Title: Curse Breaker
Prompt: A relationship between people of a different house.
Description: Harry Potter's Christmas break is not at all like he planned when he decided he wanted to stay at the school, especially since he's pretty sure Hogwarts is out to kill him. No, literally the actual castle is trying to kill him. Why is it that Draco Malfoy seems to be the only one who can help him?
Pairing: Draco/Harry
Other Prompts:
(Dialogue) "What do you want from me?"
(Word) Free
(Myth) Carrots help you see in the dark
Author's Note: Of course this just had to be a Drarry. What else?
HP – HP – HP – HP – HP – HP
The first of a number of unfortunate events occurred, strangely enough, the night before Christmas Break. Technically, it did happen at the stroke of midnight. Harry could have argued that was morning of the first day of Christmas Break, but he was hardly in the mood to argue with himself or anyone else in his current state of distress.
Harry was torn from a sound sleep by a sharp snapping sound. Had he been anyone else, Harry would have slept right through the sound. Harry, however, had been conditioned to be a cautious, if not overly paranoid, sleeper, and he was pretty sure he would wake up if a mouse sneezed.
His mind was still foggy as he tried to understand where the sound had originated. Had anything happened yesterday? Had he annoyed someone into trying to do something while he slept? He'd eaten a plate of carrots and some meat (he remembered that vividly, because he'd had a discussion about the silly myth of carrots being able to help one see in the dark), but he hadn't done anything out of the ordinary. Unconsciously, he had already drawn his wand. This motion had become second nature to Harry when he was faced with something unknown. A mere seven years ago he hadn't known that magic had existed at all, but here he was now with a wand in his hand and a spell in the back of his throat.
Snap.
The sound came again but this time Harry was able to pinpoint its direction. In fact, it was coming from directly below him. He would have felt proud of himself for determining that it was coming from his bed, if it hadn't been for the fact that moments after he came to the conclusion of where the sound was coming from, a sharper and more distinctive CRACK broke his concentration.
His bed, having apparently had enough of his company, split in two, and cast Harry down onto the cold, wooden floor with a very loud thud. Harry let out a very undignified yelp as he fell, having only the inclination to stare into the darkness of his shared room. Thankfully, by whatever grace of Merlin, no one was there to witness his embarrassment.
Still tangled in his bed sheets, which had, unlike his bed, refused to give up on him. Harry tried to untangle himself from the mess of fabric and pulled himself free to examine the extent of the damage. He doubted that it had been an accident. Surely, his bed did not just randomly break in half and cast him to the floor for no reason at all!
He cast a wordless Lumos with his wand and blanched at the sight before him. The bed was unnaturally split in half, as though hit with a well aimed Slicing Hex, right down the middle. He let out a long breath before trying to fix the bed with every spell he thought would work.
None did.
HP – HP – HP – HP – HP – HP
The next morning, as he stared at a plate of bacon, sausage, and toast, Harry felt as if he would pass out any moment. Any sleep had been stolen by the fact that he hadn't been able repair his bed. In the end, he'd folded up the blankets on the floor in a makeshift sleeping bag, but it hadn't been much of a comfortable solution. He saw the table shake slightly as someone sat down next to him and he groaned irritably, hoping that the newcomer wouldn't attempt any small talk. He attempted to project a noxious aura that screamed 'Don't bother me!'
"Good morning Harry!"
The voice was far too cheery. Harry looked up at the intruder and glared.
"Whoa!" Neville exclaimed, drawing back slightly. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you look horrible."
"Gee thanks, Neville," Harry muttered as he took a sip of his drink. Whatever it was it sure didn't leave a taste in his mouth. Water?
"Since Hermione left with her parents, and Ron went into Auror Training, I'm one of the only ones left to check up on you."
Harry knew that Neville meant well, but it didn't help how tired he felt.
"That's the thing, though. I don't need checking up on, Neville!" Harry exclaimed angrily, his eyes widening as he realized that he'd raised his voice without meaning to do so.
His cheeks went pink with embarrassment as the other students that also decided to stay for Christmas Break went silent and looked towards the Gryffindor table where Harry and Neville sat.
Harry pulled his glasses off and rubbed his tired, bloodshot eyes before putting them back on again. It hadn't helped much to take away the haze of sleep deprivation.
"Neville, I'm sorry," he said in a calmer voice. "That was uncalled-for. I just...I had a bad night and didn't get much sleep, so I'm not really feeling like myself right now."
"Ok, then, Harry," Neville replied, looking somewhat relieved when Luna waved him over to the Ravenclaw table. "Hey. I'm going to go sit with Luna, ok? I really hope that things get better for you… and… let me know if you need to talk."
Harry nodded and waved sleepily at Luna, who was wearing those odd Spectroscope glasses again. She said something to Neville, who laughed and then blushed a deep shade of crimson when she pulled him into a sudden hug. It only reminded Harry of his lack of romantic prospects, and he nearly curled his lip with disgust.
Harry grumbled and tried to head out of the Great Hall.
"Mr. Potter."
Harry groaned without much effort to conceal it as he turned around and sighed.
"Professor," Harry said when he was fulling facing Professor McGonagall.
"Do you have any explanation for your unnecessary outburst?"
Harry suppressed an embarrassed wince. "Sorry, Professor."
"Just make sure you lower your voice next time. You do not look so well. Perhaps a visit to Madam Pomfrey is in order." She gave him a quick look-over once more before turning away and walking back to the Head Table.
Harry slipped out of the Great Hall and headed towards the Gryffindor Common Room. At least there he could doze off in front of the fireplace. He barely even looked at the Fat Lady. He just muttered the password and slipped inside. The fire hadn't been set the night before, so the common room was freezing. Harry shivered. He quickly scurried to the fireplace.
"C'mon. Light please."
Nothing. It wouldn't work. No matter what Harry did, the stupid fireplace just wouldn't light.
But then, as he leaned in closer to arrange the logs, they were suddenly engulfed in flames.
"Shit!" Harry exclaimed as he jumped back and batted away at his clothes which now had flames dancing across them. When his actions did not improve his situation, he started rolling around on the floor in an attempt to quench the flames.
The fireplace let out a thick puff of soot which covered the carpet Harry had been desperately rolling around in to put out the flames. A few moments later, Harry lay on the floor singed and panting. His heart hammered in his chest. Bloody hell, he had been on fire. Literally.
'It's official. This castle is trying to kill me,' he thought as he finally collapsed onto one of the couches and closed his aching eyes, trying to catch his breath.
HP – HP – HP – HP – HP – HP
The fire had been the last straw.
Harry needed to tell someone, and who better than Professor McGonagall? He hurried towards the all too familiar office with a bit of a limp from having banged his shin on the stone fireplace. He was heading down the moving staircase when the blasted steps moved while he was on them, sending him tumbling off of them. He almost missed the connecting ledge were it not for his quick hands grabbing at the bannister and holding tight. Once he'd pulled himself back up, he kept his hand tightly pressed against the bannister lest the stairs try anything funny again. He nearly kissed the floor when he finally reached the next landing and started down the hall.
"What is wrong with this bloody castle…" Harry was so busy muttering to himself that he didn't notice the blonde student walking down the same hall heading the opposite direction.
"Hearing voices again, Potty?"
Harry rolled his eyes before looking towards the source of the voice. It was, unsurprisingly, Draco Malfoy.
'Of course. How could this day get any better?' he thought sarcastically to himself.
"Piss off, Malfoy."
Malfoy seemed to notice Harry's general disheveled state and stood there, looking at him curiously.
"Wow, Potter. You look—" Malfoy started before Harry reached over and clasped his hand over the surprised Slytherin boy's mouth. Draco's eyes went wide with shock as Harry's hands pressed against his lips and for a moment, the two just stared at each other, Harry's eyes narrowed with irritation and Draco's eyes so wide that they looked like saucers in his face.
"Don't! I know I look like shit. I know! I don't need to hear it from you."
Malfoy finally seemed to recover and stepped back, breaking contact. He smirked. "Actually, I was going to say tired, but, to be honest, you look like that too."
It was Harry's turn to look shocked. Was Draco-sodding-Malfoy actually… bantering with him? What was more, he wanted to say something snarky back.
'Maybe this sleep deprivation is getting to me more than I thought.' he thought to himself.
They had not exactly become friends after the war, but something had changed between the two rivals from opposing Houses. It had been a rather long journey to get from hated enemy to civility if either of them were to confess to such things.
Harry may have been a hero, but he still got in trouble from time to time. And, oddly enough, Draco Malfoy seemed to be assigned to the same detentions as himself. Under Filch's watchful eye, they'd ended up talking about things while they had scrubbed the floor and polished armor without magic. After one particularly long detention, Malfoy had thanked Harry, but he wouldn't say why. Harry had had the thought that Malfoy wasn't referring to his handing over the silver polish with minimal grumbling, but he had appreciated Malfoy's effort at going against his long-held tradition of being a massive git. That had been the start of what had become a secret friendship of sorts.
Harry had a suspicion that Hermione knew the truth, but other than that, it was a secret he kept from from all others.
"Oi! Malfoy! Is it your fault that the castle is trying to kill me?"
"Really Potter, I would have thought that by now you'd know me better. Trust me, if I wanted you dead, you'd know it was me. Your method of death would read 'Die Potter, XOXO Draco Malfoy'," Malfoy said, smirking evilly.
"How else can I explain it, then?" Harry exclaimed frustratedly. "My bloody bed split in half, I caught on fire, and the stairs practically threw me to my death."
Draco crossed his arms and looked at Harry with disbelief. "Are you so overweight that your bed split in half? Maybe I should start calling you Portly-er!" He laughed at his joke as though he didn't have a care in the world.
Harry tried to hold back the retort bubbling in his throat and instead just imagined Malfoy in the same unfortunate situations that he'd experienced the past couple of days. It helped. A little.
"Whatever, Malfoy. I have to talk to McGonagall," he said dismissively, as he turned to leave.
To Harry's surprise, Malfoy caught his hand.
"Wait. I think I can help you."
Harry turned around. "You think… What can you possibly do, Malfoy? Other than laugh and insult me, that is."
The blond smirked. "Did you forget that I've been studying Curse Breaking all year?"
"So?" Harry snorted and rolled his eyes.
How could he possibly forget? He'd been forced to quiz Malfoy constantly during their detentions until Malfoy could recite the effect of most curses and their counter curses in his sleep. Harry weighed the consequences of letting Malfoy attempt to free him of whatever was going on in the castle. Surely he couldn't do anything worse than what Harry had already experienced. He'd give anything to just be free for the rest of the Christmas Break without any incidents.
"Fine. But if I die, I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of taking credit for it, Malfoy," Harry blustered, trying not to let the warmth rise to his cheeks as it was threatening to do.
"Whatever you say, Potter!" Malfoy replied, his expression like a cat that had eaten a canary.
Harry instantly regretted giving Draco Malfoy, of all people, power over his life. But if the castle really did have it out for him, at least he wouldn't be alive long enough to regret it.
"What do we do first?" Harry grumbled, following the Slytherin Prefect down the hall away from McGonagall's office.
HP – HP – HP – HP – HP – HP
"Say 'thank you'," Malfoy said as he walked around the split bed in Harry's dorm room. It still lay cleaved in two as it had when Harry had left it that morning.
"What? Why!?" Harry exclaimed. Although Malfoy had made quite a show of weaving pretty magic ribbons around the beds as he attempted to diagnose the problem, it wasn't exactly anything amazing enough to garner his thanks.
"That's what you have to do, Scarhead," Malfoy said nonchalantly as he pocketed his wand and faced Harry with his hands on his hips. "Hogwarts helped you a lot during the war. It feels like it deserves your gratitude. If you thank it sincerely, your random brushes with death should stop altogether."
Harry crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "What kind of nonsense is that?"
Instead of arguing, Malfoy just shrugged. "The castle wasn't trying to kill you. It just wants your attention. You can either apologize to it or suffer the consequences. Your choice."
Harry let a few seconds pass before he gave up trying to be stubborn and sighed. He looked up towards the ceiling and then the windows. Then, he let his eyes wander to the flooring. "Uh… well… thanks… Hogwarts?"
Nothing happened. He was about to try again when he heard a snort coming from Malfoy's direction. His eyes snapped towards his so-called friend and widened in horror as he saw Malfoy holding his hand over his mouth to keep himself from laughing.
"You bastard!" Harry yelled as he lunged for Malfoy. They collided and fell to the floor. Malfoy was laughing uncontrollably as he dodged Harry's fists.
"I can't believe you… actually… fell for that!" he said between breaths. Harry tried swinging at Malfoy but the boy held him off. "I can't believe you're so naive! I mean, what, do you believe that eating carrots makes you see better too?"
"It's not funny!" Harry exclaimed angrily.
"C'mon, Potter! It was pretty funny. You have to admit that at the very least."
"What am I supposed to do about the castle wanting to kill me now?" Harry growled, pinning the blond boy underneath him.
Malfoy stopped laughing long enough to listen to the words coming out of Harry's mouth, but a self-satisfied smirk still stretched across his face.
"Relax, Potter. I took the curse off as soon as we stepped into the Common Room."
Harry stilled.
"You what?"
"It was a basic curse, really. Nothing major. You're incident free, now. Although… you do stink. I mean it seriously this time."
Harry growled, but felt his face heat up as he realized he was practically lying on top of the smirking boy. He hurriedly pulled himself off of Malfoy and stood.
"The last time I tried to take a shower it practically burned my skin off! It wouldn't turn off for minutes!" Harry said, crossing his arms to hide his embarrassment.
"Well, you should be able to shower now without difficulty. Unless you need me to hold your hand now, too?" Draco simpered facetiously.
"Bugger off," Harry muttered, but secretly he was glad that it had been a simple fix in the end.
Malfoy grinned as he pulled himself up to standing, and Harry felt his stomach stir.
"I know you'd just love to stand here all day and whisper sweet nothings in my ear, but I gotta go." Malfoy reached into his robes and pulled out a wrapped package. "Blaise is sure to have a fit when he realizes I'm gone."
Malfoy handed Harry the package. "Happy Christmas, Harry." he said and winked before disappearing out of the door.
"Git," Harry said he was still smiling as he opened the package.
Inside was a single screw and a little note that read:
'You're probably going to need this to fix your bed.' Xoxo
-Draco