Delicious As Sin

Chapter 3

By PinkSunRise

       

"Albus, nothing seems to be working. He’s been crying out and he’s been restless ever since he fell asleep."

"I don’t know what we can do, Poppy."

"Albus, this is insane. Dreams about Tom? I mean, even for the boy who lived, this is a bit much." Harry heard Snape hiss.

"Severus, he’s been under stress and maybe he’s confused. It could be Voldemort’s convoluted plan to get into Harry’s mind. I don’t know. You yourself admitted that Tom was a very attractive young boy, and if he’s realized he can’t physically get to Harry, he may think this is the best way."

Harry’s eyelashes fluttered lightly and he gazed blearily around the room. No one seemed to realize he was awake.

"I think a trip to St. Mungos is in order," Snape said smirking.

"Severus, really! Why this attitude the poor boy has a great burden upon his shoulders! Why do you hate him?" Madame Pomfrey continued.

"I don’t hate him! But just because he’s the boy who lived doesn’t mean I’m going to put him up on a pedestal and shower praise on him. He needs to know what the real world is like and just because of something he did as a child he can’t become a hero. He’s not immortal; he’ll die someday like the rest of us."

"Severus, I would think you would have a little empathy..." Dumbledore added

"I just hope he doesn’t take too much of Voldemort’s influence…"

"Poppy, he’s a strong boy he’ll be okay."

"But still, Albus, we should keep a close eye on him. Didn’ t you see! There are marks and bruises all over his body from the dreams!"

"He must be using one hell of spell…" Snape muttered.

Harry watched as Dumbledore’s gaze flickered to rest on Harry’s face.

"Harry, my boy, how are you feeling?"

"Uggg the same."

"Is Tom... I mean still…" Madame Pomfrey began.

"Yes," Harry replied sighing.

Snape gave Harry a calculating look, cocking his head slightly to the side, and Harry could have sworn that a look of sympathy crossed his face, but it was gone before he could call him on it. Harry reached for his glasses and slid them over the bridge of his nose. ‘I wonder if the rest of my life is going to be like this.' He wondered silently as he gazed at the ceiling.

"I have to get back to my classes," Snape said stoically before he disappeared out of the room.

"Can I go back to my room?" Harry asked and Madame Pomfrey gave him a disapproving look again. "I’m fine, really, I’ll get used to it. I have work to catch up on."

"Alright, Harry, but we’ll give you another potion to try to night," Dumbledore said, "You can always talk to me you know," he continued. Harry nodded and gingerly stepped out of the bed. He stopped as Hermione and Ron burst through the door.

"We were so worried about you, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed and Harry found himself in an armful of delicious hug.

"Don’t ever do that again, you git! You had us worried. We had to go to Snape to find out where you were." Ron said shaking his head in disgust

"I’m fine, you guys. I just didn’t feel well, you know."

"Come on, we have to get you caught up on your work. After all we don’t have classes today we can go to the library."

"Mione gods leave him alone." Ron continued as he tugged Harry up from the bed. The three of them walked out of the infirmary together. "Come on lets get some food." Ron said. The rest of the day passed in a blur. Harry felt relatively normal. Hermione got him caught up on his work. They sat in the common room and played chess. Then, they went to dinner and Harry managed to make a little mindless chitchat with everyone. ‘This is nice,’ h e thought smiling.

As he walked to his room, he glanced at his bedside table and noticed the vial sitting there. He gently picked it up and glanced briefly at the note Snape had left him

Take this potion before you go to bed. I wouldn't want the pleasure of taking you the infirmary again.

-Professor Snape

Even through a little note, Snape managed to convey his dark and snide personality. Harry smiled as he tapped his wand to the paper and it burst into flames. ‘ Tonight is going to be different’ he thought as he said good night to everyone else and slid into bed. He waited until he knew everyone was asleep before he slid his invisibility cloak over his head. He padded silently out his room and out into the hall. He made his way up to the Astronomy Tower and then took off cloak. He perched on the edge of a window and gazed at the sky. He wanted time to think. He knew darkness very well, he knew of it's evilness, of it's destruction, but he had never felt it's tender caress. Every time Ton touched him it was like a screen of black smoke across his eyes. He couldn't tell what was right and what was wrong all he wanted was that touch.

"Well, well. What do we have here? Our perfect Potter out past his bedtime. Tsk. Tsk." He heard the familiar drawl. ‘Malfoy’ he thought as he quickly pushed away his thoughts. Draco had changed over the past two years. He rarely made snide comments toward Harry and his friends; he just treated them to his icy indifference. Harry saw through the façade Draco put up, though, and Draco knew that it didn’t fool Harry. They weren’t friends, but they weren’t enemies, they were just civil.

"Drop it, Draco," he whispered.

"What brings you out here tonight, Potter?" Draco said as he sat down beside him.

"I don’t want to sleep. I don’t want to dream," he said softly.

"Dream about what?" Draco asked.

Harry turned to look at him, and he smiled. Draco looked like an angel in the moonlight, his white blond locks were strewn haphazardly across his forehead and the moonlight highlighted his features. His gray eyes looked questioningly at Harry, and his expression was pensive. He lifted his arm up to run his fingers through his hair and his sleeve slid back to reveal a dark tattoo on his arm. Harry gently took his arm and tugged it towards him. He rolled the sleeve up and gazed at the dark mark.

"I… I should, I should get going. Don’t tell anyone okay?"

Harry smirked mentally at his correct assumption. He has always thought Draco would fall but he was never quite sure. He certainly didn't think it would be so soon. Harry didn’t let his arm go and slid forward so Draco’s arm rested across his lap. He trailed his fingers over it, and Draco flinched slightly. Harry stared at the scars around it.

"What are the scars from?" he asked

"I…tried to cut it out of me. I didn’t want to do it, you know, to go to the dark side. So you know I had to try, but it came back. I have to carry on the Malfoy name blah blah blah." Draco said laughing softly but when he saw Harry’s gaze he stopped abruptly. "Potter, stop you’ re acting strange."

"I am strange, Draco."

"Ten points to Gryffindor you got one right."

"What’s he like, Draco?"

"Who?"

"Tom."

"Who’s Tom?"

"I mean Voldemort."

"Voldemort’s name is Tom?"

"Tom, Tom Riddle, but what is he like?"

"He’s okay, I guess, he’s not that terrible. You just do what he tells you, and he leaves you alone. I haven’t actually seen him. I mean up close except when I got initiated but that was it. I don’t really know I guess. Ugly looking thing he is. Why do you ask? Is he after you again?"

"No, I just wanted to know. I wonder what it’d be like to join him, Draco. If I could just give up everything I’ m fighting for and just give in."

"Potter, you never want to join him, it’s not a nice life. It’s fucking messed up. You don’t want to kill people, to torture people, to hear them scream and watch them bleed. You don’t want that," he said cruelly as he stood. He disappeared to a corner of the room and returned with two butterbeers.

"What better way to scream rebellion then to have a drink with my enemy?" he said as he handed Harry one. Harry took it silently and screwed of f the top. "What do you want to toast to my enemy?" Draco said laughing.

"Sanity."

"I’m not gonna have it for much longer." Draco said "But here’s to staying sane in this truly fucked up world," he continued.

"Here, here." Harry said as he took a swig of his butterbeer. They both downed their butterbeers, and Draco went to get them each one more. Harry was feeling slightly buzzed and it was rather pleasant.

"You’re dreaming about Voldemort aren’t you?" Draco asked abruptly

"I… yeah I hate it, Draco! I don’t know what to do every time I close my eyes and he’s there. I’m going insane. It’s just so tempting, " Harry said and tears spilled over his eyes. He tried to blink them back, but it was to no avail.

"I hate living," Draco whispered, "I wonder what it’d be like to just jump, you know? I hate hearing the screams, it’s what I hear when I close my eyes. They’ re so innocent and they just die while I’m still living, it’s not worth it," h e said closing his eyes and a tear trailed down his face. Harry leaned forward and buried himself into Draco’s arms.

"I still hate you, Potter."

"I hate you too, Malfoy."

Draco tensed, but he wrapped his arms around Harry. Draco's tears were silent yet Harry sobbed loudly and uncontrollably. They both cried silently, letting the night wash their tears away.

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