Chapter 18
Malfoy watched in amusement as Potter paced the room. It reminded him of the time his father took him to an exotic animal zoo.
Potter's stance and posture was much like the great white tiger he had watched many years ago.
His stalk was elegant, swift, and purposeful.
Malfoy would almost kill to know what was going through the other's mind at the moment. He could swear he saw those green eyes swirling with thought.
Potter stopped moving abruptly, his intense gaze freezing Draco in their glare.
"Are you just going to stand there like a motionless buffoon or are you going to fix this problem you brought upon me?"
Potter's words themselves were fierce. The tone and inflection made Draco want to leap forward as commanded. They were the words of a leader. But Draco was also a leader. Maybe not as strong or forward as Potter, but still a leader. In true Malfoy fashion he took his time and analyzed the situation.
He adjusted his stance away from the casual lean against the wall to a more upright serious stance.
"First of all Potter, this problem is both of ours. Not just yours. Not just mine. Both. Two."
Potter's eyes hardened and his mouth twitched towards a snarl but he stayed silent so Draco continued.
"Second of all, I didn't bring this upon you. I didn't run to the Daily Prophet. If we are to blame anyone, I would blame you."
Potter's stance changed. Draco could practically see his hackles rising. Draco: 1 Potter: 0!
"My fault! How the bloody hell is this my fault!" He whispered fiercely back.
Draco stayed calm and tried not to smile.
"If I sat at a table with Weasley would that make the papers?"
Potter rolled his eyes. "Technically you were sitting at the table with Ron also."
"You are focusing on the wrong thing Potter."
The dark haired boy flailed his arms in exasperation. "The world thinks I'm gay!"
Gryffindors. So melodramatic.
"Yes Potter, and what are you going to do about that?"
"Run away."
Draco snorted. "Because that will solve everything."
"It usually does." Potter replied simply and Draco could sense honesty in it. He wondered if there was more to that.
"Potter, be a Gryffindor. Think! What did I just tell you the other day?"
His green eyes suddenly turned darker with realization.
"No."
Draco couldn't contain his smile.
"Yes."
Potter resumed his stalking.
"No."
And with a last manipulative punch he doled out,
"And here I thought Gryffindors were about standing up to their fears."
Potter glared at him again, as he sighed in defeat.
"Oh Potter," Malfoy said cheerfully slapping his hand on the other boy's back, "Press conferences aren't that bad."
Potter just put his head in his hands, "This is all your fault."
…..
Harry couldn't hate his life any more than at this moment. The reporters were all in front of him, with cameras and listening charms, and quills. He hadn't even said any thing and they were already writing!
In the background he saw his friends giving encouraging nods.
Draco fucking Malfoy was in the front smirking.
If anything that made him angrier.
How did he get talked into this!
He cleared his throat.
"Erm…Hello." He tried to say pleasantly. "And thank you for being here today."
All were silent as they looked at him expectantly so he continued on.
"I…um… I… what I mean is.." He fumbled trying to figure out what to say and how to say it politely. He saw Malfoy in the front ready to face palm himself.
Fed up with everything Harry decided suddenly to just let them have it.
"Alright here it is," He started strongly. "I called you here today to let you and the rest of the Wizarding World know that, despite it being non of your business, I am not gay. I am not in a relationship with Draco Malfoy. And you all should be ashamed of yourselves for publishing that garbage!"
Every one looked at him in shock but he wasn't finished.
"First time I had to deal with you people," he spat, "Was really the Triwazard Tournament you clamed I was in love with my best friend who was two timing me with Victor Krum, which was 100% a lie because she is the closest thing I have to a sister! Then you slander me about Voldemort being back! Forget that I just went through a traumatic experience! Who cares that somebody DIED! Who cares about their memory! Lets make Harry Potter out to be a liar, because my political aspirations cannot handle the truth!"
Their was dead silence has Harry heard his voice echo across the crowd.
"And then, really, the big piece," He continued with his voice quieter and harsher than ever. "Story of the year. The boy-who-lived is abused!" His voice filled with sarcasm. "Lets publish this story because I'm sure that Harry Potter's life isn't already a mess. Let me publish this story and not care about the life that it is impacting. That's a good thing! Good on me!"
He opened his arms.
"Have you had enough? Have you gotten every one of my secrets yet? Oh wait! There's more! Lets write a story about him having a love affair with Draco Bloody Malfoy!
"Yes! Let's write this story despite that the picture seen in the paper is simply them sitting at a library table.
Just because I don't have a girlfriend at the moment, doesn't mean I'm gay!"
Harry pounded his fist on the podium.
"I am a minor! I am an orphaned minor! What kind of people take advantage of that! My name shouldn't even be in the paper! The reason I am up here today talking to you! You the people who have abused my name! Is to ask you to stop spreading these rumors. Stop spreading the lies. Stop talking about my life. I am just a teenager trying to survive. So if you could please just stop, I would be grateful."
Harry stepped back and took a breath. He was met with dead silence. Everybody was looking at him in shock.
He awkwardly cleared his throat, not sure where to go from their. "So..erm…if any body has any questions…"
For ten seconds he though maybe it was over with, but then the room erupted with shouts.
"Potter! Was the abuse true!"
"Potter who is your favorite singer!"
"Potter can we see your scars!"
Harry looked around for help. He found none.
"One at a time please?" He shouted but it made no difference, everybody was talking at once.
"Hey!" He shouted again. Gathering everybody's attention. "If you all don't act like adults and ask questions when called upon, I will leave."
That silenced everybody, yet hands waived eagerly.
He called on the hand of a young man with a green sweater.
"Mr. Potter, do you think the fact that nobody loved you when you were growing up has crippled your ability to love others?"
Harry choked in outrage. "What kind of question is that! I deeply care for many people and believe that many people care for me. My parents fucking sacrificed their lives for me! How dare you corrupt their sacrifice! Their memory! You can take that question and shove it up where the sun doesn't shine! In fact you can just leave!"
He watched as other reporters looked at the man in disgust, people actually booing as he left.
He called on a woman with blue hair in the middle.
"Mr. Potter, Matilda from Teenwitch." She introduced herself.
"You said earlier that you do not have a girlfriend."
Harry didn't like were this was going.
"Is there somebody you maybe like?"
Running a hand threw his hair.
"I don't see why this really matters. I mean does anybody actually care?"
Everybody in the crowd nodded.
Harry met eyes with Ginny and quickly looked away, fighting not to blush.
"I-uh-I believe that is a private answer I will keep to myself."
Harry had never felt so ready to have something over with.
The next morning Harry buttered his toast sitting in between Ron and Hermione. Both of them not mentioning the nightmare that occurred the day before, and he was grateful for that. He hadn't meant to go off like that, yet he didn't regret it at all. It actually felt really good, but he was fearful of the repercussions.
Heart in mouth he watched as the owls flooded in.
Sharing a glance with Ron and Hermione they all three looked at the headline.
Harry Potter prefers "Tits over Dicks": A Press Conference over the Injustices He has Faced.
The whole hall could hear as Harry pounded his head against the table.
Everybody erupted in laughter, even Ron and Hermione, the traitors.