A/N: Thank you so much to all who have reviewed so far:
Lanevaly and RiverWhiteDragon-Yes, it does, it gets quite interesting...
Ice Lupis and silver-sparklze-And more we have...
Andia-There is a reason for using 26th April, but I have to wait until the last chapter (10) to say. Thank you for the wonderful review and the suggestion to let all review. (I didn't realize I had it that way.) As for the relationship between Harry and Ron, it wasn't a sexual one, but one closer than brothers, "the one he would miss the most..."
On with the show...
Chapter VII. Lonely In Our Nightmares
Harry ran toward the castle, his heartbeat pounding in time to the heavy footfalls, first against the soft ground, and then the hardened pathway stone.
He had to talk to Draco.
He had to talk to Draco now.
Transfiguration was long since over, and classes were changing. It wouldn't be difficult for Harry to find Malfoy. Since third-year he had memorized Draco's class schedule, originally to make sure he never had to see him.
And later to make sure he did.
Harry knew the blond would be leaving Potions and hurried to reach the dungeon, his mind racing. He wasn't sure what he was going to say, but right now...
"Malfoy!"
Draco spun around in mid-stride, nearly dropping his books as he turned.
"Potter?"
Harry half ran to the Slytherin's side, still panting from the exertion.
"Can..can we talk somewhere private?" he wheezed, his hand on the wall to steady himself.
Draco glanced around the now almost empty corridor. He moved closer to Harry, whispering so the remaining students wouldn't hear.
"We can go to my dorm. No one will be in there right now. Did you find out how to break the spell?" he asked hopefully.
Harry shook his head. "Not yet. But.." He glanced up to meet Draco's icy blue eyes, so fragile, so soft, so beautiful. Had he not noticed before? Well, he thought, A bit difficult when you are lying on the ground getting your nose broken by the hands attached to the body that owns those eyes...
Harry suppressed a grin. "Let's go."
A few minutes later they were standing in the middle of the huge Slytherin common-room. Harry had been here before, in second-year, when he and Ron had used the Polyjuice Potion to transform into Crabbe and Goyle. Draco was unaware of the previous visit, or at least Harry thought he was. How many memories had he seen by now?
"Well?" Draco asked.
"I know about Padma." Harry said softly. "I passed through the edge of the Dark Forest, and I...I saw what happened that night. The night you refused to join the Death Eaters."
Draco nearly fell onto the black leather couch.
"I know about Weasley, too." he choked. "I know how it happened. I saw it. I keep having these nightmares, and I wake up screaming."
Both boys stared at the floor for 10, 15, 20 seconds...
Finally Draco broke the silence. "Ain't life a bitch." he whispered. Harry couldn't help but smile. Leave it to Draco to sum it up so eloquently.
"I always thought you and I were at opposite ends of the spectrum," said Harry. "I was the hero, and you were the villain. Always good, always evil. Always expected to be good and evil. I never knew what you were going through. It was easier to imagine you were horrible, easier to..."
Harry stopped in mid-sentence, cheeks slightly blushing. Not now, he thought, not now.
Draco looked up. "Easier to what?"
"Nothing." Harry lied. "Tell me about Padma."
Draco propped his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands in front of him. "She was my best friend," he said quietly. "My only real friend. Padma made me find a part of myself I never knew existed. We talked about everything; things I would normally have died before revealing, but with her it felt so normal, so right."
Harry noticed the tears beginning to slide down Draco's pale cheeks.
"Did you love her?" Harry asked softly.
"Yes." Draco sniffed. "But not in a romantic way. She was like my sister, or my mum. I....I don't like..."
Draco caught himself just as the words were coming out of his mouth. Oh, shit, he thought. All I need is for Potter to realize what that means. He glanced over at the Gryffindor. Was it his imagination, or did Harry have a slightly reddish tint to his cheeks and a smile that he was trying very hard to hide?
"We both lost our best friends." Draco went on. "I know now how hard it was for you after Weasley died. You didn't show any emotion, didn't talk to anyone about it. I was starting to think you were glad he was gone. I know why you walked away from everyone, Potter. I know why you stopped caring."
Harry sat down next to Draco on the couch. "What do you mean?"
"'Everyone who loves you winds up dead'. That's what you think. That's why you won't get close to anyone. That's why you would rather be lonely than let anyone in your life."
Harry nodded slowly. "Spoken from a man who knows."
Draco's heart jumped as Harry leaned into him. "You had decided the same thing, Malfoy. You were going to make sure no one loved you again. But it's not that simple."
Harry closed the gap between them, both beginning to tremble like leaves. "Let me in," Harry whispered against Draco's soft mouth.
"Wh..Why..?" the shocked blonde panted.
Harry smiled gently, his voice trailing off as he pulled his former enemy into a passionate kiss."Because we're lonely in our nightmares..."
End of Chapter VII. A/N: The title and the last lines are based on the Duran Duran song "Lonely in your Nightmare".
Slash warning: The next chapters live up to the R rating; steamy sexual scenes (say that three times fast)! Only read if it doesn't offend...But would you really be reading this anyway if it did... :)
Lanevaly and RiverWhiteDragon-Yes, it does, it gets quite interesting...
Ice Lupis and silver-sparklze-And more we have...
Andia-There is a reason for using 26th April, but I have to wait until the last chapter (10) to say. Thank you for the wonderful review and the suggestion to let all review. (I didn't realize I had it that way.) As for the relationship between Harry and Ron, it wasn't a sexual one, but one closer than brothers, "the one he would miss the most..."
On with the show...
Chapter VII. Lonely In Our Nightmares
Harry ran toward the castle, his heartbeat pounding in time to the heavy footfalls, first against the soft ground, and then the hardened pathway stone.
He had to talk to Draco.
He had to talk to Draco now.
Transfiguration was long since over, and classes were changing. It wouldn't be difficult for Harry to find Malfoy. Since third-year he had memorized Draco's class schedule, originally to make sure he never had to see him.
And later to make sure he did.
Harry knew the blond would be leaving Potions and hurried to reach the dungeon, his mind racing. He wasn't sure what he was going to say, but right now...
"Malfoy!"
Draco spun around in mid-stride, nearly dropping his books as he turned.
"Potter?"
Harry half ran to the Slytherin's side, still panting from the exertion.
"Can..can we talk somewhere private?" he wheezed, his hand on the wall to steady himself.
Draco glanced around the now almost empty corridor. He moved closer to Harry, whispering so the remaining students wouldn't hear.
"We can go to my dorm. No one will be in there right now. Did you find out how to break the spell?" he asked hopefully.
Harry shook his head. "Not yet. But.." He glanced up to meet Draco's icy blue eyes, so fragile, so soft, so beautiful. Had he not noticed before? Well, he thought, A bit difficult when you are lying on the ground getting your nose broken by the hands attached to the body that owns those eyes...
Harry suppressed a grin. "Let's go."
A few minutes later they were standing in the middle of the huge Slytherin common-room. Harry had been here before, in second-year, when he and Ron had used the Polyjuice Potion to transform into Crabbe and Goyle. Draco was unaware of the previous visit, or at least Harry thought he was. How many memories had he seen by now?
"Well?" Draco asked.
"I know about Padma." Harry said softly. "I passed through the edge of the Dark Forest, and I...I saw what happened that night. The night you refused to join the Death Eaters."
Draco nearly fell onto the black leather couch.
"I know about Weasley, too." he choked. "I know how it happened. I saw it. I keep having these nightmares, and I wake up screaming."
Both boys stared at the floor for 10, 15, 20 seconds...
Finally Draco broke the silence. "Ain't life a bitch." he whispered. Harry couldn't help but smile. Leave it to Draco to sum it up so eloquently.
"I always thought you and I were at opposite ends of the spectrum," said Harry. "I was the hero, and you were the villain. Always good, always evil. Always expected to be good and evil. I never knew what you were going through. It was easier to imagine you were horrible, easier to..."
Harry stopped in mid-sentence, cheeks slightly blushing. Not now, he thought, not now.
Draco looked up. "Easier to what?"
"Nothing." Harry lied. "Tell me about Padma."
Draco propped his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands in front of him. "She was my best friend," he said quietly. "My only real friend. Padma made me find a part of myself I never knew existed. We talked about everything; things I would normally have died before revealing, but with her it felt so normal, so right."
Harry noticed the tears beginning to slide down Draco's pale cheeks.
"Did you love her?" Harry asked softly.
"Yes." Draco sniffed. "But not in a romantic way. She was like my sister, or my mum. I....I don't like..."
Draco caught himself just as the words were coming out of his mouth. Oh, shit, he thought. All I need is for Potter to realize what that means. He glanced over at the Gryffindor. Was it his imagination, or did Harry have a slightly reddish tint to his cheeks and a smile that he was trying very hard to hide?
"We both lost our best friends." Draco went on. "I know now how hard it was for you after Weasley died. You didn't show any emotion, didn't talk to anyone about it. I was starting to think you were glad he was gone. I know why you walked away from everyone, Potter. I know why you stopped caring."
Harry sat down next to Draco on the couch. "What do you mean?"
"'Everyone who loves you winds up dead'. That's what you think. That's why you won't get close to anyone. That's why you would rather be lonely than let anyone in your life."
Harry nodded slowly. "Spoken from a man who knows."
Draco's heart jumped as Harry leaned into him. "You had decided the same thing, Malfoy. You were going to make sure no one loved you again. But it's not that simple."
Harry closed the gap between them, both beginning to tremble like leaves. "Let me in," Harry whispered against Draco's soft mouth.
"Wh..Why..?" the shocked blonde panted.
Harry smiled gently, his voice trailing off as he pulled his former enemy into a passionate kiss."Because we're lonely in our nightmares..."
End of Chapter VII. A/N: The title and the last lines are based on the Duran Duran song "Lonely in your Nightmare".
Slash warning: The next chapters live up to the R rating; steamy sexual scenes (say that three times fast)! Only read if it doesn't offend...But would you really be reading this anyway if it did... :)
