Dudes, thank you all so very much for the wonderful reviews! I'll probably be posting every Sunday from now on, so you'll know when to look out for a new chapter.

You guys are great and I love all your wonderful reviews! Snaps for my reviewers

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas.

Also, some of you wondered about Draco, because it seemed as though I was making him sound like a crazy stalker type of guy. Well, I'm actually not really sure about how I want his character to come out, just yet. All I know for sure is that, being as to how Draco is a very determined man, he wants to get closer to Harry, and that's his only goal. Harry, wants him, too, he just doesn't know it yet.

But if you're thinking that this is going to be one of those stories with a psychotic Draco kidnapping Harry or something like that, then I'm sorry for having given you the wrong impression. That's not how the story is going to go at all. I'm simply having a very determined Draco go after a confused Harry, who doesn't know what he wants just yet.

But there will not, I repeat, there will not be any form of rape what so ever. So please bare with me as I try to develop my characters.

In reply to some reviewers:

Baringuard( ): Harry and his friends are 16. And, although it has not been mentioned, in my mind, I estimate that Draco is the age of 23.

Zierkala: I can understand your English perfectly. I was actually studying French for a little bit, but, for now, I've put it on hold. You are very talented to speak both English and French. :-D

BadAzzSlytherin (Jessica): Happy Belated Birthday! Sorry I couldn't say it to you sooner. Hey, in May, we'll be the same age! Congrats on turning 14.

Once again, I dedicate this and every other chapter to Gabrielle Potter Malfoy.

Here's the next chapter.

Chapter: 3

Not so confused…and back again

"Do you know anything about a boy called Harry Potter?" Draco asked, sounding as nonchalant as he could.

"He's an insufferable little brat, and that's all there is to him," Severus Snape answered, with a sneer at even just the mention of the raven-haired teen.

"Really?" Draco inquired, his jaw clenching slightly. Careful not to show his anger, however, he chuckled and asked, "Why is that?"

"He thinks he owns the ground he walks on, that's why. Everyone thinks he's so innocent and kind, but I know the truth. He's just an obnoxious little brat."

"Surely, you can't really mean that."

"Oh, but I do. But tell me, Mr. Malfoy-"

"Call me Draco," the blond interrupted.

"Yes, Draco. Tell me, why do you care so much about what I think of the boy?" Severus asked, suspicious.

"Well, it seems to me that he is very interested in literature. He had some wonderful ideas on this one story we were discussing, and I simply wanted to learn a bit more about him."

Snape raised a brow, believing Draco wasn't saying the complete truth, but said nothing more.

Feeling a bit lucky, Draco dared to ask a bit more about Harry. "Do you know if he plays in any sports and such? After school activities always serve as a fuel for literature, in my opinion."

"He's on the basketball team, if I'm not mistaken." Snape answered, warily.

"Hmm… interesting."

"What is?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just that I played basketball when I was in high school, as well." Draco answered easily, with a smile.

Snape simply looked at him, trying to figure out what the young man before him was up to.

"Well, Severus," Draco began, looking up at the old clock that hung tiredly on the beige-colored wall of the teachers' lounge. "I'd better get going. Classes are about to begin."

And with that, Draco let himself out, leaving behind a very suspicious Severus Snape.

"Ron! Hey, Ron!" Harry called, as he ran up to his best friend, just three minutes before classes were going to begin.

Ron turned away from his locker to look at Harry. "Yeah, mate?"

"Listen," Harry began. "I'm really sorry about yesterday. I just wasn't feeling too good. I had a headache and there was all this confusion going on in my head and-"

"Don't worry about it, mate." Ron said with a grin, as he gave Harry a friendly pat on the back. "We all have our moments."

"Thanks, Ron. You're the best friend a guy could ever ask for." Harry said, smiling at his best friend.

"I know, I know." Ron said, brushing his nails against his shirt, feigning an air of obnoxiousness.

Harry let out a laugh and said, "Don't push it now, Ron."

"Hey…" Ron pouted.

"Save that for Hermione. You know that doesn't work on me."

"I can't. She's so bloody obsessed with that Malfoy guy. I swear, he's all she ever thinks about." Ron said, shaking his head.

"Personally, Ron, I don't think she really likes him."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked, tilting his head slightly to the side in confusion, as a dog would to his owner.

"I think she's just pretending to like him so she can get your attention."

"What are you talking about? She's always had my attention." Ron protested.

"Oh, come on, Ron!" Harry exclaimed refusing to believe that Ron was that thick-headed. "Before she started this whole crush on Malfoy thing, all you ever did was stare at other girls. And even when you did finally sit down to spend some time with her, you just tuned her out and daydreamed about other girls."

"That's not true. I mean, how can you be so sure? Hermione would have told me if she felt I wasn't giving her my attention."

"I know because she told me. She didn't want to go and complain to you about it because then you would just tell her that she complained too much. Honestly, Ron. Did you really never notice?"

"Well, no, I didn't. I thought she knew that those other girls didn't really mean anything to me. I mean, it's not like I cheated on her or anything."

"Well, it's not like she's cheating on you, either. She's just staring and daydreaming about some guy."

"Yeah, I know, but it still hurts. Just because she's not doing anything physical with Malfoy, it feels like she likes him more than me and…ohhh." Ron said, eyes widening, as he realized just what Hermione was going through.

"Exactly."

Ron looked down at his feet for a moment, feeling ashamed with himself. "I'm going to have a talk with her about it at lunch, when we see each other, and tell her that I'm not going to stare at other girls anymore; then she can stop staring at Malfoy so much." Ron voiced, triumphantly.

"No, no! Don't do that, Ron. She's a girl. It doesn't work that way. They don't like it when you do things straight-forward like that. Besides, that'll make her think you're only saying that so she'll stop staring at Malfoy. You've got to just ignore her stares at Malfoy and be nicer to her. Buy her a rose or another little gift every once in a while. Tell her how much you love her and how thankful you are to have her as a girlfriend every chance you get to see her. Stuff like that."

"Wow, Harry. Have you ever considered going into marriage counseling? You could really fix any marriage with advice like that."

"Thanks," Harry muttered, with a blush.

"How is it possible that you don't have a girlfriend, with a romantic heart like yours?"

"I don't know," Harry replied with a shrug. "I guess I just haven't really been attracted to any girls, lately."

"You haven't been attracted to girls, lately?" Ron repeated, raising an amused eyebrow.

Harry stared, confused for a moment, before realizing what he'd just said. "No! Not like that, Ron! Don't be thick! Of course I'm attracted to girls! Why would you even suggest something so ridiculous? I just haven't found one that I want to be my girlfriend, yet."

Laughing at Harry's sudden outburst at the teasing comment, Ron replied, "I know, Harry. I was only joking. Of course-" The red-head was interrupted, however, by the bell sounding for the beginning of classroom, which meant they were late. "Oh, damn. Alright, Harry, I'll talk to you later." Ron said quickly, before Harry nodded and the two departed, running as quickly as they could, hoping their homeroom teacher would be kind enough to let them get away without a detention slip.

Harry sat stiffly sat himself into a seat next to Neville who looked extremely nervous. Of course, this didn't come to Harry as a surprise. After all, this was biology with Snape, the most evil creature Harry had ever had the misfortune of meeting.

The greasy-haired man liked to practice making kids quiver before him as he glowered down at them, although how anyone would be able to see over a nose as big as his was beyond Harry.

Harry gave a weak smile in Neville's direction before settling himself into a chain of thoughts.

He had no time to worry about Neville or Snape. Harry looked back on his previous conversation with Ron and contemplated over why, exactly, he had let out such an outburst over a small joke.

The only reason a joke that insinuated the idea of Harry being gay would bother him so much were if it were, indeed, true- which it was not. Right? The nervous teen gulped and furrowed his brows together in frustration as he continued replaying the whole scene over and over again in his mind.

How could you let yourself get so out of hand?! Harry scolded himself. Poor Ron had done nothing to Harry and yet, he had yelled at the red-head. It was only lucky that Ron was never one to take things too seriously when it came to Harry, as they had been friends for many years.

Perhaps- Harry was interrupted from his musings as he allowed his eyes to widen in terror as he felt a presence standing directly behind him. He slowly allowed himself to tip his head back, revealing what he already knew would be there.

Harry held back a whimper of fear as he looked up into the fearful black eyes of his biology teacher. The teen gave a weak smile in a desperate attempt to lesson the fowl mood of the greasy-haired man that currently towered over him quite ominously, in Harry's opinion.

"Wipe that smile off your face this instant, Potter!" Snape barked out, agitated. "I asked you a question and you neither answered nor looked in my direction. You noticed my presence only when I stood directly behind you, and in my opinion, Mr. Potter, I think that it is fairly safe to infer that you were daydreaming. Wouldn't you agree?"

Knowing better than to disagree with his biology teacher, and not feeling quite up to an argument, Harry nodded wordlessly.

"Pitiful," Snape muttered to himself, while handing Harry a pink slip. "Detention, Potter."

And with that, Mr. Snape walked away and went back to teaching the class. Harry made sure to sit up in his seat and at least pretend to pay attention, for fear of getting another detention.

"Hey, mate. Feeling better?" Ron asked, as he sat himself down on Harry's right, as Hermione was already sitting on his left.

"What do you mean? Did something happen, Harry?" Hermione asked, already worried.

"No, I just got a little frustrated earlier this morning." Harry answered grudgingly.

"You do know I was only joking, don't you, Harry? I know you're not gay or anything like that." Ron said, reassuringly.

"Gay? What?" Hermione asked, incredulous.

"I know, Ron. I guess I've just been feeling weird lately." Harry answered, ignoring Hermione.

"But why? That's what I don't get, Harry. You've been saying that since yesterday, but you won't tell me why."

"I don't know, PMS or something." Harry muttered with a smirk.

"Wait- only girls can get PMS. What on earth are you guys talking about?" Hermione asked, entirely lost for once.

"Ron merely laughed. "For once, Hermione, I think we're going to leave you out of this one."

"But why?" Hermione whined uncharacteristically, thinking it completely unfair.

"Because it's fun to know something that you don't." Harry supplied, sharing a grin with Ron.

"Hmph…" was all Hermione said.

Harry began digging into his lunch feeling better about everything even if he hadn't talked it out. Ron said it himself- Harry wasn't gay, so there was nothing to worry about. He was going to go to literature class and be happy about it. After all, it was his favorite subject. He shouldn't let a little self-confusion ruin that.

"All right, class. After speaking with Hermione and Harry just yesterday, I decided that we should start reading a novel." Draco began, earning groans from seventy-five percent of the class, (except Hermione, who smiled, delightedly, and Harry, who looked on, curiously) with the other twenty-five percent glaring at Harry and Hermione.

"Way to go, Harry," Ron said sulkily.

"Sorry," Harry said, with a weak smile.

"Now, now, there's no need to worry, class." Draco reassured. "I just came out of school, myself and I know that it's simply horrible to have to endure an entire marking period reading something purely idiotic. I made sure to select a book which I thought would be interesting for all of you. Now, I went through the ideas of The Outsiders and Of Mice and Men, but if you haven't already done those books in elementary school, then I figure you'll get around to them at some point during your attendance in school.

"So, instead, I found a book that is less common among the Board of Education. The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane." Again, groans filled the room. "I know, I know. This is a literature class, not a history class, but the style of writing and use of language in this book is wonderful. Honestly, you just have to give it a try."

After a moment, the students gave in to Draco's pleading smile, and sat himself atop his desk as he began to read. "The cold passed reluctantly from the earth…"

When he had finished reading the first chapter, he had asked everyone to write a brief paragraph on their thoughts concerning the novel, which were to be handed in before the end of the class period.

Once again, there were groans heard throughout the classroom.

Harry walked toward Ron's locker with a smile on his face. He had actually rather enjoyed the first chapter to the story, which he proudly showed in the paragraph he had written in class.

"Hey Harry, you look to be in better spirits."

"I feel better, Ron. Happier." Harry answered with a smile.

"Glad to hear it, Harry." Ron answered, as he closed his locker and they proceeded on to meet Hermione.

"Hello, Ron. Harry, what did you think of the story? I think it was a marvelous start." Hermione said, by way of greeting.

"Hey, what about my thoughts on the story?" Ron whiner, feeling left out.

Hermione gave him a look before sighing and then asking, "Okay, Ron, what did you think of the story."

"I thought it was bloody boring, that's what." He answered.

"And this is why I never bother. Now, Harry, what did you think?"

"I thought it was great, but I'd rather wait until tomorrow to discuss it. That way we can get Draco's opinions on the story, as well."

"You're absolutely right, Harry. After all, he is the teacher, so he should be able to make sure we get the right view on the story." Hermione replied.

Harry only smiled as the three began walking to leave the school.

"Harry, there you are!" Someone suddenly called out.

The trio turned around to see their literature teacher jogging up to them.

"Albus…erm…I mean, Principle Dumbledore informed me of your detention right before school ended and I thought it really was a waste of time to give you a detention simply for daydreaming, so I asked to make a deal." Draco said, after catching up to them.

"A deal?" Harry asked, confused.

"Well, yes. It seems to me that Mr. Snape is just an old prune who feeds off the pleasure of torturing innocent students." Draco stated, earning a gasp from Hermione and a chuckle from Harry and even Ron. "Anyway," he continue, "I thought, why waste time sitting in detention and doing nothing when you could instead, stay with me after class and help me with some things. That way, you serve your time, but nothing goes on your record."

Sometime during his speech, he had somehow managed to rest his hand on Harry's shoulder, sending shivers down Harry's back.

Nervously, Harry looked up, into his teacher's brilliant grey eyes, and found himself nodding, having lost the ability of speech.

"Perfect. It'll take place after school, on Monday, all right?" Draco asked, flashing Harry a breathtaking smile.

"Uh…" Harry said, at a loss for words. When had Harry gone back to the first stage?

"Yes, Harry?" Draco queried, with an amused smile.

"Uh….uh… Monday, right. Can't wait." Harry finally said.

"Same here," Draco said, finally pulling his hand away from Harry's shoulder. "Well, have a nice afternoon you three." And the blond then walked back to his classroom, leaving Harry very confused all over again.

AN: I'm horrible, I know. And I'm very very sorry. I know I said I was going to bring in this rumor for this chapter, but I suddenly realized that I was getting way to ahead of myself and that it was much too soon to bring in the rumors. I still had to introduce Snape and make him suspicious of Draco to add to the story plot, and I had to have Draco begin a topic for literature, and then I also needed Harry to resolve the small argument with Ron, give Ron some advice for Hermione, and go back to being confused again. I'm really REALLY sorry. You guys probably hate me, but I just had to. If not, I would have rushed into everything like in my last story, and then you guys would have been complaining that I rushed into things too quickly without enough detail. At least I gave you a nice detention with Harry and Draco to look forward to, even if it isn't technically a detention. The detention will definitely be in the next chapter, and I will also have some girls start to get a little jealous of Harry for sort of being a teacher's pet. Also, the book for literature, I've only just decided to read it because I've been meaning to read it, and I figured, why not put it into the story? I know you guys probably hate me for this chapter, but please review anyway. The next chapter will be better, I promise!!! And it's Christmas break, so the week will go by fast.

Please review!!!

xoxo Spideria xoxo