Borderline.
There is a very thin line between A thug and a bully. Enemy and friend. Lover and manipulator.. All of those want one thing. Victory. Along with the general acceptance from those around them. Be it taken by force or given with kindness. They were going to take what they wanted. Because that is how life is lived. How it is survived.
The break was taking course. Luggages were packed and hugs were drawn out until Hogwarts finally closed its doors. The students that didn't have the chance to go home like the rest just sighed and sat down to play chess in the messhall. There were also those that just didn't have anywhere to go.
Round glasses became impossible to see through with the sudden fog that accumalated on the thick lenses. Glove-clad fingers rubbed vigirously until the vision became clear again. Small snow flakes descended from the sky like angel feathers. The softness landed on his cheecks and some attached gently to thick eyelashes. Harry loved the winter. The purity and cleanliness. When everything looked the same, shared the same blanket of heaven dust sent from the sky in frozen wrath. On the bench right outside the courtyard, where the school passed it's giant sheltering shadow on him, he breathed from behind his tightened red-and-yellow scarf. Liking the way he fit in the background as the snow started to gather on his clothes. Here he was, secure behind the hot air puffs emittimg from the scarf, his breath became vapor, a shield of white. No one bothered him or called him different here.
Because nobody was here anymore.
Hermoine. Ron. They were on their way home for the holiday. It was him and some other students left to roam around the school premises in lonliness and longing for one last-minute call from their friends, asking the abandoned students to spend the holiday with them and their families. But Hermoine was travelling with her parents, and, well, Ron never was the type to take rejection well. Especially when it came to the red-head's feelings. Harry looked far into the sky, the regret he had been waiting for never came. He had made the right descicion. He knew it wouldn't have worked out. Ron was different than he was. Different in every sense of the word.
A slight shuffel from behind him came and a puff of white joined his own. The bench creaked as a new companion took seat beside him. Harry kept his eyes up. Waiting for a lightning bolt to hit the intruder and make his day.
A cough, and teeth clatteered. "I see you finally got to your senses, Potter." Expensive Boots were crossed to exhibit relaxation. That was far from what Harry was feeling.
Anytime now God. Even a stone would do, just get him away from me. " dark brown eyes glanced up again, but there was no sign of help on its way. "As I told you before, and many times after that, Weasleys shouldn't be friended. They are a bad sort, that bunch will only drag you down."
"What do you want Malfoy?" the words were spat out between deep intakes of breath. The scarf around his face failed to give as much clarity to his bitter voice as he meant to.
"What do you mean 'what do you want' I'm here to help you, Potter. You know what people will say when they find out the famous Harry Potter agreed to go out with a Weasley? You might as well kiss your life goodbye, you have made the right decision my friend."
"It's none of the people's business and is certainly none of yours. And don't call me 'friend'. That is the last thing I want to be." An amused smile graced Draco's lips. A lazy stare that said 'I beg to differ.'
"Oh Potter. You amuse me."
Brown eyes narrowed in distaste "Well, I'm glad one of us is enjoying this pointless conversation."
Gray eyes shifted to his own. Harry looked away quickly. Green lines on the cloack beside him yelled Slithering. And slithering was bad news. Malfoy was evil itself, atleast in school, and he was sitting by him on a bench with no one around.
"Shouldn't you be home with servants prancing around you doing all your work?" Mafloy shifted and rested his head backwards on the bench's back. He threw his arms back and extended them until his hand touched the shoulder cloth of Harry's thick clock and the other hand srrounded the end of the bench. "Are you going to try the new games they brought to the mess hall?" A childish question accompanied by a puff that disappered into the cold air. Harry forced himself to look at Draco's ear, not quite able to bring himself to stare into those unforgiving grays. "You trying to avoid my question?"
"Is it working?"
Harry adjusted his legs and felt his wand reassuringly just under his cloak. "well, why aren't you?"
Harry glanced at Malfoy's chin as Draco's lips tucked upwards "Why aren't I what?"
"Why did you stay? You have a family and a home to get back to." His words faded as the stinging feeling came back. He had managed to numb the pain as Ron reused to hug him at the departure time. He had smiled through it and insisted to himself that it was going to be ok, that Hogwarts was his home and his family.
"Didn't feel like it."
Harry stood up, his boots dug into the snow unconfortably. He took heavy steps away from the bench and mumbled about how ridiculous and spoilt rich kids were. He paused when shuffling sound followed him.
"you should go home."
"To whom?"
Harry glared at the empty expanse in front of him."To your father."
"He's not the one I want to be with."
"oh yeah?" so many curses bubbled in his chest. "who do you want to be with then?" venom dropped from his words.
"You."
And Harry ran to his room.
No shuffling steps followed him.