Author's Note: Sorry, if you can't tell, I've been having problems with
formatting. Hopefully that's been fixed now, I guess we'll see. You're all
going to hate me for this, but I need Seamus for the plot, he WILL be
crucio'd later, I promise. For now, though, he's a necessary evil.
Harry ran into Double Potions ten minutes late, having skipped breakfast.
"Potter, how good of you to grace us with your presence," Snape greeted sarcastically. "Ten points from Gryffindor for-"
But Harry, who'd seen that the only open seat was next to Draco, had already turned and walked back out.
Hermione, who'd been told by Ron about Harry's sleeping arrangements, and the rest of Gryffindor stared at the closed door in shock.
Two people rose to follow him, apparently not noticing each other. Seamus looked at Snape, saying, "I'll get him Professor." Snape nodded. Hermione was the only one to see Malfoy sit back down slowly, something close to jealousy on his face.
Running down the hall, Seamus yelled, "Harry! Harry, what's wrong?"
With a sigh, Harry slowed, knowing he shouldn't run away from his boyfriend. Idly he wondered what he'd seen in Seamus, hating himself for the thought. The Irish boy was his boyfriend, and deserved better than that. "Nothing, Seamus, just didn't want to waste a perfectly good morning in Potions."
Seamus looked out the window, and then fixed Harry with an incredulous stare. "Harry, it's freezing cold with no sun and no snow. The day couldn't get worse." He moved closer to his boyfriend, wrapping his arms around the dark-haired boy's waist, not noticing Harry stiffening faintly. "Please, just tell me what's wrong? Did Malfoy do something to you?"
"No!" Harry protested sharply. "It's nothing Seam, I'm fine, let's go back to class." He pulled away and started walking back. Seamus caught his hand and smiled brightly at him, Harry trying his best to return the smile, though he suspected it was a failed effort.
They walked in together, Seamus releasing his hand and moving back to his seat. Pansy again, Harry noticed.
He took the seat next to Draco, refusing to even look at him.
"Twenty points from Gr-" Snape began, before being cut off by a note that had suddenly appeared on his head, slipping off into his hand. At least he knew who it was from, only Dumbledore would do something like that, because only Dumbledore could get away with it. "What now?" he growled, opening it. "Oh for Merlin's sake. Potter, go see the Headmaster."
Harry jumped from his seat, eager to be anywhere else. As he passed Ron and Hermione, he muttered, "I know what it's for, don't worry."
His words didn't seem to do much good, but he couldn't bring himself to care, he still felt vaguely sick. He couldn't believe he'd told Draco, when he'd been doing such a good job at keeping it from Ron and Hermione. How was he supposed to be in the same room as the other boy now? Another thought occurred to him. What if Draco told someone? "Oh gods," he whispered, feeling even worse.
There was Dumbledore's office. Mumbling the password, Harry wondered why he felt as though he was about to face a firing squad.
Draco couldn't take this anymore, he was bored nearly to tears. All they were doing was an essay on their Calming Potion, and its negative side- effects. Having been on the receiving end of some of them, or else seen them on someone else, he'd already passed the 13 inch requirement. Neatly writing a conclusion, he walked up to the Potions Professor.
"I'm finished," he informed Snape, handing him the scroll. He smirked at Granger's annoyed look. "Sev," he muttered in a lower tone, "can I go see Madame Pomfrey? I've a bit of a headache."
"Of course," Snape said, quickly scrawling a pass. "Are you going to be okay?"
"Fine, fine, just tired you know." Draco emphasized the statement with a small yawn, inwardly grinning. Sev would kill him if he found out how easily he'd just been manipulated.
He left the room, speeding his pace as soon as he was out of sight. Hopefully the Headmaster hadn't changed his password since the beginning of the year . . .
Harry sat at Dumbledore's desk, across from the man himself. They'd begun with the usual pleasantries ("Lemon drop?" "Sure." "How are you doing?" "Okay." "Anything you want to talk about?" "No."), but now the inane chatter had faded into silence.
He knew he was supposed to be talking about Sirius, or the Dursleys, or Voldemort, or his suicide attempts, but Harry didn't want to. All he wanted was to sleep forever, or maybe just run away from it all, or be someone else. "There's a reason the heroes always wear masks," he said to himself.
Dumbledore nodded, and was about to speak as someone else came in. "Hello, Mr. Malfoy. Shouldn't you be in class?"
Harry stood, ready to walk out. He did not want to see, hear, or talk to Draco Malfoy. Ever. Again. Not with what he knew.
"Harry, wait," Draco ordered, seeing the fight or flight instinct come to rest on flight in green eyes. "I want to talk to you, and maybe Dumbledore ought to know, too."
Harry did the first thing he could think of – cast a Silencing Charm on the blonde standing in front of him. "No," he said, desperation lacing his angry tone. "You don't get to tell anyone. No one. Needs. To know. I'm fine." He was yelling now, eyes growing bright with unshed tears. "Why can't you all just leave me alone? I'm fine! Stop bloody asking!"
"Harry, calm down," Dumbledore soothed. "It's okay. Why don't you remove your spell from Draco and we'll talk."
Eyes still wide with panic, Harry shook his head wildly. He made to run, but Draco caught him, holding him to his chest.
Draco tried to whisper comforting words, then remembered the Silencing Charm. Inwardly sighing, he used his other hand to rub Harry's back gently, the same thing he'd done Saturday night. When Harry's breathing finally calmed, he let go, meeting jewel green eyes.
Harry stared at Draco in shock. There was no disgust in the blonde's eyes, no revulsion at having touched him. "Finite Incantatum," he whispered.
"What's wrong, Harry?" Dumbledore asked gently.
"Tonight," Harry said quietly. "Ron and Hermione should be here, and I don't want to tell it twice."
"I'll be here too," Draco said, his voice leaving no room for argument.
"Okay," Harry agreed.
"You're excused from the rest of your classes, Harry. I'll let your Professors know."
Nodding, Harry walked out, wanting someplace quiet to go so he could think. Draco had apparently stayed behind, though Harry knew he wouldn't say anything about last night. They both knew it was his secret to tell.
A few minutes and a whispered "Gryffindork" later, Harry collapsed on a black sofa and fell asleep staring into the fire.
Author's Note: The Snargons have been ordered to stay out of Harry's classes, after their reaction to Ron, in case you were curious. That will probably change soon. So, opinions, ideas, anything you feel like saying? REVIEW!
Harry ran into Double Potions ten minutes late, having skipped breakfast.
"Potter, how good of you to grace us with your presence," Snape greeted sarcastically. "Ten points from Gryffindor for-"
But Harry, who'd seen that the only open seat was next to Draco, had already turned and walked back out.
Hermione, who'd been told by Ron about Harry's sleeping arrangements, and the rest of Gryffindor stared at the closed door in shock.
Two people rose to follow him, apparently not noticing each other. Seamus looked at Snape, saying, "I'll get him Professor." Snape nodded. Hermione was the only one to see Malfoy sit back down slowly, something close to jealousy on his face.
Running down the hall, Seamus yelled, "Harry! Harry, what's wrong?"
With a sigh, Harry slowed, knowing he shouldn't run away from his boyfriend. Idly he wondered what he'd seen in Seamus, hating himself for the thought. The Irish boy was his boyfriend, and deserved better than that. "Nothing, Seamus, just didn't want to waste a perfectly good morning in Potions."
Seamus looked out the window, and then fixed Harry with an incredulous stare. "Harry, it's freezing cold with no sun and no snow. The day couldn't get worse." He moved closer to his boyfriend, wrapping his arms around the dark-haired boy's waist, not noticing Harry stiffening faintly. "Please, just tell me what's wrong? Did Malfoy do something to you?"
"No!" Harry protested sharply. "It's nothing Seam, I'm fine, let's go back to class." He pulled away and started walking back. Seamus caught his hand and smiled brightly at him, Harry trying his best to return the smile, though he suspected it was a failed effort.
They walked in together, Seamus releasing his hand and moving back to his seat. Pansy again, Harry noticed.
He took the seat next to Draco, refusing to even look at him.
"Twenty points from Gr-" Snape began, before being cut off by a note that had suddenly appeared on his head, slipping off into his hand. At least he knew who it was from, only Dumbledore would do something like that, because only Dumbledore could get away with it. "What now?" he growled, opening it. "Oh for Merlin's sake. Potter, go see the Headmaster."
Harry jumped from his seat, eager to be anywhere else. As he passed Ron and Hermione, he muttered, "I know what it's for, don't worry."
His words didn't seem to do much good, but he couldn't bring himself to care, he still felt vaguely sick. He couldn't believe he'd told Draco, when he'd been doing such a good job at keeping it from Ron and Hermione. How was he supposed to be in the same room as the other boy now? Another thought occurred to him. What if Draco told someone? "Oh gods," he whispered, feeling even worse.
There was Dumbledore's office. Mumbling the password, Harry wondered why he felt as though he was about to face a firing squad.
Draco couldn't take this anymore, he was bored nearly to tears. All they were doing was an essay on their Calming Potion, and its negative side- effects. Having been on the receiving end of some of them, or else seen them on someone else, he'd already passed the 13 inch requirement. Neatly writing a conclusion, he walked up to the Potions Professor.
"I'm finished," he informed Snape, handing him the scroll. He smirked at Granger's annoyed look. "Sev," he muttered in a lower tone, "can I go see Madame Pomfrey? I've a bit of a headache."
"Of course," Snape said, quickly scrawling a pass. "Are you going to be okay?"
"Fine, fine, just tired you know." Draco emphasized the statement with a small yawn, inwardly grinning. Sev would kill him if he found out how easily he'd just been manipulated.
He left the room, speeding his pace as soon as he was out of sight. Hopefully the Headmaster hadn't changed his password since the beginning of the year . . .
Harry sat at Dumbledore's desk, across from the man himself. They'd begun with the usual pleasantries ("Lemon drop?" "Sure." "How are you doing?" "Okay." "Anything you want to talk about?" "No."), but now the inane chatter had faded into silence.
He knew he was supposed to be talking about Sirius, or the Dursleys, or Voldemort, or his suicide attempts, but Harry didn't want to. All he wanted was to sleep forever, or maybe just run away from it all, or be someone else. "There's a reason the heroes always wear masks," he said to himself.
Dumbledore nodded, and was about to speak as someone else came in. "Hello, Mr. Malfoy. Shouldn't you be in class?"
Harry stood, ready to walk out. He did not want to see, hear, or talk to Draco Malfoy. Ever. Again. Not with what he knew.
"Harry, wait," Draco ordered, seeing the fight or flight instinct come to rest on flight in green eyes. "I want to talk to you, and maybe Dumbledore ought to know, too."
Harry did the first thing he could think of – cast a Silencing Charm on the blonde standing in front of him. "No," he said, desperation lacing his angry tone. "You don't get to tell anyone. No one. Needs. To know. I'm fine." He was yelling now, eyes growing bright with unshed tears. "Why can't you all just leave me alone? I'm fine! Stop bloody asking!"
"Harry, calm down," Dumbledore soothed. "It's okay. Why don't you remove your spell from Draco and we'll talk."
Eyes still wide with panic, Harry shook his head wildly. He made to run, but Draco caught him, holding him to his chest.
Draco tried to whisper comforting words, then remembered the Silencing Charm. Inwardly sighing, he used his other hand to rub Harry's back gently, the same thing he'd done Saturday night. When Harry's breathing finally calmed, he let go, meeting jewel green eyes.
Harry stared at Draco in shock. There was no disgust in the blonde's eyes, no revulsion at having touched him. "Finite Incantatum," he whispered.
"What's wrong, Harry?" Dumbledore asked gently.
"Tonight," Harry said quietly. "Ron and Hermione should be here, and I don't want to tell it twice."
"I'll be here too," Draco said, his voice leaving no room for argument.
"Okay," Harry agreed.
"You're excused from the rest of your classes, Harry. I'll let your Professors know."
Nodding, Harry walked out, wanting someplace quiet to go so he could think. Draco had apparently stayed behind, though Harry knew he wouldn't say anything about last night. They both knew it was his secret to tell.
A few minutes and a whispered "Gryffindork" later, Harry collapsed on a black sofa and fell asleep staring into the fire.
Author's Note: The Snargons have been ordered to stay out of Harry's classes, after their reaction to Ron, in case you were curious. That will probably change soon. So, opinions, ideas, anything you feel like saying? REVIEW!