Disclaimer: I am not making money off of this, nor do I own any share of the Harry Potter franchise.
Warnings: Illegal Drug Use, Angst, Possible OOC, Hermione Bashing, Ron Bashing, Implied Same-Sex Relationships,
Author's Note: Its been a while since I've even thought about this series, but this morning I thought 'Ah, what the hell…' and decided to do a bit of work on. I ended up reading the Prologue and the chapters prior to this one and I'm a little disappointed; the series is sort of cheesy and unoriginal… :|
Chapter Three
**
Hermione stared closely at Harry as he shifted in his seat, again. It was only their first class of the day and he was already becoming antsy. She frowned in concern for her friend and nibbled at the feathered tip of her quill, completely ignoring everything Professor Binns was rattling about. Harry was leaning over his rolls of parchment, his quill moving quickly across the page, but she was positive he wasn't making notes.
"Ron," she whispered softly, not taking her eyes from Harry. "What do you suppose is wrong with Harry?"
The red-head groaned, "Didn't we decide he was just frustrated with us? I thought we had a plan." He slumped; his eyes trailed Harry's movements, too.
"Ron, don't you even pretend to be so dense. Harry is… he's completely different." She muttered and watched as Harry's elbow jerked back violently, seemingly on its own. "I'm worried." She said and wrinkled her eyebrows.
"Of course you're worried, Hermione." Ron sighed. "You're always worried about something. Be it House Elves or Harry or the essay that's due on Monday." He said angrily and watched a vein in Harry's neck jump violently under his skin.
"This is not about me." Hermione said flatly and pointed at Harry's back. "It's about our friend who needs us."
"Hermione, for bloody hell's sake—"
**
Draco rolled his eyes as he listened to the Mudblood argue with the Weasel over Potter's well-being. At first it had been interesting; as Draco had committed himself to finding out everything about this new Potter and what had caused the change, but his main source of information was the bickering twits who called themselves Potter's 'friends'. That was a joke if Draco had ever heard one; Hermione seemed to be no more than a worrying bother and Ron was an uncaring git.
I wonder what he's doing… Draco thought as he stared at the tip of Harry's quill, which moved across the page spastically. It doesn't look like writing. Maybe he's… oh, he's drawing. Draco realized as Potter leaned to the side and revealed that a good foot of his parchment was being turned into a portrait of sorts. Well, then, what's he drawing? He pressed and rested his chin in the palm of his hand, trying to keep his face from betraying his attentiveness to the boy.
The class period ended too soon and Draco was unable to muse on it further, as he had Charms next and it seemed as though Potter and the Weasel had Divination. Draco sighed and allowed himself to be carried off by the group of people who surrounded him and insisted on speaking to him in high tones. But even as he was jostled through the halls his mind was floating around Potter. Potter who was different now, Potter who obviously had a secret, Potter who was dashing and dangerous.
Draco smiled to himself as he was seated, ah, that Potter.
**
Harry frowned deeply as he hovered over his art work. He'd been back in the Common Room for an hour and had immediately begun work on it. He considered himself a decent artist, but that was probably one of his best pieces. He'd begun drawing over the summer; he had been encouraged by Kanyon when the adolescent had laid eyes on his soon-to-be-boy-friend's doodles.
"Harry, are you just going to doodle away the afternoon? You have near as much homework as I do." Hermione said and leaned to the right, trying to see what exactly Harry was working on. "What are you drawing, anyway?"
Harry's frown deepened and he rolled up the parchment briskly and then pulled a book in front of him with a thump and without a word. He ignored Hermione's surprised look as he sped through his work, having done a bit of extra work over the summertime. It didn't take long for Harry to finish up, the homework was mostly a review of what they'd covered the previous year. Thought Harry figured Hermione wouldn't believe he was done, so he pulled out a few sheets of normal paper and a fresh quill.
Dear Kanyon,
Harry wrinkled his nose and crumpled the paper.
Hi Kanyon,
How have you been? I've been alright, I guess. This place got pretty awful over the summer; I remember when this used to be the only place where I felt like home, now I feel like I'm some freak. Everyone looks at me like I am. My old friends (I talked about them a few times; Hermione and Ron?) got pretty lame. Hermione's always riding me about schoolwork and eating right and blah-blah-blah. Ron is just a git.
Classes are pretty dull. So far we're just reviewing the shit we covered last year, so it's pointless. I've been working on a portrait during classes though. It's turning out just how I wanted it to. I'll snap a picture and mail it to you when I'm done, if you'd like.
Anyway, I have a few other letters to write, and then I'm gonna ditch my 'friends' and head out for a smoke.
Write back soon,
Yours Truly, Anemone.
Harry quickly folded the paper and tucked it into an envelope; he drew his tongue along the edge of the flap carefully and tore back with a curse when the sharp paper bit into his tongue. He frowned and wrote Kanyon on the front in beautiful, elegant script before he pulled out another sheet of paper and began a letter to Gwennie.
Hello Gwennie,
How've you been? I've missed you tons so far; I hate not being able to see you guys. I didn't think I'd miss you all this much! Are you missing me just as much?
I just finished writing Kanyon, it was a pretty short letter and I feel like a left a bunch out. I told him about classes (boring.) and about Hermione and Ron (gits.) and then everything just left my mind. I wonder if he'll forget about me? Think I'll forget about him?
Anyway, I wanted to tell you that, so far, I've only shot up once (whoo!) but I've gone through a pack and a half of smokes, so could you send some more?
Also, I've got to fill you in on all the drop-dead-gorgeous guys who go here. (Don't tell Kanyon, though!!) First of all; there's this older guy called Oliver Wood; he's way cute. He's a total tight ass, though. Then there's Blaise Zabini who is defiantly a hottie; he's kind of a prick, though. And, someone who I could rant about for hours, Draco Malfoy. Gwennie, he is sex on legs. This guy has got the slickest blond hair, the palest, most flawless skin and the most… striking grey eyes I've ever seen.
Anyway, remember: more smokes, write back soon, and tell everyone I love them. (Give Kanyon a kiss more me; slip him some tongue!)
Lots and lots of love;
Anemone.
Harry packed the letter away and quickly wrote the few more he felt obliged to write. He sealed them all up and set them neatly in his messenger bag. He leaned back and frowned at the ceiling; he couldn't take much more of this dull, boring lifestyle.
"What time is it?" He demanded from Hermione lazily.
"Nearly half past five o'clock." She responded. "Why? Are you hungry? I've got some nutrient bars up in my dorms if you'd like me to run and grab them." As she said this she eyed his bone thin body with a knot between her eyebrows.
"No, I was just wondering." He slipped away from the table and gathered his bag before heading out of the dorms. He figured there ought to be a few more hours of sunlight; his intentions were to sit by the Lake and enjoy the Giant Squid's company while he drew.
**
Draco Malfoy watched as Harry slipped from his dorms and gracefully flitted up and down staircases. Draco didn't think a thing of his behavior as he slid through the shadows in wake of the scarred teenager. He watched as Harry dragged his fingers lightly across the stones that made up the walls; his fingers hopping lightly from one to the next, like he was yearning for touch. Draco smirked and moved a little faster, getting a little closer to the boy.
He watched with interest when Harry stopped and looked around, he stood in front of the Lake and looked up at the nearly setting sun was a misty look in his eyes. Then the boy did something that rather shocked Draco, he reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small, flimsy box, he didn't take his eyes from the sky as he tapped his forefinger against the bottom of the box until a thin, white stick poked its way out of the box. Draco watched as The Boy Who Lived sat down, made himself comfortable, and then lit up a cigarette.
"Well, there's a site." Draco drawled as he paced forward, his steps slow and measured until he came to stop at Harry's side. "The Savior smoking a Muggle cancer stick? I'm sure that Rita Skeeter woman would love a tidbit like that, don't you think, Harr-Potter?" Draco drawled and caught himself before he actually called Harry 'Harry'.
The dark haired boy snorted and then looked up at Draco, the Slytherine was taken aback by the boys sun tanned skin and the reflection of the world within those evergreen eyes, his lips formed the word 'wow' and he fought back a blush and then turned his head away in embarrassment.
"Yes, Draco Malfoy, I'm aware that I'm gorgeous," Harry chuckled, "now sit down and stop being such a tight-ass." He snorted again at Draco's stricken expression but smiled when the blonde eased himself down at Harry's side, a look of suspicion played across his features. "Oh, and feel free to call me Harry, I have a feeling I'll be seeing a lot of you."
Draco frowned and watched as Harry held the cigarette between his lips and fumbled again with the package and then held a similar stick out to Draco, who took it. "And why is that?" Draco asked slowly as he examined the stick and then let it rest between his lips in the same fashion Potter was.
"Because I'm finding that Hogwarts is not at all what I remember it to be, quite a bore, actually." He lit Draco cigarette for him and smiled as he drew back, "and you're not at all boring, did you know that?"
Draco shook his head slowly and took a deep breath of the cigarette; oh it was foul! He gave it a disgusted look and then shrugged and popped it back into his mouth. "I've been trying to tell you just that for the past few years," Draco admitted slowly and looked as Harry's perfect mouth twisted down in a grimace.
"I suppose you have, haven't you?" He rubbed his shortened cigarette into the ground and drew his knees to his chest. "Well then, have we reached an agreement?" He held out a barely steady hand to Draco.
"An agreement?"
"An agreement to liven up each other's lives?" Harry smirked in a way that Draco was slowly beginning to love.
"Well then, we have in fact reached an agreement." The pale boy took Harry's hand and shook it once and then drew back and watched as Harry's smirked widened.
Harry leaned in slowly and watched as Draco took on a rather panicked expression as Harry's lips descended upon Malfoy's. The kiss was slow and warm and Draco lost his breath to Harry as the boy smiled into it and drew back before Draco could return the small confections. "Sealed with a kiss." Harry said and then stood. "Hermione will blow if I miss dinner. Would you care to join me? Maybe stirring up all of Hogwarts would add for a little extra fun?"
Draco smiled eagerly and bounced up, surprised at his behavior. But he had; after all, always wanted to be Harry's friend. He'd always wanted to be in the spotlight when it came to Harry. He wanted Harry to look at him the way Harry looked when he was in the Great Hall, before the green-eyed boy had winked. And now, now Draco was striding next to Harry, his shoulders brushing the dark-haired boy's, his fingers close enough to be grasped by Harry's.
**
"Where's Harry gone to?" Hermione grouched as she bit into a roll and stared towards the door, her eyes gliding back to watch Ron every once in a while. "The only think I've seen him eat since he got here is a single slice of bread, and a corn bread muffin." Her bushy eyebrows collapsed in on one another.
"You've been keeping an exact account of what he eats?" Ron asked as he rolled his eyes and shoveled food into his mouth.
"Of course I have, Ron. We've already discussed how skinny he is." She snorted.
Oliver Wood, who had taken to saving Harry a seat beside him, leaned over to Hermione and said, "I don't know. Well, I mean, he is awful skinny, but he pulls it off smashingly." He said with a light blush.
Ron lifted an eyebrow and laughed at the expense of Wood. "You're a great Quidditch player, Wood, don't get me wrong. But Harry is not gay." He snorted and shook his head, still chuckling.
Oliver's eyebrows shot up. "You know, Ron, I always thought that you and Harry were really good friends, but I don't think you really know him at all." He rested his chin on his hand and smiled lazily.
Ron's face colored to match his hair and he rose loudly from his seat, his knees banging on the table edges and he pointed a finger at Wood. "You shut up! I have always been there for Harry, and you're the one who doesn't know anything about him! You think just because you've got the hots for him you know everything about him? Well, you don't, fagot!"
"Ron Weasley!" Hermione gasped.
"Ron, if you know so much about Harry not being gay and what-not, then can you explain why he just walked in with Malfoy, practically holding hands?" Wood replied, his ears bright red in anger.
Ron turned and watched as the two, who were indeed Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, and yes, their hands were oddly close, almost cupping one another, sauntered over to the Slytherine table and, with a flick of Malfoy's hand, made room for the both of them.
Both Ron and Hermione sputtered as Harry slid in next to Draco and smiled both at them, and at the Slytherines who greeted him suspiciously. Harry gave a little wave, and then it was as if he had never seen them in his life.
