No comment o.o

Chapter 11

Human flesh, the other other white meat =d

Harry awoke groggily both hands tied to some sort of post.

The air felt humid, and fogged his glasses, making it difficult to see.

His arms felt like lead, he tried to move them. They were tied with several small, but extremely strong cords. He seemed to be surrounded completely by a screen of some sort.

He squinted his eyes, and made out little shapes running this way and that. Some seemed to be hunched, carrying bundles on their backs.

"Don't move too much Harry, I'm afraid we have been poisoned," a voice whispered.

Harry looked from the corner of his eyes and strained to see Firenize but he was no where.

"I'm directly behind you, outside the screen."

"Firenize," whispered Harry," I don't suppose you have a plan?"

"Why yes Harry, the plan is to wait for Bane and Draco to figure something out, and rescue us."

"....I don't like that plan, can you think of a better one?"

Firenize shrugged. "Sorry, that's all I've got."

"Crap. What are they planning to do with us?"

Firenize shifted uncomfortably, "I-uh, think they want to eat us."

"Eat us!" Harry hissed.

"Yes well, they only capture prey alive when they want to sacrifice something to the moon, and they eat the sacrifice later, to prove that it isn't poison, and also as I understand it, it ends a month long fast..."

"Well, at least we know they won't waste the flesh of our rotting carcasses!".

"Try to think positive thoughts, and speak softly, too much of their poison can kill."

Harry remained silent for a while. "Firenize, why am I in a screen tent thing?"

"I suppose it's because all of their warriors are surrounding me with arrows notched and ready, poison has more of affect on humans."

"Oh great, as long as I'm easy prey!"

"Do you see what I have to put up with? He just won't shut up!"

Harry strained to look out from the corner of eyes.

"Dr-Draco?"

"Damn straight it's Draco!"

"I- uh..good to see you.." Said Harry meekly.

"Yeah, good to see me to get your ass out of trouble," he leered.

Harry winced. "Can we...talk about this later?"

"Sure, sure, we'll talk about this later," his eyes sparked with malice," Now hold still while I cut this...rope.." He started to saw through the cords concentrating. "Hmm, shit this is strong, hold on a sec..." He savagely slashed at the cords until each cord snapped sharply, and Harry's right hand was free.

"Hey, how did you get in?"

Draco raised an eyebrow, "It's a frickin' screen, Potter, it doesn't take a genius."

He leaned forward to free the remaining hand, while stretching for the other hand he incidentally rubbed against Harry's chest.

Harry shifted uncomfortably.

Draco noticed this and sneered, "What, does being this close to me make you uncomfortable? You don't like close contact with me?" He pressed even heavier against Harry.

Harry's face reddened little, "Draco, believe me, it isn't that.."

Draco pressed his face near Harry's, "Then what is it," he sneered again.

Harry opened his mouth, but words didn't come out, he motioned downward. Draco followed the motion with his eyes. Immediately his face softened, "..Oh. This isn't the time for that," he said humorously. He grinned coyly at Harry.

"Why don't you just finish what you came here to do," he muttered, his face growing more red.

He slashed the last few cords, and freed his left hand.

Harry rubbed his sore wrists.

"Thanks Draco."

"Your welcome," he said nonchalantly.

"Draco....thank you."

Draco glanced at the ground, then shuffled out of view.

"C'mon Harry, let's go before they notice us, Bane set up a distraction, by now those insects should be scurrying to dig out their fellow man eaters. They live underground, by the way."

"Are we going to get Firenize?"

"Right," he turned his head," Hey, centaur, time to go!"

"I'm here."

Draco turned his head and jumped, Firenize was standing right next to him, his hands were still tied together with the same type of cords as Harry's.

"Sneaky little fellow, aren't you?"

He smiled waningly, "Let's move into the forest and away from leaf territory."

Draco stopped and looked around, "Hey, where's Prat?"

Harry frowned, "I thought she was with you."

"Don't tell me you lost my dragon, Potter!"

"Me?! She's your dr-"

"You'd just better find her!"

"It's just like you to never take responsibility!"

"Responsibility?! Just find my fucking dragon!"

"You two, be quiet, we don't want to attract any unwanted attention."

Draco stuck his tongue out at Harry. Harry rolled his eyes and mouthed the words moron. Draco glared at him and mouthed, something that looked a lot like, 'Kiss my ass'

They sneaked safely away from the tiny people eating people into the deadly, but highly ironic, comforting forest.

A timid knock sounded across the darkened hallways of the Hogwarts School.

Dumbledore's door was slightly ajar, but none of the group wanted to take the first step inside.

"Come in."

Professor Snape walked in, followed by Professor McGonagall, then Pomfrey, Trewlawney, and finally Hagrid.

Dumbledore peered at the group from the top of his glasses.

"How can I help you?"

Snape cleared his throaght,"Well, us teachers,"he shot a glance at the group," and Mr.Hagrid, we...we are tired at putting pieces together of the disappearance Potter and Malfoy."

"Yes," added Professor McGonagall, "We all deserve an explanation! Maybe we can help."

"There's no need for you to worry, Mr.Potter and Mr.Malfoy will look after each other."

Snape and McGonagall exchanged glances. Hagrid made a choking noise.

"Uh, Professor Dumbledore, I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but Harry Potter, and Draco Malfoy....don't like each other, to say the least..."

"Ah," said Dumbledore, sitting up from his chair and walking up to the group,"What if I were to tell you that, that's not necessarily true. What if I told you they liked each other very much, very much."

Every teacher frowned, even Pomfrey knew the two hated each other with a passion and she usually over looked such things.

Dumbledore smiled at all the frowning faces.

"It's not too hard to believe, is it? They are both strong willed boys, they don't take well too insults, and they're friends don't get along too well either. The circumstances just didn't agree with the moment, so to speak."

"What exactly....are you saying Albus?"

"Ah, Minerva, you never like to just assume things, very well then, I'll tell you all straight. Harry and Draco love each other."

A resounding "WHAT?!" echoed throughout the room.

Dumbledore winced, with all those hints he had been dropping, he didn't expect this much a surprise.

Some people are just so dense..

Snape smirked, "Well, I can't say I should be surprised, I had my suspicions about Potter and all."

Dumbledore smiled mischevously,"Oh, we all have our suspicions about some people."

Snape cleared his throat and nervously glanced around the room, avoiding the curious glances of the rest of the teachers. Hagrid stood impassive.

"Nevertheless, we can still help," interrupted McGonagall, "We'll form a search party!"

Dumbledore peered over his moon shaped glasses at Professor McGonagall,"Minerva, are you forgetting about the other students? This school has a duty to teach our students to be successful wizards and witches."

"But, isn't it true that our students, along with everybody else, will be affected by the out come," Trewlawney blurted. Her large bug like eyes widened, and her thin lips quivered.

Dumbledore hesitated, "Sibyll..."

"We can assign one person a week to search for the boys, us other teachers can help fill in for the class," McGonagall said firmly.

The other teachers, and Hagrid, nodded.

"Professor Snape, you will be first, Hagrid you can assist him to a point, then, myself, Pomfrey, Trewlawney, and finally Hagrid. We need to use your scrying pool Trewlawney, to make sure the person is not in any trouble."

"That's fine, I haven't been able to bring myself to use it since my last vision." She covered her face in remembered horror.

Dumbledore smiled, "It seems that you didn't need me here after all."

McGonagall turned firmly to Dumbledore, "Don't ever say that. We owe many things to you Albus, without you we would have all been lost."

Dumbledore chuckled, "You exaggerate Minerva."

"You should know of all people that I do not exaggerate."

Dumbledore hesitated, and seemed to study McGonagall seriously, "Very well then, Minerva."

She smiled, "Very well indeed." She strode towards the door, followed by the rest.

As they walked out, McGonagall shot a side glance towards Snape, "You're gay?"

Snape bowed hid head and shot the tiniest of a grim smile at her,

"Bi actually.."

"AAAh"

"I hate you!"

"What?"

Draco stood in front of Harry, both hands on his hips, looking furiously at Harry.

"You heard me you fop, I.Hate.You.." He folded his arms across his chest and waited for Harry's response.

"You don't hate me."

"No? Well..."Draco drew back his hand and slapped Harry across the face.

Harry clutched his cheek in astonishment, Draco glared at the other boy, he took a step forward and backhanded Harry.

"Quit it!"

"No, dammit, I hate you!" He drew back a fist to throw a punch, Harry shut his eyes tightly and turned his head away. Draco's fist wavered.

Harry opened one eye and looked at him.

"You don't hate me."

"I don't."

Harry smiled. "You love me."

"I don't!" Harry grabbed Draco's free hand and rolled his eyes.

Draco dropped his head and arm in defeat.

"I do."

"Good, now we'll sit and grope each other while we wait for Bane and Firenize, c'mon, let's go." Harry lead Draco like a docile puppy, to a large shady, but most importantly stationary, tree.

They both sat down in the grass, Harry still holding Draco's hand. Draco shook free of Harry, then drew his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around himself. He rested his chin on his knees, looking thoughtfully ahead of him. "You can't treat me like this." he said, still staring steadily ahead.

"Like what?" Harry asked, shifting uncomfortably.

Draco laughed, it wasn't happy merry, it was hard and somewhat bitter, "Like the way I treated you for the past years."

Before Harry could answer Draco shifted into a cross legged position, "But you deserved it, you were an ass."

Harry nearly choked with surprise," Are you kidding me? You were the evil one! You started it with your goddamn attitude! And your parents were Death Eaters."

Draco wrinkled his nose in distaste, "What do my parents have to do with me," his eyes narrowed, "I bet as soon as you heard that ridiculous rumor that you automatically assumed I was a soon to be Death Eater!" Draco saw by the guilty look on his face that he had been exactly right.

"It wasn't a rumor though, I saw your dad with them when Voldermont summoned the death eaters," he said softly.

Draco made a sound of disbelief, "My father was just a cover for my mother, nearly all the women would never appear in person."

"But you said the Death Eater thing was a rumor!"

Draco looked slyly at Harry, "the thing about both of my parents is ridiculous, it's only one, nobody believes, or believed it was both of my parents, and I might not have wanted to be a Death Eater for a reason other then it being 'evil'. I might have had my own reasons."

Harry frowned, "Like what?"

He smiled, "Why must you pry, Harry? "He said in mock exasperation.

"It's what I do," he offered, then he grabbed the front of Draco's shirt and pulled him into a kiss.

Draco smiled slyly again at Harry, "Ew, Harry, I'm a boy!"

Harry laughed and leaned against the tree.

Draco did the same.

"Hey, I'm sorry about that time I through that firecracker in the potion your friends were making in Snape's class, causing hideous boils to grow on our classmates."

"I'm sorry about that time we snuck into the slytherin room and stole all of your clothes when you were showering."

"Yeah, I thought that was you."

"..And then taking pictures."

"Say what?"

"Hey, there's Bane and that other guy! Y'know they're fucking each other?"

Draco rolled his eyes, "First of all, your personality dictates that you not swear without being provoked, secondly yes, and finally, that's utterly disgusting."

"..Hey Draco, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"How is it physically possible for those two to do it?"

"Yeah, exactly!"

"And do you feel the same sense of creepiness now?"

"Yes."