"Are you sure this is what you want?" Dayton whispered, clutching a bottle of Firewhisky.
"I'm so sure." The blonde grinned. His eyes were heavy and dark bags hung from under them. His body was morphed now. His skin was tight across his ribs, and his muscle had deteriorated from malnourishment. His blonde hair seemed grey in the torchlight outside of The Three Broomsticks.
The young, smart and athletic boy was gone, and a brainwashed goul had taken his place.
"Draco, this is not a good idea." Dayton's expression was heartbroken, as he shook his head and stepped backwards, "This is destroying you. Everything you had was gone. Maybe you can get better? M-Maybe I can fix it! Maybe I can just-"
A psychotic grin took over the blonde's face, "It will get better when I go back. Hand me the bottle, before I break your skull with it."
Dayton took another step backwards, "N-No! You can't have it. I'm taking you to Saint Mungo's and you're going to get better. I've done enough damage and now I want to fix it. Now I have to fix it."
Draco's expression softened, and his eyes trailed down to the snow, "Okay."
Dayton closed his eyes and with a sigh of relief, he grinned, "I knew you'd come around!" But when he opened his eyes, the smile faded, "D-Draco! NO!"
Draco grabbed the bottle out of Dayton's grasp, and smashed it down on the Gryffindor's head.
The bottle shattered as Newman's skull fractured into nothingness. Draco caught him, and held him against his body, and whispered into his ears, "This could all have been so simple if you had just handed me the bottle. You would've never known what hit you. But they never listen, do they?"
He threw the body in the snow and watched as the crimson substance gushed out of Dayton's head. It turned the snow a bright, uneasy shade of red. You couldn't mistake it for anything except blood.
Draco picked up Dayton's bag, and pulled out the extra bottle of alcohol. He knew that the one the boy had been carrying was a sleeping draft, in hopes of knocking him out to take him to Saint Mungo's hospital. He was a smart boy, and that's what got him killed.
As the Slytherin trudged through the snow, he left a body, broken bottle and a pool of blood and alcohol in which the snow had absorbed.
No one had heard Dayton's last cry for help, and it wouldn't be for about a day before someone would find his body, and by that time, more snow would've fallen, covering the body, and masking any evidence of a crime scene.
Draco made it to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, and chugged the whole bottle of Firewhiskey. It burned his lungs, and throat to the point of it feeling like it was burning and bubbling acid in the back of his mouth. Not that he cared. It would all heal when he got back.
He felt the alcohol hit hard. He was glad he spent that much time in the Library or he never would've found that old dusty book hidden on the top shelf, about drinking spells. He'd found one about how to make the drink in question hit especially hard, especially fast.
As he felt the forest start to spin, he picked up his Slytherin ruffle bag he'd hidden in a tree trunk near the edge. With that, and Dayton's satchel, he entered the wood.
It wasn't long before he found himself confused and lost. 'Shouldn't it be here?'
Fuck. What if he needed Dayton in order to get back in? Surely there was a spell to raise the dead from the gave, to perhaps he could find the Resurrection Stone? But even if he did, why would Dayton ever help him get back in? He wouldn't have to help him. Draco wouldn't give him a choice.
He was debating what to do when he saw something. It was a Patronus. A glowing blue and white stag. Harry's stag.
It was staring at him, towards where he had come from. It looked at him with grace and elegance, and then turned and started walking back towards the tree line of the wood. Leading him back. Leading him home. To his real home, with his real boyfriend, and his real friends. To his real happiness. It turned back and gave Draco one last look.
Draco watched the stag, with intent. That's when he heard it. A kind of whisper, drawing him further into the woods. When he turned back the stag faded into nothingness.
He turned and followed the whispers deeper into the forest. The whispers were growing fainter, and quieter as if it was moving further and further away from him. The blonde started to run faster, in an urgent need to know where this mysterious call would lead him. He tripped over a branch, and the voices stopped.
Draco blinked. His head hurt. When he lifted his head up, he realized something. He sighed in relief.
He breathed in the sweet smell of honeysuckle, and rose to his feet, not once taking his eyes off of the clear blue sky. It was even more beautiful than he'd remembered. He sprinted out of the field of dandelions. He hadn't noticed it the first time he had been there, but who cared? The place was getting more beautiful by the second.
He dived right into the water and disrupted the calm, clear pond. The lily pads wobbled slightly on the rippled water.
The water felt cool on Draco's skin. It was refreshing. He floated on his back and closed his eyes, listening to the birds.
'This place is just... brilliant. ' As soon as he thought it, his eyes snapped opened. He started seeing him. The emerald-eyed both with dark hair, and a bright smile. With dimples, and a cleft in his chin. A blush always donning his cheeks.
"Brilliant."
"Precisely."
Draco started to get out of the water, when a massive headache erupted, and he slipped back into the pond.
'No. You're happy here.'
He wasn't sure why he heard that in his head. It didn't seem to be his thoughts,
'Yes, of course I'm happy here.'
'Good. Now relax.'
Relax... he could do that. He blinked, and smiled, at the cottage. He got out of the water and passed by the cottage window. He caught his reflection.
But what he saw in that reflection startled him. Gaunt, pale skin, thin face and weary expression. Draco gasped, and blinked. When he opened his eyes again, what he saw was what he always saw in the mirror whenever he'd look. Blue eyes, athletic body and assured expression.
Except something was off. His reflection was smiling back at him. Grinning from ear to ear. But... Draco himself wasn't smiling. He was frowning at what he saw. How could that be?
'It must be the alcohol. I must be hallucinating. Don't be weird, Draco.'
"Okay, you're acting weird. Don't go Hufflepuff on us, okay?" A girl with dark hair and eyes said, shaking her head.
He blinked and the vision was gone, "What?"
'You're hallucinating. Don't worry. The images will pass. Go eat something out of the garden, and the bad dreams will go away.' The voice in his head was soft and gentle, yet demanding.
'Yeah.' The blonde picked up his bags and brought them into the quaint cottage.
An apple, and a good read sounded so delightful. He went outside, and picked a juicy green apple from the tree. He hadn't remembered there being an apple tree in this place either, but maybe he had forgotten.
His headache was starting to fade. What happened? Did he hit his head? Is that what caused it?
"What happened to you? Did you get a concussion?" A boy with dark skin and warm coffee colored eyes said, jokingly.
The headache immediately came back.
'Just eat the apple and you'll feel better.' The voice came back, now, more demanding.
He sat down on the window seat, and reached into his bag. He pulled out his favorite book, and flipped it open. He raised the apple to his lips when something fell out of the book. It was a letter, neatly folded, and written in careful writing.
Draco,
I thought we were forever. I believed we were forever. I trusted you with my heart, my soul, and my being. You not only broke that trust but broke my heart. I thought we were forever, and never would've guessed that this would be our goodbye.
Just remember; no one can love you like I did. No one can listen to your problems like I did. No one will hold you like I did. The experiences we've shared, you won't share with anyone else.
So remember; I loved you. I loved the feeling of your hands in mine. I loved the taste of your lips against mine. I loved the sweet caresses from your fingers on my skin. I loved your voice, and listening to your thoughts, feelings, and secrets. I loved you for your flaws, and even when you gave me reasons to leave, I stayed.
I fell in love with you for your good, your bad, and your brilliant. I fell in love with your laugh, and your eyes. I fell in love with your soul, and your mind. I fell in love with your hands, and the traces they made along my face. I fell in love with your voice. I fell in love with the way you accepted me for my flaws, my secrets and my safe place. You accepted me when I was so sure you'd push me away.
You, Draco... you were my life. I hope your life is peaceful, and brings you as much happiness that you brought me. I only hope that life doesn't leave you too soon, as it has me. I'll find a way to move on. It might take months, years or maybe I never fully will, but I'll find something different. I'm sorry I couldn't bring you the same happiness you brought me. You were everything to me. I wish you the best, my Slytherin Prince.
Goodbye,
Harry
Attached to the note were little black and white Polaroid pictures. In one Draco stood beside a girl with short, black hair and a boy with lovely chocolate skin. He recognized them both from visions or hallucinations he had by the pond. All dressed in black and dark green robes. They were all grinning, and the girl rolled her eyes and then burst out laughing.
Another photo was a picture of Draco lying next to the boy with the emerald eyes. They both had smiles playing at their lips. The boy had his face nuzzled into the crook of the blonde's neck.
The last photo was the boy with the scar, wearing a green hoodie with a snake on it. The hoodie was far to big to belong to the small boy, and yet it looked perfect on him. The boy was smiling at the camera, and hiding part of his face with the oversized sleeve. He was swaying slightly, and had this doe-eyed expression that fitted him well.
Draco hadn't even realized that tears were sliding down his cheek. That's when he started remembering. He remembered the boy with the dark eyes. Blaise. His best friend. And the girl with the short hair and sassy expression? Pansy Parkinson of course. They had been his best friends for forever, how could he forget? And-
He stopped.
The boy with the green eyes, and foggy glasses.
'Harry.'
His heart broke just thinking about it. Harry was his boy. Harry was his bratty little princess. His angel. His.
Draco stood up, looking around wildly. How long had it been since he last spoke to Harry? Had they broken up? Was that what that note was for? The last thing he clearly remembered was going to the Three Broomsticks and drinking too much. That's when Dayton Newman came in. And then it all went black. He couldn't remember anything clearly since then. Everything was hazy, and vivid, like a painting in a museum that didn't really stick out.
Was it hours? Days? Weeks since he'd seen his boyfriend? Was the note a sick joke?
The blonde left the small building in which now felt like a prison.
'Calm down, Draco. Think this through, clearly. You have nothing left for you back there. You have everything you need here.' A voice said.
"No! I don't want to stay here! All I need is Harry." Draco said aloud, as he spun in circles looking for an exit.
'You don't want to do this.' All sweetness had left the mysterious tone.
"HELP!" Draco screamed. He picked a direction and started running.
It was clear. Draco made a choice. This was his choice. He chose Harry now.
The sky went from baby blue to grey, and it started getting darker by the minute.
The water went from clear as day to black as night. Whatever was in that pond was a different substance now. It was thick, and black and looked like asphalt.
The air became heavy, and went from tasting sweet to tasting sour.
The wind was loud, and howling. The voice seemed up be coming from the wind now, 'YOU CANT LEAVE.'
Draco turned around and started running back to the cottage to gab his wand. As soon as he entered the cottage, he noticed how everything had changed within a second. The apple on the bed was now moldy, rotten and flies were buzzing around it. Every surface had spiderwebs dangling from them.
Draco grabbed his wand, and looked out the window, across the field of now wilted flowers and weeds. Something was making his way towards him.
It was tall, and had the shape of a man, but was so far from human that he was sure that it could be. It was walking on two legs, but they were so bent out of shape he wasn't sure which way the thing was walking. It looked as if it wasn't wearing anything at all, but Draco couldn't see any parts on the creature to determine if it was male or female.
It's feet were long, and deformed. The whole creature was stalk white. The eyes on the creature were the size of tennis balls, and dark black, with no pupils. The way it was moving was mesmerising and terrifying.
Now Draco just wanted to feel safe. Safe in that place he was in before he remembered. As soon as this thought crossed his mind; the shadows disappeared and the sky was blue again.
Instead of a creature from hell, he saw a handsome man approaching him. His skin was white, and his hair was long, luscious and black. His eyes were a striking dark color. He was tall and walked with grace, elegance and power. He smiled at Draco, as he reached him.
"See? You can't leave. There isn't a point to it. It just gets worse when you do." The man closed his eyes and inhaled the sweet aroma of the air. "Don't think about it. Ride it out. Enjoy the high."
Draco stood in shock. The voice this man spoke in was that of the one in his head, only minutes before, and of one that came from the lips of Ernie Malcom.
The man rolled his eyes, and flashed a charming, devious smile, "I know what you're thinking, Draco. Yes, it's me. Comatosious. Your old friend."
"I-I don't want to stay here. I want t-to go back."
"Draco. You gave me the blood sacrifice I requested at our tea party. You gave it to me. Now I can be here in my true form without taking the shape of beast or mere man. I'm free now." He leaned in, and his lips grazed against Draco's ear, "Now we're here forever. As playmates. Forever. Just you and me. Just eat the fruit."
Draco stood there in disbelief. Comatosious was back in his head now.
'If you eat the fruit you will forget all about everything before. Who you were... what you did... what you said... everything will be anew. The two of us can rule. Together. Forever.'
'Get our of my fucking head, you shady dodger.'
Comatosious's face would've paled, had it had any color in it, and his eye twitched, "Draco..."
"I'm going home." The blonde squeezed his eyes closed. He felt a little like Dorthy from the American film the Wizard of Oz. But he wasn't wearing red slippers that looked like they'd be hand-me-downs from the last four generations of the Wesley family.
"You have one more chance." The dark angel handed him an apple, "Don't make the wrong choice."
Draco stared at the shiny green skin and imagined how good it would feel to break it with his teeth, and hear that satisfying crunch, and feel its juices drip down his chin as he tasted the sweetness within. He loved the tartness the fruit carried. Something told him this would be the best one yet.
However... the sweetest thing was not the apple. It was Harry's lips, and that kiss was worth remembering. Draco threw the apple over his shoulder into the lake, and the apple made a kurplunk noise before sinking to the bottom.
'Suck my cock, bloody broad.'
The next thing he Malfoy remembered was running. He never remembered stopping.
_Please Vote_
Just a chapter-ly reminder:
You are loved.
You are valid.
You are worth it.