Delicious As Sin

Chapter 6

By PinkSunRise

       

Harry was visibly shaken after reading the book. He tried to push away all thoughts of his dreams and dream spells. After all, he still had plenty of time left in History of Magic. He used the rest of class to glance over Transfiguration notes Hermione had taken. Of course she had helped him catch up on his missed work, but he still had plenty of work that still needed to be finished. He groaned and mentally thanked the gods that his grades hadn’t taken too much of a drastic decline. As History of Magic ended, Ron groaned at Harry.

"Why do we have to take that bloody class anyway? He must have been teaching the same thing for thousands of years!"

Hermione gave Ron a disapproving look, but her lips twitched slightly indicating some hidden amusement.

They made their way to Divination where Hermione let out an audible snort.

"I wonder why Dumbledore hired that crazy old bat anyway," Hermione said under her breath and Ron burst into laughter.

"My, my Mione…" he mocked and she slapped him playfully on the arm. Harry smiled as he watched his two friends bicker and flirt with each other. He idly wondered how Professor Trelawney would predict his death today. As she entered the classroom and swept passed Ron he coughed and wheezed slightly.

"Was that... perfume?" he managed and a few students let out a snickered of amusement.

"Today, children, we shall learn how to read palms."

Everyone groaned audibly, and she shushed them.

"I would like you all to turn to your partner and find they’re life line."

Ron bent over and examined Harry’s hand with confusion.

"Trouble, Mr. Weasley?" she asked and swept towards them. She grasped Harry’s hand and held it up to her face.

"Why Harry… I see your death."

Everyone in the class rolled their eyes. Most people were wondering when Harry would actually die so Trelawney might actually be able to have a correct ‘vision.’

"I see… Voldemort."

There were a few whispers in the class.

"Silence! Except… he looks younger… almost dream like. He’s giving you… poison. He’s trying to pretend he cares for you…"

Most of the class was whispering loudly. Harry snatched his hand away.

"Thank you, Professor Trelawney, but I’m sure I’m not going to die any time soon." he said sarcastically. The rest of Divination passed by in Harry trying to decipher Ron’s love life from line lines on his palm. A little voice in Harry’s head was nagging him about Trelawney’s vision. ‘She thinks I’m going to die everyday. Why would this once actually come true?’ he thought. As class ended he exited quickly. Everyday seemed to pass faster than normal, and classes passed in a blur. He was always waiting for the night to come so he could dream.

He stood in the corridor waiting for Ron and Hermione.

"I still think she’s a crazy old woman who doesn’t know what she says." Hermione said firmly to Ron.

"But Mione wouldn’t you just love to tell fortunes from tea leaves?" Ron joked and he gazed at Harry.

"Come on, Harry, cheer up. She thinks you’re going to die every second of the day. I think some sort of monster is gonna swallow her up first."

"That’s mean," Hermione said.

"Look, he was calling her a crazy old bat," Harry said as they made their way down to the Great Hall.

There was enough idle chitchat going on around him to allow him to think about the spells. All of them frightened him to the core. Tom had said… that he had cared about him. Could it really be just to kill him? But why go to all the effort.

A sharp tug at his sleeve brought Harry’s attention back to his table.

"Not hungry?" asked Ginny who looked at him concerned. She, of course, had changed as well. She was no longer the little girl that followed him around like a puppy dog. She was a beautiful young woman. Her fire red hair had deepened in color to a light burgundy color, and she had grown into her figure. He wondered briefly who she had set her sights on.

"No, not really."

"You’re not too tired, are you?" she asked.

"Serves you right for taking on that extra credit project then, doesn't it?" remarked Ron from across the table, speaking with a mouthful of half-chewed meat and potato. Hermione grimaced and stared down at the table.

"No, actually, I got a good night’s sleep. Ron, learn some manners," retorted Harry. "I swear, if your mother could see you now ..." he laughed, mimicking Ginny. Ginny gasped in mock indignation and poked Harry sharply in the ribs.

"You were never violent!" he protested.

"Only when provoked!" she retorted.

After eating, Hermione dragged Harry off to the library so he could continue on his work. Ron mildly offered to accompany them, but Harry waved him off. He looked relieved and wandered off to the Quidditch pitch. Harry lost himself in the work only standing to retrieve and occasional book. He glanced upwards when he felt a sharp gaze rest on him. He looked up to meet hazel eyes.

"You seem to lose yourself often, Harry. I called you five times."

"Sorry, Mione," he mumbled, "I just wanted to get the work done, you know."

"I know," she whispered.

Later, Harry sat and stared at the fire in the common room, a book lying in his lap forgotten. It had been mostly there to discourage the other Gryffindors in the common room from disturbing him. He sat, with his stomach satisfied, after dinner, and he was left with more work to complete.

Behind him, he could hear conversations blending together, Ron and Seamus were discussing the Chudley Cannon's latest game, and Lavender and Parvati were discussing cosmetics.

The fire flickered up gently, and the flames danced upwards like dancers doing pirouettes in the air settling as red embers among the gray ashes.

"Harry?"

Harry looked up at Ron.

"You were miles away, Harry, what were you thinking about? I've had to call your name three times already - do you want a game of chess?"

‘Seems everyone has had to call my name a dozen times today.’ Harry thought mentally chiding himself for allowing his self to slip away too easily. He knew that if he continued like this, his roommates would start to get worried, and that was something he didn’t want to add to his ‘To Deal with List’. He was grateful for Ron just being Ron and continuing to speak without even waiting for an answer to the question. Harry glanced at the clock and realized it was almost time to meet Draco.

"Not now, Ron. I'm… I need to finish this work and then I have to go see Snape. I’m probably not gonna be back for a while.

Ron grinned, "Looks like you're getting awfully familiar with Snape."

Harry frowned.

"Ron, stop you’re making my stomach feel queasy just thinking things like that."

Ron’s grinned widened as he laughed. He patted Harry on the back.

"See you later," Ron said heading back to Seamus, who had taken up discussing the Cannons with Dean. Harry smiled, as there were no awkward questions, but then, he frowned slightly. It was becoming too easy for him to lie. That was never a good sign.

Harry headed towards the dorm room and grabbed his cloak before leaving the common room, heading out through the Fat Lady into the corridors of Hogwarts.

He saw Draco as he emerged from the entrance to the Slytherin common room. He grinned evilly and reached out to pinch Draco’s arse. Draco yelped and jumped in the air. Harry smothered his laughs into his cloak. He pulled the cloak away.

"What was that for!?"

"I couldn’t help it. Your arse just looked so…delectable," Harry said as he licked his lips jokingly. Draco rolled his eyes as they entered a dark hallway. Draco knew of Harry’s preference to boys over girls. Harry had lost interest in girls after Cho. He had a fleeting attraction to Justin in Hufflepuff but had actually experimented with Terry from Ravenclaw. Harry slid the cloak over both of them, and Draco silently took his hand. Draco led Harry off the school grounds and to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

"Draco, why did you want to bring me here?" he hissed and Draco pressed him finger to his lips.

"Shhh, I want to show you something. I promise we’re safe I come here some times just to get away. None of the animals bother me anymore," he whispered as he slipped out from under the cloak. He cocked his head slightly as if waiting for someone. Harry watched silently as a tiny silver ball of light hurled its self at Draco. Harry slipped off the cloak and stepped closer to Draco.

"Hey, princess" Draco said softly to the tiny figure perched on his finger.

"Draco!" the figure squealed in delight.

"Harry, this is my ice fairy. I want you to meet Layla."

The little fairy flew from Draco’s finger to hover a few inches from Harry’s face. She observed him silently and Harry had a chance to look at her more closely. She had bright blue eyes and her hair was so light it looked like strands of moonlight. Her bright red lips were pursed faintly as if she were debating something. Her wings looked like white lace. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead before flying back to Draco’s shoulder where she hid herself in Draco’s robe with her blue eyes peering out.

"She’s shy," Draco said as he gave her an affectionate smile. Harry watched amazed as a green ball of light emerged from a tree a few inches away from Harry.

"An earth fairy," Draco said softly. The fairy had dark brown hair and sparkling green eyes. Her skin was tan and her wings were a dark green with hints of golden.

"I’m Sameera," she whispered as she gazed at Harry.

"I’m Harry," Harry said in awe.

"I know," she said smiling as she rested herself on his shoulder. Draco and Harry sat in silence for a few moments.

"Not that they’re not beautiful…" Harry began as he felt a tiny cool mouth brush across his cheek. He glanced back at the earth fairy whose cheeks were a dark pink color, "But why did you bring me here?"

"My little way of seeing how you’re holding up. Also think of it…as my little gift to you since I can’t protect you all the time."

"One would never suspect you were a deatheater," Harry snorted.

"I’m rolling on the floor with amusement, Potter."

Harry pouted at him.

"Fairies are very interesting creatures. I met Layla when I was out here about a month ago. I secretly brought you here hoping that a fairy would take a liking to you."

"What does that have to do with protection?"

"Do you ever wait for me to finish, Potter? When a fairy takes a liking to a human they attach themselves to their human. They will do anything to protect their human until their death."

"Why does your fairy stay in the forest?"

"It’s safer for me and her. Father has too many of his goons watching me at school. I don’t want to take a chance." Draco finished regarding Harry with mild interest.

"Oh," Harry said simply.

"So…Did you look at the book I slipped you?"

Harry’s expression turned grim and he looked away.

"Where did you get it from? You didn’t sneak it out of the restricted section did you?"

"Ha, the restricted section? Really, Potter, you think the school would have books like that lying around? No, my father gave it to me some time ago. What do you think about the spells?"

"I… looked over them but nothing fits exactly."

"No, you don’t want to believe anything fits. It could be a combination of spells. You want to believe he cares don’t you? That he would never use a spell to hurt you?" Draco hissed and Harry stood abruptly. Draco caught his arm in a bruising grip and pulled Harry inches away from his face.

"I see you’ve been learning in deatheater camp," Harry said coldly.

"I don’t want to see you fall, Harry. No one can save me now, but you still have time. Don’t make stupid mistakes and endanger the lives of everyone around you."

"Look who’s talking," he retorted, and Draco twisted him arm. Harry gasped in surprise. ‘Merlin he’s strong,’ he thought.

"I put up with your comments, Potter, because I know it’s fucking hard for you, but that little tidbit of information you keep using against me… hmmm? If it comes up again, Potter, I will have no hesitation to make sure you forget it… anyway I can," Draco purred in a mockingly loving tone. Draco stood suddenly and pulled Harry with him.

"I will see you again," he whispered as he turned and with a swish of his robes he was gone. Harry sank to him knees, rubbing his sore arm. He leaned against a tree and cupped his face in his hands as a tear ran down his face. ‘You seem to be crying a lot these days.’ A voice in the back of his mind said as Harry fell asleep with his fairy gently stoking his hair.

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