Disclaimer: I do not own any Harry Potter characters, much to my dismay, and have not het succeeded in stealing these characters to have my wicked way with them. /loud banging sounds come from the closet./ hehe. That's the cat. / nods head quickly/ yep, the cat.
Story talk: Okay I've realized that I haven't really explained when everything is taking place and that for the past about three or four chapters, Harrys' friends kinda disappeared, with the exception of Dean. Which is bad, because Ron and Hermione play a very important part. Also, quidditch has been nonexistent. So this chapter is going to be have Harry and his friends with some Draco, cause I can't leave him out. And just so you are all aware, it is around November
Authoress Ramble: Hello. I am jumping as all hell right about now and I really don't want to be down here at my computer. So you all better know that I love you. See a few minutes ago this GIANT spider (Melanie comments: It was smaller than a dime!) Like I said, A GIANT spider was creeping along the wall, evilly plotting to eat me in my sleep. And I was all like, Hyperventilate. I HATE SPIDERS. So I calmly walked up stairs. (Melanie Comments: more like, ran like she was being chased by an insane person with a knife.) /clears throat/ yes well, it was GIANT remember. Anyway then I asked Melanie to kill it. So she came down and killed it with her shoe while I kindly watched and cheered her on. (Melanie comments: Aka, she sat on the stairs cowering where she couldn't see it.) Like I said. Well yes, now its' dead corpse, is only feet away from me and has probably already come back to life and is heading up to my room where it will feast on me tonight. But not until it gathers all of its' friends to join him. (Melanie comments: Paranoid much?) Not paranoid, prepared. (Melanie comments: LOOK MELISSA SPIDER! /Melanie laughs as authoress runs away screaming/ Melissa has run upstairs and is now setting traps for the spiders' feast. I must go and make sure I don't run into any, so on with the story.)
Chapter Eleven
The Promise
Harry got to Transfigurations five minutes late. However he was far better off then Draco since he had to go all the way to Hagrids' hut, unlike Harry whose classroom was right next to the corridor.
"Running a bit late?" The professor asked as Harry walked through the door.
"I . . . um . . . would rather discuss this matter privately, if you don't mind."
"Very well, Potter, take your seat. I'm quite sure 'that' won't need to be done privately."
Harry went and took his seat next to Hermione. She was giving him a curious look. Harry knew, both, she and Ron would be. He had walked into Potions late, with none other than Draco Malfoy, then darted out of class afterwards and avoided them during Care of Magical Creatures by partnering with Dean. As well as leaving class five minutes early for unknown reasons. Now he was showing up for yet another class late.
Once McGonagall had turned her back, to retrieve the millepedes they would be turning into snakes, Hermione turned to Harry.
"Harry, we need to talk."
"I know. Lets wait until we start transfiguring. It will be louder then."
"Fine." Hermione agreed.
After they took notes, they were all instructed to go get a millepede. Harry grabbed two shoving the second one in his pocket, hoping to transfigure it after class. When he sat back down, Hermione immediately began to question him.
"Where were you last night?" She asked as soon as he sat down.
"I had detention." He answered simple as his millepede turned into a caterpillar.
"Did you have it all night again?" She asked reversing her spell and turning her beautifully colored cobra, back into a millepede.
"Er . . . kinda."
"What do you mean, 'kinda'?"
"Well I was with Malfoy, but it wasn't exactly for detention." He mumbled. Harry still wasn't sure he would tell Ron and Hermione yet, but from the way this conversation was going, he was going to.
"What do you mean it wasn't for detention?" Now Ron was listening as well.
"I . . . er . . . He missed the detention so I went to look for him. I didn't find him until late and I kinda fell asleep there."
"Where is 'there'?" Hermione questioned, looking as though she didn't quite believe what her friend was saying.
"The astronomy tower. He had fallen asleep there. We had to discuss some things regarding the detention requirements and I fell asleep there."
"You fell asleep with Malfoy!" Ron finally spoke. "Are you crazy, mate? I'm surprised you're still alive."
"Harry, Rons' right. That wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do."
"You guys, think about this for a moment. When it comes to dueling, I can beat Malfoy in a second. Next, Malfoy is a person for show. If he were to hurt me, it would mostly likely be in front of a witness. Lastly, Malfoy is too proud to kill me while I'm asleep. It wouldn't be difficult to do something to me."
"I guess you're right." Hermione agreed. "But still, you were breaking school rules. I guess that's why the two of you were late this morning." Harry just nodded. "Why have you been avoiding us all day, you didn't even show up for lunch?"
"I wasn't sure how you two would take the whole thing. I just didn't want to talk about it."
"Okay, then why were you late for this class?"
"That I still don't want to talk about." He answered, remembering what happened just before the class. He then said the enchantment and his millipede turned into a small dark green snake, with a silver diamond on the back of its' head. Harry smiled at the snake and petted its' head and under it mouth. The snake cuddled into his finger and opened his mouth, sending out a small flame. He had no fangs, just as McGonagall said they wouldn't.
"Harry, that snake is beautiful, and so petite. He's absolutely adorable."
"Bloody hell, mate, can you do that for me?" Harry just smiled.
"Hello." Harry said to the snake, hoping he was speaking in Parseltongue. The snake didn't respond. "What's your name?" The snake still looked as though he didn't hear Harry.
"Harry, if you're trying to talk to him, you're wasting your time. He doesn't understand a word you're saying."
"What do you mean he doesn't understand. He's a snake isn't he. And I can speak to snakes."
"But that's just it. He isn't a snake. Though he may look and act like a snake he is still a millipede and there for doesn't understand Parseltongue."
"Oh." Harry said, disappointedly. He thought it would have been fun to have a pet he could talk to. But a pet, period, would be nice.
When his two best friends had turned back to there own millipedes, Harry slipped the snake into his pocket and pulled out the second millepede. Harry had transformed his millipede several times, before class ended. Ron finally got his to do something beside flip over, and on his last try, he got a garden snake with 1000 legs.
When they had returned their transformed millipedes in, to be graded, the bell rang. Harry bid Ron and Hermione good-bye, promising that he wouldn't miss dinner, and turned to talk to McGonagall.
"So Mister Potter, why were you late?"
"I was with Malfoy." She raised an eyebrow at him. "He wanted to discuss with me the detention situation, because he and I believe he shouldn't have detention tonight."
"Why is that?"
"We ended up spending the time together anyway. I went looking for him afterward. He had fallen asleep in the astronomy tower, while working on his Defense homework. I helped him with it because we were partners during that days class."
"I see, but no Mr. Malfoy must still attend his detention and you will be attending it with him, since you were late for class. So I will see you both after dinner. Good-bye Mr. Potter." She said as she ushered him out the door.
Harry was about to be disappointed when he realized this was the only way he'd be able to see Draco and not need some made up excuse. He made his way to the hall where they said they would meet. Harry told the blonde he would try to get him out of it, and would tell him after class. He made his way to the back of the corridor and sat down. A few minutes later Draco walked in, panting a bit. He sat down next to Harry and spoke.
"So, what did she say?"
"She said that you aren't allowed out of your detention, and since I was late to class I have detention as well." Draco huffed aggravated. "We're supposed to go see her, after dinner. She didn't tell me to have us bring anything."
"Only you could go in to class to get me out of detention and then end up with one yourself." Draco said.
Harry just rolled his eyes and stood up. "I guess you should have done it yourself then. Oh, also, do you think you could do something for me?"
"Like what?"
"Like take care of this for me." Harry said as he pulled the snake out of his pocket. It wasn't over a half a foot long, so it fit perfectly in his hand. When he showed Draco, the blondes' eyes widened.
"Where did you get that? They are supposed to be impossible to find. I thought I was the only one in this country who owned one, and even I don't have a miniature."
"Are they really that rare? Wow. What is it?"
"You don't know?" Harry just shook his head. "Drakontas Fidi. It means dragon snake. There's a story in Magikos Chora mythology that says the snake was one just like a dragon, except smaller and with no legs. They had wings and could blow fire. They had to evolve when the muggles started to take over their lands, but before they could evolve completely the muggles found them and killed them out of fear. Now they are the most endangered magical species. How did you get one?"
"It isn't really one. I transfigured it. It's actually a millipede, which would be why I can't speak to it. How did you get one?"
"My father and his blackmailing. After I got back home after first year he gave it to me. He said it reminded him of me. My name means dragon and the slytherin sign is a snake, also it matches the slytherin colors.'
"Are all of them sliver and green?"
"Yeah. That's why they are the slytherin colors. The Drakontas Fidi was the first type of snake that Salazar Slytherin ever spoke to. That's why he made those his houses' colors."
"Wow, where did you find all this stuff out."
"The mythology I've been taught since I was young. My father believes in mythological gods. As for the stuff about Salazar . . . Well my father spent all of what he had put away for me. He said that I wouldn't need it. That once I got my mark I would need to stay with him anyway." As Draco said the last he looked down at the floor. He looked up when he felt Harrys' hand on his knee.
"I won't let them give you the mark. I already told you that."
"Just stop, okay."Draco said, pulling away from Harry. "You're making promises that you can't keep."
"No, I'm making a promise that I will keep. I will do whatever it takes, I won't let Voldemort do that to you." Draco flinched at the name.
"That's exactly it. You will do whatever it takes and if that means dying you'll keep your promise. You're too noble for your own good. I won't have you die because of me. Too many other people need you."
"Yea, but what if you're the only one that I want to save?"
"That isn't true and you know it. I'm not worth dying for."
"I'll be the one to decide that. Just promise me you'll tell me when you're called, promise me."
Draco looked at Harry for a while. He saw the sincerity in his eyes. He knew that the Gryffindor meant every word he said, but other people need him. Other people that deserved to be save, and Draco didn't feel he was one of them. He also knew that Harry wouldn't let him go without a promise.
"I promise." It was just one promise that he would have to break.
