Bear With Me (A Drarry FanFiction)

Bear Hug

   Upon Robards' recommendation, they apparated to the south-west corner of the park, the side bordered by Muggle terraced houses rather than the River Thames. Twilight was settling and there was a chill in the air as Harry and Draco looked up at the dark and stationary rollercoaster track, just visible over the high tree tops. Even in the dimming light it looked rickety, and Harry silently commended anyone willing to ride on such a thing without the assurance of any kind of magical reinforcement. 

"Yeah," said Draco slowly, scanning through the oak trees with narrowed eyes. "Doesn't look like there's much going on in there."

A couple walked by them, muttering that they were sure they'd closed all the windows, but it was best to go home and check, and Harry figured they were in the right place. He jerked his head over the road where the metal gates sat open but uninviting to Battersea Park. "Let's go see what all the fuss is about."

They crossed the traffic and were suddenly hit but the unmistakable hum of magic. "Tell me I didn't leave my taps running," Draco growled as they both pushed physically against the wards that had been set up to keep people away. They were strong; whoever had put them up really didn't want anyone getting inside that funfair.

"You didn't," Harry said through gritted teeth. "We just need to get over the threshold, come on, nearly...there."

As soon as they reached the gates though, they hit a shield charm which needed to be dismantled. Harry grunted and tried to ignore every instinct in him telling him to turn around and go home, to forget all about this place and make a nice cup of tea.

"You're not getting rid of us that easily," he growled, probing with his own spells to find a chink in the protective magic.

"Urgh," Draco moaned, rubbing his temple with one hand and waving his wand about with the other. "Is your brain suddenly feeling like it's smashing against your skull."

"Yes," Harry grunted as pain exploded in front of his eyes, making it very difficult to concentrate. "Fancy doing something about that?"

"No, I thought I'd just leave it be," Draco snarled, and set about repelling whatever charm had given them such violent headaches whilst Harry tackled the shield. He tried not to be stung by Draco's attitude, or worry who the mysterious date was he was letting down (that Harry was completely convinced existed now, or why else would he be so grumpy?)

"Almost...there..." Harry uttered, before suddenly finding the weakness he needed to exploit and tearing the spell apart.

They tripped over and stumbled into the park, the magic relinquishing its hold now they were through the gates. "I can see why no one's coming in," Draco panted, looking back at the open gates as if he could see the charms at work.

Harry nodded in agreement. "I think it's safe to say, whoever's in here knows what they're doing."

They walked further in, the silence of the abandoned park hanging heavy over them. There wasn't much in the way of open field to this park, so the fair started almost immediately, and they walked past the unmanned ticket booth within a few steps. Harry's head turned cautiously left and right, but there was still no sign of movement other than the swaying trees. "Lumos," he said, and Draco followed suit, bathing the amusements they were walking past in a pale blue light and deep, dark shadows. "Why though?" he wondered out loud. "Why try so hard to keep everyone out?"

Draco didn't answer other than to shake his head. Harry, however, was soon distracted but a sudden shift in the shadows, just out of the corner of his eye.