Finally, someone broke the welcomed silence. "What do you two think you are doing?" Snape asked. His voice was forced and coming out through clenched teeth. One had to wonder if he was trying to keep from exploding right there in the hallway.
Draco and Harry said nothing. Their gazes were on the floor. "Looks like they were kissing, Professor. Rather heated at--" Seamus started.
"WAS I ASKING YOU, MR. FINNIGAN!" Snape roared.
"Nope," Seamus replied calmly.
Harry's face burned red as he heard Seamus. He'd very much like to disappear at the moment, as long as Draco went with him. Was it against Hogwarts rules to be kissing where you could be seen? Were they both going to end up with detention? Harry swallowed and slowly brought his gaze up to Snape. He seemed to be paying more attention to Draco, who was still staring hard at the ground.
"Will you please explain to me what you were doing, Mr. Malfoy? Clearly, you must have been under some charm. Potter can receive serious punishment for this…" Snape's voice lowered as he continued, sounding more and more convinced that this wasn't the case. Because Draco began to look more and more uneasy. "You can't tell me that you've done this all of a sudden without it being a charm…"
"It wasn't," Draco said softly. Too softly to hear.
"Pardon, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape questioned bleakly.
"It wasn't a charm," Draco repeated, louder this time.
Snape's eyes darkened. He looked sick. Or furious. Whichever one it was, they knew it wasn't a good thing. Harry tentatively stepped forward, so that he was standing beside Draco. With a quick glance, he could see that Seamus was watching them with far too much enjoyment.
"So. You were doing this of your free will and own choice." Snape stated. It sounded like he was informing himself of the information, instead of asking them if it was true. "There are no rules concerning a matter such as this." The Professor was staring down the hall now, as if trying to keep his eyes away from the two boys in front of him. He was not happy.
"No rules, Professor?" Seamus asked, eyebrows raised. "We can kiss whenever we want?"
Snape ignored him. But Harry and Draco could see that lip twitch again.
"I'll have to inform your guardians of this, unfortunately." Snape added unsympathetically.
Draco started. "No, Professor! You don't have to inform them of anything!"
Snape turned his head and glared. "You have no authority over this matter, Mr. Malfoy."
"I thought you were on our side!"
"I am. Though that has nothing to do with informing your guardians of this."
"YES IT DOES!" Draco shouted. "You know what they'll do if you tell them!"
Harry faltered behind Draco, wondering if he should speak up. Apparently, something very serious would happen if either one of Draco's parents found out about this. Harry had no doubt of that as well, but he couldn't find it in himself to be just as angry with Snape as Draco was. He didn't have relatives that would hurt him if they found out he was associating with a Draco Malfoy, someone they didn't know at all. The only thing Harry would have to endure were insults clearly pointed towards him being 'gay' or a bigger 'freak' than he already was. They might not even speak of it at all, considering it had to do with wizardry and another student from his 'freak' school. Harry had learned to ignore it.
"Mr. Malfoy, you'll have to calm down. I'm already letting you off on this. If it weren't for my kindness, you'd be heading back to Dumbledore's Office with Mr. Finnigan and myself." Snape's expression was blank now, holding no emotion. Draco continued looking at the professor as if his life was in his hands.
"Kindness! I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT YOU HAVE ANY IN YOU!" Draco yelled fiercely. With that, he whipped around and grabbed Harry's arm, proceeding to storm down the hallway away from Snape. "Let's go!"
Harry was startled for that one second he was tugged off, and he saw that Snape and Seamus were watching them as they went. A moment later, Snape had whipped around himself, pulling a protesting Seamus along with him.
"If they can get away with kissing, why can't I get away with a dung bomb? That's not fair!"
Harry lifted a hand to rub at his forehead as he continued getting dragged along by Draco. He could hear the boy muttering angrily to himself; a few curses slipping their way into those few sentences. "Draco, do you think it was okay to yell at the Professor like that?" Harry tentatively asked.
"He deserved it." Draco snapped. He finally stopped, and the abruptness caused Harry to run clumsily into his back. The Slytherin whipped around to face him. "He doesn't have a right to tell us what we can and can't do. We weren't breaking any rules, and now he's going to tell my mother, and then she's going to bloody tell my father! And it'll all be confirmed for them because it's coming from him, not some stupid kid from my own house!"
Harry took a few steps back, but since he still had Draco's hand wrapped around his arm, he didn't get very far away from the stressed out boy. He was starting to feel guilty for all of this. Because of him, Draco had to go through all of these difficulties. With Nott, and Snape, and his parents, and just his overall life. All because he wanted Harry to like him just as much as he did.
"Who-- you mean Nott told them already?" Harry asked.
"Yes." Draco responded dully. His voice seemed to have gotten tired of yelling.
"But… what can they do? I can help you… I can ask Dumbledore…"
"Dumbledore can't help. My mother wants to see me this Christmas break, and there's no way I can avoid it. She'll make it happen somehow. And I know it's about me and you." Draco sighed frustratingly, averting his stormy gray gaze to the floor. "But at least I'll be here for Christmas."
Harry's brows furrowed, feeling much too confused. "What do you mean? You are coming back. It's not like the world is ending."
Draco's eyes moved back to stare darkly into Harry's own emeralds. "Something more than her just getting angry with me is going to happen. I don't know if I'll be back or not."
But… that couldn't happen. Not to Draco. Not because of him.
"Draco, that won't happen. I won't let th--" Harry began, becoming scared. However, before he could finish the sentence, he felt Draco's warm lips press against his own. That wonderfully warm feeling soaked through him then, and his eyes fluttered closed almost instantly.
Hands made their way to wrap possessively around Harry's waist. Draco pressed himself closer against the other boy, trying to get everything out of this moment as he could. He didn't want to leave Harry. He didn't want to return home alone; to not have Harry by his side. He was frightened of what was going to happen to him. But he knew he'd have to go through it someday… waiting would only make it more painful. Draco pulled away reluctantly after a few more moments.
"I'm sorry. I can't let you help me." Draco whispered. He continued holding Harry, while his eyes were focused somewhere near the Gryffindor's shoulder. "You'll get hurt."
"But… I want to help you." Harry insisted worriedly.
"Don't." Draco said. It surprised Harry how hard Draco's tone was.
"But…"
"No, I don't want your help. So stay away from that idea."
Hands tightened around his waist for a few more minutes. There was silence. And during that silence, Harry was trying to figure out something to say. He couldn't just stand by and let Draco go off without any protection. He couldn't stay useless here at the school while Draco went home and had to get punished for something that was his fault…
"I have to go…" Draco said quietly. Still not knowing what to say, Harry stood there and watched Draco walk swiftly down the hall towards the Slytherin dungeons.