Chapter 8: Boils and Troubles, Doubts and Fears
Words were like insects. No matter how hard you tried to ward them off, how many precautions you take to keep them at bay, they still found to a way to thrive. Especially the worst kind of words, the ones that scarred the heart, slashing the hidden wounds with whips made of salt, resurfacing the pain and insecurity you tried to put down.
Granger's words weren't ordinary insects. They were cockroaches that crept and crawled across his mind, refusing to die no matter how hard he tried to kill them.
"What on earth would possess a nice, sweet boy like Harry to be friends with someone nasty and arrogant as you?"
Growling under his breath, Draco gave his pillow a hard punch at the center before shutting his eyes, attempting to sink into dreamland.
The words refused to be ignored.
"How he tolerates you, I have no idea."
They refused to let him be.
"I can only hope Harry realizes he can do better. Much better."
With a loud groan, Draco finally gave up. He stared out of their window, watching the late night-sky irritably.
Stupid, wretched nuisance of a girl. What the hell did she know? Draco scowled. She doesn't know anything.
Are you sure about that? A treacherous voice whispered in his head.
Of course he was. He was sure he was.
...Right?
He laid flat on his back and looked to his right. Harry was sleeping peacefully beside him.
Granger was a nuisance; he knew that from the moment he met her. She was a know-it-all who loved to show off her cleverness, thinking herself superior, sprouting out words such as this and more that made his irritation towards her deepened. She wasn't the first one to say such things to him. Most people he came across believed he was entitled and spoiled. His friends, Blaise in particularly, have admitted (or in Blaise's case, full-out said) that he was colder than ice.
He knew it, too. He could admit that he held himself to a high standard and refused to associate with anyone beneath that standard, letting it be known loud and clear. But that was what made him different from Harry.
Harry, who was sweet. Harry, who was kind as he was compassionate. Harry, who was by no means graceful except for when he was flying but charming in his way, filled with such warmth that easily drew people in.
Draco wasn't naïve to believe that people settled with just one friend. His father had told him while it was good to have a close friend; it was also good to have an elite circle of allies that could useful to you in the future. It was one of the reasons why he and Mother had Sunday tea, so he could form his circle. Even so, that didn't stop the bites of irritation and jealously from pricking him whenever Harry offered a smile to another child or paid close attention to someone else other than him.
Probably because, as much it pained him to admit it, he knew Harry could do better. He knew he could be difficult to deal with most of the times, and Harry was blessed with unyielding patience. However, who was to say how long that patience would last? What if one day it ran out? Harry could be friends with anyone. One week in school, and he already made more than several friends outside of Slytherin, including that damned know-it-all. What was to stop him from becoming close to someone else? From deciding that he could do better? From deciding that Draco wasn't worth the trouble?
The thought of Harry walking away, leaving him behind, stung his eyes with a flood of tears he struggled to keep caged.
Harry has been by his side practically forever, since they were five. It was hard to remember what life was like before the Potters came for Sunday tea, before impossibly deep yet bright green became one of his favorite colors for eyes, before he saw that shy smile turning the black-haired boy's somber face. It was hard to remember a time when Harry wasn't with him.
It was even harder to picture how life would be without him.
A slight nudge in his arm brought him back, turning his attention over to the right, where a pair of impossibly deep yet bright green eyes looked at him.
"You're spacing." Harry whispered.
"I was thinking."
"Liar."
Unable to think of a proper response, his throat suddenly tight, Draco kept silent as he averted his eyes.
"Draco." He looked up when he heard his name. Harry moved closer to him, his hand reaching out to catch a tear that escaped from his hold, rolling down his cheek. The touch was so gentle, so warm and familiar, it nearly made him lose his grip on his tear-filled eyes altogether.
Without saying a word, Harry opened his arms. Draco fell into them almost instantly, laying his head on the boy's chest, hearing the steady beat of his heart that vibrated against his cheek.
One arm coiled around his waist, making him feel safe. The other arm went to his head, its fingers threading through his hair.
He was able to breathe a bit easier now.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Harry asked.
He shook his head. The only thing he wanted was to stay like this forever, him and Harry in their nice bed, where nothing could get to them. Where nothing could separate them. Where nothing could take Harry away.
Well, actually, there was something else he wanted.
"Harry?"
"Yes?"
"Would you.." His hesitation was almost as silly as his request, but he forced the words out. "Would you sing to me? One of those Disney songs?"
When Harry first introduced him to the strange films, Draco didn't expect to like them. He thought they would be another useless Muggle invention when in fact it turned out to be one of their finest. He couldn't say the same for all films, but he did know he was fond of those that came from Disney. The stories were fascinating. The songs were good. Sometimes they spent hours in front of the TV, splitting bowls of popcorn and candy, lost in the world of princes and princesses, dark spells and talking creatures.
He thought Harry would question him. He hadn't asked for a song in over a year. Or poke fun at him, reminding him of his original doubt towards the films. But Harry simply stroked his hair, smiled, and asked which one.
"The Tarzan one. The one about the heart."
Harry didn't pause for a moment.
With his fingers moving through his hair, his touch smoother and softer than any comb, he began to sing.
Come stop your crying
It will be alright
Just take my hand
Hold it tight
I will protect you
From all around you
I will be here
Don't you cry
Draco closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around the boy's waist. There was no sound sweeter than Harry's when he sang.
For one so small,
You seem so strong
My arms will hold you
Keep you safe and warm
This bond between us
Can't be broken
I will be here
Don't you cry
'Cause you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more
You'll be in my heart
No matter what they say
You'll be here
In my heart
Always
Why can't they understand the way we feel
They just don't trust what they can't explain
I know we're different, but deep inside us
We're not that different at all
And you'll be in my heart
Yes you'll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more
That was all Draco could hope for.
Don't listen to them
'Cause what do they know
We need each other, to have, to hold
They'll see in time, I know
When destiny calls you, you must be strong
I may not be with you
But you got to hold on
They'll see in time, I know
We'll show them together
He loved almost every song from Disney, but this one was his favorite. It reminded him of him and Harry; how entwined they were to each other.
'Cause you'll be in my heart
Believe me, you'll be in my heart
I'll be there from this day on
Now and forever more
You'll be in my heart
You'll be here in my heart
No matter what they say
I'll be with you
You'll be in my heart
I'll be there
Always...
Always...
I'll be with you
I'll be there for you always
Always and always
Just look over your shoulder
Just look over your shoulder
Just look over your shoulder
I'll be there
Always
Will you? Draco shoved the thought away, blinking his eyes to keep the tears at bay.
"Harry?"
"Yes?"
"You'll never leave me, right?"
The hand stroking his hair paused before pulling away. The arm wrapped around his waist loosened. His heart throbbing painfully, Draco lifted his head. Harry looked down at him questioningly, a thoughtful frown on his face.
"What brought this up?" Harry asked.
The reason was hanging off the tip of his tongue, ready to be voiced. Draco pulled it in, refusing to say it. Harry was the only person he could show vulnerability to, openly and freely without fear of repercussion, but Draco wasn't sure how he'd react if Draco admitted his fear of being left behind. It sounded pathetic even to him. More than pathetic.
And for all he knew, his confession could plant the idea in Harry's head.
"It's just-I-" I'm scared that what Granger said was true. I'm scared that one day you'll realize that you can do better. I'm scared that you'll walk away and I won't be able to do anything about it and that I won't be able to handle it. "I just don't want you to leave me."
Harry stroked his hair. Draco arched into his touch.
"I'll never leave you," he promised. "I'll always be by your side even we get married to other people and have to move away. Or if you get sick of me."
Draco frowned at him. The marriage comment left an odd feeling in his stomach but he chose not to comment on it. "I'll never get sick of you. Ever." He was never more sure of anything else.
Harry smiled at him. "Then we have nothing to worry about."
"You're mine?" He couldn't rid the desperation that slipped into his voice, almost shaping the question into a plea.
"Always," he answered easily. "And you're mine?"
"Always." He kissed the inside of his elbow. "I love you."
He felt a soft kiss placed on the crown of his head, casting away all the fear and doubt from his mind like a spell. "I love you, too."
He fell asleep with a soft, relieved smile on his face.
The glamour of the school quickly began to lose its luster with the boys as they were furthered pulled down into the sea of assignments, homework, tests. September gave way to October, the leaves changing into bright colors, the air warming to a cozy crisp. Time was being taken up by the school assignments, along with Quidditch practice.
Draco had no doubts that he would make the team. He also had no such worries for Harry. He was an amazing Keeper, Harry a brilliant Seeker. The Slytherin team would have to be complete morons not to accept them. Draco had planned on impressing the Captain at try-outs, but fate would instead have the boys make their debut at flying class.
With Longbottom and Weasley being the key elements used to impress Madame Hooch.
Longbottom lost control of his broom and took off into the air, flying close to thirty feet. Weasley, who had been standing next to the boy, tried pulling the boy back, only to end up being an unexpected passenger for the ride, hanging off by the broom.
The two would have fallen to their deaths, or at least broken multiple bones, if Harry hadn't raced after them, trailed by a reluctant Draco who noted right away that it would be a two-man job.
As it turned out, helping two Gryffindorks did come with an advantage. Madame Hooch watched how in sync the best friends were with each other, anticipating the other's move without saying a word, switching between following and leading with ease. At the end of class, after rewarding them fifty points each for their flying and the rescue, she pulled them aside and informed them that she expected to see their faces at the try-outs.
The upperclassmen were anything but gentle on them as they tested out their skills. Particularly one nasty Marcus Flint, who was as pleasant as a troll. In the end, the smug captain was eating his words, Madame was impressed again, and the two secured themselves a spot on the team.
In the early morning, a sleepy gray cracked open as sunlight flashed towards his face, groaning under his breath.
Then immediately jolted up, both eyes wide open, as the date slammed into him.
Today was October thirty-first. Halloween.
He glanced over at his best friend who was already out of bed, dressed and ready for the day.
Halloween was a holiday they used to enjoy when they were kids, being a close-second favorite to Christmas. Dressing up in costumes, decorating their faces with makeup and masks, stuffing their faces with treats. Then they turned seven and the fun of Halloween died the night James and Lily were murdered.
Since then Halloween was a day that Draco hated, paying close attention to his friend, anxious for his reaction. Sometimes Harry treated the day as any other holiday, throwing as much enthusiasm as he did when they were younger, back when it used to be safe and fun. Other times the zombie Draco remembered and feared returned, casting those bright eyes into dead emptiness, drawing Harry into its dark shell. On the one-year anniversary of his parents' death/Halloween, Harry locked himself in the room Mother set up to be his and didn't come out until November first, taking in a deep breath as he emerged from the room, accepting the tight hug Draco besotted on him.
After he straightened his tie, Harry turned over to him, as if he could sense Draco's anxiety. A brief smile touched his face. "Morning."
"Morning."
"Happy Halloween."
His tone was light, almost playful, like Halloween was simply another holiday. The look in his eyes said otherwise.
Draco's body felt almost naked without the security of his blanket, but he paid no attention to it as he rose from the bed and walked over to his best friend, engulfing him in a hug.
It took awhile for him to feel any movement. Harry was still for a moment or two before he slowly laid his head on Draco's shoulder.
"Do you remember what I said to you?" Draco asked him. "At the funeral?"
"Yes."
Draco decided to remind him anyway. "You're not alone. You can never be alone. Not when you have me."
Harry pulled back slightly. Draco kissed his forehead, and then took a step back to look him in the eye, even though there was a part of him that almost wanted to prolong the kiss.
"I'm yours and you're mine." Draco told him.
He was never happier to see the smile that slowly blossomed on the boy's face, even tentative and soft. It was still beautiful to him. "I guess that's why I have you."
"But of course," He spoke with a haughty toned-voice he knew that would always get a laugh from Harry without fail. "It's a miracle you managed to survive so long without me."
Just as he hoped, laughter spilled from the boy's lips as he pushed his friend into the bathroom. "Prat."
"Git."
The day passed on uneventful. The aroma of pumpkin was thick in the air, spreading throughout the castle. Leaves flooded onto the school grounds like a beautiful autumn shower.
Most of which were captured in Harry's hair.
Draco laughed, watching his friend struggling to pull the leaves out. "You're like a leaf-magnet."
"Ha, ha, ha." Harry dryly replied.
Draco sent him a smirk as they took their seats in Charms class.
After spending weeks reviewing technique of wand movement and levitation, they were going to put what they learned into practice with a white feather the Professor placed at each desk.
"Remember the nice wrist movement we've been practicing," Professor reminded them, perched on top of his pile of books. "Swish and flick."
The students brought out their wands and followed through with the movement, swishing and flicking, but it was just like the first day of flying class all over again. Most of the feathers didn't even move, lying perfectly still. Some rattled but didn't take off. One feather exploded, courtesy of one Seamus Finnegan.
The feather blew up into the boy's face, smearing it with smoke and feathers, blowing off most of the hair of his eyebrows.
"I think we'll need another feather, Professor." His partner, Longbottom, croaked. His right cheek was smudged with smoke.
Draco snickered. Harry's lips quirked in amusement.
Weasley waved his hand wildly at his feather like he was trying to kill a fly. "Wingardium Leviosa! Wingardium Leviosa!"
Granger put a stop to it, settling his hand down. "Stop, stop, stop. You're going to take someone's eye out," she scolded. "And you're saying it wrong. It's Win-gar-dium Levi-o-sa. You need to make the 'gar' nice and long."
"You try then if you're so clever."
She accepted the challenge, flicking her wand. "Wingardium Leviosa."
The feather rose off the desk, hovering four feet over their heads.
"Well done, Ms. Granger!" Professor praised. "Ten points to Gryffindor."
The look on her partner's face was sour, one that broadened to an even sourer mood as they were dismissed from class.
"It's levi-o-sa." Feet away, they could hear Weasley's intimation of the girl, setting his voice to a high pitch, drawling the word obnoxiously. "She's a nightmare, I'm telling you. No wonder she doesn't got any friends."
Granger decided to make her presence know, jumping in front of the group, knocking Weasley in his shoulder as she quickly walked into the castle. Tears were rolling down her cheeks.
"I think she heard him." Harry said.
Blaise shrugged, unfazed. "The truth hurts but someone gotta do it."
Draco couldn't agree more. It was high-time anyway that the girl got knocked off her high horse.
Harry didn't think so. He watched her until she was gone from sight. He looked like he wanted to go after her.
Draco quickly acted, grabbing hold of his hand before he moved a step. "Don't, Harry. It's not your problem."
"But-"
"Draco's right, you know," Pansy said. "Dumbledore can preach all he wants to about school unity, but at the end of the day it's every house for themselves. Let the Gryffindors handle their cubs while us Slytherins look out for our snakes."
There were times when Pansy could be so dramatic and shrill; Draco wondered why he kept her around. Moments like this, proving her worth, reminded him why.
"Well said," Draco's words put a pleased smile to the girl's face. "Let's head to the common room."
Blaise was already leading the way, Theo and Pansy following closely behind, getting into another argument.
Draco turned to Harry, annoyance swirling in his body when he saw the boy's attention was still on the silly girl. "Like Pansy said, let the Gryffindors handle their problems, us our own."
Harry wasn't swayed, still looking after where Granger disappeared to, but he did accept Draco's hand and allowed himself to be led back to the room, which the young blonde took as a small victory.
Thousands of bats flew across the ceiling that was painted as a full moon-illuminated, night-sky later on that night in the Great Hall. Even though the teachers didn't plan anything festive for the holiday, they still put the effort into decorating. Still had the house-elves cook up a feast that was just as grand as the welcoming ceremony, setting out the fine golden plates and cups, laying out dishes and dishes of delicious food.
"This is a total waste."
Draco swallowed a bite of the pumpkin pie he was sharing with Harry, looking up at Theo who had spoken. "What's a waste?"
"That on a day where magic is at its highest peak and the veil between the living and dead is at its weakest, we're wasting it away with classes. When we could use this day to communicate with the dead."
"Or at least learn some interesting dark spells." In class, Quirrell thought it would be useful for them to peel raw garlic with knives so they would build immunity to its stench, which he felt would help them if they came across a vampire. The only that activity did was make Draco's cheeks slick with tears. Not to mention the smell clung to his robes most of the day.
"There's that too."
"We already talk to the living dead on a regular basic, Theo." Harry nodded towards Nearly-Headless Nick who was chatting with the Gryffindor Perfect.
Theo shook his head. "I mean interesting ghosts."
Pansy rolled her eyes. "Please. Knowing you, you'd just use the day to talk to your favorite dead author and ask him about the inspiration for his books."
"At least I know how to read!" he snapped. "Unlike some people. And no, I don't consider those fashion magazines you're obsessed with reading material."
"Shut it!"
"Why don't you make me?"
"Fun-killer!"
"Shrilled whiner!"
"Arse-licker!"
"Muggle-lover!"
Pansy's eyes widened as her mouth dropped. She quickly recovered from her shock, and retaliated with a kick she delivered to Theo's ankle that was so hard Draco swore he heard a bone crack.
"Wretched, sadist wench!"
"That's what you get, you arse!"
"You two are amusing than any show Mother has taken me to." Blaise smirked.
"Shut it, Zabini!" they said in unison.
It never got old.
"Think that they'll ever call it a truce?" Harry asked him as they watched the show from the sidelines.
"I see only one way of that happening," Draco answered. "One of them killing off the other and throwing a grand funeral in honor of the sweet silence."
Harry nudged him in the shoulder with a small laugh. He was about to reply when Professor Quirrell sprinted into the room, turban skewed, his face pale as a sheet.
"TROLL!" he screamed frantically, running towards Dumbledore. "IN THE DUNEGON! TROLL! IN THE DUNEGON!"
By the time he reached the headmaster the hall fell into silence.
"Thought you ought to know."
He fell into a dead heap.
The hall exploded in a mass of screams and panic.
It took several purple firecrackers bursting from Dumbledore's wand for the noise to decease.
"Perfects," he instructed calmly. "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately. Teachers, please follow me so that we can find our unexpected guest."
"Isn't he forgetting that our dorms are in the dungeons?" Crabbe asked. Goyle nodded his head.
"Proves that the old goat is trying to kill us." Draco said.
He expected Harry to respond, but heard nothing. He turned around. He broke away from the group and rushed over to the Gryffindors that the House Perfect was having a hard time organizing, over to Weasley.
"Where's Hermione?"
"I don't know," the boy confessed. "Neville said that she's been in the girls' bathroom all day."
Draco pushed and shoved his way through the frantic students to get to Harry.
"She doesn't know about the troll," Harry said. "She could get hurt."
Weasley paled, and then immediately took off. Harry followed, only to pulled back by Draco who grabbed his sleeve.
"For Merlin's sake, Harry, she's not our problem."
"Well she's my friend, so that makes it my problem." Harry shrugged off his hand and joined the weasel in their hunt to track down the witch.
Draco thought it over for a spilt second before finally making up his mind with a grumbled curse muttered under his breath as he ran after Harry.
Damn you, Potter! As kind as Harry was, he could also be a huge pain in the neck. One Draco was sure was going to get him killed one of these days.
Just as Harry had suspected, Granger was in danger. Following the high, shrilled scream, the boys found the girl in the bathroom, back pressed against the wall, staring up at the monster in fear.
They have read about the creatures and studied them in History class, but review didn't prepare Draco for the horrible stench that nearly killed his nose on the spot, reeking of sweaty socks that were in desperate need of a good wash. Or the ugliness of the creature. Twelve feet tall, its skin a dull, granitic gray, body lump and thick as a boulder, with its small bald head perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as a tree, long arms that glazed across the floor. One hand carried a huge wooden club that crack open a skull with a single blow.
"Hermione!" Weasley yelled.
The monster that had been advancing towards the girl paused at the sound of the scream, turning his attention over to them.
"Brilliant job, Weasel." Draco snapped.
Before the boy could comment, the troll let out a loud, fearsome roar that shook the room, causing several pieces of debris to crack and drop from the ceiling.
"Get Hermione," Harry told Draco. "We'll distract him."
He was already pushing him towards the girl.
"Come on, come on!" Draco ordered. The girl refused to move, frozen in her place, staring at the troll even though he was no longer paying attention to her. "Come on, you stupid little insect!"
She acted as if she couldn't hear him. She refused to tear her eyes away from the beast. Growling under his breath, he grabbed a handful of her bushy hair, tugging hard, pulling the girl onto her feet, jarring her awake from the shock. Then latched onto her arm, dragging her towards the door.
She screamed again, nearly shattering his eardrum. Gritting his teeth, he turned over to see what gotten her so frightened, his annoyance quickly breaking apart into fear.
Weasley was hauled by waist in the troll's hand, struggling to break free. The boy's wand was deeply embedded in the monster's left nostril, sticking out awkwardly. Unfazed by the ordeal, the troll advanced towards Harry, who was slowly backing towards the wall, raising his club off the floor and high into the air.
Panic built in his chest, strangling his heart. "Harry!"
"Draco, do you remember the spell Uncle Severus taught us over the summer?" Harry called out. "The stunning one?"
He stared blankly at his friend until he saw the calm, determined look in his eyes, quickly catching on.
"Stupefy!" he yelled.
A burst of red light sparked from his wand, knocking the troll by the side of his head. It wasn't strong enough to knock him out, but it did stun him, making him lose his footing and concentration for a minute.
Harry used that confusion to his advantage, pointing his wand at the creature. "Wingardium Leviosa!"
The club lifted from the troll's hand, as did Weasley, floating over his head.
Harry dropped the boy gently the on the floor. He used no such gentleness for the club he let fall right on the monster's head. The boys quickly raced over to the other side as the troll fell to the ground with a loud thump.
The children stayed still, watching the creature until the silence was broke by a small whisper
"Is it dead?" Granger asked
"I don't think so," Harry said, dusting the debris off his clothes. "I think it's just knocked out."
"What the bloody hell were they thinking?" Weasley demanded. "Letting that thing in here?"
All it took was the weasel speaking to bring the girl back to her scolding, controlling nature. "I highly doubt that they allowed a troll to come into the school," She pointed to the wand that was still embedded in the troll's nose. "I'd get that if I were you. I don't believe that there's a warranty on wands."
Weasley looked like he was fine leaving the wand where it was. Granger pushed him towards the creature. With a sour look on his face, he kneeled down and tugged hard, slowly tearing the wand from the nostril, dragging several strands of slimy mucus along that coated the end.
"Oh," He grunted. "My wand."
Draco had to wait several moments for his heart to finally go back to a normal pace. Once it had, he whirled over to his best friend and did two things. He first gave Harry such a hard punch to the arm that his fist was stinging when he pulled it back. Then, before the boy could protest or answer back with a punch, he engulfed him into a tight hug, nearly squeezing the life out of him.
"You ever ever put yourself in danger like that again, I'll gut you, Potter. I swear I will."
"Love you, too, prat." Harry whispered, returning the hug.
Draco sighed both tiredly and happily. Then immediately groaned, dropping his head on the boy's shoulder as a familiar voice cut through the air, followed by several footsteps that burst into the room.
"What in Merlin's name are the four of you doing here?!"
McGonagall stormed into the room, followed by Severus, with Quirrell bringing the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and quickly pressed back against the wall, clutching his heart.
The other two glared at them, their fury-lit eyes focused on the boys. McGongall's glare was pure fire, Severus' ice-cold.
"Explain yourselves!" she demanded.
"I-"
"You see-"
"It was my fault, Professor."
All six heads turned to the girl, stunned by the confession. None were more stunned than Professor McGonagall.
"Ms. Granger?"
"I wasn't present at dinner when the announcement of the troll was made. I-I was a bit preoccupied," There were still faint traces of tears on the girl's face. Weasley looked at them and then away, ashamed. "Ron, Harry, and Draco saved me. If it weren't for them, I'd probably be dead."
"That would a very high probability, Ms. Granger," Severus walked over to the troll that was unconscious. There was a scratch on his cheek from where Draco's spell had hit him and a nasty lump on his head where the club had been dropped. "Seems that my snakes saved your cub, McGonagall."
"Hey!" Weasley protested. "I helped too!"
Draco scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I'd hardly call wetting your pants, sticking your wand in the oaf's nose, and getting caught helping, Weasley."
The boy glared daggers at him.
"Being as that may," McGonagall said. "I'm very disappointed in you, Ms. Granger." The girl hung her head in shame. "I expected better from you. Five points will be taken from Gryffindor. And as for you three," McGonagall whirled over to the boys. "I hope you realize how fortunate you are. Not many first-years could take on a fully-grown mountain troll and live to tell the tale. I'm rewarding you five points each. For sheer dumb luck."
Weasley grinned, though Draco thought it was unjust for the boy to be awarded points when he barely did anything useful.
"Now off to the bed, all of you. I'm sure you had enough excitement for one night."
Severus glared at Harry and Draco as they walked by him, his eyes still icy, still hard. "I will deal with you two in the morning."
It wasn't a threat. It was a promise, one which the boys were not looking forward to.
The children hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak until they were two levels above ground. Granger then surprised them all as she turned around and rushed into Harry's arms, hugging him tight.
Draco wanted to hex her on the spot.
"Thank you," she said. She pulled away with a soft smile on her face. "You're very brave, Harry."
"Yea," Weasley added. "You're not half bad. For a Slytherin, that is."
Imbecile. Draco rolled his eyes.
"You were brave, too, Ron," Harry turned over to Draco and smiled gently at him, grabbing his hand. "You, too, Draco. I was only able to escape since you distracted him."
Granger looked like it pained her to be in agreement. "Thank you, Draco."
He glared at her, unmoved. "I only came along because Harry needed backup. Thank Merlin, I did. He would have died with you two goons frozen as icicles." The tone in his voice made it clear that the rescue didn't change the nature of their relationship. She was an insect, a complete cockroach in his eyes.
From the look on the girl's face, it was clear he was still the ice-prince with the nasty, intolerable personality.
With that being said, Draco headed off to the Slytherin dorms. He was close to twelve steps in when he realized he wasn't hearing footsteps beside him.
He looked over his shoulder.
Harry was still with the two Gryffindors, talking among themselves. There was nothing unusual about the sight, but it caused sharp needles to prick into his heart and stomach, especially as he saw how they smiled at Harry, like he was already one of them, and how Harry returned the smile with the same warmth.
It changes nothing, he told himself. I'm still his and he's mine. He'll always be mine.
But as he watched Granger take hold of Harry's hand and Weasley place a hand on his shoulder, those horrible words returned, slitting across his mind like a dagger.
"I only hope Harry realizes he could do better. Much better."
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