Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Never Say Let Go ❯ Chapter 6

Title: Never Say Let Go

Author: Skeren Dreamera and Hoshi-Tachi

Chapter six

Duo finally shook himself out of his stupor as the injured dog gave another whimper. "Right Zechs, I hear you. I can freak out later over seeing you here. I guess... Let's get you back to my dorm, okay buddy? God, I never expected you to be a dog of all things. That's strangely humorous. Though, that isn't exactly encouraging after the whole thestral thing."

Duo was looking at the rather large beast as he spoke in the same soft, soothing voice, and he looked around, making sure nobody was around. He didn't want the other students to know how honest to god strong he was. He had nothing on what Heero once had, but you had to be abnormally strong to wield a Gundam. "Alright buddy, please don't make any loud noises, okay? I don't know how else to do this, and it's gonna hurt."

He could have sworn that the dog nodded at him at that point, but he shook it off as being a trick of the mind. Then again, this dog didn't really look like any other kind of dog he'd ever seen, and he was, clearly, not normal if he found him in the castle. He picked the dog up, half in his arms, half over his shoulder. The dog only whined though. "I know, sorry, I know how much it hurts to be hauled around when you're hurt like that. It's chilly down here, Slytherin kids... So the dorms must be... Where exactly?" For a second the dog made a sound that almost counted as a laugh, but he ignored it. He'd figure the dog out later. "Oh don't you laugh at me."

Duo headed off in the general direction the kids had scattered to, glad he'd forgotten his book in Severus' office. It was really awkward enough to juggle this big critter without the book, let alone with it. He was relieved when he found himself in the right place. "Oh thank god. Maybe the building just wanted me to save you pup? Stranger things I guess..."

"Password, password... uhh, Spartacus?" The pilot let out a breath of relief and set the dog down carefully before leaning around the doorframe. It was empty. "Maybe everyone else is in their first class? I was wandering around for a while there. Can you walk on your own fella?" He offered his hand, only just realizing that the dog hadn't lashed out when he'd picked him up. The dog trailed him into the Slytherin common room slowly. "You really are trusting aren't you? You shouldn't be, humans are horrible creatures."

Zechs, as Duo designated him in his mind, wuffed softly and practically shook his head. "I'm not seeing things am I? You are a smart thing aren't you? Okay, I need to pick you up to get you up to my dorm, you aren't in any condition to get the stairs. You really should be heavy pup. I'll feed you though. I know what it feels like to starve."

The dog, as he let the boy pick him up again, couldn't help but be amazed. It was Sirius Black, not some mongrel, but even then, he hadn't run across such trusting kindness before while being on the run. But... he was wondering why the boy kept calling him Zechs.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Albus had been perfecting his 'nothing's wrong and you shouldn't worry your poor head over it' look for many decades, and at the moment, as Minerva McGonagall paced in front of his desk, he found himself very glad to have done so. He had a feeling it was only his calm exterior that kept the woman from rushing off and doing only Merlin knows what. She was the Head of Gryffindor, after all.

"Please, Minerva, sit down. You're making an old man dizzy," he pleaded with a slight smile, poking around in a drawer until he found a slim wooden box. "Lemon drop?"

Minerva stared at him for a moment, looking a bit frazzled. "No, Albus, I do not want a lemon drop!" she finally snapped. "What I want is to know where young Mr. Black is! He was supposed to be here an hour ago!"

Albus winced mentally. He knew how protective his coworker was of her students, past and present, and knew also that she wouldn't let this go until she was reassured that nothing had happened to the man. "I'm sure everything's fine, Minerva. Sirius was most likely just delayed. It is rather difficult to be on time when you're traveling by muggle means, you know."

The severe-looking woman seemed unconvinced, and the aging Headmaster thought quickly. "Really, Minerva, you shouldn't be worrying about this. There's nothing you can do."

She frowned at him, not yet angry with the old wizard, but very close to it. "Oh? And just what should I be worrying about then, Albus, if not my former students?"

Albus glanced pointedly at the grandfather clock that stood only a few feet. "Your present students, perhaps? I believe your class started five minutes ago."

Minerva stared at him, then at the clock, then at him again. "Oh, bother," she finally said, and left the office at a near run.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Duo had tended to the injuries on his furry friend, and then he gnawed at his lip, looking at the bandage covered beast that was settled on his bed, where he could pull the curtains to hide him in a hurry. He hadn't seen any other dogs since he'd come to the school the day before, though there was an array of smaller animals that made their way through the common room that morning.

Wide brown eyes stared back at him, and he scratched at the beast's head with a little sigh. "I can't just leave you here. Not only is it risky for you, but I've been feeling lonely since I got here. Yeah, the Blaise kid is nice and all, and I haven't been here long, but it's not the same. He's just a normal, er, mostly normal teenage kid. I mean, he wasn't a pilot. Well, you haven't been a pilot yet either, but you will, when I meet you."

He just sat next to the dog in silence before getting to his feet. "Look, I'm going to call you Zechs because I really have no idea what else to call you, okay? I don't start classes or anything until tomorrow, so I guess I don't really have to get that book now, but I'll drive myself up a wall talking to you. You nod and all, but you can't talk back, and I need something to do."

Pausing as he realized he was babbling, Duo sighed. "Right, well, I need to go break into Sevvie's office to get my book back. I'll be back in like, twenty minutes, tops. If you leave, I am coming after you, understand? So just stay put and heal. I'll make sure to bring you some roast from lunch if you are a good dog, okay?"

He nodded a little, then sighed as there was no return nod. "I mean it. I can be scary if I have to be. My patients need to heal properly. I'm not having anyone else die on my shift, even a great big black dog. Right then. I'll be back, so just stay okay?"

The pilot was a little embarrassed as he realized he was walking backwards towards the door, and after a last worried look, he slipped out the door to get his book from the office. Maybe he'd get another while he was there.

Sirius waited until the kid had left, then transformed with a wince as his various cuts and scrapes were again exposed to air. Damn, but sometimes he hated the way clothes and things like bandages disappeared whenever he switched forms, but the actual wounds didn't.

Dismissing the pangs of his empty stomach by telling himself he'd make his way to the kitchens later on, the former convict stepped forward and tried to open the door, but to his frustration the knob wouldn't turn. How paranoid was that kid? Who the hell locked the door to keep in a dog?

But then, the boy hadn't seemed all that stable, what with that verb tense-confused babble earlier. Sirius muttered a low congratulations to himself as he searched for another way to get out of the room. It was just his luck that he'd be late for a meeting with Dumbledore, get cornered by the three nastiest little creeps in the entire school, and then be rescued by someone who belonged in an insane asylum.

It was a good half hour before the door clicked open, and Duo had a black handled, double bladed knife in one hand, and about four books in the other. He hadn't looked around for 'Zechs' yet, as he was intent on shutting the door. "God, you'd think the guy was doing something he wasn't supposed to with all those wards on his office. It was like dealing with prison all over again. I can't believe it took me so long to get back out of the damn room."

Duo turned, having missed the stunned man who'd quickly turned back into a dog the second the door swung open. Now it was just his dog, sitting near his trunk, which looked to have been pushed open. "I need to get a lock for that don't I? Or maybe I should just make one? These magic kids have no practical experience at all." He tucked his Athame away, shaking his head. "Sev has got a great set of books, y'know that? I think I'm really going to like potions."

Sirius stared at the boy's sleeve for a moment, still seeing the wicked-looking knife in his mind's eye. Then he broke away, shuddering just a little at the thought he'd never have realized the kid was armed until it was too late. And there was no way of knowing just how many other weapons he had on him...

"Well, let's take a look at you." The animagus flinched as the teenager sat down on the bed, pushing his long braid out of the way, and beckoned towards him. He frowned a couple seconds later as he realized the dog wasn't going to cooperate. "You don't think I'm going to hurt you, do ya?" The American looked so genuinely distressed at the thought that Sirius shook his head and padded over, sitting docilely at his feet.

The boy checked over his bandages with a practiced eye. "Good, you haven't loosened any of 'em. Not that I thought they would be loose, I'm better at tying 'em than that, it's just that, well, I've never played doctor for a dog before. Usually it's people..."

Sirius gave him a slightly alarmed look at that statement, which the kid misinterpreted as curiosity. "Oh, that's right, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Duo," he said cheerfully, holding out a hand playfully. After a moment of indecision, Sirius lifted a paw and placed it in his hand, and Duo laughed with delight as he shook it. "Nice to meet you, sir. Can we be friends?"

The animagus shrugged and licked the boy's wrist in acceptance. Why not? It looked to him like the kid needed somebody to look after him, anyway...

If only to keep him from knifing someone.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Duo hadn't spent enough time in the hall. He sat down, ate a bit, then stood back up. Blaise wasn't about to let that happen without an argument. "Oi! Duo, where are you going in such a hurry? You don't have a class today too, do you?"

The pilot paused, noting that the outburst had drawn a little attention from the kid he'd rescued from his Head of House that morning. "Nah, I just want to get back to the dorms. And no, before you ask... I just want some time to myself. You can tell me about your classes all at once then."

The shorthaired boy hesitated before nodding on a sigh. He hadn't gotten to really talk to his housemates before, but he wouldn't try to force himself on the cobalt eyed teen. "Alright. But I expect you to let me tell you about it then."

"Easy enough. Later Blaise." He then resumed his steps towards the door, noticing as he moved that three teens from the Gryffindor table were following him.

He considered losing them in the crowd of students heading in for lunch, but decided there wasn't any reason to avoid them. For all he knew they just wanted to get a good look at the new kid. So, once he passed the crowd, he waited, and sure enough, there they were, looking for him. "I'm over here."

Harry spun, immediately moving in the direction of the voice as he smiled, pulling his friends behind him. "Hello again. I didn't get a chance to thank you earlier. He didn't do anything horrible to you, did he?"

Duo blinked, giving Harry an odd look. "No, he was just a little snippy about me contradicting him. Happens all the time. It wasn't like it was a big deal. Alright, how about some introductions here, okay? You likely all know my name is Duo Maxwell. So, what are your names?"

Harry hesitated, and Hermione stepped forward. "This is Harry Potter, and that's Ron Weasley. Harry's a little touchy about his fame."

Duo blinked, then nodded at Harry with an amused grin. "Don't worry, I've had a famous friend before. Best kept secret ever in my own opinion." He then looked to the girl. "How about you, you forgot to say your own name."

"Oh! You're right! I can't believe I did that. My name is Hermione Granger, a pleasure."

The reaction she received was... not at all what any of the Gryffindors had been expecting.

"Granger? You mean like, the LaGrange family Grangers?" His eyes were as wide as saucers, and he looked absolutely, positively awed.

Hermione blinked at that, and took an uneasy step backwards, towards her friends. "Er... Yes?"

If anything, the awe in Duo's face increased tenfold, something they wouldn't have thought possible. "My God," he breathed, staring at the bushy-haired girl. "This is... this is unbelievable! I never thought..." The boy shook his head, trying to gain at least a semblance of control. "It's an incredible honor to meet you," he finished with a genuine smile.

Ron and Harry shared a bewildered glance, as Hermione blushed. "Um, thank you, but... I'm afraid I'm not quite sure..."

Duo bowed to her, looking as though he wanted nothing more than to kneel at her feet. "I'm sorry, it's just... I never thought I'd meet a relative of the man who discovered the LaGrange points." He gave the girl another awed look.

At that, recognition finally flared in Hermione's eyes. "Oh, you mean Great-Uncle Josef?" The teenager nodded, his braid swinging with the motion, and she smiled tentatively. "So... you like physics, then?" she ventured curiously.

An odd look came over the American's face, and he nodded. "In fact, you could say I live physics..."

Hermione looked at him funny as the boy straightened up, folding his hands together. "Right. You just seem very... enthusiastic about meeting me."

Duo nodded with that, another grin flashing over his face. "It isn't every day you meet the most famous family ever. And I don't mean by money or anything, I mean, by your achievements... You have no idea how much of an honor this is for me... My friends would be so jealous." He paused with that, seemingly unaware of the puzzled looks the two boys were throwing in his direction. "Friends. Ah shi... er shoot. Look, I gotta run! I forgot all about something I have to do in my room."

Harry nodded a little. "Erm, thanks for rescuing me."

Duo glanced over, as though he'd forgotten the famous boy were there at all, and he gestured negligently. "No biggie. Sev was being an er..." He paused, looking to Hermione again. "A pain. Could I sit with you at dinner?"

Still in shock over the sudden attention she'd found herself with, she nodded. Was this what Harry had to deal with all the time? "Sure, why not."

"Thank you so much!" He snatched up her hand, giving the back of it a reverent kiss with another bow before he literally ran off. "See you at dinner!"

Hermione stared off in the direction the boy had gone for a moment, touching the back of her hand in apparent shock as she tried to process all that had happened seconds before. "He bowed to me."

"He kissed your hand to. And it seemed like he was trying to not cuss in front of you." This was from Ron, who couldn't help feeling a little jealous that the person he'd wanted to meet so badly had talked to hadn't spared him a second look once he'd heard Hermione's name. "Why was he acting like that?"

"My great uncle discovered certain points in space that would be good places to build space stations. I don't know why he reacted like that though. It's not as though that many people know about it. Not really..." She shook her head, looking to her two friends in bafflement. "My family isn't all that famous at all..."

Harry shook his head and gestured for his two friends to follow. "I don't know. That's how most people react to me, and he never gave me a second look. Just where's he from anyway?"

"I thought they said America. That right?" Ron moved forward between his two friends, trying to keep pace with the conversation.

"Yeah, America... I need to go to the library to look a few things up." Hermione's absent statement was followed with a pair of groans.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Sirius was still in dog form this time when the door swung open, but he was a little shocked over how very excited his new charge seemed to be. He almost missed the beginning of his babble altogether after being given a roast sandwich from the boy's pocket.

"You have no idea who I met today! Just now, out in the hallway." Duo sat next to the black beast, dropping the sandwich in front of him. "I mean, someone so famous... Well, maybe I reacted a little on the strong side, but c'mon, it's like, the biggest honor ever."

Sirius paused before swallowing, almost completely sure the insane boy was talking about Harry. Who else could he be talking about?

"I mean, someone from the LaGrange family... That Harry kid I rescued earlier is her friend! He must be like, the luckiest person on the planet! I mean, The LaGrange family! They're the reason I'm even here! Hell, but to meet one! And the mother of the man who put the colonies into space..." He paused, trailing off in absolute awe. "I totally have to be her friend. I mean, I know I overreacted just a little, but you have to respect someone so great. I hope I didn't scare her off."

LaGrange? Who the hell? Is he talking about Lestrange? Sirius was completely and utterly baffled. Especially when Harry was mentioned as being a friend of said person.

"Hermione Granger. She's prettier now than in those pictures of her with her son that I'd seen." Duo's voice had gone from fanatical to musing. "I mean sure, she was like, over a hundred in those pictures, and still in good shape, but she wasn't my age. Now she is." He only shook his head, a grin crossing his face. "Hey Zechs, I'm sitting with her and her friends at dinner, so I'll be longer getting back. So, unless something bad happens to em that I have to go all hero for, I should get back before the other boys do."

Harry's godfather was dumbstruck. Hermione? This boy was in awe of Hermione? Sure, she was a nice girl and all... But still. He'd just have to find a way to follow the boy out of the room.

To be continued.