Fiction - 05 - Darker than you - Harry Potter
Title: Darker Than You
Fandom: Harry Potter
Category: Dark Fiction
Series: Battlefields Series
Note: Thanks to marcasita and off_that_bridge for beta help. 1,800 words. Previous parts are Here or Here
Feedback: Yes please that would be very nice. I'd like to hear what you think.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. Bless her.
Summary: Don't ask me that.
The water felt like heaven on his parched skin. Draco eased into the hot bath and sighed. That first night, he had been so filthy that he had needed to shower first before he could actually bathe. He hated showers and always had, but at that moment anything was welcome. No matter how many times Draco bathed, he couldn't remove the feeling of that place from his skin.
It had been almost two weeks since Granger had left him with Potter. He and Potter hadn't said more than two words to each other and that suited Draco just fine. He would have preferred not to be here at all, but he hadn't really anywhere else to go.
Right now all he wanted was to relax. Draco closed his eyes and slid into the water up to his chin. It was the first time he'd felt human in a long while. His body didn't ache as much as it had a few days before.
Draco frowned when he heard the distinct shouts of Potter complaining. He was not sure what the git was on about this time. Potter muttered to himself a lot. It wasn't as though it were anything Draco could actually comprehend, though Potter did seem very angry.
"I've set some clean clothes on your bed," Potter said, his voice suddenly right in the room. Draco sat up quickly, water sloshing over the edge of the tub and splashing the linoleum floor. He hastily covered himself with his hands.
"Knock next time, will you?" Draco squeaked.
Potter glanced at the wet floor. "You're cleaning that." With those words he ducked out of the room, leaving the bathroom door wide open. Draco shivered at the draft blowing in from the other room. Potter must have opened the window in the bedroom. Draco slid back down in the tub and submerged himself up to his neck, closing his eyes. He wasn't about to get out of the tub just to close the door. He was almost finished anyway.
After a moment, Draco drifted into a half sleep. He was thinking on the past few months when suddenly he felt somebody push at his shoulders. Draco's head was submerged in seconds. Draco thrashed and kicked, struggling hard against the strength of whoever held him down. He managed to land a few of his kicks on body parts, but his assailant was much too strong for him and as Draco lost the battle, he had the ridiculous thought that Potter would be cross at how much of a mess he was making. Just as Draco blacked out, he felt the weight pulled from him and everything stopped.
Draco awoke to find he was laid out on the cold, wet floor of the bathroom, coughing and desperately gasping for air, clutching at his throat. Potter knelt beside him, gripping Draco's shoulders tightly. His face was inches from Draco's and his eyes were wide with panic. For some inexplicable reason Draco's mouth was tingling.
Potter released his grip on Draco and slowly stood up, uselessly brushing at his drenched clothing.
"Get dressed," Potter said sharply. He barely spared a glance at Draco before turning away to leave him in privacy.
Draco sat up and looked down at himself. He was still completely naked. A flush rose to his cheeks, though it was much too late to be embarrassed. Potter had already seen him.
Draco shook violently as he stood up on shaky legs. Someone had just tried to drown him. The only other person in the house with him was Potter, but that made no sense. A million thoughts rushed through Draco's mind as he quickly slipped into the trousers and t-shirt that Potter had left for him to wear. He mindlessly yanked the towel from the rack and started to clean the spilt water.
"Malfoy! Get out here!" Potter shouted from the hallway. Draco dropped the sodden towel and rushed out of the room. Potter was rushing down the hall with his wand held at the ready. Draco jumped out of his way and flattened against the wall as Potter rushed past him. "Bloody hell!" Potter screamed, throwing his arms up in frustration. He stopped at the end of the hallway, looking round. He glanced back in Draco's direction and held his finger to his lips, but Draco had no intentions of making a sound.
Draco's heart pounded in his chest. Absently, he noted that he was dripping water all over the wooden floors. The t-shirt he'd put on had soaked up the water from his body and was quickly growing uncomfortable. It was stupid to be thinking such thoughts when the person who had just tried to kill him could still be in the house.
Potter relaxed and lowered his wand. "They're gone," he announced. "They must have Disapparated."
"Can they do that?" Draco asked, flinching when he realised he'd spoken. He hadn't meant to say anything at all, but it was out already and there was no taking it back.
Potter glared and walked back in the direction he'd come from. "Of course they can, you silly prat," he barked. He threw his arms in the air in exasperation and pulled at his own already messy hair. "I knew this was a big mistake. I told Hermione, but she wouldn't believe it."
"What are you going on about?" Draco asked. He was fed up with not knowing, and he was very much fed up with Potter ignoring him.
Potter leaned up against the wall and rubbed at his eyes. "There are some... people who think it's best if we're rid of all Death Eaters," he paused and looked up into Draco's eyes. "...permanently."
"You mean someone is out to..."
"Got it in one," Potter said as he marched past Draco. He stopped short at the sound of clatter coming from the front floor. Potter waved his wand over himself and muttered a cleaning spell.
"Harry!" Granger called up. She rushed up the stairs, out of breath, and stopped in her tracks when she spotted Draco and Potter.
"I'm going out," Potter said immediately. He shot a warning look at Draco and brushed past a baffled Granger to head down the steps. Draco didn't move until he'd heard the front door slam shut.
Granger motioned in the direction she'd come from. "I'll wait for you in the kitchen."
She left Draco to finish getting dressed. He found a pair of socks and some old trainers that were a size too big for him. A few moments later, he entered the kitchen to find that she'd spelled a meal together for the both of them. He quirked his lip and sat down in a seat.
"It's just..." Granger started to say as she settled into the chair right next to Draco. She urged him to dig in and Draco gladly picked up the spoon and sampled the tomato soup she'd set down in front of him. To his amazement, it was quite good.
They ate in silence. Draco felt better and better with each bite, and though they were both quiet, Granger's company was quite pleasant. Once they'd finished their meal, she quickly cleared the table before sitting back down in her chair. She settled her arms on the table and smiled at Draco.
"You're looking much healthier," she said with false cheer. Draco took the time to notice that Granger looked as though she were dressed for a party. She wore a fancy blue dress. The back of her hair was partly pinned up and looked as if it had recently been styled.
"You look as if you were on a date," he said. "It suits you," he added quickly. "I meant to say," Draco stumbled over the words, his cheeks heating up.
Granger crinkled her brow. "I was, actually," she said with a sad sigh.
"Oh," Draco mouthed. He suddenly felt very uncomfortable and very unsure of what to do or say. They'd never really been on good speaking terms back at Hogwarts, but the past year had altered his perspectives on so many things.
Granger stood and walked to the kitchen sink. Draco turned to watch her as she stared out the window into the backyard. "We had a row," she said with a touch of sorrow.
Still unsure of what to say, Draco stood and walked up behind her, hesitantly placing a hand on her shoulder.
Granger suddenly spun round to face him. Their eyes locked.
"Ron was so hacked off," Granger said softly. She was wringing her hands nervously, her eyes darting around.
Draco wasn't sure why she was telling him all this. He was never very good when it came to girls. Draco had never been on the best of terms with Weasley, especially after that incident with the sweet from Draco's mum. Draco hoped to never see or hear about him again in his lifetime.
"I suppose that lets him off the hook then," Draco said, turning away. He hadn't yet told Granger about the attempt on his life. He knew if she found out about it, chances were she'd force Potter to make them move. For some reason, Draco did not want to leave this house. It wasn't even that he felt safer here then anyplace else, and yet he didn't want to leave.
"What do you mean?" she asked, looking a bit put off.
Draco shook his head and turned away, suddenly feeling much too tired to deal with any of this. An uncomfortable silence fell between them and Draco wished that he could find the right words to console Granger, but he was never very good with the right words.
He looked up when Granger grabbed hold of his arm. "The doctor at St. Mungo's said someone cast Obliviate on me," she blurted.
Draco froze and his gut clenched. He hoped he'd to never have to talk about that day again. "It's best for all concerned that you not ask," he mumbled, shrinking away from her.
"I need to know. What happened? Why can't I remember most of what went on that day?" When Draco refused to answer she continued. "Something happened and I need to know what it was."
Draco turned his gaze from her, unable to look her in the eyes. She moved in closer and placed her hand on his cheek. He shook his head, swallowing past the lump that had formed in her throat.
The front door banged shut and moments later Potter marched in, holding a paper bag in his arms. Everyone froze. Draco's eyes went wide as Potter glared at them, curling his lip in disgust.
Granger moved away from Draco and cleared her throat. "I'd better be going. I've some work to do." She rushed from the kitchen without a goodbye.
Potter turned his back on him and left without a word.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Category: Dark Fiction
Series: Battlefields Series
Note: Thanks to marcasita and off_that_bridge for beta help. 1,800 words. Previous parts are Here or Here
Feedback: Yes please that would be very nice. I'd like to hear what you think.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. Bless her.
Summary: Don't ask me that.
The water felt like heaven on his parched skin. Draco eased into the hot bath and sighed. That first night, he had been so filthy that he had needed to shower first before he could actually bathe. He hated showers and always had, but at that moment anything was welcome. No matter how many times Draco bathed, he couldn't remove the feeling of that place from his skin.
It had been almost two weeks since Granger had left him with Potter. He and Potter hadn't said more than two words to each other and that suited Draco just fine. He would have preferred not to be here at all, but he hadn't really anywhere else to go.
Right now all he wanted was to relax. Draco closed his eyes and slid into the water up to his chin. It was the first time he'd felt human in a long while. His body didn't ache as much as it had a few days before.
Draco frowned when he heard the distinct shouts of Potter complaining. He was not sure what the git was on about this time. Potter muttered to himself a lot. It wasn't as though it were anything Draco could actually comprehend, though Potter did seem very angry.
"I've set some clean clothes on your bed," Potter said, his voice suddenly right in the room. Draco sat up quickly, water sloshing over the edge of the tub and splashing the linoleum floor. He hastily covered himself with his hands.
"Knock next time, will you?" Draco squeaked.
Potter glanced at the wet floor. "You're cleaning that." With those words he ducked out of the room, leaving the bathroom door wide open. Draco shivered at the draft blowing in from the other room. Potter must have opened the window in the bedroom. Draco slid back down in the tub and submerged himself up to his neck, closing his eyes. He wasn't about to get out of the tub just to close the door. He was almost finished anyway.
After a moment, Draco drifted into a half sleep. He was thinking on the past few months when suddenly he felt somebody push at his shoulders. Draco's head was submerged in seconds. Draco thrashed and kicked, struggling hard against the strength of whoever held him down. He managed to land a few of his kicks on body parts, but his assailant was much too strong for him and as Draco lost the battle, he had the ridiculous thought that Potter would be cross at how much of a mess he was making. Just as Draco blacked out, he felt the weight pulled from him and everything stopped.
Draco awoke to find he was laid out on the cold, wet floor of the bathroom, coughing and desperately gasping for air, clutching at his throat. Potter knelt beside him, gripping Draco's shoulders tightly. His face was inches from Draco's and his eyes were wide with panic. For some inexplicable reason Draco's mouth was tingling.
Potter released his grip on Draco and slowly stood up, uselessly brushing at his drenched clothing.
"Get dressed," Potter said sharply. He barely spared a glance at Draco before turning away to leave him in privacy.
Draco sat up and looked down at himself. He was still completely naked. A flush rose to his cheeks, though it was much too late to be embarrassed. Potter had already seen him.
Draco shook violently as he stood up on shaky legs. Someone had just tried to drown him. The only other person in the house with him was Potter, but that made no sense. A million thoughts rushed through Draco's mind as he quickly slipped into the trousers and t-shirt that Potter had left for him to wear. He mindlessly yanked the towel from the rack and started to clean the spilt water.
"Malfoy! Get out here!" Potter shouted from the hallway. Draco dropped the sodden towel and rushed out of the room. Potter was rushing down the hall with his wand held at the ready. Draco jumped out of his way and flattened against the wall as Potter rushed past him. "Bloody hell!" Potter screamed, throwing his arms up in frustration. He stopped at the end of the hallway, looking round. He glanced back in Draco's direction and held his finger to his lips, but Draco had no intentions of making a sound.
Draco's heart pounded in his chest. Absently, he noted that he was dripping water all over the wooden floors. The t-shirt he'd put on had soaked up the water from his body and was quickly growing uncomfortable. It was stupid to be thinking such thoughts when the person who had just tried to kill him could still be in the house.
Potter relaxed and lowered his wand. "They're gone," he announced. "They must have Disapparated."
"Can they do that?" Draco asked, flinching when he realised he'd spoken. He hadn't meant to say anything at all, but it was out already and there was no taking it back.
Potter glared and walked back in the direction he'd come from. "Of course they can, you silly prat," he barked. He threw his arms in the air in exasperation and pulled at his own already messy hair. "I knew this was a big mistake. I told Hermione, but she wouldn't believe it."
"What are you going on about?" Draco asked. He was fed up with not knowing, and he was very much fed up with Potter ignoring him.
Potter leaned up against the wall and rubbed at his eyes. "There are some... people who think it's best if we're rid of all Death Eaters," he paused and looked up into Draco's eyes. "...permanently."
"You mean someone is out to..."
"Got it in one," Potter said as he marched past Draco. He stopped short at the sound of clatter coming from the front floor. Potter waved his wand over himself and muttered a cleaning spell.
"Harry!" Granger called up. She rushed up the stairs, out of breath, and stopped in her tracks when she spotted Draco and Potter.
"I'm going out," Potter said immediately. He shot a warning look at Draco and brushed past a baffled Granger to head down the steps. Draco didn't move until he'd heard the front door slam shut.
Granger motioned in the direction she'd come from. "I'll wait for you in the kitchen."
She left Draco to finish getting dressed. He found a pair of socks and some old trainers that were a size too big for him. A few moments later, he entered the kitchen to find that she'd spelled a meal together for the both of them. He quirked his lip and sat down in a seat.
"It's just..." Granger started to say as she settled into the chair right next to Draco. She urged him to dig in and Draco gladly picked up the spoon and sampled the tomato soup she'd set down in front of him. To his amazement, it was quite good.
They ate in silence. Draco felt better and better with each bite, and though they were both quiet, Granger's company was quite pleasant. Once they'd finished their meal, she quickly cleared the table before sitting back down in her chair. She settled her arms on the table and smiled at Draco.
"You're looking much healthier," she said with false cheer. Draco took the time to notice that Granger looked as though she were dressed for a party. She wore a fancy blue dress. The back of her hair was partly pinned up and looked as if it had recently been styled.
"You look as if you were on a date," he said. "It suits you," he added quickly. "I meant to say," Draco stumbled over the words, his cheeks heating up.
Granger crinkled her brow. "I was, actually," she said with a sad sigh.
"Oh," Draco mouthed. He suddenly felt very uncomfortable and very unsure of what to do or say. They'd never really been on good speaking terms back at Hogwarts, but the past year had altered his perspectives on so many things.
Granger stood and walked to the kitchen sink. Draco turned to watch her as she stared out the window into the backyard. "We had a row," she said with a touch of sorrow.
Still unsure of what to say, Draco stood and walked up behind her, hesitantly placing a hand on her shoulder.
Granger suddenly spun round to face him. Their eyes locked.
"Ron was so hacked off," Granger said softly. She was wringing her hands nervously, her eyes darting around.
Draco wasn't sure why she was telling him all this. He was never very good when it came to girls. Draco had never been on the best of terms with Weasley, especially after that incident with the sweet from Draco's mum. Draco hoped to never see or hear about him again in his lifetime.
"I suppose that lets him off the hook then," Draco said, turning away. He hadn't yet told Granger about the attempt on his life. He knew if she found out about it, chances were she'd force Potter to make them move. For some reason, Draco did not want to leave this house. It wasn't even that he felt safer here then anyplace else, and yet he didn't want to leave.
"What do you mean?" she asked, looking a bit put off.
Draco shook his head and turned away, suddenly feeling much too tired to deal with any of this. An uncomfortable silence fell between them and Draco wished that he could find the right words to console Granger, but he was never very good with the right words.
He looked up when Granger grabbed hold of his arm. "The doctor at St. Mungo's said someone cast Obliviate on me," she blurted.
Draco froze and his gut clenched. He hoped he'd to never have to talk about that day again. "It's best for all concerned that you not ask," he mumbled, shrinking away from her.
"I need to know. What happened? Why can't I remember most of what went on that day?" When Draco refused to answer she continued. "Something happened and I need to know what it was."
Draco turned his gaze from her, unable to look her in the eyes. She moved in closer and placed her hand on his cheek. He shook his head, swallowing past the lump that had formed in her throat.
The front door banged shut and moments later Potter marched in, holding a paper bag in his arms. Everyone froze. Draco's eyes went wide as Potter glared at them, curling his lip in disgust.
Granger moved away from Draco and cleared her throat. "I'd better be going. I've some work to do." She rushed from the kitchen without a goodbye.
Potter turned his back on him and left without a word.