Harry prepared himself for the many insults that the blonde, almost white haired, boy would spit at him when Harry had accidentally ran into him in the Hall.
None came. Harry turned around, still waiting for the many harsh words to come. Still, none came. The blonde boy just moved on. Harry blinked. Startled because of all this, he kept watching his rival march away. Harry shook his head, and mentally corrected himself. He didn't march. He…Stumbled. And that was exactly the way it was.
Usually Draco was full of himself, chin high up in the air. This time he seemed…Lost.
"Ehm, Harry. What the hell are you staring into that Hallway?" A familiar voice said.
"Oh, hi Ron. Oh. Nothing. I must've been daydreaming." And Harry turned around, faintly smiling at his best friend.
"Well, we better get going. We've only got 15 more minutes to have lunch, and then we've got Transfiguration."
After lunch and Transfiguration, the Gryffindors all headed to their Common room.
"I swear. McGonnagal wants us to die. It's the first bloody week after Christmas, and she gave bunches of homework! She's bloody out of her mind."
"Stop the nagging, Ron. We've got a whole fortnight to finish it. I can't believe you're compaining!" Hermione said, giving Ron one of her famous you're-so-lazy frowns.
"But 'Mione. We've got other homework as well. Snape told us to write a 3 and a half parchment long essay on Bowtruckles…"
"…A week ago. And you haven't done anything yet." By that she picked up her Runes book again, and ignored Ron's protests.
Harry, who had been semi-listening to their arguments, was now focusing on his Potions homework again. "Damn." He mumbled. "I've got half a parchment short for my Bowtruckle essay."
He lay it down beside him, and sighed.
"Oh, nevermind, Harry. I'll check it for you." Hermione's voice mumbled from behind her book.
"Oh, so you're rewriting, oh sorry, I mean, checking it for him but not for me? That's abso-"
"Ron. Shut up."
When the
two of them got in another discussion, Harry decided to go for a
walk.
"I need to bring this book to the Library, anyway." And
he climbed through the portrait hole.
I wonder when Ron finally realises that this isn't the way to get Hermione to like him. Harry thought to himself when he thought back of Ron's attitude in the Common Room. If he doesn't tell her within 3 months, I'm afraid I'll have to tell her myself. This "I like you but I hate you" game is driving me insane.
Though Ron had never told Harry about how he felt, it was pretty obvious. Ron was visibly annoyed when Hermione talked to another guy, even if that guy was Neville Longbottom, he always had a reason to talk to her, yet their conversations always ended up in discussions.
"Teenagers" Harry mumbled rather irritated. Even though it started to work on Harry's nerves, the way Ron acted, he felt like he was missing out on it. After Cho, Harry hadn't liked any girl. "They're nothing but problems." He kept telling himself, but the twisted feeling he got in his stomach whenever he saw couples strolling in the Hall, or when Ron flushed if Hermione complimented him, proved that he felt the opposite of what he kept telling everyone.
For the second time today, Harry felt someone's shoulder hitting his. "Oh, I'm sorry, I-"And for the second time this day, Harry had walked into Draco. This time however, it was impossible for Malfoy to ignore it. All the books Malfoy had been holding were now spread on the dark marble floor.
Blankly, Malfoy stared at the book that was lying at his feet. He bent over and picked it up. "That's okay." He said. The usually cold, icy voice was now soft and rather robotic.
Harry wasn't sure of what to do. Was Draco fooling him? Did he invent some kind of stupid game to annoy Harry? Harry wasn't sure, but he did know that he didn't trust that prick.
"You sure are acting weird Malfoy. Didn't Pansy give you what you want, eh? If you get what I mean." Harry said in a provoking manner.
Malfoy lifted his head and stared deeply
in Harry's eyes. "P-Pansy?" and his eyes widened in shock? "Not
Pansy. Don't let her get me. No. NOOO." He fell down on the cold
floor, clutching his head. "Not Pansy. Not here. No, it can't be.
Don't hurt me. Don't HURT me."
He was rocking back and
forth, mumbling to himself.
Harry noticed that tears were falling from Draco's eyes, making his robes wet. This wasn't a game, Harry knew. But fear took over his mind and he ran away, leaving Malfoy on the cold, marble floor.
Harry ran and ran. Why is he acting so weird? He asked himself. The bloody prick must've run into something. I hated the snobbish Malfoy, but this one just freaks me out.
Harry decided to forget about all this. After all, Malfoy was just a prick and Harry had no intention of knowing what the hell had happened. He shook his head and convinced himself that it was one of Malfoy's sick jokes.
When he finally reached the Library, he found out that his book was gone.
"Oh great. Malfoy must've picked it up when I ran into him. Argh. That's just bloody brilliant."
Sighing, he turned around and strolled back to
the place where he had left Draco. He had no other choice than going
back. Madame Pince was already keeping an eye out for Harry, since he
had brought in his books too late last time.
Stupid old HAG
Harry cussed. If Madame Pince was a nice old lady, she would've
given Harry an extra day to regain his book, but, of course, she
wouldn't. He didn't even try, because he knew it wouldn't have
made any difference.
Harry turned around the corner, finding Draco still on the floor. It was sad to see him this confused and upset. Or he was a very good actor. When he was 3 steps away from Draco, he saw that he had picked up his book.
"Malfoy. Give me back my book."
"Don't hurt me Pansy, I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"
"Malfoy. The book."
"You killed him. But it's okay. I'm sorry…"
Harry let out a
sigh. He kneeled down, and tried to pull his book out of Draco's
arms.
This seemed to have woken up Draco, because he suddenly
noticed Harry.
"Malfoy, can I, please, have my book back?"
"Who're you?" the scared, robotic voice asked. Draco's eyes were huge. His grey orbs gazed into Harry's green ones, making him feel slightly uncomfortable.
"I'm Harry. Harry Potter, you git. Now give me back my book, and stop acting like a nutcase. I'll have to hex you if you don't give it back."
"You've got pretty eyes." The confused Draco said, completely ignoring what Harry had just said.
Taken by surprise by Malfoy's compliment, Harry fell silent. He let go of his book, and instead tried to pull one of Draco's skinny, white fingers off it.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd swear to Merlin's Beard that you're being nice. A little too nice. But nice."
Draco smiled. "I am nice. I think." Harry blinked. "No you're not. Now, can I have my book?"
"I'm not nice?" Malfoy's
smile disappeared again. "Why are you being this mean to me?"
He
let go of the book and Harry took it. He frowned. "I'm not being
mean. You're being weird. Tell me, did you bump your head, or
anything?" When Draco didn't answer right away, Harry added some
more questions. "…You completely went nuts when I called one of
your friend's names. And, I walked into you 30 minutes ago and
you're still sitting on the cold floor. You've got to agree
that's slightly …special."
Draco got up and took Harry's hand to pull him up, as well. "Why would I be mean to you? I don't even know you? In fact, I didn't know my name was Draco before you called me like that. I don't understand why you're calling me names all the time, though. Your tone of voice is so cold when you talk to me. Your eyes are so distant. I must've hurt you. But I do know that I didn't want to do that." He smiled weakly at the stunned Harry. "I'm not feeling well, though." Draco said. "Nightmares…People…They all want to kill me…I'm so scared. Pansy…Pansy…NO DON'T HURT ME."
The blonde boy, who had been smiling at Harry a minute ago, now fell to his feet, his eyes closed, his body trembling.
This time, Harry knew he couldn't just leave Malfoy there. Shocked by all off this, yet sure of what to do, he carried Malfoy to Madame Pomfrey.
"Dear God" She said in a high pitched, loud voice. "What HAVE you done to him? I know you and Mr. malfoy aren't the bestest friends, but it's absolutely forbidden to hex-"
"I didn't hex him. He fainted, or something." Harry interrupted.
Madame Pomfrey raised her eyebrows. "Shoo, now. Off you go, I'll fix him in no time. But he needs rest."
Harry lay Draco down on a nearby bed. He left the room, softly closing the door behind him. There he stood. He was unsure of what to do now. He needed some rest and time to think. This was just too weird. In a way, he just wanted to punch Malfoy in the face. He deserved that. On the other hand, how could he do something like that while he was so vulnerable?
It bothered Harry immensely that he had no idea of how to react to the new Draco. He knew something was terribly wrong, but on the other hand he didn't care. Draco was an ass and will always be an ass. He'd rather not think about it too much.
He picked up the book he had left, and ordered Draco's books into a neat pile and placed it on the windowsill.
Perhaps I should bring them
to the Hospital Wing…
ARE YOU MAD? We're talking about
MALFOY'S books, here.
So what…He's helpless and ill, I might
as well…
NO WAY.
Perhaps he has changed.
You're
MAD.
But…
Even though the voice who hated Draco was much more powerful, Harry decided to bring back the books. "Tomorrow. I'll do it tomorrow, see if I still feel the same way about it, then."
He finally dropped of his book in the Library, and headed off the to Common Room again.
