Title:Convenience
Rating: PG
Summary: It's time for another dance at Hogwarts. All the 7th year boys are finally pairing up. Harry has someone secret in mind.
Warnings: Mild slash, sorta AU, sorta OOC
Disclaimer: "...hell isn't a swear word anymore. You can say it on network tv." - Dawson's Creek
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Oh boy, another dance⦠Harry grumbled to himself. It seemed as if Hogwarts was having quite a lot of them these days, most likely to make up for the lack of Hogsmeade weekends. Life had been relatively depressing with the ever looming threat of Voldemort hanging above the wizarding world, but Dumbledore seemed to be acting as though nothing was wrong. This ball, thrown for National Glazed Ham Day, was proof of that, if not of him being completely insane.
Harry continued to wear a scowl as he prepared for the dance. His roommates, accustomed to his sullen attitude towards these events, ignored him and chatted with one another happily. Eventually the talk turned to their dates, a topic Harry was very keen to avoid.
"I have an announcement to make!" declared Ron. "After many years of being an insecure teenager, I finally asked Hermione to a dance. We're a couple!"
There was a round of cheers from the other boys and a few yells of 'about time!' Dean and Seamus just shared a quick peck to state their answer. Even Neville shyly admitted that he planned to ask out Luna later that night.
Then it came Harry's turn. He continued to dig through his trunk as though in the act of looking for something, though he was completely ready to go. Well, as ready as he would ever be anyway.
"Your turn, Harry. Who are you planning on hooking up with for this dance?"
Harry turned to face them all. "Come on you guys, we go over this every time, why should tonight be any different? I have no interest in anyone; I am only going because I would become bored sitting here by myself the entire night."
The other boys were about to argue when Ron conveniently noticed the time and announced that they should be going. Harry whispered a quick thank you to Ron as he passed before following his roommates out the door.
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He'd been at the ball for only an hour and already Harry was bored out of his mind. He once again began contemplating why he had come. Shortly after arriving all the usual couples and gotten together and were now either on the dance floor or getting food.
Periodically the lights would dim and a slow song would come on. Harry tended to become very interested in the table he was at or a nearby plate during these instances. He wasn't quite sure why this time seemed different, but instead of starting at one specific thing, he let his eyes casually roam the dance floor. Not too far away Ron had his arms around Hermione's waist, her arms around his neck, each holding the other close. Harry caught Ron's eye and gave him a wink; Ron smiled back before returning his attention to the rhythm of the music.
Harry continued to scan the dance floor, his eyes eventually falling upon Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson. Pansy appeared to have a death grip on Draco, but the blond didn't look too interested in his situation.
Harry smirked to himself, but the sight of them dancing together still caused a clenching in his chest, not unlike watching Cedric and Cho at the Yule Ball in fourth year.
The song ended, and Draco managed to shake off Pansy. He cast a glance in Harry's direction before turning and heading towards the food. If Harry hadn't already been watching him, he would have missed the glance. But he had been watching, and had seen the look, the look that seemed to say so much.
Harry willed himself not to believe it; to realize that it was just his imagination, but his heart had other ideas. His heartbeat was rapidly increasing and his legs were causing him to get out of his chair and follow the blond across the hall.
Harry finally regained control of his actions at the end of the food table, a mere 20 feet from Draco. His heartbeat was still out of control, and now his stomach hurt too. He was just about to turn away when Draco spotted him.
"Oy, Potter. Just the man I wanted to see."
Harry turned and faced Draco. "What do you want Malfoy? I have better things to do than assist you in making a fool of yourself." Harry cringed inwardly. It was no wonder Draco hated him. He'd hate him too if that was the tone that every conversation took place in. Maybe it was Harry's imagination again, but he could have sworn he saw a flicker of hurt flash in Draco's eyes
Draco opened his mouth to respond, but Harry cut him off. "Forget it. I don't want to fight. Not tonight. Tonight, all I want to do, is dance, so just leave me the hell alone. Got it?"
Harry turned and started back across the dance floor towards the table he had previously been sitting at.
"Potter!" Draco called again. Harry spun around and glared at him. Draco continued to walk towards Harry. "If you want to dance, where's your date? Surely you would have brought a date to a dance where you planned on, well, dancing."
Harry faltered.
"That's none of your business."
"Well, even if you do have a date, which I doubt, I don't think they'll mind if you spare one dance for me."
"Even if I was desperate, you wouldn't be on my list of possible dance partners." But now Harry was curious. "What makes you think I'd want to dance with you anyway?"
Draco suddenly closed the distance between them, wrapped his arms tightly around Harry's body, and crashed his lips onto the Gryffindor's.
The dance around them continued, but to Harry, time froze. He was too shocked to do anything except stand there, his arms pinned to his sides. When Draco started moving his lips against Harry's non-responsive ones, coaxing them to do something, anything at all, Harry's brain melted and he granted the blond access.
Once Draco felt Harry respond he loosed his grip on Harry and gently pulled back.
"Because, if you didn't, you wouldn't have just kissed me back."
Harry continued to stand there, still unsure on what had just happened.
"So, dear Harry, if it is convenient for you, would you care to dance?"
Harry's brain seemed to finally have caught up with the past two minutes. He smiled.
"I suppose, you know, since it's convenient." Harry muttered as Draco began their journey across the dance floor.
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A/N: /grins/ awwww, they're cute. This was a really random idea I had one day. I blame my very random/odd craving for dancing lately.I also had fun with the word convenient and convenience. I wanted to see if I could connect it somehow, hence the italicized one at the beginning.
Anyway, reviews are awesome/hinthintnudgenudge: )
