Beloved Enemy?
Draco picked a bean onto his fork and looked down on his plate. It had been a damned long day and he didn't feel chatty. By the time someone talked to him he replied a muttered insult and looked down again.
He wasn't exactly clear about what was going on, on his mind.
There had been that Quidditch match today. He had been just about to catch the golden snitch when Potter came along and accidentally crashed into him. Both of them had landed on the floor, first Draco and on top of him Potter. Draco had tried hard to spit some words at Potter but the only thing he could think of was, if Potter had been hurt. Shaking his head he had scrambled for freedom and looked directly into Potter's eyes as he finally managed to free himself.
Those bright green eyes. He could still see them when he closed his eyes. Dude, Draco felt some kind of fucked up. He had thought about his worst enemies' eyes for at least twenty minutes, so YES he was fucked up.
When everybody else had left, he stood up as well and walked down to the Slytherin's dormitory. He didn't want to see anybody, so he went up rapidly and lay down on his bed.
A green sparkle. The smell of fresh air and a joyful laughter. 'Come over here, Draco!' a boy with dark hair shouted towards him. As he caught up with the boy he grinned as he pushed him onto the green meadow. He let himself fall next to him and sighed. 'You know this isn't supposed to be?', the other one asked. Draco nodded and added 'So let's enjoy it as long as we can make it last.' He bent over the boy and brushed his lips lightly. 'I love you Harry.', Draco whispered.
Draco sat up straight in his bed, wet from his own sweat. Did he just dream of confessing his love to Potter? He knew the answer and hated himself for it. 'I'm a bloody gay.' He thought, as he dressed up.
It was Sunday so in fact he could have went back into bed, but once he was awake he didn't fall asleep again easily. When he entered the great hall the tower clock struck eight o'clock. He didn't feel very hungry so he ate a bit toast and a cup of tea. He thought about going to the Quidditch place in order to have a training session, as he recognised that he didn't even know if Potter was hurt badly. Therefore he decided to have a quick side-trip to the hospital wing. At this time no one else would be there, so he wouldn't get into any trouble.
As he passed through the long white corridor he felt tension building up and spreading all over his body. What if Harry...er...Potter was hurt? Would he stay with him to say sorry? 'Saying sorry? For what?' he shrugged off himself.
Draco stepped into the room where all the Quidditch invalids had been brought. All of them with bigger wounds or broken bones- It had been a rough match.
When Draco turned around, he saw Harry lying on one of those rickety beds. Without hesitation he stepped forward and found himself in front of Harry's bed.
He didn't move. Just stood still and kept looking at Harry. This fuzzy hair. The innocent and though mature expression on his face. These green eyes...the eyes? Draco didn't notice Harry had woken up.
'So let's have another try. What for Merlin's sake do you do here?' Harry said after he cleared his throat to get Draco's attention.
'I er... Someone told me you got hurt...yesterday...'
'Yes. I guess you remember this incident...us both...on the floor...well I scratched my leg somehow. Anyway. Nothing serious. So, you're still here. To what do I owe the honour?' Harry teased.
'Ah shut up Potter. I just wanted to ask if...you'd...better said if we could spent some training time together. Maybe this afternoon?' Draco asked in a rough voice.
God, did he just ask Potter, whether he'd like to train with him?
He tried not to look too rattled and kept looking at Harry...er...Potter, in order to keep face.
Harry seemed a little uncertain himself as he replied: 'Er... Malfoy...I really don't know what makes you think I'd like to...But...I got no plans for today...except that stupid essay for potions... so...see you at 3 o'clock at the Quidditch field?'
'Yes. Brilliant. Maybe you don't suck that bad.' Malfoy said as he left the room rapidly, feeling his face blushing deeply.
'Bloody hell.' He said to himself, rushing into the common room.
'Malfoy? Where have you been? We've been waiting for you!' Crabb asked.
'Shut up.' He replied annoyed and sat down on a red couch. Draco still didn't want to talk to anybody, but he supposed it might keep him from thinking about this afternoon.
The whole Slytherin house seemed to celebrate the won match yesterday, therefore Draco didn't have to have brainy conversations about something else but Quidditch.
He talked to Lily Moon, a girl that seemed to have a pretty little crush on him.
'You've been fantastic, compared to you, Harry Potter can pack his stuff and fly back home!' She laughed and swung her long darkly red hair over her shoulder.
'Think so?' Draco mumbled and stared into the fireplace.
'Of course I do. Never mind this whole 'the boy who lived' stuff. One day YOU will be the hero. Well at least you'd be the better looking one.' She said and giggled.
'I guess I need something to drink. Somebody else a butter beer?' Draco said, moving away from Lily as fast as he could. He didn't want to talk or even think about Potter. Well to be honest, he wanted nothing more badly but he was a Malfoy and he just couldn't ... be whatever with a mudblood's friend and even more crucial not with Potter.
'It's enough Draco.' He told himself. 'It's not like I'm going to make out with him or something. I share one Quidditch practice with him and that's it.'
Like so often in this time of the year, it had started to rain heavily. Draco wrapped his robe around him more tightly and kept walking down the path to the Quidditch field. He had turned around a couple of times, because he was afraid somebody might have followed him. The last thing he needed right now, were some bloody rumours about him and Potter.
This weather sucks. He complained and thought: So does Potter. Probably he won't even come.
But Potter did come. When Malfoy had nearly reached the field, he let his eyes wander across the rainy sky, one tiny red spot appeared to be Harry.
He sat down on his broom and flew into the direction where he supposed Harry to be.
'Hey Potter. So you came!' he said coldly.
'So did you.' Potter replied.
'Let's see who'll catch that snitch first, shall we?' Malfoy interrupted the embarrassing silence and freed the golden ball from his hand.
Just in the second the snitch left his hand, Harry turned around and followed it. How could somebody fly that accurate and precise? Draco felt a rush of envy coming up. He was a Malfoy, he would be the winner in that challenge! He followed Harry but made sure, not to be faster than him. Naturally he didn't want to have another crash.
'What are you waiting for, Malfoy? Didn't think you'd make it that easy for me to win!' Potter shouted after him.
'Easy? Did you forget yesterday's Quidditch result?' Suddenly being ambitious, Malfoy flew faster and caught Harry up. Of course he was going to win. Or was he? One short glance to his left made him forgot all his ambitions. Those green eyes sparkled through the rain soaked black hair.
'Give up so easily?' Potter asks as he recognised that Malfoy had stopped following him. Giving up? No way. He had to... A golden glimmer interrupted his thoughts and he let himself drift down a couple of feet. Obviously Harry had seen the snitch too, cause when Draco reached out his hand, Harry's touch his. Somehow Harry still managed to be faster and caught the golden snitch at first. 'See! Won! But let's get down there, it's raining and I don't want a cold.' Potter claimed and rushed down to the ground. Draco followed him silently.
As they met on the ground, Draco thought if something he could say to gain back Harry's respect.
'I let you win...just wanted to cheer you up, since you lost the match yesterday!' he said as roughly as possible.
'Yeah Sure!' Harry nodded.
'Let's get rid of these wet clothes!' Draco replied. They went straightway to the tents where they usually dressed for the games. Harry put the plane aside and opened the entrance for Draco.
'Ladies first!' He said and grinned.
What for god's sake made Potter that self-confident? While he felt quite uncomfortable, he walked into the tent and kept his face straight.
As he didn't react in any way, Potter still seemed contended. Draco relieved himself from his drenched gloves and gave Harry a short glimpse, as he put off his clothes.
'Would you stop staring at me? This seems a little awkward to me...you know...I'm a bloke and so are you... and I am undressed so...' Harry said but didn't sound truly convincing.
'I am not staring at you!' Draco replied trying hard to sound angrily. In fact he did stare at him and he wondered if Potter looked even more vulnerable when he didn't wear anything.
'Of course you are! Actually you are right in this moment!' Potter said and bend his head to his shoulder.
'No I AM NOT!'
'What ever. Anyway... I do wonder why you asked for this...er...training?' Potter asked.
This was the question Draco had been afraid of. He had to think of an accurate answer. 'Well...I thought we might...discuss our strategy how to win against er...Ravenclaw!' Draco realised how stupid this must have sounded.
'Yeah Sure. Wait I can help you with that...' Harry claimed as he saw how Malfoy tried to open his cape.
A blink later Draco felt two hands at his back. In perfection of use, the knot was opened and the cape on the floor. But Harry's fingers stayed at the same place. Draco turned around slowly and brushed away Harry's hands.
'Hell! Only because I asked for some time with you, it doesn't mean that I want you to...'
'That you want me to do what?' Harry grinned.
'To touch me like that.' Draco tried to sound disgustedly.
'Oh sure.' Harry turned around and left the tent.
'Brilliant. Go and leave me alone. Run away you mudbloodfucker! Run away like you always do!' Draco thought and recognised how hard he wished Harry to stay.
He didn't think at all as he started to run.
He didn't think as he cried for Harry.
His heart seemed to stop , when Harry finally stopped and turned around.
Later none of them could have told how many minutes they stood on the Quidditch field like that. Staring at each other, trying to figure out what would happen next. Finally it was Draco who broke the silence,
'I'm not good at that stuff.'
'Stuff?' Harry asked confusedly.
'Talking 'bout feelings. I'm not supposed to, since I am a Malfoy...my father once told me, the one who shows his feelings, is the first one to be hurt. Anyway. I didn't exactly ask for some time with you because of Quidditch. You know we've been enemies for the past five years...and er...I guess I somehow grew up. And I don't think it is hate that I feel right in this moment.' Draco smiled sadly and noticed this was the first non malicious smile he ever gave to Harry since they first met.
He just couldn't interpret Harry's expression.
Was it astonishment? Probably confusion or even fear?
'Hey I know how this must have sounded like to you. I just couldn't act like I didn't...' He got interrupted by Harry: 'Stop bloody talking! I know too well how you must feel, so let's ease the pain, shall we?' Harry came closer to Draco. Where did this whole thing go? Surely Potter was making fun of him. Actually, why shouldn't he? This must have sounded truly awkward. Merlin, Draco wished he was able to apparate on the grounds of Hogwarts, so he could relocate somewhere far away.
'I'd like to say something as well if you allow. I am pretty sure even worse at talking about feelings than you are, but I don't...hate you too. Well not anymore. I did during the first four years, Merlin, I did! But I guess feelings can change.'
Draco didn't believe his ears. Was that Harry Potter in front of him, confessing to love him? Love...such a huge word.
'Now you stop talking, Potter! Otherwise we might end up in some chick-flick!' Draco grinned.
Draco took two more steps closer, so that he could feel Harry's warm breath on his skin.
Once more this day, Draco didn't think. He leaned against Harry and brushed his lips softly. First hesitating but soon with all of his heart, Harry kissed him back.
Time seemed to stand still as both were lost in one kiss followed by the next. All anger they had felt for so long seemed to have disappeared.
'I'm in love with you.' Draco mumbled as their lips rested.
'Now it's you who turns this in a freaking chick-flick!' Harry teased.
'I swear to Merlin, if you tell anyone...' Draco said seriously.
'Same for you. And by the way: I love you too.' Harry replied. It still hadn't stopped raining when Harry and Draco returned to their common rooms.
Later this day everybody sat down in the great hall.
Draco sat at his table lonely. He didn't want to sit with his so called friends.
He let his eyes wander across the hall. For one brief glance he saw those green eyes he dreamed of, those lips he had kissed, forming the three most beautiful words he ever heard. He wasn't alone, not any longer. But he wouldn't tell anyone, not yet.
The End