ATtD Ch17
“Are you alright?” George asked, peering down at Draco. He was horribly worried but he wouldn’t let the ferret know it. For a while he had been afraid that Voldemort had put him under the Cruciatus Curse; he had never seen the boy break down like that before.
Fred held back, not sure if they should wake him but really needing to know if the plan had worked. “Come on kid, snap out of it.” George prodded, wiping Draco’s dried tears with a damp cloth. “Did he buy it? Can you leave?”
Draco blinked up at the freckly redhead and nodded. “He thinks I tried to hide the trial from him; it’s perfect.” Draco whispered. “I got him to cut back on the guards. He’s a jealous bastard… you two are coming with me. We’ll be leaving soon, possibly tomorrow.”
Relief settled through the twins. “Thank the gods.” Fred sighed, sitting down. George wasn’t completely satisfied though and urged Draco to continue. “What happened? You looked pretty spooked when you came in.”
Stretching out, Draco carefully considered the question before blurting out. “I should have been born a girl. I’ve got a knack for the whole seduction thing I think… Leaves you permanently scarred after, unfortunately.”
“What are you saying? You… um… you… ewwwwwww!”
“I did nothing of the sort.” Draco glared. “I hardly had to do anything at all.”
“EWWWWWWW!!!!” The twins cried in unison, scrubbing at their eyes and ears.
“That’s not what I meant!” He sat up in a huff and threw the nearest pillow at the two. “I’m just saying… well, I think I may be pretty.” He scrunched his nose thoughtfully. “Or the Dark Lord is just a horn dog.” He turned to the twins questioningly.
“Let’s hope you’re pretty.” George said seriously. “That other mental image is too sickening to handle.”
“So… you seduced him?” Fred asked carefully.
“Basically. The idea just came to me. He was already all over me; all I had to was kick in with the old training and manipulate…” He paused at George and Fred’s combined looks of horror. “Grow up already! My point is he was so busy looking at me-yes looking you perverted wanking bastards-that he practically gave me what I wanted with hardly any questions! I’m telling you, there’s something to this.” He turned thoughtful again. “I think I may be alarmingly pretty… I have to learn how to exploit this. You know, before he kills me.” He eyed the twins appraisingly.
“…What?” George flinched away.
Draco smiled his most innocent smile. The twins immediately jumped off the bed.
“Come on. I need someone to try this out on.” Draco pouted.
“Sorry man, we’ve played this game on hundreds of kids.” George laughed nervously. “We’re not stupid enough to be guinea pigs.” Fred added, taking a step back.
Draco bit his lip, looking down and picking at a loose thread on the comforter. “I’m not asking much. All you have to do is sit there, that’s all. It’s not like I’d hurt you two; you’re my friends now.”
After an exchange of guilty glances the twins sat back down. “Fine. What do we have to do?”
With a wicked smile, Draco plopped onto his elbows and regarded the boys smugly.
“You are a girl!” George yelled, realizing how easily they had been played. “Evil! Evil pretty!”
Draco just smiled and rested his head on his hands. “Told you. It’s as bad as the Imperious but you don’t even realize it’s working. Now hug me.”
“What… why?” Twin gazes of suspicion regarded him.
“Because I feel horribly dirty, alone, and I need a bloody hug.” Draco sighed deeply.
With a start, they realized that Draco had started crying again. “You’re a very confusing kid, Malfoy.” George whispered even as he joined his brother in comforting the mournful boy. “What’s wrong?”
Draco just buried his head in his shoulder and took a long breath. “I’ll be dead by the end of the week. Let me be sad and pathetic just for a bit.” The answer seemed to satisfy their curiosity but it warranted a response they couldn’t quite grasp. They fell silent, huddled together.
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Fred held back, not sure if they should wake him but really needing to know if the plan had worked. “Come on kid, snap out of it.” George prodded, wiping Draco’s dried tears with a damp cloth. “Did he buy it? Can you leave?”
Draco blinked up at the freckly redhead and nodded. “He thinks I tried to hide the trial from him; it’s perfect.” Draco whispered. “I got him to cut back on the guards. He’s a jealous bastard… you two are coming with me. We’ll be leaving soon, possibly tomorrow.”
Relief settled through the twins. “Thank the gods.” Fred sighed, sitting down. George wasn’t completely satisfied though and urged Draco to continue. “What happened? You looked pretty spooked when you came in.”
Stretching out, Draco carefully considered the question before blurting out. “I should have been born a girl. I’ve got a knack for the whole seduction thing I think… Leaves you permanently scarred after, unfortunately.”
“What are you saying? You… um… you… ewwwwwww!”
“I did nothing of the sort.” Draco glared. “I hardly had to do anything at all.”
“EWWWWWWW!!!!” The twins cried in unison, scrubbing at their eyes and ears.
“That’s not what I meant!” He sat up in a huff and threw the nearest pillow at the two. “I’m just saying… well, I think I may be pretty.” He scrunched his nose thoughtfully. “Or the Dark Lord is just a horn dog.” He turned to the twins questioningly.
“Let’s hope you’re pretty.” George said seriously. “That other mental image is too sickening to handle.”
“So… you seduced him?” Fred asked carefully.
“Basically. The idea just came to me. He was already all over me; all I had to was kick in with the old training and manipulate…” He paused at George and Fred’s combined looks of horror. “Grow up already! My point is he was so busy looking at me-yes looking you perverted wanking bastards-that he practically gave me what I wanted with hardly any questions! I’m telling you, there’s something to this.” He turned thoughtful again. “I think I may be alarmingly pretty… I have to learn how to exploit this. You know, before he kills me.” He eyed the twins appraisingly.
“…What?” George flinched away.
Draco smiled his most innocent smile. The twins immediately jumped off the bed.
“Come on. I need someone to try this out on.” Draco pouted.
“Sorry man, we’ve played this game on hundreds of kids.” George laughed nervously. “We’re not stupid enough to be guinea pigs.” Fred added, taking a step back.
Draco bit his lip, looking down and picking at a loose thread on the comforter. “I’m not asking much. All you have to do is sit there, that’s all. It’s not like I’d hurt you two; you’re my friends now.”
After an exchange of guilty glances the twins sat back down. “Fine. What do we have to do?”
With a wicked smile, Draco plopped onto his elbows and regarded the boys smugly.
“You are a girl!” George yelled, realizing how easily they had been played. “Evil! Evil pretty!”
Draco just smiled and rested his head on his hands. “Told you. It’s as bad as the Imperious but you don’t even realize it’s working. Now hug me.”
“What… why?” Twin gazes of suspicion regarded him.
“Because I feel horribly dirty, alone, and I need a bloody hug.” Draco sighed deeply.
With a start, they realized that Draco had started crying again. “You’re a very confusing kid, Malfoy.” George whispered even as he joined his brother in comforting the mournful boy. “What’s wrong?”
Draco just buried his head in his shoulder and took a long breath. “I’ll be dead by the end of the week. Let me be sad and pathetic just for a bit.” The answer seemed to satisfy their curiosity but it warranted a response they couldn’t quite grasp. They fell silent, huddled together.
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