52Chapter 2
Chapter Two: Dark Hallways
Harry's POV
He should have stayed in the common room but listening to Hermione going on and on about their latest Charms homework had pushed him too far. He was finding it harder and harder to be around her, and Ron, without losing his temper.
They were supposed to be his best friends, but lately, he was noticing things about them that had him doubting that. Things like how Ron always seemed mad at him for one thing or another, but when they went out in public, Ron was always at his side acting like nothing was wrong.
Ron's anger wasn't new. Harry had always assumed that Ron's anger had to do with his jealously over the things Harry had that he didn't. The fame from being the Boy Who Lived and money he inherited from his parents, but lately, it seemed Ron was angry at him for just being Harry.
There was also how Hermione was always at his side when he was studying or during class but more and more she spent less time with him and more with her other friends. He hadn't thought much of it at first, figuring she was a girl and that she wanted to just hang out with other girls. After all what girl wanted to spend all their time with two boys. He didn't mind them spending time together without him, but with how often it happened he was starting to feel left out. He found himself wondering if maybe they were secretly dating and were unsure how to tell him. But when he confronted them, they got angry and yelled at him that he didn't know what he was talking about. The redhead had then stormed out, and Hermione just gave him an 'I can't believe you' look.
The outburst left him even more confused. He wouldn't understand the change in their attitudes, until about two weeks later. He'd been sitting in what he had mentally dubbed his hideaway, which was actually an alcove he discovered the year before when he heard them whispering to each other. They obviously didn't know he was there because as they walked by he could hear their hushed conversation about how unhappy they were and that they didn't like him being around all the time. Ron had made a comment about how they shouldn't have to deal with all his drama. He had been dumbfounded.
He just sat there mouth open, staring at them. The two didn't stay close enough for him to hear the rest and he was a little grateful because he didn't think he wanted to hear more. The way they talked about him reminded him of how they spoke about Malfoy. Not how friends talked about each other. If he hadn't heard it himself he would never have believed it. Even now, he could hardly believe it, they were supposed to be his friends.
Once they were far enough away, he got up and rushed back to the dorms. He was able to avoid them for a few days after that, but eventually, they sought him out. He'd be happy at first, thinking that maybe it had just been a misunderstanding. That maybe he has just caught them on a bad day and Ron had been venting but this nagging feeling in the back of his mind told him to keep his eye out, to watch them closely and see if he had been right. And slowly he realized his best friends hated him.
Crushed, he tried his best to give them space, but as the days dragged on he felt himself growing angrier. How had he missed the subtle things they did around him that showed their true feelings? Or how when he was around they acted the same as they always had but the second he was out of their sight, they became cruel and mean.
All this led to where he was now, wandering around the corridors past curfew in a desperate attempt to clear his mind. Besides, if he had stayed in the common room any longer he would have snapped at Hermione.
Hearing footsteps echoing along the hallways he rushed to find a place to hide. Sliding into one of the long dark shadows behind one of the castles many statues, he inched back hoping to stay unseen by the caretaker. He was surprised to hit something soft, a yelp escaping his throat as he tried to move away but whoever was behind him must have anticipated this, as a hand quickly moved to cover his mouth. An arm encircled his waist, halting any attempt at an escape.
No longer worrying about being caught, he tried to pull away and reach for his wand. The arm around his waist moved, slipping over his arm and pinning it at his side, leaving him trapped against their chest and unable to get to his wand.
"Shut up Potter!" a voice hissed in his ear as he struggled to break free from what seemed to be an iron-clad hold. He froze as he recognized the flat, cold tone.
'Just my luck,' he thought.
Of fucking course. He really should have expected something like this, considering how things have been going for him. His friends turned out to be liars who hated him, Sirius hadn't returned any of his letters, and he apparently couldn't even trust his headmaster. Why wouldn't he end up trapped, and hiding from Filch with Draco Malfoy? The only decent surprise was that so far the Slytherin hadn't tossed him out to get caught.
They stayed like that, pressed close together, Malfoy's steadying breathing in his ear as they listened to Filch walking around talking to his damn cat.
Draco's POV
"Where are your two sidekicks?" Draco heard himself whisper before he could stop himself. He had noticed that Potter and his friends didn't seem to be getting along. He had spotted Potter alone more often than not, none of his usual tagalongs hanging about. Plus, whenever he saw the trio together, there seemed to be tension amongst them. He had wondered why, but given their rivalry, he didn't think he would ever get a chance to ask.
It seemed now was the perfect opportunity.
Potter once again began to struggle against him, but Draco's hold didn't budge. His strength had increased over the summer due to his inheritance kicking in.
Most pure-blooded families had a little something extra mixed in. Meaning when they hit a certain age they come into a family inheritance. While it is well known amongst pure-blood and older wizarding families, it's less known by muggle borns or newer families. Over the centuries it had become something of an open secret. His own father had given him a large leather-bound book and told him to read it, but speak of it to no one outside of family or his godfather. What they were capable of was to remain a complete secret, as was the norm for many other families.
He gave a light chuckle as Potter continued to squirm in his arms.
"Are you fighting with Weasel and the Mudblood?" he whispered, leaning down so he was closer to the stubborn Gryffindor's ear. He had been expecting the other to yell at him, demand he never say that word again. Something, anything to defend his precious friends, but the smaller teen remained silent.
He huffed in annoyance, trying again. "I've noticed, you seem to prefer their company less nowadays," he said, hoping to gain some kind of reaction from the now still boy in his arms. Something that showed him the old Potter, the one he had been fighting and bickering with for years. Not the quiet withdrawn person he had seen around lately.
He had just opened his mouth to try again when Filch's voice carried down the hallway.
"Do you hear anything, Mrs. Norris?"
He stiffened as footsteps grew closer, feeling Potter do the same.
"Kids, out past curfew," the man muttered with malicious glee, "detentions for them - should be expelled if you ask me" Draco couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes at this, the old caretaker was just pathetic.
"We'll find them," the man said as he walked past the spot they were hiding in. He felt the smaller body pressed against him tense even further, hearing him suck in a breath. Draco tightened his hold, silently telling him to stay quiet.
Luckily, it didn't take long for the squib to walk right past them, all while muttering to his cat about things he wanted to do to the students once he found them.
Neither dared to move until long after Filch's footsteps disappeared. Draco felt himself relax only to have the air knocked out of him when Potter slammed an elbow into his stomach.
"Fuck," he swore breathlessly, releasing the other boy. Potter quickly moved out of arm's reach before turning and glaring at him. Draco straightened, narrowing his eyes right back- refusing to look weak in front of Potter of all people.
"Rude," he hissed at the other boy, rubbing at the spot on his stomach where he was sure a bruise was forming. "I should have let you get caught."
Potter laughed at him mockingly, "You would have been caught, just the same," he snapped. There was an almost defeated hint to his voice like Potter just didn't care anymore. Before Draco could question it, Potter turned his back to him and walk away.
He called after him, pissed at being ignored.
Harry's POV
"Potter!" Harry heard Malfoy called after him.
'What the hell does Malfoy care about my problems?' he thought, feeling a sense of loss. It should be his friends demanding answers out of him, not his rival. Despite the fact their friendship was faked, he still expected them to notice him pulling away, or at least his growing resentment towards them.
Lost in his head, he didn't hear the other boy's fast approaching footsteps until his arm was suddenly grabbed and he was pulled to a stop.
"Don't walk away from me," Malfoy demanded, glaring at him.
"Let go of me," he growled, trying in vain to pull his arm free. 'When the hell did Malfoy get so strong.'
"Not until you answer my question," the Slytherin said tightening his hold. "What the hell is wrong with the Golden Trio?"
He stopped struggling as he tried to look anywhere but the blonde. He could always deny it, tell Malfoy that whatever he thought he noticed was wrong. Even if the other said something about it to someone, no one would ever believe the mischievous Draco Malfoy over him. After all, the Golden Trio was famous for their close friendship. It would just be rumor gossip, he had survived worse.
Logically he knew that if the Slytherin had noticed, others soon would too, and maybe there was a part of him that wanted someone to notice, that wanted someone else to see their friendship crumbling so he wouldn't have to face it alone. Hell, it would make it easier when the time came to end their friendship.
Thinking about it this way made lying look pointless, not that he would admit any of this to Malfoy.
"None of your business, Malfoy," he snarled, unable to control his anger. He didn't want to think about this anymore. He didn't want to think about Ron or Hermione. All he had been able to do as of late was think about them, or the headmaster, or Sirius. He was tired of thinking, and tired of Draco bloody Malfoy demanding answers to things Harry himself didn't even understand. It made everything feel that much worse.
Again, he tried to wrench his arm away, growling when it didn't come free. The other boy's grip didn't even falter, in fact, it only seemed to grow tighter. Annoyed, he pulled his whole body backwards until Malfoy was left with no other option but to let go or be dragged along.
"So, there is something." the blonde said smugly, following his steps instead of releasing him. Harry wanted to slam his head against something in annoyance. Why wouldn't Malfoy just leave him alone?
"What does it matter to you?" he asked, even though all he wanted was to scream at the other teen. He wanted to tell him to fuck off, that it didn't concern him, but he knew that would only bring Filch back their way.
"Curiosity," Malfoy muttered, looking almost sheepish.
"Curiosity killed the cat," he mumbled to the annoying blonde. He had learned the phrase at a young age. First from his uncle who detested questions, then later from Dudley who followed in his father's footsteps. It filled him with a sick sort of satisfaction to use it against someone else, to taunt another such as Malfoy with the phrase that had been used against him for so long.
"What?" the other asked, raising an elegant brow.
Rolling his eyes, Harry tried again to free his arm. Actually surprised when this time it came free, the sudden freedom causing him to stumble backwards until his back pressed into the wall behind him. He glared at the Slytherin.
"It's a muggle saying," he answered, he had to suppress yet another eye-roll when Malfoy's face twisted into disgust.
"Muggle's are-" Harry heard Malfoy's voice catch as the Slytherin suddenly stopped talking. The blonde's face remarkably becoming paler. His eyes widening as he took a careful step backwards, "Potter…"
Harry's heart skipped a beat at the sudden fear on the other man's face, wondering for a second what could possibly make Malfoy afraid of him. Then a strange and sudden warmth spread across the back of his shoulders, making him realize it wasn't him the blonde was afraid of.
He took a chance and looked over his shoulder and couldn't fathom what he was seeing. The heat seemed to radiate from a floating array of light. Various shades of blues and white swirled and tangled around each other. Whatever it was it appeared to be growing bigger and headed towards them. He tried to step away, but it was like his feet were suddenly stuck in deep sand. Each step took tremendous effort, and his feet barely came off the ground. He turned frantically towards Malfoy, only to see he was having the same problem.
He opened his mouth to scream for help, when without warning his feet were wrenched away from the ground. He was distantly aware of Malfoy screaming, as he was hurled backwards towards the encompassing heat. He reached out in panic desperately trying to catch something, anything to grab a hold of. Anything to stop his descent into the terrifying anomaly. He felt his finger brush against the cool stone of one of the castle walls, but he was quickly ripped away.
The anomaly burned and scorched his skin as he tumbled through it. He tried looking around, hoping to locate Malfoy but felt disoriented amongst the bright blue and white lights. The odd combination of overwhelming brightness and the feeling of falling caused his head to pound. Even in his confused state, he noticed a large mass racing towards him, dark spots spread across his vision and pain surged through his head. The last thing he heard before the darkness took him was Malfoy screaming.