Easier to Run Chapter 7
Just washing it aside
All of the helplessness inside
Pretending I don't feel misplaced
Is so much simpler than change
"Why don't you come out with us?"
"Us?"
Harry shrugged. "I'm going out with Cloe and the gang today. They all wanna know how my 'date' went," he said sarcastically. "You wanna come?"
"With Cloe?" Draco asked, wrinkling his nose.
"Awe, are you worried about me, Draco?" Harry asked in mock-delight. "She has a boyfriend, you don't have to be jealous."
"I am not jealous!" Draco protested quickly.
"Oh, now I get it," Harry teased. "You hate her for absolutely no reason whatsoever and you don't even know her."
"You make it sound so cruel," Draco muttered.
"That's because it is." Harry pulled the carton of milk out of his refrigerator. "Do you want to come or not?"
Draco shrugged. "Sure. I got nothing better to do."
"Good," Harry smiled. "They're giving me an American-style makeover today. Cloe's best friend, Dawson, said he has a great hair stylist that I might like. You might want a haircut too."
"Hell no," Draco replied. I like my hair just the way it is."
"Well, if you want to look like your father..." Harry mumbled. He grabbed two glasses from his cupboard and poured the milk into them.
"I don't drink milk," Draco said, straightening his posture.
Harry rolled his eyes and handed the glass to Draco. "You do now." He took a drink of his own glass and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "Hmmm... I think I might ask Dawson out. He seems like a really great guy."
Draco blinked at him.
"What?" Harry asked. "I'm just thinking aloud. No big deal..."
"Do you really think that you're ready for another relationship? So soon?" Draco asked.
"A little harmless dating won't hurt anything, Draco. I think it's about time I at least go out on a real date... instead of dinner with you." He laughed.
"What's wrong with dinner with me?" Draco asked, taken aback.
"Nothing," Harry replied. "Just that I've been going out with you every night for a week. I haven't been doing anything else. It's kinda pathetic."
"I don't think there's anything pathetic about it," Draco mumbled.
***
Draco watched the large group of people sitting in front of him as if he were an outsider. He followed every movement, memorized every word, as if his life counted on the conversations going on. And to him, it felt like it did.
He avoided Dawson the entire time, ignoring him when he tried to make conversation. He watched him the most. He had deliberately coaxed Cloe to sit directly between them as they ate their lunch.
Something about the idea of Harry dating someone bothered him. It seemed wrong. Draco couldn't explain it; if Harry was ready to move on, he should have been too.
Harry smiled at Draco thoughtfully as he set his sandwich down. Draco looked down at his plate. He hadn't even realized how often he stared at Harry until Harry looked back at him.
Cloe looked from Harry to Draco in the new silence. Draco looked up and saw her eyes darting back and forth.
"Draco, could I talk to you?" she asked slowly.
Draco bit his lip as he stood. "Yeah?"
Cloe walked out of earshot of the table, with Draco following close behind. "You like him, don't you?" she whispered.
"What are you talking about?" Draco asked skeptically.
"Come on, it's so obvious!" she exclaimed. "You like Harry! Why didn't you say something?"
Something clicked in Draco's mind. She was right. It WAS obvious. But he wasn't about to admit it. "Cloe, I don't have a crush on Harry. He's just a friend! I have no idea what would make you think that."
Cloe rolled her eyes. "If you say so." She sat back down at the table, only in a different spot. She sat next to Todd. Harry and Dawson scooted closer together to make room for her in her new seat.
Draco grunted and sat back down, shooting her a nasty look.
Harry began eating his sandwich again as Dawson talked to him. Harry gave Draco a shy smile as their eyes locked, then he looked back at Dawson.
"Is everyone ready to go to the salon?" Cloe asked as Harry dropped his half-eaten sandwich.
"Yeah, I'm finished here," Harry said, and stood up. Everyone followed him.
***
Harry wrinkled his nose as he looked in the mirror. "They didn't do anything different. What was the point of that?" he asked as he ran his fingers throw his unruly hair.
"That's not true," Draco said. "They gave you highlights. You just can't see them from up there."
"What did they do to you?" Harry asked, turning to Draco, who was wearing a tan baseball cap. "Did they brutalize your beautiful locks?" he added sarcastically.
Draco glared, but nodded. "I'm not taking this hat off. Not until I get back to my hotel room."
"Eh, take it off. It can't be that bad. Not like we would care anyway," Harry smiled.
Draco smacked his lips together and reluctantly lifted the hat from his head. His silvery-blond hair fell across his forehead loosely. The tips were striped a baby blue, so light you could hardly tell the dye was there. His hair was parted in a zigzag pattern down the center of his scalp. Draco bit his lip as he pulled a few strands away from his eyes and tucked it behind his ear.
"It's horrible. I never leave my hair down for a reason," he mumbled, putting the cap back on.
"No, no, no," Harry nearly shouted, grabbing the hat. "Draco... that looks amazing. If you ever put this hat on again I'll be forced to kill you." He stared at Draco's hair, circling his slowly. He reached up and ran a finger through the soft, silk-like hair.
"Harry, have you gone insane? It looks horrible on me! It's not my style at all!" Draco complained.
"Oh, shut up, Draco, it looks great," Harry exclaimed, rolling his eyes. Don't be such a drama queen!"
Draco huffed indignantly as he made a grab for the cap. Harry pulled it away faster than Draco could manage and tossed the hat in the trash can next to the entrance of the hair salon.
"Harry!" Draco shouted. "I can't..."
"Come on, you two!" Cloe grinned before Draco could finish. "Stop acting like five-year-olds and let's go. The arcade is waiting for us!"
Cloe and the rest of the group started down the street. Harry began to follow them, but Draco grabbed his arm.
"Draco, come on, we're gonna be late," Harry said, curious to why Draco stopped him.
Draco ignored Harry's words and stared into his eyes. Harry didn't look away. His eyes were curious, and playful and alive. Draco couldn't remember the last time he had seen Harry look so happy. It had been so long.
Draco stepped toward Harry, entranced by his beautiful emerald eyes. Before he could even think about what he was doing, his lips brushed against Harry's. His eyes fell shut. He savored the soft skin against his, only for a brief moment.
"I... I-I..." Harry mumbled as he stumbled backwards. "I have to go." He jogged down the street, looking over his shoulder once on his way.
"Shit!" Draco yelled, closing his eyes again. He couldn't believe he had the nerve to wreck the friendship he had worked so hard on building between them.
*_*_*_*_*
A/N: One story at a time, people. I know this isn't extraordinary.... But I couldn't really write anything better. Writer's block sucks. But I think the next chapter will better.
I've been thinking about the lyrics.... And I think that I might stop using them. This story is going to go on much longer than the song does. The story will still tie into the lyrics.... If you have an opinion on it, please say so! Hahaha
~~TTFN, Deathdragon4~~
Just washing it aside
All of the helplessness inside
Pretending I don't feel misplaced
Is so much simpler than change
"Why don't you come out with us?"
"Us?"
Harry shrugged. "I'm going out with Cloe and the gang today. They all wanna know how my 'date' went," he said sarcastically. "You wanna come?"
"With Cloe?" Draco asked, wrinkling his nose.
"Awe, are you worried about me, Draco?" Harry asked in mock-delight. "She has a boyfriend, you don't have to be jealous."
"I am not jealous!" Draco protested quickly.
"Oh, now I get it," Harry teased. "You hate her for absolutely no reason whatsoever and you don't even know her."
"You make it sound so cruel," Draco muttered.
"That's because it is." Harry pulled the carton of milk out of his refrigerator. "Do you want to come or not?"
Draco shrugged. "Sure. I got nothing better to do."
"Good," Harry smiled. "They're giving me an American-style makeover today. Cloe's best friend, Dawson, said he has a great hair stylist that I might like. You might want a haircut too."
"Hell no," Draco replied. I like my hair just the way it is."
"Well, if you want to look like your father..." Harry mumbled. He grabbed two glasses from his cupboard and poured the milk into them.
"I don't drink milk," Draco said, straightening his posture.
Harry rolled his eyes and handed the glass to Draco. "You do now." He took a drink of his own glass and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "Hmmm... I think I might ask Dawson out. He seems like a really great guy."
Draco blinked at him.
"What?" Harry asked. "I'm just thinking aloud. No big deal..."
"Do you really think that you're ready for another relationship? So soon?" Draco asked.
"A little harmless dating won't hurt anything, Draco. I think it's about time I at least go out on a real date... instead of dinner with you." He laughed.
"What's wrong with dinner with me?" Draco asked, taken aback.
"Nothing," Harry replied. "Just that I've been going out with you every night for a week. I haven't been doing anything else. It's kinda pathetic."
"I don't think there's anything pathetic about it," Draco mumbled.
***
Draco watched the large group of people sitting in front of him as if he were an outsider. He followed every movement, memorized every word, as if his life counted on the conversations going on. And to him, it felt like it did.
He avoided Dawson the entire time, ignoring him when he tried to make conversation. He watched him the most. He had deliberately coaxed Cloe to sit directly between them as they ate their lunch.
Something about the idea of Harry dating someone bothered him. It seemed wrong. Draco couldn't explain it; if Harry was ready to move on, he should have been too.
Harry smiled at Draco thoughtfully as he set his sandwich down. Draco looked down at his plate. He hadn't even realized how often he stared at Harry until Harry looked back at him.
Cloe looked from Harry to Draco in the new silence. Draco looked up and saw her eyes darting back and forth.
"Draco, could I talk to you?" she asked slowly.
Draco bit his lip as he stood. "Yeah?"
Cloe walked out of earshot of the table, with Draco following close behind. "You like him, don't you?" she whispered.
"What are you talking about?" Draco asked skeptically.
"Come on, it's so obvious!" she exclaimed. "You like Harry! Why didn't you say something?"
Something clicked in Draco's mind. She was right. It WAS obvious. But he wasn't about to admit it. "Cloe, I don't have a crush on Harry. He's just a friend! I have no idea what would make you think that."
Cloe rolled her eyes. "If you say so." She sat back down at the table, only in a different spot. She sat next to Todd. Harry and Dawson scooted closer together to make room for her in her new seat.
Draco grunted and sat back down, shooting her a nasty look.
Harry began eating his sandwich again as Dawson talked to him. Harry gave Draco a shy smile as their eyes locked, then he looked back at Dawson.
"Is everyone ready to go to the salon?" Cloe asked as Harry dropped his half-eaten sandwich.
"Yeah, I'm finished here," Harry said, and stood up. Everyone followed him.
***
Harry wrinkled his nose as he looked in the mirror. "They didn't do anything different. What was the point of that?" he asked as he ran his fingers throw his unruly hair.
"That's not true," Draco said. "They gave you highlights. You just can't see them from up there."
"What did they do to you?" Harry asked, turning to Draco, who was wearing a tan baseball cap. "Did they brutalize your beautiful locks?" he added sarcastically.
Draco glared, but nodded. "I'm not taking this hat off. Not until I get back to my hotel room."
"Eh, take it off. It can't be that bad. Not like we would care anyway," Harry smiled.
Draco smacked his lips together and reluctantly lifted the hat from his head. His silvery-blond hair fell across his forehead loosely. The tips were striped a baby blue, so light you could hardly tell the dye was there. His hair was parted in a zigzag pattern down the center of his scalp. Draco bit his lip as he pulled a few strands away from his eyes and tucked it behind his ear.
"It's horrible. I never leave my hair down for a reason," he mumbled, putting the cap back on.
"No, no, no," Harry nearly shouted, grabbing the hat. "Draco... that looks amazing. If you ever put this hat on again I'll be forced to kill you." He stared at Draco's hair, circling his slowly. He reached up and ran a finger through the soft, silk-like hair.
"Harry, have you gone insane? It looks horrible on me! It's not my style at all!" Draco complained.
"Oh, shut up, Draco, it looks great," Harry exclaimed, rolling his eyes. Don't be such a drama queen!"
Draco huffed indignantly as he made a grab for the cap. Harry pulled it away faster than Draco could manage and tossed the hat in the trash can next to the entrance of the hair salon.
"Harry!" Draco shouted. "I can't..."
"Come on, you two!" Cloe grinned before Draco could finish. "Stop acting like five-year-olds and let's go. The arcade is waiting for us!"
Cloe and the rest of the group started down the street. Harry began to follow them, but Draco grabbed his arm.
"Draco, come on, we're gonna be late," Harry said, curious to why Draco stopped him.
Draco ignored Harry's words and stared into his eyes. Harry didn't look away. His eyes were curious, and playful and alive. Draco couldn't remember the last time he had seen Harry look so happy. It had been so long.
Draco stepped toward Harry, entranced by his beautiful emerald eyes. Before he could even think about what he was doing, his lips brushed against Harry's. His eyes fell shut. He savored the soft skin against his, only for a brief moment.
"I... I-I..." Harry mumbled as he stumbled backwards. "I have to go." He jogged down the street, looking over his shoulder once on his way.
"Shit!" Draco yelled, closing his eyes again. He couldn't believe he had the nerve to wreck the friendship he had worked so hard on building between them.
*_*_*_*_*
A/N: One story at a time, people. I know this isn't extraordinary.... But I couldn't really write anything better. Writer's block sucks. But I think the next chapter will better.
I've been thinking about the lyrics.... And I think that I might stop using them. This story is going to go on much longer than the song does. The story will still tie into the lyrics.... If you have an opinion on it, please say so! Hahaha
~~TTFN, Deathdragon4~~