An Incomplete Picture (H/D, PG-13)
Title: An Incomplete Picture
Author:
sesheta_66
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1177
Pairing/Characters: Harry/Draco
Challenge: AWDT challenge "Read my mind" and
hd_angst prompt "Pensieve"
Warnings: No beta.
Summary: Draco knows what he saw - but was it the whole picture?
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. They belong to JK Rowling and her publishers. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
"What exactly is your problem?" Harry screamed at Draco.
"You are."
"And why is that?"
"What were you doing with Zacharius Smith tonight?"
"Nothing. We had a discussion. That's all."
"Really, because that's not what it looked like."
"And what exactly did it look like?"
"I don't know Potter. Why don't you tell me. Everyone I talked to said that you practically dragged him into the back room, and that it didn't look like you were going to have a chat."
"Everyone you talked to? And who might that have been? And why the hell would you talk to other people instead of me?"
"Maybe because they'll tell me the truth," he ventured. The words weren't even out of his mouth before Draco knew he had crossed the line.
"And what, might I ask, do you think I will tell you?" Harry asked, moving closer to Draco, eyes flashing menacingly. "Do you think I'm lying to you?"
"Are you?"
"Let's see. You get information from others, storm out of the pub, refuse to talk to me, accuse me of lying, and now you are asking me if you are right. Have I got that straight?"
"Just tell me the truth Harry. Why were you so interested in getting Smith alone?"
"I told you, we talked. I needed to have a few words with him, I did, and that's it."
Draco, knowing what he saw with his own two eyes, couldn't accept what Harry was saying to him. The image of Harry kissing Smith would forever remain etched in his mind. Harry grasping Smith's shirt, Smith pulling him in closer. It was too much for him. He knew Harry was abysmal at Occlumency, and he needed to know why Harry had done this to him ... he just needed to.
"No!" Harry screamed as the first images of the encounter between Harry and Smith flashed before Draco's eyes. He pushed Draco back, angrier than Draco had ever seen him before. "You want to read my mind, do you Draco? Fine then!" Harry went to the cupboard, pulled out his Pensieve, and placed it on the table. He took his wand, removed a few strands of memory, and gave Draco a venomous stare. "There you go. Enjoy the show!" Harry put on his cloak and told Draco, "I'm leaving." With the familiar crack of Apparition, he was gone.
Now that he was face-to-face with the memory, Draco wasn't so sure he wanted to see it. He didn't know if he could stand witnessing Harry's betrayal again, this time with the conversation that went along with it. He left the room to get a cup of tea and steel his nerves for what was to come. He wanted his mind clear when he watched the memories. He didn't want to have to see it more than once, so he didn't want to dull the edges with alcohol. There would be plenty of time to drown his sorrows later.
After almost half an hour, he went back into the room, figuring he was as ready as he would ever be. He swirled the contents with his wand, then leaned into the memories. He was back at the pub, and Harry was approaching Smith quickly. "Smith. Back room. Now!" he barked at the blonde. Smith looked surprised, but rather delighted. As he left the room, he smiled and winked at several onlookers. Bastard!
Draco followed the two into the back room, where Harry locked the door and put up a silencing charm. Oh, God. I don't want to hear this. "What the fuck is your problem Smith?"
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," came the reply. He held his usual confident stance, but his face told another story. He was worried.
"I'm sure you do, you sneaky bastard! What are you trying to do to Draco? Is it some sort of blackmail you are planning? I know you've been snooping around in his past, his family's past. I know you've been gathering information about him. What's your game, Smith?" Draco recognized the pent-up anger in Harry, as he watched him keep his cool, keep his distance, clenching and unclenching his fists as they hung at his sides. He was ready to blow.
"I was having him investigated for you, if you must know."
"What?!?"
"For you, Harry. You must know that he's no good for you. I know it. My friends know it. Most of our former classmates know it. Half of the bloody wizarding world knows it. Apparently, you're one of the few that doesn't. So I was trying to enlighten you." A look of triumph came over his face, as though he had just made the most important discovery known to wizard kind.
"Listen you slimy little bastard," Harry began, inching his way towards Smith. "There is nothing - I repeat, nothing - that you could tell me about Draco Malfoy that I don't already know, or that he would feel the need to keep from me." Draco was distracted by the image of himself peering in through a back door that Harry hadn't bothered locking. Harry moved closer to Smith. "You don't know Draco. You know nothing about him," he continued. "And you know what, Smith?" Harry growled ominously. Smith just shook his head. "You are not fit to lick his boots."
"Oh, but I would never lower myself to do such a thing," Smith countered. "However, there are a few places on you I would gladly lick," he told Harry. At that, Harry grabbed Smith by the shirt, shoving him hard against the wall.
"Is that what this is about?" he breathed into the other man's face. "You would ruin a man's reputation because you wanted to make a move on his -- " Harry didn't have the chance to finish his sentence before Smith wrapped his arms around him, pulled him close, and slammed his mouth down over Harry's. Draco watched as his own image walked away from the door.
Harry threw Smith off him, slamming him into the wall and breaking all contact. "Never. Touch. Me. Again." He wiped off his mouth with the back of his sleeve. "You make me sick. You would ruin a man's life for your own personal gain, without any thought. You are a low life, Smith. I want everything - I mean everything delivered to me tonight. There will be no record of what you dug up on Draco. You have one hour. You don't need any more time than that, so don't even bother asking. If you don't do as I say, I promise you, you will pay. You may not have heard, but I am actually a very powerful wizard. You'd do best not to test me. Now get the fuck out of my sight, before I hex your balls off."
The memory faded, and Draco found himself, once again, back in their flat. Alone. "Harry!" he called, knowing he wasn't going to get an answer. "Harry?" Still nothing. Oh God, what have I done?