on?!
Picking the wand up and not minding that it was dripping with drool—the shock still had a hold over his mind—he stowed it in his coat pocket before meeting the mutt's waiting gaze.
There was something about it that he couldn't describe. It was… captivating, and he couldn't draw his own away. In all honesty, it was making him squirm. So desperate to make it stop, he mustered his best high-strung voice and spoke.
"Well, what do you want, hm?"
It just stared.
"Come on, then, you mutt, don't be a mud-blood. Ugliest people I've ever seen. They're a disgrace."
This seemed to trigger the dog and it pounced on him, grabbing the sleeve of his coat and yanking him forward. His chin hit the floor and he was sure he heard his jaw snap.
Draco let out a cry of disdain as pain burst through, and his eyes watered uncontrollably.
The dog let go of his sleeve then, satisfied with the outcome of his actions and retreated to the other side to watch the teen try and recover his bearings.
"What was that for?! I didn't do anything, except say the truth."
It growled threateningly, baring its sharp teeth at the statement.
Frightened at the prospect of being bitten, Draco quickly backtracked his statement.
"No, no, please. I'm...I'm so-sorry."
Pleased with the apology, the dog calmed down and took on its happy expression.
Sighing with relief, he shuffled towards the wall and leaned against it heavily. His hand came up to gingerly caress his chin. Upon seeing this, the dog seemed guilty, walked over to where he sat and curled around his legs with its head resting on his stomach.
Startled, the young Malfoy tensed at the touch. But as the dog nestled deeper, an unfamiliar warmth swelled up inside him and his fingers subconsciously began to run through its dirty black fur.
"I guess you're not so bad when you're angry, huh?" he mumbled. "Must be nice to be able to scare people into what you want. I wish I could do that. Well, as good as you, I mean."
Confused, the dog raised its head slightly and looked at him like he was crazy.
"Woah, hey, you can't judge."
It wasn't convinced.
"I'm not crazy, my reality is just different from yours," he tried.
Seemingly satisfied with that, the dog let his head fall back down.
"It's just… there's something I have to do but I don't want to. I don't even know if I can. And everyone else says it's a high honor to be asked to do it, but I don't really care about that. I… I just don't wanna disappoint people anymore. I can't keeping doing that. I'm a Malfoy, after all, and I have a title to keep."
"But I have to still do this, even if I don't want to. I don't have a choice, do I?" He looked down questioningly, as if the dog could provide him with the answer he couldn't provide himself.
It only looked at him knowingly.
"Would you stop that?! I get that I shouldn't. Alright? I've already figured that out, but what can I do?! What can I do?"
The dog said nothing but, rather, let its gaze drift towards the window.
Following the dog's gaze, his eyes drift up to the night sky; he was caught by the stars again, and his mind levitated towards them.
They were free. They were free of burdens and far away from any worries they might ever encounter. So, that was what he would be too. If he didn't do it and failed, the Dark Lord would see no purpose for him anymore and he could flee from the world that he wanted no part in.
Yes, that would do wonderfully.
Staring down at the dog again, he smiled slightly. Maybe they could flee together. Then, neither of them would have to lurk in the shadows.
With a plan in mind, Draco's mind floated into a peaceful state and his eyelids began to droop. Normally, he would have resisted the urge to sleep, but tonight, he succumbed to it. Just before he lost consciousness, though, a warm and fuzzy feeling filled his chest.
Tonight, he would not be alone. And he desperately hoped he never would be again.