Kent - Late night, 27 July 1997

[path_draco]

Draco arrived to Theo's home, knowing that his lover was back in school. He went straight to the library and found parchment and a quill. He needed to write to Harry, but that could wait for later. First, he penned his message to Theo.

Hi,

Don't worry, nothing is wrong, but I'd like to speak to you. I'm at your house.He decided to keep it

Comments

[path_draco]

"I did want the Slytherins and Gryffindors to get along. I didn't know it would work so splendidly," he said with a smile. "Who would have thought that Granger would seek a Slytherin out? She must really like you." Maybe he'd forget to mention her to Potter. If he were lucky, MacNair would get rid of her family for him. He might not like violence, but he was not above using others to get what he wanted. "Remind me to demolish that car if I see it."

[naught_common]

"Could be that she likes me. Or perhaps her best friend is too busy meeting my lover to remember she exists. Hard to say." Draco was about as likely to go wandering in the Forbidden Forest as he was to take up tap dancing and they both knew it. It was unnecessary to point this out, however. "I'll remind you." Theo didn't want to argue. He wanted to hold Draco and make him promise not to do anything stupid. That would not be fitting with the nature of their upbringing, unfortunately.

[path_draco]

"Oh yes, it must be. Harry and I seem to always end up on the floor, all sweaty and dirty, panting for breath. Merlin, I love teaching occlumency, maybe you should teach her. The Mudblood would love to get down and dirty with someone who is obviously above her," Draco said with feigned calm. Killing her family wasn't enough, maybe he should make sure that she'd be there when MacNair arrived. "Besides, wasn't she spreading her legs for the Weasel? Perhaps, you might suggest leaving you and Harry alone."

[naught_common]

"And are you more concerned that she stay away from darling Harry or from myself? I didn't broach the subject of whom she was spreading her legs for. I didn't mention her legs. I did, however, show her my forearms in such a manner that she thought it was an accident and that I was unaware. I had thought, silly me, that speaking with her might allow you to pass information in a manner that provided less risk to your aristocratic neck. Would you like me to ask for her address instead? Or perhaps you wish me to use my other talents? The ones that allow me to fully enjoy the full range of animals in my stables?"

Theodore snapped his fingers. He positively hissed at the elf that appeared, not bothering to thank him for the drink. Instead he directed the elf to Draco with a minute hand gesture.

[path_draco]

"Riding your purebreeds isn't as dirtying as riding the Mudblood, but to each his own." Draco asked for a glass of red wine. It was a rare occurance, and it was more than enough to prove that their calm and rational conversation wasn't either calm or rational. "I need darling Harry, and I need him alone, so yes, I'd like for her to be very, very far from him. However, it's strange that you don't know whom she's fucking since you've become such great mates." He took a sip of the wine, watching it swirl around his glass. "Of course, her interests might have changed recently."

[naught_common]

"I was speaking of the thestrals. I've spoken with her all of three times. If you are concerned about me shagging the girl then bloody say so. Of course you have no reason to trust me. I've offered you everything I have including my safety, but I suppose that is insufficient." Theo stood, only just stopping himself from hurling the glass into the fire. "For your information she'd as soon spit on me as touch me. She huddled on the side of the bench as if I was infected." Theo turned to look at Draco, "Rather like you are doing, actually. Perhaps the two of you have more in common than you think." He didn't even bother broaching the subject of precious Harry. There was no point.

[path_draco]

"It only proves that the woman has no taste or appreciation for the finer things in life." Draco rested the glass on the coffee table, walked to his lover, and wrapped an arm around Theo's waist. "I don't like the idea of you and that Mudblood. I know you wouldn't; it still bothers me. I apologise if I gave you the impression that I don't trust. However, I'd be lying if I said that I would act differently if the subject were brought up again. I don't like her, don't like what she stands for, hate the fact that she's at Hogwarts, despise her for getting better grades, mostly because the professors like her, she's a Gryffindor after all. If there is one person, I'd happily see dead, it's her. In short, my insults are directed at her." He rested his forehead against Theo, who was still tense in his arms. "What makes you think that I don't want to be close to you? You know that it's nonsense."

[naught_common]

"Would you have me serve you her head on a plate? I could, you know. It wouldn't take that much effort to turn into the perfect son of Slytherin according to His Lordship." He would have shrugged anyone else off of him, or hexed them. "There are times when I don't know what to think."

[path_draco]

"No, I don't want you to hurt her. I don't want you to hurt anyone. I don't want you to turn into... into my father, into your father." Draco rested his free hand on Theo's shoulder. "You should think that I love you, and that makes me extremely protective, and somewhat jealous, and it tends to make me react in a less than logical fashion, which is not unlike the way you react to Potter's name. That's what you should think."

[naught_common]

"I have not been watching Ms. Granger's every move for the past seven years. There are days when I wonder why I fight it. I've no desire to have any part of ruling the world, but fear is such a useful tool. The foreman of my lumberyard would think twice about using his slippery fingers on my gold if I demonstrated a few of the more obscure German curses my father taught me." Theo dipped a finger into his glass and flicked a drop of amber liquid into the fire, where it died a hissing death.

"I love you, too," Theo turned at last too look at Draco, "forgive me my melancholy. I've no wish to see you throw away your own life in an attempt to save his."

[path_draco]

"But Theo, I have been watching them for six years. I know better than anyone how Potter thinks, how all of them think, and I also know that he is the key. I'm not trying to be the hero, but someone needs to protect him from himself, and there is no one else around." Draco brushed Theo's hair aside. "Sometimes I wonder if he's the only one that needs to be protected from himself."

[naught_common]

"If there is no one else around then it's not for lack of people. He's been surrounded since the day he stepped off that train. You, my friend," he said, catching Draco's hand in his own, "have time only to save one person. I'm very adept at taking care of myself, Draco. Let's deal with your problem, shall we?"

[path_draco]

He was trying to save himself. That was the proper answer, except that somewhere along the line, he'd become responsible for his family, and Severus, because as much as he was brilliant, he was also an idiot, ready to die for... something: ideology, guilt, penitence. Of course, there was Potter as well. Yet, Draco was standing here worrying about none of those people. "I know you can take care of yourself. That has never my concern. You know for years, the Weasel has called me evil, but he has no idea how wrong he is. He doesn't understand the darkness in people. I don't mean the Dark Lord. His is obvious. Darkness is more subtle, more dangerous. I see it in my father. You can always talk to me, Theo. I hope you know that." He kissed Theo's cheek, before leading him to the couch. "Let's get comfortable, shall we?"

[naught_common]

"And you see it in me." Theo had wondered on more than one occasion if that wasn't part of what drew Draco to him in the first place. "What would you speak of, Dragon." Theo sat and Draco into his lap, where he'd wanted him all along.

[path_draco]

Draco let his knuckles slide gently down Theo's cheek. "I see it in you - sometimes - but it's not the same. I don't see the same enjoyment at other people's pain in your eyes. In fact, I see you trying really hard not to cause pain." He rested his face against Theo's, throwing his arms around his lover. "We were talking about getting information from MacNair. That's the one subject we need to discuss. Everything else is up to you."

[naught_common]

Theo kissed the knuckles as they passed over his lips. "I am pleased that that is what you see." Theo returned the embrace, holding Draco close and turning his face to kiss the very corner of his mouth. "Ask Severus if he knows where MacNair does his drinking. I cast a fair glamour and am adept at fading into walls. I could listen to the bragging. It's likely to get more imaginative as the time draws closer." Theo was apparently out of his mind, but better him than Draco. The blond would be made mincemeat in a bar brawl.