Warning: text from original book, refences to sex, wanking

Chapter 4- And Who is Lying

Draco found himself sulking. Which was unacceptable. Malfoy's didn't sulk. Especially over something as foolish as Harry fucking Potter. Draco shook himself off. Why did he even care? Just because they'd had rutted on top of the Quidditch stand didn't mean anything. He bit his lip.

If that were true, why had he told Harry that he meant something to him even if the sex didn't. He'd never remotely cared about any of his other lovers. And Potter was his enemy for fucks sake. They were supposed to loathe each other. He wasn't supposed to warn Harry about Umbridge and get him out of trouble. He wasn't supposed to ditch his house-mates, so he could lay across his bed and think about Harry in peace.

He covered his mouth to stifle a humorless chuckle. Peace, ha. Like there was any peace in his life with his father breathing down his neck and The Dark Lord watching his family and his parent's expectations weighing him down and no one caring about him, only ever what he could give them.

He sighed, turning on his side to face away from the doorway. He knew the rest of his dorm-mates would be coming up soon but there was only person he really wanted to see. He pressed his cheek into his pillow, thinking of horribly unruly raven hair and glittering emerald eyes. No one had the right to look so innocently delicious. Draco had no idea how he'd never realized how edible Harry was. And the worst part—almost a crime—was that Harry didn't even seem to realize how he looked under his baggy clothes.

Draco's hand reached down under his pants, grasping himself. He pictured Harry with his emerald eyes fixed on him, eyes glazed and filled with lust and need. An expression he was sure no one else had ever seen. And no one else ever will, he thought.

He started, his hand pausing in its stroking. He shook himself, he was just letting his lust make him irrational. He could understand why he cared who Harry talked to, why he'd rather talk to her instead of Draco. He continued to stroke himself, imagining Harry's hand around him, imaging himself wrapping inside Harry's tight heat and he came with a muffled groan.

He cast a cleaning charm, yanked his blanket up around him, and closed his eyes, content in the knowledge that it was just lust.

The next few weeks passed in a dull haze. Umbridge continued her examination and as far as Draco could tell, Potter kept his head down. Unfortunately, that also made it hard to get together with Potter. He'd tried to corner Potter several times, but every time he got close Umbridge was mysteriously there.

He was getting frustrated, sexually and otherwise and he was beginning to feel as if Potter was avoiding him.

Not that Draco cared.

"Ooh," Pansy said, clinging to Draco's arm. "Look at that!" She pointed to a pretty necklace that he had to admit would match her eyes nicely.

"Yes," he answered, and her hand tightened on his arm expectantly. "You should get it." She obviously expected him to offer to get it for her. Just as she was expecting him to treat this like a date. He stepped away from her, disentangling his arm from her sweaty grip.

"Well, I don't know…" she started and then continued to prattle on about how she wasn't sure whether she should get the necklace or not. But Draco wasn't listening anymore. His eyes had caught a familiar head of unruly hair being escorted by Weasley and Granger. As if sensing eyes on him, Potter turned and locked eyes with Draco.

His emerald eyes widened and then softened. Draco raised an eyebrow at him and he blushed, dropping him chin and flicking his gaze to look up through his eyelashes. If he was anyone else, Draco would have said Harry was purposely flirting, but he knew Harry didn't have a coy bone in his body.

"Draco," Pansy whined and much to his annoyance, wrapped her fingers around his arm again. "Are you even listening?" His eyes flicked to her and away dismissively, but when he looked back at Potter, his eyes were shadowed, and he turned away from Draco and continued to follow his friends without a backward glance.

"Excuse me, Pansy," Draco pulled his arm away from her. "I need to go to the bathroom. I'll be back." She started to say something, but he was already walking away. He knew she'd have words with him for just leaving, but he didn't much care about that rightnow.

It took him a couple minutes to catch sight of the unruly hair again but once he did, it was easy to follow the three until they stopped outside The Hog's Head. He raised an eyebrow but just waited for the three to enter before going inside himself. Potter saw him first, but he just dropped him eyes to the trio's table and played with his butterbeer glass. Weasley saw him next. He jumped up from the table, turning to face Draco with his fists clenched.

"Malfoy," he said, eyes narrowed defensively. "What are you doing here?"

"Someone isn't up to any good," Draco answered, raising an eyebrow at them. Granger visibly paled while Potter just raised his head, locking his glittering emeralds on Draco.

"Why did you follow us, Malfoy?" He asked. Draco tilted his head, ignoring the feeling that bounced around in his chest when Harry talked to him in that voice.

"Curiosity." He shrugged. He saw Weasley open his mouth, but Harry quickly cut him off, his gaze turning speculative, which was a step better than distrustful.

"You can't tell anyone," he said. Draco just raised an eyebrow. "Especially Umbridge."

"Harry-," Granger started, but Draco interrupted.

"I can keep a secret." Draco smirked, and Harry blushed, dropping his gaze back to the table.

"Harry, we can't just-," Weasley was saying, not that anyone was in the habit of listening to him.

"Just let it, Ron," Harry answered. "If he says he won't tell anyone, then he won't." They both stared at him and his blush darkened. Then Granger turned to Draco.

"Don't look at me, I don't know anything," he lied easily, knowing if Harry wanted them to know, he would have told them. Funny, he didn't think The Golden Gryffindor kept anything for his pose. He rounded the booth, sliding around Weasley and into the booth next to Harry.

"Hey, that's my-," he started.

"Not anymore," Draco smirked and then turned his gaze on Harry expectantly.

"I'm not getting you a drink." Harry answered immediately, and Draco pouted at him. Weasley and Granger exchanged a nervous look before they sat down across on the other side of the table.

"So," Draco said, "why are you here?"

"We're starting a defense group." Harry told the table, which must have asked the same question. Not that Draco would know because he didn't speak wood. Draco scowled but didn't say anything about Harry's lack of manners.

"And that's bad?" Draco frowned. "I don't-."

"We're going under Umbridge's nose to learn spells the Ministry wouldn't approve of." Harry clarified.

"Harry." Granger hissed. Draco ignored her.

"Ah," Draco's eyes glittered. "Very Slytherin of you, Harry." Harry's eyes flicked up from the table, catching Draco's gaze with some surprise.

"We're nothing like you, you little cunt," Weasley snapped. Harry ignored him, green eyes locked on Draco

"You approve?"

"Of course," Draco answered, just as softly. "This is better than uselessly banging your head against a wall as you were doing." Harry blinked and then smiled slowly. He was different when he smiled, his eyes were just that little bit brighter. Less haunted.

"I don't know if that's a complement or not, Draco." He said finally. Weasley choked, eyes flicking between them with something close to disbelief. He opened his mouth to say something that was probably horribly profound but the door to The Hog's Head opened before he could.

There was an inrush of people, most of them Gryffindor's though there were a few Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Draco could pick out Thomas, Longbottom, the Patil twins—his lip curled—Chang, the three other Weasley's, Lee Jordon, and an assortment of other people. Most of their eyes widened at the sight of Draco sitting not even a foot away from Harry Potter but no one really said anything.

"A couple of people?" Harry hissed at Granger as Twin Weasley 1 ordered butterbeers for everyone.

"Hush, Potter," Draco said before Granger could speak.

"But-."

"Hush, this can only be good." Draco cast him an impatient look. Harry's mouth snapped shut but his lips did twist with annoyance. Granger and Weasley's eyes bulged as they watched this exchange.

Eventually, the rest of the group settled around them in twos and threes. Chang pursed her lips, looking mistrustfully at Draco. He sneered at her, moving so his thigh was touching Harry's. Harry's eyes flicked to Draco then Chang, blushed and fixed his gaze on the table. Draco wondered belated what it was telling him now.

"Er-," Granger started

"What is he doing there?" Twin Weasley 2 asked, jerking his chin at Draco.

"What are you doing here, Weasley?" Draco returned with a sneer.

"You can trust him," Harry said. All eyes turned back to him, some speculative, some outraged, others just confused. Harry gave Granger a meaningful look.

"Right," she said. "Well, um. We're here to learn defense. And not what Umbridge has been teaching but real spells and how to use them. I want to know how to defend myself because…. Because," She took a deep breath as if steeling herself. "because Lord Voldemort's back." Draco flinched, his hands curling into fists in his lap. Harry's eyes flicked over to him, but Draco just turned his face away.

"Where's the proof You-Know-Who's back?" A blond boy asked. Draco thought his name was Zacharias Smith, though he wasn't entirely sure. Besides, anyone who asked such a stupid question didn't deserve for Draco to be sure of their name.

Draco immediately covered his mouth to conceal a snort. Everyone's eyes shifted again, this time to Draco. He felt uneasiness squeeze the pit of his stomach, but he shoved it down. Malfoy's were never nervous. His forefinger tapped against his thigh in a rhythmic pattern while he eyed Smith scornfully.

"Really, have you been living under a rock the past year," Draco allowed himself one more undignified snort. "I mean, I know the Profit isn't always reliable but even you must have noticed the mass breakout at Azkaban." He raised an eyebrow as Smith turned red with a mixture of embarrassment and indignation. "The random murders? Or maybe you're as stupid as you look, and you believe the Ministry at their word that nothing suspicious is going on?"

"I just think-," he started angrily.

"Pardon me if I'm mistaken," Draco interrupted, turning his gaze on Harry casually. "But is this meeting supposed to be a debate about whether or not The Dark Lord has returned or not?" Harry's lips twitched as he met Draco's eyes.

"It's not." Harry answered.

"Well, then," he turned back to Smith. "I think you'll find that no one particularly cares what you think."

"That goes for anyone else," Harry added, his hand falling on Draco's thigh and squeezing as he eyed the group. "If that's what you're here for, you can clear out." Harry's emerald eyes flicked to Draco and they locked gazes for just a second. The burst of want that ran through Draco took him by surprise. He liked this confident, collected version of Harry. He liked this version that wasn'tinsulting Draco.

"Is it true," asked a new girl, drawing Harry's gaze away from Draco, "that you can produce a Patronus?" Draco sat back as the group began to talk about Harry's achievements while he grew more and more uncomfortable looking. Draco inspected his fingernails, for the most part not taking part in the conversation until-

"The point is, are we all agreed we want to take lessons from Harry?" Granger asked the group. Draco sat up straight, looking at Harry in surprise.

"You're going to be teaching it?" Draco asked quietly. The rest of the group ignored them, now talking about where they should meet and how often.

"Yes…" Harry answered, dropping his eyes to the table. Then he seemed to realize what he was doing and raised them to look at Draco defiantly. "What about it?"

"I'm just surprised." Draco's hand twitched, wanting so badly to reach out and brush the fringe out of Harry's face. "You'll do a good job, Harry." He blinked, blushed, and dropped his eyes again. Draco's hand reached out before he knew what he was doing, lifting Harry's chin with two fingers under his jaw. "Confidence looks good on you, lover." Harry's blush deepened. Draco's eyes dropped to Harry's lips; he wanted-

He dropped his hand and sat back in the seat, trying to tune back into the conversation. What was wrong with him? Harry blinked once but just turned his attention back to the conversation.

Granger was now having everyone sign a piece of parchment. Smith put up a slight argument but eventually signed. Then she turned to Draco, who held his hand out with a bored expression. He signed with a flourish and then pushed the parchment toward Harry, who signed and then Weasley and finally Granger. There was an awkward moment were everyone just kind of looked at each other.

"Well, time's ticking," Twin Weasley 1 said. And everyone left in twos and threes. Draco thought Chang took an absurdly long time getting her bag together, using her hair to cover her face. Finally, she stood to leave, waving at Harry from the doorway. Draco sneered at her, and she dropped her hand.

"Well, that was interesting," Granger said, casting Draco a speculative look. He curled his lip, ready to insult her and her bloodline and her hair, but Harry's hand on his thigh had turned dangerously tight and he stopped himself.

"Please don't insult my friends." He said quietly, turning his bright green eyes to Draco. Draco pursed his lips but said nothing. "Hermione, Ron, could you give us a minute?" Weasley opened his mouth to object but Granger get there first.

"Are you sure, Harry?" She asked. Draco started to say something, but Harry squeezed his leg again and he winced. He wondered if he was going to have bruises later on.

"Yes, Hermione." She nodded, waving Weasley out before her.

"Malfoy-," he started but Draco wasn't about to let him control the conversation.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" Draco interrupted.

"I haven't-," Harry said immediately though why Harry thought Draco couldn't tell a lie when he heard one, he had no idea.

"You have." Draco interrupted. "Look, Harry, if you don't want this anymore than just tell me."

"No!" Harry's emerald eyes went wide. "No, that's not it at all."

"Then what is it?"

"I just-," he sighed. "I don't really know what we are, Draco."

"What's to know?" Draco scowled. "I want you-."

"But not enough to actually date me." Harry snapped, and Draco's scowl deepened.

"Is that what this is about? You want to be my boyfriend?"

"No, I-," Harry's eyes widened in surprise. of course not, Draco thought bitterness seeping into him.

Not that he cared.

"No, I suppose you want Chang for that, yeah?" He sneered at Potter, whose eyes widened even further. "Look, Potter," Potter seemed to flinch at the use of his surname, but Draco shoved that from his mind. Potter was obviously telling him to back off, so Draco would oblige. "I'll be here whenever you feel like a quick shag. Otherwise, I'll stay out of your personal business as much as I can, deal?"

"That's not-," Potter started, his hand slid up Draco thigh, but this time Draco scooted his chair away. He didn't want Potter touching him. He didn't want that feeling of release that only Potter gave him. Not right now.

"See you around." Draco stood abruptly and started walking toward the door.

"Draco!" Harry called, and he hesitated, his hand trembling on the door, his heart in his throat. Then he snatched the handle and stormed into the cold. He wiped his eyes to get rid of the moisture. His damn allergies were acting up again.

He couldn't believe that Potter had basically rejected him. Him. Draco Malfoy. His eyes burned; there was obviously something in the air. Potter was an idiot. Draco was perfect, and Potter was stupid for choosing to pass up on Draco's amazingness. Draco covered his mouth to stifle the hiccup; it had been a while since he'd had water. He was sure it was just a sugar imbalance.

He was not hurt that Harry didn't want him.

It wasn't even that Potter didn't want him, it was just that he didn't want to date him. As if the only thing Draco was good for was sex. Draco bit his lip as pain laced through his chest again. Ouch.

Why was he even still thinking about this? Wasn't this a good thing? Hadn't Draco already decided there was nothing between them. So, why was he upse—thinking about whether or not Harry liked him or not? Was he that narcissistic that he needed everyone to have a crush on him, even if he didn't care about them?

But he hated how Pansy fawned over him. He frowned. Well, there was really only one solution. He would just have to stay away from Potter. He didn't care about Potter, and Potter didn't care about him. Because when Draco got into moods like this, he did stupid things like disrupting Gryffindor Quidditch practices and then-

He sighed, veering into a nearby shop to buy himself something nice. He was sure that would make him forget all about Potter.

The next morning saw Draco summoned to Umbridge's office, sitting uncomfortable in front of her desk and trying not to squirm. She was fiddling with her teapot, pouring tea into two cups and Draco was trying to think of a polite way to say no without making her suspicious.

If he'd learned one thing from his father, it was to never accept drinks when you couldn't see what potions someone had poured in them.

"Mr. Malfoy," she said companionably. "How was your trip to Hogsmeade yesterday?"

"It was good, Professor."

"Very good," she answered. "Do you take sugar in your tea?"

"Oh, Professor, I really couldn't."

"Nonsense," she said. "Now, sugar or no?"

"No, thank you." He answered. She hummed before coming back over and setting the tea in front of him. He murmured a thank you, picking up the teacup and lifting it to his lips. He smelled it furtively and sure enough there was the unique scent of Veritaserum mixed in with the tea.

He pressed the tea to his lips and tipped it back, making sure none of the liquid got into his mouth. Umbridge watched him with a satisfied expression as Draco made a show of swallowing and then making his face blank as if the Veritaserum was affecting him.

"Are you in a relationship with Harry Potter?" Umbridge asked immediately, leaning forward eagerly.

"No," Draco answered, his voice was as soft and expressionless as someone under Veritaserum's would be. Umbridge frowned, looking disappointed.

"Were you at The Hog's Head yesterday with him?" Draco made an effort not to frown, so that's what this was about. She must have had some spy in The Hog's Head or something. Harry really should have known better than to meet there.

"Yes."

"So, you're aware they're starting a group to undermine me?" She asked. He hesitated.

He was sure Granger would be smart enough to put some kind of jinx on the paper they all signed to make sure none of them got away with telling any of their secrets but on the other hand, Umbridge already knew he knew about the group. He couldn't lie but he couldn't directly tell the truth.

"I'm aware of the trouble Potter could cause." Draco answered quietly. Umbridge nodded, seeming satisfied.

"Then why join this group?"

"I was under the impression I could spy on them and report back to the Ministry."

"Why would you want to turn in your classmates?" Umbridge frowned, leaning her pudgy face forward. Draco resisted the temptation to lean away from her, disgust boiling in his belly.

"I hate Harry Potter." Draco lied again. "I want nothing more than to see him expelled or something of the like."

"Very good, Mr. Malfoy, Very good," she said, smiling slowly at him. I need to find some way to warn Harry, He thought while Umbridge's smile steady widened.

And then he blinked. Maybe Potter was rubbing off on him more than he wanted to admit, Draco never would have gotten himself into this kind of situation on his own. He was obedient and even-tempered and-

If any of that was true, you wouldn't be in this situation in the first place, a little voice that sounded suspiciously like Potter murmured in the back of his head. Admit it, you like the way it feels to rebel. Draco sighed internally and wondered what the bloody hell he'd gotten himself into.