Transcendence

~ Chapter 16: The Unexpected Reactions ~

Friday, September 19.

"Drake! Watch out!" Harry yelled and Draco cursed as he was nearly hit by a dozen arrows of green light.

"Where's Sev?" he asked, after ducking behind the wall of desks that had been stacked up earlier. The Slytherin reinforced the barriers with a Stabilizing Charm before looking over to his left.

The raven-haired Gryffindor was panting with effort. He had been running all over the huge classroom trying to spot their assailants. His godfather and Dumbledore had cast so many spells that he or Draco couldn't depend on sensing their enemies by Empathy or Sight.

"Forget Sev," Harry said. "It's Dumbledore we have to worry about. He's gathering his forces behind Barricade Four."

"Oh damn! He's getting too near our stronghold." Draco swore pungently. He began rolling up his sleeves, getting ready to act. "We have to attack before he crosses Barricade Five -- Push him back into his lines."

They heard a loud creak and suddenly the stack of desks that was shielding Harry began to tremble. Green eyes flared and Harry made a quick dash over to the Slytherin. Barricade Eight had just fallen to the 'enemy'. It took them only ten seconds to figure what to do next. It was unfortunate for the house-elves and Filch; Harry was sure they would be driven mad trying to clear up the mess from the four duelers.

"Ready?" Harry asked and Draco nodded with a smile. They moved as one, Harry defending his lover with a shield so they could move forward without being hexed into oblivion. The Slytherin bore a maniacal grin as he walked with arms outstretched, right hand holding his yew wand firmly. A line of energy began to form, connected by his palms. All of sudden, it vanished. The raven-haired Gryffindor thought his lover had failed but watched carefully as he saw Draco's palms move slightly.

"Severus! Fall back!" Dumbledore yelled.

Harry and Draco watched calmly as the Headmaster gathered his robes and fled to the other end of the classroom with the Potions Master close behind. Barricades Two and Three began to disintegrate. The tumbling of dozens of desks onto the floor was just short of apocalypse. The crash thundered throughout the castle, startling McGonagall who was grading homework, causing the owls resting in the Owlery to take flight and even distracting the practicing Ravenclaws, causing them to lose the friendly Quidditch match to Gryffindor since Ginny took the opportunity to catch the Snitch.

"We finally managed to win a game!" Draco exclaimed happily.

"Don't start gloating. We have to get out of the classroom without being trapped all over again," Harry cautioned his gleeful boyfriend.

That elicited another maniacal grin from the silver-eyed Slytherin. "Would you help me seal them in?" Draco asked innocently and Harry raised an eyebrow, wondering what his boyfriend intend to do. The two boys faced the wizards at the other end of the room.

"Rictusempra!" Draco yelled suddenly and managed to hex the two professors. "Surround them with the desks! Quickly!"

"Brilliant!" Harry started to grin. The two students worked fast, trapping the two wizards between walls of desks, effectively creating a maze. They ran and blasted out into the corridor, surprising students who had gathered outside the classroom to investigate the noise. Harry and Draco started congratulating each other for their successful escape from their 'captors'. Then they heard Dumbledore's voice requesting mildly,

"Could someone direct us out of the maze please?"

"Headmaster, I think this is a good time for us to rely on Fawkes," Snape suggested.

"Why didn't I think of that? Fawkes ... what?" Dumbledore sounded astonished. "You're not helping?" The old wizard was offended.

The two boys started laughing and went in search of the nearest bathroom to wash up.

*********

In the Hall...

Harry was halfway through dinner when a very disgruntled Dumbledore walked in, followed by Snape. He couldn't seem to stop glaring at Draco. Fawkes circled over their heads before perching behind McGonagall's chair. The students, who had never seen the Headmaster's familiar gawked and pointed at the brilliantly feathered mystical bird.

Harry noticed Hermione was about to get up. Due to the special occasion, Hermione was sitting in between him and her boyfriend. "Where are you going?" he asked curiously.

"I have a headache so I thought I should go to bed early," she said with a faint smile. "Night..."

"Hang on!" Ron caught her arm and pulled her down. "Birthday party hasn't started," he whispered in her ear. Hermione sighed but complied, ignoring her own discomfort.

Ginny and her group of girls burst through the door pushing a trolley with a cake and sweets on it toward the group as they sang a birthday song for the prefect. Hermione blushed furiously and dropped her eyes in embarrassment, painfully aware that the boys around her were grinning madly.

"Go on! Make a wish!" Ron urged her as he kissed her hand fondly. He heard McGonagall clear her throat loudly at the display but the Gryffindor ignored it. As his girlfriend closed her eyes and blew out a candle, he signaled to Seamus to pass his bag. When Hermione opened her eyes, Ron held out her birthday present.

She gracefully accepted and fluttered her eyes shyly at Ron. "Can I take a peek?"

"Uh..." Ron's cheeks and ears turned red, his eyes darkening with uncertainty. "Just as long it's peeking," he said finally.

Hermione slowly unwrapped the present and cautiously peeked inside. It turned out to be a dark, shiny blue, spaghetti-strapped nightgown. She let out an exclamation and took the clothing out to admire it. When she held the garment up high so that most of the students and professors could see, Ron groaned at his girlfriend's excitement. Loud whistles and catcalls erupted, making Harry laugh loudly.

"The twins would be really proud of you!" someone from the Hufflepuff table shouted and there were calls of agreement.

"Oh Ron! You shouldn't have! This is wonderful!" Hermione blabbered merrily as she hugged her boyfriend as tightly as she could. Ron, even though he was happy that she liked the present, couldn't stop feeling embarrassed.

"Headache gone?" Ginny asked slyly. Hermione just grinned and her faced glowed, enhancing her already beautiful face.

"I guess it's your turn now," Harry told his boyfriend in their private mode.

"What do you mean it's my turn?" Draco asked in a panicky voice, thrusting the simply wrapped black box to the ebony-haired Gryffindor.

"No way ... you're the one who placed the most effort on the statue." Harry handed it back to Draco. Hermione noticed the silent squabbling between the two and by the time the Slytherin realized he was being watched, it was already too late. Hermione saw him holding onto the box.

The girl placed Ron's present back into its wrapping before standing up and taking the black box away from Draco. It was the Slytherin's turn to blush. There were more whisperings this time as Hermione took her time opening the wrappings. She finally unearthed the precious metallic model of a quill holder and stared at in shock when she turned it and saw the carving of a fairy.

"Harry is this what they looked like?" she asked in a whisper. "Thank you." One small finger traced the curly hair framing its angelic face. Carefully juggling the handmade gift, Hermione leaned down to kiss Draco's cheek before kissing Harry's. There were horrified gasps coming from some of the Ravenclaws and Slytherins.

Hermione carefully placed the fairy sculpture atop of the table before sinking to her knees and crying on Draco's lap.

"What did I do?!" Draco asked desperately, his eyes looking at Harry wildly.

"I don't know!" Harry replied and proceeded to try and calm his friend.

However, it was the Slytherin who managed to stop Hermione from shedding more tears. "Get a hold of yourself! You're embarrassing me!" Draco muttered under his breath.

"I'm sorry," Hermione replied, sniffing as she wiped the remaining tears from her eyes. "It's just that I'm overwhelmed..."

"Hermione, you gave me quite a heart attack breaking down like that," Harry mock chided her.

"It's hard to believe that you two are finally friends..."

"I believe it's time for you to go to bed and stop piling up embarrassments on me," Draco muttered.

"Oh... I will, I will." Hermione gave a crooked smile. She went around to the other boys who shared the dormitory with Ron. Neville choked on his juice at Hermione's odd request while the others smirked, glancing enviously in Ron's direction.

"Well! The food in here isn't exactly for show, you know!" Ginny said aloud in an impatient tone. "Blaise! Why are you sitting there looking dejected?" The boy started at the sound of his name. "Come on now!" Ginny promptly began to slice the cake.

**********

Two hours later...

Snape quickly crossed over to where Harry and the rest were still talking. He had seen Ron and Hermione walk out of the Hall an hour earlier with the numerous presents the birthday girl had received. He found it unbelievable that even after the loud teasing and bawdy suggestions of what the couple was going to do when they disappeared from the Hall, McGonagall hadn't said a word.

"I believe it's time all of you went to your dormitories," Snape said in a remarkably cold voice. The crowd of students sighed and began to get out of their seats. Lupin appeared beside the Potions Master, obviously there to make sure the students didn't take any side trips.

"Are you sure they'll be finished?" Neville asked Seamus nervously.

"I should hope so," the latter replied with a smirk.

Merlin! They are not talking about Granger and her Weasley boyfriend. Oddly, Snape shuddered at the thought, wondering what Mrs. Weasley would say if she found out about Ron's behavior.

"Don't worry about it," Lupin said softly, watching Harry and Draco walk together side by side. "Hermione knows what she's doing or she wouldn't have planned it."

"Planned?" Snape asked in a choked voice and Lupin laughed, smacking the Potions Master's shoulder fondly. What the Defence professor really wanted to do was to slap the pale white bottom hidden beneath layers of black robes. Lupin pushed Snape off to see Blaise to his room safely while the golden-eyed professor followed the crowd of Gryffindors.

**********

Harry and Draco parted from the rest to go to their room. They took the longer route since the Slytherin said he wanted to stroll for a bit. Automatically, they reached for the other's hand. It may have been a mistake to let instinct take control; as they turned a corner, they bumped into the school's notorious poltergeist.

"Potty and Malfoy holding hands?" Peeves shrieked. The poltergeist proceeded to threaten that he would reveal that they were a couple.

"Can't we do something about him?" Draco asked, watching the madly dancing poltergeist with murder in his eyes. Fortunately for them, the Bloody Baron intercepted, dragging Peeves out of their way.

"Say anything," the ghost growled, "and you're doomed."

Harry let out a sigh of relief and both of them hastily retreated to the Room of Requirement. For some reason, Draco felt excited. Maybe the talk of Ron and Hermione making out has gotten into my system, the Slytherin told himself.

"Are you planning to study tonight?" Harry asked in a neutral voice as he slowly stripped.

"No -- After all the excitement I've endured today, I think I'm going to relax." Draco answered in the same manner.

"Well." Harry, clad only in his dark emerald underwear came up to him, pressing his body against the Slytherin's.

Looks like the thought of sex crossed his mind too... His thoughts vanished as he proceeded to kiss Harry's lips.

**********

In the Slytherin's dormitory.

Leren, Theodore and Pansy had been ready for hours waiting to trap Blaise but Snape's unusual sense of duty had made the three of them hide. Luckily for them, they knew just where Blaise's new room was. They waited for half an hour before moving away from the safety of their hideout. Pansy readied herself to aim a Blasting Curse on the door. The three were unaware that two of the magically created fairies that had been attached to them had gone off to rouse the next room's occupants: a very Gryffindor-like bunch of Slytherins.

After Blaise's falling out with the rest of his seventh-year mates (with the exception of Draco), the sixth-years had more or less accepted him into their crowd. One of them felt the sudden need to go out and when he found Pansy aiming her wand at Blaise's door, the boy whistled for his mates. Two more doors opened, including the target's.

"Oh, hello," the Slytherin greeted impassively. "You guys want something?"

Pansy and the two other boys froze, terrified by the fact that they had been caught in action. That was not in their plan. Before they could react, they were hit with three Full-Body Bind spells.

Blaise looked at the rigid forms of his housemates. "What made you come out at this time of night?" he asked the others.

"Don't know," one boy shrugged. "I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom and I saw the three of them poised outside your door."

"Strange," the seventh-year Slytherin muttered darkly and waved the rest away, leaving Pansy, Leren and Theodore. He intended to wake them later, provided he remembered to.

Three fairies stared at each other, silently communicating before they sat on Leren's chest.

**********

In the Potions Master's personal chambers...

"Sev-e-rus," Lupin pronounced each syllable in frustration.

"Hush," Snape looked up at his lover with a scowl before tucking back the strands of black hair covering his eyes.

"Sev, please," Lupin whimpered, body endlessly writhing against Snape's surprisingly firm grasp.

"Do you want to come or not?" Snape asked almost angrily.

A strangled groan escaped from the brown-haired wizard.

"Most of our lovemaking has been hasty and too quick for my liking. I've yet to explore every inch of you," Snape said gently this time. "Can't you entertain me just this once?" the Potions Master murmured as he licked the throat of the reclining man.

"Okay," Lupin said huskily. Snape smiled and continued mapping Lupin's body with fingers, eyes and tongue.

**********