Tossing around in his sleep, his eyes fluttered open in fright. Sitting up and looking around wildly, it took him a few moments to realize that he was still in bed, with his bedding twisted around him. He took a quick glance around, and saw everyone around him still blissfully asleep.
Shaking his silvery-blonde hair out of his face, he wiped the sweat from his brow. The face of Draco Malfoy shined in the moonlight coming from the window.
Leaning against the headrest, Draco took a few deep breaths before thinking about what his dream had been about. He had dreamt about Harry Potter. Harry lay dying, with himself watching the proceedings His hands had been stained with blood, and Harry's head turned to look at him, his deep green eyes pleading for Draco to save him.
Draco knelt down beside the dying boy reaching towards his bloody body.
"Why Draco?" Harry whispered, though his voice seemed to carry to the ends of time.
"I didn't mean to! I didn't want this to happen!" He exclaimed, trying to close the wound with his wand. Discarding that after a few tries, he laid his head on Harry's chest, letting the blood stain his hair deep crimson.
This is when Draco had woken up. His heart started to pound in his chest, and slowly he got that down. He began to return his breathing to normal also. He took a few more deep breaths, leaned back against his pillow, and fell back into a troubled sleep.
First thing the next morning was Potions, which was not a good sign. The fifth year headed towards the dungeons, taking his usual seat. Class started ten minutes later, and a few moments after that; Harry came running through the door, looking completely disheveled.
"Ten points from Gryffindor, Potter. Now take your seat." Snape said, turning back to the board and rapping it with his wand.
"You shall continue where you left off, so get to work." He said, sitting down. Draco went to get his ingredients, and noticed that Potter was sitting by himself.
After an uneventful class, Draco headed out after Potter. He had meant to catch up to him, but Blaise had caught him before.
"Hey Draco, you seemed to be in a hurry, and particular reason why?" he asked, making Draco get a slightly mad grin on his face.
"Blaise, if I looked as if I was in a hurry, why did you stop me? Are you that slow?" Draco said, running off.
He spent the rest of the day trying to find Harry, but to no avail. When he finally decided to give up, he headed towards an empty classroom, which he knew had to have been teacher's quarters before, because it was made like an office, with everything they could ask for.
He ended up falling into another fitful sleep, and completely missing curfew. Walking down the hall, he headed towards the blank wall, and muttered the password.
"No entry…"the wall replied, making Malfoy swear loudly. He forgot that they had changed the password.
Storming off, he headed back towards the room he had just been, before falling over someone.
Looking down, he saw Harry, lying in the middle of the floor.
"Potter, are you trying to kill me?" he snapped, making the black-haired boy sit up.
"Sorry Malfoy, I had no idea that you would be wandering the halls at this hour." Harry said conversationally.
"Well, as it may be, I was locked out of my common room." He replied, looking down at Harry. "What's your excuse?"
"Same actually. Completely forgot the password change, and I haven't seen Ron or Hermione since last night." He replied to Draco.
"Well, I'm going to go sleep somewhere, and I suppose, some company wouldn't be bad. I wish it was anyone but you, but I can't be picky." Draco said, standing up and starting to walk down the hall.
Harry followed, and was met by a smirk. Draco had pulled out a bottle of something and set it on the table.
"Potter, let's get smashed…." He said, pulling out a couple of glasses. "That should make the night more enjoyable, no?"
"Hand me a glass." Harry replied, feeling his father show through him a little. As Draco passed him a glass, their hands brushed together for just a moment, making Draco blush for no reason.
It only took a few glasses before Draco started to sing. A few more glasses and Harry joined him. A few more glasses, and they were ready to pass out.
Draco pointed vaguely in the direction of a bed, indicating that he should take it. He was much more agreeable drunk. He himself fell on the couch and was out before his head had come in contact with anything.
Waking up halfway through the night, Draco walked over to a corner and puked. When he came back up, he stumbled over to the bed and fell back asleep.
When he woke up the next morning, his back felt really warn. Opening his steel-blue eyes, he blinked into the sun then he realized that he couldn't turn around. He saw a pair of hands around his waist, and looked to see who was so adamantly attached to his waist. Harry was sitting there, a content look on his face. Something was overcoming Draco as he reached down and brushed Harry's hair out of his face. Then he realized what he was doing.
"Git!" he screamed, practically jumping out of the bed. Harry squinted and looked up at him.
Jumping slightly at the sight of Draco, he jumped out of the bed also. Glaring at him, he exclaimed, "What did you do, Malfoy? Bloody pervert!" Harry screamed, before realizing that nothing had happened. His head pounded all ready from all of the screaming.
Instead of responding, Draco just ran from the room. Running until he found a Slytherin, he quickly got back into the Slytherin Common Room; glad to see no one else was there. Taking a few deep breaths, he began to argue with himself aloud.
"Why the hell was I in the same bed with him?"
Because you love him, Drackie.
"I do not love him!"
Yes you do!
"Shut up! I do not love Harry Potter" Malfoy screamed into the emptiness, collapsing onto the couch. His eyes drooped, and he fell back to sleep.
When he woke up again, the common room was bustling with people. No one had bothered him, realizing that he had to have been drinking the night before. Blinking in the low light, he sat up and tamed his hair. Standing up a few moments later, he headed out of the room. With nowhere in particular to go, he headed towards the Astronomy tower.
He opened the hatch, and climbed onto the roof. A slight wind chilled him, but he didn't care. He needed some time to get control of his feelings.
The sun had begun to rise when Draco left the tower. Climbing down the ladder, he headed past the owlery, catching a peek of the raven-black hair. Stopping he took a quick look at Harry, and felt his heartbeat begin to rise. Shaking off the feelings, he walked back downstairs. Walking into the Great Hall, he heard random snippets of conversations going on.
"Yeah, the ball…"
"It's going to be so pretty!"
"Who have you asked…."
Draco sat himself down, and grabbed some toast. He wasn't really hungry, but after not eating for two days, he thought it might be a good idea. Pansy sat down beside him, and smiled.
"Hiya Drackie! I was wondering if anyone had asked you to the dance yet?" she said, trying to sound sweet.
"Pansy, what in the hell gave you the idea that I would want to go with you? You disgust me!" he said, not looking up at her. She looked at him, before stalking away angrily.
He stood up again, and walked out of the Great Hall, by himself. Heading in the direction of the dungeons, he settled himself down leaning against a wall.
Just his luck. He saw the bushy head of Hermione Granger, the lankiness of Ron Weasley, and Harry walking down the hall. Swearing, he just sat there, as they walked by. Harry gave him a fleeting look, but that was all the response he got.
He went through the rest of the day in a blur, before heading up to the Astronomy tower again. This time, when he arrived, he was not alone, however. As he closed the hatch, he saw Harry's raven colored hair glistening from the moonlight. Swearing quietly, he turned around and was meaning to go back downstairs. Harry looked up at him.
"Malfoy. Eh, fuck it and look at the stars." Harry said, leaning back, sounding almost peaceful.
Sighing, Draco sat down on the roof, in silence. They both just sat there, enjoying the company.
The silence was killing Draco though.
"What drove you up here, Potter?" Draco said, trying to strike up a conversation.
"Ron and his whining. Then there's Hermione and her novels to Krum. All in all, it was sickening me, so I left. You?" Harry said, not bothering to look at him.
"Pansy. I told her to screw off, and she won't lave me alone. I just needed some air." He replied, letting the conversation die.
"Really? I always had the impression that you and Pansy were 'together'" Harry said, looking back at Malfoy.
Draco laughed. "Yeah, that has about as much of a chance as me growing wings and learning to fly." He said smirking.
Soon after this, the sun began to rise. Standing up and stretching, Harry looked at Draco and said, "It's nice to see a humane side of you, for once. It's nice." He said, smiling at he opened the hatch.
"Well, don't expect it to stay!" Draco yelled after him, still lying there. He thought of how Harry almost complemented him and smiled.
This went on for a while. Nearly a month later, Harry could be found sneaking off to talk to Draco on the Astronomy tower. They had really grown accustomed to each other, almost seeming to forget their five-year standing rivalry, but of course, their friends noticed.
A rather angry Ron had confronted Harry, and Draco had to deal with Pansy even more.
"Draco, why haven't you picked on Potty and the Weasel recently? You've been picking on Smith from Huffelpuff more." She said, smirking.
"No reason really. Potter deserved a break, so yeah. And I already said no, so don't ask me again." He said, as she opened her mouth to talk again.
That night, Draco had come up, not realizing how cold it would be. Harry was sitting there, his winter cloak draped around him.
"Why do we keep meeting like this, Draco?" Harry asked, watching the pale boy shiver slightly.
"I don't really know. It's just been comforting to talk to someone I can actually talk to." Draco replied, through chattering teeth.
Harry sighed and walked over to him. Throwing the cloak over the both of them, Draco actually smiled. Jumping slightly, Harry looked at him questioningly.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you with my smile. I know I don't show it often." Draco said, grinning sheepishly, almost like a young school child.
"It was a nice change. Your sneer does get rather old." Harry replied, looking out to the horizon, following Draco's gaze intently.
They spent the rest of the night in silence, just watching everything in the sky.
The day of the dance came, and Pansy came down in a set of deep pink dress robes, on the arm of Blaise. Draco scoffed at them, as they left. He hadn't really been planning to go at all.
He had just wanted to think for a while. Draco's feelings were getting stronger for Harry, especially since the beginning of their little escapades. He had gotten to know the boy, and was realizing that he wasn't a complete git, which he had been trying to prove for the last couple of years.
Standing up, he decided that he needed to take a walk. Heading outside, he wandered through the empty halls, ending up in the owlery. Opening the door, Harry was sitting on a window ledge, and was talking to his owl.
Catching some of his conversation, he heard something about himself. Opening the door, he looked in, giving Harry quite a shock.
"Harry, I'm surprised. I would have bet anything that you would have been at the dance." Draco said, coaxing his owl down, holding a letter addressed to someone.
"Same for you, Draco. " Harry said, setting Hedwig back on her post and looking out the window.
Taking his owl to the window, Draco smiled. Watching it fly off, he began to watch some of the happy couples wander around.
Draco, I've been wondering. Why have you been so nice to me recently? You've been treating me…like…well…a human." Harry said, a slight tinge appearing in his cheeks.
"Well, after realizing that you weren't a worthless git, it was nice to talk to someone having the same problems." Draco replied, turning to face him.
"Well, it's been a nice change. I don't miss the old you, to tell you the truth." Harry said, turning slightly redder.
"Yeah, I do want to apologize for being such a bastard when we were younger. My father was the one that taught me all of the pureblood shit, and I took it to heart." Draco said.
" Well Draco, I want to say I'm sorry for all of the times I got you in trouble, which are way too many to count. Truce?" he said, extending his hand.
"Truce." Draco replied, taking his hand in his own and smiling kindly, for the second time.
"There's also something else I wanted to tell you." Draco said, trying to pull up his courage.
"What is it?" Harry said, looking back out the window.
"Well, to tell you the truth, and this will sound absurd, I know, I think I may be developing a crush…on …you… "He said, saying the last part in a small voice.
Harry turned to look at him, warily. He looked a little shocked, and then smiled.
"That's really cute, Draco. Can't say that I can return it, but it is cute." Harry replied, watching Draco shiver again. Harry took one of his hands and enclosed it in both of his, trying to warm the pale boy up.
Draco blushed, bringing some color back to his cheeks. Harry was so warm and happy, and he was just this depressed thing, but he knew what it felt like to be in love, not that he said anything, of course. Sliding his cloak off of his shoulders, Harry wrapped it around Draco, in another attempt to warm him up, before taking both of Draco's hands in his.
Draco looked up at Harry, a small bit of kindness showing through his usually cold steel-blue eyes.
"Thank you…."Draco muttered, looking ashamed of himself for being so weak. Draco slid against the wall, leaning against it. Harry sat next to him, not having anywhere else to be.
They stayed there fairly long, before heading back to their common rooms. Draco felt better for letting out the truth, and Harry was confused.
When Draco sat down, Pansy came over to him.
"I'm sorry for leaving you Draco, but Blaise was just so nice, and then forceful. But did you enjoy your relaxing?" she said, leaning against him.
"Don't touch me, whore." He said, standing up and heading towards the dormitories. He fell asleep, with more fitful dreams to plague him.
He continued to go back the Astronomy tower, on nights that the weather would permit it. Harry would always be there, and they would just relax and talk. Draco was waiting for the right moment, but not having much luck. One night, they had been sitting under a blanket that Draco had smuggled up for them. He had wrapped one of his arms around Harry without him noticing, and was enjoying looking up at the sky with him. Interrupting it, Harry looked at him.
"You know Draco, I've been thinking. Do you remember the night of the dance?" he asked, looking at him.
"Of course." Draco replied, looking into the green eyes with much love, it seemed.
"Well, I wouldn't mind…. I mean…well…. ummm…."he said, stumbling around for words.
"What is it, Harry?" Draco said, rubbing his side gently.
"Umm, well you know ho you said you had developed a crush on me? Well, since them, I haven't stopped thinking about that. And well…ummm…here." Harry said, reaching up and gently pressing his lips against Draco's. For a moment, then he broke away, turning a lovely shade of red.
Draco had not been expecting this, at all. He sat there for a moment, letting is hand drop. Harry stood up, running over to the hatch. Kicking it open, he ran down the ladder quickly. Draco came to his senses and followed him. After a couple of corridors, he caught Harry by the wrist.
"Please let me go, Draco." He said, trying to break his grip. Draco held on tighter, and pulled Harry towards him, before enclosing him in a tight embrace.
"You can't make me," Draco said stubbornly, not hearing the footsteps coming towards them. A gasp came out, and a girl ran over to Harry.
"Harry, what do you think you're doing?" Hermione said, completely abandoning her search.
"Ummm…. hi Hermione!" Harry said, blushing even deeper. Draco turned around, desperate to get away, but Hermione caught his hand.
"So that's been where you've been disappearing to. Harry, if it was something as a relationship, you could have told me, you know. Ron might not like it, but I completely support it." She told the two, making Harry and Draco both smile, ever so slightly.
Draco turned back around as another set of footsteps came running up.
"Harry, mate, where have you been? We've been searching everywhere for you! What's Malfoy doing here?" Ron said, watching Draco warily.
"I haven't done anything, Weasley." Draco replied, watching Harry slightly. He had been so happy a few moments ago…
"Well, it was nice to see you. Good night, Gryffindors." Draco said, heading in the direction of his common room, as Harry turned around to follow Hermione and Ron back to their own common room.
Hermione didn't say anything as they sat down by the fire in silence. Ron looked livid, and Harry excused himself after a few moments. Heading towards the dorm, Ron leaned forward, resting his head in his hands.
"Malfoy beat me, didn't he?" Ron said, talking to Hermione sadly.
"I'm afraid so, Ron. I told you to tell Harry, but no, you didn't listen to me…" she said, looking into the fire. Harry walked back down, looking at Ron.
"What did you need to tell me, Ron?" he said, looking at the two. He was slightly confused now. Ron, looking scared, leaned over and kissed Hermione gently, acting as if that's what he meant to do the whole time.
Hermione's eyes grew wide, and after a few moments, Ron looked back up at her, thanking her with his eyes.
Harry just turned around and stalked off. He knew that those two would get together; it wasn't much of a secret. He went back to bed, climbing under the warm sheets.
"Ron! Why on earth did you do that?" Hermione said a few minutes later. Her eyes were still wide from shock as she watched him
"I can't tell him Hermione. I'm sorry." Ron said, turning bright red, before he got up to go to bed also, with Hermione following a few moments later, both of them really confused.