I think it's about time for another
Disclaimer: *checks* Nope, still not mine.
A/N: Once again, thanks to Leah for yelling 'update!' at me every time I pass her in the hall. Also, big thanks to everyone who reviewed. I love you guys. "You guys, are me best friends, through thick and..." no! I'm stopping now or I'll have to redo the disclaimer... Come on people. Bring on the constructive criticism. Or just the criticism. Your call.
... and, oh, Draco just heard the boy wonder squeak. He turned, one brow reaching for his hairline. "Potter?" He watched the other boy squirm under his gaze, eyes wide, jaw working ridiculously. "I... umm. I, Malfoy..." Draco watched the panic fly unchecked across Harry's face.
*Potter looks like a startled rabbit.*
He frowned mentally, wondering when his analogies started relating to small furry cute things. A small, desperate, not to mention awkward, noise rushed from Harry's mouth. Draco blinked, and Harry was gone. The smirk on his face slid sideways as he listened to Harry's retreating flurry of feet.
*Wait a minute. What the hell is he running from? Not that I'm complaining,
mind, however I do believe that I'm the one whose supposed to be flipping
out right about now.
Not that Malfoys 'flip out'.
Ever.*
Draco smiled to himself, crossed his arms, and settled back to wait.
*Oh oh god oh bloody hell this is not happening this is NOT happening!*
Harry rushed blindly back along the corridor, catching his shoulder against the rough rock. He let out a hiss of pain he wasn't fully conscious of uttering. Mindlessly grabbing his shoulder to ease the pain, he ran on, thoughts whirling.
*Not Malfoy anyone but Malfoy please this is not happening not now not EVER!*
Babbled incoherent thoughts rushed over each other, all vying to be heard and believed and Harry knows that he's lying to himself, and he honestly doesn't care.
*Not. Malfoy.
... too late.*
And with that realisation Harry felt his mind go numb; his momentum slowed and he came to a halt. He absentmindedly rubbed his aching shoulder as the thought settled slowly through the others, brushing them aside like so many cobwebs.
*...too late.*
He shook his head, immediately displacing and burying the idea, deeply unnerved and unsettled. Harry, realising he'd come to a stop, looked around; vaguely surprised to realise he was still in the same corridor.
*Thank god.*
Getting lost in the maze that was the Hogwart's underground was not high on his list of 'Really Fun Ways in Which to Spend my Day'. It only came in at number 36.
Following on the heels of that realisation came the knowledge that there really was only one other option available to him at this time. He winced and attempted to rub away the pressure building at his temples. With a sigh, Harry turned and trudged back towards the tunnel he'd come from, steeling himself to face the dragon waiting at the end.
Draco listened with interest as the footsteps receded... then came to a halt. Silence. He shifted, slightly unnerved.
*What the hell is Potter DOING? Stupid bastard.*
Then slow, dragging steps, sound getting louder and Draco smirks.
*Knew you'd come crawling back Potter. Where else you going to go?*
At that, the smirk fell, just a touch.
*Screw Potter, how the hell am ~*I*~ going to get out of here?*
Watching the entrance of the corridor intently, the smirk returned, more amused this time, as a mop of dark hair and spectacles inched into view at the mouth of the tunnel. Sighting Draco, the eyes behind the spec widened, and the head pulled back, only to be replaced with the boy himself. Harry, reluctance made known in the rigid line of his posture, muscles taut, walked cautiously towards the other boy. Draco grinned, enjoying the reaction, if not understanding the cause. "What's wrong Potty? Afraid I'm going to bite?" The grin grew dangerously close to 'taunting smile' territory as Harry visibly flinched. Harry stopped, eyes skimming along the walls of the tunnel, certainly NOT looking at the silver-haired one, before gazing stolidly at his feet.
*What is going ON here? I've missed something...*
"Potter, correct me if I'm wrong, but as things stand, I should be the one avoiding you." Harry peered up at Draco from under his lashes and bangs of mussed up hair. He sighed, straightened, and ran a shaking hand through said birds nest. "You don't... I just... Oh hell." He turned to look Draco squarely in the face. "Do you have ANY idea where to go from here?" Draco watched Harry closely, somehow sensing unspoken layers he couldn't, quite, grasp to the question. "Hmmm, if I said 'no', how would you feel about that?" Harry bit his lip, and shot Draco a look he labelled 'Decidedly Unfriendly'. "Malfoy..." The threat of a decking echoed in that utterance of his name. Bristling a little, Draco shot back "Potter, I did not ask you to chase me down here. Nor did I ask you to take my private property, which you promptly used to invade my private headspace and made this hasty retreat rather necessary. In fact, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say THIS IS ALL YOUR BLOODY FAULT!"
"Malfoy, you are so full of shit! If that had been my...journal... you would have read it! Don't even think about denying it!"
"I really don't think that has ANY bearing on our current situation Potter. Because I didn't find and read your most intimate thoughts, did I?"
Anger at boiling point, Harry grabbed Malfoy by the robe and yanked him close, ignoring the boy's struggle against his hold. "Malfoy, you make my life a living hell! Don't even think about making me the bad guy here! God, why can't you... why can't you just leave me the fuck alone? Huh? Just stay. Out. Of my. Life!" he spat in Draco's face, punctuating each word with a slam of body against stone. Draco gasped as the air was forced from his lungs. He scrabbled at Harry's hands, trying to free his shoulders. "Potter..." he managed to choke out as he stared into the swirling fury in Harry's eyes. Harry's eyes... seemed to take up his vision, swallowing the rest of the world in an emerald void. "Potter..." Harry stared back, panting heavily and frozen in place, anger seeping away as he saw the fear swelling in those beautiful liquid quick-silver eyes. Underneath the fear... he made out a faint trace of detached annoyance. Typical Malfoy. A smile threatened to break across his face at thought, quickly followed by the realisation the he and Malfoy were mere millimetres apart. His eyes swept across the milky arch of perfect cheekbones, the delicate bow of soft, full lips and finally settled back on those amazing eyes.
*...too late, indeed.*
Disclaimer: *checks* Nope, still not mine.
A/N: Once again, thanks to Leah for yelling 'update!' at me every time I pass her in the hall. Also, big thanks to everyone who reviewed. I love you guys. "You guys, are me best friends, through thick and..." no! I'm stopping now or I'll have to redo the disclaimer... Come on people. Bring on the constructive criticism. Or just the criticism. Your call.
... and, oh, Draco just heard the boy wonder squeak. He turned, one brow reaching for his hairline. "Potter?" He watched the other boy squirm under his gaze, eyes wide, jaw working ridiculously. "I... umm. I, Malfoy..." Draco watched the panic fly unchecked across Harry's face.
*Potter looks like a startled rabbit.*
He frowned mentally, wondering when his analogies started relating to small furry cute things. A small, desperate, not to mention awkward, noise rushed from Harry's mouth. Draco blinked, and Harry was gone. The smirk on his face slid sideways as he listened to Harry's retreating flurry of feet.
*Wait a minute. What the hell is he running from? Not that I'm complaining,
mind, however I do believe that I'm the one whose supposed to be flipping
out right about now.
Not that Malfoys 'flip out'.
Ever.*
Draco smiled to himself, crossed his arms, and settled back to wait.
*Oh oh god oh bloody hell this is not happening this is NOT happening!*
Harry rushed blindly back along the corridor, catching his shoulder against the rough rock. He let out a hiss of pain he wasn't fully conscious of uttering. Mindlessly grabbing his shoulder to ease the pain, he ran on, thoughts whirling.
*Not Malfoy anyone but Malfoy please this is not happening not now not EVER!*
Babbled incoherent thoughts rushed over each other, all vying to be heard and believed and Harry knows that he's lying to himself, and he honestly doesn't care.
*Not. Malfoy.
... too late.*
And with that realisation Harry felt his mind go numb; his momentum slowed and he came to a halt. He absentmindedly rubbed his aching shoulder as the thought settled slowly through the others, brushing them aside like so many cobwebs.
*...too late.*
He shook his head, immediately displacing and burying the idea, deeply unnerved and unsettled. Harry, realising he'd come to a stop, looked around; vaguely surprised to realise he was still in the same corridor.
*Thank god.*
Getting lost in the maze that was the Hogwart's underground was not high on his list of 'Really Fun Ways in Which to Spend my Day'. It only came in at number 36.
Following on the heels of that realisation came the knowledge that there really was only one other option available to him at this time. He winced and attempted to rub away the pressure building at his temples. With a sigh, Harry turned and trudged back towards the tunnel he'd come from, steeling himself to face the dragon waiting at the end.
Draco listened with interest as the footsteps receded... then came to a halt. Silence. He shifted, slightly unnerved.
*What the hell is Potter DOING? Stupid bastard.*
Then slow, dragging steps, sound getting louder and Draco smirks.
*Knew you'd come crawling back Potter. Where else you going to go?*
At that, the smirk fell, just a touch.
*Screw Potter, how the hell am ~*I*~ going to get out of here?*
Watching the entrance of the corridor intently, the smirk returned, more amused this time, as a mop of dark hair and spectacles inched into view at the mouth of the tunnel. Sighting Draco, the eyes behind the spec widened, and the head pulled back, only to be replaced with the boy himself. Harry, reluctance made known in the rigid line of his posture, muscles taut, walked cautiously towards the other boy. Draco grinned, enjoying the reaction, if not understanding the cause. "What's wrong Potty? Afraid I'm going to bite?" The grin grew dangerously close to 'taunting smile' territory as Harry visibly flinched. Harry stopped, eyes skimming along the walls of the tunnel, certainly NOT looking at the silver-haired one, before gazing stolidly at his feet.
*What is going ON here? I've missed something...*
"Potter, correct me if I'm wrong, but as things stand, I should be the one avoiding you." Harry peered up at Draco from under his lashes and bangs of mussed up hair. He sighed, straightened, and ran a shaking hand through said birds nest. "You don't... I just... Oh hell." He turned to look Draco squarely in the face. "Do you have ANY idea where to go from here?" Draco watched Harry closely, somehow sensing unspoken layers he couldn't, quite, grasp to the question. "Hmmm, if I said 'no', how would you feel about that?" Harry bit his lip, and shot Draco a look he labelled 'Decidedly Unfriendly'. "Malfoy..." The threat of a decking echoed in that utterance of his name. Bristling a little, Draco shot back "Potter, I did not ask you to chase me down here. Nor did I ask you to take my private property, which you promptly used to invade my private headspace and made this hasty retreat rather necessary. In fact, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say THIS IS ALL YOUR BLOODY FAULT!"
"Malfoy, you are so full of shit! If that had been my...journal... you would have read it! Don't even think about denying it!"
"I really don't think that has ANY bearing on our current situation Potter. Because I didn't find and read your most intimate thoughts, did I?"
Anger at boiling point, Harry grabbed Malfoy by the robe and yanked him close, ignoring the boy's struggle against his hold. "Malfoy, you make my life a living hell! Don't even think about making me the bad guy here! God, why can't you... why can't you just leave me the fuck alone? Huh? Just stay. Out. Of my. Life!" he spat in Draco's face, punctuating each word with a slam of body against stone. Draco gasped as the air was forced from his lungs. He scrabbled at Harry's hands, trying to free his shoulders. "Potter..." he managed to choke out as he stared into the swirling fury in Harry's eyes. Harry's eyes... seemed to take up his vision, swallowing the rest of the world in an emerald void. "Potter..." Harry stared back, panting heavily and frozen in place, anger seeping away as he saw the fear swelling in those beautiful liquid quick-silver eyes. Underneath the fear... he made out a faint trace of detached annoyance. Typical Malfoy. A smile threatened to break across his face at thought, quickly followed by the realisation the he and Malfoy were mere millimetres apart. His eyes swept across the milky arch of perfect cheekbones, the delicate bow of soft, full lips and finally settled back on those amazing eyes.
*...too late, indeed.*