The Three Keys

A/N: I do not own any Harry Potter Characters, just the plot, my Laurel, her family and the random misc people that you’ve never heard of before...

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CH 27 - REFLECTIONS & DESIRES

Previously:

Maggie put Draco in the room next to Laurel’s with Harry and Ron in separate rooms just across the hall from them.

Maggie gave Laurel a big hug and kiss, and told her not to worry about Draco they would work it out.

With one last hug to Laurel she set off back down stairs to greet the Weasleys and some other members from the Order of the Phoenix she had sent word too. (Maggie had been a member since Dumbledore reinstated the Order a few years back.)

For Maggie the night was just beginning…As was the ordeal the children were just about to embark on…

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Laurel stalked into her bedroom and closed the door. To say she was exhausted would be an understatement. Performing the “Domus Totalis” spell had taken a lot out of her, but to bring along three extra people – well, it was extraordinary to say the least.

She still wasn’t sure how they’d managed it, in theory it was possible, but very unlikely to be able to do such a complex spell and have everyone arrive safely together. She hadn’t mentioned it yet, but she knew she needed to discuss with Harry and Draco the gold light that united and came from their wands. She knew Ron’s hadn’t done it, so there were serious things to be addressed. But tomorrow, she thought. Tonight she had other things to think about and mull over…the two most important being Draco and Harry. “God” she groaned, “What a mess!”

Laurel paused as she stripped the short, silky black dress off and surveyed herself in the full-length mirror before her. She had chosen her favorite lingerie set to wear under the dress; they made her feel very sexy and empowering, the expensive lacy, black bra and matching panties. They fit her full breasts and hips perfectly and flattered her curvy waist. Laurel’s favorite part of the ensemble was however the garter belt which held her silk stockings in place with delicate, shiny black rhinestones and held the holster for her wand on her right leg.

Laurel’s eyes clouded over as she looked down at the discarded dress on the floor and with a heavy sigh reflected on Harry and the events from just an hour ago…

She gave a final glance at herself in the mirror and then her eyes fell on the wand in her holster. “Oh”, she said softly, Laurel had quite forgotten taking it from the Death Eater she’d stopped from attacking Draco in the club. Taking it from the holster, Laurel dropped the wand on the bed and changed into a white ribbed tank top and white silky boxer bottoms for bed and then examined the wand more closely. It was beautiful, 10 inches, black mahogany with an intricately carved silver handle and it looked to be very old…She decided to give it to her mom in the morning as she went to place it in the big jewelry box on her desk.

Laurel plopped down at the desk now and began idly tracing the leafy pattern on the top of the box with her finger while her thoughts drifted back to Draco. She wondered how anyone could be so impossibly gorgeous, charming, stubborn and still manage to remain endearing. More importantly, she prayed he would be ok. Laurel was so thankful her mom had put him in the room next to hers; it was the adjoining room with the common door between them and she’d already decided to check on him in a while.

Then her thoughts turned to Harry and her heart began beating faster. In fact her whole body began thumping to the rhythm of her heart as she thought about being alone with him...kissing him…kissing HARRY POTTER…

Laurel let out a long, slow breath…she was going to have to face facts sooner or later and despite what inklings she was getting about reading Harry and his emotions so strongly, she had to admit it…She’d messed up, BIG TIME. SHe just hoped it wasn’t too late to repair the damage done.

Laurel sat glumly trying to figure out why she reacted so strongly toward Harry, when she obviously was attracted to Draco first and foremost. She guessed part of it was because of all the stress and the trauma of nearly being killed AGAIN. Almost dying twice, within a few months time was not doing anything for her state of mind…“This almost dying thing is becoming a very bad habit…” she whispered, groaned and dropped her head on the desk. “Ouch” she mumbled and rubbed her temple tiredly, before dropping her hands to hang loosely off the end of the desk as she looked blankly into space.

Then again, she was becoming more and more certain that Harry’s soul’s emotions had influenced her as well. She couldn’t shake the feeling that his emotions had a lot to do with her uh….passionate…response to his kisses…

“Harry” his name was a whisper on her lips…. ‘It had to be his emotions!’….. ‘Yeah, that and the fact that he’s TOTALLY HOT’ she thought with a disgusted, sad, little sigh. ‘My GOD does that man have moves…who would have thought, what with him being so busy trying not to get himself killed, since he was like 1.... Imagine what he could do if he put his mind to it?’

Laurel gave a weak little smile into the desk and sighed, letting the smooth wood cool her cheek. She didn’t know Harry Potter at all, only what she’d read in the teen magazines. She never trusted them, just liked looking at the cute, popular wizards in them, but …‘maybe he is a total ladies man, he certainly knew his way around her tonight.’

Although, Laurel really didn’t think that was the case. No, she was inclined to believe that they just happened to be, like he said, teenagers who were stuck in a dire situation, got out of it alive and found solace in each other for a few moments.

Sounded good in her mind, but she was sure it would sound completely slutty if she spoke it out loud:

Sitting chatting with imaginary friend -

“Yeah, I almost did it with the great Harry Potter tonight.”

“Really?” answers imaginary friend.

“Yeah, we were finding solace in each others arms after narrowly avoiding death moments before. Cool huh?”

“No, kinda slutty if you really want to know.” answers imaginary fiend.

“Yeah,” - big disgusted sigh, - “I think so too.”

Laurel groaned to herself. She didn’t know why she felt like she had done something sooo wrong in letting Harry kiss her. After all, she certainly wasn’t a child anymore at 17, she didn’t have a boyfriend, she assumed he didn’t have a girlfriend or he would have said something…..wouldn’t he have??? ‘Of course he would have.’ she chided herself.

And after all, Harry was exactly what she always fell for when it came to men: Dark hair – check, green eyes – check, athletic, hot body – double check, a knack for getting into danger – check. Yup, all the trademark ingredients that typically added up to a disastrous relationship were there. So, Laurel concluded grimly, it really wasn’t that crazy or surprising that she’d be all over Harry.

If it wasn’t for ONE thing.

That thing that was bothering her…..Well not really that thing, rather that someone; someone smug and cocky, fierce and brave...someone, who would be (she just knew) completely offended if she, or any other female, didn’t find him beyond gorgeous, with eyes the color of a silvery cloud and a halo of golden, fair hair. She realized with a pang of nervousness that she was drawn to Draco Malfoy in a way she never would be to Harry, and, she had been from the moment they laid eyes on each other in the club hours ago…

‘Was it just hours ago?’ It seems like she’d known him, them all really, for a lifetime already.

Although, Laurel knew now it had been Draco she had seen in her vision, even before they met...she had heard his thoughts, felt his fear, his pain and sorrow. She knew she was connected to Draco, and she wanted to be!! Ohhh, how she wanted to be…Now all she had to do was figure out why.

Laurel decided she was going to have a talk with Harry in the morning about her feelings for Draco. She was afraid too that Harry may tell Draco they kissed…and she didn’t want that. ‘NOOO, definitely not.’

It was Draco she had seen in her vision. Draco who she was instantly attracted to, Draco who she wanted to be with from the very moment she saw him…Draco who she was unbelievably jealous over, watching him dance with that midget Teeny and Draco who she risked her life to save…

Yes, Harry was definitely a mistake. A mistake, she hoped she could clear up before it got her into trouble with Draco, even before they got started….”STUPID, STUPID ME!..” Laurel groaned.

“Draco”… she sighed.

Sure she thought Draco was handsome to be certain. (She suspected that half the people he met, men and women were panting after him,) his looks were chiseled and perfect in a way Harry’s would never be.

Laurel closed her eyes and pictured him standing there and grinned. Draco had a dimple on his right cheek and a broad smile surrounded by THE sexiest lips she had ever seen. (She shuddered at the thought of their brief kiss in the club…She wanted MORE). His top lip was in the shape of a wide, lower case m and his lower lip pouted out and was full and luscious.

His eyes had that half closed, ready for the bedroom look to them and were the most intense she’d ever seen. Laurel loved how they changed color all the time, she was completely fascinated by them…They looked very blue in the black suit he was wearing tonight when she had been dancing with him. But when he was in battle she had seen them turn the perfect mix of polished silver and blue – breathtaking. (That image of him was forever burned into her memory.)

Then there was his hair, an explosion of white blond that would rival any surfer back in California, she mused. It was the color of the sun as it crested the ocean at sunset. He had a broad chest and shoulders and his upper arms (which were her weakness) were perfectly cut. His waist was trim and he had long, long legs….In other words, a perfect dreamboat. And - she knew, he knew it.

She was totally screwed.

Laurel sighed, she knew too however, her attraction to Draco was not merely a physical one…No; it was so very much more than that. She wanted to get to know him, get inside his head….inside his heart. She wanted to KNOW Draco Malfoy…ALL of him, inside and out.

Laurel’s head snapped up from the desktop at that thought and she eyed the door between their rooms. She got up from the chair and grasped the desk for support, fighting a wave of dizziness. ‘What time was it?’ she thought. The clock on the wall read 5:45am. ‘No wonder I’m sooo damned tired’, she sighed, thinking briefly of waiting till morning to check on Draco. But she decided against that instantly as she wanted to check on him…ok, lust, over him while he slept...AND check on him TOO, she reaffirmed, nodding her head strongly for emphasis.

Besides, she rationalized, making sure he was ok and not in pain was as good an excuse as any! With that, Laurel headed to the common door between the rooms, unlocked it and went through.

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The room was dark, the veranda doors to her right were closed and she moved silently to the bed. The bed curtains were open and Laurel peeked down at Draco making sure he was asleep. Certain he was, she moved to the chair beside the bed, sat down and looked at him.

Draco’s arms were resting at his sides and he looked quiet and peaceful. Hesitantly, she moved closer and put a jittery hand to his cheek. His skin was soft, and his cheek was cool to the touch. ‘Good,’ she thought, ‘no fever.’

Next she grazed his chest, letting her hand whisper over his heart, she felt it beating soundly and let out a small sigh of relief. Draco stirred slightly and Laurel took her hand away quickly, stood up and held her breath. Laurel weighed her options in an instant and decided she’d have to hold her ground if he opened his eyes, because there was no way she’d make it back to her room in time for him not to see her and NO WAY was she turning tail and running away.

Laurel’s pulse began to slow as she realized he wasn’t opening his eyes. She relaxed and took in his beauty undeterred. If she could sculpt a perfect man, she mused, Draco Malfoy would be pretty damn near close to the ideal.

Since his face was mostly in shadows, Laurel had not noticed the pair of silver eyes that were peeking, very much awake, at her through a thick fringe of dark blonde lashes…

Draco watched her keenly, trying to decide if he thought she wanted to get into his bed or not. ‘I’m too tired to have sex tonight’ he thought, rather irritated with himself. But…as was a Malfoy rule, ‘If ever a beautiful woman presents herself at your bedside, do your very best to be accommodating.’

He watched her look at him – her eyes traveling slowly, appreciatively over every inch of him and if Draco hadn’t been so thoroughly enjoying the attention, he would have been grinning like a mad man. He closed his eyes briefly when Laurel reached up and gently pushed a strand of hair off his forehead and peeked again as she settled her eyes on his lips, firm, full, sooo kissable. (He could have sworn he heard her moan softly.)

Her eyes traveled lower and she lost herself looking down at him. She stared at his broad shoulders and was very happy to see a tight and toned set of abs on his flat belly, her eyes flicked over to his scar briefly, shining like a silver streak against his skin in the moonlight and she sighed sadly as her eyes moved downward.

Then, Ahhhh then, she caught sight of his bellybutton and the thing that made her heart start to pound uncomfortably fast in her chest…

A thin, dark blonde trail of hair that ran just below Draco’s bellybutton and down the center of his hips, leading teasingly below the waist band of his boxers, just visible above the sheet covering his lower body… Laurel moved her hand to her mouth to stifle a small groan as a searing hot wave of desire surged over her body, causing her to shiver.

Laurel fought with all her might the urge to touch it, ‘ever so gently’ she thought, as her hand drifted down toward him of its own accord, eyes set firmly on her destination. But just as quickly, she came to her senses and pulled her hand back reluctantly, holding it firmly against her chest with her other arm as if keeping it there against its will.

Laurel was still too wound up after her encounter with Harry she realized, and she was more than a bit angry that it hadn’t been Draco that she was sharing kisses with earlier tonight.

She also knew that if Draco reached up to touch her right now, she’d drop down and ravage him on the spot – (injury and virginity be damned!) Realizing this, Laurel took a shaky step back and didn’t move closer again until her raging hormones had calmed.

Draco was delighted, to say the least, at the reaction he was having on her and it made his body spring to life.

He was currently using all his will power to fight off an erection. That, he thought, he wouldn’t be able to do much longer if she kept looking at him like she was. Her lips parted, chest heaving and hands trembling.

His eyes sparkled lustily as he took in her hardened nipples and areolas clearly visible through the white tank top she was wearing. He wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch them…

Draco’s self-control was incredible, but tonight it was virtually non-existent as he was so tired and worn down, (‘I guess being on the brink of death does that to you.’) he surmised. Besides, fighting his 17 year old hormones was going to be a losing battle he knew, in about 1 minute, especially since his body was positively yelling at him…’Hot chick in skimpy pj’s staring at every inch of your body, while your laying on a huge bed…perfect for shagging = hard erection!’

Much as he hated to do it, Draco reluctantly let his eyes slide completely closed. Not looking at her, looking at him would help control his hormones…But, if she touched him, he wasn’t going to be responsible for his actions.

Just then, his heart stopped as he felt a soft pair of lips graze his for the briefest moment. He froze, it had surprised him so.

“Sleep well Draco.” she breathed. “Thank God you’re OK and I’m only a heartbeat away if you need me...” Her hand brushed his hair again so gently. Then he heard her pad away.

Draco opened his eyes just in time to see Laurel turn back to look at him once more before she disappeared through the doorway on the wall opposite his bed, the door closing silently behind her.

Breathing easier now that she was certain Draco was quite alive and looking better, Laurel allowed the exhaustion to overtake her. Her room was dusky blue-grey now and soon it would be filled with sunlight. She sank into her bed and had just enough energy to close her bed curtains before sinking into a dreamless sleep.

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Draco’s eyes opened fully now, fixed on the door Laurel had just gone through. ‘That’s her bedroom.’ he realized. The implications of this revelation made a slow, seductive grin spread over his face. He couldn’t remember having such a better set up in his life!

Speaking of life, he actually couldn’t believe he was alive!

Draco had so many things to think about it was overwhelming his head already. Potter was alive, he was sure he’d heard his voice at some point in time tonight after leaving the club…thank Merlin! He, himself was alive…thank Merlin! Laurel was a witch! He would get to see her again. Hell, she saved their lives…She’s right next door…She wants me!

He moved to turn over and winced, gasping with pain. Draco thought back to tonight, but couldn’t remember much of the evening once he got here – wherever here was – presumably Laurel’s house. It had to be, since she had initiated the Domus Totalis spell.

Draco tried to focus on the night once he got here, but he pictured just murky flashes between blackness…

He remembered landing with a bone-jolting thud onto a hard marble floor and loosing his balance as he fell back against a wall. He remembered Laurel grabbing his arms and speaking to him, although he had no idea what she’d said.

He recalled being carried by someone and being put on a sofa… Remembered Laurel taking his shirt off and trying to tell her something, but no words would come out, and a dark haired, pretty, woman pushing Laurel aside and looking down at him with a grave expression on her face.

He recalled quite clearly now, a mind-numbing, searing pain that ran through his belly and his body trembled involuntarily at the memory...Then nothing until he heard Potter…(’Ah yes, that’s where he’d heard his voice’) Draco groaned, AND the Weasel grumbling as they hoisted him off the couch.

He didn’t quite remember going up stairs, but he thought for sure he hand seen a second story landing. Then he was in bed and the older woman was talking soothingly to him as his own mother never had, telling Draco not to worry; she wasn’t going to let anyone hurt him while she was around. He felt strangely comforted as she tucked him in bed. “Sleep well Blondie.” she had said softly as she exited.

‘Ah, definitely Laurel’s mum’ he concluded, after hearing the American accent.

At this Draco realized he was still very tired. He let out a sad, little sigh as he glanced wistfully at the Laurel’s door again. His romantic endeavors were just going to have to wait until he was more rested.

Fleetingly, Draco thought, as he drifted off to sleep again, he’d have to make sure, whatever happened, that he stayed put in this room next to Laurel. More than wanting her (which he did) Draco was going to make sure she stayed safe….and he was vaguely surprised at how strongly compelled he was to do so…

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A/N: You KNOW this chapter title is VERY apropos for how I am currently feeling. I am reflecting on my happier days at FF, before I was FUCKED OVER TWICE (sorry) by them and desiring to NOT have to move my G-D story AGAIN! SHIT! I wouldn't blame you, if you didn't move with me....See, I TOLD you it would kick in soon!


PS- ANY READERS WHO ARE NEW TO THIS SITE AND NOT FROM FF, AND WHO WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE READING THIS STORY IF AFF GOES DOWN, DON'T WAIT, LEAVE ME A REVIEW AND DROP YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND I WILL ADD YOU TO MY PERSONAL UPDATE LIST.

THANKS, LORETT