Love Outside the Box Chapter 9: Admirable Attempts part 1, a harry potter fanfic

Chapter 9: Admirable Attempts part 1

They arrived at Malfoy Manor, or at least that had been the intention. In reality it was only Draco that turned up just outside the front doors to the manor.

Something had gone seriously wrong, one moment he had felt the presence of Dudley beside him as he apparated them and in the next he was alone with no trace of the other man anywhere.

This was not just unfortunate, no this was a disaster. He had a plan to make Dudley feel at home and to be the best host he could under these restricted circumstances but how would he be able to do this now when for all he knew he could have killed the bloke.

Draco had started pacing and cursing under his breath "damn it" he said and took a deep breath.

He was not one of those people, he was not impulsive or someone that just acted without thinking rational, no he was a Slytherin. Everything always had a logical explanation, this would not be an exception to that rule.

There had to be something that had prevented the apparition, and Dudley must have been left somewhere between London and the manor. The only other explanation was that he would have made a mistake, he snorted as if he would have apparated less then perfectly, and Dudley would have been splinched. Draco shuddered at the thought, he had heard a few very disturbing stories of unsuccessful apparition attempts.

Thinking rationally he once again apparated to start the search of the missing muggle boy.

LOTB∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞DD∞DM∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞LOTB

He had never felt something like it ever before, the feeling of your surroundings swishing past while you swirl through the air as if the gravity force don´t apply and time stands still. The touch of the blond man was steady but not harsh as he had clutched his hand before the world around him started spinning.

He was fascinating by the feeling but soon started feeling dizzy and before he knew it, it felt like the other man slipped through an invisible wall while he crashed right into it and the hand holding his lipped thought his fingers. The world stopped spinning and the gravity force took hold of his body once again.

Dudley hit the ground hard. Gasping he felt pain rushing up from his ankle and he closed his eyes, this could not be happening.

He knew he had not had a choice but to trust the wizard when he was the only one even willing to extend an offer of help, but he had been prepared to be betrayed, in the end he was just a poor excuse of a fairy anyway, so the world would not miss much with him gone, his parents wouldn´t much care that was for sure.

He took a deep breath, no he was worth more than this, and what his parent thought did not matter anymore. He had his life ahead of him and he would live it the only way he knew how to make himself happy, by being true to himself even if it meant people would treat him like rubbish.

He opened his eyes and looked around not recognizing anything around him, where was he and how had he gotten there?

There was a big metal gate right ahead and woods around him, one thing was for sure he was clearly not in London anymore. The wizard had brought him somewhere and disappeared without a trace.

"Hallo" he shouted out, the only response an empty echo. It had been worth a try at least. He gingerly tried to stand but hissed when he tried to put weight on his right foot and slumped right back to the ground again, propping himself up against a tree trunk for support.

The worst part was not the feeling of hopelessness that he felt, the worst part was the feeling of being all alone. He truly had no one, the wizard had tricked him and he was now left to die in his loneliness with only his dark thoughts for company.

He must have fallen asleep, even if Dudley did not know how that had been possible as his current situation only seemed darker for every second that passed. The sun had started to descend on the horizon and his stomach made a growl, he just now realized that he had neither food nor water to his disposal.

He felt like crying.

Draco had searched all possible places he could think of from the alley he had apparated from to the manor. Exhausted he apparated back to the gates of the manor for a last attempt before he would have to change tactics.

Seeing the gates he sighed, this was not how today had been supposed to turn out, Malfoy´s did not fail on their way on getting what they wanted, and it just happened to be so that the muggle was needed in his quest to retrieve the heart of the most desired in the wizarding world.

It was dark so he was not seeing much but there was definitely not a person to be seen. He needed the walk though so he flicked his wand and the gates started to open with a rustling sound.

Just as he was about to walk through he heard a groan and turning around he saw something he had earlier missed, there was a figure hunched under a tree. "Lumos" the light instantly shined up the clearing around the gates and Draco draw in a breath, there was the muggle boy, dirty and with tear streaks down his cheeks. He was in one piece though, probably more chocked then hurt.

He looked frightened up at Draco almost as if waiting on Draco to make his move and strike with the killing curse, truth be told Draco had never killed anyone and hoped it would stay that way.

Lowering his wand to show he wasn´t going to hurt him he wondered what he should say to the poor bloke. "Dudley, I have been looking for you everywhere, and here you are just outside my grounds" something lighthearted seemed like the right thing to say.

Several emotions flashed through the crystal like clear blue eyes staring up at him, surprise and gratitude Draco was able to distinguish before his expression settled on something looking like trepidation with an edge of hope.

He looked so vulnerable were he sat looking at Draco as if he was the last way out of a never ending labyrinth. His father had taught Draco to cherish these moments and to always use the power in the authority the position gave you, to use people and their weakness and fear to gain more power and make yourself the leader and the one in charge.

Draco felt powerful looking down at the boy. He didn´t feel powerful because he was in charge or because he could do what he wanted to the boy, no he felt powerful because he had the opportunity to make someone feel better, strangely a feeling of want to protect the guy settled in the pit of Draco´s stomach. He frowned at the feeling, caring for others only left yourself weak and hurt in the end.

Dudley seemed to take the frown as a cue to avert his eyes, he bowed his head almost as if hiding from Draco´s piercing gaze. "I… I thought you had abandoned me" he mumbled so low Draco had a hard time catching the words.

The feeling intensified and Draco shook his head, realizing Dudley was still looking into his lap he voiced his thoughts "no, a Malfoy is true to their word, besides Harry would kill me if he found out I abducted his cousin." Draco thought continuing with the humor couldn´t hurt.

"I, actually I don´t know what happened, that have never happened to me apparating someone before" at this Dudley looked up in wonder.

Draco felt strange being so honest, in most situations he would have made up some logical story to why it had happened, this to seem to have everything under control and to not show any weakness. But with Dudley he felt like he needed to be honest and let the boy have reasons to trust him.

"Apparating?" Draco cursed mentally, how could he even for a second forget that the boy in front of him only was a simple muggle nobody that no one wanted.

He sighed, time to get the boy settled inside the manor and to start the next phase in his plan. "Never mind, how about making our way to the manor?" after asking he took the remaining steps to the tree and extended his hand for Dudley to take.

Dudley eyed the hand not sure if he should take it but once again found that he didn´t have another alternative. He wanted to believe the man above him but had a hard time seeing through him and to figure out which words was heartfelt and which was just for show.

He took the hand and just as Draco was about to let go of his hand he felt the stab of pain coming back up his leg from his ankle. He hissed and Draco looked at him worriedly "I hurt my ankle arriving here earlier" he gritted out through clenched teeth.

Dudley was surprised when Draco gently lowered him down to the ground again, it was almost as if he cared, no one had ever cared for the real him before not really, not that he had ever given anyone the chance to, but the feeling of him being deserving of someone caring was leaving him with a warm feeling. Draco caring for his sorry arse was probably just wistful thinking though.

He was brought back from his musings by Draco being in his personal space. "Hold this, this will just take a moment." A second later he was holding a lantern, wait where had that come from?

He recognized the stick the wizard was pointing at his injured ankle as a wand and automatically flinched. He knew magic could be used for both good and evil but having one of those pointed at him made him feel very uneasy.

Draco seemed to have noticed his flinch because he looked at him and slightly lowered the wand "I am pretty good at healing spells don´t worry, and trust me it is much more pleasant than taking a potion" this did not really comfort Dudley though, he was still not sure if the wizard was reliable and would not use his magic to hurt him further.

Draco frowned at him again "healing magic works best if you believe in the power of healing, so try and relax and to not flex your muscles" he felt a hand on his shoulder and relaxed visibly under the touch from the other boy.

A swish of the wand and a muttered "Talaria Retexo" Had Dudley blinking as almost blinding light had surrounded his ankle and with a small crack the pain had disappeared as if he had never been injured in the first place.

Draco was smiling at his astonishment, it was the first time he saw the other boy give a genuine smile and it light up his entire face making Dudley allow himself a small smile in return, as thanks, the small sign of contentment saying more than any words would.

They made their way to the now open gate Draco entering first without any problems.

It was like walking right in to an invisible wall, where Draco seconds ago had passed Dudley couldn´t follow. He rubbed his nose, that hurt. He felt bad it seemed it wasn´t Draco but his house that didn´t want him there.

Dudley looked at Draco sheepishly as he turned around arching an eyebrow in question "Eh, I can´t go through the gate, it doesn´t allow me entrance." Dudley didn´t get it but it seemed like Draco knew the reason "Of course… Such an Idiot…. Muggle wards" was all Dudley could hear of the muttering Draco did as he paced on the other side of the gate.

This would be a long night Dudley thought.

Several hours later Draco was sitting in his study with a glass of firewhisky.

It had taken a long time to just get Dudley on the grounds. The wards had been tricky, as if muggles could come through simple wards, he snorted wondering how paranoid his ancestors must have been.

And to think that he had forgotten their existence all along, he was such an idiot, he had surely been isolated too long inside the manor with too little human contact. How could he have forgotten something so vital? Done was done though and Dudley was finally in the guest room he had prepared earlier for him.

Sometimes he thought pure bloods was afraid of muggles, okay maybe he was one of those pure bloods, or not the muggles per say just there world and everything he was not familiar with.

But to go to these lengths? On the grounds to the manor there had been a dozen traps it seemed designed for unwelcome muggles, as if anyone would ever come through those wards without magic.

The point was Draco had had to save Dudley from certain death several times and the poor bloke was surely scarred for life.

Draco had thought his plans were foolproof but it seemed his journey to getting Harry had to take a small detour and that he would have to change tactics.

It wouldn´t be enough anymore to be overly nice to the muggle boy, it wouldn´t be enough to just show hospitality and give him somewhere to stay. No he really had to give something genuine, a bit of the real him to gain the trust and friendship even if it would only be temporarily. He had to do what he had to do to get where he wanted to be.

He had tried, really tried to do it the Malfoy way without real emotion and only a pleasant façade to those that aided his way to his real goal. It had been an admirable attempt but he decided that maybe the human way, the one where you made someone believe and trust you because you deserved it was the one to take to get him the one he desired.

He sat down the glas and closed his eyes, this was new territory for him, he was not comfortable playing with real emotions and situations that wasn't planned, He was not used to earn things through noble means.

He left the room and made his way up the stairs to go to bed, tomorrow was another day.