Tears Are Pearls

Mercury And Gold-Part Four


By Dreamer

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I glanced sideways at Draco. His silhouette was all I could see of him at the moment since a cloud separated us. Just then he emerged from behind it, his milky-white hair pulled behind his face, exposing his visage fully for the first time. Normally he had some of his bangs falling over his face; they made his features stand out. Right now he looked so clean-cut, more like a statue than a person did. It was as if he had been cut out of marble. He looked good like this, very reliable. As a rule, he looked really dangerous. Appearances can be deceiving though. What if he was trying to lead me into a trap? And what if he was wrong and the Death-Eaters were hurting Hermione. I couldn't believe that he had betrayed her, especially if he was telling the truth and he really did love her. But the way he's acting, he really does care for Hermione. On the other hand...he did help kidnap Hermione and he does have a Death-Eater for a father. Oh well, at least Sirius knows where I'm going although I don't know how long it'll take for Hedwig to reach him.

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We were flying through the air, trying to reach my family mansion. I had managed to convince Potter that there was no need to inform the Weasel but he had insisted on sending an owl to somebody, he didn't tell me whom. I left a quick note for Professor Snape and didn't tell anybody else. We had been flying for hours, trying to reach my mansion. At first we had stayed fairly close together, separating only when we were going to fly through a cloud. After a while we had grown tired of this game of hide-and-seek and flown apart in silence, each thinking silently.

I was trying to guess the thoughts that flitted through Harry's head; after all he was the boy that lived. And strangely enough, the boy that lived seemed to trust me! Was he crazy? For all he knew, I could be leading him into an elaborate trap. On the other hand, I wouldn't have let him owl whoever it was he owled if I was trying to trick him.

I wasn't sure what he thought I was up to. After all, the whole point of kidnapping Hermione was to lead him into a trap and leading him to my family mansion would be a great way to deliver him to Voldemort.

My flying was a bit off because I was too worried about Hermione. I knew that she was safe from rape ( no Death-Eater would want to contaminate themselves by touching a Mudblood) but I wasn't so sure about torture. When you consider that my father had often hurt me and that I was his own son, it seemed more than likely that he would love to abuse a Mudblood. I winced at how easily the word sprang to my lips. If I don't want to insult Hermione I'd better get used to calling Mudbloods muggle-born instead. I glanced down at the countryside beneath us. Just then I heard Harry yell.

Draco, look out!

A big, metal contraption with two wings was coming towards me! I pulled the handle of my broom down and rolled sideways. I avoided the nose but was hit on the side of my head by a wing. I let go of my broom and fell, spiraling downwards, too stunned to scream.

#########

I had watched in horror as the wing of the plane hit Draco. I couldn't understand why he had let go of his broom but I didn't have time to think as he was falling towards the ground. And looked as if he was about to get a lot more personal with the ground than he wanted. I kicked my Firebolt down and hurtled after him. I was going as fast as I could but I still couldn't reach him. That's when I had a brilliant idea. I stopped trying to catch him and went after his falling Firebolt instead. I caught it easily and swooped back so that I was flying above Draco. The expression on his face was strange. He looked so peaceful, so resigned as if it didn't matter to him if he lived or died. That was even more infuriating than his usual smirk. I called out to him, trying to attract his attention.

Hey Draco! Think fast! I threw the broom to him and glided back up. He caught it easily and grasped its handle. His only problem now was that he had been falling for quite a while and that the pull of gravity might be too strong for his Firebolt. He managed to get the broom to slow his fall but then they both plummeted down and I watched him, knowing that there was no chance that I would be able to intercept them in time. Luckily he was right above a haystack as in about 5m above the haystack. He fell into the haystack with his Firebolt still clasped to his chest. I watched, half-expecting him to come crashing out the bottom of the wagon that the haystack was stored in.

When no Draco appeared, either from the top or the bottom, I flew downwards to check. I dismounted near the haystack and casually poked it with the handle of my broomstick. The hay stirred and a disheveled head poked out of the top of the hay-stick.

Give me a break Potter. First a metal thing that belongs to mortals hits me, then you don't manage to catch me, then my Firebolt doesn't help and then I crash into a pile of hay. And (this is the worst part of all from my point of view) my hair gets messed up! he groaned. I did a double take at his last complaint and then I smiled, glad to have him alive even if he was complaining.

Well, look at this way, at least you're alive. Besides your hair always looks weird, like you have at least a gallon of oil on it. I suggested, hoping to cheer him up. It didn't work. He gave me a panicked look and then ran his hand through his hair.

What are you talking about Potter? My hair feels fine to me! he snarled irritably while quickly picking stalks of hay out. Then he gave me a worried look. I felt my heart sink. If the look on his face was any indication, he had just realized that something was very wrong. He wordlessly held out the remains of his Firebolt. It had snapped in two.

Harry, we have a problem. Apparently I broke my Firebolt by trying to make it pull me up. And as a magical item, it can't be mended by magic. We'll either have to do this by hand or go the rest of the way to my mansion by foot. He explained, still sounding confidently superior despite all that had just happened. I examined his broom. He was right, there was no way that we could mend it. I sighed with exasperation. Yet another obstacle.

Do you even know how to dress or act like a normal Muggle? I demanded angrily. Probably not, after all he was a spoiled rich boy who had house-elves to all his work for him and he despised mugg- well, used to despise Muggles. I had to correct myself mid-sentence.

As a matter of fact, no I don't Potter but I have a better idea. He coolly replied, unflustered. I had to admire how quickly he had managed to recover after being hit by a plane and falling into a haystack. He then pointed out to the next field where a bull was tethered.

My eyes widened. Surely he couldn't be suggesting that we ride a bull? I thought. Apparently he was as he had a huge grin on his face. Before I could do anything to stop him, he walked towards the bull and taking his wand out, pointed at the bull while muttering under his breath. I watched with fascination as the bull changed into four bulls. Draco looked critically at the four bulls and then made another pass with his wands, this time changing the bulls into horses. He plucked a gray stone from the gravel and enlarged it to become a black boulder. To finish it, he hollowed it out and harnessed the four horses to the carriage without doing anything except waving his wand and muttering under his breath. I was impressed since I couldn't remember learning this in school. I hadn't thought that he was any good at his classes either, well except for Potions and that I had always thought was due to Snape.

He smiled briefly at the amazed look on my face and then he turned to me and asked sarcastically
"Is that good enough for you? I can't act like a normal mortal but I figure that I should make a pretty good lord."

He looked at himself and flicked his wand quickly. His robes changed to a loose white silk shirt falling open at his chest and black silky trousers that were flared ever so slightly at the bottom. He also had on soft leather boots without any laces or straps. Draco looked me up and down appraisingly. It was as if he was judging me. Or to be more precise, my body. For some reason, his scrutiny made me nervous, so I crossed my arms defensively over my chest and stared at him. He looked amused and then with a flick of his wand replaced my robes with a outfit similar to his own except that the shirt was a pale, golden-green and the trousers were a dark forest green. The boots were the same tan color though. I looked at myself and glanced at him, horrified.

" Get rid of these clothes! I look effeminate. Dress me in some jeans or corduroys but get me out of these clothes."

His smile disappeared as he retorted "It's almost exactly the same as my outfit. Besides, I think that you look okay."

"Of course you do, you selected these clothes! Besides, it isn't my problem if you want to look like a male stripper but it is my problem if you dress me like one!" I retorted fiercely. Draco raised a slender eyebrow at me.

"Thanks for the compliment Potter. That clothing is made out of quality material, much better than you're used to. Nobody will mistake you for a gigolo anyway, after all who would be desperate enough to hire a pie-faced git like you?" He languidly drawled, sounding for a moment like the old Draco that I knew. I sighed. It looked as if the awkward friendship that had developed between us was gone. We were back to the familiar sniping rhythm I knew.

Draco rudely demanded.

Well what? I shot back, unsure what we were talking about.

Do you want to or not? He replied, rolling his eyes as he did so. What? What was he talking about? What does that mean? Seeing the bemused look on my face, he clarified matters.


Well do you want to pretend to be my servant? At least that way you won't have to wear those clothes. I said impatiently. Potter had been standing there, looking as if I had just asked him to jump off a cliff or something. The idea of ordering around the Boy who Lived was quite a tantalizing idea.

No thanks, I'll stick with these clothes. How come you managed to do all that though? I thought that your father only taught you Dark Magic. He remarked.

It's true that he does teach me Dark stuff but he says that I should also know normal stuff like that StatusEnhance spell I cast just now. It's just a variant of the basic Cinderella spell. You know mice into men and pumpkins into carriages. Or in our case a bull into four horses and a rock into a carriage. I explained.

Except that we aren't wearing glass slippers. He jokingly commented. I smiled.

What about servants? Don't lords travel around with huge retinues? He asked. My smile disappeared. I hadn't thought of that. And I wasn't sure how to turn anything into people, even if they were only mice. However, after a moments thought I came up with a solution.

I'll cast an Illusion spell. Illusions are my strong point. They reach into the minds of anybody that sees us and tangles up the section of the brain that is responsible for deciphering the messages that our eyes send so that the person will think they see what shape we cast the Illusion in. I thought about what I had just said and added reassuringly, It's a lot simpler than it looks, really it is. You don't even need a wand. Harry looked at me doubtfully. I stared back until he dropped his eyes. Pleased at having won that staring contest I turned to the carriage and began to cast the Illusion.

First I thought about what exactly it was that I wanted everybody to see. Then I focused on the details, getting every single button right. Then I thought about what kind of actions they would perform and what they might need to say. Finally I visualized the background. When I was positive that I couldn't make it seem more real, then and only then did I blink. After I blinked the people just appeared out of thin air, fashioned from the very dust particles that surrounded us. I glanced at Harry and was pleased by the astounded look on his face. Hero-worship from anybody was nice and I was getting sick of only showing off to the Slytherins.

Well come on. The sooner we start, the sooner we'll get there. I commented flippantly, stepping into the carriage as I did so. Harry hesitated a second and then followed me.

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2 hours later.
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We had finally arrived at a hotel. Unfortunately it was a mortal hotel. Oh well, any port in a storm' as the saying goes. I walked inside after our coachman' opened the door for us.

May I help you? The muggle at the reception desk asked. I flashed her a brilliant smile.

My friend here and I need a room for the night. I told her.

Do you have a reservation? She inquired while playing around with a square plastic block in front of her that also had a rectangular block with keys in front of it.

I curtly confessed. Harry moved just a little bit closer to me.

How many rooms will you be needing? She asked delicately. I opened my mouth to tell her we wanted two rooms but before I could get a word out Harry jumped in.

We'd like 2 rooms of course. Non-adjoining though. He said.

Very good sir. She commented and then deposited a wooden key tag with 2 keys in the palm of my hand. Don't worry Hermione, I'm coming for you!

Author's Note: I'm so sorry that I had the parts mixed up. Really, it was an accident. Forgive me!