Chapter Nine

As Ron and his other roommates dressed, Harry laid in bed, the events of the day before replaying in his head. Had it really only been one day he had been back at school? So much happened in so little time.

What he had done with Draco in the Room of Requirement seemed like a dream. Maybe it had been. Hopefully, Harry thought. Wait did he really wish it had never happened? At the time he had been so happy, but this was Malfoy. How could he do something like that with someone he had hated so much for so long? Did he still hate him? No, said one part of his brain. Yes, said another.

Ron's voice interrupted his thoughts, "You're going to be late for Herbology if you don't get up, or are you skipping this too?"

"Give it a rest," Harry was sick of Ron acting like it was his fault that all this happened. Did he think Harry wanted this? Did he think he had control over it all?

Ron waited for Dean, Seamus, and Neville to leave and then said, "I told Hermione. I saw you talking with Ginny yesterday at lunch as if nothing was wrong. I telling her too."

"AH!" Harry thought his head would explode with anger, "For your information, I told Ginny! And I was planning on telling Hermione today! You don't even know the story, and now Hermione is going to have the wrong idea!"

Ron looked dumbfounded, "You … told Ginny?"

"Oh so now you're deaf and stupid?" Harry threw on his robes and stormed out of the dormitory. He made his way across the vegetable patch alone. What would Hermione say when he saw her? If only he could have told her himself.

"Harry! Hey! Wait up!" Great, why couldn't Ron just leave him alone? Harry didn't turn around or even slow down. Ron came running up and was so at his side. "Mate, I'm sorry. I just… She's my sister," Ron looked at Harry hopefully.

"What do you want me to say? That all is forgiven? Because I don't think you deserve to hear that. You've made a real mess of things. Do you really think I expected to keep this a secret from Hermione, especially after you saw?" Harry wanted to end this argument with Ron, but why should he be forgiving when Ron had acted like such a git.

"If I could go back and change it, I would," at Ron's words Harry thought of what Ginny had said. I know that if you could go back and change it, you would. Harry suddenly felt regret for what he had just said.

"So would I." Harry knew everything was alright between them even before Ron said, "Let's just try and forget all of this." Try and forget. That's laughable, thought Harry, but he didn't tell Ron that he had already decided that it was impossible.

Hermione had saved them places to work with the same Flesh-eating Fern as herself. When she said hello to Harry, it was with a curious air.

"Let's talk later," he said not wanting her to think he didn't want her to know. She nodded.

As they walked back up to school for Charms, Harry tried to talk to Hermione without having other overhear. Muffliato solved this problem.

"Sometimes I still hate him, but then other times I just feel so strongly for him, but it's just lust sometimes and then also something deeper other times. Then when I'm away from I don't know what to think. I want to keep hating him, but it's easier said then done," he knew it sounded like a bunch of rubbish, but he assumed it made some sense to Hermione because she nodded and appeared to be thinking hard.

"I'll look in the library," Ron snorted, "Maybe you too are doing subconscious magic on each other. I wonder…" Harry doubted it, but he was so glad to still have his friends that he didn't protest.

"We have Charms with the Slytherins this year," he commented. He tried to keep his face neutral as if this news didn't mean much to him. But it did. It meant he would have to face Draco.

Harry expected Malfoy to say something to him, but he didn't even look up as he, Ron, and Hermione entered the classroom. When Harry sat behind him, he didn't turn around. He must of felt as unsure about yesterday's events as Harry did. Were things ever going to be normal again?

Harry let Ron and Hermione go into lunch ahead of him and waited for Draco outside. As soon as he saw Draco though, he wanted to run away. He would have, if Draco hadn't spotted him a second later. All of a sudden, he felt sick to his stomach at the sight of Malfoy and what he felt for him.

"Whose doing the following now, Potter?" Draco drawled. What was going on? Did they hate each other or like each other?

"You confuse me," he said truthfully. Draco laughed.

"Well, you confuse me. So I guess we're even," Draco seemed slightly amused, but listening closer, Harry was pretty sure it was an act. The Entrance Hall was empty now.

"Are you trying to torture me?" Harry asked, using the same words Draco had the last time they were alone. Draco's face immediately changed. There was that emotion Harry could not identify again. Draco reached out and took hold of Harry's waist and pulled them closer together. He kissed Harry softly, and said, "Never. I love you."

And all of a sudden everything made sense, why he couldn't control himself, why he couldn't feel more that friendship for Ginny, the emotion on Draco's face, and why he felt he and Draco were the same person. Love.

"I love you more."