A/N: Sorry for the wait. This chapter gave me problems. It's short, but it would have been shorter still if the last scene idea hadn't hit me. Hope you enjoy either way.

Waking Up

Chapter 4: Fast Tracked

Draco was pleased. After an enjoyable (well, it started off kind of bad, but ended deliciously, mostly) 45 minutes in the broomstick cupboard with Potter, the boy had left him suddenly and with a rather pressing problem. Draco had had to stay an additional 15 minutes just to calm himself down enough to move. Then he'd had to bring himself to rights and remove the Silencing Spell Potter had somehow managed to cast during their activities. He also thought he'd felt a Locking Charm click into place, but Potter would have deactivated that in his escape.

Draco wondered why he'd escaped, anyway. Potter had been enjoying their activities as much as he had, Draco could tell. Well, evidence of that nature was rather difficult to conceal.

Draco had been looking forward to accosting Potter for days now. Since their…tryst, Potter had studiously ignored him, even to go so far as to disregard direct taunts. Draco could not let that pass. It was true that the Gryffindors had been rather belligerent to the Slytherins this past week and his Housemates had indeed come to complain to him about this (though it was more of a "what revenge are we seeking?" kind of questioning than outright complaints). All of this Draco could handle, though this is the reason he gave the Gryffindor for accosting him.

In all actuality, Draco had just wanted to see the other boy. With Potter utterly ignoring him, he got no face time with what was quickly becoming his biggest obsession. Harry wouldn't talk to Draco, wouldn't look at him in class or in the Great Hall, wouldn't even answer in kind to his jibes. What else was a Slytherin to do?

But the result of the assault was more than even Draco had hoped for. Seeing Harry and actually having Harry look at him and fight with him had been Draco's sole aim. Really. But maybe it was the pent up emotions or the fact that nobody could get under Draco's skin quite like Harry bloody Potter; either way, Draco's passions had exploded and he'd taken what he'd wanted for days (for years, if he was being honest) and to his utter surprise, Harry gave. And not just gave; Harry had responded in kind, taking just as much as he offered, demanding as much as he submitted. Draco had melted. Then and there.

And so it was a very happy Slytherin that came whistling his way down the corridor. If some younger year that still hadn't learned their place or even an older student that didn't quite yet understand the pecking order saw him and looked a bit shocked, at least they were smart enough not to ask him about it. He wasn't so happy he wouldn't hex the pants off anyone bold enough to dare. He was a Malfoy and a Slytherin. He had an image to uphold. No, the much smarter students were the ones that saw him whistling with a hint of a smirk at the corner of his lips and knew that someone was in very serious trouble, or Hogwarts was about to receive the shock of its life. And soon.

Draco let his mind drift back to what had started all this (or at least got the ball thrown in the physical court; clearly he hand Potter and started something long ago). Draco didn't focus on The Event, as he'd taken to calling last week's whole affair, much; at least not in a negative light. When he thought about it, it was all soft touches and delicate kisses and wet tongue and warm bodies before it all turned passionate. Passionate touches and kisses and tongue and bodies. Frankly, Draco had enjoyed the whole thing. And the fact that Potter had clearly been embarrassed by it just kicked up his enjoyment. Franker still, Draco had been looking forward to repeating the whole thing and more and had thus spent his days trying to design the quickest way to get Potter back in his bed. Now that he'd discovered how intensely passionate his raven could be, there was no way Draco was letting his bird fly free again.

His plans had been slightly derailed when Potter had taken to ignoring him (really, as if he'd let the bird get away with that). But that was alright. It gave him more time to plan. Getting Potter to acknowledge him again had been Draco's first step to getting his desires back on track. Draco debated whether their recent interlude had thrown another wrench in his way, but surely not. Surely Potter wouldn't keep ignoring him now? Though he wouldn't put it past the Gryffindor, despite Draco's threats.

His bird was a stubborn creature. It's one of the things that drew Draco to the boy; along with his strength. And let's not forget that fabulous arse and those devastating emerald eyes (green was far too bland a color to describe such gems), and that new-found talent tongue. Erm, anyway. Draco could be just as stubborn. He was quite looking forward to the challenge.

Draco spent some time with his friends over the next few hours. They'd wondered where he'd wandered off to during the party last week. Pansy and Blaise had been especially interested. Crabbe and Goyle remained the strong, silent type, but Draco could tell they were curious, too. Draco had brushed the issue off. He told them he'd wandered off to his room and crashed eventually and that had been it. (So he'd left out some fairly important details. They didn't need that information. At least not yet.) But he'd spent last weekend with them with them, studying, chatting, going to meals (during which Potter had been strangely absent all of Saturday and ignored him Sunday onward), and just being self involved Slytherins. His time with them now seemed to be running along the same vein.

But things were slightly different during lunch. When they arrived in the Great Hall and sat in their customary seats, Potter was again not looking at him (though Draco noted with a smirk that it was in a slightly embarrassed fashion and not the cold indifference of the past week), though they boy snuck several peeks. Inside, Draco was doing a happy dance. It looked like his plans may have just hit the fast track. But without Draco appeared nonplussed, though he imagined there was a slight gleam in his eyes.

Lunch passed without incident, though both Pansy and Blaise asked him why Harry kept stealing glances at him; did he have some plan brewing for revenge against the Gryffindors that he hadn't shared yet? Clearly he was not the only one who was watching the boy. He squashed the slight irritation this thought produced. Really, Harry was going to have to learn to hide himself more. Draco's thought was accompanied by an eyeroll. But he brushed off his friends. No, he had no current plan for Gryffindor revenge. His plans were a lot more devastating on a personal level, but he supposed it might just have the same effect as if he took direct revenge against the Lions. But that was not his aim. He simply wanted Potter. He'd already laid claim.

Draco considered excusing himself. He'd already finished eating. Now he really wanted to corner Potter again. Some slight revenge for earlier's…er, unresolved situation was due. But before he'd decided, the Golden Trio was leaving their table. It appeared Granger was lecturing Potter and Weasley about something or another again and the boys dragged their feet in a long-suffering kind of way as they felt the Hall. Looks like Draco's rendezvous was being postponed. He felt the annoyance at this and let it go. He'd get his chance later. For now, he had homework to finish.

Some time after dinner (where again Potter had stolen the occasional glance at him, though the worst of his embarrassment seemed to have worn off; was that a calculating look in the raven's eyes?), Draco found himself in the library. His new Potions assignment made some obscure reference to a very rare ingredient and Draco needed to research it for his essay. He really wasn't sure what book he needed exactly so he was headed to the librarian's desk to charm the information out of Madam Pince. She really was a nasty old crone, but Draco was convinced he could sweet talk a mountain into moving out of his way if he was so inclined. The librarian should be nothing next to that.

It was on his way to fulfill this quest that Draco spotted the Golden Trio. All three were hunched over books, but Granger, obviously, was the only one avidly researching. Draco wasn't sure Potter and Weasel were even reading at this point. They looked to be almost…sleeping? Draco wondered how long the girl had kept the others here this time. But there wasn't a lot he could do to Potter in this state. He moved on.

As he passed their table, Draco thought he heard someone jerk upright. Perhaps he'd caught Potter's attention, though he certainly hadn't tried to, this time at least. Out of curiosity, he looked back to discover that is just what happened. Potter looked decidedly awake again as he sat up, looking at Draco, an undisguised look of hunger in his eyes. It was a good thing Granger and Weasley were no more aware of him than they had been, for surely they would have given Harry the most oddest of looks for this.

Draco wanted to simultaneously smile winningly and roll his eyes at him for his open display of desires (really, subtlety was lost on the Gryffindor), but Draco settled for a scandalous smirk that was sure to tempt the boy farther. It seemed the raven had gotten over his ridiculous embarrassment (though part of Draco thought it was cute) for their past two incidents. Shy and embarrassed just didn't suit the boy where Draco was concerned. Draco was glad to see Harry seemed to finally see the much greater opportunities here. The Slytherin turned back around to resume his walk to Madam Pince. He was sure Harry's eyes had followed his arse in his wake.

The next morning at breakfast, an unfamiliar owl landed in front of him with a small letter attached to its leg. It was a simple note in a messy scrawl. It read:

Tonight. Room of Requirement. 7 p.m. Be there.

Draco, surprised, glanced toward the Gryffindor table where Potter first studiously ignored him, then shot him a heated look from under his fringe. Oh yes, Draco would definitely be there. He slipped the note into his pocket as the owl flew away.

A/N: There you have it, chapter 4. Long time coming, but there you go. I'd appreciate comments with fresh ideas for the story because after the RoR scene, I've no idea where this is going. Cheers! Review review review! =D! (For anyone also reading "Of Dragons and Ravens," chapter 3 is up now. :))

And a special thank you to those who have favorited/followed/reviewed thus far. To Reverie Wilde and Ash-Bookworm113, poor Draco, indeed. But no worries, Harry will make it up to him. ;) Thanks for the continued reviews. To yodelll, I'd be happy to. Thanks for reading and reviewing. To my mysterious "Guest," thank you many times over. xD! I'm glad that for the x number of people that don't review, there are those like you who do. :) And thanks to ShellyB1 who has been reading both of my stories now. I'm glad you like them both. =] And because I've mentioned everyone else now anyway, to LIGHTSNSHADOWS, I hope you're pleased with how that came about.