Turning the corner, Harry noticed someone sitting by the window. He peered at them curiously. He often sat there himself, when he wanted to be alone. He edged nearer and saw a gleam of white-blonde hair. Malfoy..? Yes, Malfoy. Looking a little down, to say the least.
He raised his head and looked at Harry dully. "What do you want, Potter?"
Harry studied him for a minute. "What's up?" he said at last, ignoring Draco's question.
"Nothing's up. Get lost. I have nothing to say to you."
"What, because of your dad?"
Draco said nothing.
"You can't blame me for that. You know as well as I do he was going to be locked up sooner or later."
"Drop dead," he snarled back.
"It's true. Get over it." He paused. He should have walked away there and then, or just shut up, but something compelled him to keep on at him. "To think, all these years you've been gloating at my dad for being dead, Ron's for not being rich and Hermione's for being a muggle. Funny how things pan out, isn't it? Sometimes people really do get what they deserve."
"You don't even know him," Draco said irritably.
"I know enough."
"You don't, actually."
Harry felt a little stirring of anticipation. He needed a good fight. It would help him get a lot out of his system. "Oh yeah? What don't I know then?"
Draco ignored him.
Harry shrugged his bag off his shoulder and dropped down next to Draco. "Come on, then. What don't I know about Lucius Malfoy that's so important? Let's see, I know he's a death eater, probably a murderer, prejudiced, cold, cruel, dangerous- "
"Potter- " he growled.
Harry went on, relentless, not really getting that Draco wasn't himself just now. "Am I missing something here? Is he actually a really nice bloke and all this stuff with Voldemort is just a simple misunderstanding?" he said with mock-sweetness. Draco flinched a little at the name. "Tell me, what was it like growing up with him? What does he do for you, or do to you? I don't have a dad, as you so love to point out, so I'd be really interested to know. I was thinking, though, maybe it's better to have a dead parent who loved you rather than- "
"Shut up, just shut up!" he snapped, his voice cracking with emotion.
There was a little silence. Harry was a bit stunned. Then he replayed his words in his head and felt a little ashamed. It was quite harsh. Draco had been a bastard over the years but two wrongs didn't necessarily make a right. And it wasn't really fair to attack him when he was seemingly at his most vulnerable. Harry suddenly felt terrible. "Hey, I'm sorry." he said, as nicely as he could.
Draco laughed bitterly."You're sorry?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry. Know what that means?"
Draco turned his face away and ignored him.
Feeling bad, Harry tried again, putting his arm round him. "I really am, though. I know I went too far just then. I've been really upset about stuff and I was sort of taking it out on you. I know what I said was too much though. Are you okay?"
Draco pressed his lips together stubbornly.
"Malfoy?"
He took no notice.
"Come on, Malfoy, don't be childish. Look at me. Accept my apology."
"Fuck off."
Harry rolled his eyes. He would fuck off if Draco didn't sound so choked up. "Oh, come on, Draco, you've said worse things to me over the years. Don't let it get to you," he said, purring his name.
Draco stiffened slightly at that. He became very conscious of Harry's arm around him. He wriggled away and finally looked at him. Harry was smirking slightly, making out he couldn't care less, but there was some genuine concern in his eyes.
"I'm fine," he said impatiently. "I don't care what you think. It was all bullshit anyway."
"That's good to know."
Draco looked at him sharply.
Harry looked back innocently. "What? I'm not being sarcastic. If you say he's a good dad then I think that's great."
He turned away in annoyance. "Just go away. I bloody hate you."
"No, you don't." He shifted closer to him again and attempted to lighten the mood a bit. "Come on, Draco, let's be nice to each other," he wheedled, feeling him tense up. "We might not get a chance to again."
"So?" he said huffily. "And stop calling me Draco."
"Why?"
He didn't answer, just rubbed at his eyes.
"Don't cry. I forgive you for saying you hate me, really. I know you didn't mean it. You can stop worrying about it now."
"I do hate you; you're an idiot," he insisted, but he looked like he was trying not to smile.
Encouraged, Harry smiled himself and put his arms around Draco properly.
Draco rested his hands on him uncertainly. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing," he said innocently. "Just comforting you. Don't sound so disgusted."
"Well, I'm comforted. You can stop now."
"You don't sound it."
"Well, I am. Seriously. Get off."
"What's your problem, Draco? I'm just trying to be friendly."
"Well, it's weird. Stop it."
"It's weird having someone be friendly to you?"
"It's weird having you be friendly to me. And it's a bit too friendly. It's..." He trailed off as Harry buried his face in his hair.
"Nice?" He suggested.
"Err..."
He laughed, and without thinking about it took hold of his face and kissed him.
Draco was so surprised it took him a moment to come to his senses. He drew back sharply. "What are you doing?" he demanded.
Harry lowered his arms foolishly. He felt himself going red. "I'm sorry..I just.." When Draco struggled to get up, Harry leaned forward and grabbed his hands. "Don't go. I'm really sorry if that...shocked you. I just.. sometimes it's like we..." he trailed off helplessly.
"Oh God." Draco looked away, going red himself. "Look, let go. We'll just forget this ever happened."
Harry waited for Draco to look back at him. "Why?"
"Why?" he echoed in disbelief. "Because we're on opposing sides in a war? Because we've been enemies for years? Because- "
"Well, we don't have to be." He watched Draco hopefully.
Draco's hands went slack in his own. "Don't do this, Potter, not now," he said, suddenly more weary than anything else.
"All right. But maybe..maybe when everything else is over...?"
He laughed harshly. "Yeah, when one or both of us could be traumatised, or killed. Or I could be in Azkaban, of course, with my dear daddy."
Harry winced at the bitterness of his tone, but kept hold of his hands.
After a moment Draco squeezed them gently. "You're confused. You're in a funny mood tonight; antagonising me one minute and cuddling me the next. You don't know what you want."
"I do," he said instantly. "You're just saying that because you want me to stop this, because it's difficult for you right now."
"It is."
"I know, and I understand that, and it'll always be a difficult time for this, but..well, haven't you ever felt like there's.. something between us?" He tightened his grip on Draco's hands as he tried to pull away.
"A difficult time," he said sneeringly. "It's the worst fucking time imaginable. We're in a war. Things get worse every year, and not just between you and me. My Father's in prison." He could feel his eyes welling as he got more and more worked up.
Harry held his hand to Draco's cheek. "Ssh, don't. It's okay. It'll be okay." He went to kiss him again, but Draco pulled away at once.
"No. No. This is stupid. We were fighting a minute ago. We're always fighting, it's the way things are meant to be. We're opposites."
"Well, opposites do attract," he said, trying to make him laugh.
Draco glared at him. "Will you be serious? Is this all a big joke to you?"
"No, of course not! You know it's not." He stroked Draco's hair out of his eyes. "I know you're upset right now. Just say you'll think about it. About you and me."
Draco didn't answer.
"Please," he said. "Look at me."
Meeting his eyes, he felt his heart skip a beat. Almost unconsciously, he covered Harry's hand with his own. This time, he pulled Harry close and kissed him back.
"You'll think about it?" Harry said, when they drew back for air.
Draco smiled slightly. "I don't think I need to."