A/N Once again my sincere
thanks for all the your lovely reviews, you guys are the best. I am so thrilled
that people are enjoying my work and I hope you will all continue to do so.
Thanks to : Escagirl,
Pepperjack Candy, Shadwo Maxwell-Yuy, supergirl, Evenstar, Dewi, Yeah81, Lana
Mariah, Eternal Haven, one person no name, Lone Wolve, Elsebeth Fishnips (great
profile – I love Blackadder), Phoenixx and Neo.
Also thanks to all those
people who came up with suggestions as to why Harry kissed Snape – the reason
behind it will be revealed in due course.
I hope you all enjoy this
chapter. Chapter ten is nearly finished and if you are all nice and review I
may post it at the end of the week.
On with the story.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry wandered along the
corridors, heading in the general direction of the Great Hall but not really
paying attention to where his footsteps took him. He was thinking about the
conversation he had just had with Snape. All this time he had thought that Snape was a cold, unfeeling, uncaring
man who liked to be make himself feel important by bullying others. One
conversation had changed all that; Harry now knew that he had been wrong in his
impression of Snape. True Snape was a bitter and miserable man, but he
genuinely cared for Draco and he'd had the courage the leave Voldemort at the
height of his power and become a spy for Dumbledore.
He rounded a corner and what
he saw made the blood run cold in his veins. In front of him was a large group of
Slytherin's that included Crabbe and Goyle. They were laughing and jeering and
all of a sudden, Harry saw Goyle kick out at something on the ground in front
of him, the figure on the ground shielded its head with its hands as the blows
rained down on him from all sides. To his horror, Harry realised that the
figure was Draco and without stopping to think he rushed forward and tried to
pull Draco away from his attackers. As soon as his fingers closed on Draco's
slim wrist a strange light encircled him and Draco, it glowed eerily and it
seemed to be driving the attackers away. Crabbe had stepped forward in an
attempt to penetrate the field of light but was thrown backwards as he touched
it. When they saw what happened to Crabbe the other Slytherin's did not seem
keen to try for themselves and they simply stood and stared at Harry and Draco
within the force field that had appeared around them. Harry had pulled Draco to
his feet but when he made to leave the circle of light, he too was forced
backwards, his hand still clasping Draco's.
A Slytherin boy whose face
Harry recognised but whose name escaped him, pulled his wand out of his pocket
and raised it before muttering the words of the first curse that sprang to
mind. The spell hit the wall of light and rebounded back and hit its
originator. The light was truly impenetrable and the hapless Slytherin was now
suffering the effects of the jelly legs curse that he had attempted to cast on
Harry and Draco, he wobbled around for a few moments before collapsing to the
ground – his legs shaking madly, unable to support his weight.
Inside the shield of light,
Harry tried to force his brain to make some sense of what was happening – he
had reached over to Draco to pull him away from his attackers and now they were
surrounded by a strange light that wouldn't let them escape. Beyond the safety
of the circle of light Harry could hear the surprised and frightened
exclamations of the Slytherin's as well as the sound of footsteps approaching.
Harry could hear the
surprised and frightened exclamations of the Slytherin's as well as the sound
of footsteps approaching.
Ron, Hermione and Ginny
rounded the corner and stopped stock still when they saw Harry and Draco
immersed in the circle of light, surrounded by bemused Slytherin's. Ron rushed
forward but the shield of light forced him backwards. Hermione, however did not
seem too surprise by this turn of events, she merely stood and watched, a
slightly superior grin playing on her lips.
Ginny looked at Harry and
Draco's hands clasped together and her expression changed from one of surprise
and shock to one of sad recognition. She was looking at the expression on
Harry's face as he held Draco's hand. His eyes were fixed upon Draco, you could
see the love radiating from them both, maybe that was what the light was. The
look on Harry's eyes as they focussed on Draco was so full of love and
adoration that Ginny could almost feel her heart breaking as she stood there.
She knew that Harry was no longer aware of the others surrounding him and Draco
for both of them it was as if they were the only people in the world. Harry
raised his head and tilted Draco's face up to his before placing a kiss on
Draco's lips.
The Slytherin's began to
disperse, muttering their displeasure and threatening horrible reprisals on
both Harry and Draco.
Ron was standing,
open-mouthed at Harry and Draco's display, he did not look angry, just very
shocked. Hermione was still watching them with the same look of
self-satisfaction on her face and Ginny? – Ginny had fled the scene, her eyes
filling with tears, she was not angry with Harry, she supposed that she had
known all along that Harry would choose Draco – she had seen them together, she
had known what Harry felt even before Harry did – you don't love someone for as
long as Ginny had loved Harry without at least some understanding of their
emotions and expressions and the one that had worn around Draco lately had
looked to Ginny to be very much like love, even if Harry hadn't known it
himself.
In her haste to be away from
the scene, Ginny almost collided with Albus Dumbledore, who took in her red
eyes and tear stained cheeks before saying.
"So Miss Weasley, I gather
you have just seen the effects of the perilous impervious amorous spell.
Please do not upset yourself; this is no bad reflection on you. The decision of
Mr Potter was beyond his control and I happen to know that he thinks very
highly of you nonetheless." Ginny blushed deeply but felt mildly comforted by
the headmaster's words.
"I want you to know that
once the news about Mr Potter and Mr Malfoy is widely known throughout the
school you will find yourself becoming extremely sought after. There are many
boys in the school who would like to replace Mr Potter as the object of your affections
and whilst that does not make up for the hurt you presently feel, in time you
will come to see the advantages of your position." Dumbledore smiled at Ginny
kindly and she smiled back.
"Now I must go and see Mr
Potter and Mr Malfoy, they have to understand what has taken place here this
afternoon, I expect they will feel extremely confused."
With that he patted Ginny's
arm and strode off towards the place where Ginny had left Harry, Draco, Ron and
Hermione.
Upon his arrival, Dumbledore
could see that the light was beginning to fade, its presence no longer
required. Ron was still standing; speechless looking at his best friend kissing
Draco Malfoy and Hermione was still looking rather pleased with herself as she
surveyed the scene.
"Mr Potter, Mr Malfoy I
would like to speak to you both in my office, if I may." Harry was surprised to
hear the headmaster's voice and he let go of Draco's hand, the last remaining
vestiges of light disappearing as he did so.
As his contact with Harry
was broken Draco fell to the floor, Harry made to help him up but Dumbledore
stopped him.
"Leave him be Harry, he is
all right. The experience has merely drained him of energy, plus he suffered a
fair few blows before you arrived on the scene. Mr Weasley, Miss Granger will
you take Mr Malfoy up to the hospital wing, Madame Pomfrey should be able to
tend to his injuries." Ron and Hermione nodded, Ron still looking
shell-shocked.
"Mr Potter, if you would
like to go and have something to eat and then make your way to my office in
about half an hour, I shall inform Professor Trelawney of the reason for your
absence from Divination." Dumbledore smiled gently and Harry nodded dumbly
before heading automatically for the Great Hall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So
what do you think?
What
was that strange light surrounding Harry and Draco? How did Dumbledore know
what had happened? Will Ginny ever get over Harry?
All
will be revealed in Chapter 10.
As
always all feedback is appreciated.