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 II, Chapter II: House of Horrors - "Little girl"!
When his heart finally began to beat more or less in it's old steady rhythm, like it was supposed to, Harry finally turned towards Ginny to console her and to see if she was all right... It was with horrified shock that Harry realized that the little female red-head that he had dragged for several hundred meters, this same little female red-head that had followed him meekly, was none other then a little male blondie with eyes moist from tears and a trembling lip!
"Malfoy...?"
Draco, upon hearing Harry's voice had regained a bit of his former countenance and slowly became aware of his immediate surroundings... He couldn't see very much, but Harry wasn't all that far from him and he had no problems seeing the confused and dismayed gaze being sent his way.
"Potter..." he replied, trying to sound disgusted, whereas his voice was barely audible.
Harry continued to watch him in horrified shock. It wasn't until Draco became aware of the gentle pressure around his wrist, that he lowered his eyes. Staring at down, he was livid at the hand that held his own.
Harry followed Draco's eyes, also realizing that he hadn't released the fragile and graceful limb that he had held during their wild escape! Again, he lifted his gaze back towards Malfoy and he felt the dismay return to his features, before he felt the wrist that he was holding onto, wrench away from his grasp.
"Don't touch me!" Malfoy hissed, his voice considerably more masculine then the shrill screams that Harry had mistaken, only a moments ago.
"Not very grateful, eh Malfoy?" Harry said, not at all happy to find out that it was Malfoy in front of him and also really not happy about being mistaken... But what else could he have expected other then contempt, then egocentricity... and cowardice from "Sir" Draco Malfoy!
"Grateful!" Malfoy exclaimed. "Just why should I be grateful to you, Potter!"
"Why?" Harry replied, half-surprise and half-not. "Because it was me who extracted you from that blasted mess!"
"Extracted!" Draco continued on a roll, his voice becoming a shrilly, bit-by-bit, during the course of their "conversation". "Grateful, for having extracted me! You chose to extract me! I almost lost my arm back there!"
Following his words, Draco lowered his eyes to his wrist, which he was vigorously rubbing, when he suddenly developed a tick in his eye, he found that the sleeve of his robe was completely wrinkled.
"You wrinkled my robe!" Draco shrieked, practically in shock.
Harry just rolled his eyes, not quite knowing what to say or do with the exasperating person only known as Malfoy!
"Bleah... Furthermore it's covered in that sticky, smelly crap that assaulted us," Draco said, almost as though he were so close to fainting. Then he felt his anger rise and overcome his present nausea, it grew in him until he felt the need to release it.
"How on earth to you expect me to go out looking like this!" Draco said, getting all worked up.
"That is in fact the question, Malfoy. How are we going to get out?" Harry asked, smiling in spite of himself at Malfoy's antics.
Malfoy looked at him, surprised, and little by little Harry almost believed that he saw the realization dawn in Malfoy's eyes, clearly he had just about forgotten their location and the situation that they were now currently in.
"We are not exactly in friendly territory, in case you've forgotten, Malfoy," Harry said sarcastically.
"I haven't forgotten anything, Potter! But there are certain priorities in life..." began Draco.
"And your appearance seems to be definitely part of that!" Harry cut in rapidly.
"Absolutely, so what? I do not have any wish to end up looking like anything of your genre... If I were to even let myself go for months, very long months, I would never be equal to your... aspect." Draco replied totally full of scorn.
Harry was far from being offended, his appearance and his stature were never part of his top priorities, and he smiled a true smile, before continuing.
"Actually, Malfoy, seeing your hair looking like that, I wouldn't find it hard to believe that if your own mother were to see you like that she wouldn't recognize you, she'd mistake you for an unkempt urchin and leave you by the side of the road."
As soon as the words were out of Harry's mouth, Draco jumped with a start and placed a hand to his hair, noticing that Harry was telling the truth. It was then that he desperately began trying to fix his hair causing Harry to explode with laughter. Draco just looked at him, as though he wanted to do him bodily harm, but he had a pressing need and was rapidly beginning to realize that his hair had developed a life of their own. It was not obeying him, which meant that they were definitely not flat against his head, as was the norm.
Harry, meanwhile, was caught in his laughter, shaking so much so, that he was forced to hold onto his splitting sides. Also, he tried to remain upright by placing a hand on the wall, which was something that he immediately regretted, as the walls had some type of murky gelatinous-like substance scattered about! However, this did nothing to quell his crazed laughter.
Malfoy resigned his attempts to put his hair in order, but he could not support being the cause or the victim of this extremely vexing laughter. Certainly not from someone that good fashion sense had abandoned! He undertook the opportunity to take care of Potter, before he began to suffocate. Although that was not a bad idea and Draco could not prevent himself from enjoying the thought that he could possibly be the one to put Potter out of his misery, if he left like this.
"I forbid you to laugh at me!" Stated Malfoy, as he grabbed a hold of the collar on Harry's robes.
Harry immediately stopped laughing, seeing that Malfoy had planted himself in front of him, standing on the tips of his toes to bring himself closer to Harry level, with a not altogether happy look and actually it was even slightly pouty, caused Harry to burst out laughing, again.
Draco's irritation was on the rise, Potter was openly mocking him and a thought that was most unpleasant crepted into his mind, it was the rising doubt that he was about to lose his status as an Apollo look-a-like.
"Potter! Shut up!" He growled through his teeth.
Harry once again turned his gaze back to the little peacock that was trying to threaten him. He would have almost thought that it was kinda cute... But it really was a shame that his hair was such a mess... not that it didn't suit him, it was just a few stray strands that were stuck to his face and partially masking his eyes.
Without conscious thought, Harry delicately place a hand on Malfoy's forehead, dislodging the few strands that were stuck there from sweat... He was anticipating that the hair would feel pasty and sticky, but they were far from that... These tiny blonde strands were silken and...intoxicating.
By the Gods... His hair is so soft... I have always had such a weakness for blondes, this could really be my chance... Here, stuck in this place...with this...well...with a cute tiny blonde... If I had known...
Harry didn't know if the soft aroma that he smelled was from the gel or the shampoo that Malfoy used, but one thing was sure and it was that Malfoy smelled intoxicating.
What is this scent? A perfume so light and soft... Lime?... Yes, it was the scent of lime blossoms...
Harry couldn't prevent himself from smiling at this newest discovery.
Malfoy smells good,mmm, lime blossom... When I think that lime blossoms have the reputation of having calming capabilities... Yet Malfoy, in general, wasn't really one of the calmest individuals that I know... Still, if he didn't open his mouth, he wasn't that unpleasant...
After letting a few strands caress the back of his hand and letting them sift through his fingertips, Harry placed them behind Malfoy's ears. He didn't lose the opportunity that he suddenly had to feel Malfoy's skin against his own... He let his fingers slide behind Malfoy's ears, pausing ever so minutely at the earlobes, where he discovered a softness that was so grand...
Well, when you take a closer look... Malfoy's not as bad as all that... As long as he doesn't open his mouth... Beautiful eyes, lovely hair, skin that could damn a Saint... Contrary to what Malfoy could say... I'm far from... Pity that he's not female... But then again...
An "evil" little smile appeared at the corner of Harry's mouth.
Draco, was already perturbed by Harry's behaviour, so much so that he didn't say a word at the time, but now he was seriously beginning to feel panicky when that "smile" appeared on his enemy's face.
This person has got some nerve, Draco! You weren't complaining all that hard when he was caressing your hair! Bastard! How dare he! It's repugnant...repugnantly repugnant...! How did this villain find out about my one weakness? I've always loved it when someone caressed my hair... Not that mother did it all that frequently... Father always said not to allow anyone this kind of familiarity, regarding any tender kind of weakness and this type of stupidity... But it's not like I let just anyone caress my hair or my... anything else! But now...Oh, yeah... Who would have believed that Potter could be so...tender...and so...
My poor Draco, come back to reality and right now...! It's Potter! He's nothing more than the Scarhead! He's a walking potty! Yes and well, you really should come back to reality because that smile is not a very good sign...
Oh, no! Not the ears now! Bastard! It's almost like...I almost want to begin purring...Oh, Gods, a Malfoy purring just because someone rubbed his ears... If father ever learns about this, I can say goodbye to my inheritance...
Draco had closed his eyes in order to take greater advantage of this wonderful treatment that was being inflicted upon him. A soft sigh of contentment passed his lips without his being aware of it.
The "smile" that Harry had grew very pronounced without Draco noticing, so Harry leaned in slowly in order to be face to face with this tiny little blonde who had become very docile since he placed his hands on him.
Just as he was about to deal the "coup de grâce" upon Malfoy, screams and very evil laughter surrounded them! Malfoy jumped, startled and trembling, he latched onto the front of Harry's pullover.
"What was that?" He gulped with difficulty.
"I believe that our fair "hosts" have decided to welcome us properly...", Harry answered him, jokingly.
Malfoy looked at him, completely lost and frightened, he apparently just didn't get it or just didn't find anything humorous to their situation.
The screeching echoed around them, this time a lot closer. Malfoy had turned his head abruptly in the direction of the noise, peering into the darkness like he was expecting to see a monstrous form surge forward, with three heads and slimy tentacles, completely gross!
"Let's go..." Harry said softly into Malfoy's ear, trying to be a bit more reassuring without really understanding why... He had to believe that it was the lime blossom that rendered him a bit more considerate and patient towards his rival of always...
When Malfoy didn't respond, Harry shook him lightly and restated his initial proposal saying it a touch more brusquely: "Malfoy, let's go."
This time Draco jumped and promptly escaped the clutches of the Gryphondor.
"Don't touch me!" He shrilled.
"I didn't see you complaining too much, until now." Harry replied with sneering.
Draco felt himself redden furiously and he lowered his gaze, trying for better or worse to regain his dignity and countenance, under so little time.
"I'm not going anywhere with you, Potter!" He practically spat out.
Harry slowly raised one eyebrow, not convinced, but then decided to go on ahead regardless.
"Do what you like... It's not like I'm forcing you to follow me!" He stated more than a little irked.
"Really? It's not like you haven't forced me to follow you up til now!" Draco replied, a little violently.
"I don't believe that I had to force you to follow me when we had those... things at our heels!" He immediately responded.
"Really? And could you tell me just who it was that grabbed me violently by the hand, who was it that hauled me for several meters, who it was that wrinkled my robe...!" Draco vehemently said.
Harry shut himself up for a few moments, there a pseudo-smile of satisfaction appeared on Malfoy's face as he had apparently won his case, when Harry started speaking to him again.
"It true that it was me who took hold of you hand," and Harry continued quickly before Draco could interrupt him. "But it wasn't my fault if I believed that you were Ginny..."
At this statement, Draco's eyes widened, Harry continues on with a mischievous air.
"You scream like a little girl, Malfoy!"
"Me! I scream like a little girl!" Shrieked Draco, proving Harry was right, as his voice was shrilling higher with each word.
"Exactly, Malfoy. You scream like a little girl... and it wasn't just the scream... You snivel like a little girl... You latched onto me like a little girl..."
"I did not latch on to you, Potter," spat out Malfoy, irritated, before he realized that he had indeed just latched onto the sleeves of Harry's robes.
Malfoy violently shoved Harry away before launching into a tirade of abuse that Harry never thought to hear coming from Malfoy's mouth. After listening, curiously, to Draco for some time, as he was listening to the particularity innovative and inventive terms that he used, Harry had decided to act before being re-caught by whatever it was that they had briefly come across!
After distractedly scratching his own ear, Harry turned away from this lovely person that was Malfoy.
"Well then, Malfoy, see you around at Hogwarts!" He said non-challantly walking away.
Malfoy's tirade was cut off. He immediately stopped his squawking and tried to concentrate on Harry's last sentence, then he understood the sense of the words, plus he saw that Harry was leaving him. He spoke to him, far from being panicky (according to him), but purely out of curiosity (still according to himself!)
"Where are you going?" He asked a little too rapidly.
"What's it to you, Malfoy? Seeing that you aren't coming along!" Harry replied dryly, not having forgotten the rich beastiary that Malfoy compared him to.
"Well at least, I know that I will be relieved of your presence, Potter!" Malfoy returned, haughtily.
"At least we can agree on something, Malfoy... See you later!" Harry answered, without looking back even once.
Malfoy watched Harry get further away into the darkness, until only the sounds of his footsteps were audible... Now, he asked himself, what was he going to do, where could he possibly go, when suddenly all of the small noises around him, all the little creaks and cracks, ceased.
He listened with an ear, worried and tense, telling himself, that making up his mind would relieve some of the tension. It was then that he heard muffled re-occurring sounds, like someone was dragging something very heavy behind them. The little by little there was the sound of guttural and spasmodic breaths, followed by sinister grunts and groans.
Malfoy began to tremble violently. He really didn't was to start crying like a first rate "little girl" nor did he want to come across the worst evil whatever that was coming his way, so he decided to do what was the most intelligent and courageous thing to do a situation like this...
"POTTER! WAIT FOR ME!"
TBC...