Harry groaned. "Try it the other way."
He did, and still, it wouldn't fit inside.
Draco threw his hands on his face and screamed.
"Bloody hell!"
"You lucked out," Sarah said, laughing.
Draco and Harry shot the girls dirty looks.
"What are we going to do?" Harry asked, feeling completely helpless.
"Fuck!" Draco shouted.
The girls started to laugh at them.
"Poor lost little boys," Holly said in singsong.
"Now they'll never get out of here alive," Sarah said in chorus.
"I swear if you don't shut up..." Draco shouted at them. Harry saw him narrow in on Sarah's hands, where the box was. "Harry, a moment please."
Draco and Harry moved away from the two girls who just giggled after them.
"Okay, I have a plan," Draco said.
"Yeah?"
"Grab a hold of Holly," Draco said, and he started towards Sarah.
"What?" Harry said, confused.
Draco stopped. "Grab her, and I'll take down the other one."
"She's a little girl...I can't like tackle her," Harry frowned.
"Yes you can! Now go!"
Draco ignored his protests and lunged for Sarah, and Harry had no choice but to throw his arms around Holly.
"Let me go!" Holly said, trying to move away.
Harry didn't let her go, and he looked up to see Draco wrestling with Sarah for the box.
Suddenly he felt Holly's presence vanish from his arms, and he looked down to see the girl had disappeared.
"What the..." Draco said, as Sarah disappeared as well, and he was attacking nothing at all.
Draco pulled out his wand as he scrambled to his feet, looking around.
"Where'd they go?" Draco asked.
"Over there," Harry answered.
The two little girls were smiling just a few feet behind them.
"They're messing with us, Draco, we need to plan this rationally," Harry said.
"Rationally?" Draco grumbled. "I say I curse them and see what happens."
"Well, you could do that," Harry said. "But I think we should look for an alternative."
"Like what?"
"Like you calming down for a moment," Harry insisted.
Draco paused, and took a deep breath.
"What's up with you?" Harry asked.
Draco sighed. "I dunno. This just reminds me so much of all the tests my dad has put me through; he'd get pissed if I stopped a moment to think, I'm supposed to be quick on my feet."
"You are," Harry said. "But this is a different sort of test, this one if we don't use our heads we wind up dead."
"I know," Draco sighed. "Alright, you say we need an alternative; we could try talking to them."
"We can try," Harry said, doubting it would work.
The two boys advanced towards the girls.
"You're mean!" Sarah said to them as they approached.
"You ought to be better losers," Holly grumbled. "It's not the first time anyone has failed to get the right key."
"Can we negotiate for the key?" Draco asked.
"Negotiate?" Sarah laughed. "After you just attacked me?"
"I don't think so!" Holly said, sternly. "Go away, and enjoy your last few days of life."
"We're not going to die in here," Harry told her.
"Oh, silly, silly boy," Holly shook her head. "Of course you are."
"I don't think you heard me," Harry said again. "We're not going to die in here."
Holly narrowed her eyes, and Draco glanced at him.
"I believe you've done enough talking," Sarah grumbled. "Go away."
"Leave us the key and we will," Harry said.
"You're very determined," Holly smiled. "Sarah, what do you say to playing a little game?"
"What sort of game, Holly?" Sarah taunted, not taking her eyes off Harry.
"Me against this one," Holly said, glaring at Harry.
"Or me against this one?" Sarah said, turning to Draco.
"What sort of game?" Harry asked.
"Shh!" Holly hushed. "A race through the swamp maze."
"I'll take her on," Draco spoke up.
"You sure?" Harry asked.
Sarah nodded, "Then he and I shall enter the maze, and whoever comes out alive is the victor."
"Deal," Draco said. "Let's go."
"Draco," Harry said, eyes pleading. "Be careful, alright."
Draco nodded, "I will, Harry."
Sarah smiled and led Draco away, leaving Harry behind with Holly; she looked up at him, her eyes wide and face blank.
"Want to have a little fun?" Holly said, a broad grin beginning to spread across her face.
Harry frowned, and realized that something was snaking up his legs. He looked down to see vines creeping up him, pulling him down, a jolt of fear rushed through him, as he tried desperately to break free.
Holly bent over him as he struggled.
"Do you scream, Harry?"
---
Draco had just entered another so-called "arena" of the swamp, and as Sarah said "on your mark, get set, go!" both took off, on a search for the gold box.
There was a lot more fog towards this area of the swamp, and a lot more water. He couldn't make out much, except the glow around Sarah.
He could very easily do as his father had taught him, curse the girl, and take the key. But just because he could, didn't mean he should. Harry wouldn't approve, and a thought had also crossed his mind that any spell probably wouldn't work on this girl.
Draco caught up to the girl, who was walking calmly through the swamp, as if she wasn't racing anyone.
"I could let you win if I wanted to," Sarah said with a smile.
"Oh could you?" Draco said. "Why don't you let me then?"
"Because," the girl shrugged. "I could win if I wanted to too, right now in fact."
"Why don't you do that either?"
"Because it's fun to see you scurry," Sarah smiled.
"Of course," Draco rolled his eyes.
"You know, you won't be able to find the key unless I want you too," Sarah said, her voice grim.
"Well," Draco sighed. "Are you going to tell me how to get the key from you?"
"Yes," Sarah said.
"Brilliant," Draco said. "What?"
"Will you kill me?"
---
Harry had been lying on the ground for what seemed like ages, the vines digging into his legs, and arms as it tightened around him. And Holly, who was no longer a little girl, but a demon, a little red ferocious looking demon that had been torturing him slowly. He had small cuts across his body; and a large bruise on his forearm.
The Holly demon was peering down at him, holding a flame in her hand.
"You like fire?" the demon asked him.
Harry didn't respond; if he didn't say anything then the demon took longer to attack.
"Come now," the demon muttered.
Harry heard a low buzzing noise, and Holly quickly turned back into the angelic looking girl that she was before and the vines disappeared off Harry.
Harry picked himself off the ground, and noticed that the cuts were gone, well, not the giant x across his chest, but just the little things that Holly had done to him.
"Harry," Draco was calling him.
Harry looked up disoriented, to see a fazed looking Draco coming towards him with a key in hand.
The two boys didn't need to tell each other to go, they just went, taking each other's hand without a word; both thinking about what had happened in silence.
Draco would be proud of me, Harry thought, I didn't scream.
And Draco's thoughts were quite the opposite, feeling like he had betrayed Harry somehow.
She asked me too, Draco told himself. She was being held captive.
Draco shot back a menacingly look to Holly, who just stared back at him, blanked faced, as if she knew what he had done to it's slave sister.
Draco put the key into the lock, they were engulfed in a bright flash of white, and they landed back in the attic of Grimmauld Place.
---
Harry stared at Draco, and Draco stared at Harry, both were in silence for a moment.
"I'm glad you came back." Harry finally broke the quiet.
Draco nodded, "Me too."
Harry needed to talk to Lupin again, he had to sort things out without loosing his head; he glanced at his watch, it was three in the afternoon.
"They're going to be wondering where we are," Harry said.
"Of course they are," Draco said dryly.
Harry and Draco made their way downstairs and found Hermione and Ginny talking on a couch, the two girls looked up at them.
"Hello," Ginny said, a hint of teasing in her voice. "Where have you two been off to?"
Harry just shook his head, "Nowhere."
Hermione looked at them, "In the attic?"
"Yeah," Harry shrugged. "Where are the others?"
"Ron, Bill, and Percy are talking up in your room," Ginny said. "And Fleur, Tonks and Lupin are in the kitchen."
Harry turned to Draco, "Hey, could you entertain yourself for a while? I need to talk with Lupin again."
Draco paused for a moment, "Yeah, alright." Draco nodded, then paused, "What should I do?"
Harry grinned, "Talk with these two."
Hermione shrugged, "As long as we keep things civil then I'm fine."
"Okay," Draco said, and then lowered his voice to Harry, "Just don't take to long."
Harry left the room and entered the kitchen where he found Lupin, Tonks and Fleur.
"'Ello, 'Arry," Fleur greeted as he came in.
"Hi," Harry said, "Hey Tonks, Lupin."
Harry turned his attention on Lupin who nodded.
"Have a seat Harry," Tonks said, encouraging. "I hear Lupin gave you a hard time last night."
Harry sat, and didn't say anything.
"I didn't mean to put that much pressure on you, Harry," Lupin sighed. "It's just, things are getting out of hand; people are dying, and there's just so much to cover that we need someone to give us direction; I thought you were ready for it-"
"-I'm not yet," Harry said. "But I will be soon."
Lupin nodded.
"Hey!" Bill said, coming into the Kitchen. "Has anyone seen my mum's clock?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"Kreacher probably stole it," Lupin sighed. "That or Mundungus."
"Kreacher was here a month or so ago," Harry said, just as confused as the rest of them, the spell had clearly worked the way it was supposed, and Harry couldn't remember a thing about the clock or the details surrounding it.
"Well," Fleur sighed. "We most certainly will not be getting any 'Ouse Elves if zis is how zay act."
Bill grinned at her, "Not all House Elves are like Kreacher, darling."
Fleur made a tutting sound, and Bill laughed.
"Oh, Harry, your guest appears to be getting hammered with questions in there," Bill said, turning to him. "You might want to go rescue him."
"Oh, no," Harry said, leaving the room.
He found Ron, Hermione, and Ginny talking to an annoyed looking Draco.
"I did not!" Draco said, "I only dated Pansy!"
"What's going on in here?" Harry asked.
Ron looked up as if Harry was accusing him.
"I wasn't doing it mate!" Ron said quickly. "It was all Ginny."
Ginny blushed, "I was keeping it civil...I just asked him how many girls he dated."
"She accused me of shagging half the girls in Slytherin," Draco grumbled.
Harry hid a grin.
"Well," Harry said. "Let's stop the twenty questions, shall we?"
"Yes please," Draco said. "Or we could turn the twenty questions onto you, Weasley," Draco said to Ron.
Ron looked puzzled, "Let's not."
Harry assumed he said this to make him remember about the Prophecy; but he hadn't forgotten, and he hadn't forgotten about how much he had been neglecting his friend.
"Okay, here's the question for you Ron," Harry said slowly. "What exactly does that Prophecy say about you?"
Both Ron and Ginny shot nervous and confused looks at him.
"Shh!" Ginny said quickly, and Harry was reminded of Holly, he twitched a little. "Percy is still around; if he hears you talking about that we'll be killed!"
So Percy was the one who had told them about the Prophecy.
Hermione shook her head, "Percy left, he apparated when you and Bill came out here."
"Oh," Ron said, breathing a sigh of relief. "How do you know about the Prophecy, Harry?"
Harry looked at Draco, and then back at Ron, "Draco."
Ron's eyes flashed to Draco, "How do you know about the Prophecy?"
Actually, that was a very good question, Harry thought. Draco just shrugged.
Harry frowned then turned back to Ron, "What did the Prophecy say?"
Ron took a moment, as the two boys stared at each other; realizing just how much hadn't been said over the last few months.
Finally, Ron started to explain to Harry all about the prophecy, and the reason's why Ron had been avoiding Hermione in the hospital wing became clear, and the reason Ginny had been avoiding him… Ron's power was to enhance people's thoughts, and Ginny's was to read them.
"My God," Harry said.
Draco and Hermione had stayed quiet during their discussion.
"I know, right?" Ron said, pushing a hand through his hair.
Hermione rubbed his shoulder, trying to make him feel better.
Fleur stepped into the room,
"Excuse me, but could I borrow Ron and Ginny for a moment, we need 'elp in zee kitchen."
"Sure," Ginny said.
Ron stared at Harry for a moment, then nodded as well.
"I'll talk with you later, Harry," Ron said, standing to leave.
Harry was left alone with Hermione and Draco, who were staring at him.
"It's about time you asked about that," Hermione said softly.
Draco looked at her, "I was just going to say the same thing."
Harry didn't know what to say; and he felt a little self-conscious.
"Did you guys get together that Hogsmead weekend you tried to get rid of me?" Harry asked, changing the subject.
"Oh," Hermione turned slightly red. "Yes."
Harry noticed Draco signaling with his eyes to leave the room; Harry thought for a moment, and knew this was his chance. 'First,' he mouthed to him 'we tell her.' Draco stared at him for a moment, and then turned to Hermione who was looking at them suspiciously.
"Harry, what was that about?"
"I have something to tell you."
Draco stood up, and to Harry's surprise, sat next to him.
Hermione's eyes darted between the two of them.
"Yeah..." Hermione said.
"I'm dating, Draco," Harry said, holding his breath.
To his surprise, Hermione didn't have the same look as Ginny did; in fact, she looked like she had known all along.
Of course, Harry thought. Trust Hermione to have figured it out.
Hermione started to giggle, and she put a hand to her mouth and she fell over laughing.
Both boys stared at her, unsure on what to say.
When Hermione got a grip, she took a deep breath, and opened her mouth to say something and burst into a fit of laughter again.
"Hermione, what are you laughing about?" Harry said, giving a small laugh.
Draco frowned. "Yeah, Granger, do tell."
"I'm sorry," Hermione said, calming herself. "It was just the surprise on your face when I didn't react the way you expected...Harry, Ginny told me this morning, and I guessed something was going on, especially with you two disappearing all the time."
"So, you don't...care?" Harry asked slowly.
"Of course not, Harry," Hermione said. "I support you, even if you make weird decisions."
"Hey!" Draco said. "Weird good or weird bad?"
"Just weird in general," Hermione said. "You can like whoever; I can't stop you, and I shouldn't."
"Thanks," Harry said.
"You might want to try a better approach in telling, Ron, though," Hermione said. "He'd have a heart attack if you told him the way you just told me."
"I'll keep that in mind," Harry said.
"Oh, let's do it," Draco said excitedly. "Come on, it'll be amusing, the look on his face. And then I can kiss you-"
"-Draco," Harry said warningly, but he was smiling. "No."
Draco groaned, but shrugged it off.
There was a call from the kitchen that Harry couldn't make out.
"Come on," Draco said.
Harry paused, "Huh?"
"Before they come and nab us, let's have some alone time," Draco said, tugging Harry up.
Hermione stared at them for a moment, "I'll cover, I guess."
"Thanks," Harry said, smiling.
They heard footsteps coming, and Draco and Harry rushed out of the room.
"Come on!" Draco urged him, whispering as he tugged on Harry's hand.
The two boys quickly ducked into a spare family-like-room and Draco muttered a spell that locked the door behind them.
The two boys laughed, and pulled each other to the center of the room.
"Alone at last, Harry," Draco said in a semi-dramatic tone, laughing.
Harry laughed and kissed him quickly, "Thank God!"
"Did you know..." Draco said, taking Harry's hand and heading him towards a couch. "That I think you should give me a back massage."
"You think that, do you?" Harry asked, laughing as Draco laid his chest. "What's in it for me?"
"Oh, I could think of a few things," Draco said tauntingly.
Harry's face turned red as his stomach flip-flopped.
"Pretty please," Draco batted his eyes. "Come on, you know I don't like to beg."
Harry laughed and moved towards Draco, "No, you just want to get things your way."
Draco smiled, and his heart fluttered like mad.
"Be captivated by my beauty later." Draco grinned. "Massage now please."
Harry chuckled.
"Off with your shirt then," Harry said.
Draco gave him a sly smile, "You just want to see my body."
Harry shrugged, "You want a massage we'll have to compromise."
Draco sat up and pulled off his shirt, and Harry caught a quick glimpse of the X across Draco's chest before he lay down again.
"I dunno if I'm any good at this," Harry said, as he straddled the boys lower back.
"Give it a go, and we'll see," Draco said.
So Harry started to rub Draco's shoulders and a few moments later Draco slid out from underneath Harry and stood up.
"Okay, that's it!" Draco said. "Take off your shirt and lay down."
"What?"
"I'm going to show you how to do this properly."
Harry, embarrassed took off his shirt and lay on his chest on the couch. He felt Draco's warm body around his hops, and Draco's fingers touch his shoulders. A shiver shot down Harry's body.
Harry relaxed as Draco moved his hands along Harry's back, it felt really nice.
"How's that?" Draco asked.
"Mmm," was Harry's peaceful reply.
Draco chuckled, "Good."
Draco's fingers slid down next to his stomach and made a fluttery motion.
"Hey!" Harry said, turning over so Draco would stop tickling him.
Draco smiled and placed his hands on either side of Harry's shoulders, and bent down to kiss him.
Harry drew him in, wrapping his arms around Draco's neck. Draco leaned down, against Harry, moving his hand across Harry's chest. Every touch was like sparks of electricity running through him, everything was so right, and nothing mattered...
A knock came at the door, knocking Harry out of his peace, and Harry and Draco pulled apart.
"And thus concludes our alone time," Draco said, moving off Harry and retrieving his shirt.
The knock came again.
"Harry," it was Hermione.
"Just a minute," Harry shouted and grabbed his shirt from the ground and pulled it over his head.
"Dinner's ready," Hermione called, from out the door. "Come down when you're ready."
Hermione's footsteps died away.
"Oh, she so thinks we're naked," Draco said, laughing.
"Shut it," Harry laughed.
He headed for the door and Draco made a loud clearing of his throat sound.
"Harry, your shirt, darling," Draco winked, opened the door, and left.
Harry looked down to see his shirt was put on backwards; he quickly pulled his arms in and turned it around, and went to join everyone in the dining room, feeling thoroughly embarrassed.