Chapter Three
*~*~*
You're always talking bad to me
You won't let it be
Won't you touch me, touch me?
Never bothered you before
~Touch, Peel, and Stand by Days of Da New~
*~*~*
Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way to breakfast a little late the next day because Harry had slept in a bit. Ron and Hermione kept shooting furtive glances at each other.
"We better fly through breakfast, we only have 15 minutes to get to Transfiguration!" Hermione said anxiously. Harry barely heard her. Though he had had a perfectly dreamless sleep the night before, he still felt light-headed and weary.
Hermione was looking at Harry strangely. "Harry, did you sneak out last night?" she asked out of the blue. He looked up at her in surprise, but his face gave it away before he could say anything. "Oh Harry, no wonder why you look so beat up! Was there a reason? You know you shouldn't be wandering the castle alone at night with You-Know-Who back. It's just not safe!" Hermione scolded as they sat down.
"Hermione, we're at Hogwarts, he's safe!" Ron said through a mouthful of waffles.
"Gee Ron, thanks for your consideration!" Harry joked. He smiled, a rather forced smile, but it put Hermione at ease. I have to start acting normally again, he thought. Then again, how do you act normal when the most powerful Dark wizard of the time is after your hide?
"Mail's here!" Harry heard Seamus exclaim, and looked up. Hundreds of owls soared into the Great Hall to deliver mail to their owners. His eyes darting around, he saw Hedwig flying towards him, a letter in her beak. Harry was happy she had brought him something. When she landed, she had barely enough time to move out of the way before two brown owls landed right on top of his plate and dropped two more letters into his lap.
"Harry, where's all the mail coming from? You never get mail!" Dean yelled from down the table.
Ron smirked. "Maybe Harry's got a secret admirer."
Harry laughed with the rest of them as he opened Hedwig's letter. It was from Hagrid. "He wants to know if we'd like to have tea with him this afternoon, since we have no classes," Harry read to his friends. Hermione nodded briskly.
Harry opened up his second letter. It was from Sirius and Remus!
"Guys, look at this!" he whispered. Hermione and Ron leaning over him, they all read the letter.
Dear Harry (and Ron and Hermione over his shoulder),
-Sirius has gone back into hiding, no need to worry, because I know you will. The night Sirius came to me with Dumbledore's request, we set out. That's why you haven't heard from Sirius in a while.
+I wanted to write you, Harry, but Remus thought it would be dangerous.
-Well, of course it would be dangerous! We had to gather up the "old crowd". It was quite a job, as they decided to scatter immediately after Hogwarts. But now that we're all safely back at my humble abode, we'll be keeping in close contact.
+Humble abode?
-Do you want to write this letter? There, he's walking away. Sirius has been a little on the edgy side since the Tournament, I'm sure you understand why. The truth is, he's worried about you Harry, and frankly, I am too. I know you have a tendency to sneak out with the aid of a few of your father's old school items, but you must promise-
+Harry, I want your WORD you will not… well, you won't… that you won't be like your father and Remus and I were back in school. I don't need you getting killed.
-Yes Sirius, very comforting. Nice job, godfather. But Harry, he has a point. You can't be up to your old tricks. Write back, and promise us you won't do anything, well… stupid.
Yours,
Remus
and Sirius
"Harry, you see? You can't be sneaking out, you just can't. Sirius and Lupin know how safe Hogwarts is, and even they're worried. Please, promise them. And me." Hermione gently took the letter from Harry's hands. "Please?"
"Alright Hermione, no need to twist my arm right off. I promise, no more midnight strolls."
Harry turned to his third letter and opened it, his happiness from hearing from Sirius fading quickly. It was from McGonagall. He was to serve his detention that night.
"Detention? Harry, you didn't tell us you got caught! Really, didn't you have your cloak?" Ron chuckled at Harry finally getting caught. Harry really didn't want to get into it, so he started in on breakfast. Ron shrugged and continued to shovel food into his waiting mouth. Hermione left for transfiguration early, visibly disgusted.
* * *
At eight o'clock that night, Harry said goodbye to Ron and Hermione and headed to McGonagall's room for his detention. When he got there, Malfoy was already waiting, a scowl pasted on his face. They saw each other at the same time, and spoke.
"I have to serve my detention with you?!"
"Ah, Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, you're both here. Good, I wish to get to bed. For your punishments for being out of bed, both of you are to sort out tomorrow's lesson plan. We'll be turning stuffed animals into their living counterparts, and I need each animal in a different category according to size and type. There are boxes in the closet to separate the piles. When you're done, you can go back to your respective dorms. And don't try leaving without finishing. I trust you both to complete your detention and I will be aware if you take an easy way out. Goodnight gentlemen. Oh, and by the way - no magic allowed." McGonagall closed the door behind her, leaving Harry and Draco still staring at each other.
Harry sighed, realizing the faster they moved the sooner he could get back to bed. "Let's get started." But Draco was moving towards the door. "Where are you going?"
"Listen, Potter. I am not staying here all night, sorting little teddy bears with you. Admit it, you won't jeopardize your grade, but that doesn't mean I have to stay. As I see it, you'll do it by yourself to avoid getting in even more trouble. I, on the other hand, am leaving." Draco turned the doorknob once, twice, and jiggled it. He turned, horrorstruck, to face Harry.
"She locked us in!"
Harry snickered. "Looks like you're not going anywhere tonight, Malfoy." He plopped down on the floor and started in on the human-size pile of stuffed animals. "Let's go. If you help, we can get this done twice as fast and get the hell out of here." Draco snorted, shaking his head.
For the next five minutes, Harry sorted stuffed animals as Draco leaned against the far wall, watching. Harry was fuming. This detention was as much Malfoy's as it was his! Why should he do all the work?
"What's wrong, Potter?" Draco sneered suddenly. "You look like you could rip the heads off one of those poor, defenseless animals."
"I just don't see why I am stuck doing this all by myself, that's all. There must be over a hundred animals in this pile! It'll take me all night, and you can't leave until I'm done! Why make me do it all and waste time that we could be as far away from each other as possible?" Harry threw down an animal and glared up at Draco. To his surprise, Draco was looking down at him with consideration and respect painted on his pale face. And then, just when Harry thought Draco had gone insane, the blonde boy came and sat down on the floor next to Harry, almost giving him a heart attack.
"Malfoy, what are you doing?" Harry asked incredulously.
"You told me to help you! I'm helping you. Lord, Potter, make up your mind." Draco sorted some animals, and looked up at Harry, who was still staring at him in shock. "What?"
"Nothing, nothing…" Harry mumbled, and continued sorting. In reality, it was something that caught his attention. Something big.
Harry had heard, when Draco was speaking, a hint of benevolence in his voice. Benevolence! From Draco Malfoy! Harry was right confused now.
"Really, Potter, what is bloody wrong with you! You keep spacing out, after you told me this would go faster if we both worked. What's up?" This time there was no scorn in his voice, just mild - albeit, VERY mild - concern. Harry, eyes wide, looked at Draco.
"Are you okay?" he asked quietly. Fear flitted across Draco's features, then returned to his normal scowl.
"Why wouldn't I be?" he shot.
"Well, you seem… odd. Not like your usual self. You seem… nice."
Draco stared at Harry. "Nice?" he repeated. Harry nodded. "Well, I'm not, okay? I'm just feeling a bit… light-headed, is all."
Harry and Draco went back to sorting, and all was quiet for a good fifteen minutes before something hard, yet plush hit the back of Harry's head with force.
"Ow! What was that for?" he yelled at Draco, who was holding a blue elephant in his right hand.
"Target practice," he said, smiling. It wasn't a sneer, or a smirk, but a real smile. Harry's insides froze. He'd seen that smile once before. Where? Harry thought as Draco got back to sorting. That odd, corners upturned, eyes uncrinkled, sincere smile was stuck in his memory. From where?
And suddenly it came to him… Hermione. That was the smile Hermione granted to Ron only. But Hermione loved Ron. So that would mean… but no, it couldn't… he must be mistaken, somehow!
"Potter! I swear, if you don't start helping me, I'll curse you with the worse hex I know of!" Harry snapped back into reality. Draco was glaring at him once again. The smile was gone. Harry was beginning to think he imagined it, as he started back in on the pile, when he looked over at Draco again. Their eyes met, and Harry saw a rare tenderness mixed with denial in his earnest eyes. Harry gasped. The look was gone. Harry was beginning to think he was going insane.
"Listen, if you are having some sort of breakdown, please wait until after this detention so I don't get seriously hurt by your mental instability, alright?" Draco rolled his eyes. Harry wondered how his words could mask such confusion within.
"Malfoy?" Harry asked quietly. Draco looked up.
"What do you want, Harry?" Harry?
"What's wrong with you?"
"What do you mean, what's wrong with me? You're the one suffering from some severe mental illness, remember."
"Your eyes, they're…"
"My eyes? Potter, are you gazing love struck into my eyes again?" Draco scoffed. Harry shook his head.
"No… are you?"
Draco looked extremely confused, yet vaguely afraid. "What?"
"Are you okay? Is there something you… you wish to fill me in on?" Please let it be a prank, Harry wished. Please let him be sick, or insane. Please let me be wrong!
"Where… I mean, wha… what do you mean?" Draco muttered. For as long as Harry had known him, he had never heard Malfoy stumble over his words. That had to be a bad sign.
Harry took a deep breath. "You just smiled at me a moment ago, the same kind of smile that… that Hermione gives Ron. And your eyes… they seemed to be hiding something. Trust me, I know, I do it enough. So, I ask you - are you okay?"
Draco stared at Harry for a full minute. Harry couldn't read the expression on his face. Without warning, Draco turned suddenly and started sorting stuffed animals again. Harry sighed inwardly and did the same.
After half an hour, when Harry was beginning to think he was in a bad dream, a voice from beside him nearly made him jump out of his skin.
"You really want to know what's wrong, Potter?" Draco asked quietly. Harry turned to see him staring intently back. He nodded.
"Well… first of all, you have to understand something about me. My father is a very important person, both in the ministry and in my life. I have hero-worshipped my father for as long as I've been living. He may not be the best role model, but he's all I've ever had. He's always relished the fact that I follow his every move. When I was a child, he was very insistent of how I should act, where I should go, what I should say, whom I should associate with. Most of my words and opinions came straight from my father, and I suppose it's a habit now. I don't think a lot of things for myself, because my father always told me what to think. Take you, for instance. Part of the reason I always hated you so much is because my father told me to, imprinting the words into my brain all through my childhood.
"As much as he controlled my life, and still does, I love my father dearly. I would never want to do anything to cause him harm, pain, or grief. So, I act the way he wants me to. In a way, I need him to be proud of me so he can relax. He's a frantic man, my father. So I took his controlling nature in stride.
"The one thing, though, that he could never control was how I felt about things deep down. My opinions and most thoughts were his, yes, but in my heart I felt things so much more than anyone else, partly because I never got to express those feelings. Some were love, mostly for my father. But he has never had control of my feelings, and because I don't really know how to live my own life, I've never had control of them either. I usually let a thought or feeling run it's course, and eventually it will fade. But lately, there's been a feeling I just can't hide. An impulse of sorts, if you will. I can't pretend it's not there, as hard as I try. I can't just wait until it goes away. And it's eating me up inside, because it goes against everything my father ever taught me." Draco stopped and took a great breath.
"The feelings are for a person, a person who I would have never thought possible. Yet I find myself more intrigued by them every day. I can't relax, but I can't tell anyone either. No one would understand.
"So, do you see now? I've been so off and edgy lately because I'm preoccupied with trying to wipe myself clean of all feelings, not just this one. And maybe, with all the background information, you can understand a bit better why I'm such a git."
Harry stared at Draco, amazed. Draco was normal. He had an overbearing father that chalked up his jerkiness. He was, and Harry hated to admit it, human after all.
They worked a little more, the silence not so tense. They were almost done when Harry looked up once more.
"Who is it?"
"What?"
"Who's the person you've fallen for?" Harry was genuinely curious. He just hoped beyond hope his guess wasn't correct…
"Trust me, you don't want to know."
"Yes I do."
"No, Golden Boy, you don't."
"Don't call me that."
"Don't pretend to have empathy for me."
"I'm not pretending!"
"Then don't pity me."
"It's not pity!"
"Sure, make me your new charity case, what do I care?"
"Lord, Draco, who is it?"
"You!"
Harry stared at him in shocked silence. It was one thing to think it, having the thoughts chase each other around in your head. It was another to hear your worst fears confirmed. He couldn't think of anything to say in response. He just stared. Draco stared back, red creeping up his pale face.
"Happy now?" Draco got up and calmly (although he didn't feel too calm) walked out of the room. Harry looked down at the pile of stuffed animals. It was gone.
*~*~*
You're always talking bad to me
You won't let it be
Won't you touch me, touch me?
Never bothered you before
~Touch, Peel, and Stand by Days of Da New~
*~*~*
Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way to breakfast a little late the next day because Harry had slept in a bit. Ron and Hermione kept shooting furtive glances at each other.
"We better fly through breakfast, we only have 15 minutes to get to Transfiguration!" Hermione said anxiously. Harry barely heard her. Though he had had a perfectly dreamless sleep the night before, he still felt light-headed and weary.
Hermione was looking at Harry strangely. "Harry, did you sneak out last night?" she asked out of the blue. He looked up at her in surprise, but his face gave it away before he could say anything. "Oh Harry, no wonder why you look so beat up! Was there a reason? You know you shouldn't be wandering the castle alone at night with You-Know-Who back. It's just not safe!" Hermione scolded as they sat down.
"Hermione, we're at Hogwarts, he's safe!" Ron said through a mouthful of waffles.
"Gee Ron, thanks for your consideration!" Harry joked. He smiled, a rather forced smile, but it put Hermione at ease. I have to start acting normally again, he thought. Then again, how do you act normal when the most powerful Dark wizard of the time is after your hide?
"Mail's here!" Harry heard Seamus exclaim, and looked up. Hundreds of owls soared into the Great Hall to deliver mail to their owners. His eyes darting around, he saw Hedwig flying towards him, a letter in her beak. Harry was happy she had brought him something. When she landed, she had barely enough time to move out of the way before two brown owls landed right on top of his plate and dropped two more letters into his lap.
"Harry, where's all the mail coming from? You never get mail!" Dean yelled from down the table.
Ron smirked. "Maybe Harry's got a secret admirer."
Harry laughed with the rest of them as he opened Hedwig's letter. It was from Hagrid. "He wants to know if we'd like to have tea with him this afternoon, since we have no classes," Harry read to his friends. Hermione nodded briskly.
Harry opened up his second letter. It was from Sirius and Remus!
"Guys, look at this!" he whispered. Hermione and Ron leaning over him, they all read the letter.
Dear Harry (and Ron and Hermione over his shoulder),
-Sirius has gone back into hiding, no need to worry, because I know you will. The night Sirius came to me with Dumbledore's request, we set out. That's why you haven't heard from Sirius in a while.
+I wanted to write you, Harry, but Remus thought it would be dangerous.
-Well, of course it would be dangerous! We had to gather up the "old crowd". It was quite a job, as they decided to scatter immediately after Hogwarts. But now that we're all safely back at my humble abode, we'll be keeping in close contact.
+Humble abode?
-Do you want to write this letter? There, he's walking away. Sirius has been a little on the edgy side since the Tournament, I'm sure you understand why. The truth is, he's worried about you Harry, and frankly, I am too. I know you have a tendency to sneak out with the aid of a few of your father's old school items, but you must promise-
+Harry, I want your WORD you will not… well, you won't… that you won't be like your father and Remus and I were back in school. I don't need you getting killed.
-Yes Sirius, very comforting. Nice job, godfather. But Harry, he has a point. You can't be up to your old tricks. Write back, and promise us you won't do anything, well… stupid.
Yours,
Remus
and Sirius
"Harry, you see? You can't be sneaking out, you just can't. Sirius and Lupin know how safe Hogwarts is, and even they're worried. Please, promise them. And me." Hermione gently took the letter from Harry's hands. "Please?"
"Alright Hermione, no need to twist my arm right off. I promise, no more midnight strolls."
Harry turned to his third letter and opened it, his happiness from hearing from Sirius fading quickly. It was from McGonagall. He was to serve his detention that night.
"Detention? Harry, you didn't tell us you got caught! Really, didn't you have your cloak?" Ron chuckled at Harry finally getting caught. Harry really didn't want to get into it, so he started in on breakfast. Ron shrugged and continued to shovel food into his waiting mouth. Hermione left for transfiguration early, visibly disgusted.
* * *
At eight o'clock that night, Harry said goodbye to Ron and Hermione and headed to McGonagall's room for his detention. When he got there, Malfoy was already waiting, a scowl pasted on his face. They saw each other at the same time, and spoke.
"I have to serve my detention with you?!"
"Ah, Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, you're both here. Good, I wish to get to bed. For your punishments for being out of bed, both of you are to sort out tomorrow's lesson plan. We'll be turning stuffed animals into their living counterparts, and I need each animal in a different category according to size and type. There are boxes in the closet to separate the piles. When you're done, you can go back to your respective dorms. And don't try leaving without finishing. I trust you both to complete your detention and I will be aware if you take an easy way out. Goodnight gentlemen. Oh, and by the way - no magic allowed." McGonagall closed the door behind her, leaving Harry and Draco still staring at each other.
Harry sighed, realizing the faster they moved the sooner he could get back to bed. "Let's get started." But Draco was moving towards the door. "Where are you going?"
"Listen, Potter. I am not staying here all night, sorting little teddy bears with you. Admit it, you won't jeopardize your grade, but that doesn't mean I have to stay. As I see it, you'll do it by yourself to avoid getting in even more trouble. I, on the other hand, am leaving." Draco turned the doorknob once, twice, and jiggled it. He turned, horrorstruck, to face Harry.
"She locked us in!"
Harry snickered. "Looks like you're not going anywhere tonight, Malfoy." He plopped down on the floor and started in on the human-size pile of stuffed animals. "Let's go. If you help, we can get this done twice as fast and get the hell out of here." Draco snorted, shaking his head.
For the next five minutes, Harry sorted stuffed animals as Draco leaned against the far wall, watching. Harry was fuming. This detention was as much Malfoy's as it was his! Why should he do all the work?
"What's wrong, Potter?" Draco sneered suddenly. "You look like you could rip the heads off one of those poor, defenseless animals."
"I just don't see why I am stuck doing this all by myself, that's all. There must be over a hundred animals in this pile! It'll take me all night, and you can't leave until I'm done! Why make me do it all and waste time that we could be as far away from each other as possible?" Harry threw down an animal and glared up at Draco. To his surprise, Draco was looking down at him with consideration and respect painted on his pale face. And then, just when Harry thought Draco had gone insane, the blonde boy came and sat down on the floor next to Harry, almost giving him a heart attack.
"Malfoy, what are you doing?" Harry asked incredulously.
"You told me to help you! I'm helping you. Lord, Potter, make up your mind." Draco sorted some animals, and looked up at Harry, who was still staring at him in shock. "What?"
"Nothing, nothing…" Harry mumbled, and continued sorting. In reality, it was something that caught his attention. Something big.
Harry had heard, when Draco was speaking, a hint of benevolence in his voice. Benevolence! From Draco Malfoy! Harry was right confused now.
"Really, Potter, what is bloody wrong with you! You keep spacing out, after you told me this would go faster if we both worked. What's up?" This time there was no scorn in his voice, just mild - albeit, VERY mild - concern. Harry, eyes wide, looked at Draco.
"Are you okay?" he asked quietly. Fear flitted across Draco's features, then returned to his normal scowl.
"Why wouldn't I be?" he shot.
"Well, you seem… odd. Not like your usual self. You seem… nice."
Draco stared at Harry. "Nice?" he repeated. Harry nodded. "Well, I'm not, okay? I'm just feeling a bit… light-headed, is all."
Harry and Draco went back to sorting, and all was quiet for a good fifteen minutes before something hard, yet plush hit the back of Harry's head with force.
"Ow! What was that for?" he yelled at Draco, who was holding a blue elephant in his right hand.
"Target practice," he said, smiling. It wasn't a sneer, or a smirk, but a real smile. Harry's insides froze. He'd seen that smile once before. Where? Harry thought as Draco got back to sorting. That odd, corners upturned, eyes uncrinkled, sincere smile was stuck in his memory. From where?
And suddenly it came to him… Hermione. That was the smile Hermione granted to Ron only. But Hermione loved Ron. So that would mean… but no, it couldn't… he must be mistaken, somehow!
"Potter! I swear, if you don't start helping me, I'll curse you with the worse hex I know of!" Harry snapped back into reality. Draco was glaring at him once again. The smile was gone. Harry was beginning to think he imagined it, as he started back in on the pile, when he looked over at Draco again. Their eyes met, and Harry saw a rare tenderness mixed with denial in his earnest eyes. Harry gasped. The look was gone. Harry was beginning to think he was going insane.
"Listen, if you are having some sort of breakdown, please wait until after this detention so I don't get seriously hurt by your mental instability, alright?" Draco rolled his eyes. Harry wondered how his words could mask such confusion within.
"Malfoy?" Harry asked quietly. Draco looked up.
"What do you want, Harry?" Harry?
"What's wrong with you?"
"What do you mean, what's wrong with me? You're the one suffering from some severe mental illness, remember."
"Your eyes, they're…"
"My eyes? Potter, are you gazing love struck into my eyes again?" Draco scoffed. Harry shook his head.
"No… are you?"
Draco looked extremely confused, yet vaguely afraid. "What?"
"Are you okay? Is there something you… you wish to fill me in on?" Please let it be a prank, Harry wished. Please let him be sick, or insane. Please let me be wrong!
"Where… I mean, wha… what do you mean?" Draco muttered. For as long as Harry had known him, he had never heard Malfoy stumble over his words. That had to be a bad sign.
Harry took a deep breath. "You just smiled at me a moment ago, the same kind of smile that… that Hermione gives Ron. And your eyes… they seemed to be hiding something. Trust me, I know, I do it enough. So, I ask you - are you okay?"
Draco stared at Harry for a full minute. Harry couldn't read the expression on his face. Without warning, Draco turned suddenly and started sorting stuffed animals again. Harry sighed inwardly and did the same.
After half an hour, when Harry was beginning to think he was in a bad dream, a voice from beside him nearly made him jump out of his skin.
"You really want to know what's wrong, Potter?" Draco asked quietly. Harry turned to see him staring intently back. He nodded.
"Well… first of all, you have to understand something about me. My father is a very important person, both in the ministry and in my life. I have hero-worshipped my father for as long as I've been living. He may not be the best role model, but he's all I've ever had. He's always relished the fact that I follow his every move. When I was a child, he was very insistent of how I should act, where I should go, what I should say, whom I should associate with. Most of my words and opinions came straight from my father, and I suppose it's a habit now. I don't think a lot of things for myself, because my father always told me what to think. Take you, for instance. Part of the reason I always hated you so much is because my father told me to, imprinting the words into my brain all through my childhood.
"As much as he controlled my life, and still does, I love my father dearly. I would never want to do anything to cause him harm, pain, or grief. So, I act the way he wants me to. In a way, I need him to be proud of me so he can relax. He's a frantic man, my father. So I took his controlling nature in stride.
"The one thing, though, that he could never control was how I felt about things deep down. My opinions and most thoughts were his, yes, but in my heart I felt things so much more than anyone else, partly because I never got to express those feelings. Some were love, mostly for my father. But he has never had control of my feelings, and because I don't really know how to live my own life, I've never had control of them either. I usually let a thought or feeling run it's course, and eventually it will fade. But lately, there's been a feeling I just can't hide. An impulse of sorts, if you will. I can't pretend it's not there, as hard as I try. I can't just wait until it goes away. And it's eating me up inside, because it goes against everything my father ever taught me." Draco stopped and took a great breath.
"The feelings are for a person, a person who I would have never thought possible. Yet I find myself more intrigued by them every day. I can't relax, but I can't tell anyone either. No one would understand.
"So, do you see now? I've been so off and edgy lately because I'm preoccupied with trying to wipe myself clean of all feelings, not just this one. And maybe, with all the background information, you can understand a bit better why I'm such a git."
Harry stared at Draco, amazed. Draco was normal. He had an overbearing father that chalked up his jerkiness. He was, and Harry hated to admit it, human after all.
They worked a little more, the silence not so tense. They were almost done when Harry looked up once more.
"Who is it?"
"What?"
"Who's the person you've fallen for?" Harry was genuinely curious. He just hoped beyond hope his guess wasn't correct…
"Trust me, you don't want to know."
"Yes I do."
"No, Golden Boy, you don't."
"Don't call me that."
"Don't pretend to have empathy for me."
"I'm not pretending!"
"Then don't pity me."
"It's not pity!"
"Sure, make me your new charity case, what do I care?"
"Lord, Draco, who is it?"
"You!"
Harry stared at him in shocked silence. It was one thing to think it, having the thoughts chase each other around in your head. It was another to hear your worst fears confirmed. He couldn't think of anything to say in response. He just stared. Draco stared back, red creeping up his pale face.
"Happy now?" Draco got up and calmly (although he didn't feel too calm) walked out of the room. Harry looked down at the pile of stuffed animals. It was gone.
