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"How is Ron?" Hermione asked through the computer, clearly concerned for her friend. Harry just sighed and shrugged, flicking his pencil shavings at the red head who was writing furiously trying to finish the report for the next day.
Harry was staying over at Ron's again for the third time that week. His aunt had apologized constantly for this and while Harry had not minded, he also proposed he stay at home to help Dudley. Aunt Petunia refused, claiming that she would constantly worry had it only been her two boys at home with no one to protect them.
Harry's birth parents, James and Lily Potter, had died in a car crash with a drunk driver. He was then sent to live with his last living relatives, Petunia and Vernon Dursley and their son/ his cousin, Dudley Dursley. At the time, Harry had just turned 1 year old and was two years younger than his cousin. Petunia's motherly instincts had kicked in and Dudley had loved the idea of a new playmate. Vernon, however, was angered at the idea of taking the child that had absolutely nothing to do with their "perfect" family setting. He didn't fit in Vernon's eyes, and so the fat man decided to insult him and beat him at every turn when he turned 10.
After Harry had been abused by his uncle-in-law for two years or so, his aunt had had enough of the screaming, fighting, and the horrible insults flying around. She lectured both Harry and Vernon, as Dudley had actually tried to help Harry, for fighting and Vernon slapped her in the face, yelling for her to get out. Harry grew angry and stormed out of the house in following his last relative out the door.
Petunia and he found a rather small apartment in which they lived while using Petunia's money which she had hidden from Vernon. The money, however, was not enough to live off; it could only give them five months to find a job. Petunia had managed a job working as a waitress at the local diner, her boss, Mr. Weathersbee was a jolly man who was very fond of her son and Harry and often gave a helping hand to them. Dudley had come after them half a year later, after Petunia had received full custody of her son from the divorce with Vernon.
"I'm sorry, Harry. But I managed to get an extra shift and-"
"It's alright, Aunt Petunia. Dudley called me about it, we'll be staying over at our friends' houses tonight. Don't worry about us, we'll be fine."
"Alright…But if anything-"
"Happens we call you immediately, we know." Harry finished. "Dudley will be staying at Pier's and I'll be staying at Ron's, love you. Bye." He hung up after a small apologetic goodbye and yawned. He had begun to work at the local library in the community in order to work for some money, little as it was, and help out around the house. Dudley had done the same, except he could actually work a job considering his age. Harry's cousin managed a part-time job as an amusement park attendant. They managed through life little by little, and things weren't always the greatest, but it was enough to give them shelter, warmth and food.
Harry had originally stayed over at Hermione's for the most part, but it seemed extremely suspicious to many people that they might have been having a love affair behind Ron's back. Not only that, but Molly Weasley, Ron's mother, had taken a liking to Harry and began to treat him as though he was one of her own, despite how she had six sons already.
"I can always take on a seventh." She replied jovially whenever Ron commented on how she treated Harry.
"Sometimes, I feel like I should be jealous of how she treats you." Ron had stated one day when Harry slept over.
"Are you?" Harry asked calmly, although he was as jumpy as a ball of fire that his friend would hate him now.
"Bloody hell no. I'm glad she's not going all mother hen on me anymore. I'm officially passing that baton to you." He mockingly held out his hands in a bow, as though giving someone of royalty their scepter. What was in his hands was a roll of Mentos and Harry raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"Bloody hell no. I'm glad she's not going all mother hen on me anymore. I'm officially passing that baton to you." He mockingly held out his hands in a bow, as though giving someone of royalty their scepter. What was in his hands was a roll of Mentos and Harry raised an eyebrow questioningly.
Ron smiled wickedly, "Revenge on the twins. We still have that two liter bottle of Coke no one drank from last month."
"…Your report?" If Ron didn't finish it under Harry's supervision, Hermione was going to tear the two boys to bits.
Ron grew smug. "Finished…somewhat."
Harry's eyes widened before creasing in silent laughter. "Let's get going then…"
One might wonder how Tom was going to initiate the plan. One might also wonder why Tom had only thought of this plan now.
The two questions can be answered quite easily.
For one, Tom had only just now thought of the plan because of how acutely he noticed the scent of something on Harry as he stormed past him in the hall. The scent of cologne, something that Harry had never worn before, and it made Tom curious. Plus, Tom was losing it, his mojo, his attitude towards sex. Everyone always wanted him, piled at his feet to be his girlfriend or boyfriend, and he was losing the challenge. Tom wanted the taste of a chase, it was so much more fun to have the people falling for him in the process rather than having them already fallen. Like apples are better to be plucked from a tree then picked from the ground, he needed something fresh. And who hated him more than Harry Potter, his mortal enemy? The chase would be fun and the break-up would be so sweet.
For him, that is.
On another note, he wasn't sure how to go about it. Tom was sure Harry had felt something for him, hatred as a front but there was definitely something beneath that. He would ask him out, just to see how it would go. Then, he'd go on from there.
"Tom?" His surrogate father, Johnathan Bones, called, nearing the bottom of the stairs.
"Yes, John?" John had tried to get Tom to call him dad at one point, but had given up when Tom couldn't even fathom to call him "father", accepting the title "John" was hard enough for a boy that didn't even talk to him.
"I was wondering…" John scratched at the back of his head, cracking a nervous smile. "If you'd like to…eat together?" he sighed, running a hand through his mass of salt-and-pepper hair. John worked as a lawyer to Bones Law Firm and was able to charm the pants off anyone in court, yet when faced with his adopted son, he found himself stuttering and nervous.
It's not that Tom was scary to his adoptive father or anything, they were just different and separate. It was strange for Tom to talk about anything really to his father, although John tried hard to get him to speak up.
"...Sure..." Tom shrugged and slid off his bed padding past John and out the door.
It was a silent affair, and tension grew between the two men in the dining room. It didn't take long before John tried to strike up some conversation. "So…How's school?"
Tom rolled his eyes inwardly, such a typical question. "Fine."
"And how's…that girlfriend of yours?"
That one nearly knocked Tom out of his seat. "My girlfriend? How do you know about this?" He was seething with anger. It wasn't that his father found out that he was angry about, it's that someone's been keeping tabs on him that set him on edge. Someone's been following him and he hadn't even known, that made him furious.
John was taken aback by the sudden emotion and ferocity in his voice. "I saw you two when I was driving home…You know you can bring your girlfriend around if you want. I don't mind." He smiled politely, but he was absolutely giddy inside. Finally, it was a subject that he could talk about as father-to-son. It's happened to him too, so he can connect with Tom on that level at least; it's a start.
"She's not my girlfriend…" He grumbled, still a little peeved despite knowing the truth.
"You know, Tom. It's alright to tell me if you have a girlfriend…or a boyfriend." He paused before adding. He wasn't sure on his son's sexuality, but he would be supportive no matter what.
"Right, thanks." The last word was mumbled, but John heard it all the same, leaving the older man feeling very satisfied with himself while Tom was anything but.
"Glucose is made of…Malfoy?" Harry exclaimed, noticing the platinum blond hair that was pacing a hole into the tiled floor in front of the raven's classroom.
Draco looked up and smiled before his eyes saddened and it faded. "Harry! Just the person I was looking for!" He looked around out of paranoia, the school could have been filled with gossip-mongers for all he knew...oh wait, it is.
Harry looked at him curiously. "What? Is something wrong?"
Draco, who'd secretly become good friends with Harry, pulled him into the janitor's closet.
"I need to tell you something…in secret."
"I figured," Harry gasped, startled by the sudden push into the darkness. The single bulb of light flickered on in between them. "Since you shoved me into a closet for it." He fixed his glasses atop his nose.
Draco rolled his eyes at Harry's theatrics. "It's about Tom Riddle."
Harry's eyes narrowed into slits at the name. "What about him?" He hissed.
Draco shook his head almost in pity. "He's made a bet."
Harry looked annoyed. "If that's all, then I don't care." Harry turned around and reached for the doorknob.
"Wait! The bet's about you." The raven whirled around at that, wide eyed.
"…I'm listening?"
"Tom made a bet that he would be able to shag you and then leave you in the dust." Draco pleaded. "I'm sorry, Harry. I just wanted to tell you so you would know beforehand. Especially since-"
Harry held up his hands, "Woah now, Draco. That's in the past. You don't need to worry anymore. But thanks for the info…I'll keep that in mind."
Draco sighed, feeling that he'd done his part, and walked out of the janitor's closet with Harry. Luckily, everyone else had already gone to classes and no one was in the halls. They split into different directions. Harry, walking into his class, sat down with a frown marring his face. It wasn't until later that day that he'd come up with a plan to deal with Tom.
He smiled wickedly at the thought as he headed to the usual lunch table.
"Everyone? I need your help."
I thank everyone for commenting on the story.
Once again 7 comments and I'll go on.
Hope everyone enjoyed and I'll be off to sleep then. Toodles~
Once again, review, favorite, follow. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed!
~Wings Over Wealth