He is NOT my boyfriend! Part 17
Pairings: Harry/Draco, Ron/Hermione, Seamus/Dean, Neville/Ginny (later), Blaise/Colin, Pansy/Millicent, Nott/? (I'm not even going to say his first name anymore until after I've gone through my previous chapters and changed them)
Year: 6th
Warnings: Slash (homosexual couples and lesbian couples), WAFF (and fluff, I think), some sap, hopefully Draco's not too OOC (everyone acts differently when you're in love), and NO plot! (That's PWP!), and Harry might be a bit OOC as well.
Notes: This as good as the details get. Remember folks- this is also HUMOR. Okay? It's written for mainly my amusement, and hopefully others. If there are canon errors, then let there be canon errors.
The Running gags for the last chapters were: 'the dragons is coming!' 'Shouldn't that be 'the dragons ARE coming?' and them saying 'shush' a lot.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. JKR owns them, not moi. I make no money off of this. Although, Rowling should take a page from my book. Also, any kind of Garfield or U.S. Acres references in here belongs to Jim Davis, the comic book genius.
I've lost sight of this fic, but I do remember what was going to happen. I'm sorry if I forgot anything. So if anything in here doesn't make sense, I'm sorry.
Oh and extra warnings here: Nudity and angst.
---
They made it back to Hogwarts in one piece, panting heavily as they leaned against the walls of the hallway that led to the Great Hall.
"Dragons!!" Ron gasped, "There really were dragons!"
"I don't think," Hermione panted, "That whoever wrote … that letter … wasn't kidding … but, why did they write to you, Harry?"
"Good question." Harry said. He still had a firm grip on Draco, who had his arms snaked around his waist.
"Do you still have the letter with you?" she asked.
"Yeah. It's right here," he said, taking it out of his pocket.
Hermione yanked it out of his hands and ogled it. "This handwriting looks familiar. Ron, what do you think?"
Ron peered over her shoulder, while still having one hand on hers, and then his eyes bugged out. "Holy Crap! That's my brother Charlie's handwriting!"
"Charlie?" Harry and Draco said at once.
"You mean Charlie Weasley, the one that works with dragons?" Draco said.
"Yes." Ron said, looking confused. "Why did he write to you, Harry, and not to Dumbledore?"
"Another good question." Harry said.
"Maybe Dumbledore got a letter, too." Hermione said. "I mean, I did see an owl fly over to him."
"And you didn't mention this?" said Harry.
"You never asked!" she huffed, "You were too busy making goo-goo eyes at your boyfriend to have noticed anything." Harry's brows furrowed. "Also," she went on, "Don't you think it's odd that he used Hedwig to send this to you? I mean, didn't you send a letter to … someone else with her?"
"Uh … actually I have sent a letter, but that was a long time ago. I have no idea why Hedwig would have his letter."
"Too bad owls can't talk, huh?" Draco said against Harry's shoulder.
"Yeah." Harry said. He gave Draco a light kiss on the forehead. Draco beamed.
"No, but you could owl Charlie back and ask him. We can even go to Dumbledore … heck, I think we should go to Dumbledore about this! Right now!"
"Yet another good idea," Harry said.
"It surprises me that you didn't think of it, hero."
"Shush, Draco, or you're never getting any again."
"You do and I'll be sorry!" Draco said suddenly, and then he knitted his brows, "Wait, that didn't sound right . . . ."
--
"Ah, yes." Dumbledore said once the three Gryffindors and Slytherin explained everything. "Yes, yes … I know about the Winged Horses strange disappearance, and I don't doubt that someone might be involved in that, but I doubt that it was done deliberately. That is, if it was done by a human being at all."
All four students blinked in confusion.
"And the dragons?" Hermione said.
"Ah, yes. I have received a rather interesting letter from Charlie Weasley, too. His grammar needs work, however."
Harry and Draco snickered, Ron raised a brow, and Hermione shook her head and sighed.
"So, what're you going to do about them?" Draco asked. "Certainly you can't have dragons roaming around Hogwarts grounds. It'll ruin the Quidditch matches!"
"You're right, Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore said, "However, I'm pretty sure that Mr. Weasley, that is, Charlie, will have things back under control soon. He was just giving us fair warning about the dragons heading our way."
"He lost control of them?" Hermione said.
"I'm sure that Charlie has a very good reason for them getting loose. For now, I would advice that you four stay indoors. Let the others know, and I'll alert Hagrid about it as well. He might be able to help Charlie in getting them back under some control, and he'll have to cancel the Care of Magical Creatures classes until then."
The dream team looked a bit forlorn, but Draco was beaming.
"What about those Winged Horses?" Hermione said. "What if they meet up with the dragons and get hurt?"
"Oh, heaven forbid!" Draco said mockingly, placing a hand on his heart. "Those poor, poor things!"
Harry smacked him across the arm, but not hard. "Draco, you're being rude again."
Draco glared, "If you've bruised me…"
Dumbledore cleared his throat, and they instantly stopped arguing.
"Don't worry about a thing. All will be taken care of."
--
Dumbledore wasn't kidding. That same day, after lunch, Charlie Weasley arrived at Hogwarts. He looked just like he did the last time Harry saw him, except he had a few more lines on his face. He walked swiftly to the head table where Professor Dumbledore was still sitting, talking with McGonagall. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco watched on in anticipation. They saw Dumbledore nod his head a couple times, and then stand up. Charlie followed him to his office.
"That was odd," said Hermione, "I wonder what they'll do about the dragons, and if they're under control again."
"I sure hope so," Ron said, frowning.
"What if… what if they're hurt?" said Hermione.
"Who? The dragons?"
"No, silly! The Winged Horses!"
"Who cares?" said Draco, picking link off of his robes.
"I do, Draco Malfoy!" she said, rounding on him.
"Well, excuse me, Hermione Granger!" Draco said, scowling.
"Hey," Harry said, his brow wrinkling a little, "stop it. If you're going to keep hanging around us, you can be a little nicer."
Draco's pout was over done… and too cute. Harry sighed and shook his head. "Come on… we need to get ready for our next classes."
"Oh, so you three aren't going to suggest looking for the lost Winged Devils, then?" Draco drawled, picking bits of hair that wasn't his off of his sleeve.
"Well, no." said Hermione. "I mean… Charlie's here to take care of the dragons, so…"
Draco's eyes twinkled, "You're not fooling me. You're all a bunch of crazy Gryffindors that like looking for adventure and danger and crap… don't tell me it hasn't crossed your minds?"
"Of course it has." Hermione said, looking put out. "How could it not, the way things go with us all the time?"
"Well, if you do, I'm not getting involved. The Slytherin motto is 'Every man for himself!' I don't plan on getting killed just because a couple horses go missing. They can find their own way back if they want to. Of course," Draco's voice went lower, "maybe they were getting tired of being Hagrid's pets. Maybe they didn't like how they were treated…"
Hermione looked like she was about to slap Draco again, but Harry shook his head, frowning. He didn't like the way Draco was talking either, but he also didn't want Hermione to hit him. Harry knew of Draco's condition, and it wouldn't be good to see his boyfriend sporting a bruised cheek.
"Why you little…" Hermione huffed. She lowered her hand when she noticed Harry's gaze. "Don't you dare talk about Hagrid like that!"
Harry gave Draco a look that Draco knew all too well. He definitely wasn't getting any tonight. He looked at his shoes, shuffling them nervously, and put on a mighty pout. "I'm sorry… Harry." he looked up at Harry with pitiful eyes. "You know that I don't… I really don't care for…"
"Don't." Harry said with a warning look, "Just don't say a word about it."
Draco nodded swiftly, and then slowly looked up at Hermione and Ron, who were glaring icily at him.
"Let's go before we're late," said Harry. He leaned forward and gave Draco a quick kiss on the cheek. "See you at dinner."
Draco watched Harry go, and Ron slowly followed after him. Hermione hung back, staring at Draco particularly.
"He's angry with me, isn't he?" Draco said.
Hermione pursed her lips together. She wanted to say no, but she wasn't sure. She also didn't want to lie. She gave Draco an apprehensive look, and then turned her eyes at the backs of her retreating friends.
"I don't know."
---
Dinner had finally rolled around. It was the time of the day that Draco and Harry had been waiting for. They knew that Ron was supposed to be doing his last thing to end their deal. So, waiting patiently, and hardly eating, Harry kept looking over at the doors that lead to the Gryffindor Tower. He would look at his boyfriend once in a while, seeing that naughty gleam in his eyes. Harry shook his head in dismay. His lover seemed to enjoy making Ron's life a living hell more than he should now. He didn't like it when Draco was that way with his best friend- even though Draco did try calling Ron by his first name instead of his surname.
When the doors did finally open, Harry wasn't expecting to see a very upset looking Lavender Brown running into the Hall, almost practically in tears. She sat down quickly next to Hermione and then buried her face into Hermione's shoulder. This startled Hermione so much that she dropped her spoon and jumped about an inch from her seat.
"HERMOINE!!" Lavender wailed. "Save me!!!"
"Er… what?" Hermione said, blinking rapidly. Everyone at the table was staring at them. Harry was frowning.
"He… he… he…" Harry hoped and prayed that Ron didn't do something to her.
"Deep breath, Lavender." Hermione said, rubbing at her back. "Now, tell me what's wrong."
Lavender sucked in her breath with a shudder. "He… he… HE PEEKED AT ME!"
Hermione's brows furrowed, "Uh, who peeked at you?"
'Please let it not be Ron,' thought Harry, crossing his fingers.
"N-N-N-N…"
"Oh, for crying out loud!" Hermione said, wrenching the other girl from her person, "Just tell me!"
"N-Nott!"
Everyone blinked.
"Lavender, that's not very nice, telling Hermione that you won't after sobbing hysterically into her robes." Seamus said.
"I-I didn't say 'not', I said 'Nott'!"
Everyone looked at each other. Seamus twirled his finger around his temple, indicating that Lavender's lost it. Harry was frowning at him, but then suddenly realized what she meant.
"Did you mean that Slytherin- er, what was his name again? Theodore Nott?"
She nodded her head frantically.
"He peeked at you? Where?" Hermione asked.
"In the… in the girl's bathroom!" she wept.
"That little pervert!" Hermione exclaimed. "Ooo… I'll show him…" she was about to get up, but Harry stopped her.
"Wait! Ron is about to do that one thing. I don't think you should miss it… er, just in case."
"Oh, yeah." she said, sitting back down. "We'll take care of him later, ok?" she said to Lavender.
"O-okay." She sniffled.
The mention of Ron doing something reached the ears of all that were sitting by them. Seamus and Dean were looking extra interested now and prodded for explanation, but Harry shook his head and told them that even they didn't know what was going on. They sat there at the table, trying to eat something, while they waited impatiently for Ron to show up. At first, Harry thought that Ron had chickened out, but then he dismissed that idea, knowing that Ron really wanted to get this whole ordeal between him and Draco over with. There was no way he'd get out of it, because he knew that Ron would be picked on terribly for chickening out on something that Malfoy had dared him to do. Besides that, Harry had a feeling that Ron was getting lots of Galleons for doing this. And that Ron was saving his money to get Hermione something for Christmas, which was coming up real soon.
Just as everyone started to have some dessert, the doors opened again. This time, it was what they were waiting for. However, it wasn't exactly what they were expecting to see.
It was Ron all right, but it was more of Ron then they'd hope to see. He was wearing nothing at all; except for a mask on his face… it was a mask of the Minister of Magic!
"I AM INVINCIBLE!!" Ron shouted, and then ran down the middle aisle where the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables separated. "WEE, WEE! PEE-PEE!!"
Everyone was shocked into silence. The nude Ron ran all the way to the other end of the Great Hall and then straight out the doors and into the hallway. He continued to chant, "Wee, wee!! Pee, pee!!" all the way down.
The entire Hall finally burst into laughter. Even most of the Gryffindors couldn't hold it in. Harry laughed so hard that he thought his gut was going to explode. He heard Hermione harrumph in annoyance and then she got up and stalked out of the Hall, out into the hallway in which Ron had disappeared.
"DETENTION, MR WEASLEY!" Harry heard Snape finally bellow. He got up from his spot to go find Ron as well.
--
When Harry finally did catch up to Ron and Hermione, they were so busy talking to each other that they didn't know that he was standing there.
"… Well, of all the idiotic, moronic, stupid things you had to agree to do…" Hermione said.
"I'm sorry, Hermione." Ron was saying in a shaky voice, "But I didn't want to be a coward and not do it."
"You have any idea what you just… do you have any bloody idea how embarrassed you made me?" she almost screamed. Harry heard a slight shaking in her voice.
"I'm sorry, Hermione." Ron said, sounding really sincere.
"I just- I didn't want anyone to see you naked, Mr. Ronald Weasley!" she huffed, "I mean… I thought that… it should have been only me!"
"What??" Ron gasped. They stood there eyeing each other for a while. Ron was gaping like a fish, as usual.
"You heard me, mister!" she said, pouting.
"Her-Hermione…" Ron said. He got a little closer to her, the mask of the Minister covering his privates from the cool breeze that was in the corridor.
"Ron, if you ever…" Hermione began, but her voice cracked. "I was... I'm so jealous…"
"I'm sorry," Ron said, wrapping his arms around her. Hermione hugged him back. Harry almost felt like saying: 'awww!' but he figured that it would ruin the moment for them. He just stood there, watching with a growing smile on his face.
"Ron…" Hermione started, muffled in Ron's chest, "That… that better be the masks' nose poking me…"
"Oh!" Ron backed off, "Er, I… sorry, Hermione," he blushed.
Hermione looked away, blushing also. Harry felt like telling them to get a move on and ask each other out, but he decided to wait and see. Being patient with many things had helped him so far this year.
"Ron…" Hermione said.
"Hermione… I…" Ron kept looked at his feet. "Er… I mean… if you like me…"
"I really, really like you, Mr. Weasley," she smiled shyly.
"Oh, well then… would you like to-?"
"Yes!" she said almost hastily, and then she flushed bright red. "Er, I mean… were you going to-?"
"Yes, I was going to ask you to be my girlfriend."
"Oh." she smiled, "Ok. Then my answer hasn't changed."
"Oh, good." Ron said, grinning like an idiot. He looked like an idiot too, Harry thought… standing there with only a mask to cover his privates.
"It's about freaking time!" Harry said, startling them both.
"Harry!" they both said.
"How long have you been standing there?" Hermione asked.
"Long enough," he said simply. "I'm glad that you two are finally going out."
"Me too," said Ron, grinning.
"But I don't think it would be a good idea to go on your first date with just a mask on." Harry smirked.
Ron flushed even more. "Yes, thanks for the tip, Harry. Of course, your first time with Malfoy… I mean, your first real date was rather…"
"Yeah, I know. Shush." Harry said, blushing.
"Well," Hermione sighed, "Better get some clothes on then… and get whatever money you have coming from Draco."
"Oh, yeah!" Ron grinned madly, "I get a lot of money for doing this. Although it will be my last."
"You also get a detention from Snape," said Harry, "I heard him bellow that when I left."
"Oh, bloody hell." Ron frowned.
"As long as it wasn't any House points," said Hermione.
"Oh, I don't know… I didn't hear anything else he bellowed when I ran out to find you two."
"Well, I'm going up to the dormitory. My ass is freezing and I think my balls have permanently shrunk into my body."
"Ron!" Hermione gasped. Harry snickered.
---
When dinner was over with, Draco had met with the other Gryffindors by their tower. Ron was more covered this time, and still looking slightly embarrassed by the whole ordeal. Now he kept getting odd looks and comments from different people. Some would tease, others would shake their heads in dismay, and even a few would look away and blush. Hermione hated the stares and jokes most of all, and when Ron came through the portrait hole to go to his dormitory to get dressed, he received a standing ovation and lots of whistling. Going beat red, Ron had quickly jogged up the stairs leading to the boy's dormitory.
Draco stood there, gleam in his eyes, and a bag full ofmoney in his hand. Harry stood where he was, next to Ron. Draco wasn't sure if Harry was still angry with him, or if he was just standing there to comfort Ron the best he could in this situation.
"As promised, Weasley," Draco said, handing Ron the bag of Galleons, "Your last payment for a job well done. If you ever wish to be in my services again, just let me know."
Ron, despite the embarrassment and debauchery of his adolescence, was grinning gleefully. He accepted the money, and opened it rather too greedily for Hermione's taste, to count how much he earned. When he finally finished his swift counting, he looked at Draco with disbelieving eyes.
"All of this… for me? I don't believe it."
"Believe it," Draco said, a true smile flittering across his face, "You've earned it… Ron."
The redhead gasped, but then quickly got over the shock as the grin came back into place. "Thank you … Draco." Ron said.
"How much did he give you?" Harry asked.
"Thirty Galleons." Ron said, his grin widening.
"Thirty??" Hermione gasped. "Oh, my god…"
"What?" Draco said, blinking, "Too much? Not enough?"
"No, it's fine," Ron said. "It's… it's perfect. Just enough to buy that… er… thing I was getting."
Hermione eyed him curiously, "What thing?"
"Uh… nothing," he said quickly. They eyed him suspiciously.
"Well… you're welcome, I suppose." Draco said, looking very pleased with himself. "I never knew that giving a Weasley money would feel this good. Would I feel even better if I gave you some decent clothes? Or maybe you'd like a pony…"
"No, don't worry about it." Ron said, ears tinting.
Draco nodded, and then looked over at Harry, who had been studying him for a while now, "And is my boyfriend happy with this, or is he mad at me?"
Harry smiled sheepishly, and then walked over to stand behind Draco. He wrapped his arms around Draco's shoulders and kissed his neck. "Your boyfriend isn't mad at you. He is pleased that you gave his best friend so much money, even though you made him go through such an embarrassing stunt."
"Hmm." Draco moved his head around and found Harry's lips. "So, my little evil turned out to be good."
"Yes, it did." Harry kissed Draco's bottom lip, "And what's even more good about what happened is that now Hermione and Ron are together."
"Really?" Draco said, eyeing the other two Gryffindors, who looked rather abashed, "What took them so long?"
"Apparently it took Ron showing off his birthday suit to the whole school to get Hermione to finally fess up."
"Ah, so I did them a favor!" Draco beamed.
"Yes, you did." Hermione said, grinning. "Thank you, Draco."
Draco was in such a good mood, that he didn't dare speak anything bad about them going out. He could announce how it was now the end of the world, now that a Weasley and a Mudblood was going to procreate, but he decided to keep his Harry in the good mood that he obviously was in now.
"You're welcome, Miss Granger."
---
Snow had lightly covered the ground, indicating that November was almost over. There was no more Care of Magical Creatures for the rest of the semester, but Harry and Draco were asked to come down to Hagrid's hut the next day. There was no explanation of why they were needed, but Harry really didn't care. He had hoped to see Hagrid again and ask him if there was any news about the Winged Horses yet.
Draco, however, didn't want to go. He put up a bit of a fuss about it, but then Harry told him that if he disobeyed an order from a teacher, then he might get detention, or even get House points removed. Harry had no idea if it were true or not, but the mention of having a detention must have done it. Draco did say, after a while, that he was going because Harry was going, and that was the only reason. Harry shook his head and sighed. His boyfriend was such a brat.
Harry knocked on the door. He heard Fang bark, and then Hagrid's footsteps as they came closer to the door. When Hagrid opened the door, he was looking rather glad to see them. It looked as if he had been crying, however, because his eyes were bloodshot and wet.
"Oh, 'arry! Malfoy! Come in, come in." Harry followed right away, and Draco stood there for a while, but then slowly followed Harry. He'd been in Hagrid's hut before, but Hagrid was never in it at the same time. He stuck very close to Harry, grasping Harry's bicep rather hard.
Harry had taken note to the way Draco was acting, but decided not to say anything about it. "So, what's up, Hagrid?" he said.
"I think I know what happened to Aethy and Abra, and I was 'oping you two would 'elp me."
"No!" Draco said automatically, "I refuse to go into that damned forest and look for those stupid winged creatures!"
Harry rubbed Draco's hand that was clutched deadly around Harry's arm, "Settle down, Draco."
Draco pouted. "I don't want to, Harry. Please don't make me…" he buried his forehead against Harry's shoulder. "I don't wanna…"
Harry sighed, wrapping an arm around Draco and rub at the small of his back. He turned back to Hagrid. "Is that what you want us to do? Help you find them?"
"Er- yes. But, you see… I have a reason to believe that it would make my search easier if you two came along. Since Aethy likes you two, even though it's for different reasons, then she might come out of hiding."
"You think they're hiding?"
"It's the best guess I have." Hagrid said, dipping his little handkerchief over one wet eye, "It would be all over the Muggle news if they were spotted, so if no one has spotted them, or the dragons, then they must be in the Forbidden Forest."
Draco shook his head over and over again against Harry's shoulder, "Not going… not going… NOT going…"
"Maybe… I was hoping that maybe since they know you two so well… then maybe your scents would lure them out… and then I can re-capture them…" Hagrid said hopefully.
"Not going to do it…" Draco muttered, "No, no, no, NO!"
"Uh, look…" Harry said, rubbing Draco's back gently as he spoke to Hagrid, "Maybe it would be best if just I go and help you look… since they like me better anyway."
"Yes!" said Draco suddenly, "Good idea, love! And very Gryffindor of you. You can obviously take care of yourself, of course." he was looking more confident now that he figured that he didn't have to go with.
"But… uh…" Hagrid stammered, "But if Aethy ran off for a reason…"
"What reason would that be?" Harry asked.
"Well… I may need more than you to help me, 'arry." Hagrid said.
"Are you…" Harry looked down at the blond head on his shoulder, "Are you saying that you need Draco's help because he's…"
"I'm just saying," Hagrid said suddenly, "that if there's a reason for them to run off, I thought that it might have been because of the way you two were… I mean… the way Malfoy reacted that one day…"
"Oh, so they skived off because I didn't like them?" Draco said incredibly, "Oh, yes, that's a rather interesting way to tell me that I must go help look for them."
"Actually," said Hagrid, "I think that they might have picked up on your feelings… and the way you two've been… and maybe if they see that you two really love each other, assuming you do, then they'd come out of hiding."
There was a long pregnant pause.
"You're nutters." Draco said, glaring at Hagrid, "you have really lost it this time, you know that? Why would a couple of horses care whether Harry and I actually love each other? That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard!"
"Draco!" Harry gasped.
"No, truly, Harry… this is stupid! I'm leaving!" Draco stormed his way to the door.
"Draco!" Harry turned to follow, then he stopped and looked back at Hagrid, "I'm sorry about this, Hagrid. I'll try talking to him."
Hagrid nodded, knowing that Harry would be able to handle his aristocrat, and unreasonable, boyfriend.
"Draco!" Harry shouted after him. Draco stopped abruptly and pivoted on one heel in the powdery snow, coming face to face with Harry. "What is the matter with you?" Harry demanded.
"You know that I don't like those horses! Especially that Aethonan! What's wrong with that big lummox anyhow?"
"Hey!" Harry huffed, his fists balling, "Don't go insulting Hagrid now. He might be right. Maybe those Winged Horses did leave because they didn't like … well… because…"
"Because why? Because they didn't like a Dark Aura'd wizard with a pure aura'd one? What are they, match-making horses?? No, Harry… this is just an excuse to get me to go into that forest!"
"That's not true!" Harry said, feeling his temper rising. He hated arguing with Draco, especially that they were a real couple now. "Hagrid knows more about these kind of things than either of us do. Right or not, what if I only go into the forest and they don't come out of their hiding place? What if they leave for good because you're not with me?"
"That's ridiculous." Draco frowned, his blond brows knitting tightly together, "I don't think they ran off because of us."
"Well, crazier things have happened." Harry sighed, "Besides, I'd be with you, and Hagrid would be with us. I don't think anything will happen to you. You'll be safe…"
Harry could very well have just said that Draco could be made invincible first before going into the forest… Draco didn't seem to be budging.
"No," Draco growled, putting his hands on his hips, "I am NOT going in there with you two. I don't care about those horses! You can't make me!"
"Fine." Harry frowned, brows furrowing deeply, "Just… be that way then. See if I care. You're nothing but a spoiled little rich brat, anyway."
"Well, this spoiled little rich brat is also making sure that he doesn't get killed." Draco poked Harry hard in the middle of his chest, "So. Suck. On. That. Mr. I'm-So-Incredibly-Brave-That-I-Don't-Care-What-Happens-To-Me!"
Harry growled, "You're being irrational!"
"I'm being irrational?? I AM??" Draco threw his hand in the air, and then got into Harry's face, "WHO IS BEING IRRATIONAL??"
"YOU ARE!" Harry yelled back.
"In your fucking dreams, Potter!"
"OH, YOU- forget it." Harry snarled, "I guess there isn't an ounce of decency or – or compassion in you after all!"
Draco turned his back to Harry, "Whatever," he grumbled, folding his arms. "Think of me how you like, I don't care."
"You… you…" Harry let out a low, loud growl and then hit the nearest tree with his fist. "All right, fine! Be that way! Let's see how you fair from now on without me around to protect you all the time!"
Draco whirled around, "Are you… you're not going to break up with me just because of those stupid horses?? Are you?"
Harry panted in effort not to clock Draco upside the head. "I- I don't know…"
"You don't know?" Draco smirked, "Ha. Whatever, Potter. If you're going to break things off with me, then do it. I have more important things to do right now."
"Like what?" Harry said through gritted teeth.
"Like getting back into the warmth of the castle and doing my homework like I should be instead of standing here in the snow and being told by my supposed boyfriend that I'm being irrational about not wanting to go into a dangerous forest and risk getting killed just for a couple of horses… AND for wondering whether my said boyfriend no longer wants to be my boyfriend."
Harry felt his face burning in the cold. His eyes prickling. "You'd really let a couple rare, and practically endangered, Winged Horses stay in the Forbidden Forest when there's dragons around that could injure them?"
Draco scowled, "Better them than me."
They stared at one another for a while. Harry could feel his heart practically beating out of his chest.
"Well, Potter? Get it over with. Tell me that you don't want to be with me anymore."
"Draco, I… you're not understanding…" Harry raked his fingers through his hair and gave a frustrated sigh, "I will protect you from anything..."
"I don't care what you say, Potter… I'm NOT going into that forest. Ok? If you want to risk your skinny ass just for that idiot of a teacher…"
"You know what?" Harry interrupted, feeling his temper rising again, "Maybe we should forget about this. Maybe those Winged Horses ran off because they knew that this would happen and… we should … let's just…"
"Say it already!" Draco screamed, feeling the sting of tears coming in the corners of his eyes, "Tell me that you don't want to be with me! TELL ME, POTTER!"
"You're such a…" Harry took off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes, "I don't really want to break up with you…"
"Oh, don't you?" Draco huffed, blinking his eyes.
"No. No, I don't." Harry gulped a lump in his throat. "But maybe… if you're going to continue to be a right git about this… maybe we should… should just … take a time out." he said hoarsely.
Draco stared at him, while Harry studied the crystals in the snow.
"A time out? From what?"
Harry's breath hitched painfully, "A time out from each other. We should… we should just… put our relationship on hold."
There was another pregnant pause.
"All right," Draco's voice was distant. "If that's what the great Harry Potter wants, then that's what the great Harry Potter gets."
Harry looked up, a minute salty trail streaked the side of his face, "Draco… I…"
"Shut it, Potter. Save your excuses." Draco's lips trembled. "Just… just don't talk to me anymore."
"I'm sorry, Draco."
"I said, shut it."
Harry squeezed his eyes shut, gripping the ear piece of his glasses tightly in his hand.
"Later, Potter. Have fun looking for thosestupid horses."
The snow crunched under Draco's boots as he trudged back up to the castle. Harry watched him go, his vision blurred.
TBC
Okay, before any of you beat me, I just have to say in my defense that I didn't plan this to happen, it just did. It had a mind of it's own! :( I was going to have them find the Winged Horses in this chapter, but Draco wasn't cooperating with me. He kept screaming 'No no no, I hate those winged horses! Don't make me go in there!' and of course, it lead to a fight. I was hoping the get this fic over with, but it looks like it won't be just yet. Ah well. hopefully I will have the next part up for this sooner. Sorry for the delay.