Disclaimer: see chap 1
A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! *Mwa* Feedback, food for the soul, baby. This chapter is dedicated to Leah, because I promised her it wouldn't happen, and it HAS. Hopefully she'll be distracted by the fact that she's got a dedication... Damn, I am in sooo much trouble on Tuesday *wince*
NOTE: This story is getting a lil' SLASHY people. You have been warned.
"Malfoy! Wait!" Harry jumped from his seat and sprinted towards the door Malfoy had lingered in only moments before. He was completely oblivious to the deafening silence that had fallen in the great hall following his abrupt depature, as the other students watched on, incredulous. Ron, frozen in place, his jaw hanging, jumped as Hermione dropped her spoon and it clashed with her plate. Seemingly ignorant of the fact she had just splattered herself with milk, she turned to Ron. "Now what was THAT all about?" Ron, shock rendering not quite capable of speech, merely shook his head.
"Malfoy!" The cry went unheeded.
*Sodding Potter, stupid bloody Potter, I hate him I hate him I HATE HIM.*
The mantra ran itself over and over through Draco's head. His thoughts whirled and tripped over themselves and in the confusion Draco gave up any effort at coherent thought. His legs on auto-pilot, he ran on. It wasn't until he nearly collided with a stone wall that had 'mysteriously appeared' in front of him, that he realized he had absolutely no clue as the where in Hogwart's he was. He blinked at the wall in vague surprise, then felt a choking laughter bubble up through his chest and pour out of his throat in what Draco, distantly horrified, identified as broken, babbled giggling. Eyes wide, he clamped a hand over his mouth and bit down on his palm. Hard. Still his chest shuddered with suppressed mirth that was Draco vaguely noted was bordering on the hysterical side.
*What is WRONG with me? Calm down, you stupid bastard! Just breath.
Calm... just calm yourself...*
Concentrating on keeping his ragged breathing even, Draco turned, eyes closed, and lent back against cool stones. He felt the chill of the rock sink slowly through the fabric of his robe, settling against his over heated skin. Draco pushed back hard against the wall, eager to feel the cold wrap itself around the length of his spine. He turned his head, pushing one flushed cheek to the stone. He distantly realized that his breathing had evened itself out. He was no longer gasping for shallow breaths of air. Now to figure out why this had provoked a panic attack. Well, the person he despised more than any else he had ever known (and that was saying something. Draco knew more people who were worth despising than he cared to admit.) now knew things he would never even admit to his closest friends. His enemy knew his weaknesses. A bad position to be in. How could he have been so stupid? He shifted his head away from the wall, then lightly banged it back into place.
*Stupid...*
Something pulled at the edge of his thoughts, and he gradually became aware of the other presence in the corridor. Draco grimaced slightly, and, still huddled against the solid presence of the wall, spat out "Potter. How...nice... of you to join me."
Harry raced after the light figure disappearing down a stair well off the main corridor. "Malfoy!" Even as he yelled it, he knew it was futile. Instead, mouth set in a grimly determined line, he used the energy saved on yelling into a burst of speed. He bolted down the stair well, nearly tripping over his own feet in his haste to reach the blond. Harry burst from the stairs only to panic as he realized said blond had completely disappeared from view. Forcing down the rising alarm, he ran along the tunnel. As he passed an opening to his left, the echoing patter flying feet caught his ear. Harry chased down the sound, becoming lost in the maze that was the underbelly of Hogwarts. Then the pounding of feet abruptly halted. Harry froze, uncertain. He flinched back at the harsh guttural sound that greeted him. It took him a second to register that, no, he was NOT going to be attacked by some slimy dungeon THING. The noise in question was coming from Malfoy... God, he hated that sound!
*I did that to him...
Oh dear god, this is all my fault!*
As Harry cautiously approached the turn off Malfoy had taken, the gurgling was sharply muffled. He edged round the corner, and was taken aback at the scene before him. Malfoy was shifting against the stone wall at the end of the corridor. He turned his head slightly, rubbed a heated cheek against the rock, then stilled. Harry gapped at the picture Malfoy made, an elegant sprawl, flush rising against the pale snow of his skin, hair like spun silver falling across a jutting cheekbone and Harry didn't know when he'd become quite so poetic. The guttering torches caused strange shadows to flicker across the plains of Draco's face. He looked... vulnerable.
*Delectable.
Beautiful.*
And that was a place Harry was NOT going. Shocked at his rebellious mind, he mentally slapped himself, determined to deny he'd EVER had that thought.
*It's just the book. It's the poetry. I didn't know a snake like Malfoy was
capable of creating such...beauty.
Beautiful.*
And there was that word again. And, oh God, Malfoy was talking to him. Harry cleared his throat. "Pardon?" And, oh, his voice did NOT just break. Oh no, no no. Harry decided to take up permanent residence in the Land of Denial as Malfoy turned to face him, stormy eyes flickering open and studying him curiously. A small smirk graced lips that were far to distracting as a silver brow arched questioningly, almost mocking. "Potter?"
"I... umm. I, Malfoy..." Nope, Harry wasn't getting anywhere near coherent and it was time to leave. So he did.
A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! *Mwa* Feedback, food for the soul, baby. This chapter is dedicated to Leah, because I promised her it wouldn't happen, and it HAS. Hopefully she'll be distracted by the fact that she's got a dedication... Damn, I am in sooo much trouble on Tuesday *wince*
NOTE: This story is getting a lil' SLASHY people. You have been warned.
"Malfoy! Wait!" Harry jumped from his seat and sprinted towards the door Malfoy had lingered in only moments before. He was completely oblivious to the deafening silence that had fallen in the great hall following his abrupt depature, as the other students watched on, incredulous. Ron, frozen in place, his jaw hanging, jumped as Hermione dropped her spoon and it clashed with her plate. Seemingly ignorant of the fact she had just splattered herself with milk, she turned to Ron. "Now what was THAT all about?" Ron, shock rendering not quite capable of speech, merely shook his head.
"Malfoy!" The cry went unheeded.
*Sodding Potter, stupid bloody Potter, I hate him I hate him I HATE HIM.*
The mantra ran itself over and over through Draco's head. His thoughts whirled and tripped over themselves and in the confusion Draco gave up any effort at coherent thought. His legs on auto-pilot, he ran on. It wasn't until he nearly collided with a stone wall that had 'mysteriously appeared' in front of him, that he realized he had absolutely no clue as the where in Hogwart's he was. He blinked at the wall in vague surprise, then felt a choking laughter bubble up through his chest and pour out of his throat in what Draco, distantly horrified, identified as broken, babbled giggling. Eyes wide, he clamped a hand over his mouth and bit down on his palm. Hard. Still his chest shuddered with suppressed mirth that was Draco vaguely noted was bordering on the hysterical side.
*What is WRONG with me? Calm down, you stupid bastard! Just breath.
Calm... just calm yourself...*
Concentrating on keeping his ragged breathing even, Draco turned, eyes closed, and lent back against cool stones. He felt the chill of the rock sink slowly through the fabric of his robe, settling against his over heated skin. Draco pushed back hard against the wall, eager to feel the cold wrap itself around the length of his spine. He turned his head, pushing one flushed cheek to the stone. He distantly realized that his breathing had evened itself out. He was no longer gasping for shallow breaths of air. Now to figure out why this had provoked a panic attack. Well, the person he despised more than any else he had ever known (and that was saying something. Draco knew more people who were worth despising than he cared to admit.) now knew things he would never even admit to his closest friends. His enemy knew his weaknesses. A bad position to be in. How could he have been so stupid? He shifted his head away from the wall, then lightly banged it back into place.
*Stupid...*
Something pulled at the edge of his thoughts, and he gradually became aware of the other presence in the corridor. Draco grimaced slightly, and, still huddled against the solid presence of the wall, spat out "Potter. How...nice... of you to join me."
Harry raced after the light figure disappearing down a stair well off the main corridor. "Malfoy!" Even as he yelled it, he knew it was futile. Instead, mouth set in a grimly determined line, he used the energy saved on yelling into a burst of speed. He bolted down the stair well, nearly tripping over his own feet in his haste to reach the blond. Harry burst from the stairs only to panic as he realized said blond had completely disappeared from view. Forcing down the rising alarm, he ran along the tunnel. As he passed an opening to his left, the echoing patter flying feet caught his ear. Harry chased down the sound, becoming lost in the maze that was the underbelly of Hogwarts. Then the pounding of feet abruptly halted. Harry froze, uncertain. He flinched back at the harsh guttural sound that greeted him. It took him a second to register that, no, he was NOT going to be attacked by some slimy dungeon THING. The noise in question was coming from Malfoy... God, he hated that sound!
*I did that to him...
Oh dear god, this is all my fault!*
As Harry cautiously approached the turn off Malfoy had taken, the gurgling was sharply muffled. He edged round the corner, and was taken aback at the scene before him. Malfoy was shifting against the stone wall at the end of the corridor. He turned his head slightly, rubbed a heated cheek against the rock, then stilled. Harry gapped at the picture Malfoy made, an elegant sprawl, flush rising against the pale snow of his skin, hair like spun silver falling across a jutting cheekbone and Harry didn't know when he'd become quite so poetic. The guttering torches caused strange shadows to flicker across the plains of Draco's face. He looked... vulnerable.
*Delectable.
Beautiful.*
And that was a place Harry was NOT going. Shocked at his rebellious mind, he mentally slapped himself, determined to deny he'd EVER had that thought.
*It's just the book. It's the poetry. I didn't know a snake like Malfoy was
capable of creating such...beauty.
Beautiful.*
And there was that word again. And, oh God, Malfoy was talking to him. Harry cleared his throat. "Pardon?" And, oh, his voice did NOT just break. Oh no, no no. Harry decided to take up permanent residence in the Land of Denial as Malfoy turned to face him, stormy eyes flickering open and studying him curiously. A small smirk graced lips that were far to distracting as a silver brow arched questioningly, almost mocking. "Potter?"
"I... umm. I, Malfoy..." Nope, Harry wasn't getting anywhere near coherent and it was time to leave. So he did.