Harry found himself in front of the fat lady portrait without even realising he had left the room. The words of Draco's song whirled around in Harry's head…
Help I need somebody…
What did Draco mean he needed help? He never asked for help from anyone… especially from Harry. It was Not a Malfoy thing, to ask for help. Harry shook his head to try and clear his mind. "It's just Draco" he told himself over and over. "Malfoy! His name is MALFOY!" Harry made his way up to the dorms and lay down. He heard Ron muttering in his sleep about genetically modified geese but tried to block it out.
Now I find, I've changed my mind, I've opened up the doorHarry picked up a quill and wrote down all of the words of the song.
"I can't forget…or maybe I should…"
Harry finished writing, and he put the parchment under his pillow. "I have to talk to Malfoy again", he decided. "Tomorrow…"
He closed his eyes and fell asleep.
******
Draco began pacing around his room. He heard a snort from Goyle's bed, so he climbed onto his own and drew the curtains closed and performed a silencing spell.
"AGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Draco screamed.
"I sang. Infront of Potter. Potter, of all people it had to be Potter. And I called him Harry. What was I thinking? What is Lucius hears?"
Draco groaned and pulled the covers over his head. "Avoid Potter at all costs. If he comes near me….he's a…hampster" Draco smirked at the thought of Harry as a hampster and fell into deep sleep.
******
"Harry wake up you bloody git! You're gonna be late for breakfast."
Harry woke from his dream to the sound of Ron's voice. "I'm leaving Harry, so you'd better hurry up!"
"No, Ron wait. WAIT" Harry cried out as he groped for his glasses and found that they were not where he had left them. Ron giggled and Harry saw a blurry Ron wearing a very familiar pair of blurry glasses on his face. "Oh, gimme them, Ron!" Harry sighed as he reached for them. Ron gave the glasses back to Harry and smiled as Harry put them on. "Hurry up! Geez Harry! You're slower than a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter! Remember, no classes today! We have the match against Slytherin"
Harry gasped and pulled himself out of bed. Ron walked out laughing as Harry pulled on his robes and ran after him. The halls were deserted as Harry ran down to breakfast. When Harry reached the great hall, he found Ron and Dean discussing the strategy that Gryffindor would be using for the game. Harry decided to skip breakfast, so they all followed him out to the Quidditch pitch. They went into the Gryffindor change rooms and Harry surveyed his team getting ready.
"You're supposed to be the captain and you're late!" laughed Seamus. Harry smiled and quickly changed into his gear. Then he looked around again. Harry was proud of his team. It was difficult finding replacements for the twins, and especially Oliver Wood, but he had managed and he knew that his team was the best in the competition. Only Slytherin gave them a run for their money, but that was only because the Slytherins were a bunch of cheating scum that didn't deserve to be gum scraped off Harry's shoe.
"Now" Harry began, "We face Slytherin. They haven't beaten us yet this year, and we aren't going to start now. Malfoy is the seeker and he's our main worry, but we all know that I can outfly him. We have the strategy and we have the skill. We don't need to cheat to beat them. No matter what, we are Gryffindor. We are proud, strong and BRAVE. Now, are we gonna' go out there and win us a match or what?"
The rest of Gryffindor shouted and Harry led his team out to the stadium. From where they were walking they could hear two dull thumps followed by a clap. They were all wondering what the noise was about, so they curiously looked out the door. The whole stadium was watching the Slytherins create a steady beat. Draco Malfoy and his team stepped onto the pitch.
******
Draco had been to the Slytherin change rooms early so that he could prepare himself for the match. He knew that he had to win, just to prove to himself that that little interlude with Potter had meant nothing. Nothing. After the team had arrived, Draco had given them a short pep talk along the lines of CHEAT! CHEAT! CHEAT! Now, looking around him Draco could see all of the Slytherin Supporters were behind him. He smirked but it quickly faded when he felt a vibrating in his pocket. He reached in and pulled out the annoying little box.
"What the… I didn't put that in my pocket…" he frowned to himself. Then it happened. He got that compulsion again and with the beat of the Slytherin stomping and clapping he saw words forming in his head. No matter what he tried to do, they were fast becoming a song, and it was at that moment that Harry Potter and his team walked onto the pitch.
"I won't sing, I won't sing!" Draco repeated to himself but then, it was as though something had taken over him. "Sonorus" he said as he pointed his wand to his throat.
******
Harry saw Draco perform a spell on himself and was about to complain to Madam Hooch but then, over the clapping, Draco began to sing…
"Buddy you're a boy, make a big noise
Playin' on the pitch gonna be a big man someday
You got mud on ya face
You big disgrace
Throwin' the quaffle all over the place"
Draco saw the look of shock on Harry's face and he decided to keep singing. He turned to the Slytherins and urged them to sing along.
"WE WILL WE WILL ROCK YOU!WE WILL WE WILL ROCK YOU!"
Harry wasn't going to be outdone by Draco, and so he began to sing too…
"Buddy you're a young man, hard manShoutin' on the pitch gonna take on the world someday
You got blood on your face
You big disgrace
Usin' dark Magick all over the place"
Harry now turned to Gryffindor to sing with him, and was then shocked to find Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw join in.
"WE WILL WE WILL ROCK YOU!WE WILL WE WILL ROCK YOU!"
Draco stared at Harry with shock. Harry had a deep voice that seemed to suit him. It was smooth and Draco loved it. But, he still wasn't going to be outdone by Harry.
"Harry you're an old man, poor manPleadin' with your eyes gonna make you some peace someday
You got mud on ya face
You big disgrace
Slytherins gonna put you back in your PLACE!
WE WILL WE WILL ROCK YOU!
WE WILL WE WILL ROCK YOU!"
All of the sudden the beat stopped, leaving the whole stadium in shock. Harry walked towards Draco and held out his hand, determined to forget that it had ever happened. Draco shook Harry's hand and felt an electric shock travel up his arm. Harry let go, and walked back to his team. Gryffindor and Slytherin mounted their brooms. Then a flustered Madam Hooch picked up the quaffle, threw it in the air, and the game began.
******
The game had been going for half an hour and Draco hadn't even had a glimpse of the snitch. He could see Harry out of the corner of his eye always searching for the snitch. Harry had already lured Draco in a Wronskei feint once, but Draco was determined not to be fooled again.
"Potter may have the better broom, but I am still going to beat him" he assured himself.
******
Harry was getting tired. He had been flying over the game for half an hour and he still hadn't seen the snitch. He was getting bored and by the look of it, Draco was too. He was still confused about what had made him sing at the start of the game. Part of it was that he wanted to prove to Draco that he wasn't going to be beaten by him at anything. Still, a part of Harry was confused.
Gryffindor was beating Slytherin 100-70. Harry decided that they needed a new strategy if they were going to keep motivated. He could already see that his team was beginning to fall back and let the Slytherin team attack more, so Harry decided to call a time out.
"Look guys," Harry said as his team gathered around him, "We need to step up our attack and our defence. We need score some serious points. We can't let them get ahead of us. I haven't even had a glimpse of the snitch yet. I know you're all trying real hard out there but we need to pull it all together and do this. We are one of the best teams this school has ever seen! We CAN and we WILL beat Slytherin! Now who's with me?"
He put his hand in the middle of the circle and one by one his team mates followed suit.
"Goooooooo Gryffindor!!!"
*******
Meanwhile, Draco had gathered his own team around him.
"You call that playing Quidditch?!?" he snarled at them, "A bunch of blindfolded Muggles with no arms or legs could fly better then you! Slytherins DO NOT lose! I don't care what you have to do! Take them out! Kick 'em, push 'em, bite 'em! Peg the bloody bludger bats at them for all I care! Just knock them all off their brooms!! Now get your butts out there and WIN!"
True to Draco's words, when the time out ended, the Slytherin team returned to the game with a vengeance. Suddenly, Harry was being chased by both bludgers and the Slytherins' managed to score another 40 points. Draco looked over at Harry and smirked.
The Slytherins began to knock the Gryffindors off their brooms. It started with Seamus and Dean, then they knocked off two of Harry's chasers. Draco was feeling on top of the world and he smirked at Harry again. Then he felt it, that bubbly feeling again that seemed to tingle up his spine but make his stomach feel heavy. He knew better than to try and fight it, but he still tried to clamp his mouth shut. He called his beaters to him and told them to fly around Harry, then he started to fly around him too. Then he started to sing, just loudly enough so that only Harry would hear him.
"Harry's flying around the pitch
His Quidditch robes starting to blow
Ain't no sound but the sound of the swish
His Firebolt's ready to go
Are you ready?
Are you ready for this?
Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?
Out of the change rooms the Slytherins fly
To the sound of the beat yeah
Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one's gone
And another ones gone
Another one bites the dust"
Then, Draco looked Harry directly in the eyes and sang deeply
"Hey, we're gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust."
It was at this point that Harry took off towards the ground, then shot into the air again. Draco looked in shock as Harry reached out his arm...and caught the Snitch. It was then that the rest of the stadium seemed to come into focus again and he could hear the cheering of the crowd.
"GRYFFINDOR WIN!"
Draco flew slowly towards the ground and landed unsteadily. He almost fell but found someone catch onto his shoulders.
"Thankyou" He muttered then looked up to see Harry looking into his eyes.
"Good game Draco" Harry said quietly, not breaking eye contact. Harry held out his hand and Draco stared at it, before looking at Harry again.
"This seems familiar, doesn't it Harry?" He asked quietly.
Harry gave Draco a confused look and then dropped his hand to his side.
"Good game Draco..."
And then he left the field. Draco stared after him, before stalking off the field to the change rooms.
**********
Harry looked into the Slytherin change rooms a few hours after the match had finished. Draco was still there, sitting by himself on one of the benches. Harry took a deep breath and was abut to enter the room, then was shocked to hear Draco say
"Are you going to stay out there all night Potter? Not that I'm complaining. It would be funny to find 'The Boy Who Lived' dead from frostbite."
Harry stepped into the change rooms and walked to near where Draco was sitting.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"The game?"
"The...box…"
"No. I never want to talk to you. I don't even know why you're here Harry. I don't want you here and if someone finds you here, they'll hurt you...hmm, on second thought that gives me reason enough to let you stay."
Harry sighed and looked at Draco.
"Look… I came to see if you wanted to talk...about your song...about what you told me."
"I don't want to talk about it. I don't need anyone, ok Harry? You don't have to try and save everyone that you think has a problem. I'm fine. I'm fine."
"Draco..."
"Don't call me that. To You, that is not my name. I don't need you, or like you, or want you near me. I can handle everything myself. Just because I sang a stupid song doesn't mean anything."
" It makes you sing the truth Malfoy. I get that part. And you sang. TO ME. This does have something to do with me."
Draco sighed and gave Harry a pained look.
"I know what pity is, and what it feels like. So stop it. I don't want you. I don't need anything that you're offering me. And what are you offering? A shoulder to cry on? I'm fine Potter. Just leave."
Harry stayed where he was, so Draco stood and went to leave the room. Then, heard Harry stand up behind him and walk over. He stepped into Draco's path, and put his hand on Draco's forearm.
"What are you trying to do Potter? Kill me?"
"No Draco" Harry breathed. "I just, I want you to know that..."
Draco interrupted "Know WHAT?"
Harry closed his eyes and began to sing in a clear and smooth voice,
"Sometimes in our lives,
We all have pain,
We all have sorrow.
But if we are wise,
We know that there's always tomorrow."
Harry opened his eyes and looed at Draco, expecting to she some sort of shocked and or repulsed look on his face. But Draco only regarded him with a quiet curiosity and Harry sang on, unable to stop himself.
"Lean on me,
When you're not strong and I'll be your friend.
I'll help you carry on, for it won't be long
Til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on.
Please swallow your pride,
If I have faith you need to borrow.
For no one can fill those needs
That you won't let show."
Something flickered behind Draco's eyes. A ripple that was quickly swallowed up again. Harry noticed and wondered briefly what it could mean and continued on.
"Lean on me
When your not strong and I'll be your friend,
I'll help you carry on for it won't be long
Til I'm gonna' need somebody to lean on.
You just call on me brother when you need a hand.
We all need somebody to lean on.
I just might have a problem that you'd understand.
We all need somebody to lean on.
If there is a load
You have to bear
That you can't carry.
I'm right up the road,
I'll share your load
If you just call me."
"I wonder what he's thinking…?" thought Harry silently, locking his gaze onto those silvery grey ones. Still the inquisitive look remained. Harry couldn't stand it and closed his eyes again.
"Lean on me
When you're not strong and I'll be your friend.
I'll help you carry on, for it won't be long
Til I'm gonna' need
Somebody to lean on.
Just call me
When you need a friend.
Call me…"
The song finished and Harry opened his eyes to look at Draco. The curious look had vanished from Draco's face. In its place was self- self-assured sneer.
"What makes you think I need to lean on anyone Potter? And even if I did you would be the last person in the Universe that I would come to."
Harry looked confused. "But… but the... the song." he spluttered, "What about the song, Draco? What about what you said…"
"You think just because of some silly song you can waltz in here, claiming that you can be some sort of saviour for me?"
Harry anger flared. "I didn't claim anything, Draco… You asked for help. I was just offering it to you."
"You think that I want pity from you? I don't want anything from you. ESPECIALLY pity."
"I wasn't going to pity you, but I do now. I'm, just offering you support from whatever problems you MIGHT have had. Now I pity you because you're too closed minded to see that you aren't above everyone else. I know that you have problems and all I wanted to say was that I was here for you when you crack again…forget it."
"Don't worry, I will. You know what, you can help me." Draco said his last words softly.
"How?" Harry asked quietly.
"You can help me by STAYING AWAY from me!" Draco said forcefully. He pushed himself past Harry and started walking towards the door.
"Fine Malfoy" Harry spat.
Draco stopped walking and turned around.
"I'm glad that we understand each other. As far as I'm concerned, none of this ever happened. I will figure out how to get rid of this…thing myself. You don't have to worry abo…"
Harry cut in, "I won't"
Harry walked past Draco and pushed him as he went. As soon as Harry was gone, Draco walked over to his bags and pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill.
"How did it go?" he asked himself, his quill poised on the page. Suddenly he realised what he was doing, and threw them both back into his bag. He picked it up and scowled to himself.
"I'm lucky Harry's gone. Bloody prat, putting his nose into my business. I don't need any help…none at all. I'm fine."
But as Draco was walking, all he could think about were the words to the song and the hurt look on Harry's face.
~to be continued…~
AN: well, here we are at the end of another great chapter…*crickets chirp…tumbleweed blows past* We want to say a big thankyou to the people who reviewed:
Lady Alyce- You are the reason we kept writing. Your pestering and pleading has gotten us our muse back! THANKYOU
Moriavis- Sorry this took so long to write. Your review made us giggle and we are eternally grateful.
punk ikhny towryk- Here you are, we have continued. Mumble no more!
kerstin-vol- We like the singing too. We are both music-heads…singing and dancing all of the time!
The Slayer- Thankyou, you are our friend too! you were the first to review and that makes you ever so special.
SORRY for making you all wait so long. We didn't have a chance to get together to write! That…and our muse ran away and we had to hunt it with a spear.
THANKYOU, we are almost finished chapter 3!!!