A/N: So this is the first story I've written in awhile, it will probably be rated M in later chapters, but I don't know yet. Enjoy!
Harry rushed around the corner, and peeked down the hallway he'd just left before continuing on. He was walking very quickly, almost running, but didn't want to be noticed. He had to get away though. Someone was following him. He stopped to get a fast glance in before turning the next corner, when he saw the bob of blonde hair rounding the previous corner. Harry panicked, and started into a full on sprint.
He didn't bother to look back anymore, just running as quickly as possible to the 8th year tower, and to the safety of his bed in the Gryffindor dorms. This, all of this, was absolute madness. He shouldn't be running away like a scared little child. He was the bloody savior, for Merlin's sake. But of all people, Malfoy had him running like death was after him.
He approached the portrait of the beautiful, golden haired woman, dragging a silver comb through her locks. She was airy, and carefree, and didn't seem to notice Harry standing there impatiently, nearly shouting the password at her.
"Mermaid tails. Mermaid tails! MERMAID TAILS!" Harry desperately needed her attention. He needed up into the dorms before Malfoy could catch up to him, and do whatever devious thing he was planning. Of course, Harry didn't know what it was. It was enough that Malfoy was following him. He'd been staring at Harry all through breakfast, and then nearly caught him before lunch, when he and Hermione had been studying by the lake. He'd stared at him again all through lunch, and then had started to follow Harry out of the Great Hall, and that'd been when Harry decided to hide under his covers, like a first year, until he would go away. It's not as though they were enemies anymore, they were civil now. Had put the past behind them, and moved on. They were even on the cusp of friendship. Not if he's going to behave this way though, Harry thought.
The blonde woman finally looked down at Harry, after giving a clearly annoyed sigh. As if nothing could be more important than combing her hair, and staring out of her window, Merlin only knows at what.
"What?" She glared down at him.
"You've got to let me in before-"
"Before what? What could possibly happen that I can't finish this last stretch of hair I've to comb?
It was then that Malfoy had gotten there, cheeks pink and breath short. Blast it all. The blonde leaned against the wall, and gave Harry a look he didn't quite understand. It wasn't hateful, or mean at all. He sort of looked like a third year girl with a school crush.
"Harry," he whined, a particularly cute whine, but Harry wouldn't dare admit it. Ron had enough of a fit when Harry announced that he was gay, rather unceremoniously, his ears would bloody explode if Ron heard about his secret crush on Draco Malfoy.
"Why are you running away from me? I'm just trying to speak with you. It's sort of important."
"Why have you been staring at me all day, and following me? It's pretty creepy, Malfoy. Even for you."
Malfoy looked hurt, that Harry could call him such a thing, and stepped a little back, as if the six extra inches could defer the hurt feelings the word had caused him.
"Well, never you mind then, it doesn't matter anyway," he spat out at Harry before turning to stomp down the hallway he had come down.
Harry sighed, and turned his attention back to the portrait. "Will you please let me in now?"
"Password?"
Harry tried very hard to control himself, and he had gotten very good at it, recently. What with the hordes of screaming fans, and people coming to kiss his cheeks, his hands, his feet, anything really.
"Mermaid tails." He said, flatly.
She swung open, and Harry stepped through to the 8th year common room.
It was decorated strangely. Beautifully, but strangely. There were all sorts of colors, two from every house. Lots of sofas, big, fluffy reading chairs, and tables with wooden backed ones for studying. Not that there was a lot of studying. Mostly a lot of drinking.
Hermione was settled in a crimson sofa, stretched along the length, book in her lap. She looked up as Harry approached her, her brows immediately furrowing when she saw his exasperated look.
She sat up a bit, as to engage her full attention. "What's wrong, Harry?" She asked, concern dripping from her words.
"Malfoy has been starting at me all day, and following me! And when he finally caught up to me, he said he'd something important to tell me, and then I may have said he was creepy. He got all hurt, and ran off." Harry started, flustered. "I don't understand why he couldn't just wait and tell me later, why he's to follow me around like a ridiculous fan girl and ogle me with his big, grey eyes. They're like little moons, just floating in his skull, with nothing better to do than suck me in, and..." Harry trailed off. He didn't want to start a rant to Hermione. She knew how he felt. He didn't tell her, she was just very observant. Right this moment though, she looked a little flushed, embarrassed. Like she was a little girl, and she had just gotten caught doing something naughty.
Harry narrowed his eyes. "Something to say, Mione?"
She sighed, and then blurted out, "I may have made a potion and then put it in that cologne I gave you awhile back, and not told you. Though it hurts my feelings that you haven't worn it before today. It's been months."
"What sort of potion, Mione?" Harry was growing increasingly impatient by the second.
"It was supposed to cause someone who truly loved you, assuming they could smell it at some point, to come to grips with their feelings and give them this overwhelming... urge to tell you how they felt."
Harry almost hexed her. But instead, he just yelled. He wasn't sure hexing her would have been productive anyways. She would have just thrown it back at him.
"Are you bloody serious, Hermione?! " Harry didn't even know what to say to this. He buried his head in his hands, and contemplated what to do about Malfoy, and his apparent love interest in Harry. Not that he was totally opposed, he just hadn't sorted out how he felt. He hadn't even asked him out for a butterbeer, or a cup of tea, or anything. They hadn't even kissed yet!
Harry tromped off to the dorms for nap, he would figure this out in the evening.