Disclaimer:
I DON'T own Harry or Draco, unfortunately. Nor do I own anything else pertaining to Hogwarts/Harry potter.
Also. This is a SLASH, A YAOI, A FLAMINGLY GAY PIECE OF FANFICTION.
we will call it
FLAMEFICTION!)
If you don't like it, don't read. Please, continue.
It started before he knew what it was, how to handle it. It started so early on. And, God, for Ten years, it hadn't ended. The feeling hadn't died.
So young, it seemed, to fall in love. Too young. Maybe that was why he didn't believe it was love until so many years later. Draco couldn't understand how he had been chained so early in his life, and never released. Chained by the defiant look of that young boy on the day they met. Chained by the sadness in both their hearts.
Ever since that day at Hogwarts. He had followed him, followed Harry Potter through everything. Always a step behind, or in the wrong direction, always a failed attempt to get closer to him. Childhood animosity was never such. It had always been fascination, admiration. It had always been love.
Now, their paths were finally converging, and all Draco could do was act like the spoiled young boy he had been all those years ago. The war had ended. His side had lost. His family had, eventually, died. Draco Malfoy had become nothing. In the blink of an eye, he was nothing.
Still, Harry Potter had the followers, the fame, and the friends. He had the public eye, and Draco's eye. He had risen through the tiers of the wizarding world to take a new place on the Hogwarts faculty. In all ways, Harry was the success that Draco had been reaching for. In all ways, Harry was what Draco craved, envied, and desired.
And now, here in the great hall, on the day of the new school year, as the Headmistress spoke to the students, grey eyes met green.
Draco had wondered if Harry had forgotten him in the three years since the end of the war, but the look in his eyes clearly said otherwise. It was obvious that Harry did not expect Draco to be sitting at this table, to be here at Hogwarts, to be a member of this faculty. Still, it was easy to see from his eyes that he recognized the slightly scarred young blonde sitting on the opposite end of the long table.
That, at least, was a small triumph for Draco.
Headmistress McGonagall, though old, had a powerful voice that had lasted for years. That voice broke Draco out of his reverie, away from the green eyes that snared him.
"Please welcome a new addition to our teaching staff, a former student, and our newest Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Draco Malfoy."
McGonagall had never liked Draco much, but one would never have been able to tell from the tone of her voice and the way the hall reacted to her announcement. Actually, Draco had wondered why she had accepted him for the job, but they would have a long time to talk about it. For now, all that mattered was that she knew Draco was reformed. That they all knew Draco was reformed. He just hoped that Harry understood too.
He stood and bowed, emerald green robes shimmering in the candlelight, making him look noble again, though only for a moment. His smile was a little crooked, thanks to the scars on his face, but he was still handsome. The female students realized this immediately. It struck him then that a few years ago his surname would have been associated with danger, with evil, but not now. Apparently the Malfoy family had been forgotten. Well, that suited Draco just fine. As long as no one remembered who he was besides Harry he would be able to find contentment, if not happiness here.
Harry leaned forward, clapping with the rest of the hall, but still looking confusedly at his childhood nemesis. Draco sat down, eyes moving at once back to the man he had come here to find. This time, he wouldn't screw things up. This time, he would fulfill his dreams of this strange romance.
Hey, Potter, He thought with an arrogant smirk, settling back into his seat. Maybe this'll be just like old times.
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The tables had, once again, magically cleared themselves, the students had, once again, returned to their dormitories. Teachers had retired to their chambers, and the great hall was empty. Well, more or less. Draco was planning on waiting for Harry outside, but he found himself fortunate when he overheard a discussion that was clearly not meant for his ears.
"Headmistress, You were supposed to inform all of us when there was a new appointment to the position! Especially a former death eater! Especially Draco Malfoy!"
"Potter, you're giving me a headache," the old, tired voice of his once professor responded. "I told you, it was a last minute decision. Besides, you would have quit, and we need you this year. You're the new head of Gryffindor house, not to mention every student's favorite Transfiguration teacher." Her voice was full of pride, yet he didn't acknowledge it at all.
"Headmistress, please reconsider this appointment. Malfoy? He'll ruin the program. Defense against the Dark Arts is just that. Defense. He'll turn this academy into another Durmstrang if you let him."
She laughed, clearly putting Harry on edge, "Well then, I just won't let him." She was mocking him.
"Fine. I'll keep an eye on him if you won't," he responded heatedly. Draco heard his footsteps stomping toward the doors, toward him. Draco didn't have time to avoid Harry, but he wanted the man to see him anyways. He wanted to show Potter just how different he could be from the old Draco.
Harry pushed through the double doors, practically running into Draco as he did so. He was clearly not happy.
"Malfoy!" he blurted out, already on edge. "Merlin— I didn't—" He took a second to compose himself under Malfoy's self-satisfied smile, "Good evening, Professor." He said after a moment, sidestepping Draco and heading toward the staircase.
"Good evening?" Draco turned toward him, indignant voice stopping Harry in his tracks. "What, Potter, after three years? That's it? Nothing like 'How was Azkaban, Malfoy' or 'kill any new muggles lately?' I expected something a bit more hostile from someone who just spent the evening shouting at our headmistress about me."
Harry didn't respond at first. He had always tried to put himself above Draco's favorite sarcastic argumentation. Still, he found that three years, no, more than that, without facing this idiot had put him out of practice. Somehow, he couldn't stop himself.
"I'm not in the mood, Malfoy."
Ah, that was more like it. Draco grinned and walked closer to Harry who was clearly trying to get away as soon as possible.
"I can tell. Then again, are you ever in the mood to argue with me?"
Harry fumed. Malfoy didn't even have to say anything to get him riled up. His being there was all the provocation Harry needed, and he could tell that the ex-slytherin was reveling in it.
"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Diving straight to the point was always how Harry dealt with him.
"Teaching." Draco knew how to make Harry angry. And for some reason, he was pushing all the buttons now. Short, obvious responses. Force him to keep talking.
"When did you get out of Azkaban?"
Draco glared at this one, old animosity showing up once again. Apparently, Harry knew his buttons too. "That's none of your business, Potter."
He sighed, shaking his head, old glasses slipping to the end of his nose. "Merlin, you haven't changed at all. Some of us have grown up, Malfoy. You might want to catch up."
"What?!" Draco had nothing to say to that. For once, the charismatic blonde was speechless, and he stood idly by while Harry turned, making his way up the stairs.
Draco, in a state of confusion, turned toward the dungeons, toward his chambers, saddened and disheartened. Harry was right. They weren't students anymore. But Draco couldn't quell the longing that everything could become what it used to be. True, back then Harry had disliked Draco, but now…
Draco closed his eyes, as the word "hate" popped into his mind.
Merlin… If Harry harbored this hatred for him, how on earth could Draco take his heart?
"Fine, two can play this game. You want to act all mature and emotionless, be my guest. I'll make you love me yet."