Perfect (Harry Potter Fanfiction) Dramione

Flesh and Blood

It was late. The fire held by the wooden torches was long burned out. The only light came from the tip of Draco's wand as he softly padded down the halls. The lack of luminosity had caused the young man to loose his way on multiple occasions. In addition; the paintings were silent, the wood of the stairs creaked with every step, and Draco felt alone. So alone.

In the distance, Draco could faintly hear a sound. It sounded like a deep rumbling- almost like a purring of a large cat. A cat that had tasted the richest cream, a satisfied hum. Draco gently walked forward. The farther he walked into oblivion the louder the echo was. The wand seemed to flicker as Draco neared a harrow hallway, one he was not familiar with. He peered around the corner and saw a figure hunched over. . a man? Maybe it was a woman. It was hard to tell between the dim lighting of his wand and the lack of profile the thing had.

Draco went to take a step forward when his shoe squeaked raucously. He heard the beast grunt and it slowly, but surely, stood up. It wasn't tall. Roughly 6 feet, give or take a few inches. It's hair was long and mangled, a dark blonde color. Skinny, almost threadlike, and bones that pushed out of the frail white skin. Draco tilted his head trying to peer around the monster. All he could make out was the outline of a child, laying curled on the floor with her arms to her chest.

The best turned to Draco and visibly stiffened. It's eyes. . raw and huge. A obsidian color, framed by a thin layer of red skin. The cheeks were hollow and curved. The nose was just two slits that looked carved into his skin. The mouth was where Draco felt his throat constrict. Lips were pulled back, almost non existing, to show a layer of thick teeth. Sharp and made for peeling flesh.

It looked at Draco and tilted it's head thoughtfully. Draco clutched the wall for dear life as the thing got on it's frail knees and crawled towards him. The boy watched wide eyed as the beast scrambled towards him. He knew he should run, get to the heads common room, and be safe. But those eyes. . they seemed to paralyze his legs and make his voice unable to speak.

Haragia. . that's its name. Haragia. Draco thought as he stared into the creatu- Haragia's eyes.

Haragia reached the frightened boy and uncurled itself from the floor. Draco was slightly taller than Haragia, but the great ugly beast was still very intimidating. Haragia took its hands and placed it around Draco's neck. The boy shivered violently from the coldness of the finger tips. They were long and boney, fitting around his collar nicely. Draco swallowed and Haragia purred lightly. The beast lent forward and sniffed. Draco stiffened noticeably as Haragia poked out its tongue and traced it over the scar that lined the side of his face.

Haragia moved its hands down to grip Draco's tightly and pull his forward. Every step felt like a mile. Every heart beat felt like thunder. Ever breath felt hollow and broken. Exactly how Draco felt when Haragia pulled him over to the figure curled on the ground. Draco was right. It was a small girl, no older than eleven. She was convulsing violently and would let out choked sobs every few moments. Haragia reached its long hand out and pulled the girls hair away from her neck.

Bile arose in Draco's throat. The soft skin of the throat had been peeled away, revealing torn veins. Haragia purred lightly and it reached forward and latched its teeth onto the soft flesh and bit down. The girl screamed and trashed about, but the next wound was slowly killing her. Her small lips were leisurely turning a deep blue, her limbs latched together tightly as she tried to breath through her tattered neck.

Draco turned his head, he knew it would be the right thing to push Haragia away and save the girl, but there was no knowing what the thing would do if he turned against it. Haragia grabbed one of Draco's pale hands and softly placed it in its own. Draco turned to the ugly beast and whispered quietly.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you here?"

The beast turned it's head violently and Draco snatched his hand back. The beast growled at the loss of contact, Draco flinched at the raspy noise. It purred and moved closer to Draco, Draco crab walked until he hit the beginning of the wall. Haragia picked up their hand and placed it on Draco's cheek. He was trembling violently. He felt hot liquid cover the side of his face and he shut his eyes tightly. Blood. The crimson substance was now smeared on his pale flesh.

Haragia moved closer to him, opening its mouth to hiss in his ear and Draco gulped. He felt the tip of the creatures fangs on the hollow of his neck when the beast gave out a loud howl and fell off him. Draco opened his eyes tensely, awaiting what would be in front of him. Hermione. Holding her wand high, she must have blasted the beast off and knocked him out cold.

Draco-legs still shaking-ran to her and embraced her in a tight hug.

She had saved him.

He owed her his life.