Unnoticed
By TciddaEmina
He rounded the corner, stepping through the doorway into the boys lavatory. Malfoy stood at the sink, hunched over the sink, his shoulder shaking and gasping sobs wrenching themselves from his throat. His usually impeccable blonde hair was in disorder, messed and unruly, his pureblood mask of arrogant superiority shattered into a thousand pieces.
Harry took one look at him, his desperation, his pain, the vulnerability exposed in this simple moment almost agonizing to witness, and his plans for confront Malfoy, demanding answers and proof that it had been he that cursed Katie Bell and poisoned Ron fading like shadows in the sunlight, gone in a moment with no evidence they had ever existed.
This was not Draco Malfoy, it couldn't be. Draco Malfoy was Harry's rival; ready with an insult and his cocky strut of a walk every time they met, his enemy; a Death Eater, eager and proud to follow Lord Voldemort. That was not who he saw before him, hurt, trapped with no option of escape save a road that would send him spiraling further into darkness… crying.
Taking a step forward, his wand still held loosely in his hand, ready to move towards Malfoy only to freeze when his footstep caused drew Malfoy's attention. Ice grey eyes, rimmed with red from the tears that streaked his face, snapped up, meeting his own green gaze in the mirror with a look of unconcealed horror. In a moment he had turned, wand out and sent a silent spell at Harry.
The lamp on the wall beside his head shattered, catching fire and sending flames up the bathroom wall, one piece of sharp debris hitting his cheek, just below his eye, leaving a long cut from which blood slowly flowed. The pain drew him from his shocked surprise and he raised his wand, shouting out a protego that barely shielded him from Malfoys next spell.
His shield fell and Harry ducked to the side, behind a stone pillar, as Malfoy shot out another spell, this one a menacing dark purple, that hit the wall behind where he had just been standing and exploded against the wall, leaving a charred hole in its wake.
Peeking out from behind the pillar, Harry sent a quick expelliarmus at Malfoy, hoping to disarm him without hurting him. Because bloody hell he didn't want to hurt Malfoy, even if he was a Death Eater like his father, and even if Harry didn't know why he felt that Malfoy deserved a second chance.
Malfoy stepped to the side and the spell hit the cistern that had been behind him, causing water to explode outward and rain down on Malfoy and flood the floor. Malfoy let out a sound that could only be described as an angry howl, starting another barrage of spells that force Harry to move and find new shelter from the onslaught of magic.
"Shit." Harry cursed, before shouting out."Malfoy! Stop, I'm not going to fucking curse you, you idiot!"
Another spell landed nearby, and for a moment it seemed like Malfoy hadn't heard him, but then there was a pause in the attack. Harry closed his eyes, breathing a sigh of relief. That was a mistake, he was too lost in his thoughts, desperately trying to come up with what to say to Malfoy next, that he didn't notice the splashing footsteps as they approached him until Malfoy's own Hawthorn wand was pressed sharply against his neck.
Harry's eyes snapped open and he was presented with a view of Malfoy. His glaring eyes were still red and he was soaking wet, his disorderly hair plastered down by the water and his white school shirt slightly transparent from the soaking. It clung to his body, revealing glimpses of toned muscle and pale skin.
"Drop your wand, Potter" his voice was hoarse and cracked, probably from crying. And if Harry looked closely he could see the slight shaking in Malfoy's frame and the raw emotions he tried to hid.
"No" Harry whispered, unable to take his eyes of the badly masked feelings before him, remembering the way Malfoy seemed to be trying to bend in on himself as he stood at the sink, frantically trying to find escape from the pressure and troubles that had spread through every aspect of his life.
"I said drop your wand!" Malfoy snarled, his face contorting in anger rather the desperation it had been before. Harry swallowed, his pulse loud in his ears and his heart in his throat. Fear? Yes. Adrenalin? Definitely. But there was something else as well; Excitement. Merlin knows about what, maybe it was how furious his usually composed enemey was, how angry, his perseverance as it forced him to endure when it would be so easy to give in, the strength of will, all of it obvious before Harry's eyes. How he had been so blind to Draco's true character was a mystery, but he could see it now, easily, plainly, and it was beautiful.
"No" He said again, louder this time, something akin to confidence taking him. Perhaps it was the warm feeling that seemed to blossom in his chest every time he thought of Malfoy, as it had for years, spreading like fiendfyre within him, unstoppable and all consuming. Malfoy's wand pressed harder against his neck, a silent threat of what he could do if only he wished.
"Potter, I'll curse you if you don't drop your wand! Now!"
It was a halfhearted effort, a plea to end the conflict before he was forced to caused harm that could not be reversed. Harry saw an opportunity and took it.
Reaching up, he pushed the wand from his throat and took a step towards Malfoy, invading his space, closer than he had ever had before, unwinding of the shocked confusion evident on Malfoy's face, his heavy breathing, jaw clenched. Harry now stood almost chest to chest with Malfoy's their faces only inches apart, Malfoy's wand arm had dropped to his side, held so tightly his knuckles were going white.
Tilting his head to the side so his lips occupied the space near Malfoy's ear, so every breath he took, every word he said could be felt against Malfoy's skin, delighting in the jerking motion Malfoy made in surprise.
"Curse me, Draco Malfoy." He whispered.
Malfoy made a whimpering sound and tried to step back but was held in place when Harry's quick hands enclosed around his wrists.
"Let go of me, Potter"
He attempted to free his wrists but Harry held tight. Pulling back slightly Harry repositioned his body so that if Malfoy shoved or pulled harder he would keep his balance, letting himself come face to face with the other boy once more.
"No." Harry replied simply, ignoring how his heart seemed to beat just a little faster, thump just a little louder when their eyes met, Malfoy's usually cold eyes not nearly as frigid as they were any time their eyes had met in the past, wide as they were in confusion and cooling anger.
Harry took a deep breath, inhaling the slight scent of potions ingredients, broom polish and faint vanilla, it was then that he realized it. In his first potions lesson with professor Slughorn the man had displayed a number of potions before the class, Felix Felicis, Veritaserum, Polyjuice Potion and Amortentia, a love potion said to smell differently to each person depending on what attracts them, for the moments that the potion had been open to the air it had smelled exactly like Malfoy did now.
It was then that the dots connected, drawing a picture he could not deny.
His ever growing obsession with Malfoy, the way his eyes were drawn to him in any crowd, the smell of Amortentia, the warmth he felt within his chest at the very thought of him, it all drew one word to mind. Love.
Well shit. He, Harry fucking Potter, the-boy-who-lived, the 'Chosen One', was in love with Draco bloody Death Eater Malfoy.
When Ron and Hermione found out they would kill him. Fuck that, if Malfoy ever found out he would be dead and buried before he could blink.
Harry sighed, shaking himself from his thoughts. He would never love him back, that much was obvious, so there was no point in telling him Harry rationalized, ignoring the way his heart gave a painful lurch at the thought. Malfoy was staring at him, his thin blond eyebrows furrowed, their gazes still connected, but there was something different about him, his grey eyes glazed over. As if he was seeing something different than Harry stood before him.
It took a few moments but Harry soon recognized it, Legilimency, the art of entering and reading the mind of another, only able to be blocked by its counterpart Occlumency, which protected the mind from intruders. Snape had tried to teach Harry Occlumency but he had been rubbish at it, couldn't defend a single thought.
… And Draco Malfoy, whom Harry had just realized he was in love with, was inside his mind and probably had been the whole time he was thinking. Double shit.
He looked away, almost giving himself whiplash with the speed at which he turned his head, making his neck sting sharply in reprimand. Harry took a deep, shaking breath, dreading the torrent of contempt that was sure to spew from Malfo-, from Dra-, no from Malf-, fuck he was in love with the bloke and likely to be cursed within an inch of his life in the next few minutes he was going to call him Draco if he bloody wanted to, even if only in the comforts of his own mind.
He was met with only silence, a spec of hope grew in him before he squashed it. Hoping and being disappointed would hurt more than not hoping at all. It was a cowardly tactic, to abandon his hope, but at this point he couldn't find it in himself to hold up the standard of Gryffindor bravery, not when his heart already seemed well on its way to breaking.
Daring a look he lifted his head, trying to assess Draco's reaction in one swift glance, but he stopped in his tracks at the spectrum of emotions present on Draco's face. Happiness, joy, irritation, hope, affection and, dare he believe it, love? Draco stared at him with an expression Harry had never seen before, a look that would not be out of place on someone who had just found out that what they had believed what an unrequited love was actually returned, irritated at not having noticed before but almost out of their mind with happine- oh. Oh. Well that certainly simplified things.
Harry could feel his jaw go slack and his eyes wide, he couldn't believe that this was really happening. No it was impossible, his life was never this good, it was like some law of the universe; good things are not allowed to happen to Harry Potter, only bad luck and certain death situations are permitted.
Slowly he lifted his head further until he was once again face to face with Draco, his mouth still hanging open. By then Draco had managed to regain his pureblood mask, emotions once again hidden beneath a sneering exterior, except he wasn't sneering and his usually cold grey eyes were warm with affection.
Draco raised a single eyebrow, elegantly and with such ease that Harry would have sworn that he must have practiced in front of a mirror for hours to get the movement that perfect had he had not been Draco Malfoy, things like that probably came naturally to him.
"Potter," He drawled, voice smooth as silk, all traces of his previous emotional upheaval eradicated, "you're catching flies."
Harry's mouth snapped shut with an almost audible click and he flushed red, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. He noticed he was still staring into Draco's eyes and quickly averted his gaze, not for thought that Draco would use Legilimency on him again but more from a self conscious need to hide himself from Draco's watching eyes. Draco was beautiful, and Harry... not so much, at least in his own opinion.
"Shut up, Dra- Malfoy" Harry mumbled, still unwilling to look up. Long pale fingers, smooth and manicured touched his face, brushing against the drying blood beneath that flowed from cut below his eye, forcing him to look up, if only to see Draco's expression. Draco couldn't want him, he must have been imagining it, he was a pureblood, a Death Eater, and besides, he hated Harry. He always had, ever since their first meeting. That proved it, Draco couldn't love him, nope it was just his mind playing tricks on him.
"Stop thinking Potter, or you might damage what little brain cells you have left. Merlin knows they've already overexerted themselves enough today for one lifetime, all sorts of drivel is probably floating about in your head" Draco smirked at him as he spoke, the words flowing with ease from his mouth and Harry had no choice but to obey his command, his thoughts of denial grinding to a halt at the sight before him as he was finally able to look at him again, properly look at him, not the biased views he had clung to for years as he lived on the bank of the metaphorical river of denial.
Draco's creamy skin was pale save for a light dusting of pink around his cheeks, the only proof save for his soft eyes of the happiness he felt, real happiness, not the petty triumph and smug victory he usually displayed, the hollow happiness Draco had tried to make real when he had thought it impossible to attain the one thing that brought him true happiness; Harry's love.
His hair was still wet, as was his shirt, the sight of his lean body even more tantalizing to Harry's eyes now that he understood what he felt when he saw the beauty of Draco's body, the attraction and love he had been blind to before now seeming to grow with every thunderous beat of his heart. Draco was mesmerizing, in body, soul and mind. It felt as if he were remembering a dream, something he had felt for years but that had stayed elusive, just out of the reach of his waking mind until this point where it all came rushing back, hitting him with the force of a freight train, knocking him off balance until he didn't know which was was up or down.
The soft movement of delicate fingers on his cheek, tracing circles against his bloodstain skin, once again pulling him from his thoughts and Harry raised his own hand, the one which did not hold his wand to mirror the gesture, his own tanner skin seeming out of place against Draco's sharp features but he kept it there anyway, stroking his cheek with gentle adoration.
The touch on his own check slid lower, briefly touching the corner of his mouth before descending to his neck, reaching around behind to gently pull him closer until their noses bumped and Draco tilted his head so that their lips could touch in an almost kiss.
A fire that had been content to simmer quietly in the background roared to life, demanding attention as its flames blazed through his body, centering itself below his belly, coiling inside him and making him grow taut with feelings he had unconsciously suppressed for all too long. Taking the initiative Harry move forward slightly, turning the light brush of their lips into a real kiss, hard and demanding, his own lips sliding against Draco's soft lips, his eyes shutting of their own accord just as Draco's did so as well.
The hand that had lain across Draco's cheek entwined itself in his silky blonde hair, not to grip and pull but as leverage to bring them even closer. Draco's tongue licked across Harry's lower lip, a silent question; do you want more? In response Harry opened his mouth, inviting Draco in even as his own tongue slipped out to tease Draco's. When Cho Chang had kissed him she had been crying and the kiss and been wet and awkward, Draco was soaking wet but his kisses could be described as nothing less than divine, it wasn't perfect, Draco was shivering slightly from the cold and wet, something Harry rectified by pulling Draco even closer, wrapping him in his arms and sharing his warmth, and while they would bump noses when either of them moved a little too much, something that neither of them could do much about but not move, and that was not an option at this point, but it was divine none the less.
It was as their kiss became deeper, as Draco's wand slipped from his hand and clattered against the floor, followed swiftly by Harry's own, and their hands began to wander over one another, exploring clothed bodies and every once in a while slipping beneath for a moment to give teasing touches to warm skin before continuing their quest to map out each others bodies, that they were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat.
It was a voice Harry had no trouble recognizing and he froze, horrified at the thought of being caught snogging his - his what? boyfriend? lover? Neither of those seemed right, Draco was just Draco. Caught snogging his Draco by none other than Severus Snape, the only teacher in Hogwarts he had no trouble swearing hated his guts, and on top of that, a teacher that whose favorite student was undoubtedly the same Draco Malfoy he had just been caught kissing.
"Mr Potter, Mr Malfoy" Snape drawled, his voice soft yet more cutting that the sharpest blade and his black eyes roving over their embracing bodies, "Should you wish to continue with your current... activities then you are free to do so, but at your own discretion, may I remind you that this a school, a public school, and that any liaisons held should remain in private, rather than in the lavatories where all can see."
They sprang apart, both sending the man equal looks of dismay, being caught together by a teacher, let alone Professor Snape, but they were both smiling, their eyes meeting every few moments as they shared warm gazes, assuring themselves and each other that, no, it wasn't a dream and that had really happened.
One black eyebrow lifted at their actions and Snape gave them a searching look, a moment later he seemed to find what he had been looking for and turned away from them. Almost as an afterthought he paused.
"Fifteen points from Gryffindor for indecent behavior and detention with Mr Filch for the rest of the week, Mr Potter. Mr Malfoy I expect you will not conduct yourself in such a manner again within the view of the public eye."
"Yes, sir" They replied in unison, sharing a small grin and a happy gaze as they realized what they had just done.
Snape walked off without another word, his black robes billowing dramatically behind him as he rounded the corner and was lost from sight.
Harry looked towards Draco and grinned broadly, something which Draco returned, even if less visibly to those unaccustomed to Draco's usual expression, for him it was practically an obscene amount of smiling already but Harry understood that it did not mean that Draco's feelings were any less than his own.
"Do you think he does it on purpose?" Harry asked.
"Does what?"
"The billowing, I swear robes don't do that naturally."
"No idea. It doesn't matter anyway" Draco said, giving Harry an amused smile and giving their joint hands gentle tug. "Lets get out of here before he comes back and takes point from Slytherin this time."
Harry let out a huffing laugh and squeezed Draco's hand. "Alright."
They walked out of the bathroom side by side, shoulders bumping together with every step, leaving a flooded mess of spell damage behind, neither one of them noticing the way their finger entwined and how the comfortable silence settled over them. What happened next, what with the oncoming war, would be difficult, but at this moment they were content, and that was all that mattered.
AN: Finished! This is probably a oneshot unless I decide to add on another chapter or make a sequel from Draco's point of view, but right now its 2.23 AM ( or it was when I first published this) and I really need to go to sleep so meh to you. Reviews are love and all that other stuff, I could wax on poetically about how good reviews are and how I would shower you in chocolate chip cookies should you press that lovely button adorned with 6 lovely letters; R.E.V.I.E.W, but it sounds tedious and rather long winded so I won't.
I am a firm believer that when you start making typos with the word 'the' repeatedly it is time to retreat to my glorious bed and sleep for many blissful hours, so adieu all who read this, I hope that it is not such a hellish hour in the morning for you as you read this.
P.S: My first Drarry fic, inspired as I watched Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince with my younger sister, got to the Sectumsempra scene and thought 'Harry is such an idiot, its the perfect opportunity for some good Drarry...' and so with an evil cackle I began to type. Here I am, many productive hours later with a 3K long fic (my longest yet, oh the excitement!), and heavy eyelids. Once again adieu, adieu!