Title: The House of Horrors

Author: Babydracky

Translation Author: Lil Nezumi

Disclaimer: Harry Potter-verse and characters belong to J.K. Rowling & WB.

Author's Note: See "INTRODUCTION" for summary and author's notes.

Part I, Chapter III: Hogsmeade Visit - Harry Potter's "Fun"!

Harry, well he, had also fled from that crazy attraction, where the twins had attempted to draw him there in the hopes of discovering whether he really was "the" Prince Charming destined for their little sister, but certainly for a little payback! Fred and George knew that the premonitions of these two professors were absolutely not trustworthy, and were rarely, see never, realized... In either case, with regards to Harry, the predictions had promised to be of high entertainment value!

Ron and Hermione, unfortunately, were not able to escape the trap set by the twins and found themselves thrown into this "crazy" (an oddly appropriate term) adventure! They were at this moment involved in a discussion with Trelawny, in fact, to be precise, it was Hermione who was explaining to the professor that her "scared art", as she called it, was nothing more than a fantastical whimsy and would never, in any case compete with the accuracy of true science! Ron didn't know what to do, the debate had been launched and the gaulet thrown, he feared that these two women, who were presently facing each other and addressing the other vehemently, would not be resorting to hair pulling and bitch slapping!

Harry, on the other hand, took off running and felt like he had never run away so fast from anything before in his life! Poor Ginny, who was dragged along for the ride behind him, was almost out of breath! Her heart was stampeding in her chest, but she wasn't entirely sure whether it was from the run or from the fact that Harry was holding her hand!

When they finally came to a halt, Harry bent over and placed both hands on his knees, trying to regain his breath, whereas Ginny sat down on the ground, completely exhausted! Suddenly, catching each other's eye, they were overrun by a crazy need to laugh! They had run dementedly throughout the crowd, slaloming left to right... right to left... trying to avoid all the obstacles that, unfortunately, found themselves in their path! All the while, their laughter rose when they recalled a few of the blunders that happened... Running at top speed they found that they couldn't avoid Lavender Brown, their fellow Gryphondor, who found herself face first into her neighbor's 'Merlin's-Beard', and they also collided into Collin Creevy, launching him into that rank cloud (fish soup) from Professor Flitwick's booth, while he was snapping pictures of the losing participants...

So there they were trying, with difficulty, to regain their breath, when a most disagreeable, drawling and unfortunately all too familiar voice drifted in from behind them.

"Well Potter, have you finally been able to close the deal with the little Weaselette?"

"What business is it of yours, Malfoy?" Replied Harry, immediately on the defensive.

"Potter, Potter, why are you always so aggressive?" Draco said softly.

"I am not aggressive, Malfoy, you're the one who's always making derogatory comments," Harry hissed through his teeth.

"I fail to see what you are alluding to, Potter! You really do take things the wrong way! I was merely congratulating you on finally closing the deal with this "girl" (disgust showing in his voice) who hasn't seen anything of you except your famous scar for years! Bravo! Way to go! Potter, the true hero!"

Harry didn't wait for a count of three; he didn't wait for a count of one before violently grabbing Malfoy by the collar and slamming him against the front of a building not far from them. Ginny let out a small surprised yelp, she wasn't ready when Harry to reacted so forcefully and she was silently cursing Malfoy for having ruined the lovely moment she was sharing with Harry.

The last few times, the animosity between Harry and Draco had escalated exponentially and these two never lost an opportunity to "fight". Most of the professors no longer knew what to do with these two and the majority of their friends carefully avoided sticking their noses into these conflicts for fear of losing parts of their anatomy.

Harry and Draco were gauging the other like two ferocious beasts, ready to attack at the least gesture of hostility from the other.

Draco's face showed no expression, what so ever. He was slightly surprised to find himself shoved with his "back to the wall" by Harry, whereas he generally preferred, which is just like him, to use his wand rather than resort to fisticuffs. Presently, he kept his gaze fixed on Harry's, without blinking, knowing that his mask of indifference and empty expression, would annoy him greatly.

Harry looked into Malfoy's slightly blank gaze, as though trying to read the thoughts within! Gods, Malfoy was exasperating when he acted like this! Harry still held Malfoy rigidly close to him and realized that he had lifted the Slytherin slightly, to match his height, in order to be able to look him in the eye. He had never really consciously noticed that Malfoy was smaller than him... To be honest he always conducted himself with "stature" and even if it cost Harry dearly to admit it, Malfoy had a natural elegance and driving presence. All of which gave him a certain charisma, which is perhaps why Harry never really paid attention to the true size of the Slytherin... It could also have been because Malfoy always walked erectly, so straight like an upright stick and with his nose pointed in the air...

It was also the first time that Harry found himself this close to Malfoy, so close in fact that he realized that even though Malfoy was standing on the tips of his toes, he still remained considerably smaller than himself. He also became aware of something that he had never really noticed til now... Malfoy's eyes were gray, not blue like he always thought, but gray! Blue eyes, to him, were not very original... They certainly were beautiful, but there was nothing really original about them. These eyes were so unique... There didn't seem to be any other coloring equal to the beauty reflecting from these eyes! Two stormy, raging oceans with magnificent pearlesque reflections, enhanced by tiny slivers of pure dark coal, which had been scattered throughout and yielded shimmerings of silver.

Harry, fell into the observation of this "Milky Way", never realizing that his hold on young Malfoy had tightened and that both their bodies were brought even closer to one another. A small cramp formed around his stomach region, which brought him back to reality and then he felt all of the muscles in his stomach contract in a terrible wave, fluttering his abdomen. He didn't feel well.

Draco could not quit gazing at Harry with a fear inside him that something particularly horrible was about to happen. He didn't like this, not one bit. Harry was leaning dangerously over him, and that brought to the front of his own mind his smaller stature. He definitely feels a complex coming on for the end of the day, and also Potter's body was way too close to his for his own peace of mind! He could even feel the irregular breath flutter on his face, sweeping his cheeks and lips, a velvety breeze infinitely soft like a sweet caress. This velveteen breeze was accompanied by a sweet perfume, slightly vanilla. This wonderful and troubling air was emanating from the one in front him. Draco felt the hair rise up on the back of his neck and tiny shivers run up and down his spine! Gods, how he wanted to detest Potter! This simple contact provoked too many undesirable reactions within him they were disagreeable and offensive!

Pansy, seeing the trash name Potter, approach dangerously to the object of her desires, the object that she didn't want to see marred with any bruises, had decided to intervene!

"Potter!" She hurled, hatefully.

Just as Harry was turning around, feeling irritated at just having been interrupted from his contemplation, suddenly felt something thick bludgeon his cheek! Pansy, not known for her inner delicateness, had just "delicately landed her pretty little hand" on Harry's face. He lost his balance "slightly" from this tap. Draco, whose spirits had risen, was laughing nearly to the point of busting a gut. Ginny then decided to show her own displeasure towards Pansy! She had just swung her backpack into Pansy's face, when a very tall skinny looking gentleman, with a waxy and sickly complexion, interrupted them.

"Dear visitors, welcome..." the voice from this man had nothing on his appearance.

Ginny dropped her bag when the person she saw frightened her and she ran quickly to hide behind Harry. Pansy looked on from her full height filled with non-fearful disdain, as though to show him that his interruption was not welcome and more so, impolite!

"Visitors?" Articulated Draco, with some difficulty.

The small group was observing the gentleman trying to understand the meaning behind his statement, asking themselves the question of 'Welcome where?' when screams resounded from behind them! Everyone jumped startled and turned about quickly towards the tall building behind them and one that they had not been paying attention to until now!

A huge sign painted, at first glance, with letters of dripping blood, answered their question:

THE HOUSE of HORRORS

TBC...