Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. In any way.
A/N: I really don't know what this is--just...something, and I'm actually rather fond of it. Uh, review? XD


he likes that

Despite what many people may think, Harry isn't really naïve or oblivious to everything. He sees things, all right; he is observant and notices a lot of things many people just pass by. He just chooses to focus on the good things, like his best friends falling in love (he ignores that Hermione is cheating with Pansy; and that Ron stares at Terry probably more than he needs to). And Remus and Tonks getting married (he ignores that Remus sometimes looks at her like he's seeing Sirius instead), and the fact that Ginny has finally moved on and started dating Neville (but he sees her eyes straying to him once in a while).

Harry is good at noticing things, and even better at ignoring them; it's how he's managed to survive the Dursleys all those years, though even he wasn't good enough to block all of their vileness out.

He has to; wants to, because if he let everything in all at once he's sure he will explode. Spontaneously combust. Melt. Whatever—something bad would happen. He can't accept that his friends are anything than what he thought they were back in first year—pure and loyal and trustworthy—because that would be too hard; and then he'd have to disown themor something.

Can't say anything about Ginny and her stares because that would hurt Neville. Neville is one of the few people in the world he doesn't have to pretend with. With Neville, it's 'what you see is what you get'; and Harry likes that.

Draco doesn't pretend to be anything but spoiled, bratty, and sarcastic, and Harry likes that too. He could've been with anyone, Ginny or Hermione or maybe Cho, but they are all fake; fake as the smiles he puts on whenever he sees them.

Draco doesn't pretend to be anything he isn't, and by doing that Harry discovers a few more things about him: how his smile, though rare, is shy and almost earnest; how he always leaves Harry secret, sweet little messages onlyHarry can find and appreciate, and how underneath all the rudeness and the snark, there really is a pretty nice person.

And he likes that.

.finis