A/N: Okay. Who's seen the trailers to the OotP movie? Harry cut his hair and it's so… icky! Does anyone else agree? Or is it just me?
Anyways. I'm sorry about this very postponed chapter. With holidays, social life, playing Kingdom Hearts, and work, I have had almost no time to update, and I'm trying to scatter my updates throughout my stories so that I'm not stuck with updating one for months, and abandoning the others for a long time. Plus, I have commissions to do and that's taking up tons of time. Oh well. At least I'm trying?
Also, I've been going back and skimming through my stories lately, and I'm disgusted with myself to find that most of my stories have very choppy paragraphs. Or, they sound like it. Maybe it's me just criticizing myself, but it's irritating me. Does it bother anyone else?
On another note, someone sent me a message and asked me about where I'm going in this story. I'm sorry if I never mentioned it before, but this will be a.. uhm, how could you say it - turn-of-thoughts fic. Meaning, Harry will not fight along side Dumbledore (for reasons that will appear soon.) It's not Dark!Harry or anything. It's just the beliefs on the Phoenix's side will be different.
Thanks for all the reviews! If I didn't answer any questions, please just ask again, and I promise that I'll respond this time!
Pretend World
By: xScenex
Chapter Seven
Harry wasn't sure how much time was passing. He sat there, at that small table with two people - one being the most unlikely that he'd ever have a conversation with. And he was surprised to find that he was actually enjoying himself.
The music in the background was in full swing, and there was laughter and chatter all around, echoing from the high ceiling which was enchanted to show the outside sky. It was bright and crisp; full of stars and a crescent moon that grinned down upon the festive.
Harry felt an itching in his bones. He felt adrenaline when he looked up at that fake sky, and was tempted to just go outside. But he was too involved with the conversations going on and he was content to find out more things of that world; he ignored the feelings.
He had been able to squeeze in a few innocent questions about the history of the other world to Draco and Ron, and so far, he'd learned that Draco - who reluctantly told Harry about it - had been the one to kill Voldemort when he was a child.
It appeared that the prophecy had been slightly altered from the original version, and indicated that a child born as the sixth month began would fell the dark lord, and lo and behold, Draco Malfoy had been born near the beginning of that month. Harry had been surprised when the boy hinted about the prophecy. Even he wouldn't outright go and tell someone about it.
It also appeared that when he questioned them further, that they knew about Voldemort not being completely dead. Their hints were very short, but he got the meaning of each and every one of them. They didn't go into detail about the past years as they fought the phantom-like Voldemort, and Harry didn't pursue it. All he needed to know was that Voldemort was still on the go.
"Where do you think he is now?" Harry asked them smoothly. "You know, that Voldemort guy?"
"Well," Ron said, scratching at his head.
"He's somewhere." Draco looked at Harry, his eyes guarded. "But even if he were somewhere near, we couldn't find him easily."
Harry nodded. That was the truth. Even he, himself, hadn't known what those dreams had been about until near the end of the year.
"Well, one day," Harry smiled deviously, his face shadowed. "He will get his. No one like him should survive on this world."
Draco looked at him in surprise but Ron nodded enthusiastically.
"We'll get rid of him one way or another," he said with hatred. Harry noticed the 'we' in the sentence and smiled sadly.
Of course he'd stay by the savior's side, just as he had with Harry. But it was more than fame that made the redhead stay with him; actually, in the end, there wasn't any fame to it. They were just best friends.
The thought of his old friends made his face fall. He was actually starting to wonder what had happened to the rest of them after the last battle. Some had died already - Neville, Fred and George, Seamus, and Ginny. Even Molly and Arthur had died, along with Charlie Weasley.
The names brought back memories, good and bad. Harry choked slightly when he breathed in just as he remembered something that Neville had said to him surfaced in his thoughts.
'Even if we don't get through this, you will, Harry. You always will, even without us. You're the strong one.'
It was true. He lived and they didn't. Bile rose up in the back of Harry's throat again and he turned away from Ron and Draco, disgusted with himself.
He didn't need to act pitiful against his mere thoughts. They were all alive and well in that other world - and Harry vowed that he would keep it that way for years to come. He swallowed thickly, ignoring the foul taste in his mouth and he stood up. The others looked at him questionably.
"I have to go find my sister. I left her dancing with someone."
Draco shrugged slightly, and Ron nodded. "Come around again if you're bored," Draco put in.
Harry nodded as well, and then turned around to head back towards the dance floor. There was a mob of students dancing riotously to the upbeat music. They seemed to be having fun, so Harry didn't walk though them and instead took a detour.
He searched the crowd for Carey, but couldn't seem to find her. She could be anywhere now.
Sighing quietly to himself, he stared halfheartedly into the crowd while standing next to an unoccupied punch table. He received a few looks from guys and girls alike as if questioning who he was. He just smiled at each of them and they would soon look away. Harry vaguely wondered if he had something on his face.
He leaned backwards, elbows propped against the edges of the table. He was now bored, and thought that he should have just stayed to talk to Ron and Draco until Carey had come to find him. That would have been more reasonable. He wasn't even sure if she was still dancing.
Then the thought hit him. He'd left her with Fred Weasley of all people. He didn't want to try and pursue the prankster. Merlin only knew where he would go with anyone.
He looked up, and blew a few strands of hair out of his face. The sky was still dark and clear, full of stars. He felt that undeniable urge again - one that made him want to be part of that sky.
He was about to make a go at it and find a place outside to just release that feeling when he heard someone come up from behind him.
He turned his head casually, as if to just take note of the person, but he paused when he realized that it was Victor Krum that had just walked up.
"Nice ball, huh?" Harry asked smoothly, although it was hard to keep some emotion out of his voice. It had been a long time since he'd seen the famous Quidditch player. The last time he had seen him, he was on his way to try and talk a few of his former Durmstrang students to stay on the light side. He never heard from him after that.
"It iz very nice," he said, his English slightly off. Harry smiled. Some things would never change.
"So, are you from one of the other schools?" he asked, making conversation. He couldn't think much of anything else to say.
"Ves," he said. "I am from Durmstrang."
"Is it nice there?"
"Not az nice az it iz 'ere," he said, shaking his head.
"Oh."
There was a small stretch of silence in which neither said anything. In truth, Harry had no idea what to say to him as they both occupied themselves by getting a glass of punch - or, two for Victor. He figured that the second was for Hermione.
Speaking of which, if his memory was correct and the timeline was similar to his in any way or fashion, she should be talking to Ron about then.
He stood on his toes to see over the crowd to see if he could spot the redhead and the blonde sitting anywhere.
It took him a few moments to spot them, and when he did, he wasn't surprised to see Hermione with them. It seemed that her and Ron were arguing heatedly about something - probably about Krum.
"Vell, I better go vind my date," Victor said without much notice to how occupied Harry was.
Harry nodded, "I think she's over there. I'll go with you. I wanted to talk with some people over that way."
He led the way a few feet ahead of Krum, who walked carefully with the two cups of punch in his hands.
Harry smirked. Of course he'd be careful not to spill it all over himself. That's how everyone had been in his world about that time.
The crowd was still thick and it took a bit to get through it but by the time he had dislodged himself from the mass of students, he saw Hermione storm off, her blue dress billowing dramatically behind her as she went in search for her dance partner.
Harry turned casually when he saw Krum resurface and pointed in her direction. He nodded and smiled his thanks before heading off to talk to her again.
He knew that Ron was probably fuming.
And he was right. When he made his way back to the table where the odd duo were sitting, Ron's ears were a very interesting shade of red, and his face was twisted in a grimace.
"I guess something's wrong?" Harry said smoothly, hoping that it would cross over as a joke.
"No, of course not," he responded icily. Harry let it drop, and turned to Draco.
"Don't mind him," Draco whispered dramatically to Harry. The latter just smiled slightly and took another seat next to them. "Guess you couldn't find her?"
Harry shook his head. "I think I left her with someone who looked like him," he said, waving his hand carelessly towards Ron. "You'd think he'd be easy to find with his hair color, but it isn't as simple as one would think."
He was amused when Draco snickered and looked sidelong at Ron, who wasn't paying any attention. "I think you might have left her with one of his brothers. Fred or George - not a good combination. Or, not good with just one, really"
"Nice to know," Harry said, smiling. He still couldn't believe he could joke around with a Malfoy. "I'm sure she'll be fine, though."
Draco nodded slightly, his blonde hair swaying with the movements. "This is really dragging on," he huffed sullenly.
"At least you were able to come here," he provided, trying to add cheer to the group. "Carey told me that only fourth years and up were allowed to go to this. Just think if you weren't allowed to go - you'd be dying to know what you'd missed."
"I guess so," he said, slightly confused.
Harry leaned against the back of his chair, tilting his head back so that his neck was exposed completely. It felt nice to stretch a bit, so he extended his arms out above his head.
"Much better," he said when he heard his back pop a bit. He didn't expect a response from anyone, but he was surprised when Draco spoke.
"You remind me of a cat."
Harry turned, still half stretched out. "A cat?"
Draco nodded shamelessly. He cocked his head sideways slightly. "You're too comfortable around people you don't know."
"I'm just being myself," he said defensively, sitting back up straight. "There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"
The blonde shook his head negatively. "Actually, no. I think it would be best if more people were like that, to be honest."
Harry nodded. "The worlds just too involved with labels and popularity," he smirked. "They seem to get it in their head that fame is the only way to live. I beg to differ."
Draco stared at him for a few seconds and Harry couldn't figure out why for a second. Then it hit him. He probably spoke words that he himself had been thinking.
It was funny, he thought, that he could share the same thoughts with someone completely opposite as him.
He never would have thought it possible to share opinions with Draco Malfoy, of all people, but some things were possible - well, anything, in Harry's point of view. He'd seen almost everything now.
All he needed to see now was Severus Snape dancing the hula. Then he'd see everything.
A/N: This chapter isn't great. For some reason, I'm having loads of trouble writing. Maybe I'm just too stressed - you know, when you push yourself too hard to do something and eventually, you just can't do it anymore.
But that doesn't make much sense, since I don't really write much anymore. Either that, or I'm losing my ideas. Someone shoot me! Ah!
Okay. Anyways, that's out of my system. So is anyone still reading this? Does anyone think there is anything I can do to make this any better? Because I'm very unsure of it right now.