TITLE: Trading Spaces 9
RATING: R (slash warning m/m)
PAIRING: HG/SS, HP/DM, HP/HG (friendship)
Chapter Nine: Did You Get the Boomslang Skin?
Draco stumbled, falling into Harry as they moved down the hallway. Ignoring the boy's mumbled protests, Harry slipped his right arm around Draco's waist, supporting his weight effortlessly. Harry firmly grasped Draco's left wrist, applying pressure to prevent any remaining boomslang venom from circulating. Harry's heart was still racing and he was beginning to feel lightheaded from both adrenaline and the small amount of venom he had ingested. He forced himself to walk quickly and stay upright. Draco mumbled something as he leaned heavily into Harry.
"What was that?" Harry asked softly, hoping he'd make it to the hospital wing before they both collapsed. His heart was racing, pumping the trace amount of venom he had ingested through his body, and it hurt. He could not imagine what Draco was feeling just then.
"I said, if you wanted to hold my hand, all you had to do was ask." Malfoy repeated a little louder, his face creased slightly in pain as he mockingly used Harry's earlier phrasing.
"Did the snake bite give you a sense of humor, Malfoy? I'm impressed." Harry laughed lightly, but worry was evident in his eyes. He looked up and saw the door to the hospital wing. Thank Merlin!
"All these years, that's all I had to do to impress you? Tell a joke?" Draco sagged against him, his breathing shallow, his face ashen.
"You were trying to impress me?" Harry paused outside the door, trying to remember a spell to open the door without dropping Draco.
"Impress you - show you up - something like that." Draco lifted his head, swaying slightly, but managed to smirk slightly. "Well which is it Potter, in or out?"
"In." Harry disregarded the innuendo, and gave a brief nod. Forget the spell. He kicked the door open with a resounding bang and dragged Draco through it. Making his way over to one of the beds, he lifted Draco onto it, before sitting down on the edge of it, waves of dizziness washing over him.
"What'd you say to that snake, Potter?" Draco's eyes were barely open. His voice, heavy with drowsiness, sounded far away.
"Told her you didn't mean to come near her nest. Told her I, er, knew you." Harry gripped the bed frame with one hand to make the floor stop spinning. "That we were . . . friends."
"D'you tell that snake not to bite me again, Hero?" He was shaking.
"Yes, I did."
"Like it when you speak parseltongue . . ." His eyes drifted shut.
"Malfoy!" Harry called sharply. There was no response. "Draco! DRACO!" The blond was still.
Still clutching Draco's wrist with one hand, Harry turned and shouted, "MADAME POMFREY! WE NEED HELP!"
Hermione sat in Snape's living room, clutching a cup of herbal tea. Professor Snape had suggested that they retire to his rooms. He had been discussing the finer points of espionage and wanted to give her a few details about the Death Eaters. "Don't you think Harry should be back by now?"
"You haven't paid attention to a word I've said, have you?" Severus asked with disgust. "Too busy fretting over the hapless Mr. Potter."
"No, I was paying attention!" His expression told her that he was skeptical. "Really! Do you want to quiz me?"
"No," he snapped. "I know how much you enjoy tests."
"You explained your relationship with Sr. Malfoy. I still don't get how you could be the 'friend' of someone you loathe. You were interested in the Death Eaters because you could practice spells and potions that were, shall we say, less than ethical. You refused to tell me why you left the Death Eaters. And I'm still not clear on that 'toy' thing--"
"Let's just stick to the more important things ,alright?"
"Spoilsport," she singsonged.
Severus smiled at her. "You're not even a little bit afraid of me anymore, are you?"
"No. Are you afraid of me?"
"And why would I be afraid of you?" He scoffed.
"I did set you on fire."
"True." He nodded.
"And I stole from your personal stash of potion ingredients," she pointed out.
"Yes, you did," he agreed. He couldn't wait to see what she said next.
"Personally, I think I have a knack for this whole evil thing. It's almost too easy."
"Do try and pace yourself." He made a censuring motion with his hand. "You've only been a Slytherin for a week or so."
"So why you're telling me all your spying secrets . . ."
"Yes?" He prodded.
"How do you keep those robes so shiny?" Her eyes widened. "Is it personal to you, did you cast a spell on yours? Is it a Death Eater perk? Like, are Draco's robes that shiny -"
"And what makes you think that Draco has Death Eater robes?" He leaned back with a shocked countenance.
"What, like it's a big secret he's evil?" She frowned. "He confessed it to me when I was in his room."
"And what were you doing in his room?!" Snape looked horrified. "Never mind. I know what girls do in his room. Don't tell me."
"Not what you were thinking. It had nothing to do with 'toys' of any kind, I promise you," she hastened to reassure him. "Besides, I think Draco's kinda gay."
"Really?" He sounded fascinated. Then he frowned. "That's beside the point."
"I was just seeing if I was right about my suspicions. I confronted him and he folded. Told you I was good at this whole being evil thing."
Snape hid a smile with his hand.
Rune flew into the room, looking rather upset. "Severus! Severus!"
"Rune, what is it?" Snape stood up. Hermione turned in her seat to regard the eagle.
"It's Draco . . . he's been bitten by a boomslang. Harry Potter brought him into the hospital wing an hour ago. Madame Pomfrey has been pumping them full of anti-venom since she found them passed out. There's been no response." Rune shifted from side to side on the chair she was perching on. "I knew you'd want to know as soon as possible."
"Did you say them? Was Harry bitten, too?"
"Madame Pomfrey said she was treating them both.
"Oh, Merlin," Hermione gasped. She pressed a hand to her chest. "But they'll be fine, right? What did Madame Pomfrey say?"
"What's she doing here?" Rune appeared very unhappy by this turn of events.
"She's visiting with me, Rune," Severus said, moved by the distress he saw on his prefect's face. "Mr. Potter's in very good hands, Hermione."
"You called her by her first name!" Rune fluffed out. "You never do that with students!"
"Did Madame Pomfrey say anything else about their condition?" Snape asked.
"She thinks they'll pull through. She said that she got to them just in time," the bird offered. She, too, was worried about someone special. Draco Malfoy was Snape's prize pupil. Losing him would distress the professor.
"Thank you, Rune." It was a dismissal.
"But I just got here. Wouldn't you like to wait for the news about them together? By ourselves?" She asked pointedly.
"That will be all," Severus said, oblivious to her. His gaze was riveted on Hermione. He reached out and put a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. "Is there anything I can do?"
Hermione looked up at him tearfully and his heart lurched. "Can I stay here with you?"
"Of course."
Rune was incensed. "But . . . but, I'm upset too!" She tried to fake a sniffle but it sounded like she had a sinus problem.
"Good evening, Rune," Severus said. His teeth were clenched.
She had the feeling the professor was about to lose patience with her. Well, fine. She didn't care about anything right now. "You should return to your rooms, Miss Granger. Being here this late at night . . . people will talk."
"Dead birds can't tell tales," he said ominously.
Rune squawked at him, utterly appalled by his behavior. "Fine! I've had it up to my pin feathers with you! You'll rue the day you mistreated me! Rue the day!" She crowed as she flew out of the room.
Hermione hadn't even looked up. He chucked her under the chin and gave her a half-smile. "Now that was a death threat."
Harry slowly opened his eyes. It was near sunrise, but still rather dark. Briefly he wondered how many days had past. He turned his head to find Draco watching him. For a moment he thought Draco was going to thank him. "What's the matter, Malfoy?"
"I was just thinking." He held his bandaged hand up. "I've finally got the answer to a question Slytherin's been pondering since our third year."
Harry sighed. "And what would that be?"
"Whether Harry Potter spits or swallows." Draco's eyes glittered with mischief. He waited for Harry to glare at him and say something about the crassness of the statement or call him an ingrate. Instead, Harry grinned.
"Well, I guess that just leaves one question unanswered, Malfoy."
"What's that?"
"Does Draco Malfoy spit or swallow?" Harry chuckled as Draco rolled over, refusing to reply.
"I heard it was both." Snippy twisted his way up Harry's bedframe.
"According to receiver's preference," Snarky added. Harry laughed out loud.
Draco turned over, narrowing his eyes as he spotted the source of Harry's amusement. "What are they doing here?"
"Visiting the sick," Snippy hissed, turning to look at Draco.
"And stealing the sick's chocolate frogs." Snarky tossed one from a previously unnoticed pile on Harry's bedside table to Snippy. Atop the stack was a card from Dumbledore. Draco had an identical stash.
"You two would steal candy from a baby," Harry hissed back at them.
"Now that's just ridiculous," Snippy said between swallows. Harry arched a brow.
"Babies never get the good stuff. Everyone knows that," Snarky clarified.
"Are you going to answer me or not, Hero?" Draco snapped impatiently, trying to cover his intense interest in the parsel-conversation.
"They've come to eat our candy." Harry declared, a knowing smile sneaking across his face as he remembered Draco's dazed confession about liking when Harry spoke to snakes. "Feeling a little nervous about snakes, Malfoy? Lucky you're not a Slytherin anymore, huh?"
"You seem to fit in well there, Hero. Maybe our infallible hat made a mistake with everyone's favorite Gryffindor." Malfoy intoned snidely.
"Did you hear that, Harry? You're his favorite!" Snippy wiggled. "You might be able to steal him away from Snape, yet!"
"That was sarcasm," Harry declared.
"Really? That? Huh." Snippy snickered. "Did you hear that, Snarky? Evidently, that was 'sarcasm.'"
"What is this sarcasm you speak of? I've never heard of such a thing." Snarky looked perplexed.
"Ok, ok, I get it. You two invented sarcasm." Harry held his hands up to stave off more commentary. It was in vain.
"I wouldn't say invented. More like, perfected," Snippy stated casually.
Harry ignored him, turning to his human problem. "I was not placed in the wrong House!" He declared sharply.
"Not anymore - the oversight has been corrected." Malfoy grinned. "Why so defensive, Hero?"
"Sort of like Da Vinci didn't invent painting, he just improved it," Snarky continued.
Harry glanced at him, but focused back on Draco. He asserted firmly, "I belong in Gryffindor, I know it."
"It's almost like it just goes better with us," Snippy replied, philosophically. "The way peanut butter goes better with jelly."
"Or chocolate!" Snarky affirmed.
"If you know it, why are you so upset, Hero?" Draco shot back.
"Precisely!" Snippy nodded his head. "I would even go so far as to say we've put an original spin on it."
"I am NOT upset!" Harry raised his voice, sitting up completely now.
"Yeah . . . like taking the song 'Fools Rush In' and making it reggae." Snarky smiled.
Draco sat up as well, turning to dangle his legs over the bedside. "You most certainly are. You're practically yelling." Draco's smile grew more sinister. "What's the matter, Hero? Doubting yourself?"
"Or like Prince! Do you remember that 'kiss' song he did?" Snippy's eyes gleamed.
"NO!" Harry matched Draco's stance, then, trying to seem calm, "I am not."
"The one where he uses the high-pitched voice?" Snarky asked. "That was very original - not too pleasant, but original."
"Exactly! Just like us - original and not too pleasant." Snippy laughed. "Thee, thee, thee . . ."
"What is it you're not telling me, Potter?" Draco leaned forward, the fierce glint of a predator in his eyes.
"You don't have to be rich to rule my world . . ." Snarky began in a high, off-key hiss.
Harry stared horrified at the snakes, but decided commenting might encourage them. "I have nothing to hide, Malfoy."
"Neither do I, Potter." Draco reached for his sleeve.
"You don't have to be coo - " Snippy broke off. "Is he going to strip?"
"Wouldn't be the first time!" Snarky crowed.
Harry's hand closed over Draco's halting the movement. Draco raised a brow at him. "What's this?"
"Gryffindor trust." Harry met Draco's gaze head on.
"Doesn't prove you're a Gryffindor, Hero."
"What's going on?" Snippy demanded to know. "Why does he keep calling you that?"
"Awww - you're his hero, Harry!" Snarky cackled.
"Do you two need a minute alone?" Snippy offered. "Because we could sneak away, y'know."
"Yessss . . . there's a perfectly good spying point over there by the cupboards," Snarky chimed in helpfully.
Harry's eyes never left Draco's, his grip still firm on his arm. Draco stared back intently, searching Harry's eyes for the information he was hiding. He didn't know how he knew these things that seemed to be flitting through his head, but the instincts were strong, and he trusted them.
"Are they going to snog?" Snippy waved his tail in gleeful excitement.
"I just want your extra time and your . . . "
They both joined in and made the requisite kissing noises.
"Shut up!" Harry hissed furiously, unnerved by Draco's intent gaze. Though the snakes didn't seem to be affected by his anger, as the parseltongue words left his mouth, he felt a slight tremble go through Draco's hand. As Harry stared into Draco's eyes, he realized they had dilated.
"Oooo . . . Harry, I think he likes that!" Snippy cried.
"I could be your fantasy - " Snarky sang.
"You were supposed to be in Slytherin." Draco's whisper held notes of discovery and conviction. Then, he continued thoughtfully, "But how did you end up in . . ."
"Shut up, Malfoy!" Harry jumped to his feet, releasing the blond's arm.
"You changed it somehow." Draco ignored the command, recalling Harry's desperate, if inaudible, murmuring at the sorting ceremony. "You told it not to put you in Slytherin."
"Maybe, you could be mine." The snakes finished slyly in unison.
"So what if I did! Dumbledore said our choices determine our destiny," Harry muttered darkly, thinking that the words had seemed much more comforting in his second year.
"I knew it!" Draco stood. "You belong in Slytherin."
"No more than you belong in Gryffindor." Harry glared at him.
"Well, let's just go up to the headmaster's office and find out then, shall we?" Draco gestured towards the door. "You can put the hat on and find out where you should be without cheating this time, Hero."
"Fine. Let's go."
"NOOOOO!!" The snakes yelled.
"Harry, you can't!" Snippy shuddered.
"That path leads to being dropped into the Forbidden Forest . . ."
"With large spiders!" They were ignored.
"C'mon then Hero." Draco cupped Harry's face with his uninjured hand, his thumb stroking Harry's jaw. "Let's see if those pretty Avada Kedavra green eyes of yours really match your true House colors."
Hermione rushed through the hospital wing doors, skidding to a halt as her eyes landed on the two boys. "Harry! I came as soon as I . . ." She trailed off as her brain registered how close to each other they stood and Malfoy's hand on Harry's face. The boys hastily stepped back, Draco's hand falling to his side, Harry blushing slightly. "Am I interrupting something?"
"HINEY!" The snakes shrieked.
"They were about to snog!" Snarky whined.
"We were not." Harry groaned, sitting on his bed. "No, 'Mione. Nothing at all."
"That's what you think, Potter." Draco said, just loud enough for only Harry to hear.
"See! Draco said you were!" Snarky pointed out.
"He didn't hear what I said to you," Harry corrected him, his head starting to hurt from talking to too many people - and snakes - at the same time.
"Good," said Hermione. "Because Professor Snape is - "
"Right behind you." Severus finished for her. He turned to Draco. "I trust you have survived your latest adventure with Mr. Potter?"
Draco nodded, not wanting to comment on the fact that Harry had in fact saved his life. He glanced at the dark haired boy, who looked a little offended.
Harry was about to explain that he had saved Draco after the boy had made a very stupid mistake when Hermione threw her arms around him. "I'm just glad you're alright! If you had been hurt because of something Iasked you to do -"
"No need to take on the guilt of his actions, Miss Granger," Severus said quickly. The group looked at him with him with puzzled expressions, the snakes narrowing their eyes in suspicion. He hurried to add to the statement, fixing his glare on Harry, "We all know where the blame lies."
Harry ignored Snape, used to his unfairness. "It wasn't that big of deal, Hermione. Really." Harry had to believe that. So, he sucked on Draco Malfoy, who hasn't? Harry's complexion blotched with red. Sucked on his hand. Merlin!
Hermione grew more concerned. "Why are you all red?" She pressed her hand to his forehead. "Maybe the poison . . ."
"No, he's fine." Draco smirked, knowingly. Harry stubbornly refused to meet his eyes. "Why aren't you more worried about me? I was the one who got bit!"
"Did you get the boomslang skin?" Snape asked.
"Se- Professor, I hardly think that's the appropriate question to be asking." Hermione frowned. Something was going on between the Harry and Draco. First, Harry lied about seeing Draco the night before. Then she found him in a possibly intimate embrace in the hospital. Now Harry was blushing while Draco smirked at him. "Why don't you two explain exactly what transpired?"
"Well, I was petting Griff-gruff when Potter, here, burst into my room-"
"How did he get in?" Snape scowled at Harry.
"The password was 'draconus'," Harry said. "Besides, it's not like I went in there with a boomslang and sprung it on him! I was getting him for our patrol and to run your errand."
"Excellent point, Mr. Potter. Did you get the boomslang skin?"
"Then what happened?" Hermione sat down next to Harry, encouraging him to continue. The snakes dived out of the way before she sat on them, hissing angrily. While Harry was distracted listening to their latest stream of expletives, Draco decided to continue with the story.
"Then Potter hit on me and jumped out of the window-"
"Harry! You didn't!" Hermione gasped.
"Of course not! I would never hit on-"
"I meant, the 'jumped out the window' part," she corrected him before he could finish.
"Well, yeah. The tower's high enough for a dive!" Harry defended. Hermione was obviously not pleased with this. He used to do it all the time, but once he had jumped out the window while she was visiting Ron in their room and she had flipped out on him, making him promise never to do that again and asking if he had a death wish. "Anyways, we made a lap around the castle-"
"During which Potter tried to knock me off my broom, unsuccessfully," Draco interjected.
"Why don't you whine a little more? I barely brushed you." Harry glowered at him. The snakes looked on with approval of his comments.
"So what would you call that, Potter? A love tap?" Draco sneered.
"I was just playing. And you shoved back." He shrugged, ignoring the gleam in the eyes of Snippy and Snarky. They were going to have a party with the 'love tap' remark. A big party, with hats and noise makers. "So we landed and headed into the forest."
"Did you get the boomslang skin?" Snape asked again. Hermione fought the urge to turn around and elbow him.
"We found a nesting site-"
"Wait a minute! You never told me it was a nesting site," Draco accused.
"Well, I would have thought it was obvious that in order to find snake skin, we would have to look in a nesting area," Harry said, caustically.
"So sorry, Potter. I'm not that intimate with snake life."
Snippy looked at Snarky. "You don't think he's implying that Harry's having some kind of illicit relationship with one of us do you?"
"Well only a dim git like you wouldn't look where you were stepping while gathering snake skin," Harry shot back.
"Ah, so you did get the boomslang skin?" Snape interrupted the arguement.
"Right, boomslangs. So I was reaching for a skin when this snake leapt out of nowhere and bit me." Draco gestured with his injured hand.
"Well, Nova wouldn't have bitten you if you didn't almost step on her eggs." Harry crossed his arms over his chest.
Draco looked flabbergasted. He had no idea how to deal with the boy who had saved his life defending the snake that had bitten him. He appealed to Snape for help. "He's on a first name basis with snakes, sir!"
Harry turned to Snape to see what he would say to this 'accusation'. Snape merely regarded him an annoyed expression. "Did you or did you not get the boomslang skin?"
Hermione's frown deepened. "So how did you get bitten, Harry?"
"Oh, I didn't," he said offhandedly. Snape, Hermione, Snippy and Snarky turned to look at Harry with confounded expressions. Draco regarded him with a lifted eyebrow. Harry scowled, and shut his mouth tightly.
"I don't understand. How did you get poisoned if you didn't get bitten?" Hermione furrowed her brow, trying to figure this out.
"He sort of- "Draco broke off. It was obvious that this was bothering Harry, and he loved to fluster him, but he wasn't sure that he wanted to admit that he had been saved by the boy-who-lived. His eyes warmed with the memory of Harry cradling his hand, his lips against the wound . . .
"He what?!" Demanded Snarky.
"Yeah, Harry! Tell us what happened." Snippy bobbed his head insistently.
"He . . . what?" Hermione asked Draco. When he didn't answer, she turned on her best friend. "What did you do?"
"I sucked the venom out of his hand." Harry sighed. He looked up to see Malfoy gazing at him, his eyes heated to molten temperatures.
"That was so dangerous, Harry!" Hermione breathed.
"Then we put pressure on Draco's wrist to stop the spread of the poison and flew back here." Harry tried to control his blushing, and vaguely realized he had said 'Draco', not 'Malfoy'.
"With the boomslang skin?" Snape questioned.
"You mean you were able to fly after being bitten by a boomslang?" Hermione looked a little shocked as she looked at Draco.
"Well, no. Potter . . . brought me back on his broom." Draco stared at the floor.
"And you got the -" Before Snape could as again, Harry tossed him the bag full of the skins that Madame Pomfrey had stowed under his cot. "Good. Now, since you two have had a two-day respite, I will expect you to take up rounds again tonight. And don't be late for dinner. The new Muggle studies professor has finally finished gathering things and having them sent here, and thus shall be arriving to stay later this day. The headmaster has ordered a special feast to officially welcome him to the staff."
The snakes wiggled in approval. A feast, plus someone new to steal from. They snuck off, chattering excitedly and wondering if the new professor would have an extensive music collection.
Snape turned to Hermione. "If you would accompany me to the dungeons, we can start that potion now." She nodded, and with one last hug for Harry, hurried to start on her new potion. "As for you, Mr. Potter. I suggest you take Mr. Malfoy to look for his broom. And try to not to endanger yourself or Mr. Malfoy for once. The rest of us do not have days to laze about the hospital wing."
Hermione held the door to Snape's rooms open as he deftly maneuvered around her despite the heavy cauldron he carried. The potion was supposed to sit undisturbed for several days, and he wanted to keep an eye on it. "Thank you, Hermione."
"You're welcome, Severus." She stood, biting her lip for a moment.
"What is it?" He sighed as he turned from placing the cauldron carefully in his work space.
"What's what?" She stalled.
"I know that look." He watched her expectantly.
"I just wanted to, um, well . . ."
"Yes?"
"Thank you for last night." As she heard the words leave her mouth she blushed to the roots of her hair. "And that came out a lot dirtier than it sounded in my head."
Snape grinned. "May I ask what the spontaneous, if less than clean, gratitude is for?"
"For being so calming. For letting me stay here." Hermione gestured helplessly. "For sleeping on your own couch - "
"Don't mention it. No, really, don't mention it." He scowled and turned away from her. Hermione had fallen asleep in his chair last night after he had secretly put a few drops of a calming potion in her tea. At first he was going to put her back in her room, but he had been afraid she would wake disoriented. So he had levitated her onto his bed, removed her shoes and thrown a comforter over her. He had slept a few hours on the couch. When she had awoken, she had seemed rather embarrassed and had run out of his rooms, mumbling about checking on Harry. Worried, he had called after her and when she hadn't stopped, had followed her to the Hospital Wing. "It was the least I could do."
"It was the most you could do," she corrected him. "I was so worried . . ." She closed her eyes. "Though I suppose I should be used to it by now."
"Mr. Potter does seem to get himself into a lot of dangerous situations," Snape drawled caustically as he sat down in his favorite chair, indicating the one across from his. Hermione sat down uncertainly. She had meant to thank him and then run off to her rooms, but she found that being near him made her feel safer. She used to feel that way around Harry and Ron, but lately it had changed. Being near Harry did not feel safe anymore, and it wasn't because of the threat of Voldemort.
"It's not his fault!" Hermione protested, but it was half-hearted. "Not always."
Snape raised his brows at her as if to say, indeed?, but let the subject drop. "In any case, with Mr. Potter safe and sound, and the first draft of our potion nearly complete, we should turn to other matters."
"Other matters?" She asked blankly.
"Yes. Fortunately there shouldn't be another Death Eaters meeting until after school starts. That gives us time to plan, and you time to train." He steepled his hands together under his chin.
"I'm not sure I understand. Train to do what?" She looked worried once more.
"Well, I'm afraid you're going to have to learn some of the dark arts, to add to your credibility and for general defense. Also, I would like you to learn some hand to hand combat skills. Most wizards, particularly of the dark persuasion, feel it is beneath them, and that can give you an advantage." He paused, holding her gaze. "We will also have to work on acting as a fluid pair. One slip up, and we'll both be exposed."
"How exactly . . . I mean, what would that . . . entail?" She tried not to blush again.
"Well, spending time together for one. I need to know everything about you, from your eating habits to how you like your pumpkin juice to your favorite color," he expounded.
"I'm sorry, but why?" She looked perplexed.
"I understand if the idea is unpleasant, but it is essential -"
"It's not unpleasant," she said softly. He looked startled. "I just don't understand. Is there going to be a pop-quiz? Something along the lines of 'let's see whose girlfriend might be a spy'?"
His lips twitched. "Not exactly. You won't need any parchment. But there will be Social Balls, formal dinners, weekend gatherings as well as meetings." At her shocked expression, he added, "These people think of themselves as high society, Hermione. They like to plan death and destruction like civilized people, at a party with shrimp cocktail."
"So what you're saying is that being a Death Eater is like belonging to a yacht club, without the pretty boats?"
"Actually, there are boats sometimes. Usually less pretty and more secretive, basically used for dumping bodies . . ."
Hermione sighed. "Evil boats?"
"Pretty much."
She looked up sharply, thinking of a movie she once saw. "The shrimp cocktail isn't evil though, is it?"
"Not so far." He shot her a serious look. "But don't touch the paté."
Harry and Draco crossed Hogwarts' grounds quickly, headed into the woods once more. Harry's mouth was drawn in a tight line, indicating he was in no mood to talk. He pretended to ignore Draco, but when he noticed the blond wince slightly at their rapid pace, he surreptitiously slowed up a bit. Draco glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.
"Let's have a little chat, Hero." Draco crossed his arms imperiously over his chest as he walked, carefully choosing his steps in his high boots. Harry looked at him sharply a moment, as if wondering what he was doing, before continuing on as if Draco had never spoken.
"Let's not."
"That was rude," Malfoy reprimanded him. "What shall we talk about? Hmm . . ."
"Malfoy . . ." Harry sighed.
"I know. Let's talk about lies," Draco announced the topic with flair. "What do we call people who tell lies? Liars! Now, let me think . . . do we know a liar?"
"You?" Harry suggested.
"No, I was going to say you." Draco grinned.
"I am not a liar," Harry said vehemently. Why was Draco making conversation? Where was this going? Harry almost missed the days that Draco was simply irritating and constantly engaged in trying to get Harry to fight. This passive aggressive psychological warfare was unnerving.
"Oh, really?" Draco quirked an eyebrow at him as they reached the forest and began moving through the cool shade. "So then, when Hermione asked you about the other night, you told her all about our little conversation in the woods?"
"Since when do you call her Hermione?" Harry asked harshly.
"Since three days ago," he replied flippantly. "And now you're changing the subject. That's practically an admission of guilt."
"Is not." Harry looked abashed at his response. He hurried to add in what he hoped was a semi-mature manner, "I have nothing to feel guilty about."
"So you don't even feel guilty about lying to Hermione?" Draco smirked.
"No." Harry shook his head, aggravated. "I mean, no, I didn't lie to . . ." He trailed off, it was obvious that he had been caught in the lie. "Truthfully? I didn't think it was worth mentioning."
Draco didn't even bat an eye, he merely maintained the silence until it stretched into what seemed like infinity. He was familiar with Harry's tendency to lash out when backed into a corner.
Harry gritted his teeth. "Fine. I just didn't want to worry her."
"By telling her what you were doing?" Draco gave a short laugh. "Yes, I see how that would be reassuring."
Harry glared at him. "Is there a point, or are you just trying to distract me from how worn out you really are?"
"Hmm, speaking of the snakebite incident, exactly why didn't you want to tell them how you came to my rescue, Hero?" Draco's eyes flashed.
"You didn't tell them, either," Harry pointed out.
"I didn't want to tell them that you had helped me in any way. You however, didn't want to tell them how you helped me. Now why is that?" They stopped just outside the boomslang nest. "Accio broom!"
"Perhaps I was repulsed at having to recall that I had touched you." Harry glowered at him as his broom flew into his hand.
"I don't think so," Draco said arrogantly, stepping a little closer to him. "I don't think that repulsion had anything to do with it at all."
"Just what are you trying to say, Malfoy?" Harry's heart sped up as Draco came even closer to him.
"What do you think I'm trying to say, Potter?" Draco reached a hand out as if to repeat the gesture he had made earlier and cup Harry's face in his hands. "Why don't you tell me what you were thinking when you were sucking the venom out of me?"
"I - what was that?" Their strange conversation was interrupted by the distinct sound of something skittering towards them. Both boys froze, barely a foot apart, Draco's arm extended midway between them. Slowly they turned their heads toward the sound. There stood three abnormally large spiders, gnashing their fangs at them.
Harry moved on pure instinct, grabbing Draco's arm around the elbow and felt Draco's long fingers wrap around his arm. They began to back up. Harry's wand was in his robe pocket, he had to get to it! As they each reached for their wands, the spiders spit out a string of webbing. Without thought, they each threw up a protective hand, murmuring "Expelliarmous!"
Draco felt a tremendous vibration move through him, something a muggle would compare to electric shock. He felt something reach inside of him, entangling in his magic and pulling it up through him. His fingers clamped convulsively on Harry's arm as the power of it swept over him, a rush he hand never felt the like of before. And when he whispered the spell, he heard Harry's voice in his mind, overlapping, compelling, combining with his own, before it blew him back onto the ground, his eyes full of the tree-branch scattered sky, his mind full of Harry Potter.
Harry felt as if a swirling vortex rose up out of him, pulling wind and energy from deep inside him, as well as around him. He felt Draco's magic rushing towards him as if by his command. His fingers gripped Malfoy's arm as the rush of it overtook him. He whispered the spell, hearing the echo of Malfoy's voice entwining within his own, before the blast of the spell threw him on top of Malfoy, his vision filled with flashing silver eyes.
The spiders had flown so far back into the forest they couldn't be seen or heard by the young wizards. Harry panted, staring into Malfoy's eyes. "What the - "
"Bloody hell was that?" Malfoy finished, sounding a little breathless himself.
"I'm not sure. It was incredible -"
"Powerful. We didn't even -"
"Have our wands." Harry finished, too caught up in the what of what had happened to really consider the ramifications of what had happened. He shivered, for some reason feeling as if he had just been sprayed with ice water. He glanced over the body underneath him, realizing that he still grasped Malfoy's arm. For some reason, he didn't want to let go just yet. "Are you alright? Did you hurt anything?"
With a mischievous glint in his eye, Malfoy bucked his hips up against Harry's, grinning at Potter's gasp of surprise. "Nothing important."
Harry caught his breath, then stared at Draco for a moment, not knowing what to do with the weird, mock flirtation that they seemed to be engaging in more and more. He lowered his head a little, blocking Draco from seeing anything but his face. "I'm freezing."
"I'm on fire." Draco felt as if he was lying next to an inferno. He could picture green flames licking at his flesh. He was starting to sweat. Harry felt cool everywhere they touched, and it was hard to not luxuriate in that feeling. He looked into Potter's eyes. "Gonna let me up?"
"Oh . . . yeah." Harry tried to get to his feet, touching as little of Malfoy as possible. It was so tempting though. He felt so warm. Harry stood, looking at down at Malfoy, stretched out on his back at Harry's feet. He extended a hand to help him up, which Draco accepted. Harry was starting to shake and he had to force himself to release Draco's hand. "We should get back."
"Yeah." Draco looked at Harry for a moment, unbuttoning the top button of his shirt, wishing there was a breeze. "I don't think we should tell anybody about this, Potter. Not until we figure out what happened."
"But, shouldn't we tell Dumbledore?" Harry wrapped his arms around his body for warmth.
"Not just yet, Hero. We need to think this through a little before we involve him." At least he did. Draco climbed on his broom. "Why don't we just ride my broom back, I don't want to run into anymore spiders."
Harry nodded and climbed onto the back of Draco's broom. He put his hands on Draco's sides as they took off for balance, wishing he could lean forward against the warmth of the other's back, but stayed upright, angling his body so that Draco was shielding him from the breeze and resisting the urge to lean into Draco's body. He had to talk to Hermione. She would know what to do.
Dr. Troy Tatterton eyed the large man who lumbered beside him as they approached the gothic castle. He was a dashing man with black hair and brown eyes. He didn't sport robes or even a suit, but instead was dressed in black jeans and a grey cashmere sweater. Troy had been dubious about his new position when he'd met Hagrid at the train station. If all the professors at Hogwarts dressed this way, he was going to have some serious work on his hands.
"So, what kind of a statement are you making here?" He gestured to Hagrid's smudged clothing. "Lumberjack?"
"A lumber what?"
"Never mind. What kind of accommodations should I expect?" After first sight, he was thinking Braveheart and that was a big 'no'. Hagrid looked at him questioningly. "For example, where do you live?"
"Oh, I've got a hut on the edge of the property. I have a fireplace, usually with a cauldron full of soup bubbling for visitors." He thought the good professor was fishing for an invite. "Very humble but just the thing if I do say so meself."
"Dear God." Troy was horrified. "And I will be living in a . . .a hovel?"
"Hut."
"Same diff, Martha Stewart, the goddess, would not approve and neither do I."
"You know Martha? She graduated in-"
"So not the point." He gulped. "Where's my hut?"
"Oh, you'll be livin' in the castle with the rest of the professors." He thought a moment. "And the ghosts, of course."
That was marginally better. But if there was flourescent lighting, he was out of there. It made him look puffy. "Fabulous." Hold up, did he say ghosts?
As they walked across the lawn, Troy saw a small cat regally strutting across the grass. Being a great cat lover, he called. "Here kitty , kitty."
"Oh, you shouldn'ta done that." Hagrid shook his head.
"Kitty?!" The small creature came into the moonlight, illuminating his wings.
"Did that cat just say something?" Troy said in a whisper. Maybe he'd had one too many margaritas at the hotel.
"Yes, I did. By the way, it's rude to not answer when you're asked a question." Griff Gruff padded over and sat down in the man's path. "And just who are you?"
"This is Dr. Tatterton, Gruff. He didn't know who you were."
Griff Gruff was incredulous. "You're a Muggle!"
"Excuse me, furball. No one told me that talking house pets would be part of the deal."
"It's a good thing you are wearing that cashmere or I'd slice it open!" He smirked. "Maybe I'll just have the snakes steal it for me and I'll sleep on it."
"Cat fur on cashmere!" He gasped. "You wouldn't!"
"I would and I will!" Griff Gruff stood taller. "Just for your lack of proper respect."
"Well, pardon me, Fluffy. I'll be more careful in the future."
"No, Fluffy's in the dungeon." Hagrid added, "That's Griff Gruff."
"Fluffy?" He looked at the griffin. "One of your brothers cough up a hairball on the rug?"
"That's revolting."
"No, Fluffy's my three-headed-dog," Hagrid explained.
"Why not? I'm living in a castle with ghosts, magicians, a talking cat, and a three-headed dog. All we need now are elves."
"They work in the kitchen," Hagrid informed him. "Innit that right, Gruff?"
"Oh, that's right. You're name's Griff Gruff, isn't it, kitty?" Troy laughed. "How very Sesame Street."
He had no idea what that meant. "You are strange and displeasing despite your good taste in clothing." Griff Gruff walked away, tail in the air. "You'd better watch yourself, Dr. Muggle. And you should watch out for," he whirled around and made his voice dark and mysterious. "The evil book."
Troy through his hands up in the air. "Is nothing safe? The books are evil?!"
"No!" Wild laughter was heard from the bushes. Lockhart's book leapt out of them and sprung on Troy's chest. It snagged his cashmere sweater and ran off into the night cackling. "Just this one!"
Troy stared down at his rapidly unraveling sweater, the giant of a man standing next to him, and the glorified house cat that was sauntering up the front stairs. "Where's Buffy when you need her?"
