Losing Pain

Chapter Four

"Are you coming, Harry?" Hermione opened the door to the room Harry shared with his old friends.

Harry was sitting on his bed reading a note. He wanted to smile, but he knew he couldn't in front of Hermione. He couldn't make her think that she could get close to him finally. He put so much effort into making them stray away. Before he put it away so Hermione couldn't read it, he looked it over again.

Potter

I'm free for the rest of the day after our 3-o-clock potions class together. I'll be in the Room of Requirement until curfew.

Draco

Harry was also free afterwards. Dumbledore told him that having classes till five was way too much for him to handle. Harry didn't mind. Classes were boring and worthless to him. The only one that was interesting was potions because he hadn't gone as far ahead as he had with all of the rest of his classes. Being taught by Snape somehow seemed better than teaching himself.

"Harry?" Hermione asked again.

Harry looked up with a blank face. Hermione had an unsure look on her face like she didn't know what she should say or do. Harry stood and pocketed the note.

"Are we going to class now?" Harry asked. He tried his best for it to be polite and somewhat normal, but the task was too difficult for him to say it perfectly.

Hermione quickly nodded and left the room with Harry following.

***

We'll see you at dinner then, mate?" Ron asked as he, Harry, and Hermione left their Charms class. Both Ron and Hermione had a break while Harry had Potions.

Harry shook his head. "I think I'm going to study a bit in the library tonight if that's alright with you guys."

Hermione gave Ron an unsure look. She had a lot of them lately. Ron just shrugged his shoulders again. He seemed to be getting a little annoyed at how Harry was always treated now. Harry didn't mind, he didn't need another person on his case.

"Okay, Harry, but you'll be back by curfew right?"

Harry nodded and the group went their separate ways.

Harry walked down to the potions room. Everyone else was already there except for Snape. Snape always had to come in last with a scowl on his face and an angry aura surrounding him. Harry always wondered if the professor had a spell on him that made him always seem mad, or at least one that amplified his emotions.

"Turn to page two hundred and seventy-two and start the potion listed there." Snape told them then left the room to his adjoining office.

"Were working together, Potter." A voice whispered from behind, his breath tickling Harry's ear.

Harry shivered before he turned around to face Malfoy. He nodded and Malfoy left to get their ingredients. The rest of the students watched as Malfoy joined Harry, but it didn't faze them anymore. The day Harry returned to classes Malfoy worked with Harry, no matter if they needed partners or not. Snape noticed this but did nothing either. The rest of the students knew if they said anything to anyone else, Malfoy would be sure to make the rest of their school year miserable. He was already having plenty of fun messing with the life of one Ernie Macmillan.

The two worked in silence like they always did. They finished the potion right on time and bottled two vials before they walked into Snape's office together.

"You've finished?" The professor asked.

"Yes, sir." Malfoy answered as he handed him their vials.

Snape looked at the dark blue almost black liquid they held before he set them down. Then he looked up at the two in front of him and spoke. "You both may leave early today."

Harry and Malfoy nodded before they left the office, cleaned up their work area, then left the classroom as well. The two walked down the hall together until they came to the stairs to go back upstairs. Malfoy went up first. Harry waited ten minutes before he also headed up.

No one was in sight. Harry walked through the school, passing the library, and went straight to where the Room of Requirement was located. Before he could think about the room he wanted, the door formed and opened. Harry raised an eyebrow but entered the room, closing the door behind him.

"I thought I'd be nice and not make you waste energy forming the door." Malfoy simply said before he sat on a couch that he had thought up.

Harry sat down next to him. "That was thoughtful of you." He said with a sarcastic tone.

Malfoy pushed him off the couch and to the floor. Then he laughed. "I knew you were clumsy but I didn't know you were clumsy enough to not be able to sit."

Harry flipped himself over so he could look up at Malfoy and glare. Then, in a quick motion that Malfoy wasn't expecting, Harry pulled Malfoy down with him. Somehow though, the teen landing right on top of him, their faces only inches apart.

"Thanks, Potter." Malfoy grumbled as he held himself up to keep himself from crushing the boy below him.

"You're very welcome, Malfoy." Harry grinned like a little kid before he was able to maneuver his arms so they were crossed behind his head. His robe's arms had slid down them, exposing every bare inch of his forearms. Malfoy slowly pulled one from under Harry's head while still keeping himself up.

"I see you still haven't stopped." He said it like it was part of a casual conversation. Harry liked that he didn't obsess over the fact.

Harry shook his head as his answer.

Malfoy moved so he was sitting next to the still laying down Harry. He kept Harry's arm in his hand and slowly traced the small amount of cuts that were visible. Harry's eyes slowly slid closed and a small smile formed on his lips. Malfoy shook his head. Every time he traced the scars, Harry smiled like they were a good thing. He wondered what was exactly going on in the teen's mind.

"Malfoy, what time is it?" Harry asked after a few minutes of more comfortable silence.

Malfoy looked up at the grandfather clock that was in the corner of the room. "It's six. Everyone should be eating now. Are you hungry?"

Harry laughed like Malfoy had said something funny. "You know I'm never all that hungry."

Malfoy stopped tracing and slowly pulled back the sleeve. He didn't say anything to Harry. Cutting was one thing, but he was starting to notice how the boy kept eating less and less. This was starting to worry him.

"Why is it whenever I'm with you, you never seem to want to eat, Potter?" Malfoy looked at Harry's face.

Harry didn't answer. He kept still with his eyes closed.

"Harry, look at me." Malfoy ordered him. Harry didn't listen. "Harry, look at me!"

Harry stayed still and didn't open his eyes.

"Harry! Look at me!" Malfoy ordered angrily. He slapped the boy's face. Harry didn't move.

"Harry!" Malfoy exclaimed then went down to a whisper. "Look at me, please."

Harry didn't do anything. If it wasn't for the rise and fall of his chest, Malfoy could have sworn the teen looked like he was dead. Malfoy positioned himself back on top of Harry. Harry still didn't move a muscle. He lowered his head to Harry's left ear and whispered. "Harry, please look at me, please." It was almost a beg. Harry didn't flinch.

Malfoy didn't know what to do to make the boy responsive. Yelling at him wasn't helpful and pain would only make the boy smile at most. Suddenly, the answer came to his head.

Malfoy smirked and lowered his head back down to Harry's. He whispered once more. "Harry, look at me." Again, he received no reply.

Malfoy kept going down until his lips firmly pressed against Harry's. He stayed there, waiting for Harry to do something, but the boy stayed the same.

Anger took over Malfoy and he quickly parted and stood up, walking away from the unresponsive boy. Part of him just wanted to leave, but another stronger part of him made him stay in the room. He asked for a chair in his mind and the room formed a simple wooden chair. He sat down exasperated.

"Why do you have to be so difficult, Potter? All I want is for you to look at me...That's all I want." Malfoy's anger was turning into a feeling almost close to despair.

"Is it, Malfoy? Is it all you want?" A voice breathed in Malfoy's ear. Malfoy, shocked, stood up and spun around to face an open-eyed Harry.

"What are you talking about, Potter?" Anger quickly coming back.

Harry smirked and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I'm pretty sure that kiss wasn't just a way to try to get me to look at you."

Malfoy glared and grabbed Harry by the shoulders. "What did you think that kiss was for then?"

Harry was somehow able to squeeze his way out of Malfoy's grasp and place his hands on Malfoy's face. He pressed his lips against Malfoy's with more force than Malfoy had to him. Malfoy gasped in surprise, but quickly got over it and return the force. When they parted both were breathing a little heavily.

"What was that, Potter?" Malfoy was able to growl out.

Harry shrugged his shoulders. Malfoy slapped his face.

This time Harry glared. "What was that for?"

"You and your bloody shrugging at everything I ask you." Malfoy answered. "I'm leaving now."

Harry wanted to stop the teen, but he couldn't speak. He could only watch Malfoy leave in a quick manner. Once the door slammed, tears rushed down Harry's cheeks. Harry immediately collapsed to the floor.

A/N: Sorry I updated this chapter a little later than the rest. I was hosting a party on Thursday and Friday I was cleaning up, no fun. Who knew that only twenty people could make such a huge mess. But hopefully you still enjoyed this chapter! Thanks to all of you who are reading it!