Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury books, Scholastic books and Warner Brothers have that pleasure. I am merely borrowing them
Many thanks to my new beta, Catmint!
Chapter Five: Falling
Harry felt the adrenaline coursing through his veins, sharpening his senses and allowing a pinpoint focus. Malfoy was plummeting to the ground headfirst. Get under him! He ignored the clawing, icy fingers of wind pulling at his hair, stinging his scalp. He accelerated plunging into a nose-dive. Coming to a halt several meters from the ground, he thrust out his arms, feeling the weight of the cold, heavy body. Harry's arms enveloped the boy's midsection, helping to ease the impact of the body on the broom. The Slytherin landed crossways on the Firebolt, his breath coming out in a rush, leaving him momentarily stunned. They pitched forward with the added force of the extra occupant. Harry clenched his thighs around the wood and lay back, deftly avoiding a crash. Malfoy began to move, grabbing the broomstick, trying to a lever himself into a sitting position.
"Lie still, you git!"
Dumbledore could no longer contain his excitement. Eyes twinkling he threw up his hands, clapping. "Our Harry has done it again!"
"Our Harry," mumbled Snape, under his breath forgetting he had charmed his voice. The mumbling boomed bringing a crimson flush to his face. Snape quickly pointed his wand to his throat. "Quietus." Dumbledore simply smiled.
Malfoy wouldn't lie still. Harry prepared to land when Malfoy again attempted to pull himself up, drawing the nose of the broom down, sliding one leg over it. Attempting to compensate Harry leaned back again. Draco toppled onto Harry's chest causing the broom to spin out of control, landing them with a thump in the powdery snow. Harry lay still momentarily dazed. His glasses were askew and he reached up to correct their position, then noticed the adults rushing toward them from a distance. Harry gingerly sat, noting that he had no broken bones. Seeing movement out of the corner of his eye, he turned his head to Draco. The young Slytherin lay on his back, arms moving up and down, legs moving side to side. He's making snow angels? Harry could see that the cold was affecting the unnaturally pale boy. His movements were jerky. "Malfoy? Are you okay?" Harry slowly moved to the other boy just as the others arrived.
Draco's teeth chattered, distorting a laugh into an eerie cackle.
Dumbledore levitated Draco as Snape did a quick assessment for broken bones. Finding none he began to perform a warming charm over the shivering boy. He started at the head and moved down, paying special attention to the face and ears. His torso and back were next and then his arms and hands. As he neared the boy's abdomen he heard Draco's satisfied moan. He glanced to the boy's face seeing a relaxed smile, his head tilted back. As Snape moved the wand lower Draco groaned.
"Oh that is so good…Don't stop."
"Silence!" Snape's face was burning with embarrassment. He moved quickly to the boy's backside, legs and down lingering at the feet and toes. Draco began to laugh.
"That t-t-tickles."
Snape then performed a protective spell over Draco's lower legs and feet allowing him to stand in the snow without causing him harm. Dumbledore gently lowered him to stand.
The Headmaster then asked Harry to stand as he performed a warming spell over him.
Snape removed his robes draping them around Draco. They were long and fell several centimeters into the snow.
"Thanks, Mummy."
Snape leaned in without touching the boy, " Draco? How are you feeling?"
"I feel terrific! On top of the world, fit as a fiddle. I do like that muggle musician Yo-yo Ma but I guess that isn't a fiddle, is it? That's a funny word, yo-yo. YO-YO!" Draco continued on with the jabber.
"He's on drugs!" accused Harry, his eyes like saucers.
Snape rolled his eyes heavenward. "Potter, you're not helping." Turning his attention to Draco, he raised a hand to halt the palaver. "Let's go inside, hmm?"
Draco stood in the powdery snow. He began combing the ground with his eyes.
"This way, Draco." Snape held his hand out in front of him.
"What about my clothes? Where are they?"
"We'll get them later, my boy," responded the Headmaster.
"I'M NOT 'YOUR BOY'!" thundered Draco, twirling to face the Headmaster, hands fisted.
Dumbledore's eyebrows rose but he said nothing. Oh dear, I guess I should've let Severus handle it.
"It's okay, Draco," soothed Snape, moving between Draco and Dumbledore. "We can discuss this inside."
"I'm not going in there, WITH HIM! He'll have me thrown into Azkaban, just like he did my father. Where's my wand?" Draco began to scan the snow again frantically searching for the discarded pile of clothing.
"Not now, Draco." Snape's voice had become firmer.
Draco spun around. "Et tu, Snape? You, agreeing with that senile old man? You're all against me? I bet you're in leagues with him." A look of sudden realization crossed his face. He smacked his forehead. "I can't believe I didn't see it before. It's all so clear!" He began to pace. "You have been spying on the Dark Lord for this old fool!"
Harry's eyes widened. Dumbledore's eyes flashed the Gryffindor a warning.
Draco threw himself at the Potions Master sending them sprawling, snow swirling about them. "Traitor! Bastard!" Draco had Snape's neck in a stranglehold, repeatedly slamming his head into the ground sending up a cloud of snow with each contact. Snape was seeing spots in front of his eyes, his hands grappling at his throat, pulling at Draco's clenched fingers, attempting to gain his airway.
Harry slammed into Draco from the side, breaking his stranglehold on Snape. Draco rebounded, springing onto Harry, their bodies sliding in the snow.
Raking in great gulps of air and rubbing his bruised throat Snape lay in the snow, stunned at what Draco had done. The Headmaster knelt beside him to assist.
The long-standing enemies circled one another in a slow dance of pure, seething hatred. Harry was a sight, hair wild, teeth bared, scratches on his face and hands lending him a feral look. Draco fared no better. His lower lip was split and there was a crimson streak from a gash on his forehead to beside his rapidly swelling right eye. Blood trickled slowly down his face.
Draco beckoned Harry with his hands, the oversized robes dragging beside him as he moved, combining with a maniacal grin added to his deranged appearance. "Come on golden boy. I've been waiting for this for seven…long…years."
Snape and Dumbledore stood. Snape thrust his hand into his pocket, retrieving a vial. Behind him Draco blew Harry a kiss. Harry lunged at the Slytherin sending the blond careening back into the Potions Master, whose grip on the vial slipped. His fingertips grasped to no avail as the vial sank into the snow. "Merlin!" cried Snape, scrambling after the vial.
Harry panted, straddling the struggling blond, pinning his arms to the ground. Sweat dripped down into his eyes and burned the scratches on his face. "Calm down, Malfoy," Harry said through gritted teeth. Malfoy's response was an inhuman growl emanating from deep within his throat, taking Harry back to the werewolf experience from his third year. He was terrified beyond words, emerald eyes wide.
Dumbledore was watching the events unfold, transferring his weight from one foot to the other, waiting for an opportunity. "Harry, give me a clear shot."
Draco panicked. He's going to kill me! He went still, gathering his strength. Harry was caught off guard when the Slytherin lunged forward with all his strength grabbing the Gryffindor's throat with his teeth.
"AGGHHH!" Harry screamed, all rational thought fleeing from his mind.
Draco took full advantage of Harry's surprise by flipping their positions, his teeth still clenched around the other boy's tender flesh. The metallic taste of blood spurred him on to bite harder.
Harry's heart raced and his mind swam as he felt the intense pressure, like a thousand needles piercing his skin, shooting through his jangled nerve endings. His eyes were shut tightly, lips stretched across his teeth in agony, on the verge of blacking out. His body acted in self-preservation reaching a hand to pull at the hair of his disturbed adversary.
Snape recovered the vial and rejoined the fray. "Let him go, Potter."
Harry would've laughed at the absurdity of the comment if he could make his mouth move. He did the only thing he could think of to do. He brought a knee up between the other boy's legs and slammed him as hard as he could.
Draco released Harry immediately and fell to the ground moaning, hands covering his crotch.
Dumbledore acted, "Impedimenta!" Draco slumped in the snow, his body no longer obeying his commands.
Snape spun facing the older wizard. "Impedimenta? IMPEDIMENTA?! Whatever happened to Petrificus Totalus or even Stupefy?"
"I thought you wanted to give him your potion."
"I wouldn't have had to with Stupefy, now would I?" Snape crossed his arms across his chest, titling his head to the side.
"I will not Stupefy one of my students! Impedimenta is harsh enough." Dumbledore mirrored Snape's body language.
"Harsh enough? Have you been paying attention at all? Look at Potter's throat!"
The Headmaster bent to Harry quickly stanching the flow of blood with a flick of his wand.
"I still think Petrificus Totalus made more sense." Snape was not going to let this go.
Dumbledore had had enough, standing he faced Snape. "Well, what was that with the vial? Was it so precious to you that you forgot that your wand would be more useful?"
"The potion was a last resort!"
Harry sat in the snow with his hand to his neck, watching the wizards argue. Noticing movement his eyes were drawn to a squirming Draco. Letting out a small squeak he grabbed Snape's pant leg then, emerald eyes wide, he pointed at the writhing boy.
"What is it?" snapped an exasperated Snape. He gaze followed Harry's.
Snape came alive. "Albus, get his arms, Potter, get his legs." Draco was moving slowly, his movements jerky and disjointed, as the three converged on him. Snape popped the cork on the vial and slid one hand under his neck, tilting his head back, forcing his mouth open. He quickly emptied the vial into his mouth and snapped the jaw shut. He held his hand over the boy's mouth, preventing him from spewing it back at him. "Swallow, Draco. Swallow," Snape commanded.
Draco's head thrashed from side to side, tears of frustration and fear squeezing from his tightly closed lids. Snape watched Draco's Adam's apple until he saw what he desired. The struggling ceased.
Snape conjured a stretcher while Dumbledore fixed the gash on Draco's face. He levitated Draco onto the stretcher. "Come, Potter." He commanded. "You should be seen by the mediwitch as well." Dumbledore retrieved Draco's things as they made their way. The threesome quietly followed the stretcher to the hospital wing, each wizard lost in his own thoughts.
Next Chapter: Draco's world is crumbling around him as things are not always as they seem.
Author's Notes: Thanks for the kind reviews. It makes me want to continue. If you haven't reviewed please do.
Arafel2: Thanks, as always, for your kind words.
Kiskool: I'm glad you think it is funny!
Harry: Thanks for the encouragement.
Catmint: I guess his behavior is more impulsive than suicidal!
Ryo Akuinenn: I love the evil cliffies! It is only too true!
Shania Maxwell: Thanks for the encouragement!