A/N: Another fic inspired by a David Gemmell novel. My take on why Draco is like he is. And it has nothing to do with his father! Who is Dace? Read and see! Oh, will have some mention of slash. Nothing really there yet, though.
Disclaimer: Everything HP belongs to JK Rowling. Dace belongs to David Gemmell.
Draco stalked along the corridors of Hogwarts, making his way to the Slytherin common room. Another year of terrorising the students from other Houses. Well, not by him anyway. That was Dace's job. If the bastard ever woke up.
As he entered the Slytherin common room, he felt the familiar stirring in the back of his mind that could only mean one thing: Dace was waking up.
\\Anything new, brother?// asked Dace.
\\Nah, same old. Oh, and thanks for letting me make fun of Potter on the train. That's your job.// From the tone of Dace's voice, Draco was certain that if Dace had control of the body he would have an insufferable smug grin on his face.
\\Well, we have standards to maintain, don't we? And I was tired anyway.//
\\Tired? You have been asleep most of the bloody holiday, thank you very much! And I had to do your Arithmancy homework cos you wouldn't wake up. You know I hate that subject. You're so bloody lazy!//
\\My, we are tetchy this morning,// said Dace cheerfully. \\Ah, here comes Pansy, let me have control of the body.//
Draco gratefully surrendered control of the body to Dace, and watched from the back of the mind while Dace flirted with Pansy. He shuddered. He didn't like women anyway, and Dace never let him go after men. Pansy. Ugh.
No-one else knew of the existence of Dace, not even his parents, and Draco was proud of his secret. Dace had been Draco's twin brother, who had been stillborn. While the body was dead, however, the soul wanted to hang around, and had moved in to Draco's body and made himself very comfortable, thank you very much.
Sometimes Dace was handy to have round. He gloried in violence and trouble-making, and would often take over whenever there were Hufflepuffs to make fun of. In other words, Dace was the perfect Slytherin. Draco was a lot more gentle than his brother, although he too enjoyed the glory of Slytherin. He just let Dace handle the gory stuff. Dace also liked the subjects that Draco hated, and vice versa, so they would alternate control of the body between lessons.
However, sometimes, Dace was more of an annoyance than anything else. Most people with siblings can lock themselves in their rooms when they get too much, he mused. Or if they share a room, they lock the other one out. Me, I share a body with my brother. It means we can never escape each other. Which means the days after every argument are living hell. And he's stubborn. And he's a stroppy git. And...
\\Feeling a tad resentful, are we, brother?// asked Dace as Pansy walked away.
\\Just thinking,// replied Draco.
\\You're stubborn too. And stroppy. Worse than me.//
\\Dace, why do you flirt with Pansy?// asked Draco, deliberately changing the subject.
\\It's fun,// Dace shrugged. \\You should try it sometime. Poor lass.// Dace chuckled.
\\No thanks, she's the wrong sex,// retorted Draco. They then got into a disagreement over which sex was better, male or female, and Draco only shut up when Dace said if he let Draco pursue his desires he'd make a move on Potter, which would be deeply humiliating and Dace would never let Draco have control over the body ever again.
Crabbe and Goyle wandered over, their knuckles almost scraping the floor.
\\Oh, no! Draco, your turn,// groaned Dace when he saw them.
\\Nah, I'm quite comfortable, thanks,// replied Draco, grinning.
\\Oh, but Draco, pleeease, I can't stand them!//
\\Nor can I. I'm going to sleep.// Draco chuckled as he watched Dace
try and conduct a conversation with Crabbe and Goyle.
"You alright, Drac?" grunted Crabbe. "You looked like you was arguing with yourself."
"Nah, just thinking about something," replied Dace.
\\Damn you, Draco! I'll get you back for this!// swore Dace. In the recesses of his mind, Draco smiled and turned over. Dace cursed. Siblings were such a pain.
End notes: I know this is short but I wanted to put this to you the readers to see how you liked it. Shall I continue or not? Comments and suggestions welcomed.
Luv ya!
Wyv.