Chapter Four:
Draco sprinted down the corridor, the sound of his shoes against the floor echoed off the walls. Blood was pounding in his head; all he could think about was getting to his room as fast as possible. His cloak was billowing behind him, his hair was flying loosely over his face, a soundless noise was roaring in his ears, panting, he thundered into his room, slamming the door behind him, collapsing into a nearby couch. Draco frantically raked his fingers through his hair, his fingers twitching as he fumbled to remove his cloak and loosen his tie. He cringed as he held his head in his hands, massaging his temples as he drew in deep gasps of air, attempting to clear his mind.
'WHAT WAS I THINKING??' Draco screamed mentally, his eyes bulging out, apparently still in shock with his actions. He balled his hands and stared at his pale fingers. 'WHAT THE HELL POSESSED ME TO SAVE POTTER??'
'Right, calm down. Nothing happened, so you saved Potter from a troll, big deal. You're just returning the favour.' Draco tried reasoning with his irrational self, shutting his eyes to block out possible distractions.
'Yeah genius, you saved him using wandless magic, what do you think Dumbledork might say once he heard of it? He'll lock you up in a laboratory to study you. Or worse, he'll throw you into Azkaban for being an unregistered Healer.' Draco groaned; this couldn't be happening to him, why did he have to develop the stupid Gryffindor emotion called conscience?
Had he not saved Potter, he wouldn't be having this problem! Where were his Slytherin analytical skills when he needed it? He could have easily gotten the troll from where he stood, without the need for wandless magic and Potter would never know it was him, why did he have to run up to the troll?
A loud rapping on the door jolted Draco to his senses. He stared at the wooden door, an internal battle raging within him; did he really want to deal with people at the present moment? Finally Draco dragged himself off the couch, and opened the door to see Pansy twirling a lock of her hair, looking thoroughly amused for reasons Draco really didn't want to hear right now.
"Well, for one who wants me to act like a clingy girlfriend, you certainly look like you've been unfaithful." She teased; eyeing Draco's dishevelled state, a faint smile threatening to break across her face. Draco had half the mind on slamming the door in Pansy's face. Instead, he crossed his room and flopped onto his bed.
"So, what seems to be the matter?" Pansy asked conversationally, letting herself into the room. Without hesitation, Draco blurted out the incident, his face buried in a pillow.
"-then I realised what I did and ran back here."
Pansy tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"Oh."
"I'm going to be sent to Azkaban and all you can say is 'oh'??" Draco screeched as he got up from his position, his eyes threatening to spill out of their sockets.
Pansy shot him a dirty look, forcing him to sit down again.
"Draco, does your father know you're an unregistered Healer?"
A look of horror crossed Draco's face, causing him to pale visibly. Pansy noticed this and tried to calm him down by reasoning with him, besides had there been other students in the vicinity surely they would have saved Potter before Draco did. Draco nodded listlessly, grounding the heels of his hands against his eyeballs. He was in deeper trouble than he thought.
Again, someone was pounding on the door; there was a sense of urgency in the knocking.
"Draco, open up, now!"
Pansy glanced at Draco, who made no move to open the door. Sighing, she opened the door, narrowly missed being crushed by Blaise who burst into the room.
"Draco, have you been to the common room? Have you heard what they are saying? Is it true that you saved Potter?"
Draco felt his stomach plunged.
"I'm going to die." He said hoarsely, punching a nearby pillow.
Draco felt a sharp pain, as though his chest was tightening, it wouldn't be long before his father found out about this. Being an unregistered Healer was one thing, knowing that his son saved the Dark Lord's adversary would send Lucius Malfoy into a reckless rage.
"What are you going to do?" Blaise asked quietly, his dark eyes piercing into Draco.
Draco gave a hollow laughter, "What can I do Blaise? I just forfeited my life. As far as my father's concerned, I'm already disowned. As far as the Dark Lord is concerned, I'm already dead."
At the mentioning of Voldermort, Draco went quiet. His eyes glazed over, his face set in mute horror.
"I'm going to die." Draco whispered.
"Nobody's going to die."
"Blaise, have you forgotten whose son I am?? I'm the Dark Lord's right hand man's son!! When he finds out what has happened he'll kill me!! He'll kill my family!! He'll find out! He'll find out! He knows what has happened."
Shaking, Draco got up from his bed, went to his closet and started throwing his things into his trunk.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm leaving."
"Where will you go?"
"Anywhere!! I don't care!! I need to get away!! I'm not safe here!! I have to go Blaise, I have to."
"And you think the Dark Lord won't find you? Out of Hogwarts, you make an easier target Draco!"
"And you think Hogwarts can protect me from him?? Do you know he can make my father take me out of Hogwarts and nobody would notice me gone?" Draco cried shrilly, his eyes flashing wildly, his breaths irregular. Books were flying off his shelves, a nearby inkwell shattered from his uncontrolled magic.
"Tell Dumbledore. He'll protect you. He's the only one who can." Pansy said for the first time, the fear was apparent in her eyes.
"He won't trust me Pansy! I'm a Death Eater's son!"
"Then tell him!! Tell him that you're okay!! Tell him you're not one of them!! He's the only chance of survival you've got left."
"It'll only make matters worst Pansy!! It's as good as me going over to the good side!! If I do that, my family dies!! Do you understand this? Everyone!! Not just my parents and I but everyone who is related to the Malfoys!! Even if you are married into the family, you die all the same!!"
"Don't be ridiculous Draco; the Dark Lord wouldn't risk obliterating most of the purebloods."
Draco stared at Blaise dangerously, "How do you know he wouldn't?"
Blaise shrugged, "He's never done it before, and he only accepts purebloods as his Death Eaters."
"That's because this will be the first time he'll be doing it. It's a written punishment to warn traitors who openly defy him. And if he doesn't wipe out the whole family line, he'll torture them. Do you know if I go to Dumbledore, Pansy will be inflicted?"
That stopped Blaise from arguing.
Pansy scoffed, "Honestly Draco, I don't care what happens to me. So what if the Dark Lord gets me? At least I'm fighting for what I believe in."
"Pansy, don't you know what happened to the Longbottoms?"
Pansy turned her head away from Draco's gaze. Tears were welling in her eyes, the thought of Draco leaving chilled her, but she brushed them away. She wasn't going to let Draco see her cry; Draco had enough problems of his own to take care of, the last thing he needed was some sobbing, hysterical girl before he had to escape death.
Draco bit his lip, Pansy refused to look him in the eye and Blaise was staring at him in defeat. Nodding slightly, he looked down. 'So this was it.' He thought.
"I'm going now." He said awkwardly, bending down to pick up his packed trunk. The room was deathly quiet; the situation was almost too surreal for Draco. As he turned to leave, struggling slightly to get his trunk through the doorframe, Pansy let out a gasp. Looking up, Draco saw at the window, a magnificent eagle owl, carrying a letter which bore the Malfoy seal.
Hesitating, he left his trunk at the doorway and made his way to the window, opening it to let the bird in. Reaching out with shaky hands, he took the letter from the bird which took off immediately. Sitting at the window sill, Draco ripped open the letter, flinging the envelope to one side, his eyes darted across the letter, scrutinising every word written. His face furrowed in confusion.
"What does it say?" Blaise said softly, breaking the silence.
Draco looked up. His hands clutching tightly to the letter.
"It's from my father." he started with a shaky voice, "it says here, that he managed to convince the ministry that I'm a registered Healer, so I don't have to go to Azkaban." he broke off.
"How did he do it?" Pansy asked directly.
"He paid them as usual; Fudge is such a pushover. except now I'm really a registered Healer."
"What did he say about you being a Healer?"
"He says he's most displeased that I had become a Healer without notifying him. he also says he expects a good reason for my actions, but only when I meet him in the December holidays.
"Isn't that good?"
Draco nodded, his face still scrunched up in deep thought.
"But the reason for you becoming a Healer, that isn't going to please him."
Another nod.
"Well, at least you get a few months to think of a good reason."
"Yes, I s'pose. but this isn't like him at all." Draco murmured softly.
"What did he say about you saving Potter?" Blaise pressed, more concerned about the latter.
Shaking himself out of his reverie, Draco continued, "He told me that though he is disappointed that I didn't kill Potter on the spot, or leave the troll to kill him. Nevertheless, he says we can use this to our advantage, he told me to use Potter's debt to lure him to the Dark Lord. It says here that he will inform me what I must do to use this incident to assist the Dark Lord in his victory. He writes and tells me this is how I must go about in school, he tells me not to let the others think otherwise."
"'The others' being other Slytherins?"
Draco nodded, letting out a shaky sigh of relief. He didn't have to leave after all. Nobody was going to die because of him. His father had unwittingly managed to save him. Why didn't he think of it? He had gotten worried over nothing after all!
"You realise that your position is more dangerous than before right?" Blaise asked seriously.
"Yes. But I'm safe for now." Draco said, smiling faintly, the crushing weight lifted off his chest.
"Safe and sound." Pansy joked feebly, collapsing back into the couch, exhausted.
"I'm not so sure about the latter." Muttered Blaise, as he joined Pansy on the couch.
"I heard that, you sod!" Draco yelled, launching a pillow into Blaise's face, the danger momentarily forgotten.
--
Harry hobbled back to the Gryffindor common room. Ron and Hermione were no where to be found when he finally made it back to the library, Harry assumed they got bored waiting for him and returned to the Gryffindor House. He couldn't help feeling the least bit put off, after all, it was painstaking to haul his right leg all over the Hogwarts castle. Not that it hurt really, it was just numbed, no sense of feeling whatsoever. Must be a side effect from being healed, thought Harry, anxious to tell his friends what he just witness.
Climbing through the portrait hole, he scanned the common room, his eyes falling on their favourite seats by the window. Sure enough, his two friends were there, their heads bent over their homework. Making his way to the seats, Harry settled down in a squashy armchair, startling his friends from their work.
"Oh, there you're Harry." Hermione said, looking up from her work.
"You alright there mate? You look like you've been exercising. You're not getting out of shape are you? It was only a trip to the dungeons and back." Ron asked suspiciously, worried for the Gryffindor seeker.
Harry laughed off Ron's suspicions, before giving his friends a detailed account of what happened when he left the library.
"Hold on a sec," Ron said suddenly, interrupting Harry in mid-sentence, "are you saying that Malfoy saved you from that troll?"
"I think stopping the troll from crushing Harry, would qualify as saving, Ron." Hermione said poisonously, rolling her eyes as Ron feigned a hurt look.
"Ah, but you're missing the point, why would Malfoy want to save Harry? There must be some form of ulterior motive."
"Ron, do us a favour, shut up."
Harry shook his head at his friends' antics, before plunging back to his story.
"I knew it," Hermione said, breathing excitedly as Harry finished the account, "Malfoy is capable of wandless magic."
Evidently, the stumped look on both Ron and Harry's faces was not the effect Hermione had hoped to achieve.
"Wandless magic," Hermione repeated impatiently, "only very powerful wizards or witches can master this skill."
"Please 'Mione, you flatter the prat, that spineless git can't be that powerful." Ron snorted derisively, waving his hand as though that settled the matter. Harry voiced his agreement, after all, given the situation, he wasn't about to pay attention to what Malfoy was doing when his life was at stake.
Hermione pursed her lips. Harry was right, the chances of Malfoy capable wandless magic were practically nonexistent, but what about the scene in the library? Surely there must be an explanation for all the unnatural tension.
Hermione's gaze flickered from Harry; whose chin rested on interlocked fingers, to Ron, his face portrayed a troubled expression as he bit his lower lip.
"A Knut for your thoughts Ron." Harry said as he noticed his mate in distress.
"It's nice to know that my thoughts are only worth a Knut Harry," Ron scowled teasingly as he sat up in his chair, "I was just wondering, since Malfoy is a Healer as well, why didn't he heal himself when the Tiggorn attacked him?"
"Ron, don't you ever read?"
"No Hermione, but since you do, why don't you enlighten us?"
Hermione thinned her lips, one of these days she will force that boy to read, even if it will be the death of her. "According to the Law of Mediwitches and Mediwizards, Clause Two Hundred and Thirty One clearly states that all Healers are to sacrifice their health and well-being for others in danger upon initiation, in other words, Ron, they are incapable of using their powers on themselves."
"Oh."
Hermione sighed. Harry grinned in a bemused manner, really you think at sixth year they would have grown out of their childish behaviour.
"That reminds me, Harry, are you going to thank Malfoy for saving your life?" Hermione questioned, rounding Harry up.
"Are you raving mad 'Mione? Why ever should Harry thank that slimy git for saving him? Besides, are you forgetting that Harry saved him and he didn't feel the least bit grateful?" Ron argued heatedly.
"I refuse to see Harry lower himself to Malfoy's level. If that means Harry has to thank that prick then Harry ought to."
"And I s'pose that we should be thanking him for all the trouble he got us into for the last six years as well?"
"Ronald Weasley, you're the most childish, insufferable prat I've had the misfortune of meeting."
"Oh really? Then you're the most naïve and socially-handicapped person in the world."
"Don't be ridiculous, you couldn't possibly have met the entire world."
Harry sighed, the way his two friends behaved around each other you did think they were married. He watched the two of them continue their argument, their homework lay forgotten on the table. Sooner or later, he was going to have to step in to cool them down, followed by playing peacemaker during their dinner, but for now, he was determined to complete his homework.
Reaching for his bag to retrieve his homework, he realised that there was something in his clenched fist. He unfurled his fingers, to reveal the squashed Centaur's Weed that lay in his palm, forgotten in the confusion.
Absentmindedly, Harry reached to touch his ankle. The numbness had disappeared quite some time ago. Harry had to admit that Malfoy was a skilled Healer, he had hardly felt any pain while being healed and there was no trace of his injury, not even a slight redness, of course Harry rather eat a bucket of Stinksap before he told Malfoy that.
Would he thank Malfoy the next time they meet? Harry doubt it; he was sure within the proximity of two minutes of thanking Malfoy, a fight would occur which would only make him regret thanking the bastard.
Yes, he and Malfoy were enemies; it would take more than fate to change their relationship otherwise.
--
It was just over dinner time when Draco, Pansy and Blaise decided that they were hungry enough to make the trip down to the kitchens; hopefully, they could avoid the school population that exited the Great Hall after meals.
As they passed the Great Hall, they slunk against the walls, trying not to draw attention to themselves. Their plan almost succeeded, as they were reaching the corridor that led to the kitchen, when the doors of the Great Hall opened and the entire student population came flooding out. At first, nobody noticed them, and then from the crowd, a voice called out.
"Malfoy, what's this we hear about you saving Potter?"
That certainly got the attention of everyone. Draco's eyes flashed dangerously as he scanned the silent crowd. When he found the sneaky bastard who said that, he'll wish he was never born. Remembering his father's words, he placed his trademark smirk on his face as he tilted his face elegantly, assuming an arrogant posture.
"Well, I knew all along that Scarface's acts of heroism were nothing but acts. It was only a matter of time before he came crawling to me for help." Draco drawled lazily, following his father's plan carefully.
"Is that so Malfoy? The last time I checked, it looked like you were offering me your help."
Draco's eyes flickered over the crowd to the source of the quiet voice, his eyes falling on none other than Scarface and his two lackeys.
"I don't think you quite understand Potter," Draco said silkily, traces of malice coated his voice, "the only reason why I saved you was out of spite. The Boy who Lived needed to be saved by his own enemy, an arrogant pissant like you would never live down such humiliation."
Hushed murmurs flitted through the crowd. Some of the students had sceptical looks on their faces, but most seemed to believe Draco's explanation more than Potter's. After all, evil is always possible and goodness is eternally difficult.
Draco studied Potter, silently reminding himself to keep a look of contempt on his face; it was obvious Potter disliked the murmurs passing through the crowd, if you had the eye to look for it. Potter was good at masking his dislike, but Draco's trained eyes caught the slight narrowing of those green eyes and the clenching of jaws.
Without another word, Potter turned and left the scene and the crowd dispersed gradually as Draco pulled a smile across his face.
So far the plan was working.
--
Harry lay awake in bed. Sleep was threatening to take him. That irresistible, godforsaken sleep that tormented his mind with waves of exhaustion and fatigue. Harry yawned uncontrollably and blinked. He refused to succumb to the sweet, deceiving sleep.
Gone were the nights with undisturbed sleep, nightmares plagued and festered his resting mind. Naps in the days he could afford, for they were short and mostly disturbed by others, but real peaceful sleep only provided Voldermort with a hellish playground full of horrifying inventions of his friends' death and the recollections of losing Sirius over and over again.
Determined to keep awake, Harry shoved the blankets off, grabbed his Invisibility cloak and decided to take a walk.
--
Author's note: Yep, this chapter took longer than usual to come out, but things have been happening. Merry Christmas to one and all and a Happy New Year. Hoped you all liked this chapter. Not much action but be patient, the next one is really good.
- comatose bum.
Draco sprinted down the corridor, the sound of his shoes against the floor echoed off the walls. Blood was pounding in his head; all he could think about was getting to his room as fast as possible. His cloak was billowing behind him, his hair was flying loosely over his face, a soundless noise was roaring in his ears, panting, he thundered into his room, slamming the door behind him, collapsing into a nearby couch. Draco frantically raked his fingers through his hair, his fingers twitching as he fumbled to remove his cloak and loosen his tie. He cringed as he held his head in his hands, massaging his temples as he drew in deep gasps of air, attempting to clear his mind.
'WHAT WAS I THINKING??' Draco screamed mentally, his eyes bulging out, apparently still in shock with his actions. He balled his hands and stared at his pale fingers. 'WHAT THE HELL POSESSED ME TO SAVE POTTER??'
'Right, calm down. Nothing happened, so you saved Potter from a troll, big deal. You're just returning the favour.' Draco tried reasoning with his irrational self, shutting his eyes to block out possible distractions.
'Yeah genius, you saved him using wandless magic, what do you think Dumbledork might say once he heard of it? He'll lock you up in a laboratory to study you. Or worse, he'll throw you into Azkaban for being an unregistered Healer.' Draco groaned; this couldn't be happening to him, why did he have to develop the stupid Gryffindor emotion called conscience?
Had he not saved Potter, he wouldn't be having this problem! Where were his Slytherin analytical skills when he needed it? He could have easily gotten the troll from where he stood, without the need for wandless magic and Potter would never know it was him, why did he have to run up to the troll?
A loud rapping on the door jolted Draco to his senses. He stared at the wooden door, an internal battle raging within him; did he really want to deal with people at the present moment? Finally Draco dragged himself off the couch, and opened the door to see Pansy twirling a lock of her hair, looking thoroughly amused for reasons Draco really didn't want to hear right now.
"Well, for one who wants me to act like a clingy girlfriend, you certainly look like you've been unfaithful." She teased; eyeing Draco's dishevelled state, a faint smile threatening to break across her face. Draco had half the mind on slamming the door in Pansy's face. Instead, he crossed his room and flopped onto his bed.
"So, what seems to be the matter?" Pansy asked conversationally, letting herself into the room. Without hesitation, Draco blurted out the incident, his face buried in a pillow.
"-then I realised what I did and ran back here."
Pansy tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"Oh."
"I'm going to be sent to Azkaban and all you can say is 'oh'??" Draco screeched as he got up from his position, his eyes threatening to spill out of their sockets.
Pansy shot him a dirty look, forcing him to sit down again.
"Draco, does your father know you're an unregistered Healer?"
A look of horror crossed Draco's face, causing him to pale visibly. Pansy noticed this and tried to calm him down by reasoning with him, besides had there been other students in the vicinity surely they would have saved Potter before Draco did. Draco nodded listlessly, grounding the heels of his hands against his eyeballs. He was in deeper trouble than he thought.
Again, someone was pounding on the door; there was a sense of urgency in the knocking.
"Draco, open up, now!"
Pansy glanced at Draco, who made no move to open the door. Sighing, she opened the door, narrowly missed being crushed by Blaise who burst into the room.
"Draco, have you been to the common room? Have you heard what they are saying? Is it true that you saved Potter?"
Draco felt his stomach plunged.
"I'm going to die." He said hoarsely, punching a nearby pillow.
Draco felt a sharp pain, as though his chest was tightening, it wouldn't be long before his father found out about this. Being an unregistered Healer was one thing, knowing that his son saved the Dark Lord's adversary would send Lucius Malfoy into a reckless rage.
"What are you going to do?" Blaise asked quietly, his dark eyes piercing into Draco.
Draco gave a hollow laughter, "What can I do Blaise? I just forfeited my life. As far as my father's concerned, I'm already disowned. As far as the Dark Lord is concerned, I'm already dead."
At the mentioning of Voldermort, Draco went quiet. His eyes glazed over, his face set in mute horror.
"I'm going to die." Draco whispered.
"Nobody's going to die."
"Blaise, have you forgotten whose son I am?? I'm the Dark Lord's right hand man's son!! When he finds out what has happened he'll kill me!! He'll kill my family!! He'll find out! He'll find out! He knows what has happened."
Shaking, Draco got up from his bed, went to his closet and started throwing his things into his trunk.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm leaving."
"Where will you go?"
"Anywhere!! I don't care!! I need to get away!! I'm not safe here!! I have to go Blaise, I have to."
"And you think the Dark Lord won't find you? Out of Hogwarts, you make an easier target Draco!"
"And you think Hogwarts can protect me from him?? Do you know he can make my father take me out of Hogwarts and nobody would notice me gone?" Draco cried shrilly, his eyes flashing wildly, his breaths irregular. Books were flying off his shelves, a nearby inkwell shattered from his uncontrolled magic.
"Tell Dumbledore. He'll protect you. He's the only one who can." Pansy said for the first time, the fear was apparent in her eyes.
"He won't trust me Pansy! I'm a Death Eater's son!"
"Then tell him!! Tell him that you're okay!! Tell him you're not one of them!! He's the only chance of survival you've got left."
"It'll only make matters worst Pansy!! It's as good as me going over to the good side!! If I do that, my family dies!! Do you understand this? Everyone!! Not just my parents and I but everyone who is related to the Malfoys!! Even if you are married into the family, you die all the same!!"
"Don't be ridiculous Draco; the Dark Lord wouldn't risk obliterating most of the purebloods."
Draco stared at Blaise dangerously, "How do you know he wouldn't?"
Blaise shrugged, "He's never done it before, and he only accepts purebloods as his Death Eaters."
"That's because this will be the first time he'll be doing it. It's a written punishment to warn traitors who openly defy him. And if he doesn't wipe out the whole family line, he'll torture them. Do you know if I go to Dumbledore, Pansy will be inflicted?"
That stopped Blaise from arguing.
Pansy scoffed, "Honestly Draco, I don't care what happens to me. So what if the Dark Lord gets me? At least I'm fighting for what I believe in."
"Pansy, don't you know what happened to the Longbottoms?"
Pansy turned her head away from Draco's gaze. Tears were welling in her eyes, the thought of Draco leaving chilled her, but she brushed them away. She wasn't going to let Draco see her cry; Draco had enough problems of his own to take care of, the last thing he needed was some sobbing, hysterical girl before he had to escape death.
Draco bit his lip, Pansy refused to look him in the eye and Blaise was staring at him in defeat. Nodding slightly, he looked down. 'So this was it.' He thought.
"I'm going now." He said awkwardly, bending down to pick up his packed trunk. The room was deathly quiet; the situation was almost too surreal for Draco. As he turned to leave, struggling slightly to get his trunk through the doorframe, Pansy let out a gasp. Looking up, Draco saw at the window, a magnificent eagle owl, carrying a letter which bore the Malfoy seal.
Hesitating, he left his trunk at the doorway and made his way to the window, opening it to let the bird in. Reaching out with shaky hands, he took the letter from the bird which took off immediately. Sitting at the window sill, Draco ripped open the letter, flinging the envelope to one side, his eyes darted across the letter, scrutinising every word written. His face furrowed in confusion.
"What does it say?" Blaise said softly, breaking the silence.
Draco looked up. His hands clutching tightly to the letter.
"It's from my father." he started with a shaky voice, "it says here, that he managed to convince the ministry that I'm a registered Healer, so I don't have to go to Azkaban." he broke off.
"How did he do it?" Pansy asked directly.
"He paid them as usual; Fudge is such a pushover. except now I'm really a registered Healer."
"What did he say about you being a Healer?"
"He says he's most displeased that I had become a Healer without notifying him. he also says he expects a good reason for my actions, but only when I meet him in the December holidays.
"Isn't that good?"
Draco nodded, his face still scrunched up in deep thought.
"But the reason for you becoming a Healer, that isn't going to please him."
Another nod.
"Well, at least you get a few months to think of a good reason."
"Yes, I s'pose. but this isn't like him at all." Draco murmured softly.
"What did he say about you saving Potter?" Blaise pressed, more concerned about the latter.
Shaking himself out of his reverie, Draco continued, "He told me that though he is disappointed that I didn't kill Potter on the spot, or leave the troll to kill him. Nevertheless, he says we can use this to our advantage, he told me to use Potter's debt to lure him to the Dark Lord. It says here that he will inform me what I must do to use this incident to assist the Dark Lord in his victory. He writes and tells me this is how I must go about in school, he tells me not to let the others think otherwise."
"'The others' being other Slytherins?"
Draco nodded, letting out a shaky sigh of relief. He didn't have to leave after all. Nobody was going to die because of him. His father had unwittingly managed to save him. Why didn't he think of it? He had gotten worried over nothing after all!
"You realise that your position is more dangerous than before right?" Blaise asked seriously.
"Yes. But I'm safe for now." Draco said, smiling faintly, the crushing weight lifted off his chest.
"Safe and sound." Pansy joked feebly, collapsing back into the couch, exhausted.
"I'm not so sure about the latter." Muttered Blaise, as he joined Pansy on the couch.
"I heard that, you sod!" Draco yelled, launching a pillow into Blaise's face, the danger momentarily forgotten.
--
Harry hobbled back to the Gryffindor common room. Ron and Hermione were no where to be found when he finally made it back to the library, Harry assumed they got bored waiting for him and returned to the Gryffindor House. He couldn't help feeling the least bit put off, after all, it was painstaking to haul his right leg all over the Hogwarts castle. Not that it hurt really, it was just numbed, no sense of feeling whatsoever. Must be a side effect from being healed, thought Harry, anxious to tell his friends what he just witness.
Climbing through the portrait hole, he scanned the common room, his eyes falling on their favourite seats by the window. Sure enough, his two friends were there, their heads bent over their homework. Making his way to the seats, Harry settled down in a squashy armchair, startling his friends from their work.
"Oh, there you're Harry." Hermione said, looking up from her work.
"You alright there mate? You look like you've been exercising. You're not getting out of shape are you? It was only a trip to the dungeons and back." Ron asked suspiciously, worried for the Gryffindor seeker.
Harry laughed off Ron's suspicions, before giving his friends a detailed account of what happened when he left the library.
"Hold on a sec," Ron said suddenly, interrupting Harry in mid-sentence, "are you saying that Malfoy saved you from that troll?"
"I think stopping the troll from crushing Harry, would qualify as saving, Ron." Hermione said poisonously, rolling her eyes as Ron feigned a hurt look.
"Ah, but you're missing the point, why would Malfoy want to save Harry? There must be some form of ulterior motive."
"Ron, do us a favour, shut up."
Harry shook his head at his friends' antics, before plunging back to his story.
"I knew it," Hermione said, breathing excitedly as Harry finished the account, "Malfoy is capable of wandless magic."
Evidently, the stumped look on both Ron and Harry's faces was not the effect Hermione had hoped to achieve.
"Wandless magic," Hermione repeated impatiently, "only very powerful wizards or witches can master this skill."
"Please 'Mione, you flatter the prat, that spineless git can't be that powerful." Ron snorted derisively, waving his hand as though that settled the matter. Harry voiced his agreement, after all, given the situation, he wasn't about to pay attention to what Malfoy was doing when his life was at stake.
Hermione pursed her lips. Harry was right, the chances of Malfoy capable wandless magic were practically nonexistent, but what about the scene in the library? Surely there must be an explanation for all the unnatural tension.
Hermione's gaze flickered from Harry; whose chin rested on interlocked fingers, to Ron, his face portrayed a troubled expression as he bit his lower lip.
"A Knut for your thoughts Ron." Harry said as he noticed his mate in distress.
"It's nice to know that my thoughts are only worth a Knut Harry," Ron scowled teasingly as he sat up in his chair, "I was just wondering, since Malfoy is a Healer as well, why didn't he heal himself when the Tiggorn attacked him?"
"Ron, don't you ever read?"
"No Hermione, but since you do, why don't you enlighten us?"
Hermione thinned her lips, one of these days she will force that boy to read, even if it will be the death of her. "According to the Law of Mediwitches and Mediwizards, Clause Two Hundred and Thirty One clearly states that all Healers are to sacrifice their health and well-being for others in danger upon initiation, in other words, Ron, they are incapable of using their powers on themselves."
"Oh."
Hermione sighed. Harry grinned in a bemused manner, really you think at sixth year they would have grown out of their childish behaviour.
"That reminds me, Harry, are you going to thank Malfoy for saving your life?" Hermione questioned, rounding Harry up.
"Are you raving mad 'Mione? Why ever should Harry thank that slimy git for saving him? Besides, are you forgetting that Harry saved him and he didn't feel the least bit grateful?" Ron argued heatedly.
"I refuse to see Harry lower himself to Malfoy's level. If that means Harry has to thank that prick then Harry ought to."
"And I s'pose that we should be thanking him for all the trouble he got us into for the last six years as well?"
"Ronald Weasley, you're the most childish, insufferable prat I've had the misfortune of meeting."
"Oh really? Then you're the most naïve and socially-handicapped person in the world."
"Don't be ridiculous, you couldn't possibly have met the entire world."
Harry sighed, the way his two friends behaved around each other you did think they were married. He watched the two of them continue their argument, their homework lay forgotten on the table. Sooner or later, he was going to have to step in to cool them down, followed by playing peacemaker during their dinner, but for now, he was determined to complete his homework.
Reaching for his bag to retrieve his homework, he realised that there was something in his clenched fist. He unfurled his fingers, to reveal the squashed Centaur's Weed that lay in his palm, forgotten in the confusion.
Absentmindedly, Harry reached to touch his ankle. The numbness had disappeared quite some time ago. Harry had to admit that Malfoy was a skilled Healer, he had hardly felt any pain while being healed and there was no trace of his injury, not even a slight redness, of course Harry rather eat a bucket of Stinksap before he told Malfoy that.
Would he thank Malfoy the next time they meet? Harry doubt it; he was sure within the proximity of two minutes of thanking Malfoy, a fight would occur which would only make him regret thanking the bastard.
Yes, he and Malfoy were enemies; it would take more than fate to change their relationship otherwise.
--
It was just over dinner time when Draco, Pansy and Blaise decided that they were hungry enough to make the trip down to the kitchens; hopefully, they could avoid the school population that exited the Great Hall after meals.
As they passed the Great Hall, they slunk against the walls, trying not to draw attention to themselves. Their plan almost succeeded, as they were reaching the corridor that led to the kitchen, when the doors of the Great Hall opened and the entire student population came flooding out. At first, nobody noticed them, and then from the crowd, a voice called out.
"Malfoy, what's this we hear about you saving Potter?"
That certainly got the attention of everyone. Draco's eyes flashed dangerously as he scanned the silent crowd. When he found the sneaky bastard who said that, he'll wish he was never born. Remembering his father's words, he placed his trademark smirk on his face as he tilted his face elegantly, assuming an arrogant posture.
"Well, I knew all along that Scarface's acts of heroism were nothing but acts. It was only a matter of time before he came crawling to me for help." Draco drawled lazily, following his father's plan carefully.
"Is that so Malfoy? The last time I checked, it looked like you were offering me your help."
Draco's eyes flickered over the crowd to the source of the quiet voice, his eyes falling on none other than Scarface and his two lackeys.
"I don't think you quite understand Potter," Draco said silkily, traces of malice coated his voice, "the only reason why I saved you was out of spite. The Boy who Lived needed to be saved by his own enemy, an arrogant pissant like you would never live down such humiliation."
Hushed murmurs flitted through the crowd. Some of the students had sceptical looks on their faces, but most seemed to believe Draco's explanation more than Potter's. After all, evil is always possible and goodness is eternally difficult.
Draco studied Potter, silently reminding himself to keep a look of contempt on his face; it was obvious Potter disliked the murmurs passing through the crowd, if you had the eye to look for it. Potter was good at masking his dislike, but Draco's trained eyes caught the slight narrowing of those green eyes and the clenching of jaws.
Without another word, Potter turned and left the scene and the crowd dispersed gradually as Draco pulled a smile across his face.
So far the plan was working.
--
Harry lay awake in bed. Sleep was threatening to take him. That irresistible, godforsaken sleep that tormented his mind with waves of exhaustion and fatigue. Harry yawned uncontrollably and blinked. He refused to succumb to the sweet, deceiving sleep.
Gone were the nights with undisturbed sleep, nightmares plagued and festered his resting mind. Naps in the days he could afford, for they were short and mostly disturbed by others, but real peaceful sleep only provided Voldermort with a hellish playground full of horrifying inventions of his friends' death and the recollections of losing Sirius over and over again.
Determined to keep awake, Harry shoved the blankets off, grabbed his Invisibility cloak and decided to take a walk.
--
Author's note: Yep, this chapter took longer than usual to come out, but things have been happening. Merry Christmas to one and all and a Happy New Year. Hoped you all liked this chapter. Not much action but be patient, the next one is really good.
- comatose bum.