Pretending

Author:iHeiress_of_Slytherin

Rating: K+

Category: Romance, SA (or as I'd love to add, "Almost-like-SA")

Fandom: Harry Potter

Characters: Harry Potter & Draco Malfoy

Disclaimer: J.K Rowling owns her characters.

Summary: Harry Potter was challenged by his Gryffindors mates to go and…kiss Draco Malfoy! Okay, this should sound cliché enough, but just wait to find out HOW Harry grabbed the glory!

*

"Gryffindors us have been famous for being brave. In fact, all Gryffindor was sorted into the House because of their braveness or their ability to be honorably brave in needed situations."

"Yes."

"This obviously means that one should not turn down a challenge, if he is a Gryffindor."

"Yes."

"So you got it now?"

"Yes, I got it. By the way, what's your point?"

In the way Harry replied, he absolutely showed a pure expression. With his usual smirk, it was almost impossible for the other party to get mad at his innocence – even though in most cases, 'innocence' should have been named 'annoyance'.

That was, if the other party was someone else, not Oliver Wood, who unfortunately turned out to be the current Gryffindor's Quidditch Captain.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO MOCK ME, BRAT?", roared Wood.

"He's not, Oliver.", said Fred as the team was sitting together in the Gryffindor Tower. "He just asked what everyone else normally thinks when you speak but none is brave enough to speak out loud."

"That makes him a true Gryffindor then. Good job, Harry!", said George.

Harry laughed a little while Oliver, once again in countless times of the day, chased after the twins around the tower. Hermione said, as she closed her book:

"So, what are you going to do, Harry?"

"What am I going to do?", said Harry, still didn't get the point of this whole thing.

"Come on, pal!", explained Ron in an I-don't-believe-you tone, "This is the Gryffindor team's traditional rule every time they have a new member. The captain gives a mission, and you have to complete it to prove that you're qualified enough to be in the team."

"Right, Harry. And the point of this, which our captain was totally failed at introducing, is to impress the other teams – and by other I mean Slytherin bastards. Seeing their damned pride hurt is some kind of pleasure.", said Fred, as he sat down next to Harry on the sofa.

"Since when did 'traditional' mean 'ridiculous' and 'pleasure' equal 'nonsense'?", asked Harry.

"Oh, since Wood became our brilliant captain. Right, Oliver?"

Oliver Wood seemed to be more than exhausted, so he did not kill George yet, which was only a matter of time.

"Okay, so I know nothing about Quidditch and boys…"

"Boys play Quidditch, Hermy.", said Ron.

"Whatsoever. I mean, even an outsider like me also think that you should accept this challenge, Harry. Gryffindor needs a natural Seeker like you."

"But you guys can test me on flying! It doesn't have to be such ridi…"

"Ridiculous, yes, but traditionally required. Hogwarts has many weird rules, Harry.", said Fred.

"Yep. Remember when they told us not to bring the potty home, Fred?"

"Oh, and Filch said…"

"SHUT UP, WEASLEY AND WEASLEY!"

"I'm not talking", said Ron.

"GET. TO. THE. POINT. NOW.", cried Wood, as he lowered his voice when turning to Harry, "It's just a simple mission, Harry. Don't be nervous."

"Does every new member have to do this kind of challenge?", asked Harry suspiciously, "My dad used to be a Seeker too. Just what did he have to do back then?"

"From what I read in the library, Harry,", replied Hermione, "he kicked Professor Snape's ass."

"Cool. I'd love to kick Malfoy's ass then."

Harry laughed, but none else did and he even saw dangerous smirks on Fred and George's faces.

Then Oliver slowly said:

"Not that, Harry. Kiss him. Kiss that Malfoy brat, and you'll pass as the Gryffindor Seeker."

"That's what happened just now".

Harry happily told Draco about the whole thing and added a smirk to end the story. After the conversation on Gryffindor Tower, he went to the Hall and ran into the blonde-haired boy in the empy lobby.

This blonde-haired boy, whose name was Draco Malfoy, just happened to be the very Slytherin's Seeker Harry was meant to find.

"And you even expected me to believe it?" – Draco raised one of his eyebrows, a very Malfoy-expression that could almost be his trademark.

"Yes, yes, I do."

"Are you actually stupid as you look?"

"I look stupid?"

"In many respects, you obviously do."

Harry couldn't help but smiled at Draco's annoyed face. To him, this kind of expression of the Malfoy heir was the cutest. Draco could be very cute yet very attractive at the same time. Okay, maybe Harry was influenced by Wood's lack of words. What he tried to mean was that cuteness was Draco's best charming point.

"What now? Staring at me like that, are you thinking that I'm charming?", teased Draco.

"Oh.", said Harry, surpised, "You read my mind!"

"You really are the simple but stupid type. You never learn, do you?"

"I do learn. I'm told that I'm good at DADA and suck at History, but never mind that."

Draco did not respond. It was only the first year at Hogwarts and they had only known each other for like 4 months and two days. Christmas was coming next month.

Despite the little time they spent together, they had more in common that neither of them ever wanted to admit. Even though Harry did refuse Draco's offer on the Hogwarts Express the first time they met (which was because Harry was too busy thinking, 'His eyes are gorgeous. So are his lips. His hair. His skin. Smooth pale skin. Should taste delicious. etc' that he could not answer properly. And he guessed he wouldn't need to feel any regret afterwards. He did not want to be 'friends' with the boy after all. Not just 'friend', got it?) something that most people would refer to as 'fate' had brought them togetherl. As Harry was chosen to be the first youngest Hogwarts Quidditch team member since last decade, Draco became the second one – which was only 2 days later. People could make their mistakes, but to tell the truth, the boys never really hated each other. They weren't considered friends, but neither enemies.

No enemy looked at their fated-foe and thought 'He's also damned cute today.' like Harry did daily towards Draco, after all.

And now, in order to be confirmed officially as a Gryffindor Seeker, Harry had to finish the mission he was given.

"I'm telling the truth! Do me a favor this time, Malfoy!", said Harry, almost sounded like begging the boy.

"This matter has absolute nothing to do with Quidditch. Or is it your lame plan to distract me when we are rivals on air?", said Draco, sounded no serious.

"You're smart, Malfoy!", exclaimed Harry, "Wood also explained that to me just now. And Fred pointed out that was fun to hurt your pride this way. "

Draco did not reply for one more time, he mumbled something voiceless, like "Naive".

"It's just a kiss, Malfoy.", said Harry. "No harm. No deep meaning. And we can be official rivals after that! Isn't it a cool deal?"

"It makes no sense to me." – said Draco calmly – "Even if I had let you do, er, that, they couldn't have known if you really did it or not. Why don't you go and lie to them? It's easy."

"Lie? Gryffindors don't lie, Malfoy!"

"Just shut your pride up."

"Anyway, Hermione has this poison, she calls it Verita something. They will make me drink it and then I will have to be honest to them."

"In short, you're trapped."

"Not until you refuse to unlock for me. You know you have the key!"

"I refuse."

Draco said with a cold smirk. Harry sighed:

"It's not like I didn't expect you to say so. Well, I have no choice but give up then."

"What do you mean?"

"I have no more choice, since you won't agree to help me. I may not be bothered with that, but honestly I love being a Seeker. My dad was also a Seeker when he was a student here. And being on air is fun. The most fun part is…"

Harry stopped in the middle and smiled shyly to Draco. Somehow he looked more disappointed than he sounded.

"Keep saying." – commanded Draco.

"It's no longer important." – said Harry, - "I already gave up."

"Fine by me."

"Do you really hate me that much that you don't even want to kiss me?", asked Harry in low voice.

"Boys don't kiss, Potter."

"But do you hate me?"

Harry Potter could be brave, but he was also damned naive in wrong times. That was what flashed into Draco's mind every single time he talked to this boy.

"I hate people who give up." was what Draco finally replied.

A tense atmosphere got over the two. For a moment Harry couldn't believe in what he heard and tried to think that the blonde boy implied something else than what he was thinking.

"Will you still choose to give up then?", whispered Draco. Yes, whispered. No wrong word choice here.

"Like I would.", smirked Harry.

So they kissed. A soft quick kiss which popped out from nowhere gave Draco no chance to resist, that if he ever thought of resisting. 'They kissed' wasn't the best phrase to use, in fact, Harry was the one to kiss, but for Draco to respond as well, guess you could say it was mutual.

If there was one adjective to describe the first kiss, Harry'd say 'cute' and Draco'd undoubtedly pick 'lame'. It lasted less than 3 seconds and before Harry knew it, they were already staring at each other from short distance.

"Thanks.", said Harry.

"You own me one favor.", said Draco calmly.

"I'll pay back for you! Definitely!", cried Harry, as clearly shown that he was in hyper mood.

"Good."

"I'm glad I'm now qualified to be in the team.", said Harry honestly.

"Quidditch nerd."

"You may be right. I love playing it with you."

"With WHOM?"

"You, Malfoy."

"What-the-hell?"

"I don't know. I'm just glad that I officially get accepted to the team. Now that we can be rivals on air!"

"That makes you happy?", asked Draco in an are-you-stupid tone.

"Yes. I've always wanted to be special to you."

Draco looked like he was shocked, or impressed, or shocked and impressed at the same time. Harry Potter could be a nerd, but he also could be a bloody sweet-talker when he wanted to.

He just knew damn too well what Draco wanted to hear.

"Guess it's hard for you to call us 'lovers'. That's why I hope we can be rivals for the mean time. It's something more than friends, right?"

Harry said, smiling innocently, which made him even more annoying in Draco's eyes. But Draco wasn't pissed off at all.

All he could respond to Harry's words was an impassive facial expression and slowly raising his left eyebrow.

Harry took that as a 'yes'.

"What do you think, Pansy?", asked Blaise as they were sitting in the Slytherin's chamber.

"Me? I bet he couldn't do it after all. Knowing Draco, he never does anything as lame as that."

"But that guy has to! If he doesn't, he..."

"We'll see.", said Pansy as she impatiently looked at her behind, "Oh, he's back!"

Draco smiled to Blaise and Pansy as he showed up, looked completely satisfied to himself. He looked around to find several curious eyes staring at him, waiting for his final words. As usual, he started talking by lifting one of his eyebrows.

"I won. I had Harry Potter kiss me. That means I passed as the new Slytherin's Seeker, right?"

-fin-

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