Honeydukes was filled with students from Hogwarts on their visit to Hogsmeade. People were buying all sorts of candies and mints that they could lay their hands on. Meanwhile in a corner, Draco Malfoy stood in the shadows quite hidden from the view of the rest. Sporting his black suit as if on some business, the lean figure of the blond-haired boy looked fairly amazing if not downright hot. He was probably waiting for someone, thought Harry who couldn't take his eyes off the guy for the past few days, he didn't know why but he had recently started noticing Draco a lot maybe because he suspected Malfoy to be a death eater.

Anyway, like always he was prying on Malfoy from the time they left the school grounds. Since Hermione and Ron needed some time alone Harry had plenty of time in hand. He was trying his best to go unnoticed by Draco and was carrying his invisibility cloak along in case of emergencies. After about a quarter of an hour when no one came to meet Draco, disgruntled he headed down an empty lane. Fishing his cloak out of his bag Harry followed suit. It was past noon and the sun rays had almost lost their intensity. Pale rays of sunlight fell on the alley as Harry noticed Draco walking through the shadows. He increased his pace in order to close the distance between them and suddenly saw Draco taking a left turn.

The houses in the alley were long forgotten and grungy and Harry wondered about the kind of people who might be dwelling there. Meanwhile he took a left turn and came to an abrupt stop. Draco Malfoy was nowhere in sight. Ahead of him lay a dark and deserted lane with no trace of Malfoy. He was just trying to figure out what must have happened when he heard from behind,

" Why so tense Potter? Following me are you?"

Harry turned towards the familiar voice when with a swift movement of his hand Draco took off the invisibility cloak.

" You can't trick me with that", Draco added with a smirk.

Caught off-guard, Harry stood there staring blankly at the grey-eyed youth in front of him. He registered the lean shape of Draco Malfoy stricking out in the black suit, his tie hanging a bit loose probably because of the heat, a few strands of his white-blonde hair falling over his youthful eyes and the rest messed up but in an attractive kind of way, he had his wand at the ready prepared for any attack as he stared at Harry waiting for Harry's next move.

Standing in front of Harry Potter, the chosen one, whom Draco had hated all his life, he suddenly had a different rather alarming feeling. For the first time he noticed how the light shown in Harry's shimmering green eyes, standing in front of him Harry Potter looked rather good in his shirt and sweater vest, doning a pair of jeans. He could make out Harry's sleek and slender body partly through the shirt as Harry had kept two or three buttons open, 'must be to impress girls', thought Draco. Standing there at that moment Draco forgot all about his scorn and contempt and found himself withdrawing his wand.

Not having imagined this response from Draco, Harry came back to his senses but did not move or do anything about it, instead he just stood there taking in the moment and the warm rays of sunlight fell on the two boys as they stood facing each other realising for the first time that there was something different, entirely different happening to them since their first year at Hogwarts.

There was a moment of silence and then as if in an unspoken agreement both boys headed towards The HogsHeed.

The HogsHeed wasn't as crowded as The Three Broomsticks. Apart from Draco and Harry, there was another middle-aged wizard who kept to himself at one corner of the room. Instinctively Draco chose a spot beside the window and having ordered two butterbeers, Harry joined him at the small wooden table. Both of them had no idea what they were doing but they didn't mind it at all. As they sat there waiting for their order, Draco spoke in order to break the silence,

" So you were following me, weren't you?", Draco said though he had known all the way that Harry was keeping an eye on him even when he was waiting alone.

Having been caught in the act, Harry just nodded his head slightly.

" May I know why?", Draco enquired.

" I don't know", the words came out automatically, as fake as they sounded, they were actually true. Harry really had no idea why he was keeping an eye on Draco in the first place. When Draco didn't answer back or ask any further questions, Harry added,

" Were you waiting for anyone?"

Draco's first instinct was to not bother about answering the question when he heard himself say,

" Yes but she did not come"

" She?", Harry raised an eyebrow. He had no idea why this simple fact was bothering him so much. So what, Draco Malfoy was meeting with a girl, what is so shocking about that, why was HE so interested or rather unhappy about it. Was he jealous?, if so why was he jealous of a girl who was apparently supposed to meet Draco and why was he even thinking about all these? Harry was lost in these thoughts when their butterbeers arrived and Draco forwarded a glass towards him.

Harry took a sip of his drink and then found Draco smiling at him. He looked at Draco with an inquisitive look when the white-blonde suddenly leaned forward.

Harry froze.

Coming close to Harry, Draco wiped off the foam that had formed a moustache on Harry's face gently with his thumb and leaned back on his chair.

"There thats better now", he said.

Harry was shocked at this sudden gesture but at the same time quite pleased.

Draco had realised that Harry had become a bit despondent and quiet at the mention of a girl, which Lord knows why made him quite satisfied, as if he had wanted Harry to react that way. Down there in the alley he had felt something which he had never felt before. Was it nervousness? Because Draco Malfoy was never nervous, okay maybe a bit in front of the Dark Lord and ofcourse in front of his father but Potter? He could have never imagined that Harry Potter would ever make him nervous, in a good way though. Being with Harry and spending some time suddenly didn't seem so unpleasant. What on earth was happening to HIM?

" So you were telling about some girl", Harry began, unsure whether he really wanted Draco to answer that.

" Oh that? Thats nothing, not of any importance anyway, Pansy was just supposed to give me some things but i think Blaise kept her too busy so she couldn't make it", he replied.

" Blaise Zabini?", Harry enquired.

" Yes"

" Oh" , Harry didn't know why but he was quite relieved.

" So anyone interests you lately?" , Draco asked before he could control himself.

" Not really, you?" , though Harry had thought this statement to be true untill now but somehow he felt different as if he didn't know why this statement didn't seem so sincere anymore.

"No" , Draco said having a strong feeling that he was missing out on something, "where are those Granger and Weasel friends of yours?" , he added instead.

"Hermione and Ron you mean" , Harry added strongly, "they wanted some time alone" , he said.

"And i heard that you fancy that Ravenclaw seeker" , Draco said.

"Who? Cho? Not really" , Harry replied and as Draco raised an inquisitive eyebrow he added, "well i used to but i don't feel that way anymore", Harry said thinking why on earth was he telling Draco Malfoy of all people all of his personal feelings and feeling not a tad uncomfortable.

"Why do you ask?" , he added instead.

"Just like that", said Malfoy.

They ended up spending the next half an hour talking about random things from quidditch to classes.

Anyone who would have seen them wouldn't have believed their eyes because there sat Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy bathed in soft sunlight talking for the first time, just talking.

They both got out of The HogsHeed and started heading towards the main lane where majority of the students were huddled here and there.

Walking beside each other both of them felt an unknown liking, an unspoken urgency, a feeling of warmth brush over them.

Occasionally their hands brushed against each other but both did nothing to impede it. They were walking rather slowly as if buying more time to be with each other. With a cool wind blowing across their faces they finally reached the head of the lane where they stood for a while gazing at various students lost in their own worlds when finally they turned to face each other and with a slight smile at each other and a look that lasted longer than it should have they went different ways.

"Where the sodding hell have you been Harry? We were looking for you everywhere" , Hermione shrieked on spotting him.

"Just roaming" , Harry replied with a smile and started walking towards his two best friends. Later when they weren't looking his way he smiled to himself thinking of the great day that he had never thought he would ever spend.

~~ fin ~~