Beautiful Shards (A Drarry Fanfic)

Chapter 28: An Unfortunate Encounter

(Draco's POV)

The next hour was spent laughing and talking about various muggle things that were both amazing and confusing. Harry told me about devices for playing music and watching long moving pictures and playing games with little handheld controllers, among other things. He seemed amused by my ignorance of things that were so ordinary to him. Honestly, some of the objects he mentioned seemed a bit too outlandish to believe, but I simply laughed along, befuddled and enthralled, captivated by the twinkle in his eye and the shape of his lips, curled in a grin, as he told me about all the little magics that the muggle world had to offer.

All too soon our hour was up, and we both gathered up our satchels and books. We didn't have our next block together, unfortunately, since Harry had opted to take Muggle Studies (he said it was because it would be easy for him), while I had chosen Arithmancy. We headed down the corridor together until we reached the point where another hall branched off, leading towards Harry's class. We bid each other a temporary farewell before heading our separate ways. I continued on down the long corridor that would take me to my destination, seemingly alone.

Humming a tune from Beauty and the Beast, I strode briskly along, unaware that I was being followed until, in the blink of an eye, I found my back pressed against the wall, an arm across my throat. I gasped at the impact, all the wind knocked out of me. The forearm across my windpipe was pressing in, just enough to make it extremely difficult for me to breath. I gazed defiantly into the face of my assailant, trying my best to remember if I recognized him. It was a boy with sharp, angular features, curly black hair, and icy blue eyes that were full of malice and a horrible taunting amusement. He was smirking cruelly down at me, being several inches taller. I thought I could recall seeing him in DADA, and I knew he was a Slytherin in my year.

"Malfoy, what an interesting boggart you have," he sneered, and a terrible realization hit me. Hadn't Harry said a few Slytherin boys had heard what my last boggart said? If this was one of them... He knew. He knew. I swallowed thickly and looked down, training my eyes on the floor.

"Who knew that the so-called "Slytherin Prince" was a filthy little freak?"

The boy-- I though his name was Will-- snarled when I lowered my eyes, using his free hand to yank my hair, tilting my face up towards him. I winced in pain and gritted my teeth, but I still didn't so much as glance up at him. That would be like letting him win this strange and twisted game. From what I knew of Will Forrest, he was very, very dangerous. Word of people like him travels fast, especially when you're in the same house, and I'd overheard several stories about him in the common room. Everyone said he was cruel, sadistic, and liked to play mind games. The less I interacted with him the better. Unfortunately, he didn't seem quite as eager to end this encounter, instead drawing out his words lazily, showing no signs of leaving any time soon.

"So, anyone you fancy in particular?" I stayed silent until he increased the pressure on my throat, effectively cutting off my air supply before letting up slightly once more. Gasping and coughing, I shook my head as best I could while still pinned against the wall.

"Oh really? Is that so?" There was something in his tone now, a mocking sing-song that I didn't like one bit. "You know, I see the way you look at the little Golden Boy. Are you sure you don't fancy Potter?"

I shook my head again, meaning No, I don't fancy Potter, but that turned out to be a bad idea. Will yanked my hair again, slamming my head into the wall. I whimpered slightly but otherwise stayed silent, determined not to give him the satisfaction of getting whatever it was he wanted. I hadn't figured out exactly what that was yet, but he wasn't going to get it.

"You're lying. I don't like it when people lie to me. But I'll let it slide. For now." He grinned, and the glint in his eyes told me that he wasn't quite done with his little game. Taking his arm away from my throat and stepping back, he raked his eyes over me once, disheveled and trembling, and walked away. Just before he rounded the corner, he turned and said, "I'll see you around, Malfoy," and then he was gone.

I breathed in deep and slow, dizzy from the lack of air. Rubbing at the place where Will's arm had been, I slumped shakily against the wall. As much as I hated to admit it, the exchange had rattled me, and I doubted it was over. Everyone always said that Will had a way of getting to people, and once he had his sights set on something, he didn't give up easily.

A/N: Okay I know several people advised that I should minimize the use of OC's, but I couldn't think of any cannon characters that fit the character profile that I needed for Will's role. Fortunately, he SHOULD be the last OC I use. Anyways, I know this chapter is kind of short, but hey, at least it's something.