Chapter Four:

Melting

A/N: Read, Review, and Enjoy!

A wonderful thanks to PeruvianDarkness for being a great Beta.

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It took all of Draco's power and might not to stare at Harry. And it wasn't just during Potions, either... or at meals in the Great Hall... or Defence Against the Dark Arts. Or even at Quidditch Practice (as Draco had a perfect view from a Fourth Floor window of it and could peer out), straining his eyes just to focus in on Potter's figure zooming around the Pitch and giving orders to his team. Oh, no, it took even more strength and ability not to seek out Potter, to want to know where he was, what he was doing and who he was laughing with at that point in time.

It was beginning to take a sickening effect on the blonde, who was afraid to sleep these nights as his dreams were hazy reminders of the brunette. For in them, he swam in seas of deep emerald green and found his fingers lost and entwined in thick, messy raven hair. More than once, Draco had to request a Dreamless Sleep Draught from Madame Pomfrey, who was going to begin asking questions.

It was official; Draco Malfoy had gone insane. There was no other feasible reason as to why he had become so heavily infatuated with Potter as he was. By the time Saturday came around, Draco had come to the conclusion that what was happening had only a physical aspect to it. Potter was damn good looking and he merely wanted a taste, just like the majority of Hogwarts. He felt confident walking to the Black Lake, with his hair perfectly gelled, wearing his best set of Fall robes- the ones with a silver silk lining and his initials emblazoned on the clasp. Not only was he going to get a taste of him, but he was also going to make Potter want him too.

Draco wasn't about to sacrifice his reputation due to his teenage hormones. So he planned to seduce and use Potter, then dump him in the dirt once his needs were satisfied. It was the perfect plan. In theory. As soon as he arrived at the Lake where Potter already waited, however, it all fell to pieces.

Potter was wearing his baggy, Muggle rags. But, somehow, he managed to make them look good. He smiled graciously at Draco in greeting, causing the blonde's heart to thump harder in his chest.

"I'm surprised you came"

"What, and miss a personal meeting with the Wonder Boy?" Draco drawled, telling himself to stick to his earlier formulated plan. Seduce him... make him want you.

Harry blushed a pretty crimson that complimented his thick, dark locks. "Come on then. Unless you're too chicken," he smirked. They walked a couple feet apart, neither of them breaking the tense silence until Harry finally came to a stop underneath of a bare Lilac tree.

The tree wasn't far from the West side of the Forbidden Forest and was on slightly raised ground. They were quite the distance from the Castle and had a perfect view of the Lake and the East grounds.

"Come here often?" Draco asked, settling himself down beside Harry who was already sitting cross-legged leaning against the tree.

"Every day," Harry sighed contently, peering out across the expansive scenery, "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"I do hate to agree with you, but I must say this is quite the spot you have found," Draco admitted softly. He already felt so much less tense merely by being there.

"And the best part about it is that only 'Mione, Ron and I know about it so..."

"No little tossers sticking their noses where they don't belong?" Draco quoted Harry from the other day, they both laughed softly. Nobody would believe it if they saw it; Draco Malfoy, son of a convicted Death Eater and The-Boy-Who-Lived laughing openly together.

"So, you say that this is going to help me relax?" Draco asked, he was really hoping what Potter had promised would come true. Harry's smile turned into a smirk, he began riffling through his cloak pockets as he answered.

"Yessir. It'll mellow you right out. Even Snape couldn't bugger you," Harry blushed a deep red when he realized what he had said, "Er, I meant bug you," he corrected embarrassingly.

Draco raised his brow, "Got your mind in the gutter, have you Potter?" he teased, which deepened the blush on his cheeks.

"Just sit and watch so you can learn, Malfoy," Harry drawled heatedly and took from his pockets a few things. His wand, then an inch and a half long, small oblong shaped thing, much like a cigarette to Draco, and he popped it in his mouth. "Incendio," he mumbled, and from the tip of his wand sparks flew and connected with the twisted end of the cylindrical thing.

It lit on fire momentarily before going out at the inhalation of Harry's breath. Smoke immediately erupted in a thin stream up from its end, and once Harry inhaled again a small amount trickled out of his mouth. He furrowed his brows together and took an even deeper breath before exhaling, thin wisps of smoke staling the air with its thick stench. It smelt very herbal, yet very rotten as well. Draco felt his nose sniffling at the smell of it, and he watched in fascination as he saw Harry's eyes suddenly change.

Out from his astounding emerald iris' sprouted tiny, nearly unnoticeable red veins that pulsated more heavily now, his pupils largely dilated as he took another long, large puff off of the marijuana cigarette creating a small trail of ash on it. He flicked the ash off to the side and sighed contently.

Draco was still staring at him, noticing almost every small little physical trait difference in Harry. He appeared to be slightly more relaxed than before, his shoulders slouched and his smile lay lazily on his lips. His hair ruffled more with the wind, his baggy muggle clothes flapped lightly.

"Mmm, Purple Haze," Harry whispered, throwing Draco out of his stupor and back into reality.

"What is that?" Draco asked, his posture composed now.

"The weed,"

"The what?"

"The weed-the Marijuana. They come in different strains, and each is either Male or Female...it's kind of like a different section of Herbology," Harry explained, "Many Muggle's successfully cultivate it,"

"Oh,"

Harry licked his lips and swallowed before pinching the lip of the joint and handing it over to Draco who looked down at it curiously before taking it, "Now just inhale it, hold it in, and then exhale. It might taste and feel a bit odd at first," he said, watching eyes growing wide with simple delight as Draco slowly followed his instructions. Harry was nearly overcome just by thinking about what was happening; he had convinced Draco Malfoy to get high with him. It was a miracle, yet it happened so simply!

Draco coughed loudly at the same time as his exhale, his eyes scrunched and immediately filling with prickles of tears. He had inhaled deeply and held it in for as long as he could, but suddenly the contents of the smoke were travelling through his system, nerve-to-nerve and a shiver went up his spine. His body felt...kind of numb. Tingling, almost.

Harry grinned largely and padded him theatrically on the back, earning him a dark glare as Draco recovered and sat up straight once again. He took a minute of gathering his wits before trying again, ignoring the haze he was already falling into. This time he held it in for a shorter amount of time and then exhaled it through his nostrils and mouth together. The smoke wisped in front of his face, the wind blew it back and stung his eyes slightly.

Immediately he could tell. He was high. He had done illegal Muggle drugs, and he was most definitely high off of them. When he turned to look across the Grounds now, his eyes were narrowed to near slits and his breathing was much heavier. His back curled up against the ridged tree root and he observed. Everything looked the same, but it felt different. It felt like that beautiful place had taken the step up to heavenly.

He turned to Harry who was grinning like a mad fool, and Draco cursed himself for grinning back.

"Doesn't this feel weird?" Draco asked in a small whisper.

"Hmm? Being stoned?"

"No... well yes, but...Us. Us being, well, this...whatever-" Draco sighed, he simply couldn't get his words out correctly. He was too nervous, sitting so close to Harry who rested with his sweater unbuttoned, both with hazy minds and bloodshot eyes.

"Us being friends?" Harry offered.

Draco's face scrunched up, "Friends? Don't get ahead of yourself, Potter, I meant," he cleared his through and attempted to ignore the dryness in his mouth, "Is it not strange that you and I are getting along? You put my Father in prison, I tormented you for six years,"

"That wasn't completely one-sided. Ron and I were quite the arseholes to you, but that was the past and this is now," Harry shrugged, "Now stop ruining the mood and smoke this," the brunette quickly lit the second joint as he had promptly completed the first, he thrust it into Draco's mouth before he could speak. "I am personally taking it upon myself, whether you want me to or not, you prat, to mellow you out today. It's my guarantee!" Harry finished chipperly.

Draco sneered darkly at him but said nothing as he inhaled twice and passed it off. Potter personally relaxing him, well that didn't sound too bad to Draco at all.

He inhaled again but held it into long moce more, coughing and clutching painfully at his chest where his lungs felt as though they were constricting. Harry chortled, "So how do you feel?" he asked tentatively, puffing deeply on the joint.

Draco took a deep breath and felt the cool wind tickle his cheeks. Although his heart was beating rapdily, his head was clear of all thoughts. He relished in the small blades of grass that brushed up against his hand that lay at his side. Draco giggled, resting his head back against the tree and closing his eyes unsure of Potter's intent gaze on him.

The Malfoy Estate didn't exist at the moment, or NEWT-level exams due to approach, or all of his Head Boy duties. None of it really mattered to Draco, the only thing that did was the blades of grass tickling his goose-bumped skin. But all good things must come to an end and the dryness in his mouth was no unavoidable.

"Potter, why's my mouth-"

"Ah, right. That happens," Harry laughed and with that he retrieved from his cloak pocket a small purple velvet bag. From it, he pulled two items which automatically returned to normal size upon hitting the atmosphere. Draco's eyes went comically wide as Harry grinned at him, "It's a Shrinking bag. You put items inside, they shrink and become lighter. Can fit a hundred and one things in here, honestly!"

"Right, what're those for?" Draco pointed to the two items that lay in Harry's lap now.

"Get rid of your dry mouth, what else are cups for?" Harry smirked, set out the cups on the grass in front of them and then pointed his wand at them, "Auguimenti," he said and a small stream of water erupted from the tip of his wand and split into two. Like a waterfall, the spell filled up the glasses before he ended it and put his wand aside to take a large gulp of water.

Draco sipped at his own, until he remembered how dry his mouth was and downed the water. From there-on-in they sat in comfortable silence, neither wishing to break the spell of it all, in fear it would bring back the real world and who they were with it. Draco shifted so he could get a continuous profile shot at Harry without making it seem as though he was staring.

He felt at such ease in his presence, even as it was wordless. It was made stranger for the blonde, however, as he had never truly had a friend. Never had he 'hung-out' with somebody before, doing absolutely codswallop as he was doing with Harry. The people who were close to him were either; infatuated with him, like Pansy, and back at home all he had was his associates, his cool distant Mother, House Elves, and his imprisoned Father. Of course there was always Blaise, but still he was more of Draco's verbal sparring partner than friend. He wasn't even about to consider Crabbe and Goyle.

A loud rumbled from inside Draco's stomach tore through the quiet. Harry immediately laughed and opened up that velvet satchel again. This time he pulled out a napkin which quite evidently had Bran Muffin's lying inside.

"How did you know I was going to be hungry?" Draco asked, eyeing the muffin that was handed to him suspiciously. Harry laughed some more

"It's a side effect from the weed. The Munchies," he grinned and took a large bite out of his own muffin, "I nagged them from the Great Hall at breakfast,".

Draco took a slow first bite but soon he was downing it and asking for another, Harry obliged having brought a few. Draco ripped his gaze from the side of Harry's face and out onto the calm Black Lake. In the distance, a few mer-people were resting their upper halves on a half-submerged rock.

"Mer-people. Kind of like people, but kind of not. Never really thought about mer-people, y'know? Because I have always known what they were, and had always known what one looked like...creepy buggers, but honestly what are they?" Draco rambled, his face furrowed in fascination as Harry stared between him and the mer-people in the distance. "You didn't always know what they looked like!" he said suddenly, turning to Harry with an accusing finger and sounding as if he was condemning Harry.

"I-I didn't, no. I didn't know what a lot of things looked like, or existed," Harry answered slowly, watching Draco's face slowly turn from serious into a goofy smile before turning back to stare at the mer-people.

"Tell me then, what does it feel like to suddenly be informed; 'Oh yeah, Mer-people exist and they look like this,'?"

Harry was surprised by the question, but quickly shook it off, "I guess it was weird. But at that point, a lot of weird stuff was being introduced to me, right? Like broomsticks, everything magical, the truth about my parents..." he trailed off, "So I didn't think twice about the mer-people,"

"Oh," Draco sighed but his smile only faltered a moment, "They're half-fish half-people! I mean, that can't be fair, can it? Being able to be above and below water, it's just not fair to the rest of us. Sure we can go swimming, but we can't really experience the ocean or the lake if we can't go under and stay there. I'd really like to do that,"

"You could always use Gillyweed or the Bubble Head Charm, like back at the TriWizard Tournament," Harry suggested.

Draco slowly shook his head, "That's not natural though. I mean, to actually live like that. I'd like that," he said firmly, as if this was his new affirmation of Life.

Harry blinked a few times, looking at the distant mer-people from underneath his rounded glasses. "I like them," he said shortly, a soft smile of genuine appreciation on his face.

Draco found himself staring at Harry again, his silver eyes wide, "I like them too," he agreed.

Harry felt the intense gaze of the Slytherin upon him and he blushed, about to say 'I like you also,' but had no time to speak as a very high-pitched giggle escaped Draco. Harry turned to him questioningly, Draco giggled again more prominently.

"The..hehe!..grass is..heh!..tickling me...haa!..again!" he squirmed, staring giddily down at his hands in the grass, lightly grazing through the blades.

Harry felt something warm flap around in his stomach of the sound of Draco giggling. He simply couldn't help but laugh himself. It was more than ten minutes before Draco calmed himself, at which he sighed and leaned against the tree. with closed eyes and a goofy grin he asked, "Will I remember this when it's over?"

"Yeah, you'll remember what you did but you may not remember how you felt. In my opinion, it's the feeling that matters," Harry was playing absently with his hands now, striving not to stare at the beautiful stoned blonde.

"Y-You don't think I could do this again?" Draco's voice was barely a whisper, as if he was ashamed to ask.

"You want to smoke again with me?" Harry returned, not quite believing the truth in it.

"I've never laughed before," Draco said, a small frown on his face.

Harry shook his head, now that was hard to believe. "You've laughed at me loads of times!"

"Do you consider mockery to be true laughter?" Draco snapped, suddenly he didn't feel too happy anymore. He didn't want this conversation to continue. And he most certainly didn't want Harry looking at him with pity in his green eyes. "Stop it," Draco whined firmly.

"Stop what?"

"Looking at me like some wounded Crup," he snarled, and with his sour mood he felt the effects of the marijuana slowly slipping away. He tried to grasp at it, to keep it, but the grass wasn't tickling his skin anymore.

Draco became quite aware of the position he was in. Sitting so close to Harry, having just spent an afternoon relaxing with him and doing illegal Muggle drugs. Above all, coming to the full realization that his plan had failed. It was obvious to him now that he did not want Harry's body. He wanted Harry. All. To. Himself. 'Oh God,' Draco groaned and turned a sickly pale.

"What's up?" Harry asked nonchalantly as Draco sprang to his feet. He brushed the dirt off his robes and dared not look at Harry again.

"Er, thanks Potter, but everyone will return soon, Pansy will be looking for me," and without further explanation, Draco took off ignoring Harry's immediate confused call after him.

Draco stalked as fast as he could, covering as many yards as possible towards the Castle so he couldn't hear Harry's voice anymore. And then he made the biggest mistake he had made all day...he turned his head slightly around to peer back at the slightly heightened tree now over a hundred or two yards away.

Even from such a distance, he could see Harry's eyes pierce through him with desperation. 'Dammit, Potter.' Draco cursed, he could sense those jaded emeralds so heavily on himself and he stared back stupidly for more than a faltering second. He gave himself away, and he watched Harry slowly raise up his hand in confused farewell.

Draco grumbled and quickly glanced away, continuing to stalk back to the Castle angrily. It seemed as though the Ice Prince had finally begun to melt.