Chapter Ten. – Possessive

The weeks that followed the first task were neither simple nor calm. The mystery surrounding his absence had made him talk of the school, and that along with his position as champion also gave him the front page of the daily prophet, which in turned had increased the number of interview requests he had been receiving lately. This was something he found very annoying and Tom amusing. As if this was not enough Harry had also been the main target of the girls in their hunt for a Yale date. Apparently he wouldn't be going to the annual Malfoy ball this year, instead his presence at the Hogwarts ball was mandatory. Seeing as a teenage Pandora Malfoy wasn't an option he wasn't sure whom he would be taking, not that it matter much to him. The reason behind his distress was the fear that whatever girl he would take would read too much into it. He had no interest in the fairer sex, or the other for that matter. No, love was not something he either longed or wished for.

Unintentionally Harry eyes wandered to the tournament's only female contestant. She was currently in third place, just two points after Harry himself. She was sitting in her usual spot by the Racenclaw and to all appearances and purposes she was completely ignoring the chatter around her. Watching her he couldn't help but find her intriguing. Without a single warning sign Harry stood up and walked over to the girl and as he reached her she looked up at him with lazy uninterested eyes. "Yes?"

"Ms LeStrange, would you do me the honour of being my date for the Yule Ball" perhaps it was the fact that he had grown accustomed to the slippery Slytherins that he added "this year?"

He saw a flash of surprise in her eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it has appeared, then she nodded her acceptance. "I would be love to." She agreed oraly, but offering neither a smile nor a happy note in her voice as she did so.

But while she seemed uninterested in who was taking her Tom and Malfoy were not. When Harry returned to the Slytherin table to finish his breakfast the two of them was staring at him in shock.

"You are taking his cousin? The daughter of Death Eaters?" Tom asked angrily though he wasn't sure why he was angry. "The prophet will have a fieldtrip with this!"

This caused quite a stir among the surrounding students, both due to his word and the uncharacteristic outburst from the smart and calm fifth year.

"Then who would you like me to take? You? I'm sure you would look lovely in a dress." Harry aske raising an eyebrow.

Tom glared at him a few seconds before standing up "Do what you want." And with those paring words he left causing Harry to sigh before looking over at Malfoy who was still looking at him.

"You aren't going to follow him?"

"No, I don't have the energy to deal with his insecurities right now. Tom is just too possessive... You of all people should know how he is by now." Harry dismissed.

"True." Parkinson agreed quietly, sounding almost fearful. "If Potter hadn't stopped him…"

"He was bloody mad." Malfoy muttered, "I seriously thought he was going to kill me."

"Tom isn't a k-" Harry began before cutting himself short. "He is just over protective, always has been."

"He wasn't that bad before." Zabini stated. "You should have seen him when you disappeared, Potter."

The only response he got was a glare before Harry too stormed out from the hall.

Harry has only walked a few feet from the hall when he saw and heard Tom.

"Took you long enough."

"I only came to tell you have to fix your image, they are all scared of you since you went insane on Malfoy last week."

"Fear is a good motivator. No one will ever take you from me again."

"It was a simple hex, and I countered it. Get a grip, and fix this. I don't particularly enjoy explaining your actions to others."

"Then don't. We don't need them."

"You mean you have spent half a year playing model student for nothing?" Harry asked, obviously don't believing him before shaking his head dismissingly. "You know what, I don't care anymore."

"Good, you should be trying to figure that egg out, just don't do it close to me I can't stand that shrieking sound again, whatever it is."

"It's meremish." Harry told him as if it was common knowledge. "Don't you recognize it?"

"How could I?" Tom asked annoyed, "How can you?"

"We heard it in Scandinavia, remember?"

"What are you talking about? We haven't even left the British Islands, Harry."

"You fell into a lake close to the Russian boarder, you would have frozen to death if you weren't already a vamp-" Harry stopped and looked at Tom with an unreadable expression before walking away without as much as a word to Tom in explaination.

"Harry!" He called out, trying to stop him but he was ignored.

Tbc…