Hello Gentle Readers!
Here I am again, dishing out randomness when i know you all REALLY want GRAVITY and ItBoaE instead...MUAHAHAHAHAHA! Deal with it.
Well, I'm not too sure what I wanna do with this. The ending kinda veers off into nothingness, so I might slap on a 5th chapter. Well, lemme know if you need proper closure, and I'll see if I can weasel Draco into actually talking to Harry this time...its not looking too good though...Draco's hiding out in his dorm with the door locked and refuses to come out, even when I tempt him with world dominationand chocolate eclairs ... The brat...
OK! Moving on!
Review and enjoy!
His eyes fluttered closed, fingers digging into the icy grass. Despite the numbing cold nipping at his nose, ears and bum, the night was gorgeous. The sky hadn't been this clear since the summer, and even then a few puffy clouds had obscured most of the horizon.
Winter nights seemed much more clearer than summer ones for some reason. But Harry loved it. He relished the way each star was sharpened to a spiky glisten either by the cold or eyes more attuned to looking up at the heavens from weeks of mellowing out rather than emerged in warm June days at the beach. He indulged himself in the way the silky blackness seemed to stretch on and on forever, twinkling white dots scattered like the universe's freckles.
He'd have to mention that to Ron later on. It'd probably calm him down from the fit he had had earlier about having too many freckles. Dean Thomas didn't seem to help when he said Ron would most likely get so many freckles it'd look like a tan, like his older brother Charlie. Ron wasn't too pleased.
Harry smiled to himself and reopened his bright green eyes. Raising himself up onto his palms, he crossed his legs at the ankles and let out a slow puff of breath, watching it amusedly as it floated away from the warmth of his mouth and disintegrated into the coldness.
Lowering his eyes to check his pocket (midnight), Harry flicked his eyes back up at the sound of crunching grass. He searched around him, hearing a soft sniffling added to the steps. His eyebrows knitted together as he tried to locate the owner.
Almost at the last minute, someone came practically tripping over Harry.
"What the-"
Harry looked up, shocked, into a pair of slate grey eyes, looking almost as stunned as his were. Minutes past as the two lay in surprised stillness before Harry noticed the other one was pinning him down beneath his body. With a clearing of the throat, the other quickly scrambled up and dust himself off.
"Watch where you're going, Potter," Draco Malfoy spat, smoothing down the creases of his black cloak.
Harry sighed," I wasn't walking anywhere, Malfoy. YOU were the one who tripped over ME."
Malfoy seemed to roll this over in his mind embarrassedly," Oh...Well..All the same. You shouldn't be bloody sitting in the dark..What're you doing out here anyway?"
Harry tossed an end of his gold and scarlet scarf back over his shoulder, sitting back up," Star gazing."
"Homework assignment?" Malfoy inquired, absentmindedly throwing his eyes around the vast yard.
"No..Just star gazing," Harry replied, turning his gaze back up at the sky.
"Oh.." the blonde muttered, jamming his frozen hands deep into the pockets of his trousers. After a few moments of silence, Draco sat down on the lawn, regretting so the instant his bottom came in contact with the freezing ground.
"You can sit on my blanket if you want."
Draco peered over at the brunette, his eyes still averted upwards and warm clouds of breath bubbling from his mouth at every exhale. Reluctantly, Malfoy scooted onto the edge of the thick red blanket, quickly scooting even more when he felt chilling coolness creeping into his skin. With the minimum amount of appreciation in his voice, he muttered," Thanks..."
Harry nodded and shifted, bending one knee up and leaning his cheek against the warm softness of his scarf.
"So..." Draco uttered, sniffling once again quietly." Why not look at the stars from inside where its warm?"
"Makes more of an impact when you're looking at them from as cold an environment as they're in right now," The Gryffindor answered softly.
Draco noticed the way the boy's voice seemed to melt into the atmosphere, never making more than a gentle ripple in the midnight air. As apposed to his, which was rough and forced and shattered the tranquillity Potter had established with the universe.
He hated this realization. So, speaking much more softer, he asked," You a poet?"
"Nope..Just like enjoying the stars..." He replied, looking over at the Slytherin." Is that weird?"
"Well, no..I mean...No in NORMAL cases, but YOU..You're just odd all around."
Harry smiled and looked the shivering blonde over. He barely noticed the slight red tinge outlining the stone eyes, as pink touched each of the pale cheeks. The serpent's lips looked swollen, but obviously not from kissing, more along the lines of biting them roughly as he tried to contain sobs. Harry frowned," You alright?"
Draco blinked, taken aback," What? Why would you ask that? What business is it of yours?"
"You made it my business the second you decided to stay here," Harry replied simply.
Draco tried to glare, but it was weak, even HE knew it. So, with a sigh, he said softly," I'll be going now.."
"No." Harry stated firmly, putting his hand atop the boy's shoulder to stop him from rising." You obviously wanted to talk about it, or else you would've walked away after tripping over me.."
"If I wanted to talk, which I don't, why would I chose YOU of all people?" Draco spat, moving away from the reassuring pressure of Harry's hand.
The Gryffindor glowered and crossed his arms forcefully," Fine, GO then."
Draco hesitated, subconsciously wanting the brunette to stop him and make him stay so he COULD spill everything aching to be let out, but at the silence Malfoy knew he wouldn't do a thing. So, he stood up and made to walk away.
"Wait..Just..Just wait."
Draco looked back, quickly hiding the hopefulness in his eyes." What?"
"Look,I'm...Ugh..I'm sorry..I know you're upset, its written all over your face and JUST because you're a bloody git to me all the time didn't excuse ME from being the same way..I know better," Harry answered.
Draco shifted with a frown, hating the way his words stung on some level.
"Sit. Talk."
With a silent sigh, Malfoy seated himself back down besides the apologetic lion. Harry handed him a small mug , from which steam was rising."What is it?"
Harry smiled a little and poured himself something from a long cylinder Draco had never seen before. Almost anticipating poison, Draco brought his lips cautiously to the edge of the mug, tipping it up a little. The most delicious taste burst onto his tongue. Creamy and a hotness that sent shivers across his skin, Draco pulled the mug away with a grin," Its cocoa!"
"Course, what else would it be?" Harry asked with an eyebrow cocked.
Malfoy took another hungry gulp," MMMM..But I've never tasted it like this..What's in it?"
"A chunk of real chocolate melted down, cream, milk, five marshmallows and cinnamon."
The Slytherin ravished the rest of the contents in nearly three gulps. Smacking his lips and getting the last few drops from the bottom, he looked over to see Harry staring a him amusedly from the rim of his tankard.
Blushing, he thrust the mug back at Potter," Um..Thanks."
Harry grinned and poured the boy some more," Have as much as you want. I got plenty."
Malfoy gave a grateful smile and ended up having two more mug fulls. The liquid soothed his dry and sore throat as it warmed every inch of his insides. Soon, he was curled up beneath his cloak like a purring kitten infront of a roaring fire.
Harry gave a chuckle at the content look on Draco's face," Better now?"
Malfoy nodded and looked over at the brunette," Thanks again."
Harry shrugged," Anytime. The best thing to mend a broken soul is hot chocolate...So, want to tell me what's up now?"
The blonde trailed his gloved finger around the mouth of his tankard, tracing down the odd carvings running along the sides. Giving it a proper look, he saw that it was a Quidditch game, the Seeker protruding in the foreground while an intense game went on behind him. Malfoy smiled to himself."Its just some rich boy's sob story..."
"I'm sure its not... Tell me."
Draco couldn't help the flutter in his stomach as he saw the sweet and concerned look on the Gryffindor's face. Harry was actually quite handsome...In this light.
"Well...I had gone into Hogsmeade to meet with my father for a late late dinner..We ended up fighting over my future..."
"Go on," Harry pressed gently, screwing the top back onto the thermos and stuffing it into his bag.
"He wants me to work in the Ministry, a 'shoe in' in the Department of Mysteries..but.." He trailed off.
"But you don't want to," Harry finished for him.
Draco gave a sorrowful nod," With all honesty...I just want to travel the world after Hogwarts..See everything I want to, have as many liaisons as I can and then see what I want to do."
"Nothing wrong with that," Harry replied, crossing his legs into an indian position and leaning forward on his knees to face Draco properly.
"Maybe to YOU, but my father was FURIOUS. ..He said if I didn't bring respect and honour to the family name, he'd strip me of my inheritance and hand me over to some muggle family."
"Harsh."
Draco scoffed," No kidding..."
"So..what happened?" Harry inquired carefully.
"He slapped me and told me I better grow up before the term's over or he'd use force to stomp out my..er...peculiarities" Draco replied.
"Peculiarities?" Harry asked confused.
Draco blushed," Um...Nevermind.."
"No, what peculiarities?" The brunette urged, getting highly curious.
"No way am I telling that bit to YOU...I might as well sign myself away to the devil," Draco commented, flushing even worse.
"Oh, c'mon. You've told me this much. I promise I won't tell a soul," Harry said genuinely, pressing a hand to his chest." Cross my heart."
"Cross your heart?'
Harry smiled," Sorry, muggle phrase..I promise I won't tell a living soul..or a dead one."
Draco shifted, eyeing the anxious look in the Gryffindor's eye. Should he? Somewhere deep inside, Malfoy knew he could trust Harry. Potter was as true blue as they come, a saint of a guy. It might even feel enlightening if he said it outloud. A kind of confession. Maybe Potter would be able to help him too.
"Well...Don't laugh or think anything of me,alright? Its just..well..its just occasional feelings.."
Harry nodded and brought his cloak closer against him.
"Alright..well..For the past few weeks, I've been...er...FEELING things..Not normal things a chap should be feeling, mind you...Odd feelings..."
"Like what? Give me an example," Harry said, rubbing his legs to revive them from the cold.
"Well.." Draco muttered, eyeing the movement, then quickly shifting back up to meet with the boy's eyes." I notice things...Things I know I shouldn't be.."
"Like what?"
"Like...The way a guy's neck slides down to meld with the shoulders...The strong hands of a male friend...The curve of a boy's back...Things like that," Draco whispered nervously.
Harry nodded a bit, frowning with concentration and lightly rubbing his chin.
"What does it mean?" Draco asked desperately.
Harry shook his head with a sigh," Ah..You got me mate..Maybe you're comparing yourself to other guys cause you're subconsciously disappointed in your body?"
Draco pondered this over. It DID make sense and it was a wonderfully normal reason. But it was wrong somehow. He knew he felt more when he thought all those things," Perhaps.."
"Draco, let me ask you something," Harry spoke, his voice as gentle as ever.
"Alright.."
"Have you ever kissed someone?"
Draco blinked and blushed lightly," Of course."
"A boy?"
At this question the blonde's entire face pinked like mad. His fingertips tingled as his lips ached for some reason.
"Well?"
"No..." Malfoy mumbled.
"Maybe you should," Harry stated quietly.
"What? Why!" Draco exclaimed, both outraged and strangely intrigued by this suggestion.
"I don't know..I'm just saying. It might help you sort some things out," Harry responded, looking much too calm.
Draco stirred, indignation firing up inside him at Harry's comment, hating even more the look of utter serene on the good-looking boy's face." Sort things out INDEED..I'm not some fag!"
Harry frowned," What's wrong with being gay? A lot of people are, you know."
"Well, NOT ME. I'm a Malfoy, and Malfoy's are NOT homosexuals!" Draco exploded, his entire frame shaking uncontrollably.
"Calm down, Malfoy. It was just a suggestion." Harry said calmly.
"SOME suggestion. I am of pureblood! I'm no common filth that dabbles in the other side because he can't get anything resembling a woman," Draco shot savagely, not knowing why he was getting so upset.
Harry seemed almost hurt and quickly flitted his eyes away from the angry Slytherin," Sorry..I was just trying to help..."
"HELP INDEED! Accusing me of..of..FILTH!"
Harry stood up, stretching out his long legs and bent down to snatch up his bag, throwing it over his shoulder," I'm going to bed now..Get up so I can get my blanket."
Draco got to his feet and watched the boy fold up the cover with a look he couldn't seem to read. It was almost disappointment mixed with anger. Jumping back as Harry tucked the blanket beneath his arm and looked at him sharply, Draco folded his arms and stood awkwardly in his spot.
"You know, I have friends who are gay and they're nothing even CLOSE to filth..They've got to be the best people around and you'd only BE so lucky to know even ONE of them," Harry growled angrily.
All in an instant, Harry shoved his way past Draco, who was frantically trying to grab at a decision in his head. The second his mind wrapped around one, he followed through with it, not bothering to pause and think it over.
Before Harry knew what happened, he was wrapped in the Slytherin's arms, receiving one of the most passionate kisses he'd ever experienced.
tbc...