Hi, again! Time for chapter two of Skin Deep, this chapter just did not want to be written. I really had to take a step back and wait a few days before I could write this. Thanks to everyone who reviewed:) Reviews make me happy, so keep them coming.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters. They belong to JK Rowling and Warner Brothers and some other people I'm sure. Also I don't own Beauty and the Beast. I'm pretty sure that the plot belongs to Walt Disney.
Key:
"Talking"
'Thinking'
Well, on with the show!
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Skin Deep By: Silver Twilight
Summary: AU. A retelling of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, with some slight changes. Did I mention its SLASH? HarryDraco. Implied SiriusRemus. Past DracoTom. Evil!Dumbledore
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Recap: Before long the prince's twentieth birthday was upon them. Their prince had grown cold and angry in the wake of the cure. Often erupting into fits of helpless rage at the slightest annoyance that could last for hours on end. But now that they only had one year before the rose started to wither the prince fell into despair. For who could ever learn to love a beast?
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Chapter Two: Draco
Meanwhile Meridian village continued to thrive and flourish. Merchants and vendors from all over migrated to Meridian to find the peaceful lives they longed for, or at the very least a break from city living. Among them was Draco Malfoy, at sixteen autumns old he was ready to begin a potions' masters apprenticeship this autumn. For you see Draco loved potions more than anything and could often be found with his nose stuck firmly in a potions' text. If anyone in Meridian wondered where he got his intensity or devotion from they only had to take one look at his father to understand.
Lucius Malfoy was a spell maker, whose life's ambition was to be recognized for his spell work. He worked night and day trying to create new spells, but he was working ten times harder now that there was a Magick's Fair coming up. Draco hardly saw his father nowadays, it made him insanely worried, but whenever he tried to coax his father out of his lab down in the cellar he was told kindly yet firmly that his father would only emerge when his newest spell was completed. So Draco continued on with his daily activities knowing that if his father said he would only emerge when his new spell was completed, his father would only emerge when it was complete. It was the Malfoy family stubbornness it ran in every Malfoy, no exceptions. He was often worse when he was studying a new text or potion so he left his father in peace.
Sighing in boredom Draco tapped his finger on the table top, desperately trying to think of something to do. All of his chores were done, the house was clean, and his father had yet to emerge from his lab so he stuck with nothing to do. Glancing around the kitchen his eyes fell on a discarded potions' text lying innocently on the counter. He could read it again, but he had already read it three times that week. Deciding to pay Ollivander another visit Draco grabbed the text and his cloak, before striding out the door.
Draco walked briskly down the street well aware of the stares and whispers directed at him. He knew the villagers considered he and his father odd. I mean it's not every day one blows up ones house, yet his father had managed that feat at least once everyday for the last month. Thank Merlin for magic! And then there was Draco himself, preferring books to conversation any day. But if that wasn't weird enough he had dumped the town's most eligible bachelor Tom Riddle. Tom Riddle who could have any man or woman in Meridian. Tom Riddle who chose Draco as his future mate, and even though he got dumped was still practically stalking Draco as we speak. Anyway Draco hurried through the town wanting to get to Ollivander's and back home as soon as possible. He did not want to run into Tom today.
Out of all the people in Meridian Ollivander the bookshop owner was the only one, besides his father who understood his love of reading. Entering the bookshop Draco was hit with the familiar smell of dusty books, walking over to the counter he rang the small bell and waited patiently for Ollivander to come to the front of the store. The white haired shop owner shuffled out of the back room to beam at his favorite customer. Though Draco rarely bought anything he was still the bookshop's best customer.
"Good morning, Ollivander. I've come to return the book I've borrowed." peering at the dusty shelves he added "Got anything new?"
Laughing Ollivander took the book offered to him and watched in amusement, as the teen began searching the shelves, not bothering to wait for an answer. "Not since yesterday."
"That's all right! I'll just borrow this one." Draco replied as he strode back toward the counter book already in hand. The speed with which the younger wizard could find a book never ceased to amaze him. When the shopkeeper saw what book the teen was set on borrowing he couldn't help but chuckle.
"This one? But you've read it twice!"
"It's my favorite." Draco said with a shrug.
"If you like it all that much, it's yours."
"But…"
"I insist." Ollivander cut in handing Draco the book before he could protest further.
"Thank you very much."
"No problem. And you tell your father I said hello." The shopkeeper said shooing the teen from the bookshop.
"I will." Draco called over his shoulder as he swiftly began the walk home. He really didn't want to run into Tom, but it was probably inevitable. The other wizard just would not take no for an answer determined as he was to have Draco as his wife. (1) Striding quickly and confidently through the village streets he once again ignored the stare and whispers of the towns' people, opting to bury his nose in his book instead. When he was almost at the bridge that separated the cottage he and his father were living in from the rest of the village Draco felt himself relax minutely. He wouldn't be home free until he made it into the house un-accosted, but so far, so good. Just as he was about to cross the bridge, the last person he wanted to see stepped out from behind one of the many houses lining the street.
"Good morning, Draco!" Tom called cheerfully.
Freezing mid step at the voice Draco grimaced before slowly turning around and pasting a smile on his face. 'So close.' he thought furiously 'So very, very close.' Showing no sign of his inner turmoil he nodded in acknowledgement. "Good morning, Tom."
Tom's flunky Peter Pettigrew stepped out from behind his idol and cleared his throat, demanding to be acknowledged too. Sighing softly Draco nodded to Peter as well and intoned flatly "Good morning, Peter."
"Good morning." Peter squeaked suddenly reminding Draco of a rat, with his beady watery eyes, mousy brown hair, and the way he looked like he would often be found cringing in some dark corner. (2) He was snapped out of his thoughts on Peter when Tom snatched his book out of his hands. It was only then did he realize Tom had been talking to him, obvious to the fact that he hadn't been listening.
"What are you reading?" Tom asked curiously, examining the cover of the book.
"It's a potions' text." Draco responded frostily. Reaching for the book and cursing Tom for being taller than him he added "And I would like it back."
"A potions' text." Tom scoffed, leisurely tossing the book behind him. Not caring in the least that it fell in a mud puddle. "Why do you waste your time reading books, when we could be doing other more pleasurable things?" he asked coming up behind Draco and wrapping his arms around his waist.
"I've told you Tom, our relationship is over, finished, done for." Draco snapped easily wiggling out of the embrace, before retrieving his book from its mud puddle.
"So you say." the taller wizard responded, waving one hand dismissively. "Just you wait, you'll marry me one way or the other."
Draco deciding he had had more than enough of Tom Riddle for one day, knew he had to end this conversation soon lest he lose his temper. The only reason he let the other wizard think he stood a chance was incase he needed Tom' influence later on. Because no matter how arrogant, egotistical, and narcissistic Tom happened to be he was still, very well liked by the people of the village. 'Just goes to show birds of a feather really do flock together.' Draco thought gloomily. Sighing he turned his attention back to Tom who he saw was once again talking.
"Tom!" Draco yelled interrupting Tom mid sentence. Confident he had the others attention he hurriedly thought up an excuse to leave. "Umm… As much as I'm loving this little chat. I really must be going, I'm sure my father needs me for something."
"Your father? That insane old man probably doesn't even know you're gone." Tom laughed.
"Yeah everyone in town knows he's off his rocker." Peter guffawed, eager to agree with his idol.
"My father is NOT crazy." Draco growled angrily. 'These idiots wouldn't know sane if it bit them on the ass.' he seethed.
Rounding on his pathetic lackey Tom cuffed him upside the head. "Don't talk of Draco's father that way, you imbecile." He reprimanded ignoring the comment he made himself. Just as he was about to command Peter to apologize an explosion rocked the cottage across the bridge. Not even bothering to say good-bye Draco ran across the bridge toward the cottage, hoping his father was all right.
As he neared the cottage he noticed that although the explosion was loud the house was still in one piece, and that though there was smoke pouring out of the cellar windows there didn't appear to be any fire. Hurrying to the cellar doors he threw them open, coughing as he was engulfed in a cloud of smoke. Once most of the smoke had dispersed into the air and he could speak without coughing, he descended the stairs.
TBC…
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(1) Yes I do mean wife! ;)
(2) I'm really not liking Peter at the moment. Can you tell?
Oh cliffie:) Will Draco's father be all right? Is his spell completed? Will Draco ever get to the castle? You'll have to read the next chapter to find out. Now hit that button and review! Hopefully the next chapter will be out sometime next month. Until then!
