+++++ Dedicated to Francine *ahem,ahem* Gaille Olivia K. Ramos, Zia-chan , the so-called 'Eli' and Beatriz Eloise Ignacio (right, is it?). To Francine *ahem,ahem* I forgot when your birthday was, gomen. (AH! I actually said something' in Japanese!!!) Neweyz, Lisa-chan thank you for teaching me some Japanese words though how much I could not understand your e-mails at all, and Angie, yes the one with the frizzy-hair in SSC, how's Anakin? E-mail me please, I miss your hair and you hair gel (I'm actually thinking of buying one right now in reminder of you.. HAHA.. NOT!) and your constant persistence for me to write you a Snape fic.. Maybe some day... maybe some day... *Angie rolls eyes*
To Jen (Megane-chan!), Angie (I.S.), Christine-Chan and Camille, thanks for letting me be part of the clique.. Arigatou Gosaimaz!!!! (I'm not even close to Japanese sheesh...!)
By the Way, it's slash and standard disclaimers apply. Flame me for all you want, hell I don't care...
Road Trippin'
Chapter One: Pick up
Waves of dark gray clouds splashed silently into the night sky, rolling quickly into a big mass of black shadowy sheets. The moon quickly gave away to it, hidden behind the velvety canopy of darkness with the slowly fading twinkle of stars, as rain threatened to pour.
Harry rolled down the window and stuck his arm out to reach to adjust the side mirror for better view. It's not as if I need it, he thought turning left at the next street and into the dark dim-lit paths of Lantern Border before coming across a pothole. He cursed under his breath as the tire made contact with the pothole which seemed bigger than it had felt .
Even with alcohol in him, the drowsiness slowly setting in and clouding Harry's already depressed state , he was still a quite aware of his actions and where it might lead to. If anything, he wasn't that drunk just a little tipsy that's all. Actually the more he thought about it, he shouldn't be driving at all, he felt quite sick and not drunken really, but then reality started to sink in and what was his sole purpose of driving so late at night swirled into his mind like a kaleidoscope.
He threw his head back and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, letting it stay there as bitter memories started filtering into his mind. Ginny Weasley... Who'd have thought that redhead was capable of deceiving him? She was his bestfriend's sister for Pete's sake and sisters of bestfriends just don't go around sleeping with different guys when their men weren't around!
But he had to admit, that Ginny looked all too innocent for such a things as deception. Harry had thought she was nice--pure, sinless and everything that heaven had to offer, but then again she was human after all, not as angelic as an angel, nor as pure as water. She was, to be honest, a heartless lair and a dark temptation.
Harry had walked in on her with Colin Creevey all over her and try as the girl may to dissemble the obvious scene, Harry had just found himself packing his bags and leaving... on the road to nowhere, wherever that may lead him. The painful thing was the latter still was in her state of denial even as Harry was seconds to the door...
But he was no dumb to buy her story anyway, not that it mattered anyway.
Harry's eyes snapped open; he hadn't realized how his eyes fell close in less than a second yet that rather short span of time seemed long enough to attract accident like a magnet in reality (considering how some people at that time of the night would occasionally go out for a stroll or something like that).
He started to travel on 70, after all it was rather late and the roads or so he thought, seemed empty. The lampposts shifted into rows of hunched trees with the distance he sped and small showers of rain hit the windshield, sometimes Harry's arm as it rested on the opened window, the other steering.
The wind was cold outside and it caressed Harry's face sickly as if mocking him for the luck he had that day. His whole body felt feverish and he had been sweating a lot, much to his annoyance that he had to roll up his sleeves only to feel a slight breeze touch his arm that would more so suffice for a short while before he felt hot again. Splinters of rain showered outside and the temperature had gotten so cold. Harry knew this because his fingers started to feel numb as if it were made of lead but strangely he kept sweating and rolling up his sleeves. It must be the beer, he thought idly, clicking on the radio so to pass the time.
He wasn't really much of a music lover so to speak and the radio was barely used unless he was so damn bored or stuck in traffic he had to resort into doing something besides cursing under his breath or shouting at those lousy traffic enforcers who kept letting the other lane pass longer than they'd let the other. Harry had almost lost his license actually.
It seemed to get darker than usual, Harry observed the little faint clock on his front flash 11: 34 and he shifted into his seat, shaking away the nasty sleepy feeling away from his head.
He had to, unless he wanted to end up one morning in the police station. The music on the radio hadn't helped one bit either, the station was playing another 80's song and Harry couldn't be more pissed off to say the least. Where's a rock song when you need one?
"Damn." He cursed at another pothole. Really, there must be something wrong with roads right now, he thought sarcastically. He edged slowly into the curb, amazingly this one had lampposts instead of trees lining up against the side. Harry glanced sideways and caught a figure, within a 5-meter distance, sitting on what seemed to be a large leather suitcase.
Now, Harry had things against hitchhikers. In his perspective those kind of people would either be outlaws or old people who'd tell you stories of what their life was before the war or before Martha died... Well... majority of them anyway. But tonight was different, with depression and alcohol to juggle Harry couldn't help but side closer to the stranger. The window was already open and it made it easier for him to speak when he had been of hearing distance.
"Need a ride?" The stranger was looking down. Harry could decipher he was a boy even with his graceful figure scarcely illuminated by the light from the lam post--just his age if correct, and he looked up pensively, almost sighing in surrender. "Yes." Strangely that sounded awfully familiar, had he not heard it before? The stranger didn't budge though, he was wearing black khaki pants and a black sweater, his form quite soaked with rain.
Poor lad, must be sitting there all night. Harry sighed to himself. This was a different kind of night. He'd be picking up--
The door opened and the boy sat in, throwing his luggage at the back (amazingly he made it fit there) before closing the door and putting on his seatbelt. "I'm going wherever this road leads to, as long as it's far away..."
"Malfoy?" He blurted.
Harry knew it was rude so he started going on neutral atleast. There came a choked reply shortly. Rain poured this time and Harry had to roll up his window to prevent himself from getting thoroughly drenched, his companion though didn't bother at all. "Potter?!" Harry didn't step on the breaks but he had this sudden sense of urgency into doing so. "Come into the light so I can see you..." he said warily.
"It really is you..." Malfoy gasped, releasing his seatbelt. "Get me out, let me out!" His other arm on the window's side was soaking wet. Harry stopped the car and turned to him. "What were you doing there in the middle of the night?" He asked curiously. Malfoy's eyes seemed to show a flicker--though only for a millisecond--of penetrable emotion. He remained silent for awhile.
"Why are you always there when I don't need you?" Harry shut his eyes in frustration longer than necessary that he actually felt sleep coming but he shook it away and glared at the Slytherin. "No, I should actually be the one to ask you that... And what the--?! Don't use that in here it'll smell like smoke--I said don't... DON'T, damn it!" The unlit cigarette dropped from his lips in sudden surprise. "Geez, Potter, get a grip, it's not real, it's just candy see?" He bit into it to comply with his statement. Harry sighed and washed torrents of rainwater splash against his windshield. "You ran away too, didn't you ?" Malfoy looked baffled. "Wha-?" He chewed on his candy for a moment, savoring the minty flavor till it lasted. He had to admit, he was caught off guard. Harry seemed to regain his senses though, a moment of sobriety drifting off into oblivion like the fog that misted outside. Malfoy closed the window. "Get off." Malfoy looked up a him. "What did you...?" he let his voice falter. "I said get off, now!" Malfoy gaped at him. "I heard what you said Potter!" He snarled, brows lifted into a fine arch.
"Why in bloody hell, did you offer me a ride anyway if you're only to let me off in the rain?" The annoying wiping sounds of the wiper answered in response. "Speak or I swear Potter, The Daily Prophet's going to have a murder headline tomorrow..." Harry rolled his eyes, accustomed to Malfoy's sense of sarcasm, especially applied to any similar situations. "Because I thought I was picking up an old lady instead of you!"
"You have a fetish for old ladies?!" Malfoy cried out. "My Potter, I was thinking: Harry Potter murdered by rival Draco Malfoy but Harry Potter and his fetish for old ladies?! HA! The Daily Prophet's going to sell like pancakes with that kind of headline, not to mention The Witch Weekly..."
A punch in the face. Malfoy had his cheeks swollen red and he cradled it for a moment, letting what Harry did sink into realization first. And then quickly, anger contorted into his face and he lunged forward, knocking the air out of Harry. He had his pale fingers on Harry's neck, choking on it with added pressure and strength. The latter was kneed in the gut before he was done and he was panting as he subsided into the other end of the car.
He rubbed his stomach and winced as a numb pain fired in him. Harry on the other hand was glaring at him, green eyes flashing surely in fury. He massaged his nape for awhile before flexing his neck to the right.
"Get off."
"......."
"Get off..."
"........"
"What the hell's wrong with you?! Hard of hearing? Then read my lips, get the hell off of my car!"
Malfoy arrogantly shook his head and then his expression turned forlorn. "I'll pay if it insures that you'd take me far away... Potter, please, I... I'm desperate..." "Get off."
Harry said through gritted teeth. "GET OFF!!"
"Potter, listen, it's, if you do not know, raining outside!! I can't freaking get out, can I?!" He shrieked.
Harry rummaged on his side and tossed him an umbrella. "Here Malfoy, my generous offer of an umbrella," He smiled bitterly. "Now that that's settled, I suggest you get off before I more or less lose control of my temper..." Draco could only look at him solemnly. But he gracefully stepped off the car, his luggage in one hand, under the shelter of an umbrella as he was left on the curbside.
Now, Harry was just going on neutral and guilt was tying him up in crazy knots. He had learned no matter how ill nurtured some people are, you had to give them a chance, especially when they're under the pouring rain which was how his rival was at the moment. Harry cursed himself for being too damn good, he thought about the whole Ginny ordeal and stopped the car. He blared loudly with the honk and Malfoy, with a smile perched on his thin lips, trotted, wet puddles splashing, towards the car.
This was gonna be a long night...
TBC...
Note: Sorry hehe, the continuation of Misfits... is still un-uploaded though I have the 2nd chapter already. Please Review, Oh and one more thing *on all fours, raisin' arms up and down* Please review... Please...!!!!! ,-( Please-?! *bats lashes* Ack~! I'll post Misfits tomorrow or something.. PROMISE!! Oh and Gaille, tell Zia-chan I ain't got no credits, text to keep her company, okay?