A Possible Mistake

Draco awoke to feeling dreadfully sore, bruised and beaten. It felt as if all the bones and muscles in his body had been smashed apart only to be placed back together by Gilderoy Lockheart. He remembered walking to his room, limping more like it, after his father had once again "vented his frustrations" out on his son. The frustration had only gotten worse recently with Draco's failure to kill Albus Dumbledore. He couldn't do it once the old fool mumbled some crap about Draco not being a killer. It was left to Severus to kill the old man...but there was no use in thinking of things now. Draco knew he needed to get out of bed and tend to things at the manor. His family was currently hosting a number of Death Eaters and the Dark Lord himself.

There was just one problem. This was not Draco's bed.

It took him a moment to realize that the sheets he could feel on his skin were not silk and his room felt much warmer than it usually is in the cold, drafty manor.

He cautiously opened his eyes. "What the bloody hell?!"

He was in a simple room that seemed very feminine. He was tucked into a large white comforter with his head leaning against some pink throw pillows. On the walls were photographs of a young girl in various places around the world, some with friends and others alone. There was a vanity across the room with only a bottle of perfume and a hairbrush on it. The room was very neat but felt comfy and lived in at the same time. It was very warm and cheerful and definitely not Draco's home.

He bolted upright, determined to get to the bottom of this.

"Oh! You're awake!" The girl from the pictures was sitting in an arm chair across the room and somehow Draco had not noticed her.

"Where the blazes am I and who the fuck are you?!"

"Right. I know you are confused, but I promise everything is okay. I am not going to harm you."

Despite the girl's words, Draco felt around for his wand.

"You don't have your wand. It didn't come through with you, so it must not have been on your person at the time."

"Come through?" he asked. What did she mean?

The girl looked at him for a moment and sighed. "It's a very long story. I am not sure if you are in the right state to understand."

"Well, try me. I may not have my wand but I can assure you that I will find away out of here and you will be punished severely for having kidnapped me. Are you with the Order? Is that what is going on?"

"No. I am not with the Order." she stated simply. "Look, I am going to get you something to drink downstairs, then we can talk. I just want you to have a moment to collect your thoughts. When I get back, I promise to answer all of your questions as best I can. Now...what would you like to drink?"

Draco just glared at her, wishing he had truly mastered wandless magic. Even the bit he was able to do seemed to be failing him now. He was too weak.

"Tea? You're Brisith so you like tea, right?" she asked, hopeful.

Draco just glared at her.

"Ok...tea it is then, I guess. I found some of my boyfriend's old clothes for you. He is a little bit bigger than you, but that is all I have at the moment. I left them on the dresser if you want to change."

With that she was out the door, which was closed behind her. Perhaps he should just make a run for it? He really was in no condition to be running anywhere though, perhaps he should rest for a day or two and then bust out of here. The girl seemed nice enough, but if Draco has learned any life lesson it is that people are not always what they seem. He got up out of the bed slowly, fighting against the soreness. He though he probably should change since he only had his boxer briefs on. The clothes were much too big for him, but they would suffice. It was a simple black button up and some dark wash jeans. Then he sat in the chair the girl had been in. It faced the rest of the room and was the best view of the door. He still had to be on his guard. Just then, the girl opened the door.

"Here you go. It's Earl Grey. I hope that is alright." she tried to hand him the tea with a warm smile on her face, but once again Draco just glared at her. She sighed and set the mug down on the vanity.

"I will ask you again, where the fuck am I?!" he shouted at her. She just looked at him with sad eyes and turned to sit on the bed, facing him.

"You are in Texas." she said.

Texas?! What the fuck?!"I am in the states right now?!"

"Yes. You are in Texas and it is 2011." She looked at him calmly, but like she wasn't sure of what his reaction would be.

"That is impossible. Just last night I was in my room in England and it was 2005."

"Yes, well, that is where the story gets complicated." She averted her eyes towards the floor, as though she was ashamed of something. He thought he was going to have to yell at her again to continue, but then she began.

"My name is Kate. I am eighteen years old and going to college nearby. You are in my apartment that I share with my boyfriend. He is out of town on a research trip for a week though, so he will not be around." She hesitated as if she were thinking of how to word what she needed to say.

"Ever since I was very young, I have had an unusual ability. Sometimes when I am reading, I can bring the characters from books to life. Well, it has really only happened one time before because after that I learned how to control it. You see, if I feel badly enough for someone, my sympathy for their plight somehow brings them into my world and makes them real. So I can rescue them I suppose."

"What a second. You want me to believe that I, Draco Malfoy, am a character in a book?!"

"Yes. I know it sounds crazy, but I have a theory that fiction books actually create alternate universes with allows you to exist."

Draco couldn't believe he was hearing any of this. "And you felt badly for me, is that it?"

She looked away again. "Yeah. I did. Like I said I had learned to control it, but last night Tom and I got into a huge fight before he left and I had a little to much wine to drink. The Harry Potter books have always been my favorites and I love re-reading them so I..."

"WHAT?! The 'Harry Potter' books?"

"Yeah. That is what they are called. There is a series of seven."

"This is just ridiculous. I refuse to believe any of this."

"I thought you might feel this way, so I have brought you the first one to read. I figure it can't do you any harm to read about something that has already happened." She placed the book next to the cup of tea that was surely growing cold.

"I need to go to class." she said. "Please don't leave, ok? You don't know your way around and you are very weak. I am going to stop on my back and get some things to take care of your injuries. If you get hungry, there is food downstairs. I know you probably need to rest though. I will be back soon."

She gave him another warm, hopeful smile and she was gone. Draco had no idea what he was supposed to think about any of this.