II: But It's Better If You Do

It was obvious that this school was completely different than Harry's muggle school. Not only because of the classes – potions, transfiguration and charms instead of English and Maths – or the fact that everyone wore long black robes, or even that it was in a castle. One of the biggest differences for Harry was how he was treated. In his muggle schools nobody paid any attention to him, and if they did it was to hurt him, or to mock him. Here he was respected. It did definitely have something to do with the green serpent crest on his chest, and the smirking blonde boy at his side who would throw all that was a curse at anyone who looked at him wrong. This didn't change through the five years that had passed. Whenever Draco got a bit too hot-headed Harry would try to calm him down. He'd tell him a joke or do something to take his mind off of the stupid Hufflepuff first year who just tripped and spilled his ink over their robes, or whatever the case.

Draco helped Harry with Potions. He had struggled with it since day one, so they often had study sessions in the library. Draco would sometimes get frustrated at Harry for not understanding the things that seemed so basic to him, but it was always short-lived and they always managed to prevent Harry from getting anything lower than Acceptable. Harry in turn helped Draco with Divination, a class he deemed pointless, but in which Harry's open mind and exceptional skills of observation came in handy. This was usually a more enjoyable session. They could laugh about the strangeness of Professor Trelawney, and think up elaborate deaths for each other to please her for their homework, since she never did seem satisfied unless her students were dying.

They both played on their house's Quidditch team. Harry was the seeker, and Draco the best keeper Slytherin had ever seen. They were rarely ever beaten. Harry and Draco often practiced Quidditch on their own. It was something they enjoyed doing to let out some frustration, or relax if they needed to. They took turns practicing. Half of the time Harry would play chaser, to help Draco. Helping Harry was a bit trickier since they couldn't use a real Snitch. The replacement was usually an apple. Draco held it while flying around as fast and crazily as he could. Harry had to fly after him and grab the apple out of Draco's hand. Whoever won got to eat the apple.

Through the years Harry had steadily developed a crush on his best friend. He never mentioned it, though.

Draco decided to stay at Hogwarts with Harry during the Christmas break. Partly because he wasn't in the mood for his parents and partly because of the Christmas present he got Harry. He found it that summer. Harry knew that he was staying but not about the present. By the start of December he still didn't have a clue. He wanted to get him something special now that they were going to be spending the holiday together. In his spare time he racked his brains for random facts about Draco that could help him. Things he liked – Fire Whiskey, winter, Quidditch – and things he didn't like – muggles, sweating, Gryffindors. None of these helped him much.

When they were walking home from practicing Quidditch one day when Harry got an idea. Draco had just won and was eating the apple, taunting Harry with it as he always does. His blonde hair was messy and a thin layer of sweat was resting on his brow. His smirk was mixed with his genuine crooked smile. His Slytherin Quidditch robes intensified the flecks of green in his otherwise grey eyes. Draco looked incredible, and Harry - who was a fair artist in his spare time - had an incredible craving to draw him. He decided that he would, and give it to him as a Christmas present. It was adequately special, and didn't require any effort. Not effort Harry wouldn't enjoy, anyway. So he started drawing that afternoon, while Draco was off somewhere tormenting first years.

Drawing Draco came very easily to him, since he had long since memorized every inch of his face. He knew every expression, what it meant and why he felt it. In this drawing he was wearing the same half-smirk, half-smile Harry was admiring earlier. His hair poured over the side of his face. In one hand he was holding the apple, and in the other, his broom. Harry left the background white, focusing all the attention onto Draco. He drew with quick, delicate strokes. The pencil almost caressed the face as it was being formed. When he heard Draco's footsteps approaching, he quickly tucked everything away in the bottom of his trunk, and greeted Draco as if he had been lying on his bed the entire time. Harry finished the drawing in three sittings. It was a remarkably short time for this project, because even though it wasn't particularly large, it was incredibly detailed and exquisitely drawn.

Harry wasn't worried about his gift until they day the holidays started. He started to be afraid that Draco would wonder why he was able to draw him so well right off the top of his head. Draco didn't know how well Harry knew him, and might be shocked to see that his face had been analysed so thoroughly. Draco was the type of person to keep to himself, not letting others know who he really was or how he was feeling. He was raised like this, being told showing emotions was a weakness people could easily exploit. He was terrified that Draco would feel that this is what happened.

After that Harry could barely look Draco in the eye. Draco, who was far from an idiot, and quite a keen observer himself, noticed this immediately.

"What's your deal, Potter?" he asked five minutes into their first conversation since The Thought.

"What do you mean?" Harry was a pathetic actor, but still attempted denial.

"I mean you're acting like I did after I accidentally saw my aunt naked and was too embarrassed to look at her," he answered after crossing his arms.

Harry couldn't imagine that Draco could be embarrassed, but he understood what he meant. He hadn't seen Draco naked. He would have remembered. Harry blushed and cursed himself for it. He didn't know how to defend himself. But Draco was waiting for a response.

"Uh," he started, "it's nothing like that. It's more like..."

"Like...?" Draco was frowning. Harry decided to just tell the truth.

"I just recently realized how well I know you and I'm not sure if you want me to know you that well because you're not the type of person who would want people to know that much about you and I'm afraid that if you know that you wouldn't like it and I don't know what would happen to our friendshi-"

Draco cut Harry off from his babbling by holding up his hand.

"You only just realized that?" he asked, and smirked. "Apparently you don't know that I know you quite well as well, Potter. I know you are the type of person who observes everything, and since we spend quite a lot of time together I wouldn't at all be surprised that you have observed a lot about me. I show you way more than I show other people too, so stop acting like a nervous Hufflepuff."

Harry laughed and looked at Draco for the first time. Come to think of it, he probably wouldn't have been able to not look at him for very long. Draco's face was something you don't get used to, but you kind of get addicted to it at the same time. He was laughing too, at Harry's stupidity. His eyes were affectionate.

"You're right. I'm being stupid," Harry said eventually.

"Increasingly," Draco joked. "Now let's go before we're late for Potions."