Chapter 3
In The Dust
The man that opened the door was no other than Lucius Malfoy. Harry's insides twisted horribly with anger and hatred as he watched the sneering man's face go from contentment to utter loathing. Malfoy's skin twisted and reformed like clay until it quite resembled Voldemort's. Harry shuddered.
"Potter," Malfoy spat. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm staying here with my…family." Harry said, looking queasily over at the Dursleys, who were all working to lug Dudley's huge suitcase, which was packed with tapes of all his favorite TV shows and video games, up to the house.
"Really?" Malfoy smirked. "How interesting. Your house is next door. Don't bother us and Draco won't have to come kill you in your sleep." He slammed the door in Harry's face so hard that it blew his hair back. He shrugged and went to the next door.
"Get out of the way, boy!" Uncle Vernon grunted. He waddled forward rather quickly for a man his size and shoved the key through the lock. It clicked and the door fell open. Dudley tried, grunting, to shove his suitcase through the door, but it was much too wide. Slowly, they unloaded it and carried the things in one by one. Harry was rather satisfied when he learned that they had no TV or computer. Dudley had a right fit, and Harry watched with satisfied eyes.
"I can't believe this! Daddy, Mummy, DO SOMETHING!" he wailed pitifully, beating his fists on the backs of his parents.
"Sweetums, we can't do anything! We're hundreds of miles away from home!" Aunt Petunia told him.
"So – go – GET THEM!" He screamed much like a tiny child.
Uncle Vernon glanced at Aunt Petunia, who did something unexpected. "Dudley," she said quietly and grabbed his fists. He stopped his false crying in shock of her voice. "Stop being a baby. You won't have what you want, this time."
Uncle Vernon made to stop her, but she cut him off. "No, Vernon. This time I'm putting my foot down. I…I've had enough." She said. She looked almost in tears. For the first time in his life, Harry actually felt sorry for her.
Dudley looked at her in dead shock. "But Mummy…"
"No Dudley. No. Both of you, go to your room and unpack. I've got to get supper started."
"But –"
"Go! And not another word out of either of you! God knows I need some peace and quiet." She said contemptibly. All the way upstairs, Dudley was fuming, but Harry was impressed.
"You had it coming, you know." Harry informed him.
"Shut up!" Dudley cried, hurling Harry into the nearest potted plant. He smashed against it and fell to the floor. Dudley ran into his room and slammed the door shut.
"Damn…" Harry muttered. His back was bleeding where the vase had grazed his skin. He ignored it and went to the door with the sign 'Potter' tacked on it.
He opened the door slowly. The room was green and gold, mostly nature themed, with many plants and vines carved into the brilliant mahogany armoire. The bed's quilt was covered with a bright green cotton forest. The carpet was white shag. The curtains on the four-poster were olive green velour.
He smiled and pulled his trunk to the end of the bed.
Draco walked downstairs and entered the living room. He found it so interesting that all the furniture in the house was constructed entirely out of driftwood.
"I'm going –" but he was stopped as he spotted his mother and father kissing on the sofa. "Yes. Bye then."
Although he constantly ran into that sort of thing with his parents, it was still very surprising and awkward every time he walked in on them. He hated walking in on them.
Just as he was heading towards the other house to see who the new family was, three people flew down on broomsticks and landed right next to him. It was Pansy and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Parkinson.
"Draco!" she squealed, flinging her arms around him. He was thrown backwards by her and he fell to the ground. A cloud of dust flew up around them as she locked him in a passionate kiss. "It's been so long."
"It's been a month, Pansy." He growled, fighting a cough. She was crushing his lungs and it was very painful. "Would you mind getting off of me?"
"Oh. Yes." She said, embarrassed. She stood up next to her parents as Draco, scowling, brushed the dust from his black robes. "Um…mum, dad, this is Draco, my boyfriend."
"Nice to meet you." Draco said, shaking their hands. "My father is inside the left house, he can show you to your rooms." They nodded and left he and Pansy in the yard.
"Draco, what's the matter with you?" she whispered.
"Me? What are you on, you just leapt up on me and snogged me in front of your parents!" he said angrily.
"They don't care. Why are you so embarrassed? You never are at school." She pouted.
"I'm sorry." He said shortly. "I'm sorry I'm not in the mood."
"I'll get you in the mood." She vowed, though he hardly believed it. "How about a swim?"
"Later." He replied gruffly, but she frowned, so he said, "Much later. A private swim."
"Oooooh I love you!" She squealed and hugged him tightly. "I can't wait for tonight. You know how good you are to me."
"I know…" he sighed. Pansy never really had satisfied him. "Let's go inside."
As they walked, she grabbed his hand, and he didn't stop her, although that was really all he wanted to do.
Above them, Harry watched through his window with prying eyes.
