Tequila

Chapter 18

Harry woke early the next morning apprehensive, but aware that the day held the beginning of something new.

// Or the end of something old //

Hopefully after this was all over with, everyone would move on from the war and actually start giving Harry some peace. Showering quickly, Harry made his way to the other beds to make sure everyone else was up. Only Ron gave him any trouble:

“We don’t even really like Malfoy,” in a grumpy, sleepy voice, “can’t we just leave him to sort it himself”.

It took a combined wingardium leviosa to finally rouse him. Dean looked on, amused, as Harry, Neville and Seamus repeatedly bumped Ron against the ceiling.

“I’M UP.”

Leaving the rest of the boys to get dressed, Harry popped down to the common room to find the girls already up and discussing the various pros and cons of the boys in 7th year.

“You know, I’m not entirely sure Neville is straight,” Ginny was saying in a conspiratorial whisper. “You never see him with a girl.”

“You never see him with a boy either, maybe he’s just shy.”

Harry cleared his throat noisily and watched with amusement as the girls jumped apart. Hermione had the good grace to blush prettily but Ginny just gave him a wave.

“Morning Harry, you all set?”

Harry waved his wand and his invisibility cloak at them, keeping the marauders map in his back pocket.

“Sure am!!”

// As ready as I’ll ever be //

After checking for the 43rd time that everyone knew what they were doing and where they were supposed to be, Harry threw on the cloak and made his way down to the dungeons.

// I wonder how Severus is this morning. I wonder if he’s at breakfast yet. I wonder if he misses me //

Harry quickly pushed that train of thinking out of his mind. He’d have time to mope about that later, right now he had to concentrate on the task at hand. Slotting himself into a nook not far from the place where Draco normally got ambushed, Harry set about watching the marauders map. He’d figured it wasn’t Slytherins doing this cause if they really wanted to, they could beat him up in the comfort and safety of their own common room, so if anyone from any other houses started making their way down to the dungeons, Harry would be sure to notice them.

It was still quite early and few people were about so Harry was able to keep track of most of the people moving around. He saw, on the map, his friends leaving Gryffindor common room and start to make their way downstairs. They were moving in ones and twos and Harry was thankful that they were being slightly discreet. Suddenly movement on the map caught his eye. A group of people were entering the dungeons instead of leaving them.

// Michael Corner, you son of a bitch //

He seemed to be the leader of the small pack of 6, which included 4 Ravenclaw and 2 Hufflepuff. There was no way they had any reason to be down on the dungeons at this time of the morning, so Harry concluded that these were the very people he was looking for, though he’d wait till they did something incriminating before he confronted them.

Realising that they may actually use the nook that he was currently standing in, Harry moved out to stand against the wall, watching for the coming of this little group and making sure that his own guys were near the entrance of the dungeons. If this was the right group then they had no worry about being caught standing where they were. He watched the group settle themselves around the dungeon, keeping out of sight and keeping an eye on everything going on around them till he heard lone footsteps coming from the depths of the dungeons. Checking the map quickly, Harry found that it was Draco, moving warily, toward the area where he’d been attacked so many times.

// Show time!! //

Harry watched as Draco stiffened, then suddenly toppled over, and realised that the blonde had been put in his full body bind. Harry stayed back for a few moments and saw one of the “deatheaters” grabbed a handful of Draco’s hair and dragged him off to one side. Once this was done, the rest of the group emerged from their hiding places, masks on, and moved quickly to the boy’s side. One of them, Harry was no longer sure who was who, thudded a kick into Draco’s side and said “You should never have got away with it Malfoy. We all know who you supported, you were never loyal to Harry.”

Harry could feel his anger growing

// How dare they do this in my name //

Harry didn’t even use his wand, he could see Malfoy move slightly and he knew he was now free of his bonds. It was a mark of his courage that he stayed on the ground. Harry whispered his spell “expecto patronum” and ripped his cloak off at the same time.

“Petrificus Totalus!”

Draco jumped up and started throwing hexes himself. They might have the element of surprise, but they weren’t going to be able to hold them if the rest of his guys didn’t get there. Harry threw up a shield as he continued to try and petrificus as much as he could. As the rest of his group came rushing in, Harry saw Draco fall. The rest of the fight was over in a matter of seconds as the others bound the deatheater group. Harry looked around for Draco and found him on the floor, cradled by Neville.

“He’s unconscious, but nothing seems to be broken. I think we should get him to the hospital wing.”

Harry nodded in agreement as he inspected the rest of the bad guys. Terry Boot, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Ernie Macmillan and 2 more 6th years Harry didn’t recognise. Hey shook his head, the anger draining out of him suddenly.

“Nev, can you take Draco down to the hospital wing, Ginny, could you please get Headmaster Dumbledore. Tell him what’s happened and let him decide which other teachers we might need. The rest of you, could you make sure the rest of them don’t move. I think I’d like a word with Mr Corner.”

Harry felt his anger flair again and despite the fact that Corner couldn’t move, he could see fear in his eyes.

“Now Michael, you and I need to have a chat. What on earth were you thinking? Did you really think I would let this go? That I would let you continue to harm a man who, as far as I can tell, has been more use to the light than you will ever be?” Harry knew his voice wais rising and could feel his magic beginning to rush through his veins. He felt a small hand on his shoulder and whirled round, anger in his eyes, his hair moving from the slight wind his magic was creating. His friends had all taken a step back, knowing something was about to happen and only Hermione, sweet Hermione, had stepped forward to try and calm things.

Harry laughed. “Sorry guys, I wasn’t out of control. In fact,” he put on a stage whisper, “I was just showing Mr Corner what could happen if he pissed me off. Now you wont be doing that again, will you Michael?”

Harry knew the boy couldn’t answer him back so just smiled and raised his eyebrows.

Dumbledore turned the corner, all 4 heads of houses behind him, and smiled. Harry’s eyes were drawn immediately to Severus, who seemed to be looking every where but at him.

“Now Harry, would you like to tell me what’s going on? I had a very incoherent Miss Weasley in my office whom I have had to send to the infirmary for a calming draught, she was so excited.”

Harry shrugged his shoulders, before gesturing to the boys bound before him.

“These guys were beating Draco Malfoy on a daily basis, and we were able to catch them at it.” He looked at Severus. “Draco seems to have been caught by a stray hex or something, he’s down in the hospital wing.” Without so much as a word, Severus whirled on his heels and stalked off in the direction of the infirmary.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward. “Mr Potter, why on earth did you take this into your own hands? Didn’t you think to come to us, we would have sorted this out. And Miss Granger, I would have thought you’d have more sense than to allow this to happen, though I expect no less from you Weasley.”

Harry could see Hermione pull herself up for a retort and snickered as Dean, Seamus and Ron all put their hand on her shoulders. Dumbledore twinkled at them all before looking at the 6 bound boys. He waved his hand and they all were able to move again.

“Now boys,” he said, no longer twinkling, “you and I have a lot to discuss.” And with that he turned and headed back to his office, the boys and the other professors following behind. McGonagall gave them all a look that said she would be having word with them later. As soon as they were out of the way, Ron and Dean had a high 5, Seamus did a little dance and Hermione came over and gave Harry a hug.

“We should go see how Draco and Ginny are doing,” she mumbled in his ear. Harry held on for a moment, enjoying the closeness of the cuddle.

“Oi mate, put down my girlfriend.” Harry laughed as Ron shouted over, before bending Hermione back and giving her a theatrical, dramatic kiss.

“Hey!” Ron shouted, “I thought you were a bloody pouf” Harry laughed again before walking over to Ron and running his finger down his cheek.

“Would you rather I did it to you?” Ron spluttered and grabbed Hermione, before leaning in and giving her a very public snog. “No thanks mate, I don’t swing that way,” he looked towards Hermione, “and I want to know that at any one time, I’m the last kiss you’ve had.”

Hermione blushed and laughed. “Well, anyone else want a shot? I seem to have accidentally drunk lust potion instead of pumpkin juice this morning.”

Laughing, they made their way to the infirmary.

Severus stood over Malfoys bed and watched with amusement as the young man whined and moaned and complained about being told he had to stay there over night at least. He was just getting ready to launch into a full blown tantrum when Neville stuck his head around the partition.

“Hi Draco, how do you feel?” Neville saw his professor stood there and resolutely didn’t look at him.

Draco went into another rant, “How do you think I feel, I’ve been beaten, hexed and now told I have to stay here over night. I’m grumpy.” And with that he folded his arms over his chest and stuck out his bottom lip. Severus chucked under his breath, much to the astonishment of Neville.

“I don’t care if you like it or not, you will stay here and do as you’re told. If you stupidly hadn’t decided to take things into your own hands, this might not be the case.” Draco continued to pout. “Now, you will stay here while I go to the headmaster’s office to find out what is being done about those louts who have been putting you through this. Longbottom, make sure he doesn’t move.”

Neville choked a little but managed to force out a “Yes, sir” before Snape stalked away.

Neville moved to the side of Draco’s bed and sat down. Draco rolled onto his side, with his back to Neville and huffed. Nev sighed. He hoped Snape would be back soon.

Severus marched out of the infirmary and bumped bodily into Mr Harry Potter. He glared down his nose at him and demanded, “Where do you think you are going?” He looked around at the rest of the Gryffindors and realised with a start that they all knew about him and Harry. He schooled his face into one of anger, not that difficult to do considering his turbulent emotions

// He promised we would keep this between us. //

and glared at the group.

Harry took a step back, wishing he didn’t have to leave the heat of the mans personal space, and gestured to his friends. “We were going to see how Malfoy was and get Ginny.”

Severus sneered. “Miss Weasley is already at the headmaster’s office, explaining herself, which is exactly where you should be. Follow me, all of you.”

And with that he stalked ahead of them. Harry shrugged his shoulders and followed along.





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