Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Never Say Let Go ❯ Chapter 7

Title: Never Say Let Go

Authors: Skeren Dreamera and Hoshi-Tachi

Chapter seven

Blaise ran a tired hand through his short hair as he spoke the password to open the Slytherin door. Damn it, why did the professors have to just jump right in on the first day? Everyone's minds were still fried from the summer break, did they really expect them to actually learn before they'd gotten used to school again?

Sighing, he trudged down the stairs, and almost sighed with relief as he reached the door to the sixth year dorms. Upon opening it, he discovered his newest roommate lying on his bed, his arms behind his head and a peaceful grin on his face. The American opened his eyes almost immediately, and the grin widened. "Hey!" he called cheerfully, almost maniacally, in fact, as he shifted until he was sitting up on the bed instead.

The taller boy smiled at him and started to walk in, and stopped as he saw something that made him go even paler than usual. There, sitting calmly beside his friend's bed, was a Grim. "What the..."

Duo looked briefly confused, then comprehension dawned in his face as he followed the direction of his gaze. "Oh, right, I haven't introduced you two yet! B, this is Zechs, my newest buddy! Zechs, this is Blaise Zabini. Be nice to him, alright?"

"It's a Grim!" Blaise seemed to debate closing the door for a moment before finally closing it, uneasy about how... friendly Duo seemed to the creature.

"Is that what you call this kind of dog around here? Why would you call it that? Zechs, you know why he's lookin all terrified like that?" The American reached out, scratching behind the big black ears as he received a confused look. "You don't know either huh?"

The other Slytherin sat on his own bed and stared. "You don't mean to tell me you don't know what he is? How can you stand to get so close?"

He blinked a few times, continuing to pet his companion. "No idea, why don't you tell me."

Blaise opened and closed his mouth, trying to think of how to explain something that everyone in the wizarding world grew up knowing. "It's... the Grim is an omen of death. Everyone who sees one dies." He gestured helplessly, not sure how to explain the sense of overwhelming dread that wizards felt at the thought of Grims to someone who was muggle-raised.

And sure enough, Duo looked confused. "Okay... still not getting it, but I guess I can see where you're comin' from..." He glanced down at the enormous dog. "'Course, that's assuming Zechs here's a Grim. Are ya, buddy?"

'Zechs' shook his head, and Blaise blinked. As a wizard, born and raised, he was used to wizarding animals being more intelligent than their muggle counterparts, but...

That was pushing it. "Are you sure?" he asked as he leaned forward, trying to ignore the little voice in the back of his mind that said he would look a right idiot if it turned to really be just an animal.

"If he say's he's not a Grim, then he must get this allot, huh pup? He needs someone to take care of him though, he's hurt. I already bandaged him up, but I can't always run out on meals like I did at lunch, it'd draw attention to my sneaking." He ruffled the black fur, seeming more than a little affectionate to the eerie animal.

"Are you sure though? He seems smarter than any dog I've ever seen..." He trailed off, shaking his head a little. He couldn't even begin to understand where the other teen had found this creature over the course of the first day on campus.

"Zechs is really the exceptional type though. He always does things that nobody thought was possible. Don't worry, he's a good critter. Besides, if he really is an omen of death, then it's just fitting for him to be my pet, isn't it?" Duo smiled, and Blaise... was further confused.

The American seemed disinclined to explain that statement, though, and the young Slytherin was left blinking as Duo's stomach rumbled, and the boy bounced up off the bed and stretched. "Well? You coming?" he asked, mid-stretch.

"Come where?" Blaise asked, still a little dazed.

Duo grinned. "Dinner, of course! I'm gonna be sittin' with someone, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you came too."

The other boy sighed, getting up. "Why am I getting the feeling that your stomach doubles for your brain?" he inquired sarcastically.

The braided teenager paused thoughtfully. "Because it does?" he offered after a moment. "What? I'm a growing boy!" he stated defensively at Blaise's amused glance.

"Growing, is it?" Blaise quipped, staring pointedly at the top of Duo's head.

"Oh, shut up..." the American muttered, flushing. He pouted and marched past the taller boy, taking a swipe at the back of his head. Blaise ducked agilely, and, chuckling, followed his friend out the door.

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

Hermione eyed the American as he approached the table, having the urge to gape as he kept a firm grim on the sleeve of his very Slytherin companion's arm. The boy looked like he wanted to escape, and was looking horrified about where the longhaired boy was dragging him. She couldn't blame him, Slytherins never sat at the Gryffindor table.

"I didn't know you wanted to sit there! Go, eat, but leave me alone to go mope in peace!" The taller boy dug in his heels, but they were well within listening distance of the Gryffindors already seated.

Duo snorted, moving forward to sit on the free side of Hermione, and he dragged Blaise down next to him, not allowing him to argue. "Don't be like that! You could be at least a little respectful to the lady." He then looked to Hermione and smiled, tipping his head in a gesture of respect. "Miss Granger."

Hermione smiled at him gingerly. "Er... hello." She glanced again at the very tense Slytherin behind him. "Zabini," she acknowledged politely, nodding.

"Granger," he replied stiffly, sitting very still, as though the Gryffindors now surrounding him were wild beasts, and any movement would attract their attention and their teeth.

Ron leaned around the brunette at his side, and was about to say something undoubtedly rash until Harry kicked him underneath the table. "Maxwell, Zabini," the famous Gryffindor said with an only slightly forced smile.

Duo grinned back at him, and opened his mouth. Nothing came out, though, and a look of panic flashed over the American's face. "Um..." At their looks he blushed. "I'm sorry, I kinda... forgot your names..." he muttered quickly, and so quietly that it took a moment for them to realize what he'd said.

Ron blinked a few times and leaned back before shaking his head. "The bloke really just said that, didn't he?"

"Yeah. It's kinda odd not to have someone know who I am after hearing my name." Harry returned the words just as lowly before leaning across the table. "I'm Harry Potter, and the redhead over there is my friend Ron Weasley."

Duo nodded, and he gave the three of them a relieved look. "I'm so sorry for that. Usually I don't forget a name or a face, but I guess I got so caught up in meeting someone from her family... Can we try this again?"

Harry grinned at him. Sure, it was odd not having someone recognize him, but... it was kind of nice, too. "I don't see why not," he replied.

Across from him Ron shrugged. "Fine with me," he said, brightening a bit. Maybe he hadn't exactly made an impression on his new hero, but at least the guy knew he existed now.

Duo beamed. "Great! It's good ta meet ya!"

Blaise rolled his eyes. "Do you have to befriend every person you meet?" he muttered quietly. He grimaced at the teen's frown. "What, you do!" he said, raising his hands defensively. "First that creepy dog of yours, and then Gryffindors?!"

The American scowled. "He is not creepy! And what's wrong with Gryffindors?" he asked, genuinely perplexed.

The other boy opened his mouth, took stock of where they were sitting, and then seemed to shrink in place a little. "I'll tell you later, okay? I want to live long enough to graduate."

The braided teen shook his head and huffed, looking back to the others. "Honestly. It never fails. Wherever I go there has to be somebody who tells me I'm too friendly. Or that my hair is impractical. Or that I'm an idiot. It's just completely unfair. Y'know? It's like the whole universe is pickin on me."

Harry couldn't help the smile that crossed his face, and he gave the boy a genuinely amused look. "I know the feeling."

Ron shook his head, snatching a roll from under his friend's fingers as he reached for it. "It isn't that bad mate. You don't have to worry about us saying any of that."

Duo laughed quietly and looked directly at Ron for perhaps the first time. "I'll keep that in mind."

Blaise, in an effort to not lose the argument, gave a last try. "Creepy." It only got a shaken head and a set of rolled eyes from his friend.

Thankfully, the food appeared at that moment, saving everyone from what could potentially have become a very awkward moment. They all chowed down, and Blaise, Harry, and Hermione all watched in awe as Duo proceeded to match Ron, notorious for being able to out eat anyone in the school, bite for voracious bite.

"Where are you putting all that?" Blaise finally asked incredulously, gaping at his diminutive friend in shock.

Duo stopped eating for a moment to look at him, expression confused, and his fellow Slytherin shook his head. "Never mind," he said, sighing.

It was a few minutes later, when the teenagers were just beginning to slow down, when they noticed how the students around them had abruptly grown quiet. Harry stared past them, green eyes wide and his fork, still carrying a load of mashed potatoes, paused halfway to his mouth.

The reason for this silence grew readily apparent, as they heard a deep, silky smooth voice come from behind them. "Mr. Maxwell," Professor Snape said menacingly. "What are you doing?"

The braided teenager looked up, craning his head to look at the older wizard until he was nearly upside down. "What does it look like I'm doing, Sev?" he asked curiously. "I'm eating!"

"Do not call me that." The professor seemed to twitch, trying to restrain the urge to throttle his student, though the glare he leveled on the boy was only matched by the ones he'd inflicted on Harry over the years.

"Fine, Sevvie, what're you doing here? I thought you sat up on the dais." Duo gestured to the head table and smiled, completely ignoring the look that was making everyone around him cringe.

Snape hissed through his teeth, and he looked like he would hex the teen if given anymore time in his presence than was required as he drew out a paper and dropped it on his face. "Your schedule Mr. Maxwell."

The cobalt eyed teen pulled the paper off his face and gave the Potion's Master a pout. "It's Duo! Gah, we're not even in class!"

The professor scowled. "Be that as it may, you-..." Suddenly noticing that they had an audience, Snape closed his mouth on the words. "I will see you after dinner tomorrow, Mr. Maxwell. I trust you remember your assignment?"

The pout deepened, almost becoming a full-fledged scowl. "Yeah, yeah," he answered grudgingly. "I've found most of 'em already, anyway..."

Snape simply nodded, taking it for granted that the assignment would be done on time. It was the rare student that dared cross him by not turning in homework on time, after all. Even his Slytherins made sure to keep up on their work.

Of course, Duo Maxwell was no ordinary student...

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

It wasn't until after Severus stormed away that a pair of nearly identical redheads hurried over to where Duo was sitting, calmly resuming his dinner as though his head of house had never been there. His companion, who was formerly terrified of the Gryffindors, was too much in shock to actually get a coherent word out.

"That was splendid!" It was from the left of the two brothers.

"What was?" Duo turned his gaze to the pair, looking more confused than anything. "You don't mean all that do you? He's a big softie, really, or I'd be dead by now."

By this point everyone at the Gryffindor table was staring at the American. As he watched, pretty much all the students slid further away, putting some distance between themselves and the Slytherin in their midst.

"What's with them?" Duo asked curiously, just a little hurt.

The redheaded twin on the right grinned at him. "Don't worry. It's just that you're either suicidally brave-..."

"Which means you should have been sorted in with us," the other interrupted with an identical grin.

"Right, but you weren't, so that means you're hopelessly insane," the first finished. "An' I imagine they're afraid it's contagious."

Duo blinked. "Oh..." He thought that over for a minute, and finally grinned himself. "Just like at home!" he announced proudly.

"Really?" Blaise had taken the chance to leave, so that left Duo with enough space of either side of himself for the twins to seat themselves on either side of his person.

The longhaired boy seemed a little put out that his friend had fled the attention, but he just chalked it up to the boy having some things in common with Trowa. "Yeah. Sure, I'm brave enough when I gotta be, but the suicidally brave one was my best friend..." He trailed off, sadness flickering across his face before he resumed his happy expression. "But, my friends always would say I was insane to play even half the tricks I did on my buddy Fei, I mean, he was really good with that sword of his."

"Sword?" Ron asked curiously, a bit put out that his brothers were getting more attention from the American than he was.

Duo nodded. "Yep. He'd pull it out and threaten to cut off my braid whenever I pranked him." He shuddered at the very thought and hugged the aforementioned braid to his chest.

"Pranks?" The twins said together, incredulously. "You prank?" the one on Duo's right continued.

The teenager nodded. "Well, yeah, all the time. Why?"

The two grinned at each other behind Duo's back. "Oh, nothing," the boy on his left said innocently.

"It's just that we happen to be this fine establishment's premiere pranksters," the other added proudly, raising a fist into the air. "So, on our school's behalf-..."

"And for the honor of the Marauders-..." A couple seats away, Harry snickered from behind his hand. Oh, if only they knew...

"-we hereby welcome you to Hogwarts, comrade!" they finished together, throwing their arms around the startled boy.

Duo froze for a second before his eyebrows climbed up towards his hairline. "You know, I usually don't let people maul me with hugs until they at least tell me who they are." He moved his hands, plucking one of each of the twins' arms from around him with a snicker. "Duo Maxwell, at your service, and you friendly people might be?"

The brother on the right of him straightened up, a wide smile on his face. "I'm George, and he's Fred. Or, well, I'm sure some people would call him George and me Fred, but really, it's all the same to us."

The brother on the left puled back as well with a similar look on his face. "But for now I'm Fred. I see you met our little ickle Ronniekins."

Snickering, the American finished shaking off the hold the pair had on him and nodded before looking at the original redhead. "Why didn't you say you knew such interesting people?"

Ron scowled sullenly at his brothers, not answering. After a moment of awkward silence, Duo bent his head back to the remains of his dinner. Looking at the basket of rolls and the last pieces of roast beef on his plate as the twins started to regale him with tales of their exploits, the former thief suddenly remembered the dog waiting back in his dorms.

He reached out and snagged two of the rolls, depositing one of them on his plate and sawing the other not quite in half with his rather dull dinner knife. About half of the roast beef went into that roll, forming a far more easily carried meal for Zechs.

Duo did the same to the other one, then waited for a distraction so he could slip the impromptu sandwiches into the pocket of his robes without being noticed. And such a distraction was not long in coming.

The ghost of Sir Nicholas, as though hearing Duo's wish for a diversion, suddenly came up through the table, making the first years who hadn't really seen him the night before shriek as he pulled his head back, complaining about how he should be part of the hunt. With a smirk, the American used the chance to escape, hurrying from the hall. Somehow, those he'd been sitting near failed to see him leave, and were left staring dumbfounded at the place he'd been once they moved to resume their tales.

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

There was one unfortunate thing to the entire Gryffindor table incident though. Malfoy made it back to the room before Duo did, and he was still frozen in the doorway when the other teen reached the dorms.

"Maxwell, run!" he hissed urgently, staring at something inside the room.

Duo blinked at him, and took a cautious peek around the doorway. There was nothing inside except Zechs, who was staring bemusedly at the blonde. "What are you on, Malfoy?" he asked as he drew back.

The boy gaped at him. "Are you insane?! There's a Grim in our dorm room!"

Sudden understanding dawned in his face, and the American snickered to the other boy's amazement. "That ain't a Grim, bottle blonde, that's my dog. Come on, I'll introduce you two!" He grabbed the Slytherin by his sleeve and pulled him into the room.

Malfoy yelped, struggling in his grip. "Maxwell, no! Don't you dare! Let... me... go!"

Duo pouted, but turned him loose anyway. "Oh, all right... Weenie," he muttered under his breath.

"I'm merely not insane! What do you think you're doing? Are you telling me you brought that here?" The blond gestured, refusing to take even one step further into the room once he was released.

"You're acting like an idiot. Zechs, come here boy, show the helmet head that you aren't a big bad evil. You're just my big dog Zechsy, right?" The short teen held out his hand, and with a snort that sounded oddly like a laugh, the dog did as asked, coming to lean against the boy. In fact, he was larger than his 'owner'.

"Bloody insane! You don't mean to keep that here while we sleep, do you? We'll never wake up again!" He was being incredibly un-Malfoylike, but he couldn't help it at the moment.

The American rubbed his ears. All this hysterical not-quite-shouting was starting to give him a headache. "Look, Malfoy. He's a dog. I don't know, don't care, and won't pretend to understand what ludicrous superstitions you wizards have going on, but if you don't stop yelling and calm down, you won't be waking up anyway!"

That got the blonde to shut up, though that was more from the shock of being threatened (however conditionally) than from any measure of calmness. Had that little, stuck-up, foreign excuse for a wizard just threatened him?!

The longhaired boy sat plopped down on his bed, sighing with relief. The enormous black dog jumped up as well when he patted the sheets, curling up by his side so he could scratch him. After a second he looked up and saw the other teenager's affronted look. "Oh, don't get your undies in a twist, Malfoy. I wouldn't kill ya."

The aristocrat would have died rather than admit he actually felt a tinge of relief at that statement, and so he silently sank gracefully down onto his own bed. Then that relief was dispersed as Duo continued. "Well, unless you really annoyed me or hurt someone I cared about, of course. But you seem like an intelligent kid... arrogance and general brattiness aside..." he added, and Draco scowled automatically. "So I'm sure you're smart enough not to do either of those things."

The blonde was about to reply when the dog crawled partially over the annoying American's lap and whined at him. Now, that was a bit much. Certainly a Grim wouldn't lower itself to something like that... Certainly. Right? "Just what is that beast doing?" Hysterics finished, he finally moved into the room, eyeing the dog.

"He doesn't like it when I get mad very much looks like. Do ya Zechs? Is that why you're doing that? I won't kill Captain hair gel over there at the moment. I'm not that annoyed." He ruffled the fur just beside his ears.

The big black dog nodded, and the blonde finally sat on his bed, eyeing the animal who had scared him so badly. "What kind of name is Zechs anyway?"

Duo rolled his eyes. "It was a... okay, not a friend's, since we were kind of enemies for a long time... that would make him an acquaintance, I guess? So, it was an acquaintance's name. An' the big mutt... reminded me of him," he finished, rubbing the dog's head fondly. By now Zechs' tail was wagging enthusiastically, though Malfoy noticed that its motion had temporarily faltered when the braided teenager mentioned the part about 'enemies'.

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the beast, vowing to keep an eye on it. No matter what Maxwell said, there was no way that thing was an ordinary dog.

With a quiet sigh of contentment, Duo leaned back into his pillow and pulled a folded piece of parchment out of his pocket. "Hey, do you know where the Care of Magical Creatures class is? Is it in the stables or something?"

Malfoy shook his head, scowling again. He seemed to be doing a lot of that since he'd met the American. "No, we have to meet down at that oaf Hagrid's hut."

"Hagrid?" the teenager asked curiously.

The scowl changed to a definite sneer. "He used to be just the groundskeeper. Then, since he's one of Dumbledore's pet projects because he's half-giant, he decided to give him the teaching post. You've probably seen him sitting up at the teacher's table at meals. He's the tallest person there."

Duo blinked. "The big guy? With the really wild beard?"

Malfoy nodded. For about a minute the longhaired boy stared at him, until the Slytherin finally snapped. "What?!"

The teenager bemusedly shook his head. "Oh, nothing. Just wondering how bright it is to insult someone who looks like he could break you in half with just a finger."

To be continued.