Chapter 5
Disclaimer: The main characters belong to JK Rowling (at least, their names do), but the setting, plot and some other characters are mine.
A/N: So here I am again. It's only been nine days but God I've missed this. Holiday turned out to be fun, and I got loads of ideas.
Anegativegrl: Yeah, Melfin is bloody annoying isn't she? That's how I want her to be! And by the way, if you hate angsty slash and prefer fluff, you may not want to read the next few chapters (like, several). But I've started thinking about a sequel already, so things won't be evil forever.
sweetypud: Thanks honey, but try reading all chapters before reviewing! And by the way, if you tell anyone what I told you about future plotlines I will kill you (and you know me too well to think I'm joking) (Seriously, I am joking)
M'Lady: Thanks!
Immortal Tears of: Thank you!
trianglisch: Love your name! Personally I think sometimes slash can go overboard, but mostly it's all good.
Cherry0214: Yeah, I thought it could have been slashier, but I'm working on my slash-writing skills so there will be better later.
The Earth Mystic: Thank you so much for the encouragement. Hope your party was good. And you might want to watch that drooling on keyboard thing... Generally water and keyboards don't mix all that well.
Thank you all! (::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Sunday morning, Harry woke at about nine thirty, his head fuzzy and his mouth dry. As he woke up properly, he realised he was lying, fully clothed, on top of his bedclothes in his room (how had he got up the stairs?). Slow, steady breathing reached his ears, and he noticed Draco asleep on the floor. Harry sat up, his brain beginning to flood with memories from the night before. Melfin kissing him (and then being sick), dancing, and... oh shit. He'd kissed Draco.
Granted, he'd enjoyed it, but that had to be down to the booze, right? Right? They'd both been really really (really!) drunk. He wasn't attracted to Draco. He was his best friend for God's sake! Just because he'd started to think of the blond as the planet's most beautiful creature did NOT mean he was... that way. It was just the drink, Harry told himself as he swung his legs off the bed. That and the shock of Sirius and Lupin must be getting to him more than he'd realised. He did NOT fancy Draco. No way.
"Draco," he said loudly, deciding he'd risk waking him up to ask if he wanted a coffee. "Draco!"
"What?" The boy on the floor rolled over and opened his eyes. "Ow, the light's burning my eyes!"
Harry snorted with laughter. "God, how much did you drink last night?"
"Not enough," Draco groaned, "I can still remember most of it." He dragged himself into a sitting position.
"I'm going to go make some coffee," Harry stood up. "Want one?"
Draco nodded, but quickly stopped as his head felt like it was about to fall off. "Yeah, thanks. Not much milk, no sugar."
"OK." Harry slowly made his exit, and made his way to the guest bedroom where Mione and Ron were. "Morning, guys."
"Morning," Mione said weakly She was sitting on one of the beds and looked half-asleep.
"Murgh," was the only sound from the other bed, where Ron was conscious but clearly not feeling too communicative.
"I'm going downstairs to make coffee," Harry addressed Mione, as there was no realistic way that Ron would reply. "Do you want one?"
"I'll come give you a hand if you want," she offered, standing up and shooting a barbed glance at the mound that was Ron.
The two of them headed downstairs and into the kitchen. Mione filled the kettle and switched it on. Harry leant on the counter.
"So Harry, you sure got lucky last night. I hear you managed to pull twice," Mione said flippantly as she got milk out of the fridge.
"Yeah," Harry replied sheepishly, "but neither of them meant anything..." His face went red from lying, and he pretended to rummage in a cupboard for sugar. Well, he couldn't exactly tell the truth, could he? "I mean, Melfin didn't know what she was doing, and did your mystery informant tell you she threw up straight after? And Draco... well you'd been doing those shots too, so you know how killer they were!"
"Yeah," she agreed, spooning instant coffee into four mugs and pouring water on. She turned back to him. "How does Draco take his coffee?"
"Um, he said not much milk and no sugar."
"Ooh, so he's a coffee junkie," she grinned. "Either that or his hangover's worse than he's letting on." She made the first coffee the way Harry had said, followed by a milky one with sugar for herself, a strong black one for Ron ("punishment", she said) and a medium one with a little sugar for Harry.
Together, they forced Ron out of bed (cleverly using the threat of a wet flannel to the face) and all four of them congregated in Harry's room to drink their coffees and plan the cleanup effort. Then they disbanded to shower and get dressed. Draco offered to wait while Harry used the bathroom, Ron used the other upstairs one, and Mione used Harry's parents' en suite.
When he'd finished in the shower, Harry realised he'd left his body spray in his room. He wrapped himself in a towel and went to fetch it. Draco was sitting on the bed, playing some random game on his cell phone. He looked up briefly as Harry came in, but quickly dropped his eyes back to the game. What else do you do, when in the presence of someone you fancy (and shouldn't!), and they're only wearing a towel?
Harry picked up the bottle from his chest of drawers, and was about to leave the room when Draco spoke.
"Harry, wait."
"What is it?" Harry turned around to look at his friend. Suddenly he was highly aware of the fact he was only wearing a towel. "Um, can it wait?"
"No, not really," Draco said apprehensively. "It's about last night..." He was about to do the most painful thing he'd ever had to do, and it was made even worse by how absolutely godlike Harry looked in a towel. But it had to be done. "About what happened... with us."
Harry swung the door to and leant on the frame. "Yeah?" His heart was drumming. Please God, please...
"I never told you what the rumour was... at my old school. It's that I'm... See, thing is Harry, don't freak on me, please, but I'm... I'm gay."
Harry's stomach did a complicated series of flips and somersaults; the kind that would get him an A in gym class if it was him doing them rather than one of his vital organs. Could he mean... he felt the same way?
Draco grimaced inwardly. This was a horrible situation. Harry looked so bloody hot in that towel and Draco was having a hard time not declaring his love there and then, but he knew that Harry was about to freak. He'd probably think Draco was 'after him'. Which he kind of was, but if Harry knew that, Draco would lose a good friend. A good, clearly straight friend. Now for the nasty part.
"I mean, I'm gay but don't worry, I don't feel that way about you! You're my best friend, and I don't fancy you. So don't freak, OK?" Ouch.
Harry's insides collapsed. Why did he feel disappointed? He didn't fancy Draco... "It's OK, I'm not going to go nuts or anything, you're my friend and I support you whatever." He gave a huge, fake smile, hiding the hurt he was feeling. It had been hopeless all along. "Um, I'm going to go put some proper clothes on now, OK?"
Back in the bathroom, he leaned his back against the door and slid slowly to the ground. Goddammit, what the hell was he thinking? He might as well admit it. He fancied Draco. He fancied him so damn much. It was all so screwed up.
Alone in the bedroom, Draco let out a long sigh. That had hurt, but he couldn't risk losing Harry as a friend. Dammit, why were the nice, cute, hot ones always straight? He might as well admit it. He fancied Harry. And he couldn't tell him. It was all so screwed up.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Well? What do you think of the parallel? What do you think of the chapter in general? Hit the pretty little purple button and tell me! I give cookies!
