I'll be your light, your match, your burning sun,
I'll be the bright, and black, that's making you run.
And I feel alright, and we'll feel alright,
'Cause we'll work it out, yeah we'll work it out.
I'll be doin' this, if you ever doubt,
'Til the love runs out, 'til the love runs out.
Love Runs Out
One Republic
Word count: 5040
The Gryffindor common room was warm and toasty that Wednesday evening of October with students scattered here and there. Halloween was approaching and with it came the rumours that the Slytherins would be hosting a party in their common room. Only a select few would be invited from each house (obviously); there were no official invitations as of yet but even the Gryffindors couldn't help but talk about it. The Slytherins were known for their ability to throw good parties.
In one corner, Ron sat opposite Seamus and Dean playing a game of exploding snap. The boys were in their pyjamas and every now and then cheers of triumph or grunts of frustration would be heard from them. Harry of course, sat with them but it was no secret that he was rubbish at Exploding Snap. Wizard's Chess as well. In fact, the only wizard's game Harry was good at was Quidditch. He too was dressed in his pyjamas, royal blue flannel pants and a grey sweatshirt. He was staring down at a copy of 'Qudditch through the Ages' but didn't appear to be reading it.
On the three seater couch lay Hermione on her back with a comforter wrapped snug around her body. Her brown hair was spread out on the pillows, her elbows propped up on the deep red material of the couch with her hands gripping both sides of a book which she was halfway through. She shifted her position every now and then but otherwise made no sound at all.
Ginny sat on the two seater couch with Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. They too spoke about varying subjects though the conversation was centered mostly on gossip and the who's-who of the school. They tried to lure Ginny into the conversation but the fifteen year old girl found herself struck by boredom each time, which was not normal as she had been very happy to gossip and talk and laugh a few months ago. Now, their conversations seemed childish but she couldn't very well up and leave. It would be rude.
"Gin? Ginny," Parvati was saying as she waved her hand in front of the ginger's face. "Are you even listening?"
Ginny sighed inwardly but nodded. "Of course, though I doubt Hannah could have done it, she's a Hufflepuff and a prefect."
Lavender chewed on her lip thoughtfully. "You know what they say: still waters run deep." She looked down at her nails for a moment then her gaze flicked to Ron who had just let out a whoop of triumph and had his hands up in the air, a bright smile plastered on his face. Lavender sighed and a smile formed on her lips as she watched Ginny's brother. The girl wanted to choke but masked it with a delicate cough. Parvati eyed her quizzically. Ginny shook her head.
"Isn't he handsome?"
Ginny had just about had it. "No, not really."
There was nothing 'handsome' about her brother.
Lavender dismissed the comment with a brief glare. "Of course you wouldn't think that, he's your brother."
There sound of a chair scraping against the ground filled the common room as Ron stood up and moved to the table where he and Harry had been attempting to get some study done only an hour ago at Hermione's behest. Dean bid the group goodnight before he climbed up the stairs to the dormitory while Seamus moved to the table nearest the fire to gather his books as well. The game was clearly over.
For now.
Ginny knew that at some point in the week someone would demand a rematch or another go. That's just how the boys worked.
"You should just go for it, Lavie," Parvati said as she raked her fingers though her dark hair.
Ginny was horrified. "Of course she shouldn't just 'go for it'," she said not trying to keep the disgust out of her voice.
"Whyever not, Gin?" asked Lavender earning a cringe on the fifth year's part at the use of the nickname.
"Because," she said and this she thought was pretty obvious. She lowered her voice so that Ron wouldn't hear- he wasn't standing too far from them- though he appeared to be reading something. "He and Hermione are going out."
Parvati rolled her eyes, crossed her legs. She didn't even bother to keep her voice down. "Those are rumours, Ginny. Believe me, I would know."
But Ginny knew that they were not rumours even though it was not necessarily true. Hermione liked Ron and her brother secretly felt the same way even though he couldn't pluck up the courage to say so, to her or anyone else. Ron turned, walking towards them the piece of parchment he had been reading in hand.
"Besides," said Lavender flipping her brown hair behind her back. "Didn't Hermione kiss Victor Krum?"
Ron stopped before them aghast, Ginny's name dying on his lips. The piece of parchment he had been reading fluttered to the floor. Ginny's gaze quickly searched the room for Hermione whom she noticed at some time or another had migrated from the sofa to bed leaving the bright green comforter behind.
"What?" spluttered Ron.
His eyes moved from Lavender (who had something akin to a triumphant smile on her face) to Parvati (who was determinedly looking away) to Ginny. At the sight of his sister he swallowed.
"Is it true?"
Ginny struggled with her words.
"Ron-" she said but her brother was having none of it.
"Ginny," he said firmly.
She bit her lip knowing very well she couldn't lie, certainly not in front of Parvati and Lavender, it would be her word against theirs. She didn't want to spoil what the two had, she had noticed that they'd been getting closer these past few days, whatever she was going to say would ruin anything the two had.
"It was two years ago, Ron," she said throwing her hands in the air. "Surely you can't-"
He didn't let her finish, before the words were out of her lips he had turned and stormed up the steps to his room his jaw clenched a furious look on his face.
Ginny turned to Lavender. "Did you have to do that?"
She feigned innocence. "I thought he already knew." Ginny knew she should have expected something like this from Lavender, after all, the girl was completely taken with her brother, she had been for a long time. At first, it had drawn them closer but of late, it had grown to be too much, she would retch if she had to listen to another poetic verse about the beauty of her brother's simplicity.
She shook her head getting to her feet. "I can't believe you."
"Ooh, I wonder what this is," said Lavender picking up the piece of parchment that Ron had dropped.
Ginny immediately reached out for it. "Stop," she started to say but Lavender's eyes were already traveling down the parchment and Parvati was peering over her shoulder to get a closer look.
"Things to do," she read. "Practice quidditch, finish Potions, DADA and Transfigurations essays, ask _ to next Hogsmeade- Ginny!" cried Lavender for at that moment Ginny Weasley had swiped the parchment out of Lavender's hands.
"That's enough," she said crumpling the list in her hand.
But Lavender and Parvati didn't seem to hear her.
"Who do you think he's going to ask to Hogsmeade?" asked Parvati beaming.
Lavender flipped her hair. "Not Granger I hope."
Better her than you, thought Ginny as she walked away. Surely Ron had not meant to ask Lavender out had he? She had noticed him grinning back at her every now and then in the corridors and the common room. Yet Ron liked Hermione, she suspected and Lavender would certainly ruin things.
How would she make this right?
{HPDM}
As Friday approached, Draco Malfoy found himself increasingly missing classes, skipping meals and sleeping less, though the latter was normal to the point that his body had become accustomed to it. He would later discover that it had nothing to do with his 'condition' as he had labelled it but that his first shift was approaching for which his body was preparing by secreting large amounts of adrenaline. He was currently pacing the sixth floor corridor wishing desperately for something to calm his nerves.
He had nothing on him at the moment, a rather careless mistake on his part but he had promised himself that he would drink all he wanted tonight as long he was lucid enough the entire day. He had built up a tolerance these past few months but he could not risk roaming the halls of Hogwarts drunk, Potter had already seen him sufficiently inebriated twice- one time too many in his opinion. Not to mention the fact that he had fewer inhibitions under influence, why else would he have cornered Potter that way in Hogsmeade?
Well, technically Potter had cornered him but Draco had held a conversation with him, stood to bloody close to him.
Draco who prided himself in personal space dismissed it as the effects of the alcohol, he never hesitated to tell anyone in so many words that boundaries had been crossed. He pinched his nose and looked up, there was no point to thinking about these matters at the moment, he had a task to accomplish.
The majority of the week had been spent searching the castle for some sort of room that appeared to 'someone in need of it'. A dubious description for something he would be unable to see but time was ticking, he could not afford to sit back, the sooner he got over with it, the better. The matter aggravated him even more because he recalled that Potter and his friends has used such a room last year to hold their stupid Dumbledore's Army meetings.
It wasn't as though he could simply walk up to one of them and ask. Even that Marie girl or whatever her name was was still sour about the pimples on her face. He had no choice but to keep on searching. He was confident he would find it, eventually, he just wasn't sure he had enough time to go about searching for it the old fashioned way.
A flash of brown caught his eye, he turned to find a door that had most certainly not been there before. He looked around him to make sure no one was about and stepped into the room. It was large, nearly as large as the parlour at the manor with plush velvet sofas, a glass coffee table with a tray of tea and biscuits, cream walls and a fire roaring in the fireplace.
He took a seat, sniffing cautiously at the tea before taking a sip. A place to relax, that what was he had been thinking, if he needed to find a place to hide something would the room transform into something else? Could it do that or did it always look like the Malfoy Manor parlour? It was a theory he would have to test.
Perhaps after some tea and biscuits.
{HPDM}
When Draco got back to the Slytherin common room that evening, he was surprised to see two letters on his bedside stand. He instantly thought of his parents but dismissed the idea, his mother had asked him to write to her implying that she would be unable to do so herself. Who else would write to him then? He decided to take a look at them if only to quell his curiosity.
The first was addressed to him in in elegant loopy script he did not recognise, the second was a messy scrawl that seemed vaguely familiar. He tore open the first with his wand.
Mr. Malfoy,
It has come to my attention that you have been avoiding our meeting. I urge you to pass by my office no later than a week after your first shift, there will be certain points of interest to discuss. I took it upon myself to procure a 'mentor' of sorts to guide you through this new phase in your life, try not to complicate things too much.
Sincerely,
Albus P. Dumbledore.
29/9/96
With hesitation, he lifted the second letter and cut through it. Two pieces of parchment dropped onto his bed. He unfolded the thinner looking piece.
Dear Draco,
Dumbledore informed me of what happened to you. I cannot truly say I am sorry for I too share the same fate and it is no burden to me. He also mentioned that your first shift is approaching and that you will need some guidance, you will find a parchment in the same envelope with a few guidelines. I cannot emphasize the importance of wolfsbane, ignore every instruction but this one for without the potion you have no control over your actions. Do try to stay out of trouble for the rest of the term, I look forward to your reply next week detailing your shift and any other new mannerisms you will happen to notice.
Sincerely,
R. Lupin
Perfect. Now he had to have continued correspondence with Lupin, a shifter. He lay back on the bed waiting for the familiar wave of hate and disgust to wash over him, there was nothing but emptiness. 'Vacuums do not exist in nature', it was something he recalled reading somewhere, there were no holes, no gaps, no empty spaces; nature always found something to fill empty spaces.
And so would he.
{HPDM}
Blaise sauntered to Draco's bed where the blonde was seated reading a book on Potions he had borrowed from the Restricted Section with Snape's approval. He ruffled Draco's hair and settled beside him. Draco glared at him, smoothed back his hair and made a point of ignoring him. Blaise shuffled closer so he could see what Draco was reading.
"What is it, Zabini?" snapped Draco.
"Well, I was on my way here to get some candy," he paused here which caused Malfoy to cough rather uncomfortably, "when Pansy told me to call you because we're meeting in the common room."
"We?" asked Draco looking up.
"You, me, her, Theo, Millicent etc."
"Tell her I'm asleep."
"You tell her," said Blaise getting off the bed.
"What's this meeting about?" asked Draco.
"The Halloween Party."
Draco rolled his eyes. He could care less about the party. It wouldn't even matter if he was at the meeting or not. Blaise began to descend the steps.
"What about your candy?" asked Draco innocently.
Blaise paused, turned. "Oh," he said as he slinked back to where Draco sat. "I almost forgot about that."
{HPDM}
"I can't believe it," said Ron as the three of them sat in the Charms classroom waiting for professor Flitwick to make an appearance. They had the class with the Ravenclaws who sat on one end of the classroom engrossed in their books only looking away to shoot disdainful glares at whoever spoke too loudly.
"Can't believe what?" asked Harry.
Hermione seating a few seats away from them today and he had a feeling it was because of what Lavender, Parvati and Ginny had been talking about last night. He didn't know why it bothered his friend so much but he was giving them a few days before he thought of interfering.
"Ginny's going to the Slytherin party," he said with a huff. "I don't know what's gotten into her."
Harry sighed.
"Does she know what could happen there?"
Harry decided this wasn't a good time to mention that he too had been invited to the Slytherin party much less by Zabini himself.
"I'm sure she can take care of herself," Harry said as he got out his quill and books for the lesson.
Ron's features pulled into a frown. "I don't trust Nott, he could be using her," he said. "He's also a Slytherin, they're evil and a bunch of death-eaters."
At that, Hermione turned in her seat and said to Ron, "Ginny's not a child. She can take care of herself."
Ron scoffed at that.
Hermoine sighed, obviously trying to keep her cool. "Besides, they're not evil and you can't just accuse people of being death-eaters."
"I'll bet Malfoy is," grumbled Ron.
"Just because he-"
But Ron wasn't having it. "He is. Just like his bloody father."
"You can't prove it Ron, he may be a giant arse but-"
"Why the hell do you care?" asked Ron. "The way you're talking, you'd think you're defending the slimy git."
"Defending him?" she sputtered. "I'm just saying he's... he's different this year, that's all."
Harry agreed, he was not as vile or boastful as he had been in the past, almost like he'd matured over the summer, much like his body had.
Harry choked.
"Harry? Are you alright?" Hermoine asked the anger draining from her face.
Ron was eyeing him in worry as well.
"Fine," he rasped then cleared his throat. "Just a cough."
Had he just thought that?
It was certainly no secret that Malfoy was one of the most desired yet reviled people in the school (he'd walked in on several such conversations enough times) partly because he didn't care what other people thought of him hence the too long hair, unbuttoned silk shirt and general non compliance to school rules. The rest of it was his air of mystery, he never laughed or smiled in public, unless it was forced, and he did not talk much save with his friends. He had seen it once, when they'd come down for breakfast together, Malfoy had almost looked happy.
He was reminded of the day they'd been looking for the giant squid, a stupid idea but it had seemed good at the time. The glare Malfoy had given him... he could almost see it now, piercing past his skin, wringing his insides...
"You okay?" asked Ron as he set his stationery on the desk.
"Yeah, just thinking about the Black Lake."
Ron scoffed at the same time as Hermoine asked. "What about the Black Lake?" with a dangerous look in her eyes.
"We went looking for the giant squid."
"And?" Ron flashed Harry a look and he shrugged. "You don't honestly think I believe that's all there is to it, do you?"
"Well, Malfoy and his gang were having a swim, stupid idea if you ask me," said Ron, "and we were tossing rocks into the Black Lake-"
"Ron, how could you- you could have gotten him killed!"
A few people were beginning to stare so she lowered her voice.
"It was Harry's idea."
"What? I-" Harry turned to Ron then Hermione as he searched for something to say. "It seemed like a good idea at the time."
She shook her head. "I leave you two alone for five minutes-"
"It's not like he didn't deserve it," muttered Ron.
Harry thought of telling them about his encounter with Malfoy in Hogsmeade but quickly dispelled the idea, they would read too much into it, he'd only been following Malfoy to find out what he was up to.
Professor Flitwick stepped into the classroom with a stack of books in his hands.
"Sorry about that," he said placing the heavy looking volumes on the table. "Let us begin."
"Did you practice the charms?" asked Ron as the short man began to speak.
"Of course," Harry muttered. "Did you?"
Ron nodded.
He definitely didn't want a repeat of the last time.
{HPDM}
Friday evening found Draco in the cold drafty Slytherin common room pacing back and forth deep in thought. The full moon was tomorrow, it would be his first shift. To say he was terrified would be an understatement. He had read the other letter from Lupin detailing his first shift plus pointers and tips for first-timers. It had been long and quite... descriptive but Draco had not shied away from it. In fact, he felt a pull to the words as crazy as it sounded, so he had read and reread the letter until he could recite nearly every word.
Then he had replied with a simple:
Thank you.
Draco L. Malfoy
While he was mulling over his lot in life, Pansy moved around the common room overseeing decorations, table placements et cetera. Not surprisingly, the boys were cooperating without much complaint. Mercifully, she had left Draco out of it all; whether or not she knew his first shift was tomorrow he had no idea but she left him to his corner.
He thought of the stash of Firewhisky he had stowed at the bottom of his trunk, he had not opened a bottle all week and he could not think why. He had been tempted several times yes but each time he found himself unable to understand why he hesitated whilst reaching for a bottle. Could it be a reaction to the potions he had been experimenting on? He certainly hoped not, it would be most... unfortunate.
He couldn't very well experiment on anyone else because it would mean he'd have to be their shadow for as long as the potion remained in their system. Blaise was a likely candidate for that but also very transparent, if Pansy found out, it would be the death of him.
Both of them actually.
The next 24 hours were a blur of Halloween decorations wrapped around his pensive mood. The first, second and third years were unable to contain their excitement (one of them had nearly run over Draco on his way to breakfast) but the fourth, fifth and seventh years regarded the rest of the student population with contemptuous glances. There were hushed murmurs from the sixth years concerning the party but that was as far as it went.
Draco found it difficult to pay attention during the day's classes. His senses were heightened, he noticed everything too loud, too clear and exceedingly unbearable. He chose to ignore the fact that one scent stood out amongst the rest, one that called out to him. He ignored it (along with Blaise's words about 'sniffing' Potter) because it was just a side effect of the imminent shift.
At eight Pansy and Blaise dragged him down the steps to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast. He was not hungry but Pansy's mothering bothered him so much to the point of eating a few bites. He knew he would need the energy but he could not bring himself to work up an appetite. Everything was too loud, too...
"Draco?" Pansy asked looking up at him.
He hadn't realised he had stood up.
He tried to ignore the pleading note in his voice. "I need to..."
Pansy surprised him with a nod. "Sure. Go do what you need to do."
Draco mumbled his thanks and left the Great Hall unaware of the pair of narrowed green eyes that followed his retreating form.
{HPDM}
Snape was waiting for him by the time he knocked on the door to his private quarters. A tray containing tea and a platter of biscuits had been brought up from the kitchens, the professor sat at his desk reading through parchments, no doubt the numerous essays he had given them over the past month.
He looked up momentarily when Draco shut the door behind him. "You're late."
"Fashionably," he quipped.
He took a seat.
Snape was content with marking the last of the essays in no hurry while Draco sat in uncomfortable silence. He gathered the parchments in a stack putting them away in a drawer before pushing forward a vial of a clear looking liquid.
"Feel free to put it in your tea," he said with a magnanimous wave, "it's about as bitter as- let's see, how would you put it- ah, hippogriff piss."
Draco smirked into the teacup, the nerves nearly forgotten.
Snape stood up once Draco was done. "It's almost time."
"How would you know." It wasn't exactly his godfather's area if expertise.
He did not deign to respond to the statement but trusted Draco to follow behind him once he locked up his office. It was dark, about eight, when they left the office and there was no one about as they made their way through one of the less traversed routes of the castle. On the grounds, Draco hesitated at the mouth of the forest, his godfather picked up on this.
"What is it?" There was a note of impatience in his voice.
He drew a deep breath. "Nothing, a mere flash of pain."
Silence.
Draco's breath misted before him as he said, "You don't have to do this."
He didn't know what made him say it. He knew Snape did it because there was nothing else he felt he could do for his godson but Draco's mind felt fuzzy and he'd thought for a second saying whatever came to it would the relieve the pressure.
It didn't.
"Would you rather I left?"
No.
"Yes."
Draco wanted to kick himself. He was doing it again, of course he didn't want Snape gone, he didn't want to be alone in this, he didn't want to hear the voices screaming in his head but he couldn't seem to get anything right. Merlin, he was losing it.
Snape stopped.
There was no change in his expression. "Very well. The other potion?"
Draco took the Calming Draught out of his pocket holding it against a ray of moonlight to show his godfather the vial was full. He popped the cork, downed the viscous purple liquid and placed the empty vial in Snape's outstretched palm. He received a curt nod in return then the man turned and strode away from him his black cloak billowing behind him.
He slid to the ground, his back to a tree.
Wait, Draco wanted to call but all that came out was a pathetic choked sob.
It started as a spasm, he was unable to move his leg. A loud growl caused panic to spring in his chest before he realised that he was the source of the sound. Then bone ground against bone and Draco wanted to cry out but he bit his lip, blood pooled in his mouth. He arched forward with a cry of anguish dropping to the forest floor where he writhed in agony as his body reformed itself and muscle contracted.
His breathing was laboured, the shift seemed to go on for almost an hour with a short pause as if his energy was spent. The pain was beyond anything he had ever felt, worse than when he had received the Dark Mark... Another wave of pain overcame him, he fell onto his back, a low growling sound escaping his mouth.
When the pain began to ebb he realised the shift had approached its end, fur rippled on his skin as he stepped into the glow of the moonlight and let out a howl. He lifted a limb, swang it through the air allowing himself to feel the power behind the action. Despite his earlier loath to feel anything but distaste for his new form, it felt anything but. If anything, it was liberating.
{HPDM}
Harry knew he shouldn't be doing this but he had been unable to resist. He had been on his way back from the library (Ron and Hermione had been arguing about Ginny going to the Slytherin party) where he had been finishing up on his Divination homework when he saw Malfoy exiting the Great Hall.
Instead of heading to the Slytherin dungeons, he'd gone to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and emerged with Snape. The two barely conversed as they headed for the entrance to the castle and Harry had been compelled to follow them. He didn't know what it was but something pulled him towards them so he had followed behind them at a reasonable pace. The two of them put together was a potent combination, Harry saw this as a chance to figure out whether Malfoy truly was a death eater or not.
It wasn't spying.
Not really.
Once they had gotten deep into the Forbidden Forest, they stopped. Malfoy said something to Snape that made the man stiffen. He said something in reply to which Draco held out a vial of something then downed it. Snape took the vial from him and turned to go. Harry placed himself as close as he could to the stem of an old oak tree and held his breath. It was all for nothing it seemed as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor walked past him without pause.
He moved closer. Draco stood in a little clearing with rays of moonlight illuminating his pale form making his skin appear almost transparent. He watched from behind a beech tree as the blonde raised his face to the moon, lips pulled into a slight smirk, his eyes shut against the white light. His hands followed and he began to sway, rocking back and forth on his feet, his hips moving to a rhythm only he knew. Harry gasped, there was something private, intimate, about his actions and he got the sense that he shouldn't have been watching but he couldn't make himself look away.
Then, slowly, as if he was in no hurry, Draco began to undress. His long pale fingers tugged at the silver and green tie at his neck, tossing it to the ground once it was loose. He went to work on the buttons next, his eyes still shut, his body swaying to a rhythm Harry wished he could hear. He didn't realise that his mouth was slightly open, that his breathing had become shallow, that he felt something fluttering at the bottom of his stomach.
Draco was half undressed now, his shirt, vest, tie and sweater on the forest floor. He reached for the belt buckle at his waist, Harry watched enraptured as he slid the grey trousers down revealing long pale legs. Without wasting any time, his briefs were off too and Harry was left staring at Draco Malfoy naked save for his socked feet.
Suddenly, his eyes flashed open and Harry was overcome by a feeling of mortification. He'd just been caught staring at Draco Malfoy undressing.
"What explanation could you possibly give to justify your relentless disregard or my privacy?" he demanded in a low voice. "What do you really want, Potter?"
Harry was stunned beyond words.
"I-"
"Save it," he snapped.
Harry was about to look away when he heard a deafening scream. Malfoy fell to the ground, twigs snapping beneath his knees.
"Malfoy!" exclaimed Harry running towards him.
"Stay back," he warned holding out his arm.
Harry hesitated.
He bit his lip but before he could do anything there was the horrifying sound of bone snapping against bone punctuated with agonizing screams. Harry wanted to do something but Malfoy's body was changing before his very eyes, his arms were shortening, his torso lengthening, deep brown hair sprouted from his body.
Malfoy gave one last yell before his body crumpled to the ground.
"Malfoy-" started Harry.
The figure that rose from the ground was not Malfoy- not the one he knew. Instead, it was a large brown werewolf. Harry opened hind mouth to yell but the wolf lunged at him, effectively knocking him to the ground. It's dark nose sniffed at his skin then nuzzled the crook of his neck.
A/N: Long chapter, woot woot! Do review and follow. I sincerely love you guys for it :)