DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and all other characters and locations belong to J. K. Rowling.
Chapter Fourteen - Trusting A Dragon
Harry turned slowly from inspecting the portrait hanging upon the wall, one of his dark eyebrows arched as he glanced at the blond backing nervously away from the small dragon. He shook his head in disbelief before glancing at the Sandtongue, finding his eyes captured and held by the gleaming amber orbs that studied him knowingly. Without thought, he took a slow step backwards and bumped into the blond cowering behind him.
"Ask the dragon?" Harry queried, elbowing Draco aside so he could put a little more space between himself and the grinning Sandtongue. Frowning at the silence that met his question, he turned his head and looked at the wizard standing beside him. The blond had his head tipped to the side and was nibbling on his lower lip, his fingers slowly rolling the silver flute he held. "Are you listening to yourself? I mean, come on, Malfoy, it's a dragon. What are the chances it understands English?"
"But it does," Draco whispered, wide blue eyes rising to meet startled emeralds. A perfectly manicured finger was lifted and pointed at the Sandtongue, forcing Harry to return his attention to the seemingly impatient dragon.
Tail swinging back and forth slowly, Esdra stretched golden wings as far as the hall would allow and gave them a cursory flap before snapping them closed. In the quiet of the manor, the crack was loud, causing both wizards to jump reflexively. Appearing slightly miffed at being ignored, the dragon swung around and prowled gracefully down the corridor.
"I said 'it's nothing a little magic can't fix'." Draco reminded quietly, peering at the raven-haired wizard. When Harry frowned and shook his head, the blond sighed and grabbed the ragged red sleeve of his Quidditch jersey and began to tow him in the direction the Sandtongue had taken. "That dragon understood what I meant. She cleaned the mess before you or I could do it. That implies some understanding of the English language."
"Not necessarily," Harry mumbled, attempting to tug his sleeve free of the other wizard's fingers. He rolled his eyes when the blond shot him an angered look and yanked harder on the cloth. "We were both yelling and I was pointing at the damage you'd caused. It doesn't take a lot of thought to understand that I wanted you to clean the mess you made up."
Rolling his eyes, Draco paused at an intersecting hall and considered his options. Heaving a sigh, he yanked Potter down the brightly lit corridor that ended in a set of french doors. Both doors hung open and creaked eerily as a gentle wind pushed against them, causing them to shift on old hinges. "Earlier, in the bedroom, you told that white dragon-"
"Druid."
A pale eyebrow was raised as the blond looked over his shoulder. Snorting, he waved Harry's interruption away and stepped out onto a weed-infested terrace. "The white dragon," he continued, pretending he didn't see the Gryffindor roll his eyes, "to go home, which it promptly did. They understand what we're saying."
Harry frowned at the blond's reasoning. "Malfoy, dogs understand a few simple commands. Just because it listened doesn't mean it understands everything we say. And at any rate, we can't understand them."
"Ah, but that's where you're wrong." Draco hissed excitedly, scanning the area in search of the golden dragon. A flash of bright scales drew his eye and had him towing Harry quickly after the retreating Sandtongue. "You speak parseltongue, correct? And because of that you can understand snakes."
"Uh, Malfoy? I'm pretty sure speaking parseltongue to a dragon would be like barking at a cat." Harry said slowly, giving up fighting the blond's hold and trailing after him. He raised his head and narrowed his eyes against the bright sunlight, focusing his gaze on the large creatures lazing about atop the long grass.
The Mage Dragons were stretched along the cliff's edge, their long wings arched and spread to catch more of the warming light. Under the brilliant rays their scales sparkled like precious jewels. Each lift of tail and tilt of wing drawing the eye. He recognized each of the dragons now, knew them perhaps a little more intimately then he had before.
He recognized the blue and green dragon resting beneath the protective arms of the forest. F'lar and F'lor, mated Greenbacks and dwellers of the forest. The white Coldmouth with the fiery eyes sprawled elegantly behind the King Mage, Basta. Wings trimmed in gold belonging to Silverhawk. Black Lady was a splash of darkness upon the pale grass, tail stirring restlessly. And Esdra, the small golden Sandtongue, who was blundering hurriedly toward Basta and Druid.
"Nonsense, Potter." Draco murmured, halting outside the circle the resting dragons had formed. He tapped his chin as he looked for a possible candidate among the Mages, wondering momentarily what he was going to do if Potter got ate during this little experiment. Shrugging his shoulders, he yanked the raven-haired wizard closer to the dozing dragons. "I'm sure it'll work."
Shooting the blond a glare, Harry jerked his gaze back to the dragons when a threatening hiss filled the air. His eyes fell upon Black Lady just in time to see one of her silver orbs pop open and fasten upon the Sandtongue loping past her muzzle. The large black dragon parted her fangs and snarled seconds before she lunged at the golden dragon. Reflexively, Esdra snapped her wings open and leapt sideways, spinning around and hissing like a frightened cat. Silver eyes glittering maliciously, the dark dragon crawled forward. With a threatening rumble, Silverhawk rolled to his stomach and narrowed blue eyes upon the slinking Shade.
Harry grabbed Draco's hand and began pulling the blond backwards as the other dragons climbed to their taloned feet. Loud roars and snarls shook the ground as the dragons began sorting themselves out. The Greenbacks fled into the forest, vanishing among the lush foliage. Close upon their tails, Druid opened his pale wings and launched himself into the sky, his exit causing a ripple of wind to bend back nearby tree branches and stir the grass.
Silverhawk hissed and lunged at Black Lady, slamming his much smaller body into her chest. Grumbling in outrage, the Shade locked saliva-covered fangs into the edge of a gold trimmed wing and shook her head. Shrieking in pain, the white dragon raked a heavily scaled shoulder with dagger like talons, rending scales from soft flesh. A whip like tail raced over the grass, cracking loudly as it caught Silverhawk across the neck. The pair of dragons became a ball of white and black scales as they rolled upon the grass of the cliffs, their snarls and rumbles ricocheting through the air as they fought.
Esdra took the opportunity to flee, dropping off the cliff and opening golden wings to catch the uprising thermals. Deciding the Sandtongue had the right idea, Draco shook his hand free of Harry's and began to sprint in the general direction of safety.
It was the angered roar of Basta that brought the battle to a halt. With several final nips and bites the pair separated slowly, lines of blood marring their sides. Growling in Basta's direction, Silverhawk turned stiffly and began to stalk cautiously away. Seeing her chance at a last blow, Black Lady swung her tail wildly, aiming for the white dragon but missing as he jumped into the air and unfolded his wings.
Harry twisted his body in an attempt to avoid the long tail but cried out as the length of muscle and bone slammed into his thighs. The force of the blow sent him rolling backwards toward the edge of the cliff. His fingers snatched and clutched at the grass he rolled over in an attempt to slow himself but to soon he found himself dangling over the precipice. The grass and roots he held the only thing stopping him from dropping into the broiling surf below.
XxXxX
Blaise paced quietly down one of the empty halls. He shot a nervous look over his shoulder, eyes searching the shadows diligently for anyone that might get him in trouble. A smirk spread over his face as he stepped outside, gaze drawn to the tall building standing alone beyond the bridge. Giving himself a pat on the back, he tossed another look around before walking toward the owlery.
Generally the building would be a hive of activity. Owls would be coming and going, carrying messages to students or returning from dropping off letters to parents. Today though, today the blue sky above the building was empty. Not one owl circled lazily around the steeple or fluttered about the castle.
Chewing on his lower lip, Blaise fiddled with the folded piece of paper he held. The parchment crinkled loudly in the silence surrounding the stone structure. Each thud of his boots echoed as he climbed the first set of stairs, making him wince and huddle deeper into the light cloak he wore. Ducking into the large room, he found himself looking at every breed and colour of owl imaginable.
"Hello," he murmured in greeting, glancing at all of the owls perched unhappily about the room. His appearance caused an immediate flurry of wings and squawks of indignation as the birds tugged on the tethers pinning them in place. Cringing at the shrill hoots, Blaise spun on the balls of his feet, eyes searching for the Snowy Owl belonging to Potter. A dash of white amidst the dark browns and pale golds had him sighing in relief and approaching the quiet owl. He jammed the edge of the parchment into his mouth as his shaking fingers began to work the ties binding the bird to the small alcove she rested in.
The owls stopped hooting suddenly, silence falling upon the owlery in a way that could only mean one thing. Tensing his shoulders, Blaise turned slowly and met the onyx eyes resting upon him. Lifting a hand, he removed the parchment from his mouth and gave his Head of House an innocent smile. "Hello, Professor."
"Mister Zabini," Snape greeted, pale hands folded before him as he stared at the sixth year. Hitching a dark brow, he held one of his hands out and tapped the toe of his boot as the younger wizard stared into his palm.
Tipping his chin, Blaise shifted his eyes and gave an almost imperceptible nod of his head. With a satisfied smirk, he grabbed Snape's hand and dragged it closer for inspection. "Your life line is long but your love line is short. You're going to have one long, lonely life, sir." He reported.
"Give me that." Snape barked, snatching his hand back and grabbing the piece of parchment the smaller wizard held. With a shake of his head, he unfolded the paper and glared down at it in disappointment. Crumpling the message into a ball, he tossed it to the ground and caught Blaise by the back of the neck and guided him from the owlery. "I suggest you find another means by which to renew your subscription to Witch Weekly, Mister Zabini. Though I'm sure you won't be worried about it for the next few weeks as you're going to have no spare time for leisurely reading."
"But, Professor-" Blaise started the token argument as he was guided down the steps by the hand on the nape of his neck. A rough shake had him quieting and rolling his eyes as he was marched down the stairs. A smug smirk slipped across his lips as he carefully shot a look back at the lone building in time to see a white owl launched from one of the windows. Chuckling softly, he shook his head over the ease with which the Gryffindors had managed to set the bird free. His laughter quickly vanished as he realized he now had detention with his Head of House. Sighing, he prayed that the white owl managed to find her way to Harry and Draco.
XxXxX
Draco halted half way to the manor, turning and looking over his shoulder. Behind him, Basta had Black Lady pinned and was screeching in anger, his sharp fangs snapping at her slender throat. Silverhawk had taken to the sky, his gold wings gleaming in the sunlight as he circled warily over the feuding pair. Of Harry, there was no sign.
"Potter? Potter!" He hollered, turning in a slow circle. His eyes searched the deep grass for the raven-haired wizard, looking for a flash of the bright red and gold uniform the smaller wizard had been wearing. A strangled cry had his head whipping around, bringing his gaze to the edge of the cliff and the blue sky beyond. He jogged slowly toward the drop, scanning the jagged line of rock and dirt.
"Malfoy!"
"Harry!" He yelped, eyes locking atop the crown of dark hair peeping over the line of grass. His long strides carried him across the expanse of green toward the struggling wizard. Dropping to his knees, he settled his pale hands on Harry's tanned fingers and peered down into wide emerald eyes. "Hang onto me!"
Harry blinked, fighting back the fear that fought to consume him. Above him, Draco's lips moved. The hands wrapped firmly around his were cool and seemed small in comparison to his own. Understanding dawned on him as he stared up into orbs the colour of ice. Draco, dragon. Trust the dragon. How had she known? Had she planned this? What if Draco dropped him? Taking a deep breath, he anxiously transferred his grip from the grass to the blond's hands.
Draco felt himself slipping and cried out as Harry's fingers began to slide through his own. He clutched desperately at the raven-haired wizard while trying not to go over the edge and kill them both. The heels of his boots slid ever closer to that line as he struggled to hold Harry's additional weight.
A puff of warm air against his back had him jerking in fright before careful jaws closed around his waist. Before he knew what was happening, he was lifted into the air, Harry dangling beneath him as they were swung around and dropped into the grass. The pair rolled together, panting as they embraced solid land.
"Thank you." Harry whispered, staring up into the cloudless sky. His eyes drifted close as he inhaled deeply, fingers still entwined with the blond's. A soft grumble had him cracking an eye open and looking at Draco out of the corner of his eye.
"I'm hungry." The blond muttered, face reddening as he yanked his hand away from Harry's and sat up. From the edge of the forest, the massive scarlet dragon watched him, emerald eyes glowing ethereally. The Mage bowed its head slightly before melding into the forest and leaving the pair alone.
Draco stood and brushed his robes down, frowning at the new grass stain marring the once clean cloth. Sighing, he rubbed at the spot and shook his head in a mixture of disgust and disbelief. A crack of wings had him glancing at the sky and narrowing his eyes upon the dragon spiraling gracefully in the air. He kicked Harry lightly and pointed at the Mage, the gesture drawing the Gryffindor's attention to the pale dragon.
The pair watched the large white dragon circle above them curiously, their eyes tracking his careful movements. With a flip of his wings, he began a slow descent, front talons held almost delicately. Draco grabbed Harry and yanked him back as Druid landed gently upon the grass of the lawn, a dead cow clutched close to his pale chest. With a happy grunt, the dragon dumped the carcass to the ground and sat back, head held proudly as he preened over his dinner.
"That's disgusting," Draco hissed, letting go of Harry's hand and walking closer to inspect the dead animal. The pale brown Jersey rested in a slowly growing puddle of blood, dark eyes devoid of life. Taking a step forward, he nudged the limp animal with the toe of his boot and winced as blood clung to the perfectly cured leather.
"That's dinner." Harry corrected, shoving past the blond to look the cow over. Eleven years of living with the Dursley's had taught him how to cook. While he'd never cooked a whole cow before he figured he could probably manage a couple of slabs of meat from one of the animal's flanks.
Draco stalked forward to stand next to the raven-haired wizard, hands planted on his narrow hips. "It's not cooked." He pointed out, lifting a hand and covering his nose as the tangy scent of copper filled the air. "I don't cook and I refuse to eat raw cow."
Shooting the blond an irritated look, Harry shook his head and turned to head back to the manor in search of a plate and some knives. He froze and whirled around when he heard the dragon begin to inhale deeply. Slack-jawed, he watched as Druid filled cavernous lungs and sat there with his chest puffed up. "Move, Draco!" The blond spun around and looked at him questioningly, pale brows hitched in silent demand.
Harry lurched forward and grabbed him by the front of his robes as the massive white dragon spat fire. Flames crackled and leapt as they crawled over the cow, eating away the soft brown hair that had covered the animal. The fire died away as the dragon snapped his jaws closed; smoke curling from his nostrils as he looked over his handiwork. Giving a satisfied grunt, he tucked his muzzle and neatly tore the carcass apart, tossing his angular skull back and swallowing the cow's head whole.
Throwing Draco to the ground, Harry pinned him in place and frantically began to pat at the smoldering cloak he still wore. His hands slapped at the glowing embers and he choked as smoke filled his lungs. Glancing down at the burnt cloak, he carefully searched for any sign that the other wizard had been seriously injured. He sat back with a relieved sigh when he found nothing, raising his eyes to the sparkling orange orbs of the Mage and shaking his head.
"Your hands, Potter." Draco mumbled into the grass. Behind them, Druid parted bloody jaws and hacked up a gore-covered cowbell.
A/N: Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and review.
feuerfliege – Glad you're enjoying it.
henriette – Harry has bigger things to worry about then what Draco's stealing.
karenelaine – Lucius will play the biggest role in whether or not Draco becomes a Death Eater. Right now, the senior Malfoy is trying to keep the younger from going into service.
GryffieGurl – Glad you're liking this fic. I always try and keep the characters as true to themselves as possible without pushing the boundaries of believable. We'll cross my fingers that I can keep it going.
PleiadesWolfe – Family, the old saying 'blood is thicker than water' would most definitely have been true back then. Malfoy would have been disowned if he had of gone against his families wishes, at least this way he had some power over what happened.
Draco is my King – lol, being creative is hard when writing fanfiction. So many things have already been written and rewritten and obsessed over that you have to think hard and deep to keep the ideas original.
Chrono Breaker – I actually didn't start marking my stories as slash till that long ago and still don't put much thought into whose initials I'm putting first.
Shinigami – Thank you very much for explaining that to me. Bingo with the marriage guess and the Slytherin couple and the Gryffindor duo are already trying to figure out how to help their friends.
kasmo – I'd imagine Hermione would be all gung-ho about getting help from a teacher while Ron would think they could do it on their own. As for the Slytherins, they probably think it'll be easier if they can figure out how to do it without getting in trouble or caught.
SouriMaxwellYuy068 – Thank you for the explanation of seme and uke, it was much appreciated.
IvySnowe – I love beating up on Draco. . . cause then Harry gets to make it all better.
NinjaoftheDarkness – lol, yah that was probably a little tidbit of information I needed earlier in the story. Oh well, they're a mated pair now, sorry.
Fiery Phoenix – There's still plenty of time for the two to get used to each other and learn the power they have over the dragons. I think Draco is still to happy playing with his new toy to really pay attention to what's going on around him.