Chapter 14 Suspicions

The next few weeks passed in a blur for Draco. He'd woken up the morning after his little encounter with the Potions Master a bit tired and sore in the back, but feeling a sense of release he hadn't felt in a long while. He knew it was wildly inappropriate and if the old bat found out she'd probably have an aneurysm, but he continued to meet up with his professor in secret for their trysts. After all, he was 18 now, so no one could really say it was illegal... just immoral and probably enough to get in some serious trouble at school. It wasn't even that he had feelings for the man, but gods was he ever hot. It was more like a chance to explore his sexuality, he felt. He'd been very confused and frustrated, especially since his steamy kiss with Potter and meeting up with the sexy, mysterious Potions professor was a good enough way to pass the time. Still, no matter what he did with his teacher, he could not ignore the memory of his brief moment of intimacy with Harry.

Xx

Harry noticed Draco had begun to fill out a little more since returning to Hogwarts, relieving him a bit. However he did still worry about the consistently pallid complexion his Syltherin roommate sported and the fact that he still looked tired all the time as well, dark circles still clinging stubbornly under his eyes.

He also noted with distaste that Syltherin's Ice Prince was once again acting as such, sending nothing but empty glares and cold sneers in his direction. Why did it still have to be like this? Harry groaned, he had always hated all of the bickering and fighting. It was just so tiresome. But then again he should have expected as much after the ...incident. He'd hoped they could still become somewhat of friends, but he should have known that Malfoy would never accept that after what happened. Not after the blow to his pride.

What bothered Harry the most, perhaps, was the fact that he was worrying about it at all. How many times had his eyes sought out Draco's slim body, only to be met with the boy's harsh glare. So why did he keep finding himself unconsciously staring at him, memorizing every soft, shimmering strand of blonde hair that grazed his face, eliciting confused, questioning looks from Hermoine, and the occasional smirk from Neville. The only one who hadn't seem to notice Harry's staring habit was the ever oblivious Ron.

"Hello? Are you even listening?" Ron whined to the vacant Harry who was spaced out and staring again, for whatever reason Ron could not discern. "Pass the eggs, will ya?" Harry's head finally snapped up as he passed Ron the dish. "Sheesh, mate, you've really been out of it lately. I get it though, being back here and everything. It must be hard with all the memories." Ron incorrectly concluded of Harry's daydreaming. Hermoine said nothing, a blank look on her controlled face. Neville stifled a snort.

"Hard... yeah..." Harry replied dreamily. "Uhm, yeah, but they've really done a lot with the place." Harry added lamely, unsure himself what had him in this funk. He pushed his breakfast around his plate broodingly.

"So Harry," Hermoine broke in with a mischievous smile on her face. "Anyone you fancy this year?"

Harry felt himself turning bright red. "Er... no... not really, that is there isn't anyone. Really," he choked out.

"Oh really?" Neville joined in quirking an eyebrow. "Cause you face tells a different story." he finished letting out a derisive laugh.

"Who is it? Is it that hot 7th year in Ravenclaw whose been asking about you? Stacey whatshername?" Ron fired off excitedly, feeling Hermoine's harsh jab at the word "hot". True he'd been irked when his best mate had broken up with his sister, but she seemed plenty happy with her new boyfriend, so it really didn't bother him anymore. He was actually kind of excited to see his friend take in interest in some one again.

"No, no, no." Harry spat out. "It isn't anyone. I don't like anyone," I can't he mumbled imperceptibly underneath his breath.

His friends sent matching disbelieving looks his way, but reluctantly dropped it, Harry drawing their attention to the fact that it was about time to head to their first class.

"'s ok. I'll drag it out of you eventually." Ron teased as the headed down the hallway.

"Headmistress, I'm glad I caught you." Harry's focus shifted lazily to the conversation that McGonagall and Cyron were having nearby. "I wanted to give you the list of pieces that have gone missing." The squat man spoke fast in hushed tones, further drawing Harry's interest. Missing pieces? Missing pieces of what?

"Not here, my office." The refined woman spoke sharply, looking about her for eavesdroppers. Harry wanted to listen further, but their path diverged and soon Harry was at his Potions class. He sighed and took his seat.

The longer he knew him, the less Harry like this Professor Albatross character. Everything about the man annoyed him. He was infuriatingly attractive, his dark, gossamer tresses perfectly offsetting dazzling ivory skin, his hypnotic voice adding to the grace of his cat-like movements. But underneath it all, Harry sensed a wrongness that the giddy fangirls didn't. To make matters worse, he seemed to be sending a lot of strange looks toward Draco, making Harry feel inexplicably protective of his classmate. There was another feeling behind that; one that he would not dare to acknowledge, but that made him burn with anger every time the teacher came over to Draco's desk and gave him one of those looks. To his curiosity and dismay, it was also beginning to seem as though Draco himself was inviting those glances, completely unnerving Harry.

"Crush the stalk! Crush not slice!" Neville chided at his dazed partner, getting up to add the powdered Asphodel root.

"Oh right, sorry man." He said his eyes slipping back to the desk two over from him where Draco expertly crushed and brewed his own potion.

The professor was going over to Draco's desk now, smiling one of those smiles Harry hated, praising Draco's work. Draco met the man's smile with a cocky, knowing one of his own. The professor walked over behind the student, observing his work while placing his huge hand on the boy's shoulder. Harry fumed as he watched the man lean in and whispered something into Draco's ear. Flirting! Harry thought as he watched Draco's eyes light up into a sneaky smile. They're bloody flirting. But his attention was violently drawn back to his own cauldron where Neville reigned in a minor explosion with a look of impatient disapproval on his face.

"Pay attention man, this stuff is volatile. If you don't follow the instructions exactly it can really blow up in your face. Literally." Neville chastised him.

Unfortunately the noise also drew the attention of Harry's new least favorite person. "Having trouble over here?" He drawled at the pair, in an unconcerned tone.

"Nope, we've got it under control professor." Neville answered.

"Excellent." He said returning his attention to making his way around the room.

"You've got it bad, man." Neville said, smiling and shaking his head at the bewildered Harry.

"Really, I don't know what you're talking about." Harry said, feeling all at once very tired.