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"I still can't believe you DID that!" Hermione exclaimed, walking down the corridor.
"Me neither. Way to go Al!" Ron said and exchanged high-fives.
"No, I didn't mean that… how could you do that to Draco? Your own DAD?"
"What did I do?" Aleron asked, smiling innocently.
"You can't just send people to the future! Can you imagine how confused he is right now? He's probably getting himself killed or something! Worse than when YOU came HERE, I mean, the future sounds so dangerous! And now Professor Dumbledore's got to try and find some MORE ingredients for the potion so that you and Draco can go back to the right time!"
"Aw c'mon 'Mione, how bad can it be?" Ron asked.
"Yeah, and besides, my friends'll take care of him"
"AHHHHH!"
"Say it!"
"No!"
Dante shook his hand a little. "I'm slipping…"
"AHHH! No! Don't let go!" Draco screamed. He looked below him and closed his eyes fearfully. Maybe, just maybe, if he couldn't see the ground so far beneath him, he would not REALLY be hanging upside-down out of a window by the ankle held by Dante and maybe he would wake up in his soft silk bed and Aleron, Jamie, Dante, this whole incident would be just a dream. He opened one eyes and shut it again. The ground so, so, so, so, soooo far beneath him…
"Whoops! Oh, one of my fingers lost grip. Whoops! Oh, there goes another one…" Dante called cheerily, letting go of Draco's ankle finger by finger.
How is this guy so strong, wondered Draco. He felt another finger let go and let out a screech. "AHHH! STOPPIT!"
"Holding on with only a finger and a thumb now…"
"FINE! DANTE DID NOT CHEAT IN EXPLODING SNAP HE IS THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WHOLE WORLD AND I AM THE BIGGEST SORE LOSER AND WILL YOU NOW PLEASE, PLEASE LET ME IN?"
Dante smirked, satisfied, and yanked Draco roughly in. Draco fell hard on the floor.
"For someone so chubby you're pretty light" Dante said, pinching Draco's cheek. Draco hit his hand away.
"I am NOT chubby"
"Aw, daddy's little honey angel, did mean ol' Dante scare you? Huh? Did I?" Dante asked mockingly then burst into laughter. Draco felt his cheeks burn his anger and humiliation. How DARE this boy DO this to him?
"That's enough Dan" Jamie said, walking into the room.
"Saved by a girl" Dante sneered but shut up.
"Come on Draco, we have Care of Magical Creatures next" Jamie said.
"I still don't get why you took CMC instead of Divination" Dante said.
"Some people don't believe in seeing the future. MOST people aren't superstitious"
Dante scowled, whirled around and walked out of the room.
"You're only not doing it cuz you're afraid," Jamie muttered under her breath. Draco walked Dante leave, not hearing what Jamie just said.
"Geez, what's his problem?" he asked when Dante was out of earshot.
"He didn't use to be like this. For one, his humor wasn't so… dangerous. After his sister died he started to hang out with a gang… he and his dad fight tons. He really loved his sister. This was only last year. I knew his sister had died before school was out… but he didn't really change until the holidays"
"In other words his family's a bunch of nutcases"
"Don't say that!" Jamie said. "He loved his sister a LOT! Heck, everyone did. She just had this… this kind of personality that made you feel nice and warm"
"What was her name?"
"Gabrielle"
"Is Dante's mom's surname by any chance Delacour?" Draco asked. Jamie looked surprised.
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"He did get Fleur after all…" Draco mused.
"What?"
"Nothing…"
"Hi Professor!"
"Hello Tanya" the professor greeted warmly. Draco, hidden behind the taller Jamie couldn't see a thing. He felt a sharp yank on his wrist then before he knew it was being towed behind the girl to meet the professor.
"'Morning Professor!" she said cheerily.
"Morning Jamie"
"Mind if someone joins your class today?"
"Not at all! Who is it?"
Jamie stepped to the side and pushed Draco to meet the professor, who blinked and stared, slack jawed. Draco took in the wavy flaming red hair, freckles that decorated and further browned an already tanned face, sparkling emerald eyes that had dulled over the years and small, slowly formed wrinkles of old age that had gathered around the man's eyes, forehead and mouth. He took in the protruding stomach that only a few decades ago had not been there. He couldn't help it. His jaw fell open and he stared. The professor was the first one to react.
"MALFOY?"
"Oh GEEZ, what happened to YOU?"
"You two know each other?" Jamie asked, interested and amused. Ronald Weasley gaped, then, as his eyes rolled up into his head, promptly fainted.
Draco sat, tapping his foot impatiently on the floor. Class had been dismissed, as, of course, their professor had just passed out onto the floor. Draco glanced at his watched and sighed. He got up and stared down at the unconscious form of Ron Weasley then crossed his arms. He kicked Ron's arm lightly.
"Okay, you can stop faking it now. Get up"
If Ron was awake, he chose to ignore the blonde. Draco looked at his watch again.
"OK, yeah, that was probably a shock, you definitely gave ME a shock, but two and a half hours is just a bit too much"
No movement.
Draco sighed again. What a waste of time. He didn't actually want to be there, it was only Jamie had forced him too. He put his hand in his pocket for his wand, thinking to pour ice water on the redhead, then had an idea and put the wand away quietly. He walked around the man on the floor, observing. He leaned down to Ron's face slowly then took a jump back.
"ACK! SPIDER!"
"ARGH!" Ron jolted up, eyes wide open. He brushed his face frantically then caught sight of Draco's amused smirk and slightly cocked head.
"Very funny" Ron muttered.
"Even as an old man it works"
"Old?" Ron scoffed. "I am not 'old'!"
Draco raised an eyebrow.
"Not fifty yet…" the redhead mumbled.
"I would guess… forty-nine" Draco assessed, a smirk tugging at his lips as he saw Ron twitch slightly, knowing he had hit it head on. "And right now I'm fifteen… which would make you thirty-five years older"
"So?"
"Feeling tired?"
"Slightly"
"I rest my case"
"I didn't get enough sleep last night!" Ron said defensively. Draco's face settled into the one that Ron had grown to loathe as a youth, the one of sarcasm and slight amusement.
"Dear me. I had no idea"
"What?"
"Oh dear… well better late than never." Draco opened his arms in a flourish. "Now, you poor unintelligible sap, let me introduce you to the wonders of a little wonder overworking, lethargic office clerks are used to worldwide. Too good to be true, isn't it? But it is true! Let me introduce you to the miracles of coffee"
Ron frowned. "Your sense of humor's changed"
Draco scowled. "Probably from that git Aleron"
Ron's eyebrows lifted. "Aleron? Your son? What happened to him? I heard he disappeared."
"Oh yes. And reappeared in my time. And don't call him my son"
Ron frowned. "I don't remember that"
"Alzheimer's catching up with you already?" Draco mocked.
"Shut up"
"Your manners have improved" Draco observed. "In older times you would have said 'Get lost you ugly git, don't you have anyone else to bother? Oh wait, no friends, right?'. Or something of the sort" Draco looked at Ron. "That hurt"
"Well you DIDN'T have any friends. At least, I don't consider Crabbe and Goyle as FRIENDS. More like cronies"
Draco stared at Ron. "Who said I was talking about friends? It hurt that you called my UGLY! I am not ugly. I bet you probably cracked a few mirrors from your looks alone"
"Same old arrogance. You passed it on down to your son you know-"
"HE'S NOT MY SON! We can not POSSIBLY be related!"
"-And your daughter"
Draco gaped then remembered Jamie and Dante mention something about Aleron having a sister.
"Such troublemakers, those two. Just like another Fred and George" Ron said fondly. He heard a strange strangled sound from the teen beside him. The look of horror mingled with outrage, shock and denial, added with the effect of Draco unsuccessfully trying to look like he didn't care was hilarious. Ron smiled then started to walk off.
"Where do you think you're going?" Draco demanded, having to stride quickly to keep up with the tall man.
"Back to my room"
"I'm not done talking yet!"
Ron glanced at him. "Come with me then"
Draco walked furiously. "WOULD you slow DOWN?" he asked, panting slightly. An amused smirk grew on Ron's face.
"And here I was thinking you were fit. All other students can keep up with me. Hey I never noticed before, but you're kinda short, aren't you?" he said. The result was exactly what he hoped for. Another strangled sound and the same expression. Draco halted for a second, thinking quickly of a comeback, then, finding none, ran after the man , shouting, "That's MY facial expression! Mine! Copyright Draco Malfoy! Get your own!"
"Tea?" Ron offered.
"One cup, not too much sugar, not too much milk. Stir quickly, I hate tea that's been stirred slowly. And make it hot. Warm tea is disgusting"
Ron stared.
"What?" Draco glared.
"Fickle…" Ron sighed as he set about fixing the tea. Draco looked around.
"Nice room" he said.
"Thanks"
"This Dante?" he asked, picking up a framed picture of a beaming redheaded baby. Ron glanced.
"Yeah. Met him?"
Draco recalled back to his encounter earlier that day.
"Yeah. He has an interesting sense of humor"
Ron looked a little sad. "Lucky he has Jamie to keep him in tow" he said.
"She's bossy" Draco said bluntly, remembering when she had forced him to wait until the redhead in front of him had woken up. The redhead grinned.
"What would you expect? She's her mother's daughter"
Ron could see Draco's blank expression from the corner of his eye. He added a little bit more milk to the tea.
"Harry married Hermione" he explained.
"Who did I marry?" Draco asked eagerly. A smile snaked out onto Ron's face.
"Gee, I can't remember"
"Yes you can!"
"No… who was it now…"
"C'mon!"
"Was it… no…"
"You know who it is you oldie! Spit it out!"
Ron looked apologetically at the irate teen as he brought Draco's cup of tea to him. "Alzheimer's. Ever so sorry" he said, turning so Draco would catch the evil grin on his face. Draco scowled and sipped his tea. He looked at it disgustedly.
"This is HOT tea? It's at LEAST five degrees too cold. And you put in too much sugar! What're you trying to do, poison me?"
"The thought is tempting" Ron murmured.
"What was that?"
"Nothing. Fix your own tea if you're going to be so finicky" Ron said, sitting down on the sofa, his own cup in his hands. Grumbling, Draco got up and started to fix his tea. When he came back Ron was talking to the fireplace.
"I'm fine. What? Oh" Ron blushed. "Not been very active recently. So how're you? Really? That's great. Wow! Geez you always get the glamorous lives, don't you? Quidditch coach…"
Draco stared at Ron. "Why're you talking to a FIREPLACE?" he asked.
"Hm?" Ron looked up startled, then grinned. "I'm talking to a friend" he said. The look of alarm on Draco's face was comical.
"No I'm not mad. Get over here" Ron laughed. Draco edged toward him cautiously, hand wavering near his pocket for his wand.
"Hey, guess who came to visit?" Ron asked the fire cheerfully. Now that Draco was closer he could see a face, a man with wild, dark hair, two deep sparkling pools of jade, a strong jaw line, wrinkles earned from years of hard work and happiness, and…
A lightning bolt scar.
Draco's jaw dropped.
Harry's eyes widened and he stared. "Ron, is that…"
"Mr. Malfoy himself"
Harry recovered quickly. "Hi" he said.
"Hi" said Draco, shaken.
Harry blinked and shook his head then grinned. "Don't tell me, Aleron put a de-aging potion in your tea again" he guessed. Draco spluttered.
"Like I would let him do that to me!" he said.
"It has happened"
"Hah, as if I would let a git like him get me de-aged!"
"Draco's been de-aged before?" Ron asked, interested.
"Didn't I tell you? Oh, it was such a funny story-"
"I'm sure" Draco said sarcastically, frowning and crossing his arms. Harry stared at the teen.
"That's… not Draco" he said.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M NOT DRACO?" the blonde exploded. Enough with acting nonchalant, this day was turning too weird. Harry disappeared and returned. He looked down then back at the two, a phone in his hands.
"What're you doing?" Draco asked, mystified, but Harry held a hand up.
"'Lo, that you Draco? Yeah, s'me. So… you're there, yeah? No… just… asking…" Harry said. He listened to the phone for a while then said, "Hey sorry Drake, gotta go… talk to you later" and pressed a button. Draco was livid. He wasn't sure whether his anger was directed at Harry or himself though.
My future self, he corrected. But still. Harry had used a mobile phone. Draco was not very familiar with the object but could remember it once, when he had visited the Muggle world and knew that, to be able to call someone, both persons had to have a phone.
How degrading, he thought. I'm using a MUGGLE object. What was worse was what Harry had called him. 'Drake'. He looked at the fire to see Harry staring at him like he was an alien dressed in a tutu asking for a cup of sugar so that he could continue his intergalactic press conference.
"You… you…" Harry stammered.
"I'm from the past. And how dare you call me Drake! My name is Draco. Drac-O. Dragon. Not DRAKE!"
"What's the difference?" Ron asked.
"Ignorant as always" Draco muttered. "The DIFFERENCE" he said, raising his voice, "Is that my name means dragon. Draco means dragon. A DRAKE is a male duck. I am not a duck"
"Wha- How…" Harry asked.
"Aleron pushed me into a time hole" Draco said.
"Duck!" Ron laughed, finding it hilarious.
"Stop laughing it's not funny"
"Have you told the Headmistress?" Harry asked.
"Head-MISTRESS?"
"Hermione"
"Obvious" Draco rolled his eyes then continued, "I should think she knows, considering the fact that there isn't a blonde hippie rampaging around when there should be"
"I don't think she would notice so quickly…"
"If the Weasley twins were quiet for two minutes would YOU notice?"
"Touché" Ron grinned.
"The spell to get you back's really complicated though… it might be a problem" Harry said, worried.
"What problem?"
"I read somewhere that if you try to perform the spell twice it may not work… you may, um, leave stuff behind"
"What stuff?"
"Well a guy who tried doing the spell twice lost his left leg"
"Pomfrey can heal that"
"Another guy lost his head"
"Oh"
"It's gonna be hard finding the right ingredients to make sure you get back safely… I'll tell Hermione. In the meantime, just hang around for a while… hey Ron, isn't that Hogsmeade visit on soon?"
"Another three days" Ron said happily.
"And Draco always picks Aleron up and takes him there himself, doesn't he?"
"Yep"
"Well good. Draco, you wait for another three days until, uh, Draco comes to pick you up"
Ron grinned. "I'd like to see his reaction when he sees himself instead of Aleron"
Harry grinned back then his face went serious again. "I'll talk to you as soon as I can Ron, gotta go"
"You always 'gotta go', don't you?" Draco muttered. He did NOT like taking orders from Harry, but he didn't have a choice, which irritated him.
"What's the hurry?" Ron asked.
"Gotta research. Read some books, check for the spell. All I know is the spell to get the person back is entirely different"
Draco and Ron gaped.
"What?"
"How much of Hermione's rubbed OFF on you?" Ron asked.
Harry frowned. "What do you mean?"
"He means 'When did illiterate oaf Harry become literate swot Harry'. In other words, when did you become another Hermione" Draco said.
"I'm not a swot! I'm trying to help out!" Harry said, a little hurt, brushing his hair behind his right ear.
"You're doing it again! Just like Mudblood!" Draco exclaimed.
"Her name's 'Hermione'. You said it only a few seconds ago. And I don't know what you're talking about" Harry said, frowning, then brushed some stray hairs behind his right ear again before he realized it.
"And again!"
"Oh shut up. I'm going" Harry said and disappeared. Ron took out his wand, about to end the spell when Harry's head reappeared. He had a grin on his face that put the Cheshire cat to shame.
"I forgot to say bye," he said.
Ron grinned. "Right then, bye"
"Bye Ron. See you three days later?"
"Count on it"
"Right. And Draco?"
"What?"
"BARNEY!" Harry yelled gleefully then disappeared.
"Wha- guh- how immature can you GET?" Draco yelled into the fire.
"Don't bother, he's gone" Ron said briskly, waving his wand and muttering some words, ending the spell.
"Although being scared of Barney IS pretty funny" he chuckled.
"Oh do shut up," Draco grumbled.
A/N: Yiiii! So sorry to anyone who read this before I turned it into html format, fanfiction.net messed it all up! Hope you can read the stuff easier now, with the smaller paragraphs and all… so sorry! And sorry for taking so long to post up a new chapter… I was stuck in Malaysia for two weeks for 'holiday'. The computer there was so… primitive. Sorry for sounding stuck-up, but it was. Sooooo slooooowwwwwww… took me half an hour to load up just the front page of fanfiction.net. Anyhow. Start looking forward to when Draco meets Draco! ^^