Unnoticed - Crushes will grow into Love

By TciddaEmine

(( Not the bathroom scene in HBP but a little idea I had about Draco's love and how it came to be. Sorry if you were expecting something else ))

In the bookshop, Flourish and Blotts, Draco stood on the second floor landing overlooking the throng of wizards and witches that crowded the ground floor, leaning casually against the wooden rail, his blond hair slicked back and sharp grey eyes watching, waiting for him to come.

A light blush warming his cheeks at the thought of him, his father would disapprove, Malfoy's do not blush in public he would say and then lecture Draco on the behaviour that befitted a wizard of his standing.

Craning his head further, Draco watched as a mob of redheads bustled in, adding to already considerable din. Accompanying them was him, Harry… Potter. An involuntary half smile grew on his face when he caught sight of him.

Harry's face was smudged with dirt, his robes dusty and untidy and several spiderwebs were tangled in his messy black hair. He looked adorable, you know for a twelve year old, … who was a boy. Not that he was looking or anything, but he was.

Draco sneered when the flouncy man, Gilderoy Lockhart, a fraud if he were to listen to his father, spotted Harry and grabbed him, pulling him to the front. Harry looked extremely uncomfortable but the touchy git took no notice, shoving his grabby hands all over Harry. People like that should be banned, they were a waste of magic obviously.

At least Harry got a free set of books from the experience, Draco thought, oh look he gave them to the Weasley spawn number 7. Draco did not feel jealous, especially not of a Weasley, it wasn't as if he would want Harry to give him books instead. Not that Harry every would, he was a Gryffindor, Dumbledore's golden boy, he'd never care about Draco, he hated him.

He spotted his father outside the store, tapping his black walkingstick impatiently against the cobbled street. Time to go then, at least he could talk to Harry on the way out. Even if Harry never liked him back he would take what attention he could get.

Draco quickly made his way down the carpeted steps, carefully avoiding the piles of books that littered the staircase. Harry was still talking to the Weasley girl, the Weaslette, prefect.

"-You have these. I'll buy my own -" Harry said, the Weaslette staring at him with adoring eyes. Draco felt something furious bubbling up within him; How dare she look at his Harry, filthy blood traitor didn't deserve his attention.

"Bet you loved that, didn't you Potter? Famous Harry Potter. Can't even go to a bookshop without making the front page" Draco sneered, it was annoying to have to insult Harry all the time, but if he didn't Harry would never notice him and that would be so much worse.

"Leave him alone! He didn't want all that!" The Weaslette defended, glaring at him with her bright brown eyes blazing at him. Oh dear Weasley spawn, I know that already, Draco scoffed internally. Annoyed and just the slightest bit hurt that she had to defend Harry against him rather than the other way around. Ugh, he was pining, how pathetic.

"Look Potter. You've got yourself a girlfriend!" Draco sneered. It was then that father appeared. Stepping up behind Draco and sending a calculating gaze over the many Weasleys that had assembled behind Harry.

"Silence, Draco! Ah… Mr Potter. I don't believe we've met" Father drawled. What followed was the average Malfoy-Weasley conflict involving name subtle insults and not so subtle name calling. Draco didn't take his eyes off Harry, trying to take in as much of him as he could before they were forced to part. Eventually father called him away and they left the shop, Draco was almost tempted to send a look over but had to refrain, father would not be pleased if he caught Draco looking, or worse, catch onto what Draco thought to be only an unrequited crush.

AN: This isn't chapter two, the Sectumsempra scene from Draco's point of view that I may write as I have already stated, but rather an idea I had when I was watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets that I thought was an interesting idea that could show an insight into Draco's crush (at the time, later on becoming love) and since when he's had it. Hope you like it.