Disclaimer: Harry Potter, characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of Warner Bros. They are used here for entertainment purposes only.

Warnings: Slash. Kisses. Angst. Mushiness.

Spoilers: None. Written Pre-OotP.

Like Glass
Chapter 6 - Staying Away

Draco found himself in the library, hiding from the world as he knew it. Previously in life, when something like this had happened to him, and he found that his iron steady control was wanting, perhaps even wavering, he would retreat into his books and try to at least run away from his problems until he could figure out a solution.

Today, however, it was not helping.

He could remember many such situations and times, and upon further search into his memory, he wasn't really surprised to find that most of them were all thanks to Harry Potter.

That first refusal of his friendship, which hadn't surprised him, but had offended him nonetheless.

All the Quidditch games and duels in which Harry Potter had been the only wizard to best him. It was, at times, infuriating. All right, more than just 'at times'. More like, all the time.

Harry Potter was one irritating boy.

And now he was handsome, sexy, and alluring on top of that. Harry was a weakness with a capital W, but he wasn't quite sure if he knew how to get rid of this one. Perhaps if he let it run its course, this odd attraction he felt to the boy wonder would cease. Probably not, he could go back through the years and find that this particular weakness ran long and deep, and it probably was not going to go away simply because he was uncomfortable with it.

He was getting a headache thinking about it.

He wondered what his father would do in his situation, and he let the idea of contacting his patriarch and running the problem by him flit through his head, before nearly laughing himself silly. He knew exactly what his father would do with this information; he'd use it against him.

And if he knew that Harry liked him back. That they'd kissed...

Draco straightened and stared straight ahead, eyes fixed on the books in front of him, mind a thousand miles away.

If he knew that Harry liked Draco back, Draco would become Voldemort's pawn faster than Harry could catch a snitch. Harry would be in danger. Draco cringed and let his head fall against the spines of the books on the bookshelf in front of him.

There was a reason to stay away from Potter if he ever heard one.

* * *

The air split quietly before him as he picked up speed, racing after the elusive snitch. The empty grandstands let loose an enormous cheer as the blond seeker closed in on the winged prize, hungry eyes cutting across the distance.

"Draco Malfoy's caught sight of the snitch, and hold on to your seats folks, he might actually catch it today. That's right, you're all witnessing history in the making. Harry Potter will lose this match to Draco Malfoy, and he'll soon be found in the deepest recesses of Gryffindor Tower bawling his eyes out and begging that sexy Slytherin for mercy."

Draco grinned predatorily and tackled the glittering little ball, nearing falling off his broom as he howled in delight. The thrill of the chase. Hunting a snitch. There was nothing like it. Freedom. Weaknesses in the game of Quidditch were merely technical, and couldn't get you killed. Not in years, anyway.

His father didn't sit in the crowds, glowering and threatening. Voldemort didn't breathe down his neck, demanding that he join the other team. So called friends didn't try to take advantage of him. Real friends didn't get into trouble that they couldn't be gotten out of, and no one told him what to do.

He gracefully landed his broom and fell back into the grass of the pitch, petting the snitch thoughtfully and staring up at the stars. He hadn't gone night riding since that evening of the infamous Malfoy/Potter kiss, and he'd missed it. He smiled widely at the thought of beating Potter in this playing field, "Begging me for mercy. I like that idea."

At that point, his mind took another turn and Harry wasn't on the field, on his knees, looking up at him with large, teary eyes. No, this time Harry was on the field, on his knees, looking up at him with lust. Begging for mercy, indeed.

He caught himself just in time and shook his head, shrugging away the thoughts he only allowed to cross his mind in his dreams, when he couldn't fight them away. And a voice broke his reverie.

"I wondered if I was ever going to see you again. You had me balling my eyes out and begging for mercy, huh?"

Draco scrambled to his feet and identified a shape in the nearest set of stands. "Potter?"

"Have you been hiding from me, Draco?" The voice softened and the shape vaulted itself over the ledge of the stands, scaring the shit out of Draco until he noticed Harry had his broom with him, and had flown himself out of the fall with the grace he was so respected for.

"Hiding? I've been busy. We've got exams coming up, you know. I can't spend all my time catering to the whims of the Great Harry Potter."

In their earlier years, Harry would have growled and thrown an insult back at him.

"Now, there's an idea. Wanna make out on the Quidditch pitch again, Draco?"

"Can't," Draco answered glibly, "I'm meeting Weasley in a minute. We're going to run away together."

Harry smiled and moved closer to Draco, making his senses swim. "I'll have to steal you away from him, then."

Draco only gave him a patronizing look. "But don't you see, Harry? I love him. We didn't want to hurt you or Hermione, which's why it's been kept a secret so long. I'm sorry, but I have to go meet him." He rose his hand to his forehead and stumbled away in a Gone With the Wind manner, and Harry only chuckled and caught him tightly about the waist, pulling Draco flush against him. Draco was beginning to regret their teasing conversation.

"Too bad. He can't have you. You're mine." And Draco had to shiver when he realized the teasing note in Harry's voice was gone. He tried in vain to pull away, and Harry took hold of his wrist and swung him around so they faced each other. "Are you afraid of me, Draco?"

"Yes," Draco answered without thinking, and Harry blinked at him, confused.

"Why?"

Draco sighed and sagged against him. Here he was, with Harry, it was dark... and no one had to know. His voice came out ragged and hesitant, "You're... something I can't control. You're better than me. You're better at this than me, and you're a danger to every wall that I've ever put up against the world. My defenses can't survive a full on attack from Harry Potter, and when I'm laid open and bared to you, what happens if you don't see something you want?"

Harry stared at him, shocked, unable to add a comment to the litany, and Draco dragged his heart back into his chest and pulled away.

Harry stepped forward and captured Draco's hands, pulling them together again and frowning down at Draco. "I see something I want."

Draco shook his head. "No, you see some show I've put on for you for years-"

"You're not putting on a show right now. You're trembling, Draco. You're scared. You're laid open and bared already. And I see something I want. I see something I need."

They stared at each other for a moment's time, before they both snapped and crushed their lips together. It was desperate and aching and longing, Harry trying to reassure Draco that he didn't have to hide from him, and Draco trying to get closer to the warmth that was Harry.

A muffled "mmph," came from Harry, as Draco felt his hands weave into his hair, and he felt as if he were kissing Harry for the first time. He felt as if he'd been kissing him for years. He wanted to go on kissing him for years. There was an idea, he thought, as Harry attempted to burrow into him. They could stay here forever, just kissing. They could bronze the couple, and make a statue out of them, and later generations would take inspiration from the spectacle.

And then Harry's tongue slid into his mouth and he lost his train of thought.

End Chapter