Chapter 11

He had just dropped off his books and everything in his room and was walking towards the owlery where he knew Harry would be. Well, he wouldn't be all the way up, because that wasn't a cosy place to be but he'd be somewhere in the vicinity.

He was right.

Harry was sitting on a bench in the corridor just next to the stairs. He was looking the other way but probably heard Draco coming so he wasn't surprised when the boy sat down next to him. The corridor was deserted. Most people where either in the library studying because they were seventh years or outside enjoying the sun because class hadn't started yet. It was a Saturday after all.

"I didn't mean to strike out like that, I'm sorry," Draco said.

Harry snorted. "Well, at least you're better at this than Ron."

He raised an eyebrow.

"He was running after me, shouting and then started explaining you were just too much of a prat so he couldn't stop himself from being angry," Harry explained.

"I see," he responded but refrained from expanding on the topic in fear of another argument. The redhead could be quite infuriating sometimes and he wasn't in the mood to talk about that right now.

"Well, I hope everything's okay now," he said instead. "We wouldn't want the Golden Boy sulking."

"You see, this is exactly what he was talking about. You know that, right?" Harry said.

"Yes, but you like it," Draco teased.

He didn't get an answer for a second so he glanced aside and saw Harry blush a bit. "That's beside the point," Harry mumbled while Draco just smirked and leaned against the wall, staring at the other side of the hallway.

They continued in silence for a short while before Draco restarted the conversation. "This is what I think. Not many have an actual problem with me talking like that, so long as I don't insult them directly."

"Now what makes you say that?"

"Only one was complaining as far as I saw, or did you see anyone else joining him?"

"That doesn't prove anything."

"But it doesn't break my claim either."

Harry nodded.

"So," Draco continued, "only he complains because he doesn't like me and makes no difference between me lightening up the mood or insulting someone."

"But you also target him all the time so that doesn't help."

"He just makes it too easy," Draco smirked.

"Then resist the temptation," Harry sounded a lot more annoyed than he tried to let on. "I don't want that kind of fight happening again."

"You know you sound like a mother now?" Draco pointed out.

Harry glared at him.

"Alright, alright," he gave in before Harry tried to throttle him. "I give up."

He turned to the brunette next to him and laid a hand over his heart. "I solemnly swear that I will try to behave."

Harry tried not to smile to keep up the 'stern mother' act but knew he failed when Draco laughed for real and brushed his hair.

He tried to dodge the attack on his head but Draco didn't let him go and they ended almost pressed together, completely entangled.

For one long second Draco stared in Harry's eyes and felt like nothing mattered more in the world than right now and that this moment would be perfect if only he leaned forward and…

Nearing footsteps pulled him back in the present. He snapped back to reality and disentangled himself from Harry before the intruding students could round the corner and see them. With one last mischievous smile he ruffled Harry's hair and sauntered away.