I'm walking fast, almost running. In my hurry, I'm barely aware of where I'm going. My body is guiding me automatically, my feet leading me through deserted passages, up flights of stairs and through hidden shortcuts. My mind is too preoccupied to pay attention to my surroundings. I barely glance at the stairs beneath me as I automatically skip the ones that my legs will sink into and get stuck in. Having walked up and down these stairs for so many years, I know each and every one of them. Even in the dark. It is late at night and I have not passed a single living soul since exiting the Griffindor common room. I did pass Peeves ambitiously filling the corridor outside charms class with soapy water. Thanks to my invisibility cloak, he doesn't see me and I manage to turn around just in time to avoid slipping. The students who have charms first thing in the morning tomorrow will be in for a nasty surprise as they turn the corner.
My heart starts beating faster as I climb the last staircase leading to the fifth floor. My whole body seems to light up and buzz with excitement. Sneaking out of my dormitory had proven to be harder than I'd anticipated. Both Ron and Dean had been up finishing homework when I left and after their refusal to let me pass without an explanation, I'd been forced to go back upstairs to get my invisibility cloak. I feel bad about lying to Ron and I don't think he believes me when I say I'm going back to bed again. I even think I catch him glancing at the entrance hole when I pushed open the portrait door and climb through. I'll have to think of an excuse tomorrow. He is my best friend, but this has to be kept a secret. Not only for my sake. The corridor is completely dark except for the pale slivers of moonlight passing through the windows. The walls are bare, except for a large tapestry halfway down the hall. I walk up to it and stop, facing the life-size image of a group of wizards sitting around a long table. The only sound I can hear is that of my own beating heart, which to me seems loud enough to wake up the entire castle. I pull the invisibility cloak off me and stuff it into my pocket. Then I take a deep breath to steady all the anxieties that have suddenly blossomed up inside of me. I'm almost ten minutes late. What is he's not still there? I pull aside the tapestry and duck behind it. For a moment, all I see is utter darkness. But as my eyes start to adjust to the gloom, I let out a relieved sigh. Looming in the darkness in front of me, pale as the moon suspended in a dark sky is a face I'd recognize anywhere. The hair is as pale-blonde as it has always been. The eyes which always seem to be hiding something new are mysterious and gleaming with trickery. I think I see something light up in them as I step into his line of vision. A moment later it's gone, and the thin face is once again stone-blank. I look down at my feet to keep myself revealing all the emotions which must be written so clearly on my face. I feel his intense gaze on me and the excited buzzing inside my body intensifies. I wonder what he sees when he looks at me.
"Took you a while to get here" his voice gives nothing away. "Had some trouble on the way?"
"Not really trouble, Peeves was soaping up the charms corridor. Watch out for that tomorrow."
"Gotcha," he says, his mouth quirking up into a lop-sided grin. There is a moment of silence.
"I don't think we should do this anymore" I say finally.
"Gosh, Potter that makes it sounds so serious. It's not like we're in some kind of secret relationship," Draco replies. "We're just two guys who sometimes spend time together in a secret room in the dead of the night. Oh and then we ignore each other during the days" he finishes with a slight smile. "Wait that does sound like a secret relationship"
"I'm serious Draco. People will find out and that's what they will think. That we're just some lovebirds who are afraid of what everyone will think."
"And that's not what we are?"
"Lovebirds? Or afraid of what people will think?"
"I don't know" Draco's voice is hesitant. "I don't even know why I'm here. It's just-" he suddenly breaks off looking scared.
"Did you hear that?" he whispers.
"Hear what?" I wonder. In response, he frowns at me, as if telling me to be quiet. Then I hear it too. Heavy steps coming from the corridor just outside the tapestry. Definitely the steps of an adult. We both tense.
"Filch?" He mouths at me.
"No" I mouth back. I've been caught wandering around the castle enough to recognize his ragged breathing and his labored steps. Whoever is outside the tapestry is not making a sound except for the footsteps. And the footsteps themselves don't sound familiar. Silently I drag the invisibility cloak from my pocket. Malfoy gazes in wonder at the shimmery flowing cloth. Then he takes his place beside me and I throw the cloak over us. It is barely big enough to cover our combined bulk. We end up standing shoulder to shoulder, hulking to keep our feet from showing. Together we back up awkwardly towards the wall. I am aware of every part of my body that is touching his. His skin feels warm and smooth, tense. I can hear feel his breathing on my neck. I try to make me body relax, but it is reluctant to agree. Suddenly there is a flash of light. The tapestry is blasted open. The darkness around us feels heavier, more pressing. A cold breeze floats through the room. Malfoy is clinging on to me tightly. I hold on to him, glad for the reassuring warmth of his skin. It feels like we're now occupying half the amount of space that we were before. I force myself to to take calming breaths despite the familiar sense of panic the chilly breeze brought with it. Dementors I think. Dementors, here in Hogwarts. The numbing cold has already started to paralyze me and the faint screaming is growing louder and louder in my head. With a huge effort of will I unfreeze my fingers and close them around my wand. I take a steadying breath; picture Ron and Hermione, spending the summer with them at the Burrow, readying myself to cast the spell. But suddenly the icy cold doesn't feel so numbing anymore. The screaming in my head grows fainter. The dementor has passed us and is heading down the corridor. I can hear the sound of receding footsteps. I breathe a sigh of relief and feel my body relaxing. Malfoy, however remains stiff as a board with a, expression of horror on his face. Then his mouth opens and he lets out a shrill scream.