What Shakes The Elephant

What Shakes The Elephant

Chapter 45 – The Same Old Scenario

Hogwarts grounds had not changed much in the nineteen years since he had been there. Sure, everything was a little bit older, the grounds were marked by the near-twenty years that had passed, the stone of the castle was slightly more worn than it had been in the years prior and there were new statues and monuments that adorned the sprawling lawns at the base of the castle, but little was different really. The same old people were doing the same old things. The same old blots dotted the sky as owls flew to and from the owlery. The same muted chanting echoed from within the castle walls as the students scurried around the castle to get to their classes. The same smells wafted from the greenhouses and hung in thick but transparent clouds over the still waters of the Black Lake. The same tours and turrets called to all those that spied them and demanded a moment’s thought on the nostalgia that never truly left any student that had ever passed through the great oak front doors. The same classes were held therein; the same meals served in the Great Hall.

The same and oh-so familiar embarrassment in having to be carried up to the Hospital Wing by the half-giant.

Yes, things at Hogwarts had hardly changed at all in Draco’s mind.

He stiffly allowed himself to be carted up the grounds while the oaf continued grunting under his breath about just how arrogant he had managed to stay despite all that had happened in the nineteen years that had passed. Draco rolled his eyes and tried to ignore the stabbing comments. No, some people never did change.

Rubeus Hagrid was, apparently, one of them.

They walked solemnly along the grounds, Harry running all the while to keep up with Hagrid’s massive steps. Draco could feel the distance between them shift back and forth as Harry brushed against his head or arm when he could just to assure himself that Draco was, indeed, still alive. In truth, he was soaking in those moments for all they were worth and forcing himself to stay conscious despite the pain in his chest just to continue to feel them.

Suddenly, as they walked, Draco spotted something new that stood erect and proud in the centre of the grounds. It was a new statue and this one, he was sure, was one that he would never forget.

“Oh my bleeding hell,” Harry muttered exasperated under his breath. He had stopped upon seeing the new statue. He very nearly slapped his own forehead but twitched in refrain. Draco smirked unnoticeably to himself and took a closer look at the statue. “I don’t believe it…”

It was a larger-than-life sized sculpture of a seventeen year old Harry Potter holding the Elder Wand up before himself while Gryffindor’s Sword dangled at his side and a strange locket with an ornate ‘S’ dangled from his hand. There was an inscription at the base but Draco could not read it from where he was held.

Draco wasn’t sure about the importance of the locket or, in truth, the sword, but few had missed the meaning behind the Elder Wand of those who were present at the final battle. He sighed and looked into those cold stone eyes. The sculptor had not quite managed to capture that innate determination that shone so brightly from Harry’s eyes at any given moment. He had missed the details of how his forehead creased when he frowned, how untamable his hair truly was, how his knuckles cracked when he grasped his wand with that much fervor.

“Like it, Harry?” Hagrid asked rather pleased. “I told ‘em yeh wouldn’t want nothin’ gaudy, not even yer name on the thing, but they insisted there had to be a proper monument.”

Draco had to bite his tongue quite literally to stop from scolding the oaf for his stupidity. Instead, he looked down at Harry. The other man’s face was hard as stone though his cheeks flushed a soft pink. It might have been a result of the cold, mind you.

Draco didn’t think so.

“Yeah,” he answered noncommittally. “It’s great.”

“Yes,” Draco began before he could stop himself. His voice was full of spite. “If great means sh –”

“Hagrid, we should really go,” Harry cut him off. He gave Draco a warning look and urged his friend on. “Draco clearly needs to get to the hospital. We don’t have much time.”

Hagrid made a face and nodded to Harry though he adjusted his grip on Draco in a jerky manner and caused more searing pain to shoot through his body as they moved. Draco groaned and clutched at his torso but managed to say nothing. Perhaps that had been Harry’s goal.

They made their way quickly through the castle doors and up toward the Hospital Wing. Draco, meanwhile, could not take notice of any other changes made to the castle décor as the pain had increased tenfold and his eyes were screwed shut.

In truth, he would have healed himself had he been given the chance but it was far too late now. He had been distracted by Harry’s lips, then by fear, then by shock at seeing the great oaf again and now the pain was too great for him to concentrate on anything else for long enough.

“Argh!” Draco growled as Hagrid dropped him unceremoniously onto a hospital bed. He gritted his teeth and grasped around for his wand, intent on hexing the half-giant into oblivion for having been so careless but he found Harry’s hand instead.

“Relax,” Harry soothed him, running his thumb over Draco’s hand to calm him. “You’ll be alright. Hagrid went to fetch the nurse. You’ve been through worse than this, yeah? It’ll be fine.”

Draco didn’t know whether he wanted to punch Harry or kiss him. On the one hand, the patronizing words goaded him into a further fury, his finger aching for the sleek grasp of his wand. Yet, on the other hand, Harry was trying to reassure him, to take his mind off the pain and remind him that it was nothing serious at all. He was painfully sweet, sometimes and Draco did not know how to deal with that.

“Well, well, well,” a familiar voice chided. “I never thought I would be seeing you in my hospital again, Mr. Malfoy.”

Draco turned his attention to the nurse who had just entered. Madam Pomfrey had hardly changed at all either. Her hair was much greyer and her face showed the tell-tale lines that any that have lived her life would show. Yet she still stood strong and steady, the same stern expression in place on her face. In contrast to that, however, her eyes were now softer and showed a kindness that had not been there in the past. This feature reminded Draco very much of his father and he shifted.

“Yes,” he began smoothly with his most winning smile. “But surely you’ve missed our short interludes as much as I have?”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Mr. Malfoy,” she responded with the slightest smile on her face as she set down a tray of clinking potions bottles. “Now what happened?”

Harry sat up at this. Draco had only just noticed that he had been sitting rather slack with his jaw wide open while observing Draco and the nurse. He shifted in his seat and unknowingly (perhaps) tightened his grasp on Draco’s hand to the point that it was painful.

“Well, we were walking towards Hogwarts,” he explained strangely. “Through the forest and Draco tripped and pulled me down with him. We fell from a cliff of some sort and, well… I believe his ribs are broken, though I don’t know what else might be wrong.”

Madam Pomfrey gave Harry a pointed look as she tried to decipher the story. Draco coughed awkwardly and the action caused more pain to shoot through his chest. He groaned and gripped Harry’s hand back until it was not comfortable for either of them.

“I see you two have stopped quarrelling,” she commented, eying their clasped hands with mild contempt. “Though it doesn’t seem to have helped the situation.”

Draco opened his mouth to make a remark but she took the opportunity to shove some clear potion down his throat and he coughed and spluttered most of it back up. As he was distracted with the choking, she waved her wand over his chest several times in a complicated incantation. Then, through his still open shirt, now that the bandages had disappeared, the deep bruising began to fade away and the pain ebbed slowly. He could feel the uncomfortable sensation of his bones knitting back together and replacing themselves in the correct alignment.

He hated being on the receiving end of healing magic.

“There you are, Mr. Malfoy,” Pomfrey said. “Good as new, I daresay.”

Draco nodded simply to her with another bright smile.

“Thank you,” he answered politely. She picked up her tray again.

“No thanks to me,” she responded matter-of-factly. “Thanks to you, actually. If it hadn’t been for your influence I wouldn’t have had the resources I would have needed to heal you.” She gave him a mildly coy smile. “Always serving yourself in the end, aren’t you, Mr. Malfoy?”

“Naturally,” he answered uncomfortably as she bustled away. Hagrid had still not returned and Draco was pressing his fingertips to his chest as though to test out his healed body. Harry was staring at him and the look bored into Draco’s chest.

“What was that about?” he demanded rather hurt. Draco looked up at him.

“What?” Draco asked in mock confusion. He loved to see Harry writhe… in more ways than one.

The image of the dark-haired man beneath him, writhing in pleasure with his head cocked back and his mouth open crying out in ecstasy send thick rolls of heat down Draco’s body in attempt to accumulate in one area. He began to button his shirt back up.

“You know bloody well what,” he hissed, placing a forceful hand on Draco’s to stop his ministrations. Harry wanted his attention and he would have it. “What was she talking about??”

Draco sighed. This was the most absurd worry Harry had ever had but he was nonetheless still amused by it.

“I’m Head of the Department of Magical Health and Wellness,” he answered simply. “I pushed for a decree to be passed demanding that the Ministry take a more active role in supplying the school hospital with proper resources for healing. Students are getting hurt more and more often in more dangerous ways and the Hospital Wing has never been fully equipped. I changed that. She’s thankful.”

Draco went back to his buttoning as he attempted to arrange his robes again but Harry was still staring at him, mouth open and gaping. He turned around and sat up over the edge of the bed, about to get up but Harry stopped him. He placed a hand on his thigh, the other at the back of his neck and Harry pulled Draco into a kiss.

Draco felt his smugness melt away at the invitation Harry’s lips offered. He smiled and pressed back into the embrace, distractedly marking that if passing laws to help the world gained him this kind of reward, he would have to do it more often.

Then, Harry pressed a hand to his chest and for a brief moment there was a stabbing pain that caught him off-guard and forced him to pull back and gasp. He pressed his fingers to his own chest in some effort to decrease the pain but it ebbed slowly on its own.

“What’s wrong?” Harry asked, worried as he looked at Draco. The blond smiled and shook his head.

“Just lingering pains from the spell,” he explained softly. Harry’s worry did not disappear, though. Draco cleared his throat and nodded. “We should go see the Headmistress.”

Harry helped him up and they made their way through the familiar halls of the school where they had met and grown up. It all seemed like just a day ago that Draco had been a student here, following Potter around and plotting his demise. He sorely missed those carefree days before the Dark Lord returned, before he had been pulled into the chaotic madness of war and before darkness had consumed their world.

But still the halls remained the same, just as they had been the very first day they had arrived at Hogwarts. The same tapestries hung along the same walls. The same suits of armor, the same ghosts. In fact, the only difference were the new portraits that were scattered throughout the halls.

They had passed by individual portraits of Professor Remus J. Lupin, Auror Nymphadora Tonks, Auror Alastor Moody, Sirius Black, Cedric Diggory and even one of Draco’s old house-elf Dobby that hung throughout the school. There were plaques beneath them that marked their service to the cause of good and their dates of birth and death. Draco was sure that there were many other portraits throughout the school that he had not come across just yet but as they walked up to the stone gargoyle that marked the entrance to the Headmistress’ office, there was one painting that stood out.

It was a painting of Lily and James Potter staring back out at the both of them. Harry had stopped in front of it, his words gone and his eyes wide. Draco stopped next to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He supposed that it did not matter how many years passed, but Harry would always feel the longing for his parents as though only a day had passed since their deaths.

He imagined that he would always feel that way about his mother as well.

“In honour of two brave souls,” Harry whispered, reading the small plaque beneath the painting. “Who gave their lives to save their son and so saved the world.”

They stood in silence for a few moments, perhaps out of respect, perhaps for lack of better thing to say, before they continued on without another word. Nothing needed to be said, did it? In those moments when you are forced to come together over a terrible pain, no words are necessary. Anything he might have said might have cheapened the moment and Draco had no intention of detracting from the meaning of the portrait.

They stood in front of the gargoyle finally and, only then, realized that they did not know the password. Harry cleared his throat.

“Sherbert Lemon?” he tempted with a bit of a smile. The gargoyle did not move.

“Well played,” Draco mused, staring at the motionless statue. Harry glared at him.

“Have you any better ideas?” he prodded. Draco snickered.

“Well I suppose it would be based on the new Headmistress,” he explained softly. “Professor Sinistra never did like sweets much, did she?”

Harry shrugged and looked at the thing. His expression seemed to beg the creature, hoping that it would simply spring to life and state the password for him. Draco sucked on his tooth.

“What did she like, then?” he asked, still staring at the statue. Draco fought back a laugh and let a smirk break onto his face.

“She seemed to get on quite well with Karkaroff,” he mused with a snicker. “Dark Wizards, shall we say? Or older and rather unpleasant men?” He felt silly but did not care. “Death-Eaters? Let me think.”

“Draco!” Harry burst out, chiding him for his horrible musings. The gargoyle, rather abruptly, sprung to life and stepped aside leaving the entrance open for them. They both stared with an expression midway between affront and surprise. “Draco? Really? Did she like you?”

Draco couldn’t fight the laugh that exploded from him. He took a moment to compose himself and look directly into Harry’s glare.

“She taught Astronomy,” he explained with a chuckle. “Draco is a constellation, remember? The Dragon.” He moved onto the stairs. “I thought you would remember, as you were the one to use the meaning of my name against me.”

“Shut up,” he answered dejectedly and followed Draco up the stairs to the Headmistress’ office. The door was open and they stepped cautiously through.

It, too, had remained much the same since the last time either of them had seen it. New to the office, however, were many of the astronomical trinkets. Telescopes of all kind and star charts lined some of the walls and shelves that had previously been filled with books or rare devices of Dumbledore’s own creation. Professor Sinistra was nowhere in sight, but someone else was.

“What I wouldn’t have given to have lived to see this,” a cold voice sneered. “A Malfoy and a Potter standing as equals. It’s nearly sickening. Pity I can’t vomit.”

Draco looked over and his eyes met the person who spoke.

“Nice to see you too,” Harry said quietly. “Professor Snape.”

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A/N: Ah, things slowly getting back on track. I rather like this chapter actually. Don’t know why. Anyway, hope you agree!

To answer a few questions:

Ley: There are lots of other problems associated to high blood pressure :) That’s only one possibility

Graballz: JKR didn’t actually post the details about Luna anywhere. She just mentioned it in an interview somewhere (I don’t even remember where I read/heard it). A lot of her comments are made outside of her site or any other Harry Potter source. Mostly she answers questions on the spot and often contradicts herself. I usually don’t take the details she mentions offhandedly in an interview to heart, but this one suited me fine so I used it. ^^

I’m sure you’ll all run across random details that JKR might have mentioned that don’t fit with the story, but ah well. I don’t care haha. I, myself, take canon to be anything that was actually in the books, in print and mass-produced. Anything that comes out of her mouth is easily ignored and all things/people not mentioned in the epilogue are fair game. I hope you all agree! I certainly had far too much fun getting rid of Ginny.

Yes. Ok. Enough out of me. Thanks for all the support and love! You are all fantastic! I give you cookies and adoration haha 8D