I've had this written out for a while but felt it was incomplete...
Oh, and I was reading the 3rd book when I wrote it.
"Ok, so how are we getting there? We could walk, but how would we get off school grounds? Apparition won't work since it's impossible in Hogwarts. Going through the forest would be unreasonable and dangerous. We could try one of those horse things bu-"
"Dissendium."
"I beg your pardon?" As I spoke, the hump on the back of a very ugly one eyed witch statue dislodged itself and opened a hole, big enough for one person to slip through.
"I'll go in first. Count to three then follow me." I was dumbfounded. "Hello? Draco? You there?"
"Oh, yeah, sure, count to three. Got it."
Harry disappeared down the hole. I counted and followed after him. I found myself sliding down a stone chute and felt arms break my fall. I looked at the earthy passage illuminated by Harry's wand.
"Dissendium." Was whispered and the sound of stone scraping stone followed as the witch's hump closed again. Harry took hold of my hand as we walked down the dark corridor.
"You know, this isn't exactly the best way to start our first date." Why couldn't I just keep my mouth shut?
"Well, you are the first person I've brought down here." He smiled. Suddenly the dark, dingy tunnel felt a lot more special.
"Why haven't Ron or Hermione ever been down here?" Surely they'd been to Hogsmeade before? Not always with the school, I'm sure.
"Hermione would have a heart attack if she knew I still used this tunnel and Ron, well, I don't think he really cares much for it."
"Where else can you go, without being seen that is?"
"Well, there are a few passageways that lead out of the school itself, but most are just shortcuts around Hogwarts."
"Where does the one in the owlry lead to?"
"Promise not to tell?" Well I had to know now. I nodded quickly, curious beyond belief. "Just outside Snape's office." My eyes bulged at this.
"What were you doing outside Snape's office?" I was a bit skeptical at this point.
"Er, running away from a possible detention, among other things." He looked ahead and beamed. "We're here!" Great way to change the subject, Potter.
I could see tiny cracks of light coming through what looked to be a trap door. He pushed it open and got out, offering me a hand and pulling me out too.
I was lead up a set of stairs, right into Honeydukes.
"I can't believe we really made it into Hogsmeade."
"What little faith you have Draco." He grabbed my arm and pulled me outside. I was immediately glad I'd worn an extra layer of clothing. It was snowing and the wind was harsh.
"Anywhere you'd like to go?" He asked, so close to my ear I could feel his warm breath on my cheek. I shuddered at the contrast in temperature.
"Nope, you brought me here remember?" I smiled back.
He led me up a slope, a little way away from the village, straight to the Shrieking Shack. It stood in all its lopsided glory. I might have imagined it, but I swear it was rocking back and forth with the wind. Instead of stopping at the fence like most people would, he led me into the grounds and went to the door. I stopped dead in my tracks.
"Hell no." I was not going in there.
"What's wrong?" I could tell he was genuinely concerned.
"No way am I going in there. Not now, not ever."
"Oh, come on. Why not?"
"Why not! It's haunted as hell. I've heard all kinds of stories about this place."
"Oh, relax! It's not haunted. That's just a minor misconception." He offered me his hand and I – reluctantly – took it.
When we went inside, I noticed it looked just as disheveled on the inside as it did out. I was led upstairs by the hand I now gripped like a lifeline. On the top floor he led me through a door into a dirty little room.
"Exorior." I was surprised to hear Harry murmur a spell, but as he did the room began to change. The dark, dusty furnishings disappeared and were replaced by a small table and two chairs. The table set itself for two and a vase was filling with water in the middle. With a tinkle of magic, wildflowers appeared in it. I stared on in awe as I realized that he had planned all of this.
"Er, do you like it?" He had the audacity to ask.
"Of course I do! Nobody has ever gone through this much trouble for me before!" And I glomped him. I physically attacked him and gave him a bear hug. Not exactly one of my proudest moments but he seemed to appreciate it, if the rumbling laugh ringing through his chest was anything to go by. He hugged me back and we just stood for a while.
When I realized his coat was wet I looked to see what it was. With horror I realized that I was crying and that my tears were staining it. It didn't seem he had noticed yet so I quickly put my head back on his shoulder and willed myself to stop crying like a two-year-old. It worked and I went to sit down.
"What can I get you to drink?" Harry asked.
"Some coffee? If you've got." I had no idea where he was going to get it from though, since he had failed to plan anything to drink.
"Milk? Sugar?" See, now where was he going to get all this? I don't remember learning how to conjure food in class.
"Yes please, one sugar."
To my utter amazement, as he lifted his wand and tapped the cup that was on the table, it began to fill with coffee. Next came milk and then sugar. I watched as he did the same to his own.
"How did you just do that?"
"For me to know, and you to find out…eventually." He retorted with a smile.
We talked for ages. He told me about the Dursleys and how horrid they were, and I told him about my father and how horrid he was. We spoke about my life, his life, our friend's lives, everything. We even spoke about The Dark Lord and his plans. I wasn't surprised to hear him say The Name, I even found comfort in it, he was more willing to say it than The Dark Lord's own followers. Personally, I found this ridiculous. If you had pledged your allegiance to the man, why not say his name?
We spoke about the past, the present and the future. Harry had managed to completely peel away my Malfoy Mask and had been speaking to me, Draco all afternoon.
By the time we got up to leave the sun was starting to set and my fingers had gone numb from sitting in the cold house for so long.
He took my hand and we walked to the village. When we reached Honeydukes he walked in and greeted the store owner.
"Hi there Harry, been sneaking to Hogsmeade without permission again?" She handed him a paper bag and he paid her for it.
"Why not? Mind if we use your cellar again?" He laughed.
"Go for it, but if anybody finds out…" He just smiled at her and dragged me to the trap door.
"So, how was it?" He asked me once we were in the damp passageway again.
"I enjoyed it. Thanks for bringing me." I looked ahead, trying to avoid looking at him as I felt tears welling in my eyes again. This had really been one of the best days of my life. I had freely been Draco all day and he hadn't pushed me away.
Clearly, I wasn't doing a good job.
"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked as he stopped dead in his tracks and turned my head to face him with the hand on my chin. My tears were flowing freely now.
"What did I do? I'm so sorry." He even thought he had done something wrong!
"N-no, it's not that…I j-just." I was blubbering. Ugh. "T-today was r-really great. I-it's never been s-so easy t-to t-talk to someone."
He smiled at this and pulled me into a hug. I clutched at him and cried openly. I felt him kiss the top of my head and we just stood there, me a snotty mess, in a moldy-smelling tunnel under Hogwarts.
I looked up and felt myself fall into a sea of emerald green. An invisible string seemed to pull me forwards, as it did him. I kept my eyes open as our lips touched, I couldn't pull away from his gaze. The kiss was soft, almost non-existent, a gentle brushing of lips against lips.
His eyes slipped shut until all I could see were tiny little slits of color. I felt mine do the same and a small, indistinguishable sound filled the air around us, I had no idea who it had come from. My arms reached up around his neck and my fingers found their way into Harry's soft hair. His hands were at the small of my back and pulled us closer still. We pressed harder against each other and the kiss became more. Teeth bit gently at my bottom lip and I felt myself open up as our tongues danced together.
It was a lazy kiss but said more than either of us had all afternoon. It wasn't overwhelming, nor was it lacking. I stood there, reveling in the feeling of Harry's tongue against mine, his hair between my fingers and his warmth wrapped around me. The smell of damp earth still invaded my senses, but I found it bearable as it mixed with the spicy smell that was distinctly Harry. A blush crept up to my cheeks at the sheer rush of emotion pouring back and forth between us.
"Thank you." I sighed into his coat when he pulled away from the kiss but hugged me close.
"For what? Caring?" His voice was slightly strained as his words were whispered into my ear.
I tightened my hold on him and brought my lips to the tiny bit of his neck that was exposed to me. I felt him tense slightly as I lay a feathery kiss to it.
"For everything." I murmured. I felt him lay an equally light kiss to my cheek and pull away, only to lead me down the tunnel back towards Hogwarts, towards the world where anything other than my Malfoy Mask was unacceptable.
Review...please.