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: I am so sorry that it took this long to get another chapter out. I do have a short explanation though: I saved the finished chapter four on a 3.5 floppy disk, with no other copies anywhere else, and when I went to open up the file later, I got a message saying the file was corrupted. The entire chapter that I wrote had been erased. I was very angry. I hate re-doing things, so it took me awhile to sit back down and re-write the entire chapter. I couldn't remember everything to the exact word, so this re-write isn't as good as the original. x_x I had half of chapter five finished and that got deleted too, so...I'm working on it... Er...now for the 'real' author's notes: I know Crabbe and Goyle aren't the brightest crayons in the box, but I believe they have some intelligence. Anyway, I hope I haven't written those two too bad in this chapter. Bleh, some things in this chapter, I don't like at all, but I think I merely kept them to keep everything flowing. Thanks very, very much for the feedback! Thanks goes to Momo, The Girl With One Too Many Nicknames, Shades (and again ^.^), and Zeynel (second time ^.^) for reviewing!! That's cool, double and triple reviews, since it lets me know that you're reading past the first chapter. Please enjoy reading (the re-written version of) chapter four! ^_^
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Watching -- Chapter Four
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They were watching him. He just knew it. The two of them didn't seem particularily interested in his affection for Harry. Well, he didn't need their approval after all. But recently they had started dropping subtle hints that Draco's actions just weren't cool. Hah, Crabbe and Goyle, subtle? He shook his head.
Draco had sprawled himself lazily on the couch. His eyes had been closed, and his thoughts occupied. But they were watching him. He could tell. Oh, but it wasn't the weight of their eyes on him that made him suspect that. It was the lack of the faint scratching sound that was made while writing. That told him that they had stopped and were silently regarding him.
He knew they wouldn't confront him on it, but they were still curious and wary. Why? Neither Crabbe nor Goyle had ever questioned his actions, so why now? What he did or chose to do was none of their business. He sat up slightly and glanced at them. Perhaps it was a glance, but within it was a warning. Don't you tell me what to do, Draco thought angrily, as if one of them would speak up.
"Get back to work!" Draco ordered, " And do it right. I don't want Father yelling at me because of mistakes that you made."
Maybe if you did the work yourself... the both thought. Neither Crabbe nor Goyle said anything. Crabbe dipped his feathered quill in the ink and continued to write on the parchment paper.
"And make sure the handwriting is neat and legible. I don't need to be scolded about that either," Draco told them.
The two sitting at the table hard at work, doing Draco's homework, said nothing. They never really did argue when Draco ordered them to do his homework. What could they say anyway? At this school it was wiser to be a friend of a member of the Malfoy family, than to be an enemy.
Their own books and homework lay forgotten in the favor of getting Draco's done first. It wasn't that Draco was particularily slacking on his work, he just took advantage of having the power to tell others to do it. Crabbe and Goyle wished it hadn't been that way. Maybe Draco would find that he had two good friends, rather than trusty servants. Nevertheless, the two cared for their friend whether the feeling was mutual or not.
"I'm going out," Draco announced, getting up from the couch, "You two stay here and finish that. I'll bet it will keep you busy for the next few hours anyway, so if you do happen to finish before I return, don't bother yourselves to come looking for me."
They gave short nods, not even looking at the blond-haired boy as he left. What was wrong with him lately anyway? He almost never went anywhere without Crabbe or Goyle acting as shadows. Now it was becoming more and more common. Almost like...if something were to happen between Draco and Harry, that the blond-haired boy would forget about them.
No, Goyle decided, flipping through the pages of a textbook, After all, who would do his homework then?
They didn't think Harry would be submissive enough to do it for him...no matter how well they might get along. And maybe Draco didn't want him for that anyway. What did Draco want with Harry? Draco himself still hadn't explained to them, and neither of the two had asked. The only explanation Draco gave them was something along the lines of 'I am going out with Potter, you need not tag along.'
Draco pocketed his hands as he walked upstairs and out of the dungeon. He didn't know where he was going. He hadn't really thought of it. Just the need to get out and walk, was enough to make him leave the Slytherin Commons room. Despite thoughts rolling around in his head, he didn't let it affect his outward appearance.
So, with his head held high, his eyes narrowed, and a smirk playing on his lips, he walked the hallways of the school. Had he been wrong in asking Harry out several times? It didn't seem to be doing much. Every time he saw the dark-haired boy, his expression always read that he was not happy to see Draco. Could he turn that around? Would Harry ever be happy to see him, or was Draco fighting against something he would lose in?
No. I'm not going to lose. Draco firmly told himself.
But how could he win? What could he possibly say to Harry that would convince him that his intentions were not malicious or underlying with some plan that would destroy Harry in the end? What could he say?
But how could he win? What could he possibly say to Harry that would convince him that his intentions were not malicious or underlying with some plan that would destroy Harry in the end? What could he say?
'Gee, Potter, I love you.' Draco suggested to himself. The thought was sarcastic and humorous, and caused Draco to chuckle aloud in response.
A few of the students in the hallway turned to glare at him, thinking he was laughing at them. Draco let them think that, and ignored them as he continued to walk. No, Draco didn't think himself capable of saying he loved Harry. In a way, the words were meaningless. In another way, the words were just beyond his reach. He couldn't say them until they had some meaning when applied to Harry, and not until he knew that Harry could give those same words back to him.
Or perhaps such words as that didn't need to be said at all. If the feeling was mutual, it hardly needed to be said.
He paused when he realized where he had walked to. The place where he'd initialized everything. The library. He bit his lip, considering whether or not to go inside. Would Harry be in there now? Did he want him to be in there now?
He pushed open the door and slipped inside. Several groups of students were hard at work while sitting at the tables, others were milling about trying to find books. The room was very quiet of course. No one cared to get yelled at by the librarian.
He walked past a few rows of books, glancing at the occupied tables. His eyes narrowed when he saw Harry, but his anger wasn't towards the dark-haired boy, but at the two who accompanied him. Draco just couldn't understand Harry's way of picking friends. Of all the people in the school, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley would be the last he'd ever consider.
He turned to walk in between two rows of books, so as not to get spotted by Harry's two loser friends. They seemed deep in conversation, but their voices were quiet, just like the atmosphere of the library. He wormed his way closer to their table and paused out of sight to listen in.
"--all easy," Hermione was saying to the two boys sitting at the table with her, "If you need help, just ask." She glanced at a textbook, skimming it for information having to do with her homework, and took a few notes.
"But can you beleive that assignment??" Ron groaned, "All due tomorrow and I didn't even understand what the teacher was talking about. 'something-something-this-and-this-blah-blah-blah' You'd think she was speaking a different language."
"Your impression certainly makes it seem so," Harry commented, opening his textbook and then admitting, "But I don't get this assignment either."
"Just like I said, if you want, I can help."
The two boys turned to glance at Hermione's paper, and the girl glared at them and covered her paper with her hands.
"No! You two are not copying my work!" she told them.
"Just a little peak?" Ron asked.
"We won't copy word-for-word," Harry assured her.
"No!" she repeated, "We don't get the same assignments just so we can cheat and--"
Draco sighed to himself. Of course, with Granger there, the topic would be about school work. He shook his head, "How boring."
Draco froze, realizing he had spoken, rather than thought those words. All conversation at the table had stopped. Despite being heard, which left him off-guard, Draco put on his best smirk and stepped out of his hidden place.
"How boring," he repeated, "School work is at the top of the conversation?"
They all turned to glare at him, even Harry. Hermione and Ron sat on one side of the table. Draco slipped in the seat next to Harry, which was unoccupied. He cast a glance at Harry, whose angry, yet surprised, green eyes demanded 'what are you doing here?' though he said nothing.
"Get out of here, Malfoy!" Ron glared, "This is a Gryffindor only table."
Draco shrugged, "Having trouble with your work? Your parents will be highly disappointed that they spent all that money for you on school, only to find out that you don't pass Hogwarts."
"You little--!!"
But Hermione was quick to interrupt, "And you? I'll bet you never do any of your homework."
"It gets done," Draco shrugged.
"By those idiots of yours, I'll bet," Hermione said.
"Lucky guess. If you're so smart, you'd know that you weren't wanted here and would go to a normal Muggle school."
Hermione glared daggers at him, "I'll bet I do better in all my classes than you. For some little rich pure-blood wizard--"
"Your parents will be disappointed when they find out that money can't buy their son intelligence or social skills. Which lacking in the latter won't get you very far with the person you like," Harry spoke up, finishing off what ever Hermione was about to say.
Ron burst out laughing and Hermione grinned broadly. Draco turned to face Harry, surprise and anger both etched in his face. Harry glared at him in return. Rather than retort any comments, Draco stood up from where he had been sitting and left the library.
"Heh, good riddance, Malfoy," Ron said, as soon as Draco was gone.
"What did you mean, Harry?" Hermione asked, "Draco likes someone? Who?"
But before Harry could open his mouth to answer, Ron interrupted.
"Wha?? Draco has a crush? I think I could almost feel sorry for the person he likes."
Harry left it at that, not wanting to answer Hermione's question with Ron's comment still hanging in the air. He quickly busied himself with his work, as did Ron and Hermione. As time passed, they were able to finish their assignments.
Harry couldn't get the conversation out of his head. He couldn't stand Draco's snide remarks to his friends. Maybe that was why he hated Draco most. Whenever he, Ron, Hermione, and Draco were together, most of the rude things Draco had to say were directed at his friends. That was what has stopped him before from becoming friends with Draco after all.
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Author's Notes: Er...I based that last sentence off of the movie. You know the scene in the movie where the two first meet. I don't know if Draco does the same in the book. It was on the train instead, right? I have yet to read it yet. ^^ (I will eventually, honest). This chapter looks kind of rushed and messed up, I know...sorry. I didn't really even re-read it for mistakes, which I am sure there are a few. Ah well... Stay tuned for the next chapter! And don't forget to review, okay?