He is NOT my boyfriend! Part 18
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, a little angst, 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.
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.
Please don't be angry with me for too long. Everything will be fine.
Also, did you know that it's been almost a year since I wrote the first chapter? It doesn't feel like I've been writing this for a whole year!
---
Blaise Zabini was walking through the halls, hand-in-hand, with his boyfriend, Colin Creevey. He had been given looks before, ones that didn't look like they understood, but that was fine with him. He didn't care if anyone disapproved of their coupling. He was happy, extremely so, and that was all that mattered.
Colin Creevey was finally getting looked at differently. Instead of being portrayed as the camera toting, Harry Potter worshipping, annoying boy – he was now looked at as the shutterbug in love with a Slytherin. He wouldn't stop blushing and smiling like an idiot either, almost every time he looked at Blaise. Every time someone would give them a dirty look, Blaise would scowl at them, and give them an even dirtier look- one that could be considered as evil. Colin loved him so much for being so protective.
Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas met them at the entrance of Hogwarts, holding hands. All four nodded at each other, and then proceeded to go into Hogsmeade for a double date… one that Harry and Draco were supposed to go on with them. It didn't make them mad that it didn't work out, but they were determined to have one some day, just to see what it was like. If all went well, Blaise would tell Draco if it were horrid as he predicted or not. Blaise didn't think it would be, however. The tall black boy named Dean kept leaning forward and whispering something into his boyfriend's ear. Seamus was blushing slightly, nodding at whatever Dean was saying, and then whisper something back. Blaise wondered if it were sweet nothings they were saying to each other.
They spent their double date in a couple places, one of them being a fancy restaurant that neither had been in before, except for Blaise who had suggested it. Their talk was rather light hearted and full of laughter. Blaise had no idea why he hadn't thought of being with a group of Gryffindors before. It was most entertaining.
The way back from the date, however, wasn't what Blaise had anticipated. He said his good nights to Colin, before trudging off happily to the dungeons. When he arrived in the dormitory, placing his robe on his bed for the night, there was Draco, sitting on his own bed, back to him.
"Oh, hey, Draco." he said, heart still feeling light and happy from this evening, "There you are. I was wondering what you've been up to during your time off from Care of Magical Creatures. Colin and I took advantage of our time off this afternoon and went on a double date with Finnigan and Thomas. It was rather entertaining, to say the least."
There was no response, and Blaise was wondering if maybe he was feeling hurt that he and Colin went on the double date with the other couple instead of him and Harry. "Uhh, Draco? Are you mad at me?"
Draco's voice was low, but he was able to hear his best friend's mumbling well enough. "No. I'm not mad at you."
"Oh." Blaise said, recognizing that something was off, "Ok, then. Um… is there something wrong, Draco?"
"Oh, no, of course not," Draco said in a flat tone, still not facing him, "Why would there be anything wrong?"
"Er, because you sound like… no, you can't be…" Blaise shook his head. The day Draco Malfoy ever cried was the day that Draco Malfoy started liking muggle-borns.
"I can't be what?" Draco said tersely.
"Uh… you can't be… I mean are you…" Blaise walked around to face his friend, but Draco turned his head away. "Draco… are you-?"
"No!" Draco huffed, turning his red-cheeked face away from Blaise's gaze. "Will you just sod off?"
"What…" Blaise wanted so badly to tease Draco, but he didn't have the heart to do so. Especially not after the way his friend looked with puffy eyes and flushed cheeks. He sat down tentatively and thought of what to say. Well, what could he say? He was a Slytherin, they were both Slytherins, and being too sentimental was something that Slytherins didn't do. Well, as far as others knew, they didn't. "What happened?" Blaise finally asked softly.
"What makes you think something happened?" Draco said, turning his body so that his back faced Blaise's heated stare.
"Because I know that this isn't like you. Did something happen at Hagrid's? Did those Winged Horses come back and annoy you?"
"No," Draco's voice cracked, "and to hell with where those winged devils are right now."
"Well, if it wasn't the Winged Horses, then what was it? Did Hagrid scare you?"
"No! Of course not!" Draco huffed. Blaise thought he sounded like he was pouting.
There was only one other reason for Draco's mood. "Was it… was it Potter?"
Draco stiffened visibly, and Blaise knew… he had a terrible feeling that something horrible happened between his friend and Potter.
"It was him, wasn't it?" Blaise said gently. "What happened? Did you two have a fight?" Draco didn't answer. Blaise bit his lower lip, "Did you two… no, you couldn't have. The last time I saw you two you were smooching and looking all lovey-dovey at each other."
"Things change." Draco said hoarsely.
"The bastard hurt you, didn't he?" Blaise said, feeling anger swelling inside of him, "he broke it off with you, didn't he?"
He thought that Draco would turn his head and show his anger, or something… he didn't expect Draco to flop down onto his bed and bury his face into his folded arms.
"Oh, hell…" Blaise said, the color draining from his face, "He… no way…"
Draco shook his head wildly, "No… he didn't break up with me," he said through his pillow, "he just… we fought. And before I knew it, he was telling me… saying that we should put it on hold."
"Huh?" Blaise felt his chest tighten, feeling awful for his best friend, "put what on hold?"
"Our relationship." Draco lifted his face up a bit from the pillow to speak more clearly, "he put our relationship on goddamn hold, Blaise! The bastard did it because I didn't want to go into the Forbidden Forest and help him look for the Winged Horses."
"That's – that's ridiculous!" Blaise huffed, "Why would Potter, of all people, break—I mean – put a relationship on hold just because of that? That doesn't sound like him. Uh… are you sure you didn't do anything else to anger him?"
Draco buried his face into his pillow again. He didn't want to think on it.
"Draco," Blaise said, moving closer on the bed toward him, "What did you say to him?"
"I—I don't know. I said a lot of stuff."
"A lot of hurtful stuff? Something that would really anger him?"
Draco stayed silent for a while. Blaise moved forward and started to gently rub Draco's back.
"Maybe I did." Draco sighed, "I don't know."
"Well, what I do know is that not all relationships run smoothly. You and Potter have a lot of difficult issues to work out, and I think that if you talk to him, you could get things straightened out."
"I don't want to talk to him right now."
"I don't mean right now, Draco. I mean when you're feeling more like yourself." There was silence again. He heard Draco sigh, and then his frame started shaking. "Draco… do you love him?"
Draco's body started to shake even more.
"Because, if you love him," Blaise said, "then… then tell him. Maybe that will defuse your better half's temper."
Draco scoffed when Blaise called Harry his 'better half', but then fell into another sad stupor. He couldn't stop his body from shaking.
"Look, I'll leave you in peace for now. If you want me to curse Potter for doing this to you, then just let me know." Blaise said this with a hint of an evil smile. He hoped that Draco could hear the naughty smile in his voice.
Draco did start chuckling slightly. "No, Blaise, don't curse him. Leave him to me."
---
Harry didn't even have the heart to go back into Hagrid's hut and tell him that he wasn't going to help look for the Winged Horses. He trudged back to the castle slowly, and sadly. Ever since those words had escaped his lips, he still couldn't believe them. He knew, just as Draco did, that doing what he did wasn't a good thing. Not only did Harry dodge certain feelings during the argument, but he also couldn't stop badgering Draco about helping Hagrid, one whom he knew that Draco didn't like.
'I'm such an idiot,' Harry thought morosely. 'Why did Draco fall for me in the first place?'
Harry looked up, his eyes falling on the very top tower that he knew was the Gryffindor Tower. He saw a light on in one of the windows and wondered idly if it was the light from the boy's dorm, or the common room. Well, if someone was in there, he wasn't going to be. He wasn't in the mood to see anyone. Just thinking of the fact that he almost broke things off – hell, he thought, I might as well have, the way things went. But he kept saying over and over to himself, and even said so to Draco, 'I don't want to break up with you…' and he meant it.
Apologize, you ninny! said the voice in his head. He ran his fingers through his bangs, which he finally realized had snow in it. He looked up again, and saw that yes indeed, it was snowing. Why hadn't he noticed before? Oh, yeah… he was feeling too sorry for himself to notice anything like this. Maybe if he was still happily in love …
Harry squeezed his eyes shut, vision blurring again from unshed tears. 'I do love him…' he realized with a heavy heart. 'Oh hell…'
All it took was one little lie to the Minister of Magic.
--
Well, news had traveled fast. Blaise told Colin about what Draco told him, and Colin went around the Gryffindor common room and told everyone there what happened. Right when Hermione and Ron walked in, all smiles and blushes from their private time in the library, they heard Parvati shriek: "No way! Harry broke up with Malfoy??"
Ron and Hermione exchanged a confused glance.
"What did you say, Parvati?" Hermione said, still not sure she believed what was being said.
"Well, Colin heard from his boyfriend Blaise Zabini that Draco said that Harry broke things off. Isn't that horrible?" she sniffled. "And I thought they were such a cute couple, too!"
"Harry?" Ron said, blinking in astonishment, "HE broke things off with Malfoy?? No way! I don't believe it!"
"If you don't, why don't you go ask Colin? Better yet, go ask Zabini." Parvati said, wiping a tear from her eye.
"I think I will." Hermione said, hard determination in her eyes. Ron knew that look. Harry was in deep shit, that was for sure.
Before Ron could say a word of it, she had turned on her heels, and walked out of the portrait again.
"Oh, hell, I better follow." Ron muttered to no one in particular. And he did just that.
By the time Ron did catch up with Hermione, she was already halfway down to the dungeons already. He hadn't seen her this worked up over something in such a long time - it was frightening.
"Is it true?" Ron said, frowning, "Did Harry really… I mean, weren't they supposed to stay together, so that Malfoy won't get put into Azkaban?"
"Yes, but it's more than that." she said, almost to the stone wall that covered the entrance to the Slytherin common room, "They actually do like each other now, I mean, well, they're going out for real now, so…. I just don't understand. That's why we need to speak to Zabini."
"I know that Harry likes the git, but… I mean – he'll be convicted now."
"They really have no proof, though." Hermione said sternly, "And putting an innocent man in prison is wrong." She knocked on the stone door.
"I know it's wrong, Hermione." Ron said, standing next to her, "but what can Malfoy do if they convict him anyway?"
"If Harry doesn't come to his senses, then we'll help Malfoy fight."
"What?" Ron shrieked. "Help Malfoy? Fight the Ministry? You've got to be joking!"
The stone wall opened to reveal the face of one of the Slytherin prefects, Morag MacDougal. She sniffed hauntingly at them when they saw who they were. "What do you Gryffindors want?"
The other two prefects stood their grounds. "We need to speak to Blaise Zabini. Is he here?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, he's here," the Slytherin said, frowning. "What business do you have with him?"
"We need to ask about something… it's important that we know the facts."
Morag stared at Hermione for a bit, and then with a heavy sigh, shoulders slumping, she said, "All right. I'll go see if he will speak with you."
"Thank you," said Hermione. The stone door shut softly.
They stood there in silence for a while. Ron cleared his throat and moved to be closer to her. Hermione kept her arms folded, staring at the stone passageway into the Slytherin common rooms. He moved a hand and wrapped it gently around her shoulders, getting her to jump slightly from the touch.
"Sorry," Ron said, grinning like an idiot. She smiled back, leaning into Ron's body and laying her head onto his shoulder.
"I'm just so stressed out lately," she said, sighing. "NEWTS are coming up, Harry and Draco's relationship is making Harry less attentive to things, especially his homework, and now I have… I mean," she gave Ron a shy glance, "Now I'm in a relationship, and I shouldn't be because of school…"
"Hermione, please…" Ron said, rubbing her back, "you're overworking yourself. Studying to pass is one thing, but studying overtime to get all Outstandings and fretting over certain issues is another. I'll help you in your burdens, ok? Would you like me to do that? I could help do more with… ugh… with spew and stuff. You could teach me how to knit…"
"Oh, Ron…" she snuggled her face into his shoulder, "you don't have to help me with S.P.E.W. If you really don't want to…"
"Well, what else do you want help with?" he asked, "you help me and Harry with homework, so I thought that maybe you would like some help back…"
"Ron, I…" she moved her head up, and Ron looked down. Before their lips could touch, however, the stone door slid open, making them jump back from each other.
"Oi, you two lovebirds," said Blaise as he walked out of the stony entrance. "None of that here in the dungeons. Don't want any first years to get sick." They both gave him an appointed look. "Er, anyway…" he shifted, "what was it you wanted to talk to me about."
"Harry," they both said. They smiled slightly at each other.
"What about him?" Blaise said in an aggravated tone. "Besides the fact that he's a heart breaking git?"
"Did he really break up with Malfoy?" Ron said.
"Yes and no."
"That doesn't tell us much," said Hermione.
"Well… it's not really a 'break up' but a 'time out'."
Ron and Hermione looked at each other.
"A time out?" Hermione said, frowning, "Why?"
"Apparently Draco said something really offensive to Potter, and they got into a fight. Suddenly, before they knew it, Potter was telling Draco that they need a time out."
"So, they didn't necessarily break up?" said Ron, confused.
"Technically, they didn't, no," said Blaise. "I think they're being childish, myself."
"So do I." Hermione said, looking upset. "Come on, Ron. I think we need to talk to Harry about this."
"Uh, yeah, ok," said Ron. Hermione grabbed his hand and started to pull him along.
"Well, thanks for the information, Blaise." Hermione said. "See you later."
"Yeah, see you," said Blaise. He sighed, and then went back into the common room.
---
Harry avoided the Gryffindor Tower as long as he could. He couldn't stand to see anyone right now, so he walked toward the library to try doing some research about Winged Horses to figure out just what would make those creatures take off so suddenly. He scanned the rows of books, keeping his eyes peeled for curious titles that have anything to do with Pegasuses or Winged Horses. After a few minutes search, he came across a book that looked useful. He opened it, scanned the index, and instantly found what he was looking for. He walked over to the table that Hermione frequented, and sat down to read.
He found out some rather interesting facts about Winged Horses, but found nothing so far that could help him in finding them. He was just in the middle of reading about a certain Pegasus's habits and mating rituals, when he was suddenly, and harshly, slapped across the face, his glasses going askew.
"Wha – hey, I'm trying to read here!" he looked up accusingly at his attacker, and then his eyes widened in shock. "What the hell did you do that for?"
Pansy Parkinson was standing over him, body still in the position of just having slapped him, hand slightly curved. Harry then noticed that she had rather long fingernails, and that yes… she had scratched him when her hand came in contact with his cheek. He rubbed at it sorely, feeling four scrapes – bits of skin peeling from around the scratches.
"How … how dare you!" she hissed, "HOW DARE YOU HURT HIM!"
Harry's face fell. He swallowed thickly; he knew exactly whom she was referring to.
"Look, Pansy …" he started.
"Don't you 'look, Pansy' me!" she huffed, angrily crossing her arms over her small chest, puffing it out as she did so, "You have some nerve for hurting Drakie's feelings like that!" She shook a finger at him like an irate mother, "What gives you the right to break things off with him, huh?? Does it make you feel like a big man, doing what you did?"
"What? NO!" Harry said irritably, "I didn't technically break it off…"
"That's what they all say!" Pansy growled, "you're just softening the blow for when you really will break it off, aren't you? Or are you just too chicken to break up with him? I thought you were a bold and fearless Gryffindor!"
Harry stood, fists clenched, "I am not a chicken! And… and just because Gryffindors are known for being brave, doesn't mean that we're fearless. You have that conception all mixed up! Gryffindors put their fears aside for doing the right thing, that's what!"
"Oh, ho, ho… don't be preaching to ME about Gryffindors, Potter, because I could care less!" she sniffed, "and anyway, you're still a bloody coward for what you did to him…"
"I'M NOT THE ONE WHO'S THE COWARD HERE!" Harry bellowed, forgetting where he was.
"SHHH!" Madame Pince said, looking irritated. Harry turned red from embarrassment for suddenly shouting like that. He looked back at Pansy with a fierce glare.
"I'm not the coward here," he said in a quieter tone, with teeth clenched, "he's the one being an idiot! He's not … he's being …"
"A Slytherin?" Pansy said offhandedly, frowning.
"Well … well, of course he is, but… he's also being unreasonable. The Winged Horses won't hurt him, and anyway…" Harry gulped a lump in his throat, "He keeps insulting my friends, and thinking he's so superior, and he's just so … so bloody conceited!"
Pansy's glare softened. She uncrossed her arms, slumping her shoulders, "What did you expect him to be like? Did you expect him to change his demeanor over night, just for you? No, Potter. He did what he did at first so he could save his own hide, it's true," she sighed heavily, sitting in a chair across from Harry; Harry sat back down, not taking his eyes off her. "But now … now, it's different." Pansy finished.
"How exactly is it different?" Harry said. His heart was still going a mile a minute.
"Well, what do you think?" she said tersely, "He's deeply in love with you."
Harry stared.
"I-" his voice cracked.
Pansy said softly, "You forgot, didn't you? I don't know how or why, but he loves you … and you're hurting him, and breaking things off with him, all because of a couple missing horses?"
"But … but it's not just … he…" Harry looked away, his chest hurting every time he breathed. Harry shut his eyes tightly, and then opened them to only get his vision blurred. He took his glasses off, wiped at the corner of his left eye, and then put them back on.
"You're not lying, are you?" he stated matter-of-factly.
Pansy smirked slightly, almost on the verge of laughing. "No, Potter… I'm not lying. Why would I want to lie about Draco's feelings like that? I don't like you, you know. Oh, sure, I was trying to get along with you before – for Draco's sake – but I could really care less if you're happy or not. However, Draco isn't happy. And I love Draco … like a brother or something," she said quickly, "So, seeing him so unhappy hurts me, and I decided to come find you and give you a good talking to." she smiled slightly, "Or a right good hex up the arse, one of the two."
Harry shook his head, not believing what he was hearing.
"Well, I…" Harry's voice was caught in his throat.
"If you don't believe me," Pansy said, "then why don't you go ask him yourself? He's over there..." she nodded to the other side of the library, "...studying. He really had no idea that you popped in, but I saw you – so I decided to come knock, or slap, some sense into you."
Harry looked away, his gaze falling on one of the windows. "I don't want to talk to him right now."
"Why am I not surprised?" she said, sighing heavily, "Ok, fine," she stood up, "I guess it was worth a shot. But know this, Potter…" she pointed a long, manicured finger at him, "I will not rest until Draco is happy again. And if that means for you two to get back together, then so be it! I will not rest. Mark my words, Potter." She placed the chair back under the table, and strutted toward Draco's table.
He didn't turn his head, or move his gaze from the window for a long time. Slowly, he brought his eyes back to his book, and tried to read again. He sighed heavily, a tight feeling knotting inside his gut, and a burning sensation in his chest. Almost against his will, Harry lifted his eyes and they met silvery, misty eyes from across the room. Harry quickly looked away, holding his breath for fear that he'll start to break down. He heard a sniffle in the quiet of the library, a chair moving across the floor, and then distant footsteps leaving the room. He looked up again, and saw that Draco's chair was empty.
---
Millicent was sitting by the fire when Pansy came into the Slytherin common room. The fire was blazing high and crackling with life as her best friend turned girlfriend stared into the flames. She looked almost hypnotized and in total peace with herself; her arms wrapped around one knee, and her chin rested on a forearm.
"Mission complete." Pansy said as she sat lazily down by Millicent's feet. Her girlfriend was sitting in Draco's armchair again.
"Good," the bigger Slytherin said, barely blinking.
Pansy knew that her other half was in deep thought about something, and she also knew that she wouldn't get an answer from her even if she asked.
"So," she breathed, "what's on the agenda, now?"
Millicent was quiet for a while, and then she suddenly shifted in her seat to look down at Pansy. Her girlfriend looked up, her lightly coal-rimmed eyes looking very curious. Millicent bent down a bit to press her lips lightly to hers. Pansy's eyes fluttered shut, and then opened again when Millicent moved away.
"Now we just sit back and watch," she said.
---
Harry stared out the window of the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. He had just finished his essay easily, and had placed his quill down to rest his chin on his folded hands. He watched as the snow fell slowly in small flakes, adding to the already white background. Harry loved the look of snow on trees and fields, giving it that almost unworldly look. Usually he did… but right now, it just seemed so bleak, and cold. His heart had been frozen almost to a stand still, and everyone else had been noticing his distance lately. Even those who aren't usually around him much have noticed that something was off about him.
Most knew what it was. The rumor spread like wildfire. The so-called Time Out was being labeled as a full out break up. The fight that they had had been made into something bigger than it had been in the first place. Some have been saying that Draco betrayed Harry in the worst way possible, and some were saying how they even gotten into a fistfight. All that was being said was untrue – except for the fact that they were no longer seeing one another. It hurt to even stay in the same classroom anymore. Potions class was even more of a nightmare now that they were "broken up". The Slytherins, of course, took Draco's side with things, and the Gryffindor's took Harry's. What used to be a nice truce between Houses was now a total World War 3.
Hermione had always told him, "Ignore them, Harry. They don't understand…" Yes, they probably didn't understand, but that wasn't his fault, was it?
But deep down inside, Harry knew that they were both being childish. The fight they had… it didn't have to end in a time out. Harry could have just said, "Fine, I'll just go alone," or something like that. He didn't have to say anything about a time out at all. He had let those hurtful words get to him too easily… the way Draco just kept on ragging Hagrid, and all those other hurtful things about his friends, and the Winged Horses getting killed, and…
Harry's eyes widened as the sight of two huge dragons flew past the classroom window. Harry looked around wildly at the others … they didn't seem to notice. Most were finishing up their essays. So, very silently, Harry got up from his seat and tip toed to the window to peer out. The snow was almost done falling, there were only crystals blowing around in the evening sky. He looked this way and that, trying to pinpoint where the dragons had gone, but he couldn't see them anymore.
"Mr. Potter? Is there something wrong?" Harry turned suddenly at the teacher, and then looked at the others in the room as they stared at him. Hermione and Ron both had the same kind of questioning, or knowing-that-something-was-wrong, look.
"Um… no," Harry lied, "there's nothing wrong. Just looking at the weather, that's all."
"I think you should sit back down, Mr. Potter," the teacher said. Harry nodded and walked casually back to his chair. Ron and Hermione continued to eye Harry curiously. He wasn't sure if he should tell them of what he saw or not. They'd be too worried about him wanting to wander off to find out where those dragons were headed. They would be right to worry, too… because that was exactly what Harry was going to do.
---
"So, what are we going to do about Nott?" Hermione suddenly asked after class was let out.
"Er… what?" said Harry. Ron looked equally confused.
"Well, remember that he was peeking at Lavender? We need to do something about that."
"Oh, yeah." said Ron, "I forgot about that. Well, er… can't the teacher's handle that? I mean… why should WE do something about it?"
"Ron's got a point," Harry said, not wanting to get in the middle of Lavender's problems right now, since he had his own.
"I'm surprised at you, Harry!" Hermione said, huffing, "I thought that you'd take the chance of helping a poor damsel in distress…"
"Yeah, but not when it's Lavender…" Harry said absentmindedly… he received a light smack in the back of his head. "Hey!" he frowned, rubbing at his sore spot.
"She is your housemate!" Hermione barked, "Why won't you help her? Is it the fact that Nott's a Slytherin, or what?"
"No, not really," Harry said, still rubbing at the back of his head, making his hair stick up even more than usual. "I just don't feel like making it a big deal right now. I mean, this kind of distress is something that I don't necessarily jump to the rescue about. Besides," he said, when Hermione's face suddenly darkened, "I have my own problems right now. I'm in the middle of my own distress, you know."
"Oh, yes," Hermione sniffed, "Your whole 'time out' with Draco. Yes, that's a rather big problem compared to someone getting peeped at, or stalked, by some Slytherin…"
"You know Nott!" Harry snarled slightly at her, "You know that he's an OK guy! He's a bit darker than Draco or Blaise, but he's still following them instead of Voldemort!"
"Does it really matter?" Hermione said huffily, "He still did something to upset Lavender, and I think that we should…"
"Look," Harry said, "She's not a big concern of mine right now. I just don't feel like doing anything about it…"
"Fine." Hermione said sharply, "Forget it then, Harry. I thought that you cared about others…"
"Why don't you do something then, since she's your friend?" he grounded out.
Hermione's face fell.
"Why don't you two just shut up?" Ron said suddenly, making them jump. Hermione looked down at the ground and blushed. Harry felt his cheek's get hot from embarrassment. Having Ron, of all people, hush Hermione and him, because of a fight no less, was rather humiliating.
"I'm sorry, Hermione." Harry said softly, "I'll help you with Lavender if you want."
"It's ok, Harry," she said, still staring at the floor as they walked, "I should have expected that you're still recovering from your fight with Draco and…"
"Talking about me, I see? That's nice."
Harry and Hermione's heads shot up from the sound of Draco's voice. They stopped, and there stood three Slytherins: Draco, Blaise, and Theodore Nott. Draco had that look in his eye… that old look that he used to have when he had detested Harry and his friends. It looked like the old Draco Malfoy was back. Harry didn't like that thought one bit. In the back of his mind, Harry knew deep down that Draco still loved him.
Draco and his friends had been on their way to their next class, Defense Against the Dark Arts, when they met the Gryffindor trio. Usually, when Harry and Draco were seeing each other, they would have a quick greeting and then give each other a swift kiss before heading to their respected classes. Now, however, it looked as if there would be none of that sappiness in the halls. Malfoy just caught the way Harry's hair was sticking up rather cutely at the back of his head as if he had scratched his scalp. It almost made him smile.
"Beat it, Malfoy," Ron snarled. "You're not welcome anymore."
Draco lifted an eyebrow at him, and then went back to staring at Harry. He watched as Harry's eyes flashed a dangerous dark green and his cheeks tinted slightly. It made him shiver a little; he had to hold himself back from moving forward and snogging the daylights out of the silly sod.
"I heard that Pansy gave you a right smacking," Draco said. He waited for Harry's reply.
Harry didn't say anything for a while, but just kept on staring into Draco's eyes. It hurt to see him handling things so well; he tried to see if he could find some kind of depression in there.
"So?" he finally answered.
"So," Draco said, smirking, "has that knocked any sense into you?"
He saw Hermione hold Ron back from doing anything rash from the corner of his eye. Harry could feel the tension between him and Draco mounting… the electrical energy was a mixture of contempt and yearning.
"Pansy Parkinson's slap wouldn't knock sense into a common house fly." Harry said simply.
"She didn't give you her hardest slap, then." Draco said, eyes twinkling slightly. That was almost Harry's undoing. He was about to move forward, when Hermione suddenly grabbed Harry's elbow and pulled him around the three Slytherins.
"Come on, Harry… we'll be late for class if we don't get moving! You can have your little spat with Malfoy later."
Harry wanted to protest, yearning for Draco's hands in his hair – Draco's lips on his – but he knew that there was no use persuading her right now, so he let her pull him away from the Slytherins.
"All right," he said, ogling Draco with longing. He was slightly surprised to see the same look in Draco's eyes as he left.
"Au revoir," Draco whispered as he watched Harry's retreating back.
---
Midnight rolled around, and as usual, Harry Potter was out of bed and covered in his invisibility cloak. He snuck out of the common room, and silent as a cat on the prowl. He headed swiftly for the front doors, the Forbidden Forest on his mind. He knew – that was where the Winged Horses were, as well as the dragons. He brought a few things with him: his wand, the Marauder's Map, his cloak, and a bunch of carrots. He knew that the Winged Horses loved carrots, from his lessons in Care of Magical Creatures.
He easily got to the edge of the forest without having raised any suspicions yet. The air was crisp, the moon was glowing brightly, and it had stopped snowing. Harry shivered slightly. Even bundled up in his winter cloak, scarf, and gloves, he was still freezing. He walked in a quick pace as he entered the forest, huddling his hands under his armpits as he held the carrots close to his body.
After a few minutes of walking, it finally happened. There was a rustle of wings, and then Harry suddenly found himself a few feet away from one of the Winged Horses. She sniffed the air in front of her, and then walked slowly toward him. Harry understood almost immediately what was happening. She could smell his aura, and possibly the carrots he held, and was following the scent. He felt more at ease now than before, so he removed the cloak, which only slightly surprised the Pegasus.
"It's ok," Harry said in a soft tone, "It's me. You remember me, don't you?" He slowly walked toward the Winged Horse, holding out a carrot.
It was Aethy, all right. The Aethonan shook her long, beautiful mane as she came closer to Harry. He was so relieved to see that she was all right, and he was sure that Hagrid would be relieved as well to learn that same fact. He held out the carrot, and Aethy happily accepted it. As she munched on a bite, Harry brought that hand (still holding the rest of the carrot) to awkwardly stroke the soft part of her nose. She whinnied sharply, and brought her head up to eat more of the carrot. Harry let her; dead silence waning between them in the cold forest.
When she finished the entire carrot, she went for another one that was huddled in Harry's other arm. Harry patted her on the top of her head and said softly, "We need to get you back into your pen, otherwise the dragons will hurt you. There are dragons on the loose, did you know?" He wasn't sure if she understood him, but she was staring straight at him as he spoke. The Winged Horse nudged her nuzzle against the bundled of carrots that were in the crook of Harry's arm. He chuckled as he let her steal one.
"I hope you'll let me ride you back to Hagrid's," Harry whispered. He moved around to mount her, when one of her wings suddenly blocked him. She turned her head toward him as he looked back at her. Aethy neighed softly, and went for another carrot. "No, Aethy… we need to get you out of here. It's dangerous for you to…" his train of thought was abruptly cut off when he noticed that her wing was slightly charred.
"Oh, no…" Harry said softly, "You've already met those dragons, haven't you? It was during my DADA class, wasn't it? Oh, Aethy, I'm so sorry." He lightly touched her injured wing. Aethy's shoulder blade shuddered from the contact, and she pawed at the ground. "Maybe I could heal it. I have my wand with me, and I know only a small healing spell, but it might take the pain away, at least." He laid the bundle of carrots on the ground for her to continue eating, and then took out his wand. He was about to do said healing spell, when there was a sudden, harsh breeze. It blew his hair around violently, as well as Aethy's mane.
The sudden gust of wind made Harry look up. And when he did look up, he really wished that he hadn't.
It was a dragon. Its big, purple eyes bored into Harry's as it descended upon them. The only thing that came into Harry's mind at the time was the safety of Aethy, who had an injured wing. He raised his wand at the dragon, his mind drawing a blank. It's giant arrow-shaped tail twisted as it dove down for the kill. The thud in Harry's ears was all he heard, as he was suddenly forced face first into a snow bank from a hit on the back. He vaguely heard the other sounds coming from around him. He thought he heard Aethy neighing like a badly startled horse, and the roar of the dragon above him, and the shout of someone from behind.
Harry quickly got up and looked behind him. Aethy was protecting something behind her as she fanned her wings in defense against the black-scaled dragon. It was roaring, and brandishing its fangs at the two victims. The prone body lying in the pinkish snow behind Aethy was easily recognized, even with his head spinning and vision blurred slightly.
"Draco…"
TBC
The end looks near.