YourSide, Their Side and the Truth
Part I - Your Side (1.45)
Disclaimer: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me, this is a fan fiction, by a fan for the fans. No money has exchanged hands during its production.
Author's Notes: Re-written slightly :)
"...did you hear..."
"...he's been there for hours..."
"...even Dumbledore couldn't reach him..."
"...just crying..."
Harry scowled, irritated, as he swerved past a group of third years gossiping outside the herbology study room. The rumours about Malfoy had been flying around school all day, and it was pissing Harry off. The less said about Malfoy at the moment, he thought bitterly, the better.
"…apparantly, he's locked himself in the toilets…"
Couldn't people just shut up about Malfoy?
Harry blinked again, pushing his glasses up his nose again and grasping the pile of parchment in his hand tighter. Damn Malfoy. Why did he have to be everywhere?
"…yeah, Draco Malfoy. Stupid git's in a toilet stall bawling like a baby…"
Mind you, it really wasn't like Malfoy. Perhaps it was all a stupid rumour, made up just to discredit the surly Slytherin.
Maybe, Harry's mind growled at him, you should stop thinking about him. His mind going into auto-pilot, green eyes swept the corridor as he made his way to the divination class room. This year Harry was the only one of the infamous Gryffindor trio still taking Divination. Ron had quit it early in the school year. Harry more than suspected this had something to do with a certain bushy-haired witch, but he couldn't prove anything yet.
Completely lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice that the staircase he was about to step on had lurched away. Letting out a startled yelp, Harry blushed shamefacedly as it moved away. Several of the first years giggled and pointed at him.
"..Fancy a fifth year being startled of the moving staircase! Fancy Harry Potter being startled!…"
Blushing vividly, Harry could almost hear the whispers. Doubtless those would be circling the school along with the rumours about Draco. Green eyes widened slightly; blinking furiously as he climbed the stairs up to the divination classroom. It was Malfoy. The name was Malfoy, not Draco. Calling the sarcastic Slytherin by his first name humanized him, and Harry couldn't deal with that.
Stupid, stupid, dream!
It was all Malfoy's fault he was like this. Last week, he'd had a perfectly normal dream… At the beginning, of course. Hand in hand with a faceless stranger, walking along the beach, happy. Talking for hours about nothing. Everything. Harry had never felt so happy. Then, of course, he'd seen the face of the person.
Draco Malfoy.
He had been dreaming about his worst enemy.
The problem was… He was sort of… Okay with it...
Unable to get rid of the persistent blush, Harry lowered his head and entered the classroom.
Hermione and Ron lifted their heads up from their transfiguration textbooks, startled, as Harry stomped into the Gryffindor common room. The raven-haired boy was scowling, and a stubborn blush inhabited his usually pale cheeks. In the last few days, Harry had been more and more withdrawn, and both Hermione and Ron had been worried.
"What happened to you?" Ron looked at his friend, concerned about his current behaviour and his behaviour over the last week. Harry glowered darkly.
"I couldn't concentrate in Divinations," he explained as he slouched in a chair opposite Hermione. "Managed to smash about ten crystal balls... My mind was elsewhere I guess."
"So, what did you do?" Ron asked, unable to stop the cheesy grin spreading on his face. Ron wasn't particularly fond of Professor Trelawney, especially in the way that she kept predicting that one (or maybe two) of his brothers would die a horrible, horrible death.
"I dropped it," Harry said with a shrug.
"It's about time," Hermione sniffed, her eyes flickering back down to the texts on the table. Ron seemed less interested in studying the text, obviously more interested in talking to Harry.
"So, what was so interesting that you managed to cause that much devastation?" Ron looked at Harry as Harry blushed vividly again. "Is this anything to do with these interesting dreams you've been having recently?"
Harry stared in horror at Ron.
"Oh please," Ron dismissed Harry's horrified stare with a careless wave of his hand. "You've been laughing and smiling for the last week while you've been asleep. It's quite disconcerting, really."
Harry blinked violently again. "I..." Harry felt himself being a little overwhelmed. He wasn't always this transparent usually, was he?
Ron looked at him curiously. "Right, Harry. Come on. Out with it. Who is it?"
"What?" Harry blinked and his glasses fell off. Picking them off and absent-mindedly checking them for cracks and dusting them on the sleeve of his robe, the raven haired boy looked at his best friend curiously.
"When you get distracted by something, you do get completely obsessed by it," Hermione explained crossly, a little annoyed at being disturbed from her studying. "It's being more commonly known as obsession mode."
"You have a term for it?" Harry blurted, horrified. "I'll see you two later." Getting to his feet, Harry cast a dismayed glance at his two friends before turning on his heel and stomping out of the room. Hermione laughed and looked at Ron.
"Obsession mode," they both chimed at the same time; before sharing an amused glance and settling down to the revision again.
"I'll give them obsession."
Harry frowned as he stormed down the corridor, only vaguely aware of the embarrassing spread of crimson decorating his cheeks. "I am not obsessing about this Draco rumour, the thing was just a bloody dream and more like a nightmare and…"
He skidded suddenly to a halt, listening carefully. He could hear muffled sobs and a stifled voice.
Moaning Myrtle?
Harry considered the prospect for a second, feeling momentarily guilty for abandoning the cruelly treated ghost this year so far. His guilt dissipated when he realised that he had more than enough on his plate. Cedric's death, and now on top of all of it the annoying fact that he couldn't get Draco out of his head from a few, stupid dreams!
"No, it can't be, the girls toilets are down the other corridor," he said aloud; startling a lost first year who was heading the other way. Harry scowled furiously at the first year's glance and waited for the youngster to disappear. The curious sound was enticing, and more than enough to get his mind off Dra-- Malfoy. His name is Malfoy, idiot. Some part of his mind wasn't surprised when he found himself outside the boy's toilets. Swallowing, he gently pushed the door open.
Blinking and looking around curiously, he heard the muffled sobs. Deep brown eyes locked with his as Professor Snape's gaze met with Harry's momentarily. Harry winced but resolved to maintain the eye contact, but he was shaken by the quiet intensity of the glare. Trying not to shake Harry broke the gaze to flicker a glance at the cubicle.
"Draco?"
Professor Snape nodded softly.
"So - sorry I was just... Could I?" Harry's voice dropped to a whisper. Professor Snape stared unwaveringly at the boy, before casting a long glance at the cubicle door. He nodded once, abruptly.
"Go ahead," the normally acidic professor said, nodding. "Maybe a bit of conflict will get him out of there."
After a bit of concerned glaring, Professor Snape swept out of the room, closing the door behind him. Harry was aware of the faint whisper of magic. Professor Snape was being unusually generous... It was easily enough explained, though, Draco was Snape's favourite student.
Harry blinked furiously again.
Draco? Again? Pull yourself together, Potter. Malfoy. He's your worst enemy. You do not want to be anything to him apart from your rival.
Admonishing himself sharply, Harry tentatively approached the cubicle. The sobs sounded more muffled. Lifting up one arm, pale skin was revealed as the robe's sleeves fell away slightly. Taking in a sharp breath, he rapped on the door quietly.
"I told you sir, just leave me alone," the broken male voice said croakingly.
"It's not Snape, Draco," Harry said softly, admonishing himself sharply again when he realised he'd used Draco. Again! He was going to completely give himself away at this rate…
There was complete silence then a bit of scuffling and Harry assumed the blond was trying to clean himself up.
"What, have you come to gloat?" Draco croaked, his voice hoarse.
"I'm not that cruel, Malfoy."
Silence again.
"I'm not here to hurt you, I'm here to ask you what's wrong," Harry said firmly.
"Right," Draco said softly, his voice catching. "Look, just go away Potter. Please."
"No! Look, Draco, I have no idea why you're crying and I frankly don't give a damn. What I do care about is that you have got the entire school exasperated ! The teachers have no idea what to do, so you'd better get out here so I can knock you around for a bit!" Harry's mouth dropped open, in complete disbelief at his words.
There was silence yet again, then a lot of rustling. The door swung open revealing Malfoy glaring at the Harry rebelliously, his eyes slightly swollen and red.
"So, Potter, are you happy to see me like this?" Draco asked cuttingly, his eyes meeting Harry's concerned gaze. Harry winced and moved his head away. Those silvery eyes trained fiercely on him were stil hard, with that same self-scathing and disdainful composure as always.
"No," Harry whispered firmly.
Draco sneered, folding his arms. "Of course Potter. Always the noble Gryffindor."
"I wouldn't be happy to see anyone even Snape like that."
"Right." Draco sneered, his voice laden with sarcasm and disbelief.
"Damn you!" Harry yelled, turning to face his nemesis; eyes blazing as he advanced on the blond. "I don't know why you're being like this!" Draco blinked, and stared at Harry in shock as the raven-haired firebrand yelled at him. "I know however that it will make things a billion times worse if you don't tell someone!"
"And you think that somebody should be you?" Draco's voice raised in tone a couple of intervals and the blonde stared at Harry in complete disbelief.
"It doesn't have to be me," Harry said, his voice falling to a whisper. "Just… someone you can trust."
"Right," Draco said softly in return, leaning against the toilet stall. "Maybe I don't trust anyone."
"Then I pity you for that."
Draco's eyes filled with anger, but quickly changed to a gentler expression. A self-mocking expression.
"My parents are dead." The words were hollow, and filled the air stiflingly.
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't bring them back," Draco said, his voice hard.
"Sorry never does."
They locked gazes again, and Harry felt a shiver course down his spine at the weight of that gaze. Draco's eyes were filled with pain, a pain Harry all too well understood. His expression was too familiar to Harry, it matched the haunted, grey expression he'd been faced with in the mirror at the Dursley's over the summer. The expression that said it's all my fault.
Letting his instincts take over, and vowing to damn the consequences, Harry moved forwards; letting the blond collapse against him. All the life seemed to have left him He wasn't Malfoy any more - the sneering, arrogant, Slytherin hothead. All the insults were forgotten. Draco was just another victim, like Harry.
"Come on, it's going to be okay," Harry whispered. A small irrational side of his head was screaming at him to get away before he could, but his heart was screaming back that this didn't feel as bad as it should.
"How is it going to be okay?" Draco whispered, locking gazes with Harry again.
Harry said nothing, just crushing the blonde to him, letting him let out his grief.
Complete silence fell in the Gryffindor common room as Harry entered; worn out. He had comforted Draco for another half an hour before leading him back to his room, earning only a thankful nod from Professor Flitwick and a cursory nod from Professor Snape. Blinking owlishly, the raven haired boy stared around in confusion as Seamus and Dean approached him nervously.
"Is it true?" Seamus asked. The sandy-haired Irish boy was staring at Harry with wide-eyes, and a ominous feeling in his gut made Harry suspicious.
"Is what true?" Harry asked, his eyes narrowed.
"About you and Malfoy," Dean explained, a confused expression on his face.
"Yes," Harry said, shrugging. Then he paused as Seamus' mouth gaped open. A feeling of horror settled in his gut. "Uh, what rumour?"
"That you two are going out," Seamus said; his voice thin. Harry stared at him wordlessly.
What in Merlin's name…"What the hell?" Harry blurted out. "I mean, what? What substance are you guys on now! I wouldn't go out with Draco if you paid me!"
The entire room sighed with relief until Neville piped up from behind the largest sofa where he was hunting for Trevor again.
"So it's Draco now?" Neville said; blinking and grinning. Harry gaped at Neville before frowning.
Traitor!Harry turned on Neville, eyes blazing, and the ditzy Gryffindor actually took a step backwards in fear. "I'mnotgoingoutwithMalfoy," Harry ground out, his tone low and almost a growl. Neville squeaked in fear.
The entire room breathed a sigh of relief as Neville scurried away to hide behind one of the sofas and eventually chatter broke out again. Moving over to the corner where Hermione and Ron sat, he sat down wearily with a disgruntled sigh.
"I'm glad that particular rumour isn't true," Ron snorted. "I think I'd disown you if you dated Malfoy."
Harry raised an eyebrow at his friend. "I think I'd disown me if I dated him." Harry scratched his nose and squinted at Ron as the redhead grinned.
"So, what happened? Neville says he saw you leave the Slytherin house and Professor Snape thank you for something."
Harry shrugged. "It's private." At his friends' sudden scrutinizing glares, Harry held up his hands in apology. "Sorry! But I do think the person involved would rip my head off if I mentioned anything about it."
"Now I know it had something to do with Malfoy," Ron said with a small laugh.
"How the hell do you know that?" Harry stared at Ron wordlessly. Hermione choked while Ron gaped at Harry.
"You mean it... Oh dear god, you are going out with him!"
Harry's eyes widened in horror. "I'm not!"
"Well you at least have the hots for him otherwise you wouldn't be so obsessed about it... Oh my god, you have a crush on Draco Malfoy!" Ron yelled.
The entire common room seemed to go silent and Harry felt the tip of his ears and the back of his neck go bright crimson.
"Ron!" Harry hissed urgently into the silence. "I do not!"
"Yes you do!" Ron was on his feet, in shock. "Is he, oh my god, he's the one you've been dreaming about!"
Hermione looked a little startled. "I have to admit it's weird, Harry, but, if it's what you want, we'll support you of course."
"What the hell are you going on about!" Harry looked startled, and got to his feet. "You're all crazy!"
Casting a scandalized glance at his so-called 'friends' Harry turned tail and stomped out of the common room. Silence followed him, until it was broken by some sniggering and whispered comments.
"I think you're right," Seamus commented, staring in the direction Harry had gone. "But Malfoy… Why him?"
"Well they are similar. Apart from Malfoy's whole - 'I'm a moron' complex," Dean said thoughtfully. "It is ironic though, who would have thought it?"
Ron and Hermione exchanged a glance and shrugged.
"That is so stupid, I can't believe them!" Harry muttered to himself as he stomped down the corridor, blushing furiously and wondering if he'd ever be the right colour again. "I do not have a crush on Malfoy," he reiterated firmly. Keeping his head lowered, he let out a frustrated sigh and continued storming forwards.
"Potter, where do you think you're going? Shouldn't you be in your common room?"
Harry lifted his gaze irritably only to wince apologetically when he saw Professor Snape standing there in the doorway, arms folded across his chest.
Oops.
"Sorry, sir, I was just..."
"Just what?" Professor Snape snapped angrily. Harry floundered, wishing his face would calm down. "You look a little flustered, Potter, I suggest you go outside for five minutes early and then you will return to your house area. Is that understood?"
"Yes sir, thank you sir," Harry mumbled, watching in bewilderment as Snape stalked away. Was that just Snape, of all people, being nicer to him than usual? Shrugging, he decided the whole world must be going to hell in a hand basket, and moved to the nearest door, pushing it open and stepping outside.
Closing the door behind him, Harry just walked until he could see the gardens. The moonlight drenched the plants, giving the place a very sepulchral look. Closing his eyes, Harry let the cold wind sweep through his unruly mess of hair and let his thoughts drift away. He was startled back to realty by a timid hand on his shoulder. He let out a yell and jumped about four foot in the air before he realised who it was stood behind him, a timid flush decorating ashen skin.
"Sorry about that."
Draco looked at Harry apologetically and Harry felt his face heat up again. Now he was sure he would be red permanently with all this ridiculous blushing.
"It's all right," Harry mumbled in response. He felt a little light-headed and tried to attribute it to the temperature, and not to the close proximity of the blond.
Draco smiled once before his face became neutral once more.
"Thanks for earlier." Draco's tone was clipped, unemotional and his eyes were unreadable. "I guess I just needed someone who understood."
Harry nodded mutely. "I guess there's more to it then you're going to let on to me," Harry said, fighting to remain calm when his senses were tingling and everything suddenly seemed extra clear.
"I..." Draco fell silent for a second. "My father died hating me."
Harry's eyes widened, not expecting the quiet words. "You've got to be kidding! I'm sure he could never…"
"Never say never, Potter."
"He wouldn't," Harry repeated firmly.
Draco looked at him quizzically, one blond eyebrow arched. "How can you be so sure?"
"I have met your father, Malfoy, and it's blindingly obvious how much he cares for you. There's no way he could have hated you," Harry said, his breath rising into clouds in the air that drifted away.
"No way?" Harry had barely time to turn at Draco's bitter statement. The blond stepped up to him and leant in, warm breath grazing his cheek. "How about because of this?"
Harry could only watch and feel as Draco slid his arms around his waist and he only had a second to comprehend how right it actually felt before Draco leaned in and firmly crushed his lips to Harry's.