Chapter 13 (Shelter)

Draco's POV

"Draco?"

I tried to block them out, whoever they were. What was I thinking? Why did I even kiss Harry? I should have waited. Damn. Have I ruined everything? Will he even want to go to Malfoy Manor in two days time?! Is he still my friend?

After everything, I sure hope so.

"Draco, I know you are in there,"

Wait, was that...

"Harry?" I questioned, heart racing. I'd fancied my best friend for a long time now, I thought it was only a crush, I thought it would go. Guess I was wrong.

"Yes, it's me, open up," I shook my head, sniffing. My tummy gurgled slightly. Oh, I had forgotten to eaten. 48 hours without food, could've been worse.

"No, I let you down, I let everyone down!"

I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I missed the Quidditch game. I wanted so desperately to prove myself, but now, everyone is going to hate me. They'll never forgive me, I'll probably get kicked off the team. I know how hard Alex is on his players, I just know I've totally blown it.

"You could never let me down, Drake, as for the team, we won, your reserve, whats his face Corner, was chaser for the team, he wasn't nearly as good as you though,"

I wandlessly opened the door and burried my head closer to my knees. I had been hiding in the girls bathroom, why? Because nobody goes in here, they are all scared of Moaning Myrtle. Although where she's been for the past two days I have no idea. I felt Harry's presence and stiffened when he put his hand on my shoulder.

"I missed you," He said so quietly, I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. I wiped my eyes with my sleeves and I finally looked at Harry. My heart ached, he looked like he hadn't slept in days, he had bags under his eyes and even his clothes were a mess, if that was even possible. I gasped. Harry laughed and knelt down next to me.

"I probably look terrible, don't I?" Harry says, smiling. Although I was cold, his smile warmed my heart, I couldn't hold back the tear that escaped my eye.

"No," I said quietly, "I probably look worse," I added. He stroked my arm, I frowned as he sat down on the bathroom floor, next to me, our thighs almost touching.

"You don't look too bad, Drake," He says, staring at the floor. I didn't reply so he continued to talk. "You know, you scared me on Monday, it wasn't until I got the map of the twins I relaxed," He whispered.

"Why did I scare you? After what happened, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't want to be my friend anymore," I said, even though it broke my heart. Harry sighed,

"Draco, did you ever even think for one moment that I liked you back? Hell, I love you, even if we are only eleven,"

"Is that what this feeling is," I asked quietly, which made Harry chuckle, I didn't care, I felt comfortable about this, I just...

"Well, I don't know about you, but that's what all our friends, Sirius and Professor McGonagall says," Harry said like it was the most normal thing in the world. I stared at him, wide eyes. He was blushing, but he didn't seem to care as he studied my face.

"I guess you weren't ready to hear that? My bad,"

We were silent for a few moments, I was too busy thinking... Everyone knew?

"Breakfast?"

As we walked into the Hall, I stared at the ground. I still didn't want to face everyone so soon, but the thought of food and seeing Blaise, Neville and the twins... I felt like it was time for me to stop moping around. I let Harry drag me to the Ravenclaw table, I knew because of the silence we were being stared at. Will the attention ever die down?

"Draco, God you look awful," Neville said, I smiled slightly but didn't reply as I filled my plate with food. I heard Harry chuckle,

"He doesn't look that bad," He said,

"Alright, whatever you say Harry," Neville drawled out and I stopped, giving him a look of confusion. Neville just winked at me. Him... a Longbottom, winked at me?! What has the World come to?

"Well, you gave everyone a right scare, Draco," Blaise said as I munched on fish. You know what? I missed food. From now on I'm treasuring what little food their is.

"Sorry," I mumbled, I heard a sharply drawn breath and I looked up to see Blaise had his mouth to the ground. I furrowed my eyebrows together,

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I asked, he was still speechless. I looked to Harry for help but he just shrugged. It took about two minutes to get Blaise to work again and by this time, most of the Ravenclaw table were listening in to the conversation.

"Did you just say 'sorry'?"

"Why is that so surprising?" Harry and I said at the same time, we both gave each other a weird look, before concentrating on the matter at hand. Neville chuckled,

"You don't even want to know what I'm thinking right now," He said, confusing me even more. Blaise finally spoke.

"I've never heard you apologise to anyone, when you were younger, before-" he stopped himself from speaking and looked around, he bit his lip, "You always used to not believe in saying 'sorry',"

"That, was before-" My eyes widened when I realised why he stopped speaking half way through. No one is meant to know about the fact I met Harry before Hogwarts. Shoot. "Before I realised how much of a snob I was being," I ended that conversation and there were whispers around the other tables, but I didn't care.

"Oh! I get why you're-" Blaise reached across the table to put his hand over Neville's mouth, spilling his drink and breakfast all over the table. Blaise groaned in frustration.

"God! Neville, now look what you made me do!"

"Oi, that wasn't my fault!" They argued back and forth, but I didn't listen because just then I saw Alex, Edward and Corner walking my way. I sighed, this was it, they were replacing me. It's bye bye Quidditch.

"Look, guys, I'm so sorry I didn't play in the match, I understand you'll want to kick me out of the team, but I'm sorry I didn't turn up-" Alex put his hand up, which made me stop rambling my pathetic excuse of an apology. I was taken aback when Alex gave me a hug. I don't do hugs! As he let go, he then said,

"You're not kicked off the team, it was pure luck Harry caught the snitch, we had been loosing by twenty points through out the game as Corner was knocked off his broom by a bludger in the first ten minutes," He explained, Corner had a guilty expression on his face.

"Sorry, mate," He said to Alex, who rolled his eyes.

"How many times do I need to say it wasn't your fault, Mikkie?" Corner stepped back, nodding to his captain, before Alex continued to speak.

"The next game is against Hufflepuff, I expect you to be on the Quidditch pich at 5 tomorrow," He said, walking off. I was gobsmacked.

"Oh," I raised an eyebrow and turned around to face him again, "And don't go blaming yourself, I know you had a tough day," He said, winking. What was it with everyone and winking at me today? I should have just stayed in the toilets...

"See, told you," Harry said, looking smug. I banged my head on the table, this was going to be a long day.

xoxoxo

"You wanted to see us, Professor?" Harry said, fidgeting his robes. We were called in our free before dinner, to see Professor Dumbledore, I don't know why, but maybe it was because of the fact I missed two school days?

"Yes, I wanted to ask if you were both staying here, or going back home this Christmas?" Ah, here it was, the dreaded conversation. I wonder what Harry will say?

"I'm going back home, Professor," I said and he nodded, ticking my name on a piece of parchment. Harry sighed and for some reason, he grabbed my hand. I held onto his hand, tightly. Did he even care Professor Dumbledore could see this?!

"I haven't heard back from my family, Sir, I was hoping to spend Christmas with Draco,"

Dumbledore frowned. That was not a good sign.

"What do you mean you haven't heard from them?"

"Just that, Professor," Harry said, not giving away anything. I tried not to laugh at Dumbledore's face as Harry said that, of course he'd embrase his Slytherin side in front of the Headmaster of Hogwarts, of course...

"Anything wrong?" I asked awkwardly. Dumbledore was staring at Harry and I didn't like it one bit.

"No, no, nothing is wrong, of course you can stay with Draco's family, I'm sure they'd be very happy to have you,"

As we stepped outside the room, Harry squeezed my hand tightly, his eyes watering. Confused, he walked to an abandoned corridor and put a silencio charm around us.

"He used Occlumency,"

"But- That's, how did you know?" I stuttered. I cursed under my breath, I never stutter! Never! Damn stupid crushes...

"I've been trying my best at protecting myself Draco, I've been at it since I was nine and I've finally managed to create barriers up, and Dumbledore went through those barriers, luckily, I've managed to make a sort of maze, which was why Dumbledore was so dumbfounded, but, if I hadn't have known, he would have found out about you, the Dursely's, what happened three years ago, everything!" He stopped rambling.

I couldn't believe my ears.

"He shouldn't have done that, he's not allowed to!"

"You don't think I don't know that? What do we do, Drake?" He asked, panicking. I put both hands on his shoulders and looked at him in the eyes. He showed a mixture of confusion and happiness. I swallowed.

"Look, we can't do anything right now, we have to know why Dumbledore would do such a thing, but Haz, it's the holidays in two days time, lets forget about him and focus on Christmas, yeah?" I said, raising my eyebrows, shaking him slightly as he chuckled.

"You know, I like this side of you, Drake," He whispered, I didn't bother to retort, instead I did something that shocked both of us, I hugged him. I'm really off today... maybe I need to go to the Hospital Wing?

xoxoxo

"Hello again, Mr and Mrs Malfoy," Harry said, stepping out of the fireplace. We didn't need to go on the train so we left earlier than everyone else. It was Friday and we got to skip a day of lessons.

"Please, just call me Narcissa, or Cissy," My Mum said and I rolled my eyes.

"And call me Lucius," My Dad added. I sighed, impatiently. It was ten o'clock, if we wanted to avoid the crowds, we needed to go, now.

"Can we go shopping now?" I whined to Harry. Mother frowned,

"Why?"

"Because Haz needs some robes for the Christmas ball," I said, making it sound like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Obviously my Mum and Dad would forget that they host it every year and that it's the most boring event in the whole world. Fudge is even invited, I mean... just why did they think about inviting him of all people to our home?!

"Oh and who's he planning to take as his plus one?" Dad said, with a smirk, I narrowed my eyes at him, as Haz laughed awkwardly.

"Er, no one at this moment in time..." That made me stop glaring at my Father and stare at Harry. Who was he planning on taking because if it isn't me, I refuse to turn up to the ball.