Love's Worth
By mArsbAr
Weeh! More chaos!!! What'll happen now, eh? Uh... :shrugs:
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Chapter Two: Liar, Liar
"That's enough, Creevey," Draco said between clenched jaws, still gripping Colin's hand by the wrist in a painful interception. "It's a wonder how anyone here can keep their breakfast down what with your faggot lovesick googoo eyes batting at Potter like that." He looked at Colin with enough spite in his eyes that would make anyone think that what strange inclination Colin had for Harry would surely be gone now.
But Colin Creevey, the one-man-Harry-Potter-papparazzi unit, stood up, unwrenched his fist and looked Draco in the eye. "What's it to you anyway, Malfoy?" Colin asked heatedly, just as Holly and Hermione arrived, panting almost as bad as Neville was.
"This is between me and Harry, so what are you doing, jumping in like this? Care to explain?" Colin raised his brow expectantly. He kept his distance from Malfoy, though, but he stood a dignified ground.
"What rubbish are you spewing at me this time, Creevey? Trying to turn this around so it's on me, eh?I just did what any OTHER person in this room would, you dumb faggot brat!"
Hermione sighed in complaint. "Really, Draco, lying this early?"
Holly grinned, knowing all about Draco's secret, and took out her wand. She looked around the room for signs of a teacher. "Hermione, why aren't the teachers and Dumbledore at the head table today?"
"They're having a meeting right now, according to what Dumbledore said at dinner yesterday." Hermione poked slyly at Holly's waist, tickling her. "You weren't listening again, were you?!"
Holly giggled and shrugged, "Even if i was listening, things like that just don't seem to register in my head." She looked back at Draco, a malicious grin on her face, waved her wand and soon, small flames were shooting up from Draco's pants. He hadn't, however, noticed.
At this Harry, who had snapped out of his shock only seconds earlier, got out of his chair and stood between the two, glaring at Draco. "Do save some insults for the rest of the day, Malfoy."
At the sight of Harry, Draco paused in surprise, and was for about 4 seconds, thrown off-guard. The 5th second, his eyes seemed to glint of what anyone would've considered odd had it been noticed - hurt. Finally, sneerig, he turned his back and walked back to the Slytherin table, yelling, "Take your disgusting business elsewhere next time, will you PLEASE, Potter?"
And suddenly a hoot came up from the Gryffindor table, Ron Weasley's voice - "Don't get so fired up, Malfoy! Cool off a bit, will you?" And the room hooted with laughter seeing Draco's pants aflame. Gasps of alarm arose from the Slytherin table, but greatly overpowered by the arsenal of jokes coming from the Gryffindors. Draco, screaming in panic, tried to swat off the embers.
"Well don't just stand there!!!" he cried at Crabbe and Goyle. "Put it out for Chrissake!!!!!!" But Draco was moving around too much for the two to even get hold of him.
"You'll have to take it off, Malfoy!" someone prompted loudly, much to the room's roaring laughs. Quickly realizing he had no choice, Draco stripped his pants and threw them on the floor. His two goons, thereupon, stepped on it until extinguished.
Suddenly no other than Professor McGonagall, who had been sent down to make some announcements, strolled into the Great Hall, causing each and every student to fall silent. "What's all this, then?" And the sea of onlookers parted to reveal Draco in his underwear. McGonagall almost swore had she not caught herself with the discipline you only see in a grown adult.
"Uh... all right then, students... Malfoy, put a towel on, for the love of God..." McGonagall said, looking away and pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose self-consciously. She regained her composure for a second and continued, "Let it be known that, for the next five days, all Hogwarts students are to take a break from classes, starting today. No questions may be asked regarding this decision... Not that you would have anything to complain about, I suppose..." she added with a smirk. And when she saw in the corner of her eye Hermione step forward and open her mouth to say something, she held up her pointer finger warningly and said, "Every question, Ms. Granger, would mean five points taken from your house." Hermione shut it.
McGonagall then turned to leave, with a brief and attempting to be friendly "Enjoy your time off." When she was out of earshot, the students let out an explosion of hurrahs.
Ron walked up to Harry, a tad distracted watching the extremely flushed Draco hobble off wrapped in an extra tablecloth with Crabbe, holding his burnt pants, and Goyle tailing behind him. When the room started clearing up, everyone still talking excitedly about what they would busy themselves with the rest of the day, Ron finally turned his attention to his friend, just as Holly and Hermine headed in their direction. Still grinning, the redhead asked, "You all right, Harry?"
Harry smiled and said, "Yes, I'm fine..."
Then the two looked at each other and burst out laughing. Holly and Hermione soon came up and had a few chuckles too before the lot of them recovered.
"Really sorry to do that to your dear Draco, Harry..." Holly said, a bit weak from laughing so hard. "But I thought it too early for any pretensions."
"I've got to hand it to him," Ron said. "He sure can cover up for what he feels. If I didn't know better, I could've BELIEVED he was anti-slash...But you really outdid yourself this time, Holly!" He beamed at the brunette.
"Thanks," Holly said with a smile.
Harry rolled his eyes at the two of them. "You shouldn't be so hard on him, you know...You shouldn't punish him for doing what's best for both of us."
The concern in Harry's voice didn't go unnoticed. "Why don't you go comfort him, Harry? I'm sure if there's anyone to lighten his spirits, it's you," Hermione said with sincere eyes.
"That's right, Harry. Once you talk to Draco, everything will be fine," Ron assured.
Harry nodded. "Yeah... I'll talk to him this afternoon."
By this time, they had gone outside for a stroll along the lake. Others had also headed for the freshness of the outdoors, chatting in small groups under shady spots, reading, or trying out different spells.
"Harry..." Holly began uncertainly.
"What is it, Holly?"
"How long... you and Draco... How long will it be this way?" she finally asked heavily.
Harry stared at the path ahead of them, bright with the morning sun. "I don't know, Holly..."
After some moments of silence, they passed someone who was able to fish out a dirty old picture frame, and the four of them hurried over to take a look, rendering the subject officially closed. For now.
