Tiger & Dragon
By loverstouch
Disclaimer: All the characters belong to J.K Rowling. The story is based on Rowling's work, but the plot of 'Tiger & Dragon' comes from my own sick brain.
Summary: In the summer after his fifth year Harry is taken from the Dursleys to live with the Malfoys. The next day the Daily Prophet's headline read 'Boy Who Lived Died In Death Eater Attack' …
Rating: R
This is my first "Slash" fanfiction and the first fic I have published at all, so please go easy on me.
The story begins in the summer after Harry's fifth year, which means yes; it is post OoTP, but has nothing to do with HBP.
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I'd like to thank Draeconin for being the beta for my story. I'm really grateful for your help.
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Hope you enjoy it!
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Chapter 9 - Draco's Birthday Party
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When they were back at Malfoy Castle, Draco left the other two with the words 'Call me when it's time to go', and went straight to his room. He hadn't spoken one word since Tiger found him and his Father at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. When Draco was gone, Lucius and Tiger sat down in the living room, drinking some tea which the house elves had brought them.
"So, what happened after I left?" Lucius asked, sipping at his tea.
"I had a little chat with the salesman, is all," Tiger answered innocently, but a mischievous smile betrayed his calm voice.
"About what?" Lucius asked intrigued.
"Nothing special, really; just a little warning here, and a threat there. You know what it's like."
"Yes, I can imagine." There was silence for a moment, in which both of them thought about what happened that afternoon.
Then Lucius spoke again. "So, what do you think about your new life so far? You're aware that you're drifting off into your old one with high speed, aren't you?" There was fierceness in his tone that made Tiger wince.
"Was it really that bad?" Tiger asked carefully.
"I don't know. You tell me."
"I think I should go apologize to him." Harry rose and walked over to Lucius. He put one hand in his pocket. "Would you take care of him for a moment?" He pulled his hand out of his pocket and gave Lucius a small furry ball.
With a smile, Lucius took the cat and then looked back up at Tiger. "You know, he was right. This isn't an ordinary cat."
"I know. And it will never be." He left the room, knowing that neither of them was speaking about the little kitten which was now in Lucius' care.
-----
When Tiger entered Draco's room, he found the boy lying on his bed, hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. Slowly he walked over to the bed, and sat down beside the blond. A few minutes passed without them saying a word. Draco was still staring at the ceiling, and Tiger was inspecting his fingers, which seemed to be very interesting. Eventually Tiger spoke, but he kept his gaze on his fingers.
"I'm sorry, you know." He paused, waiting for a reaction from Draco. When he didn't get one, Tiger continued. "It was wrong of me to ignore you like I did. I was excited to see them again. I hadn't seen them once this summer, and they hadn't written to me."
"Nice friends you have," Draco snarled, buthe still didn't move. Tiger chose to ignore his comment, and continue.
"I've never seen them in such a condition before, and it pains me that I'm the reason. Butdon't get me wrong; I appreciate what you did for me, I really do. But still, I don't want them to be like this, and when I can help, I will do that. I can't have the same friendship with them which Harry had, but I don't want to lose them."
"Oh, my goodness," Draco cried, all of a sudden. Tiger turned around and looked down in big silver-blue eyes.
"What happened?" He asked worriedly.
"I've created a Hufflepuff," Draco whined pitifully.
"Oh, you're such a drama queen!" Tiger shoved Draco to the side, and lay down next to him. He stared at the ceiling for a few moments before he spoke again. "I could never be a Hufflepuff."
"And why not, if I may ask?" Draco had rolled on his side, his head propped up on his hand, and stared down at Tiger.
"Oh, let's see…" Tiger put his hand to his chin to think about it. "There is the fact that I'm intriguing, frightening, cunning, and of course, hot as hell."
"Oh, I didn't know you were talking about me. Thanks anyway." Draco smiled down at the other boy until he was pushed down, so that Tiger was now looking down at him.
"Very funny, Malfoy," he spat in mock anger.
"Ouch, that hurts."
"Hoped so." Tiger smirked - a real Malfoy smirk.
"Hey, what's that?" Draco sat up immediately, and watched as Tiger did the same.
"What's what?" He asked bewildered.
"That was a Malfoy smirk."
"Oh, was it now?" There it was again.
"Don't do that." Draco put a hand over Tiger's mouth to stop him from smirking. "You have no right to do that."
A mischievous glint grew in Tiger's eyes, and in the next moment Draco felt a tongue softly licking his hand. He stared at Tiger with big eyes when he felt the tongue slowly wandering, licking its way to his fingers. The tongue stroked every finger with the gentleness of a feather before it rested at the tip of his middle finger and then it drew small circles around the tip sinking a bit with every round until the full finger was enclosed in Tiger's mouth.
"Oh, god," Draco moaned slightly, when the other boy began to suck on his finger, his tongue still stroking it softly.
Tiger felt Draco falling, so he helped him gently lie down, never releasing his finger in the process. Then Tiger swung one leg over Draco's body and sat down, straddling the blonde. Slowly he let go of his finger, receiving a whine from the blonde. He then pinned both of Draco's hands over his head with one of his own. His other hand was stroking one of Draco's arms and wandering down his side, causing the blond to shiver. Their faces were a few inches apart, when Tiger heard a small pop! He motioned for the house elf to leave, and then he let his lips ghost over Draco's.
"Are you still mad at me?" he whispered against the other boy's lips.
"How could I be?" Draco answered softly, leaning against Tiger's lips, but they were gone.
"Good," Tiger said, sitting up, and taking his hands off Draco.
"What?" Draco asked confused. "What are you doing?" He watched helplessly as Tiger got up and stood beside the bed, looking down at Draco.
"Your father is waiting for us."
"But-" Draco all but whined again, and looked down at himself.
Tiger followed his gaze then he smirked at Draco. "Don't take too long." He winked at him, and walked to the door.
"Damn." Draco plumped back down on the bed and closed his eyes in resignation. When he felt a weight pushing down on the mattress he opened them again and found himself face to face with Tiger. "Forget something?" He asked sarcastically.
"Actually, yes," Tiger replied, and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. "Happy Birthday, my Dragon." Then he left a fully aroused and totally stunned Draco, and exited the room.
-----
Half an hour later, Lucius, Tiger, and a pouting Draco were standing in front of the ancestor room, ready to leave for Malfoy Manor. Their clothes and belongings were already there so that they could shower and change without haste.
"Ready?" Lucius asked.
"Yes. I'm eager to see the Manor." Tiger smiled brightly.
"Draco?"
"Hurray," he answered sarcastically.
"I don't know what happened between you two up in your room, and I don't know if I want to."
"Draco had a hard time with me, and obviously hasn't cooled down yet."
Lucius raised an eyebrow in amusement, while Tiger smiled mischievously. Draco just glared at them both, then walked into the ancestor room. Lucius went to follow his son, when Tiger held him back. "Where is the-"
"It's already at the Manor." Lucius smiled, knowing what Tiger was asking for. Then he let the boy into the ancestor room.
It really was just an ordinary room, except for the many portraits of generations of Malfoys. There was one of Lucius with his wife and maybe three year old son. Little Draco was on his mother's lap, who was sitting in an armchair, but the little one tried to climb up to his father, who was standing behind them. When he had escaped his mother and was in the arms of his father, little Draco turned around and waved at Tiger. Tiger looked from the happy little boy to his proud looking father, and then down to an amused looking Narcissa. He noticed that she was looking to the side of the portrait, as if she was searching for someone behind the scene. That brought Tiger's thoughts back to the question he had asked Draco the night before: His Mother and Sev?
He got his answer, like a punch in the face. When he walked out of the ancestor room (he was the last one, Draco and Lucius were already at the Manor), he saw Narcissa Malfoy and Severus Snape in a deep embrace. Snape was kissing Narcissa's head lovingly.
He gasped loudly but covered it up with a cough. Four pairs of eyes turned to look at him; one warmly inviting, one sceptical, one daring, and one full of pure annoyance.
"Narcissa, Severus, this is Tiger Ryan. Tiger, this is my wife Narcissa, and her lover Severus Snape."
Tiger coughed once again when Lucius called Snape Narcissa's lover.
"Is there a problem?" Snape asked daringly.
"Not at all, sir. It's just… Well, I've never heard a man call another man the 'lover' of his wife so openly."
"I thought you told him, Draco?" Lucius looked at Draco questioningly.
"You interrupted us before we could have gone any further than we already had."
Tiger and Lucius knew what Draco was talking about, but Snape obviously interpreted more to it.
"What did you do to my godson?" He glared at Tiger, demanding the truth, hoping for a lie. Tiger shot a quick smirk to Draco then he looked back to Snape.
"Nothing that needed a watchful godfather to worry about. We talked a lot, and we fought a bit, then we talked some more." He let that sink in, knowing you could read more into it, with the right hint. Before anyone could speak, he continued. "Oh, yeah; and then there was a kiss."
"A what? You kissed my godson?"
"Why not? It is his birthday: I had to congratulate him."
"One kiss? Just a birthday kiss?" Snape looked from Tiger to Draco.
"Just a kiss, Sev. Don't worry, nothing happened. He wouldn't dare to touch me unsuitably."
"Good, because if he did, I'd have to kill him."
"Phew." Tiger wiped nonexistent sweat of his forehead, and turned to Draco. "Am I glad that I can get you come without a single touch." Tiger left two blushing, one slightly smiling, and one furious person, and went up the stairs. He didn't know which room he would be staying in, but he didn't want to be at the receiving end of an exploding Snape, so he wandered through the upper floor until he saw a house elf coming from one of the rooms. He asked him (his name was Toby) where his and Draco's rooms were, and the elf led him to the second landing to his room. Draco's was on the other side of the corridor.
His room wasn't nearly as nice as his room at Malfoy Castle was. The walls were grey, and everything seemed cold and uninviting. Only the small box on the bed, from which he could hear a small purr, made him stay for a while. He sat down on the bed and took the kitten out of its 'prison'.
"You're really something special, aren't you?" He held the kitten up to look in its forest green eyes, then he set it on his lap and stroked its fur. He smiled. Black fur, with blue spikes.
"Yes, totally out of the ordinary." He laughed when the little kitten nibbled at his finger. "Are you hungry? Did the house elves give you something to eat?" Tiger called for Toby and asked him for some milk. Two minutes later the kitten was back in the box with a small bowl full of milk, and Tiger went to explore Draco's room. He was surprised when he found the blond already there.
"I didn't know where you were staying, but I figured you would find my room anyway." His voice wasn't cold, but there was something in it which made Tiger shiver. Slowly he walked over to the bed and sat down at the edge of it.
"Mad again?" he asked carefully.
"Not really." He gave Tiger a small smile. "But there is something I'd like to discuss with you."
"And that is?" What happened next went far too fast for Tiger to register. One moment he was sitting at the foot of the bed with Draco propped up against the headboard, and the next he was pinned down on the mattress, straddled, and had Draco's lips on his own. This kiss was nothing like the first. It was hard, it was passionate and it was answered with the same force. One careless moment and Draco found himself pinned to the bed with Tiger's hand wrapped in his hair. They were totally unaware of the knock, and the creak of the door. Tiger's tongue licked Draco's lips demanding entrance, which the blond granted.
"Draco, I just want to… Oh, my god." The tips of their tongues met for just the briefest moment, so that they couldn't tell if they met at all, when they were pulled back to reality by Severus Snape.
"Out, now." he growled with an expression of pure horror, which made Tiger bite his lip so he wouldn't laugh. He got off of Draco and helped the blond sit up.
"See you later." He gave Draco another long kiss, which caused Snape to give another comment.
"Did you have to do that?" he asked disgustedly. Tiger smiled when their lips parted. He gave Draco a quick mischievous wink, then he turned around and stepped up to Snape.
"I didn't know you were jealous. Sorry." Then Harry pecked Severus on the lips, and fled the room before the Potions Master could recover from the shock.
------
At quarter to seven, Tiger went down to the big dining room where they would have their meal at seven thirty. Afterwards they would go to the ballroom, where they would have the cake, and where Draco would open his presents.
In the room were only Lucius, Narcissa, and Severus, the latter daring him with his eyes to come over to get himself murdered. Narcissa and Severus weren't standing together. Officially, Narcissa and Lucius were married. Nobody knew about Severus, and that wouldn't change any time soon.
After he had left Draco's room that afternoon, he ran into Lucius, with whom he had a little chat about what he could and what he couldn't say at the party. There wasn't too much which he couldn't say, but what he couldn't say was very important. Oh, and he shouldn't kiss Snape again, or the Professor would kill him.
After this lecture, they talked a bit about Tiger's 'past', and they actually came up with some very interesting adventures.
At quarter past six, Lucius had left Tiger so he could get showered and dressed (in robes, which Lucius insisted upon.)
Now he was dressed in night-blue dress robes, which hid most of his perfect body. However, he couldn't deny that he looked really good in the robes.
"Where's Draco?" he asked, as he walked over to the adults.
"Probably still trying to wash your scent off him," Snape snapped angrily.
"Obviously you have succeeded," Tiger said, smiling at him. "It's just sad you've lost the small amount of politeness you had in the process."
"That's it! I'll kill him!" Snape growled. He grabbed for his wand, and pointed it at Tiger. But before he could hex him, Lucius and Narcissa were between the two.
"Tiger, that's enough. I think you should apologize to Severus." Lucius glared at him, and Tiger nodded in defeat. He walked over and held his hand out to the fuming Potions Master.
"I'm sorry…Severus." Snape had taken the hand before Tiger had spoken his name. Before he had it fully outspoken the hand was gone again, and Tiger hid behind Lucius, because Snape was ready to kill him again. Narcissa was having trouble stopping him.
"It's okay, Sev. Calm down, please."
"You know," Tiger began, lurking behind Lucius, "I could kiss it and make it better."
This time there came a hex, but it missed both Tiger and Lucius and hit the wall, which now had a deep burning hole in it. Lucius just glared at Snape, then he walked with Tiger out of the room.
"Would you please explain to me why you're doing this? Do you want to die?"
"I'm sorry; I really am. But I can't help myself. For five years I wanted to get back at him, and now I can't stop myself anymore."
"I think you should wait here 'til dinner is ready. You can welcome the guests together with Draco. He will be here any minute, and the guests will come at seven o'clock."
He hadn't ended his little speech when Draco came down the stairs, and the first guests arrived. For the next twenty minutes or so Draco greeted the guests and introduced them to Tiger. So far he had met two aunts and uncles, three cousins, one grandmother and grandfather (all of them Narcissa's family; the Black family), and another aunt and uncle (Lucius' brother), along with their children; eleven year old twins - boys. Then Draco's friends arrived. Every Slytherin of their year, some of the coming seventh years, and even some who had already graduated came. Everything went well. Tiger was polite to everyone who was polite to him, but then came Pansy.
"Dracy!" She shouted, when she entered the house.
"Should I leave you two alone?" Tiger whispered to Draco.
"Leave, and you'll die," The blond hissed back. Then he smiled politely when Pansy wrapped her arms around him, and began to claim him. Draco mouthed 'help me' to Tiger, and the other boy coughed to get Pansy's attention.
"Oh. Hello." She smiled at him dryly, obviously annoyed about the interruption. But when she took a better look, her smile grew wider. "I don't think we have met before. I'm Pansy Parkinson." She held her hand out.
"Pansy Parkinson." Tiger repeated, as he took the offered hand and kissed it politely. "May I take that literally?"
Pansy yanked her hand away from Tigers grasp and slapped him.
"Apologize," she said, glaring at Tiger, who looked back with a seductive smile, which melted her anger. She apologized for slapping him. Behind her, Draco stifled a laugh, but the next visitor, who had watched the whole thing, came over to them, laughing mercilessly.
"Don't you think you should apologize for your name too, Pansy?" Blaise said, through his laugher. She slapped him, and when Tiger and Draco began to laugh with him, she strolled off. Blaise was still holding his cheek when he turned to Tiger.
"Mind telling me how you made her apologize?" Tiger just looked at him, and then Blaise nodded. "Got it," he said.
"Blaise, this is Tiger Ryan. Tiger, this is my best friend, Blaise Zabini. He always likes to be the last to arrive. Sometimes I think he hides outside and waits until everyone is here." He smiled at his best friend, who just shrugged it off and turned to Tiger.
"Tiger?" Blaise took Tiger's hand and kissed it more then politely. "May I take that literally?"
"You know, I could slap you now for being so rough, and mocking me. But I like it." Then he leaned in and kissed Blaise's cheek - the one Pansy had slapped. "Better?"
"Much."
Draco had watched this theatre open mouthed, but when Tiger had kissed Blaise, it was too much. He just wanted to leave. He turned around and made to go to the dining room, but was held back by a strong hand on his arm. He glared at Tiger with pure hatred, but the other boy didn't react to it. Instead, he pulled Draco back to him and forced his lips on the blond's. There were a few half-hearted attempts to stop him, but Draco gave in to the kiss, and they forgot everything around them.
"Dinner will be served in… Oh, god, not again." Severus Snape's voice interrupted them, but before Tiger could say one word, Draco had his hand over his mouth.
"Not a word." Tiger had told him what he had done to Snape, and Draco had volunteered to help when he got such an impulse.
Unfortunately, he hadn't thought about the things Tiger could do with his tongue when he had put his hand over his mouth, so he willed himself to stay calm while he talked to Severus. "We… We'll come in a minute."
Snape nodded, and left.
When he was gone, Tiger grabbed Draco's hand and looked into those icy blue eyes. "One Minute?"
"Wow." By now Blaise had got back his ability to speak (he had watched to two with great interest), and was smiling brightly. "You two are…the hottest couple I've ever seen. God, look at me." He pointed down his length where somewhere halfway down was an obvious bulge in his robes. "Just from watching you, I'm getting hard."
"Not only you," Tiger said with a smile. Then he threw one arm about each boy's shoulders, and led them to the dining room.
Before they entered the room, Tiger looked down at his two companions once again. He couldn't see anything that would betray Draco's state of arousal, but Blaise' was a problem. He leaned into Blaise and whispered. "Snape's lips smell like horribly failed strengthening potion." Blaise looked shocked at Tiger, but obviously it helped; his bulge was gone.
"You've kissed him?"
"Once, to piss him off."
"Which led to him trying to kill you, so please just don't speak to him. Promise," Draco said.
"I promise I won't speak to him." Tiger smiled innocently.
"Or about him."
"Damn."
"Tiger..." Draco looked at him sternly.
"Okay, okay, I'll behave." With that, they entered the room, and while Blaise sat at the other end of the table with his classmates, Draco and Tiger sat down at Lucius' left, across from Narcissa and Snape.
"Oh, bugger." Tiger muttered under his breath.
------
Dinner was uneventful so far, except for the one time when Tiger had opened his mouth to comment on something Snape had said, but fortunately Draco interfered in time, and except a few stares, everything was fine.
That was, until someone asked about the subjects they'd chosen for next year. After Draco had listed his courses, it was Tiger's turn.
"I don't know, yet. I haven't seen the electives. But I think with my good OWL results, I'd like to study the subjects I need to become an Auror."
"You need Potions for that," Snape stated flatly. Tiger just looked at him. "I've heard you have an Outstanding in Potions."
Tiger nodded and turned to Draco, then he whispered, "I don't know anything about potions."
"You have an O." Draco stated calmly.
"No, Tiger has an O, but that's Harry's brain." He tipped at his forehead. "Harry has… I don't even know what he's got. What should I do?"
"Insult him." Draco said flatly.
"What, but you-"
"What is it, cat get your tongue?"
"He had to promise not to speak to or about you, Sev. But obviously you want a conversation, so it's your fault if he starts again."
"Just a simple talk about potions, Draco."
"Go on then." Draco nodded to Tiger, and the other boy turned to Snape.
"Yes, I have an Outstanding in Potions, just like every other subject I've been taught in."
"Then you won't mind me asking a few questions?"
"Is that really necessary, Severus?" Lucius asked.
"I'm just curious, Lucius. An O for being home-educated is very high standard: Just about one potion?" When Lucius nodded, Snape turned back to Tiger. "Mr. Ryan, do you know what…say…the Polyjuice Potion is?"
"Sev that's not fair. That is one of the more advanced potions you taught me in private. Tiger you can't know that. He's mocking you." Draco pleaded with Tiger to stay quiet but the other boy just smiled at him and turned back to Snape.
"The Polyjuice Potion is a potion which allows the drinker to turn in another person an hour per portion."
"Any person?" Snape asked, waiting for one little mistake to materialize.
"Yes." Tiger said. He paused, waiting for Snape to tell him that was wrong. The moment the Potions Master opened his mouth, Tiger spoke again. "But only if you have a hair or nail of the person you want to transform into."
"How do you brew it?" Snape asked angrily.
"It is one of the most complicated potions I've ever made, and it needs time; one month, to be exact."
"And its ingredients?"
From then on, there was a little question and answer game between the two of them, which changed from waiting for failure, to earnest discussion. It ended with Tiger saying that he was looking for a more permanent method than Polyjuice Potion, and Snape beginning to explain about the Marrocaro Potion. But that was when Lucius cut in, and said that that was another potion, and Severus had agreed to ask about just one of them. So the conversation got a new topic, and while the adults were talking about politicians, Draco and Tiger were whispering about the previous conversation.
"Liar. Why do you know about that potion so much?" Tiger smirked then he whispered.
"We used it in second year to try to prove that you were Slytherin's heir."
"What? When? And who is 'we'?"
So Tiger told him the story about them brewing the potion, poisoning Crabbe and Goyle, going to the Slytherin common room, and even about Hermione's failure.
"That's how you knew what would happen when someone used fur."
"Don't tell her you know. She knows I hadn't told it to anyone up to my death, especially not to you."
"Don't worry, I won't say anything. But I can laugh when I see her, can't I?"
"Draco!" Tiger slapped him on the arm.
"Ouch. That hurts. Make it better," Draco whined.
"No, it's your own fault." Tiger crossed his arms in mock anger.
"Please? It hurts so much, I'll die." By now Draco was pouting, heartbroken.
"Don't do that. That's cruel." Tiger stroked his thumb gently over Draco's lower lip. "Do you know how sweet you look when you do that?"
Draco redoubled his effort, and whined slightly, which caused Tiger to cave. He carefully stroked Draco's 'hurt' arm, and leaned in to give him a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. "Better?" he whispered against his mouth.
"Much." Draco smiled, trying to catch Tiger's lips, but the other boy had already pulled away, and was now eating his dessert as if nothing had happened. Nobody had seen this little scene, and because of that, everybody looked at Draco, bewildered, when he let out a frustrated sigh.
------
After dinner they went into the ballroom, which was decorated for the party, and enjoyed the party.
When it was time for the cake, Tiger remembered for the first time that it was his birthday, too. The cake was a huge Quidditch pitch with two players (both in black, to be neutral), who were chasing after the snitch. On the ground was written 'Happy Birthday Draco and Tiger Sweet 16'
The two boys got the first pieces and then said at once-
"Hm, chocolate."
"Hm, strawberry."
They looked at each other, and then began to laugh. It seemed the cake was charmed to taste just like your favourite cake, or whatever you wanted it to taste like.
When everyone had cake, it was time to open presents. While Draco opened his, Tiger went upstairs to retrieve his own present for Draco. When he came back, there were only a handful of presents untouched on one table but on the other were many books, clothes, sweets or simple envelopes. Harry put his present to the side and watched Draco finishing unwrapping until there were only two presents left. They were two identical long boxes. Before Draco could grab one of them Lucius stood up and walked towards him.
"Tiger, come here please."
Slowly, Tiger walked over to them and stopped beside Draco. Lucius gave both of them a box, and just said that they were from him, Narcissa, and Severus. Both boys opened the presents immediately, and both boys gasped when they took out a brand new Skybreaker broom each; the newest and best broom available.
"That's too much." Tiger just shook his head, while Draco jumped in his father's arms. "No." Tiger nibbled on his lower lip trying to keep himself from being happy about it, because he wouldn't keep it. He couldn't just take it from people he had hated just a week ago. Tears of frustration and self-loathing ran down his cheek. "That's not right. You can't do that. I won't keep it. Take it back. Please take it back."
He held it out for Lucius to take it, but instead, the elder Malfoy pulled the boy closer, and closed his arms around him in a loving embrace. He talked to him for a while, and when they parted, they smiled at each other. Lucius gave Tiger a kiss on his forehead, and then led him to Narcissa and Severus to say his thank you to everyone.
Now there weren't any presents left, but Draco grabbed Tiger's hand and let him back to the middle where he had opened all his presents.
"I'm sorry that I haven't got a present for you, but after Gringotts I was just too angry with you to buy you something, so this is just an 'I'm sorry' present. I'll get you something, I promise." Draco handed Tiger a green envelope.
"You don't need to get me anything."
"Just open it."
Slowly, Tiger opened the envelope, and found a promise signed by Draco. It stated that he would try to not call Hermione 'mudblood', that he would not insult her for her muggle blood, that he would stop insulting the Weasleys about their poverty ('they aren't that poor anymore' Tiger thought to himself), and he would not make fun of their red hair. It was a list of about 100 points, and the last one was 'I promise to make everybody's life hell in any way possible, if they hurt you.'
"It's so sweet," Tiger smiled brightly. "I don't know what to say."
"Then just show me." Draco suggested.
"Close your eyes." Draco closed his eyes, waiting for a kiss which never came. When he opened them again, Tiger stood in front of him with a box in his hands.
"What's that?" Draco asked excitedly.
"I don't know," Tiger said with a smile. "Open it."
Carefully, Draco opened the top of the box, and peeked inside.
"Oh, my god." He threw the top away, and reached for the little furball in the box. "Oh, my god. How? I thought it was too late. I saw the snake, and there was this bulge, and the kitten, it was gone, and the shop assistant wouldn't do anything, and he didn't think it was anything special, but it is. It jus-"
"Draco, you're babbling." Tiger smiled at him.
"Then why don't you stop me?" Tiger just took the kitten and gave it to Narcissa before he pulled Draco into an embrace, and gave him a small kiss on the lips.
"Happy Birthday, Dragon." He wanted to pull away, but Draco didn't let go of him.
"Is that all?" he asked with a small pout.
"I'm afraid it is." Tiger stroked Draco's lower lip with his thumb, and then he whispered "I fear we have to deal with enough consequences by now without giving your guests a free show." He smirked and nodded in the direction of the others. "Pansy has fainted, Snape's probably thinking about buying the book '1000 Potions To Kill Your Godson's Lover', and Blaise seems to be enjoying this scene a bit too much. Not to mention the rest of them, who look as if Merlin himself is standing in front of them."
It was true. Everybody was staring at them (except Pansy, who lay forgotten on the floor) with their mouths open.
"Damn! Father will kill me. He doesn't like it when I behave like that in front of others, especially our family. They don't know…" Draco looked nervously at his guests until his eyes landed on Lucius, who was glaring at him. They held the eye-contact for a while until Tiger spoke, loud enough for everybody to hear.
"Do you think we killed Pansy with our little show?" He looked Draco in the eye, waiting for the boy to catch the hint, and pulled out of the embrace.
Draco just needed a few seconds to take the hint. He smirked and turned to look in Pansy's direction.
"If there is a god..."
The twins were the first to laugh, followed by most of the Slytherins, and even a few adults had to hide a smile.
"My friends…" Lucius rose from his seat and the laugher died down. "I'd say it is time for us to leave the youngster on their own, so they can continue with their immature behaviour." Now it was the adults who laughed. Draco gave his father an angry glare, but it melted immediately when Lucius countered with his own glare, daring his son to continue his actions. Draco gave a resigned nod, and turned to his guests.
"I apologize for my inappropriate behaviour. I hope we haven't ruined this lovely party. Father, I appreciate your offer to give our immature lot a little alone time. We won't do anything that you wouldn't approve of."
Lucius couldn't help but smile at this comment.
Draco smiled slightly in return, when he noticed his father's reaction.
Before Lucius escort the adults to another room, Draco promised to come over before they left the Manor.
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The party went really well. Tiger couldn't remember the last time he had had so much fun. 'Last Christmas, maybe' he thought sadly. For a moment, Tiger was lost in thoughts of Sirius, but a loud 'boom!' brought him back to reality.
By the time he had noticed what had happened, the room was deathly silent. He laughed when he saw nearly everybody looking at each other, dumbfounded. All their faces were covered in chocolate. When he heard giggling from behind the couch, he turned around and found two identical smiling faces looking at him. He indicated with his finger for the twins to stand up and come around the couch.
When the twins were standing in front of him, he looked at them with his most scary 'Malfoy-Look' (which he had recently stolen from Lucius), and asked in a serious voice. "'Bang Boom Brownies', from 'WEASLEYS' WIZARD WHEEZES'?"
"How do you know-" Castor, one of the twins asked. He and his brother Pollux were named after the "heavenly twin" stars of the constellation Gemini. Like the stars, the twins were always considered together. Never would anybody see one twin without the other. And just like the Weasley twins, Castor and Pollux had the annoying habit of finishing each other's sentences.
"-what joke sweets they were?"
Tiger smiled, and ruffled their typically Malfoy-blond hair.
"Let's just say I've had my own experiences with their products." He winked at the twins, and they smiled. But their smiles died down when the door opened, and the adults entered the room in a rush.
"Castor and Pollux Malfoy, what on earth have you done this time?"
The twins winced at the severe tone. Slowly they turned around, not daring to meet their father's gaze.
"I demand an answer, boys."
"It-"
"We-" They both began at the same time, but before they could say one more word, Tiger rose from the couch, standing behind the twins, his left hand placed on Castor's right shoulder, his right on Pollux' left.
Smiling at the adults sheepishly, Tiger said, "It wasn't their fault."
"Don't even try to defend them," came Pansy's nerve grating voice from the other side of the room, where every 'victim' stood. "They offered me the brownie and I saw them serving everybody else, too."
Approving murmurs came from the others, and rose to an annoying volume before Lucius' harsh "Quiet!" calmed them down.
"Tiger, please go on."
Tiger nodded to Lucius and continued his story (which he had thought up just now). "I had persuaded the twins to serving the brownies to everybody. They didn't know what they were. It really wasn't their fault. And besides, nothing happened which can't be repaired with a simple cleaning spell, right?" He put on his sweetest and most innocent smile, and achieved his goal immediately. Lucius spoke a cleaning charm, and after one last knowing look at Tiger, he led the adults back to their own little party.
The twins waited until the door closed before they turned and smiled at Tiger.
"Thanks, mate. You're really-"
"-a great guy. We hope-"
"-we'll be sorted into your House-"
"-so we can prank together. I'm sure-"
"-you'll never be punished for anything-"
"-when you can convince the Malfoys-"
"-of our innocence."
"And I think you two just hope you'll be sorted in the same house as Tiger to guarantee to never get on the receiving end of his pranks." The twins turned around to be faced with three smirking Malfoys.
"Dad! Uncle Lucius! Draco!" With each name spoken the twins took one step back and finally hid behind Tiger, who mirrored the elder Malfoy's smirk.
"There! Do you see that?" Draco pointed at Tiger's face.
"You were right, Draco," his Uncle Alvin said. "That's a real Malfoy smirk."
"Stop it, Tiger." Draco demanded.
"Make me," Tiger dared, smirking even more. Draco wanted to put his hand over Tiger's mouth, but then he remembered what had happened the other times he had done that, and stopped his hand in midair.
"Just stop it, okay?"
"Why, are you afraid of touching me? You know, I remember a time not too long ago - to be precise, after opening your gifts - where you couldn't get enough of me. I thought you would never let go of me again. But don't worry; I won't do anything to you. You know, I will just talk and talk and talk and maybe I'll reach your right nerves and get you over the edge and hmmpf-" There was the hand, again.
"That's enough!" Draco said, annoyed, while praying for Tiger to behave, and at the same time to not.
By now everybody was looking at them. Even the twins had dared to come out from behind Tiger to watch the scene. When Draco had stopped Tiger, they cast a quick glance at their father and uncle, and were stunned to find them both slightly smiling at them.
"I think it's time for you two to go to bed, don't you think?"
"But Dad-"
"-the party isn't over yet."
"We want to stay a bit longer."
"Okay, then let's sit down and talk about what had happened with those brownies."
"I…think it'd be better to go to bed. Right, Castor?" Pollux asked his brother, between big, fake yawns
"De…finite…ly." Castor copied his twin, and the two left the room without another word. As if this was a signal, everybody went back to their previous conversations.
"You know, Luc, they remind me of us sometimes," Alvin said, smiling at his brother.
"Oh, no, Al. We were never like them. We put mice and frogs in the girls' dorms in our first year. They will probably find a way to transform them into mice and frogs."
"Yeah, I think you're right. But I think if Draco and Tiger had grown up with each other, they would be just like the twins. What do you think, boys?" Alvin turned to the boys, and his mouth fell open at the sight of Draco.
The younger Malfoy was standing on somewhat shaky legs, his eyes closed, and his head thrown back. His lips were slightly parted, and his breathing was unsteady. His heart was beating twice as fast as normal. His hand was still over Tiger's mouth, but was hidden behind a book, which Tiger seemed to be reading.
Tiger looked up from the book, and locked eyes with the two Malfoys. There was no hint in his eyes that anything was out of the ordinary, but a low moan from Draco gave them away.
When the two elder Malfoys adopted identically confused faces, Tiger's eyes twinkled mischievously, and he slowly lowered the book until there were two loud gasps, followed by another moan from Draco.
Slowly, Tiger withdrew Draco's finger from his mouth, causing Draco to look at him questioningly.
"Why?" he whined, when he saw Tiger smirking.
"Don't want to ruin your new robes, now do we?" With one last look at the bulge in Draco's robes, and a 'Malfoy-smirk', he left the room, three dumbfounded-looking Malfoys following his every move with lust-filled eyes.
"He is cruel," Draco commented on Tiger's hip-swinging departure, shoving his hand in his robe pocket to hide his arousal.
"He is evil," Lucius added, straightening his posture to calm himself down.
"He is brutal," Alvin nodded in approval, after taking a deep breath.
"He is a Malfoy," they concluded at once. The three looked at each other, smirked, and together, they left the room.
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A/N – That's it for now. What do you think?