Somnio Salvus DRARRY

Chapter 9

This time Draco arrived in Harry's dream to find the Death Eaters all bound and gagged, and lying in a heap at the edge of the lake. Harry was engaged in a duel with Voldemort. He wasn't winning but he was holding his own, and his use of the Bilious Maximus curse was quite inspired. Draco was rather impressed. However he hadn't come just to watch an entertaining fight, so he stepped up and pointed his own wand at Voldemort.

Harry glanced at him, looked confused for a moment, then smiled and said, 'Glad you could make it!'

Voldemort didn't look nearly so pleased. 'So, the treacherous turncoat arrives at last. You will join young Potter in his demise. It is your...'

'Oh, piss off!' interrupted Draco. He flicked his wand and muttered the first nonsense that came into his head. Voldemort began to writhe and scream as Harry's dream bent to Draco's will. Soon, where the Dark Lord had stood, there was just an ugly black cockroach.

Harry grinned and squashed it under his shoe with a satisfying crunch.

'Nice work!' he said. 'I didn't know you were so good at Transfiguration.'

Draco shrugged modestly. 'I'm not really. At least, not in real li...umm. I mean not usually.' He glanced at Harry, but he didn't seem to have noticed the slip. He clearly wasn't aware that this was not real life, otherwise the dream would have ended and Draco would be back in his dorm.

'Well, you did something right!' smiled Harry, casually banishing the helpless Death Eaters to the middle of the lake, then brushing his hands together to signify a job well done.

'You seemed to be coping rather well on your own. I don't think you need my help any more, I just came because I wanted to talk to you.'

Harry looked a little bit taken aback but replied, 'Oh. Well, ok. But let's go inside, it's getting cold.'

Draco realised that with a thought, he could make the storm clouds disappear and turn their surroundings into a bright, sunny paradise. But before he could do so, he found himself walking with Harry along a corridor in the castle.

'We'll go to Gryffindor Tower,' said Harry. Then he paused, looking worried. 'Although it might upset a few people if I let you in.'

'Don't worry, there'll be no one else there. It's dinnertime.' Draco pointed out. There was a clock on the wall behind Harry. As Draco spoke the hands whizzed round and round the clock face until they indicated that it was six o'clock.

Harry brightened. 'Oh yes!' He turned to a portrait of a rotund woman in a pink dress. 'Leo laetus,' he said, and the portrait swung forward to reveal the entrance to his common room. Draco followed Harry inside and looked around at the comfy armchairs, the bright lamps and the colourful tapestries.

'Nice,' he commented, '...a bit loud for my taste, maybe. But cosy, this'll do nicely.'

'For what?' asked Harry, collapsing onto a sofa and kicking off his shoes. He seemed quite relaxed and approachable, so Draco sat down next to him and cleared his throat nervously.

'For talking,' he replied. Harry looked at him blankly. 'I, ah... well, you've probably noticed I no longer support the other side. You know, Voldemort, the Death Eaters...'

'Yes, that did grab my attention somewhat. What brought all of that on? And what did you mean earlier, about me not needing your help any more?'

Draco looked at him in astonishment. He doesn't remember. Is that how it works - you can't remember a dream, if you're in the middle of another dream? He rubbed his nose thoughtfully. How could he explain, without alerting Harry to the fact that none of this was real? He began tentatively, but truthfully.