Pairings in this chapter: Slight Draco/Harry
Disclaimer: Not mine. Not getting money. I wish.
Chapter 7 : Worn Out Places, Worn Out Faces
Harry woke up abruptly. Standing over him was what looked like a five year old girl. Only, this girl had unnaturally large black eyes, a dark triangle shaped nose, and cat ears poking out of her shoulder length black hair. There was a gold ring in each ear, near the base. Her hair style made him think of Professor Snape, oddly enough, as did the weighing look on her face.
"Hello," he murmured quietly, sitting up. She stared back at him for a moment before nodding and stepping away from the bed.
"How do you feel?" Her voice surprised him, deep and mature with a rough touch to it that made it sound oddly like a soft howl. He watched her as she picked up a shirt from a pile next to the bed, folding it and setting it on another pile to lift a new one. She was dressed in dark clothing. The dress wasn't all that ornate, dark violet cloth tight at her hips and falling to the ground. The neck was very wide and barely held to her thin shoulders, the sleeves stopping at the wrist with lacy that matched the collar. Over this was a tight black corset that tied in the back. A black velvet choker matched it about her throat. He was reminded of clothes he somehow knew were very old, in pictures…Moving portraits…
His vision swam for a moment and he set a hand on his head to steady himself. A moment later, he found himself pressed back down on the bed by the surprisingly strong half-cat.
"You'll feel weak. I had to knock you out earlier. Don't move much yet," she said sternly. Harry gave a short nod and rubbed his forehead. The half cat went back to work. Harry quietly watched her a while, noting the tail that stuck out from a carefully cut hole in the dress. It was long and soft looking, though an odd sort of off white that, again, reminded him of Professor Snape.
"Miss?" Harry asked finally. "Who are you? …and…no offence, but…what are you?"
She glanced at him, her black eyes paling some to an odd violet color. "First of all, I am a Verifel. A Truth-Cat. Secondly, my name is Ryliatin, but most of you wizards tend to call me Rylia."
"It's nice to meet you," he responded. "I'm Harry."
"Yes, I know that," she said sharply, though regretted it when Harry winced. Her expression softened. "Don't be afraid, child…There is no one that would hurt you here."
Harry smiled weakly. "I don't know what I'm afraid of."
"It's all right," Rylia murmured, her voice tone motherly. She left the clothing and climbed onto the bed, sitting next to the much larger being. "Your memory may come back in the coming weeks, or it may take years…or, perhaps, it will be gone forever. But don't fret. Your life will be what you make of it, memory or not."
Harry's smile grew before he embraced the surprised Verifel, hugging her tightly. Rylia patted his arm.
"Queen Mab bless you," she whispered into his hair, feeling her heart break for all the pain the child had gone through…and would probably have to endure more.
"What exactly were you doing in that room?" Snape said in a cold, calm voice. He was sitting at his desk, hands clasping one another with elbows on the desktop. Before him stood Draco, nervously shifted his feet.
"I heard laughing and went to investigate." The boy's voice was clear and concise, trying to hide what his body language screamed. Snape was almost amused. Almost.
"If you can't recognize Potter's voice by now, I wonder what else leaks from your head," he snapped. Draco's eyes flickered between anger and resentment. "I told you to leave the boy be, Draco."
"You never told me he'd gotten hit a bit too hard in the head!"
Snape sighed heavily and rubbed his temple. Teenagers would be the death of him, he knew it. Whether at school or in his own home, they'd kill him somehow. Draco watched his godfather quietly, the stirrings of guilt beginning. He liked Snape quite a lot. At school, he'd often visited the man when he had problems or needed to talk. Snape had been much more supportive of him than his own father…which was probably why Draco's loyalties fell with him, rather than with his own blood.
Snape was no less fond of his godson. He was simply annoyed at his antics.
"I trust you've learned your lesson?" he said finally, opening his eyes to glared at the boy from between his fingers. Draco folded his arms and looked away, nose in the air.
"I won't hurt Potter," he promised. Satisfied, Snape shuffled the papers strewn on his desk about.
"Good. Now go amuse yourself elsewhere while I do my work…"
"See you at dinner," Draco answered cheerfully. He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked out of the office. He paused in the hallway, wondering what he would do until the next meal. He supposed he could go work in the garden again. Before coming to the manor, Draco had never done a bit of physical labor in his entire life. Such things had been below his father's standards. Now…Now Draco knew the great satisfaction in gardening, knowing that those healthy and beautiful plants lived because of his assistance. It was an odd hobby, one he didn't want spread through Hogwarts, but for now it was all right. Yes, the garden beckoned him…
Of course, as soon as the door opened, there was that damned laughter again. Draco scowled, his plan for staying away from Potter like Snape asked completely backfiring. Instead, a possessiveness flared up in him. How dare Potter go to HIS garden?! Especially when he needed it?!
Rylia smiled happily as Harry pet a little brown rabbit, laughing softly each time it's little nose brushed his skin. There were rabbits all over Snape Manor, left over from Mistress Snape years ago. She'd had an obsession with the little things and let them populate the area wildly. Most were rather tame, as in the case of this one. The little rabbit had taken a liking to the boy, apparently. Many of them wouldn't stay in Rylia's presence, but this one didn't care much.
The Verifel caught a scent on the wind, angry and bored with a touch of only one's essence. She growled in annoyance and whipped her head about to glare at the oncoming boy. 'Didn't Master Severus tell that little brat to bugger off?!'
"What the hell are you doing in my garden?!"
Harry jerked at the angry shout. The rabbit he'd been petting scampered off. Slowly, the raven haired boy raised his eyes to take in his enraged companion.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't know I wasn't allowed here, and-"
"Oh shut up, Harry," Rylia interrupted, growling. "He's got not claim to this garden. The brat just likes to think he does."
"I'm not a brat, you idiot feline!" Draco cried, throwing out an open hand to bat the Verifel's head. However, Rylia twisted about lightning fast and clamped her sharp teeth upon the soft flesh. Draco gave out a painful yelp and jerked his hand back, holding it protectively. Blood dribbled down from fresh cuts. "You fucking BIT me!"
"Oh, you're quick," Rylia taunted. "And such a vocabulary! I'm truly impressed!"
A moment later, she was looking down the shaft of a wand, right between her eyes. Coldly, she looked up to Draco's face, watching the enraged stormy eyes flicker.
"Go ahead," she hissed dangerously. Harry watched in stunned silence as her limbs began to shake and then…bulge, as if the muscles were being blown up. White sparks began to appear as magic webbed its way around her. "Just try it, boy."
Draco's lip curled to reveal perfect white teeth. His nostrils flared and eyes darkened. For a moment, Harry just knew he would kill the Verifel… However, after long moments, the wand dropped and Rylia's body returned to normal.
"You're not worth the effort," Draco drawled. He scowled and turned to look down at Harry. The black haired boy was watching him curiously…Or, more accurately, watching the wand… "What the bloody hell is it, Potter?!"
Harry winced and dropped his gaze. "I…I was just looking at…at…that wood thing…A wand? …I was just curious…"
"Yes, a wand, you daft idiot," growled Draco. At Harry's second wince, the silver eyed boy sighed heavily and ran his hand over his hair. "You've got one too."
"I do? Where?" The change was immediate. One second, Potter was a kicked puppy; the next, a five year old who knows he's getting candy. Draco was almost amazed at the quickness. With a heavy scowl, he stalked back to the house. Harry got up and quickly followed him with a wave to Rylia. The Verifel sat for a moment, scowling at the little brown rabbit that was mournfully watching the black haired boy leave, then got up and followed the boy. Her mumbled words were probably obscenities.
Draco and Harry traveled through the manor in silence, Draco's annoyed and Harry's awed. The black haired boy constantly looked about, wide eyes taking in the portraits and such as Draco led him through an area he hadn't seen. He jerked when he heard Draco open a door and hurried after the boy. It was a storage room that looked unused, except for the two trunks on the floor. Draco moved to one and opened it.
"Your stuff," he said. Harry knelt by him and looked through it, fingers running over clothes and books. He lifted one book and thumbed through it, amazed when he could recall doing the same thing before. His body remembered the action and his subconscious knew the information. He just couldn't remember how. Harry set the book back down and searched deeper into the trunk. Then, he came upon a fabulous discovery. Under a pile of old clothes was a silvery cloak. Harry pulled it out, awed by the soft texture and coolness of the cloth. He rubbed it against his face, smiling happily.
"Invisibility cloak," Draco gasped. "So that's how you kept from getting caught!"
"Caught?" wondered Harry. Draco sat back, resting on his hands.
"You're a real rule breaker, Potter," he began. "Always sneaking out of your dorm to have some sort of adventure, or to do some prank, or spy on teachers…"
"I sound like a real criminal," Harry mumbled, folding the cloak and setting it back in the trunk. He found his wand next and ran his fingers excitedly over the smooth wood. Suddenly, his body froze, eyes wide. A cold put itself over him, terrifying and overwhelming.
'Hello Potter…'
'Why haven't you drawn…?'
'You'll kill me anyway…'
'I will.'
Harry sucked in a deep, shuttering breath, his face pale and a light sweat over his skin. Draco blinked at the suddenness of it and touched the other boy's shoulder. The green eyed boy jerked away, falling backwards and staring up at Draco in terror.
"Bloody hell, Potter! What is it?!"
Harry tried to get himself under control, sitting up and hugging himself. Little trembles rocked his form, his face still very pale. The image of a snake like face was burned into his eyelids.
"Snake," Harry croaked. Draco frowned at him.
"You're a loony," he muttered. Harry looked up at him and forced a weak laugh.
A/N: TOld you updates would be sparatic...
If you don't know who 'Queen Mab' is...Go watch Merlin. It's a fucking good movie!
Draco is a real dork in this chapter...But I refuse to give him a sudden change of heart. No Whimpy!Draco. No Sappy!Draco. It's not his character and I refuse to do it. Fuck you if you don't like it.
Someone told me that my aggressiveness in my A/Ns scares people away....muhahahaha...I'm scary.
Time for acknowlegements!
Lilypurewhite - Thanks for sticking with me, chickie-babe. Draco/Harry? We'll see.
TeeDee - Glad you liked what Harry lost. Still like Ghost Tom after finding out what he's up to? And I never said Draco/Harry was the final pairing!!
Walk Away love - You, you are ALL evil. Snape rules!! *waves a flag* About Draco...My view on him is that he's a real Daddy's boy...but Daddy isn't around now so he's not quite sure who to pick on and who not to...I also don't think he's cruel. And it would be 'his own' in my case, thank you...
Phoenix 3:16 - Gothically pretty?! Wow!! *cheers happily* It's ironic...I'm a punk. ^^;; Yes, Happy Harry annoys the shit out of me.
Cassi Angelica - Aren't they adorable though?? ^^ And Dumbledore will get his, just wait. ^^ Voldemort is a REALLY weird name...I still can't pronounce it right. It still makes me giggle.
Foxx666 - Baaahhh....
Elebereth - Well, Tom can move things because he was such a powerful wizard that he turned into a powerful ghost. Why can Peeves move things?
AoiHyou - H/D or T/H, eh? Hm....(I hate Voldie/Harry too...snake man scares me a bit....) ...A kitten? Hm...I can see the connection...
angel74 - Bless you and your short review. Honestly.
Silver Neo - I Inspired you? Cool ^^ Yes, Dray is mean. What do you expect?
Lyra - Glad you enjoyed. ^^
CapitulatedDream - I enjoy abuse fics too...o.O; I guess it makes me see my life as a hell of a lot better or something...
Again, reading these reviews made me realize something...
Why are all of you convinced this will be a Draco/Harry story...?
Might not be. You never know. ^^