Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all its characters don't belong to me. They belong to J.K Rowling as far as I know. Speaking of which, I'm sure someone has written something similar to this (like someone hasn't conceived this idea). I don't plagiarize fics. I didn't copy this from someone else's work, so if it looks similar, don't email me with a 'You %#^%$&%*-ing copycat' message or something.

Author's Notes: Sorry that this part took longer to get out. I wasn't happy with how I kept writing it. So I just re-wrote it several times. Still not 100% happy, but I think it's the best I can get... x_X Thanks very, very much for the feedback! Thanks goes to Patchfire, Slashybubble, Zahrah Radcliffe, Rarity88, Sumire-chan, Adia, Pastshadows, Shades (again! ^.^) and Yama Strife for reviewing!! Hope I didn't forget anyone there... Please enjoy reading chapter three! ^_^

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Watching -- Chapter Three

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Class was over and as Harry exited the classroom, he felt a tug on his sleeve, and turned around immediately expecting Draco to be there. However, it wasn't him, but Hermione instead. She gestured for them to keep walking so as not to be late for class. The area was slightly crowded with students walking the long corridor, focused on trying to find their respective classrooms.

Hermione adjusted the bag of books she was carrying, then glanced at Harry, "What is wrong with you?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked sincerely.

"Just what I said. You've been acting strange lately," Hermione told him.

"Ah...it's nothing," Harry said, trying to come up with a sort of excuse, "Just class...and, and I'm not really feeling all that well."

A pang of guilt struck him for lying to one of his best friends. He really would tell them what was wrong and what was bothering him, but he just couldn't. It seemed the more time that had passed, the more secrets he was having to keep from both Hermione and Ron. It had been almost a week since the trip to Hogsmeade, and that hadn't been the last time he had gotten one-on-one with Draco.

"Not feeling well? Did you go see Madam Pomprey?" Hermione asked.

"No. You know how she is. She would insist that I stay in the infirmary for a week or something..."

"For not feeling well, you certainly stay out pretty long," Hermione continued.

Harry could feel his defenses sliding. Hermione...just, just drop it...I don't want to lie....

"I went to the library last night as well. I had to go look up a few things for class. When I got there, you weren't anywhere in the library. You did say that was where you were going, correct?"

"Yes," Harry replied, "You must have just missed me. That was probably when I had left the library..."

"You were only gone for ten minutes!" Hermione said, "Really, Harry, where did you go last night?"

They paused in front of the classroom door, and Hermione turned to look at him. Harry couldn't make up an excuse or escape...not when he was confronted like this. How he wished that Hermione wasn't so nosy as to where he was. Why couldn't she just mind her own business?

"It's...it's none of your business, Hermione," he told her.

Hermione opened her mouth to shout at him, to demand that she, as one of his best friends, had the right to know. Instead she glared at Harry, who stood before her.

"Very well then," she said, trying to dismiss the subject entirely, but not hiding the bitterness in her voice.

She found her seat in the classroom and Harry followed a few moments after to take his seat. As he set his books down, and got out his materials for class, he briefly wondered if this was what Draco's underlying plan was. To ruin the relationships he had with his friends, through all the lies he was coming up with to tell them.

No, Harry thought to himself, I will not choose Draco over my friends. I won't become enemies with them because of some stupid infatuation Draco has with me. I'm going to stop this now.

A small folded up piece of parchment paper landed on his desk, and Harry frowned. He glanced over to where Hermione sat, but she was completely focused on the lecture being given and attentively taking notes. He closed his eyes and sighed, then turned in the direction where the only other person he'd suspect passing him a note sat. Draco only smirked at him in reply, then turned his attention to the teacher.

Harry pocketed the note, not daring to read it in class. Who knew what was written inside, and he didn't know if he could stand the embarrassment of having to read it aloud to the class, should he get caught with the note. He wondered if Draco would be bothered by it as well. The note seemed to burn in his pocket, the minutes passed by slowly during class, and Harry's curiosity for what was inside the note nearly peaked.

Finally after what seemed like forever, class was dismissed and Harry rushed out of class, not giving a second look to Draco or Hermione as he left. He took the note out of his pocket and unfolded it. He groaned upon reading it. This was the third day in a row that Draco wanted Harry to meet him somewhere on school grounds. He couldn't do this. He had homework to do, and he was just sick of lying to his friends.

Well, now that he'd told Hermione off, he doubted that he'd have her to deal with. Fighting with her and not being on speaking terms was just as bad as lying though. He hated fighting with his friends. He hated going on little dates with Draco. The only reason he wouldn't stand up Draco tonight would be to tell him that he didn't want to do this anymore.

The sky was dark, the only light around came from the moon and the stars. The cloudless sky gave them the ability to be illuminated even brighter. The wind blew softly, rustling the grass, tree leaves, and Draco's clothes. He layed sprawled on the grass, lazily looking up at the sky. Behind him, the Whomping Willow was barely out of reach. He closed his eyes, letting his thoughts go over the events of the past week.

He'd finally initialized something with Harry. Part of him wanted to go back and just forget anything ever happened, the other part figured that he'd gone this far that he might as well finish what he started. And why Harry Potter of all people? What was so great about him that caught Draco's attention? The idea should have disgusted Draco on two accounts, but he completely ignored them. So what that he was also a guy, so what that he was Harry Potter. Right?

He sighed softly, but upon hearing footsteps in the grass, he quickly opened his eyes and looked towards the source of the sound. It wasn't a teacher as he had first suspected. It was who he had intentionally been expecting. Harry paused and looked down at him, Draco grinned lazily up at him and patted the patch of grass next to him.

"Sit down, hm?"

Harry's grim expression didn't change, as he sat down across from Draco, rather than where Draco's hand had just been. Draco frowned that Harry still insisted upon keeping their distance. He understood that Harry definitely did not care for that first kiss back in Hogsmeade. They sat in silence for awhile, the only sounds around them were of night life, the gentle breeze, and the sound of their soft breathing.

"Why did you call me here tonight?" Harry asked, breaking the silence.

"Stargazing."

He actually hadn't planned anything. In fact the most plans he had made had been for that first date. The other times they had met together, they hadn't done anything. Maybe a little bit of conversation, the start and sudden stop of a quarrel, but mostly they just enjoyed each other's presence in silence. Well, Draco enjoyed Harry's presence, but he wasn't too sure of the other way around. He'd definitely have to change that.

Once again, silence settled between the two. Draco didn't really know what to say that wouldn't make him out to be foolish or stupid. Unfortunately, he considered that Harry felt that way about him already. Draco wouldn't try to change or take back the things he'd done to torment Harry in the past. He couldn't even guarantee that more of it wouldn't happen in the future. It was just his nature to act as he did.

"I'm not doing this anymore," Harry spoke up, breaking the silence for the second time that night.

Draco sat up and turned his attention to the dark-haired boy, "I don't recall forcing you into this."

"Somehow I felt obligated to go along with you," Harry replied, a hint of grim bitterness in his tone.

"And the obligation has worn off now, has it?" Draco asked.

"It's too much to hide from Hermione and Ron."

Draco shrugged, "I never said you have to keep it a secret. I've already told Crabbe and Goyle where I go at nights."

"But that's different! Ron and Hermione hate you! They'd never stand for this."

"Their opinions shouldn't affect your judgment," Draco said, not really caring about the attitudes Harry's friends had for him. In fact he didn't really care for Harry's friends at all, "You didn't mention yourself-- I suppose you hate me as well?"

Yes. "Do you?"

"You are stupid, aren't you?" Draco asked him, incredulously, "I wouldn't invite someone that I hated, to spend time with me. I wouldn't talk to someone that I hated. And I definitely wouldn't kiss someone that I hated."

"Oh."

They sat in silence for awhile as Harry took that information in. So Draco didn't hate him after all? What was going on?

"Now you answer my question," Draco demanded.

Harry re-thought his answer over. And what if he did say yes? What if he did tell him that with all his might, he absolutely despised Draco? The problem was that although he did not like Draco, he didn't hate him completely. He didn't know if he ever did hate Draco completely. Surely if he did, then he wouldn't have gone out with him in the first place?

"I have no reason to like you," Harry told him.

"Not yet then," Draco corrected.

"You can't make me like you," Harry said bitterly.

"Can't I?" Draco argued, shifting his position to lean in closer to Harry, "Of course I can. There are plenty of spells or potions that I could use. Now ask me why I don't use them."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Why don't you?"

Draco chuckled, "Stick around and you'll find out."

Harry rolled his eyes. This was getting absolutely no where. He wanted to go back to his dorm, and hope that Draco would just leave him alone. He'd come here with the intentions of telling Draco off, and then going back to his dorm. Now it was dragging on longer than he wanted, and it was bad enough that he could barely stand the presence of the boy sitting across from him.

He gave an exasperated sigh and let himself fall backwards onto the grass to stare up at the cloudless sky. He heard Draco move on the grass as well, and glanced at him as the boy settled himself to lay next to Harry, also to stare up at the sky. The next few minutes were of quiet stargazing, or so it appeared. Each boy was actually deep in thought, mulling over each other's presence.

"We should get back inside," Draco said finally, and Harry silently agreed.

They headed back inside and went to their respective dormitory areas. Harry realized then that he was actually tired after laying on the grass for so long. He couldn't go to bed, however, because he had homework he had yet to finish. Since when had Draco become a higher priority than his homework?

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Author's Notes: It was a longer chapter, yay! Next chapter coming up...I dunno when. *pokes Muses who seem to be taking a vacation at the moment* Anyway, don't forget to review cause I *heart* encouragement and so do my Muses. ^_~