Disclaimer: I sadly owe nothing and no one, but I am plotting.
Story Talk: I am hoping to make this the last chapter in which you hear Draco's thoughts. So then we will have mysterious!Draco.
Authoress Ramble: It's my senior year, you know what is supposed to be one of the easiest years of your highschool career. Well at least in our school that's the case. All but two of our classes are electives (classes that you chose that aren't required.) Well all my electives are hard classes, with the exception of choir, and I have a lunch instead of class. I have never worked this hard in school period and I'm only six days in. I think I will have a panic attack when finals time comes. /cries/. Oh well I chose it and I don't really want to change anything except that I want more sleep. I think I'm getting circles.
Chapter Twenty
Draco's Fear
When Harry and Draco finally gathered up enough energy to haul themselves off the ground they cleaned themselves up and made their way out of the tunnel.
"We are we?" Draco asked as they crawled out of the tunnel.
"Huneydukes." Harry answered simply.
"Are you serious?"
"No I'm lying."
"Shut-up." Draco said pushing Harry so that the raven-haired boy almost fell over.
"Come let's hurry up and get out of here I think they are closed already." They were closed already, but luckily the owners weren't there and a window was open. Draco scoffed when Harry first mentioned climbing out the window, but Harry leaving him alone and the possibility of alarms got him moving.
"So where's a good place to buy food? Usually when I am here I'm not shopping for anything healthy." Harry asked Draco as they made their way down the street.
"Follow me." Draco said simply. They passed a few restaurants and some clothing stores, most of which were closed, before finally stopping at the very end of the main street. The building was dark and dingy. The windows were painted over and cats could be heard hissing at each other in the alley that ran by it's side.
"You're kidding right?" Harry said, disgust coating his words.
"I wish I was. Most people apperate or floo to Diagon Alley so unless you have a secret tunnel that will take us there, this is what we have."
"Well we can at least try." Harry said walking up to the door. Draco slipped in behind Harry refusing to touch anything. The place smelled like cigars and seemed to be covered in dirt. It felt like it was ninety degrees inside and there was a damp feeling to the air. A grunt came from Harry's left side almost making him jump. Harry looked over to find the cashier eyeing him through his matted locks of hair. The man was just as dirty as his store. His hair hung down to his shoulders covering most of his face which was nearly black. At least the parts he could see. The man's lower face was covered with a beard that needed a good shave a week ago. His clothes where ripped and when he sent Harry and Draco a smile he revealed huge gaps where teeth used to stand and those that weren't gone looked as though they would fall out soon.
"Bloody hell Har-Hank I left my wallet at home let's go back and get it." Harry turned away from the filthy man to give Draco a questioning look. When he met the other boys eyes he understood.
"I told you not to leave it, but did you listen to me? No. Come on, it's late now we'll just come back tomorrow." They all, but ran out the door thankful for a breath of fresh air.
"Gods, that was the most disgusting place I have ever set foot in." Draco complained.
"That's worse than Neville side of the room. And Neville is the dirtiest person I have ever met."
"That is so not worth being able to eat in our room."
"But what is?" Harry asked an idea coming to him.
"Where are you going with this?"
"How much do you hate muggle things?"
"Why?" Draco asked completely skeptical.
"What would you think about catching the train to the nearest muggle town and shopping there?" Harry asked, hoping that Draco would agree.
"Are the muggles cleaner than that place?" Draco asked.
"Oh gods yes."
"I'm up for anything that isn't covered in a layer of dirt."
After finding the nearest town and the train to there the boys covered themselves in Harry's cloak and snuck onto the train. They sat in the last compartment and waited for the person who checked the tickets to come by before revealing themselves or talking. Once the man had gone they threw the cloak off and got comfortable.
"Why did we sneak on? I have enough money to pay for our tickets." Draco asked once he had settled himself beside Harry, using the Gryffindors chest as a pillow.
"It's more fun this way. There's more risk."
"And if we get caught?"
"I say, 'Hey buddy I am Harry Potter and if you want me to save your ass then you better let me and my friend here ride this train for free.'."
"Yes, because I'm sure that is exactly what you would do." Draco said sarcastically as his hand traced patterns on Harry's stomach.
"It is." Harry said with a fake assurance. "And it would work too."
"The sad thing is, that last part is true."
"It is not." Harry argued.
"Yes it is Harry. You are completely oblivious to the power you have over people. If you didn't care so much about whether or not people like you you could have anything you wanted. These people are so afraid of him and they've been fed that you and you alone can save them. Harry you could have these people bowing to you if you wanted."
"Why would I do that?" Harry asked really not seeing why anyone would want to abuse their power that way.
"And that's why you will never be able to rule the world." Draco said jokingly. Harry didn't catch the humor in his voice.
"And what's wrong with that?" He asked slightly agitated.
"The wizarding world is lucky that you're not some self-righteous, stuck up, self-centered snob." Harry smiled down and Draco and kissed him. The way Draco said it wasn't sweet and to most it wouldn't be considered sweet at all. But Harry understood Draco. This was as emotional as Draco got and he was the only person who got to see the little emotion there was. So even though by normal standards it wasn't much, by Draco's it was and Harry was finally able to see that Draco really did love him.
"I used to wonder why it couldn't have been me. But I know why now. I would have abused the power. I would have used it against other people." Harry wanted to argue, but he couldn't, he knew it was the truth. So he did the only thing he could think of. Harry pressed his lips against Draco's for a moment, before pulling away and looking into his grey eyes.
"I'm in love with you." Harry said. Draco kissed him again.
"I love you."
"I know." Then they settled into silence as the train shambled along.
''
When the train stopped the boys snuck off, running into a few people on the way. Which caused them to laugh and run into more people. When they finally got away from the crowd Harry yanked off the cloak and let himself laugh freely.
"We should do things like this more often." Harry said after the humor had subsided a bit.
"And I thought you were supposed to be Gryffindor." Draco said with a smirk as he leaned against the wall they had stopped by. Harry gave him a look.
"Yeah maybe. So shopping right?"
"Yeah let's go." Harry folded his cloak and shrunk it to put it in his pocket. Then he walked over to Draco and wrapped his arm around the blondes' waist. Draco moved his arm around Harry shoulder and they walked to the nearest store.
After walking down a few streets they finally came to a place that was open.
"Better than Hogsmeade right?" Harry asked.
"Anything would be better than that place."
"I beg to differ." Harry said as they walked through the automatic doors which scared Draco making him jump away from the doors. Harry began to quietly snicker before giving up and all out laughing. Draco glared at the laughing boy and pulled out of his grasp walking into the store. Harry went in after him trying to grasp his arm. "Wait Draco, I'm sorry." He said, causing Draco to slow down slightly.
Harry grabbed Draco's hand making him almost stop and laced their fingers together. "I'll warn you the next time something is going to move on its own." Harry said trying not to laugh again.
Draco just gave a curt thanks. Harry kissed Draco on the cheek and then went off to grab a cart as Draco waited.
The trip to the store was difficult. Not only was everything muggle, but when they did find something Draco was willing to try they couldn't agree on a flavor. Eventually they ended buying about two of everything and a bunch of things Draco swore he would never eat.
"Why do we have to buy all this muggle food? Isn't there somewhere else?"
"Draco you can get wizard food all the time at school. Why can't you just try something new?"
"Because the muggles are probably incompetent and their food will kill me."
"I'm still alive aren't I?"
"Yes, but you suffer from brain damage and it's probably because of the food."
"You are impossible."
"And yet you love me."
"Yeah I'm still trying to figure that one out." Draco gave Harry and push and then turned down the next aisle.
"What is this?" Draco asked picking up a box.
"That is cereal." Draco squinted his eyes at it.
"Is it like a snack kinda like crackers?"
"No, it's breakfast. You put it in milk and eat it."
"It looks like bread. That sounds disgusting."
"It's actually wheat and it is really good. However, golden puffs are my favorite."
"Golden puffs?"
"Yeah these." Harry said picking up a box and throwing it in the cart. Draco raised an eyebrow.
"I will never understand muggles."
"That's what I used to say. Now these are my favorite." A red haired lady that had joined them in the aisle said as she picked up a box of cereal. "You're a Malfoy right?"
"Er, yes."
"You look just like your father. Sorry I didn't introduce myself. I'm Kathy Hart. I used to go to school with your father."
"Oh hello. Yes he has talked about you before." Draco lied
"In the worst way I suppose." Draco didn't answer. "I left my 'I'm pure blood and better than thou' attitude and married a muggle. Lucius stopped talking to me after that."
"Oh." Draco said solely because he could think of nothing else to say.
"It looks like you have as well. Harry Potter right?" She said turning to Harry with her hand out.
"Er, yes." Harry answered shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you." Kathy smiled.
"Nice to see that fame didn't go to your head. Well I must go, it was nice talking to some of my kind." With that she turned around and left.
"We need to get out of here." Draco said as soon as Kathy was out of hearing range.
"Why?"
"This isn't safe." Draco said taking the cart and pushing it to the front of the store.
"Draco she just said hello."
"I know." Draco stopped and turned to Harry. "It's just that she made me realize how unsafe we really are. For all we know she is a spy. Any one of the people in here could be. Not one of his followers knows every other person that serves him. I know that you all have this image of them all getting together and making evil schemes and laughing evilly, but he only sees them three and four at a time and he makes sure that everyone doesn't see at least half the people. That has become harder now that there are fewer people, but there are still a bunch of people that follow him that I don't know about." Draco looked seriously scared.
"Please, let's just go." Draco said grabbing Harry's hand.
"Ok." Harry said. "Let me get some milk and we'll leave." Draco nodded and followed Harry.
They quickly left and made there way back to Hogwarts. The boys put everything away and went to Draco's bedroom where Draco decided they should sleep. They went straight to bed, but Harry didn't fall asleep.
"Draco." Harry said softly as though testing whether or not Draco was awake. "Draco." he said a bit louder. "Draco, are you awake?"
"If I was, I wouldn't be now." Draco complained. "What do you want?" Draco kept his back to Harry.
"If us being together is going to get you into trouble with your dad or Voldemort, if we're caught you don't have to take that risk. I'm in love with you, but if you don't want to be with me I'll let you go." Draco turned to face the other boy.
"Where the hell did that come from?" Draco asked completely confused.
"Today at the store." Harry's voice implied that it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You didn't want us to be seen together because someone would find out."
"You think that I was afraid that I would get in trouble with my father?"
"Well yeah." Harry replied less sure of himself than he was before. "Why else?" Draco just stared at Harry. He couldn't believe that Harry didn't realize that Draco was afraid for him. Draco didn't care about getting in trouble and being caught. Well he did care, but not then, he hadn't even thought about it. He was worried for Harry then. Harry's life was the first thought Draco had.
Draco froze at that thought. He hadn't realized that before. Over their short time together Harry had some how become the most important person in his life. It was too soon; too soon to completely love him. Draco knew he wasn't in love and he did love Harry, but it wasn't completely and some time between their first time and the grocery store Draco had started to completely love Harry.
"I don't know Harry." With that he kissed Harry and closed his eyes praying for sleep that he wouldn't be able to find through his racing thoughts.
