A Brother To Basilisks (a Drarry fanfic)

Chpter 4: At the Turn of the Tide

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"Mate, don't move."

Ron's voice was soft and hoarse. Harry blinked his eyes open, and blinked again when he saw Ron's wand pointed straight at him. It took him a long, long second to realize why it was probably happening.

Then he rolled his eyes and deliberately moved an arm so he was stroking his hand along Dash's shimmering scales. "Ron, it's okay."

Ron twitched, and said in a voice so quiet that Harry was surprised his stroking Dash didn't cover it up, "Mate, you've got a bloody great snake on you. It's going to kill you and eat you, I think. Unless I can curse it first." He licked his lips. "I've never tried the Blasting Curse before, but I will, okay? Just hold still."

"You are not using the Blasting Curse on me," Harry said, and grabbed Dash's head just in time as he started to whip towards Ron with his mouth open. "And you're not cursing Dash. He's my friend."

Ron stared at him. "Are you mental?"

Perhaps you are, for having such friends. Dash moved so that more of his body emerged from under the covers, making Ron gasp. Harry doubted that Ron had realized how big Dash was until then. Let me bite him.

You know that that potion Dumbledore gave you will just dilute the venom, anyway, Harry pointed out, and tugged a little at the plume on top of Dash's head.

From Dash's agitated hiss, he really didn't like that. Before Harry had a chance to stop him, he said, That is why I should bite him, and lashed towards Ron across the bed like an unfolding ball of string.

Harry snatched his tail just in time to hold him back. Ron had leaped back, too, and was yelling so loudly that Harry heard the others stirring and muttering and waking up.

Just the way I wanted them to meet Dash, Harry thought in disgust, and glared at Ron, shaking his head. "He's the basilisk I'm bonded to," he said. "I know that you think it's a good idea to curse him, but it's really, really not."

By now, the others were up, and they focused on one word each.

"Basilisk," said Neville, and dived back into his bed, tugging the curtains shut behind him. Harry thought he heard the whisper of a terrified spell that was probably meant to continue holding them shut, too.

"Bonded?" Dean was staring around as if this was one of those strange wizarding world things and he wanted to know where Hermione was when he needed her.

"No, it's a really good idea," said Seamus, and started to lift his wand so that it was level with Ron's—or level with where Ron's would have been, Harry thought, if he could have got his hand to stop shaking.

"Stop it!" said Harry. He put a lot of force into the word, but didn't yell. He thought he would get their attention better if he didn't yell. And it made Dash turn around and consider him, too, then ripple back across the bed and wrap around his waist, levering most of his weight onto Harry's shoulder.

That is the way, he said, and rested his chin on top of Harry's head. I knew you had it in you to do things like that.

Harry didn't have the chance to ask what he meant, because Ron was demanding, "Where the hell did you get that thing, mate?"

I am not a thing, said Dash haughtily. That stick of wood in his hand is a thing. How would he like it if I broke that stick of wood?

Harry had the feeling that he was going to be thanking his lucky stars a lot that no one else could overhear what Dash said to him down the privacy of the bond. "I heard him calling me in the night," he said, and shifted Dash so that he was more comfortably settled around Harry. "He was in the Chamber of Secrets."