Author's Note: Hi All, so terribly sorry about the cliffhanger ending of
the last chapter. I didn't mean to be evil, I swear! ! ! Although, I have
to admit it *was* sort of fun. (Heh-heh. . .)
I was writing Chap 6 & 7 non-stop (see how much I love you all?) and I couldn't write anymore so that cliffie saved my life! (Well, it let me sleep anyways.)
And I only realised afterwards I hadn't even written notes at the top for those Chaps.
So here are some: Thanks everyone for all the great reviews (Author squeals "more, more, more!" and stamps her foot for emphasis.). Special thanks to Daelan, I think you've written the longest review so far! P.S: I adore MF/OW pairings! Hugs to lecada chan, Sairavanie, Edana, Caet Rae/MerLyn, ronslilprincess, RackeltheRacoon & di for your sweet words. Also SnippyandSnarky for your constant reviews, its much appreciated. Lots of Gratitude to kale (and Alex Destine too) for your support and words of wisdom, it was just what I needed to hear. Plus the best selling author comment made the wheels start turning in my overly-imaginative head. *blush*. Thanks to Fanny chan & Nez too. Some overdue thanks to zipzoey, JadeDragon, sundance kid and plink for your great feedback.
Chapter 8: Complications & Implications
Marcus Flint certainly wasn't expecting this.
Harry Potter in bed, on his hands and knees, stroking Draco Malfoy's hair?
*Well, I'm certainly going to have fun with this. . .* he thought with ugly sneer, as he strode into the room, loving every second of that deer-caught- in-headlights look on Potter's face.
"Erm, it's not. . . Oomff. . ." Harry tried to back away from his compromising position too quickly, that he forgot about the pile of treats that was still under him.
The result of which landed him awkwardly in the pile, fumbling for several seconds before he managed to right himself, and sit up properly again.
With a large, pink-and-white swirly lollipop snagged and hanging from a buttonhole, no less.
". . .how it looks." he finished, as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, which had slid down during his clumsy attempts to look normal, and gulped.
Throughout all this, Draco didn't give the slightest inclination of being affected by the Slytherin Captain having witnessed their little interaction and had amazingly managed to keep his composure.
He merely looked amused, as he turned to the Slytherin Captain. "Hello Marcus. Come to pay me a visit, have you?"
"Draco. . .what have you two been up to in here?" Marcus said slowly as he moved to stand by their bedside, glaring at Harry in mock surprise and indignation.
"Nothing! Nothing!" Harry said frantically, getting a little flustered by the implied meaning in Flint's raised eyebrows. Draco wasn't helping either. In fact, he looked like he was enjoying himself.
*And why isn't he getting bothered by this?* thought Harry a little enviously as he took in Draco's relaxed smirk and casual posture.
"Was there something you wanted, Marcus?" Draco drawled.
*So the little twerp's not talking.* Marcus thought as he frowned openly.
Draco saw this, but ignored it and just lifted his eyebrow questioningly at Marcus.
Marcus snorted.
"Just wanted to tell you that your father came by to visit you a week ago while you were still unconscious. Guess he wanted to see for himself that you were still alive." Marcus paused.
"He really doesn't trust Dumbledore much, does he?" he added.
"Suppose not. Is that it?"
"No. He's been owling me and I've been writing back to update him on your progress. But now that you are up and about, I expect he'll be wanting a letter from you soon."
"Of course. I was going to do that soon anyway. Thank you, Marcus."
"No problem. After all, I have to take care of our house Seeker, now don't I?" he placed a hand on Draco's back.
Harry frowned at this.
"Not that I think there'll be a rematch anytime soon. . ." Marcus continued, failing to notice how Harry was glaring at him. "It's been postponed further back now to give you two time to fully heal, I suppose."
"And I won't be surprised if it's cancelled completely. . ." He shrugged, hiding a smile, knowing that the House Cup would automatically go to Slytherin bearing this decision, seeing how Gryffindor were trailing behind them slightly in points.
"And you would just love that, wont you, Flint?" Oliver Wood appeared at the doorway, as if echoing his secret thoughts.
Marcus snorted in disgust when he saw who it was, and Oliver entered the room.
"You all right there, Harry?" he asked, throwing a suspicious glare at the two Slytherins as he stood by the bedside, opposite to where Marcus was standing.
"I'm fine, Oliver. Thanks. " Harry smiled, pleased to see that the older boy had bothered to come and visit him.
"What the hell are you doing here, Wood? Followed me out the Great Hall, didn't you?" Marcus spat out.
"Don't flatter yourself, Flint. I came to see how Harry was." He glanced at the lollipop hanging from Harry's shirt and looked back at Harry, who was still grinning up widely at him.
"Touching. Should we leave you two alone, then?" Marcus interjected.
Oliver growled softly at this but he shook himself and instead shifted his focus on Draco.
"So, Malfoy." He began slowly, rested both hands on the mattress, and leaned himself forward to face the blonde Slytherin, their faces inches apart. "Now that you're all better, maybe you could enlighten us on what exactly happened that day."
Draco froze.
"And just what the hell is that supposed to mean, Wood?" Marcus demanded angrily.
"That means exactly what I said, genius." He said, not taking his eyes off Draco.
"You better watch your mouth. We wouldn't want you to get hurt now, do we?"
"Oliver." Harry said.
"Is that a threat?" he finally tore his gaze off Draco to glare back at Marcus.
"Oliver!" Harry said a little more loudly.
Oliver finally turned to Harry, still fuming.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked quietly.
"Harry, I know you don't remember what happened that day, but don't you find it a little strange that you just fell off your broom for no reason at all?"
Harry closed his eyes for a moment and sighed wearily.
"Oliver, look, I understand that you are upset about the match and all, but. . ."
"Harry! You're not actually siding with them, are you?" Oliver interrupted, in sheer disbelief.
"I'm not siding with any-one." Harry stated firmly, getting quite annoyed with Oliver, and feeling suddenly protective of Draco, who was still not saying anything.
"Look, just take my word for it. It was just an accident, nothing more. " continued Harry.
"So," Oliver paused, frowning; "You actually remember what happened?"
"Well, no. . ."
Oliver was getting more and more frustrated with Harry's seemingly completely irrational behaviour.
"Then how do you know?" he almost shouted.
"I just. . . do, ok?" Harry stated simply, looking at Draco thoughtfully.
Oliver just looked at Harry in disbelief and shock.
*WHAT is going on?* he wondered desperately, feeling as though he'd stepped into another dimension and an alternate reality.
He raised his arms and clutched at his hair with both hands in frustration while he tried to make sense of what he had just heard and seen.
He looked over at Marcus, who was smirking widely and thoroughly enjoying seeing how the scene was unfolding completely against Oliver's favour.
*Bastard!*
"You! You did something to him, didn't you?" Oliver accused Flint, pointing a finger to Harry.
"That's pathetic." Marcus snorted in disgust. "Even for you, Wood."
Oliver reddened visibly at this. Harry could see that his hands were also trembling and clenched tightly into fists. He wondered how he could try to defuse the situation.
"You should advise your Seeker to keep his filthy hands off mine." Oliver managed out, his tone slow and dangerous.
Marcus laughed out loud at this.
"I should be saying the same about yours." And shot Harry a knowing look, pleased to see the slightly horrified reaction on the boy's face.
*Looks like my work here is done.* he thought evilly and with some satisfaction.
"See you later, Draco." He gave him a slap on his shoulder before turning to leave for his first lesson for the day.
He was still chuckling as he walked out, not looking back as he left, leaving behind a very confused Oliver, an embarrassed Harry and a thoroughly amused Draco.
I was writing Chap 6 & 7 non-stop (see how much I love you all?) and I couldn't write anymore so that cliffie saved my life! (Well, it let me sleep anyways.)
And I only realised afterwards I hadn't even written notes at the top for those Chaps.
So here are some: Thanks everyone for all the great reviews (Author squeals "more, more, more!" and stamps her foot for emphasis.). Special thanks to Daelan, I think you've written the longest review so far! P.S: I adore MF/OW pairings! Hugs to lecada chan, Sairavanie, Edana, Caet Rae/MerLyn, ronslilprincess, RackeltheRacoon & di for your sweet words. Also SnippyandSnarky for your constant reviews, its much appreciated. Lots of Gratitude to kale (and Alex Destine too) for your support and words of wisdom, it was just what I needed to hear. Plus the best selling author comment made the wheels start turning in my overly-imaginative head. *blush*. Thanks to Fanny chan & Nez too. Some overdue thanks to zipzoey, JadeDragon, sundance kid and plink for your great feedback.
Chapter 8: Complications & Implications
Marcus Flint certainly wasn't expecting this.
Harry Potter in bed, on his hands and knees, stroking Draco Malfoy's hair?
*Well, I'm certainly going to have fun with this. . .* he thought with ugly sneer, as he strode into the room, loving every second of that deer-caught- in-headlights look on Potter's face.
"Erm, it's not. . . Oomff. . ." Harry tried to back away from his compromising position too quickly, that he forgot about the pile of treats that was still under him.
The result of which landed him awkwardly in the pile, fumbling for several seconds before he managed to right himself, and sit up properly again.
With a large, pink-and-white swirly lollipop snagged and hanging from a buttonhole, no less.
". . .how it looks." he finished, as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, which had slid down during his clumsy attempts to look normal, and gulped.
Throughout all this, Draco didn't give the slightest inclination of being affected by the Slytherin Captain having witnessed their little interaction and had amazingly managed to keep his composure.
He merely looked amused, as he turned to the Slytherin Captain. "Hello Marcus. Come to pay me a visit, have you?"
"Draco. . .what have you two been up to in here?" Marcus said slowly as he moved to stand by their bedside, glaring at Harry in mock surprise and indignation.
"Nothing! Nothing!" Harry said frantically, getting a little flustered by the implied meaning in Flint's raised eyebrows. Draco wasn't helping either. In fact, he looked like he was enjoying himself.
*And why isn't he getting bothered by this?* thought Harry a little enviously as he took in Draco's relaxed smirk and casual posture.
"Was there something you wanted, Marcus?" Draco drawled.
*So the little twerp's not talking.* Marcus thought as he frowned openly.
Draco saw this, but ignored it and just lifted his eyebrow questioningly at Marcus.
Marcus snorted.
"Just wanted to tell you that your father came by to visit you a week ago while you were still unconscious. Guess he wanted to see for himself that you were still alive." Marcus paused.
"He really doesn't trust Dumbledore much, does he?" he added.
"Suppose not. Is that it?"
"No. He's been owling me and I've been writing back to update him on your progress. But now that you are up and about, I expect he'll be wanting a letter from you soon."
"Of course. I was going to do that soon anyway. Thank you, Marcus."
"No problem. After all, I have to take care of our house Seeker, now don't I?" he placed a hand on Draco's back.
Harry frowned at this.
"Not that I think there'll be a rematch anytime soon. . ." Marcus continued, failing to notice how Harry was glaring at him. "It's been postponed further back now to give you two time to fully heal, I suppose."
"And I won't be surprised if it's cancelled completely. . ." He shrugged, hiding a smile, knowing that the House Cup would automatically go to Slytherin bearing this decision, seeing how Gryffindor were trailing behind them slightly in points.
"And you would just love that, wont you, Flint?" Oliver Wood appeared at the doorway, as if echoing his secret thoughts.
Marcus snorted in disgust when he saw who it was, and Oliver entered the room.
"You all right there, Harry?" he asked, throwing a suspicious glare at the two Slytherins as he stood by the bedside, opposite to where Marcus was standing.
"I'm fine, Oliver. Thanks. " Harry smiled, pleased to see that the older boy had bothered to come and visit him.
"What the hell are you doing here, Wood? Followed me out the Great Hall, didn't you?" Marcus spat out.
"Don't flatter yourself, Flint. I came to see how Harry was." He glanced at the lollipop hanging from Harry's shirt and looked back at Harry, who was still grinning up widely at him.
"Touching. Should we leave you two alone, then?" Marcus interjected.
Oliver growled softly at this but he shook himself and instead shifted his focus on Draco.
"So, Malfoy." He began slowly, rested both hands on the mattress, and leaned himself forward to face the blonde Slytherin, their faces inches apart. "Now that you're all better, maybe you could enlighten us on what exactly happened that day."
Draco froze.
"And just what the hell is that supposed to mean, Wood?" Marcus demanded angrily.
"That means exactly what I said, genius." He said, not taking his eyes off Draco.
"You better watch your mouth. We wouldn't want you to get hurt now, do we?"
"Oliver." Harry said.
"Is that a threat?" he finally tore his gaze off Draco to glare back at Marcus.
"Oliver!" Harry said a little more loudly.
Oliver finally turned to Harry, still fuming.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked quietly.
"Harry, I know you don't remember what happened that day, but don't you find it a little strange that you just fell off your broom for no reason at all?"
Harry closed his eyes for a moment and sighed wearily.
"Oliver, look, I understand that you are upset about the match and all, but. . ."
"Harry! You're not actually siding with them, are you?" Oliver interrupted, in sheer disbelief.
"I'm not siding with any-one." Harry stated firmly, getting quite annoyed with Oliver, and feeling suddenly protective of Draco, who was still not saying anything.
"Look, just take my word for it. It was just an accident, nothing more. " continued Harry.
"So," Oliver paused, frowning; "You actually remember what happened?"
"Well, no. . ."
Oliver was getting more and more frustrated with Harry's seemingly completely irrational behaviour.
"Then how do you know?" he almost shouted.
"I just. . . do, ok?" Harry stated simply, looking at Draco thoughtfully.
Oliver just looked at Harry in disbelief and shock.
*WHAT is going on?* he wondered desperately, feeling as though he'd stepped into another dimension and an alternate reality.
He raised his arms and clutched at his hair with both hands in frustration while he tried to make sense of what he had just heard and seen.
He looked over at Marcus, who was smirking widely and thoroughly enjoying seeing how the scene was unfolding completely against Oliver's favour.
*Bastard!*
"You! You did something to him, didn't you?" Oliver accused Flint, pointing a finger to Harry.
"That's pathetic." Marcus snorted in disgust. "Even for you, Wood."
Oliver reddened visibly at this. Harry could see that his hands were also trembling and clenched tightly into fists. He wondered how he could try to defuse the situation.
"You should advise your Seeker to keep his filthy hands off mine." Oliver managed out, his tone slow and dangerous.
Marcus laughed out loud at this.
"I should be saying the same about yours." And shot Harry a knowing look, pleased to see the slightly horrified reaction on the boy's face.
*Looks like my work here is done.* he thought evilly and with some satisfaction.
"See you later, Draco." He gave him a slap on his shoulder before turning to leave for his first lesson for the day.
He was still chuckling as he walked out, not looking back as he left, leaving behind a very confused Oliver, an embarrassed Harry and a thoroughly amused Draco.
