Chapter 6: Who The Hell Are You?

The two of them sat in silence at a table in the Three Broom Sticks. Harry was looking down at his mug of butterbeer as Draco sat back in his chair watching him, "What was that?" Draco finally asked breaking the silence.

Harry flinched, "I…I didn't have the happy childhood everyone thinks I did…" Harry started, "My Aunt and Uncle were abusive and my cousin well…he followed his parent's lead. For years I put up with it but two years before I came to Hogwarts I had enough."

Draco sat there and listened, "What happened?"

"My cousin had decided to get his friends together and play their favorite game 'Harry Hunting' he called it." Harry continued, "They would track me down where ever I was hiding and beat me up. I tried for years to just hide and stay out of their way but they wouldn't leave me alone. On this day Dudley and his friends found me hiding in one of our neighbor's gardens. I ran, it was my first instinct when ever I saw them, but Dudley's friend Piers Polkiss was faster than me. He chased after me with the other's following right behind him. He tackled me to the ground. He tried to hold me down while the other's caught up. That was the first time I hit someone."

"Okay…what happened next?" Draco asked.

"I saw red. I hit him…and hit him. Over and over again. I didn't stop. I think my magic was coming out of my fists because I was small, skinny, malnourished, there was no way my skinny arms could have caused as much damage as I did to him. Both of his eyes were swollen shut, almost all of his front teeth were knocked out, his face was black a blue and covered with blood. My uncle finally showed up and pulled me off the boy." Harry took a swallow from his mug before he continued, "They tried to have me incarcerated but unfortunately for them I had this really nice teacher who came to my defense. She told the judge how Dudley and his friends always terrorized me at school, and the fact that I finally fought back told more about their character than mine. I got off with a seven day stay in a Asylum getting asked question after question and when I went back no one ever bothered me again. Not my aunt and uncle, nor Dudley and his friends. I learned then my one act of aggression could keep me safe. So whenever someone did something I didn't like to me or someone I cared about I'd lash out."

Draco nodded but didn't speak.

"When it came time for me to come to Hogwarts Professor McGonagall came to my home and told me under no circumstances will violence be tolerated." Harry continued, "My Uncle, who I expected to not want me to go, begged me go. He said if I could be out of his hair for almost a whole year then he wanted me gone. So I came, and did my damnedest to keep my cool. When Ron pestered me, when you antagonized me, I wanted to hit you both…If it weren't for McGonagall's warning I might have. Hermione was the first person I could genuinely stand. She was quiet and like to read like me so we got along great. She kept me cool really its thanks to her that I never slugged you and Ron."

"Remind me to thank her." Draco said.

Harry chuckled a bit, "But then you stopped bothering me…and I heard about what happened to you and all my anger towards you vanished. When I saw you third year you looked like a lost, scared little boy…you reminded me of me from before that day…a part of me wanted to protect you. Hermione told me I should wait until you approach me or until you looked less scared of me. So I stayed away. I saw how skittish you were especially if a brawl broke out when you were around, so I made sure to never let you see me angry. Then we moved in together and I did as Hermione said and stayed back hoping you'd approach me, but you always looked scared…like I had already hit you or something. I spoke to your mom and she told me exactly what the Cruciatus does to people. I never wanted to hit someone so much than I did you father when you mother told me how many times he likely used it on you."

Draco sunk in his seat when he heard that.

"So I left you alone and hoped you'd come around. You never did…but then you started watching me and well I already told you all that…but I never thought I'd ever lash out like that in front of you. Its just…when he said that about you and you mom…I saw red…just like that day…I lost it." He said quietly, "I didn't mean to…I never wanted you to see me like that."

Draco sat there quietly for a moment then he slowly reached across and took Harry's hand, "Hey…" Harry looked up at him, "I can take care of myself…I'm very happy to hear you want to protect me, but I need you to know…I don't need you to fight for me…Yes I'm timid, quiet, and a bit skittish but…I'm still me…deep down I'm still that smart ass who wanted started shit with you…I can take care of myself."

Harry sat there quietly for a minute, "Are you afraid of me?" he asked.

"I admit…when I saw you go off like that…I was scared." Draco replied, "But you calmed down and you came over and talked to me calmly…it started going away after that."

"I won't hurt you." Harry said firmly.

"And I believe you but I need you to understand…I don't need you to do that for me." Draco said calmly, "I'm a wizard just like you…I can take care of idiots like Weasley."

Harry nodded, "Okay."

"Good now why don't we put that out of our minds and finish out date alright?" Draco said with a small smile.

"Alright…" Harry responded, "I'm gonna hit the loo." He stood up and walked towards the bathrooms.

Draco sighed as he walked away. He was just about to start thinking about how he should go about helping Harry calm down when he got like that, when this most snarky voice came from his right, "He's bat shit ain't he."

Draco looked to the voice and saw a brown haired douche with smug look on his face, "Who the hell are you?" he asked.

"Cormac McLaggen." The boy said as he got up and slid into the seat beside Draco.

Draco looked the boy up and own…he knew the type…his mannerisms, that smug expression…the boy was the spitting image of himself his first year. "Did I tell you…you could sit with me?" he asked coldly.

"Hey…I'm just giving you a warning…Harry's nuts…Did you hear what he did to Victor Krum during the Tournament?"

"I know they fought." Draco said he had heard about that.

"All the guy did was talk to Hermione. Next thing everyone knew Harry started wailing on him and broke his hand." The boy said, "You should get away from him as soon as you can…he's the wrong sort."

Draco thought for a moment then read boy's body language, it was open like he was inviting Draco to view him, 'This dick is flirting with me.' Then he smirked, "Think I can tell the wrong sort for my self thanks." smirked using the same words Harry used on him first year.

McLaggen frown a bit, "Alright." He said and got up walking toward the door.

He walked past Hermione and Neville as they came in. Hermione glared at the boy then quickly rushed over, "What the hell did he want?"

"To warn me I should stay away from Harry for my own good." Draco said in an annoyed tone.

"Bastard!" Hermione hissed.

"Who?" Came Harry's voice. He as walking back from his bathroom break.

"McLaggen…" Neville said.

Harry hissed, "I knew he'd do it."

"Anyone wanna clue me in?" Draco asked.

Hermione licked her teeth a bit, "Cormac McLaggen is a dick who has it in his head he's wants to out do Harry at everything. Class work, Quidditch…and love life. Last year he came on to me just because Harry took me to the ball fourth year fortunately Neville here told him off. He's been my beau ever since." She smiled placing a hand on Neville's stomach.

"What else did he say?" Harry asked.

"He told me more about the scuffle you got into with Krum fourth year." Draco replied, "How you broke his hand."

Hermione whipped around from her snuggle session with Neville, "Harry only did that because the smarmy bastard grabbed my ass!"

"If he knows what's good for him he'll stay in Norway." Neville growled, "Cause if I see him I'll break more than his hand."

"I figured he was trying to scare me away from Harry so he could swoop in" Draco let out a snort of laughter.

"And did it work?" Harry asked looking at him worriedly.

Draco stood and walked up to him. He looked up at the taller boy, "I'm still here aren't I?"

Harry smiled and slowly embraced him. Draco hugged him back, "I'm never going to hurt you." Harry whispered.

"I know." Draco said, "So stop reminding yourself."

Harry chuckled a bit and pulled back a little, he leaned down and kissed the blonde deeply. Draco returned the kiss just as hard when Hermione cleared her throat, "We're still here ya know."

The two boys laughed, "Yea well you could look away." Harry joked.

"Get a room." Neville joked.

Harry looked to be thinking about dong just that when Draco smacked his chest, "Stop it!"

"What? Its only an idea." Harry replied.

"Uh huh! Five Galleons says your planning something." Hermione rebuked.

"Ugh!" Harry whined, "You two are no fun."

"We're Prefects." Draco and Hermione said together.

"They got you there mate." Neville said chuckling quietly.

"Shut up." Harry playfully swung at his friend.

"Can we eat now?" Hermione groaned, "I'm starving."

The four of them sat down and ordered food. They laughed and had a good time on their impromptu double date when finally Neville asked, "So Harry you tell Remus and Sirius yet?"

"I actually wrote them yesterday letting them know to expect a surprise when we get home for Christmas next week." Harry replied.

Draco suddenly stopped chuckling from what ever he and Hermione were discussing, "Oh bloody hell…how am I going to explain this to my mum…"

Hermione licked her teeth again, "Well…you can rip off the Band-Aid or wait till you graduate."

"Yea right ." Draco responded, "You expect this one to keep his hands off me when we are sleeping right down the hall from each other?" he nodded toward Harry.

Harry appeared to be thinking about this then broke out in a shit eating grin, "Yea not likely." He said, "If I was in Ravenclaw… they'd have to give us our own tower."

"Oh fuck." Neville said with a chuckle, "Geez dude how pent up are you?"

"Hey not all of us are dating miss 'wait till marriage'" Harry nodded towards Hermione, "He's hot, I can't help it."

Hermione threw a chip at him, "I said that second year you idiot. I'm not a little girl anymore."

"Oh? Done the deed yet?" Harry ask with a sly grin.

Hermione looked to be pouting, "No…We're waiting for a special time."

"No time like the present." Draco mumbled as he sipped his mug.

Hermione gawked at him, "Et tu Draco?"

Draco snorted, "Hey if you wait for the perfect 'special time' and plan it out it could ruin the thrill…Our first time was…a surprise…but damn it was good. And we weren't even dating then. Just…let it happen."

Hermione shook her head, "Back to your mother." She said, "Look I've talk with you mom…she loves you…so much she kicked you dad's ass when she found out he hurt you." Hermione took Draco's hand in hers, "Trust her."

Draco sighed and nodded, "Yea you're right."

"Great then I'll look forward to a favorable letter after Christmas." Hermione smiled.

"Yes mom." Draco teased.

"Prat." Hermione said as she threw a chip at him.

Up Next: The Holiday's begin. Draco has a heart to heart with his mother.