I didn't mean to take this long between chapters, sorry about all that. I finally got the cast off my hand the day after my last post, but as luck would have it, the next day I played my first basketball league game in a month and was fouled quite hard and fractured a bone in my other hand when I fell. I've played in three games... wow. Good thing I paid all that money...What a bunch of crap that is... anyway, sorry again.
Oh, I got a review and an email about Draco being a total slut. While I know that he almost always is in fics, that isn't what I was going for. I was aiming for the totally vindictive character. He will go to any level to get what he wants done, namely destroying Harry's world. That's why he went after Colin. Not because he is a big ol' ho bag or anything (even though he is). He is sort of like any character on a soap opera, nothing is beneath them when necessary (Erica Cain, for example).
Okay, enough explaining myself, even though I know it was only a thought and not a jab at me, and on with the show...
This chapter jumps around a lot, so just bear with me.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Draco and Colin ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Draco moved in close. "You're much more than a replacement to me, you know," he whispered in Colin's ear. Draco ran a hand gently down Colin's chest and felt the furious pace of his heart. The hand drifted further down and circled his waist and slowly pulled him closer.
Colin smiled at that remark and let Draco continue. This didn't feel quite right, but it sure did feel good. He shut his eyes and drifted closer.
Small feet carried him across the grounds in a rush. He scanned every face he came across, hoping for a sign of Colin. He looked around and saw a number of students playing in a field. Maybe Colin was over there. He flew down the small hill and was just beginning to scan the crowd when he spied two people sitting on a rock, rather involved. Platinum hair on one of them. Well, that could only be one person, now who is he with? A few more steps to the side to get a better look...
He tried to scream out but the words died in his chest. That couldn't be. NO!! Please say that's not my brother!! Oh my god, it is. Not Draco Malfoy of all people. He had to find Harry and find him now. Dennis dashed back up the hill and to the castle at top speed.
"Is that raspberry?" Draco thought to himself about Colin's breath as their lips met. "Yes, I believe it is."
The kiss flooded Colin with feelings. Some of them were screaming at him to go ahead with all this. Others were yelling at him to stop and get out of there. The remaining feelings were undecided. "This isn't right, he thought to himself. "But is good, though." He was lost in the feelings for a handful of minutes and when his mind finally surfaced, the next thought galvanized the remaining undecided feelings. "This is so different than when me and Harry-" His eyes popped open and he pushed Draco away.
"What's the matter, little Gryffindor?" Draco asked him.
"This isn't right. I can't do this," was the answer Colin gave him.
"You seemed quite able just a moment ago," Draco said to him, a bit annoyed.
"I don't know, I just can't do it." Colin pulled away from Draco and got up.
"You're just going to leave me here then?" Draco called to him.
"I'm sorry, Draco. I - I have to go." Colin ran off, out into the grounds.
Draco sat there for a while, trying to figure out how he could salvage his plan, if he even could at all. No, probably not. "Damn you, Gryffindor," he yelled to the grounds. He pushed his hair back in place and started walking back to the castle.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Ron and Hermione ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Hermione had left the common room a few steps ahead of Seamus and Neville and a short minute before Dennis and Aidan. She pointed the boys in on direction and took off in another. It was almost amazing how many empty classrooms there were in Hogwarts. She had checked twenty or so when her path took her directly into Ron.
"Any luck, Hermione?" he asked her.
"No, unfortunately not, Ron. He wasn`t in the infirmary then?"
"No, he never made it there."
"Well this is just wonderful. Any idea as to where we should look next?"
"Maybe outside," Ron suggested.
"Alright then, outside it is."
They were walking in near silence, both checking in class rooms and side hallways and thinking their own thoughts. Hermione's were about how bad this all was, and Ron's were mostly on the same level. Mostly, except for the occasional rogue shot across the bow. He had just checked in a closet when he stopped dead in his tracks after a thought raced just inside his conscious mind. "Why the hell am I walking around looking for the little git? If he doesn't want to be found, so be it."
"Ron, did you find something? Ron?" she asked twice after getting no reply the first time.
"Huh? No, I uh, didn't find anything. I - well, I just sorta thought I did," he replied. "Oh yeah, that sounded *real* believable, Ron," he thought to himself. He shook the cobwebs out of his head and walked on, a bit worried about where that came from. "I might have to go see Surtain again," he thought to himself as he peeked in a window. Two things followed after that thought. One went unnoticed by all, and the other was noticed by Harry.
Ron and Hermione had made their way down to the second floor when they were nearly bowled over by a light speed Dennis Creevey. Ron caught the boy in one arm and took a step backwards. "Where's the fire?" he asked
"No fire," Dennis spat out, obviously winded from his run. "Where's Harry?"
"Out looking for Colin somewhere, I presume. Why Dennis?"
"I, I saw my brother. He was with Draco Malfoy."
"What?!?" Ron and Hermione said at the same time. "Draco Malfoy? What ever for?" Hermione asked.
"Was Malfoy hitting him or something?" Ron asked.
Dennis just hung his head and shook it negatively. "No, I wish that's all it was. They were," he trailed off, trying to say what he didn't want to say, "They were kissing."
The silence around them was as thick as homemade gravy. Finally, Hermione broke the quiet. "You're sure about this, aren't you, Dennis?"
"Yes." It was if saying what he said took every ounce of strength from him. He went all weak in Ron's arm. He started crying.
"I'm going to kill that bastard. I owe him one," Ron said.
"No you're not. You're going to take Dennis up to the common room and I've got to find Harry." Ron looked like he was going to protest, but Hermione's look showed there was no room for discussion on the subject.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Harry and Draco ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Harry had been searching frantically everywhere. He had asked a few people and had no luck there. He'd checked many class rooms and also had no luck. He had just checked a semi-secret passage that too many people knew about to be called secret when his stone necklace began to radiate heat. Harry was quite surprised and yelled out loud. A young Ravenclaw boy, most likely a firstie, stared at him like he had three heads.
"Ah, it's just a cramp, that's all," he tried to explain to the boy as he rubbed his leg. He smiled his best disarming smile but the kid wasn't sure. "I'm not insane," he nearly yelled after the boy. He pulled out the stone after the kid walked on and it was glowing a bright orange-yellow. He could actually feel it this time, not like last night. It wasn't burning him, it was just warm.
"I need to remember to ask Hermione if she knows anything about this rock," he said to the wall. After getting no reply, he began his search again.
Draco Malfoy was truly pissed by now. He had made it back into the castle and was going back to the dungeons. People seemed to pick up on his mood and gave him a wide berth, which was good because they would be subjected to a petrifying gaze and an acid tongue had they the nerve to be in his way.
"Why, what have we here?" he asked himself. Providence was apparently on Draco's side after all. Down the hall from him, walking his way, was the object of his hate, Potter himself. Maybe everything might not have been for naught after all.
Draco waited until Harry drew closer before speaking. "So, Potter, how does he taste?" Harry was obviously not happy about seeing him. "Good," he thought.
"Malfoy, what are you talking about?"
"I thought I noticed a hint of raspberry. Ever notice that, Potter? Maybe it's from some of those raspberry candies from Hogsmeade."
"Malfoy, in case you haven't noticed, I'm busy, so exactly what are ---" realization sunk in right then and there. "You son of bitch, you stay away from him. You better hope you're lying, Malfoy!"
"Ah, but Potter, he came to me; it seems that someone didn't have time for him anymore, with the Weasel Reunion and all."
"You are so full of garbage, Malfoy."
"Really? You think so? Raspberry, Potter. You know it's true. And the way his heart beats when you hold him. It's a shame you ditched him like that, Potter."
"I did no such thing!!" Harry yelled to everyone in the hallway.
"Well, someone sure seems to think so, Potter."
"I swear by all that is sacred, Malfoy, that if I find out that this is true, I will make you wish you were never born."
"Idle threats, Potter. If you don't believe me, just come down to the Slytherin common room tonight, during dinner. You can see for yourself. You can see *everything* for yourself." Draco smirked the biggest smirk in the history of the free world and walked off, leaving Harry standing in the corridor.
Once he was a way down and around a corner, he stopped to think. "Oh, wonderful. Now I have to figure a way to get him to my room tonight." he leaned up against a wall and pondered for a moment. Thankfully for him, Slytherin are notoriously devious planners and he walked back the way he came with a big smile.
Oh, I got a review and an email about Draco being a total slut. While I know that he almost always is in fics, that isn't what I was going for. I was aiming for the totally vindictive character. He will go to any level to get what he wants done, namely destroying Harry's world. That's why he went after Colin. Not because he is a big ol' ho bag or anything (even though he is). He is sort of like any character on a soap opera, nothing is beneath them when necessary (Erica Cain, for example).
Okay, enough explaining myself, even though I know it was only a thought and not a jab at me, and on with the show...
This chapter jumps around a lot, so just bear with me.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Draco and Colin ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Draco moved in close. "You're much more than a replacement to me, you know," he whispered in Colin's ear. Draco ran a hand gently down Colin's chest and felt the furious pace of his heart. The hand drifted further down and circled his waist and slowly pulled him closer.
Colin smiled at that remark and let Draco continue. This didn't feel quite right, but it sure did feel good. He shut his eyes and drifted closer.
Small feet carried him across the grounds in a rush. He scanned every face he came across, hoping for a sign of Colin. He looked around and saw a number of students playing in a field. Maybe Colin was over there. He flew down the small hill and was just beginning to scan the crowd when he spied two people sitting on a rock, rather involved. Platinum hair on one of them. Well, that could only be one person, now who is he with? A few more steps to the side to get a better look...
He tried to scream out but the words died in his chest. That couldn't be. NO!! Please say that's not my brother!! Oh my god, it is. Not Draco Malfoy of all people. He had to find Harry and find him now. Dennis dashed back up the hill and to the castle at top speed.
"Is that raspberry?" Draco thought to himself about Colin's breath as their lips met. "Yes, I believe it is."
The kiss flooded Colin with feelings. Some of them were screaming at him to go ahead with all this. Others were yelling at him to stop and get out of there. The remaining feelings were undecided. "This isn't right, he thought to himself. "But is good, though." He was lost in the feelings for a handful of minutes and when his mind finally surfaced, the next thought galvanized the remaining undecided feelings. "This is so different than when me and Harry-" His eyes popped open and he pushed Draco away.
"What's the matter, little Gryffindor?" Draco asked him.
"This isn't right. I can't do this," was the answer Colin gave him.
"You seemed quite able just a moment ago," Draco said to him, a bit annoyed.
"I don't know, I just can't do it." Colin pulled away from Draco and got up.
"You're just going to leave me here then?" Draco called to him.
"I'm sorry, Draco. I - I have to go." Colin ran off, out into the grounds.
Draco sat there for a while, trying to figure out how he could salvage his plan, if he even could at all. No, probably not. "Damn you, Gryffindor," he yelled to the grounds. He pushed his hair back in place and started walking back to the castle.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Ron and Hermione ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Hermione had left the common room a few steps ahead of Seamus and Neville and a short minute before Dennis and Aidan. She pointed the boys in on direction and took off in another. It was almost amazing how many empty classrooms there were in Hogwarts. She had checked twenty or so when her path took her directly into Ron.
"Any luck, Hermione?" he asked her.
"No, unfortunately not, Ron. He wasn`t in the infirmary then?"
"No, he never made it there."
"Well this is just wonderful. Any idea as to where we should look next?"
"Maybe outside," Ron suggested.
"Alright then, outside it is."
They were walking in near silence, both checking in class rooms and side hallways and thinking their own thoughts. Hermione's were about how bad this all was, and Ron's were mostly on the same level. Mostly, except for the occasional rogue shot across the bow. He had just checked in a closet when he stopped dead in his tracks after a thought raced just inside his conscious mind. "Why the hell am I walking around looking for the little git? If he doesn't want to be found, so be it."
"Ron, did you find something? Ron?" she asked twice after getting no reply the first time.
"Huh? No, I uh, didn't find anything. I - well, I just sorta thought I did," he replied. "Oh yeah, that sounded *real* believable, Ron," he thought to himself. He shook the cobwebs out of his head and walked on, a bit worried about where that came from. "I might have to go see Surtain again," he thought to himself as he peeked in a window. Two things followed after that thought. One went unnoticed by all, and the other was noticed by Harry.
Ron and Hermione had made their way down to the second floor when they were nearly bowled over by a light speed Dennis Creevey. Ron caught the boy in one arm and took a step backwards. "Where's the fire?" he asked
"No fire," Dennis spat out, obviously winded from his run. "Where's Harry?"
"Out looking for Colin somewhere, I presume. Why Dennis?"
"I, I saw my brother. He was with Draco Malfoy."
"What?!?" Ron and Hermione said at the same time. "Draco Malfoy? What ever for?" Hermione asked.
"Was Malfoy hitting him or something?" Ron asked.
Dennis just hung his head and shook it negatively. "No, I wish that's all it was. They were," he trailed off, trying to say what he didn't want to say, "They were kissing."
The silence around them was as thick as homemade gravy. Finally, Hermione broke the quiet. "You're sure about this, aren't you, Dennis?"
"Yes." It was if saying what he said took every ounce of strength from him. He went all weak in Ron's arm. He started crying.
"I'm going to kill that bastard. I owe him one," Ron said.
"No you're not. You're going to take Dennis up to the common room and I've got to find Harry." Ron looked like he was going to protest, but Hermione's look showed there was no room for discussion on the subject.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Harry and Draco ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Harry had been searching frantically everywhere. He had asked a few people and had no luck there. He'd checked many class rooms and also had no luck. He had just checked a semi-secret passage that too many people knew about to be called secret when his stone necklace began to radiate heat. Harry was quite surprised and yelled out loud. A young Ravenclaw boy, most likely a firstie, stared at him like he had three heads.
"Ah, it's just a cramp, that's all," he tried to explain to the boy as he rubbed his leg. He smiled his best disarming smile but the kid wasn't sure. "I'm not insane," he nearly yelled after the boy. He pulled out the stone after the kid walked on and it was glowing a bright orange-yellow. He could actually feel it this time, not like last night. It wasn't burning him, it was just warm.
"I need to remember to ask Hermione if she knows anything about this rock," he said to the wall. After getting no reply, he began his search again.
Draco Malfoy was truly pissed by now. He had made it back into the castle and was going back to the dungeons. People seemed to pick up on his mood and gave him a wide berth, which was good because they would be subjected to a petrifying gaze and an acid tongue had they the nerve to be in his way.
"Why, what have we here?" he asked himself. Providence was apparently on Draco's side after all. Down the hall from him, walking his way, was the object of his hate, Potter himself. Maybe everything might not have been for naught after all.
Draco waited until Harry drew closer before speaking. "So, Potter, how does he taste?" Harry was obviously not happy about seeing him. "Good," he thought.
"Malfoy, what are you talking about?"
"I thought I noticed a hint of raspberry. Ever notice that, Potter? Maybe it's from some of those raspberry candies from Hogsmeade."
"Malfoy, in case you haven't noticed, I'm busy, so exactly what are ---" realization sunk in right then and there. "You son of bitch, you stay away from him. You better hope you're lying, Malfoy!"
"Ah, but Potter, he came to me; it seems that someone didn't have time for him anymore, with the Weasel Reunion and all."
"You are so full of garbage, Malfoy."
"Really? You think so? Raspberry, Potter. You know it's true. And the way his heart beats when you hold him. It's a shame you ditched him like that, Potter."
"I did no such thing!!" Harry yelled to everyone in the hallway.
"Well, someone sure seems to think so, Potter."
"I swear by all that is sacred, Malfoy, that if I find out that this is true, I will make you wish you were never born."
"Idle threats, Potter. If you don't believe me, just come down to the Slytherin common room tonight, during dinner. You can see for yourself. You can see *everything* for yourself." Draco smirked the biggest smirk in the history of the free world and walked off, leaving Harry standing in the corridor.
Once he was a way down and around a corner, he stopped to think. "Oh, wonderful. Now I have to figure a way to get him to my room tonight." he leaned up against a wall and pondered for a moment. Thankfully for him, Slytherin are notoriously devious planners and he walked back the way he came with a big smile.