Chapter Three
I am as free as nature first made man, Ere the base laws of servitude began, When wild in woods the noble savage ran.
- John Dryden-
The next day, word was all over the school, that Seamus and Harry were shagging like rabbits. The rumor was that Ron and Dean had walked in on them in the middle of some kinky sex act. What this was, ranged from high heels and wigs, to whips and chains, and oddly enough something involving rabbits.
Harry couldn't help the faint blush that rushed to his cheeks, as he entered the great hall and all eyes turned to him. He hurried to his table, sitting down beside Ron.
"Listen mate," Ron said, turning toward him, "I didn't start any of these crazy rumors. I just said that no one should go up to the room because you were busy. People just assumed things, and started making up crazy stories, and well, I'm sorry." He looked morosely down at his plate.
"That's okay Ron," Harry said smiling. "I don't mind. Actually it's nice to be talked about over something not related to being the boy who lived. This is so normal." He looked up as Seamus slid into the seat across from him, smiling at the twinkle in the other boy's eye.
"Harry first off I have to say that last night was amazing. At first I was a little wary when you brought in the rabbits, but now I can't imagine sex without them," he said with a big grin.
There was a moment of shocked silence, before everyone within hearing distance burst out laughing.
Harry started to chuckle, but stopped as Seamus leaned over to talk to Dean and his eyes met Draco's. Those eyes had haunted his dreams, and the hate in them had not diminished. Harry lifted his chin and gave Malfoy a hard stare in return, He refused to feel guilty about something that wasn't his fault.
Draco sat staring at the Gryffindor table as they laughed, hating Potter for being happy when he was so miserable. Hating Seamus Fucking Finnegan for making Potter happy. When he had heard the rumors this morning, he hadn't really believed them. He knew that the Hogwarts rumor mill was scarcely ever accurate. But when Potter had walked into the room, and he had seen that rush of color to his face, he'd known. He caught Potter's gaze and felt the old familiar hatred starting to stir.
No, he thought, tearing his gaze away from Harry's, this is stupid. He was free of his father, and he no longer had any reason to hate Potter. Last night he and Snape had talked, and he'd decided to file for emancipation. He was old enough at seventeen. Draco had worried that his father would fight it in the courts, but Snape had assured him he wouldn't. He said that his father wouldn't risk the humiliation of airing his private affairs in public. Still, Draco knew his father, and he had no doubt that he'd find a way to make Draco pay.
But he can't control me anymore, Draco thought, turning his eyes back to Harry. He didn't have to hate Potter anymore, because Potter could no longer cause him pain. He could do anything he wanted. He could stand on the table and yell that he loved Gryffindor. He didn't of course, he thought the lot of them were stupid self-important gits, but that wasn't the point. He could do anything he wanted, without fear of reprisal. Anything at all. He smiled, a real smile. Watch out Hogwarts, he thought, you're about to experience the real Draco Malfoy.
Later that night he sat on his bed, making a list of things to do. First things first, he wanted to get back at his father. He wanted to make him boil with impotent rage. Now what would piss him off the most, he thought, idly tapping his quill against his lip. His mouth twisted into a sadistic little smile, and he wrote down on the paper, Number One.
Harry sat at breakfast the next morning staring into his orange juice and thinking about his classes for the day. He was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of Ron's voice.
"Malfoy what the hell are you doing over here!"
Harry looked up to see Draco Malfoy standing at the end of the table, a friendly smile on his face. That sent warning bells off in Harry's head. Friendly was a word never associated with Malfoy, therefore, he must be up to something.
"Hello there Weasley, just stopped by to have a little chat with Hermione," he said with a smile like a girl scout trying to sell you cookies. You know the one. You know that the cookies are expensive and you don't even have a clue what the girl scouts do. They could be being cultivated as a secret army of government spies for the future for all you know, but you buy the cookies anyway, because they are just so damn cute. It was with the same kind of bewildered acceptance that the Gryffindors looked at him now.
Hermione shook herself out of the momentary shock of seeing a smile not a smirk on Malfoy's face. "What do you want Malfoy?" she said with a sigh, prepared, for the worst.
"Well I'd just like to say that I admire you. I mean you're the smartest student in the year and you have definitely made me smarter. I always worked extra hard to try and get better grades than you. I thought that as a muggleborn, you certainly were inferior to someone of such pure blood as me. But you've made me realize that blood doesn't matter one bit, that muggleborn's are equal to purebloods any day."
"Now Harry," he said turning toward him, as the rest of the table looked on in shock. "I just wanted to say that I think that it's positively embarrassing how many time's you have managed to escape the dark lord's clutches. You are just a testament to the fact that he is weak and will be brought down soon enough. I'll be rooting for you. Voldemort really is a crazy psychopath and I'll be the first to dance on his grave, after you have put him in it. "
"Then there's Weasley," he said turning toward Ron. "Your father is really a great asset to the ministry and you...well, you're still a stupid git," he finished with a smirk. "Well I must be going now, it was lovely chatting with you all, have a nice day." He turned and walked out of the doors with a smile.
After approximately one minute of shocked silence from the entire room, he'd spoken loud enough for everyone to hear him, everyone burst out into shocked whispers.
"He's possessed," Ron said, "it's the only explanation."
"Ron, it is not the only explanation. Maybe he's finally realized what a stupid arse he's been all these years, even assholes can have epiphanies. Besides it could be Imperious or Polyjuice or any number of things," Hermione said in a matter of fact voice.
"What do you think Harry?" Seamus said turning toward Harry's seat. But Harry wasn't there. He'd left the hall, and in all the excitement no one had noticed.
"Malfoy," Harry yelled as he rounded the corner and saw the blond halfway up the stairs.
Draco slowly turned, his hand resting lightly on the railing, a small smirk on his face. "Was there something I could do for you Potter?"
Harry ran up the stairs until they were face to face. "What the hell do you think your playing at Malfoy? And what's with the Potter. You called me Harry in the lunch room."
"Yes well it was all for effect really, much more shocking that way, wouldn't you say?"
"I would say that I don't know what the hell your talking about and you had better tell me what your up to RIGHT NOW," Harry yelled, his fingers clenched in Malfoy's robes, their faces inches apart
At this, the amiable expression on Draco's face vanished, he grabbed Harry's wrists, slamming the other boy against the railing. "I don't have to tell you anything Potter, and if you ever put your hands on me again, it will be your grave I'll dance on. Do you understand me?"
"I'm not afraid of you Malfoy," he hissed. Not in parseltounge, that would be silly.
Draco sighed and the fight went out of him. It was just so easy to slip back into these old roles. "Of course you're not. You're the boy who lived, and you're unbeatable. Why would you be afraid of anything? Be careful that you don't buy into your own hype Potter. Golden lads and girls all must, as chimney sweepers come to dust, even you the most golden of them all," he said with a sigh and a wistful expression on his face. "As to your question well I fear no more the frown of the great, I am past the tyrants stroke. It's a wonderful kind of freedom. For Merlin's sake I'm even reading muggle literature," he said with a little chuckle. "Look Potter I don't want to fight with you anymore. I'll leave you and your friends alone and you can forget I exist. Because finally, finally I can forget you exist," he said turning and walking up the stairs.
Harry just stood there, his guts twisting. He should be happy, he finally had what he always wanted, Malfoy was out of his life. But those words echoed in his head, leaving him with a horrible sense of loss. Finally I can forget you exist.
I am as free as nature first made man, Ere the base laws of servitude began, When wild in woods the noble savage ran.
- John Dryden-
The next day, word was all over the school, that Seamus and Harry were shagging like rabbits. The rumor was that Ron and Dean had walked in on them in the middle of some kinky sex act. What this was, ranged from high heels and wigs, to whips and chains, and oddly enough something involving rabbits.
Harry couldn't help the faint blush that rushed to his cheeks, as he entered the great hall and all eyes turned to him. He hurried to his table, sitting down beside Ron.
"Listen mate," Ron said, turning toward him, "I didn't start any of these crazy rumors. I just said that no one should go up to the room because you were busy. People just assumed things, and started making up crazy stories, and well, I'm sorry." He looked morosely down at his plate.
"That's okay Ron," Harry said smiling. "I don't mind. Actually it's nice to be talked about over something not related to being the boy who lived. This is so normal." He looked up as Seamus slid into the seat across from him, smiling at the twinkle in the other boy's eye.
"Harry first off I have to say that last night was amazing. At first I was a little wary when you brought in the rabbits, but now I can't imagine sex without them," he said with a big grin.
There was a moment of shocked silence, before everyone within hearing distance burst out laughing.
Harry started to chuckle, but stopped as Seamus leaned over to talk to Dean and his eyes met Draco's. Those eyes had haunted his dreams, and the hate in them had not diminished. Harry lifted his chin and gave Malfoy a hard stare in return, He refused to feel guilty about something that wasn't his fault.
Draco sat staring at the Gryffindor table as they laughed, hating Potter for being happy when he was so miserable. Hating Seamus Fucking Finnegan for making Potter happy. When he had heard the rumors this morning, he hadn't really believed them. He knew that the Hogwarts rumor mill was scarcely ever accurate. But when Potter had walked into the room, and he had seen that rush of color to his face, he'd known. He caught Potter's gaze and felt the old familiar hatred starting to stir.
No, he thought, tearing his gaze away from Harry's, this is stupid. He was free of his father, and he no longer had any reason to hate Potter. Last night he and Snape had talked, and he'd decided to file for emancipation. He was old enough at seventeen. Draco had worried that his father would fight it in the courts, but Snape had assured him he wouldn't. He said that his father wouldn't risk the humiliation of airing his private affairs in public. Still, Draco knew his father, and he had no doubt that he'd find a way to make Draco pay.
But he can't control me anymore, Draco thought, turning his eyes back to Harry. He didn't have to hate Potter anymore, because Potter could no longer cause him pain. He could do anything he wanted. He could stand on the table and yell that he loved Gryffindor. He didn't of course, he thought the lot of them were stupid self-important gits, but that wasn't the point. He could do anything he wanted, without fear of reprisal. Anything at all. He smiled, a real smile. Watch out Hogwarts, he thought, you're about to experience the real Draco Malfoy.
Later that night he sat on his bed, making a list of things to do. First things first, he wanted to get back at his father. He wanted to make him boil with impotent rage. Now what would piss him off the most, he thought, idly tapping his quill against his lip. His mouth twisted into a sadistic little smile, and he wrote down on the paper, Number One.
Harry sat at breakfast the next morning staring into his orange juice and thinking about his classes for the day. He was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of Ron's voice.
"Malfoy what the hell are you doing over here!"
Harry looked up to see Draco Malfoy standing at the end of the table, a friendly smile on his face. That sent warning bells off in Harry's head. Friendly was a word never associated with Malfoy, therefore, he must be up to something.
"Hello there Weasley, just stopped by to have a little chat with Hermione," he said with a smile like a girl scout trying to sell you cookies. You know the one. You know that the cookies are expensive and you don't even have a clue what the girl scouts do. They could be being cultivated as a secret army of government spies for the future for all you know, but you buy the cookies anyway, because they are just so damn cute. It was with the same kind of bewildered acceptance that the Gryffindors looked at him now.
Hermione shook herself out of the momentary shock of seeing a smile not a smirk on Malfoy's face. "What do you want Malfoy?" she said with a sigh, prepared, for the worst.
"Well I'd just like to say that I admire you. I mean you're the smartest student in the year and you have definitely made me smarter. I always worked extra hard to try and get better grades than you. I thought that as a muggleborn, you certainly were inferior to someone of such pure blood as me. But you've made me realize that blood doesn't matter one bit, that muggleborn's are equal to purebloods any day."
"Now Harry," he said turning toward him, as the rest of the table looked on in shock. "I just wanted to say that I think that it's positively embarrassing how many time's you have managed to escape the dark lord's clutches. You are just a testament to the fact that he is weak and will be brought down soon enough. I'll be rooting for you. Voldemort really is a crazy psychopath and I'll be the first to dance on his grave, after you have put him in it. "
"Then there's Weasley," he said turning toward Ron. "Your father is really a great asset to the ministry and you...well, you're still a stupid git," he finished with a smirk. "Well I must be going now, it was lovely chatting with you all, have a nice day." He turned and walked out of the doors with a smile.
After approximately one minute of shocked silence from the entire room, he'd spoken loud enough for everyone to hear him, everyone burst out into shocked whispers.
"He's possessed," Ron said, "it's the only explanation."
"Ron, it is not the only explanation. Maybe he's finally realized what a stupid arse he's been all these years, even assholes can have epiphanies. Besides it could be Imperious or Polyjuice or any number of things," Hermione said in a matter of fact voice.
"What do you think Harry?" Seamus said turning toward Harry's seat. But Harry wasn't there. He'd left the hall, and in all the excitement no one had noticed.
"Malfoy," Harry yelled as he rounded the corner and saw the blond halfway up the stairs.
Draco slowly turned, his hand resting lightly on the railing, a small smirk on his face. "Was there something I could do for you Potter?"
Harry ran up the stairs until they were face to face. "What the hell do you think your playing at Malfoy? And what's with the Potter. You called me Harry in the lunch room."
"Yes well it was all for effect really, much more shocking that way, wouldn't you say?"
"I would say that I don't know what the hell your talking about and you had better tell me what your up to RIGHT NOW," Harry yelled, his fingers clenched in Malfoy's robes, their faces inches apart
At this, the amiable expression on Draco's face vanished, he grabbed Harry's wrists, slamming the other boy against the railing. "I don't have to tell you anything Potter, and if you ever put your hands on me again, it will be your grave I'll dance on. Do you understand me?"
"I'm not afraid of you Malfoy," he hissed. Not in parseltounge, that would be silly.
Draco sighed and the fight went out of him. It was just so easy to slip back into these old roles. "Of course you're not. You're the boy who lived, and you're unbeatable. Why would you be afraid of anything? Be careful that you don't buy into your own hype Potter. Golden lads and girls all must, as chimney sweepers come to dust, even you the most golden of them all," he said with a sigh and a wistful expression on his face. "As to your question well I fear no more the frown of the great, I am past the tyrants stroke. It's a wonderful kind of freedom. For Merlin's sake I'm even reading muggle literature," he said with a little chuckle. "Look Potter I don't want to fight with you anymore. I'll leave you and your friends alone and you can forget I exist. Because finally, finally I can forget you exist," he said turning and walking up the stairs.
Harry just stood there, his guts twisting. He should be happy, he finally had what he always wanted, Malfoy was out of his life. But those words echoed in his head, leaving him with a horrible sense of loss. Finally I can forget you exist.