Trials, Tribulation & Love

Disclaimer: Persons and Places (aka subjects) belong to JK. Rowling. The only thing I am proud to claim is the dang plot.

Warning: Slash! Draco/Harry. If it bothers you, do not continue beyond this line! Angst and Romance.


CHAPTER TWO

The dinner had already started and he found Ron and Hermione looking very worried. They saw him walk into the Great Hall and beckoned him over.

“What happened with McGonagoll, mate?” Ron asked as Harry sat down next to him. “What’s the detention?”

“I’ve got to muggle weed the whole area of grass in front of the castle at eleven.” Harry grumbled.

Hermione looked relieved and smiled. “Well, I’m sure it won’t be too difficult for you Harry, I mean, the Dursley’s made you do that all the time didn’t they?”

Ron nodded. “At least you won’t have bloody Malfoy trying to hex you ass off every second.”

Harry shook his head. “No. You see, the detention is with Malfoy.”

Hermione gasped and Ron’s mouth dropped open.

“Alone with Malfoy.... when it’s dark??? Harry, you nuts? Is McGonagoll nuts? He’ll try to attack you when you’re least expecting it!” Ron hissed.

“I’m sure Malfoy wouldn’t try to kill Harry or anything....” Hermione bit her lip.

“Kill him?&# Ron Ron said enraged. “He’ll bloody well try to kill him Hermione!
Hasn’t that been Malfoy’s life goal all along?”

“You guys... it’s fine. I won’t take my eyes off him. I’ll keep a close watch...” Harry tried to reassure.

Ron was looking disbelieving. “But Harry, mate. I don’t want to wake up to a funeral tomorrow morning. This is crazy!”

“Oh Ron. You are being stupid.” Hermione said. “Malfoy would get expelled if he tried to kill Harry. He’s not dumb enough to try something like that.”

“HA. I wouldn’t be too sure about that....” Ron said.

Harry groaned exasperatedly. “Guys, I’ll be fine. Honestly, you don’t think I’m that useless do you?”

Ron blushed a bit. “I-I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Look, I’m sure he’ll be fine. Even Harry says so. Let’s just try and enjoy dinner shall we?” Hermione said picking up her fork.

Harry just inwardly hoped that it wouldn’t be his last dinner with them.
After they’d finished dinner, the three of them had returned to Gryffindor Tower. They sat in the Common Room for a while going over the spectacular catch of Harry’s at the game until Harry got sick of it and changed the subject. Having them praising him was very flattering but it just reminded him of his detention that night with Malfoy even more.

The hours dwindled closer and closer to his doom. He kept glancing at the clock, willing it to stop, but the more he did that, the faster it seemed to go.

Soon, it was ten minutes before he’d have to be there and he reluctantly got up from his pouf.

“Good luck Harry.” Hermione called out anxiously. “Don’t do anything stupid!”

“If you ever get the chance, throw him into the lake with the Giant Squid before he has a go on you!” Ron shouted.

“Ron!” Hermione scolded.

Harry waved at them and exited the Portrait of the Fat Lady.

“Detention my dear?” she asked sternly. “You should learn to keep yourself out of trouble for once you know.”

Harry mumbled something over his shoulder and hastily made his way down to the Transfigurations classroom.

When he got there, Malfoy and Professor McGonagoll were already there.

“You’re two minutes late Mr. Potter.” she said, her arms crossed.

“Sorry Professor.”

Harry caught Malfoy smirk distinctly. He shot him a cold look.

“Well then, follow me boys.” she made her way to the door and they hastened to follow her.

“Don’t be thinking of trying anything stupid Potter.” Malfoy hissed under his breath.

“I’m the one that should be worried about that.” Harry shot back, making sure that Professor McGonagoll didn’t hear him.

Malfoy sneered and then didn’t look at him at all until they reached the sloping lawns in front of the castle. Everything around them was draped in darkness with the exception of a curtain of mist that hung around the ground reflecting the moonlight.

“Now I will leave you two here- any funny business and it will be another night of detention for the both of you. You will stay out here until the whole lot is finished.”

Harry gaped at her. “The whole lawn Professor? Are you serious?”

“That’ll take until morning!” Malfoy said disbelievingly.

&#I wiI will assure you that I am very serious. Good night.” and with that she turned around and headed back up the stone steps to the castle.

“Thanks a lot Pothead. Look at what you’ve got us into.” Malfoy snarled.

“Excuse me?” Harry said, turning toward him. “I believe you were the one that came up to me and started everything?”

“Just shut the fuck up and get away from me.” Malfoy spat and he strode away to the other side of the field.

“I wouldn’t come near you with a Quidditch goal hoop.” Harry retorted, fuming.

He watched as Malfoy became fainter and fainter through the thick mist. He decided that he was safe for the moment and bent down to start with the long work ahead of him.

He completely lost track of time as his aching arms yanked one clump of grass after another out of the frosted dirt. Even through the cold, there were beads of sweat on his forehead and his shirt was clinging to his back.

His body was so worn out and tired. He knew that if he didn’t take a break, he’d pass out and so he stopped tearing at the grass and sat down. At first, the iciness had felt nice against his hot skin, but then, his sweat turned cold and he began to shiver.

Wonder where Malfoy’s gone. Harry thought. He scanned the lawns. Speaking of Malfoy, he hadn’t heard a single sound from him or seen him at all since he’d stormed away from Harry. The lack of his presence was starting to unnerve him for some reason.

He got up slowly and started walking in the direction he’d seen Malfoy leave.

“Malfoy?” he called out nervously.

There was no reply. He couldn’t have gone that far could he?

He called out his name again, a little more loudly. There was still no reply.
Maybe Malfoy was watching Harry right this very second. Maybe he was going to sneak up on him and knock him unconscious while Harry was foolishly looking for him. Harry’s mind became very aware again and he swung around, looking for any sign of movement.

He tiptoed further on down the slope until he finally caught sight of
Malfoy. He was crouching on the ground some five yards away, obviously still weeding. He’d been so far away that he hadn’t heard Harry’s calls.
Harry kicked himself inwardly for being such an idiot as to worry about him and was about to turn back when he froze.

He had just realized where Malfoy was sitting. Malfoy didn’t seemed to have noticed at all. Suddenly, Harry heard a loud creaking and then a whooshing noise.

Harry ed oed over to where Malfoy was and threw himself at him just as something black and solid went swinging by his ear, missing them by a mere inch.

“AAAAHHH!” Malfoy screamed. “Get off me! Get off me!”

They rolled violently down the rest of the slope and finally came to a stop a few feet away from the lake.

They were both too beaten and shocked to move. They lay panting there for a while until Harry opened his eyes and noticed where he was.

He was staring into the pair of silver gray eyes of his enemy, their faces only inches apart. And Harry was laying on top of him.

Malfoy stared back, a dazed look in his eyes.

How long they lay there was a mystery but suddenly with a yelp of realization, Harry rolled himself off Malfoy and pulled himself off of the ground.

Malfoy seemed to have been finally brought his senses back too. He flushed furiously and his fists were clenched.

“What the hell was that Potter? Why’d you attack me all of the sudden?” he yelled.

Harry glared back at him. “Attack you? Don’t be serious! You were the one that was thick enough to weed RIGHT next to the Whomping Willow Malfoy! I saved you in the knack of time too!”

Malfoy’s eyes flickered with surprise.

“The- the Whomping Willow?”

Harry rolled his eyes. “Yes dung brains! God dammit. WHY would I attack you anyways?”

Malfoy snorted. “I could think of plenty of reasons...”

“You know what? Stupid of me. I should have let that tree whack you clean across the head. Maybe that would have taught you something.” Harry muttered angrily and he got up and stomped back up the slope to his original weeding area.