Chapter 9 – Don't worry about me

At midnight, the boys exited the room quite reluctantly, hands clutched tightly together.

It was almost too painful to end the night but Draco being the anti-awkward situations person that he was, dispelled the sudden tension before it got out of hand "oh don't act like I'm going to die or something. I know you'll probably stay up throughout the night just thinking about me but seriously, just kiss me already and go to sleep, will you? I'll still be here tomorrow"

So Harry obliged and kissed him deeply, tongue invading his mouth and sweeping through it as if sucking Draco's very essence and Draco reacted with a loud moan and wrapped his arms around Harry, unconsciously pulling him closer.

When the kiss ended, both boys were breathing heavily.

"Are you sure about that?" Harry whispered against Draco's cheek.

Draco was confused "sure about what?"

Harry smiled as he pulled back "About you being around tomorrow..."

Draco grinned mischievously. "Oh you didn't realize that was a joke? I couldn't possibly go on a date, eat bad food, listen to boring stories about a guy I absolutely hate and still not manage to at least get a goodnight kiss. That would be quite disappointing, don't you think? As a Malfoy-"

Harry cut him off with a kiss, and when he pulled back, Draco continued slowly "- it would be a very disappointing experience"

Kiss.

"And- and, well and if my father should hear- "

Another kiss

"About that, he will probably-" this time, Harry held Draco's head, tilted it to the side and kissed him thoroughly, pulling back to say "okay, I'm so sorry I asked"

Draco grinned. "Of course I'll be here. You haven't scared me yet and well, who would I go to anyway? You're my match" He finished, kissed Harry's nose lightly and left, calling goodbye over his shoulder at Harry, who stood there with a smile on his face.

The night had gone better than he'd expected.

He walked to his room, knowing full well sleep wouldn't come easy to him that night.

Harry was bursting with joy so much that the first time he caught sight of Ron, even though that wouldn't have been his first choice with a matter like this, he spilled his guts

"You what?!"

"Well, I haven't had the chance to tell you anything of late"

Ron blanched and paled considerably."Oh mate..."

Harry shook his head "Ron please don't do that. I don't want you to start feeling bad about useless stuff. I'm happy for you. I really am but this time, I also found mine and I thought it'd be better be you than any Slytherin I happen to have the uncontrollable urge around" he said, patted Ron's shoulder and skipped - yes, skipped- away.

For the next three months, they kept at it, gradually becoming civil to each other to the bafflement of the entire school. It started with either boy walking away from a confrontation - though Draco mostly did the confrontation while Harry did the walking away - and then at night, they'd either sit in Harry's room, Draco's room or the room of requirement and laugh about it.

Then it morphed into both boys bursting into ridiculous laughter. The first time it happened, everyone, including Snape who was hardly ever surprised, stood surprised.

The next step of their public episode was defending each other when the need arose.

When Draco defended Harry that first time, he'd blushed fiercely and fled, hoping that no one had seen it.

In a strange way, that simple act made him feel safe. Very safe, actually.

Dumbledore had called Harry to his office one afternoon, obviously curious and apparently a little worried.
He'd asked about his "alliance" with Draco, his motives -if he had any- for dating, or as he termed it, "courting" -jeez, courting. Who used that word still?- Draco Malfoy.

According to Dumbledore, he feared that Harry just wanted Draco to pay for some of his crimes through his hand -or wand- or worse, that he'd gone to the first person who'd shown an interest in him after the war.

"That's not the reason sir" Harry stated.

"Then what is?"

"I don't know. I just love his company, even when he's being a pain in my-" the word suspended, and the longer it took, the more his blush grew as the double meaning of what he was about to say rang in his ears.

Dumbledore smiled at his reaction "So you're courting?"

"Uh.. No. I wouldn't call it that. I mean, we date and all but I'm not his boyfriend or anything"

"But you love him?"

"I don't know what love is. If it's what I felt for Ginny, then that's not it."

"Which makes you happier?" the old man asked, eyes sparkling.

Harry shrugged "What I feel with Draco, I think. I don't know. With Ginny, I just belonged, you know? But with Draco, I know everything about it is wrong; he being a bloke, a Malfoy, a death eater, and an outright bastard. I still hang around and I can't stay away even when I try. It's like... Like I opened a can of worms or something" he finished and frowned, trying to determine whether he had used that right.

The old man chuckled low in his throat "And does Mr. Malfoy feel the same?"

Harry shrugged "I think so...I mean, I hope so"

"Alright. Thank you for dispelling my worries, Harry. And I wish you good luck"

"Thank you sir" he said, got up and left.

He was walking through the halls alone when suddenly he felt a presence behind him but before he could turn around and see who it was, he was pulled into an empty classroom and the door was spelled shut.
A/N: this was quite long I know, but I started writing and I just couldn't stop so I hope you like it.
Last chapter will be up next week, god willing ...
Thanks for your reviews.
And keep reviewing peeps
love you all

-sorry for the very very late update. I traveled to my village and the internet connection there is CRAP!

So sorry.