AN: This is my first ever fic, and the only thing I've written in a good long while. It's rated T for safety - I had really no idea what to go for. Try to be nice ;)

Disclaimer: Harry Potter does not belong to me, I just have him on loan. No Profits );

Summary: Harry and Draco compete at everything. Now they've found something new and exciting to compete at, but who will win, and how far will they be willing to go for that victory? HP/DM M/M

Bright green eyes sparkled with amusement…

"Tell me Draco, what do you want?"

Draco woke with a start, eyes wide and heart racing. It took him a moment to engage brain before he realised that the previous nights somewhat disturbing events had in fact been nothing but a dream. After taking a brief moment to catch his breath Draco flopped back into the soft down feather pillows with a groan.

This cannot be happening.

Only, it was. With a pained expression he slowly raised the quilts and peered underneath, only to have his "worst case scenario" confirmed by the none too inconspicuous tent in his boxers. For the fourth time that week Draco dragged himself reluctantly out of his king sized bed, and through the door into his ensuite bathroom.

After dousing himself thoroughly with cold water, he emerged sometime later dripping wet and shivering, but feeling somewhat better. Despite the particularly unfavourable start to the day, Draco felt confident that from now on it could only improve. After drying himself roughly, he took some time to pick out an outfit and dress before heading downstairs for breakfast.

Upon arriving in the kitchen, it occurred to him that it was still only early hours and neither his parents nor the house elves would be up for some time. Feeling positive none the less, he strolled over to the cupboards to look for something easy to cook. Several minutes later, and several burnt pieces of toast later, Draco decided to go out for lunch. Scrolling a brief note to his parents -

Gone out,

Draco.

- he left without further ado.

*

Harry strolled down the main street in Diagon Ally, eyes bright as he took in the gleaming shop faces and the shifting crowds. Suddenly something familiar caught his eye, and focusing his gaze he took a moment before his face lit up with recognition. Raising an arm he called out, hoping to get her attention before she disappeared back into the masses of people.

Spotting him quickly, the bushy haired girl turned and set off in his direction. "Hermione," he said with a grin, as soon as she was within hearing range.

"Harry, oh how I've missed you!" She exclaimed, returning his smile with just as much enthusiasm. She hesitated momentarily before throwing her arms around him. "Oh it's going to be so good to be back, all of us, together," she withdrew after a few moments in the tight embrace, blushing ever so slightly from the uncharacteristically bold gesture. "Um…" she began, but was quickly saved, if you can call it saving, by the arrival of another.

*

Draco sat in a small café, munching on a cream cheese covered bagel and staring out of the window absentmindedly as he tried to plan for the day ahead. It was only four days until he would return to Hogwarts via the Hogwarts express, with his masses of luggage in tow, and he was straining his mind to try and remember any important items he may have forgotten.

He was struggling to recall the extensive list of ingredients they had been asked to obtain for their potion classes this year, when a familiar face caught his eye, immediately distracting him from his task as an onslaught of memories from the past few nights ran riot in his head.

Practically jumping from his seat Draco rushed to pay the bill before hurrying out of the door and into the flow of people outside, all the while never taking his eyes of Harry.

Once outside, he proceeded to make his way towards the raven haired boy, only pausing when he was close enough to see Harry's face clearly. It was at this point that he realised he wasn't entirely sure what he was going to say, even if he were to intercept the Griffindor. He struggled with his mind to think up something intelligent, witty even…

Hey Potter… nice arse.

Draco mentally cursed himself. As he continued to contemplate his most recent dilemma, Draco trailed behind Harry, carefully keeping tabs on him as he wove his way through the crowds. At last, Harry stopped, only to call out to someone. Curious, Draco watched out for whomever might have caught Harry's attention.

As the Granger girl came into sight Draco rolled his eyes with a overly dramatic sigh. He stood for a moment more before deciding now was most definitely the time to intervene.

"Potter!" Draco called out as he approached. Harry's attention was immediately redirected towards the voice, but upon finding its owner he grabbed Hermione's arm firmly and spun in the opposite direction, trotting off towards the flow of people moving down the main street.

Draco, seeing that he was about to lose his prey in the crowds of people, sped up. And so the chase began.

It wasn't until they rounded the fourth corner that Draco finally caught up… and by caught up I mean rushed straight into the other boy who had stopped abruptly upon deciding the escape plan was hopeless.

"What do you want?" Harry didn't try to hide his exasperation, nor his irritation at being followed so relentlessly. The bitter tone glanced straight of Draco though as more memories from the previous night welled up in his mind, temporarily causing him to stop and drink in the multiple meanings that could be read into Harry's words.

Hermione hovered uncertainly behind Harry, clearly unwilling to involve herself in the dispute.

Ah, if only you knew Harry, Draco thought to himself with a small smile, which to Harry was easily mistaken for a sneer.

"I want a hug too, Potter."

Harry stared at him unblinkingly for a few moments, his expression unreadable before he spun on his heal once more, this time marching away at a more reasonable pace. Draco fell into step besides him whilst Hermione, after a brief moment of hesitation, trailed along a few steps behind.

"No? Maybe a kiss then, just on the cheek of course," he continued on, not much caring for an answer. To Draco, the look on Harry's face was enough. Something between horror and shock contorted Harry's features, mixed with a little bit of something he couldn't quite read.

Thinking back, Draco decided he had been right. Today certainly was turning out to be a good day, and it was only getting that much better now he'd found a new and exciting way to torment his favourite victim.

*

Harry was feeling bewildered to say the least. Peering out of the corner of his eye he looked up at the blonde who despite Harry's blatant attempts to shake him off, was still trotting by him happily.

Usually Harry would have responded in turn to the Slytherin's taunts, but this time, things didn't seem quite right and the insults on Harry's lips didn't seem like a fair counter. Slowly, his eyes slid back up to look questioningly at the blonde but he instantly regretted it when he was met with the characteristic sneer. Only this time, Draco looked a little too pleased with himself.

Disturbed, Harry shook his head before taking a sharp left. Hermione and Draco followed not far behind.

"Oh! Harry that's the book I wanted! I'm just going to get it quickly, I'll meet you back here in ten… no, the queue's quite long, twenty minutes." Harry's eyes widened slightly in alarm. "I can't believe they finally got it in stock, I didn't even know it was out in England yet!"

Harry sighed as Hermione, caught up in her excitement, completely missed the silent plea Harry was trying to convey and instead headed straight in the direction of Flourish and Blotts. The last thing he wanted right now was to be left alone with the newly unpredictable and stalker-ish Draco, but Hermione was already gone.

Draco opened his mouth to say something but Harry, unwilling to hear anything more the blonde had to say, turned into the nearest shop in search of a distraction. Once inside he took a moment to look around, clenching his jaw as he heard the bell on the shop door jingle for a second time.

Ignoring the unwanted company, Harry wandered further into the shop, slowly taking in his surroundings. It was much bigger than it looked from the outside, no doubt the work of a charm. Harry turned in a slow circle, his gaze drifting across the many shelves as his face lit up with wonder.

The shop was circular, heavy wooden shelves curving with the walls, and all along the shelves were cages. A mass variety of cages ranging in colour and size, all lined up neatly, each one containing a beast of some kind. It was a pet shop.

Harry was quite sufficiently distracted from the blonde who still stood in the doorway, watching Harry with just as much wonder as Harry was looking at the shop.

Something across the room caught Harry's eye. He approached it slowly, first taking in the cage then turning his attention to the small beast he saw within. The cage was gold, with tiny pearls decorating the trim in neat lines. It was what it contained that attracted Harry though. Peering through the fine bars he let his eyes fall upon the strangest beast he had ever seen, and that was saying quite a bit considering some of the things Harry had encountered in the wizarding world.

It was beautiful, and Harry was mesmerised.

*

Draco watched with interest as Harry walked with soft feet towards one of the many cages in the renowned pet shop. Draco had been here a few times before with his parents, but never had he displayed nearly as much wonder as Harry did.

As Harry reached the cage he bent over slightly, and Draco took this opportunity to fully admire the wondrous backside of the great Harry Potter. After a few moments of appreciation, he moved in on his target.

Draco approached almost silently, though it would have made little difference, Harry was still so completely absorbed in examining the strange and wondrous creature in front of him, that Draco doubted anything short of an earthquake could have distracted him. It wasn't until Draco had leaned in so close he could practically feel the heat coming off Harry's body, that he chose to speak. Loudly.

"Well, if that isn't the cutest thing I've ever seen."

Draco had to use every last ounce of his Malfoy discipline to prevent himself from laughing his guts up, and even then he couldn't help the snort of amusement that escaped him.

*

Harry jumped violently.

His head whipped around to look wide-eyed at his call to earth. What he found was a piercing pair of cool grey eyes, only inches from his own. No more sound came from Draco, but the more Harry stared the more he began to think he was being laughed at.

And then something registered in Harry's mind.

'The cutest thing…?'But Draco was looking at… him. Harry paled. Had Draco just said… Had Draco just called him…

Cute?

Harry's mind was wading through mud, trying so desperately to understand this new attitude, this change of events, but he was getting no where. It felt surreal.

Harry stood stock still, unwilling to break contact with the laughing eyes until he found what he wanted, until he had an answer.

Then it clicked, and realisation dawned in Harry's own eyes.

The bastard's fucking with me.

AN: And there you have it (: The first ever chapter of my first ever fic. All reviews are welcome, I appreciate constructive criticism just as much as I do compliments. Thanks for reading!