Freefall Ch. 7
The sudden thud of a book on the table woke Harry out of his stupor to the presence of Hermione and Ron arriving. Ron looked unhappy, while Hermione looked pleased with herself. "So, did you talk with the Headmistress?" Hermione asked smugly.
"Oh yeah, right, thanks for figuring it out, Hermione," Harry replied, staring down into his food and playing with it listlessly.
"I helped, too," Ron snapped irritably.
"Yes, you did," Hermione spared a glance his way with a smile before rounding back on Harry. "Did you do the potion yet?"
"What potion?" Harry frowned, staring up at her in confusion.
Hermione huffed impatiently. "The soul mates potion, silly! Didn't Snape brew it yet? I thought for sure by now you'd have taken it!"
"Oh, that," Harry turned his attention back to his food. "They're going to work on it now, I think."
"They who?" Ron asked.
"Snape and Mr. Malfoy," Harry replied with a sigh.
"Honestly, I think you had better start thinking of him as Lucius, don't you?" Hermione said indignantly. "After all, you're probably going to be bonded. There's no way he'll allow his son to keep suffering or possibly die!"
Ron looked green. Harry put down his fork. "You want me to do this?"
"I don't see where you have a choice. Of course, I had hoped to find one. But, when I read about the curse, well, you can see where I had to change my stance. At least, I was mature enough to do so." She glared at Ron. But, since he wasn't paying attention anyway, it lost something in the translation.
Harry shook his head at her change in attitude. After a bit, he said, "I got to see Malfoy."
"Which one?" Hermione asked pointedly.
"The ferret," Harry smiled, but it fell soon after. "He's not doing so well. It's made him even nastier."
"Is that even possible?" Ron asked his eyes going wide.
The other tables began to fill in, and Harry was aware of the sheer volumes of stares and whispers pointed his way. "A week ago they all loved me. Today it’s back to the whispering again. Does it ever END WITH YOU PEOPLE?" Harry's voice rose along with his anger as he stood up. Hermione tried to calm him by putting a hand on his arm. But he only shook it off. "LOOK EVERYONE! HARRY POTTER'S GOT HIMSELF IN ANOTHER MESS! LET'S ALL TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING BETTER TO DO!"
Snape came rushing in at the sound of yelling with Lucius on his heels.
The crowd went silent as water goblets exploded up one table and down another while Harry tried to visibly calm himself. That's when someone made the mistake of whispering 'freak'.
Harry's head whipped around and his wand was suddenly pointing at a fifth year Ravenclaw. "FREAK? YOU WANT TO TRY GOING THROUGH HALF THE SHIT I HAVE?"
A hand reached out to cover his own. Harry was surprised to feel calm wash over him. He turned in angry confusion to see Lucius Malfoy. "Lower your wand…Harry."
Harry was surprised to find his wand arm lowering. "How?"
Snape waved his wand about the room repairing all the cups just as the Headmistress ran into the room. "What's going on here?"
"Mr. Potter had a temper tantrum." Snape explained coolly. "It seems, however, that Mr. Malfoy here was able to calm him down."
Minerva blinked, and lowered her voice. "He…he was?"
Snape nodded unhappily. "I was almost done with the potion, but it's practically a -
…foregone conclusion at this point," Minerva finished for him, nodding as well. "Nevertheless…"
Severus nodded once more and turned away. While the Headmistress went to work calming everyone down, Lucius looked at Harry. "Are you quite all right?"
Harry gulped, noticing the actual concern in the other man's eyes. He'd been certain all his life that Lucius Malfoy was like the Grinch in the old Christmas movies, with the heart that was two sizes two small. Had it just grown? And if so, why? Was it pity?
And, it was that thought which made Harry angry. "You think I’m as much a freak as the rest of them, don't you?"
"Of course he does, everyone does," the fifth year from before laughed. It was one thing too many. Harry's eyes flashed with anger as he turned his attention back to the student. Just as it had happened to Aunt Marge, so it happened now. The student stared down at his hands in horror as they suddenly began to swell. His buttons began to pop off, and his tie tore in two before he rose up into the air. The students around him began to scurry away while Harry stormed angrily out of the room.
Lucius could only gasp at the amount of power Harry had just casually thrown off. Glancing at the Gryffindor table, he was vastly amused to see the Gryffindors also seemed to be in shock. Turning to the Slytherin table, he noticed they were all enthralled with how it was being done. They, too, had noticed the power. It was enticing.
He turned sharply on his heel, leaving the Headmistress to deal with the ensuing uproar. It was time to see if he was indeed soul mates with one Harry Powerhouse Potter. Lucius smirked. Perhaps, as Snape said, there would be benefits to this, after all.
The aristocratic blond became lost in his musings as he went down into the dungeons. He was so familiar with the twists and turns he didn't even need to think about where he was going, instead relying on autopilot to get him where he needed to be.
Why had he never considered this before? Indeed, if only the Dark Lord had tried to combine forces with Potter, things might have turned out very differently indeed. Yet, it was pointless to ponder that now. What mattered was what Lucius could do with a powerhouse like Potter at his side. He smirked.
Today's little display was sure to spawn a flurry of notes and letters being sent home. This would only serve to let the public know that Harry was not washed up after the battle. Oh no, Harry Potter was, very likely, the most powerful wizard currently alive. And, if he was part of the Malfoy Dynasty then they would quickly regain the power and prestige they once had held before Voldemort's name was ever uttered.
Then again, there was the fact the young man seemed to respond to his voice and touch. It could make for some very interesting games in the bedroom. Lucius had always been a controlling man, and to control such power? To have it willingly submitted? Lucius forced back the wild sense of arousal that mere thought presented. It would not do to let Severus see him in this condition.
The man had already guessed far too much, Lucius realized with a grin. Severus truly was too smart for his own good. Lucius quickened his step.
Upon reaching the potions classroom he was surprised to see Harry already there, looking infuriated and breathing heavily. It was all Lucius could do to tap down his sudden arousal at the still angry flash of incredible emerald eyes.
"I may have to infuriate you often, Harry," Lucius purred. "You are a vision to behold of beauty and power."
Harry's mouth dropped open and he sputtered like a fish, blushing wildly. Lucius found the sudden flush of innocence and youth intoxicating, and closed the gap between them with a few strides.
He pinned Harry to the desk behind him with an arm to each side. Lucius then leaned in, pressing their bodies together. "Has no one told you how beautiful you are, Harry?"
Lucius chuckled, feeling the young man's heart beating wildly in his chest, "Pity."
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