Chapter Nine:
Harry Potter lie asleep on the scarlet carpet of the Gryffindor common room. His eyelids fluttered as he slept; the sign of one deeply asleep, deeply relaxed. Draco stood in the doorway, fully dressed. He looked down at Harry, a secretive smile on his face. He turned, pulling out his wand and uttering a spell. He slipped through the liquefied doorway, disappearing down the corridor.
Harry awoke hours later. The Gryffindor students were at Hogsmeade, their treat for staying behind this Christmas. He leaned over, his hand on his forehead. Did that really happen? Or was it just a dream...? He turned and picked up his glasses, looking carefully around the empty room. The dying embers glowed in their hearth; the outside world was thick with snow and growing darker. Harry stood, picking up his clothes.
As he picked up his shirt, a piece of parchment drifted out of the pocket, falling onto the floor gently. He bent and picked it up, opening it.
My my, Potter likes to play with wands after all. At this Harry blushed and took a second glance around the room. He sighed, turning back to the letter. I won't tell if you don't.
Harry stared down at the paper, hand trembling slightly. I won't tell if you don't... He crushed the paper in his hand and dropped it into the fading fire before pulling on his shirt.
"Harry! You've got presents!" Longbottom pointed to the stack of presents next to Harry's bed. It was Christmas morning and snow drifted down from the brightsky, the sunlight filtering through the windows merrily. Harry smiled and looked down, then across. Neville had three presents to Harry's eight. Poor Neville...
"Yeah... Happy Christmas Neville." Harry smiled before bending to pick up his pile. He stacked them on the bed and looked them over.
Hermione. Ron. Mrs. Weasley (at this he mentally rolled his eyes- another sweater). Dolby. Hagrid. Ginny. One present from the Quidditch team (probably some new gloves). and...
Malfoy. Harry's eyed widened. He glanced over to see if Neville had noticed but he was already digging into his parched pile, carefully opening each.
Harry slid his fingers over the wrapping, frowning. I didn't get him anything... He opened it quickly, his back turned against Neville, blankets piled around him.
What the HELL? A shirt glittered before his eyes, the letters dancing in the Slytherin colors. The message:
Draco's Bitch.
"DAMMIT!" Harry cried, stuffing the shirt quickly back into the box, his face red.
"Something wrong, Harry?" Harry turned quickly, box already shoved under the covers.
"N-nope! Nothing at all! Just something really gay- GHASTLY! Something really ghastly! Uh... just- yeah!" Harry blushed deeper. Ok so I sound like an idiot but what the hell's up with that present?
"So what'd you think of my present, Potter?" Harry and Draco had stumbled into each other on the changing staircases. They were suspended above the air, way up high.
"Ghastly." Harry murmured, standing away from Draco.
"You don't like it?" Draco was smirking. He paused for effect before continuing. "Neither do I. But at least you got something." At this Harry frowned. What's he up to...? "You know, Potter, just for not giving me a Christmas gift, I think you owe me."
"What- NO! No way uh-uh not happening."
"I think I know just the way you can pay me back."
"No! Malfoy you've got to be kidding me!" Draco simply stared at Harry, a crooked smile on his face, his eyes lit up with dark thoughts. "Shit." Groaned Harry. Whatever. It can't be that bad. "Name it."
At that Draco smiled, eyes still dark. He leaned over, whispering secretive words that were making Harry blush, eyes widening as Draco whispered on.
"No! We- we'll get in trouble. We can't do that!"
"What, you don't want to?" Harry's mouth shut tightly, eyes still wide with shock.
After a moment of silence, Draco leaned against the banister.
"So you gonna wear the shirt or what?"
"Shove it up your ass, Malfoy."
"I've got better things to shove up my ass than a t-shirt, Potter."
Harry sat watching the dreary sky slowly clear. He sighed and turned his back to the overcast day. He was wearing Mrs. Weasley's sweater and eating the Christmas candies Ron had given him. He had a thick book on his lap, the book filled with moving pictures.
He touched a finger to his favorite picture, the one with his mother and father dancing and laughing together. "Happy Christmas..." he whispered before slowly shutting the book, thinking ofhow hisparents would react to what he did. To what I'm about to do. He took a deep breath but stood and walked out the door, heading towards the one-eyed statue. I can't wait to see Hogsmeade again. Though I didn't think I'd be seeing it like this...
He pulled his invisibility cloak from his bag, pulling it around him. "Happy Christmas indeed."
"Welcome to Hog's Head-"
"I'd like a room." The barman frowned.
"You're not old enough! How old are you anyway? Why, you look like you're still at the school!" The boy extended his hand, showing Aberforth a small mountain of gold. The barman still frowned at the gold but sighed, holding out his own hand. He took the money then turned and grabbed a large silver key off the wall, sliding it across the counter. "You just behave yourself!" But the blonde was already mounting the stairs. Damn kids. It is the holiday though...
Harry pulled himself out of the Honeydukes'cellar, still wrappedin his cloak.
After a few minutes, he found himself in front of Hog's HeadInn, the rickety sign creaking in the wind as it rocked back and forth. What if it's a trap? What if he lied? What if- He shoved the thoughts away from him before taking a deep breath and opening the door,heading straight for the stairs.
"Malfoy?" Harry whispered through the door. "Are you in there?" The door opened as Harry pulled the cloak off his head, stuffing it quickly into his bag.
"Took you long enough." Harry just frowned, looking worried. The school had taken another trip down to Hogsmeade for the last day of winter break. Tomorrow the students would return and everything would go back to normal. Not very many students were around Hog's Head today, Honeydukesbeing themore popular place to go.
They had the room to themselves.
Harry sat on the bed, a worried look on his face. Draco smiled and leaned on the door, looking him over.
"What are you thinking about, Malfoy?"
"Just how you'd look in my shirt." At this Harry blushed and grimaced. He finally sighed and tugged off Mrs. Weasley's sweater, revealing the shirt he had received from Draco. Malfoy simply smirked, laughing quietly to himself and shaking his head.
"Now tell me- why are we here?" Harry already looked bored and a little worried.
"Relax, it'll only be for a little while. You told me," Draco began walking towards Harry. "about a dream you had? Remember that one?" Harry frowned, thinking. But then he remembered...
"I had a dream..."
"Hm?"
"You told me-"
"I remember that one..." Harry whispered, eyes glazed over.
"Tell me what it was about." Draco was now standing over Harry, a dark gleam in his eyes.
"It was about you and me... but it was before," Harry gulped. "Before everything."
"Tell me." Harry looked up, blushing.
"I don't want to."
"I think you do." Draco grinned at Harry, his hands now leaning onto Harry's knees. They slid up to his thighs, his eyes dancing.
"... But-" Harry bit his lip, searching Draco's eyes. "It's just a stupid dream! It doesn't even make sense." He paused before correcting himself. "Didn't make sense..."
"Potter, stop being so stubborn."
"But you don't understand! I just- can't. It sounds stupid." Draco sighed, rolling his eyes.
"Guess I'm just going to have to beat it out of you then, Potter."
Shit.