Chapter 4
Harry had worried for hours by the time Thursday night finally arrived. When would be the proper time to go? It was already 11. Should he go now? Was Draco already waiting? Or would Harry end up being unreasonably early?
After a little more uncertainty, he finally decided to go now. Who cared if he was early? But then again… he didn't want to be stuck there with nothing to do. So he grabbed his school bag and headed off under his invisibility cloak.
He was a nervous wreck walking up the stairs. His heart sped up with every step. He stared at the darkened door for a good minute or so before he took a deep breath and finally found the courage to turn the knob.
The room was still empty. He sighed in disappointment and quickly went to sit down by the window.
He thought about lighting the candle he'd brought but it wasn't really necessary next to the bright window. The window was rather intriguing. The moonlight seemed amplified and it flooded the room. Even though the moon wasn't even full, only a thin sliver of its full shape.
Harry shook it off. Most rooms in Hogwarts were magical. Like the room of requirement.
He concentrated on his homework. It wasn't particularly difficult, but definitely time consuming. And that was exactly what he needed.
After about an hour the door finally opened. Harry looked up and saw a slightly ruffled looking Malfoy saunter inside before closing and locking the door.
Malfoy yawned and shuffled forward a little before plopping down next to Harry. Harry was a little taken aback. Draco had always been so… upper-class. As though he were in another social group and entirely unattainable. Un-relatable. A person as cold and hard as all the galleons they owned.
But now he seemed so normal.
"Been here long, Potter?"
Harry swallowed and tried to find his voice, "Not really."
"Then what's all this?" Draco said motioning to Harry's papers strewn around him.
"Just something to keep me busy…" Harry muttered.
Draco shrugged and leaned back against the frosty looking window, closing his eyes with a sigh.
Harry organized most of his homework into a pile and shoved it aside along with his bag. He stared at Draco analyzing his features carefully.
They were still kinda… pointy. But not in the same way. Somehow Malfoy had changed without Harry really taking notice. His features seemed more delicate. Aristocratic yes, but there was just something… soft about him. And yet still undeniably masculine. Harry liked it.
"Staring again?" Draco asked not even bothering to open his eyes.
Harry blushed a little and looked away muttering a hasty apology.
"So… why are we here?"
Draco opened his eyes slowly and stared straight ahead into the empty space.
"I'm not sure exactly."
"Well umm… what happened last time… was… well…" Harry struggled for the right adjective.
"Sudden?"
"Yeah, but I was thinking… umm…"
"Surprising? Accidental? Strange? Odd?"
At first Harry planned to chastise Draco for not giving him a chance to come up with the word on his own. But then he realized the words that Draco had been offering.
"Odd? …So you thought it was odd…" Harry asked dejectedly.
"Hell yeah I did." Draco said quickly but then continued even faster, "Not that it was bad or anything. Quite the opposite really. Just that in the end, I'd fucked Harry Potter. And that's pretty odd. No offense."
Harry tried his best to smile, "None taken."
Draco gave him an appraising look for a moment before changing the subject, "I lied earlier."
"Hm? About what?"
"When you asked why we're here. I do have a reason for inviting you. A Malfoy never does anything without a reason."
"Right," Harry chuckled, "So then what's the reason?"
Draco turned and stared at him, his face blank for a long moment before a devilish smirk slowly rose on his lips. He was plotting something. Harry could tell. He'd seen that look before and it was always cause for alarm. Because Draco's plans were hardly ever good for Harry.
"Have you ever heard of the concept 'friends with benefits'?" Draco said in a low voice, the mischievous smirk not faltering for even a moment.
Harry's eyebrows must have hit his hairline in two seconds flat. Of course he knew what that was. What that meant… But was Draco suggesting…?
"Of course Malfoy, I haven't been living under a rock for my entire life you know." Harry shot back as confidently as he could.
Draco smiled a bit before he looked away again, "Well I'd been thinking… I'm bored. You're lonely. And-"
"Lonely?" Harry interjected, "I am not lonely, Malfoy."
Draco rolled his eyes, "You can leave your denial at the door, Potter. You can't bullshit a bullshitter. Now as I was saying," Draco continued as though daring Harry to interrupt again, "much as I hate you, because don't get me twisted here, I still hate you- if I was looking for a lay with no attachments you'd be the top choice. Because we're completely disconnected. And I wouldn't have to deal with some lovesick girl chasing me around all the bloody time. It'd just be a casual fuck."
Harry thought it over a bit, "That altogether sounds like a poor excuse for you to try and get me in the sack again. What the hell kind of explanation is that? Just because we don't know each other we should be able to have sex with no attachments? Come on Malfoy. If you're trying to convince me to bend over for you again you can do better than that."
Draco's face broke into a wide grin and for a moment before he burst out laughing, "So Gryffindors really aren't as stupid as they look! True, there is more to the story but I'm not telling you. So far as you need to know, I'm just a very horny guy who's looking for some hot hero-of-the-entire-fucking-world action, yeah?"
Harry chuckled, "Sorry, but I'm not agreeing to anything till you explain yourself."
Draco shrugged him off, "Fine then."
Harry's throat went dry. That wasn't what he was expecting. Not from the Draco who could argue his way into or out of anything. Not from Draco, whose powers of coercion had always been the absolute best. He could convince nearly any teacher that his work whether standard or even sub-par was worth an A+. Draco Malfoy was a bullshitter through and through. And he was never one to give up on something he wanted.
"I'm not gonna argue with you over it, Potter. It's a take it or leave it kind of deal."
Harry swallowed. He had been thinking about it…dreaming about it.
"Well… you were right about one thing. I guess I am kinda lonely. But there are other things besides sex. I mean, I'm sure you know what it feels like not to have anyone to talk to. I can only talk to certain people without being afraid they'd be tortured for info… I mean… it wouldn't be a bad idea to have an outlet. But… you?"
"Oh flattery will get you everywhere, scarhead."
Harry didn't laugh, trying to get his seriousness across, "You seriously expect me to trust a Death Eater."
The playful smirk on Draco's face dissipated so quickly Harry could hardly keep up, "I am not a Death Eater." He bit out emphasizing each and every syllable. His face looked darkly serious now.
Harry sized him up for a moment trying to become a human lie detector. Draco's anger certainly seemed genuine.
"Well sorry for assuming, but it's really not that far of a jump."
Draco scowled and turned away, "Just because my family is loyal to the Dark Lord doesn't mean I am."
"Right." Harry agreed reluctantly. But there was obvious doubt strained between them. They both knew which side of the war Draco was currently on.
"Still…" Draco assented with a sigh, "There really is no way for us to trust each other is there?"
"Well there are binding spells…" Harry started but the scornful look on Draco's face made him trail off.
"Binding spells? You can't be serious. Now I may not be the best person, hell I know I can be awful. But I'm man enough that I don't need a spell to keep my word."
Harry raised an eyebrow. Draco turned his entire body to face Harry and he stared straight into his eyes with a look of pure sincerity.
"How about this: anything said or done in this room doesn't leave this room. Regardless of loyalties or the damned war. This room is entirely neutral. Agreed?" Draco said offering his hand out for Harry to take.
His eyes were determined and his face bore no sign of doubt or dishonesty.
Harry glanced down at Draco's hand and back up at his face. The part of him that enjoyed that night before a little too much was screaming to go ahead with it. But Harry knew he had to be careful. He couldn't just rush in headfirst.
Or could he? Isn't that how he always did things? And didn't it always work out?
Sure maybe he shouldn't have tempted fate again and again. But in the end, Harry's intuition had saved him countless times. And right now, he could feel that Draco wasn't lying.
"You swear that on your life? You'd rather die than tell even one little thing?"
Draco's mouth tightened into a frown and he seemed to be faltering for a moment. Then he smirked, "You can bet that tight little ass of yours, Potter."