Ficlet: Hearing Things (H/D, PG)
I was inspired to write a ghost!Malfoy ficlet. I dunno, it's kinda (really) pointless, but ghost!Draco really inspires me. I've written him once, and I can definitely see doing it again. Credit for said inspiration goes to malafede, who's my partner in porn crime, these days :D
Disclaimer: not mine. Not even a little.
Author's note: entirely inspired by malafede.
- Hearing things -
A short, stifled scream, then, "You again!"
"Missed me, precious?"
"You-- do you have to be so bloody-- underfoot?!"
"Did I scare you?" Smugly.
"No! No, just--" breath hissing, "just-- startled, is all."
A small chuckle. "Likely story, Potter."
"Don't bloody smirk at me, Malfoy."
"Heh. What're you gonna do, huh? Kill me? Avada Kedavra, baby. Come on, hit me with your best shot."
An exasperated sigh. "You never change, do you?"
"Is that a rhetorical question? Because-- you know-- kind of difficult at this point, wouldn't you say?"
"You weren't funny before, either. You know that, right." Flatly.
"Uptight prick." Muttering.
"Sodding git."
"Hypocrite."
"What are you doing here, by the way?"
"Don't you know by now?"
"No, no I don't. Why don't you tell me, then."
"I'm waiting, of course." A cocky grin.
"Waiting for what, exactly?"
"I'm waiting for you to notice."
A sigh. "I love her, Malfoy. It's over now, and I have a wife and child. Don't you understand that? It's over, and I've buried you."
"But you didn't, did you, Potter? You'd always let someone else do the dirty work, don't you remember? Trust a Gryffindor to look the other way when the wrong person is being given what they deserve by their Lord, eh?"
"I told you I can tell the wrong sort for myself, didn't I?"
"Are you proud, then? Proud of letting me die? Is it all nice and neat enough for you, or are you still sorry you didn't run me through yourself?" A sneer. "Well, here's your chance."
"What do you expect me to do with this?"
"Run me through, of course. For old times' sake, eh? I promise I'll bleed just like you want me to."
A grimace, then a sigh. "Where did you ever get the idea I wanted you bleeding?" The sound of shifting fabric, and something thumping softly against a wooden door.
"Conveniently forgetful, aren't we?"
"I can't believe you'd bring that up! That was fifth year and I had other things on my mind, okay? You probably said something about my parents like you always do, but who really cares. You were just convenient."
"Fresh meat, is that it?"
Breath hissing through clenched teeth. "Is this going somewhere, Malfoy? Because I think my wife has made dinner, and it's getting cold."
"I'm sorry, Potter." Sweetly. "Do I irritate you?"
"You don't bother me, Malfoy. I've seen you around even if you think I haven't, and it doesn't matter. You're just another ghost in a house full of ghosts by now. Make yourself at home if you want."
"Like this?"
"If you think lying starkers on my work-table will get a reaction out of me, you've got to try a bit harder, I have to say."
"Aww, you're no fun, Potter."
"And stop posing, for God's sake!"
"What, you aren't hard at the sight of me?"
The sound of a door slamming.
Yelling, "This isn't over by a long-shot, Potter!"
A soft whisper of a kiss connecting with skin. "Mmm, Harry, what's gotten into you?" A giggle. "Not that I mind, but Lily will be up soon and dinner's--"
"Shhh.... we'll just be quiet then."
"Oh, my heart be still, what a charming sight this is." Drawling.
"I hate you, Malfoy." A low growl.
"Not as much as you will, Potter. And not even close to how much I do. Not yet."
"Harry...?" Tentative.
"Nevermind, Ginny. He'll get bored soon. Let's just ignore him, all right?"
"If you want, dear."
"I can wait, Potter. Have your little sickening family time-- I've got more time than you can imagine."
The jarring sound of a baby's crying, quickly followed by the rapid fall of footsteps up the stairs.
"Don't you ever do something besides watch me, Malfoy?" Suddenly vicious.
"Oh Harry, Harry, Harry. I've never done anything but watch you, don't you know that?"
"What--?"
A cold, sharp grin. "She may have your life, Potter, and she could keep it. I swore I'll always have your death, and look-- see? I've got it-- I've finally got it."
The sharp wailing stops very suddenly, and it's silent enough to hear a pin drop.
The ghost is gone.
Disclaimer: not mine. Not even a little.
Author's note: entirely inspired by malafede.
- Hearing things -
A short, stifled scream, then, "You again!"
"Missed me, precious?"
"You-- do you have to be so bloody-- underfoot?!"
"Did I scare you?" Smugly.
"No! No, just--" breath hissing, "just-- startled, is all."
A small chuckle. "Likely story, Potter."
"Don't bloody smirk at me, Malfoy."
"Heh. What're you gonna do, huh? Kill me? Avada Kedavra, baby. Come on, hit me with your best shot."
An exasperated sigh. "You never change, do you?"
"Is that a rhetorical question? Because-- you know-- kind of difficult at this point, wouldn't you say?"
"You weren't funny before, either. You know that, right." Flatly.
"Uptight prick." Muttering.
"Sodding git."
"Hypocrite."
"What are you doing here, by the way?"
"Don't you know by now?"
"No, no I don't. Why don't you tell me, then."
"I'm waiting, of course." A cocky grin.
"Waiting for what, exactly?"
"I'm waiting for you to notice."
A sigh. "I love her, Malfoy. It's over now, and I have a wife and child. Don't you understand that? It's over, and I've buried you."
"But you didn't, did you, Potter? You'd always let someone else do the dirty work, don't you remember? Trust a Gryffindor to look the other way when the wrong person is being given what they deserve by their Lord, eh?"
"I told you I can tell the wrong sort for myself, didn't I?"
"Are you proud, then? Proud of letting me die? Is it all nice and neat enough for you, or are you still sorry you didn't run me through yourself?" A sneer. "Well, here's your chance."
"What do you expect me to do with this?"
"Run me through, of course. For old times' sake, eh? I promise I'll bleed just like you want me to."
A grimace, then a sigh. "Where did you ever get the idea I wanted you bleeding?" The sound of shifting fabric, and something thumping softly against a wooden door.
"Conveniently forgetful, aren't we?"
"I can't believe you'd bring that up! That was fifth year and I had other things on my mind, okay? You probably said something about my parents like you always do, but who really cares. You were just convenient."
"Fresh meat, is that it?"
Breath hissing through clenched teeth. "Is this going somewhere, Malfoy? Because I think my wife has made dinner, and it's getting cold."
"I'm sorry, Potter." Sweetly. "Do I irritate you?"
"You don't bother me, Malfoy. I've seen you around even if you think I haven't, and it doesn't matter. You're just another ghost in a house full of ghosts by now. Make yourself at home if you want."
"Like this?"
"If you think lying starkers on my work-table will get a reaction out of me, you've got to try a bit harder, I have to say."
"Aww, you're no fun, Potter."
"And stop posing, for God's sake!"
"What, you aren't hard at the sight of me?"
The sound of a door slamming.
Yelling, "This isn't over by a long-shot, Potter!"
A soft whisper of a kiss connecting with skin. "Mmm, Harry, what's gotten into you?" A giggle. "Not that I mind, but Lily will be up soon and dinner's--"
"Shhh.... we'll just be quiet then."
"Oh, my heart be still, what a charming sight this is." Drawling.
"I hate you, Malfoy." A low growl.
"Not as much as you will, Potter. And not even close to how much I do. Not yet."
"Harry...?" Tentative.
"Nevermind, Ginny. He'll get bored soon. Let's just ignore him, all right?"
"If you want, dear."
"I can wait, Potter. Have your little sickening family time-- I've got more time than you can imagine."
The jarring sound of a baby's crying, quickly followed by the rapid fall of footsteps up the stairs.
"Don't you ever do something besides watch me, Malfoy?" Suddenly vicious.
"Oh Harry, Harry, Harry. I've never done anything but watch you, don't you know that?"
"What--?"
A cold, sharp grin. "She may have your life, Potter, and she could keep it. I swore I'll always have your death, and look-- see? I've got it-- I've finally got it."
The sharp wailing stops very suddenly, and it's silent enough to hear a pin drop.
The ghost is gone.