1 Chapter 3
Draco sat at the back of the potions classroom, watching Harry across the room. He didn't hear what Snape was saying about truth potions, or see Crabbe and Goyle attempting to figure out which way to hold Draco's new double-ended quill. All he saw was Harry.
Harry was sitting on the other side of the room with Ron and Hermione, gazing at Christian, who was gazing back at him. He jumped as the bell rang, wrote down the homework that Snape had set them and packed up his stuff. Hermione sprinted off to the library, much to the disgust of Ron, but Harry was glad. This was just the opportunity he had been waiting for. He wanted to tell Ron something.
Draco followed Potter and Weasley out of the classroom, walking a little way behind them. He was about to make a cutting remark when Potter spoke.
"Ron?" That's strange, thought Draco, he sounds really unsure, frightened even.
"Yeah?"
"Would you be ok with it if I was gay?" Draco's mouth nearly hit the floor. He walked quicker to keep up with Potter and Weasley, making sure he was still far enough behind not to be noticed.
"Sure." Silence.
"Ron?"
"Yeah?" Weasley sounded bored now.
"I like someone."
"Oh?" The interest was back, slightly.
"And I think he likes me too."
"Oh?"
"But he's in… he's in Slytherin." Draco's heart jumped.
"Oh?" Weasley suddenly sounded cold, and slightly angry, but as if he was trying to hide it.
"Someone in our year in Slytherin." Draco could hardly contain his excitement.
"Oh?"
"He's perfect, blond hair, gorgeous intense eyes, a great body and he's been really nice to me."
Draco's heart plummeted. Potter hadn't been talking about him. How could he have been? He had shown nothing at all about himself that anyone other than that stupid slut Pansy could find remotely attractive.
"Who is he?" he heard Weasley say, curiosity overpowering his animosity towards Slytherins.
"Christian de Neuvillette," Harry said in a breathless rush. Typical, thought Draco. The gorgeous new boy who he hasn't even said one word to.
"But Harry," said Weasley, voicing Draco's thoughts, "You haven't even spoken to him!!"
"Oh, I know, but the way he smiled at me, and he's so gorgeous.." Harry trailed off into a happy sigh. Draco felt his heart sink even lower.
"Yes, but he might be thicker than Crabbe or Goyle!" Weasley pointed out. Draco stifled a snigger. He had a point there; Crabbe and Goyle were notoriously stupid.
"I know he isn't!" Potter said stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest. Weasley sighed. "Ron?"
"Yeah?" Draco really didn't envy Weasley, having to listen to all this.
"What happens if he's a really nice guy, and the Slytherins don't like him for that? What'll they do to him?"
Potter had a point there, Draco thought. The Slytherins, well, much as he hated to admit it, they weren't a very nice lot. If Christian was too nice, and looked like he was on good terms with the Gryffindors, he'd probably lose all his good looks and end up looking like Crabbe or Goyle. Draco couldn't wish that on anyone.
"I wish he'd talk to me, or just owl me, and tell me how he feels!"
Draco wandered away from Potter and Weasley. He had heard enough to decide what he was going to do. As disappointed as he was about Potter not liking him, he had enough decency left in him to want to make him happy. He started heading back up to the castle, away from the lake where he had left the two boys. He didn't have to go far. He found what he was looking for just outside the castle.
"Christian? Could I have a word?"
Draco sat at the back of the potions classroom, watching Harry across the room. He didn't hear what Snape was saying about truth potions, or see Crabbe and Goyle attempting to figure out which way to hold Draco's new double-ended quill. All he saw was Harry.
Harry was sitting on the other side of the room with Ron and Hermione, gazing at Christian, who was gazing back at him. He jumped as the bell rang, wrote down the homework that Snape had set them and packed up his stuff. Hermione sprinted off to the library, much to the disgust of Ron, but Harry was glad. This was just the opportunity he had been waiting for. He wanted to tell Ron something.
Draco followed Potter and Weasley out of the classroom, walking a little way behind them. He was about to make a cutting remark when Potter spoke.
"Ron?" That's strange, thought Draco, he sounds really unsure, frightened even.
"Yeah?"
"Would you be ok with it if I was gay?" Draco's mouth nearly hit the floor. He walked quicker to keep up with Potter and Weasley, making sure he was still far enough behind not to be noticed.
"Sure." Silence.
"Ron?"
"Yeah?" Weasley sounded bored now.
"I like someone."
"Oh?" The interest was back, slightly.
"And I think he likes me too."
"Oh?"
"But he's in… he's in Slytherin." Draco's heart jumped.
"Oh?" Weasley suddenly sounded cold, and slightly angry, but as if he was trying to hide it.
"Someone in our year in Slytherin." Draco could hardly contain his excitement.
"Oh?"
"He's perfect, blond hair, gorgeous intense eyes, a great body and he's been really nice to me."
Draco's heart plummeted. Potter hadn't been talking about him. How could he have been? He had shown nothing at all about himself that anyone other than that stupid slut Pansy could find remotely attractive.
"Who is he?" he heard Weasley say, curiosity overpowering his animosity towards Slytherins.
"Christian de Neuvillette," Harry said in a breathless rush. Typical, thought Draco. The gorgeous new boy who he hasn't even said one word to.
"But Harry," said Weasley, voicing Draco's thoughts, "You haven't even spoken to him!!"
"Oh, I know, but the way he smiled at me, and he's so gorgeous.." Harry trailed off into a happy sigh. Draco felt his heart sink even lower.
"Yes, but he might be thicker than Crabbe or Goyle!" Weasley pointed out. Draco stifled a snigger. He had a point there; Crabbe and Goyle were notoriously stupid.
"I know he isn't!" Potter said stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest. Weasley sighed. "Ron?"
"Yeah?" Draco really didn't envy Weasley, having to listen to all this.
"What happens if he's a really nice guy, and the Slytherins don't like him for that? What'll they do to him?"
Potter had a point there, Draco thought. The Slytherins, well, much as he hated to admit it, they weren't a very nice lot. If Christian was too nice, and looked like he was on good terms with the Gryffindors, he'd probably lose all his good looks and end up looking like Crabbe or Goyle. Draco couldn't wish that on anyone.
"I wish he'd talk to me, or just owl me, and tell me how he feels!"
Draco wandered away from Potter and Weasley. He had heard enough to decide what he was going to do. As disappointed as he was about Potter not liking him, he had enough decency left in him to want to make him happy. He started heading back up to the castle, away from the lake where he had left the two boys. He didn't have to go far. He found what he was looking for just outside the castle.
"Christian? Could I have a word?"
