A/N: My beta and I had a misunderstanding, but all is well! I really want to thank xdarkangeltwinsx for betaing this chappie, and just their awesomeness in general. I couldn't do this without them!

Harry's POV

It had been a difficult week; that much was obvious. Draco had become the focus of my obsessions. I had no clue what had made me kiss him, but once I had, it was as if some mad, uncontrollable flame had gripped my body, playing me around him like a poor marionette. It was as if some terrible curse had been cast on my soul, bonding me to the boy I had once so vehemently loathed. I had some inexplicable magnetic pull toward him. Was I in love or was I obsessed?

Hermione and Ron had stubbornly pestered me until I had told them what was wrong. Ron had looked green and disturbed. Hermione was nothing other than thoughtful. She had gone to the library, looked through books, and performed spells, only to be thoroughly convinced that there was no curse and maybe – just maybe – I was in love, after all.

They had taken it surprisingly well. Ron would occasionally turn to me and mutter, "But Malfoy! Bloody hell, Harry, you must be mad." Maybe I was. Somehow it truly felt like it. And when he kissed Pansy and I saw her cling to him so protectively, I was sure I was. Since they hadn't had known about it at the time, I guess they must have been thinking that I had lost it.

Slowly, throughout the week, I managed to calm down. Occasionally, my heart would threaten to rip out of my chest when I saw them sitting side by side, lips pressed together. But I saw the way he looked anywhere but at her, and I noticed the grimaces he would give when she attached to snuggle against him. Draco didn't love Pansy, and that certainly was worth a grin or two.

Slowly, I was returning to my normal self, albeit a slightly frazzled and infatuated self. I wasn't constantly tortured by an angry Snape, and managed to keep Professor McGonagall from murdering me as my attention slipped. Still, Hermione and Ron felt it was best to go to Hogsmeade over the weekend and relax over a butterbeer.

"Harry, come on, cheer up. You love Hogsmeade." Ron prodded me, and I looked up. Somehow I just wasn't in the mood for all of this. Plus, I dreaded running into Pansy and Draco. They couldn't blame me if I punched that pug-faced girl in the face. If she was here, that would be inevitable.

I pulled my lips into a sarcastic grin. "Better?"

"Hey, mate, at least you're trying." Hermione was being quiet and just strolled beside us, staring off into the shops. "Want to go to Zonko's? If that doesn't make you smile, I'll make it a mission to kill Malfoy." My eyes narrowed.

"Great, let's get me into a depression; that's just what we need! I would rather be ignored than have him dead."

"Take a joke, Harry," Ron muttered. Despite my sigh, I couldn't help but look around just in case that pale skin and blonde hair appeared. "And he'd better not dare to show his filthy Pureblood head around here anytime soon."

"What Ron means to say is, 'We hate to see you like this.' I'm pretty angry myself at Malfoy." Her brown eyes gazed at me sharply, trying to distill some sense into me.

"He-" I began.

"Don't try to make excuses for him. The bloke's lost his mind. He's off snogging Pansy! Of all people, that pug-face bi-"

"Ron!" I rolled my eyes, but couldn't keep a smile from creeping onto my face. They were acting so typical, and it was nice to see that some things weren't prone to changing as easily. Gods know what I would have done without them!

"Zonko's sounds like a good idea," I chuckled. Ron's hand clasped me on the shoulder. We walked to the shop otherwise in pleasant silence.

Chatter met us as soon as we opened the door. The shop was crowded with rows upon rows of delights. It was only second best to Honeydukes, in my opinion. I ambled around, grinning at several items.

"Exploding Parchment – wicked!" A Slytherin first year held a scroll in his hand, smirking eagerly. "Father says I can buy whatever I want," the first year announced to his friend. I blushed and turned away, thinking of none other than Draco.

"Harry, look at this!" Ron ran from behind me, and shoved a packet under my nose.

"Oi, I can't see!" Pulling it down slightly so that the print was shoved up against my face, I read 'Explosive Quills'.

"Can you imagine if we gave one of those to Snape?" His expression turned dreamy, almost. As I nudged him, I couldn't help but beam at the thought. It would most certainly be entertaining to see the 'Potion's Master' covered in soot.

"What are you looking at, Harry?" Hermione came up from behind me and took the package out of my hands. "Explosive Quills – don't tell me you were thinking of buying them."

"I wasn't, but Ron was." I turned to see his face become a brilliant shade of crimson. He sent me a dirty glare.

"Ron! You're a Prefect. You can't go around buying Explosive quills. What were you planning on doing, giving one to Professor Snape?" His guilt became clear with his deepened blush. "You're insufferable sometimes, you know that?" With a roll of her eyes, she strode off to put it back on the shelf.

"Thanks," he muttered sarcastically.

"No problem." I gave him slight smirk.

"Glad to see you're feeling more like yourself." Despite his attempt to seem angry, only goofy smile spread across his face. "You're not as fun when you're moping around. A bit like Moaning Myrtle, actually."

"Blunt like an axe, as always," Hermione sighed, suddenly appearing from behind us. "Maybe we should head out to the Three Broomsticks. It'll be too crowded if we go any later." Ron and I agreed, and made our way out, Ron throwing one last, longing glance behind him. After a considerably long pause, Hermione spoke.

"So, have you given it any thought?" She seemed rather reluctant to ask the question, and I knew why. This wasn't a topic I was particularly fond of her bringing up.

"Given what any thought?" I always found it best to play dumb. Hermione knew I wasn't, but she also knew that without telling me exactly what she meant, I wasn't going to answer. Somehow she always had difficulty with that.

"'Mione, please don't bring this up," Ron whined. He pushed open the doors until we were met by the pleasant buzz of peoples' voices. The dim lights took a moment to adjust to, but we made our way to one of the few empty tables left.

"We can't avoid it forever. And Harry, you know perfectly well what I'm talking about." The chocolate-y depths of her eyes were firm. I groaned.

"Look, I honestly don't know what to think of Draco. Why are you so eager to push it?"

"You're fighting against yourself and him. All you're doing is making a mess out of yourself. At least if you would admit that you like him –"

"I have admitted that I like him. It's just that I might not love him."

"That's what I meant. Come on Harry, you're mad about him." I felt heat spread to my cheeks. It wasn't every day Hermione Granger tried to convince you that you loved your former – well, in his opinion ongoing – childhood enemy. Ron was turning a delicate shade as well, but didn't say anything, though he looked so eager to burst out in frantic pleading that I 'really don't love Malfoy'. "You're still convinced it's some sort of spell, aren't you?"

"Maybe." She had caught me. As much as I trusted her judgment, everything still seemed so quick and impossible. Gods, it would have been so much easier had I been able to pout and sit in the corner like a spoiled child. True, it wouldn't resolve anything, but it would at least make me feel better.

"Fine then." There was a pause, and I shifted uncomfortably.

"'Ello, m'dears. What can I get you?" Madam Rosmerta had perfect timing.

"I'll have a butterbeer, please."

"Same."

"Same." Before either of them could protest, I pulled out the money. It was a bit more than the Hog's Head price of two Sickles, but then again, the Hog's Head didn't exactly have the same atmosphere. The drinks came momentarily, and when they did, Hermione turned to me again.

"What do you even like about Malfoy, anyway?" The question caught me off guard. Genuine curiosity shone in her eyes and touched her voice.

"I – I don't know. I guess he's smart." There was a slight pause, and I felt like an idiot. "And incredibly stubborn." I sighed angrily. "Maybe it's the way he kisses, or the fact that I could tell when I did that there was something he was concealing, something only his mercury eyes betrayed about him. That irresistible smirk he gives. Or…well, you can't tell me he isn't attractive. There just something about him that makes me want to –" I cut off abruptly as Ron began to choke on his butterbeer. It wasn't hard to realize that I had been rambling.

"Oh, Ron, are you okay?" Hermione awkwardly tapped him on the back, and gave him an awkward side glance. "And you told me you weren't in love with him. It's clearly not a spell." Her smile was soft, but she kept her hand patting Ron's back. He was still choking.

"Merlin, Harry! It's Malfoy," he sputtered, his face horrified. "You're in love with him?"

"I can't help it." A blush formed on my face. Oh, I was acting like a little girl. It was highly embarrassing. My hand gripped the butterbeer-filled mug before me.

But Draco wouldn't even care for me. I wasn't willing to give up, though – not now that he was with Pansy. If I could somehow catch him alone, just the two of us in the hallway, maybe I could convince him. After all, he hadn't seemed that opposed when I was kissing him. Draco had even kissed me back.

"So, have you two done your essay for Transfiguration?" I was thankful for the change of topic.

"'Course not," I replied.

"But Malfoy?" Both Hermione and I chuckled at his still grief-stricken face.

"Oh, yes, have you noticed how gorgeous he looks in eyeliner?" I muttered sarcastically.

"Definitely. It just defines his eyes," Hermione played along. Still, I felt a twinge as she said it.

"Oh, sod it, both of you. All I need is both of you gossiping about the git."

"Oi! He's a handsome git."

"But a git, nonetheless." I rolled my eyes. It seemed almost as if now that I had admitted the way I truly felt (Merlin, I did sound like an obsessed girl), it was my right to protect him. That inexplicable madness had fallen away with Hermione's proof. Everything seemed…right. Odd, maybe, and certainly unexpected, but right. It felt incredibly cliché altogether.

"Maybe we could go to Honeydukes," Hermione suggested.

"Let's!" Ron began to chug down what was left of his drink. Hermione looked as if she were about to remark on it, but after opening her mouth seemed to think better of it. I couldn't help but chuckle, though I was eager to go as well. I was definitely returning to my normal self.

We got up and made our way to the shop, chattering and laughing as if nothing usual had ever happened. The shop was bright with vividly-colored wrappers, and enticed us in with unmistakably sweet smells. There were blood pops and Droobles, and enough of it to even exceed Dudley's dreams.

Magenta and violet powder filled twisted tubes, and candy hovered above me, begging me to reach out and grab it. There was a turquoise package on the shelf claiming that they were flavored bubbles, which, if you popped them with your tongue, showered you with chocolate.

Gummy snakes lashed out at me, hissing and almost reflecting light off of their rainbow skin. I smiled, but backed away from them slightly. Chattering chocolate skulls trembled in the shelf behind me, and beside that, in a large container, fudge mice squeaked and scurried around.

Though we left the shop several Galleons lighter, we were also jubilant and strolled down the path with wide grins on our faces.

"Maybe I'll finally be able to complete my chocolate frog card collection!" Ron exclaimed, looking hopefully at his bag, which held the sweets. And then someone ran into me full force, knocking me slightly back. The smile wiped off of my face as soon as I saw who it was. Draco Malfoy, in all his glory, stood before me.

And rimming his eyes was none other than eyeliner. He looked too bloody brilliant.

"Malfoy," Ron hissed at him. Hermione and he were immediately on edge and glaring at him. I wanted to tell them to back off, but I figured he'd only get angrier. For a moment, I could swear I saw fear flash behind his eyes, though, and a look of realization. I wanted to mess with that hair and kiss those lips to tell him everything would be okay.

"Weasel, Granger…Scarface."

"You're wearing eyeliner." I couldn't help but murmur it hopefully. It was stupid, and even though it was a fact, I couldn't help say it. He was wearing eyeliner.

"Pansy wanted me to, and since I love her so much..." My smile wavered slightly, but so did his.

"Then where is she now?" Hermione was sharper than I wished her to be.

"That isn't a filthy little Mudblood's business." Even I was angry at him when he said that. But Ron was furious. He pulled out his wand, and before either Hermione or I could stop him, he had cast a leg-locker curse on Draco.

"Shi-" Falling to the ground, his hand reached over to grab his wand, which had scattered across the path and out of his reach. Hermione was quicker, and snatched it up. She was beyond furious, but I was too. Not at him, but at them. It took effort to bite my tongue and keep from screaming, "He could have hurt himself." Where this sudden need to protect him from even such trivial things had come from, I had no idea.

"Now, now, language, Malfoy. We don't want mummy-dearest to find out that her perfect son started cursing. Merlin forbid your father sends one of your house elves after you!" I knew he had crossed a line when he mentioned house elves in front of Hermione. And sure enough, she went berserk.

"It isn't funny!" My eyes were pasted on Draco; he weakly attempted to pull himself up to reach his wand. His legs were glued together, and he dragged them up with much strength. But I wasn't the only one looking at him.

"Oh, no you don't!" Ron shoved him back to the ground with enough strength to knock his head into the pavement. With an "oof" of pain, he slammed into it, a small bit of blood trickling from his mouth.

They had gone too far. Even if he had called Hermione that word, Ron was just as bad for hurting him. He looked up at Ron with the hate of a poor, tortured animal, which was much like he was being treated.

"Back the fuck off!" I growled.

"Harry's gone mental. It's official." Ron looked at me sadly, and perhaps a bit frightened as well.

"Give me his wand." The wand was quickly handed back, and both of them took a step or two back. They were definitely frightened, but I didn't currently care. I knelt down and released the curse from his legs. "Draco, are you okay?"

"I don't need your help, Potter." Before anything else could happen, he had scrambled up and ran from me. I still had his wand, though.

A/N: I took the suggestion of writing this chappie from Harry's POV to show why he's in love with Draco. I hope my reason wasn't terribly poor. Also, I wanted to show that scene from his POV to show why he got so protective. I'm working on the next chapter, so it should be out within the next week. However...

I'm not updating until I get 40 reviews. Again, I'm not doing this to be cruel. I love every review I get and treally try to respond to all of them. I love all of you so much for really responding, and sending me such positive feedback! Thank you!

Random question, just for funsies (no effect on the fanfic): What's your favorite band/song/CD/soundtrack/stuff like that? (You can reply in the review.) :D Just thought I'd make an attempt for interaction since I ask for so many reviews.