Title: A Torturous Reminder
Chapter 9: Creeping Tension
Rating: M
Warnings: H/D SLASH, HBP SPOILERS
DISCLAIMER: We do not own Harry Potter! Characters (except those created by us) belong to the amazingly talented J.K. Rowling, WB, and the publishing companies. Don't sue us! We are just bored teenagers having a go at poor Harry and Draco!
The next day Harry found himself in Draco's car, dozing off to the soft music Draco was playing.
"Potter?"
"Hmm?" muttered Harry, turning around to look at Draco. Harry felt very sleep deprived and thoroughly blamed Draco for it.
"We need to ask for directions. I know the store is around here somewhere, this is the wizarding district. I just can't remember where."
"Finally, Draco Malfoy doesn't know something," Harry said, slowly sitting up straight and smirking at Draco.
"I know, I just can't remember," Draco commented, a bit ruffled.
Draco pulled into a parking lot, and stared expectantly at Harry.
"So I'm supposed to ask a random person where this store is?"
"That's the point."
"Augh, fine," said Harry, getting out of the car, and instead of taking Draco's advice on asking a random person, he went inside a robe shop.
"Yes sir, may I help you?" said a very soft voice from behind a counter and as Harry got closer, he found a small, old lady looking at him.
"Sorry for the inconvenience, but do you know where the shop 'Midnight Rarities' is?" asked Harry politely, giving her a smile.
The lady looked at him through narrowed eyes, and when she responded, her voice was no longer soft, but a bit harsh.
"When you get to the corner, turn left, keep going for about a mile and you should find it on the right hand side."
"Thank you," said Harry, wondering why her mood had changed so abruptly. He saw the old lady follow him with her eyes as he went to the door and stepped outside.
He got into the car and told Draco the directions, then looked away from him.
"What's bothering you?"
"Well, I asked an old lady where it was, and she was nice to me when I got there but harsh the next."
"Well, it is a Dark Arts store. What else did you expect?"
"So that's why you sent me! Trying to make me feel the way you felt…back then," Harry started, but upon seeing Draco's darkened look, quickly changed the subject. "So what are we going to do?"
"Get the bag that's in the backseat."
Harry grabbed the bag, and took out a tape recorder, and a long silvery cloak.
"An invisibility cloak? Why do we need this?"
"You will need this."
"Why me?"
Draco sighed and looked at Harry like if he was a two-year-old.
"You going to tape the conversation, and look around for anything suspicious, that's why you have cloak."
"Oh, I see, and what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to have tea with the owner… Potter, you're hopeless. I need to get him to talk, I'm certain he knows something."
"Fine, I guess so."
Draco parked in front of the store. It was small but luxurious and exclusive. Harry wondered if he would be detected inside, even if he did have the cloak. The store's outside was black marble that gleamed in the sunlight and both looked like a bank and a small hotel. They got out of the car, Harry with the cloak on, and Draco walking confidently up the steps.
Draco stepped into 'Midnight Rarities', Harry close behind him under the invisibility cloak.
"Go look around, Potter, and stop shoving into me," Draco said, somewhat annoyed and with an uneasy look.
"I'm not shoving into you," Harry whispered into his ear, making sure to brush against him as he set out to look for clues.
Draco mumbled something like "annoying git" under his breath, which got him a soft, but nonetheless direct kick to his shin before a middle-aged wizard appeared before him.
"Hello," the wizard said, a smile on his face that did not reach his eyes. Instead he looked at Draco suspiciously, his eyes giving off an untrusting gleam.
"Hello," Draco said his face indifferent and ready to get down to business.
"Is there anything I may help you with?" the man asked.
"Yes, I was wondering if you happened to have the lapillus stone," Draco said, casting a glance at an item to his side and tentatively reaching for it.
"The lapillus stone," the shop owner gulped, his voice getting strained. "I'm sorry but we don't have it here."
"Are you sure? I was specifically told you'd have it."
"By whom?" the shop owner asked, a curious look in his eye.
'Crap' thought Draco, thinking quickly. "My father," he said, hoping that the piece of information he was about to reveal wouldn't do any damage.
"Your father?" the shop owner asked, raising a questioning eyebrow before realization dawned on his face. "Lucius' son?" he asked incredulously.
Draco just nodded, and looked at him with annoyance. "So do you have the stone?"
"No, Mr. Malfoy, I'm so sorry. It was bought about 3 days ago and I don't have any more at the moment," the shopkeeper said, exactly what Draco wanted to hear.
He inwardly smirked at the power his name still held as his thoughts ran through his head. "Who bought it?" he asked, knowing full well he might not get an answer.
"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you Mr. Malfoy. That's confidential information between my client and me."
"My father himself asked me for that stone," Draco said, hoping it would have some effect.
"Aren't you a little old to be running errands for your father?" the shopkeeper asked.
Draco's eyes blazed with anger. "I am not running an errand for my father. I asked him if he would request it for me, but he had things to attend to."
"And what would you use the stone for?"
"For my own personal business," Draco responded, getting angrier by the minute. "Fine, if you won't sell it, I'll have to tell my father."
A look of fear that did not go unnoticed by Draco crossed the man's face. "My father won't be happy with that," Draco said, turning around towards the door.
"W-Wait," he heard a voice say behind him.
"Yes?" he asked, turning around slowly only to watch the shopkeeper struggling with himself.
"I don't have time for this, you know," said Draco, turning back around, a hand at the doorknob.
"Wait, Mr. Malfoy," the shopkeeper said and Draco turned around, a victorious smile on his face as the shopkeeper walked towards the back of the room.
He came back five minutes later, his face pale and anguish clearly shown in his face. "I thought I had the information on how to contact my client, but I do not. You could have bought the stone from them, given it has not been used," he said nervously.
'This is not going as planned,' thought Draco angrily, and his anger was made visible towards the man.
"Do you mean to tell me," he whispered in a cold voice, "that you do not have information on valuable contacts? Contacts that you could reach to make you some quick money?"
The shopkeeper gulped, "No."
"Ah I see then," Draco continued, his eyes flaming, "how much were you paid to keep this confidential?"
"I honestly don't have it," said the shopkeeper, shrinking away from Draco.
"Liar," Draco spat, picking up a small crystal ball and playing with it, looking directly into the shopkeepers eyes.
Without warning, Draco threw the ball across the room, smashing the ball against the wall. "Careful, I will be seeing you soon."
The shopkeeper flinched and look around him, terrified.
Draco gave him a last glare and in anger, strode outside, cursing his luck. He was halfway to his car when he remembered Harry. 'O fuck, is he still inside?' At that moment, he felt a tap on his shoulder, and seeing no one, he placed his hand in front of him, trying to feel the cloak.
He felt it and with a weary sigh, just continued walking to the car, "Come on, this was utterly useless."
He opened the door for Harry to get into the car, in order to not draw suspicion if the door opened by itself. "What a gentleman," teased Harry.
Draco rolled his eyes and closed the door, making his way to the other side of the car, getting inside and gripping the wheel tightly as he backed out of the parking lot.
"Fuck! What the hell do we do now?"
"What do you mean?" asked Harry, taking off the cloak.
"We got nothing done."
"Oh, I beg to differ."
"What?" asked Draco, puzzled.
"Look." Harry set down a recorder and produced a small piece of paper with the words, 'B. Lestrange' and an address right under it.
Draco's eyes went wide. "How did you get this?" he asked, turning to look at Harry.
"I went to the backroom and looked through his files. Took me awhile to get his stupid office to open. He had it all warded," said Harry, smirking that he gotten Malfoy speechless.
"Oh my god, Potter, I love you!" exclaimed Draco, pleased that they now had a lead.
Harry just laughed, "Well, what's my prize then?"
"A day with me, planning how to go on about this. I won't barge into her apartment like you would."
"Sound great," said Harry, a smile on his face, "and I do not barge into situations."
"Yea…"
The drove to the hotel and were soon back in the room. Harry watched intently as Draco paced back and forth, his face set with a look of deep concentration.
He stopped and looked at Harry, "Do we just duel them? I see no other way around it."
Harry's smirk widened. "Are you inferring that we barge in?"
"No, it's just that we have to surprise them and hopefully win the dueling. We have no backups," said Draco, pacing again.
"Come on, Malfoy, you're with the greatest wizard alive. Don't you think you would be safe?" said Harry sarcastically.
Draco shrugged, "So if we succeed, then we must bind them and call the office in New York so some auror's can get hem. Once the auror's take them away to be questioned, we will just wait to see where we go next."
Draco once again stopped pacing. "Potter, if I get injured or captured, apparate out of there, and notify the office."
"What!" said Harry, standing up, "I can't do that!"
"Potter…please, promise me that. Don't stay and get chivalrous on me. It's important that you understand this…I've heard many things…," whispered Draco, looking at Harry, his eyes pleading.
Harry ran a hand through his hair, "Malfoy, you can't possibly ask me this, what would you do if I was injured, or kidnapped. Would you turn your back?" he said, his green eyes piercing Draco.
Draco opened his mouth, but couldn't come up with words.
"Potter…I…"
"Harry"
"What?"
"Harry"
Draco took a deep breath, "Harry the situation with you is different."
Harry walked in front of Draco, grabbing his shoulders, "I don't need this from you Draco," he said, emphasizing Draco's name, "you, of anyone, should understand that I don't need to be safe and protected. I'm not a fucking china doll."
They both stared at each other, green eyes blazing with intensity and glowing silver eyes staring back.
"I won't let anything happen to you," whispered Harry, and as if by instinct, he hugged Draco tightly to him.
Harry pulled away from Draco to find an astonished blonde looking at him, "What?" Harry asked, looking at Draco questioningly.
"Well," Draco said uncomfortably, "I don't know how common you think hugging is, but I don't really take it lightly."
Harry gave him a smirk, "What, Draco? Are you implying I've got an infatuation with you?" he said, eyebrow raised and highly amused.
"No," Draco said, beginning to get angry at Harry.
Harry just smiled, though a simple smile this time.
"It was just a friendly act, Draco. Now that we're partners, I didn't think it'd hurt to be friends."
Draco took it all in, a small glance of something Harry couldn't interpret passing through his face before his smirk was placed over his lips. "Good then. For a moment I thought you were just trying to come up with an excuse to touch me."
Harry looked over at Draco and scoffed, "Well, don't worry. I won't try anything on you, Draco," he said as he sat on the edge of the bed. "I really did mean it though. We're both in this together. I'm not just going to leave you while I go for help. Plus, you did the same thing for me."
Harry saw Draco's face darken before resuming its usual position. 'Did I say something wrong?' thought Harry as he saw Draco go over to his bed and lay down.
"Aren't we going to go after Lestrange?" asked Harry, an annoyed and eager tone in his voice.
"No, we're not going yet, Potter. I'm pretty sure they won't leave once the shop keeper tells them their files are missing. They think we expect for them to leave. They work in a…, shall we say, complicated manner," Draco said, his voice cold and tired as he lay facing away from Harry.
Harry shrugged, growing used to Draco saying his surname again.
"So we're finding the place tomorrow?"
"I don't know," Draco said, now sounding annoyed. "Now, will you leave me alone."
Harry stood up, now angry, "In case you haven't noticed, it's midday," Harry said, opening the blinds of the window, and letting in light.
Draco merely turned his head, and dove under the covers.
"Fine," Harry said, exiting the room, "I don't know what your problem is, but I'm fed up with it, Malfoy," he said before slamming the door as he stepped out.
Several days passed in silence, Draco didn't speak to Harry, and Harry made no move to change the situation. They only exchanged a few words, and they only spent the "required" time for planning together.
Harry stared moodily at Draco as he made some notes on a piece of paper. He paused and read it, frowning.
"I'm going out," said Harry abruptly, standing up and getting his wand.
"You're not going anywhere," said Draco, his eyes still on the paper.
"Don't you tell me what to do! I'm just sitting here doing nothing, probably because you think I'm too stupid to help!" exclaimed Harry.
Draco finally looked up from his papers, "It's not safe right now. Last night I talked to Henry, they know we are here. We need to keep our cover."
"Oh sure, Henry this, Henry that," said Harry mockingly, "You've been talking to him since he came in here! If you like him so much then have him as your partner. You'll probably get more done and don't you fucking dare tell me I'm acting childish, because I can sense it's in the tip of your tongue. I'm just tired that you won't talk to me…"
Draco sighed and looked tiredly at Harry, "Harry, just…listen to me. It's not safe, OK? And for the record, Henry can't give me more help than you."
Harry sat back down without an argument, mostly because he had realized that Draco had called him Harry for the first time in a week. He grabbed a book and started flipping through it, trying to keep his mind focused.
A few more days went by, things a bit more calmed now and first names being used again.
"Draco, can't we go already? I think we've let enough time pass by, and I've stalked around the address a few times already. They guards seem to be let down," Harry said, putting down a book tiredly.
Draco immediately turned to Harry, "You did what!" Draco said, a mixture of shock and anger in his voice.
Harry merely gazed at him, unsure of what he meant.
"Never mind, if you want to get yourself killed, go ahead. Just don't bloody drag them here," Draco said, turning back to his book.
Harry's eyes lighted up in understanding before a shadow crept over him, "I happened to have my invisibility cloak with me," he said, "and I'm sorry I won't die soon enough."
Draco glanced up at him, regret setting in, "I'm sorry," he said, "I just…I'm afraid, ok…for both of us," he added muttering the last part quickly.
Harry gazed warily at him, unsure of what to say and simply lay back down on his bed, propping himself on his elbow and turning to Draco.
"So, when are we going to get to go?" he asked once more.
Draco turned, only to find himself speechless at the sight before him. His mind reeled at Harry's posture, forbidden thoughts crawling their way into his head. He looked at those green eyes before pushing those thoughts out of his head and feeling that those green eyes would never return what he'd been wishing.
Harry watched, waiting and half-amused, yet self-conscious at Draco's gaze directed at him. He stared back at the blonde and saw as he shook his head.
"Tomorrow," Draco said, returning his thoughts back to his book, "You're right, I think enough time has gone by."
Harry nodded and stood up, walking towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Draco asked, not looking at him, mistrusting his eyes and their wandering.
"Out," Harry said.
"I know that, but where?" Draco asked once more.
Harry shifted uncomfortably. "Know how I was going to leave that other night? Well, I had made plans with someone, then told them I cancelled. Well, he pushed again and I said yes. I felt kind of bad."
"Is this that sandy haired man you danced with?" Draco asked, his voice turning icy.
"I didn't know you had noticed," Harry said, with a change in tone that made Draco look up.
"Well, I did," Draco said, wondering where this would lead to.
Harry gazed into Draco's eyes, wondering what he meant. A part of him wished he heard what Draco seemed to imply, but a greater part was afraid, both at the thought of him, and making a fool of himself.
Harry shifted his gaze away and back to the door. "All I'm doing is telling him I'd rather be friends, not too sure if he's getting the message…Plus, I can't stay out too late. Important day tomorrow," Harry said, unsure of what else to say before heading out, not noticing a dropped face behind him.
Draco looked at the clock, and cursed loudly. It was almost midnight and Harry had not returned. 'I shouldn't worry, he's fine, he just lost track of time,' he thought, but still glancing at the clock every minute and tapping his foot, a nervous gesture of his.
He stood up and tried to amuse himself by watching TV, but to no avail. Yet he would not admit that he was worried.
When Harry had told him that he had gone to Lestrange's apartment, he wanted to murder the stupid boy, what if something happened to him? 'Means paperwork for me to fill up….inquiries at work,' he thought, trying to go around the subject that so desperately clung to his thoughts, but alas, even his dumb comments could not distract him. But now, he was with that man, and who knew if he could be trusted, Harry was too trusting, what if that man had a connection with Lestrange?
'Oh god, what if something happened to Harry? I'm such a bastard, I should have told Harry not go,' he thought, once more glancing at the clock which now read 12:30.
A feeling of panic went through him as the reality of the situation hit him in one big wave. Harry promised to come back early, 12:30 wasn't an early tine. He would have called if he was staying later. Anguish and desperation took over, making him snap out of his thoughts, and grabbing his wand he made his way towards the door.
As he was about to open the door, he heard voices outside. 'Sounds like Harry,' he thought, his heart racing. Without thinking, he opened the door to reveal a sandy-haired young man talking to Harry. They both turned towards him as he opened the door, and he saw Harry avert his eyes.
"Umm, Draco, this is Chris. Chris, this is Draco, my…friend."
"Hello, Draco, nice to meet you. How are you?" Chris said, giving Draco a wide smile.
Upon seeing Harry, relief flooded through his face, but as Chris turned to him, he gave him a cold glare. "I've been shitty. Someone didn't bother to call to mention he would be late."
Harry looked at his feet, he didn't mean to be so late. He should have called Draco…
"It's my fault, Draco…" said Chris.
"Don't give me that crap," snapped Draco. "Harry get inside."
Harry looked at Draco wordlessly. "Don't you talk to him like that!" yelled Chris, trying to intercede in the situation.
Draco's eyes flashed with anger, and he was about to say something back when he felt a slight touch on his shoulder. He turned to see Harry looked at him, but not with anger. He felt like if Harry was trying to tell him that it would be all right. He took a deep breath and walked towards the door. "I'll be inside then."
Harry expected Draco to make a scene or to at least say something, but he had just left.
"Harry, he's not a friend of yours if he talks to you that way," said Chris, looking warily at Harry.
"Chris, he's my friend. You won't understand what the nature of our friendship is. I completely trust Draco, and I know he respects me," said Harry softly.
"Well…I still think…"
"Don't think on it…By the way, I don't expect to be in Boston much longer. I'll be leaving soon."
Chris' smile faded as he looked at Harry after his statement.
"We can still be friends, you know," said Harry, running a hand through his hair, he knew what Chris expected.
"Maybe more than friends?" said Chris, grinning slyly at Harry.
"Look Chris, I like you, but as a friend. It's better for me to tell you this now instead of you thinking I expect something more," said Harry, leaning against the door of his room.
Chris just looked blankly at him. "If that's what you want, I guess I'll see you later," he said, turning around, and with a sad wave, stepped into the elevator.
Draco stood against the door; he had been listening to the conversation. When Harry had said that he trusted him, he felt a feeling of contentment rise in his chest. He closed his eyes, not knowing a smile ghosted over his lips.
Without warning, the door opened and he fell backward, until a pair of strong arms helped him up.
"Listening to other people's conversations?" asked Harry, smirking down on Draco.
"No…" muttered Draco, unconsciously enjoying the feel of Harry's arms around him, but he finally regained his composure and pulled away from Harry's arms.
Harry looked at him, once again amused, and walked over to the restroom to get ready for bed.
"So, did you have a good time?" asked Draco, getting himself on his bed.
"Yes," mumbled Harry from behind the bathroom doors. He walked out of the bathroom with only his pajama pants on, and walked tiredly to his bed, flinging himself across it, and snuggling under the covers, oblivious to the blushing Draco across from him. "Goodnight," he mumbled before apparently falling asleep.
Draco gulped, the image of Harry still on his mind, and not trusting his voice enough to utter a response.
The next day they both woke up early. A few snide remarks were made to ease the tension they were both feeling. Today was the day.
They got ready and armed themselves with the best weapon they had, their wands. They slowly made their way to the apartment.
"Are you ready?" asked Draco, hoping none of the fear he felt was being mirrored in his voice.
"Are you afraid?" Harry asked, a small smile on his face.
"No," Draco lied, "Just be careful Harry."
"Don't worry," Harry said as they drew nearer to the house. "Together, I'm sure we'll be able to beat Lestrange, and anyone else with her."
Draco smiled, though his stomach was still in knots. He followed besides Harry as they drew nearer to the house.
A/N: AHHH! It's getting closer…sort of. Thank you to all those that reviewed! We enjoyed reading them! Yea, Harry has his "moments", hehe…well what are you waiting for! REVIEW!