Author: ICountCrows
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, setting, or much of the basis for the plot of this story. That is all property of J. K. Rowling, Scholastic Press, and Arthur A. Levine Books.
Summary: A POV story in which Harry and the gang return to Hogwarts for their fifth year. Harry is extremely vigilant this year because he feels responsible for Cedric Diggory's death, and Draco has gone through a transformation as well...
Warning: Will contain detailed SLASH between Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy and Draco Malfoy/Others in later chapters.
Other Forseeable PG/PG-13 Pairings: Remus Lupin/Sirius Black, Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger
Chapter: Uno - Masquerades
Chapter Warnings: None
Harry
I tapped my foot nervously on the red carpet of the train compartment floor. Ron and Hermione were loudly enjoying their annual feast of magical chocolates and candy, provided by none other than yours truly, but I couldn't bring myself to sample anything, not even my favorite, Chocolate Cherry Swirl Color-Changing Wands. My stomach was churning with nervousness and I couldn't focus my mind on anything, especially conversation about the past summer. After all, I had spent the better part of mine locked in my room after engaging in a fistfight with my cousin Dudley and emerging as victor.
I shifted in my seat and continued to stare out the window. I didn't understand what was wrong with me. I'm never nervous, not even when I fight with Voldemort. Terrified, always, but not nervous. I sighed loudly, completely oblivious to the two pair of eyes that shifted worriedly to rest on me.
This year was going to be different - I was sure of it. Normally I enjoy going back to school. It's exciting; I'm happy; I'm getting away from my blasted Muggles. (Over the summer I had made the decision to no longer refer to Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and dearest Dudley as my family; my family was the wizarding world now. Those were the people who loved me.) But this year, I was not excited, nor was I cheerful. I was nervous. I was serious. I was...responsible. I was responsible for a boy's death, and because of that, things would never be the same.
"Harry," a soft voice said.
I looked over to find Hermione's brown eyes quivering with concern. Her small hand lightly came to rest on my knee and she continued, "Harry, you're not yourself. Talk to us."
My mouth opened but it was too dry to form words. My friends - Gods, how I loved my friends. Cedric Diggory and I hadn't even been close, but he had been with me at the wrong time, and now he was dead. If anything were to happen to either of the two caring people in front of me, I would never be able to forgive myself.
"I - I think I'm going to be sick," I stammered, getting up quickly.
I left the compartment in a hurry, not knowing what else to do. True, my stomach was giving me hell, but I didn't really feel like I was going to vomit. I just couldn't make myself stay in that compartment any longer, looking into their innocent, trusting eyes and knowing that every second they were with me, they were in danger.
Breathing deeply, I tried to clear my head. I had been planning this day and the entire school year for nearly the entire summer. I knew what I had to do next.
My stomach flipped again.
I had to find Draco Malfoy.
Draco
I laughed my cold laugh half-heartedly and turned to look out the window again. Crabbe and Goyle were busy entertaining each other and hoping that I would notice and approve, but my masquerade was exhausting me.
I was worried beyond comprehension, but no one could know. Stress doesn't get to Malfoys. It just doesn't happen. If a person of my family were to visibly show any sign of anxiety, it would instantly tip everyone off that something was not only not right, but that it was terribly wrong.
And I couldn't let anyone find out. It would ruin not only my family name, but my family as well. Not that there was much to salvage, but for my mother's sake (and my own as well), I needed to keep it together - everything - even if that did include my bastard of a father.
I sighed and loosened my tie with my wand, too lazy to bother physically with the knot. Soon, I would be at school; soon, I would be in the warzone. In all honesty, I wasn't really sure what to expect. If Potter struck, I would have no warning, and even if I did, there would be nothing for me to do but sit back and watch my life destroyed. A bead of sweat formed on my forehead as I thought of what would happen to me if that were to occur.
"Kill him," my father had said.
Codswallop. I could no more kill a person than Daddy Dearest could have a dinner party with the Grangers, Muggles that they are. And I certainly couldn't kill Harry Potter. Hell, the Dark Lord couldn't even kill Harry Potter. And did my father want the whole family to become cold-blooded murderers on the run from the Ministry? No, I have too much of my mother in me for that.
I got up quickly.
"Where are you going, Draco?" a gruff voice inquired from behind me.
"Just need some air," I replied boredly.
I heard the two squibs scrambling to their feet and I whirled on them. "I do not need an escort, thank you," I spat. They looked astonished. I sighed. "Just...stay here and..." I flicked my wand inconspicuously and a large purple stain appeared on Squib Number Two's pants. "Try to get that stain out of Goyle's pants."
I turned back around too early; I missed the all-too-familiar-but-still-amusing confused looks on their fat faces. But it wasn't a big deal. I just needed out of that compartment.
I regretted my escape as soon as I closed the compartment door.
"Malfoy."
The unhappy voice came from my left. My eyes grew wide for just a split second before I managed to resume my usual look of confident arrogance. I turned slowly then, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had startled me.
"Potter," I responded coolly.
Potter. Just the one person I was trying to avoid.
********** * **********
Well, there's Chapter One for you. Chapters Two through Five have already been finished, but I'll be releasing them individually over periods of time, just because. =) If you're ready for Chapter Two, here are some things to think about:
- Why is Draco so worried?
- And why does Lucius want Harry dead?