Chapter 40:
When Harry woke up that morning, something felt different.
It took him a few moments to realise what it was, before he started to smile. He had slept. He didn't ache all over and he had actually slept through the night. Albeit, not all of it had been restful, when he didn't have visions he had nightmares, but…he was pretty sure he had got in a least a couple of hours of deep, restful sleep.
He actually felt vaguely energised and alive again. It was amazing.
He blinked the sleep out of his eyes, then sat up and cast a tempus charm. It was nine of clock. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd been asleep after six! Occlumency lessons suddenly seemed far more tolerable, despite their somewhat tempestuous start. And oh god…it was nine O clock. He'd overslept! Wow, that was an extremely nice problem to have…but a problem, nonetheless.
Cursing as he stubbed his toe, he tripped out of bed and hurriedly got dressed and ready. A few minutes later, he grabbed his bag to sprint to his first class - Defence against the Dark Arts. He hated Monday mornings, although this one didn't feel quite so bleak as some of the ones he'd had previously. He skidded into the room to find Carrow talking already, and suppressed a groan.
"Mr Potter," she sneered. "You're late."
"Sorry," he said, not really all that apologetic. "I overslept."
"Stop smiling," the professor ordered. "And sit down. 20 points from Gryffindor."
There was a cry of outrage from his fellow lions, dark mutterings of 'unfair' and 'only a couple of minutes.' He dropped into the empty seat next to Tom. He realised with some annoyance that Ron and Hermione had retreated to the far corner of the Gryffindor side of the room in his absence, instead of their spot near the middle - which allowed him to sit with both the Slytherins and the Gryffindors.
Carrow continued her lecture with a disapproving sniff and narrowed eyes.
"Why didn't you wake me up?" he hissed, before pausing, regarding at the other properly. "You look like hell."
"Thanks Potter, that's just what a guy wants to hear," Tom murmured, favouring him with a look. He grimaced.
"You okay?" he asked.
"That's almost like concern there, golden boy," the other mocked. Harry glared.
"I'm fine." Tom said after a moment. "Peachy, albeit unable to hear the lecture."
"Yes, because it's not like you don't even need to attend class to get straight 'O's or anything," he said, rolling his eyes at the excuse, though he reluctantly took the hint to 'shut up.'
The room was filled with the scratching sound of note taking, and the low voice of Carrow as she told them about the many uses of incendiary curses. The hour passed.
FATE'S FAVOURITE
Tom walked out very quickly when the lesson ended, leaving the rest of them to follow.
Ron and Hermione began to make their way over to him. He snagged Zevi's arm.
"What's up with Tom?" he questioned. "Do you know?" Zevi shrugged.
"Not a clue, aren't we supposed to be asking you this question? You're his favourite."
Harry frowned slightly.
"No I'm not," he said. Alphard laughed, apparently having eavesdropped on their conversation.
"No, really you are. Blatant favouritism. You get away with murder compared to us mere followers." Despite having just referred to himself as mere follower, Alphard seemed cheery enough about the fact. Zevi caught his expression.
"Don't look so stunned, Harry," he chided.
"I - you're his friends," he replied. He sounded a tad feeble, even to his own ears. Tom didn't really care much for friendship outside of how its pretence could benefit him. Zevi seemed to think so too, though he smiled gently.
"Either way, if you don't know, its liable we don't know…unless you're just being oblivious, and normally when you are it's because you've done something to piss him off….so I don't know if you actually are that oblivious or simply playing dumb."
Harry remained expressionless, even as they both tilted their heads to study him. Alphard broke the silence.
"So go talk to him, and report back - okay hero?"
Harry scowled.
"Really Alphard," Abraxas drawled, speaking up for the first time. It seemed they had ALL been eavesdropping, Harry thought with a sigh. He should learn to expect it. "You know it's only Tom whose allowed to call Harry his little nicknames - look, you've made him pull a bitch face now."
Harry sneered wordlessly at the carelessly smirking Malfoy, even as Ron and Hermione caught up with him outside the door.
"We've got Transfiguration," Hermione offered, either as a reminder or just to start a conversation with him. He nodded.
"See you later," he said, walking off in the opposite directions of the Slytherins, who had Herbology with the Ravenclaws.
"Remember to go find Tom!" Alphard yelled at his back.
He ignored the Black heir.
FATE'S FAVOURITE
Despite showing no previous intention, he did go and seek out Tom later in the day. It wasn't because he was worried, because he wasn't. The Slytherin heir could look out for himself. Harry was just…curious. Yeah. He was just curious, as always.
Tom had been avoiding him all day. Not that he actually noticed Tom's presence really, it was just a passing thought. Still.
He found the other in the Astronomy Tower, leaning on the window to watch the Thestrals circling the lake.
"Harry," the young Dark Lord greeted, without turning around. He made his way over, silent for a few moments as he too watched the Thestrals, trying to think how to start.
"What's up with you today?" As soon as he said it, he winced a little at the bluntness of the question. Tom's lips curled into the barest of smirks.
"Sometimes I wonder how you survived the intricacies of Slytherin," he remarked.
"With my normal skill and awesomeness," he replied automatically. Tom spun to face away from the window, regarding him expectantly.
"What?" he asked.
"How's the head?"
"Fine," he said honestly. "Thanks." Tom merely blinked at him in response. "So…?" he probed. "What's wrong? You're scaring your minions"
"I always scare my minions," Tom smirked, cruelly. Harry tightened his jaw.
"Did, last night…" he trailed off. "It didn't-"
"By all means, spit it out," Tom drawled. Irritated now, he just snapped the words out
."Did last night injure you, or something?" he asked. "Like, drain you, is that it?"
The amusement dropped from Tom's features.
"I already told you; I'm fine. Was there something else?" He was entering a danger zone, the warning on the other was screaming out in his posture told him that much. For his own good, he really should drop the subject.
"You are not fine," he countered stubbornly. "You've been off all day…but if its not that, what is it?"
Tom was eyeing him in a speculating manner, then it seemed his barriers dropped as he sighed.
"I'm…confused," the other said. Harry's brow furrowed.
"Over what?" he asked. Tom took a step forward, and Harry froze as a slender hand came up to caress his face.
"These feelings. I don't understand," Tom looked very intent now, his face uncomfortably close. Harry felt a stirring of absolute panic in his stomach.
"Hah, funny Tom," he said nervously. Tom took a step with him as he backed away, trying to regain some semblance of personal space.
"It's not funny!" the other snapped, angry now. "What the hell is this? What are you doing to me? I've never - just the thought of him in your head instead of me."
There was a rather predatory glint in the others eye now. Harry swallowed at the lump in his throat.
Zevi had said that Tom was straight…he was, right? Crap. Crap.
His back hit the window sill. Tom leaned in closer, their lips almost touching.
"Say you love me too Harry…"
"Okay, can you stop it now?" he asked, his voice perhaps a fraction too high.
"But you haven't given me an answer," Tom murmured.
Harry swallowed again, trying to clear his throat. His heart was pounding. He started to reach for his wand, only for Tom's hand to shoot out, halting his movements with a painfully tight grip. A chill skittered up his spine.
This was too intense for him.
"Tom, this isn't funny," he snapped, echoing Tom's own statement.. You're scaring me. But he didn't say it aloud, his pride wouldn't currently allow it. If the twit tried anything though…Salazar what the hell had he got himself into? "Stop it."
"But I thought you liked talking about feelings," Tom replied, viciously. Too close. Any closer and they'd be touching. The hand on his face dropped to his tie, twirling it idly. He was going to throw up. Tom's eyes flicked up to his face, hard. "No?" he enquired delicately. "Then back off."
In an instant the tie was dropped and his hands released as Tom spun away from him, back to his earlier position of watching the Thestrals - now gone. Harry's heart restarted itself. Okay, Tom had been joking, right?
"I'll just…go then," he said, a little freaked out.
"Does this mean you're my minion then?" Tom asked. He paused, frowning. I scare all my minions…Harry felt a distinct annoyance fill his insides. Sadistic bastard.
"You know, if you didn't want to talk you could have just said so," he growled.
Without another word, he stormed out the Astronomy tower, to the cold sound of laughter behind him.
"But you react so charmingly! I thought you wanted to cheer me up..."
Ugh. He hated Psychopaths. It was like interacting with a bi polar schitzophrenic. He'd underestimated Tom's skills of evasion. Alphard was totally the one to try and help Tom next time. Never. Again.
What on earth was up with him, though?
A/N: Yup, I'm still here. Thanks for all the reviews, they are much appreciated and welcome. Yay. Another reminder this is NOT SLASH, will NEVER BE Slash, because I simply don't write it, or any type of romance. Hope you liked it - The Fictionist.