Scream, Breathe, Beg for Help, Repeat

I watched as Lily and James (I refuse to call them 'Mom and Dad') answered the door for the Malfoys. Our families go way back, ever since Potter and Malfoy Sports first became real. So, Lily and James became best friend with Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy. There's one problem: I want to kill their son, Draco Malfoy. I don't think anyone but my best friend Hermione Granger and my ex-boyfriend (yes, I'm gay. So?) Ronald Weasley understand my burning hate for him. I was standing at the top of our grand staircase (modeled after the Titanic), watching as Lily greeted the other three joyously.

"Harry honey!" Lily called to me. "Come down now and go play with Draco!" What the fuck. See, I'm not related to this woman who treats me like I'm five. God it pisses me off. I sneered.

"Whatever you want Lily," I snapped, gliding down the stairs. I wore casual khaki slacks and a button up blue shirt. I merely passed Draco and walked into the living room. I sat in my usual chair and picked up my most recent book (recommended by Hermione of course) Ruby Holler. So far, the book is excellent. Draco would know what to do when he comes in. He usually sits and draws or reads.

"Hey, Harry, what are you reading?" he asked me softly. I sighed and closed my book.

"I was reading Ruby Holler until you had to go and talk to me," I informed him. His face fell. Hey, at least I even graced him with a response. "So, tell me. How's life in the manor?"

He looked at me hopelessly. What the hell? What the crap is his problem? Seriously, I always treat him like this- scratch that, I usually treat him worse. He should know this. "I heard about you and Ron. I'm sorry."

I sneered. "Oh, it's no big deal. He only dumped me for my cousin," I spat. Draco cringed away.

"Play nice Harry!" Lily called.

"Like hell I will Lily!" I yelled back.

She cleared her throat. "Harry," she sang.

"Right, sorry. There's no fucking way I'm gonna be nice to him, Lily!" I yelled. I heard Narcissa gasp.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER! GET IN HERE NOW!!!" James screamed.

"Draco love, you come too," Narcissa cooed. I sighed and stood, offering Draco my hand. He took it, I pulled him up, let go of his hand, and walked into the dining room. Lily was patting the chair next to her. I sighed and sat there, Draco sitting beside me. Y'know, I've never really understood why a family of three needs a mansion and a table to seat at least fifty. I should ask one of the servants their opinion. Hm… I think I'll ask… Oh, I'll ask Hedwig. She's a lovely maid. She's like a mother. I would rather have her as mother. Lily fails in that department. Or maybe I can ask Errol. He would know. He's very forgetful but he's very, very smart. Most of the things I know are thanks to him. He can teach you things in the most interesting way.

Lily was ignoring me as was James. Again. Nothing new there. "Dinner is served," said a cook from the door way to the kitchen. That was Hermes. Or was that Pig? I don't know. Whatever. Moments later, our small dinner was brought out. We said Grace (to what God?) and began eating. I didn't get much to eat. I used to be a really pig, but I guess… My break-up took a bigger toll on me than I thought. Well, this is probably my sixth meal in two months… Yeah. I had one bread roll, a normal spoon full of green beans, two normal spoonfuls of potatoes, and a chicken leg. I couldn't eat half of it. Draco gave me this look when I folded my napkin over my plate, symbolizing I was finished. Pretty soon so did Lily, James, Lucius, Narcissa, and the dish-washer Myrtle. I sighed and took my plate back and everyone but Draco and Myrtle looked away. I stared down at my barely full plate and sighed. I waited until everyone was finishing their dinner before claiming (again) that I was done eating.

Myrtle sighed. "Master Harry, I'm sorry to be rude, but I'm concerned. You hardly ate," Myrtle whispered to me. I glared at her and she took my plate before leaving.

"Harry," Draco said, "she's right. You barely touched your food at all."

"What's this?" James asked me. I sneered at him.

"Screw off," I snarled.

"Harrison!" Lily said, slapping the back of my head as the dessert chef, Hannah Abbott, brought out my favorite dessert: cooked tapioca pudding. I got a bowl full and I couldn't eat even half of it. Draco and Lucius were watching me in concern. I sighed and put my blue napkin over my bowl, bushing it away from me. Lily looked at me. "Harry, you barely touched it!"

I rolled my eyes I inherited from her. "I can see that, thanks."

"Is something wrong, son?" James asked.

I scoffed. "Like you don't know. We made front page for a week straight because of it."

Lily gasped. "You mean… Ronald caused this?"

"No woman," I snarled, "stress and heart break. God, are you stupid? I wouldn't put it past you. All you freakin' care about is fashion, looking good, and James. I am non-existent."

"Harry…" She said softly. "Is that why you don't call me mom?"

"You are no mother of mine," I hissed. "Hedwig and Errol are more like parents to me than you two could ever be! How do you think I passed my homeschooling? I didn't understand half of it and you and James were always at parties, so I had to turn to the servants!" I snapped. "And furthermore-!" I stopped mid sentence and stood. I sprinted from the room and into the kitchen and the bathroom the kitchen had. I threw the toilet seat up and began puking what little dinner and dessert I had up.

I felt a warm hand on my back as I continued puking. I swear I thought my bowels were going to come up. My throat burned as Hedwig hummed soothingly for me. Finally I could stand without feeling nauseous. I stood, flushed the toilet, and leaned on Hedwig after washing my face. She ran her thin, withered fingers through my hair and hummed my lullaby.

"Are you okay, little Harrison?" Errol's voice asked from the doorway. I nodded and Errol helped me back to the dining room. I smiled and thanked him before he left.

"As I was saying," I said, "James, Lily, I hate you." I reclined in my chair and massaged my temples. I felt a cold hand on my arm.

"Harry," Draco whispered, "are you alright?"

"Peachy."

"Well," Lily's offended voice said, "good thing you hate us then! Because as of this coming Saturday, you and Draco are going to be moved into an apartment together!"

At these words my chair fell backwards. Calmly, I fixed it and asked to be excused. When Narcissa and James said yes, I made my way into the living room. Once there, I moved all the furniture against the wall and proceeded plan 'Stress'. I developed it a long time ago. It's come in handy a lot. I took a deep breath and stared running in circles around the room and I began screaming. Lily and James kept the conversation going as I've done this a lot when they were (surprisingly) home. Part One of Plan Stress: Run in circles and scream for an hour. I did this. Part Two: take deep, calming breaths for an hour. I completed this. Step Three: Call Hermione.

She picked up on the fourth ring. "Hello Harry," she said.

"Help," I whispered in a slightly hoarse voice.

"What's wrong?" she asked frantically.

"Besides the eating thing –which, by the way, I felt like I was going to puke up my bowels two hours ago-, they're making me move into an apartment with Draco!" I hissed.

"I'm on my way. Tell the guards I'm coming." And she hung up on me. I love her. She's the greatest best friend anyone of any gender could ask for. I alerted the guards of Hermione's arrival and proceeded to scream and run in circles until she arrived. Draco and Lucius were standing in the living room door way watching me scream and run. Finally, after about fifteen minutes, Hermione called to tell me to get the door. I ran to the door and flung it open and Hermione tackled me in a hug. She kicked the door shut and continued to hold me.

I heard Draco snort and Lucius slap him upside the head. "Are you okay?" she demanded. "Why didn't Errol or Hedwig take you to the hospital this time, Harry?" she snapped, prying open my mouth.

"There's no reason to take such drastic measures, 'Mione," I said. She slapped me upside the head.

"Dumbass," she snapped, "you're dying and there's no-"

"DYING?" Draco shrieked. He ran to my side. "Oh my god, you need a hospital!!! Father! Harry needs a hospital!" Draco yelled at his father. I looked at Hermione and she rolled her eyes back at me.

"I'm fine. I've survived two months of this. I'm perfectly fi-" and he slapped me. Draco Malfoy slapped me. And it hurt like hell. I glared and put my hand to my cheek.

"Harry," he said. His voice was smooth and cold. It demanded obedience.

"You're on your own here," Hermione said. "I'll go tell J and L about it." I nodded and coughed into my hand. Wow… That is the third time I've been slapped in a day. Whoa.

--

After the Hospital Visit

I sighed as Draco led me in to our new apartment. It wasn't anything fancy. It was just… Well, okay, I love it. It's super cute, but you can't tell anyone. So, my room is closest to the bathroom and Draco's is right next to mine. My room is super cute too, but seriously, people can't know that I'm a big softie. "So," I said after I unpacked my room and Draco his. We were unpacking the kitchen now. "Any idea why the hell L, J, N, and Lucius would do this to us?"

Draco paused for a moment while I hung a mug from the ceiling. He put the butcher knife he held away and shrugged. "I'm assuming it's so we aren't raised spoiled."

I dropped the ladle I'd been holding and looked up at him from my kneeling position on the floor. "Too late for that. We're like, what, twenty-five respectively, right?" Draco nodded. "We were born to be spoiled." I shook my head, picked up the ladle, stood, and hung it up behind the sink.

"Well, maybe they want us to get a taste of the real world," Draco suggested.

"Damn!" I hissed as A) I cut myself with a knife and B) I realized what that meant.

"What?!"

"Well, I cut myself." I threw the knife into the sink as Draco left the room. He came back with a band-aid.

"I already put disinfectant on it."

"We have to get jobs," I finished. Draco, if possible, paled. I knew I must look the same.

"Shit."

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Tell me if you like it, okay?

Psi teh Cheese Master