Hoarding
Title: Hoarding
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Harry, Draco
Rating: PG
Warning(s): Pre-slash
Word count: 800
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This fic/drabble was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for:
♦ Birthday gift for bonfoi, with a prompt of Marauder's Map leads Harry to a precious treasure
♦ hp_creatures - photo prompts
Summary: Harry is convinced Malfoy is up to no good.
Malfoy was up to something; Harry just knew it. Hermione and Ron had both told him to let it go, reminding Harry that Malfoy was no longer a threat now that the war was over and they had returned to Hogwarts to complete their Seventh year classes. Harry, however, didn't seem to know how to relax. Constant vigilance!
Harry had taken to studying the Marauders' Map after dinner in the evenings. Some times, the map indicated that Malfoy was wandering the castle. This wouldn't be so strange, except that he seemed to favor areas that were still being renovated and had been declared off limits to students. As far as Harry was concerned, it only proved Malfoy was up to no good.
One Saturday night, Harry could stand it no longer. He grabbed his Invisibility Cloak and used it to slip out of the Gryffindor common room unnoticed. Harry utilized the map to track Malfoy down. He located the Slytherin on the third floor, near the room where Fluffy had once stood guard over the trapdoor. From his earlier observations, Harry knew Malfoy seemed to return to this area often. He followed the map to an obscure door, which was hidden in a crumbling alcove.
Harry pushed the door open a crack, wincing at the sound it made as it scraped across the stone floor. He heard a low growl, and Harry froze. When no further noise emanated from the room, Harry drew his wand and pushed the door open completely. He wasn't prepared for the sight that met his eyes.
A small, pale green dragon was hunkered on the floor, one taloned foot resting atop a pile of shiny items. Its silvery eyes were fixed on the doorway, and Harry was thankful that he was hidden underneath his cloak. Another rumbling growl came from the dragon, and its tongue flicked out as if to scent the air.
Harry hoped Malfoy hadn't fallen victim to the creature. He risked a glance at the map, frowning when he realized that Malfoy should be right in front of him. That was impossible, unless...
"Malfoy?" Harry whispered.
The dragon cocked its head at him.
Harry drew the cloak away from his head, and the creature growled again. Harry clutched his wand, ready to defend himself if necessary.
The dragon shimmered, and in its place stood Malfoy. "I'd ask what you're doing here, Potter," he said, "but I can guess the answer."
Harry could only stare at him in shock. "Malfoy?!"
Malfoy sat down on the floor beside his hoard. He picked up a Time Turner and fidgeted with it before glancing up at Harry once more. "Yes, I'm a dragon," he said. "No, I'm not an Animagus. It was a cruel punishment He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named inflicted on me when I refused to kill a Muggle. He said I needed to become more like my namesake."
Harry was surprised by the revelation. He had never seen any of this in his visions. "What are you doing with all this stuff?" he asked, gesturing at the pile of goblets, silver plates and jewel-encrusted objects.
"I can't help myself," said Malfoy. "Dragons are compelled to collect and hoard treasure. I wander around the castle, and any time I find something shiny, I bring it here." He glanced up at Harry and bit his lip. "Are you going to tell McGonagall?"
"I think she should know, if only to see if there's a cure for your, ah, your condition," Harry replied.
Malfoy's eyes narrowed on him. "What do you care?" he sneered.
Harry was surprised to discover he did care. "We all suffered during the war," he said. "None of us should continue to suffer now that it's over."
Malfoy ducked his head, but not before Harry saw an expression of relief on his face. He sighed and tossed the Time Turner onto the pile of objects. "Will I have to give up my treasures?" he asked, voice gruff.
"We'll deal with one thing at a time, I think," said Harry. "Besides, I don't think it's causing any harm that you've collected the items and placed them all in one spot."
Malfoy stood up and brushed off the seat of his trousers. "Let's go talk to the Headmistress and get this over with," he sighed.
"That's the spirit," Harry enthused. He stepped back and allowed Malfoy to precede him from the room. Harry's eyes were drawn to Malfoy's taut arse, and a prickle of awareness spread over his skin. Harry tucked his wand away. "Say, Malfoy," he began, "would you like to join me in the library to study some evening?"
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Harry, Draco
Rating: PG
Warning(s): Pre-slash
Word count: 800
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This fic/drabble was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for:
♦ Birthday gift for bonfoi, with a prompt of Marauder's Map leads Harry to a precious treasure
♦ hp_creatures - photo prompts
Summary: Harry is convinced Malfoy is up to no good.
Malfoy was up to something; Harry just knew it. Hermione and Ron had both told him to let it go, reminding Harry that Malfoy was no longer a threat now that the war was over and they had returned to Hogwarts to complete their Seventh year classes. Harry, however, didn't seem to know how to relax. Constant vigilance!
Harry had taken to studying the Marauders' Map after dinner in the evenings. Some times, the map indicated that Malfoy was wandering the castle. This wouldn't be so strange, except that he seemed to favor areas that were still being renovated and had been declared off limits to students. As far as Harry was concerned, it only proved Malfoy was up to no good.
One Saturday night, Harry could stand it no longer. He grabbed his Invisibility Cloak and used it to slip out of the Gryffindor common room unnoticed. Harry utilized the map to track Malfoy down. He located the Slytherin on the third floor, near the room where Fluffy had once stood guard over the trapdoor. From his earlier observations, Harry knew Malfoy seemed to return to this area often. He followed the map to an obscure door, which was hidden in a crumbling alcove.
Harry pushed the door open a crack, wincing at the sound it made as it scraped across the stone floor. He heard a low growl, and Harry froze. When no further noise emanated from the room, Harry drew his wand and pushed the door open completely. He wasn't prepared for the sight that met his eyes.
A small, pale green dragon was hunkered on the floor, one taloned foot resting atop a pile of shiny items. Its silvery eyes were fixed on the doorway, and Harry was thankful that he was hidden underneath his cloak. Another rumbling growl came from the dragon, and its tongue flicked out as if to scent the air.
Harry hoped Malfoy hadn't fallen victim to the creature. He risked a glance at the map, frowning when he realized that Malfoy should be right in front of him. That was impossible, unless...
"Malfoy?" Harry whispered.
The dragon cocked its head at him.
Harry drew the cloak away from his head, and the creature growled again. Harry clutched his wand, ready to defend himself if necessary.
The dragon shimmered, and in its place stood Malfoy. "I'd ask what you're doing here, Potter," he said, "but I can guess the answer."
Harry could only stare at him in shock. "Malfoy?!"
Malfoy sat down on the floor beside his hoard. He picked up a Time Turner and fidgeted with it before glancing up at Harry once more. "Yes, I'm a dragon," he said. "No, I'm not an Animagus. It was a cruel punishment He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named inflicted on me when I refused to kill a Muggle. He said I needed to become more like my namesake."
Harry was surprised by the revelation. He had never seen any of this in his visions. "What are you doing with all this stuff?" he asked, gesturing at the pile of goblets, silver plates and jewel-encrusted objects.
"I can't help myself," said Malfoy. "Dragons are compelled to collect and hoard treasure. I wander around the castle, and any time I find something shiny, I bring it here." He glanced up at Harry and bit his lip. "Are you going to tell McGonagall?"
"I think she should know, if only to see if there's a cure for your, ah, your condition," Harry replied.
Malfoy's eyes narrowed on him. "What do you care?" he sneered.
Harry was surprised to discover he did care. "We all suffered during the war," he said. "None of us should continue to suffer now that it's over."
Malfoy ducked his head, but not before Harry saw an expression of relief on his face. He sighed and tossed the Time Turner onto the pile of objects. "Will I have to give up my treasures?" he asked, voice gruff.
"We'll deal with one thing at a time, I think," said Harry. "Besides, I don't think it's causing any harm that you've collected the items and placed them all in one spot."
Malfoy stood up and brushed off the seat of his trousers. "Let's go talk to the Headmistress and get this over with," he sighed.
"That's the spirit," Harry enthused. He stepped back and allowed Malfoy to precede him from the room. Harry's eyes were drawn to Malfoy's taut arse, and a prickle of awareness spread over his skin. Harry tucked his wand away. "Say, Malfoy," he began, "would you like to join me in the library to study some evening?"