Chapter 4: I Was Sleeping

Harry woke the next morning excited for classes to begin again. He practically sprinted to breakfast, forgetting to wake Ron in the process. "Harry? Where's Ron?" Hermione asked as she buttered a piece of toast.

"Shit, he's probably still asleep. I forgot to wake him," Harry said absentmindedly. He was looking up at the professor's table, daydreaming about Snape. An idea for a drawing struck him and he grabbed a stray quill. He began sketching outlines before he realized where he was. Harry quickly folded the parchment and looked around to see if anyone had noticed. It appeared as though they hadn't.

"Harry?" Hermione asked after he folded a sketch.

"Huh?"

"I was just asking of you wanted me to wake Ron… I can do it from here with a spell." Harry nodded in reply and got up from the table without another word. He headed straight to his first class, potions. When he arrived, he sat at his usual spot and turned his knife over in his fingers. Snape won't want me anyway. I'm wasting my time, he thought as he carved a new line in his arm. He hissed at the sharp pain, but it quickly faded to relief. He exhaled slowly, enjoying the feeling of blood tricking down his arm. Harry bandaged himself quickly and waved his wand so the blood on the table and knife vanished. Don't want to explode another cauldron. He checked the time. 7:34, I've got time to work on this. He pulled out the parchment from breakfast and decided to just work on the bodies. It was a sketch of Snape fucking him in the ass. He smiled as he looked at the rough, unidentifiable outlines. No one could possibly be able to tell who they are. To anyone else, they're just two random guys. Harry started shading the lower halves of the men, smirking as he worked. He didn't hear when Malfoy came in, nor when he walked up behind Harry and watched him sketch for a few moments before speaking.

"That your boyfriend, Potter? I didn't think anyone would like you enough to do that," he jeered, gesturing to the sketch. Harry jumped at the sudden noise, spilling ink over a large section of the drawing. Only the lower halves of the couple were visible. Crabbe and Goyle were far enough behind him, they couldn't see what he was doodling but they laughed anyway. Harry tried to shove the dripping drawing in his bag, but Malfoy snatched it.

"Give it here, Malfoy!" Harry shouted as he held it out of reach.

"Or else what? You'll kiss me?" Draco taunted, puckering his lips in jest.

"Don't tempt me," Harry said, sarcasm dripping off every word. Malfoy stuck out his tongue as he lowered his hand.

"What's this?" A deep, silky voice said behind Draco.

"It's Potter's! He drew it!" Malfoy said, pointing at Harry.

"Well, Mr. Potter do enlighten me, what is this dripping mess of parchment supposed to be?" Snape asked with a glare. Harry noticed that the ink had fully covered his sketch and cursed under his breath, it was a rather good sketch. "Language, Potter," Snape snapped. "Ten points from Gryffindor." Harry glared at him but remained silent. Snape threw the inky mess back down on Harry's desk and stalked away. Harry grimaced at the mess now on his desk as he picked up the dripping parchment with shaking fingers. He waved his wand and the inky parchment vanished. Sighing, he sat and waited for class to begin.

When potions ended, Harry stalked into the hall where he was cornered by Malfoy. "Snape may not have gotten a look at what you drew, but I did. I should have known. You've got every girl you want drooling over you but—"

"Shut up! Shut up!" Harry said through clenched teeth.

Malfoy turned to the small crowd around them smirking. "Potter wants dick!" He announced, a few of them sniggered, some looked disgusted, and others just looked at him as though he were a pathetic puppy. Harry sprinted past Malfoy, running blindly forward. He turned back to see if anyone had followed him; as he did he smacked into Snape, who staggered backward from the impact.

"Ten points from Gryffindor," he growled at Harry, who was now on the floor fighting to not cry. A look of concern flashed across Snape's face but was replaced quickly by the emotionless mask he always wore. He stalked away from Harry who was just getting up. Harry started running again, this time he had a destination. The bathroom holding the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. Once he shut and locked the door, he pulled his knife from his bag and began making gashes in his arms and ribs. He staggered to the side, lightheaded from blood loss. Righting himself, he made a deep cut down his collar bone. The room smelled of metallic blood. Harry shivered, he liked the scent. His head was spinning, or am I falling? Black spots pricked his vision.

Harry's eyes shot open and he was met with blackness. I've either gone blind or I've spent the entire day passed out on the bathroom floor. He forced himself into a sitting position and nearly fainted again. Taking a few deep breaths, he tried to stand. Harry fell to the floor with a splash. What the…? He felt around in the unknown liquid for his wand. "Lumos," he whispered when he found it. His wand emitted a bright white light, illuminating the ground. Harry looked down and realized he was sitting in his own blood. He put a hand to his collarbone to find it still tricking blood and cursed. "Nox." Still too dizzy to get up, Harry remained where he was, hoping no one would find him.

The sun started to rise after a few hours, allowing Harry to see the full extent of the mess on the floor. He shook his head, "Scourgify," he grumbled, and tried to stand again. Bracing himself on the sink, he was able to remain upright. A glance in the mirror told him many cuts were still bleeding. He sighed and hunted through his bag for gauze and tape.

Once Harry was bandaged, he took a few steps away from the sink. He decided he was strong enough to make it to class. He made sure his glamours were up and his robes covered all the gauze. Transfiguration is first today, he thought with a groan, I didn't study for the test. Shit. He slowly made his way to class. No one was present when he arrived. Brilliant. He got to his desk and sighed heavily. "Mr. Potter," Harry flinched when McGonagall's hand made contact with his shoulder.

"Yes, professor?" He asked quietly, not looking at her.

"Where were you yesterday?"

"I was sleeping, sorry." 'I was sleeping'? Really? Well it is kind of true, if you consider fainting in a puddle of your own blood sleeping.

She sighed and shook her head, "detention, tonight," he looked up sadly. "Not with me, with Professor Snape." Harry's face fell further, he didn't think he could handle manual labor in his current state.

"Why with him?" Harry asked as innocently as he could.

"He offered," she said as students started flooding in. McGonagall left him and went to the front of the room to prepare the examination. Ron and Hermione fell into the chairs beside Harry.

"Hey, mate, where've you been?" Ron asked.

"We've been so worried, Harry!" Hermione said, nearly cutting Ron off.

"I er… ended up falling asleep after potions, tired." Easier to keep up with the same lie. They nodded, expecting more, but Harry offered nothing else.

"So is it true, Harry?" Ron asked quietly, breaking the silence.

"RONALD!" Hermione shouted as Harry asked, "Is what true?" She shot Ron a glare and shook her head, but he answered Harry's question.

"The rumors?" Harry's head started spinning so he played dumb.

"What rumors?"

"The ones about you being gay. Are they true?"

Harry shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He truly didn't know how to answer the question.