Disclaimer: Come on people, if you've gotten this far then you should know the drill by now.
A/N: Thanks to all of my lovely reviewers. .!
Cailin Malafe: That's for me to know, and you to never find out. Muwahahaha. . Thanks!
FallenAngel664: I'm glad, and I hope you like these conversations just as much. Thanks!
NayNymic: Oh but of course. Thanks!
Noriko M. Chijinu: I'm a greedy lil sucker when it comes to reviews. Sorry. But thanks for the review!
Rose: Thanks. Riddles. . Not poetry. But thanks nonetheless.
AoiHyou: I'm glad you noticed that. Harry is going to be a little more mysterious in this one. . Thanks for the review, and I'll be sure to send you update notices.
Usually Immaculate Aristocrat: Yeah. . But that isn't where they're headed. Muwehehehe. . Thanks!
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Past, Present, and Future.
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Part Five: Fear.
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Draco followed Harry outside into the humid summer air. He was beginning to regret wearing the turtleneck instead of just using a concealing charm and was mumbling obsessively under his breath.
He walked a bit quicker, falling in stride with Harry, who had grown quite a bit since school let out, "You better be bringing me to a waterfall, Potter."
Harry ignored him.
Malfoy's don't take nicely to being ignored. "Answer me damn it."
No reply.
"If you don't say something, I'm going to drown you in the lake."
"You wouldn't." Said Harry simply, stuffing his hands in his back pockets.
"Like bloody hell I wouldn't."
"I know you wouldn't."
"Are you listening Potter? I would to!"
"Nope."
"Who are you to tell me what I would and wouldn't do?" Asked Draco angrily.
"You need me to find the waterfall. If you were smart," Harry paused for effect before continuing, "You'd do it when we got there. That way, you'd know where it was and you wouldn't be royally screwed if you had killed me before."
Draco blinked and scowled, taking a glance at Harry. "Right."
He turned back to where they were going and stopped in his tracks. "We're going in.. in.." Draco motioned to the forest, "In there?"
Harry glanced at Draco, taking another step towards the brush. "There being the forbidden forest, then yes."
"But why?"
"What? Are you scared?" Teased Harry, raising an eyebrow.
"You wish Potter!"
Harry smiled a little. "Alright then. Lets go."
Harry continued into the forest, and didn't turn back as he asked, "Are you coming?"
Draco scowled but hurriedly followed. God damn him..
Draco was so lost in his own [angry] thoughts against Harry, he didn't notice the fallen tree branch in front of him and tripped. Harry narrowly caught him.
"Not paying attention I see."
Draco scowled again. "Let go of me Potter, and watch where you're going!"
Harry rolled his eyes and did as Draco asked. He let go, causing Draco to fall on his face. "GOD DAMN YOU POTTER!"
Harry smirked and turned, continuing on his merry way deeper and deeper into the forest.
Draco stood, swearing a blue streak as he brushed off his pants. When he looked up, Harry wasn't in sight.
"Potter?"
No answer. Just my bloody luck.. Reminder to self, never follow your enemy into the forbidden forest.
"Potter? Where in the name of Merlin did you go off to?" Draco turned slowly, looking for any sign of what direction Harry could have gone in.
Draco wasn't expecting someone to grab his arm from behind. He screamed out in surprise and spun around, pushing the intruder away from him.
When he saw who it was, he scowled. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PLAYING AT POTTER?!"
Harry blinked, his face remaining expressionless. "Maybe you should follow next time." He pointedly turned and motioned for Draco to follow. "It's this way."
Draco's scowl never left his face as he angrily stormed after Harry. "Don't ever touch me again Potter."
Harry spun around to face Draco. "Shut up."
"What did you just tell me to do?"
"Shh!"
"Why should- oomph!" Harry covered Draco's mouth with his hand, his eyes focusing on something behind Draco. Draco could hear the slight ruffling in the bushes and turned slowly. It was a large, green worm. Draco blinked. A worm. Potter's afraid of a worm.
Draco smiled slightly, "Blimey Potter, and you say I'm scared."
Just then, the worm turned, showing off its mouth of razor sharp teeth. Draco stared at it with wide eyes as the worm started moving towards them with more and more speed. "Bloody he.."
Harry grabbed onto Draco's arm and pulled him to follow as he sprinted through the forest.
Draco ran after Harry, the tree branches swatting him in the face as he jumped over dead logs and such. A minute later and Harry stopped, Draco doing the same. Their eyes searched the brush for any sign of the creature that had been chasing them and when Draco was sure it wasn't there, he turned back to Harry.
"What did I tell you about not touching me Potter?" Demanded Draco.
Harry rolled his eyes, his hand dropping from Draco's arm. "Next time I'll let you stand there like a statue and let the vermis eat you."
Vermis? Draco scowled as he watched Harry turn away from him. He thought for a moment of turning back, but knew he couldn't find his way out of the forest by himself. Potter better know where he's going.. Or I WILL kill him, thought Draco sourly.
He continued to follow Harry until the boy stopped again, Draco nearly ramming into him. He scowled and cautiously said, "Potter?"
Again, "Potter?"
Ugh!
Draco stepped up to Harry and looked at whatever the boy was staring at. His eyes went wide and he barely comprehended the question, "Is this a big enough waterfall for you?"
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Part six: All Natural.
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Draco was sitting against the trunk of a weeping willow watching the water. The trees were parted just enough, so the sun could be seen through the thick brush. The water was sparkling brilliantly with the rays of sunshine reflecting on it and one could hear the sound of the rushing water from the waterfall a few meters away.
Draco smiled slightly, though he was careful not to let Harry see it. Even he could admit that it was beautiful.
He looked at Harry who was sitting on a stone closer to the water watching the fish.
Harry seemed to sense he had Draco's attention and turned slightly, "So what now?"
"I don't know." Said Draco, standing. He brushed himself off and walked over to where Harry was sitting. He glanced down at the school of fish that were swarming what ever Harry had thrown them. "I think there's suppose to be another clue or something.. But where?"
Harry looked up at him and bit his lip, deep in thought. Suddenly he stood and said, "Follow me."
"Why?" Asked Draco suspiciously as he watched Harry remove his shoes and roll up his pant legs.
"Because," was the only answer Draco got before Harry started wading his way through the water, walking closer and closer to the waterfall.
He could just barely hear Harry's voice over the roar of the water. "Are you coming?"
Draco sighed with annoyance before doing the same as Harry had done. He stepped into the cool water and looked back at Harry, only to see him disappear [running] into the water. Merlin, what is he doing..
A moment longer, Harry's voice could be heard again, though barely. "Well come on!"
Draco blinked and slowly began to make his way to the waterfall. Stones were stabbing his tender feet and he was scowling by the time he was close enough to the waterfall to feel the mist it radiated as it hit the rock, "Potter?"
"Potter? I'm so not going in there. I'm already wet enough.."
Before Draco could complain anymore, a hand stuck out of the waterfall and grabbed his wrist, pulling him through the veil of water.
Draco stood next to Harry, mumbling under his breath as he batted his wet hair away from his eyes. "Great, my mousse came out."
Harry rolled his eyes, removing his glasses and rubbing them against his already damp shirt.
"How does that help Potter?"
Harry didn't respond but instead placed his now smeared glasses back on his face and motioned to the space around them, "Look."
Draco, surprisingly, did as he was told and looked around. They were in a little cave. It's stone walls were completely covered in a silver substance that was shining violently against the few rays of sun that weaved through the rushing water.
Draco blinked, shielding his eyes as some of it flashed. "Wow."
Harry smiled a little as he looked at Draco. "You think this is what the riddle was talking about?"
Draco looked at Harry and nodded. "Maybe."
The two headed deeper in the cave, Draco being enhanced by the echoes of their footsteps. They wandered around, looking for this and that until something stuck to the stone wall caught Harry's eye.
"Hey, Malfoy.." Shouted Harry, his voice echoing violently in the cramped space.
Draco covered his ears, scowling as he walked over to Harry, "What potter?"
His hands dropped and he asked again, "What is it?"
Harry pointed to the piece of parchment sticking to the stone, probably by some suction charm. It was addressed to Draygon.
Draco grabbed it and carefully unfolded it, trying not to rip the wet parchment. He read it aloud. Somehow he knew that if he didn't, he'd probably end up letting Potter read it anyway so.
"Congratulations, but your quest has just begun. You must complete and follow the second riddle now, and I suggest you hurry before your luck is undone.
Where reality is illusion,
Where fact is fiction,
You'll find this next clue,
Not even you can make this prediction.
For this place is never the same,
In life or death,
Where pain is only
In your last breath."
Draco blinked, staring long and hard at the words as if the answer would just suddenly appear.
He looked up at Harry who was staring at the ground deep in thought.
"The transfiguration room?" Questioned Draco.
Harry looked up and bit his lip thoughtfully. He pushed his glasses up and sighed, "Maybe.."
"Okay then. If you can lead me out of here Potter, you can go on your merry little way."
Harry shrugged his shoulders. "What ever."
The two turned and made their way through the cave. Draco kicked a stone along the way as they walked, turning back once to ask Harry something, only to find the boy had stopped in his tracks.
"What are you doing now Potter? Find an interesting piece of seaweed or something to add to your collection?"
Harry looked at him and blinked. "The room of requirement."
"What?"
"The riddle. Where things are always changing.. Where reality is illusion." Said Harry in a know-it-all-tone that sounded a lot like Granger's. "The room of requirement!"
"And what in the name of Merlin is that, scar head?"
"It's sort of hard to explain.. It's this room that shapes into what ever your thinking, what ever you have the need for."
"How good for it." Said a blandly confused Draco.
"Try to get it Malfoy. It's always changing. Reality is an illusion when you're in the room, because it's hard to decipher which is which. Are you following?"
"Don't talk to me as if I'm five Potter." Snapped Draco. "I still think it's the transfiguration classroom, but show me this room of yours if you must."
"Yes Malfoy. I must. I just enjoy spending my time with you soooo much."
"Don't try to be sassy Potter. It doesn't work with you."
Suddenly Harry reached up and pulled a large twig out of Draco's hair and said with all seriousness, "I wasn't being sassy. I do enjoy spending time with you Draco.." Harry stepped closer, "It must be your natural charm."
Draco blinked as his cheeks tinged pink, causing Harry to smirk. "Awe how cute. Is the little Draygon blushing?"
"No." Snapped Draco. He turned and dashed through the veil of water, leaving a very amused Harry in his midst.
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5 Reviews = Next 2 Parts; Revised chapter.