Author's note: I haven't been writing for a while, but after seeing PoA a couple of times, I'm totally inspired again. Also, it's probably been noticable that I've changed the direction a little bit. There's going to be more humor, it was originally going to be more dramatic. But I'm having way too much fun with Draco!
Discaimer: They belong to JK, not me. If they did belong to me, well. . . never mind!
Don't make it tough, I've put away my pride
Draco stared outside, watching several students mill around the grounds. His thoughts began to drift. What does Harry want? Why does he insist on meeting me alone? Could this be a setup of some sort? Did I brush my hair one hundred times, or one hundred and one?
The creak of an opening door derailed his train of thought. "Draco?"
"I'm here," he answered. Harry entered the room and Draco stepped from the window.
"Jesus," Harry whispered, eyes open wide.
"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" Draco drawled, snapping Harry out of his trance.
"Uh, nothing," Harry said eloquently.
Stepping toward Harry, Draco shifted his eyes up and down Harry's frame. The outfit definitely did him justice. Draco never knew Harry had such a nice build. Not entirely huge, but the t-shirt showed that there was definitely something to behold underneath. 'Shit,' Draco thought, 'I need to see him without his robes more often.' On the outside, Draco's face stayed blank. "So, Potter, why is it that you felt the need to drag me into a filthy old classroom?" He emphasized his point with a sweep of his hand.
Harry crossed his arms and smirked. "I don't recall dragging you anywhere, Draco. You came here of your own free will."
"Your tone's rather arrogant, Potter. One might say it's rather. . . Slytherinistic. By the way, why do you keep using my first name?"
Harry snorted. "Slytherinistic? No, it's just all these years of dealing with you. And why not use your first name? Does it make you uncomfortable?"
"Cut the nonsense, Potter. What do you want?" Draco began to pace.
"Fine. Why did you save me from the dragon, Draco?"
Stopping dead in his tracks, Draco stared at Harry, exasperated. "You have got to be joking, Potter. This is what you wanted me alone for? To ask me about that bloody dragon? This is a conversation we could be having anywhere! You're unbelievable!"
"Well, don't you think I have a right to know?" Harry sat on top of the old teacher's desk and fiddled with a dusty quill. "I mean, I was directly involved, you know."
Squeezing his eyes closed, Draco rubbed his temples. "Who. Cares? You're alive, aren't you? You should be grateful and not so bloody inquisitive!"
"I care. I could have been killed, you know. You could have let that dragon flatten me, but you didn't. Why won't you answer?" Sliding off the desk, Harry crossed the room and stopped at the window. "It's not that difficult, you know. And I am grateful."
Draco huffed. "I don't know. Quite frankly, I'm beginning to regret my decision. Is this all you wanted? I'm getting bored." Ha! Change of subject.
Now it was Harry's turn to pace. "Why are you so bloody stubborn? You'd think you're being interrogated."
Hmm. Change of subject didn't work. Bugger! Now what? "Maybe it's because I feel that I am being interrogated! You're the one that's stubborn, Potter! Why can't you just let it go? I had an unusually nice moment, and I just had to waste it on you, ok? Now, is this all you wanted or not? I can think of other things I'd rather be doing than wasting my afternoon with you."
"What are you talking about? This was your idea. I wanted to meet tonight."
"You know something, you should be happy that I even agreed to this. And for Merlin's sake, stop pacing!"
Harry stopped, staring intently at Draco. "Ok, there is something else. There is one more thing that I want."
Draco felt those eyes pierce him. His heart quickened and the butterflies returned. "Well," he said with unsteady breath, "what is it, then?"
Harry took a deep breath. Draco watched as he moved closer to him until they stood face to face. Actually, Draco had to look down on him a little as he was slightly taller. "First of all," Harry whispered, reaching around to the back of Draco's neck, "your hair looks so much better loose." He pulled at the ribbon and Draco's hair fell around his face. Draco could feel Harry's fingers tremble as he began to run his fingers through Draco's hair.
Draco stopped breathing for a second. "What are you playing at, Potter?" he whispered.
"Think, Draco. What do you think I want?" Harry twirled a lock of Draco's hair around his finger, still holding the ribbon in his hand.
'Merlin, have fucking mercy,' thought the blond. He never would have expected this out of the Gryffindor. Sure, they had their bravery, but he always thought of Harry as a little more bashful. Closing his eyes, Draco bit his lip. This couldn't be happening. His heart raced and his breathing quickened. Harry wanted him. Really wanted him. Either that, or Harry was strangely fascinated with his hair. Which Draco couldn't blame him for. Quickly shaking his head, Draco threw his hands up. "Whoa, where's this coming from?"
Dropping his arms to his sides, Harry blinked. "What's wrong?" Draco watched as Harry's expression changed from confused to. . . was that hurt?
"This is a bad idea, Potter," he sighed.
"Why?"
Draco backed away and walked to the window. "Do I even need to say why?" He brushed a lock of hair from his eyes and stared outside. "Don't be naive." Draco could feel his insides wrenching. 'This is what you wanted, fool, don't ruin it.' Ah. He wondered when that stupid voice would make its return.
Behind him, he heard Harry sigh. "Enlighten me," Harry said.
"First of all, what would your friends think of their Golden Boy lowering himself to a Slytherin's company? They'd all have coronaries, you know."
Draco could hear Harry's footsteps as he strode to join him. "That's your problem, Draco. You don't know my friends. They know. And they don't care. What they care about is me, and my happiness. Even if it means 'lowering' myself. And don't call me Golden Boy, I hate that."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Is that a fact?"
"Yes, it is! So knock it off! I'm trying to be open with you here." Harry turned and began to pace again. "This isn't easy, you know."
Draco turned his back to the window and watched Harry's movements. He allowed himself a little smile as he realized how hard this must be for the Gryffindor. Inside, Draco wanted to dance. Unfortunately for him, Malfoys didn't dance out of happiness. It didn't allow the dignity required of a Malfoy. However, depending on the situation, waltzing was acceptible. But this was not an acceptible situation. And where the bloody hell had all that come from?
"Draco?" Harry's voice cut into his thoughts.
"What?"
"Are you even listening?"
"Yes, you said this isn't easy for you . And I doubt it would be, Potter. Especially considering I could make your life a living hell with this if I wanted to." Draco quirked his eyebrows at this.
"I'm aware of that, Draco. But I'm trusting you enough to tell you this, so I'm trusting you to be mature enough not to make my life a living hell. And if I honestly thought you would try to humiliate me, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Harry sounded confident, but resumed pacing.
"Fine. Now how about the Slytherins? I think it's safe to say that they'll probably hang us both. They're not as understanding as your friends." His eyes followed Harry as he continued pacing. "You know, this is an old classroom, you'll wear a hole in the floor in no time."
Harry didn't stop. "Sorry," he said sarcastically, "Nerves. Must have been something I ate." Harry rolled his eyes. "The Slytherins? Give me a break, you and I both know that they're all too afraid of you to do anything stupid. Honestly."
Draco smiled at this. "Yeah, they are, aren't they?" He shook his head. "Still, what makes you think that I would agree to this?"
"I'm not saying you will. I don't even know how you feel." He paused at this, thinking for a moment. "I think I've said everything I can. It's ultimately your decision."
"Clearly, you haven't thought this out. What about my father? Unlike my fellow Slytherins, I think it's fair to say that he's not afraid of me. I know he'll kill us." Draco frowned.
Harry laughed, "Your father? Please, don't be ridiculous. I've had a run-in or two with your father, and I'm not afraid of him in the least."
Glaring, Draco spat, "That's all fine and good for you, Potter, but I am, thank you very much! Not to mention my mother." Draco shuddered at this. "Sometimes she's scarier than he is."
Harry began pacing. Again. "So, the only thing I've really gotten out of all this is that you're just afraid of what other people think."
"That and possible dismemberment from my father. And just so you know, I've lived my whole life having to worry about what other people think. So, I apologize if I can't quite get away from that. You're making all this way too simple, and there's nothing simple about it." Draco turned away from him again. 'Does he have an answer for everything?' he wondered to himself.
Draco watched as Harry stopped, turned, and strode toward him. He stood so close, his body heat practically set Draco on fire. "Fine. Now, let me tell you what I've had to worry about my whole life. I lost my parents as a baby. You know that one. I was made to live in a cupboard for ten years of my life. Every year I have to think of a new way to get out of that bloody house because those blasted relatives of mine don't want me, and they don't want me to be here either. Someday I'll have to fight 'your father's boss' and most likely, I won't live through it. So, I apologize if I just want one chance to be happy."
Draco's eye widened. "Happy?" he said disbelievingly. "Happy? With me? Someone you've hated for the past six years?"
Harry shrugged. "Feelings change. I can't explain it. If someone had told me six months ago that this would be happening now, they'd have to see Madam Pomfrey to have their wand removed from their arse."
That made Draco smirk. "If it had been me, it would be Hagrid's umbrella. Opened."
Harry snickered. "Anyway, do you understand what I'm saying? I think you do, otherwise, I'm sure I'd be dead by now. And don't think I didn't notice not one of your reasons included, 'because I don't feel the same way, Potter.'"
Draco wrinkled his nose. "Do I really sound that way?"
Harry laughed. "No, that was a slight exaggeration. Now, will you please answer my question? Do you understand?"
Draco's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Yes, I understand how you feel. But I just don't think it will work. Someone's bound to get hurt."
"Yes, that's a possibility. But hey, you know what? That's life. You take risks. You don't know until you try. I'm willing to give it a shot. But I'm leaving it up to you. I've spilled my guts to you. It's your decision." He reached up and ran a finger along Draco's cheek. Drawing a deep breath, Draco closed his eyes at the touch. "Just think about it, ok? That's all I ask."
Draco's eyes sprang open. "So, then what? Let's say I agree to this. Let's say I do feel as you do. Would we hide it? Would we tell everyone? This whole bloody place would be in an uproar!"
"Fuck no, we wouldn't hide it! Why should we? I wouldn't be ashamed. And I would think you of all people would love the attention."
"Where is all this coming from?" Draco cocked his head to the side. "Why me? I just don't understand what you want with me. Well, of course I understand, but you're bloody Harry Potter! You've got your choice of anyone!"
"Stop with the questions already! I've already told you everything I possibly can! Maybe I do have my choice of anyone." Harry turned and strode back to the window. "And it seems as though I've made my choice," he whispered.
Draco opened his mouth, but no sound came.
"Just think about it, ok?" Harry walked back to Draco. "If you say no, I won't be a bother to you again." He left the classroom and closed the door.
Draco ran a hand over his face. 'This is what you've been wanting, Malfoy!' Again with the voice. 'What's wrong with you?'
"Apparently, I've gone mental," Draco muttered aloud.
