AN: Hallo! Well, I'm a bit disappointed. No one got the line, which was 'When I'm good, I'm good.' From Robin Hood: Men In Tights. No cookies or donuts for anyone.
Thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed!
So, here's chapter 4. Harry realises he forgot something, as does Draco. End result? Face to face confrontation. Revel in the joy, people.
Mixed POV's, again. Variety! Weeeee!
'I Don't Hate You Anymore'
Saturday, October 14th
That night, after dinner, Harry was back in the Gryffindor common room with his friends, who were cheerfully celebrating the success of their mission. Seamus and Dean had planned a secret trip to the kitchens, and had returned with butterbeer for their celebration.
And so it was the seven friends were gathered around their usual table, drinking merrily, full of self-congratulations.
"I would like to propose a toast." Hermione announced, raising her bottle. The others quickly followed suit.
"To us, to Gryffindor, to the success of the mission and to the truce!" she declared proudly. "Thank God we got it!"
"Hear hear!" Came the general reply, as they clinked their bottles together.
As talk returned to normal, Harry stared unseeingly at the table, not really absorbing the mindless and cheerful babble of his friends.
He couldn't help it; he couldn't help remembering Malfoy clutching his hand as desperately as he had. Why had the blonde done that? Why didn't he let go straight away? There had been definite clutching. Malfoy had been clutching Harry's hand almost like…well, like he hadn't wanted to let go.
Not to mention the fact that Malfoy had agreed to the truce with a suspicious ease. Harry had been completely expecting Malfoy to laugh in his face for even suggesting such a thing, but instead, Malfoy had looked distinctly…relieved, almost, when he'd heard Harry's suggestion.
And with that thought, Harry suddenly remembered. Yes, he had managed to secure the truce with Malfoy with ease. But he forgot the other half of the mission…well, his own private mission. He had forgotten to investigate the recent trend of Malfoy's to just seem like he didn't really want to be fighting anyway. It might be a bit late now, but Harry still wanted to find out if there had been a reason for that.
Plus to question the clutching thing, which was just weird.
'I'll have to confront him on Monday, when we have classes.' Harry vowed to himself with a nod, and feeling a little more relaxed, returned to the conversation with his friends.
HPDM
Meanwhile, down in the Hogwarts dungeons, Draco could be found stalking into the Slytherin common room, and angrily throwing himself into his chair near the fireplace. Folding his legs neatly underneath him, he crossed his arms and with a sigh, and scowled at the green and silver flames, dancing mockingly before his eyes.
Draco marvelled as he watched them dance how much he hated, and yet loved, the colour green.
Leaning back, he frowned absently, musing over the happenings of the afternoon. He recalled the dip in his stomach when he'd heard Harry's voice, the skittering feeling of his chest he always felt when he was near Harry, the hand running through that messy hair…
Draco shivered slightly. It would not do to have thoughts like that here. No. Not at all.
At that moment, Pansy flounced in, a pout on her face. Despite Draco's best mental efforts, urging her silently not to see him, she spotted him anyway, and directed her steps towards the fireplace.
'Not again…' was all Draco could think before she was upon him.
"Draco, darling!" she cooed, fluttering her eyelashes madly.
"What do you want now, Pansy?" Draco snapped with irritation.
"I didn't see you at all today, Draco darling, which is a shame, because there was an empty table at Madam Puddifoot's." Pansy simpered, with a hint of a wink.
Draco nearly threw up on the spot. Having had quite enough, he got to his feet and faced her.
"Right, Pansy. This has gone on long enough. You need to realise something. I'm sorry that you seem to be under the delusion I return your ardour, because I'm telling you now – I don't. Maybe, if you acted with some class and took the HINT for once, we could have a beneficial friendship, and yes, that's all it would ever be, before you ask.. As it is, I don't think that's going to happen."
She stared at him, her wide blue eyes slowly registering what he had said. Before any of it could hit home, he added, "And another thing? Don't ever flutter your eyelashes like that at someone you want to score with. It's the most off putting thing I've ever seen in my life."
And with that, he brushed past her and walked up the stairs, leaving her to deal with the cold, hard truth.
'She had it coming, anyway.' He thought indifferently as he entered the dorm.
Cheered to see the room was empty, he performed his nightly adulations, before getting into bed, allowing himself to blankly ponder the canopy once more.
So, Harry and his friends had called a truce with him. Draco was very, very happy about this. He didn't have to keep pretending he wanted to fight and insult him anymore. He could devote all of his time to concentrating on getting over Harry. With all that free time, he was bound to get over him soon.
The other part of the conversation between himself and Harry that afternoon that Draco was ecstatic about was that Harry had said he didn't hate him. After all he had done to Harry, and yet, Harry didn't hate him. Harry didn't want to fight anymore.
It was then Draco realised he hadn't told Harry that he didn't hate him either. Draco realised, upon reflection that it might be a bit weird to be worrying over that, but when it came to this, every vital clue he could give Harry counted. And he had missed one! How would Harry ever realise if he didn't know?
Maybe the whole 'getting over Harry' thing could wait until Monday. After Draco confronted him and said what he wanted to say.
And then, things would be fine.
Draco sighed and contentedly closed his eyes, preparing to be enveloped in the world where Harry loved him.
Sunday, October 15th
Sunday was spent by both boys in their Houses. Harry stayed in the Common Room with his friends, catching up on homework and hanging out with them. Draco stayed, for the most part, in his dorm, also doing homework. Both boys went to mealtimes, of course, and though they saw the other there, no move was made on either side for the confrontation to take place. An unknowing silent agreement had been made – they would each confront the other on Monday.
Both boys went to sleep that night with a sense about the next day. For Harry, it was a sense that Monday would bring him answers. For Draco, it was a nervous sense that he would soon be in close proximity with Harry once more.
Monday, October 16th
After waking up, (and enlisting Dean, Seamus and Neville to help him push Ron out of bed) and getting dressed, Harry headed down to the common room with his friends, where they met up with Ginny and Hermione. From here, the group headed out of the portrait hole, en route to breakfast.
Harry walked slightly behind everyone else, lost in his own world. Luckily, it was still too early in the morning, and everyone was too sleepy, for his friends to notice much.
In the Slytherin dorms, meanwhile, Draco was dressed, and was occupying himself in the bathroom..
'Maybe I shouldn't slick my hair back today.' He pondered, frowning at his reflection. He deliberated for a few moments more before he ran a decisive hand through his hair, messing it up. It looked quite good, the smooth blonde strands framing his face nicely.
With a smirk of satisfaction, Draco headed for the stairs. Alone, as always. He was always the last to leave in the mornings. Well, could he help it that looking perfect all the time took exactly that: time?
Some people just had no class, or style.
The day was spent by both boys drifting through their classes, each trying to think of where the confrontation would be held. Indeed, how it would be held.
Hermione knew Harry was dwelling on something, but also knowing him, knew he wouldn't talk about it unless he wanted to. Still, she carefully took note of his behaviour for later.
Draco on the other hand, kept to himself, as he always did. Crabbe and Goyle didn't question it, just sat there and tried their hardest not to fail miserably at everything they attempted.
Harry's last class was Transfiguration. That wrapped up, and as he and his friends began to head for the Great Hall, Harry was suddenly gripped with that irksome need that has plagued people since the dawn of mankind.
He needed to pee.
After telling his friends he would catch them up, Harry headed for the nearest boys bathroom.
HPDM
Draco sighed, leaning against the sink in the boys bathroom. He hated this. He hated the school. He hated confrontations. He hated life. Why couldn't everyone just die already?
The door swung open, and there stood Harry.
There was a momentary silence.
Then, at the same time, both boys spoke. "I need to talk to you."
The 'rivals' stared at each other, and then amazingly, Draco smiled. Weirded out, Harry nonetheless figured it was safe to smile back. Draco was sure he would die, he was so dazzled by that beautiful, rarely seen smile.
"You first." Draco said quietly. "What do you want to talk to me about?"
Harry took a deep breath. "Well, basically Malfoy, before we called the truce, I realised something."
Draco felt his heart skip a beat. "Yeah?"
"That when we were fighting, it didn't seem like you were actually…you know, in it. I don't know if I was imagining it or what, but it was like you were only fighting for appearances, like you didn't actually mean all your insults. I just…I forgot to ask you about it yesterday, and I'm just wondering what the reason is behind it?"
Harry waited. Draco was speechless, and freaking out silently. 'Shit, shit, SHIT. He knows. He's figured it all out and then everyone else will know and I will be a laughing stock and my father will find out and kill me.'
Draco took a deep breath, and said, "Thank you for your concern Potter, but I think you were mistaken. I was never 'not in' our fights. I was always gave 100 per cent in every fight we've had and you shouldn't believe any differently."
Harry nodded slowly, not believing him but willing to go along with this anyway. "Alright, I believe you." He said in a tone clearly suggesting to Malfoy the contrary. "But I had another thing I wanted to ask you, about yesterday. Remember, when we shook hands on the truce, and you wouldn't let go?"
Draco sucked in his breath. Yes, he did remember. It was one of the only things he had been able to think about since.
"And I tried to pull my hand away and you just kept clutching it? Actually, while we're at it, why did you give in to the truce so quickly anyway? It wasn't like you at all. Answer me, Malfoy."
Draco stared into the beautiful green eyes of his love. How could he answer? What could he possibly say now, except the truth?
"Malfoy? MALFOY? I swear if you don't come up with the answers right now I'll force them out of you."
Trying hard to ignore how curiously appealing that statement sounded, Draco attempted to think. How. How to get out of this.
And then it came to him.
"Harry." He said quietly, which shut Harry up instantly. The green eyes widened and Harry gaped at him. Draco considered again how much he really hated, and yet at the same time loved, the colour green.
"The answers to all your questions is, I don't hate you anymore."
Harry blinked. Well. He hadn't been expecting that as an answer.
"Oh…um…OK." He said hesitantly. "What did you want to talk to me about, then?"
Draco sighed, still gazing into Harry's eyes. "I've already told you what I needed to tell you, Harry. For now, anyway."
And with that note, Draco took one last drink in of green, and turned on his heel. Before Harry could move, Draco was gone in a whirl of black robes.
Harry turned towards the age-speckled mirror and the sink below, putting his hands on either side and staring into it. Well. That had been…weird. He had gotten an answer to his questions. Malfoy had said what he had apparently needed to say.
So why was Harry still confused?
TBC
AN: Draco is becoming braver! Aren't you just so proud? And he's trying to give Harry the hint. Honestly, when will that boy come around? Don't ask me. I'm just the author.
Well once again, thank you for reading my story, please review and I'll see you next time!
bleedingxheart
