Title: Kiss the Cook (3/4)
Rating: PG13
Length: 6489 words, part 3 of 4
Genre: Romance/Humor/Drama
Pairings: Harry/Draco and minor Ron/Hermione
Summary: Harry, Ron, and Hermione take cooking classes over the summer after fifth year. Draco starts thinking for himself, which doesn't go over well. Cooking, fire, loos, kisses, betrayal, and secrets.
Disclaimer: Not my characters, quotes, or even idea. : ( But my words!
Note: Written for humpday101 using the prompt 'I think I forgot' (fluff), andhpchallenge with the word 'banana.' The idea of the trio taking cooking classes to get away from things is credited to Remus's Nymph.
Monday August 12, 1996
Ron and Hermione escaped into the girls' room around eleven thirty. It meant Harry would arrive there much earlier then he had intended, but it was the perfect opportunity to leave. Mrs. Weasley couldn't even stop him as she was bringing a homemade lunch to Mr. Weasley at work.
Harry scribbled out a note saying he left to go down early and placed it in the middle of his bed. When they went to look for him, they would be sure to find it.
He walked out of the house with no problem and luckily, the window in Ginny's room faced the backyard, so they wouldn't see him leaving. On the half hour walk to the school, Harry imagined Hermione's reaction when she read the letter. She would be terribly angry and once she found Harry…He might have to invest in a hearing aid. He was not looking forward to that encounter. Maybe even more so than the encounter he was walking into.
He was still confused about the thing with Draco. He had liked it and wanted to do it again. That he had only just let himself believe late last night. He couldn't get what happened out of his mind. He had even started zoning out just thinking about it. Ron seemed worried about him, but Hermione thought he was just thinking about his crisis, as she referred to it.
The school air conditioning hit him with a welcome blast. It wasn't scorching out like other days but it still was hot. He shut the door behind him and headed to the room. He would have to wait about half an hour until Draco showed up. He hoped Ron and Hermione didn't pop up before class started, therefore, not allowing them to talk.
He walked into the cooking room. He was surprised that the school didn't lock their doors. Anyone could get in.
"You're early," a voice said to his right. Harry looked over and found Draco perched on a stool, a half-eaten apple in his hand. The apple must have been very fresh for little ribbons of juice created lines down Draco's hand and dripped onto the floor between his legs.
"I couldn't have left later if I wanted to," he answered guardedly. He wasn't sure how to act. "You're early too."
Draco nodded and set the apple on a napkin. He stood and sauntered over to Harry, who backed up a step before he raised his head and stood his ground. He knew that bit-removing spell if Draco was going to do something. Of course, he couldn't do magic, being only sixteen, but if need be he had it.
It turned out that what Draco did made him forget the bit-removing spell. Actually, it made him forget quite a lot.
Draco leapt across the small distance and pressed Harry against the door. Right when Harry was about to knee him in the groin, Draco gathered his wrists and pinned them above his head. It sent a shiver down Harry's spine and straight to his cock.
Soft lips, sticky with apple juice, pressed against his own. Harry moaned and poked his tongue out, wanting to lick the sweet juice off Draco's lips. He tasted so good. It wasn't until Draco slammed Harry's hips against the door that he even realized he was pressing up against him.
Draco groaned and opened his mouth, apparently tired of Harry just licking his lips. Harry didn't complain though, as his lips were losing the apple taste, and his mouth was so much better. The apple there was more pronounced, and there was some undertone that Harry just couldn't get enough of.
Draco's hands released Harry's and trailed down his bare arms, leaving a trail of sticky juice from his fingers. Draco pulled his head away from Harry and latched onto his arm. He sucked on the soft skin between Harry's shoulder and elbow. Harry could feel the tongue swirling and then teeth nipping. He couldn't help but bury his head into Draco's neck and let out a long, low moan.
Draco stilled and Harry's arms fell down to land on Draco's waist. Harry's breathing was heavy. He could feel the hair at Draco's neck fluttering with every out breath he gave. He could also feel Draco's skin goose bumping slightly. He pressed a light kiss onto the raised skin there. Draco gasped and grabbed Harry's chin. He pulled Harry's head to his and crushed their lips together.
Harry let out a strangled mewl as Draco sucked on his bottom lip. It was fantastic. Why hadn't they started this sooner instead of hating each other? Wait, weren't they here to talk? But then Draco licked the edge of Harry's face and fluttered kisses over the wet skin. Harry gasped out the only thing that came to mind. "Wanna be together?"
Draco moaned and replaced his lips on Harry's. He murmured, "Fuck, yes," into Harry's mouth. In one fluid motion he unzipped and unbuttoned Harry's jeans. He was tugging them down Harry's hips when he realized what Draco was doing.
He jumped away from Draco, ramming his head into the door behind him. He stared wide-eyed at him while Draco frowned in confusion. His eyes were dilated and Harry figured his might be too. Though perhaps not, as he was just shocked severely. How could Draco want that now? And here, where anyone could walk in and find them. And it was way too soon. Way too soon.
"That's not what I meant," he said quickly, adjusting his crooked glasses. Draco dropped his hands, which had been reaching for Harry's jeans again.
"Then what -" Draco frowned. "You want us to date? Be boyfriends?" he scoffed.
Harry felt a strong desire to punch him. How could he love what Draco's mouth did but not what spewed out of it? Besides, he was unable to think clearly when he had said that.
"I'm not gay." Draco glowered at him, as if daring him to disagree.
Harry started slightly. Did that mean he actually was gay? Did that mean Hermione was wrong, and he did like blokes, not just the attention?
"Well, I don't think I am either."
"Think?"
"I know, whatever." Harry stared at him. It seemed like a good idea, if Draco could keep his mouth shut. Well, by that Harry meant not talking. "I think it sounds like an idea."
Draco chewed on his lips and Harry found his eyes following the movement. "There'll be more of that, right?" He whirled his hand at the door, where they had been occupied.
Harry frowned. He had meant a relationship, not just for the touch. But, if he was honest with himself, he only wanted a relationship to see if he was gay. "Yeah, sure."
Draco thrust his hand out. "Fine, Potter. You have yourself a deal."
Harry snorted. A deal? He eyes Draco's hand. Did he really want to do this - whatever this was? Before he realized what he was doing, his hand inched its way through the air and into Draco's palm.
"Call me Harry, Draco."
Draco's fingers skittered over the inside of Harry's wrist. Leisurely they made their way up his arm to dip and swirl at the inside of his elbow. "Harry," he whispered, tugging him forward against him. Their lips met chastely because they could hear angry footsteps making their way down the hall.
Draco pulled away and sat back on his stool, picking up his previously discarded apple. "No one knows, okay?" Harry nodded and tried flattening his hair, not that it would make any difference.
The door flung open wildly and Hermione, followed by Ron, stormed into the room. She set eyes on Harry, and then proceeded to yell at him for his foolishness. Ron was glancing between Draco and Harry, his brow furrowed.
Harry tried to explain, once asked, but he couldn't use the real excuse and he hadn't another ready. He could see both of his friends looking suspiciously at Draco, and the blond boy - Harry's boyfriend? - smirking humorously at him.
Eventually Dolly showed up, and Hermione ceased her yelling, though she became very frosty towards Harry and wouldn't speak to him. Not soon after Dolly, the rest started to show. Draco was immediately taken away by Nashira. Harry stared after them. He was busy wondering when the next time Draco and he would be able get alone together that he wasn't listening to Dolly until she said she was going to partner them again.
"Let's see." She tapped her chin and hummed. "April and Ron, Nashira and Hermione, Oliver and Keiko, Mary and Carmen, Draco and Harry." She looked sternly at the two boys. "And I want no fighting. Try to get along."
Harry attempted to hide his grin. He looked over at Draco to share it, but he was looking the other way. Harry stood and walked to a kitchen.
XxXxX
Draco stepped into the kitchen Harry was already at. He watched the brunette pull the ingredients out of the fridge and cupboards. He wasn't sure about this thing, agreement, they now had going on. The talking hadn't gone over anything like Draco had wanted. All he had wanted was to kiss Harry, see if it was a fluke the first time. And then he was going to convince the Gryffindor to tell no one. He hadn't expected to want it so much.
"What are we making?" he asked. During Dolly's talk he had been unable to pay attention. All he could think about was Harry. Harry and his green eyes, unruly black hair, soft skin, and parted pink lips. He had quite enjoyed those lips on him. The slight chappedness of them felt good against his skin.
Draco shook his head. He had to concentrate. Nashira was already curious. She said something about a dreamy look on his face. Draco liked to think she was making that up. Malfoys didn't get dreamy looks.
"Erm, banana nut muffins," he said vaguely as he turned on the electric beater and started mixing. Draco watched those fingers curl around the machine and wondered how they would feel curled around his cock.
Draco frowned. What was with him? So he snogged Harry once and now was getting an influx of images? It wasn't right. Although, it did make it seem like he was in it for sex like they had agreed. Only, Draco knew it wasn't. Well, mostly it was. It also was because he wanted to see Harry's reactions. He'd seen him angry multiple times, and he had seen him happy during Quidditch and with friends. What he desired was to see him content, maybe from sitting in Draco's arms. He wanted to see him look into Draco's eyes with the trust he reserves for his closest friends. He wanted to see Harry lose all abandon in Draco as he arches his back, eyes flashing with desire, and pleasure, and love -
Draco stiffened. He had gotten carried away. Maybe they needed to take this slow. And stay distant. Very distant. Incase that actually would happen.
"Hey, thanks for helping," Harry grumbled. Draco snapped to attention to find Harry was placing the pan in the oven. "Want to lick the bowl?" He pushed it over and grabbed the other utensils and measuring devices. They dropped into the sink with a loud clatter.
Draco grabbed the bowl and rubbed his pointer finger along the side, gathering the brown mixture. It tasted okay. It wasn't superb, but it was fine.
He was aware of Harry's eyes on him. He peeked at him to see he was following the movement of the batter from the bowl to Draco's finger to his mouth. Draco smirked around his finger and scooped more up. So he wasn't the only who wanted to do things suddenly. If the look on Harry's face said anything, a million scenarios were running through his head. Draco almost laughed. And he couldn't act on any of them. But wait - Draco groaned quietly - he kind of wanted Harry to do something.
He looked up from the bowl to see Harry right in front of him. Draco raised his eyebrows and his hand. But before he could wrap his lips around his batter-coated finger it was sucked into Harry's warm mouth. They locked eyes and Draco moaned softly. Harry's tongue was swirling around his finger, paying a lot of attention to the tip.
A plate clattered to the floor.
Harry sprung away. Draco glared at him. How could he think to do something like that? Anyone could have seen. Anxiously, he looked around. Only two people were looking at them. Dolly seemed to be the one who had dropped the plate. She was in April and Weasley's kitchen, but luckily, neither of them looked to have seen. A few kitchens up from them was Keiko. Draco leered at her, and she flushed and turned away.
"Sorry. I - um - sorry," Harry whispered.
If someone else had seen, Draco would have been ready to kill Harry. But as it was, he was pretty sure neither of them would say anything. Draco sunk down to the floor. He wiped his wet finger on Harry's pants and sighed heavily.
"You okay?" Harry sat beside him and reached a hand out cautiously. His face was twisted in concern and apology. It looked charming. "Look, I'm really sorry. I don't think anyone noticed. Please, don't be mad." He paused to think before saying defensively, "Besides you fed me cake last week, and is it really that different? I mean -"
Draco looked around to make sure they were concealed by the counters before pulling Harry forward with a hand strategically placed on the back of his head, effectively shutting him up.
Harry hummed his approval and settled between Draco's legs. He was fleetingly reminded of wanting to take things slow but reasoned that they couldn't do much with everyone around, so it wasn't a problem.
Harry leaned back a bit and said, "Once I got chased up a tree by my aunt's dog. Well, she's not really my aunt, but I'm supposed to call her that."
Draco blinked before laughing silently. "That's random."
"I figured we should talk. You know, if we are - um - together." He bit his lip and looked awkwardly at Draco.
He contemplated mentioning that they only agreed on this for physical pleasure but refrained. "I guess you're right…Wow. I never thought I'd say that."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Shut it," he said good-naturally, shoving Draco's shoulder into the drawer gently. "I'll have you know, I'm right about quite a lot of things."
Draco snorted. "Like what?" He dropped his hands on Harry's arms and rubbed circles there. It felt nice to sit like this with Harry. With anyone, he said to himself, he could enjoy this with anyone. It didn't have to be Harry Potter.
"Like - um…" He pulled his legs out from underneath him and stretched them over Draco's thighs, his feet pressing into the wooden drawers.
"Not dating, my arse," Oliver muttered in an undertone, his head peering over from the kitchen beside them. Draco started, having forgotten other people were in the room. Harry blushed. Draco looked between the two of them before glowering at Oliver. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." He winked at them. "Though if you don't want people to know, you should do a better job at hiding it."
They pulled apart and stood. Harry walked over to the stove and opened it, checking to see if the muffins were done. Draco couldn't stop his eyes from darting back to rest on the raven-haired boy. Draco grimaced slightly. Great, he was falling hard and fast, and he wasn't even sure how he was falling, or what for.
XxXxX
The whole walk home Hermione said nothing to Harry. She was, evidently, still mad. Ron tried engaging the two of them in talk the whole time. Harry spent most of the walk talking to Ron and daydreaming about Draco. It was insane how fast things had progressed. It was definitely different from the only other relationship he'd been in. Besides the obvious gender difference, a big difference was that nothing really had happened with Cho, but with Draco, it escalated quickly.
Ron tried getting Hermione to play a game of chess once they got home but she declined and went in search of Mrs. Weasley. Harry sat across him and prepared himself to lose spectacularly.
Fifteen minutes later, Harry looked at his few pieces still on the board. Either he was getting worse or Ron was getting better. Plus, it didn't help that the pieces didn't trust him and kept trying to go in other places.
Hermione walked in and sprawled on Ron's bed. Harry and Ron looked up from the floor to find her poring over numerous cookbooks.
"What are you doing?" Ron asked after commanding his knight to move. Harry, giving up and wanting to get the game over with, prodded his last pawn into the knight's path. It was protesting shrilly and Harry had to pick it up and place it there.
Hermione waited for the pawn to quiet before she said, "I'm looking for something to make for the cooking contest."
At the end of class, Dolly had announced that the last day, Friday, would consist of a cooking contest where everyone worked individually to make whatever they wanted as long as it had bananas in it.
"I'm just making something quick and easy so I don't have to do anything," Ron said.
Harry smiled. "Good idea."
Hermione tutted at them.
"What do you think of one of those smoothies again?"
A snort resounded from the bed. "After what happened last time, Ron?"
"Oy! That was all Harry. I would've remembered to put the lid on." He laughed while Harry threw the screaming chess pieces at him.
"And besides," Ron said once Harry finished with the throwing of game pieces. "That's a magical cookbook. You'll need a muggle one."
Hermione sighed and snapped the book shut. "I'm going to the library." She gathered the books together and walked to the door.
"Have fun," Ron called.
She stopped at the door and faced Ron. "You're not coming with? I mean, after all, it's very unsafe for people to walk around by their selves." She gave Harry a pointed look. Ron sniggered.
"Fine." He looked at Harry, trying on a puppy-dog pout. Harry thought he looked ridiculous and laughed. He nodded and followed them out of the house for an hour walk to the library.
After the library, Hermione and Ron retired to Ginny's room. Hermione, finally softening up to him after he pretended to be interested in finding a cookbook, asked if Harry would like to join them in poring over the books, but Harry declined after seeing the disappointed look in Ron's eyes.
So he sat on his bed and even attempted to look in the cookbook, but it was dead boring. Hedwig flew in the open window, hooted, and nipped at his fingers. He shut the book and stroked her feathers. Lately she had been getting restless. She wanted to send letters, but since he was staying with Ron and Hermione there were no letters to send. Harry had already sent off more letters to Hagrid over the summer than his whole life combined.
Her white feathers reminded Harry of Draco's thin hair. He wondered if it was soft and decided tomorrow he would have to find out. Then he got an idea. He grabbed a piece of parchment and quill. He scribbled out,
Cookbooks are boring.
Harry
and told Hedwig to give it to Draco Malfoy. He didn't think she would find him but she looked happy to have something to do. To his surprise, an hour later she flew in with a different paper. It was thicker and with an elegant 'M' depicted on the bottom. It read,
You like cooking so much you do that out of the class? You're going to make a perfect housewife.
Harry snorted and wrote a response back. They spent the evening sending letters back and forth until Hedwig became exhausted and Ron walked in to sleep. Harry had a nice, peaceful sleep uninterrupted by the nightmares he'd been having almost every night since the Ministry event.
Tuesday August 13, 1996
When Harry told Ron and Hermione they could work together, and he would find someone else, they looked pleased. When Harry walked up to Draco and asked if he wanted to be partners, Draco tried hiding a smirk and nodded. Nashira frowned at them and sulkily walked away. When it was obvious that they would be working together willingly Ron gaped soundlessly, and Hermione turned her analyzing gaze on them. Dolly gave them an odd look, and Oliver winked at them, rushing into the kitchen beside them with Carmen at his heels. No one else seemed to notice or care except that April and Mary whispered together, no doubt wondering if they would get into a fight.
"You didn't answer my owl last night," Draco complained, his bottom lip sticking out pettishly.
Harry laughed. "All you said was that you were tired. And I fell asleep then."
Draco scowled. "Didn't it occur to you that I waited for an answer?"
Harry bumped against him with his hip. "I didn't know my letters meant that much to you." He smiled at Draco's gawking mouth and dumped some ingredients into a bowl.
"They don't." Sourly, he kicked Harry's foot and shoveled chocolate chips he had found into his mouth.
Across the counter, he heard Carmen ordering Oliver around. She simply sat on a stool, picking at her nails. Every now and then she would look at him and offer an insult. Oliver seemed to take it all in stride and not mind at all. It annoyed Harry.
"So, what are you making for the contest?" Harry asked, dumping everything into a pan and stuffing it in the oven.
Draco raised one eyebrow. "Who cares? I was just going to slather a banana in peanut butter and be done."
"Oh, that's a good idea!"
Draco glowered at him, but a smile was tugging at his lips. "No taking my ideas."
Harry pulled a stool out for him and shoved him in it, taking the one beside him. "Ron and I were going to make something simple and fast too. Like smoothies or something…Maybe I'll dip it in chocolate and freeze it."
Draco rolled his eyes. "If you make something involving a blender let me know so I can get away." His fingers tapped Harry's knee and slowly made their way up to his thigh.
Harry pouted. "But I thought you liked it last time." He grinned playfully. When Draco didn't respond and just concentrated on tracing a design on Harry's leg, he said, "So what are you going to do after you finish your peanut butter banana?"
Draco looked up and smiled widely at him. "Well, I was thinking that I could slather you in peanut butter and -" he looked down at the chocolate chips in his hand, "Or maybe I'll melt chocolate and slather that on you. Yes, then it'll be warm and delicious. And then I'll lick it off bit by bit until you're putty in my hands and begging for me to touch you with something other than my tongue."
"You'll go to another room to do that, right?" Oliver said, humor dancing in his eyes. Draco flushed angrily while Harry bit his lip and shoved Draco's tracing hands away. "Sorry. Couldn't help overhearing. You two really are bollocks at hiding that you're dating."
"Oliver, chop, chop!" Carmen said. "You can talk to your gay little friends after you're done."
Harry and Draco looked at each other. Was it obvious or just a coincidence that she called them gay? Not that they were, Harry added for Draco's benefit. He said yesterday in the letters that he wasn't. When Harry asked why he was with a boy Draco replied that Harry must be a girl then, which had lasted in an argument over who was more like a girl. Neither won.
"Sorry 'bout her," Oliver apologized before turning back to their food.
"What the fuck did she mean by that?" Draco whispered angrily to Harry, who shrugged and dug his hand into the bag of chocolate chips. A few minutes later, Draco prodded him on the arm and said, "Nashira's waving me over. I'll be back." Harry nodded absently and watched Carmen pester Oliver.
Oliver escaped to sit across the counters from Harry. "Where'd Draco go?"
"Off. How do you put up with that?" Harry asked, waving in Carmen's direction. She was absently opening and closing the drawers now.
"With what?" Oliver said in confusion.
Harry couldn't believe it. He didn't see anything wrong? "Her. Carmen. She's so mean to you, and you're so calm. Nice. Why do you keep working with her, anyway?"
Oliver looked behind him to make sure Carmen was otherwise occupied before he leaned closer and whispered, "You can't tell. No one's supposed to know. Okay?"
Harry nodded eagerly.
"Well, remember the other day, when I said you and Draco reminded me of Carmen and me?"
"Yeah, you never explained that." Harry suddenly remembered. Oliver'd brought it up but then him thinking Harry and Draco were dating make him forget all about it.
Oliver shook his head slightly, biting his lip, then blurted quietly, "We're dating but she doesn't want anyone to know."
"Why?"
"She's shy about it. She never dated anyone like me. Her last boyfriend was how many years older and tuff. Like one of those bikers." He shrugged and smiled.
Harry leaned forward, his arse lifting off the stool, and whispered, "No, I mean, why would you date her? She's so mean."
Oliver chuckled. "Oh. That. She's not really that bad. Just in public. To keep up appearances, you know. She doesn't want anyone to suspect. But when we're alone she's real nice. She's sweet." He grinned fondly. Harry thought it was twisted.
"But - um - I thought you were…" He trailed off and shrugged wordlessly.
"Gay?" Oliver quipped. Harry nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, that's what lots of people think."
"And you let them think that?" He hadn't realized it but now he was sitting on his legs so he could lean forward and hear Oliver's quiet tone.
"I don't care what people think. It doesn't bother me." He smiled and folded his hands under his chin.
A shoulder bumped into his side. "What are you doing?" Draco asked in a forced natural voice. Harry looked at him to see his eyes narrowed at him.
Harry sat back in his chair and stared pensively at Oliver. It was kind of like Draco and him. They were together in secret. They weren't that cruel in public together, at least not yet. But they had only gotten together yesterday, (Harry couldn't believe it was that short ago) and as time passed they would probably get as bad as Oliver and Carmen.
He didn't want that to happen. What about when they went back at Hogwarts? If they still had this thing going, what would happen? Here, in the muggle cooking class, the only people to really hide it from were Ron and Hermione, but at Hogwarts there was everyone. There were the other Gryffindors, all of Draco's friends, and the teachers. The people that mattered, the people Draco really wouldn't want to know.
Draco huffed and shoved his hand into the chocolate bag roughly. Harry looked away from Oliver to watch Draco.
"What?" he asked, noticing the Slytherin's sharp movements. He wondered what Nashira had to say that made him upset.
"Nothing," Draco said shortly, turning away from Harry.
Harry's heart leapt. What if it was starting now? What if Nashira suspected them and said something to Draco, who decided he had to be nastier?
"We need to talk," Harry muttered.
Draco looked up from the bag and nodded. "You're right, we do."
"Erm…meet me in the loo?" He waited for Draco's nod before he left the room, telling Dolly he was going to the loo.
He shut the door behind him and searched for the light switch. He found it faster than last time and sat against the wall, waiting. He wasn't sure what he was going to say but he didn't want them to turn out like Oliver and Carmen. He wasn't sure what he wanted, and that was the problem.
XxXxX
With every step he took, he became angrier. Harry was dating him, not that bloody ponce Oliver! But no, Harry had to be wrapped up in the muggle, leaning over the counter to get closer and whispering together. It made Draco sick.
He opened the door harder than intended for it hit the wall with a crack. Harry shot up from his spot on the floor and gawked in confusion at Draco.
"What?" Harry asked. "What had Nashira said?"
Draco paused, momentarily confused. "You think I'm mad because of something Nashira said?" Harry nodded. "No! She just wanted to know why I worked with you over her."
"Oh. Then why…" He waved his hands at the door.
"You know why. Don't play the stupid, innocent Gryffindor," Draco snapped, walked forward to Harry, who stood his ground and didn't back up like Draco suspected he would.
"Look, why don't you just tell me." He shrugged. "I've no idea."
Draco breathed harshly out of his nose. "You and Oliver! You were flirting with him when we're dating! And it's not right because I'm the Slytherin, and you're the Gryffindor, and it's not supposed to work like that. You're supposed to want me, and I'm supposed to be cold, uncaring. I'm supposed to break your heart!" Draco quickly quieted. Where was all that coming from? Harry surely hadn't broken his heart. Made him livid, sure.
"Erm, we're dating?" Harry asked cautiously. Draco frowned but was glad he was stuck on that bit instead of other ones. "And about the rest, I'll have you know, the sorting hat wanted to put me in Slytherin."
Draco blinked. What? "You're kidding. You, the Gryffindor Golden Boy, in Slytherin? That'd be a hoot. Beside, you're too noble and saving people-like to be a Slytherin."
Harry snorted and sat back down. Draco sat beside him after searching the floor for dirt.
"So, we're dating?" he questioned again.
Draco sighed. He passed a hand over his face wearily. "I don't know. What did you want to talk about?" he said, abruptly changing the subject before they had to talk about their status.
Harry smiled widely. "You were jealous," he taunted.
"Yes, well. I'm not feeling well, must be from being around you and your good Gryffindor-ness."
Harry beamed and laid his head against Draco's shoulder. "Anyway, Oliver's not gay. He has a girlfriend."
Draco's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're kidding."
"Nope."
"Who?"
Harry frowned and sat straight. "I don't know. Someone we don't know. So, I was thinking. Do you think we should - erm - tell people. About us. You know, our…thing. Because we're putting up fronts, and it's not right. And. Um. Like, we could end up all bitter and terrible to each other and then we are like, just…not reality. It'd be…"
Draco couldn't help but smile at his inability to say what he wanted. "You want to tell people about us so we aren't two-faced?"
Harry smiled. "Yeah!" Then he bit his lip and gazed openly at Draco.
Draco pulled his hand away from where it had been twisting with Harry's. He took a deep breath, readying himself. "Who says this is anything that will last?"
The brunette froze and pulled his hand back too. "I just thought…You were jealous!" he accused.
"Yes. So?" He knew he was being distant and callous, but it had to be done. If Harry wanted them to tell other people, if he thought they would last, it had to be stopped, stopped before Harry started to feel for him and got hurt. Briefly, Draco wondered when the time had come that he was concerned about not hurting Harry. Before it had always been his desire to hurt the boy, but with a simple kiss, it all changed.
"Doesn't that mean something?" His eyes were no longer open but closing up, becoming guarded.
"When I was little, I didn't like to share," Draco explained, "When the other kids played with my toys, I was jealous. Jealous because someone else was taking what I owned."
He watched Harry's face take on different emotions before fury was clearly depicted on it. "Are you saying you own me?"
"No, I'm just using that as an example to explain my jealousy." He looked away. There was no way he would be able to look at the mixture of anger and hurt on Harry's face as he explained. Because for some reason he felt like he had to explain himself.
"This happened too fast," Draco started. Harry nodded, and Draco was glad he agreed. Maybe he would see what Draco meant. It would be so much easier that way. "Yesterday, when we were owling each other, I started thinking. This can't work."
Harry opened his mouth as if to protest but snapped it shut and looked at him, bending his legs and wrapping his arms around them.
Draco continued, "I realized that if my parents, my father, saw them, he would flip. I would get in so much trouble. Besides, you're the boy-who-lived, and I'm a Death Eater's son."
Harry was quiet for a long time, until he said, "Are you going to be a Death Eater?"
Draco sighed. "I don't see how it matters. We can't go on. Things will just go back to normal. We'll pretend this never happened."
"But it matters to me," Harry pleaded. His eyes were wide as he stared at Draco.
Draco had to look away. He was breaking this off. And anyway, it wouldn't hurt to tell Harry. It wasn't as if he could tell other people and get him in trouble. People already knew. "I'm undecided."
Harry nodded. Right when Draco was about to get up and leave he said, "We can make this work. We just have to work for it."
"Harry!" Draco snapped. Why couldn't he understand? "It won't work, haven't you been listening to me?"
"Yes, but if we -"
"No," Draco cut in, standing up and looking down at the brunette. "It's not like we even have feelings for each other. This thing we had going on, this fling, it means nothing. I was bored, you were bored, and snogging was something to do." Harry gaped. "All I wanted was to get in your trousers, Harry! That's it, nothing more." However, as Draco said that he knew. He knew that it didn't matter if they'd only gotten together Monday, he wanted more. He wanted something else.
He couldn't take the hurt Harry was trying so desperately to conceal. Draco turned around and walked out without a backward glance. He was half hoping Harry would stop him and say something but he never did. And it wouldn't have worked, Draco reminded himself.
He walked into the cooking room and entered his kitchen. Weasley and Granger both looked at him. Draco could tell they were suspicious of what he might have done to Harry. Oliver peered in concern at him. Draco managed to conjure up a sneer, but it was half-arsed.
He opened the stove to check on the food. It was burnt. Harry didn't come out of the loo until the class was over.
XxXxX
When Harry walked back into the cooking room, he knew class was almost over. He had tried that because, frankly, he didn't want to see Draco. He was mad, sad, and confused.
Draco looked over at him, but Harry didn't enter their kitchen. He walked over to Ron and Hermione. Harry wanted desperately to tell Draco he hadn't cried, he was just thinking, because that's probably what Draco thought. But he didn't want to talk to Draco.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked. "Did Malfoy do something?"
He looked in panic at her. How'd she know?
"Yeah," Ron said. "We saw him follow you off to the loo. Want me to sock him?" He glared daggers at the blond.
"No, it's fine, let's go." For everyone was finishing up with cleaning and leaving now. Draco was the first one out of the room. He glanced at Harry, but he refused to meet the grey eyes.
At the edge of the muggle town, Ron asked, "What's with you and Malfoy?"
Harry stumbled. "Huh?"
"You and Malfoy. Why'd you partner with him today?"
Harry looked between Ron and Hermione's faces and knew he would have to say something. They wouldn't drop it without an answer. "Erm…"
"It's alright, Harry," Hermione said. "We know about you and Malfoy."
Harry's eyes widened significantly. Had they seen them but didn't tell Harry? There was no way, Ron wouldn't be able to hide that he knew. Definitely not that it was Draco.
"Why?" Ron groaned. "Why'd you have to go and become friends with Malfoy of all people?"
Harry almost smiled in relief. "It's nothing, Ron. We're not friends."
"Then why were you acting like it?" Hermione chimed in.
Harry stopped to bend over and retie his trainer. "Well, we're not anymore, okay? It was a mistake."
"Oh," Hermione said in fake sympathy. Harry gave her a small smile for trying. Ron, on the other hand, laughed in joy.
"Good, we thought you'd gone barmy!" Hermione whacked him on the shoulder. Harry stood and set off down the sidewalk. "But, why'd you become friends with him anyway?"
He bit his lip and sighed, the sides of his mouth blowing out from the strange movement. "Erm, I don't know. I was stupid? I thought he might not be so bad. I thought he could change." For me, he added silently. How could he have been so foolish?
Ron kicked a rock and grinned dubiously at him. "Malfoy's a git. He's going to be a Death Eater, mark my words. How could he change?"
"I don't know, okay?" he said crossly. It was just dandy that they had to question him when he wasn't in a good mood. Right after he'd been dumped. By Malfoy. Harry would have laughed at the lunacy of that if he weren't upset.
Hermione smiled and touched his elbow. Harry inclined his head her way.
"You sure it's over?" Ron pressed. Harry and Hermione sent him twin glares, though Hermione's was sharper while Harry's lacked the bite.
He felt his stomach churn as he replied, "Yes, Ron. It's over for good."
