A/N: Gahh, I have been working hard on smoothing out my plot and getting this chapter out. I have also redone the first chapter (not the prologue). I appreciate everyone adding this story to their alerts, but I am a little disappointed that these people aren't reviewing. How am I going to know how I'm doing if you guys don't review? :// REVIEW PLEEEEEEEEEEEASE so I know I am not a complete failure!
Recognition dawned on his face at the same time as confusion. Draco Malfoy looked up into the face of his female companion kneeling by his side to the face of Harry Potter standing over him. Potter stood frozen staring at the brunette and she gazed back at him in innocence. Draco stood up with Kathryn still holding on tightly to his arm.
"Potter...?" Draco question, immediately regretting speaking as the spell that connected the other two was broken and Potter's bright green eyes shifted.
Harry turned his sharp gaze unto him and Draco had to hold in the gasp that tried to break free. Hurt? Betrayal? Longing? Those emotions and more swirled together into one expression that was heartbreakingly passionate, almost as he if was willing Draco to understand what he did not yet know.
"Draco, let's go babe" Kathryn simpered, her eyes shifting wide and innocent to his as she tried to pull him along. Harry snorted and muttered under his breath.
"Got something to say Potter?" Draco snarled. His happiness was his own, what gave Harry the right to question that? She loved him. She loves him. Draco swallowed then blinked to cover the emotions welling in his throat and itching at his eyes.
Harry didn't back down, his hurt and pain bubbling to the surface. "Yea, I do. Has the great Draco Malfoy sunken so low he has the meet the whore of Hufflepuff in the owlery after curfew?"
Draco's deep gray eyes flashed silver before the Malfoy smirk settled over his features. His voice, low, carried a dangerous tone as he answered slowly. "Following me, Potter? Just for future reference, the war is over and the only thing on my mind now is shagging. If you'd like next time you can stay and watch; tonight as it were. Merlin knows no one would ever touch you. Kathryn." Head held high, Draco pushed past Harry ignoring the hurt expression that had set over his features and the weight setting at the bottom of his stomach, Kathryn following after him in response to his beckoning.
"Baby, you shouldn't have said that; I want you all to myself tonight" Kathryn's smug voice carried back to Harry and his face crumpled and his shoulders shook. Draco glanced back briefly, sad and confused.
Harry trudged back to the common room at three in the morning having escaped to the room of requirement just after dinner. He had sat thinking back to the look in her eyes. He was confused, but even more so he was angry. He had put his trust into someone that was an outcast, someone he thought was like him; he had told his deepest darkest secrets as if to the pages of a diary and had been comforted that his dreams and desires could in fact become a reality.
He was a fool, he realized. Harry Potter, always too trusting, always feeling the need to save everyone from everything. Who was going to save him now? He was betrayed, used, then tossed away, his only shot for happiness torn away from him. The tears started up again and Harry furiously wiped them away.
"Harry." A gentle voice filtered into consciousness. Hermione sat forward in her chair near the fire, her gaze sad and understanding. Harry looked away unable to bare the thought of confiding in anyone else- how could he force himself to repeat the words that came from the bottom of his very soul, the words so carelessly used against him for the advancement of another?
A soft rustling sound alerted him to her movement as he had yet to look up at her. She gently took hold of his hand and led him to a small couch by the fire. "Harry," her soft voice broke, "it's okay to love him."
Harry gasped looking up into her large brown eyes, tears lacing his long, thick eye lashes. How had she known? She remained silent allowing him to turn his attention to the roaring fire while she rested a hand on his forearm.
Sometime later Harry's quiet voice rang out in the heavy silence. "Hermione, what am I going to do?" Her gaze met his and he began talking.
A pair of sad blue eyes turned back to the dormitories leaving the two by the fire to their conversation.
Meanwhile Draco was sleeping. Despite his taunts to Potter of his passion filled nights, the highlights were usually the dreams filled with flashes of inky black hair and bright green eyes.
The next day Harry avoided him at all costs, remaining politely detached if forced into confrontation. When he went back to his room during his break he was at a loss of what to do. Taking out the letter, Draco reread it for the thousandth time. He gave a pause, studying the handwriting, his eyes narrowing to slits.
"Draco darling, your Hufflepuff whore- I mean your not-so-secret admirer is here," sneered Pansy from the open doorway. Draco turned his slitted gaze to her, and she met him head on. You don't become one of Draco Malfoy's best friends by backing down.
At the common room entrance Draco was met with the sight of his glaring girlfriend, her arms weighted down with books and parchment. Upon seeing him her expression quickly switched to that of adoration.
"Draco! I was wondering if you could help me with my potions essay. I know it's due today but... I thought a study session would be in order anyways since you weren't feeling too well last night." And although Draco was disgusted by the thought of touching her, a Hufflepuff nonetheless his mind unhelpfully added, he couldn't wait on Harry forever.
Draco ended practically writing her essay as her fingers danced across his waist crooning in his ear that they were going to be late, though she continued on with her lascivious actions. He recalled in irritation her attempting to climb on his lap as he was trying to explain the only potions related question she had asked since she had entered the room.. He allowed her to touch him, push him back on the bed as he looked down at her bowed head hovering over his boxer line. Her hair ran black through his fingers making it easy to pretend. His eyes slipped close, green flashed behind his eyelids and he exploded with Anonymous's name on his lips. He breathed a shaky sigh and looked down into glaring blue eyes disappointment welling in the pit of his stomach.
He later walked into to class flanked by Pansy and Blaise with a Hufflepuff attached to his hip. Potions consisted of mostly Gryffindors and Slytherins, but a few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were scattered around the room.
The three walked to their usual table, lucky that no one ever bothered to attempt to sit near them, allowing Kathryn to take the remaining seat. The rest of the class watched on with growing interest towards the newly formed quartet. Professor Snape's loud banging entrance halted any whispers.
"Class, today you will work in partnered pairs of my choosing." The class gave a mental sigh of disappointment. "Granger, Zabini; Parkinson, Thomas; Malfoy, Potter; Finnigan, Patil..."Snape's voice droned on, but neither Harry nor Hermione were paying any attention as they readied themselves to scramble towards Malfoy's table.
Seated next to their respective partners, their eyes met with a slight nod of their heads. Harry was polite, and Draco obliged his continued detachment. Harry copied down the notes from the board before volunteering to get the necessary ingredients, strategically leaving his notes in plain view. As he left, the wind from his exit swept the parchment to the floor. Narrowed blue eyes followed its descent.
P.S. I will occasionally go and change certain things in previous chapters, either to better them or to make my plot line more cohesive, so read the A/N to know when I have done so and just keep your eyes open!