I do not own any of J.K. Rowling's characters. I'm just borrowing them to play with, probably to her horror were she ever to set eyes on this. But what matters is that you who are reading this, whoever you are, that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. So, enjoy!!
A huge THANK YOU to Mrs. ToriSnape for being the first person to review my story. You ROCK!!
A huge THANK YOU to Anon for being the second, third and fourth person to review my story. Thanks a lot!!
A huge THANK YOU to Walk On The Wildside for being the fifth person to review my story. I'm glad that you love my story, but please don't die on me. This story is going to have a whole second part to it. Trust me, you don't want to miss that. : )
A huge THANK YOU to no one for being the sixth person to review my story. : )
A huge THANK YOU to Piglet for being the seventh person to review my story. I'm glad that you like it. So do I. : )
An even bigger hug to my bestest friend, Legolas. You're a truly beautiful person, and it is my honor to be your friend and bounce my ideas of your head. In a purely professional sense of course.
grins, tossing a crumpled up ball of paper at her head and watching it bounce off
Chapter 25 Accidentally Insensitive
Malfoy was lying on the couch in Malfoy Manor, his eyes closed as he thought about Harry.
Damn if he didn't miss the little annoying things that he did.
Like leaving the bar of soap in the bottom of the tub so that when it dried he had to dig it off, instead of just putting it back in the soap holder.
And leaving wet towels on the floor instead of hanging them up to dry.
Hell, it was already like they were living together.
He smiled at that thought, jumping when he heard a book slam shut behind him.
"God, Snape, please do not do that. You nearly gave me a heart attack."
Snape smirked at him, but his eyes were distant. "Sorry, Draco."
"It's Malfoy," he corrected, frowning at him.
"I said I accept your relationship with my mother, not that you could start being all friendly."
"It was your mother's idea, not mine. Not that I bear you any ill will, but I think that the damage that your father inflicted on you can not be completely repaired."
"Repaired?!! I'm not a broken vase that you can magic back together.
Where the fuck did you pull that line from? The bastard beat me for god sakes!!
Oh, hell, I need a drink…"
"I'm sorry, Malfoy. I didn't mean to offend you. I'm sure your mother has some wine around here somewhere."
"Wine?" Draco said incredulously, running a shaking hand through his hair.
"Forget that pansy-shit. I need rum."
He stood, walking to the stairs to go up to his room.
Then he shut his door, gripping the gold frame of the ugly picture of a bowl of fruit above his bed and pulling on it, revealing the hidden safe behind it.
He had had the safe installed to keep his important things away from his parents.
They knew nothing about muggle technology.
He took the key, turning it in the lock at the same time he punched in the code word on the keypad. The door popped open with a hissing sound, and he reached inside to grab a bottle of rum.
He tilted his head back as he took a long swallow, gasping at the familiar burning sensation. Then he set it down, looking at the contents of the safe.
There were several more bottles of rum, of course.
A lock of Harry's hair suspended forever in a clear crystal paperweight, his golden egg and Horntail figurine from the Triwizard Tournament, which Draco had stolen from Dumbledore's office after Harry had given them back, and a few pictures of him which he had taken from afar, or stolen.
He frowned at the reminders of the fact that Harry wasn't with him, relocking the safe and shoving the painting back in place to hide it.
Then he sighed, his fingers stroking his bracelet of hair as he took another swallow of rum.
He stopped before he got drunk, putting the bottle away, enough of his emotional-pain dulled by the buzz to let him relax again.
His last thoughts were of Harry as he fell asleep wondering how he was doing at Grimmauld Place.