Harry jumped when he felt the hand on his should gentle urge him awake. The room around him was a blur thanks to the position he had fallen asleep in which had twisted his glasses sideways on his face. He moved one hand to his face to fix his glasses on his nose so that Draco, still asleep and still grasping his hand, came into focus.
"Dinner time, Mr. Potter," came the voice of the hand, Madame Pomfrey. "I need to wake him up and I think it would be best if you joined the others in the Great Hall."
Still groggy from his nap, Harry only nodded in agreement and reluctantly pulled his hand out of Draco's. He had not meant to wake the other up, but as he pulled his hand back, Draco shifted slightly and opened his eyes.
"Ah, Mr. Malfoy. How are you feeling?" Pomfrey asked as she moved a tray of food from the cart next to her onto the bedside table. "I was just sending Mr. Potter off to dinner."
Draco nodded at her question and kept his eyes fixed on Harry, who was smoothing out his robes with his hands and readying himself to go. He parted his lips as if to say something, but seemed to change his mind when Harry looked up to smile at him before waving and turning to leave the Hospital Wing.
Harry had a ridiculous sort of smile on his face when he walked into the Great Hall for dinner. Today had been a strange day to put things lightly. It had been one of those days that should have ended horrifically, but had somehow managed to pull itself together at the last moment to have quite the opposite ending. This particular ending had made Harry particularly giddy; so much so that he did not try to hide his excitement when he went to sit with Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table.
"Where on earth have you been?" Hermione more scolded than asked. "And what are you so pleased about?"
"I wasn't feeling well so I went to see Madame Pomfrey," Harry half lied and ignored the second question. He followed Ron's lead, whom he had sat directly next to, and began shoveling food onto his plate.
"Well, I took notes for you in charms. I also wrote down the homework instructions for you." Hermione put down her knife and fork to reach into her bag. She fished out a piece of parchment and handed it across the table to Harry.
"He's insane, that Flitwick," Ron said, brandishing his fork at the piece of parchment, causing a bit of potato to fly and land on Hermione's neat handwriting. "I think he's been taking too many pointers from Professor McGonagall."
"Really, Ron, it's only an essay," Hermione pointed out.
"Only an essay?" Ron mumbled through the potatoes he had just shoved into his mouth. He paused to swallow before continuing, "The length alone would convince Voldemort life isn't worth living!"
Harry snorted.
"Very funny, Ron," Hermione rolled her eyes. "But you will want to look over those notes soon, Harry. You should go to the library tomorrow to get the books you need."
"Yeah, alright. Thanks Hermione." Harry did not know how he would survive school without her, but all he really wanted to think of at the moment was how delicious the food was and what all he had witnessed today, not homework.
When Harry woke up the next morning he had no desire to leave his four-poster bed. Truth was he had not slept well that night. All he could think of as he tried to fall asleep was the sight of all that blood in the unused classroom. He had fooled himself earlier at dinner that everything was going to be fine and okay, but lying in bed with his mind free to think properly, he knew this was not the case. Sure, he had given the Slytherin some reason for comfort, but Malfoy was right; they lived in separate worlds. Even here at Hogwarts where they shared the characteristic of being students, Harry could not just stroll up to Malfoy and start a normal conversation. They were infamous rivals; too many people would become suspicious. And as much as Harry felt he did not care if the world found out he was gay, he wasn't foolish enough to think that publicizing their relationship would convince Malfoy not to hurt himself.
So, as Harry pulled himself away from the little sleep he had gotten, he was not only groggy and delirious, but severely confused at what exactly he was to do next. By the time he had pulled on his robe he decided that, at present, the best he could do was go to class like normal and hope some idea came to him later or that Malfoy had his own ideas.
By the time lunch came around, Harry had somehow made it through two classes without being told off for dozing off, the most impressive being McGonagall's. He had gathered up his books, paying as little attention as possible to Hermione and Ron bickering over whether or not to head to the library before lunch, and walked out of the door to run straight into Draco Malfoy.
"Oh!" Harry exclaimed, nearly dropping his books.
"Watch it," Crabbe grunted, flanking Malfoy as always.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking…" Harry tried to apologize, but was cut short by Malfoy.
"You can cut the farce, Potter," Malfoy sneered. "You've played your little game and I fell for it, but it's over now."
"What are you talking about?" Harry searched the other boy's face to find any clue of how he was to respond, but found nothing but anger etched in his mouth and eyes. He had time enough to register this anger for only a split second before he felt his back slam up against the stone corridor wall.
"Stop mocking me, Potter," Malfoy growled in a volume only Harry could hear. His mouth was dangerously close to Harry's and his hand was gripped tightly around Harry's collar.
"Draco, I…" Malfoy pulled him forward and slammed him back against the wall again leaving Harry breathless, his phrase unfinished.
"I said stop it!" Malfoy yelled this time. A large group of students had now encircled them, waiting to see the fight. Conscious of this, the Slytherin dropped his voice back down to a whisper. "If you ever try to mock me again, Potter, then know that my blood will be on your hands, not my father's."
Malfoy gave Harry one last shove before turning away. To the disappointment of the crowd, Harry did not pursue the other boy. He was still winded, but more so shocked at had he had just heard. How could Malfoy think he had been anything other than sincere the day before?
"You alright, mate?" Ron asked, guiding him away from the wall and giving him a firm slap on the back. "You should have slugged that ferret!"
"Really, Ron!" Hermione rolled her eyes before taking Harry's books from his arms so he would not need to carry them as he tried to find his breath. "What was all that about anyway?"
"I…I don't know," Harry replied honestly. "Let's just get lunch, yeah?"
Ron and Hermione, thinking little more of the incident, led Harry through the now dissipating crowd of students towards the Great Hall. For Harry the incident was just about all he could think of. So, for the rest of the day he no longer struggled to stay awake in his classes, but fought to keep that look of searing anger Malfoy had given him from his mind's eye. Even Quidditch practice that evening before dinner could not distract Harry.
When the rest of the Gryffindor team had all changed and left for dinner, Harry still stood under the shower. Sure now that he was alone and undisturbed, he began to yell wildly and banged his fists against the shower walls, causing water droplets to cascade around him. He knew he was being ridiculous, but at the moment he didn't care. He had been stupid allowing the possibility of being with Malfoy enter his head, and now he was feeling the consequences.
For some reason Harry did not cry, only yelled. When he had finally exhausted himself, he turned off the shower, dried himself, and got dressed. He was not hungry in the slightest, so he trudged his way up the stairs in the direction of the library when he had made it to the castle from the locker rooms. Homework was the last thing Harry felt like doing at the moment, but he figured if he came back to the common room with books for his charms paper, they would act as a good enough excuse for Hermione as to why Harry had skipped dinner.
Harry found the library mostly empty except for Madame Pince organizing a shelf of books to his right and a few scattered students sitting here and there amidst piles of worn-out books. Harry preferred this quiet to the noise he would meet in the common room and was in no hurry to leave. He strolled through the library, stopping here and there to admire a particularly old or large book, until he felt that he had located all the books he would need for his essay. When he was ready to leave, Harry turned the corner around a bookshelf only to come face to the back of Malfoy's had.
Harry froze and said nothing. The other boy was sitting at a table, reading, with his back towards Harry and was apparently unaware of Harry having appeared behind him. Harry decided to use the other's obliviousness to his advantage. He hurried towards the table and slammed his pile of books down beside the Slytherin. Malfoy jumped at least two inches off his seat in surprise.
"You want to tell me what that was earlier?" Harry forced through his clenched teeth.
Malfoy stood up looking terrified. Harry had not intended to sound so angry, but he was fuming. Reenacting their earlier encounter, Harry grabbed Malfoy by the collar and pushed him up against a bookshelf. A few more precariously placed books fell to the ground around them when Malfoy's back made contact with the shelf.
"You think I was mocking you? Thought I was lying about everything I said? You're a fucking idiot, Malfoy!"
Harry's lips crashed into Malfoy's without apology. After half a second the twice-shocked Slytherin gave into Harry's kiss and then finally to the tongue that forced its way into his mouth. They attacked each other in this manner for seconds, minutes, maybe hours, before Harry finally pulled away. Both were breathing heavy.
"Still think I'm mocking you, Malfoy?"
"I think you'll need to show me again before I'm sure," Malfoy replied before meeting their lips together once more.
The kiss was less violent this time, but still rough. Harry was convinced that if he had been given the choice to stay like this forever, mouth locked with Draco's, he would have agreed without a second thought. But that was only wishful thinking.
"Get out of my library this instant!"
The two boys broke away, faces flushed, to find Madame Pince glaring at them over her reading spectacles.
"This is a library, not a harem! Now leave!" Madame Pince demanded, her finger jabbing the air in the direction of the door.
"We were just…" Harry began, but stopped when he noticed Malfoy was no longer next to him by already halfway out the door. He shrugged instead and made to grab for his collected pile of books still lying on the table.
"I think not!" Madame Pince stopped him. "I said out!"
Harry was irritated that he would have to return to Hermione empty handed, but he was in no mood to fight with Madame Pince. He turned on his heel and exited the library just as Draco had moments before. Harry had half a mind to try and follow the Slytherin, but decided against it. Draco would almost be to the Slytherin common room by now, and that was the last place he wished for he and Draco to be caught together. So, with a growing smile on his face, Harry headed up the stairs toward his own common room.
Note: This chapter jumps around a bit, but I think it's my favorite yet! The next chapter may take a little longer to post just because I'm trying to work out how I should divide the chapters up, but it shouldn't be too much longer. Thanks for reading! Review please! ~TJ
Reviews: Thanks so much to all of you that have added my story to favorites and/or reviewed. To SPF who I couldn't reply to through messaging: You asked how long I intend to make this story. I'm not entirely sure just yet, but I would say it has quite a bit to go. If I were to guess off the top of my head I would say maybe 10 chapters total? But like I said in my note, I'm still working on how I want to split up the next bits, so it may turn out to be much longer.