::Draco Malfoy's Private Rooms on the Fifth Floor's West Corridor near the stained glass of Merlin::
"Where the hell are they?" Theodore looked around for some sign. Indigo was on her chair. His papers were all in place. His school books were set neatly on the table where Draco kept them and everything seemed quite right in the rooms.
Theodore went to the fireplace in search of a note or clue. If the boys had left recently that is where the clues would be. He found three large jars. One of floo powder. One of gloo powder. The last was full of a strange red powder with shards of black and white in it. Theodore pulled a pinch out and rolled it between his thumb and middle finger, testing the texture.
"Odd," he said and dropped it again. He set this last jar back and knelt to examine the floor. A fine dusting of black ash touched the white marble at the foot of the fireplace. It indicated that either a large fire had recently been burning or they had just used the Gloo network.
He stood and opened the middle jar, "Draco Malfoy's most recent destination."
He threw a handful in and the fire crept out of the grate, wrapped around him and pulled him back in.
It was not the spinning, dizzying effect of flooing. It was like slow-motion, where you know it's not natural, you are moving at supersonic speeds and you feel dulled and almost drunk. Theo's eyes flashed over the golden hued fires all around him and he heard the thunderous crash of the sound barrier being broken. Then it stopped.
"You have arrived at Lady Amir's Bakery, welcome your lordship," a woman with horns brushed the tiniest fleck of ash from his shoulder and offered him a cup of tea.
"Thank-you," he said and took the tea before walking further into the rather expensive looking shop.
He spotted the white blonde head of Draco at the counter and next to him Blaise stood sipping tea and eating some sort of tarte.
"I really don't think she wants a cake from me," Blaise said, "She hates me and a two layer raspberry and chocolate mousse cake shant fix that."
"Well," Draco glowered, "Let's get it for us then, as a celebration of the public announcement of my relationship."
The woman behind the counter, a tall creature with long fingers and ram like horns curled on her head, smiled.
"What would you like to change the words to?"
Draco smiled and wrote something down.
"And it shall have to be a light lemon whip instead of the raspberry gelatin between the layers," Draco said, "I know that Theodore can't stand raspberry anything."
"True," Blaise nodded.
"It shall have to be finished by this coming Friday night," Draco said and the woman wrote this down. "I should also like a box of seven of the Devil's Favorite fudge cakes in the individual size delivered by Halloween. An order of three Lemon Gold pastries shall be sent to this address," he began to scrawl something, "As well as a blueberry muffin and a poppy seed muffin. I should also have some of your Indian coffee sent here too," Draco tapped his chin, "Yes, that shall do."
The woman nodded.
"Of course, of course," she lifted her head, "You would like a receipt for all this?"
"Naturally," Draco nodded.
She tapped her wand and handed the blonde a small sheet of paper. "All shall be delivered as asked."
"I'll be paying now," Draco said and scanned the list of purchases, "Seven galleons should cover it."
"More than enough," she said.
Theodore thought that was a little much. He knew that all that couldn't cost more than six and a few knuts. Draco was being showy again.
"That's very kind of you," she took the coins and slipped them into a pouch. "Everything will be taken care of."
"Perfect," the blonde turned to Blaise, "Do you want to go looking for winter clothes?"
Blaise smiled and was about to speak when the door opened.
Theodore recognized the dark hair and strong features immediately.
"Thank-you for your business Lord Malfoy," the woman finished gathering her papers and walked into the back of the store.
"Draco," the boy stalled and had the decency to blush a little.
"Sasha," Draco shot him a nasty glare.
"I didn't know…I thought Hogwarts did not let you off campus, I wouldn't have-I mean…" he trailed off.
Draco just glared.
There was a long, tense silence in the room.
The women who ran the shop stepped into the main area. They looked at each other.
"Is there a problem Lord Malfoy?"
"No," he said, "I was just leaving."
He and Blaise began to leave.
Sasha sighed, "I saw that you're dating Potter, officially."
Draco stopped, "Of course I am, you've known that for a while now."
He nodded, "I just, I wanted to say that I'm happy for you, you know, that you and he lasted so long and that you're working out so well."
"I'm sure," Draco answered and the disdain in his voice was apparent.
"Listen," Sasha snapped, "I'm sorry, okay, get over it. You say that you're over me but by the way you act you're still harboring some adolescent little grudge against me and I really don't get it. I've stayed out of your way and I don't think I've done anything to you or Potter. Why don't you get over me already?"
Draco snarled, "You're an awful mongrel Sasha. I knew you'd try and weasel your way back in after you showed up in Finland last year. You are a self centered brat."
"I'm sorry that I got defensive when you attacked me in a public place. I hadn't meant to intrude on your meal, I never meant to see you again, actually. I don't really want to get involved in the world you live in but I suppose I cannot even buy a cake in England without you appearing and making a scene."
"Then stay in bloody Italy!" Draco almost screamed.
"Get off your high hippogriff you prick," Sasha retorted with equal force, "You're Draco Malfoy, a drug addict and a whore."
"And you're a fool," Draco took a few sharp steps towards him, "I was willing to do anything for you you stupid arse and you blew it all to hell. I don't bloody need you, I'm better off now than I ever would be with you."
"No one can handle you, Malfoy," Sasha closed the gap a little more, "You don't listen and you don't care and you don't commit. I was being followed, my owl was being attacked, my house ransacked and my family questioned by reporters at all hours of the day and night. Malfoy, my whole life was public knowledge and no one can handle that. You're a curse, Malfoy and I don't think any real human can stay with you for more than a year before they feel it too."
Draco glared, "Bugger yourself."
Sasha crossed his arms, "Very mature, Malfoy."
"No one says those things to a Malfoy and gets away with it," Draco's voice was a hiss, coated in rage and hate.
He sneered and walked out, slamming the door with such force that the windows shook.
"Tell me," Sasha said, "Is he in love with the Boy Wonder?"
Blaise glared, "None of your bloody business, cad."
"I was curious, that's all," his evil smile betrayed him.
"You're a despicable beast," Blaise sneered, "I can't imagine why Draco cared about you at all."
"He cared about me because you're unreliable and self absorbed," Sasha snapped.
Blaise snarled.
"Back off, Sasha," Theodore stepped up, "You know we don't like you and we know you don't like us. Go back to Italy and stay the hell off our island."
Sasha's teeth showed as his upper lip curled in disgust, "You always were the passive aggressive one. Are you fucking that little muggle slut still?"
"You can figure that out on your own, ass bag," Theo responded.
His lips slipped into a smile, "Don't fall out of touch, boys," he turned and left the shop, smiling in a nearly evil way.
"I hate him," Theo said and walked to Blaise's side.
Blaise hummed.
He watched the retreating form. He pushed into the air and sensed Sasha's magic. It was strong and vicious. Much like an attack dog, Sasha seemed on edge and willing to attack anything that intruded. It was uncomfortable and Blaise felt disgust and distaste boil in him.
"Let's go find Draco."
The boys walked out of the shop and looked up and down the posh London street.
"Dammit," they both swore and knew it would be impossible to locate him.
::Kitchens in Hogwarts Castle::
"You were going to what?"
"Nothing," Harry insisted, "I wasn't going to do anything."
"Liar," she smiled, "You were going to do something nice for Draco."
"Is that such a bad thing?"
"No," she shook her head and spooned some ice cream into mostly comatose Ron, "It shows how much you care."
"Well, I do care," Harry insisted.
"I know," she agreed.
Ron made a noise and Hermione fed him another spoonful.
"Do you think he'll be happy to see me?"
"Why wouldn't he be?"
"I don't know," Harry shrugged, "He's been so moody since Snape up and vanished."
"Understandably."
"When's Snape coming back?" Ron asked.
"Next month, the twenty-sixth or so."
"Your one year anniversary is just before that, isn't it?"
"Yeah," Harry nodded.
"You have planned something, haven't you?"
"There's a huge Gala in Madrid that weekend that he and I have to go to as part of the media blitz we're on. I think we're spending that Saturday in the city then the gala at night and then Sunday is our anniversary. We're being flown to a little island in Greece for dinner and the night." Harry said and added more chocolate sauce to his food.
"I don't expect you'll be in class that Monday," Hermione said.
"No," he shook his head, "Not at all."
She smiled.
::Monday in Potions Class::
Sirius stood at the front of the room frowning down at his cauldron.
The students sat peacefully awaiting instructions while their substitute for their substitute made a half-hearted attempt at a lesson.
"Where's Remus?" Ron whispered.
"The First Years had been promised a special lesson today and Lupin didn't want to disappoint them. It's just for today though," Hermione answered.
Harry watched his godfather try to figure out what to do.
"Okay," Sirius finally spoke, "Get out your supplies…and…a mixing spoon…and…" Sirius scratched his head, "Whoever brews a potion first gets full points for the day."
Hermione sighed and turned on the heat.
"Get me some water and goat snot, okay?"
Harry trudged up to the front, grabbed a pail of water and searched down a vial of the strange green-white substance.
"Whatcha brewin'?" Blaise asked as he too reached for a vial of goat snot.
"I have no idea," Harry admitted. He returned to Hermione and she poured the two things together.
"I need basil, centipede legs and crab eyes."
Harry almost groaned as he walked back to the front.
"Bloody women," Blaise muttered as he took a bottle from the shelf. He poured some of the dried crab eyes onto a small plate and moved on to the steel bowl full of basil.
Harry followed him in his collection of ingredients and they sighed to one another.
"Pansy?"
"Yeah," Blaise said and grabbed a handful of centipede legs, "Hermione?"
"Yeah."
They parted back to their tables.
Hermione began tossing things in seemingly randomly. It appeared that she had gathered a few ingredients too.
Harry watched.
It began to bubble and turn violet.
Harry twiddled his thumbs, bit at a fingernail that seemed too long, stared at the wall and made faces at Sirius.
"Done," Hermione announced just a moment later.
"What is it?" Harry asked.
"A pain relieving balm," she said obviously and pointed to the thick white paste coating the inside of the cauldron.
"Oh," Harry nodded.
"Professor Black?"
"Yeah?" Sirius looked up.
"Harry, Ron and I are done."
"Great," Sirius wrote that down. "You three are excused, see you tomorrow."
Hermione packed her things and waited for the boys before she left.
Behind them Harry head Pansy announce that she and Blaise were done.
Harry glanced back, hoping to see Draco. He had not been in class or at breakfast or anything. He paused. The Italian pushed out the door and smiled to Ron who also happened to be waiting.
"Where's Draco?" He asked.
Blaise gave him a slightly nervous look, "Drake is…well…"
"Where is he?" Harry asked with more suspicion.
Blaise squirmed a little, "I don't actually know."
"Weren't you with him yesterday?"
"I was," he admitted.
Theo left the room and went to Hermione's side, curious as to what was happening.
"Well?"
"Sasha showed up and…well…he and Drake got into a massive fight and he ran off into London and that prick Sasha just sauntered away like the fat arse he is."
Harry glared.
"Draco is missing?"
"That's what I said," Blaise nodded. "Maybe you should give him a little room. You don't know what that twat said to him and Draco gets really…upset about that sort of thing. Just let him be for a little while, okay?"
"Fine," Harry nodded and walked away.
"Wait," they went after him, "Where are you going?"
"To talk to Sasha."
"Oh no."
The Wonder Boy left without another word.
This chapter is:
longer
and
significantly more eventful
YAY!
Harry: I hate that guy
Blaise: We all do, honey
Theodore: I mean, really, he's a total brat.
Hermione: Boys, we have homework and I-
Ron: Have you and Theo had sex yet?
Hermione: WHAT?! No!
Ron: Yeesh Hermione, way to be prudish.
Hermione::blushing:: If we had I'm certain FireStorm would have mentioned it.
FireStorm: Indeed I would have
Blaise: How do you feel about that Theo?
Theo: Well...Hermione can take all the time she needs, I care about her on more than a physical level. I don't need sex to have a relationship.
Hermione: Awww::hugs Theo::
Blaise: Pssh ::to readers:: He uses that line on every girl
::Theo punches Blaise in the arm::
::Everbody laughs::
Love from,
FireStorm and the Gang
