"Oh, Harry!" Hermione's bushy hair enveloped him in a tight embrace.
"Her-mio-ne..." Harry choked out, smiling.
"Oh! Sorry, are you all right?" She let go of Harry, her eyes full of worry and happiness. Harry had only just returned to Gryffindor Tower moments ago,
and was already being swarmed by his friends.
"I'm fine. It was only a bump, nothing worse than what I've had before." Harry still found himself smiling as he looked between Ron and Hermione. He felt
closer to them, if anything, though he had no idea why.
"Harry?" Neville spoke from across the room. He smiled, and sighed in relief. "Thank goodness you're alive. Most of us thought you were a goner. Er- not
to be pessimistic or anything."
"Well, Harry always manages to surprise us." Ron grinned.
"I tend to surprise myself more often." Harry joked.
"Good to have you back, mate!" Seamus called from a cozy armchair. It was amazing, Harry thought, that all these people cared about him. He continued
to smile for the rest of the night, even when he changed into pajamas the smile never once left his face.
The next day classes resumed as normal for Harry, and Umbridge was just as demeaning as ever. She would gaze down at Harry as though he were a
rather rotten patch of tomatoes, and kept an unusually close eye on him the entire class. Harry managed to look up from his book periodically and shifted his
eyes until they laid themselves on Draco, who sat two rows away. His stare lingered, but he forced himself to return to the same paragraph he had been on
since the beginning of class when Umbridge's wary eyes snapped at him.
For the first time, Harry looked forward to his Potions class. He sat in the back row, as normal, but felt a slight tingle when Draco sat in front of him. Harry
watched as he took out a scrap piece of paper, scribbled something on it, and held it behind his back, motioning for Harry to grab it. He did, and unfolded the
paper, analyzing the words scrawled in Draco's astonishingly neat handwriting:
Are we still good for today at 9?
Harry glanced around to make sure no one was watching before writing down his answer:
Of course. I'll see you in the RoR, okay? Keep out of trouble until then.
He clandestinely slipped the note back into Draco's hand, and watched as he read the note. A trace of a smile was evident on his face, and Draco
pocketed the note. Snape summoned the classrooms attention then, and requested the previous nights homework. Harry gulped, pulling out his essay on the
properties of unicorn hair. He handed it in along with everyone else, but when he turned around Draco stared him right in the face, his grey eyes piercing
Harry's green ones. Harry wasn't sure how long he looked at Draco, though whether everyone else thought it was a burning glare or not was another story.
"Is there a problem boys?" Snape raised an eyebrow.
"Not at all. Right, Potter?" Draco spat out Harry's name like venom, but Harry saw the hurt in his eyes.
"Right." Harry narrowed his eyes at Draco, and returned to his seat. After a minute, Draco did the same. Harry noticed he seemed a little more fidgety than
normal. Or, maybe he had never noticed how fidgety Draco was before. It seemed like eons before class was dismissed, and as Harry gathered his books, he
walked beside Draco on the way out of the classroom. He felt something against his hip, and made eye contact with Draco again. Draco slid something into
Harry's pocket, and shifted his gaze to the floor shortly after, speed walking down the corridor. Harry hung back from Ron and Hermione, saying he had to 'use
the loo' and came to a halt on the other side of the stone wall. Leaning against it, he grasped a piece of paper from within his pocket. Smiling to himself, he
pulled it out and read it.
Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude earlier. See you at 9!
Below he had drawn a small cartoon of himself grinning broadly. The drawing waved happily at Harry, who had to stifle a giggle. He folded the note and
gently put it back in his pocket.
It was time. Harry took a deep breath and opened the door to the Room of Requirement. Stepping in, he didn't see anything, or anyone for that matter at
all. He felt a small twinge of sadness, until the relieving voice of Draco broke the silence.
"You came."
"Of course I came. I said I would, didn't I?" Harry beamed, seeing the pointed outline of Draco's face.
"Yeah. So... what now?"
"What do you want to talk about?" Draco shrugged.
"I just wanted to be able to talk freely to you."
"You seemed fidgety earlier in Potions." Harry brought up the subject as best he could without accidentally hurting Draco.
"Oh. Right." Pause. "You know I didn't mean-"
"Relax! We can't look like we're friends in public, I get it. No apology needed." Harry smiled at Draco, whom sighed in relief.
"Okay. Thanks."
The night went on as Harry and Draco kept each other company, and soon they ran out of ideas and started quizzing each other.
"Favourite colour?"
"Red."
"Same. Gryffindor colours?"
"You know it. Why do you like red?"
"No idea."
"Favourite food?" Harry started the next question.
"This might sound weird but... Tomato soup."
"Really? Why?"
"House elves used to make it when I was sick, guess I got used to the taste."
"Neat, I like Treacle Tarts." Harry chuckled and shrugged.
"Have you tried the Chocolate Frog Cheesecake? I love it!"
"Maybe sweet tooth's run in everyone's family, then." Harry laughed. Draco laughed too, the mixed sounds filling the room. Their laughter slowly died
down, and Draco took on a forlorn look.
"I wish it could always be like this."
"Yeah. Wouldn't it be easier to just go out and talk on the grass?"
"'Course it would. But people like us tend to like the hard way better."
"Heh, no kidding. We could try and see if subtly being kinder to each other would be noticed... Maybe just talk without having to be rude."
"Keep dreaming, Harry, we're 'enemies for life' or something like that. We'll never be accepted as friends."
"Not even acquaintances?" Harry rested his head on his hand, leaning his elbow on his knee.
"Doubt it."
Then an odd thought crossed Harry's mind, it was confusing at first, but as he thought more about it the more hot his face became.
"Are you all right?" Draco asked, concerned.
"Fine. Just a really strange thought."
"Well, what was it? Spill the beans." Draco repositioned himself so he sat cross legged.
"Er- I'd rather not-"
"It's just us here. And it's not like I'm going to tell anyone. I - I actually care about your feelings, if you haven't noticed." Draco averted his eyes for a
second.
"Well, I just thought that maybe... What if we weren't just friends..? I - I dunno it's really stupid. Forget I said anything."
Draco smiled.
"It's not a bad idea. It's just a little more peculiar than most. I kind of like it, anyway."
"So you...?"
"Yeah. Weird, right? Turns out being in someone's head for a few days really turns your perspective around. Sorry for being such a jerk in earlier years."
"The past doesn't matter anymo-"
"What do you mean it doesn't matter?!" Draco rose from his seat, suddenly enraged. "After all the things I did! What I've said to you! To Ron and Hermione!"
"Is all behind us. It's okay to start new, you know." Harry surprised himself, and apparently Draco as well that he was so calm.
"But-"
"It doesn't matter."
"I was so-"
"Shut up! Just drop it, okay? I've done some rotten things to you and you don't see me blubbering about it!"
Draco went silent, and nodded.
"I'll just go, then."
"Wait." Harry stood, blocking Draco's way out.
"What?" He raised an eyebrow.
"I... I don't know, honestly." Harry half laughed. "Maybe your feelings have started to spread into me. That sounds cheesy, doesn't it?"
Draco smirked.
"Not as much as this." Then he leaned in and pressed his lips to Harry's. A warm fire danced in Harry's heart, soul, and the pit of his stomach. He felt
slightly nauseous, in a good way, and his very being throbbed in delight.
They broke apart, leaving Harry to still feel bouncy on the inside.
"I'll see you later. Maybe tomorrow?"
"I'd love to, but there's a DA meeting. The day after is perfect though." Harry responded, feeling slightly dazed, tracing his fingers over his lips.
"Sounds good. Bye, Harry." And he left soundlessly. With Harry still trying to comprehend what happened, he trekked back to Gryffindor Tower and into his bed still thinking the same thing over and over.
Do I love him? No, what would everyone think? But we could make it work... No, that's impossible... These thoughts were the very things that kept Harry awake the rest of the night, sleeping barely a wink. He woke the next day still thinking to himself, all the while preparing the next DA lesson.
Harry felt like time moved faster that day. Faster than it should. His classes breezed by, supper only took a second, and before he knew it he was going
over spells with the usual group. Things were going well, until a loud bang was heard. Bang. There it was again. The entire room had gone quiet. Then, with
the force if a hurricane, the wall blew apart, revealing Umbridge who was accompanied by Marietta Edgecomb, along with Crabbe and Goyle, and... Draco. 770Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6YJmurqdC
A boiling pot of anger threatened to spill over inside of Harry. Did Draco blurt out his secret? After what happened the previous night?! Looking into Draco's eyes, Harry saw no emotion whatsoever. No hurt, nothing even hinting to an 'I'm sorry'. Had he been betrayed?
