A/N: Thank you to all who take the time to review. I do appreciate it, and I am glad that so many of you who are reading this yet won't review are at least reading it. It tells me that you are trying to be open minded. I am new at this theme, but I am learning SO much (just watch some seasons of Queer as Folk- I swear, all in the name of research… ha ha). Also, sorry it has taken me a few days to post this. I've only just finished this chapter… sort of got side tracked and Wednesday was NUTS!
Disclaimer: I created the plot. That's why it has its problems. The characters were like that when I got here.
Argumentative
Class had begun. Actually, it had started ten minutes ago and while Draco was content sitting in his chair in the middle of the classroom, he was worried. Harry hadn't arrived yet. In fact, he hadn't seen Harry since breakfast. Draco glanced over at Ron and Hermione, who were both bent over their cauldrons working. They didn't seem to notice the lack of Harry, and Harry hadn't mentioned missing potions to him the previous night. Draco sighed and forced himself to start on his own potion. He couldn't just casually walk up to them and ask where Harry was.
"Mr. Potter, so nice of you to join us," Professor Snape had said in his monotonous drawl. Draco looked up to see Harry standing there, covered from head to toe in what he hoped was just water. Draco decided that he liked the way Harry's hair looked when it was wet. Harry was bleeding slightly from a cut above his eye.
"Sorry," Harry said grumpily.
"I think detention might help you remember when class starts," Professor Snape said. "And don't bother with today's potion. There's no point in starting when you can't possibly finish."
Harry sighed, shaking his head, and took a seat next to Hermione. Draco tried to catch his eye but Harry was too angry to acknowledge Draco. Draco continued to work on his potion as quickly as he could, watching Harry at the same time. Harry removed his cloak; his white button down shirt clung to his body, showing the set of strong back muscles Harry had formed from aggressive Quidditch training. He was shivering in the chill of the dungeon classroom. Draco would have done anything at that moment to be the person sitting closest to him, but it was Hermione who came to Harry's rescue.
When Professor Snape wasn't looking, Hermione dried Harry's clothes and handed him a handkerchief of hers to dab at the cut above his eye. She didn't risk asking him about the events that lead up to him being ten minutes late and covered in water. Draco felt a stab of jealousy as Harry smiled at Hermione. It wasn't fair, in Draco's opinion, that Hermione had that effect on Harry.
When the bell rang, Harry waited for Hermione and Ron to gather their belongings before the three of them exited the classroom. Draco followed them closely, trying to grab snippets of their conversation but he was thwarted by Crabbe and Goyle, who had joined him on his journey to their next class.
"Did you hear what Zabini did?" Goyle gossiped quickly, laughter twinkling in his eyes. Draco shook his head.
"Apparently Potter stopped off for a sip from the drinking fountain and Zabini cursed it to life," Goyle said merrily. "The faucet knocked him in the face and dumped ice water all over him."
Draco managed to laugh, but it was forced. He listed to the loud guffaws of Crabbe while his mind tallied the second attack against Harry by Blaise in three weeks. It really was just too much. Now that Draco and Harry were in a relationship… Draco froze, mentally. Was that what they were? He didn't know. Neither Draco nor Harry had discussed the extent of what they had between them.
"What's up with you today?" Crabbe asked Draco, pulling him from his reverie.
"Mind your own business, you here?" Draco said in a biting tone as he separated himself from the two thuggish fiends he usually hung out with. Draco crossed the grounds and joined the others who were waiting for Care of Magical Creatures class to begin. Draco was standing off from Harry, but he could see him. Harry ran his hand through his still wet hair.
" Harry, I told you that Slytherins are no good," Hermione said quietly as they moved toward their assigned pens. There were small, hairy purple creatures sniffing around the dirt inside the pens.
"Hey, now Granger, we're not all bad people," Draco said as he joined them at the pen. Ron looked at Draco with pure hatred.
"Don't you have another pen to bother yourself with?" Ron asked. Draco shrugged slightly.
"The Oaf Hagrid said to get four to a pen, and you three were the closest," Draco said. Harry wasn't looking at him, focused on the creature that was now digging a hole.
"Professor Hagrid," Hermione corrected self righteously. Draco looked at her with what started off as an angry sneer, but was forced into a smile.
"Right," Draco said. He leaned against the railing. "So, what is it?"
"A Madagascarian Palsar," Hermione said all-knowingly. Harry laughed and nodded.
"Always one with the answers," Draco said. Hermione didn't look amused. "So what are we supposed to be doing with it?"
Harry and Draco hung back at the end of class, presumably to talk with Hagrid about the night watch again which was schedule for Friday night. Hermione and Ron went on though she looked back at Harry worried. Harry shooed her on and turned to Draco.
"You know, it would be nice to have some benefit of being with you," Harry said to Draco crossly. "Your friend Blaise had the drinking fountain attack me."
"I heard," Draco said. Harry stuffed his hands in his pocket. Draco looked at him. "We're not, you know, out. I can't very well walk up to Blaise and ask him to stop targeting you without giving him a reason."
"I told Hermione," Harry said suddenly. Draco looked at him.
"You… you told her? The Mudblood?" Draco said frowning. Harry looked at Draco angrily.
"She's my best friend," Harry said quickly. "I don't like that you keep calling her that name."
"What would you rather me call her?" Draco asked as his cheek flushed with embarrassment.
"How about her name? Hermione," Harry said.
"Fine," Draco grumbled. "If it'd make you happy."
"If it'll make me happy? When have you ever care what made me happy?" Harry asked crossly. Draco looked angry.
"I care," Draco snapped. "I've cared for a while. What do you think we've been doing while we've been together? It's not been for shits and giggles, Harry. I can think of other ways to get my kicks, and in ways that won't get my ass kicked."
"Does Blaise suspect that I am gay? Is that why he's targeting me?" Harry demanded.
"I don't know," Draco said shaking his head. "It's not like we all sit around Slytherin house's common room discussing sexual orientation."
"It just would be nice if I didn't have to walk around in fear of things like the drinking fountain," Harry said quietly. He looked from the ground to Draco's sympathetic face. "I am thinking about coming out."
"What?" Draco exclaimed. "Why?"
"I don't know," Harry said shrugging. "I'm just tired of not being myself. I am going to tell my roommates tonight, and then I am telling Meryl Whitmore from Hufflepuff."
"The Gossip Queen?" Draco said. Harry shrugged.
"It's the quickest way to get the information around to everyone," Harry said.
"But Harry, seriously," Draco said. "You do realize that you will be opening yourself to all kinds of ridicule, don't you?"
"I'd rather worry about it that way then to worry about people finding out and then be ridiculed anyways," Harry said. He looked at Draco hopefully. "I was kind of hoping you'd join me."
"Harry, I can't," Draco said as the two boys stood against the pen rails.
"Why not?" Harry asked.
"You're not even my boyfriend," Draco said. Harry made a face as he pulled himself off the railing.
"I'm glad we got that straightened out," Harry said coldly. Draco opened his mouth to reply. "It's fine, really. Why would a Slytherin and a Gryffindor become boyfriends, anyways? Thanks for helping me find myself."
"Harry, wait," Draco called but it was too late. Harry was already walking away from him at a break-neck pace. Draco grabbed Harry's arm, making him turn to face him. "Look, Harry, I…"
"No, Draco," Harry said shaking his head frowning. "I get it. I'm worth fooling around with but not actually have a relationship with."
"That's not what I said," Draco said exasperated. "I care about you, a lot."
"I don't doubt that," Harry said crossing his arms defensively.
"What do you want me to say?" Draco asked frowning.
"I don't want anything more that what you are willing to give me, Draco," Harry said shaking his head. "I'm not trying to be the girl in this, but I want a serious relationship."
"Harry, I don't want to rush things," Draco said. Harry sighed.
"I'm tired of lying," Harry said as he started to walk away. "I'm telling Ron tonight, and my roommates, but I'll hold off until Saturday before I announce my lack of heterosexuality. You need to make a decision. Either you're with me or you not."
"Why does it have to be an either or situation?" Draco asked frowning.
"I want a normal relationship," Harry said shrugging. "Even if you don't."
"Wait, Harry, are you even sure you're gay?" Draco asked quickly, not wanting this to be the end of their conversation. Harry looked at him slightly annoyed.
"What are you getting on about?" Harry asked. Draco racked his brains for a minute, trying to figure that out as well.
"It's just… you… maybe are only… gay for me?" Draco said hesitantly as he tried to keep Harry from turning and running back to the castle.
"Gay for you? You really are full of yourself," Harry said shaking his head.
"No, I mean you still like girls, but the only guy you've liked is me," Draco explained.
"So far," Harry said.
"So far," Draco repeated. "Look, I don't know what the right thing to say is, Harry."
"Then don't say anything at all," Harry said. He turned and finally parted with Draco. Harry didn't look back, but he knew Draco wasn't chasing him down to talk to him. Harry had been serious. He'd give Draco until Saturday, and then Harry was telling everyone. He headed toward the great hall for lunch before his next class. Sighing, Harry found his seat with his housemates and sat down.
"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked as Harry moved food around his plate. Harry looked up at her and forced a smile.
"Nothing," Harry said. He took a deep breath. "Look, I want to talk to you all after class today, in our dorm room ok? Ron? Ginny?"
"Yeah," Ron and Ginny nodded their identical shade of red colored heads.
"Dean? Seamus? Neville?" Harry asked. The three boys nodded, looking quite confused.
"Sure there, Harry," they said. Harry nodded.
"Good," Harry said as he speared a piece of meat on his plate. He was thankful he had his back to the room; he didn't want to keep looking up to see Draco looking at him. It was bad enough he could feel the blond boy's gaze on his back. Harry sighed audibly before he pushed his plate away.
"Not hungry?" Hermione asked. Harry shook his head.
"No," Harry said. Hermione looked at him with great concern.
"Do you want to go and talk about it?" She asked him. Harry shook his head.
"I'll be fine, really," Harry said as he felt the familiar sting of tears just below the surface. "I'll catch you later then."
With that Harry jumped up and practically sprinted out of the great hall, holding his breath. He knew if he breathed, he would cry. He swore he'd never cry over a girl, and he sure as hell wasn't going to cry over a boy; especially Draco Malfoy. Harry fought the urge all the way back to his dorm, which was naturally empty at lunch time. He hesitated, thinking of what it would look like should someone come back to see him crying. Harry threw the window open, the cooling air hitting him in the face. He took a few deep gulps of the air, willing the tears to disappear. He would not cry. He would not let himself be weak because of this thing with Malfoy.
Harry looked at his watch. It was nearly time for his next class, Transfiguration, and he took one final calming deep breath before closing the window. He glanced at his reflection, ensuring nothing was amiss, and Harry headed out of the boys' dormitory, through the common room, and out the portrait hole. He couldn't afford to earn another detention for being late. He sprinted the rest of the way to class, slipping into his chair before the tardy chime.
