Chapter 3

I guess the word "gay" never crossed my mind when I was younger. I didn't have a problem with gay people; I just naturally assumed I'd be straight like the majority of the population. I had a couple of awkward kisses with Cho-Chang and then Ginny, but nothing that really… stood out. I figured I just had to wait for the right girl to come along… I had no idea that the right girl would happen to be a guy who is not only dating my best friend, but whose father happens to be working for a guy who wants me dead. Joy.

Hermione and Draco had been sending more and more time with each other making both me and Ron look like unfortunate tag alongs. After our conversation in the common room Ron clearly felt awkward to be around me so even we had been spending less time together. With my newly found alone time I had been mainly hanging around the library. I found comfort within books, any kind of book really although I had to admit to a guilty pleasure for muggle literature. Pulling out Wuthering Heights I found an isolated corner in the library and lost myself in the words. I always found it so beautiful how you could be so easily transported into another world… Escapism.

"Nice choice Potter. Anger, hatred, revenge. Right up my street," I looked up slowly to see Draco leaning against a bookshelf, his hair swept to one side and as always he was radiating self-confidence with his little half smile.

"Malfoy, you read muggle books?" He laughed and walked towards me,

"Well Potter, I am writing a novel. You'd have thought I'd have to read a variety of different styles before I could develop my own."

"So what's your style then?"

"I'll tell you what, you can read what I've written once I've finished and then you can tell me."

"Alright then," I shrugged feeling secretly intrigued. "How's Hermione?" I asked.

"Isn't she supposed to be your friend Potter?" He drawled raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah I guess I just…"

"So why don't you ask her yourself?"

"Look, why are you even here Malfoy?" I asked, losing my patience.

"It's a library Potter, why do you think I'm here?" and with a dazzling smile he pulled a book which looked a lot like a biography off the nearest shelf. "May I?" He asked, suggesting the seat next to my own.

"Uh, go for it," I mumbled, and in once almost graceful movement, he collapsed beside me. Upon opening the cover he seemed immediately absorbed in the words. I of course could barely breathe regularly, let alone read a book. I instead glanced over at him several times, yet thankfully he didn't seem to notice. After a while I couldn't stand the silence any longer.

"So what are you reading about?" I questioned awkwardly. He turned to face me and shrugged,

"I have no fucking idea, but whoever this guy is he didn't seem to lead a very interesting life."

"So why are you still reading it then?" I asked.

"I'd much rather read about reality than a pretend fantasy world. Besides, I do love a good biography. Always a death at the end," he grinned chuckling.

"Oh of course," I smiled and laughed with him.

We stayed like that for a while. Just chatting and laughing about trivial things, mainly books.

"So Potter, who is your favourite author? Besides me of course," He asked as we wandered around the shelves together.

"Firstly Malfoy, I have never read anything you have written before so you aren't even in the running, and secondly… I don't know. I don't read too much by one person because I get bored too easily. Besides there are so many books out there it seems like a waste of time to read everything by one author and to not read anything by another." He nodded.

"Nice philosophy. Anyway Harry, I'd better be off… Things to see, people to do, stories to write," he muttered.

"Wow Malfoy, first name basis? We'll be married next," I joked.

"You said it, not me. Besides I don't swing that way, wouldn't want to upset my girlfriend," and in a swift movement brushing gently against my shoulder he was gone. I looked around to see numerous people looking at me with blatant curiosity. My previous opinion of Malfoy wasn't exactly a secret so I guess it must've looked strange to see both of us chatting and laughing like old friends. Feeling both confused and in a state of shock, I wandered aimlessly down the corridors wondering whether I had imagined it all up.

Once I'd reached the corridor leading to the Gryffindor common room, I was reminded that it didn't matter whether our conversation was reality or imaginary. Draco and Hermione were pressed up against the wall making out passionately, until Hermione had recognised my presence. She leapt away from Draco as if he was a poisonous species of snake and fumbled awkwardly with her hair. Draco smiled in an almost triumphant way, making me want to smash his face into the ground. I strained myself from doing so and instead settled with a pathetic snide comment.

"Get a room why don't you?" I muttered. Draco smiled spitefully.

"Oh Potter, you really do need to get laid, don't you?" he laughed. Hermione smacked his arm gently but didn't even try to conceal her amusement.

"Oh lighten up Harry."

I didn't say anything and walked past them both, entering the common room.

That evening unable to help myself, I walked back to the classroom again expecting to see Draco hunched over his desk. Today however he surprised me. I saw him pacing back and forth muttering under his breath and although I was too far away to hear everything he was saying, I managed to pick out something… And that something was my name.