The Other Creature Within

Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters or ideas that were made by J.K. Rowling... haha.
Spoilers: SS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP, HBP
Beta: Linz
Notes: Thanks to all that reviewed, specifically:


-To clear up some confusion, I should explain this ficlet in further depth:
This basically goes through the sixth book, focusing obviously on Harry and Draco’s interactions, as this story is being told through Harry’s Pensieve. However, as some have noticed, many events that I include do not occur. This story, though canon, has AU parts in that I include scenes that did not happen. As I like to put it, scenes J.K. Rowling left out, haha. It is really meant to build up, what I would like to be a sequel. Though it really depends on the turn out of this ficlet whether or not I make a sequel which would be my own events picking up where Half Blood Prince ended. And now onto Part two...



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Harry was glad to see, or rather hear, that Ron admitted Malfoy was up to no good; however, he seemed more concerned with Lavender than anything else. He looked forward to telling Hermione, knowing that she would be unable to deny anything once he filled her in on Snape\'s involvement.
He finished all that he had heard and seen, and looked at Hermione expectantly.
\"And then Draco just ran off?\" she asked, still trying to put together what Harry had just informed her of.
Harry hesitated only for a moment time, deciding that the part with Malfoy afterwards wasn\'t relevant enough to include. The truth was, Harry didn\'t want to discuss it with Hermione; if he was to make her take him (and his suspicions) seriously, it wouldn\'t do to reveal exactly how deep his interest and obsession with Malfoy was beginning to run.

Hermione, however, despite her usual keen senses, did not pick up on the hesitation and began to ponder the information Harry had just given her.

\"I can\'t deny that something is indeed happening... but Dumbledore isn\'t stupid. He most likely already knows about it, and he trusts Snape, Harry. If Professor Dumbledore trusts Snape, well then I trust him too.\"
Harry\'s countenance noticeably darkened, yet he knew pushing it any further with Hermione would be futile. He would just have to wait until he saw Dumbledore to once again argue his clear evidence.
Ginny and Dean came in through the entrance of the Common Room, breaking the brief silence that was occurring between Harry and Hermione. Ginny seemed rather flustered and distressed as she pushed Dean\'s assisting hand out of her way.

\"I can get through the hole by myself, Dean!\" She seethed as she moved away and smiled at Hermione and Harry before heading up into the girl\'s dormitory. The familiar scent of flowers wafted through the air and comforted Harry.

Ginny. She was stable, and a friend, and a distraction. Most importantly a wonderful distraction.
\"So, Dean and Ginny are fighting again?\" Harry asked nonchalantly, seeing Hermione raise her eyebrows.

\"It seems so,\" Hermione answered with a knowing smile.

It was funny, Harry thought, very funny indeed, how Hermione picked up the such casual words about Ginny but remained oblivious to the growing fixation on Malfoy. Not that Harry minded at all; he hated to admit that he was becoming obsessed with the Slytherin. Still, it was rather humourous how one will only choose to see what they want, but readily ignore anything else.

In his thoughts, Harry found his mind wander back to Malfoy. What in bloody hell was that boy up to exactly?
Harry retired to his own bed and fell into a restless sleep. They began with the usual soft and sweet dreams of Ginny Weasley but quickly turned into the dark and tiring dreams of Draco Malfoy.
When he awoke the next day, he pushed the ladder of the dreams from his mind. He refused to allow Malfoy to haunt him even in his dreams. He thought instead of Ginny. A sweet, innocent crush was much more appealing to Harry than an increasing obsession with Draco Malfoy.

~@~

Harry had found a new confidence in his crush on Ginny. His mind often consumed with thoughts of her, he found himself even able to blush in her presence (though he found everything was often forced).
Still, try as he might, he couldn\'t get Malfoy from his mind. He was reaching levels of desperation, that the young man had never experienced before.
Even on the day of one of the most important Quidditch games, his main concern was not catching the snitch and winning the match, but rather catching Malfoy and discovering what he was doing.
On his way to the pitch, he saw a glimpse of gold, the sun hitting the unmistakable pale hair of Draco Malfoy. Now was his chance.

\"Where do you think you are going?\"

\"Oh, because I am going to tell you...\"

An almost playful smirk graced Draco\'s lips, and, despite the tired face and dark shadows beneath his eyes, Draco appeared almost glad to have some familiar bantering.

In spite of his slight anger at Draco\'s casual dismissal of Harry, the Gryffindor almost found himself smiling at the absurdity of the situation. Draco, still staring at Harry, tilted his head to one side, as if only wondering what else Harry might say. The honest puzzlement on Draco\'s face startled Harry, and Draco\'s flippant words and attitude did not sink in until that very moment.

It almost felt as if... Draco Malfoy flirting with him!? A vacant and forced giggle from one of the girls with Draco broke Harry from his thoughts. He glared at the two sheep-like girls suddenly feeling angry.
\"I want to speak to you alone, Malfoy!\"

Draco\'s coy smirk quickly disappeared. He looked at the two girls for a moment before nodding at them. They both disappeared.

\"Malfoy, I–\"

\"What!? What do you want, Potter!? Why can\'t you just leave me alone?\" Draco asked nearly desperately.
Something was very wrong, this wasn\'t Malfoy, this was a tired and almost frightened boy standing in front of him.

\"I can help you, Malfoy,\" Harry said softly, realizing how stupid the statement was after the words left his lips.
However, Harry did not receive the reaction he expected. Rather than an angry retort, or dismissive taunt, Draco\'s eyes widened as he grabbed Harry\'s shoulders.

\"No! No one can help me! I am doing the best I can, but... no! Get away Potter.\"

As Draco mumbled these defeated words he lost the will to stand himself up and fell into Harry.
Harry, with his quick reflexes, was able to catch and hold Draco\'s weight. However, this position caused his face to be smothered in Draco\'s thin, feathery hair, suddenly causing Harry to feel rather uncomfortable. The slight tickling sensation of Draco\'s hair and the overwhelming heat that the taller boy exuded was making Harry rather dizzy.

\"Malfoy...\" Harry spoke slowly, making no attempt to move.

Draco, after hearing his name, pushed Harry away firmly and stood up, an angry sneer quickly set in place on his pale face.

\"This will be the last time I tell this to you, Potter: Stay out of my way.\"

And with that, Draco was gone with a flourish, joining the two young girls, as they glanced suspiciously at Harry, laughing their troubling laughs.

Flustered, for more reason than one, Harry raced down to the Quidditch pitch, to find Ginny waiting impatiently.

\"Harry! Where were you? The game is about to begin!\" Ginny cried, grabbing Harry\'s arm to obtain his complete attention.

Harry felt himself flush, thinking of Draco, but he quickly told himself the rapid heat rushing through his body was the result of Ginny\'s milky arms touching him.

\"I was with Malfoy. I saw him going off in
to the woods with these two stupid girls, his little girlfriends I suppose,\" he spat bitterly.
\"You sound like you\'re jealous,\" she laughed out while pulling Harry onto the field.

Harry\'s eyes flashed darkly, but he didn\'t say a word, transferring his mixed emotions into the game. One thing he knew-- he hadn\'t given up on Malfoy yet.

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