Disclaimer: Do not own anything you recognize- those belong to the ever-
radical genius JKR! You dig? Don't sue.
Summary: 6th year trials for Harry. Most have secrets and not all is as it seems. Eventual HP/DM. Slash galore. Don't get your panties in a twist, you have been warned. Happy reading!
To Those Who Reviewed: I am sorry, but due to my lack of extra time I am not personalizing any of the reviews this chapter, but please note that I appreciate all that I received! It helps! It truly does.
Just in case it all gets confusing, which I'm sure it will:
'...' is Draco's normal thoughts.
... is subconscious know it all Draco.
*...* is Harry's normal thoughts. (** can also be used to stress a word during speech)
~...~ is Harry dearest's alter ego, or blunt inner Harry.
/.../ is Hermione thinking.
(This is getting difficult, huh?)
Chapter 5: Telling Ron
"Oh, Ron, hello. Where have you been?" Hermione asked sweetly, trying to smooth over the awkwardness in the room.
"Well, since Harry left me to sleep in, I went to breakfast all by myself to find my two best friends. Discovering they weren't there, I ate quickly and went in search for them. Since we use this place a lot, I just figured-" Ron shrugged off the rest of his explanation, too busy glaring daggers at Draco to finish.
"You mean you three meet here often?" Draco echoed in horror.
"Yeah, kind of serves as a base of operations." Harry's gaze narrowed at Draco, before looking at Hermione. Her eyes were begging him to get Ron away. She wasn't ready to explain about Draco. Understandable. Nodding slightly, Harry faced Draco again. "Well, now that we've straightened that out, I'll be going. I have a date in Hogsmeade. Coming Ron?"
"A date?" Draco demanded quickly, too distracted to inject any venom in the question.
"Yes, Malfoy, Harry dates his fair share, don't you?"
Harry waved Ron off. "Not that kind of date. An appointment."
"Appointment?" Ron asked, confused. "You never said anything about an appointment."
"Ron, I'll explain later." Harry grit out, noticing the gleam of interest in Draco's silver gaze, the only sign he was paying attention. His usual smirk was missing, but the look of indifference was in place.
"No, I want to know what's going on, now! Tell me, or I won't go."
"Ron," Harry groaned. "Picking up Snuffles! There, are you happy?!"
'What's so secret about that? Who's Snuffles?'
"What?" Ron was now completely baffled. "We aren't supposed to meet him this weekend, are we? I thought it was-"
"Well, there was a change of plans! Let's just go, all right? I'll explain on the way."
"Fine," Ron grumbled. Yanking open the door, he announced, "After you, Ferret."
Draco, eyes flashing, stalked out, throwing a lazy, "Thanks, Weasley," over his shoulder. Ron stared after him, dumbfounded, as Draco disappeared down the hall. "I'm bloody confused!"
"Well, it all started in the library," Harry began, grinning wickedly. This was going to be fun. "Coming Herm?"
"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled.
"So you see," Harry continued as they headed towards the carriages bound for Hogsmeade, "I just happened to be in the library, looking for a book this morning."
"Harry!" Ron hissed in mock-offence. "In the library before noon? For shame, man, for shame!"
Harry smirked as he hung his head. "I know it, Ron, I'm appalled myself, but it couldn't be helped."
"You'd better have a good excuse," Ron continued, speaking in a playfully gruff voice.
"Oh, that I do. But that will be revealed later on. Anyway, I hear this...this wail, of some sort, and I look into the isle, and there's Hermione, facing it off with Dr- Malfoy and Zabini. Of course, it was too early for my senses and I was in so much shock. I thought they were...together."
"Together?" Ron frowned.
"You know. To-geth-er!" Harry repeated, enunciating clearly and wiggling his eyebrows to help relay his meaning.
Ron's eyes widened. "What?!" he howled.
"I know," Hermione huffed, glaring at Harry. "What a prat."
"Shut up. Anyway, I said something glib, told Herm I was picking up Snuffles, and left."
"'Something glib?'" she demanded incredulously. "Puh-lease! He called 'Happy snogging, lovebirds!' over his shoulder as he left! Honestly."
"You said that?" Ron choked.
Harry turned red. "What? It was eight in the morning. My brain wasn't working properly."
"So then, he waltzes off-"
"I do NOT waltz!"
"You did! And I go after him and try to explain that he was completely wrong, but he just kept saying, 'It's okay, Hermione, you don't have to hide it from me,'" she mimicked. Rolling her eyes, she continued. "So we get to the Great Hall, and Malfoy shows up a bit later, and Harry decides to drag him to Myrtle's bathroom to give him a talking to and check out his 'intentions'. I've never been more embarrassed in my entire life!"
"I said I was sorry!" he whined, shooting her a wounded glance. "I was only looking out for you! You can't blame me for the things my brain concocts that early in the day! The sun isn't even halfway into the sky."
Hermione's face softened and she smiled slightly, eyes shimmering a bit. "Oh, I know it, Harry, I'm not truly angry. And you've been so great about everything!" She launched herself into his arms, much to both Ron and Harry's surprise.
Harry blushed crimson. "No problem, Hermione. I'll always be there for you. No worries."
"Well, I was just so sure you'd both desert me, and bless you, you're not even angry."
"Angry?" Ron interrupted. "Why should he be angry?" Horror washed over his face. "Oh, no Hermione, no! Say it's not true! You're- you're in love with Malfoy?" he choked.
"What?" Hermione blinked. "Not happening!" she groaned, then plastered on a tentative smile. "Ron, as I have already told Harry, I am not in love with Malfoy."
"You're not?" he demanded, relieved.
"Nope," Harry piped up, trying to help his friend, who seemed to be floundering. "They're just friends." Hermione shot him a glare that plainly said she did not want Ron to know and that Harry had just stuck his foot in his mouth.
"Harry," Ron moaned. "Get your arse out of the clouds and start living in reality. Herm and Malfoy civil to each other? Not a chance."
"It could happen," Harry replied glibly, shooting a smirk at Hermione as they climbed into a carriage.
"Nope," Ron declared firmly. "I don't think that swot Malfoy even knows how to make friends!"
"He does too!" Hermione defended then froze when Ron fixed her with an expression of outrage and disbelief.
"You're friends with that slimy, snotty, spoiled, no account prat?!" he hissed dangerously, face as red as his hair with fury.
"You rang, Weasley?" came the familiar drawl.
"I am not in the mood, Malfoy!"
"Funny, I don't remember asking you into bed," the blonde smirked. Harry hid a grin behind his hand. It wouldn't bode well for Harry's health if Ron caught him grinning at the enemy's jokes.
"Into- into bed?" Ron stammered, totally at a loss. "What? You- me- bed? Ooh," he moaned, lurching and clutching his stomach as though he were about to be sick. "Bad mental picture!"
"You're telling me!" Draco crowed, sitting himself next to Harry.
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" Ron spluttered.
"Everywhere else is full," he shrugged. "And besides, if Hermione can handle being around you all the time, I'm sure I can tolerate riding into Hogsmeade. At least, as long as Potter here keeps all his theories to himself- wait! That includes Hermione too- but if all that happens, I don't see us killing each other in the next thirty minutes."
"Who do you think you are, thinking you can steal my friends? They're mine!" Ron shouted, behaving like a two year old.
"Oh, Weasley, didn't your mum ever teach you to share? It seems to me-"
"Who cares what you think?! I doubt your mum did anything but spoil you!"
Draco for once remained silent, staring blankly into space. Harry coughed.
"Now, come on Ron, if he's Hermione's friend the least you could do is be civil. Or ignore the bloke."
Ron went white, too angry to speak. "You're taking his side?" he howled.
"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione snapped, finally regaining her voice. "There are no sides here. Harry is just being supportive. Unlike you. So stop behaving like a jealous husband and sit down. You don't have to be nice. You don't even have to be civil. You can pretend he is as far away from you as possible. But you will behave like the sixteen year old you are instead of a five year old. Now sit!"
"Fine," Ron grumbled, only to lurch back up when he heard the word 'whipped' among other things come from Draco's corner of the carriage. "I am not!"
Draco's mouth opened, probably to say something immature like 'are too', but he never got the chance.
"Ron," Harry said calmly, "just sit down. Let it go. Come on, I need to tell you something anyway."
"But-"
"We'll talk about it later," he continued, shooting him a glare.
Ron sighed heavily. "All right. What's so bloody important?"
Harry shot a nervous glance at Draco, then spoke slowly. "Snuffles's er- agent came and got me out of bed this morning, around 3."
"His agent? Oh. But- he's not in Hogsmeade, is he? I mean, not yet...he said he wouldn't be able to come until Halloween."
"I know that, but we went and talked in The Room." Harry checked and made sure both Ron and Hermione were listening carefully. They were. So was Draco, for that matter, but he was pretending to stare out the window in a bored fashion. *Keep it simple, Potter, and he won't know a thing.*
"Well? What happened Harry?" Hermione demanded impatiently.
"So I asked him why he was here and if Snuffles was all right, and he said- Dumbledore said he didn't need him anymore, so as my familiar," he continued, stressing the last three words. "As my familiar, Dumbledore suggested he stay close to me during these...trying times."
"But Harry, you don't-" Hermione elbowed Ron before he could get any further. "Oh! That's great! You mean, Snuffles is coming to live at Hogwarts?"
"Snuffles?" Draco asked mildly, fighting a sneer at Ron for Hermione's sake. 'This must have been what Potter and Hermione were talking about earlier. I was too shocked with Hermione to really listen.'
You were not, you were too distracted by the happiness playing all over his face. He looked like he'd just got laid. And you were jealous.
'I was not! He looked- less depressed than usual, and I was-'
Enthralled? Entanced? Incensed someone else would get to sleep with him?
'Shut Up!'
"Is that the name of your familiar then, Potter?" he continued, working up a smirk. "What is it, a hog?"
"It's a dog," Harry stated proudly.
"A dog? Named Snuffles? Great job, Potter, I daresay you have a talent for picking names."
"Snuffles picked it himself!" Ron interjected heatedly.
"Ron!" Hermione and Harry looked horrified.
"The dog picked his own name?" Draco repeated skeptically. "Is Potter not only a Parselmouth? Are you hiding more hidden talents from the world, Wonder Boy?"
"Um-" Harry flushed, angry at the blatant taunting. Reigning in his embarrassment, he said quietly, "I don't speak with dogs Malfoy, just snakes."
"I guess that explains why he's speaking with you!" Ron couldn't help but add.
Draco went white and stayed quiet for the rest of the journey, while Hermione sent confused looks between Harry and Draco, and glared at Ron. Harry just drifted off to sleep, dreaming dreams filled with a familiar blonde.
::-::
Hey! Sorry, again, hope you liked this chapter. School has me totally swamped. I swear, though, I am not abandoning this! I was kind of hoping for double the reviews...I'd appreciate it if some of you would pass this story on to friends. Again, the number of reviews I get will not hinder the story, I'm plucking it out as fast as I can.
Lotsa Love and Craziness~
::Riana::
Summary: 6th year trials for Harry. Most have secrets and not all is as it seems. Eventual HP/DM. Slash galore. Don't get your panties in a twist, you have been warned. Happy reading!
To Those Who Reviewed: I am sorry, but due to my lack of extra time I am not personalizing any of the reviews this chapter, but please note that I appreciate all that I received! It helps! It truly does.
Just in case it all gets confusing, which I'm sure it will:
'...' is Draco's normal thoughts.
... is subconscious know it all Draco.
*...* is Harry's normal thoughts. (** can also be used to stress a word during speech)
~...~ is Harry dearest's alter ego, or blunt inner Harry.
/.../ is Hermione thinking.
(This is getting difficult, huh?)
Chapter 5: Telling Ron
"Oh, Ron, hello. Where have you been?" Hermione asked sweetly, trying to smooth over the awkwardness in the room.
"Well, since Harry left me to sleep in, I went to breakfast all by myself to find my two best friends. Discovering they weren't there, I ate quickly and went in search for them. Since we use this place a lot, I just figured-" Ron shrugged off the rest of his explanation, too busy glaring daggers at Draco to finish.
"You mean you three meet here often?" Draco echoed in horror.
"Yeah, kind of serves as a base of operations." Harry's gaze narrowed at Draco, before looking at Hermione. Her eyes were begging him to get Ron away. She wasn't ready to explain about Draco. Understandable. Nodding slightly, Harry faced Draco again. "Well, now that we've straightened that out, I'll be going. I have a date in Hogsmeade. Coming Ron?"
"A date?" Draco demanded quickly, too distracted to inject any venom in the question.
"Yes, Malfoy, Harry dates his fair share, don't you?"
Harry waved Ron off. "Not that kind of date. An appointment."
"Appointment?" Ron asked, confused. "You never said anything about an appointment."
"Ron, I'll explain later." Harry grit out, noticing the gleam of interest in Draco's silver gaze, the only sign he was paying attention. His usual smirk was missing, but the look of indifference was in place.
"No, I want to know what's going on, now! Tell me, or I won't go."
"Ron," Harry groaned. "Picking up Snuffles! There, are you happy?!"
'What's so secret about that? Who's Snuffles?'
"What?" Ron was now completely baffled. "We aren't supposed to meet him this weekend, are we? I thought it was-"
"Well, there was a change of plans! Let's just go, all right? I'll explain on the way."
"Fine," Ron grumbled. Yanking open the door, he announced, "After you, Ferret."
Draco, eyes flashing, stalked out, throwing a lazy, "Thanks, Weasley," over his shoulder. Ron stared after him, dumbfounded, as Draco disappeared down the hall. "I'm bloody confused!"
"Well, it all started in the library," Harry began, grinning wickedly. This was going to be fun. "Coming Herm?"
"Yeah, yeah," she grumbled.
"So you see," Harry continued as they headed towards the carriages bound for Hogsmeade, "I just happened to be in the library, looking for a book this morning."
"Harry!" Ron hissed in mock-offence. "In the library before noon? For shame, man, for shame!"
Harry smirked as he hung his head. "I know it, Ron, I'm appalled myself, but it couldn't be helped."
"You'd better have a good excuse," Ron continued, speaking in a playfully gruff voice.
"Oh, that I do. But that will be revealed later on. Anyway, I hear this...this wail, of some sort, and I look into the isle, and there's Hermione, facing it off with Dr- Malfoy and Zabini. Of course, it was too early for my senses and I was in so much shock. I thought they were...together."
"Together?" Ron frowned.
"You know. To-geth-er!" Harry repeated, enunciating clearly and wiggling his eyebrows to help relay his meaning.
Ron's eyes widened. "What?!" he howled.
"I know," Hermione huffed, glaring at Harry. "What a prat."
"Shut up. Anyway, I said something glib, told Herm I was picking up Snuffles, and left."
"'Something glib?'" she demanded incredulously. "Puh-lease! He called 'Happy snogging, lovebirds!' over his shoulder as he left! Honestly."
"You said that?" Ron choked.
Harry turned red. "What? It was eight in the morning. My brain wasn't working properly."
"So then, he waltzes off-"
"I do NOT waltz!"
"You did! And I go after him and try to explain that he was completely wrong, but he just kept saying, 'It's okay, Hermione, you don't have to hide it from me,'" she mimicked. Rolling her eyes, she continued. "So we get to the Great Hall, and Malfoy shows up a bit later, and Harry decides to drag him to Myrtle's bathroom to give him a talking to and check out his 'intentions'. I've never been more embarrassed in my entire life!"
"I said I was sorry!" he whined, shooting her a wounded glance. "I was only looking out for you! You can't blame me for the things my brain concocts that early in the day! The sun isn't even halfway into the sky."
Hermione's face softened and she smiled slightly, eyes shimmering a bit. "Oh, I know it, Harry, I'm not truly angry. And you've been so great about everything!" She launched herself into his arms, much to both Ron and Harry's surprise.
Harry blushed crimson. "No problem, Hermione. I'll always be there for you. No worries."
"Well, I was just so sure you'd both desert me, and bless you, you're not even angry."
"Angry?" Ron interrupted. "Why should he be angry?" Horror washed over his face. "Oh, no Hermione, no! Say it's not true! You're- you're in love with Malfoy?" he choked.
"What?" Hermione blinked. "Not happening!" she groaned, then plastered on a tentative smile. "Ron, as I have already told Harry, I am not in love with Malfoy."
"You're not?" he demanded, relieved.
"Nope," Harry piped up, trying to help his friend, who seemed to be floundering. "They're just friends." Hermione shot him a glare that plainly said she did not want Ron to know and that Harry had just stuck his foot in his mouth.
"Harry," Ron moaned. "Get your arse out of the clouds and start living in reality. Herm and Malfoy civil to each other? Not a chance."
"It could happen," Harry replied glibly, shooting a smirk at Hermione as they climbed into a carriage.
"Nope," Ron declared firmly. "I don't think that swot Malfoy even knows how to make friends!"
"He does too!" Hermione defended then froze when Ron fixed her with an expression of outrage and disbelief.
"You're friends with that slimy, snotty, spoiled, no account prat?!" he hissed dangerously, face as red as his hair with fury.
"You rang, Weasley?" came the familiar drawl.
"I am not in the mood, Malfoy!"
"Funny, I don't remember asking you into bed," the blonde smirked. Harry hid a grin behind his hand. It wouldn't bode well for Harry's health if Ron caught him grinning at the enemy's jokes.
"Into- into bed?" Ron stammered, totally at a loss. "What? You- me- bed? Ooh," he moaned, lurching and clutching his stomach as though he were about to be sick. "Bad mental picture!"
"You're telling me!" Draco crowed, sitting himself next to Harry.
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" Ron spluttered.
"Everywhere else is full," he shrugged. "And besides, if Hermione can handle being around you all the time, I'm sure I can tolerate riding into Hogsmeade. At least, as long as Potter here keeps all his theories to himself- wait! That includes Hermione too- but if all that happens, I don't see us killing each other in the next thirty minutes."
"Who do you think you are, thinking you can steal my friends? They're mine!" Ron shouted, behaving like a two year old.
"Oh, Weasley, didn't your mum ever teach you to share? It seems to me-"
"Who cares what you think?! I doubt your mum did anything but spoil you!"
Draco for once remained silent, staring blankly into space. Harry coughed.
"Now, come on Ron, if he's Hermione's friend the least you could do is be civil. Or ignore the bloke."
Ron went white, too angry to speak. "You're taking his side?" he howled.
"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione snapped, finally regaining her voice. "There are no sides here. Harry is just being supportive. Unlike you. So stop behaving like a jealous husband and sit down. You don't have to be nice. You don't even have to be civil. You can pretend he is as far away from you as possible. But you will behave like the sixteen year old you are instead of a five year old. Now sit!"
"Fine," Ron grumbled, only to lurch back up when he heard the word 'whipped' among other things come from Draco's corner of the carriage. "I am not!"
Draco's mouth opened, probably to say something immature like 'are too', but he never got the chance.
"Ron," Harry said calmly, "just sit down. Let it go. Come on, I need to tell you something anyway."
"But-"
"We'll talk about it later," he continued, shooting him a glare.
Ron sighed heavily. "All right. What's so bloody important?"
Harry shot a nervous glance at Draco, then spoke slowly. "Snuffles's er- agent came and got me out of bed this morning, around 3."
"His agent? Oh. But- he's not in Hogsmeade, is he? I mean, not yet...he said he wouldn't be able to come until Halloween."
"I know that, but we went and talked in The Room." Harry checked and made sure both Ron and Hermione were listening carefully. They were. So was Draco, for that matter, but he was pretending to stare out the window in a bored fashion. *Keep it simple, Potter, and he won't know a thing.*
"Well? What happened Harry?" Hermione demanded impatiently.
"So I asked him why he was here and if Snuffles was all right, and he said- Dumbledore said he didn't need him anymore, so as my familiar," he continued, stressing the last three words. "As my familiar, Dumbledore suggested he stay close to me during these...trying times."
"But Harry, you don't-" Hermione elbowed Ron before he could get any further. "Oh! That's great! You mean, Snuffles is coming to live at Hogwarts?"
"Snuffles?" Draco asked mildly, fighting a sneer at Ron for Hermione's sake. 'This must have been what Potter and Hermione were talking about earlier. I was too shocked with Hermione to really listen.'
You were not, you were too distracted by the happiness playing all over his face. He looked like he'd just got laid. And you were jealous.
'I was not! He looked- less depressed than usual, and I was-'
Enthralled? Entanced? Incensed someone else would get to sleep with him?
'Shut Up!'
"Is that the name of your familiar then, Potter?" he continued, working up a smirk. "What is it, a hog?"
"It's a dog," Harry stated proudly.
"A dog? Named Snuffles? Great job, Potter, I daresay you have a talent for picking names."
"Snuffles picked it himself!" Ron interjected heatedly.
"Ron!" Hermione and Harry looked horrified.
"The dog picked his own name?" Draco repeated skeptically. "Is Potter not only a Parselmouth? Are you hiding more hidden talents from the world, Wonder Boy?"
"Um-" Harry flushed, angry at the blatant taunting. Reigning in his embarrassment, he said quietly, "I don't speak with dogs Malfoy, just snakes."
"I guess that explains why he's speaking with you!" Ron couldn't help but add.
Draco went white and stayed quiet for the rest of the journey, while Hermione sent confused looks between Harry and Draco, and glared at Ron. Harry just drifted off to sleep, dreaming dreams filled with a familiar blonde.
::-::
Hey! Sorry, again, hope you liked this chapter. School has me totally swamped. I swear, though, I am not abandoning this! I was kind of hoping for double the reviews...I'd appreciate it if some of you would pass this story on to friends. Again, the number of reviews I get will not hinder the story, I'm plucking it out as fast as I can.
Lotsa Love and Craziness~
::Riana::
