Karaoke

Disclaimer: Neither the characters or locations are mine; they belong to J. K. Rowling and various affiliated companies. No plagiarism or copyright infringement is intended. All characters will be returned safe and sound with smiles on their faces and food in their bellies. :D

A/N: And I'm on a one-shot binge! Woohoo! But I will work on the current chapter-based story I have going…uh…eventually. Enjoy. Oh, and the song is "To Love Somebody" by various artists, but the version I got the lyrics for (and "inspired" this fic) is by Billy Corgan.

'Please Dray.' Pansy pleaded.

He scowled, hating how she shortened his name. He couldn't believe she wanted him to go to a karaoke bar. Him. Draco Malfoy. Even worse than that in attendance would be Pansy and Blaise, Ron and Hermione, Harry…and himself. As so often happened in their little soirées. He was sure they were setting him and Harry up…a fact which was almost as disturbing as the increasing infatuation he felt for the boy.

'Sod it.' He said, which Pansy took to mean he would go and flung her arms around his neck.

So maybe it was more than infatuation…want came closer…need, perhaps, was the best descriptor. But he knew Harry didn't want him at all. He could see the disgust in his eyes whenever he looked at him. He hoped to change his mind…one day…

--

'C'mon Harry, it'll be fun.' Hermione said.

Harry smiled wryly. Fun. Yeah. Paired off with Draco again. What did his friends think he wanted? It most certainly was not Draco Malfoy. It couldn't be. Harry was disgusted with the way he felt about the boy. He was disgusted to find that he needed him.

'I'm sure.' He said, receiving a hug from Hermione.

Yes, he needed Draco. But he could never have him. He knew that. What he should be doing was going out with other people, not agreeing to be set up with Malfoy…which was basically what this amounted to. But still…

--

Pansy and Hermione exchanged frustrated glances. Harry and Draco had been silent all night. Pansy shrugged a little and Hermione sighed.

'Harry, why don't you go and sing something?' she asked.

Harry looked up from his drink.

'I didn't know you sang.' Draco said softly.

'There's a lot you don't know about me.' Harry snarled, getting up and walking to the front of the room.

He didn't particularly want to sing but needed to get away from Draco. There was an odd tension between them that he couldn't define. As Harry began to sing everything else around Draco faded. All there was in the world was the beautiful sound coming from Harry's lips and the green eyes that stared at him accusingly.

There's a light
A certain kind of light
That never shone on me
I want my life to be
Lived with you, lived with you
There's a way
Everybody said
To do each and every little thing
But what does it bring
If I aint got you, aint got you

You don't know what it's like
You don't know what it's like
To love somebody, to love somebody
The way I love you

It's the same
I see your face again
I know my frame of mind
You aint got to be so blind
Am I so blind, blind to believe?
I'm a man
Can't you see
This is what I am
I live and breathe for you
But what good does it do, if I aint got you?

You don't know what it's like
You don't know what it's like
To love somebody, to love somebody
The way I love you

After the song had finished Draco watched Harry stalk into the bathroom. His voice had broken several times during the last chorus.

'Well, isn't anyone going to go after him?' Draco asked, raising an eyebrow.

Everyone suddenly seemed rather involved in conversation. Perfect, Draco thought bitterly,

'Fine. I'll go.' He said, standing up. 'I'm sure I'm just who he wants to talk to. Of course.' He continued muttering to himself as he walked over to the bathroom.

Upon entering he heard soft sobs coming from the final cubicle.

'Anyone would think Moaning Myrtle was here.' Draco said awkwardly, staring into the mirror.

The sobs abruptly stopped and Draco saw the legs previously visible drawn up.

'Harry, I know you're there.' Draco whispered. 'Fine. Don't talk. I don't care. Why would I?'

'Yes…why would you?' Harry croaked.

Draco remained staring into the mirror as sneakered feet reappeared. He sighed, rubbing his forehead.

'Harry. I don't want to have this conversation with you in a smelly bathroom in some dive bar. I won't have it here, in fact. If you truly want to know why I would care…come to the Manor. Any time. Really.'

Draco left the bathroom and sat back down, sipping his drink delicately. A few moments later Harry appeared, his eyed red and swollen. He looked at Draco strangely before sitting back down. Hermione shrugged a little as Pansy looked enquiringly at her. It seemed their plan was not turning out as it should have.

--

Draco fell onto his bed, feeling slightly buzzed from his night out but nowhere near drunk enough to forget Harry's song…or the way he had looked at him. It sent waves of desire over him…confusing him. He wondered how long he would have to wait for Harry to show up…or even if he would. He also wondered how to get Pansy to stop trying to set them up. He had seen the looks she had been giving Hermione…it was just some big plot for them, but it was his life. And Harry's. And they should be able to choose…not be forced into anything. He sighed, pulling the covers over his head. He then heard someone clearing their throat. He peered out, seeing Harry standing by his bed next to a concerned looking house-elf.

'Master Malfoy….Master Potter said it was very important…I told him you were asleep but-' the elf stammered.

Draco cut it off with a wave of his hand.

'It's fine. Thank you.'

The elf bowed curtly and vanished. Harry stared at Draco, who found himself drowning in the depths of that look…and everything it hinted at. He was relieved and yet disappointed as Harry looked away, casting his gaze over Draco's bedroom. Draco found himself anxious for Harry's approval. He sat up, casting the covers aside.

'You sleep fully clothed?' Harry asked, an eyebrow raised.

'Not intentionally.' Draco mumbled, unwilling to talk about his sleeping attire.

'If now is not a good time…'

'I told you to come any time. And I wouldn't have said that if I hadn't meant it. A Malfoy is only as good as his word.' Draco growled, standing up.

He was now mere inches from Harry and it took all of his self control to walk past him and light the fireplace. He sat back down on the edge of his bed and indicated for Harry to sit. Harry chose instead to lean against the wall; he knew of Draco's reputation and was uncertain of the hygiene of the bed. Draco shrugged, an amused smirk twisting his mouth.

'I'll tell you what I promised, if you promise to be quiet and let me get on with it. Even if you want to interrupt. And after I'm done you can do what you want. I promise. You can even hit me, or…whatever. Deal?'

Harry tilted his head in acquiescence.

'Right. Let me begin first by telling you that rumours of my…love life are highly exaggerated…as I am sure yours are. Or maybe not. I don't know. So my bed is rather more sanitary than you may think.' Draco smiled wryly, smoothing the covers with his hand. 'Anyway, you didn't come here for that. You asked why I would care. And I told you I'd tell you. So. I would care because to me you aren't Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, The Golden Boy, The Saviour of the Wizarding World and who knows what other titles you have. I mean, yeah, technically you are all those things and I suppose you are kind of my saviour because you did save me…but regardless. To me you are Harry. Just Harry. The boy who when he's nervous chews his bottom lip until it is red and swollen. Whose hair never seems to lie down at all. Whose eyes are much more beautiful when not enlarged to owlish proportions by those glasses he used to wear. Who somehow, and Merlin knows I'll never understand this, always tends to smell of something sweet. Who is loved dearly by everybody he interacts with. Even me. So you ask why I would care, Harry.' Draco turned, locking eyes with Harry. 'I would care because I am in love with you.'

Harry stared at the fear in Draco's eyes. He knew it was fear of rejection, for Draco had just opened his soul. Harry didn't know how to respond. He was so confused… Was this real? Or some drunken hallucination? Was he right now passed out in that bar? On Ron and Hermione's couch? He watched as the fear in Draco's eyes turned to hurt, then shame, then resignation.

'I'm foolish, aren't I Potter?' Draco asked, looking at the floor.

'Don't call me that.' Harry whispered.

Draco looked back up enquiringly.

'Potter. Don't call me that.'

Harry walked towards Draco, watching his eyes light up with hope and longing…need. He sat on the bed next to him.

'My name is Harry, Draco. You of all people should know that…especially if you love me half as much as you proclaim to.'

Smiling softly Harry kissed Draco, relishing the soft moan he elicited.

'Harry…what…?' Draco gasped as Harry pulled away.

'Draco, you should know I'm not as eloquent as you.'

As Harry's mouth met his again Draco thought his heart would explode with happiness. And as he took Harry in his arms everything fell into place. Harry was his…for now, and forever…

A/N: Sooo…kinda a long one-shot. And I think the ending is stupid, from "Draco, you should know I'm not as eloquent as you." Any suggestions on improvement will be taken under advisement...

Futher A/N: Under advisement I fixed the "clunkiness" of the ending (thank you DelorisPea).