The Dream Trilogy Book Two: Tread On My Dreams (A Harry Potter FanFiction)

Chapter Fifty One

"I saw Blaise on my way from the kitchens," said Sarah as she tossed the towel over the metal bed frame and began easing her various nuts and bolts back into her ears and nose. "I smiled and said hello, and she acted like I was something that had just crawled out of the Black Lagoon." Sarah stuck her tongue out and began screwing her stud back through. "Why ish she tho ditherent?" 

This was another very good reason to go home Draco knew; Blaise Zabini in this world was a shadow, a mouse. After talking to Harry about it yesterday he'd found out her father had died in mysterious circumstances when she was child, and he figured growing up with only her mother would definitely be enough to turn her into a recluse. No matter how much it grieved him to leave Harry he could never live in a world without Blaise. 

"Don't worry," he said brighter than he felt. "We'll see the real deal soon enough, and she can do your make-up properly again." 

"Urgh," said Sarah with an eye roll as she reached for the make-up Ron had managed to borrow off of Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil. "I need some decent foundation," she grumbled.  

Draco watched Sarah's well practiced application as he ate some more of the croissants she'd bought up from the school kitchens. Draco had almost gone with her to say goodbye to the Dobby of this world, but then he decided against it. It would be too confusing to explain at that moment, so he'd left instructions with Harry to bid farewell on his behalf later. 

Just as Sarah was finishing the thick black lines under her eyes Hermione came over, breathless and excited. "I think we're ready when you are," she said. Draco knew she was only keen to try a new and complex spell, and she'd been ecstatic a certain ingredient had been found as it was out of season and very rare. But he couldn't help but be hurt at her eagerness to get rid of himself and Sarah. Sarah must have felt the same as she slowly put the lid back on the eyeliner pencil, her whole body taught. Hermione picked up on their mood and looked embarrassed. 

"Oh," she said a little flustered. "But, if you need more time, that's fine, I could-" 

"No," said Draco kindly, even managing a smile. "It's fine, there's no sense putting it off." He addressed Sarah and rubbed her back reassuringly. "Have you got everything you came with?" She shuddered under his fingertips, then looked about their little section of the medical ward, over their few borrowed possessions littering the cabinets. 

"Yes," she said, her voice tight. "I think so." Draco had inherited his double's body, so had made sure to dress back in the clothes he'd arrived in, as a courtesy. Harry's pyjamas were folded on the pillow Draco had been moulded to for the past week. 

"Let's go then." 

Dumbledore and Severus had visited them all in the early hours of the morning, along with the professors McGonagall and Flitwick. Apparently the spell involved all their magical disciplines and they had all contributed in its preparation. However, Dumbledore had explained, as Harry had travelled to Draco and Sarah's universe, and Ron and Hermione had performed the incantation to bring him back, it would give it a lot of extra potency now if those three were the ones to physically perform the spell that would take Draco and Sarah home. Snape seemed uncomfortable in giving three Gryffindors such a level of responsibility and had glowered at them through the entire conversation. The other two seemed more inclined to agree with the Headmaster, but in the end it was decided for everyone's peace of mind that Snape would be the one to assist with the final preparations. Harry and Ron were not especially charmed by this idea, but Severus perked up notably. He even smiled at Sarah and Draco, whom all the teachers now knew to be not of this universe. 

Draco couldn't help but feel reassured as well. Harry and Severus may have hated each other, but Draco had always found the potions master to be a port in a storm, and thought his no-nonsense approach calming. Ron, however, was at present grumbling before he'd even left the medical wing.