Title: Save Me From The Dark
Author: Princesspepper
Rating: I think I can get away with R.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story. They belong to J.K. Rowling.
Pairing: Harry/Draco (suggestion of Ron/Hermione, but, of course, that is not important).
WARNINGS: Sexual content (later), adult language, self-harm (cutting, more specifically), kinda dark, and some Ron-bashing in later chapters.
(A/N): The conflict shall become more apparent in this chapter. Hope you enjoy!
This chapter is dedicated to ozumas girl, lord of the potters, SummerlandJM, driven to insanity, cinder, adina, anonymous, creepy clown doll, and MishapsErrors! Thank you so much!
(Chapter Five: Dreams Fulfilled, Fears Instilled)
When Harry got into the Hall, Hermione saw him come in and caught his eye. She quickly made an excuse to get up and briskly walked towards the door, taking Harry's arm and dragging him back out.
"So, how'd it go? You two shag yet?"
"HERMIONE!" Harry yelled, scandalized, "What the hell? What makes you so interested?"
Hermione smiled wickedly. "Oh nothing. I'll take that as a no, then?"
"YES, YOU SHOULD BLOODY WELL TAKE THAT AS A NO!" Harry screamed. But Hermione ignored his outburst.
"Well, did you at least confess your love for each other? THEN you can go off and shag!" she said cheerily, clapping her hands together.
"No! He's still a prick. I'm not about to go all mushy on him."
"Wait…" Hermione said, eyeing Harry. "Are you telling me that you are treating him the SAME as you treated him in Potions? Come on, are you sure you like him? I mean, you know he likes you, what's stopping you from telling him?"
Harry clenched his teeth angrily. "I'm. Not. Giving. In. To. Him. That. Would. Mean. That. I. Am. WEAK."
Hermione shook her head, frustrated. "Boys…" she mumbled, before raising her eyes to Harry's. "Do you realize how foolish you are being?" she hissed, "Draco has a problem. People who cut themselves are very emotionally unstable. YOU of all people should know." Hermione felt bad bringing up Harry's past problem, but felt it necessary to get her point across. "Harry, he likes you. If you verbally abuse him, he's going to hate himself. You've got to be kind, and soothing! Not vulgar and harsh!"
"Whatever," Harry mumbled. "Fine, I'll be NICE." He winced as he said that. His pride tended to get in the way of all his other emotions frequently. "But don't expect me to get all mushy! I'm not READY for that yet."
Hermione nodded in an understanding fashion. "I know how you're feeling. The two of you have been rivals for years; it's not exactly easy to forget all that and suddenly become romantically involved."
"I'm glad you see it my way," Harry said, making a move to go back into The Great Hall. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to bring his majesty some food."
Once Harry turned his back on her, Hermione smiled to herself with satisfaction. "I always knew they had a thing for each other," she whispered, "and now it's finally happening. GO ME!"
When Harry arrived back at the room, he found Draco staring at the wall with a bored expression on his face. "Finally!" he exclaimed when Harry walked in, "I could've gone to the moon and back in the time that took!"
"Shut up, Malfoy. You're lucky I'm being so nice to you," Harry winced. He couldn't help but be mean; it was automatic! He sighed, putting the food down on the bedside table. "Look," he muttered, not meeting Draco's eyes. "I'm sorry. I've been acting like a complete jerk. I don't want to hate you anymore; I'm so sick of it." he finished, chancing a glance at Draco's face.
His lips were slightly parted and his eyebrows rose in surprise. "That's very nice of you, Potter, but I don't need sympathy from you," he spat finally, once the initial shock wore off.
"Oh COME ON! Must your fucking pride get in the way of everything?"
"Of course," Draco sniffed, rolling his eyes, "yours does too! You're one to talk!"
Harry rolled his eyes right back at Draco. "You're impossible!" he cried, throwing his hands in the air.
Draco smirked. "I'd say that means I win."
"Why is everything a contest with you?" Harry said, sounding defeated.
"Because, Potter, I'm a Malfoy. We always have to be the best," Draco said resentfully, in almost a mocking sort of tone.
Harry sighed yet again. "Just eat. Come on, I'll bet you're really hungry."
Draco nodded. "Gimme the food."
"Pfft, why should I?"
This was going to be a looong day.
The two spent the rest of the night in Harry's dorm, trying their best to have civil conversation. Suddenly, Draco remembered that other people sleep in the same room.
"How are you going to hide me from the Weasel and all your other friends?" he said suddenly, scared that they would walk in at any moment.
Harry paused thoughtfully. "I'll hide you under my invisibility cloak." He said decidedly, getting out of the chair he was sitting in to find it.
When he did, he placed it on the bed next to Draco, and sat there, close to it. There was an awkward silence for a few moments, both avoiding the eyes of the other. Finally, Draco broke the silence. "I'm sick of hating you, too." He said quietly, looking at Harry through the corner of his eye.
Harry brightened considerably at that. Then, he snorted, "Well, I know you don't hate me anymore. That much became apparent in the bathroom…" Draco scowled.
"So you do remember?" he said, blushing.
"No duh, you dick."
Draco scowled but said nothing. "I'm trying to apologize here!" he said finally, "Must your ruin everything?"
Harry sighed. "Fine. I'm sorry."
Draco nodded in approval. "About time, too."
"Yeah, well I'd rather not have someone who's mad at me sleep in my bed."
Draco blushed at the prospect. "You're not going to make me sleep on the floor?"
"Of course not," Harry chuckled, "you're not feeling well. And besides, someone might tread on you in the middle of the night.
Harry laughed at the horrified expression on Draco's face at the idea of being stepped on while he was asleep.
Suddenly, Harry stopped laughing because he had heard footsteps coming up the stairs. He shushed Draco, who gave Harry a questioning look and opened his mouth as if to ask Harry about his actions, since he hadn't heard the foot falls, but he started to hear them and fell silent, a panicked look on his face.
"What are you going to do?" he mouthed.
Harry bolted off the bed to the floor where he had dropped the invisibility cloak, very inconveniently across the room from where Draco lay. The voices from the stairs got louder and Harry made them out as Ron's and Dean's. Panicking, Harry made a run for his bed, but tripped over the carpet and came crashing to the floor, still holding the cloak.
Closer and closer the voices got until Harry was sure they were already in the room. Harry jumped to his feet and threw the cloak over Draco just before Ron entered the room.
Ron gave Harry a very odd look, taking in his flustered features. "Didn't interrupt anything, did we?" Ron asked suspiciously.
"Uh, no, not at all." Harry said, trying to sound nonchalant and failing miserably. Harry watched as Ron's eyes traveled from Harry's strange appearance to the messed up state of the sheets on Harry's bed (for Draco was still sitting there, making a dent).
"Whatever you say mate." Ron said, with one eyebrow raised. Slowly, him and Dean walked over to their own beds and began to get undressed for bed. Harry did the same, turning his back to his bed, knowing Draco would be watching him. Harry heard Draco made a distinct pissed-off sound, which made Ron's head whip around.
"What was that? Was that you Harry?" Ron said, sounding suspicious again.
"Er, yes." Harry said nervously, "I, uh, can't find clean pants…" and at that Harry pretended to rummage through his trunk and pulled out his pajama bottoms. "Ah, here they are!" Harry mumbled, sounding quite unconvincing. Ron finally turned back around and Harry shot Draco's general direction a death look.
Finally, the other two boys in his dorm arrived and they were all ready to go to sleep. Harry quickly said goodnight, sat on his bed where Draco wasn't, and yanked his hangings shut. Making sure that they were fully closed and him and Draco were completely blocked from view, he cast a silencing charm on the bed and yanked the invisibility cloak off Draco.
"Ugh, finally!" Draco exclaimed, sounding relieved, "I was about to suffocate under that thing!"
Harry chuckled and said "Well then Malfoy, we best be getting to sleep, you need your rest."
Draco mumbled something that Harry couldn't hear. "What was that?" he asked, looking at the other teen.
"I said, you can call me Draco… I'm being disowned," Draco blushed. Harry smiled at his display of emotion.
He then raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Really?" Draco nodded. "Very well then."
The two looked at each other awkwardly for a few moments, their stares interlocking. The feeling Harry had had earlier that day returned to him, and he remembered why it was he liked Draco in the first place. But, Harry quickly broke the gaze once he realized what was happening. He couldn't let Draco know what he was thinking. Just yet.
"Er… goodnight, then." Harry said awkwardly, eyes downcast.
"Goodnight." Draco echoed, moving over to the opposite side of the bed, as far away from Harry as he could get.
Harry did the same, so they were both facing outwards, their backs to one another. Harry was very thankful his bed was as big as it was; otherwise, they would have to be touching, and Harry was not ready for that. He was afraid he might enjoy it too much. If you know what I mean.
Harry fidgeted a little, trying to get into a comfortable position. 'Great,' he thought, 'mere hours after I discover I have feelings for someone I'm supposed to hate, he ends up sleeping in my bed. How long can I last?'
It wasn't too long before the two of them fell asleep, forgetting where they were
Draco was in a dark room. All he could see were two little pinpricks of light about three yards away from him. They could only be eyes. Draco was terrified. He did not want to know whom those eyes belonged to. But he knew he was going to find out. The pinpricks got bigger and bigger as their owner strode up to Draco. Suddenly, the lights flashed on and with a gasp of terror, Draco realized who it was in front of him.
"Master!" he tried to gasp, but he had a large wad of cloth stuffed in his mouth, keeping him from talking. Terrified still, Draco made to move, only to discover his arms and legs were bound together. All he could do was struggle against his restraints.
The Dark Lord neared him still until he was no more than two inches away from Draco's face. Draco breathed in the sour smell of his master, choking, but since his mouth was occupied, he had to breathe in the smell through his nose.
"Draco Malfoy," Voldemort hissed, "I'm sure you will be very useful, if you are wise enough to cooperate with me."
Apparently, Voldemort read the confused look in Draco's eye, for he said, "Don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about? Well my dear boy, I will just have to inform you." And with that, Voldemort yanked out his wand, and pointed it squarely between Draco's eyes. "You must bring your precious Harry Potter to me, so I can deal with him, unless you wish to end up like his parents."
And with that and a blood curdling cackle, Voldemort disapparated...
And Draco woke up screaming.
Harry awoke suddenly. He instantly realized that it was screaming that brought him from his slumber. He had no idea who it could have been; he was still groggy from sleep. But then it hit him—it was Draco!
Harry sat upright and crawled over to him. He grasped the other boy's shoulders firmly and shook them, until Draco opened his eyes.
"Wassamatter?" Harry mumbled groggily.
Draco was shaking, looking up into Harry's emerald orbs. "N—nightmare," he stammered, shivering.
Harry frowned, confused. He was still half asleep, and it was taking twice the time as it normally did for things to register in his brain. "Ooh," he said after a moment. "D'ya wanna tell me what happened?"
Draco shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it," he mumbled.
Draco was still shivering, and Harry looked at him with unmistakable concern. "You cold?" he said.
"Y—yes… but mostly just scared."
Harry frowned. "That's not good." He got closer to Draco and wrapped his arms around him. "It was just a dream, it'll be okay." He whispered in Draco's ear.
Draco felt shivers run up and down his spine. He was enjoying this a little too much. When Harry pulled away, Draco immediately started shivering again. "Do you need anything?" Harry asked, starting to get off the bed.
"No, don't go," Draco murmured, grabbing his arm. Harry was slightly thrown off balance by this, and found his chest pressed up close to Draco's, their faces mere inches apart. Yet another staring contest started.
Harry didn't know why this kept happening, but I guess he just found Draco's eyes fascinating. Draco must have felt the same about him, for his gaze was just as strong and mesmerized.
Later, Harry would insist that what happened next was merely a result of the delirium induced by his sleepy state. However, we know better, don't we?
Neither boy seemed to be able to control was he was doing. It sort of just happened. As they drew nearer and nearer, Draco slowly lifting his head off the pillow and Harry leaning in downwards, they each felt a sense of security. This was right.
Harry lazily closed his eyes as his lips met Draco's. It wasn't anything too intense; just the brushing of his lips against Draco's, but Harry couldn't deny how amazing it made him feel. The velvety feeling of Draco's lips melting against his own—it almost drove him mad with pleasure. He felt Draco run his tongue over Harry's bottom lip experimentally, and Harry let out a low moan. Draco shuddered from the sound, and started moving his lips more hungrily.
Harry complied, but it wasn't too long before he needed to come up for air. When they broke apart, Harry still had the same lazy smile on his face, but Draco was grinning far more broadly. All of a sudden, Harry's eyes seemed to un-cloud.
"What… did I… just do…?" He stammered.
Draco looked at him fearfully. "Oh come on, you're not about to tell me you didn't mean to do that."
Harry shuddered. He didn't mean to do that. But now that it had been done… he supposed he didn't regret it.
"No, I did mean to. Look, just forget that happened." He said severely.
"Why!" Draco said, stunned.
"Because… Merlin, I'm not ready for this…" Harry muttered.
"Fine." Draco whispered, going back to the other side of the bed. He jumped in surprise when he felt Harry's arms encircle his waist.
"What was that for?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at Harry.
"So you won't be scared anymore," he whispered back. Draco eventually relaxed into Harry's embrace, and the two fell asleep like that.
Draco didn't have any more nightmares.
(End of Chapter Five)
(A/N): . First kisses are CUUUTE! I'm so, so sorry if that didn't make much sense, but I just re-wrote this whole chapter and the last one. I thought the original version was WAY too sappy. It was unrealistic; in the original, they just accepted each other without any bickering. Let me know what you thought!
XOXO Princesspepper OXOX