Harry is walking down a corridor minding his own business when someone's shoulder collides roughly with his own throwing him off balance and making him stumble back a few paces. Harry wheels around indignantly to chew the person out for bumping into him without even apologizing.

"Watch where you're going!" Harry yells irritated with the person's rudeness.

"Excuse me, your majesty," Draco mumbles barely sparing Harry a glance over his shoulder let alone the venomous glare he'd normally give Harry. Harry watches Draco's retreating form confused. Draco's shoulder's are hunched in a very unDraco way. He normally strutted around the castle with his cronies as if it were his castle and not a school, but here he is hunched over and cronieless. His pale blonde hair is ruffled and Harry could've sworn his nose and eyes were red. If it were just his nose Harry would attribute it to a cold. It was winter after all, but his eyes were watery, the rims of his eyes were red and his eyelids were puffy. Harry follows Draco, trying to be discreet. He watches from around a corner as Draco collapses onto a bench in one of the smaller, more secluded courtyards, which was completely vacant due to the cold and steady snowfall. Harry battles with this dilemma in his head, a large part of him wanted to go to Draco, listen to his problems and make him feel better, but the more rational part of him told him if he went to Draco they'd just fight and he'd make Draco even more upset. Harry looked back over to Draco who sniffles before he hunches over and puts his head in his hands his ruffled hair threading through his fingers. Harry decides he can't stand by and watch anymore and then he has an idea. Harry reaches into his bag and pulls out some parchment and a quill.

Draco looks up with a sniff when he feels something poking him in the shoulder. It was a paper airplane. Draco stares at it dumbly as it pokes him again more insistently. He takes the paper airplane and unfolds it to reveal the message

Are you alright?

"Who's there?" Draco questions looking around frantically, he had wanted to be alone. He hadn't wanted to be around anyone. Harry quickly scribbles another note. He folds it and charms it to fly to Draco. Draco spots the note and plucks it out of the air. He unfolds the note impatiently.

Doesn't matter. Are you alright?

Draco wrenches open his bag and pulls out a quill. He scribbles angrily on the back of the paper, crumples it into a ball, and throws it back over to the corner. Draco watches as it's levitated around the corner to his anonymous sympathizer.

No! Now bugger off! Harry smirks at the message on the crumpled paper. Draco tries to go back to his brooding when he feels another poke. He turns to see another airplane. He snatches it unfolding it angrily.

Why should I? Draco sneers at the note grabbing his quill and writing an answer on the back before hurling it at the corner where the anonymous writer was hiding. He watches it disappear behind the corner.

Because I said so! Harry snorts at the immaturity of the response before sending another note.

I'll leave when you tell me what's wrong. Draco smirks as he reads the wheedling note.

I don't even know who you are. Harry chews on the end of his quill trying to think of a response.

Shouldn't that make it easier? It's like a diary. Dear diary… Draco rolls his eyes.

Not really. You could be anyone. Harry sighs.

But that's the fun part. Draco glares distastefully at the note before crumpling it up and throwing it on the ground without writing a response. For a moment Draco thinks the anonymous writer had left, but then he feels something poke his shoulder.

Come on, you can tell me. Draco smirks crumpling the note and dropping it to the ground. Then he feels another poke on his shoulder.

I won't tell anyone I swear. Draco snorts not believing the note. This whole thing was suspicious as far as he was concerned. So once again he crumples the note and once again feels something poking his shoulder.

Please. Draco drops the note on the ground not even bothering to crumple it this time. Then he turns to see a whole brigade of paper airplanes heading in his direction one by one from around the corner.

"Fine! Sheesh!" Draco huffs grabbing the nearest airplane to write on.

It's all too much. Harry tilts his head quizzically before writing a response.

What is? Draco sighs asking himself if this was really a good idea, but this stranger intrigued him. If this stranger was in fact one of his friends why wouldn't they just ask him directly, but who other than his friends would care this much? So he scribbled a response.

School. Quidditch. Personal life. Everything. Harry drums his numb fingers on the stone slab floor debating what to write. He wanted to ask about the personal life part, but he didn't want Draco to stop writing to him. He finally decides to go for it anyway and hope for the best. There wasn't going to be a better opportunity than this.

Personal life? Draco stares at the note trying to decide how much to write. He didn't even know who he was writing to after all.

There's someone I like, but I'm pretty sure they hate me. Harry's eyes widen in surprise his stomach twisting in knots. He hadn't been expecting this.

Is there any chance you'll tell me who? Draco smiles wryly flipping the paper over and writing purposefully.

No. I can't tell anyone. I can't even confess to them, besides they probably have people lining out the door for the chance to date them. Harry looks at the note sadly before writing back.

Maybe you should try. You won't really know what they think of you if you don't. Draco stares at the note mortified, meanwhile Harry is kicking himself for encouraging Draco to pursue someone else, but if he was so upset about it… Harry is brought back to the task at hand when he hears Draco's quill scratching on the parchment at top speed.

No! That's a very bad idea! If I told him he'd probably hex me or something! Not to mention the fact that it'd be humiliating and did I mention he hates me? I don't even think he's gay. Harry looks at the note angrily. He can't even enjoy the confirmation that Draco's gay because he's too upset that this guy would treat Draco like that. Harry takes a chance with his next note.

I'd say yes if you asked me out. Draco flushes a bit before collecting himself and jotting down his response.

So my diary's a secret admirer too? Harry can feel the self-satisfaction and gloating oozing from the note.

Does it really matter? Draco smirks at his victory before biting his lower lip and writing his reply.

Yes, it's very flattering. Is there any chance you'll tell me who you are? Harry smiles at the first part, before reading the second, which turns his smile to a contemplative frown.

No. You'll stop talking to me if you know who I am. You'd probably hex me for extra measure. Draco frowns because despite what people thought there really aren't many people he'd hex if they liked him especially if they'd tried so hard to cheer him up even if he didn't necessarily like them back.

I promise I won't hex you. Harry laughs before contemplating his options. He could completely blow his plan of staying anonymous and confess. Draco did say he wouldn't hex him and maybe this conversation might make Draco see that he's not as bad as he thinks. The safer option would be to just refuse.

"Hey Harry! What are you doing all the way down there?" Ron shouts down the corridor making Harry jump.

"Harry?" Draco questions his eyes wide. Harry tries to shove his stuff in his bag before making a break for it. Draco runs to the corner, but all he saw was a glimpse of a red and gold scarf and the back of some black school robes. He looks down at his feet seeing all the paper airplanes along with an abandoned ink well and quill. It couldn't have been Harry. His secret admirer probably got startled when Weasley yelled down the hall and left so no one would see them. Draco's hit again with the realization that he had no idea who this secret admirer was. It could be a girl or a gay boy. He/she could be from any house or any year. He/she could be the most ugly first year Hufflepuff he could ever imagine, but whoever they were they cared about him in a way not many did. He wanted to thank the secret admirer, because even though their conversation had been short and mostly him trying to get the secret admirer to leave it had made him feel better.