All We Can Do: Chapter 6
Disclaimer: I own nothing! Literally. Thanks, Wall Street. But, in all seriousness, I own nothing in the HP universe.
Warning: This story will eventually contain a SS/DM relationship, so proceed with caution if you aren't entirely comfortable with that. There will be salty language used throughout. And I tend to disregard canon when it doesn't suit me!
Notes: I've found it hard to write in Draco's voice but I think I'm getting the hang of it! Longest chapter yet! Feelings are starting to pop up between Severus and Draco, but don't expect anything to happen too soon. I haven't yet decided when in the story I think it's appropriate. But, never fear all of you holding out for that, it will come along eventually!
Draco panted quietly, heart fluttering helplessly against his rib cage like a bird trapped in a cage. He was sure that if given half the chance his heart would break free in a flurry of downy feathers. On all sides were thick grey stones slicked with green moss, as good of a location as he could find to catch his prey. Disillusionment charms worked best when they did not have particularly chaotic backgrounds to work against. Wallpapered rooms were great, even sitting still in a room without much movement, such as the library, but once you got moving in a crowd you became pretty easy to spot. It still worked fairly well, but most sharp eyed people could spot the shifting space, it looked almost like a mirage or heat rising off pavement. And so Draco had ended up in the women's restroom of the Three Broomsticks which had perfectly unassuming walls and plenty of room so no one would bump into him. It had been his original plan to hide in the men's room, as hiding in the women's kind of made him feel like a creep, but due to the pub being run by a Madam Rosmerta the women's restroom was much more spacious than the men's.
He had managed to sneak in on the tails of an absolutely miniscule fourth year Hufflepuff and had situated himself in the corner. And he waited and waited. Seriously, with all the Butterbeer his classmates were wallowing as though it were actually alcoholic surely someone needed to pee? Draco's mind drifted a little as he waited, although he was not particularly pleased with where his subconcious scuttled off to. Dark, silky hair and large, clever hands filled his mind. The blond had broken down and visited Severus before heading out this morning, telling himself it was because he could not perform a Disillusionment Charm on himself, although that was total bunk. Draco doubted Severus had been fooled by it either, but he couldn't have any idea about Draco's feelings, so it hardly mattered.
What mattered was that every time Draco came into contact with his godfather recently, be it in the hallways, at meals, or in class, he felt certain he was standing on the precipice of making a total ass of himself. Not that he ever did anything out of the ordinary, he was just absolutely petrified he was going to, regardless of the validity of this fear. Draco was no fool, he could link it back easily to the fact that Severus was lingering in his mind more and more often these days, and not in the platonic way he was accustomed to. No, instead, whenever History of Magic got too dull (which was more often than not) or whenever he was listening to Crab or Goyle blather on about whatever their slow minds hit on, Draco was more than likely thinking about that lovely dark hair and those sensual hands.
Sensual! Draco snorted. What bullshit. Severus would be disgusted to learn Draco thought of him that way and Draco was not entirely sure that Severus Snape had ever done anything he would consider "sensual". Not that he thought his godfather was uninterested in sex, but he couldn't really imagine the man being particularly...gentle...about it.
That did not stop his godfather's voice from invading his dreams, slithering into his ears, sly and quiet. It made Draco's skin prickle as he would imagine the older man standing behind him, breath teasing the sensitive area on the back of Draco's neck. In Draco's dreams Severus towed the line between aggression and tenderness, treating him alternatively roughly and gently.
Not unexpectedly, after fifteen minutes in this vein Draco found himself in an awkward position. He desperately needed to adjust himself to ease the strain on his pants but still felt painfully visible. There he was, standing in the middle of the women's restroom with a raging hard-on. Disillusioned or not, Draco felt ridiculously exposed and uncomfortable just reaching into his pants when people could walk in at any moment.
There was no use for it. Draco took a deep breath, listened for approaching footsteps, and then quickly dragged his member into a more comfortable position.
Not a moment too soon! The laughing voices to two girls approached the closed door to the women's room. Draco shrank back into the corner.
"No fucking way! He can't have said that," one voice screamed.
"He did! Hannah was bawling in the dorm room all night. Was really annoying actually." Definitely two girls, then. Draco had the feeling he recognized the voices, but without faces, he couldn't place them.
"I'll be right out, ok? You don't have to come in," said the slightly lower voice.
"Ok. Just hurry up, I want to get to Zonko's before we have to head back!"
Katie Bell pushed her way through the bathroom door a second later, still laughing over her shoulder to the girl she left standing in the hallway. She dashed into the stall, slamming the door after her. Draco tried to ignore the fact that she was going to the restroom and just focus on steeling himself. He'd come this far. This was his chance. It was perfect, no one else was there. Just keep yourself calm, Draco, he coached himself.
True to her promise, Katie Bell finished her business in record time and bounded back out of the stall towards the row of sinks. Draco seized his chance and darted up behind her.
"Imperio," he hissed quietly, wand pointed menacingly to the back of his classmates' skull. He saw Katie's large, doe-like eyes haze over in the mirror. He was almost surprised it had worked, but then, his father had forced him to practice every day of the holidays in preparation for his initiation.
"You are going to take this package to Dumbledore," he instructed quickly, hoping against hope no one would barge in. "Deliver it yourself and make sure he opens it personally. Do not discuss the package I am about to give you to anyone. Go now."
He slipped the package from the pocket inside his cloak onto the slightly soapy counter top and stepped back.
"Katie! Hurry up!"
The voice made Draco jump, but his job as finished. There was nothing else he could do now except hope everything would go as planned. Katie had not seen him, so he couldn't be linked, but there would be obvious signs of her having been Imperio'd, once someone started investigating, so she would not be blamed. Despite the fact that Draco was about to murder someone, he sincerely did not want to bring harm to anyone if he could help it, so ensuring whoever carried out the deed was blameless was an absolute necessity.
"Katie Bell!" her friend's voice carried through the door. Katie picked up the package and tucked it under her arm. Then she turned and headed out the door looking, Draco hoped although he was probably not the most impartial judge at the moment, completely normal.
"Finally! Let's go," said the other voice impatiently.
"I can't," replied Katie. "I just remembered, I have to go back to the castle for something."
"What? You couldn't have told me this ten minutes ago?"
"Sorry," Katie said without explanation. Draco heard their feet trail off in the direction of the front door.
That was it, he thought, rather stunned. That was all it took. His father's name at Borgin and Burkes to get something cursed, a good disillusionment, and simple instructions; that was all. Draco let out breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. Hopefully this would be the end of it all.
A few minutes later another girl scrambled into the bathroom and Draco made his way out, unnoticed.
When he got back to the castle, though, Draco's self congratulations were cut short. Severus Snape swooped towards his now un-disillusioned self. The charm had worn off halfway back to Hogwarts.
"Quickly," Severus said as he beckoned Draco towards an side hallway. Draco followed and found himself backed up against the cool stone wall, his godfather's arms placed menacingly on either side of this head. Draco felt a lump rise in his throat and another lump rise...elsewhere. This was a little too close to certain daydreams he'd had...
"Severus," he said, foregoing titles in such an intimate position.
"Shut up,"Severus cut him off. Draco was a bit peeved, but did not reply.
"Draco, I need you to get down to the dungeons now. There is a hidden passage behind me. Potter and his friends have uncovered everything and are trying to blame you. I've said you are in detention, but I need you to actually be present when everyone comes down to check. Go!"
The last word was biting and could not be disobeyed. Draco ducked out from between Severus' arms, feelings slightly disappointed, and slid into the passage hidden behind a dusty tapestry.
Well, shit, he thought as he ran down the passage towards the dungeons. His heart, momentarily lightened on the walk home, was once again a cold immovable mass congesting his blood flow. He had been so close! Fucking Potter. How had they found out?
When Professor McGonagal and the Potter trio entered the dungeon classroom it was to find Draco staring sullenly at a dirty cauldron balance precariously on the edge of the sink. The situation was entirely fictitious, Draco's anger was not.
"You see, Mister Potter," said the head of Gryffindor, without even bothering to speak to Draco or explain the situation which surely would have been disconcerting had Draco actually had no idea what was going on. "Mister Malfoy is indeed in detention. How long have you been cleaning cauldrons, Mister Malfoy?"
"Since breakfast," Draco snarled and took an extra aggressive swipe at the inside of the cauldron with a sponge.
"Very well. I think this concludes your investigation, Potter. Will you three please follow me back upstairs?" McGonagal moved to leave but Harry protested loudly.
"But, professor! How do we know he was down here the whole time! Someone tried to kill Dumbledore! We can't give up this easily!"
"Come with me, Mister Potter, Weasley, Miss Granger," McGonagal repeated. This time there was no room in her voice for dissension. The four filed back up the stairs, but not without Potter and Weasley shooting suspicious looks over their shoulders at him first.
Draco had never felt more grateful he had confided in someone. If I hadn't told Severus what I was up to today, he thought, I would have walked right back into their investigation without an alibi! There was a lot he still needed to learn about subterfuge, it seemed. But that's why everyone had pointed him towards Severus, right?
Ooo! It's getting down to the wire! When will Severus reveal the real reasons behind why he is being so helpful? I guess we'll find out soon! Hold on for the next installment, lovelies!