-Wow, two chapters in two days, I must be on a roll. Hmm... I think the
plot may be finally going somewhere! The title is from a song by Think
Tank, in case you care. Please, PLEASE review if you like it, or even if
you don't, but just make it constructive, okay?! Until next time...
-Bouncing Ferret
Chapter 4 The Only Chance We Have
Draco stopped dead. He wasn't alone in the hall, he could tell. He glanced about himself, feeling more and more paranoid as the seconds dragged past. He wasn't sure what it was about the hall which gave him the feeling that he was being watched. Perhaps, subconciously, he'd heard a footfall, or a gasp or sigh. Both Draco's heart and mind raced as he assessed the situation; whatever was sharing the hall with him had to be either a ghost, or someone in posession of an invisability cloak. At this realization, a certain warmth filled him. If it was a ghost, they would have shown themselves by this time. Most of the castle ghosts were friendly enough, or rude enough to either show themselves, or perhaps throw something at him. Which meant that the intruder had to be human, or more specifically, Harry.
Before he could say a word, the air in front of him shimmered slightly. "Draco. Merlin's beard! I thought you were a teacher." Harry's disembodied voice whispered. Draco stared at the point where he imagined Harry would be standing. "What are you doing out so late?" He asked quietly, so as not to arouse the suspicion of the Hogwarts staff. Harry removed the cloak, and replied "The same could be asked of you." He smiled slightly, uncertainly, as though he wasn't sure what he could expect in return. Draco enjoyed having the upper hand, and, almost sadistically, kept his features neutral. "I'm merely out for a moonlit stroll," he drawled, "how about you?" Harry's smile wavered, and finally vanished. "Much the same." His eyes betrayed his offhand reply. Draco could tell that he hadn't been alone in his days of wondering quite what had occured on the Quidditch pitch. He finally relaxed his stance, and leaned casually against the wall. "And where, pray tell, is this stroll leading you?" Harry watched his eyes, still unsure of the situation. "Nowhere in particular." Draco stood up. "Alright then, enough idle chit-chat. If we left the comfort of our respective beds to walk, then let us walk." He took a few steps, and turned to Harry. "That is, if you don't mind being seen in the company of a Slytherin."
They walked in silence for a while, years of bitter rivalry had dried up any conversation, until finally, Draco stopped, and spoke. "Why did you help me the other day?" Harry, who's eyes had been trained on the stone floor, rose to meet Draco's. He didn't answer for a while, until finally, he admitted "I'm not sure." Draco didn't break the eye contact. "Was it good old reliable Gryffindor chivalry, or was it something else?" He asked, his usual hint of sarcasm edging into his tone. Harry knew better than to look away. If he did, it would just be letting Draco win. He was trying to intimidate Harry, although why, neither of them knew. After what seemed like an eternity, Draco finally turned, and continued down the hall. "Enough of this staring into each others' eyes nonsense," he told Harry, "I must admit, I did have an ulterior motive to asking you along tonight." He let the remark hang in the air, without elaborating, trying to judge Harry's reaction. Harry purposly avoided giving him the satisfaction, and stared straight ahead into the gloom. Draco smiled slightly to himself, musing over the predictability of Gryffindors in his head. "I want to know something." He told Harry. Harry continued to stare into the gloom, allowing himself only a slight sideways glance at Draco.
Draco knew he had the Gryffindor worried. He liked the sensation. "Why did you turn down my friendship that day?" Harry was taken aback. He would never have thought Draco would dwell on the event, or even remember it overly vividly. But when he turned to look at Draco, he was staring at the floor. "You insulted Ron, as well as half the other first-years within seconds of meet-" Draco cut him off. "No. That's not why. I'm sure of it." His grey eyes flashed in the moonlight. He paused, as though struggling with what to say, before he finally continued, his voice much lower, and with something closely resembling regret staining the reply. "What did you see in me that repulsed you so much?"
Harry couldn't answer. The question was completly out of the blue. After carefully wording his answer, he told Draco "Nothing about you... Repulsed me." Draco inclined his head slightly, "But you refused my friendship all the same." He wasn't sure why he was pressing the issue, and it scared him slightly, but he continued. "And I want to know why."
Chapter 4 The Only Chance We Have
Draco stopped dead. He wasn't alone in the hall, he could tell. He glanced about himself, feeling more and more paranoid as the seconds dragged past. He wasn't sure what it was about the hall which gave him the feeling that he was being watched. Perhaps, subconciously, he'd heard a footfall, or a gasp or sigh. Both Draco's heart and mind raced as he assessed the situation; whatever was sharing the hall with him had to be either a ghost, or someone in posession of an invisability cloak. At this realization, a certain warmth filled him. If it was a ghost, they would have shown themselves by this time. Most of the castle ghosts were friendly enough, or rude enough to either show themselves, or perhaps throw something at him. Which meant that the intruder had to be human, or more specifically, Harry.
Before he could say a word, the air in front of him shimmered slightly. "Draco. Merlin's beard! I thought you were a teacher." Harry's disembodied voice whispered. Draco stared at the point where he imagined Harry would be standing. "What are you doing out so late?" He asked quietly, so as not to arouse the suspicion of the Hogwarts staff. Harry removed the cloak, and replied "The same could be asked of you." He smiled slightly, uncertainly, as though he wasn't sure what he could expect in return. Draco enjoyed having the upper hand, and, almost sadistically, kept his features neutral. "I'm merely out for a moonlit stroll," he drawled, "how about you?" Harry's smile wavered, and finally vanished. "Much the same." His eyes betrayed his offhand reply. Draco could tell that he hadn't been alone in his days of wondering quite what had occured on the Quidditch pitch. He finally relaxed his stance, and leaned casually against the wall. "And where, pray tell, is this stroll leading you?" Harry watched his eyes, still unsure of the situation. "Nowhere in particular." Draco stood up. "Alright then, enough idle chit-chat. If we left the comfort of our respective beds to walk, then let us walk." He took a few steps, and turned to Harry. "That is, if you don't mind being seen in the company of a Slytherin."
They walked in silence for a while, years of bitter rivalry had dried up any conversation, until finally, Draco stopped, and spoke. "Why did you help me the other day?" Harry, who's eyes had been trained on the stone floor, rose to meet Draco's. He didn't answer for a while, until finally, he admitted "I'm not sure." Draco didn't break the eye contact. "Was it good old reliable Gryffindor chivalry, or was it something else?" He asked, his usual hint of sarcasm edging into his tone. Harry knew better than to look away. If he did, it would just be letting Draco win. He was trying to intimidate Harry, although why, neither of them knew. After what seemed like an eternity, Draco finally turned, and continued down the hall. "Enough of this staring into each others' eyes nonsense," he told Harry, "I must admit, I did have an ulterior motive to asking you along tonight." He let the remark hang in the air, without elaborating, trying to judge Harry's reaction. Harry purposly avoided giving him the satisfaction, and stared straight ahead into the gloom. Draco smiled slightly to himself, musing over the predictability of Gryffindors in his head. "I want to know something." He told Harry. Harry continued to stare into the gloom, allowing himself only a slight sideways glance at Draco.
Draco knew he had the Gryffindor worried. He liked the sensation. "Why did you turn down my friendship that day?" Harry was taken aback. He would never have thought Draco would dwell on the event, or even remember it overly vividly. But when he turned to look at Draco, he was staring at the floor. "You insulted Ron, as well as half the other first-years within seconds of meet-" Draco cut him off. "No. That's not why. I'm sure of it." His grey eyes flashed in the moonlight. He paused, as though struggling with what to say, before he finally continued, his voice much lower, and with something closely resembling regret staining the reply. "What did you see in me that repulsed you so much?"
Harry couldn't answer. The question was completly out of the blue. After carefully wording his answer, he told Draco "Nothing about you... Repulsed me." Draco inclined his head slightly, "But you refused my friendship all the same." He wasn't sure why he was pressing the issue, and it scared him slightly, but he continued. "And I want to know why."