baby chan: Thank you!
Unicorn*angel: I will, promised.
Yiota: I hope that I'll find a beta soon, so that I can make the reading
easier for you.
LilyAyl: I'm glad you liked the prank, I was afraid you guys would
be angry when I made Harry play a prank on Gryffindor. I'll tell you about
updates.
SoulSister: Thanks, and I'll work on the descriptions.
May: Thank you for reviewing all the chapters. You're right, I neglected
Draco a bit. From chapter six on it'll change. I haven't decided yet how
Harry will handle his Voldemort and Lucius problems, but his scar will
hurt soon, maybe even as a Christmas gift from Voldie… And there *is* already
a Death Eater close, which's identity will hopefully be a surprise both
for Harry and my readers. I haven't decided yet who's responsible for the
rat attack. I'm glad you like Neville and Blaise together.
Author: Artemis (artemis1000@gmx.net)
Disclaimer: Harry Potter, plot and all her characters belong to JKR
and her publishing companies, which's names I don't know. No copyright
infringement intended. Don't bother suing, my "fortune" isn't worth the
trouble. I only own the idea to this story.
Timeline: In their fifth year, 1995/1996
Rating: R for strong language
Chapter: 6/15
Pairings: Blaise Zabini/Neville, Draco/Harry
Summary: Harry gets used to being Slytherin seeker, Draco to being
Beater, the whole team has Quidditch training. When the boys are bored,
they play truth or dare and some interesting things are found out…
Silver Snake
By Artemis (Artemis1000@gmx.net)
Chapter six: A weekend in Slytherin - Saturday and Sunday
"Harry, that was great!", cheered Blaise on. "Now we add the Beaters, you'll have to play against both of them."
"And who's going to protect me from Bludgers?"
"No one, you'll have to keep your eyes open."
The Boy Who Lived groaned resigned and kicked off again.
He'd tried already to haggle with Blaise, but in the end he made it only harder for him. Luckily Malfoy was team captain, not Zabini or they would all spend even more time in the infirmary. If someone had told him a couple of weeks ago that he would be happy about Draco Malfoy as his captain… but even he was much better than Blaise Zabini. What the hell saw Neville in the guy? He's sadistic, mean and just a terrible human being that didn't deserved even the name terrible human being for making him play against two Beaters!
Neville watched the fuming boy with a mix of amusement and sympathy. He didn't understood this particular decision of his boyfriend either - after all Harry could get seriously hurt - but he didn't dared to complain. Neville had already found out the hard way that Blaise wasn't very understanding if he believed private life and Quidditch were mixed up.
Draco in the contrary was very happy with this decision. Finally he's
able to teach Potter a lesson and he even had the right to do so. He'd
his reasons for letting Blaise train the team whenever he couldn't…
"This was the most hellish Quidditch morning in my whole life!", told Harry Ron and Hermione in the early afternoon.
Hermione had insisted that they met in the library for a revision. She didn't accepted week off and resorting as excuses to call studying off, even if it's only once or twice. After all they would have another two school days before Christmas break… "If you so strongly dislike the way Malfoy leads the Slytherin team, why were you so eager to become a member then?", pointed Hermione with her sharp logic out.
"I told you already that it wasn't about Slytherin. I just want to play Quidditch. And since I am a Slytherin I'm supposed to do that at the Slytherin Quidditch team. But that's not the point. I can handle Malfoy, he's not such a bad captain. The problem is Zabini, he can be a real pain in the neck if he wants to. And he wants to most of the time at the Quidditch pitch… I don't understand it. All the time he's a sociable person – in fact the nicest Slytherin I know - but if it's about Quidditch. It's like he becomes a different person. Really creepy. And mean."
"Well, so maybe he's a bit harsh. He can't be worse than the captains we had till now at Gryffindor. And even if he is, he isn't the captain, he can't boss you around unless you let him", suggested Ron.
"But Malfoy backs him always!"
"Did you ever considered that the Slytherin team is just training harder than the Gryffindor team? I mean, the Ravenclaw team trains also six hours each day in preparation for the match against Slytherin and they're no sadists", was Hermione's cool analysis.
"Zabini is just terrible, you've no idea. Today he made me play against two Beaters at the same time, without anyone to protect me against the Bludgers!"
Hermione couldn't really understand why someone could get such agitated only about Quidditch. Her friends should rather spend their time studying, that would be of much more use for them. "Harry, if you have such big problems with the way Zabini is commanding the team, then talk to Malfoy. He's the captain, he can tell Zabini off. And now focus on our revision. You too, Ron. We'll study until you both know the three last potions by heart."
"But…"
"No buts, Harry. We need this revision. Wouldn't it be just like Professor Snape to make a surprise test one day before our Christmas holidays start? Few students will expect it, it's the perfect opportunity to pester the Gryffindors."
"But I'm a Slytherin", he protested weakly.
"Professor Snape hates you personally, he won't very likely stop just
because you wear now a green scarf. We begin with the…"
Draco flopped with a sigh down on his four-poster bed. "Finally we're rid of the Gryffindors!"
"They are no longer Gryffindors and "rid of them" we won't be for another two and a half years. Seamus is visiting with Neville some of their Gryff friends in Ravenclaw, Harry is studying with his old friends and will later visit Professor Lupin - all of them will be back in some hours."
The blonde wondered briefly how Blaise knew always where their roommates were, but he'd given up a long time to figure it out. "I know. But it's the first time we have the dorm to ourselves."
"Aye. What do you wanna do, Drac? Plan some pranks? Figure a new way out to make Gryffindor potions explode and the monsters in Care for Magical Creatures go for them? Revise this cool new Dark Arts book?" He couldn't restrain himself from teasing his best friend and adding, "rave about Potter?"
"Blaise, stop it this instance! I don't want you to start this ridiculous topic again. Pranks sound good."
"Annoying you sounds even better."
"*Blaise*…!"
"Yes, my darling?", answered Blaise in an innocent singsong.
"You're so frustrating, sometimes I could…"
"You see? You freak as soon as I imply you could be attracted to Harry Potter. What does that says about your feelings for him, huh? Denial!"
"I'm not into denial and now quit it!"
"You're again getting aggressive. And defensive." The only answer Blaise
got was silence. He hadn't expected anything else. Even a sulking Draco
was better than a whining one and he enjoyed having occasionally the last
word. Intent to enjoy the time for himself, the Slytherin fetched himself
a gothic novel and drew the curtains around his bed.
"Harry! What are you doing here?"
"Hello Professor Lupin. I just wanted to drop in and ask about a DADA extra credit assignment."
"Come in and take a seat. Would you like a cup of hot chocolate?"
"Please." It's strange to sit here as a Slytherin, but the Boy Who Lived was glad that at least one person didn't treated him different. He's already dreading Monday, when he'd have Transfiguration and Potions, it'd be nice when he could look forward at least to one subject.
Remus handed Harry hot chocolate, for himself he'd gotten tea. "How are you doing at Slytherin, Harry? Did you already made friends?"
"Thanks, friends would be an exaggeration, but I get along with Malfoy and Zabini. We have many differences and we still dislike each other, but… you don't have to be worried that we'll kill each other anytime soon, if you meant that."
"It's good to hear that. The resorting is for the best, Harry, looking back at your school in the future you'll agree with me. You can learn a lot at a different House."
"I suppose. For the time being I'm just happy that we all get along quite well and I'm still on the Quidditch team. Did you heard that I'm going to be Slytherin Seeker?"
"No, I didn't knew that."
"Draco gave the position to me, but I'm not sure why. Whenever I tried to talk to him about it he talked about everything but this. You have to come to our game, Professor, I'm sure we're going to win."
"Oh I hope so, Harry. And I promise that I'll watch." Professor Lupin smiled slightly. That Harry had referred naturally to the Slytherin team as "we" was giving him hope the boy wouldn't have as many problems as the other teachers expected in his new House.
"Thanks." Harry told his favourite teacher that they're training hard for the game against Ravenclaw, about the chess tournament and that the Slytherin didn't seemed to mind Ron's and Hermione's occasional visits. He didn't told anything about the training debacle, though, what would Professor Lupin think of him if he's whining directly? After that the subject changed to Harry's extra credit, his excuse for the visit.
"Then I expect your paper due 1st February. It's almost dinner time. Maybe you should return to the dungeons now, Harry? Your roommates will be wondering where you are."
"Okay. See you Monday, Professor."
"I'm bored!"
"I can't remember a time when you weren't bored, Draco."
"Well, Blaise, I don't have a boyfriend to keep me entertained!", the blonde snapped.
Blaise shook his head amused, "you're so touchy, Draco, sometimes it's really ridiculous."
"Thanks, that means a lot coming from you."
"Oh just buzz off!"
"How about a game?", suggested Seamus.
Harry shuddered at the mere idea what Seamus could have in mind. Since they're in Slytherin his roommate became even more nosy and gossipy, if that's possible. "You proposing a game usually means that you plan something devious."
"Yes or no?"
"No."
"Scared, Potter?", inquired Draco smirking.
"Of course not. Let's just get over with your bloody game as fast and painlessly as possible, okay?"
"Nope. Seeing you guys squirm is *soo* much more fun. Do all of you know what truth or dare is?"
Draco glared at Harry, who's the only one to nod, "what's that, a muggle game?"
"U-huh." After he'd explained the wizard-born the rules and pilfered Draco's empty butterbeer bottle, Seamus asked, "who wants to start? Harry, how about you?"
Harry sighed resigned, having accepted his fate and spun a bottle. With Draco Malfoy around he couldn't possibly chicken, but he wasn't looking forward to this night either. When he'd last played truth or dare with Seamus two months ago he'd to try and chat Professor Snape up… needless to say this earned him a whole month of detention and a visit to Dumbledore, who's luckily amused by his predicament.
The bottle pointed to Blaise. Difficult, he knew he would think for Draco of something embarrassing, but he barely knew Zabini. "Blaise, truth or dare."
"Truth."
"What is the worst thing you ever did for money?", Harry asked.
Blaise thought about the question for a long time, then he answered quietly, "I think that was vowing to become a Death Eater after school."
This had the effect to be expected. Harry and Seamus gaped at him, not sure whether he's joking. Harry, who regained the ability to speak first, asked, "but… that's impossible … I never thought… how…?"
Blaise allowed himself a small smile, "I know I'm not the typical Death Eater, but I am going to be one."
Harry's confusion turned quickly to alarm. That was one thing he hadn't expected to find out during this game. And from the look on Blaise's face it didn't seemed to be a joke. "Woah! You'll really become a Death Eater?! You would tell me if that was a really sick joke, wouldn't you?"
"I'm not as immature as Draco, Harry. There is a Russian saying my dad told me, I don't remember the exact wording, but it says that someone who flatters you either has betrayed you or is planning to betray you. You should take that to heart - if not for your own sake then for my poor fellow Death Eater's sake who would have to worry about getting your blood out of their robe", he joked.
"Which could be you as far as I know", insisted Harry, but couldn't resist a small smile.
"Don't worry about that, you're a fellow Slytherin and a friend, I wouldn't betray you. And frankly – but that can't leave the room – I don't care much about the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. If I'll have to I'll let them put the stupid Dark Mark on my forearm, but that's about all. Now I believe it's my turn. Seamus, truth or dare?"
"Dare."
"I dare you to kiss the person you love or have a crush on."
"But she's not here."
"Then you kiss her when you see her next. How about tomorrow while breakfast in the Great Hall?", the dark-haired Slytherin added maliciously.
"Nope, rather not. Draco, truth or dare?"
"Dare."
"Kiss Harry. And I mean a long kiss with tongue, not just a peck on the cheek."
"Hey, that's not fair! It's Malfoy's bet, not mine", complained Harry, but further protests were stopped when Draco kissed him.
Well, that's rather interesting, thought Seamus. He'd expected Draco to whine a long time about his dare and then to take truth. But he'd been willing, almost a bit too willing… He turned to Zabini, who's although a future Death Eater undoubtedly the best source for juicy gossip in Slytherin. "Blaise, is there something I should know about Harry and Draco…?"
"You only noticed now? Goodness, are you slow! Pansy and me figured already a year or something like that ago that Draco has a crush on Potter."
"I'm not slow!" To emphasize his words Seamus wagged his butterbeer bottle in Blaise's face. "In case you forgot, a week ago you guys were still threatening to beat us up whenever we met."
"Sorry about that, we didn't meant it. It's just that you can't expect us to be friendly to Gryffindors, that would be really fatal for our reputation…"
"Whatever. Oh, I have to get my camera!", whooped Seamus when he saw that his roommates were still kissing, and by now quite passionately. The Slytherin rummaged through his trunk in search of his instant camera, Blaise and Neville followed his example.
Finally the cameras were fished from the mess that had formerly been their trunks and three flashlights went off at the same time.
That finally succeeded in making the boys realize that they're kissing in front of all their dorm mates. They sprung apart, twin horrified expressions on their faces. Then two green and two grey eyes turned to Seamus and narrowed dangerously.
"Draco, you're ought to spin now!", said Seamus hastily. He's starting to get afraid for his dear life…
The bottle pointed at Harry and the former Gryffindor groaned. "Truth."
"If you would have to kiss someone in this room, whom would you choose?"
Harry blushed bright red and muttered something unintelligible under his breath.
"Say that again, Potter."
"You. But only because I kissed you already and it can't get any more embarrassing!", Harry added hastily.
"Yeah, sure, Potter. Now spin before we die of old age."
"Neville, truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"Have you and Blaise yet…?", asked Harry with a malicious smirk of his own.
"Potter, that's non of your business." Blaise's voice could've cut steel and the death glare he shot his way made Harry wish desperately to be at the other end of the universe.
Oops, maybe he should've trusted his instincts and asked a different question… "Neville has to answer or do a dare", Harry insisted.
Neville was bright red from embarrassment, but the mere thought of a dare made him even more nervous than having to answer Harry's question. Maybe he would have to ask for a potions extra credit assignment… When he thought about it answering wasn't such horrible, after all. At least Harry wouldn't take points from Gryffindor… Slytherin because he melted another cauldron. Almost imperceptible he shook his head and spun the bottle.
"Truth", said Seamus when the bottle pointed against to him.
The boy chewed his bottom lip nervously. He couldn't think of any question that would make Seamus uncomfortable.
Blaise didn't had such problems and whispered something into his ear.
"Thanks, that one's good! Seamus, have you ever kissed a boy?"
"Yes."
"Whom? Oh come on, Seamus, you can tell us!", urged Harry gleefully. The black-haired boy opened another bottle of butterbeer and transfigured the pack of cereals Madame Pomfrey had given him the last time he visited the hospital wing into popcorn. "Here you are, guys, now we're ready for the party."
Seamus looked now quite nervous. "We're all friends right? And I can still take the dare, can't I?"
"You made me kiss *Potter* and you expect me to feel sorry for you, Finnegan?!"
Harry looked slightly hurt at this, but hid it quickly behind the popcorn bowl. Really, what had he expected? That Draco Malfoy of all people would throw himself on him and declare his undying love? The dark-haired boy snorted quietly. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't quite kill the little voice in the back of his mind that asked, "wouldn't you have liked that…?"
"Okay, I'll tell you, but you've to promise never ever to tell anyone. We're both drunk and Ron was around…"
"You've to have been smashed badly to kiss the Weasel!", snickered Blaise.
Draco was triumphant, "I knew it, I knew it!"
"*Ron*? You kissed *Ron*, Seamus?!", Harry gasped.
Neville had choked on his butterbeer when he laughed at the same time he drunk and was in no state to do anything but gasp futilely for breath.
"Blaise, truth or dare?"
"Against my better knowledge I pick truth."
"Who's your first crush?"
"Cedric Diggory", admitted Blaise blushing. Before someone could make fun of his first crush, he spun the bottle again. "Now let's see who's next…" It landed on Harry. "Great! Well, Harry Potter, truth or dare?"
"Truth." Harry was sure that he'd no secret as embarrassing as the dare Zabini would give him.
"Perfect, just perfect!" Blaise threw a predatory smirk at Harry when he asked, "who is responsible for that little redecoration prank last week, huh?"
"Dare!"
"I dare you to wear for 24 hours openly a dark mark glamour and tell nobody that it's only a glamour."
Harry looked defeated. Where was this Gryffindor bravery when he really needed it? Well, better get over with it, they would lynch him anyway… "I did it. Both pranks, here and in the Gryffindor common room." Now the dark-haired boy hoped only fervently two things: that nobody became suspected Ron and Herm helped him and that he wouldn't get detention for his remaining years at Hogwarts.
Draco and Blaise shared a meaningful look while the other two looked were somewhere between awed and indignant. When he'd finally come to a silent agreement with Draco, Blaise stood up suggesting, "guys, let's go to bed. It's already past midnight, we're going to leave at half past eight for Hogsmeade and I don't want to buy some crap for Christmas presents just because I was too tired to realize what I got. Remember, that's our last Hogsmeade day before Christmas, Yule, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Winter solstice – hence we have a lot of shopping to do and little time."
That reminder triggered Harry's memory and he blanched, slapping his
forehead. "Bloody hell! I'm supposed to go shopping with Hermione and Ron,
she'll kill me when she finds out I was up all night and she will, she
figures always everything out!"
Despite his worry for Hermione's chiding and his Christmas presents Harry couldn't fall asleep, no matter how hard he tried.
He'd really kissed Draco Malfoy and he hadn't been disgusted by it like he'd thought he would. At first he thought it would only be a quick kiss to satisfy the sadistic audience, otherwise known as dorm mates, but somehow it hadn't turned out the way he expected…
Hell, he wasn't supposed to like it! Kissing Draco was bad enough, but if his friends found out he'd enjoyed it they would immediately put him into the nearest madhouse and hire the best psychiatrist of the world for him - and he couldn't even blame them.
If he'd only learned his lesson and never played again truth or dare…
When he's just slipping off into a doze an impatient owl tapped at the window. Harry jumped hastily out of his bed and hurried to the window, almost falling over his own feet in his haste. Maybe this was Sirius' letter!
But when he let the owl inside he saw that it was a school owl, not Hedwig. Harry took the note off from the owl's leg and while it's busy with a treat, he opened the letter.
Dear Harry,
I got just an owl that Snuffles will visit you in the Christmas holidays.
Professor Lupin
Harry was glad Sirius was sensible enough not to send him any owls to the dungeons, there was no say who would open his letters after all, but it also hurt that he wasn't even anymore capable of receiving owls from his godfather like ordinary Hogwarts students.
But, he realized, Sirius was coming to Hogwarts? That was not only insane, it's also very complicated this time. Sirius couldn't know that all the other fifth year boys were going to stay as well. As far as he's informed not even Snape as their Head of House was told about their plans already, Remus couldn't possibly have warned Sirius about this problem. And Harry really couldn't imagine Sirius Black staying all their holidays in the Slytherin dorms with him and his dorm mates in dog form without anyone becoming suspicious. If Malfoy and Zabini even let him stay long enough…
Draco Malfoy. The cause of his insomnia tonight…
He caught himself several times thinking about Draco while he scribbled two notes.
Professor,
Thank you for forwarding Snuffle's message. I'm looking forward to his visit.
See you later
Harry
And another piece of parchment.
Hi Sirius!
I'm so happy that you'll spend Christmas with me!
But please be careful, all fifth year Slytherin boys – Seamus Finnegan, Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini – will stay because of the Quidditch games shortly after the holidays. By the way, it would be great if you could watch it, we'll play on January the 14th.
See you at Christmas.
Bye
Harry
Crawling back under the covers of his four-poster but leaving the hangings open watched the school owl leave with Professor Lupin's and Hedwig with Sirius' letter.
But his mind was occupied solely by a boy with blonde hair and grey eyes. He couldn't explain why he's incapable of getting Draco out of his head since they kissed. It's no secret at Hogwarts that Draco Malfoy was attractive, but it's also no secret that he hated the other boy more than anyone else. Well, he hated Voldemort more, but that's totally different. Now suddenly it wasn't so easy anymore. He couldn't sleep because of Draco and he's pretty sure that the other boy had enjoyed their kiss as well. Even if he'd been just as nasty as ever afterwards…
That was Harry's last thought before his troubled mind fell into blissful
oblivion.
The third time in less then a week Harry would be awoken rather unfriendly. This time it's going to be neither a dead rat nor a wet washcloth, though.
When Seamus woke up to find his dorm mates still all asleep and Harry's curtains left open, the opportunity was just irresistible…
Seamus sneaked to the terrarium next to Blaise's bed, where his small brown snake Lorene was dozing. The snake didn't looked very dangerous, but the Slytherin still didn't felt like finding out if her looks were deceiving. So he quickly opened the top of the terrarium that's charmed so it would be bigger inside than from the outside, took Lorene out the way they'd learned in Care for Magical Creatures and hurried with her over to Harry's bed.
When he'd arrived at the parselmouth's side an awake Lorene hissed angrily
at him, tried at the same time to get out of his grip and bite him. Only
just Seamus managed to throw her under Harry's duvet before he made first-hand
experience with her fangs. "Urgh, that was narrow!"
Something cold slithering over his bare chest achieved what Seamus' fight with Lorene hadn't. Harry woke slowly up. "What… who… Hey, I was just having a promising dream about Draco, couldn't you have waked me afterwards?", he muttered half-asleep and tried to pat the intruder away.
Lorene hissed a snake-chuckle, her tiny split tongue flicking out, and made herself comfortable on Harry's chest. She knew the boy could understand her, he translated often for her and her master, she just had to wait till he's awake, then he would teach the silly boy to interrupt her naps again.
"Huh?", asked Harry in parseltongue.
"Take me back to my home, the silly boy threw me into your bed to scare you. He seemed to have forgotten that you're a parselmouth."
"Who is the silly boy? Your master? Draco? Neville? Maybe Seamus?"
"You call him Seamus."
"How calming to know that at least Seamus' acting true to type", grumbled
Harry. "I still have two hours till I've to leave for Hogsmeade, how about
we take another nap? You can sleep on the blanket if you want to."
Blaise Zabini stood frowning in front of his spacious – and still packed – wardrobe, taking two dozen robes out, holding them in front of him and hanging them again up after thoroughly analysing the pros and cons.
Finally he'd picked two robes, a knee-deep silvery-green velvet robe with silver clasps and trimmings and a warmer, full-length velvet bordeaux robe. "But I can't wear two, now *that* would look really *really* stupid…" The boy worried his bottom lip for a while in deep concentration. Usually he wasn't quite such vain, that's Draco's department, but today was the first time he'd have a date with Neville and he wanted to look smashing.
Draco rolled his eyes and pushed the bordeaux robes into Blaise's arms, "take this, you're gonna freeze your ass off if you wear the short one."
"And you look like a cherry. A sexy cherry, but a cherry nonetheless…"
"Hmph!" The blonde Slytherin opened the clasps of his red robes again after only closing them a moment ago and put everyday black school robes on. His winter robes were still made of fine velvet, but at least there were no black cherries…
"Aw how sweet", mocked the dark-haired Slytherin. "Just one questions: are you going to go to a burial or Christmas shopping?"
Maybe he'd jumped to conclusions… But then again, Draco reminded himself, Blaise hadn't been ever satisfied with his outfit since they befriended as eleven years olds. "Just for your information, that's the same school robes you wear as well."
"Fine, that round goes to you. But I couldn't help wondering whether kissing Potter affected you a bit more than you would like to admit, considering that you didn't went to bed till three – and kept me all the time prisoner in the common room."
"Blaise, just drop it, will you? I don't like Potter and if you ever tell anyone about this ridiculous idea of you I'm going to kill you with my own hands!"
"Fine, but don't get all whiny if Potter finds himself another boyfriend, there are many pretty boys in Slytherin House…"
With a jolt Harry woke again. He jolted upright in his bed and shouted indignantly, "you bastards! You ended the truth or dare game before I could find out who put the dead rat into my bed!" But his roommates only looked at the black-haired boy with the same angelic expressions. He groaned exasperated and fell back into his bed. Once his head was again buried under his pillow, Harry slurred, "sleeeepy, Seamus no snakes. G'night."
Draco sighed in relief when he saw the look on Blaise's face. His friend had found himself finally a new victim.
"Seamus? You don't happen to know who's responsible for Lorene sleeping next to Potter's bed, do you…?"
The icy look he received only made Seamus even more nervous. "But… but it's only a joke! I only wanted to scare Harry!"
He approached the frightened ex-Gryffindor like a predator it's prey, relishing in his fear. He didn't cared much for the Death Eaters, it's only a job, but the fear he's able to instil with it was the best part of it. "Well, obviously it didn't worked! If I ever see you anywhere near my snake or anything else that belongs to me I'll skin you and feed you your own heart! And you can trust me that it's not a very pleasant procedure…"
The Irishman gulped. "I promise, I won't ever do it again."
"Fine. Now, Finnegan, while we've breakfast you're going to wake Potter
up. I don't want him to be late, if he can't visit Hogsmeade I'll make
you personally responsible. And while you're alone with him, making sure
he won't be late, you'll have plenty opportunities to apologize for your
prank…"
The travel from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade was spent for the Slytherin fifth year boys separately.
Harry shared a carriage with Ron and Hermione, glad about the opportunity to spend again some time only with his two best friends.
The old group around Draco with the now Gryffindors Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle and Hufflepuff Pansy Parkinson shared another carriage.
Blaise preferred to keep a watchful eye on his boyfriend, so to his infinite annoyance he'd to sit not only with Seamus - whom he hadn't forgiven the snake incident yet – but also with Hufflepuff Dean Thomas.
Hermione and Ron exchanged a nervous glance, both urging the other to start. Finally it's her who spoke up first, "Harry, I'll go home for Christmas. My grandparents promised to visit for a week or two and I haven't seen them for a long time."
"That's okay, I understand."
"Yes, Harry, but… I am going as well."
"Please, Ron? I don't want to spend Christmas without any of you."
"Ginny and me both tried to convince my parents that one of us has to stay with you, but they insist that both of us come home. Charlie and Bill will both visit with their fiancées and mum wants them to get a good impression."
"Oh well, I guess it can't be changed then. I wish I could come along with you, but I told Malfoy already that I'll stay and train for the match, I can't back out now or I'll never live it down and am kicked off the team. And most importantly, Sirius will come to visit and I don't think I can take him to the Burrow."
"We'll send you your presents and write you every day an owl…", Hermione tried to comfort her friend.
"Thanks, and I appreciate it. It's just… hard to explain, but this is the first Christmas I'll have to spend alone since I got away from the Dursleys. The only people I know will stay are Malfoy, Blaise, Seamus, Neville, Attwood, Mitchell and me of course. It'll get kinda lonely…"
"I'm sure it won't be as bad as you imagine it."
Well, it wouldn't be bad at all if he didn't had to think all the time about Draco… Harry plastered a fake smile on his face, "yes, you're right. I'm sure we'll get along fine. It's not like I wouldn't have anything to do, between that hellish torture Malfoy and Blaise call practice and doing all the homework Snape is sure to give us I can still help Hagrid and spend time with Hedwig, she's to feel neglected."
"Let's not think about the gloomy stuff. What are you going to give me for Christmas? Please, I *have* to know!", begged Ron.
tbc…
Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'm very, very sorry that it took me so long and that I'm such a lazy bitch. I'd writer's block for this story – like for most others – and I couldn't think of a new chapter for The Debt if my life depended on it. But now I'll post new chapters faster.
Btw, I found the lyrics to a really great song that I think sums pretty good up how Harry feels about his life as a hero against his will.
You're part of some heaven, but you're feeling like hell.
an interesting ideal for someone to sell.
You're high on your profile (but you) wanna lay low.
You're living the lifestyle right here on public show,
In control, so smile as they come and go and…
Everybody loves you
for every single step you take
and everybody knows you
for every single word you say
and you know that it is true
no one knows you better than you do
One look in the mirror (and tell me) what do you see?
A person quite ordinary that you used to be
A little more make-up will help to erase
Enough of the memories you need to play the game,
all the same, everyday in your own way and…
Everybody loves you
for every single step you take
and everybody knows you
for every single word you say
and you know that it is true
no one knows you better than you do
Could you throw a shadow?
(There's a dark side to us all)
Would we see you cry?
(No, I've never stopped and tried)
Surrounded by good intentions
(But you're still misunderstood)
Remember who you'll leave behind…
Everybody loves you
for every single step you take
and everybody knows you
for every single word you say
and you know that it is true
no one knows you better than you do
Sasha, „Everybody Loves You"