Chapter One: The Unknown Truth
"Do you mind if I take the shoe box?"
A blonde teenager looked up at the doorway of his room. He was sitting on the side of his bed, staring at the floor until now.
"Sure. I'll keep the photo album and you take the shoe box." He nodded. The other teen in the doorway wrinkled his nose.
"I'm not leaving the country. I'm just moving out. We'll still see each other." The brunette walked over and pat his blonde friend on the shoulder.
"I know. Do I even remotely look upset about you leaving?" the blonde asked, glaring half heartedly at the other.
"Draco, you always look upset about something," the other laughed as he pulled a shoe box out from under the bed.
"Whatever, Potter... The sooner you leave the better. Then I'll have more space for myself and I wont have to pick up after you." Draco glared at the floor and then closed his eyes.
When you were nineteen, free, and college was out, all you could do was spend your time with the people you cared for and that's what they did... usually. Draco was starting college late so his entire schedule was free. Harry, however, was in his last year of college and he was about to be finished with it. He was graduating this week. Tomorrow. A music major.
Yes. The great Harry Potter, master piano player. He also did well on the guitar and violin. Draco sometimes felt obsolete next to the month younger prodigy. Harry kept this doubt from his mind every time he smiled and said how he admired Draco.
When Harry had asked his friend of six years why he wasn't going to college yet, Draco had spun a tail of wanting to wait and consider his options, earn money, and get stable in his own home. For a while, Harry and Draco had bunked together in this small apartment but as soon as Draco found a good stable job, Harry had decided to move out because he didn't want to be in the way.
In truth, Draco had wanted Harry to stay. He was afraid to say it out loud to Harry, but he was almost completely sure he was in love with him. To him, Harry was sex on a stick for sale but it was too expensive to buy. He wanted to press their lips together and feel him in his arms. But Harry was on a star too far away to reach.
"Draco? You in there?" Harry asked, waving a hand in his face. Draco jumped and then smiled.
"Yea. Of course." He shrugged it off and stood up. He went into the kitchen and grabbed a water bottle from the fridge. He stood there and watched as Harry ran around packing things in a random manner.
Lately, Harry had been acting strange. Draco couldn't figure out what was going on though and Harry dismissed all his ideas so he ignored it. But he couldn't help the uneasy feeling in his stomach.
"I was thinking, Draco. We should do something quiet for the day," Harry suggested, taking a break from packing. Draco nodded.
"The park?" Draco asked. Harry shook his head.
"I was thinking your room." Harry smiled. Draco laughed.
That's how it ended up. Harry and Draco laying out on Draco's oversized bed. They stared at the ceiling.
"Tomorrow... I'll be a music major," Harry mumbled.
"Tomorrow... I'll still be the bum who bummed his first home off his friend," Draco replied. Harry playfully punched him.
"Come on. We both know you're better than that," he laughed.
"Oh ya?" Draco smiled but Harry probably couldn't see it. They were laying slightly diagonal so Harry's head was resting just on Draco's shoulder with the blonde boy's head above him. Draco's ceiling suddenly seemed so interesting.
"Yea...," Harry whispered. He frowned and looked away from the ceiling. He looked at his fingers, toned for playing the piano. In the peaceful silence, Harry gave up on his frown and rested against Draco. He fell asleep there, wishing he could stay there with Draco forever.
"Thank you for coming to the graduation of the class of 2000!" the speaker cheered as the graduation ended. Harry waved to his friends as he was finally released to go home. Ron and Hermione waved, holding hands.
"Congratulations Harry!" Hermione hugged him tightly.
"Ya! You looked spiffy in that new robe of yers." Ron pat him on the shoulder. Harry nodded.
"Thanks guys. Er... Can I invite a friend along for our graduation party?" he asked.
"I don't see why not! The more the merrier!" Both cheered. Oh ya. They were meant for each other. Suddenly Harry remembered something.
"Oh! And don't mention America. He gets upset," he reminded them. Both nodded and Harry went to find Draco.
"Draco!" When the blonde boy turned around to see who called him, he was enveloped in a black robe and messy brown hair. Arms were flung around him and he was being hugged by none other than Harry Potter.
"It's a hug worthy day," Harry explained weakly as he pulled away. Draco was blushing but hid it behind his arm as though rubbing his mouth off.
"You shouldn't go around hugging guys like that, Potter. Someone might think you're gay," Draco pretended to be warning him. If Harry were gay, he'd be perfect.
"Sorry." Harry smiled to clear the air. "Me and some friends are having a celebration party tonight. You're invited. Wanna come?"
Draco shrugged and Harry seemed to brighten. Then they walked off to find their friends and a place to hang out as they made fun of the teachers they'd seen at the reception. The biggest joke was on the math teacher who'd tried to take over the school, Ms Dolores Umbridge.
Students drew all over her face when they caught her sleeping just before the ceremony. The horrible woman never noticed until everyone was leaving and she went to the bathroom. She deserved it.
Draco was pulled away from Harry and laughed with some of his other graduating friends that were there. These were the kids who had drawn on Ms Umbridge. He laughed through their tale of braving the dangerous obstacles between their marker and her face.
The blonde male glanced back over at Harry, who he got a profile of. He wrinkled his nose as he watched Hermione Granger walked up next to Harry and secretly hand him a note. The brunette then smiled and ran over to her one month boyfriend, Ronald Wesley. One month next Tuesday.
What was she telling Harry in a note? Was it so secretive that not even Ron knew about it? Nope. From the way Ron glanced at Harry and then to the hand with the note, Draco was guessing the red head knew too. Then why the hell didn't Draco know?!
Wait. There was no reason for him to know. Just because he was Harry's roommate - soon to be ex-roommate - didn't mean he had to know everything that went on in Harry's life. Especially his love life since that's where Draco's train of thought was headed.
Harry slipped the note out to where he could read it and unfurled it. He was smiling when he read it but frowned when he finished. That was the last straw.
"Potter, what's with the long face? Graduates shouldn't look so down. Not during their goodbye bash." Draco swung an arm around Harry's shoulders as he spoke. He'd ungraciously left his other group but they hardly noticed he'd left.
"Nothing's wrong, Draco. I uh... just don't feel too well. I need some air," Harry lied. Draco could tell. For one thing -
"Harry, we're outside," Draco pointed out.
"I meant... air without so many people in it," Harry restated with a smile. "Look, I'm okay... okay?"
"I'll help you find some 'air'," Draco replied with a kind smile that hid a 'I see through your act and I'll force you to admit your lies' smirk.
"No really, you don't need to. I-ah!" Harry found himself being dragged away by Draco until they were far enough away that the voices of others were hardly heard.
"Is this enough air for you?" Draco asked, finding a bench to sit on. He crossed his legs over, much like a girl would, and watched Harry. He looked so pathetic. Even his green eyes were frowning in sadness. "What's wrong with you?" Draco demanded.
"Nothing." Harry replied, turning away. "My life is wonderful, Draco. Everyone thinks I'm amazing and I'm a present day Mozart. I've had fancy clubs and rich people asking me to play for them." Harry paused for a minute and Draco narrowed his eyes.
"But you hate most of that attention, Potter. What are trying to hide from me?" Draco asked. Harry glanced at him but did not speak. Draco clenched his fists and stood up. "What does some stupid nobody like Hermione Granger know that I don't!?"
Harry turned back to Draco, shocked. How did he know Hermione knew?
"Yea, I saw her passing you notes during the party, Potter. I'm not blind." Draco glared. Why was he getting so angry? He shouldn't... He shouldn't get so angry over something so small.
Harry pulled out the note. He stared right into Draco's eyes despite the heavy glare sent at him.
"It says," he spoke clearly and calmly, "my plane is leaving tomorrow and I should tell Draco what's going on."
"Yea right." Draco snatched the paper from him and read it himself.
Harry, I've got your plane ticket. It leaves tomorrow afternoon. I'll give you the details after the party. You need to go tell Draco before it's too late. You don't want to leave with him angry at you.
Hermione
Chp 2 Preview:
Draco counted until he saw a familiar glasses-clad face in one. Harry looked up to see his friends one last time and something akin to seeing a ghost crossed his face. He put a hand on the window and then they could no longer see Harry Potter.
"I'll talk to him. I'll make him see you had to go. It'll be okay,"