Hi! This is a rather short one, but a really fluffy one! I'm so sorry for making it so short, I'm in holiday mood and I really can't force myself to write. Really. It's hard. But I'll try to update as soon as I can with a proper chapter! Enjoy this one!
*Line breaks are fixed* Betaed by Siriuslyholly! Thanks a lot!
Chapter 9
Together
Harry was looking for some books related to Quidditch in the library, when Hermione bounded up behind him.
"Hi, Harry, are you going to see Malfoy again today?" Harry turned around and nodded. Hermione sat down on one of the benches, picking up a book. He hadn't even seen her in the library until now.
"Yeah. I'm the only company he has right now."
"Well, tell him I said hi. And don't do anything besides school work, the exams are coming up shortly. Oh, and don't be late for bed, okay?" she instructed. Harry lifted an eyebrow. Why would she want to say hello to Draco? What would they do besides work? And since when did she care how late he went to bed?
Harry shrugged, finally found the book he was looking for and put it under his arm. "Thanks, 'Mione. Tell Ron I said hey."
"You know that it's not part of your punishment, right?" Hermione asked. Harry looked at her, puzzled. What did she mean by that? Hermione caught his confusion and explained. "If you're telling Ron that you have to meet up with Malfoy because Snape gave you that punishment, you're lying. You know that, don't you?"
"Of course. But Ron doesn't, so please don't tell him." Hermione smiled and gave a little nod before concentrating on her book. Of course this wasn't his punishment anymore. He went to Malfoy every single free moment of the day. He didn't organise Quidditch practices as often, he didn't meet up with his friends much anymore. Sometimes, he felt guilty, but then again, he didn't really care.
Harry went off to see Draco again. "Hi, Malfoy," Harry saluted enthusiastically, practically running through the door and taking his seat at the side of the bed.
"Hi, Potter. Have you been running again?"
"I'm sorry I'm late. I found an interesting book for you. You know, when you feel bored, you could read a bit." Harry showed him a book about Quidditch players of the twentieth centuary and looked at Draco expectantly.
"Thanks, Potter. That was… very kind of you." It felt weird hearing such soft words coming out of Malfoy' mouth and Harry smiled widely.
"You're welcome," Harry responded, taking out his own books and got ready to inform him about the past few hours.
"Oh, and Hermione told me to say hi," Harry said quickly, almost forgetting to mention it.
"Did she? Odd," was all Malfoy said. They fell silent for a while, reading their books.
"I'm almost healed, you know," Malfoy informed him, a few minutes later.
"Oh, that's… great," Harry exclaimed unconvincingly. If Malfoy was healed, that would mean life would go back to normal, and Harry would have to spend every single Friday with Snape.
"You're not happy?" Malfoy asked.
"Oh, of course I'm happy for you. I mean, it's really great. It's just –"
"What?" Malfoy interrupted, putting aside his book and patting his bed. Harry cautiously took a seat next to Malfoy, his heart speeding up as he sat so close to the blonde.
"I have to spend every Friday with Snape in the dungeons," Harry grumbled.
"That's too bad for you, Potter. Bad boys must be punished, right?" Malfoy teased, half-smiling.
Harry nodded. "I won't be able to see you anymore, either," he continued, feeling rather sad as he spoke.
"You want to keep seeing me?" Malfoy asked, surprised. Harry grew nervous all of a sudden.
"I don't know… I mean… We're very –"
"Stop babbling, Potter. If you like me, just spill it." Harry was astonished by how easy the words left Draco's mouth.
"I have grown fond of you," Harry confessed, looking down at the blanket and fumbling with the fabric of his shirt.
"What? I didn't hear you," Malfoy teased. Harry wanted to kick the Slytherin, but fought it back, cause he had hurt the boy enough already.
"You heard me well enough. I said 'I like you'," Harry repeated, starting to feel unsure. Had this been the right thing to say?
"You said it with different words. Say it again," Malfoy ordered.
"I – huh? Why?"
"I liked it. Just say it, Potter. Are you scared now?"
"No. I said I've grown fond of you," Harry answered, whispering the last three words. Malfoy leant closer, and Harry counted his almost-white eyelashes before he closed his eyes. Their lips met for the second time. But this time, it was more intense, more sensitive. All of Harry's feelings poured into the kiss. A stirring feeling grew inside his stomach, and Harry had to keep himself from moaning into the blonde's mouth.
Draco's soft, pink lips fitted perfectly with Harry's full red ones. Draco was sending shivers down Harry's spine as he put his arm around Harry's waist. They were completely oblivious to their surroundings. Harry didn't push Draco away harshly, like last time. When they both came up for air, Harry's eyes met beautiful grey ones, and for several seconds, Harry couldn't breathe.
Malfoy was beautiful.
"D-do you like me too?" Harry asked hesitatingly. The moment of truth. This could all have been a show.
"What does it look like?" Malfoy replied. There was no sign of mockery in his voice. This was already enough for Harry.
"I'm really sorry about everything," Harry murmured.
"Don't be. It brought us together," Malfoy whispered. For some reason, those were the most beautiful words Harry had ever heard.
Draco was starting to have some doubts about Harry. What if it all turned out to be a big joke? Then, almost on cue, Potter came rushing in, like he did every single day. It reassured Draco, and he had to refrain from smiling at the flushing boy.
After they had read for a while, something was burning inside him to get out, but he didn't know how Harry would react. Draco was almost healed. He was almost ready to go back to the Slytherins; to face all his 'friends' again. It bothered him a lot, but what bothered him the most was that Potter would probably be happy his job was almost done.
"I'm almost healed, you know," he said suddenly, breaking the silence they were sat in.
"Oh, that's... great," Harry said. Draco could hear some hesitation in his voice. Could it be? No. it couldn't.
"You're not happy?" Draco asked, trying to sound disappointed, but feeling hopeful inside.
"Oh, of course I'm happy for you. I mean, it's really great. It's just –" Harry hesitated for a second, and the hopeful feeling grew inside Draco's stomach. Maybe Harry felt the same way about him. Maybe he didn't just drop by because he had to. Maybe…
"What?" Draco asked, putting aside the books and patting his bed. Potter took a seat on the blankets, and Draco was shocked by the close-up beauty of the boy before him. They hadn't been so close since that wonderful kiss; that wonderful kiss with the terrible ending. Draco hoped Harry would say something good.
"I have to spend every Friday with Snape in the dungeons," Harry answered. This pissed Draco off. Was he only unhappy because of his punishment with Snape? He knew those two hated each other, but Draco had hoped Harry would've liked his company. Well, he always got hurt by his own assumptions. Draco kept his sigh inside and managed to say, "That's too bad for you, Potter. Bad boys must be punished, right?" He tried smiling, but he was sure it didn't reach his eyes. Somewhere inside him, he hoped that Harry would have a really rough time with Snape, but he knew he didn't mean it.
Harry nodded. "I won't be able to see you anymore, either," Potter continued. At this, Draco's eyes shot up again. He saw his green eyes, filled with a hint of sadness. His hope rose again.
"You want to keep seeing me?" Draco questioned, his voice not much louder than a whisper.
"I don't know… I mean… We're very –" and Potter was stuttering again. Draco liked the uncertainty about the boy. He had always thought Harry would have everything all figured out, but actually, he was as unsure about this as Draco was.
"Stop babbling, Potter. If you like me, just spill it," Draco snapped, stopping the boy in the middle of his sentence.
"I have grown fond of you," Harry confessed, and even though his actions remained unsure, Draco could hear that the boy meant what he had just said. But he wouldn't be a Malfoy if he didn't drive it further. "What? I didn't hear you," Draco teased.
"You heard me well enough. I said 'I like you'," Harry rushed. Draco was really enjoying himself. He couldn't believe they were having this conversation! Potter liked him? Really? Maybe he was dreaming. It wouldn't be the first time. However, this felt real.
"You said it with different words. Say it again," Draco ordered, wanting to be sure about it.
"I – huh? Why?" Draco had to stop any emotion showing on his face to in fear of being rejected. Was Harry backing off now?
"I liked it. Just say it, Potter. Are you scared now?"
"No. I said I've grown fond of you," he replied. At that, all Draco wanted to do was taste the words in Harry's mouth. He leant in, and as they touched, he could almost feel Harry's words on his lips. He could sense his honesty, and was filled with a warm feeling from the top of his head, to the tip of his toes.
Time and place didn't matter to Draco anymore. All that mattered was the green eyed boy in front of him. He wrapped his arms around his waist and deepened the kiss, until they both gasped for air.
"D – do you like me too?" Harry asked slowly. Draco raised an eyebrow. Of course he liked him! Wasn't that obvious? Would he have kissed him like that otherwise? Draco had kissed other people, but none of them had kissed like Harry. He was perfect in everything he did, even in kissing. It was obvious Draco had liked it, but somehow, Harry was showing uncertainty, something Draco hadn't experienced with him before.
"What does it look like?" Draco replied.
"I'm really sorry about everything," Harry murmured. Well, this was the perfect thing to say. How many times had Harry said that already? One million times? Two million? Draco had lost count. But it didn't matter. Potter didn't have to feel sorry.
"Don't be. It brought us together," Draco whispered. They fell silent for a while and then Draco spoke again. "If it's so important for you, I can pretend to feel a bit off for a little while longer so that you don't have as many detentions."
"You would?" Potter beamed. Draco could hear the gratitude in his voice.
"Only if you kiss me again," Draco said. Potter didn't see a problem with that and the Hospital Wing disappeared again.
To be continued…
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