"No."
"What do you mean, no? You've had a crush and have been staring at him for years. You have to ask him to the Yule Ball!"
"Not going to happen!"
Harry is putting his foot down on this one. He's not going to do it. Firstly, it's embarrassing. Secondly, Draco was never going to say yes. Thirdly, it's the Yule Ball! Now isn't the time to finally get the courage to ask him out.
He might as well melt into the floorboards, he's going to be all alone with no one to go with. Ron's with Blaise and 'Mione has someone. He's the only one without a date.
Why does no one want to ask him?
He's the boy who lived!
Not to be cocky, but people should be lining up to ask him, right?
No, scratch that.
He doesn't even want to go to this thing anyway.
It's fine.
"I dare you."
"Nice try, 'Mione. Just face it. You're best friends with a loner who no one is interested in, who will die alone," he mumbles, dramatically placing his head on the table with a bang and a groan.
She scoffs.
"Alright then. Rock, paper, scissors?"
"How's that going to settle this?" he mumbles into his arms, head still on the table.
"I win, you ask Draco."
His eyes widen as he looks up, his heart beating heavily. He licks his lips as he glances at her.
"And if I win?" he asks after a moment.
Hermione shrugs at him, with a fond smile on her face. "Well, there's no getting out of the dance, the champions have to participate. So, if you win… ask whoever so you don't end up embarrassing me?"
He laughs loudly at that, rolling his eyes. Alright, fine.
If he ends up being forced to ask Draco… that doesn't actually sound too bad.
Harry grins and opens the palm of his hand, and closes his other into a fist, getting ready.
"Best of three?" he asks. "And is it on shoot or after shoot?"
"On shoot. Ready?"
He shrugs sheepishly and Hermione takes that as a yes.
"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!"
He does scissors. She does scissors, too.
"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!" he says, getting into the competitive side of it, he does rock, she does paper. His breath hitches.
"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!"
OoO
There Draco is, sitting on a bench in the courtyard, with Blaise, Ron and Theo. His palms are sweaty as he walks over to the group. If you told him in their first year, that they would be friends with the Slytherins and Ron would be dating Blaise, he would never have believed you. But as it is, he smiles at the sight, through his nerves.
"Hey," he says quietly, fiddling with his jumper sleeves.
"Hi," Draco whispers, looking at him.
"Harry! Want to go and see –"
He shakes his head, whatever Ron wants to do he has to wait.
"Alright, baby, let's leave them to it. We can meet them in the Great Hall for the study period, okay?" Blaise says, taking Ron and Theo with him as they start to leave.
"I wanna talk to Harry—"
"Not now."
Harry ignores them and sits down next to Draco, trying not to act as nervous as he feels. He could do this, right?
If he makes a fool of himself, he'll blame it all on Hermione.
"Hi," he says again, biting the insides of his cheeks to stop a blush appearing.
"Hey, Harry. What's wrong? Have you figured out the second task?" Draco asks, his voice full of worry.
It makes his heart melt and he shakes his head. "No, it's urm. Not about that. I… wondered. Wouldyouliketodancewithme?" he blurts out and then blushes a deep shade of red, looking down at his hands, wincing. Nice one, real nice. Not embarrassing at all…
"What, right now?" Draco asks. "I haven't got the right shoes on."
He looks up, frowning. But he can't help but smile at the soft expression and slight smirk that's on Draco's face. He doesn't really know if that means he was joking or being serious and that still isn't an answer. Why did Hermione push him to do this?
"I mean at the Yule Ball," Harry explains, feeling stupid, hot and sweaty. "But forget it. Sorry I asked, I'll, urm…" he makes his way to get up.
He doesn't get far. A hand is placed on top of his hand and it forces him to sit back down.
He manages to bring himself to look at Draco, shyly.
"You're an idiot, you know that don't you?" Draco says, teasingly and full of care in his voice.
"I know you don't like me. I know you won't go with me. Let's forget I even asked?" Harry sniffs, heart clenching. He hates this.
"I've liked you since the day we met on the train."
He blinks not once, not twice. But three times as he stares up at Draco again. What? The blonde laughs and it warms his heart.
"You've been so oblivious. I've been flirting with you for two years. I also might have threatened anyone who has had a crush on you." he nudges Harry's shoulder and intertwines their fingers together. "Yes, love. I'll go to the Ball with you."
His blush is beautiful. Harry chuckles, shaking his head in disbelief as his heart skips a beat. It all makes sense. Alright, he thinks, he's going to have to thank Hermione.
Thank you so much for betaing! onehundredflamigos
Written for:
Hogwarts Muggle sports task 3
QLFC Prompt Bingo - mutual pining