Amortentia - Drarry

Chapter Three

Harry screamed. It was a cold winter night when Harry had encountered one of his prevailing nightmares. This time it was quite different, with the feeling that his body was unable to move, as a joyless, slimy voice droned on quietly.

Harry could move again. He saw four figures shoot up from their four-poster beds. As usual, Neville fetched some water for Harry from the window sill, as a water jug is usually placed there. Ron's ginger hair reflected the moonlight as he asked Harry if he was okay for the umpteenth time this year. Dean and Seamus sat awkwardly on their beds, staring at Harry and murmuring between themselves.

***

During breakfast, Ron quietly recounted what had happened late at night to Hermione, making sure to keep Harry out of earshot. Harry, of course, heard every word that came out of Ron's mouth, but instead he saved the embarrassment for both of them.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Harry perceived an isolated blonde Slytherin with ice cold grey eyes which bore into his. Harry looked up at once, just to make sure Draco wasn't talking trash about him. When Harry's eyes met his, Draco's eyes instantly shifted downwards, into the weathered wood table that belonged to the Slytherins. Harry's consciousness of awe and concern overcame him in such power that, him being Draco's enemy, surprised him. Draco's expressions were fixed upon the feelings of confusion and perhaps, maybe, remorse.

Harry gazed at the scrambled eggs and bacon, unsure whether he felt hungry or not. This rage of anger seemed to make him want to throw the dishes on floor, orange juice and all. He wanted to bash Ron in the face for telling Hermione what happens to him every single night. This was, after all, supposed to remain a secret between the five boys.

As Ron started talking more dramatically and the expressions on Hermione's face became more horrified, Harry grabbed the nearest bowl of porridge and chucked its contents on Ron's pale, hallow face. "Merlin's beard, Ron! You're like the male version of the Patil twins. Let's not mention the fact that you repeat this story every single damn day!"

And with that, Harry stormed out of The Great Hall, acknowledging every pair of eyes as they looked like a deer caught in headlights. Harry was sure that he was, in the end, going to apologize to Ron for such a resentful act. Harry turned into the nearest deserted hallway, just so that he could get an earful of his thoughts for once.

Just as Harry had set foot in the empty hallway, a pair of wooden shoe soles could be heard. It was advancing from the hallway entrance. Harry stopped mid-way, closed his eyes for a second or two and turned around.

"Malfoy."

"Glad to know you know the sound of my footsteps, Potter."

Harry started to draw his wand from his pocket, but paused as Draco made his way over to him cautiously, as if a monster was about to be unleashed from the other end of the hall.

Draco's face was now ten centimeters away from Harry's. He had once imagined that they'd be this close, but not for this specific reason. Draco's pale, bony hands now held Harry by the throat.

An idea popped into Harry's mind. He'd seen this in his copy of Advanced Potion Making.

"Easy, Potter. We don't want people to think that someone's been having a rough night, or perhaps a horrid dream, do we?" snarled Draco.

"Sectumsempra!" Harry pointed his wand at the blonde boy, uncertain of what this spell might do to Draco.

And with that, Draco fell to the floor with a thud, as blood spurted from his face and chest as though he'd been slashed with an invisible sword.   {AN: Extract from HBP}

"No- W-What- I- D-Didn't -" gasped Harry.

Harry hastened with all his might to Madame Pomfrey. As he hurtled down the candle-lit corridors towards the hospital wing, his mind kept racing, as if it were running with him. Was the so-called Half Blood Prince a murderer?