Pure Rhapsody
WARNING:Sexual content in this chapter!
Chapter 13: Deep Attraction
The water wiped away any traces of sweat or grime and Harry sighed and stretched his muscles. His back was a little sore, but he was fine other than being hungry and agitated. He remained in the shallow area for a while just letting his thoughts wander. He was uncertain why Malfoy had to constantly have his sarcasm cover what he was feeling. It was obvious he was grateful that Harry saved him again, but a few minutes after the dragon had left Malfoy was back to his arrogant self. He just didn't understand it and he wanted to figure out a while to get the blond to be more open with his feelings.
"What am I saying?" Harry whispered aloud, shaking his head as droplets of water sprayed everywhere.
Harry splashed his face with more water and sighed contently. Seconds later his relaxation was ruined.
"Potter!"
Harry wheeled around in the water, thankful that only his chest and torso were visible. The lower half of his body was beneath the water so Malfoy couldn't see anything (not that he hadn't seen everything already). The blond approached the shore and crossed his arms over his bare chest.
"What the hell is taking you so long?"
"I'm taking my time! Why do you care?" Harry retorted.
"Because you're not the only one who needs to wash up," Malfoy drawled as sweat trickled down the side of his face.
"Malfoy, the lake is huge. You can find your own spot to bathe."
"If you hadn't noticed Potter, it's hard to bathe in the deep water," Malfoy said, narrowing his eyes. "And you're hogging the shallow end."
Harry splashed more water on his face and rubbed harshly. "Malfoy…," Harry's jaw clenched. "Look, I don't feel like fighting any more. I'll get out when I'm ready to get out. If you don't want to wait then go to the opposite end."
Even as Harry gestured to the opposite end of the shallow lake, he realized there wasn't a lot of distance between them. Still, if he kept his back to the blond and ignored him then hopefully they wouldn't get into another fight. The blond wiped his forehead and glared at him.
"Fine! But keep your eyes over there, Potter!"
"Like hell I want to see you naked, Malfoy!"
He saw Malfoy sneer at him before he turned around. Surprisingly, the blond didn't say anything. Harry decided not to mention that he had already seen Malfoy naked, twice now. He heard Malfoy moving and then he heard a light splash of water. His entire body tensed and Harry tried to ignore the pounding in his chest. Something was off, but he wasn't sure what. Perhaps he was still wary of Malfoy subconsciously. It was true he didn't believe Malfoy had committed the murders, but at the same time he knew the Slytherin was far from innocent.
Still…if Malfoy hadn't committed the murders, then who did? It had to have been someone who cleverly set him up—someone who stole the vials and left an unknown blond hair to throw the Ministry off. Harry's first instinct was telling him it must've been Lucius Malfoy. He wasn't sure how the man got out of Azkaban or faked his own death, but he couldn't think of anyone else. Then again, it was a little unnerving that Lucius Malfoy would frame his own son just to make sure the Ministry didn't find him. Harry heard Malfoy behind him moving in the water and then it was silent. Turning his head just slightly, Harry peered over his shoulder. The blond wasn't there.
He turned completely and then he spotted the bubbles surfacing on the water. Before he could look away, Malfoy resurfaced thankfully with his back turned to him. The blond's fair skin was dripping with water and Malfoy raked his hands through his hair still facing away from him. Harry's eyes caught sight of something and he squinted. There was something on Malfoy's lower back. And it was moving.
"Malfoy, don't move!" Harry whispered sharply.
He saw Malfoy's shoulders tense. "What the hell are you—"
"There's something on you! Hold still!" Harry exclaimed, trying to be as quiet as possible lest he anger whatever was moving.
The blond didn't move and Harry approached him, slowly treading through the shallow water. He reached out a hand and smacked Malfoy's lower back unexpectedly. The blond wheeled around and Harry managed to avoid being hit in the face, but he didn't move away fast enough as Malfoy grabbed his wrist and twisted it.
"Let go!" Harry snapped, wincing at the slight pain that ran up his arm.
"What the hell are you trying to pull, Potter?" Malfoy bellowed furiously.
Harry clenched his jaw. "Stop it! There was something moving on your back!"
"I told you to keep your eyes away from me, Potter!" the blond's eyes narrowed. "Why the hell were you looking at me?"
Instantly, Harry felt his insides squirm uncomfortably. It was true that he looked over at the blond out of reaction; he hadn't been thinking. Licking his lips nervously, Harry narrowed his eyes as well.
"I heard something Malfoy and I thought it might be the dragon. So I turned and then I saw something moving out of the corner of my eye. I needed to make sure that it wasn't anything dangerous."
"What is it with you always trying to play the hero!" Malfoy snapped. "Not to mention you're bloody stupid. I'm surprised you've survived so long on your pathetic instincts."
"My instincts about the dragon returning were right before!" Harry exclaimed defensively.
His wrist was released and Malfoy sneered in amusement. "That was probably a lucky guess."
"Then what was moving on your back?" Harry retorted, glaring at him coolly.
"It was my tattoo, Potter!"
Harry's expression faltered and he stared at him with both confusion and surprise. "What? A tattoo? But why was it moving?"
"That's what tattoos do, Potter," Malfoy drawled.
"Like wizard photographs?" Harry asked curiously.
The blond stared at him with an unreadable look. "Potter, if I didn't know any better I'd guess you were a muggle with a wand. All wizard tattoos move. A five-year-old would know that."
"I didn't grow up in the wizard world, Malfoy," Harry shot back.
"Obviously," the blond drawled with a smirk.
With a shove, Malfoy pushed him so that he stumbled back a little ways. "Now get back to your own spot."
The blond wheeled around and Harry stared at his back for a few seconds. He opened his mouth then closed it and then opened it again.
"What's it of?"
Malfoy jerked his head over his shoulder and gazed at him intensely. "What?" he snapped.
"Your tattoo. What's it of?"
"It's my business, Potter!"
Harry's gaze darkened. "It was just a simple question! You don't have to get an attitude about everything!"
Turning his back on the blond, Harry angrily swam back to his spot. His instincts were telling him that Malfoy was watching him, but he ignored the feeling and it finally went away. Several minutes later, without glancing at Malfoy, Harry slipped out of the water and hurriedly threw his clothes on. Then he headed back to the cave.
There was a nice cool breeze and Harry lay down upon his sleeping bag. Malfoy didn't return to the cave until an hour later. The blond looked disgruntled and was only wearing his torn jeans. His bare chest had droplets of water on it.
"There's hardly any more berries left on that tree, Potter! When's your bloody bird going to do something?"
"It's a bush and if we have to we can explore a farther distance from the cave, maybe in the opposite direction where we first landed. There might be other bushes around."
"Oh right and run into another bloody dragon!" Malfoy snapped. "That's brilliant Potter. Why don't we just drown ourselves now?"
"Go ahead," Harry added coldly.
Malfoy wheeled around and glared at him, clutching his wand firmly. "Don't piss me off, Potter!"
"Or you'll what?" Harry challenged, jumping to his feet with his wand in hand.
The two of them glared heatedly at one another but neither made a move. Harry's anger died down and he slumped back onto his sleeping bag. He knew that both of them were hungry, hot and miserable and that's why they were getting on each other's nerves even more than before. Malfoy finally seemed to give up as well for he lowered his wand. The blond turned around and Harry glanced up at his back. He could only see a tip of his tattoo. He hadn't realized Malfoy had one because he had only seen the blond's front, even after they had…
Swallowing thickly, Harry pushed the thoughts away. Malfoy ignored him even as it began to get dark again. The blond lay down on his side with his back facing Harry. Despite that the sun had disappeared and the crescent moon glimmered in the sky, Harry couldn't sleep. He sat on his sleeping bag wondering if they were ever going to be saved. Perhaps Malfoy was right—perhaps the phoenix had just taken off with the parchment without knowing what to do.
A little while later Harry was still up lost in his thoughts. He glanced over at Malfoy and his eyes stared at the spot where his tattoo lay beneath his jeans. Curiosity consumed him and Harry tried to fight it but he convinced himself that it would just be a peek. He crept over to where Malfoy lay, thankful that the cave was completely dark. Only a small section at the mouth of it was illuminated by the light of the moon.
After peering over the blond's form to make sure he was asleep, Harry used his wand and murmured a spell, pointing it at the back of Malfoy's jeans. Slowly, the section that the wand was pointed at began to bend unnaturally and slip downward. The black tip came into view even though he couldn't make out details and slowly a larger part was revealed. Harry couldn't make out anything in the dark so he slowly moved his wand. He wasn't sure if the entire tattoo was revealed or not but he wanted to see. Just before he was about to use his wand as a light Malfoy turned, groaning and Harry jumped backward. Quickly, he hurried onto his own sleeping bag as Malfoy sat up. Then the blond got up and headed toward the mouth of the cave.
Harry sat up, feeling that it wasn't necessary to pretend he was sleeping. "Malfoy, where are you going?" he whispered.
The blond's head turned just slightly to glance at him and Harry could tell he looked a bit disoriented. It was probably a combination of sleep-deprivation and hunger.
"I'm pissing Potter, as if you need to know," the blond drawled quietly.
Harry turned away, feeling his throat constrict at the sound of the blond unzipping his jeans. He waited until Malfoy had re-zipped his jeans and headed back before he glanced at him.
"What are you doing up, Potter?" Malfoy drawled, slumping down onto his sleeping bag.
"I…," Harry's voice faltered as he sensed something. It was a wave of arousal and he swallowed. He knew that it wasn't him so it had to be Malfoy. The blond was aroused and though he couldn't feel it strongly, he could still sense it. "I couldn't sleep," Harry said finally.
Malfoy snorted and lay down. After several minutes, Harry assumed Malfoy went to sleep again, and approached the mouth of the cave. He sat down and sighed with relief as a cool breeze swept over his sweaty skin. He had never put his shirt back on because it was too hot so the wind hit his bare chest. There was a slight howling in the wind and Harry stared out at the darkening land. He heard a noise and turned to see Malfoy standing nearby him.
"What is that Potter?" Malfoy asked, staring out as well.
Harry turned back to look and the cool breeze swept across his face, lifting his bangs to reveal his scar which was illuminated by the moonlight. When he glanced back at Malfoy, he saw that the blond was staring at his forehead.
"I'm not sure," Harry answered quietly, pretending like he hadn't noticed. "I don't sense any danger though."
The blond just stared at him indifferently and Harry's eyes widened. "Malfoy! By your face."
Malfoy jerked his head and swatted at the glowing ball of light that had been lingering next to his face. Harry watched it dodge Malfoy's hand and then bounce in the air throughout the cave before it came out and encircled Harry's head.
"Annoying moon-dancers," Malfoy muttered.
Harry gazed over at him and then watched as the moon-dancer flickered away up into the sky. With the distraction gone and Malfoy only a foot away, Harry could once again sense his arousal. He tried to ignore it but for some reason it was making him nervous.
"Why won't you show me your tattoo?" Harry blurted out.
Sneering, the blond sat down and stared at him. "Why the hell do you want to see it so badly Potter?"
Harry shrugged. "I've never seen a wizard tattoo before."
Malfoy's sneer began to fade; obviously he had been trying to tease him or taunt him but Harry had answered him truthfully. It was unnerving that Malfoy was suddenly silent, staring at him through half-darkness as the moon was partly covered by a cloud. Although they could still see one another, only their faces were most visible. It was then Harry realized that in the moonlight it felt surreal—almost as if he was dreaming again. Malfoy's eyes were staring at him, but he seemed somewhat tired so his gaze wasn't as piercing as usual. Another glowing ball of light appeared above Malfoy's head and floated down to perch on Malfoy's head. Harry couldn't contain the smile of amusement and he saw Malfoy's eyes narrow.
"What's so funny Potter?"
Harry scooted forward until he was right in front of Malfoy. The blond was too tired to react and Harry reached out both hands. Sliding his fingers through some of the other boy's blond strands, he scooped the moon-dancer into his hands and knelt back down. He was within inches of Malfoy now and the blond stared at his hand were he had captured the glowing moon-dancer.
Harry stared down at it through his palms and the light illuminating off of the creature came through his fingers. It looked almost like a small floating jelly-fish only instead of tentacles it had flowery-like wings that were vapory. The entire body of the small creature was transparent and it was a vibrant lilac color.
Harry opened his palms and allowed the moon-dancer to escape and float back up toward the stars. The light from it had vanished leaving him and Malfoy back in the shadows. The moon wasn't giving off much light, especially since it was still partially blocked by a cloud. Harry was still perched on his knees and he stared into Malfoy's face. The wind had stopped howling but a light cool breeze still filled the cave as the two of them continued to stare. Harry couldn't tear his gaze away from the blond. He scooted forward even more until his knees practically brushed against Malfoy's legs.
His stomach made a subtle sound of hunger but Harry ignored it. He wanted to know if Malfoy was still aroused and without thinking he put a hand on the blond's shoulder. Before Harry could use his Legilmency to sense anything, Malfoy jerked in response and grabbed his wrist. Suddenly Harry was on the floor and Malfoy still had his wrist. But instead of twisting it painfully, Malfoy used it to push him down and then he took advantage by crawling on top of him. Harry's heart was pounding a mile a minute and he could scarcely breathe. He hardly noticed that his anxiety had turned to excitement.
The blond tried to pin him down and Harry wasn't sure what was going through his mind, but he didn't care. The next thing he knew he had wrapped his arms around Malfoy's neck and forced the blond down toward him. Their lips met in a hasty, unexpected kiss. The sound of their lips breaking apart echoed in the cave. The moon was now completely hidden by the cloud. The cave was in total darkness and Harry could see Malfoy's outline above him and he could hear the blond's heavy breathing.
He was beginning to become aroused just like in his dreams. Perhaps he had fallen asleep and he hadn't realized it. All thoughts fled from him as Malfoy roughly crushed his lips down upon his. Their chests met and both their hearts pounded in sync. Harry could clearly sense Malfoy's arousal but his mind was so overwhelmed that he didn't process anything. The lips on his were so warm and inviting. And the body on top of his was causing his stomach to squirm with anticipation.
The blond's lips pulled away from his and Harry opened his eyes to see the outline of Malfoy moving above him. He saw Malfoy pull off his shirt and toss it aside. Then the blond fumbled with his pants and Harry's mind and heart were racing so fast; everything was moving so fast. He could scarcely breathe now as Malfoy lay down upon him. The mouth was on his again and a tongue found its way between his lips. Harry released a quiet groan as he felt hands on his pants. Harry tried to help by unbuttoning his jeans but there was no need. The blond pulled out his wand and Harry's pants came off of their own accord.
Harry was breathing heavily and he felt his own body beginning to react. As Malfoy pressed down against him, the two of them began kissing and groping. The kissing and the touching were welcomed distractions from the hunger and possibility of being stuck there for a long time. Harry's back arched up off the cave floor when Malfoy's mouth moved to his neck and proceeded to suck harshly. It was on the junction of his neck and collar bone and it sent shivers throughout his body.
Closing his eyes, Harry released a moan as the lips sucked on his skin. Harry wound his hands around Malfoy's back and trailed his short nails up and down the expansion of skin. His fingers halted when they came to his lower back. Slipping a bit beneath Malfoy's boxers, Harry's fingers felt the tattoo that was against his back. All he felt was the outline of whatever it was, which happened to be no bigger than Harry's fist, he guessed, but he still couldn't make it out. Malfoy groaned, having apparently enjoyed being caressed back there.
The blond yanked his own boxers down and then went for Harry's. Their naked bodies rubbed together and it was so much different than before. The sensations were clear enough that Harry felt pleasure invade his senses. He felt Malfoy's stomach rumble against his with hunger, but the blond hardly noticed. He rubbed his erection against Harry's thigh. Their mouths met hastily and tongues sparred together. Malfoy wasted no time in lowering his wand toward Harry's entrance. The familiar feeling of the cold, thick gel came and Harry was more aware of it.
Harry's eyes snapped open when he felt Malfoy's erection at his entrance. It was surreal—the mixture of pleasure and pain which hadn't been as clear before. The pain was sharp and quick but the second it faded there was a wave of ecstasy that made Harry gasp aloud. His body trembled as the thick erection penetrated him and rubbed against something inside of him that erased any rational thoughts he had left.
"Ahhh!" Harry groaned, arching up as the erection inside him moved.
The blond above him groaned loudly and placed both hands on either side of his face before thrusting upward. Clutching at the blond's back, Harry felt pleasure ripple through his stomach making him groan. Malfoy released a grunt and then pulled out and thrust back in. Harry's back was scraping against the rough cave floor. Their bodies were soon covered in perspiration and Harry instinctively lifted a leg to wrap it around Malfoy's waist. The pace was slow but deep; they were both tired and neither one spoke. Malfoy's head rested by Harry's as he continued to thrust. A couple of times the penetration was deep enough that it caused Harry to arch upward and release a loud moan. Otherwise, it was a slow, steady pace.
Malfoy grabbed the back of his other thigh and lifted it to allow a better angle. After thrusting several more times, Harry felt his own erection twitch. He hardly realized he had climaxed until Malfoy stilled above him and he felt something warm inside of him. And then it was over.
When Harry opened his eyes the sun was just barely coming into the cave. As he saw the sky and landscape clearly, he remembered about Malfoy and being stranded. Suddenly, Harry panicked. He was a bit disoriented, but only just. Had he been dreaming again last night? If he had had a wet dream in Malfoy's presence…
A soft groan by his ear caused his to jerk up. Harry's arm accidentally slapped Malfoy across the face as he sat up. Right when Harry realized he wasn't wearing any clothes and he was suspiciously sticky, Malfoy sat up next to him. And then it was all too clear what had happened.
"Oh Merlin!" Harry exclaimed suddenly, his throat constricting.
He turned and saw Malfoy looking down at himself. And then the blond's wide eyes caught his.
"POTTER!" Malfoy snarled, jumping to his feet.
"It wasn't my fault! I…you…we weren't even drunk!" Harry exclaimed, completely confused.
And once again he had nothing to cover himself with. Malfoy had leapt up and grabbed his wand cleaning himself off. Harry searched around for his wand and did the same.
"How the hell did this happen?" Harry blurted out.
"Obviously we're going insane from being stuck here!" Malfoy bellowed.
Harry noticed that the blond had slipped on his jeans already.
"And I thought this situation couldn't get any worse!" Malfoy snapped. "If you so much as even think about breathing a word of this!" the blond threatened, pointing his wand at him.
"Oh right, that's exactly what I want to tell everyone," Harry replied sarcastically.
Malfoy glared at him and opened his mouth. A loud high-pitched sound came from the distance and Harry's head jerked toward the noise. Something a distance away was flying.
"It could be the phoenix!" Harry exclaimed, hurrying to slip on his jeans.
He grabbed his wand and then made the same sounds he had before, hoping that it was the phoenix. Malfoy had thankfully lowered his wand and he stared out of the cave with a grim expression. Whatever it was flew closer to the cave and Harry's heart nearly skipped a beat when he saw it was the same phoenix. It landed at the edge of the cave and dropped a letter. Then it soared off, singing its melody. Harry was closer to the letter and he picked it up.
"Read it aloud, Potter!" Malfoy exclaimed.
Not wanting to talk about what had happened between them, Harry nodded. He opened it and read aloud:
Dear Harry and Draco,
I have received your letter. It has come at a crucial time. Your disappearances had deeply concerned me to the point of nearly contacting the Ministry. Seeing as how you are both alright relieves me. Sources revealed that you two had been seen last at the pub and when a couple staff members went there they were handed a disturbing letter addressed to Harry that had been found on the floor. Neither one of you will be punished because it is clear your disappearances were due to an outsider. There is a portkey in this envelope that will send you both to my office immediately. This I feel is serious enough to contact the Ministry. I hope to see you shortly and in good health.
Headmistress Maeve
Shaking the envelope, a small ring fell out onto the cave floor. Harry glanced up at Malfoy uncertainly and the blond approached. Harry levitated the ring so it was in reach and the two of them locked eyes before they touched it. The familiar feeling of a portkey overrode his anxiety about having had sex with Malfoy again, but only briefly. Harry nearly lost balance when he landed but thankfully caught himself. He turned and saw Malfoy standing next to him. The blond didn't look at him but rather looked straight ahead.
"Harry, Draco, I'm glad to see you both are well," the headmistress said calmly.
Harry nodded toward her. "Thank you. Er, how did you figure out we had been at the pub?"
The headmistress locked eyes with him as she stood up. "Because this school, much like Hogwarts, has magical charms on it each student is registered magically in a book. It tells us how many students were have, what years, their names, where they're from, and best of all if they leave the premises we can use the book to trace where they are, or in your case, where you both had been. I have contacted the Ministry about this and have given them the letter. You should've come direction to me, Harry," she said, staring at him.
"I know. I was going to…and then we saw the coin…I'm sorry," Harry said, feeling rather nervous.
"It's fine. But from now on you both should not go off the premises."
"Why me? The letter was directed at Potter," Malfoy retorted.
Harry felt his anger boil, but he didn't turn to look at him.
The headmistress gazed at the blond calmly. "Yes, but you both were transported by the portkey. Whoever is behind this may believe that you now know something, Mr. Malfoy. We can't take any risks. Any deaths of students may shut us down. We aren't as lucky as Hogwarts. We aren't as popular or as powerful of a school, but our school is still just as important. Now, you both don't have that much longer to be here. If you are seen leaving the premises, either one of you, then I will be forced to expel you for your own good."
"It seems like you both have injuries. I want you to see the nurse right away. Is there anything else?"
"No ma'am," Harry answered, hoping that she couldn't read minds.
He could do a bit of Occlumency, but he didn't think Malfoy could. And if she saw what they had done…it would be more than awkward.
"Alright, you both are excused."
Malfoy reached the door before he did and before Harry left the headmistress stopped him.
"Do you have any idea who's behind it?"
Harry hesitated and thought about telling her his theory, but he realized that Malfoy was right about one thing—it sounded absurd.
"No, I don't."
"For your sake, I hope it was just a prank. If the Ministry feels it necessary to have a word with you, I'll let you know."
Harry nodded and then left the room. He was grateful to be back in a nice cool place with food and a soft bed, but he was incredibly concerned about his apparent enemy. He did not believe it was a prank. He wasn't sure whether Malfoy would be a target but he highly doubted it. How would the person behind it know that Malfoy had gotten trapped with him? And why would they want Malfoy anyway? The blond had no clue who was behind it. Still…the thing that was now plaguing him more than another potential threat was the fact that he had Malfoy had had sex again.
After visiting the nurse, going down for a large helping of food and then heading back to his room, Harry lay on the bed and pondered what had happened. It was true he and Malfoy had been tired and hungry, but they still should've been aware of what they were doing. In fact, Harry remembered it now that he thought about it. He could even feel what he had felt then. Feeling blood rise to his face, he turned on his side. It had happened so suddenly and maybe for Malfoy he was just desperate for some sex, but for Harry…he didn't understand what had possessed him. Had he been desperate for a distraction too?
The next day during class the professor told him how thankful he was that he was alright. Harry wondered just how many people knew or at least noticed his absence. Malfoy averted his gaze the entire class period. Harry figured the blond would never want to speak to him again. And for some reason that made Harry's stomach squirm uncomfortably.
When class ended and Malfoy began packing up with the rest of the students, Harry was surprised when the attractive strawberry-blonde-haired girl with dark blue eyes approached him.
"Um…excuse me, Harry?"
"Yes?" Harry blinked.
"I was wondering if you could…um…help me with this assignment," she said, glancing away from his eyes.
"Sure. Er…when did you want help?"
The girl glanced up at him. "Do you think we could meet in the library after dinner tonight?"
"Sure," Harry said.
"Thanks," she smiled. "I'll see you then!"
She left the room with the other students and Harry slumped down in his seat. He wanted to forget about Malfoy, but it was impossible. Whenever he spotted the blond in the hallways, Malfoy would usually ignore him. Sometimes he'd glare at him. During dinner in the dining hall Harry spotted Malfoy talking to another boy and for some reason there was this fear inside of him that thought perhaps Malfoy was going to tell the boy that he was sure Harry was gay.
"Can I sit next to you?"
Harry looked up to see the same girl who had asked him for help.
"Er, sure."
Harry scooted over to give her room and she smiled at him. Glancing back over at the blond, Harry saw Malfoy staring at him. Harry pretended like he was just looking at one of the statues and then gazed at the girl.
"What's your name?"
"Oh, Kali," she said, her cheeks turning pink. "I was named after my great-grandmother who had gotten turned into a vampire."
"Oh, er, I'm sorry," Harry said.
"It's fine," she said. "I just…broke up with my boyfriend recently too."
"Oh," Harry said lamely, feeling nervous.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked, glancing up at him.
Swallowing, Harry hesitated. "Er, no, but I got out of a relationship recently too so I'm not looking for anything right now."
"Yeah," she nodded. "Me either. I'm still…healing I guess.
"I understand," Harry said, nodding.
They ate in relative silence, although Kali talked some about her ex-boyfriend and where she was from. She was apparently from Ireland and Harry said he wouldn't have guessed because she didn't have a thick accent. When they were finished, Kali grabbed his wrist and they walked out. Harry peered out of the corner of his eye and saw Malfoy watching them.
The library was empty except for two students quietly reading. Harry helped Kali with her assignment, although he was soon realizing that she didn't need a whole lot of help on it. After an hour or so, when the library was empty, Kali suddenly leaned forward and kissed him. Harry didn't react because it had happened so fast. When she pulled away, she was blushing and averted her gaze. Harry's heart pounded and he really wished Hermione was there to tell him what to say.
"Er…didn't you say you weren't ready for a relationship?"
Kali nodded. "I'm not. I just need…some comfort, really, that's all."
She looked up at him and Harry suddenly realized what she wanted. She was hoping for a fling—just another boy to kiss her so she could forget about her pain. Harry's first instinct was to say no right away and get up and leave, but something stopped him. He remembered Malfoy taunting him about being a virgin and not being as well-endowed as him, and Malfoy telling him he had poor choices in girls and that he's so inexperienced. And then he remembered Malfoy's thoughts about him thinking Harry might be gay.
All of a sudden, a strange and unexpected thought came to him. What if he, just for this once, had a fling with a girl. He would get more experience and then perhaps he would know for sure if he was more interested in girls or boys. After having sex with Malfoy, despite his dislike for the blond, he would know whether Malfoy's assumption was right or not. And if so, it would answer some of his uncertainty about the Pond of Desires.
Harry then did something that he didn't think he would have ever done if he hadn't encountered Malfoy. He leaned forward and kissed Kali like she had done a moment earlier. He was still uncertain about it even as Kali kissed him back. But then he recalled Malfoy telling him about one of the older girls he shagged and suddenly something flared inside of him. Kali grabbed his hand and gestured for him to stand. The two of them went out into the hall and Kali took him into a storage room filled with old books, lost papers and extra chairs.
Some time later Harry was walking toward his room. When he turned the hallway he suddenly stopped as he spotted Malfoy walking toward him. The blond sneered when he saw him.
"So Potter, where did you and that girl go off to?"
"None of your business, Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed, trying to walk past him.
"Did you shag her?"
"I said it's not your business!" Harry said, wheeling around. "Why the hell do you care?"
Harry could feel Malfoy's curiosity. Malfoy crossed his arms and smirked. "So the famous goody-goody Potter has more balls than I first thought. I'm sure everyone would just about die of shock if they found out."
Harry knew the blond was just trying to get the truth out of him and he didn't fall for it. "Think what you want. But like I said before, I'm not a whore like you," Harry said darkly.
Harry sensed it before it came. He avoided Malfoy's punch and glared as the blond pointed a wand in his face.
"You don't know me, Potter!" Malfoy spat.
"I know enough to know that you owe me your life again," Harry said, wheeling around.
He felt Malfoy's anger flare, but he just kept walking. When he came to his room he slumped down on his bed. Kali had been pretty, but kissing her hadn't excited him. After they had made-out in the storage room for a short while, Harry knew that he wasn't attracted to her. They had stopped and he and Kali went their own way. She didn't seem to regret it nor did she force him to continue any further. She just went back to the library to get her belongings.
Harry had made up his mind to sleep with her if she wanted just to see, but he was glad it didn't go that far. Because he was quite sure, even just from kissing her, that he wasn't attracted to her. And he hadn't been really attracted to Callista either. The girl who had first given him a blow-job. It had been quick and in the dark and Harry had been disoriented and stressed so it hadn't been the best experience of his life, but he remembered that he never climaxed. And Ginny's kisses used to excite him, but he realized that when the feeling faded it was only because he thought they belonged together. She had red-hair like his mom and her family was like his family—he just thought they were destined to be together, but when the excitement of having his first real relationship died down, he realized that he wasn't all that excited.
So it was very possible, he decided, that he was gay. It made a lot of sense really. It explained why he wasn't like other boys—why he didn't have a lot of wet-dreams growing up, or why he didn't really feel the need to get any girl's attention. He thought it was because he had such a miserable and stressful life because of Voldemort and the constant threat of death around him, but it was more than that.
Just in the past year had had started having wet-dreams, but he could never remember what they were about. He didn't remember any girls or boys. But he did remember the wet-dreams he had of Malfoy. He wanted to blame the Pond of Desires, but couldn't. It seemed that the Pond knew his deep inner desires—desires that he didn't even know about. It had known that he was attracted to boys and not girls, somehow, and that was most likely why he and Malfoy had kissed.
Still…even if he was gay, why would he have kissed Malfoy? They didn't like one another. And more importantly, why would Malfoy have kissed him back? Was Malfoy gay as well? From what the blond had bragged to him, he said he had been with many girls. There wasn't solid proof that he had shagged every girl he was with, but he knew for a fact there was at least one because Malfoy had told him that an older girl claimed the blond was the best shag of her life. Harry rolled his eyes; maybe the blond was exaggerating just to appear better than him.
Either way, he was quite certain Malfoy was more experienced than he was. But whether or not the blond was more interested in blokes than girls was a mystery. Maybe Malfoy just shagged anyone that was willing. That didn't necessarily mean he was gay. And if Malfoy was, there was no way he would ever admit it—at least not willingly. Sighing, Harry closed his eyes.
There was a gorgeous lake that glimmered under the sun that was low in the horizon. Harry noticed it looked similar to the lake that he and Malfoy bathed in. However, it was completely surrounded by tall trees so Harry couldn't see beyond them. All he could see was the lake. He was standing at the edge of it looking down into the deep water.
"Harry…"
A voice echoed in the area and he looked around. The voice whispered again and Harry looked down in the water. He saw something moving beneath the surface. He knew he wasn't a great swimmer so he was hesitant to go into the water. Sitting down, Harry kept hold of the grass as he slipped into the water. Suddenly, something pulled him under. Harry thrashed but wasn't strong enough to break free. He was dragged under the water, falling deeper and deeper. He was losing air quickly and he tilted his head back looking up at the surface.
Despite his panic, Harry noticed that it was quite beautiful under water. The dim rays of the sun cascaded through the water, illuminating the bright blue water. Far beneath the surface, the water all around was glimmering—almost like he was in a crystal cave. The sun's reflection shone down around him and surprisingly relaxed him. A figure suddenly appeared in front of him. And Harry tried swimming away but was shocked when the figure pushed some Gillyweed toward him.
Hesitantly, Harry took the Gillyweed and pushed it into his mouth, trying to avoid getting water inside. He chewed and swallowed and waited, feeling the gills appear at the sides of his neck. Although it was strange…when he touched his neck the gills weren't there, but he could breathe underwater. And his feet weren't webbed either.
Harry turned and saw the figure approaching him. He didn't try to swim away this time and waited until the figure came beneath the rays of sunlight beneath the water. Harry's eyes widened with shock when he saw Malfoy's blond hair illuminated in the light as he swam toward him. The blond had his ripped jeans on and no shirt.
"Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed, surprised that his voice sounded normal only it echoed all around them.
"I see you heard me calling," he drawled, swimming closer.
"What are you doing? Why did you pull me under?" Harry asked, watching him suspiciously.
Malfoy swam up close to him and Harry watched as his strands of hair floated elegantly around his face.
"Stop asking so many questions Potter. What do you think of this place?"
Harry managed to tear his eyes from the blond and looked around. The bottom of the lake, although a distance beneath them, had smooth golden sand on the bottom that glimmered whenever the sun touched it. And all around them the water seemed endless. And the sun made it so being under water felt and looked like a bright, peaceful paradise.
"It's nice," Harry said.
"Of course it is. It's private and beautiful. And you should see the colors when the sun sets."
Harry glanced at him curiously. "What happens when it becomes night?"
"That's the best part," Malfoy smirked, raising an eyebrow. "The beautiful moon-dancers and luna-fish come out. The moon-dancers light up the surface of the water and the luna-fish can glow in the dark so they light up beneath the water. It's just as beautiful only with a bright pearl light instead of the sunlight."
Harry nodded, although it was difficult under water. "Why did you call me down here?"
"We need to talk," he said, swimming past him and brushing up against Harry's bare back.
He hadn't even noticed he was only wearing his boxers. It seemed that happened a lot.
"Where are my clothes?"
"You don't need them," Malfoy said, waving his wand.
The water glimmered around them and Harry saw beautiful crystal-like flakes come up from the bottom making the entire scene more ethereal. Then suddenly hands were on his waist and Harry felt a mouth on his neck.
"Malfoy, stop!" Harry exclaimed, trying to pull away.
"Why?"
Harry turned to face him, wading with his arms as he did so. He saw Malfoy's silver-blue eyes reflect the crystals that floated around them. His expression was calm and passive, so unlike the real Malfoy.
"This isn't real," Harry said softly.
Malfoy swam closer until their noses were brushing. His eyes gleamed into Harry's and Harry couldn't help but glance down at Malfoy's lips before looking back up into his eyes.
Malfoy stared at him evenly. "Do you want it to be?"
"I…I know this is a dream. You hate me," Harry said finally.
"Dreams don't make it any less real," Malfoy said, sounding oddly like Dumbledore. "Even if this isn't really happening, it is in your mind. Sometimes the subconscious takes control in order to help a witch or wizard think through their dilemmas or problems."
"So, I…I'm dreaming of you because I'm worried that I'm gay, right?"
Malfoy smiled and then snaked his arms around him. He slowly pressed his lips to Harry's. It was strange feeling it under water, even though it was only a dream.
"You shouldn't be afraid," Malfoy whispered as their lips pulled apart. "Just like you learned not to be afraid of your powers. This is no different."
"Why do you sound so much like Dumbledore now?" Harry asked, staring at him.
"I have no set name or character," Malfoy said. "I'm merely in your subconscious. Every witch and wizard has a magical connection with their wands, which provides automatic magic inside their bodies, like yours. When muggles have trouble sleeping because they are anxious or worried or are having an inner conflict, they have dreams as well. But much of the time, because they don't have magic to help, their dreams are muddled, or bizarre and confusing to translate. And a lot of times they forget their dreams, but witches and wizards have a better opportunity to understand themselves and to work through their problems. You may not realize it, but during the years you fought Voldemort you did dream things that weren't premonitions or glimpses into Voldemort's mind—they were dreams that your subconscious was sending you to give you clues or help in figuring out where you needed to go."
"I guess I understand," Harry said, moving closer. "We had sex again, you know."
The dream-Malfoy just smiled. "Are you really afraid of being gay, Harry? Or are you more afraid that you might be attracted to me?"
"I don't know. Help me understand. How did this happen? Why did we have sex? Why is this all happening?"
"I can't answer those, Harry, only you can. But sometimes it doesn't matter how things come about or why you're suddenly thrust into a situation. Instead of worrying about how you got there, just focus on figuring out what to do now that you're there. You're obviously having these dreams for a reason. And I think you already know the answer."
Harry stared at him and swallowed. "I like you…I like you, but I don't like you. You're attractive and…the sex felt good, but you…you're always so cold and distant and selfish and arrogant."
Malfoy raised an eyebrow. "Oh, and you're perfect?"
"No, but…I don't understand. I've saved your life three times now and you…you don't seem to change."
"Is that really true? You used that Legilmency potion and felt something different," Malfoy said matter-of-factly.
Harry was about to ask how he knew, but then realized that was a stupid question. "Yeah…I did feel that you were grateful when I saved you from the dragon, but it's hard to get readings off of you. And you said something about not wanting me to know what happened with your parents one night."
"Those are probably clues," Malfoy answered. "People act the way they do for a reason. You have to understand their upbringing, their life experiences, their pain…you have to understand it all if you want those questions answered."
"But you would never talk to me about your life."
"Maybe some day I will," Malfoy said. "Stop worrying about the past and focus on the present. Already so much has changed and you're not aware of it. Would I ever have stopped to care to ask you about your life, even if it sounds like taunting?"
"Well, no…you have been quite annoying lately. And we've been spending much more time together than we ever did at Hogwarts."
"There's a start," Malfoy said, reaching out a hand.
Harry hesitated, but reached out his own and grasped the blond's hand. Malfoy pulled him until their bodies were flush together. Harry bent down and kissed Malfoy's lips.
"Will you show me your tattoo?" Harry asked.
Malfoy just smiled. "Some day. But for right now, do you want to know how it feels to have sex under water?"
Harry's entire stomach flipped in excitement and Malfoy leaned down toward his lips.
Opening his eyes, Harry stared up at the ceiling. He sat up and thought about what he had just dreamed. It was quite obvious now. He was definitely more attracted to blokes and it seemed that he was attracted to Malfoy. So the Pond had been right…it had acted on Harry's inner and perhaps subtle attraction to the blond. But why had Malfoy responded? Did the blond find him attractive at all? He tried to stop himself, but a part of him wanted the dream to be reality. Malfoy was so much easier to talk to in his dream. And from the wet-dreams previously and from the ending of his current dream, he knew he had a physical attraction to the blond. But he wasn't sure if was anything more than that.
"I can't believe I'm attracted to him," Harry whispered aloud. "I just wish I knew more of what was going on in Malfoy's head."
It would be cruel of him to try and find another Legilmency potion to read Malfoy's mind. He wanted the blond to talk to him like he had in his dream. But that seemed like an impossible wish. Still, he had saved Malfoy's life again. Perhaps he could use it to his advantage to subtly get to know the blond more. And maybe he would eventually get the answers he desired.
TO BE CONTINUED…
THANK YOU EVERYONE! I'm sorry I don't have individual reviews this time around! But don't worry, you will soon discover who is behind the evil portkey and of course the blossoming of Harry and Draco's relationship! Sorry for the delay, but I'll update asap!