Dream Connections
Chapter 7
Harry sighed as he rolled over in his bed. The night before now just seemed like a wonderful dream... dream... He hadn't had a dream about Draco.
Harry sat up, rubbing his eyes. For the first time since right before school, he hadn't had a Draco dream. Pondering the reason for the dreams, or lack thereof, he climbed out of bed and threw himself into the shower.
Lucky for Harry it was Saturday, because it was already noon. It had been some party last night and he had drunk his fair share of fire whiskey. Sighing, he remembered the kiss. Suddenly feeling Draco's lips against his, Harry placed his fingers against his mouth and gulped audibly. He was falling for Draco Malfoy and he had no idea how Draco really felt about him. We'll just take the friendship route for now, he thought. Maybe friends-with-benefits...
Practically floating down the stairs, Harry made his way to the common room, grinning madly. Hermione was sitting on the couch reading a book, while Ginny and Ron played a game of wizard's chess. Seamus and Dean were playing a game of Exploding Snap and Lavender and Parvati watched on in silence. A few first and second years were talking excitedly in a corner as Neville sat with Colin Creevey on another couch, looking through a photo album.
Coming up behind her, Harry wrapped his arms around Hermione's shoulders and kissed her soundly on the cheek. She turned, bewildered, as Ron scowled. "What was that for, Harry?"
"Oh, nothing... I am just in an amazing mood today." Harry beamed at everyone in the room. "And it is going to improve immensely as the day goes on. That reminds me," He turned his gaze back to Hermione, "we need to talk. Ron, that includes you too." Glancing at Ginny, he saw her eyes clouding with tears. "Ginny, I want you to be there too. We also need to talk."
Ginny smiled and wiped her eyes. "Of course, Harry."
"Do you want to get that over with now?"
"Yeah, Ron was going to whip my arse here anyway." Ginny stood up and followed Harry to the boy's dormitory. Sitting on Harry's bed next to him, she sighed.
"I'm sorry, Harry. I really didn't know. Ron and Hermione told me this morning and I felt just awful. Can you ever forgive me?" Ginny gushed as tears spilled from her eyes.
"Ginny, it's okay. Really, I'm fine with it. Well, it does kind of hurt, but none of it was your fault. You didn't know about the two of us. I mean, how could you know? I just told Ron and Hermione everything last night before the party." Harry put his arm around Ginny and let her sob into his shoulder. She was damn near his little sister, how could anyone expect him to stay mad at her? She was part of the only family he'd ever known and he wasn't going to let a little thing like that tear them apart.
"It's just," Ginny sobbed, "I really like Blaise and I went to talk to him at the party. Then before I knew what was happening, we were all over each other. I haven't talked to him about it yet, but I felt something between us. I'm so sorry."
"Don't be sorry, Gin. Everything is going to be fine. I don't want to be with him anymore. You shouldn't either, because if it can happen to me, it can happen to you. I don't want to see you get hurt at the hands of that trifling bastard." Harry stroked Ginny's flaming red hair in some attempts to comfort her. "Besides, I'd never let something like a guy come between us."
Ginny giggled through her sobs as she heard that. "That sounds like something sisters would tell each other. It's weird. You're like my big sister, Harry."
"Ha ha, very funny, Ginny... I don't ever want to hear you repeating that to anyone." Harry smiled. "Are we okay now? Everything is fine, right?"
Ginny nodded and Harry pulled her into a tight hug. "Now then, Gin. I have major news for everyone to hear and then we have to meet up with Draco and Pansy. Ron and Hermione told you the feud is over right?"
Ginny nodded, wiping the last of her tears from her eyes. "I've actually been hanging around them lately. They are pretty okay people. A little sneaky... but okay."
"Good. Well, can you go get Ron and Hermione for me? I have to tell you all that news." Harry smiled as Ginny left to get Ron and Hermione.
When Ginny returned a moment later, she had the couple in tow. They looked slightly confused, but excited at the same time.
"What's going on, Harry?" Hermione asked as she sat on the end of his bed. "Ginny says you have big news."
Harry nodded and motioned toward Neville's bed which was next to his since Ron moved into his Prefect's quarters. "Sit down, Ron. This news will make you dizzy."
"Wow, Mate. That must be some really unbelievable news." Ron grinned as Harry nodded.
"I'm getting Sirius back!" Harry beamed as everyone else's jaws dropped.
"Harry," Hermione began slowly and soothingly, as though she were talking to a child, "Sirius is dead. He can't come back."
"Yeah, Mate. I'd hate to rain on your parade, but I thought we've been through this already." Ron expected Harry to be angry or something, but was surprised to hear him laugh.
"That's just it! I know all that already. We've been through this a thousand times, but we never thought about why the veil is in the Department of Mysteries. Did we?"
"Umm, maybe it's there because it kills people." Ginny suggested.
"Yeah, I thought that'd be obvious, Harry." Ron said.
"Ron! Ginny! Don't be insensitive. Honestly, you two." Hermione turned from scolding the siblings to Harry. "You're right, Harry. There are loads of dark objects that simply kill people. Not all of them are in the Department of Mysteries, just the veil."
"That's exactly what I'm thinking, 'Mione. I always knew you were the smart one." Harry scowled at Ron and Ginny. "Anyway, Draco told me that there is a way to get Sirius back. He hasn't told me what it is yet, but his father told him. I'm sure if Lucius told him, then it must be true. Pimpmaster Lucius knows everything about dark arts."
Ginny laughed. "Did you just call him Pimpmaster?"
"Yeah, haven't you seen that cane he carries? It's like the ones all the pimps carry." Harry joined Ginny's laughter. "Anyway, we're getting off topic. We've got to meet with Draco and Pansy so he can tell us exactly how it's done. He is going to help us! Can you believe it?"
Hermione smiled slyly. "Oh yeah, Harry, I can believe it."
"What is that smile all about? What do you know?" Ron glared at his girlfriend.
"It's nothing, Ron. Don't worry that's between Draco and Harry."
"Wait... What?! What do you know?" Harry glared at his best friend.
"I'm confused." Ginny stood up. "I think I'm in the wrong conversation. Get me before you go see Draco." She returned to the common room.
"I think I'm in the wrong conversation too." Ron glared at his two best friends. "It's about to be the right one though. Harry, we need to talk about that stuff now."
"What stuff? What are you two talking about?" Harry was confused... utterly confused.
"I told you last night that we were going to have to talk about the whole... erm, bisexual thing." Ron shuddered. "So, Hermione, would you excuse us? I need to have a talk with my best friend about sex and Slytherins... and not having sex with Slytherins."
Hermione laughed as she started to leave the room. "Good luck, Harry." She winked at him before disappearing from sight.
"Now then, Harry, when did you discover that you were... not straight?"
"C'mon, Ron, do we really have to go through this?" Harry ran a hand through his wild black hair nervously. Not having parents, he thought he'd never have to have 'the talk.' Now he was getting it from his best friend.
"Well? When was it, Harry?" Ron crossed his arms and looked at Harry expectantly.
"I guess it was always in the back of my mind, especially after the whole Cho thing." Harry began.
"Oh, yeah, Mate, that was awful."
"Thanks, Ron. You make me feel so much better." Harry teased.
"Whatever, get on with it."
"Yeah... right. Anyway, like I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted." Harry cleared his throat loudly. "After the Cho thing I started to get kinda curious, wondering what was wrong with me. Then when Blaise kissed me, I just kinda knew." He shrugged his shoulders and sighed.
"So, when you got curious, were you ever attracted to anyone we know?" Ron raised an eyebrow at his friend.
"You have to promise not to tell anyone about this, Ron. Do you swear?"
"Of course, I'll never tell a soul. I am hereby sworn to secrecy, okay?" Ron chuckled.
"I'm serious, Ron." Harry frowned at his friend. Ron obviously wasn't taking him seriously.
"So am I. I am completely serious."
"Well, the first person I looked at was Bill." Harry gulped.
"Bill... as in my brother Bill?!" Ron gasped.
"Yeah, he's... I don't know... sexy." Harry mumbled quietly.
Ron laughed and clapped Harry on the back. "I think he's a little too old for you, Harry."
"That's not what he said." Harry retorted, laughing at the look on Ron's face. Ron looked shocked and sickened.
"When did you talk to him? What did he say?"
"Well, you know how different Order members are assigned to keep watch over me while I'm at the Dursleys'?" Harry waited until Ron nodded before continuing. "I was out for a walk one day when I wandered past the safe boundaries, I guess. Bill came out of nowhere to escort me back to safety. I suppose he was the one on watch that day. Anyway, we were talking and he said I could talk to him about anything. So, I kinda told him that I was curious. Then, he offered to help me decide. I thought he was joking at first, but then he told me that he thought I was sexy. It weirded me out at first, but I thought he was sexy too. Maybe I'll tell him so one day." He laughed as Ron gagged.
"Please don't. I want you in the family, just not that way." Ron looked physically ill.
"Charlie is sexy too in his own rugged way." Harry teased.
"Harry, no." Ron lightened up a bit as he realized Harry was joking.
"Well, you brought it up. I thought you wanted to know." Harry laughed. "But seriously... Charlie is... wow."
"Please, don't go there, Harry. Can we move away from my brothers now? I meant out of people at the school."
"Fine, spoil-sport. Out of the people at school I looked at Seamus first. I had wondered if he was curious too, y'know how he and Dean play, but I never got around to asking. Now we know he isn't anyway." Harry grinned. "Seamus and Pansy... Who would've guessed that?"
"Don't try to change the subject, Harry. Anybody else I should know about?" Ron looked pointedly at Harry.
Harry wasn't sure it was wise to tell Ron about his dreams or the person in them. He didn't think Ron would take it the right way. Secrets weren't exactly something Harry enjoyed, however. "Well, Malfoy is pretty good looking."
"Yeah, I suppose he is if you like bouncing ferrets." Ron laughed at the shock clearly displayed on Harry's face. "I don't mind if you like Malfoy. He is a bloody git, but I can't help it if you have bad taste."
"Whatever, Ron, there is more. I keep having these dreams about him. I've had them every night since just before school started with the exception of last night." Harry sighed heavily.
"Ewww, you mean to tell me that Malfoy was the one you were dreaming about?! Ugh, Dean was right." Ron groaned and fell over on Neville's bed.
"Yeah, but you all should've been minding your business." Harry shot.
"Okay, Harry, I'm sorry. I know this is serious." Ron sat back up and settled himself again before getting a thoughtful look on his face. "Hey, mate, you never fancied me, did you?"
"Ewww... What? NO! You're my best mate, what do you think is wrong with me? You're like a fucking brother to me, that's just nasty." Harry frowned. He was utterly disturbed.
"Well, you liked Bill and Charlie." Ron complained. "What's so wrong with me? Am I too tall for you? Is my hair not the right shade of red? Do I have too many freckles for you, Harry? Or maybe it's because my arse is flat? Do you like the ones with something to grab onto or something?" Ron laughed as Harry grew more and more pale.
"Please... stop... now." Harry huffed.
"I'm kidding, Harry. Relax. Honestly, sometimes I worry about you." Ron had tears leaking from his eyes from laughing so hard. He had flung himself out over Neville's bed again and was rolling around holding his sides. As he rolled a little too far and fell off the bed, Harry burst out in laughter as well.
"I'm glad I have a friend like you, Ron."
"I'm glad you have a friend like me too, Harry." Ron got up from the floor and tried to calm himself down. "But, seriously... Slytherins are evil. You need to watch out about that Malfoy too. I think he's up to something even if it is great that he is helping to get Sirius back."
"Okay, don't worry, Ron. I won't jump into bed with any Slytherins just yet." Harry stood up and moved to the door. "But I'm not making any promises for the future."
"Ha-arry!" Ron groaned as he followed.
"C'mon, we have to go meet Draco."
Draco hummed to himself as he got ready for the day. He was definitely off to a good start with Harry. The whole Sirius thing was just dumb luck and Draco now had a reason to be thankful for his father. The bastard had finally told him something useful.
"Pansy dear, I know you're here. You're always here." Draco called from his loft. He peered over the railing at the figure sitting on his couch. As though breaking free from a daze, Pansy looked up smiling suddenly.
"Of course I'm always here. Where else would I want to be?" Chuckling pleasantly, Pansy waited for Draco to join her on the couch. As he sat beside her, she raised her legs daintily and laid them across his lap. "So, you have some things to tell me, I suppose." She looked pointedly at her best friend. "Don't leave out any details either."
Draco smiled broadly as he began to recap the night's events. "...So apparently Auntie Bella sent cousin Sirius through the veil that my father had told me about in the Department of Mysteries. Harry was ecstatic when I told him that I knew how to get his godfather back. This really puts me in good standing with him. He was so happy that he kissed me, Pan. On the cheek, but it's the fact that he did it that counts." As he finished, he waited patiently for Pansy's reaction.
"So, we're helping Harry get his godfather back? Are you serious? Do you know what that entails, Dray? I'll tell you. That entails sneaking off of school property and into the Department of Mysteries where there are all sorts of dangerous things, and going near that god awful veil thing. Not only that, but it also involves finding a place for Sirius to go. How the hell are we going to do that without that nosy old man, Dumbledore, finding out?" Pansy took deep breaths in attempts to compose herself. Her best friend had just put her in a very strange situation and for what? So that he could get into Potter's pants.
"Pan, you are my best friend and I respect your opinion. However, if you don't want to help then I'll go this one alone. This is not just about me being with Harry. Bringing Sirius back will make Harry truly happy and that is the most important thing. This is an opportunity for me to give him the one thing he wants most in the world and you're not going to stop me from doing so." Draco sighed heavily. That morning had started out so happily, but Pansy was bringing him down considerably. He really wanted her support and there was only one way he knew that would get her to cooperate. "I wouldn't think sneaking around would bother you though. I mean are you Slytherin or are you Hufflepuff? No, wait... Hufflepuffs are loyal which means that if you were a Hufflepuff, whether you were scared or not, you'd still go with me."
"Fine," Pansy scowled, "way to guilt me into doing something for you." She smacked Draco with a pillow as she saw him start smirking. "Remember, though, you now owe me."
"Sure, Pan, I'll remember. I will be eternally grateful for this, you know that, right?" Throwing his arms around her, Draco squeezed Pansy in a tight hug. "There was more to it last night though. Right before you lot came into my room to get Ginny, I did kiss him. He kissed me back, too. We were both more than a little tipsy. So, I'm not going to really try to read too much into it, but things are definitely looking good."
Draco pulled away from Pansy and beamed at her. "So, now you know about my night. Just what happened between you and Leprechaun Boy?" Raising an eyebrow in interest, he watched as she began to blush.
"Well, we were just dancing and stuff when I accidentally let it slip that I had that ridiculously huge crush on him. Then, he told me that he liked me too, but that the feud was getting in the way. That was when Hermione stuck her nose in and told him that we had called the silly thing off." Pansy thought about how she could've kissed Hermione just then. "After that, we just hit things off and before I knew it, we were kissing. We aren't an official couple yet, but I think we are extremely close to it."
"Amazing how much can happen in one night, eh?" Draco mused more to himself than anything. Both he and Pansy had come closer to being with the ones they adored. He was slightly jealous that it was so easy for Pansy and Seamus though.
"Right, so when is the Gryffindor lot coming down here to talk about things?" Pansy asked, removing her legs from Draco's lap.
"I don't know. I'm sure they have things to discuss before meeting up with us, but they'll send word." Draco leaned back to get comfortable on the couch. "I have nothing better to do than sit here and begin planning anyway."
Two hours after Harry and Ron's 'talk,' their group was seated with Draco and Pansy in Draco's room. Draco, Pansy, and Harry shared the couch as Ginny sat in one chair and Hermione and Ron shared the other. Ron looked quite pleased with the seating arrangement as he let Hermione get settled in his lap.
"So," Harry interrupted the settling silence, "just how are we supposed to be able to get Sirius out of the veil?" Looking suspiciously at Draco, who was seated between him and Pansy. "There is a way, isn't there?"
"Of course there is a way. I told you there was a way, didn't I?" Draco appeared a little miffed at the thought that Harry doubted him. Pouting slightly, Draco continued. "He isn't in the veil anyway. He is through the veil."
"There is nothing behind that veil, Malfoy. We looked at it for a long time while we were in the Department of Mysteries." Ron shot scathingly. He still didn't trust Malfoy and he sincerely hoped that this wasn't just some sort of game.
"I know bloody well that there's nothing behind the veil, Weasel!" Draco began to get heated, but checked himself as Harry cleared his throat. "Anyway, as I was saying, the veil leads to a sort of limbo between life and death. It is almost as though there is a storage place where the people aren't dead, but they aren't alive either. That is why those people can't be contacted through séances and can't become ghosts." Glaring smugly at Ron, Draco continued. "The way to get someone back from through the veil is to stand in front of it with clear intentions, say the specific incantation that includes the name of the person you want back, and then they should reappear from the veil."
"What do you mean 'should reappear'? Will he come back or not?" Ginny demanded.
"I mean, Ginny, that according to what my father told me, he will come back. I am keeping in mind, however, that I have never performed the incantation and might not do it correctly. You must take those kinds of things into account." Crossing his arms defensively, Draco sat back against the couch with a huff. He was not about to let the two Weasleys get to him today.
"I'm willing to try even if it isn't a sure thing." Harry responded quickly before anyone else could retort. "Anything that might get him back is worth a try."
Hermione nodded her agreement. She wasn't normally the type to go along with an unsure thing, but for Harry she'd do anything. "I say we try. It's better if we try and fail than not try and be left always wondering if it might've worked."
Pansy voiced her agreement with Hermione and reluctantly Ginny and Ron relented. "Okay," Ron said, "for Harry and Sirius I'll give it a go."
"Thanks, Ron. That means a lot to me." Harry beamed at his friend. Turning to Draco once more, he decided that there were more things to be discussed. "Well, Draco, there are more details to iron out. When are we going to go, for example? What is the incantation?"
"I was thinking we could go during break. If we all stay at school, then it would be the perfect opportunity. Security around here is lax on break and we wouldn't have to miss any classes or worry about not working on assignments or anything." Draco shrugged in an easy-going manner. "The incantation is easy enough, so there is no problem there."
"Break seems so far away though." Harry whined. Hermione glared at him and he stopped pouting immediately. "I guess I can wait though."
"Damn right you can." Hermione shot.
"Wow, Weasley. Seems you aren't the only one your girlfriend has in check." Draco joked. Everyone began laughing at this and soon the group was simply relaxing in front of Draco's fire chatting amiably.
Author's Notes: Okay, so there is another chapter. I hope everyone is satisfied. I think it could've been a little better, but hey. As always, thanks to my wonderful beta reader, N.C. PsyChick. Big ups to my little sister, who I have hooked on Harry Potter fanfiction now. She seems to think I'm psycho... I don't know where she got that idea from, do you? Anyway, review, oh fabulous readers of mine. Flattery does work on you guys right? I sure hope so, cause that 'fabulous' wasn't there for nothing. Like I was saying... REVIEW!!!!
Review Responses:
Dreaming0fDraco: I have no problem helping you out with any of your questions, so don't even worry about that. First of all, het stands for heterosexual pairings. I personally wouldn't bother putting it at all, because most fics are... but hey... that's just me. OOC means that the characters are out of... well, character. Their personalities are slightly or dramatically different than they are originally portrayed. AU means that the story takes place in an alternate universe. And finally, a beta is someone who reads and edits your story before it gets posted to get rid of any grammatical or spelling errors or just things that aren't quite right. On to the stuff about my story...I can see why you would say that they are moving kind of fast with the friendship thing. I take no offense to your opinion. You can quickly agree to be someone's friend easily. They still have to put in the effort to make the friendship work. They'll still have issues, trust me. This won't be a basket of roses.
Sowen: I like the new and improved Draco too. Thanks for the compliment on the kiss... oh and I love you too. You want to know why? Cause you reviewed!!!
N.C. PsyChick: You are a crazy motha... (Harry: Leanne!!!) shrugs What? I was just talking about my beta reader. Anyway, as I was saying... sticks tongue out at Harry as he turns back... have fun with your nachos and definitely get to work on "Concentration." Honestly, that is something you know nothing about. You had the nerve to call me lazy before too? Hmm, maybe we need to ponder that one a little bit. (N.C.'s official beta response to the response: Why you little--!!! (Draco: Nena!) Hee hee, just kidding...meh, I need a drink...lol)
onetruelove: Thanks for the review!!!! I'm glad you like my end notes. Don't worry either, cuz they aren't going anywhere. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Yana5 and HOnEySky: I'm glad you liked the kiss. I liked it too. There will be plenty of these sweet little kisses, not too many though. Then they get kinda boring... gotta keep the kissing interesting.
Lee74, Alyanah, Sennia35, Blondy, Shania Maxwell, hpnjdevanescence, distraught soul, Pirate Freak of Middle Earth, and Kyle-Brofloski3: Thanks so much for reviewing. I'm glad you like it.
P.S.: If I missed anyone, I'm sorry. It was sincerely unintentional.