Funerals and Weddings

For disclaimer, summary, story codes and other information, please see the prologue.

Chapter the Twenty-fifth: Hogsmeade
The following weekend
13 November

Today everyone was off to Hogsmeade. It was a cold but clear day and Draco’s booted feet crunched pleasantly though the snow as he walked along the path from the castle to the village with several other Slytherins. He was happy to be going; he really wanted to get out of the castle. He’d been afraid Dumbledore would not permit him to go, but the old man had consented, saying that there would be several Aurors on duty in the village all day in case of trouble. Dumbledore had also given Draco an emergency portkey—just in case. Draco had the ugly purple hairbrush hidden in the pocket of his heavy winter robes with his wand. He didn’t want anyone to see it and think it was actually his!

The only thing marring Draco’s morning was the sight of Harry kissing and holding hands with that bloody Hufflelump. They were ahead of him on the path and were chatting animatedly about something inane, Draco was sure. How could it possibly be an interesting conversation with a Hufflepoof involved? When the couple passed under the low-hanging branches of a tree, Draco couldn’t resist the temptation. Utilizing some of the wandless magic they’d been learning in DADA, he muttered a quick spell that caused the branches to jerk violently, showering quite a bit of snow on Harry and Justin, as well as Ron and Hermione who were walking behind the couple.

Draco snickered when Hermione squealed and Justin yelped; he wasn’t the only one. Most of the students on the path were having a good laugh watching Ron dance about trying to dislodge the snow that had gone down the back of his robes. Draco saw both Harry and Hermione glance around surreptitiously but there were so many people around there was no way to tell who had made the snow fall or even if someone had done something—after all, it could have just been nature. Harry caught his eye as he was brushing snow from his unruly hair; Draco smirked. Harry rolled his eyes with a self-deprecating grin before taking Justin’s arm and heading towards Hogsmeade. Draco knew his trick had been childish, but it made him happy all the same.

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Harry, Justin, Ron and Hermione headed first to the Three Broomsticks; after their snow shower, they wanted to warm up with some butterbeer. Snagging a table near the fire, they enjoyed butterbeer and crisps while making plans for the day. Hermione needed some writing materials and Harry needed some potions ingredients and all four wanted to get a start on Christmas shopping as well. They decided to split up and meet back up at Honeydukes later.

Hermione dragged Ron off to Scrivenshaft’s Quill Shop while Harry and Justin headed to Hogsmeade’s small apothecary, Eye of Newt. It wasn’t as well stocked as Slugs & Jigger’s in Diagon Alley, but it would serve Harry’s needs. While he was searching for the lacewing flies he needed, he glanced out the window and saw Draco talking with Blaise Zabini. As he watched, Draco lowered the hood of his dark green cloak and shook out his platinum hair. Draco was standing in profile and Harry’s eyes took in the high cheekbones, aristocratic nose and pointed chin. Against Draco’s pallid complexion, he could barely distinguish a pale eyebrow arched above eyes he imagined would be storm-cloud grey today.

Harry’s eyes unfocused a little as his mind began to wander. His hands itched to run his fingers through Draco’s hair; it looked so soft. Draco was gesturing while he talked with the slightly taller black boy; Harry wondered if those hands would feel as good on his body in reality as they did in the dreams he’d had. How would it feel to have those long, slender fingers wrapped around his cock? Harry’s imagination drew from his dreams and created a vivid mental image that caused a stirring in his groin. Would Draco’s hands be soft and pampered or rough and callused like his own from playing Quidditch? Harry imagined Draco managed to keep his hands soft. Harry’s hardening penis twitched as Harry thought about soft fingertips gliding over…

“Harry?” Justin’s voice snapped Harry back abruptly from his fantasy. He jerked his eyes away from the window and back to the shelves next to him. What the fuck? He couldn’t believe he’d been standing there drooling over Malfoy like that. Imagining his hands on his body, around his erection, squeezing his…

Justin walked around the corner and yanked Harry out of his dream world again. “Got everything you want?”

‘No, not really,’ Harry thought to himself. Aloud he said, “Yeah, just about. Have you seen any sneezewort?” Berating himself mentally for lusting after Draco “Maybe-I’ll-be-a-Death-Eater-and-maybe-I-won’t” Malfoy while out on a date with a perfectly nice bloke, Harry made his purchases and left the shop with Justin. He was relieved that Draco was nowhere to be seen.

‘I must be excessively horny to be thinking about Malfoy that way,” Harry rationalized. Needing to clear his mind of the last images of Malfoy and wanting to act on his arousal, Harry pulled Justin into a kiss. Justin wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist and kissed him back, his tongue tangling with Harry’s and teasing the barbell. Harry ran his fingers through Justin’s curly hair. He pulled Justin closer, pressing their bodies together and deepening the kiss. Justin was a good kisser and Harry was enjoying himself; the tightness of his trousers proved it. But as hard as Harry tried to lose himself in the feel of Justin’s mouth on his, he couldn’t stop himself from imagining what a certain blond’s mouth would taste like instead.

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Draco stood outside Zonko’s waiting for Blaise to finish his purchases. It was packed inside and he’d stepped out to get some air. He turned in time to see Harry pull Justin in for a kiss. An unfamiliar feeling washed over his body. Anger, pain, sadness, frustration—was this…jealousy? Is this what it felt like? Draco had never been jealous before—after all, he had everything he wanted and if he didn’t, he bought it. Draco decided he didn’t like it. His stomach twisted as he saw Justin’s hands slide down to Harry’s arse. The strange emotion intensified the longer he watched the two of them snog. It was like watching two Quidditch players a second away from crashing their broomsticks: he wanted to look away, but he couldn’t. Blaise finally exited Zonko’s and joined Draco.

“Eh. They should get a room,” Blaise commented after seeing the couple wrapped around each other.

“Yes, disgusting, isn’t it? Snogging out in the middle of the road for everyone to see; have they no class?” Draco channeled his jealousy into contempt.

“What does Potter see in that bloke anyways? I never really thought about Potter’s sexual preferences, but when he came out by getting together with that Hufflepuff…I mean, he’s Potter. The bloody Boy-Who-Lived. He could do so much better,” Blaise said.

Draco sneered in agreement. “You mean do so much better by snogging you, Blaise?” he joked. Blaise was as straight as a Firebolt’s shaft.

Blaise laughed. “Yeah, he’d really being moving up in the world to be with the likes of me! Of course, he’d have to grow some tits first—and lose some other bits!”

Laughing, the two Slytherins headed towards The Three Broomsticks for a drink. They passed a small shop that was new to the village. Draco glanced over the door to see the name that was painted in a curly script on a wooden sign swinging in the breeze: Wishes and Dreams.

Dreams. Cheesy name for a shop, but that word was a key one in his life just now, so he stopped to look in the window. Statues and figurines of magical creatures romped together in a clever display. The other window featured fancy writing quills and what looked to be blank journals, along with a few pieces of jewellery.

“Hey, Blaise, mind if we take a look in here? I might be able to find a Christmas gift for my mum,” Draco asked.

“You go ahead. I’ll save you a seat at The Broomsticks,” Blaise answered. “I’m hungry.”

Draco nodded and went in. He was impressed by the set up inside: tasteful displays on shelves and walls, plenty of room for circulating, sparkling glass cases filled with smaller items. It was nice to see what appeared to be a quality shop in Hogsmeade.

“Good day. Can I help you find something?” A short witch with curly blonde hair tied back to fall in a long tail down her back greeted him.

“Not now, I’m just going to take a look around,” Draco replied.

She smiled. “Go right ahead. Let me know if you need any help.”

Draco wandered the aisles. He admired a colourful tapestry depicting centaurs in battle and examined some delicate perfume bottles he thought his mother might like. Moving to one of the glass cases, a round, silver pendent caught his eye. It wasn’t large--only about the size of a galleon—and hung on a simple black leather thong. It was styled as a yin-yang but had pictures engraved on the disk. Bending down to see it closer, Draco saw two snakes chasing each other in an endless circle. The black side was adorned with a gold snake, while the white side’s was a dark green. The dots of the yin-yang symbol were the snakes’ eyes and were the reverse colour of its mate—the green snake had a gold eye and the gold snake’s was green. The snakes’ mouths were opened wide, attempting in vain to swallow the other’s tail. It was beautiful.

“Would you like a closer look?” the shopkeeper asked, seeing Draco absorbed in the piece.

“Yes, please,” he replied. Taking it from her, he examined it carefully. “Unusual. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The witch smiled. “Yes, it’s one-of-a-kind. My brother makes most of the jewellery I sell here. Of course I’m biased, but I think he’s quite talented.”

Draco favoured her with some of the Malfoy charm. “I must say I agree. The workmanship is excellent.” He ran his fingers over the etched serpents and smiled. It was perfect. Looking back up at the woman, he smiled. “Do you gift wrap?”

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Harry and Justin met up with Hermione and Ron at Honeydukes as planned. After stocking up on chocolate frogs and other assorted treats, the foursome left the crowded shop to head over to The Three Broomsticks again for a late afternoon snack. Before they were even halfway there, however, the popping sound of apparating wizards filled the air.

A dozen Death Eaters now stood in the main street of Hogsmeade. Strategically placed to prevent people from escaping down the side streets, they were grouped in a loose circle. The stunned silence that had fallen when the first Dark wizards had appeared was shattered now by screaming students and the sound of running footsteps.

Harry had drawn his wand before all twelve had finished apparating. Shoving Justin behind him, he angled his body to keep as many Death Eaters as possible within his line of sight. He saw Ron and Hermione take up positions to either side of him, wands at the ready. Justin had Harry’s back. Feeling the tension of the others around him, Harry deliberately relaxed his body, loosening his limbs so as to be ready for whatever came at him. But what came at him was a surprise.

One of the Death Eaters took a small step forward and called out, “Now, now, let’s not have a panic! We’re only here for one reason. If everyone stays calm, there’s no need for any…unpleasantness.” The speaker’s cronies snickered appreciatively.

“We’re here for Draco Malfoy. Has anyone seen him?” Raising his voice, the Death Eater spokesman continued, “Draco Malfoy, we know you are here. It is time! Show yourself!”

Dead silence greeted the summons. There was no proud blond Slytherin strutting from a shop to join the Death Eaters. As the silence stretched, people began to shift uneasily.

“Oh, Dwaco! Widdle baby Dwaco! Where’s my widdle neffy? Come out, come out, wherever you are!” a female sing-songed in a voice Harry knew all too well: Bellatrix Lestrange. He felt the familiar hatred rise in his chest.

Still, Draco did not appear. The first Death Eater signalled another masked wizard near him before speaking again, having obviously lost patience. “Where is Malfoy? Who knows? Speak up and no one dies!”

The other Death Eaters had moved suddenly, each grabbing an innocent student and holding their wands to their throats. As the crowd began to stir, the leader shouted, “No one moves—or the little girl dies.” He pointed to one of the captive students. She looked to be about a third-year. She stiffened and her face paled dramatically at the Death Eater’s threat. “I’ll ask once more: where is Malfoy?”

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Draco was still inside Wishes and Dreams when the Death Eaters showed up. The shopkeeper had just given him his wrapped parcel when he heard the screams and he turned with a start to the window.
He froze when he saw the scene. And when he heard the Death Eater call out his name, saying it “was time” and demanding he show himself, his heart stopped. The witch running the shop jolted him out of his shock.

“Death Eaters! Merlin! Quick, hide!” With that, the witch had disappeared into a back room. Draco hesitated, unsure of what to do. Hide? Go outside? Hell no! He wasn’t a coward, but he wasn’t an idiot either. When he heard his Aunt Bellatrix’s voice calling him, he decided discretion was the better part of valor. He was digging the purple hairbrush from his pocket when he heard a hiss behind him.

“Psst! Draco!” Blaise Zabini was poking his head out of the door to the back room where the shopkeeper had run. “Quick! Back here!”

Draco dashed to the door. “Blaise! Thank Merlin! Here—I’ve got a portkey! Let’s go!” Blaise gripped the other end of the hairbrush while Draco muttered the activation spell. A sudden tug behind their navels and the two Slytherins portkeyed away to the safety of Hogwarts.

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“Malfoy’s not here,” Harry shifted his stance, wary for an attack. All of the Death Eaters turned their attention to him. He wasn’t sure why he was covering for Malfoy, but he didn’t like the way these Death Eaters were acting. They didn’t want Draco for any good reason, that was for certain. “I haven’t seen him in the village all day. He must have stayed back at Hogwarts.”

“Oooo, it’s widdle wee Potter. Always the hero, standing up even for his enemies,” Bellatrix sneered, dropping her annoying baby voice at the end.

“I just don’t see the need for anyone to get hurt. You wanted to know where Malfoy was; I answered. Now let everyone go,” Harry replied calmly, belying the anger coursing through his veins.

Bellatrix’s laugh was demented and scraped along Harry’s nerves. “So we should just take your word for it and go? Why should we believe you Potter?”

“Why would I lie?” Harry countered. “You just said yourself that Malfoy’s no friend of mine. Why would I lie for someone I can’t even stand?”

Amazingly, another voice spoke up from the other side of the circle. “Harry’s telling the truth,” Ginny Weasley said. “I haven’t seen Malfoy here either. He must be back at the castle.”

The leader of the Death Eaters looked at the redhead for a moment before turning to Bellatrix and motioning her over to his side. He was close enough that Harry could hear his words, despite his lowered voice.

“They must be telling the truth. There’s no way both Potter and a Weasley would protect Malfoy. Potter hates the boy and the Weasleys have been enemies of the Malfoys for generations. We’ve miscalculated—he must have decided to stay back.”

Bellatrix sneered. “The little brat must be too scared to show his face outside the safety of the old fool’s wards. Our Lord will not be pleased we have failed him. What say we grab Potter and take him back instead?” Her black eyes gleamed with malice under their heavy lids.

Harry felt the others tense around him. He shifted his weight, prepared to defend himself.

“No!” the other Death Eater said, surprising Harry. “The Dark Lord was very specific: we were only to take the Malfoy boy and no one else. There’s no way we’ll take Potter without a fight—every person here will jump to defend the ‘Boy-Who-Lived.’ No, we go now.”

“I didn’t figure you for a coward,” Bellatrix jibed. “Fine, let’s go.” Signalling the other Death Eaters, she gave a sarcastic wave to Harry. “Bye-bye widdle baby Potter!” And with a loud *crack*, she disapparated.

Releasing their hostages, the other Death Eaters followed suit. The leader was the last to go. He delivered a parting message: “Tell Malfoy the Dark Lord is waiting for him, Potter.” Then he disapparated.

Again, there was a pregnant silence before voices began murmuring in relief. Friends of the former captives rushed to comfort them. Harry turned to his friends.

“Let’s go. I don’t like this; there were supposed to be Aurors on duty here today. We need to get to Dumbledore, now.” So saying, he pulled a battered pack of Muggle playing cards out of his pocket and held it out. “It’s a portkey; everyone get a finger on it.” Within moments, the four students were portkeyed away.

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A/N: Whew! They’re safe! *Smile* It’s just a little baby cliffhanger, don’t worry. And we’re getting closer to the end of term…

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