Choose Your Own Drarry
Warning! You will NOT be able to read straight through this, chapter by chapter. If you attempt to do so, you will be VERY confused.
^^ Instructions – will repeat (and be expanded) at the end of this chapter!
YOU decided that Harry and Dudley should meet up with Dudley's friends?
Chapter Ten (from chapter 6)
"I...ahh...must admit that I'm curious. I mean, I guess I'm interested...in visiting your friends' club...that club they like, I mean," said Harry, stammering a little, because he was oh so confused at the moment. "I'm not saying I'm gay, mind, but yeah, I'll go...if you want, that is."
Dudley laughed—then evened out his features in an attempt to be serious. "Of course you're not," he said—again, trying very hard not to upset his cousin. He was no longer afraid of Harry's magic, but he did value this reconnection and didn't want to jeopardize if because he was being a pillock. "And yeah, I want. I've been promising those two twats I'd go and just...haven't. I guess I just didn't want to go alone. But, seeing as I now have a wingman..." Dudley shrugged.
Harry nodded. That made sense to him. "So then...I'd like to change," he said. "Not surprisingly, I dribbled some whisky on myself when your father came in." He motioned at the small stain.
Dudley snorted. "All right," he said, starting his mini.
"Wait!" Harry said. "We just drove...what? Like an hour to get to Little Whinging?"
Dudley shrugged. "Yeah. So?"
Grinning, Harry reached over and turned off is cousin's vehicle. "How about I take us back to London?"
All Dudley could do was gape at Harry. "You m-mean like...like y-your kind?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah. I mean, it's not pleasant, but I can Side-Along you with me and we'd be there immediately. No wasted hour in the car...plus my changing time...then us driving to the club."
Dudley frowned. "But then my car would be here."
Harry shrugged. "And I could bring you back later on tonight. Or tomorrow; you could always stay at mine. I have plenty of space."
Shrugging, Dudley nodded. "All right. I'm game."
Harry grinned. "Brilliant! I'll just Apparate us into my house," he said, holding out his arm. "You'll have to hold on...and not let go. It's very important that you not let go."
"Okay," Dudley said, nodding as he reached out and grasped Harry's forearm.
Harry did the same to him, and they both held on tightly. "Ready?"
Dudley nodded. "Ready."
And suddenly everything changed. One moment they were sitting side by side in his car—Dudley had meant to close his eyes and keep them pinched closed, but he was curious too and so he opened them—and the next he found himself in a very large kitchen.
"Wow!" he burst, glancing around his cousin's long, but narrow—and extremely cluttered—kitchen. "That was like...being shoved through a stretchy straw or something."
Harry laughed. "That's sort of how I described it once too," he said. "Forced through a very tight rubber tube, I believe I said. I'm surprised you didn't vomit though. A lot of people do."
Dudley scoffed. "It takes loads more than that to upset my stomach," he said. "Besides...my wife's a witch, Harry." He smirked. "Been there, done this."
Harry just gaped at him. "W-what?"
Dudley shrugged. "Long story...which I'd rather not go into tonight...if you don't mind."
"Yeah. Sure. No problem," agreed Harry—though he was pretty close to pushing the issue. He was floored! "Gotta ask one thing though...do the parents know?"
"Mum does, but we're keeping it from dad," Dudley responded. "He'd definitely have a coronary."
Harry snickered—he couldn't help it—not that he wanted his uncle to have a heart attack, even if the man was a prick.
"So. This is the kitchen. Obviously," said Harry. "Warning. I have house-elves. They're sort of creepy...that's why I'm giving you warning...just in case one or more of them show themselves."
Dudley shuddered. "Yes, I remember that one that ruined mother's pudding."
Harry laughed. "That's right. I'd forgotten about that." Then he looked sad. "Dobby died in the war...saving me and my friends."
"Sorry."
Harry shrugged. "Many died. I was very lucky."
There was an awkward pause where Harry seemed to need a comforting hug and Dudley desperately wanted to give him one—but neither moved to embrace the other.
And then the moment passed.
"So. I need to change," Harry said. "You can either stay here or come up with me. The house is big, so I'll Floo up if you want to wait here...or we can walk up if you'd like to see more of the house."
Dudley shrugged. "I'd love to get a look at where you live, Harry."
"All right. This way then."
~oOo~
Harry led the way up and into his house, showing his cousin things here and there. He told him about Walburga Black's horrid portrait and warned him to keep quiet as they came out the basement door and onto the ground floor landing. They didn't stay there long though, immediately going to the staircase that went up to the first floor. Here, Dudley grimaced at the house-elf heads on the wall.
"I keep meaning to take those down, but...Kreacher has a complete conniption every time I bring it up."
"Creature?"
Harry chuckled. "One of my house-elves," he said—then explained. "He's lived here for decades and wants his head on the wall when he's dead."
Dudley shuddered. "Gross."
"I know, right?!" said Harry as they wound around and went up another flight to the second floor. "So. First floor had a drawing room and some bedrooms," he continued, pointing down. "Second floor here has a pretty good library and some more bedrooms. Third floor, master suite, office, another smaller library, and a lady's lounge. Must have been Walburga's...I don't often go in there. The whole place needs to be gutted, actually." He paused and started up yet another level. "I stay on the fourth floor in my godfather's room. I don't know why I've not moved down to the master...I just...I'm not ready. There are just two bedrooms on this floor...and an attic above us."
Dudley nodded—then frowned. "You share a room with your godfather?"
Harry shook his head sadly. "No. Sirius was killed in 1996. I inherited the house after then."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
Harry shrugged. "So, this is my room," he said as they entered. "It's a bit juvenile, but..." He shrugged again. "I don't mind. Makes me feel close to Sirius.
Dudley looked around and laughed. "It's very...red."
Laughing, Harry nodded. "Sirius was in the same House at Hogwarts that I'm in...was in." He frowned. "Our colors were red and gold."
"I see."
"Go Gryffindor!" Harry cheered.
Dudley chuckled.
~oOo~
On the way back down, they poked their heads into the drawing room—just in time to see Ron, Hermione, and Ginny step through the Floo.
"I'm telling you, Hermione," Ron Weasley was saying. "I was here an hour-ish ago and he wasn't here!"
"I just...need to see for myself, Ronald," Hermione Granger said, brushing soot off her cloak—then nodding smugly. "And look, he's here now."
"And he's not alone," Ginny whispered, then bit her lip to prevent it from trembling as she looked at the man standing beside her boyfriend—ex-boyfriend, she reminded herself.
"Ahh...hi guys. You remember my cousin, Dudley...right, Ron?" It was said mostly for Ginny's benefit, but Ron might need to be told too.
"I...ahh...yeah, of course," Ron stammered, frowning a bit.
Dudley gave a wave, but said nothing.
"Went out for a drink and ran into him," Harry continued, trying very hard to not look at Ginny Weasley. "We were just going to go out again...with some of his friends. But I wanted to change, because I'd spilled on myself...so we stopped here."
Harry couldn't help himself, his eyes strayed from his friends to Ginny—she looked very upset...sad—then back to Ron and Hermione.
"Would you like us to come along?" Hermione offered.
"Er...perhaps, not this time," said Harry. "I think maybe...it's not a good idea."
Hermione nodded. "We understand," she said.
"We do?" Ron questioned—but was ignored.
"We were just worried," Hermione went on. "Ron dropped by earlier and...you weren't home. And we..." She glanced at Ginny. "Well, we felt like we should check on you."
Harry smiled. "Thank you."
"Of course, Harry," Hermione said, stepping forward and holding out her hand. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Dudley. We've been friends with Harry since the beginning of school. I'm Hermione Granger and this is my boyfriend Ronald Weasley and his sister Ginny."
Dudley smiled at the three of them, then took Hermione's small hand in his much larger one. "It's nice to meet you, Hermione. All of you, actually. I'm glad Harry's had friends like the three of you...goodness knows our family wasn't very good to him." He blushed.
Ron snorted and opened his mouth to retort—something not good—but Harry said, "There'll be no more of that, Dudley! It's done."
Dudley gave an almost indiscernible nod. He didn't agree with his cousin and felt there was loads to make up for, but...he wasn't about to embarrass Harry by going on about it.
Hermione, on the other hand, smiled. She was glad to see the growth in her friend—and glad to see that he seemed to be making amends with his relatives. Blood relations were important.
Ron and Ginny just frowned. Ron wanted to kick Dudley Dursley in the teeth and cause some pain. Or hex him, at least, for the shite he'd put Harry through. But he was smart enough to know the actions wouldn't be appreciated—not in the slightest. And so he kept his wand in his pocket, his feet firmly planted on the floor, and his mouth zipped.
Ginny, however, did not stay quiet. Squaring her shoulders she stepped forward to greet Harry's cousin. "Dudley," she said, extending her hand. "Like Hermione said, I'm Ginny. I'm Harry's...ahh...was his girlfriend." She bit her lip again and glanced at Harry.
Dudley nodded and took her hand, smiling sympathetically. "Yes. Harry gave me a heads up."
Ginny sighed.
"Anyways," Harry cut in, "we were going out, so..."
Getting the not-so-subtle hint, Hermione nodded. "Right. I can stop by tomorrow, Harry...if you want. Yeah?"
Harry nodded. "Sure. That'd be great."
Taking one last look at their friend, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny stepped back into the Floo and were gone.
"Well, that was awkward," Dudley said.
"Right?!" said the dark-haired man, glad they were gone.
~oOo~
"Okay, they've been here awhile, so...maybe this was a bad idea," Dudley shouted after they'd waited in a LONG line, paid the exorbitant cover charge, and entered the club that was booming with activity.
Harry shrugged. "We can take a look around," he yelled, "after we get drinks. I think I need to be drunk for this."
Dudley laughed. "Wait. I see Evan," he said, pointing at the dance floor.
Harry turned and saw the other man waving at them enthusiastically, then immediately start to make his way across the room to them.
"Hiya!" Evan screamed, draping an arm over Harry's shoulders. "Table's over there." He pointed.
"I'll get the drinks," Dudley offered. "You go sit, Harry."
Evan grinned and steered Harry away from Dudley and toward the table. Gordon was there—resting apparently. "Look who I found," Evan said, bouncing a little before shoving Harry onto a chair.
Gordon looked at Harry, then at Evan—who smooshed himself in next to his boyfriend. "Dudley too?"
Evan nodded. "He's at the bar."
Gordon grinned. "No fucking way! We've been trying to get his arse here for an age. How'd you do it, Harry?"
Harry just shrugged. "Dunno."
Shortly, Dudley returned with a round of drinks for them all. He sat next to Harry and exchanged conversation with his friends—until they left the table to do a little dancing.
"Gordon'll be back soon," he said. "He can't keep up with Evan."
Harry craned his neck to watch for a bit. They appeared to be enjoying themselves.
"I've gotta piss," Dudley suddenly said. "You all right here?"
Harry nodded. "Sure, sure. You go on."
Getting up, Dudley disappeared into the crowd—but kept an eye on Harry he went. And it was a good thing he did, because, as soon as he was gone, some bloke slid in next to Harry and started hitting on him.
Dudley was a bit undecided on what to do. He needed to use the toilet, but he also felt the need to not leave Harry to the overly-handy bloke. And so he turned and headed back to the table.
~oOo~
Harry blinked at the guy, then narrowed his eyes as the man moved in closer—much too close for Harry's comfort. And then he frowned as the man's hand dropped onto his thigh and slid upward. Harry sat there, almost frozen, his eyes hardly able to move from the hand squeezing his leg.
"I...ahh...er..." was about all he could manage.
And then Dudley was back—thank fucking Merlin!
"You're in my seat, mate," the larger blond said to the guy—who immediately dropped his hand from Harry's thigh and looked up Harry's cousin.
This caused Harry to sigh with relief as he focused, first on his cousin, who was standing there half-grinning, half-glaring...and then at the other bloke for the first time.
YOU have NO choice here!(go on to chapter TWELVE – 12)
Notes/WARNINGS!
(repeated from chapter one)
1. Do NOT attempt to read this chapter by chapter...that will NOT work!
2. This is my version of a Choose Your Own Adventure book—and, as the title suggests, you are partially in control of the story.
3. At the end of MOST chapters, you will have to CHOOSE which way to go and go to that chapter only.
4. New chapters will be put up periodically...I currently have NOTHING else written, but will still be writing...if there is interest. *crosses fingers that someone is reading*
5. I will TRY to always complete all end-of-chapter choices before updating. This will be tricky, because, with each chapter, comes more choices...which makes for a lot more writing for me with each update...unless I end a branch, which I've already done once (chapter 5 had a "The End").
6. You can think of this like a tree, with MANY branches...with chapter one, there are only two choices...but once chapters two and three are posted, there'll be two more choices for each—which means four more chapters. Four chapters = eight choices...eight chapters = sixteen choices...and so on. And so, some "branches" MUST be ended...or rerouted (I have one "The End" and now one reroute...THIS chapter!). Complicated? Yeah!
7. It will be...IDK...two weeks...before I upload more. Please be patient.
Questions/comments? Message me or review. Thanks for giving this a go!