The Alternative to Loneliness

Ch. 6

A Harry Situation Indeed

Colin was grateful for the full-ish moon tonight, and thankful that Harry had chosen the bed closest to the window with the best light. It would make photographing a lot easier. Still, he needed some extra equipment if these pictures were going to come out at all.

On the first trip into the room, walking as quietly as he could, Colin brought some mirrors and cloths and a tripod. The second trip he dragged in a few stands where he would lay enchanted fires for soft mood-light. The third, Colin brought a pitcher of water, a bowl of applesauce, seventeen rolls of film, and his camera, which he had recently enchanted with a silencer spell. The water was so that he wouldn't cough from his already parched throat. The applesauce was so that his stomach wouldn't growl and wake Harry up.

He crept up to Harry's bed and pulled aside the curtain. Harry was dead asleep, breathing softly. Colin knelt beside the bed and moved his head to check different vantage points and lighting. Then he walked to the foot of the bed and pulled the curtains aside, walked back, and knelt beside Harry. Perfect. Draco would love this.

For the next fifteen minutes, Colin scurried around the Gryffindor dorm room, setting up mirrors, mood lighting, and scouting out primary tripod locations. Then he set to work. The light from the moon was shining down on the bed, but at an angle so that only his legs showed up. Thanks to the mirrors and lighting he had set up, there was enough light shining into the shadows that one could see Harry's face, pale skin glowing in the darkness. He was sleeping on his side, the crimson blankets pulled up to his chin and only the fingers of one of his hands showing next to his mouth.

At first, he just took pictures of Harry as he was, expecting that the older boy would shift in his bed or roll over or something. After a half hour, however, Harry was still in the same position and Colin stepped out from behind his camera.

He didn't think anybody slept this soundly. Perhaps he could move some things around, make the shoot more interesting for his employer, and Harry would never know. If Colin was careful, it just might work.

He picked up a nearby book and tiptoed up to Harry's bedside, then gently lifted his glasses from the nightstand. As he reached for Harry's hand and lifted it from the pillow, he cringed. Surely Harry would feel it and wake up. Very, very slowly, he slipped the book onto the bed and lowered his hand onto it. Then he opened the glasses and slid them onto his face, but only enough so that it looked like they had slid down a bit.

He stood back and surveyed his work. Something didn't work about it. Sure, it looked as if he'd fallen asleep reading, but the blankets were pulled too high, as if he could have taken the time to tuck himself in. It looked fake. He reached forward and took hold of the blanket, then pulled it down. Harry's shoulder was bare. Colin tried not to notice, but Draco's letter started to play through his head. If you can manage to catch him sleeping in the nude, I might slip another hundred in my next owl.

He shook his head and continued to pull the blanket down until it was past the older boy's elbow, under which he tucked the top hem. Colin stood back again and took in his handy-work. Harry was still sleeping still and sound, his breath gently moving a page of the book under his hand. His glasses were down at the tip of his nose, slightly askew. His blanket was draped over him diagonally, more pulled up at his back but tugged down to reveal his bare chest. Just enough was showing behind his arm that Colin could see one pink nipple. Yes, this was more like it, he thought as he turned back to his camera, trying to ignore his unpleasantly shifting stomach. Maybe if I tried to think of him as Luna it would make this easier, he thought as he adjusted his lens. No, I'd never do this sort of thing to her, sneaking in and taking her picture without her knowing. And besides, there are some things Harry's got that Luna hasn't. I've seen them. Wish I hadn't.

He took quite a few pictures of this, then took the book and glasses away and changed the scene again (Harry still hadn't moved). Draco would probably get bored with the same pose, so Colin took a chance and moved Harry's arm so that his hand was on his stomach. He could see that his other arm was under his pillow, making it look like his torso was longer. Colin pulled down on the blanket, hoping Harry didn't sleep in the nude. His prayers were answered when he found the waistband of a pair of green cotton boxers with little golden snitches zooming around it. He'd need to get a close-up of those.

Colin stared at the boxers and found his mind going back to a few days before in the showers, when he'd seen what was under them. He shook his head and shuddered. Not that he didn't do that sort of thing, but it wasn't his idea of a good time to watch others do it. Well, he wouldn't mind watching Luna do that sort of thing, either to him or to herself.

He smiled as a new thought replaced the disturbing other thought and he walked back to the camera to get on with the photo shoot.

It was two hours later when he packed up and left Harry's dorm room, relieved that that was over. Now to get a few hours sleep and develop the pictures in his free time tomorrow. He hoped Draco would like the fifteen rolls of pictures he had taken. It had been very hard and nerve-wracking work.

After he left, the room was quiet for a few minutes and then Harry opened his eyes. That had been the weirdest thing he had ever experienced. He'd downright panicked a few of the times, thinking Colin would get frustrated and take matters into his own hands. Who knew what that kid was capable of doing? He untucked his hand from his boxers and leaned over in his bed. "Ron," he whispered. "Pst, Ron! Wake up."

The bed beside him remained silent, save for a few snorts and mumblings. Harry tried again, but couldn't manage to rouse his friend, so he aimed for where Ron's bum would be resting against the drapes and threw his pillow at it.

"Hmm? Huh? Wha? Where's the lethifold?!" he shouted stupidly and threw aside the crimson drapes.

"Shut up, will you?" Harry hissed into the darkness as he reached down for his pillow.

"What'd you do that for?"

"You wouldn't wake up."

"So what'd you want to wake me up for?"

Harry shushed Ron and listened around the room for any signs of the others being awake and listening. When there was no indication of any eavesdroppers, he leaned over the side of the bed and whispered, "Creevey was just in our dorm, taking pictures of me while I slept."

Ron looked perplexed. "How could you tell if you were asleep?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "I was only pretending to be asleep."

"So what'd you do?"

"Nothing!" Harry hissed back. "Hermione told me to leave it alone and it'd go away, but Ron, it's not going away!"

"How do you know? Maybe this is the end of it."

Harry shook his head. "He was moving my hand around."

Ron gaped at him. "Like on your...that's sick!"

"NO! Not on my...well, maybe once, under my boxers. But he kept setting up scenes. Like I'd fallen asleep reading and such."

Ron shook his head. "That's just sick, mate. Told you Creevey was weird."

Harry nodded. Something was going to have to be done about this.

~*~^~*~

Harry was waiting in the common room when Hermione arrived at seven, hoping to get a quick review of her Potions notes before the rush for breakfast began. This was surprising indeed, as Harry was rarely out of bed ten minutes before he should leave. Hermione was immediately worried. When Harry didn't sleep well, Voldemort or immediate doom was often involved. She rushed over.

"Harry, are you alright? What are you doing up so early?"

Harry looked up at her through red rimmed eyes. Dear God, he had been crying. "Morning, Mione," Harry yawned. "I'm fine, just tired. As to what I'm doing out here, I'm keeping watch."

Hermione's heart leapt into her throat. Had Harry had another prophetic dream and was waiting to confront the danger alone?

"Watch for what?" she asked, her voice shaking. "Did you have another dream Harry? Is something horrible going to happen? Is it V-Voldemort?"

Harry looked irritated. "You know, there's more going on than just Voldemort. Every time I feel a little off doesn't mean the world is coming to an end."

"Well, what is it then?" Hermione snapped.

Harry's eyes flashed. "If you must know, I'm keeping watch for Colin Creevey so he won't molest me."

Hermione stared. Sure she had heard wrong. "Sorry?" she managed.

Harry sighed tiredly and rubbed his eyes with his fists. "I woke up in the middle of the night and Colin was setting up, I don't know, mood lights around my bed or something. And then he spent hours taking pictures and posing me and stuff. He, well, he took some of me with my, uh, hand in my, well, in my boxers like I was, well you know." Harry's face was bright red but he continued doggedly. "And after he left, I, uh, couldn't go back to sleep, so I sort of came down here to think about things. I sort of just stayed here for the rest of the night. I figured I could see him coming sooner and maybe he wouldn't try something when someone could walk in at any time."

Hermione stared at him. She blinked. She blinked again. She shook her head as if to clear it. It didn't help. "What?" she squeaked.

Harry looked irritated again. "Don't make me repeat it. It was bad enough the first time."

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked. "I mean, this doesn't sound like Colin."

Harry looked infuriated. "Of course I'm fucking sure. Who else could it have been? After him taking pictures of me at Quidditch practice, then in the shower, what am I supposed to think? And anyways, I saw him."

"What did you say?" she asked curiously.

"Well, I didn't bloody say anything," Harry hissed. "I didn't know what I could say. 'Oh sorry Colin, but what are you doing taking pictures of me while I'm sleeping? Do you think you could come back tomorrow, because I have a big Transfiguration exam in the morning. Thanks.' I mean, what do you say to a crazy stalker?"

"Colin isn't crazy," Hermione protested. "He's just confused."

Harry looked like he could spit nails. "When you're confused, do you go and take weird private photos of Ron while he's sleeping and make it look like he's jacking off?"

Hermione flushed red to the roots of her hair. "Of course not," she sputtered. "And why would I pick Ron of all people?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Because you're both bonkers about each other, but you won't admit it, either of you. It's exhausting trying to remember I'm not supposed to spill the beans about it."

Hermione blushed harder and said quietly, "Does Ron fancy me?"

Harry looked exhausted and flopped back onto the sofa cushions. "He fancies the pants off you, Mione." He smiled wanly. "You might want to do something about that, because you know he's too thick to do it himself. I'm tired of him mooning about you in the dorm. Seamus and Dean would probably pay you to put him out of his misery. He's getting downright crazy over it."

There was a pause as Hermione absorbed this information. She wanted to ask more about Ron, but decided the matter at hand was more pressing. "So, what do you want to do about Colin?" she asked.

Harry shrugged hopelessly. "I was trying to ignore it like you said but last night was too much, even for me. I guess I'll have to talk to Colin about this after all."

Hermione patted his hand in what she hoped was an encouraging manner. "I'm sure this will all be straightened up soon, Harry."

Harry signed in exhaustion. "I bloody well hope so."

~*~^~*~

Colin felt as if he had weights tied to his arms and legs when he woke up that morning. He had tried to get back to sleep when the photo shoot was done and cleared away, and the pictures developed, but he kept tossing and turning in his four-poster, thinking about what he'd made Harry do in his sleep. Thank Merlin the older boy slept so soundly. He must have had an exhausting day or maybe he just slept that soundly all the time. Still, with all the rumors that Harry would wake up in the middle of the night screaming from a nightmare, Colin thanked his lucky stars that he'd caught him on a dreamless night.

He shuddered to think what would have happened if Harry had woken up while he was shooting...especially that part at the end. Colin still couldn't believe he'd been so bold as to set up that shot. It had been bad enough shooting in the shower because Harry was already doing what he was doing. But Colin had deliberately moved Harry's hand, opened the older boy's boxer shorts, and slid his fingers down. Then he'd even pushed Harry's shoulder back so he looked as if he was arching back.

As he dragged around his dorm, his dormmates asking if he was ill or depressed (that prospect seemed to worry them most), Colin realized that he had been acting and feeling a lot more sluggish lately. He had been sleeping poorly ever since he'd taken on this sodding job of Draco Malfoy's. All his dreams were of Harry in the shower doing something he'd never wish to see any other boy do again. Between imaging Harry touching himself...or sometimes even Colin, and Luna thinking he was in love with her and Harry (he'd caught her yesterday with a basket of muffins she had baked for Harry's and his supposed interludes), he couldn't enjoy his time alone with Luna anymore. He couldn't do anything without wondering what Draco would make him do next! He couldn't even study without wondering if Draco would want him to take study or class shots of Harry. His grades were suffering and he'd been told he'd have to look for a tutor if it continued. No, this had to stop.

As Colin pulled weakly on his tie and reached for his sweater, he decided. He'd tell Draco he wasn't doing anymore photo shoots. Surely he'd fulfilled their arrangement. He'd taken three full shoots, well framed and developed, and used several dozen rolls of film. He'd done a session in midair, one of Harry doing wandwork in the shower, and one of him asleep. What more could Draco expect of him, anyways?

Unfortunately, Colin didn't think the Slytherin would be so willing to let him go. Some people just wanted more and more, and he had a feeling that Draco was one of those people. Why give up something that's getting you what you want? He'd never been known for his understanding and forgiveness besides. Why spare Colin when all he had to do to get some salacious pictures was snap his fingers? Because he had to know that Colin was scared spitless and would do what was asked for fear of losing his life (or at least a few essential body parts).

Colin jogged to his darkroom/closet to retrieve the pictures (he was too tired to run as he usually did) and headed toward the Great Hall for breakfast. He was halfway there when he heard his name being called. He turned to find Ginny hurrying toward him.

"Merlin," she panted when she caught up to him. "I've been calling you since you passed that statue of Balinor the Barmy. Didn't you hear me?"

Colin stifled a yawn and rubbed at his eyes with his knuckles. "Sorry Ginny, I didn't sleep well at all last night and I guess I'm not really...erm...here. I thought maybe some breakfast might wake me up or something, so I was going to the Great Hall."

Ginny let out a short laugh. "You look almost as bad as Harry. I can't imagine he slept a wink last night, the way he's yawning and all. He must have had a late night. Everyone's trying to figure out if he was shagging someone."

Colin froze. Harry couldn't be that tired if he'd been asleep the whole time he was shooting last night. But then what if he'd been awake! Or maybe he woke up during and just didn't say anything. Oh Merlin, now he was starting to panic.

No, Colin tried to reassure himself, Harry would have jumped up and asked for an explanation. He'd have yelled and punched and hexed Colin, but he wouldn't have just lain there without a word. He couldn't have.

"Colin?" Ginny was waving her hand in front of his face. "You awake?"

"Yes," Colin squeaked. "Did you say something? I'm sorry, I think I might have faded off or something because--"

"I said Harry's looking for you."

Colin's heart stopped beating. This could not be happening. No, this had to be another of his Harry nightmares. Yes, that was it, he was still asleep and at any moment, he was going to wake up and breathe a huge sigh of relief. Come on, wake up, he prayed.

"Harry wants to talk to you. He said something about photos. I guess he wants you to take some pictures? I dunno, he was sorta vague about it. He just asked if I'd seen you and if I did, to pass along the message. He's still in the Common Room with Ron and Hermione if you want to go talk to him before class."

No, this definitely wasn't a nightmare. This was hell. What had he done to deserve this? All he wanted was to be a photographer and spend more closet time with Luna. Was that so much to ask?

"Colin?" Ginny looked at him in confusion. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Colin clutched his stomach and felt his face pull into a sickened expression. "I gotta go," he managed, lurching past Ginny. "I think I'm going to be sick."

Ginny opened her mouth to ask what in the world he meant by that, but before she could get out the words, he'd disappeared down the corridor.

~*~^~*~

Draco was very happy. He'd been so enjoying his Harry pictures, despite the fact that the last time he had seen Harry, he'd disgraced himself by running away. And he'd called Harry by his first name. He definitely needed to be more careful in the future. He was yet to come up with a brilliant plan to get Harry to fall in love with him and until then, he needed to be more careful.

But he was very cheerful this morning, as he was expecting a new bundle from Creevey any minute now, and that always livened up his day. He'd asked for pictures of Harry while he was asleep and he couldn't wait to see what Harry looked like asleep. Although he doubted that anything could be better than that shower shot. He shivered. Just thinking about it made him want to go back to his bedroom and stay there for the rest of the day. Harry's body was pure perfection and Draco was dying to see it in person.

It made it rather difficult to be around Harry, because all Draco could think about was what was beneath the clothes, and he couldn't very well rip Harry's robes and trousers off in the middle of Herbology.

Soon enough, though, Harry would be his. It was only a matter of time.

Draco exited the Slytherin Common Room and headed for breakfast. He was brought up short in the hallway, however, when something rather small ran into him at a very high speed. The small thing fell to the floor and Draco let out a grunt at the impact.

It was Creevey. Draco blinked at him. "What are you doing in the dungeons, Creevey?" Draco asked as the small Mudblood got to his feet.

"I was looking for you," Colin gasped. "And I guess I just ran into you. Sorry about that, I didn't mean to but I think that Harry knows and I don't want to do this anymore. I've already done three different parcels for you. Here's the third, by the way," he said, shoving a brown-paper wrapped parcel in Draco's arms. "But you see, my grades are going down and the teachers have been telling me I need tutoring and Harry will beat me up when he finds out and I think he already knows and he's looking for me! You don't have to pay me all the...I mean, you don't even have to write the letter if you don't want! I don't want you to feel like I'm being unfair asking for all of it, but I don't want to do this anymore. I want out!"

Draco had never heard Creevey be so precise, even if he was still as long-winded as usual. He stared at the very bulky package in his hand, then at Creevey. He opened his mouth to make a scathing reply about how Crabbe and Goyle were bored and this was just what they liked to do--beat up mudbloods--but instead he replied, "Alright Creevey, if that's what you want. If you really feel like you can't do it anymore, then I'll have to look elsewhere. I'll send you your payment by owl, as I'm not accustomed to carrying a thousand galleons with me to breakfast."

"Th--thank you!" Colin squeaked. "Thank you so much, you have no idea..."

As Colin babbled, Draco shook his head in amazement. He'd been spending too much time with Gryffindors and it was starting to affect his judgment. Ah well, he'd already let Creevey off the hook and if what he said about Harry finding out was true, it was probably better this way all around. After all, he'd gotten some amazing photos out of the deal and they'd last him quite a while. At least until he was able to win Harry's heart for himself.

Draco found Creevey shaking his hand as he muttered one last thanks and dashed away down the corridor, leaving Draco with the large brown parcel in his hand and lovely thoughts of anticipation in his head. He sighed, slipped the package into his bag, and set off for breakfast.

When he arrived, he slid into a seat next to Blaise Zabini, nodded his good morning, and reached for the pumpkin juice.

"Hear the news?" Blaise asked eagerly.

Draco shook his head. Here it came, the daily gossip report. Honestly, Blaise was more of a gossip queen than Pansy and that was saying something.

"Word is that Potter's got a crush on someone."

Draco froze.

"He looked all shagged out and exhausted this morning. But get this. It's supposed to be Colin Creevey."

Draco's blood began to boil.

"See, you know Creevey always had that thing with Harry, but now it seems that Potter reciprocates his feelings. Shit, of all the people for Potter to go for, huh?" Blaise laughed.

Draco was ready to kill. His fingers were twitching, wishing his wand was in his hand. Someone was dying for this.

He'd sort of trusted that mudblooded, mouse-faced, idiotic excuse for a human being, and this was how he was repaid? Creevey was going to wish that he had never been born.

Blaise looked at him curiously. "Draco? You alright?"

Draco stood in a towering fury, waves of icy anger emanating from him. The whole Slytherin table shivered and the nearby Ravenclaws cowered into their seats. With murder in his eyes, Draco stalked toward the doors of the Hall. Someone was paying for this atrocity in blood.

And his name was Colin Creevey.