When Darkness Threatens - Moment by Moment Book #5 (Harry Potter, Drarry)

Losing Control

Albus had done most of the organisation for the confrontation, it was set for twenty past twelve when the lunch crowd would have begun to arrive in the Mess, but when the place would not be too crowded. Hence, at midday in order to establish themselves in the room, and to establish Harry's mental problems with some acting and a few bright pink peppermints with which Poppy had impersonated common paranoia medicine, Draco led Harry down the corridor to their destination. However, as they approached the restaurant, a very loud conversation flooded out into the corridor. The welsh accent gave Llewelyn away instantly, and the man was discussing the latest Quidditch game rather too loudly for anyone's comfort. Draco came to a rapid halt and his frown echoed Harry's when he turned round.

"He's too bloody early," Draco hissed, checking his watch, "Gerald and Poppy aren't free till twelve fifteen, we can't do this now."

However, looking over his shoulder, Harry saw something Draco didn't, witnesses coming round the corner who would have seen them scurry away. He hunched his shoulders instantly and grabbed Draco's hand, hissing, "Well we can't back out now."

Draco glanced behind them, and quickly rested a hand on Harry's arm, leaning in as if offering some kind of comfort as he argued, "Yes we can, we have no back up. Llewelyn's trying to warn us. We'll have to reschedule for tomorrow."

"No!" Harry snarled in a whisper, grabbing Draco to stop him charging off while simultaneously hiding his face in their huddle: he had spent a good couple of hours psyching himself up for the performance, and he was not about to give up on it now. "Everyone'll know pretty quickly, we can risk it."

Draco didn't look at all happy, but there was something about a Gryffindor in a temper that could reach any man, and Harry was relieved when he backed down.

"Alright, but keep me between you and him," Draco finally agreed, patting his shoulder like it was a quiet morale-boosting chat they were having.

Harry didn't get a second chance to back out, someone else was leading the vocal conversation and Draco took the opportunity to lead them into the room. Two grown men holding hands would draw attention in any room, but when those two men were Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, everyone looked. Some eyes darted away again as soon as the entry had been registered, clearly embarrassed by the dynamic they were seeing, but Harry was very glad when Draco didn't let go.

Draco came to a smart halt, staring at Llewelyn's table as if he had not known the man was going to be there. Harry did as he had been told and made himself as small as possible behind his leader. He did not look up at the table, but wrapped his free arm around himself and stared anxiously at the floor. Draco turned on his heel, as he had done outside, clearly about to take them back the way they had come, but Llewelyn interpreted his new cue correctly, and Harry heard his chair scrape back.

"Not so fast," Richard challenged, and silenced the room.

Everybody knew what had happened last time these three people had met, and the worry was in their faces. Draco was not as quick to turn back to the bristling Welshman, but he did, Harry glanced up then, looking at Llewelyn through his fringe, and then he took a step backwards. Draco still had hold of his hand, so he could go no further unless he used force; he looked down at the hold on him, trying to give the impression that he was considering bolting. He was holding himself on his toes and leaning away from the tight grip on his hand by the time Draco spoke, warning, "Don't start Llewelyn."

"Wasn't me who started slashing people. What is that nutter doing out in public, he's dangerous," their opponent launched angrily and took a step away from his table.

Harry whined and pulled a little harder at Draco.

"We're leaving now," Draco held up his hand to stop the approach, trying to sound as calm as possible, but the consummate actor managed to imply concern as well.