Story: Little Dragon
Author Note: So I am completely exhausted but I felt like writing anyways. It's not a good idea for me to give in and sleep at the moment. Anywhozles~! I have decided on being nice to my darling Harry for this chapter! Enjoy~! ^-^
Disclaimer: I don't own this but I did own the Harry Potter spam I dominated my friends' dashboards with on September 1st. Even if they weren't my pictures. ~sigh~ Woe is me, woe is life. -.-
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Charlie had kissed him. Charlie had kissed him! Not just a simple kiss on the forehead like all of the times before either but a real kiss! A real and true kiss on the lips!
Absentmindedly Harry lifted one small hand to gently rest against his bottom lip as he continued up the various staircases and finally into the library.
Still in a daze Harry took his seat and took no notice of his friends' curious inquiries and questions of just what had happened or if he was all right.
Minutes passed by and it seemed as though no one were going to make any progress. That is, until Hermione decided to use her quill.
The pointed end which was already loaded up with plenty of ink...
One quick poke to Harry's forehead and his attention was effectively snapped back to the situation at hand.
"Wha-what was that for 'Mione?" Harry asked shocked as he looked in confusion between his friends' snickering faces.
"Oh, nothing Harry," Hermione practically sang as she pointed her quill at him warningly, "Just that you've been zoned out and ignoring us for the last fifteen minutes is all. What happened? You're usually not like this."
"Oh!" Harry said shocked before a blush crossed over his cheeks and his fingers yet again rested on his lips as though he could still feel the soft weight against them. "N-nothing... Happened? Just, uh, just a visit from Charlie is all."
"Charlie was here?" Ron asked before Hermione could call him out on his obvious embarrassment. "Why was Charlie here? I though he would be in Romania by now?"
"Oh, he was. When he heard about Scab-Peter he decided to come make sure that I was okay."
"Did you tell him about that Cedric bloke?" Neville piped up from across their small table and he leaned forward to better examine Harry's eyes going wide in shock and slight panic, "You forgot didn't you?"
"Maybe?" Harry asked sheepishly as he put his head down on his arm. "This might be better though, I'll just write it down in his note and then he'll know but won't be able to... Do any damage."
"That sounds like a good idea to me Harry," Hermione said with a smile and for a moment Harry almost thought that she was willing to let his behavior go. Almost. "That still doesn't tell us what exactly happened to make you zone out like that though, let alone cause that blush."
"Um..." How exactly was he supposed to answer that? Well, I just got kissed by my soul mate and it was amazing? That wouldn't work. "Well... You see..."
"Harry?" Neville asked in concern as he watched his friends' face turn steadily more and more red. "Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine, it's just..." Cue a deep breath here, "IkissedCharlieorwellhekissedme!"
"What?"
"Charlie kissed me. Right before he left."
"Really? What was it like?" Hermione asked as she moved so that Harry had no choice but to look her in the eyes.
"It was... Really nice." Harry said as he thought back on it...
Their time was up and it was time for Charlie to go. As they slowly made their way towards the now empty grate Harry couldn't help but feel as though something big were about to happen.
When Charlie gave him the usual hug goodbye it felt... Different somehow. Not bad, but certainly not the same as all the others before it.
"Harry," Charlie said with a gentle smile as he locked gazes with him and one of his large calloused hands gently caressed his cheek. This was nice, Harry decided as he leaned into the gentle touch and allowed his eyes to drift closed in contentment. "Keep your eyes closed," Charlie whispered into his ear. When had he gotten so close?
Then...
Oh! That was different. Harry thought as he felt a warm weight press down onto his lips gently causing a warm flutter to run through his body.
Cracking his eyes opened Harry was shocked to find ocean blue orbs locked with his own, so very close. He could hardly see anything else apart from those brilliant blue orbs that shown with so much love and compassion.
With a smile Charlie finally broke the kiss and moved up to lay a soft kiss on the tip of his nose and then his forehead before both hands came up to cradle his now burning cheeks and kept him from looking away.
"I'll see you soon love, be sure to write," Charlie said with a grin before he swooped in and stole another kiss. Just as soon as this one was over Charlie moved swiftly into the now glowing flames with a laugh and a shout of his destination leaving Harry to stand there in shock and confusion the feel of lips still pressed against his own...
"Details Harry! Details!" Hermione all but squealed, ever mindful of their presence in the library.
"No details!" Ron said quickly, eyes wide and panicked as Neville merely watched on in amusement.
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"Harry!" Cedric called out from directly behind the group as they made their way from the great hall along with everyone else.
With a startled squeak Harry swirled around only for his look of surprise to change into one of mild irritation.
"Cedric," He practically growled as he looked up at the older boy who pretty much towered over him, "I swear, if you keep this up I'm going to get you a bell! You can't just go around scaring people like that!"
Cocking his head to the side Cedric actually looked like he was contemplating the matter! But he couldn't be! That was completely ridiculous. Wasn't it?
"Sounds like fun," Cedric all but purred with a grin before he turned and sauntered away leaving the four friends to stare after him in stunned silence.
"Hey Ron?" Harry asked once the shock finally managed to fade enough for him to turn to look at his brother.
"Yeah Harry?"
"Will you tell the twins that I need to talk to them before breakfast tomorrow?"
"Sure," The confusion was evident in his voice as he looked at Harry through furrowed brows. "I'll tell them tonight, okay?"
"Perfect," Harry said with a grin that could only have been learned from the twins and caused shivers to course down the others' spines in an odd combination of anticipation and dread.
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Later that night found Harry and Neville holed up in a corner of their dorm room and plotting. What they were plotting no one knew nor did they wish to know.
Harry was writing with the ferocity of a Ravenclaw when challenged with a ten foot essay and Neville was easily reading through the quickly growing stacks of parchment that surrounded the two.
All in all it made for a rather frightening sight even when one did not factor in the malevolent grins that the two first years sported let alone the glints that lay within their eyes.
Who ever their target was the other 'Puffs couldn't help but feel a wave of sympathy towards. Though, if they had managed to get onto the bad side of the two usually quiet first years they probably deserved it...
"Harry?" Fred asked as he and George ran up to the three with Ron at their side, "Ron said that you wanted to see us? What's up?"
"Well," Harry said with a small smile as he examined his two elder brothers with a grin. "How would you feel about helping me with a prank?"
Just like that everything changed. Fred and George, while before wary and nervous, now stood at prompt attention twin smiles of mischief alight on their faces as they clapped their hands in glee.
"We would be honored brother mine," Fred began sounding positively gleeful as he threw his arm over Harry's shoulders with George copying him from the other side.
"What's the plan brother dear?" George asked as they began to move through the doors and to the first years spots at the Hufflepuff table where they were promptly accepted and then ignored in favor of focusing on their own meals.
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Cedric wandered aimlessly through the halls.
Why wouldn't Harry even so much as sit with him? Perhaps he was coming on too strong? But he had seriously toned himself down!
Half the time it was all he could do to even announce his presence let alone to refrain from touching Harry, pulling him into a corner and showing him just what a proper snog felt like!
But no, Cedric wanted for Harry to come to him as much as it killed him to wait.
With a sigh Cedric went to turn back around and head towards his years study hall in the library when he caught sight of two almost identical figures standing further down the hallways.
As he squinted to get a better look at the figures they started to move closer.
"Hey Ced!" One of the Weasley twins' voice rung out from the figure on his left.
"We need to have a word with you mate," The other twin said as they finally drew up to the other third year and casually swung their arms around his shoulders.
"About?" Cedric asked. He wasn't worried. Not in the slightest...
"Well mate-"
"It seems that-"
"You've been bothering-"
"Our younger brother-"
"Sneaking up on him and all that-"
"And that just won't do." It was like some kind of verbal tennis match was being played with him as the met. The conversation was effectively distracting him from the fact that he was essentially being shepherded into one of many unused common rooms.
"What are you two talking about?" Cedric asked vaguely annoyed by their typical banter. He should have expected it, really.
"Well mate-"
"Let's just say that-"
"Well, Harry did say that-"
"He was going to get you a bell."
With that Cedric was shoved into the classroom where a flash of light and a burst of purple colored smoke quickly overtook his senses. What was this all about!? Harry? A bell? What!?
Once the smoke finally cleared Cedric moved to look at himself only to find that he was covered from head to toe in hundreds of tiny bells. Each one of the deceptively small balls gave off a cloyingly loud 'jingle jangle'.
Each of the small orbs were disguised to match the color of whatever it was that they rested on. All but one that is.
Around his neck hung a rather large bell, about the size of his clenched fist, and attached to it was a note. A simple note which contained only one sentence but was certainly enough to bring a smile to Cedric's face as he read it.
'I told you I would have to get you a bell. Enjoy!'
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Today was the day that the first years had their first potions class. Gryffindor and Slytherin had already attended (That resulted in Seamus Finnegan being rushed to the hospital wing and Gryffindor losing five points. Not that Ron had complained at lunch or anything.)
Down in the dungeons the pleasant warmth that accompanied them from a delicious and filling lunch seemed to be slowly seeping from them in the unusual chill of the potions lab. That accompanied with the fact that there were no windows and almost every wall was covered in glass jars of floating animals and such just added to the creepiness of the room as a whole.
"Why is it so cold?" Neville asked from Harry's right, he Hermione and Neville were all sharing a table located in the approximate center of the room according to Hermione.
"It's for the ingredients," Harry replied almost immediately as he and Hermione busied themselves with gathering their materials. "When the cauldrons get lit the temperature raises, the natural chill of the room helps to keep it a good temperature for the ingredients to remain fresh for a longer amount of time."
Just then the door to the classroom burst open and Professor Snape strode in with his robes billowing behind him. He certainly wasted no time as he quickly went through roll call with a barely noticeable pause on Harry's name before he continued on in a speech that certainly caught Harry's attention.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," He spoke in little more than a whisper yet somehow his voice traveled through the room and caught each of the students attentions,"There will be little of that foolish wand waving in this class, many of you will hardly believe that this is magic. I do not expect that any of you will truly understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, or the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper in death. That is, if you are not as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have the misfortune to teach."
Well, if it weren't for that last bit then that would have been a truly wonderful speech...
The reactions to the end of the speech however were most interesting as the Ravens flinched and a look of determination flitted over their expressions as the 'Puffs merely raised an eyebrow and looked between each other while silence rung through the classroom.
"Potter!" Professor Snape called suddenly as he looked straight in Harry's direction with a calculating expression masking his features. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
"Drought of Living Death, sir. It is a sleeping potion that is extremely powerful and is only allowed to be administered by registered healers."
"Very well. Where would you look if I told you to find me a Bezoar Potter?"
"The stomach of a goat, sir. A Bezoar will neutralize most poisons and toxins in either ones system or, if used correctly, within a potion itself," Harry was now extremely happy that he had managed to read all of his potions materials at this point.
"What is the difference, Potter, between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?" Professor Snape seemed oddly pleased now. His harsh expression had been replaced with instead a soft, almost not there, upwards turn of his lips and his once condescending raised eyebrow now seemed more of a challenging one and Harry felt himself slowly relax bit by bit.
"They are the same plant Professor. They also go by the name of Aconite."
That night after an... Interesting meeting with Hagrid in which the quartet learned to both avoid the rock cakes and that Fang was extremely friendly and loved to rest his head in your lap, especially Harry's.
Once they arrived back at the castle they were also privileged to see that Hufflepuff had once again mysteriously gained another good handful of points that confused the Hogwarts population to no end.
That night when Harry and Neville returned to their common room it was with grins and laughter.
That is, until they saw Cedric.
Who was coming closer to them.
And still had the large bell jangling happily about his neck...
"Thank you for the gift Harry," Cedric said with a wink as he moved one hand up to flick the bell causing it to let out a cheerful 'dingling, jing, jing.'
With that he simply walked away, each footstep causing a small 'ding dingle.'
"Well..." Neville said as they watched him walk away. "At least we know it worked."
"True, but is it a good thing?" Harry whispered with a hint of growing horror in his voice as Cedric turned around and yet again flicked the bell as he smirked at Harry.
Harry promptly turned away and entered the relative safety of their dorm room where he stayed for the remainder of the night.
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On Sunday that same dark speckled owl came in with the rest of the owl post, this time in the morning, and landed yet again in front of Harry who could feel his grin split across his face yet again.
"What does Charlie have to say this time Harry?" Hermione teased from his side with a sly smirk.
"I don't know yet," Harry laughed as he gently took the letter and Hermione fed the owl a piece of her bacon.
'Harry,
Yet again I haven't been able to survive a week without you! I feel that it has become even harder in fact.
I can still feel your lips on mine, I swear that was probably the most magical moment of my life beaten only by when I met you and our bond formed.
I can't believe how incredibly mushy I sound in these letters and yet it is all the truth.
I can't say however that I am quite as happy about this Diggory boy...
I want you to be careful around him Harry. For me?
Keep me updated will you? I need to know if anything else happens with him.
Cudos on that prank you pulled with the twins by the way. Truly inspired.
Is he really still wearing that bell though? Just a little creepy.
Oh! You should probably look up now. I'm afraid I couldn't help myself and this Diggory is going to be getting a rather... Rude morning wake up call? Well, it would be better if you just looked.
I love you my little dragon.
Yours forever,
Charlie'
With a small laugh and a smile Harry looked up and over at where a tawny owl was just now landing in front of Cedric.
"Um guys," Harry said quickly as he got their attention, "You may want to watch Cedric."
"Why?" Hermione asked with her brows knit in confusion.
"Well..." Harry said as he watched Cedric ever so slowly begin to open the letter, "I think Charlie may have pulled a prank."
"What?" Ron asked as he leaned forward to look at Cedric as he finally tore apart the last vestige of parchment open.
Within seconds a cloud of multicolored smoke and what looked to be sparkles came floating out of the envelope and enveloped Cedric completely.
When the smoke had finally settled it revealed Cedric who was now colored in splotches of pastel colors each accented with a thick dusting of glitter along with a great quantity of even more glitter which floated in the air before the shocked third year spelling two simple words...
'HE'S TAKEN!'
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Authors Note: A little short but I'm happy with it! I figured that I would give you all a nice fluffy chapter! ^-^ I'm in a VERY good mood lol.
Anyways, I am now doing a Q&A session, you can ask what ever and how ever many questions you want. I'll do my best to answer on both Facebook as well as PM.
Next chapter is a time skip to Halloween to help save some time and keep this story rolling since I have only just now, with the use of this chapters overview, gotten to the end of the first week.
Word Count: 3280