Hogwarts Express

Track Change

Track Upsilon Nu Delta

            “Potter, promise me that you will never start purring.”

            “So long as you promise you won’t start chasing me down in dark hallways and growing
wings, Malfoy.”

            “Deal,” Draco nodded, then shuddered. “That was just disturbing...”

            “You’re telling me,” Harry grumbled. “I was alternately prey and rival. That was just
plain disturbing.”

            “Will it make you feel any better to hear that I am not, in fact, in any way, shape, form,
function, or measure, Veela?”

            “Somewhat,” Harry admitted after a pause. “Or you could have always told me that I
wasn’t your mate. That would work, too.”

            “Harry, we have been to two other worlds - besides this one, and I have no idea where we
are anyway, in this one - and in both of them, Draconius has found some way to force the two of
us together. And he’s basically stalking us in our world. What do you think the chances are that,
if I were Veela, you wouldn’t be my mate?”

            Harry frowned, resting his chin on his knees, which were folded up against his chest. It
was rather cramped in the small corner they’d hidden themselves in upon finding themselves in
the Owlery. “Slight?”

            “Slim to nil, as my mother would say,” Draco answered, tilting his head back against the
stone wall. “When do you suppose that snogging couple is going to leave so we can get out of
here and try to find the alternate us so we can rule this place out as a Draconius world?”

            Harry leaned forward to peer out at the pair in question.

            It was interesting, really. It was like him and Draco, only if him and Draco had exchanged
places, since the brunette wore the Slytherin uniform and the blond wore the Gryffindor.... wait a
minute....

            “Draco,” Harry hissed, leaning back. “This isn’t Draconius’ world.”

            “How do you know?” Draco shot back. 

            “The snogging couple’s pretty damn familiar.”

            Draco stared at him for a long moment, then he closed his eyes, and sighed. “It’s the
alternate us, isn’t it?”

            “Mm-hmm.”

            Draco let out a sigh of disgust, reached over to catch Harry in a rough hug, and said,
“This is starting to get old.”

            And they apparated again.