Appearances Can Be Deceiving
Chapter 3: Harry?
DISCLAIMER: you know how it goes - nothing is mine, much as I'd like it to be
For the rest of that day, and most of the next, Draco spent as much time as possible watching Potter and his two 'friends'. As usual their families didn't want them and he listened to them going on and on about how much fun it would be to stay at the castle for Christmas.
"…And the best thing about it is that Ferret boy won't be here to follow us around." The Weasel sneered loudly as the trio strolled down the charms corridor – passing Draco for the third time in an hour.
"What's wrong Malfoy? Run out of money to buy friends with?"
"Shut your face, Weasel," Draco replied calmly, "'I've got plenty of friends. And money. Unlike you – why aren't you packing for the holidays? Oh that's right;" he feigned sympathy; "you're not going home. Why is that again? Is it because your parents don't want to look at your ugly face? Or because your fat mother takes up all the room in your cardboard box?"
He smirked as he watched Potter and the Mudblood once more drag Weasley back from him, it was so easy to wind him up. Almost as easy as muggle baiting. He stalked away to the sounds of Weasleys continuing attempts to curse him.
That afternoon Draco brewed an extremely powerful sleeping draught in the potions lab – that idiot Snape was so eager to keep Draco's father on his good side he could do almost anything he wanted.
Getting Potter to actually drink the potion – which would knock him out for at least a week and a half – would be the tricky bit. Eventually he decided that the only way to do this would be to call in a favour…
"There is no way I am doing that!" Parvati Patil screeched. "I'll give you the password to the tower – it's incognito – but Harry wouldn't drink anything I gave him!"
"Come on, Patil," Draco drawled, "it's not that difficult. Get him on his own and slip him the potion. That's all you have to do. Then you tell me where you've dumped him and go on home for Christmas. In return, I don't tell everyone about your…ah… 'extra-curricular activities' with Lavender."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Try me." He leered at her, his eyes roaming her body.
"Fine." She snapped. "Hand over the potion."
"I knew you'd see things my way eventually."
Ten o'clock that evening found Draco hoisting Potter's limp body as inconspicuously as possible up to the Room of Requirement. Opening the door he found a small room containing a soft bed and a full length mirror. Throwing Potter unceremoniously on the bed, he took a pair of scissors and a bottle of the Polyjuice potion from his pockets. Snipping a piece of Potters hair off, he dropped it into the bottle and watched as the potion turned royal blue. Screwing up his face he gulped down the whole bottle in one mouthful – immediately doubling up in agony as his innards were ripped through a blender.
After a long time he straightened up and attempted to look at his reflection in the mirror.
He's practically blind! Thought Draco, placing Potter's glasses onto his nose, turning back to the mirror to see Harry Potter staring back at him.
"Sweet dreams, Potter," he sneered, leaving the room and turning the heavy key in the lock.
The Gryffindor common room could not have been more different from the one he was used to. It was bright and cosy, unlike the dark, chilling atmosphere of the Slytherin dungeon.
By the time he found his way to the Gryffindor tower it was almost midnight and the only people left in the common room were Weasley and Granger.
"Where have you been Harry?" Granger asked as soon as he entered through the portrait hole, "Parvati came back ages ago. She looked very strange and went straight upstairs. What was it she wanted to show you anyway?"
All this was said in the space of about two seconds. He marvelled at how much Granger actually talked.
"Well?"
"Oh…erm…it wasn't much. Not very interesting really." He replied, flopping down onto one of the squishy armchairs around the fire. "So, what's going on?"
"Turns out I'm going home for the holidays after all." Moaned Ron glumly. "Mum owled me earlier. Great Aunt Bella apparently wants the whole family to go visit her. I wish you two could come along too, only…" he looked annoyed and slightly embarrassed, "…she really doesn't like strangers. The last time Bill took a friend round the poor guy ended up in St Mungo's with a cabbage instead of a nose. Funnily enough he never spoke to Bill again. Anyway, I'm really sorry."
Relief flooded through Draco at this. He wouldn't have to try and pretend to like Weasley for three whole weeks.
"I've told Ron it's fine and that we don't mind." Hermione said pointedly as Draco said nothing to Ron's news, "So I guess it's just you and me for the holidays then, Harry."
"Yeah, I guess it is." He replied slowly, looking into her eyes and smiling a smile that made her blush and lower her eyes. "I'm sure we'll find some way to amuse ourselves."
"I'll leave your Christmas presents here though," Ron babbled on – unaware of Draco's double entendre and Hermione's blushes.
"Yeah, that's fine Wea…Ron," Draco cut him off mid-sentence, "I'm going to bed so I might see you in the morning if I'm awake before you go…home.
Night…Hermione." He stood and stalked towards the nearest staircase.
"Er, Harry?" Hermione tentatively called after him, "that's the staircase to the girls dorms."
"Oh…right…yeah, I know it is." He mumbled, turning on his heel and heading towards the only other staircase in the room.
"What's wrong with him?" he heard Hermione mumble as he retreated up the stairs.
"Dunno. He must be in another one of his moods. Just leave him to it. I guess he didn't like what Parvati had to show him."
A/N - OK, that's chapter 3 - things pick up a bit in chapter 4 - I promise. would I lie to you...?