Day Walker
Disclaimer: Most of the characters belong to the wonderful and definitively talented J.K Rowling. I only borrow them to create my stories, but Professor Crow and the lovely Damien are my own doing.
Summary: Some sorrow, some fun, and a little love..
Warning: This fic is slash. Just a teeny tiny warning to the delicate souls out there. (Sooo not counting myself in that category. Yeah right! Me, delicate? You wish. ^-^ )
~Chapter 12~
~Not well at all~
It was the week before Christmas and Harry, Draco and Hermione were sitting by a fire in the school's library. They were doing their homework and talking about the plans they had for the holidays.
"I'm going home. My parents and I are going to my aunt's house for Christmas Eve. I think it's going to be extremely boring," said Hermione in her usual exaggerating way. "But it'll be nice to see my cousins again. Haven't seen a couple of them in years. What about you two?"
The two boys looked at each other before Draco answered. "Well, we're staying here, basically because we don't have a choice."
Harry nodded. "Draco can't go home because of his father and I will not spend the holidays with my dreadful so-called family. And besides, I wouldn't have left Draco here all alone anyway!" He shot a loving gaze over at his boyfriend.
"I understand. I would have invited you, but my aunt doesn't know about me being a witch and. Well, you know."
Draco smiled. "We were actually looking forward to spending this time together at the castle, but thanks anyway, 'Mione."
"It's gonna be quite sad though." Harry lowered his voice a notch. "It's my first Christmas here without Ron. I've missed him before too, of course, but not like this." Harry's eyes welled up with tears.
"I know. I miss him too." Hermione sniffled.
"He was my best friend. Actually, he was my first friend." A single tear ran down the raven haired boy's face, leaving a tiny path of salty water in its wake. Draco leaned across the table and wiped the tear from his boyfriend's jawbone with gentle fingers.
"You've never told me that. I knew that your uncle, aunt and cousin treated you bad, but I didn't know that you had no friends." Hermione sounded slightly shocked.
"Well, I didn't," said Harry with a low voice. "The only ones at the school I went to before I came here that talked to me without calling me names or otherwise harassing me were the teachers. I was a good student. Did my homework in time, paid attention in class, did well on tests and was dressed in clothes that were either too big or too small. All hand-me- downs. That was one of the reasons why I was picked on. The other, biggest reason was that my cousin Dudley was the worst bully.. The other kids feared him and his friends, so when they picked on someone, so did the rest of the kids." He took a deep breath and wiped his face with the sleeve of his robes. "No one my own age ever talked to me like a human being, but when I got here I found Ron. He was the first person to talk to me on the train from King's Cross. He was the best friend I've ever had."
The three of them sat in silence for several minutes, their heads lowered, as if honouring Ron's memory.
"I can't say that I know how you feel, luv," Draco said, his voice breaking the silence. "And I will not try to understand you either, but I will be there if you need to talk about this again." He got up from his chair and walked over to the two Gryffindors. He cradled Harry's face in his hands and kissed his swollen lips carefully.
"So will I," said Hermione in a whisper.
"Thank you." Harry forced a little smile onto his own face, still sniffling a bit,
Hermione started to get her things together. "Let's go, guys. I don't think any of us will be able to concentrate on our homework any longer."
The boys nodded in agreement and gathered their stuff too.
When Harry opened the door that led out of the library something black slithered past them and out into the hallway. Draco crouched down and smiled at the cat.
"Hello there Blue. How was your sleep?" He stroked the cat's silky back. Blue yawned and rubbed his head against his owner's leg before he pranced on down the corridor. The black cat hadn't left Draco's side since they came home the night of his birthday. The blonde didn't want him to either.
~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~
The teens split up in the Entrance Hall to go to their dormitories and put on some more clothes. Hermione had suggested a snowball fight. The two Gryffindors got back down to the Hall about five minutes later, wearing thick woollen robes with hoods to keep the cool air out. Harry's were black and lined with gold and Hermione's were deep red (A/N: Little Red Riding Hood?) lined with green. Draco arrived in the Hall a few minutes later than them. It took longer to walk down to the Slytherin dungeons than up to the Gryffindor tower. He was also dressed in woollen robes, but the hood was almost as long as the robes themselves. The main colour was dark forest green with silver linings. (A/N: I know I go a bit overboard with the Slytherin and Gryffindor colours, but I don't care.)
"Well, don't you look all Christmasy," said Draco to Hermione.
"I take that as a compliment," she replied smiling. "You look good. You were born to be dressed in those colours."
Draco blushed and faced his boyfriend. "You look good in everything."
"Thank you, D." It was Harry's turn to blush. "Let's go outside!"
The three of them ran out into the snow covered school grounds. They all sprinted in different directions to find good shelter and make snowballs. Harry threw himself down behind a rose bush that gave him shelter and provided a clear view of both of his opponents. He was able to make a small heap of snowballs before the first airborne one hit him in the shoulder. It was Hermione that threw it. He threw two back at her with all his strength. At the same time a ball from Draco hit him in the side. He laughed and jumped out from his rose bush with snow balls in his arms. He threw at both of them until his arms were empty. Draco and Hermione had also come out of their hiding places to get revenge on Harry. They threw themselves over him in a big pile of snow and covered him in the cold, white substance. A while later, after a lot of laughter and playing, three snowmen walked back up to the castle. The one with most snow on him was Harry.
"We really got you, didn't we?" Draco grinned at his boyfriend.
Harry grinned back. "Hey! I got you first, okay? I let you win."
"Yeah, right!" Hermione laughed, and said sarcastically: "If you say that to yourself enough times, maybe it'll come true."
His green eyes sparkled wickedly, and before she knew it he had thrown a handful of snow right in her face. Hermione snorted and both the boys burst out in laughter. When she saw her reflection in one of the windows, she joined in as well. Her entire face was white. Only her eyes and mouth were showing.
Draco performed a sweeping spell on them before they went into the Entrance Hall.
"This little sucker sweeps away anything. My mother taught it to me when I was little. I always spilled things," he said. "But you have to remember to say what you want to sweep away. This one time when I was eight, I swept my clothes off at school." He blushed.
Harry dropped his voice so that only the blonde could hear him. "I'll remember that." He sounded to seductive that his boyfriend blushed even harder.
To get his thoughts over to something else, Draco said, "Where's Damien these days, by the way? I haven't seen him around for a while."
The others shrugged. "I don't know," answered Harry. "The last time I saw him was yesterday morning, when he rushed past me on my way to the common room. It was early and I asked him to join me by the hearth before breakfast, but he said that he didn't have the time, that he had something to do, and rushed on down the stairs. After that I've only seen him in the Great Hall during meals or in classes. Haven't actually talked to him."
"Me neither." Hermione looked at the boys. He's being all secretive and not telling where he runs off to after classes or anything."
The two boys looked at each other. "Hmmm.?" Harry smiled. "That sounds like someone else we all know. A while back that is."
Draco returned Harry's smile. "Yeah. Us! But that doesn't have to mean he's seeing someone, does it?"
"No." Hermione answered. "I was very secretive back in third year, when I was doing some minor time travelling to have time for all my classes. Remember?" She looked at Harry.
"I remember. Actually I thought about that myself too, but I have a feeling Dumbledore wouldn't allow that again. But guys? Instead of standing here speculating, why doesn't one or all of us ask Damien about this? Nothing good comes from jumping to conclusions."
"I agree," said Draco. "But who'll talk to him? I haven't exactly had those kinds of conversations with him. By the way, did Dumbledore actually allow you to do that?"
"Me neither." Hermione's eyes turned to Harry. "But you have, haven't you? And yes Draco, he actually did."
Draco looked a little shocked for a second then he turned his attention toward Harry.
Harry shrugged. "I guess. I'll do it the next time I see him, if I have the time. Okay?"
The other two nodded.
"I have to go. Have some packing left, you see." Hermione smiled and ran up the staircase heading for the Gryffindor tower.
"I have to go too," said Draco. "I have to finish that damned Potions essay. I'll see you later, okay?" He smiled at his boyfriend.
"Sure, D. I have some homework left myself so." Harry smiled back and kissed the blonde passionately before they split up.
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~
Harry sat in the Gryffindor common room reading a book on Quiddich later that evening. Suddenly Damien came through the portrait hole.
'Well. I might as well get it over with,' Harry thought to himself. He closed his book and got out of the fluffy armchair.
"Hello stranger," he said to Damien with a smile.
Damien returned the smile with a grin. "Hi there, Handsome." He laughed.
"Not to pry in your private life and stuff. But. Ehhh." Harry ran his fingers through his hair and made it even more untidy. "I was just wondering. Ehhh."
The other boy laughed again. "Come on. Spit it out.. I won't bite." He grinned and licked his left fang with the tip of his tongue.
"I was just wondering what you have been up to lately. Haven't seen you out of class and meals for a long time."
"You see? That wasn't so hard, now was it? I don't know how I'm going to answer your question, Harry. It's pretty complicated. Is it okay if I tell you when I understand more of it myself?"
"Off course it is." Harry smiled.
"But I can tell you two things: it has nothing to do with you, Hermione or Draco. And I still think you're a babe, but I will not surprise you in the shower the way I did that time. I'm so sorry for that." Damien looked at the floor.
"I know you are. I'm quite grateful that you won't surprise me like that again. Don't get me wrong," Harry grinned. "Feel free to smell me when I get off in the shower anytime, just let me know that you're there." The expression on his face showed no humour.
"I'll remember that," Damien replied with the same humourless expression. But none of them could keep it more than a few seconds before they burst into laugher.
Harry wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes. "Shall we go down for dinner?"
"Yes, we shall," said Damien and took Harry's arm. "May I open the hole for you milady?"
Harry nodded and dropped a curtsy. The two boys started to laugh again as they walked down the corridor. When they were halfway down the stairs Damien stopped.
"Harry?"
Harry nodded.
"Could you do me favour and not say anything to the others? I know that I haven't actually told you anything, but anyway."
"I won't. You can tell them yourself later, if there is anything to tell. Same with me."
"Thanks, Harry." Damien gave Harry a quick hug.
Harry got a little surprised, but returned the hug and said, "No problem, Damien." Then they walked down the rest of the staircase and into the Great Hall for dinner.
Damien and Harry sat next to each other at dinner, but they both ate in silence. Hermione and Ginny were chatting eagerly across the table. When Damien had finished his dinner and had some apple flavoured ice cream for dessert he got up from his chair. He leaned down to Harry and dropped his voice.
"Will you go to bed early today, Harry, or can we talk a little in the common room when I get back tonight?"
"I'll be there," Harry whispered. "I have to finish my book anyway." He smiled. Damien returned his smile and said good bye to Hermione before he disappeared out of the Great Hall.
Hermione turned her attention to Harry. "What was that about? Has he told you anything?"
Harry thought about it for a split second and decided to lie. "He just wondered if I would sit with him in the common room later tonight. He was going to read for a while and just wanted some company. And no, he hasn't told me anything. I didn't ask him directly. I was going to, but decided that if there was something we should know then he would tell us himself."
"You're right. We are good at sticking our noses in other people's business, aren't we?" She twirled a strand of brown hair around her right index finger.
"Yes, we are. So it's good that at least one of us has some common sense then." He laughed and patted her on the shoulder.
The sarcastic, cheeky Hermione suddenly surfaced. "Is it really? And who might that person be? Not you. That's for sure, Mr. Sneak-out-at-night-to- chase-basilisks-or-ride-hippogriffs-to-save-uncle."
"Hmmph!" Harry pretended to be offended and stuck his nose in the air. "I do not know what it is you are talking of. I would do no such thing!"
Hermione rolled her eyes toward the ceiling and got back to finishing her caramel pudding.
After he had finished his own dessert he went for a little visit to the Slytherin table to wish his boyfriend a good night. It wasn't that late at night yet so that any of them would go to bed for at least three hours, but they wouldn't see each other until the next day so he thought it was as good a time as any to say it.
"Good night and sweet dreams, luv," said Draco and kissed his boyfriend in plain view of the students and teachers.
"Sweet dreams to you too, D," Harry replied. He let his lips brush against Draco's forehead and walked away from the table.
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~
One and a half hours later the common room was deserted, and Harry was sitting in his favourite armchair in front of the fireplace again. He had finished his book on Quiddich and had gone over to putting the inspiration he received into a drawing of a Quiddich game in progress. He was just putting the finishing touches on one of the players when the portrait hole opened and Damien climbed through. His cheeks were slightly pink, his lips swollen and he was short of breath.
Harry smiled. "Well well. Out late, are we?" He grinned wickedly. "So, where have you been, with whom, and what have you been doing?" His voice sounded very much like Hermione's.
"Don't worry, MUM," said Damien. "I haven't been doing anything nasty. Yet!" He grinned back.
"If you don't tell me anything now, then that would be downright cruel!"
"I know. I will tell. I've been planning to tell you anyway, but as I said earlier today, I needed to find out some things myself first. I didn't think I'd find out those things this fast though." His smile was threatening to split his face in two. He took a deep breath. "I'm seeing someone."
Harry let out a tiny laugh. "After the way you looked when you came in here two minutes ago I figured that part out myself."
The other boy stuck his tongue out at Harry before he continued to talk. "I've been seeing this boy for some time now, that's why I've been spending so much time away from you guys. I met him by coincidence at a small diner down in Hogsmeade this one weekend I went down there alone. I was sitting alone and then he walked in and sat down in the table next to me. We started talking and before I knew it I was seated at his table, having dinner with him. He was so great! I had seen him around school before to, and thought he was attractive then too, but I figured that he was just as stuck up and idiotic as the people he was with. But I was wrong. Harry, I was so wrong!" Damien nearly twirled on the floor in front of Harry. "I think I'm in love, Harry. We haven't been an 'official' couple before tonight, when he asked me to be his boyfriend. Right after thinking 'Oh. My. God!' and saying 'Yes, off course I will', I thought 'I have to tell Harry!' I really trust you not to tell anyone. You've been in the same situation yourself so."
"Off course I won't say anything." Harry made a zipper movement over his lips and smiled. "But I do have a question for you."
"Ask away."
"Who is he?"
Damien grinned. "I forgot to say that in all my eagerness, didn't I?"
Harry nodded.
"It's. I don't know if I can just say it. Let's just put it this way: it will be another Slytherin going over to the 'enemy'." He grinned again.
Harry's brain was working very hard to find out who it might be. Then suddenly a thought struck him. "Is it Blaise Zabini?"
Damien nodded yes. "How did you guess that so fast?" He seemed quite stunned.
"He told me indirectly that he was gay the same time he told me about Draco's birthday. And thinking about which one of the single guys in Slytherin that's cute. Well.. It didn't leave me much choice, did it?"
"Neeh.. You're right. It didn't." Damien smiled at Harry. "To jump over to another subject, are you staying here over the holidays or what?"
"Me and Draco are staying here, but 'Mione's going home. What about you?"
"I'm staying here as well. I have no reason for going home. We have no nice and cosy Christmas traditions and I've heard some rumours that the castle is beautiful when it's decorated so I decided to stay. Blaise is going home though. I'll miss him." Damien faked a sniffle. "But I'll write him. Whether he wants me to or not." He laughed.
"I understand you. And the rumours are true. It really is beautiful here at Christmas."
The boys sat there and talked for several hours, but found out that it was about time to go to bed when Harry was not only falling asleep during Damien's sentences, but during his own too.
"Good night, Damien," said Harry when they were standing in the hall outside his dormitory. "Sleep tight."
"G'night, sweety," answered Damien with a wicked grin.
"You're not well, you know that?" Harry laughed. "Not well at all!" He turned around and was halfway in the door when Damien slapped him gently on the butt. Harry spun around and grabbed Damien's hand. He lifted it to his face and licked the half-vampire's fingers. "Good night!" He grinned and closed the door behind him. He could hear the other boy's muffled laughter through it. Harry muttered to himself: "Not well at all."
Author's note: Please give me some feedback on this chapter. I don't know whether I like it not. I sorta like the tension between Harry and Damien. It's kinda innocent and sweet and just for fun, but still kinda sexual. What do you think? Should I keep Damien with Blaise and write Blaise into the 'gang' or should they break up.? Can't promise to do what you say, but I'm open to suggestions!
Disclaimer: Most of the characters belong to the wonderful and definitively talented J.K Rowling. I only borrow them to create my stories, but Professor Crow and the lovely Damien are my own doing.
Summary: Some sorrow, some fun, and a little love..
Warning: This fic is slash. Just a teeny tiny warning to the delicate souls out there. (Sooo not counting myself in that category. Yeah right! Me, delicate? You wish. ^-^ )
~Chapter 12~
~Not well at all~
It was the week before Christmas and Harry, Draco and Hermione were sitting by a fire in the school's library. They were doing their homework and talking about the plans they had for the holidays.
"I'm going home. My parents and I are going to my aunt's house for Christmas Eve. I think it's going to be extremely boring," said Hermione in her usual exaggerating way. "But it'll be nice to see my cousins again. Haven't seen a couple of them in years. What about you two?"
The two boys looked at each other before Draco answered. "Well, we're staying here, basically because we don't have a choice."
Harry nodded. "Draco can't go home because of his father and I will not spend the holidays with my dreadful so-called family. And besides, I wouldn't have left Draco here all alone anyway!" He shot a loving gaze over at his boyfriend.
"I understand. I would have invited you, but my aunt doesn't know about me being a witch and. Well, you know."
Draco smiled. "We were actually looking forward to spending this time together at the castle, but thanks anyway, 'Mione."
"It's gonna be quite sad though." Harry lowered his voice a notch. "It's my first Christmas here without Ron. I've missed him before too, of course, but not like this." Harry's eyes welled up with tears.
"I know. I miss him too." Hermione sniffled.
"He was my best friend. Actually, he was my first friend." A single tear ran down the raven haired boy's face, leaving a tiny path of salty water in its wake. Draco leaned across the table and wiped the tear from his boyfriend's jawbone with gentle fingers.
"You've never told me that. I knew that your uncle, aunt and cousin treated you bad, but I didn't know that you had no friends." Hermione sounded slightly shocked.
"Well, I didn't," said Harry with a low voice. "The only ones at the school I went to before I came here that talked to me without calling me names or otherwise harassing me were the teachers. I was a good student. Did my homework in time, paid attention in class, did well on tests and was dressed in clothes that were either too big or too small. All hand-me- downs. That was one of the reasons why I was picked on. The other, biggest reason was that my cousin Dudley was the worst bully.. The other kids feared him and his friends, so when they picked on someone, so did the rest of the kids." He took a deep breath and wiped his face with the sleeve of his robes. "No one my own age ever talked to me like a human being, but when I got here I found Ron. He was the first person to talk to me on the train from King's Cross. He was the best friend I've ever had."
The three of them sat in silence for several minutes, their heads lowered, as if honouring Ron's memory.
"I can't say that I know how you feel, luv," Draco said, his voice breaking the silence. "And I will not try to understand you either, but I will be there if you need to talk about this again." He got up from his chair and walked over to the two Gryffindors. He cradled Harry's face in his hands and kissed his swollen lips carefully.
"So will I," said Hermione in a whisper.
"Thank you." Harry forced a little smile onto his own face, still sniffling a bit,
Hermione started to get her things together. "Let's go, guys. I don't think any of us will be able to concentrate on our homework any longer."
The boys nodded in agreement and gathered their stuff too.
When Harry opened the door that led out of the library something black slithered past them and out into the hallway. Draco crouched down and smiled at the cat.
"Hello there Blue. How was your sleep?" He stroked the cat's silky back. Blue yawned and rubbed his head against his owner's leg before he pranced on down the corridor. The black cat hadn't left Draco's side since they came home the night of his birthday. The blonde didn't want him to either.
~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~
The teens split up in the Entrance Hall to go to their dormitories and put on some more clothes. Hermione had suggested a snowball fight. The two Gryffindors got back down to the Hall about five minutes later, wearing thick woollen robes with hoods to keep the cool air out. Harry's were black and lined with gold and Hermione's were deep red (A/N: Little Red Riding Hood?) lined with green. Draco arrived in the Hall a few minutes later than them. It took longer to walk down to the Slytherin dungeons than up to the Gryffindor tower. He was also dressed in woollen robes, but the hood was almost as long as the robes themselves. The main colour was dark forest green with silver linings. (A/N: I know I go a bit overboard with the Slytherin and Gryffindor colours, but I don't care.)
"Well, don't you look all Christmasy," said Draco to Hermione.
"I take that as a compliment," she replied smiling. "You look good. You were born to be dressed in those colours."
Draco blushed and faced his boyfriend. "You look good in everything."
"Thank you, D." It was Harry's turn to blush. "Let's go outside!"
The three of them ran out into the snow covered school grounds. They all sprinted in different directions to find good shelter and make snowballs. Harry threw himself down behind a rose bush that gave him shelter and provided a clear view of both of his opponents. He was able to make a small heap of snowballs before the first airborne one hit him in the shoulder. It was Hermione that threw it. He threw two back at her with all his strength. At the same time a ball from Draco hit him in the side. He laughed and jumped out from his rose bush with snow balls in his arms. He threw at both of them until his arms were empty. Draco and Hermione had also come out of their hiding places to get revenge on Harry. They threw themselves over him in a big pile of snow and covered him in the cold, white substance. A while later, after a lot of laughter and playing, three snowmen walked back up to the castle. The one with most snow on him was Harry.
"We really got you, didn't we?" Draco grinned at his boyfriend.
Harry grinned back. "Hey! I got you first, okay? I let you win."
"Yeah, right!" Hermione laughed, and said sarcastically: "If you say that to yourself enough times, maybe it'll come true."
His green eyes sparkled wickedly, and before she knew it he had thrown a handful of snow right in her face. Hermione snorted and both the boys burst out in laughter. When she saw her reflection in one of the windows, she joined in as well. Her entire face was white. Only her eyes and mouth were showing.
Draco performed a sweeping spell on them before they went into the Entrance Hall.
"This little sucker sweeps away anything. My mother taught it to me when I was little. I always spilled things," he said. "But you have to remember to say what you want to sweep away. This one time when I was eight, I swept my clothes off at school." He blushed.
Harry dropped his voice so that only the blonde could hear him. "I'll remember that." He sounded to seductive that his boyfriend blushed even harder.
To get his thoughts over to something else, Draco said, "Where's Damien these days, by the way? I haven't seen him around for a while."
The others shrugged. "I don't know," answered Harry. "The last time I saw him was yesterday morning, when he rushed past me on my way to the common room. It was early and I asked him to join me by the hearth before breakfast, but he said that he didn't have the time, that he had something to do, and rushed on down the stairs. After that I've only seen him in the Great Hall during meals or in classes. Haven't actually talked to him."
"Me neither." Hermione looked at the boys. He's being all secretive and not telling where he runs off to after classes or anything."
The two boys looked at each other. "Hmmm.?" Harry smiled. "That sounds like someone else we all know. A while back that is."
Draco returned Harry's smile. "Yeah. Us! But that doesn't have to mean he's seeing someone, does it?"
"No." Hermione answered. "I was very secretive back in third year, when I was doing some minor time travelling to have time for all my classes. Remember?" She looked at Harry.
"I remember. Actually I thought about that myself too, but I have a feeling Dumbledore wouldn't allow that again. But guys? Instead of standing here speculating, why doesn't one or all of us ask Damien about this? Nothing good comes from jumping to conclusions."
"I agree," said Draco. "But who'll talk to him? I haven't exactly had those kinds of conversations with him. By the way, did Dumbledore actually allow you to do that?"
"Me neither." Hermione's eyes turned to Harry. "But you have, haven't you? And yes Draco, he actually did."
Draco looked a little shocked for a second then he turned his attention toward Harry.
Harry shrugged. "I guess. I'll do it the next time I see him, if I have the time. Okay?"
The other two nodded.
"I have to go. Have some packing left, you see." Hermione smiled and ran up the staircase heading for the Gryffindor tower.
"I have to go too," said Draco. "I have to finish that damned Potions essay. I'll see you later, okay?" He smiled at his boyfriend.
"Sure, D. I have some homework left myself so." Harry smiled back and kissed the blonde passionately before they split up.
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~
Harry sat in the Gryffindor common room reading a book on Quiddich later that evening. Suddenly Damien came through the portrait hole.
'Well. I might as well get it over with,' Harry thought to himself. He closed his book and got out of the fluffy armchair.
"Hello stranger," he said to Damien with a smile.
Damien returned the smile with a grin. "Hi there, Handsome." He laughed.
"Not to pry in your private life and stuff. But. Ehhh." Harry ran his fingers through his hair and made it even more untidy. "I was just wondering. Ehhh."
The other boy laughed again. "Come on. Spit it out.. I won't bite." He grinned and licked his left fang with the tip of his tongue.
"I was just wondering what you have been up to lately. Haven't seen you out of class and meals for a long time."
"You see? That wasn't so hard, now was it? I don't know how I'm going to answer your question, Harry. It's pretty complicated. Is it okay if I tell you when I understand more of it myself?"
"Off course it is." Harry smiled.
"But I can tell you two things: it has nothing to do with you, Hermione or Draco. And I still think you're a babe, but I will not surprise you in the shower the way I did that time. I'm so sorry for that." Damien looked at the floor.
"I know you are. I'm quite grateful that you won't surprise me like that again. Don't get me wrong," Harry grinned. "Feel free to smell me when I get off in the shower anytime, just let me know that you're there." The expression on his face showed no humour.
"I'll remember that," Damien replied with the same humourless expression. But none of them could keep it more than a few seconds before they burst into laugher.
Harry wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes. "Shall we go down for dinner?"
"Yes, we shall," said Damien and took Harry's arm. "May I open the hole for you milady?"
Harry nodded and dropped a curtsy. The two boys started to laugh again as they walked down the corridor. When they were halfway down the stairs Damien stopped.
"Harry?"
Harry nodded.
"Could you do me favour and not say anything to the others? I know that I haven't actually told you anything, but anyway."
"I won't. You can tell them yourself later, if there is anything to tell. Same with me."
"Thanks, Harry." Damien gave Harry a quick hug.
Harry got a little surprised, but returned the hug and said, "No problem, Damien." Then they walked down the rest of the staircase and into the Great Hall for dinner.
Damien and Harry sat next to each other at dinner, but they both ate in silence. Hermione and Ginny were chatting eagerly across the table. When Damien had finished his dinner and had some apple flavoured ice cream for dessert he got up from his chair. He leaned down to Harry and dropped his voice.
"Will you go to bed early today, Harry, or can we talk a little in the common room when I get back tonight?"
"I'll be there," Harry whispered. "I have to finish my book anyway." He smiled. Damien returned his smile and said good bye to Hermione before he disappeared out of the Great Hall.
Hermione turned her attention to Harry. "What was that about? Has he told you anything?"
Harry thought about it for a split second and decided to lie. "He just wondered if I would sit with him in the common room later tonight. He was going to read for a while and just wanted some company. And no, he hasn't told me anything. I didn't ask him directly. I was going to, but decided that if there was something we should know then he would tell us himself."
"You're right. We are good at sticking our noses in other people's business, aren't we?" She twirled a strand of brown hair around her right index finger.
"Yes, we are. So it's good that at least one of us has some common sense then." He laughed and patted her on the shoulder.
The sarcastic, cheeky Hermione suddenly surfaced. "Is it really? And who might that person be? Not you. That's for sure, Mr. Sneak-out-at-night-to- chase-basilisks-or-ride-hippogriffs-to-save-uncle."
"Hmmph!" Harry pretended to be offended and stuck his nose in the air. "I do not know what it is you are talking of. I would do no such thing!"
Hermione rolled her eyes toward the ceiling and got back to finishing her caramel pudding.
After he had finished his own dessert he went for a little visit to the Slytherin table to wish his boyfriend a good night. It wasn't that late at night yet so that any of them would go to bed for at least three hours, but they wouldn't see each other until the next day so he thought it was as good a time as any to say it.
"Good night and sweet dreams, luv," said Draco and kissed his boyfriend in plain view of the students and teachers.
"Sweet dreams to you too, D," Harry replied. He let his lips brush against Draco's forehead and walked away from the table.
~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~
One and a half hours later the common room was deserted, and Harry was sitting in his favourite armchair in front of the fireplace again. He had finished his book on Quiddich and had gone over to putting the inspiration he received into a drawing of a Quiddich game in progress. He was just putting the finishing touches on one of the players when the portrait hole opened and Damien climbed through. His cheeks were slightly pink, his lips swollen and he was short of breath.
Harry smiled. "Well well. Out late, are we?" He grinned wickedly. "So, where have you been, with whom, and what have you been doing?" His voice sounded very much like Hermione's.
"Don't worry, MUM," said Damien. "I haven't been doing anything nasty. Yet!" He grinned back.
"If you don't tell me anything now, then that would be downright cruel!"
"I know. I will tell. I've been planning to tell you anyway, but as I said earlier today, I needed to find out some things myself first. I didn't think I'd find out those things this fast though." His smile was threatening to split his face in two. He took a deep breath. "I'm seeing someone."
Harry let out a tiny laugh. "After the way you looked when you came in here two minutes ago I figured that part out myself."
The other boy stuck his tongue out at Harry before he continued to talk. "I've been seeing this boy for some time now, that's why I've been spending so much time away from you guys. I met him by coincidence at a small diner down in Hogsmeade this one weekend I went down there alone. I was sitting alone and then he walked in and sat down in the table next to me. We started talking and before I knew it I was seated at his table, having dinner with him. He was so great! I had seen him around school before to, and thought he was attractive then too, but I figured that he was just as stuck up and idiotic as the people he was with. But I was wrong. Harry, I was so wrong!" Damien nearly twirled on the floor in front of Harry. "I think I'm in love, Harry. We haven't been an 'official' couple before tonight, when he asked me to be his boyfriend. Right after thinking 'Oh. My. God!' and saying 'Yes, off course I will', I thought 'I have to tell Harry!' I really trust you not to tell anyone. You've been in the same situation yourself so."
"Off course I won't say anything." Harry made a zipper movement over his lips and smiled. "But I do have a question for you."
"Ask away."
"Who is he?"
Damien grinned. "I forgot to say that in all my eagerness, didn't I?"
Harry nodded.
"It's. I don't know if I can just say it. Let's just put it this way: it will be another Slytherin going over to the 'enemy'." He grinned again.
Harry's brain was working very hard to find out who it might be. Then suddenly a thought struck him. "Is it Blaise Zabini?"
Damien nodded yes. "How did you guess that so fast?" He seemed quite stunned.
"He told me indirectly that he was gay the same time he told me about Draco's birthday. And thinking about which one of the single guys in Slytherin that's cute. Well.. It didn't leave me much choice, did it?"
"Neeh.. You're right. It didn't." Damien smiled at Harry. "To jump over to another subject, are you staying here over the holidays or what?"
"Me and Draco are staying here, but 'Mione's going home. What about you?"
"I'm staying here as well. I have no reason for going home. We have no nice and cosy Christmas traditions and I've heard some rumours that the castle is beautiful when it's decorated so I decided to stay. Blaise is going home though. I'll miss him." Damien faked a sniffle. "But I'll write him. Whether he wants me to or not." He laughed.
"I understand you. And the rumours are true. It really is beautiful here at Christmas."
The boys sat there and talked for several hours, but found out that it was about time to go to bed when Harry was not only falling asleep during Damien's sentences, but during his own too.
"Good night, Damien," said Harry when they were standing in the hall outside his dormitory. "Sleep tight."
"G'night, sweety," answered Damien with a wicked grin.
"You're not well, you know that?" Harry laughed. "Not well at all!" He turned around and was halfway in the door when Damien slapped him gently on the butt. Harry spun around and grabbed Damien's hand. He lifted it to his face and licked the half-vampire's fingers. "Good night!" He grinned and closed the door behind him. He could hear the other boy's muffled laughter through it. Harry muttered to himself: "Not well at all."
Author's note: Please give me some feedback on this chapter. I don't know whether I like it not. I sorta like the tension between Harry and Damien. It's kinda innocent and sweet and just for fun, but still kinda sexual. What do you think? Should I keep Damien with Blaise and write Blaise into the 'gang' or should they break up.? Can't promise to do what you say, but I'm open to suggestions!